Effects of water management and grassland renewal on the greenhouse gas emissions from intensively used grassland on bog peat

Artificial drainage is prerequisite for conventional agricultural use of peatlands, but causes high emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), mainly carbon dioxide (CO2). Furthermore, grassland renewal is regularly practiced to maintain high fodder quality, but might cause high emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O). Raising water levels is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions. Water management by subsurface irrigation (SI) and ditch blocking (DB) is thus discussed as potential compromise between maintaining intensive grassland use and reducing GHG emissions. Here, we present results of a four year study on the effects of SI and DB in combination with grassland renewal on GHG emissions from an intensively used grassland on bog peat in North-Western Germany. The water management itself was successful and lead to average mean annual water levels of -0.33 m at the parcels with SI. This was 0.38 m higher than at the control parcels. Ditch blocking also raised the mean water levels to -0.33 m, but the parcel was dryer in summer and wetter in spring than those with SI. Despite clear effects on water levels, CO2 and total GHG emissions were much (38 % and 31 %) higher from SI parcels than from the control parcels. CO2 and GHG emissions of the DB parcel were similar to those of the control. Shallow ploughing increased N2O emissions for around 1.5 years, but there was no clear effect of direct sowing. Methane emission from all parcels were low. The surprising results regarding CO2 might be explained by an interaction of increased soil moisture in the topsoil and improved nutrient retention during periods of high soil temperatures facilitated by SI and, concurrently, by limitations of microbial activity due to dry conditions at the control parcels. Thus, results of this study do not support subsurface irrigation as a GHG mitigation measure at intensively used bog peatlands

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Oligofructan Metabolism and Suggested Functions in Developing Cereal Grains

Oligofructans represent one of the most important groups of sucrose-derived water–soluble carbohydrates in the plant kingdom. In cereals, oligofructans accumulate in above ground parts of the plants (stems, leaves, seeds) and their biosynthesis leads to the formation of both types of glycosidic linkages [β(2,1); β(2,6)-fructans] or mixed patterns. In recent studies, tissue- and development- specific distribution patterns of the various oligofructan types in cereal grains have been shown, which are possibly related to the different phases of grain development, such as cellular differentiation of grain tissues and storage product accumulation. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about oligofructan biosynthesis and accumulation kinetics in cereal grains. We focus on the spatiotemporal dynamics and regulation of oligofructan biosynthesis and accumulation in developing barley grains (deduced from a combination of metabolite, transcript and proteome analyses). Finally, putative physiological functions of oligofructans in developing grains are discussed

How Ecotheological Beliefs Vary Among Australian Churchgoers and Consequences for Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors

A growing literature has sought to understand the relationships between religion, politics and views about climate change and climate change policy in the United States. However, little comparative research has been conducted in other countries. This study draws on data from the 2011 Australian National Church Life Survey to examine the beliefs of Australian churchgoers from some 20 denominations about climate change—whether or not it is real and whether it is caused by humans—and political factors that explain variation in these beliefs. Pentecostals, Baptist and Churches of Christ churchgoers, and people from the smallest Protestant denominations were less likely than other churchgoers to believe in anthropogenic climate change, and voting and hierarchical and individualistic views about society predicted beliefs. There was some evidence that these views function differently in relation to climate change beliefs depending on churchgoers’ degree of opposition to gay rights. These findings are of interest not only for the sake of international comparisons, but also in a context where Australia plays a role in international climate change politics that is disproportionate to its small population