Making Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptability Real in Africa with Conservation Agriculture

In this report, the authors have gathered essential information on how the agricultural sector can respond to climate change through Conservation Agriculture (CA). This document aims to serve as a basis for decision-making based on science and agricultural experimentation in Africa

Coincidence measurement of residues and light particles in the reaction 56Fe+p at 1 GeV per nucleon with SPALADIN

The spallation of $^{56}$Fe in collisions with hydrogen at 1 A GeV has been studied in inverse kinematics with the large-aperture setup SPALADIN at GSI. Coincidences of residues with low-center-of-mass kinetic energy light particles and fragments have been measured allowing the decomposition of the total reaction cross-section into the different possible de-excitation channels. Detailed information on the evolution of these de-excitation channels with excitation energy has also been obtained. The comparison of the data with predictions of several de-excitation models coupled to the INCL4 intra-nuclear cascade model shows that only GEMINI can reasonably account for the bulk of collected results, indicating that in a light system with no compression and little angular momentum, multifragmentation might not be necessary to explain the data.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, revised version accepted in Phys. Rev. Let

Spallation Residues in the Reaction 56Fe + p at 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 A GeV

The spallation residues produced in the bombardment of 56}Fe at 1.5, 1.0, 0.75, 0.5 and 0.3 A GeV on a liquid-hydrogen target have been measured using the reverse kinematics technique and the Fragment Separator at GSI (Darmstadt). This technique has permitted the full identification in charge and mass of all isotopes produced with cross-sections larger than 10^{-2} mb down to Z=8. Their individual production cross-sections and recoil velocities at the five energies are presented. Production cross-sections are compared to previously existing data and to empirical parametric formulas, often used in cosmic-ray astrophysics. The experimental data are also extensively compared to different combinations of intra-nuclear cascade and de-excitation models. It is shown that the yields of the lightest isotopes cannot be accounted for by standard evaporation models. The GEMINI model, which includes an asymmetric fission decay mode, gives an overall good agreement with the data. These experimental data can be directly used for the estimation of composition modifications and damages in materials containing iron in spallation sources. They are also useful for improving high precision cosmic-ray measurements.Comment: Submited to Phys. Rev. C (10/2006

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Soil organic carbon fractions under conventional and no-till management in a long-term study in southern Spain

In dryland farming systems under a Mediterranean climate, soil quality and productivity can be enhanced by increasing the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) through alternative soil management systems. Some fractions of C are directly involved in increasing total SOC and therefore in enhancing any benefits in terms of soil properties. This study compares the viability of no-till farming (NT) with conventional (traditional) tillage (TT) for improving SOC levels. The influence of management practices was investigated for different fractions of C (particulate OC, active OC, humic acids, fulvic acids) and CO2 emissions in clayey soils in the south of Spain. The experiment was conducted over three farming seasons (2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09) covering a crop rotation of peas (Pisum sativum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.). The NT system improved the levels of the different fractions of C in the surface soil and reduced the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere compared with the TT system. Generally, the relationship between CO2 and SOC content was greater in soils under NT for the farming seasons sampled

. Climate change adaptability and mitigation with Conservation Agriculture

The status quo of agriculture based on soil tillage is unacceptable from a climate point of view. To reverse agriculture’s field performance from that of a net GHG emitter to a GHG mitigator requires a new paradigm. CA is a holistic agricultural system that is able to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The three interlinked principles of CA enable the system to deliver many benefits in terms of carbon sequestration and climate adaptation, especially with regards to soil, water, nutrient, and energy management

Phosphate concentration in carrot roots colonized by <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i> in experiment 2 and 10 different P solubilizing bacterial strains.

<p>The distal compartment contained tri-calcium phosphate. The white bars represent the treatments where roots were colonized by AMF but no bacteria where added, and with tricalcium phosphate (Control) and no tri-calcium phosphate (NTP) in distal compartment. Error bars represent + 1 S.E. Different letters above bars represent significant differences (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.05) according to a Tukey test.</p

Photographs of bacterial colonies on the hyphae of <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i> in <i>in vitro</i> cultures in experiment 1.

<p>a. Growth around branching absorbing structures; b. on and around hyphae; c. around subtending hyphae of <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i>.</p

Mean leaf P concentration of potato plants in experiment 3.

<p>Plants were inoculated with ten different strains of P solubilizing bacteria (P28 –P108), with added inoculum of <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i> and insoluble P in the form of rock phosphate. AMF + Insol P = added inoculum of <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i> and insoluble P in the form of rock phosphate but no added bacteria. Sol P = addition of soluble P but no added bacteria or <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i>. Insol P = addition of insoluble P in the form of rock phosphate but no added bacteria or <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i>. No P = no addition of any P source and no added bacteria or <i>R</i>. <i>irregularis</i>. All plants in all treatments are planted in non-sterile soil containing an existing microbial community. Error bars represent + 1 S.E. Different letters above bars represent significant differences (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.05) according to a Tukey test.</p