LEGATO Meeting – 21.11.201212:00 – 16:00
Participants: Josef Settele, Catrin Westphal, TejaTscharntke, Stefan Vidal, Sabine Großmann, Ingolf Kühn, Oliver Fried, Erwin Bergmeier, Christina Sann, Nico Radermacher, Stefan Scheu, Alexis Beaurepaire, Stefan Hotes, Anja Schmidt, Martin Schädler
Talk of Josef Settele about the upcoming milestones and deliverables.
Presentations of the different groups: giving a short insight into their recent work and their plans for 2013.
Discussion about the technical terms: consensus that a terminology needs to be established.
The paper presents currently available information on physiogeographical conditions (i.e., climate, geology, soils) and agricultural practice at the study sites. Secondly, it presents data on storage ofplant-available Si (Sipa) in the paddy soils and discusses factors that may determine the spatial differences inSipastorage (i.e., geo- and pedologic conditions and agricultural practice). Stefan H. received a first draft already. Ingolf, Catrin and Josef, are going to contribute.
Top-soils (i.e. ca. 0-20 cm depth)
Following measurements were already done for most (or all) of the 70 LEGATO paddy rice fields:
-ph
-organic C
-total N, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Tr, Pb, Sn, Ba
-different fractions of plant-available Si
-oxalate-extractable Fe and Al
-grain size distribution
For some of the topsoils (10-20) mineralogy (XRD) and phytolith content were already determined.
Profiles:
Profiles were investigated and sampled in all landscapes except for VN_1. We plan to sample profiles in VN_1 in spring 2013. The above measurements are also planned for (some) profiles. Our information on soil type currently derive from FAO soil maps.
Laboratory incubations:
We determine whether application of Si fertilizer to soils from PH_2, PH_3, VN_1 and VN_3 increases plant-Si-uptake and plant biomass. Results will be available in January/February.
We agreed that we need more data about the field management practices of our field sites. It is not known so far when, how often and what kind of pesticides and herbicides are used. As we don’t have a person on site it was decided that everybody should gather as much information as possible while being in the fields. This information should be gathered, organized and made public on our website by one person. Josef will announce soon who will do this job.
There is also no information being gathered on plant pathogens that can be found on our field sites. Maybe we can get this information from the local researchers.
Collaborations:
Anja and Manfred Türke are collaborating on an experiment about the role of the golden apple snail in rice straw decomposition.
Alexis might be able to differentiate the different Lasioglossum species that were found by Catrins master students with molecular methods.
Nico can contact an expert of Asian spiders that still lives in Los Banos and is in close contact with KL. He can help him to identify the different spider species.
Nico and Anja are collaborating on an experiment about the handling of rice residuals at PhilRice. Start of the experiment will be February 2013.
Catrin, Oli, Erwin, Ingolf and Sabine are planning to align the plots they are visiting for data acquisition. So plant details and flower cover of the plots are known. We might be able to establish a link between flower cover and abundance of pollinators and parasitoids and their services.
In general: everybody will focus on his specific area of interest for 2013. The people focusing on soil biodiversity and decomposition (Anja, Stefan H., Martin S., Nico, Stefan S.) will work together, as will the people working with biocontrol and pollination (Catrin, Teja, Stefan V., Christina, Alexis, Nico). The latter will try to collaborate with our plant experts because nectar availability (and quality) is believed to play an important role for the beneficialorganisms.