On the significance of adult play: what does social play tell us about adult horse welfare?

Play remains a mystery and adult play even more so. More typical of young stages in healthy individuals, it occurs rarely at adult stages but then more often in captive/domestic animals, which can imply spatial, social and/or feeding deprivations or restrictions that are challenging to welfare, than in animals living in natural conditions. Here, we tested the hypothesis that adult play may reflect altered welfare states and chronic stress in horses, in which, as in several species, play rarely occurs at adult stages in natural conditions. We observed the behaviour (in particular, social play) of riding school horses during occasional outings in a paddock and measured several stress indicators when these horses were in their individual home boxes. Our results revealed that (1) the number of horses and rates of adult play appeared very high compared to field report data and (2) most stress indicators measured differed between ‘players’ and ‘non-players’, revealing that most ‘playful’ animals were suffering from more chronic stress than ‘non-playful’ horses. Frequency of play behaviour correlated with a score of chronic stress. This first discovery of a relationship between adult play and altered welfare opens new lines of research that certainly deserves comparative studies in a variety of species.     

Do horses with poor welfare show ‘pessimistic’ cognitive biases?

This field study tested the hypothesis that domestic horses living under putatively challenging-to-welfare conditions (for example involving social, spatial, feeding constraints) would present signs of poor welfare and co-occurring pessimistic judgement biases. Our subjects were 34 horses who had been housed for over 3 years in either restricted riding school situations (e.g. kept in single boxes, with limited roughage, ridden by inexperienced riders; N = 25) or under more naturalistic conditions (e.g. access to free-range, kept in stable social groups, leisure riding; N = 9). The horses’ welfare was assessed by recording health-related, behavioural and postural indicators. Additionally, after learning a location task to discriminate a bucket containing either edible food (‘positive’ location) or unpalatable food (‘negative’ location), the horses were presented with a bucket located near the positive position, near the negative position and halfway between the positive and negative positions to assess their judgement biases. The riding school horses displayed the highest levels of behavioural and health-related problems and a pessimistic judgment bias, whereas the horses living under more naturalistic conditions displayed indications of good welfare and an optimistic bias. Moreover, pessimistic bias data strongly correlated with poor welfare data. This suggests that a lowered mood impacts a non-human species’ perception of its environment and highlights cognitive biases as an appropriate tool to assess the impact of chronic living conditions on horse welfare.     

江苏省声环境质量二十年演变规律及污染防治措施

综合分析1991年至2010年声环境质量二十年演变规律,得出环境噪声在污染治理方面所采取和措施     

Flow control regulations to gain waste disposal self sufficiency

In a recent ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has determined that solid waste flow control regulations are unconstitutional. Many states have established some form of flow control. As an example, the state of New Jersey has implemented a long-term plan to gain waste disposal self-sufficiency by the year 2000. The success of this plan hinges on the flow controls implemented by the state. Almost two billion U.S. dollars of debt has been incurred by the twenty-two solid waste districts in New Jersey to build the state-of-the-art facilities necessary to reach these goals. An analysis has been performed on the most recent data available of the state’s solid waste generation and management system, at a time when New Jersey must restructure its solid waste management plan. The New Jersey solid waste management model is of interest to other states. The consequences, facts, and alternatives of flow control are examined.     

西藏那曲地区草地退化驱动力分析

那曲地区位于西藏自治区北部，现有草地34173300hm^2，占那曲地区土地总面积的79．51％，占西藏自治区草地总面积的42．15％，居自治区各地市的首位，是西藏自治区主要草地畜牧业基地之一。草地畜牧业产值几十年来一直占该区国民生产总值的50％左右。但是，由于该区生态环境极其脆弱，自然条件恶劣，草地破坏后其恢复难度很大。再加之长期以来，对草地资源的不合理利用。载畜量的不断增加，导致草地环境急剧恶化，草地退化严重，生产力日趋下降，已严重影响了牧区国民经济的持续发展。本文在对那曲草地退化现状调查的基础上，对那曲草地退化原因进行了剖析，并提出了切实可行的防治策略。指出自然环境的变化是那曲草地退化的基本原因，而不合理人类活动则是草地退化的主要原因。因此，在制定草地退化防治对策时，应以社会-经济-自然复合系统理论为指导，让社会、经济、自然协调发展。     

Acoustic orientation via sequential comparison in an ultrasonic moth

Orientation of female lesser wax moths (Achroia grisella) to male calling song was tested on a locomotion-compensator device that withheld all inter-aural acoustic differences from the insect. Under these circumstances, females remained longer in the vicinity of the sound source if they experienced a variable sound level that increased when approaching the source rather than a level that remained constant at all times. Analyses of orientation paths revealed that greater retention near the source was achieved by enhanced turning when the perceived sound level remained unchanged or decreased but retaining the previous heading when the level increased. These findings suggest that acoustic orientation can be supplemented by mechanisms based on sequential, as opposed to instantaneous, comparison of auditory input. Such mechanisms may be valuable when binaural hearing is impaired or asymmetric or in environments where acoustic differences at the two ears are unreliable indications of direction to the sound source.     

Temporal nutrient variation in soil and vegetation of post-forest pastures as a function of soil order,pasture age,and management,Rondônia,Brazil

Understanding pasture degradation processes is key for sustainable development in the Amazon region. Pasture degradation can be indexed by pasture nutritional status, which is impacted by environmental and human related factors. Most studies of the biogeochemistry of Amazonian pastures have been restricted to highly acidic soils with little focus on how management affects pasture biogeochemistry. We investigated soil physical and chemical properties and grass nutrients under different edaphic conditions and management practices in Rondônia state, in the southwestern Amazon region. Our objectives were to analyze the impacts of soil order, pasture age, and pasture management on soil fertility, bulk density and plant nutrients, in order to understand sustainability needs for the future of this region. We sampled 17 study sites on Oxisols, Ultisols, and Alfisols. The pasture age classes we used consisted of 6–10, 11–15, and >16 years including forest as the control. We also evaluated the impact of beef and dairy management strategies on pastures installed on Ultisols. Pastures on Alfisols showed the highest soil P, Ca, and base saturation, properties that decreased gradually after 5 years of pasture installation. In contrast, pastures on Oxisols showed low and stable levels of nutrients regardless of age. Foliar nutrient concentrations appear to be influenced by edaphic conditions. Soil P and foliar P concentration were highly correlated. In general, pasture age was a poor indicator of soil fertility and foliar chemistry because of high variability among pastures belonging to the same soil order. In terms of the impacts of pasture management, we did not observe significant differences in soil or foliar properties in pasture used for beef and dairy on Ultisols.     

内流激发垂直悬臂管振动失稳特性实验研究

目的 研究管道内部流速和浸没深度对细长柔性悬臂管道振动特性的影响规律。方法 通过位移传感器采集管道振动位移时程,计算管道振幅、时频特性、相位变迁和振动频率,分析内流在输流过程中所激发的管道振动失稳特性。结果 随着内流流速的增加,垂直悬臂管会经历静态、前失稳和后失稳3个不同状态。管道振幅随内流流速的增加而明显增大,但振动频率只是缓慢上升。随着管道浸没深度的增加,管道振动失稳整体减弱。结论 内流流速和浸没深度均是影响管道振动失稳特性的关键因素。     

Geometric morphometrics as a tool for improving the comparative study of behavioural postures

Describing postures has always been a central concern when studying behaviour. However, attempts to compare postures objectively at phylogenetical, populational, inter- or intra-individual levels generally either rely upon a few key elements or remain highly subjective. Here, we propose a novel approach, based on well-established geometric morphometrics, to describe and to analyse postures globally (i.e. considering the animal’s body posture in its entirety rather than focusing only on a few salient elements, such as head or tail position). Geometric morphometrics is concerned with describing and comparing variation and changes in the form (size and shape) of organisms using the coordinates of a series of homologous landmarks (i.e. positioned in relation to skeletal or muscular cues that are the same for different species for every variety of form and function and that have derived from a common ancestor, i.e. they have a common evolutionary ancestry, e.g. neck, wings, flipper/hand). We applied this approach to horses, using global postures (1) to characterise behaviours that correspond to different arousal levels, (2) to test potential impact of environmental changes on postures. Our application of geometric morphometrics to horse postures showed that this method can be used to characterise behavioural categories, to evaluate the impact of environmental factors (here human actions) and to compare individuals and groups. Beyond its application to horses, this promising approach could be applied to all questions involving the analysis of postures (evolution of displays, expression of emotions, stress and welfare, behavioural repertoires…) and could lead to a whole new line of research.     

Sustainable development indicators of the European aluminium industry

The European aluminium industry, through its member organisation the European Aluminium Association (EAA), initiated a program on sustainable development for the aluminium industry in 2001. The first step involved the development of a set of sustainable development (SD) indicators for the industry which was developed during 2001 and 2002 with both internal and external stakeholder groups. A list of 34 indicators was used in the first survey exercise. The survey attempted to cover all European plants producing alumina, primary aluminium, rolling ingots, extrusion ingots, foil and recycled aluminium; this covered approximately 800 plants. The survey used two points in time, 1997 and 2002, in order to start developing a trend for the individual indicators and to measure progress over time. The industry response to the survey was very positive, with a total industry coverage based on tonnage reported of over 80% for 2002 data and 70% for 1997 data. The EAA is committed to conducting this as a regular exercise and is engaged in a number of stakeholder workshops in order to present the survey results, to review the indicators used and to also consider adjustments of these based on feedback from stakeholders and experiences from the first data collection.     

The European Union Solidarity Fund: an assessment of its recent reforms

After extensive flooding in 2002, the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was created as an ex post loss-financing vehicle for EU member states and candidate countries in the case of disasters that exceed the government’s resources to cope. The EUSF is viewed as a valuable instrument for pooling risk among countries in Europe and potentially as a model for financing loss and damage from climate change in vulnerable countries worldwide. This paper assesses its future prospects taking account of reforms adopted in 2014. Our analysis is based on three recognized aims of the Solidarity Fund: its promotion of solidarity with those countries having the least capacity to cope with major disasters; its contribution to proactive disaster risk reduction and management (climate adaptation); and its robustness with regard to its risk of depletion (stress testing). Using a simulation approach for future disasters, we conclude that the reformed EUSF’s risk of depletion, although it is reasonably robust to more frequent disasters, could be reduced by increasing member state contributions and/or engaging in risk transfer. The European Commission has taken important steps in linking the fund to proactive risk reduction; yet, by changing its budgeting practices, the commission could be more proactive in encouraging risk management in member states. In its current form, the EUSF does not embed needs-based solidarity. Lower-income “new” member states have received disproportionately less compensation in terms of eligible losses, although on average, they have received more disaster aid than what they contribute to the fund. Solidarity could be enhanced by changing the rules for disbursing aid. After briefly describing alternative risk-pooling models in the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe, we suggest how design features of the EUSF as compared to other regional risk pools can inform discussions on the Warsaw International Loss and Damage Mechanism.     

内埋武器噪声环境试验方法探讨

目的空腔共鸣噪声环境是新一代战斗机内埋武器遇到的严酷的使用环境之一,需要对内埋武器在空腔共鸣环境下的噪声试验方法进行研究,以提高其环境适应性。方法分析噪声环境对内埋武器的影响和GJB 150.17给出的三种噪声试验方法,重点讨论在没有实测数据时确定空腔共鸣频率的计算方法。结果 GJB 150.17给出的空腔共鸣频率计算结果存在偏差,新噪声试验标准对空腔共鸣频率计算公式进行了修正,典型空腔结构的1阶模态共鸣频率提高到45 Hz以上。结论给出可操作的内埋武器空腔共鸣噪声条件和试验程序。     

基于GIS的乌梁素海水体富营养化状况的模糊模式识别

利用基于MATLAB 7.0实现的模糊模式识别交叉迭代模型对2006年5—10月分布于乌梁素海各水体功能区的21个水质监测点的富营养化等级进行了模糊模式识别,并在GIS技术支持下,用Arcview的空间分析功能绘制富营养化等级识别结果、对富营养化状态影响权重最大的评价指标总氮(TN)含量和富营养化状态控制元素总磷(TP)含量对应的富营养化等级水体和地表水质等级水体的空间分布月变化Grid专题图.将富营养化状态变化及其分布区域与乌梁素海同期水质监测指标浓度变化及其分布区域进行对比分析及验证.结果表明,富营养化等级识别结果的时空分布与实际情况相符,能够比较准确地反映富营养化等级定量的时空变化趋势.      

Social partner discrimination based on sounds and scents in Asian small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus)

Ability to discriminate familiar conspecifics is an essential competence in any group-living species, ensuring socio-spatial cohesion, but in many animals, such as mustelids, the relative importance of the different communicative modalities for discrimination is poorly understood. In otters, there is evidence of intra-specific variation in physical appearance and in feces chemical profile, but the potential for acoustic identity coding as well as for identity decoding in visual, acoustic and olfactive domains remains unexplored. We investigated the acoustic structure of contact calls in five captive groups of small-clawed otters and found that it is possible to reliably assign one particular call to a given adult male caller. Females discriminated between familiar and unfamiliar adult males based on their sound (playback) and smell (feces) but not based on their picture, suggesting abilities to memorize and use acoustic and olfactive signatures in their daily social life.     

中国生态脆弱区叶面积指数变化的主导气象因子研究

开展气候变化背景下中国生态脆弱区叶面积指数（LAI）变化的主导气象因子研究,对揭示该区陆地生态系统的变化规律和生态系统对气候变化的动态响应具有重要意义,并为生态恢复建设提供科学依据。基于CN0 5.1气象数据和全球陆表特征参量（GLASS）LAI产品,利用主成分分析方法研究了中国生态脆弱区1982—2017年LAI的变化特征及其主导气象因子。结果显示：1982—2017年,中国生态脆弱区气温基本呈上升趋势,而降水趋势的区域差异显著。大部分生态脆弱区LAI呈增长趋势,包括干旱半干旱、黄土高原、青藏高原和西南岩溶山地石漠化脆弱区大部,以及北方农牧林草脆弱区西部和东南部、南方农牧脆弱区北部和东南部。中国生态脆弱区LAI增长的主导气象因子是气温,其中生态脆弱区大部LAI增长的主导气象因子是日平均气温,而干旱半干旱脆弱区西部和南方农牧脆弱区LAI增长的主导气象因子分别是和日最低和最高气温。研究表明,在研究时段升温对我国生态脆弱区植被生长有积极影响,但在一些区域受湿度状况调制。     

化学工业园区重大环境风险源监控技术研究与应用

基于监控系统综合集成的思想,以重大环境污染事件风险源监控技术规范、重大危险源控制规章、污染源在线监测为基础,从监控指标体系、监控布点范围及监控技术筛选三方面建立化学工业园区中重大环境风险源监控技术体系. 结果表明:重大环境风险源监控指标体系主要从企业内部及企业周边敏感受体两方面进行构建;监控范围从重大环境风险源本体、缓冲区及环境敏感受体三方面确定;监控技术筛选时考虑了环境风险源的状态、监控技术方法的实用性和环境风险源/受体属性. 以上海闵行区化学工业园区为例,经调研统计,该化学工业园区共有重大风险源87个,其中罐区60个、排放口12个,其余分散在库房、生产场所等处. 根据化学工业园区企业内部风险设施及周围敏感受体的监控指标、监控范围及常用监控技术,制定了以罐区、排放口的特征风险物质为指标,以储罐的温度、压力、图像视频、液位及排放口特征风险物质浓度的传感器监控技术为主的监控方案.      

Projected impacts to the production of outdoor recreation opportunities across US state park systems due to the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy

Numerous empirical and simulation-based studies have documented or estimated variable impacts to the economic growth of nation states due to the adoption of domestic climate change mitigation policies. However, few studies have been able to empirically link projected changes in economic growth to the provision of public goods and services. In this research, we couple projected changes in economic growth to US states brought about by the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy with a longitudinal panel dataset detailing the production of outdoor recreation opportunities on lands managed in the public interest. Joining empirical data and simulation-based estimates allow us to better understand how the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy would affect the provision of public goods in the future. We first employ a technical efficiency model and metrics to provide decision makers with evidence of specific areas where operational efficiencies within the nation's state park systems can be improved. We then augment the empirical analysis with simulation-based changes in gross state product (GSP) to estimate changes to the states’ ability to provide outdoor recreation opportunities from 2014 to 2020; the results reveal substantial variability across states. Finally, we explore two potential solutions (increasing GSP or increasing technical efficiency) for addressing the negative impacts on the states’ park systems operating budgets brought about by the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy; the analyses suggest increasing technical efficiency would be the most viable solution if/when the US adopts a greenhouse gas reduction policy.     

基于交通灯方法的小黄鱼资源承载力诊断与评价

交通灯方法是用来诊断并评价渔业种群的资源现状和风险水平的技术程序,有助于资源管理和养护。本文介绍了交通灯方法的构建过程,应用模糊逻辑处理阈值和观测值的不确定性问题,将交通灯中的红灯、黄灯和绿灯定义为超载、临界超载和可载。以2000年~2015年东海小黄鱼种群为示例对象,从表征资源禀赋的丰度和生产力两个属性特征进行分析,探讨了小黄鱼种群补充量、亲体量和开捕期资源丰度的年际变化和承载状态,并集成为复合交通灯体系,以红灯比例超过30%为"严重"强度划分标准。各指标分析结果表明,2005年和2011年,补充量的红灯比例超过30%,呈严重超载状态;亲体量严重超载年份为2002年、2003年和2012年;开捕期资源丰度严重超载年份为2002~2004、2006年。对各指标评价结果集成为复合交通灯,12个年份存在超载状态,2002年~2004年、2006年为严重超载;9个年份出现可载状态;临界超载在各年份均有出现,且占据主导地位,变化幅度在29.14%~91.56%。本文分析方法和结果可以丰富渔业资源承载力评价体系,并为渔业资源管理提供理论参考。     

不同草地资源水平牧户对气候变化的感知与偏差途径

人群感知是气候变化适应行为形成的重要信息基础,基于对中国北方草地草甸草原、典型草原、荒漠草原、草原化荒漠、沙地、农牧交错带等地区1292个牧户的问卷访谈,分2轮调查研究了不同草地类型地区牧民对气候变化的感知,与气候实值比较分析,并研究了牧民气候变化感知的偏差途径,结果表明:1980~2009年间研究区温度变化倾向率为0.63℃/10a(P0.05);温度较强的趋势性与牧民对其感知的分歧存在偏差,降水无明显变化与不同地区牧民感知明确的趋势性判断存在偏差;受草场变化等环境信息的传导是气候变化感知偏差形成的重要原因,其中,降水感知与环境感知之间具有较强的关系,存在明显的传导过程,而温度感知的传导性不明显;通过Probit模型分析显示,气候变化传导感知与否主要与牧户距离行政中心距离、户主年龄、教育背景、载畜水平、草畜资源等因素有关.     

A novel test for evaluating horses’ spontaneous visual attention is predictive of attention in operant learning tasks

Attention is described as the ability to process selectively one aspect of the environment over others. In this study, we characterized horses’ spontaneous attention by designing a novel visual attention test (VAT) that is easy to apply in the animal’s home environment. The test was repeated over three consecutive days and repeated again 6 months later in order to assess inter-individual variations and intra-individual stability. Different patterns of attention have been revealed: ‘overall’ attention when the horse merely gazed at the stimulus and ‘fixed’ attention characterized by fixity and orientation of at least the visual and auditory organs towards the stimulus. The individual attention characteristics remained consistent over time (after 6 months, Spearman correlation test, P < 0.05). The validity of this novel test as a predictor of individual attentional skills was assessed by comparing the results, for the same horses, with those obtained in both a ‘classical’ experimental attention test the ‘five-choice serial reaction time task’ (5-CSRTT) and a work situation (lunge working context). Our results revealed that (i) individual variations remained consistent across tests and (ii) the VAT attention measures were not only predictive of attentional skills but also of learning abilities. Differences appeared however between the first day of testing and the following test days: attention structure on the second day was predictive of learning abilities, attention performances in the 5-CSRRT and at work. The VAT appears as a promising easy-to-use tool to assess animals’ attention characteristics and the impact of different factors of variation on attention.