Rethinking assessment of success of mitigation strategies for elephant-induced crop damage

Crop damage is the most common impact of negative interactions between people and elephants and poses a significant threat to rural livelihoods and conservation efforts. Numerous approaches to mitigate and prevent crop damage have been implemented throughout Africa and Asia. Despite the documented high efficacy of many approaches, losses remain common, and in many areas, damage is intensifying. We examined the literature on effectiveness of crop-damage-mitigation strategies and identified key gaps in evaluations. We determined there is a need to better understand existing solutions within affected communities and to extend evaluations of effectiveness beyond measurement of efficacy to include rates of and barriers to adoption. We devised a conceptual framework for evaluating effectiveness that incorporates the need for increased emphasis on adoption and can be used to inform the design of future crop-damage mitigation assessments for elephants and conflict species more widely. The ability to prevent crop loss in practice is affected by both the efficacy of a given approach and rates of uptake among target users. We identified the primary factors that influence uptake as local attitudes, sustainability, and scalability and examined each of these factors in detail. We argue that even moderately efficacious interventions may make significant progress in preventing damage if widely employed and recommend that wherever possible scientists and practitioners engage with communities to build on and strengthen existing solutions and expertise. When new approaches are required, they should align with local attitudes and fit within limitations on labor, financial requirements, and technical capacity.     

浅谈吉林省西部草原"三化"治理对策

随着吉林省农牧业进入新的发展阶段,结构调整、提高效益、改善生态环境已经成为现阶段农牧业和农村经济发展的重要任务,草原作为西部生态系统的重要组成部分,也是治理的重点.在结合现有的资料对吉林省西部草原"三化"的原因进行分析,并提出相应治理对策.     

香根草系统在宁合高速公路边坡防护上的试验

研究了宁合高速公路南京段易塌方地段土壤的基本性质，探讨了该地段频繁塌方的原因，以及香根草在该地区引种的情况。研究表明，香根草在该地区生长良好，有较强的适应性，并可在短时期内在边坡上形成稠密的绿蓠，既绿化了边坡，又能有效控制水土流失和稳定边坡。这一廉价的生物工程技术为香根草系统在该地区公路边坡防护上的应用和推广奠定了基础。     

低pH对草鱼血液酸碱平衡的影响

研究了低pH(6.0—4.0)对草鱼血液酸碱平衡、p_(o2)及p_(co2)的影响,结果表明,低pH引起草鱼严重的酸血症.亚致死pH(6.0—5.0)时,血液酸碱平衡的影响主要表现为碱贮备[HCO_3]的丧失,血液pH的明显下降经机体缓冲调节可趋于稳定.致死低pH(4.0)时,血液pN和[HCO_3]下降均非常显著,并在96h内随酸化时间延长而日趋严重.仅在pH≤4.0的酸水中草鱼存在低氧症影响问题.草鱼是一种酸敏感性鱼类,为确保成鱼在天然水体的生存和繁育,水质pH至少应维持在6.0以上.     

不同添加剂对铅冶炼污染石灰性土壤的修复及土壤性质的影响研究

探讨了污水处理厂脱水污泥、枯草和磷矿粉对受铅冶炼污染的石灰性土壤(全Pb、Cd、Zn含量分别为2337、21.4、486 mg·kg-1,DTPA提取态Pb、Cd、Zn含量分别为1035、14.5、68.7 mg·kg-1)中重金属的稳定效果及对土壤性质的影响.其中,污泥和枯草均按200 g·kg-1(干重)的用量施用,磷矿粉按n(P)∶n(Pb)=2∶1比例施用,培养80 d.研究结果表明,单独施用污泥可使土壤DTPA-Pb含量降低18.0%(p0.05),并可显著降低土壤pH,增加土壤氮、磷有效性和电导率、DTPA-Cd、DTPA-Zn含量,其中,DTPA-Cd、DTPA-Zn含量增加比例均达到10%以上.单独施用枯草可使土壤DTPA-Pb含量降低10.7%(p0.05),土壤有机质含量增加26.4%(p0.05),对土壤其它性状影响较小.磷矿粉单独施用时对土壤性质影响较小.与污泥单独施用相比,磷矿粉与污泥配合施用时,可使土壤DTPA-Cd含量降低11.9%.     

Effects of an Exotic Plant Invasion on Native Understory Plants in a Tropical Dry Forest

Abstract: The dry forests of southern India, which are endangered tropical ecosystems and among the world's most important tiger (Panthera tigris) habitats, are extensively invaded by exotic plants. Yet, experimental studies exploring the impacts of these invasions on native plants in these forests are scarce. Consequently, little is known about associated implications for the long‐term conservation of tigers and other biodiversity in these habitats. I studied the impacts of the exotic plant Lantana camara on understory vegetation in a dry‐forest tiger habitat in southern India. I compared the richness, composition, and abundance of tree seedlings, herbs, and shrubs and the abundance of grass among plots in which Lantana was cleared or left standing. These plots were distributed across two blocks—livestock free and livestock grazed. Removal of Lantana had an immediate positive effect on herb–shrub richness in the livestock‐free block, but had no effect on that of tree seedlings in either livestock block. Tree‐seedling and herb–shrub composition differed significantly between Lantana treatment and livestock block, and Lantana removal significantly decreased survival of tree seedlings. Nevertheless, the absence of trees, in any stage between seedling and adult, indicates that Lantana may stall tree regeneration. Lantana removal decreased the abundance of all understory strata, probably because forage plants beneath Lantana are less accessible to herbivores, and plants in Lantana‐free open plots experienced greater herbivory. Reduced access to forage in invaded habitats could negatively affect ungulate populations and ultimately compromise the ability of these forests to sustain prey‐dependent large carnivores. Additional research focused on understanding and mitigating threats posed by exotic plants may be crucial to the long‐term protection of these forests as viable tiger habitats.     

软质岩边坡挂网植草绿化防护技术研究

挂网植草解决了红砂岩、紫砂岩等软质岩石坡面因没有土层而不能绿化的难题。在经平整的软质岩石边坡上,铺粘10～15cm厚的泥浆层,满植规格为40×40cm狗牙根(Cynodon dactylon)、假俭草(Eremochloa ophiuroides)、结缕草(Zoysia japonica)等具有匍匐枝茎、耐瘠薄土壤、有良好的水土保持力等特性的草皮,草层上盖2.5×30m高强度的专用塑料网,用钢钉和竹签加以固定,造价为28～30元/m~2,是混凝土喷射、窗式护面墙等其它防护方法成本的1/3～1/5。在京珠、潭邵等高速上推广了近400 000 m~2,能在最短的时间内恢复植被,形成优美的景观,又能发挥较好的生态防护作用。该技术材料来源广、工艺操作易、实用性强,可广泛应用于公路、铁路、水库、堤坡等软质岩石地段的景观绿化与生态防护。     

DDT及其主要降解产物污染土壤的植物修复

用植草方法研究了受DDT及其主要降解产物污染土壤的植物修复试验，比较了10种草在不同污染浓度下对5种土壤的修复能力。研究表明，同一品种的草在不同土壤中对污染物的清除能力是不同的，不同品种的草在同一土壤中对污染物的清除能力也是不同的，在植物修复的过程中，通过草对有机污染物吸收的途径而去除土壤中污染物所作的贡献很小，植草3个月后，草对DDT及其主要降解产物的吸收与富集仅占原施药总量的0．13％－3．0％，而7．10％－71．94％的DDT及其主要降解产物从土壤中消失。     

水葫芦-水草人工湿地系统在再生浆造纸废水处理中的应用研究

通过对水葫芦 -水草人工湿地处理再生浆造纸废水的试验研究表明 ,在进水pH 7 12～ 7 49,BOD5、CODCr、SS浓、度分别为 44 0 5mg/L、35 4 2mg/L、2 90 7mg/L ,水力负荷 0 0 5m/d的条件下 ,BOD5、CODCr、SS的去除率分别为98%、93%、和 89%。系统性能稳定 ,出水水质达到排放标准且可用于农灌