Living Amidst Large Wildlife: Livestock and Crop Depredation by Large Mammals in the Interior Villages of Bhadra Tiger Reserve,South India

Conflict with humans over livestock and crops seriously undermines the conservation prospects of India's large and potentially dangerous mammals such as the tiger (Panthera tigris) and elephant (Elephas maximus). This study, carried out in Bhadra Tiger Reserve in south India, estimates the extent of material and monetary loss incurred by resident villagers between 1996 and 1999 in conflicts with large felines and elephants, describes the spatiotemporal patterns of animal damage, and evaluates the success of compensation schemes that have formed the mainstay of loss-alleviation measures. Annually each household lost an estimated 12% (0.9 head) of their total holding to large felines, and approximately 11% of their annual grain production (0.82 tonnes per family) to elephants. Compensations awarded offset only 5% of the livestock loss and 14% of crop losses and were accompanied by protracted delays in the processing of claims. Although the compensation scheme has largely failed to achieve its objective of alleviating loss, its implementation requires urgent improvement if reprisal against large wild mammals is to be minimized. Furthermore, innovative schemes of livestock and crop insurance need to be tested as alternatives to compensations.     

Perceived Conflicts Between Pastoralism and Conservation of the Kiang Equus kiang in the Ladakh Trans-Himalaya, India

An emerging conflict with Trans-Himalayan pastoral communities in Ladakh’s Changthang Plateau threatens the conservation prospects of the kiang (Equus kiang) in India. It is locally believed that Changthang’s rangelands are overstocked with kiang, resulting in forage competition with livestock. Here, we provide a review and preliminary data on the causes of this conflict. Erosion of people’s tolerance of the kiang can be attributed to factors such as the loss of traditional pastures during an Indo-Chinese war fought in 1962, immigration of refugees from Tibet, doubling of the livestock population in about 20 years, and increasing commercialization of cashmere (pashmina) production. The perception of kiang overstocking appears misplaced, because our range-wide density estimate of 0.24 kiang km⁻² (± 0.44, 95% CL) is comparable to kiang densities reported from Tibet. A catastrophic decline during the war and subsequent recovery of the kiang population apparently led to the overstocking perception in Ladakh. In the Hanle Valley, an important area for the kiang, its density was higher (0.56 km⁻²) although even here, we estimated the total forage consumed by kiang to be only 3–4% compared to 96–97% consumed by the large livestock population (78 km⁻²). Our analysis nevertheless suggests that at a localized scale, some herders do face serious forage competition from kiang in key areas such as moist sedge meadows, and thus management strategies also need to be devised at this scale. In-depth socioeconomic surveys are needed to understand the full extent of the conflicts, and herder-centered participatory resolution needs to be facilitated to ensure that a sustainable solution for livelihoods and kiang conservation is achieved.     

四川省畜牧养殖业污染现状及防治研究

畜禽养殖业污染问题近年已成为农村污染的主要来源.通过对四川省畜禽养殖业主要污染物排放现状进行阐述,分析四川省畜禽规模化养殖和养殖专业户生产情况,以及对5种畜禽主要污染物产排污系数的分析,提出四川省畜禽养殖污染防治的技术指导.     

提高畜禽粪便沼气发酵产气量的研究进展

随着畜禽养殖规模的不断扩大,合理处理畜禽粪便是目前刻不容缓的问题.目前,沼气发酵是解决畜禽养殖场粪污处理和资源化利用的主要方式之一,且通过提高畜禽粪便沼气发酵产气量可以实现将粪便变废为宝的目的和达到资源利用最大化效果.综述了畜禽粪便沼气发酵产气的内在影响因素和外在影响因素对产气量的影响,为提高畜禽粪便的利用率和沼气发酵...     

畜禽养殖废水处理技术探讨

介绍了畜禽养殖废水有机物和氨氮含量高、可生化性好等特点及其污染现状,从物化法和生物法两个方面综述了近年来国内外有关畜禽养殖废水处理技术的研究进展,并分析了现有处理方法的优缺点和存在的问题。在此基础上提出了现阶段厌氧（缺氧）一好氧组合工艺技术是处理较大规模畜禽养殖废水的主要方法。并建议畜禽养殖废水的治理应从“防”、“治”两个方面入手。     

畜禽废水处理技术及其应用进展

针对我国养殖业废水污染日益严重的现状,介绍了畜禽废水还田利用、自然处理以及工业化处理的优缺点、国内外应用现状以及研究的重点,并结合我国的实际情况,提出现阶段我国养殖业废水应重点发展还田利用技术与自然处理技术,并及时建立畜禽废水处理设计数据库以及编写设计规范。     

Intensive Livestock Farming: Global Trends, Increased Environmental Concerns, and Ethical Solutions

By 2050, global livestock production is expected to double—growing faster than any other agricultural sub-sector—with most of this increase taking place in the developing world. As the United Nation’s four-hundred-page report, Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, documents, livestock production is now one of three most significant contributors to environmental problems, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, water pollution, and increased health problems. The paper draws on the UN report as well as a flurry of other recently published studies in order to demonstrate the effect of intensive livestock production on global warming and on people’s health. The paper’s goal is to outline the problems caused by intensive livestock farming and analyze a number of possible solutions, including legislative changes and stricter regulations, community mobilizing, and consumers choosing to decrease their demand for animal products.     

河南省畜禽粪便污染及耕地负荷时空变化特征分析

为了解河南省畜禽养殖废弃物对环境污染的影响,根据河南省2006年～ 2012年统计数据,以各地级市为单位,分析了2006年～ 2012年河南省主要畜禽粪便产生总量及养分总量、单位耕地面积粪便负荷量及其污染风险预警.结果表明：河南省畜禽粪便产生总量约为28627万吨,猪粪和牛粪占粪便总量的84.5％以上,畜禽粪便还田后,粪便中的养分含量将对该省的水环境造成污染;河南省耕地畜禽粪便负荷预警级别在I级与Ⅳ级之间,风险较高的地市主要集中在漯河、鹤壁等市,尤其是鹤壁市,负荷量最高达59t/hm2.因此,这些地级市应该加强畜禽粪便的风险管理和综合治理工作.     

基于监测数据的规模化畜禽养殖面源污染总量测算研究

随着我国规模化畜禽养殖业的发展,畜禽养殖面源污染已超过工业源和生活源污染,成为最大的污染源,也成为"十二五"污染减排的重点。本文从规模化畜禽养殖面源污染影响因素分析着手,提出基于监测数据的"产生-削减-面源体现系数法"的畜禽养殖面源污染总量测算方法,并给出了计算公式和总量测算流程,最后以内江市规模化畜禽养猪场为例,介绍了总量测算过程,给出了内江市规模化养猪场面源污染总量。     

Livestock excreta management through vermicomposting using an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida

In India, millions of tones of livestock excreta are produced. Our study explores the potential of an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida to compost different livestock excreta (cow, buffalo, horse, donkey, sheep, goat and camel) into value added product (vermicompost) at the laboratory scale. Vermicomposting resulted in lowering of pH, electrical conductivity, potassium and C:N ratio and increase in nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Total K was lower in the final cast than in the initial feed. C:N ratios of the vermicomposts ranged from 16.2 ± 2.17 to 75.4 ± 6.84. Microbial activity measured as dehydrogenase activity in buffalo, donkey and camel wastes increased with time up to day 90. But in sheep and goat wastes, maximum dehydrogenase activity was recorded on day 60 and decreased thereafter. The cocoons and hatchlings production by Eisenia foetida in different excreta were also investigated. The greatest number and biomass of hatchlings was recorded in horse excreta followed by cow, goat and sheep excreta. Thus, cow, horse, sheep and goat excreta show potential as good substrates in vermicomposting using Eisenia foetida, although further research is required to explore the feasibility of use of buffalo, donkey and camel excreta in combination with cow/sheep/goat excreta.     

Home Range Size and Choice of Management Strategy for Lynx in Scandinavia

Annual and seasonal home ranges were calculated for 47 Eurasian lynx in four Scandinavian study sites (two in Sweden and two in Norway). The observed home ranges were the largest reported for the species, with study site averages ranging from 600 to 1400 km² for resident males and from 300 to 800 km² for resident females. When home range sizes were compared to the size of protected areas (national parks and nature reserves) in Scandinavia, it was concluded that very few protected areas contained sufficient forest to provide space for more than a few individuals. As a direct consequence of this, most lynx need to be conserved in the multiuse seminatural forest habitats that cover large areas in Scandinavia. This conservation strategy leads to a number of conflicts with some land uses (sheep and semidomestic reindeer herding, and roe deer hunters), but not all (forestry and moose harvest). Accordingly research must be aimed at understanding the ecology of these conflicts, and finding solutions.     

Closing the phosphorus loop in England: The spatio-temporal balance of phosphorus capture from manure versus crop demand for fertiliser

Every year 90 million tonnes of housed livestock manures are produced in the UK. This is a valuable reservoir of global phosphorus (P) and a point in the cycle where it is vulnerable to being lost from the terrestrial system. Improved manure management for the effective reuse of phosphorus is vital to simultaneously tackle a major source of water pollution and reduce our dependence on imported fertilisers. This paper quantifies, for the first time, the spatial and temporal challenges of recycling the required amount of manure P from areas of livestock production to areas of crop production in eight regions of England. The analysis shows that England has a P deficit and therefore the capacity to fully utilise the manure P on arable land, but that uneven spatial distribution of livestock poses a significant challenge to closing the P loop in agriculture. Two of the eight regions were shown to have surplus manure P, with the remaining six regions having P deficits, indicating that an annual export of 4.7 thousand tonnes P (2.8 million tonnes manure) must take place from the west to the east of the country each year to balance P supply and demand. Moreover, housed manure production peaks between October and February, requiring an excess of 23.0 thousand tonnes P (15 million tonnes manure) to be stored until it can be used for crop fertilisation from March onwards. The results demonstrate the scale of the challenge in managing manure P in an agricultural system that has separated livestock production from crop production, a pattern that is echoed throughout the developed world. To overcome the spatial and temporal challenges, a logistical system is recommended that will balance the nutrient potential (nitrogen and P content and availability) and pollution potential (eutrophication, greenhouse gas emissions, particulates and nitrous oxide from transport) for cost-effective and environmentally compatible redistribution of manure P from areas of surplus to areas of deficit, when required.     

农村畜禽养殖污染的综合防治

畜禽养殖污染已成为农村环境污染的突出问题。本文通过调查分析广安市辖区内畜禽养殖业的发展和污染现状,在实地研究广安市两个畜禽养殖示范工程的基础上,借鉴现有的畜禽养殖污染防治技术成果,提出了一套以"养殖—沼气—农灌"和"养殖—堆肥—沼气—农灌"两种模式为技术基础,结合政策和法律措施,系统防治畜禽养殖污染的方案,有助于指导农村畜禽养殖的科学、绿色发展。     

An inventory of trace element inputs to agricultural soils in China

It is important to understand the status and extent of soil contamination with trace elements to make sustainable management strategies for agricultural soils. The inputs of trace elements to agricultural soils via atmospheric deposition, livestock manures, fertilizers and agrochemicals, sewage irrigation and sewage sludge in China were analyzed and an annual inventory of trace element inputs was developed. The results showed that atmospheric deposition was responsible for 43–85% of the total As, Cr, Hg, Ni and Pb inputs, while livestock manures accounted for approximately 55%, 69% and 51% of the total Cd, Cu and Zn inputs, respectively. Among the elements concerned, Cd was a top priority in agricultural soils in China, with an average input rate of 0.004 mg/kg/yr in the plough layer (0–20 cm). Due to the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the sources, the inventory as well as the environmental risks of trace elements in soils varies on a regional scale. For example, sewage sludge and fertilizers (mainly organic and phosphate-based inorganic fertilizers) can also be the predominant sources of trace elements where these materials were excessively applied. This work provides baseline information to develop policies to control and reduce toxic element inputs to and accumulation in agricultural soils.     

Manatee Mortality in Puerto Rico

Trichechus manatus ) in Puerto Rico is mortality due to human activities. We assessed 90 cases of manatee strandings in Puerto Rico based on historical data and a coordinated carcass salvage effort from 1990 through 1995. We determined patterns of mortality, including type of event, condition of carcasses, spatial and temporal distribution, gender, size/age class, and the cause of death. The spatial distribution of stranding events was not uniform, with the north, northeast, and south coasts having the highest numbers. Six clusters representing the highest incidence included the areas of Fajardo and Ceiba, Bahía de Jobos, Toa Baja, Guayanilla, Cabo Rojo, and Rio Grande to Luquillo. The number of reported cases has increased at an average rate of 9.6%/yr since 1990. The seasonality of stranding events showed a bimodal pattern, from February through April and in August and September. Most identified causes of death were due to human interaction, especially captures and watercraft collisions. Natural causes usually involved dependent calves. From 1990 through 1995, most deaths were attributed to watercraft collisions. A reduction in anthropogenic mortality of this endangered species can be accomplished only through education and a proactive management and conservation plan that includes law enforcement, mortality assessment, scientific research, rescue and rehabilitation, and inter- and intraagency cooperation.     

Cattle-rangeland management practices and perceptions of pastoralists towards rangeland degradation in the Borana zone of southern Ethiopia

A survey was conducted in the Borana pastoral areas of southern Ethiopia to assess current livestock production systems, rangeland management practices and the perceptions of the pastoralists towards rangeland degradation. This information is considered vital to future pastoral development planning and interventions. Data were collected from a total of 20 villages that were identified from 5 peasant associations, namely Did Yabello, Moyatte, Did Harra, Dubuluk and Melbana. The average household size in the study area was 7.23. The majority of the pastoralists relied on both livestock and crop farming. The average livestock holding per household was 14 cattle, 10 goats, 6 sheep and 2 camels. Livestock holdings, with the exception of camels, has shown a declining trend over time. The two most important traditional rangeland management strategies adopted by the pastoralists included burning and mobility, but since 1974/75 burning has no longer been practised. With regard to mobility, the livestock herding falls in two categories, namely: home based and satellite herding. The former involves the herding of milking cows, calves and immature animals (<2 years) close to the encampments. The latter constitutes the herding of bulls and immatures (>2 years) further away from the encampments. Based on the pastoralists' perceptions, the major constraints on livestock production in descending order, were recurrent drought, feed and water scarcity, animal diseases, predators and communal land ownership. All the respondents considered the condition of the rangelands to have declined dramatically over time. In the past most development policies were based on equilibrium theories that opposed the communal use of the rangelands and traditional range management practices. The way in which the pastoral system affects the rangeland ecosystem functioning is contentious to this theory and the 'tragedy of the commons'. There was also a perceived problem of bush encroachment and the ban on traditional burning practices and recurrent droughts were seen as aggravating factors to this invasion process. The increasing practice of crop cultivation on the rangelands was identified as a serious threat to future livestock production and traditional resource management practices. Suggestions for possible interventions to improve the productivity and sustainable use of these rangelands are made.     

Consequences of livestock grazing on water quality and Benthic algal biomass in a Canadian natural grassland plateau

The effects of livestock grazing on selected riparian and stream attributes, water chemistry, and algal biomass were investigated over a two-year period using livestock enclosures and by completing stream surveys in the Cypress Hills grassland plateau, Alberta, Canada. Livestock enclosure experiments, partially replicated in three streams, comprised four treatments: (1) early season livestock grazing (June–August), (2) late season livestock grazing (August–September), (3) all season grazing (June–September), and (4) livestock absent controls. Livestock grazing significantly decreased streambank stability, biomass of riparian vegetation, and the extent to which aquatic vegetation covered the stream channels compared with livestock-absent controls. Water quality comparisons indicated significant differences among the four livestock grazing treatments in Battle and Graburn creeks but not in Nine Mile Creek. In Graburn Creek, the concentration of total phosphorus in the all-season livestock grazing treatment was significantly higher than that in the livestock-absent control, and the early season and late season grazing treatments. Concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus in the all-season livestock grazing treatment also exceeded that in livestock-absent control. In contrast, differences in water quality variables in the remaining 22 comparisons (i.e., 22 of the total 24 comparisons) were minor even when differences were statistically significant. Effects of livestock grazing on algal biomass were variable, and there was no consistent pattern among creeks. At the watershed scale, spatial variation in algal biomass was related (P < 0.05) with concentrations of NO₂ ⁻ + NO₃ ⁻ and soluble reactive phosphorus in two of the four study creeks. Nutrient diffusing substrata experiments showed that algal communities were either nitrogen-limited or not limited by nutrients, depending on stream and season.     

阿尼玛卿雪山生态旅游模式研究

阿尼玛卿雪山地区是三江源自然保护区的重要组成部分,旅游资源丰富且独特性强,具有浓郁的藏族民俗风情.通过对该地区生态旅游发展状况、优势和制约因素的研究,提出生态游与体育文化相结合、生态建造、生态营销等构想,是对脆弱生态区域进行生态旅游开发的一种有效尝试,有利于实现生态保护和旅游发展相统一,使该地区旅游走上可持续发展道路.     

A framework for valuing the health benefits of improved bathing water quality in the River Irvine catchment

A simple model predicting bathing water concentrations of Escherichia coli from livestock in the Irvine catchment in SW Scotland has been adapted for intestinal enterococci (IE). This has been used to predict risk of bather illness by extrapolation of published data on bather IE exposure vs incidence of gastro-enteritis. Simulated reduction in the risk of illness by reduced faecal loading was multiplied by a willingness to pay for risk reduction to estimate the annual benefits of mitigation. Health benefits of reducing loading by 75% at Irvine Beach were estimated by a willingness to pay method to be about pound 276k pa. Estimated annualised costs of diffuse pollution mitigation measures across the catchment were higher (> pound 1m), and it is very unlikely that 75% mitigation is achievable with current stocking rates. Further work should explore the influence of uncertainty of model parameters, and use emerging epidemiological information on specific zoonotic pathogens such as E. coli O157 and Cryptosporidium. Other components of the value of clean water should also be included to obtain a complete estimate of the cost:benefit of mitigation.