The importance of biparental care in a precocial,monogamous bird,the bar-headed goose (Anser indicus)

Summary This study presents the first direct evidence of benefit derived from the male's parental effort during rearing of young in a monogamous, precocial bird species. We compared mothers accompanied by a mate (paired mothers) with single mothers, some of which were artificial widows, in a semicaptive flock of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus). Paired mothers were less often displaced by other birds and suffered fewer interruptions of brooding. Their goslings spent more time grazing and survived with a higher probability. Although one beneficial result of the male's parental effort may be the continued availability and survival of his mate, a more direct benefit arises from higher offspring survival between hatching and fledging.     

Can Large-Scale Climatic Models Be Linked with Multiscale Ecological Studies?*

On a global scale climatic changes driven by human activities are typically projected to increase from 1° C to 5° C per 100 years a rate of change that is an order of magnitude greater than that typically experienced naturally. Such a potentially dramatic change in climate could easily cause dramatic biological responses including extinction. Species show a wide range of responses to climate and consequently the response of different species of plants and animals to climatic change will be quite variable. This implies a likelihood for a disassembling of natural communities and for transient, nonequivalent restructuring of habitats as climatic change unfolds. Validated models that help forecast these events are needed to aid scientists in better understanding the ecological ramifications of global climatic change. Also, and perhaps more important for conservation biology, such validated models can help provide probabilities for the occurrence of these events, which will allow policy makers to make better, informed decisions. Typically, the study plots of most ecological field work are telecommunications, while the smallest resolved scales in global climatic models are about 500 × 500 km. Computer limitations preclude significant reduction in scales of climatic models. Consequently, more multi-species ecological studies are needed over broad geographic and long temporal scales. We provide an example of large-scale ecological response studies, namely the case of wintering North American birds. We also provide an example of attempts to translate results of large-scale climatic models (at a 500 × 500 km scale) to a mesoscale (50 × 50 km). Participation of climatologists with ecologists at early stages in research planning can help bridge the scale mismatch between climatic and ecological measurement, and provide more reliable estimates of community responses to century-long, time-evolving patterns of climatic change. We are convinced that many more such interdisciplinary research attempts are urgently needed if the scientific community is to produce information useful to the development of conservation strategies. Such strategies might help to mitigate potential negative consequences of global climatic changes before they manifest themselves irreversibly in nature.     

Influence of ozone and acid mist on the contents of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) in spruce needles (Picea abies) (L.) Karst

The phytohormone GA(3) in needles from 4-year-old Norway spruce trees was analyzed after treatment with ozone and acid mist in environmental chambers under controlled conditions. GA(3) was extracted with methanol from the lyophilized material. Subsequent purification steps included the use of polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP), cartridge reversed-phase purification, ethylacetate extraction and HPLC. The GA(3) was determined in the methylated form by means of a highly specific and sensitive enzyme immunoassay. Higher GA(3) contents were detected in young needles (year 1987) as compared to older ones (year 1986). However, no statistically significant differences were found in the GA(3) levels between the controls and the needles of trees which were treated with increased levels of ozone and acidic mist.     

The FLASH Project: using lightning data to better understand and predict flash floods

The FLASH project was implemented from 2006 to 2010 under the EU FP6 framework. The project focused on using lightning observations to better understand and predict convective storms that result in flash floods. As part of the project 23 case studies of flash floods in the Mediterranean region were examined. For the analysis of these storms lightning data from the ZEUS network were used together with satellite derived rainfall estimates in order to understand the storm development and electrification. In addition, these case studies were simulated using mesoscale meteorological models to better understand the meteorological and synoptic conditions leading up to these intense storms. As part of this project tools for short term predictions (nowcasts) of intense convection across the Mediterranean and Europe, and long term forecasts (a few days) of the likelihood of intense convection were developed. The project also focused on educational outreach through our website http://flashproject.org supplying real time lightning observations, real time experimental nowcasts, forecasts and educational materials. While flash floods and intense thunderstorms cannot be prevented as the climate changes, long-range regional lightning networks can supply valuable data, in real time, for warning end-users and stakeholders of imminent intense rainfall and possible flash floods.     

A comparative assessment of land management approaches in Bhutan

Arable land in Bhutan is under serious threats of land degradation. Proper land management approach is needed to control soil erosion problems. This study is an attempt to characterize and document the conventional and the community-based land management approaches, applied in Chukha and Dagana districts, respectively. The study tried to make a comparative assessment of their social, economic and environmental impacts on the participating farmers. Farmers’ level of participation in the program, implementation of the soil erosion control measures (SECM) and subsequent social, economic and environmental impacts were found to be significantly influenced by the type of approach applied. The study found that community-based approach is by any means better suited for the study sites than the conventional approach. The social, economic and environmental attributes of respondents from the community-based approach were found to have improved significantly as compared to the conventional approach. The community-based approach was thus found to have a higher potential to meet the diverse requirements of rural subsistence farming communities in Bhutan than the conventional approach.