A Daily Time Series Analysis of StreamWater Phosphorus Concentrations Along an Urban to Forest Gradient

During a 1-year period, we sampled stream water total phosphorus (TP) concentrations daily and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations weekly in four Seattle area streams spanning a gradient of forested to urban-dominated land cover. The objective of this study was to develop time series models describing stream water phosphorus concentration dependence on seasonal variation in stream base flows, short-term flow fluctuations, antecedent flow conditions, and rainfall. Stream water SRP concentrations varied on average by ±18% or ±5.7 μg/L from one week to another, whereas TP varied ±48% or ±32.5 μg/L from one week to another. On average, SRP constituted about 47% of TP. Stream water SRP concentrations followed a simple sine-wave annual cycle with high concentrations during the low-flow summer period and low concentrations during the high-flow winter period in three of the four study sites. These trends are probably due to seasonal variation in the relative contributions of groundwater and subsurface flows to stream flow. In forested Issaquah Creek, SRP concentrations were relatively constant throughout the year except during the fall, when a major salmon spawning run occurred in the stream and SRP concentrations increased markedly. Stream water SRP concentrations were statistically unrelated to short-term flow fluctuations, antecedent flow conditions, or rainfall in each of the study streams. Stream water TP concentrations are highly variable and strongly influenced by short-term flow fluctuations. Each of the processes assessed had statistically significant correlations with TP concentrations, with seasonal base flow being the strongest, followed by antecedent flow conditions, short-term flow fluctuations, and rainfall. Times series models for each individual stream were able to predict ∼70% of the variability in the SRP annual cycle in three of the four streams (r² = 0.57–0.81), whereas individual TP models explained ∼50% of the annual cycle in all streams (r² = 0.39–0.59). Overall, time series models for SRP and TP dynamics explained 82% and 76% of the variability for these variables, respectively. Our results indicate that SRP, the most biologically available and therefore most important phosphorus fraction, has simpler and easier-to-predict seasonal and weekly dynamics.     

Niagara region farmers' markets: local food systems and sustainability considerations

This article presents the findings of a survey of farmers' markets customers in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada. The recent growth of farmers' markets in North America and the association of these markets with local food systems development provoke examination to gain insights into consumer motivations for patronizing these markets, and to then reflect on their potential role within locally oriented and sustainable food production systems. The survey carried out on customers of three Niagara region farmers' markets corroborates previous studies that noted that socioeconomic and cultural factors such as the importance of food freshness, support of local farmers and the local farm economy, and social interaction—embeddedness—are key expressions of people's support and interest in farmers' markets. This work serves to heighten our understanding of consumer attitudes toward direct marketing via farmers' markets, yields useful speculation about these markets and their roles in sustainable local food systems progress, and also raises critical questions about such customer patronage and associated farmers' markets potential in local food system development.     

Issues Associated with Research on Sheep Parasite Control in New Zealand – a Descriptive Ethic

In common with much of theEnglish-speaking world, New Zealandersgenerally oppose the use of animalexperimentation where there is no demonstrableand immediate benefit for human, animal, orenvironmental health. Intrusive experiments onsheep internal and external parasites publishedbetween 1996 and 2000 are reviewed, anddiscussed in relation to these publicsensibilities. A total of 16 publishedexperiments on sheep parasites involvedsurgical manipulations or other intrusiveprocedures. Some of these experiments had noshort-term application, or the only applicationwas in increasing animal production. Otherscould have been modified at some extra expenseso that they were less intrusive. Still otherswere duplications of previous work. All thesemanipulations would be unacceptable accordingto the orthodox morality of the general public.Breeding programs, rotation of grazing,``low-tech' vaccination, and in vitromodels of sheep can provide insights intopreventing parasite infestation withoutintrusive experiments. Such research protocolsshould take priority over existing programs.The results also confirm earlier reports thatanimal ethics committees are not fulfillingtheir mandated objective of acting as watchdogsfor the public. Possible changes in New Zealandanimal welfare legislation and itsinterpretation by Animal Ethics Committees arediscussed.     

Methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate: the unique sulfur-containing sex pheromone of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Phyllophaga crinita</Emphasis>

The female-produced sex pheromone of Phyllophaga crinita (Burmeister) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae; the adult has no common name) is identified as methyl 2-(methylthio)benzoate. This is the first identification of a sulfur-containing, long-distance, female-produced sex attractant from any insect taxa. The root-feeding larvae of this species are serious pests in many crops in Texas and Mexico. In field tests, many P. crinita males were captured in traps baited with the authentic compound. Interestingly, a heteroatom analog, methyl 2-methoxybenzoate, also captured P. crinita males, but only at a dose 10,000 times higher than the lowest tested dose of the authentic pheromone.In memory of M.G. Villani, who died on 15 May 2001. His enthusiasm for soil-dwelling scarab beetles and contributions to their research are greatly missed.     

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of gastric outlet obstruction due to a pyloric web

Gastrointestinal tract atresia has an incidence of 1 in 10 000 live-births, while gastric outlet obstruction comprises only approximately 1 per cent of these malformations. A prenatally diagnosed case is described, followed by a discussion regarding the diagnosis and possible associated abnormalities.     

Cystic fibrosis prenatal diagnosis: Confirmation of an equivocal microvillar enzyme result by direct analysis of the common gene mutation

A child was tentatively diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis, based on neonatal presentation with severe gastrointestinal complications; the diagnosis was not confirmed biochemically and no tissues were available for DNA analysis. The mother presented in her subsequent pregnancy, and microvillar enzyme analysis of cell-free amniotic fluid at both 18 and 20 weeks gestation gave equivocal results. The pregnancy was terminated voluntarily because of a trend towards abnormal enzyme assay results on the second amniocentesis. Retrospectively, fetal tissues were found to be homozygous for the most common mutation of the cystic fibrosis gene (AF₅₀₈), which confirmed the prenatal assessment and suggested that the first infant of the couple was probably also affected by the disease.     

The rhetoric of participation re-examined: The state,NGOs and water users at Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh,India

Summary People's participation is usually regarded as a sine qua non for the success and sustainability of development projects. Yet in practice, it raises a number of questions. Who are the people? Why is their participation sought, and how or at what level, is such participation desired? This paper seeks to examine the rhetoric of participation in the implementation of the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) at Varanasi, in the north-eastern State of Uttar Pradesh, India. Launched in 1985, the GAP is the first major attempt to systematically control and monitor the pollution of a significant river in the country. In addition, it claimed to be a people's programme because of the powerful and deep-seated cultural and religious meaning associated with the Ganga. Varanasi, however, is indicative of its failure to deliver this promise — the GAP is only acceptable to authority because it does not challenge the existing institutional order, and its participatory content is symbolic rather than substantive. Non-govemental organisations, traditionally viewed as intermediary actors between the micro and macro levels, work within the socio-political framework of the city. In the process, water-user groups such as the washermen who derive an economic livelihood from washing clothes in the Ganga, are literally excluded from the definition and process of participation.She obtained her PhD, the basis of the current research, at the University of Cambridge, UK.     

Could the predation risk hypothesis explain large-scale spatial sexual segregation in fallow deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dama dama</Emphasis>)?

Large-scale spatial segregation was assessed by means of radio-telemetry in 48 fallow deer studied for 4 years. Three hypotheses have traditionally been used to explain sexual segregation: (1) the predation risk hypothesis, (2) the forage selection hypothesis, (3) the activity budget hypothesis. The first of these seems to be a valid explanation of large-scale segregation in fallow deer at San Rossore, where the use by the two sexes of areas characterized by intense anthropic disturbance, during the day, was compared with other areas not affected by human pressure. Males showed a high use of disturbed areas, both during the day and the night, with the exception of the rutting period, when they reached more remote areas to mate. Females frequented disturbed areas only during the night, with the exception of the birth period, when sexual segregation peaked because females never used these areas, not even during the night. The forage selection hypothesis was invalid on a large scale, considering that no differences between the degree of day and night sexual segregation were to be expected. However, the predation risk hypothesis seems not to be a valid explanation of small-scale sexual segregation, when further subdivisions of disturbed areas are considered, because sexes proved to be segregated also during the night in the area they both used. This emphasizes both the importance of scale in understanding ecological processes, since a combination of many different factors may be responsible for the evolution of sexual segregation in ungulates, and the importance of human pressure in influencing deer behaviour.Communicated by T. Czeschlik