A comparison of emission calculations using different modeled indicators with 1-year online measurements

The overall measurement of farm level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in dairy production is not feasible, from either an engineering or administrative point of view. Instead, computational model systems are used to generate emission inventories, demanding a validation by measurement data. This paper tests the GHG calculation of the dairy farm-level optimization model DAIRYDYN, including methane (CH₄) from enteric fermentation and managed manure. The model involves four emission calculation procedures (indicators), differing in the aggregation level of relevant input variables. The corresponding emission factors used by the indicators range from default per cow (activity level) emissions up to emission factors based on feed intake, manure amount, and milk production intensity. For validation of the CH₄ accounting of the model, 1-year CH₄ measurements of an experimental free-stall dairy farm in Germany are compared to model simulation results. An advantage of this interdisciplinary study is given by the correspondence of the model parameterization and simulation horizon with the experimental farm’s characteristics and measurement period. The results clarify that modeled emission inventories (2,898, 4,637, 4,247, and 3,600 kg CO₂-eq. cow^?1 year^?1) lead to more or less good approximations of online measurements (average 3,845 kg CO₂-eq. cow^?1 year^?1 (±275 owing to manure management)) depending on the indicator utilized. The more farm-specific characteristics are used by the GHG indicator; the lower is the bias of the modeled emissions. Results underline that an accurate emission calculation procedure should capture differences in energy intake, owing to milk production intensity as well as manure storage time. Despite the differences between indicator estimates, the deviation of modeled GHGs using detailed indicators in DAIRYDYN from on-farm measurements is relatively low (between ?6.4 % and 10.5 %), compared with findings from the literature.     

Birth sex ratios in toque macaques and other mammals: integrating the effects of maternal condition and competition

Mammalian life histories suggest that maternal body condition and social dominance (a measure of resource-holding potential) influence the physical and social development of offspring, and thereby their reproductive success. Predictably, a mother should produce that sex of offspring which contributes most to her fitness (as measured by the number of her grandchildren) and that she is best able to raise within the constraints imposed by her condition, social rank, and environment. Such combined effects were investigated by monitoring variations in body condition (weight) and behavior of female toque macaques, Macaca sinica of Sri Lanka, in a changing forest environment over 18 years. Maternal rank, by itself, had no influence on offspring sex, but did affect maternal body condition. The combined effects of rank and condition indicated the following: mothers in robust condition bore more sons, whereas those in moderate condition bore more daughters, but both effects were expressed most strongly among mothers of high rank. Where the consequences of low rank were felt most acutely, as shown by poor condition, mothers underproduced daughters. Environmental quality directly influenced rank and condition interactions, and thus sex ratios. These relationships, and data from other mammals suggest an empirically and theoretically consistent pattern of sex allocation in mammals. New predictions integrate effects, proposed by Trivers and Willard, that are rooted in male mate competition, which is universal among polygynous mammals, with those of local resource competition (and/or female reproductive competition), which are not universal and differ in intensity between the socioecologies and local environments of different species. Received: 30 May 1998 / Accepted after revision: 29 August 1998     

Occurrence and distribution of triclosan in the German Bight (North Sea)

The potential of triclosan (TCS) acting as an endocrine disruptor has led to growing concern about the presence of TCS in the environment. In this study, seawater samples were collected from the German Bight during sampling campaigns conducted with the German research ships Gauss and Ludwig Prandtl. TCS was determined both in the dissolved phase and in the suspended particulate matters with concentrations ranging 0.8-6870 pg L⁻¹ and <1-95 pg L⁻¹, respectively. High concentrations of TCS were present in the estuaries of the Elbe and the Weser, indicating significant input of TCS by the river discharge. The correlation coefficient (R²) between the dissolved concentration and salinity was 0.79 for the data obtained from the Gauss cruise, showing an obvious declining trend from the coast to the open sea.     

Sirenomelia,the mermaid syndrome—detection in the first trimester

The sirenomelia sequence with fusion, rotation, hypotrophy or atrophy of the lower limbs in combination with severe urogenital and gastrointestinal malformations is a rare and usually lethal disorder. We present the case of a 28-year-old woman, who was referred to our department because of an intraabdominal cystic structure in the 9th week of gestation. Subsequent scans confirmed the diagnosis of a sirenomelia sequence with the fusion of the lower extremities without fusion of the bones according to Stocker I classification. The size of the intraabdominal cyst decreased during follow-up. After counseling, termination of pregnancy was induced. The postmortem X-ray confirmed the ultrasound diagnosis. The exact etiological mechanism of this malformation is still unknown. An early alteration of the embryological vascular network damaging the caudal mesoderm is thought to lead to arrested development of the lower limbs and other affected organs. The cyst we saw in the 9th week might fit with this theory, either as an expression of the complex malformation of the lower abdomen or as the sonographic appearance of necrosis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vom Werden zum Sein

In the evolution of the animal kingdom and of Man there have been four striking changes in orientation, each accompanied by (amongst other things) marked changes in the flow rates and distribution of energy. An analysis of the alterations in the turnover and distribution of energy reveals that with each such revolution the role of the individual and his social demands gained in importance as compared to that of the germ line.     

沿海和海洋生态系统与人类人口系统间的相互作用:关于消费如何调解这种相互作用的看法

人口、环境及可持续发展的困境 20世纪的80和90年代,环境工作者和普通公众普遍认为,不加控制的人口增长是造成各类环境退化的根本原因.这种新马尔萨斯人口论的观点最初出现在20世纪60年代Ehrlich所著的<人口炸弹>的文章中,该文以危言耸听的语气解释了那十年空前高的人口增长率[1～3].     

Feto-amniotic shunting—report of the experience of four european centres

Few reports concerning intrauterine shunting are available. We investigated the impact of this method. In order to evaluate intrauterine shunting and the complication rate for different indications, we sent a questionnaire to all German-speaking level 3 centres. In four level 3 centres, 52 intrauterine catheters were inserted in 34 fetuses. The indications were uni- or bilateral hydrothorax in nine cases, cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung in four cases, infravesical stenosis in 13 cases, and fetal ascites in eight cases. In three cases (6 per cent), difficulties occurred when the drain was inserted. In 15 cases (29 per cent), the function of the drain was reduced by dislocation or occlusion. The mortality rate caused by shunting was as high as eight per cent (four cases). The application of an intrauterine shunt currently represents a rarely performed ultrasound-guided therapeutic intervention in the fetus. In all cases, the indication for shunting is to avoid compression of normal tissue by cystic structures. A high complication rate restricts the application of drainage to selected cases.