Setting conservation priorities for migratory networks under uncertainty

Conserving migratory species requires protecting connected habitat along the pathways they travel. Despite recent improvements in tracking animal movements, migratory connectivity remains poorly resolved at a population level for the vast majority of species, thus conservation prioritization is hampered. To address this data limitation, we developed a novel approach to spatial prioritization based on a model of potential connectivity derived from empirical data on species abundance and distance traveled between sites during migration. We applied the approach to migratory shorebirds of the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway. Conservation strategies that prioritized sites based on connectivity and abundance metrics together maintained larger populations of birds than strategies that prioritized sites based only on abundance metrics. The conservation value of a site therefore depended on both its capacity to support migratory animals and its position within the migratory pathway; the loss of crucial sites led to partial or total population collapse. We suggest that conservation approaches that prioritize sites supporting large populations of migrants should, where possible, also include data on the spatial arrangement of sites.     

滇池水生植物研究概述

在总结前人工作的基础上，分别从滇池大型水生植物种类、滇池水生植物群落、水生植物与水生生态环境相互关系和滇池水生植物与水生生态系统等方面，对滇池水生植物群落动态和演替及其与环境的相互关系进行分析，为滇池大型水生植物群落恢复、重建及调控提供科学依据。     

Influence of varying nutrient and pesticide mixtures on abatement efficiency using a vegetated free water surface constructed wetland mesocosm

The nutrient and pesticide abatement efficiency of varying mixtures was examined in a vegetated free water surface constructed wetland. Three different agricultural chemical pollutant mixture conditions were assessed: nutrients only (N and P); pesticides only (atrazine, S-metolachlor and permethrin); and a mixture of nutrients and pesticides. With nutrients only, 672 h nutrient mitigation of 77–91% total phosphorous (TP) and 74–98% total nitrogen (TN) was associated with distance from the injection point and rainfall, whereas with nutrient and pesticide mixtures, 672 h nutrient mitigation of 11–71% TP and 84–98% TN were associated with distance and time. With pesticides only, 672 h pesticide mitigation of 50–99% was associated with distance and time, whereas with nutrients and pesticide mixtures, 672 h pesticide mitigation of 48–99% was associated primarily with distance. Dissipation half-lives were 2–10 times greater for P and 1.5–5 times greater for N when pesticides were present. Pesticide dissipation half-lives showed no clear differences with or without nutrients. While vegetated free water surface constructed wetlands can be effective best management practice tools to trap and abate agricultural run-off during rainfall events, efficiencies can be affected by different types of complex pollutant mixtures and wetland design and implementation should accommodate varying efficiencies.     

Screening of hepatoprotective effect of a herbal mixture against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in Swiss albino mice

The hepatoprotective potential of a herbal mixture was evaluated against CCl4 induced liver injury in Swiss albino mice. Liv 52, a commercially available polyherbal hepatoprotective drug was evaluated for comparison. The potential toxicity of the above herbal hepatoprotective agents was also compared. It was observed that there was a reduction in the enzyme biomarkers (Aspartate and Alanine Transaminase) of liver injury in the herbal mixture treated groups, which was similar to the reduction initiated by Liv 52. An increase in glutathione was observed in the herbal mixture treated groups and it was assumed that the herbal mixture protects the liver by virtue of its antioxidant nature along with high regeneration initiation potential. From the study it is also concluded that the herbal mixture is safer than Liv 52.     

Mechanistic Virtual Modeling: Coupling a Plant Simulation Model with a Three-dimensional Plant Architecture Component

The aim of this research is to integrate plant architectural modeling or “visualization modeling” and “mechanistic” or physiologically based modeling to describe how a real plant functions using a virtual crop. Virtual crops are life-like computer representations of crops based on individual plants and including the representation of the substrate on which the plants grow. The integration of a three-dimensional expression and the mechanistic model of plant development and growth requires the knowledge of the position of the organs along the different plant axes (the topology), their sizes, their forms, and their spatial orientation. The plant simulation model simulates the topology and organ weight or length. The superposition of spatial position and the topology produces the architecture of the plant. The association between sizes and organs creates what we refer to as the plant morphological model. Both components, the architectural model and the morphology model, are detailed in this paper. Once the integration is complete, the system produces a movie-like animation that shows the plant growing. The integrated model may simulate one or several plants growing simultaneously (in parallel). Visual capabilities make the proposed system very unique as it allows users to judge the results of the simulation the same way a farmer judges the situation of the crops in real life, by visually observing the field.     

Cancer cluster among police detachment personnel

An apparent cancer cluster at a police detachment in a coastal British Columbia community was investigated. Police personnel suspected that the detachment building may have been a factor. Police personnel (20 current and 154 previous employees) associated with the detachment since 1963, the date of occupancy, were traced. After all 174 cases were contacted directly, or next of kin in case of death, a total of 16 cases of cancer or suspected cancers were reported. Of these 16, eight cases of cancer were confirmed through a cancer registry. Cancers included testicular, cervical, colon, skin (including melanoma), leukemias and lymphomas with an age range of diagnosis between 22 and 44 years. There was no evidence for an underlying event, factor or condition in the police building that could be attributed to the observed cancer cases. A possible association between these cancers and the use of police traffic radar is discussed.