Cumulative ecological and socioeconomic effects of forest policies in coastal Oregon.

Forest biodiversity policies in multi-ownership landscapes are typically developed in an uncoordinated fashion with little consideration of their interactions or possible unintended cumulative effects. We conducted an assessment of some of the ecological and socioeconomic effects of recently enacted forest management policies in the 2.3-million-ha Coast Range Physiographic Province of Oregon. This mountainous area of conifer and hardwood forests includes a mosaic of landowners with a wide range of goals, from wilderness protection to high-yield timber production. We projected forest changes over 100 years in response to logging and development using models that integrate land use change and forest stand and landscape processes. We then assessed responses to those management activities using GIS models of stand structure and composition, landscape structure, habitat models for focal terrestrial and aquatic species, timber production, employment, and willingness to pay for biodiversity protection. Many of the potential outcomes of recently enacted policies are consistent with intended goals. For example, we project the area of structurally diverse older conifer forest and habitat for late successional wildlife species to strongly increase. 'Other outcomes might not be consistent with current policies: for example, hardwoods and vegetation diversity strongly decline within and across owners. Some elements of biodiversity, including streams with high potential habitat for coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and sites of potential oak woodland, occur predominately outside federal lands and thus were not affected by the strongest biodiversity policies. Except for federal lands, biodiversity policies were not generally characterized in sufficient detail to provide clear benchmarks against which to measure the progress or success. We conclude that land management institutions and policies are not well configured to deal effectively with ecological issues that span broad spatial and temporal scales and that alternative policies could be constructed that more effectively provide for a mix of forest values from this region.     

Distribution of benefits based on household participation roles in decentralized conservation within Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project,Nepal

Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is located in the remote and sparsely populated mountainous region of Eastern Nepal. It has been locally managed as a decentralized Integrated Conservation and Development Project since 2006, the first of its kind in Asia. Major international donor agencies sponsor programs to empower and strengthen the capacity of local communities to manage their natural resources, while concurrently improving livelihood opportunities. We surveyed 205 randomly selected households throughout the project area to assess the factors that influence household participation roles in management and management groups, and to evaluate how benefits from program involvement were distributed among the community. Overall, the distribution of benefits was unequal: households with higher level participation roles had increased access to financial credit and capacity development trainings. Social variables such as age, level of education among head of households, the highest level education among household adults, and household size predicted participation. The region is economically homogeneous; therefore, economic factors such as remittances, off-farm income and the quantity of landholdings or livestock did not predict household participation roles. Our results demonstrate the importance of targeting and empowering disadvantaged households in decentralized conservation programs, including educating members about the relationship between participation and equitable distribution of benefits.     

Evidence for potential impacts of ozone on Pinus cembra L. at mountain sites in Europe: an overview

We summarize what is known about the impact of ozone (O(3)) on Pinus cembra in the timberline ecotone of the central European Alps and the Carpathian Mountains. In the central European Alps exposure to ambient and two-fold ambient O(3) throughout one growing season did neither cause any visible injury nor affect the photosynthetic machinery and biochemical parameters in current to 1-year-old needles. By contrast, in the southern French Alps and in the Carpathians 1-year-old needles of Pinus cembra trees showed visual symptoms similar to those observed in O(3) stressed pine stands in southern California. For the southern French Alps the observed symptoms could clearly be attributed O(3) and differences in O(3) uptake seems to be the likely key factor for explaining the observed decline. For the Carpathians however, other reasons such as drought may not be excluded in eliciting the observed symptoms. Thus, the action of O(3) has always to be evaluated in concert with other environmental impacts, determining the tree's sensitivity to stress.     

Mate replacement in experimentally widowed collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis): determinants and outcomes

There is increasing evidence that sexual selection may be intense even in socially monogamous birds, resulting from both mate choice and sperm competition. We studied these two modes of sexual selection experimentally by removing paired male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis, from their mates for 2 days and investigating the factors that influenced the likelihood of a replacement male appearing and how the removals influenced paternity. Replacement males (usually neighbouring males) appeared at 81% (n = 37) of nests where males were removed. The likelihood of this appearance was unaffected by the probable reproductive value of the female's clutch to the replacing male. A replacement was, however, less likely when the original male had a large forehead patch, a trait previously shown to be subject to sexual selection in this population. Experimental removal of males increased the level of sperm competition: 74% of experimental broods were multiply sired, compared to 29% of unmanipulated broods in a previous study. Only two factors predicted how paternity was shared between males: removed males fathered more young if removed closer to laying, and if they had larger forehead patches. The former result is consistent with last-male sperm precedence determining paternity, whereas the latter adds to other evidence that forehead patch size is the target of female preference in this species. Our results suggest that females exert some control over male replacement, and also that they may influence the fertilisation success of males by behavioural means. Received: 15 July 1998 / Received in revised form: 16 March 1999 / Accepted: 28 March 1999     

Case studies of occupational falls from heights: cognition and behavior in context

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to examine individual workers' cognitive, behavioral, and motivational processes leading up to occupational falls from heights. METHOD: The study is based on 26 semistructured personal interviews and on-site investigations with male workers who reported to an emergency department for treatment of injuries due to falls from heights. RESULTS: A greater number of workers carrying out nonroutine compared to routine tasks perceived, identified, interpreted, and attempted to control a fall hazard. Two cases are presented illustrating how cognition and behavior in context progresses from a lesser to a greater active role in the incident processes. SUMMARY AND IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The addition of full-scale investigations of how and why workers thought and behaved the way they did in a particular situation can give important clues as to whether preventive measures will be effective in a similar situation in the future.     

Dynamics of biomass partitioning in field-grown radish varieties, treated with ethylenediurea

During the growing season of 1990, five staggered crops of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) were grown in the field, using the cultivars 'Cherry Belle', 'Red Prince', and 'Red Devil B'. Half of the plants received a soil drench (100 ml plant(-1); 100 mg litre(-1) of ethylenediurea (EDU) once, early in plant development. Destructive harvests were carried out at 2-day intervals during vegetative development. Non-linear growth kinetics, derived from Richards' function, were fitted to the dry weight data of the total plant, main organs (shoot and hypocotyl) and to the dry weight ratio between below-ground and above-ground organs. Estimating the parameters of these non-linear functions and testing their differences between EDU-treated and untreated plants unveiled biologically meaningful information on the impact of different levels of ambient ozone (O(3)) during the growth periods. The modified function which was applied to the data of biomass partitioning between the major plant parts was more powerful in detecting transient alterations in assimilate allocation compared to the growth dynamics of individual plant organs. At low levels of O(3), biomass partitioning towards the below-ground sink organs was slightly delayed and finally restricted in EDU-treated plants. When ambient O(3) reached moderate levels, which did not cause visible foliar injury, assimilate partitioning between organs was only insignificantly altered during early growth when EDU-treatments were compared. As growth progressed, however, less assimilates were allocated towards the hypocotyl and roots in the plants not protected by EDU. This pattern was similar in all cultivars tested, but was smallest in 'Cherry Belle', which is known to be sensitive to O(3) with respect to foliar injury. During the 15- to 19-day periods of rapid growth, the O(3)-exposure >80 nl litre(-1) ranged from 0.015 to 0.209 microl litre(-1) O(3) h, which corresponds to 7 h d(-1) mean values between 40 and 50 nl litre(-1) O(3), confirming that ambient ozone did not exceed a moderate level in this study.     

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.): a model for studying plant responses to air pollutants and other environmental stresses

The use of Raphanus sativus L. as a model crop for studies on plant response to environmental stresses is reviewed with emphasis on the effects of different atmospheric pollutants (O(3), SO(2), NO(2), acidic precipitation) and their combinations. Responses to temperature, light supply, water stress, and atmospheric CO(2) are also studied and discussed. In addition, the references reviewed are evaluated in terms of their experimental protocols on growth conditions and recommendations for optimal ranges of environmental and cultural variables, i.e. light, temperature, nutrient supply are given. Its distinct pattern of biomass partitioning, the small dimensions along with short and easy culture make radish an excellent experimental plant. The fleshy below-ground storage organ, formed by the hypocotyl and upper radicle, acts as the major sink during vegetative development. Abundant assimilate supply due to elevated levels of CO(2) along with high irradiation frequently promote hypocotyl growth more than shoot growth, whereas under conditions of stress shoot growth is maintained at the expense of the hypocotyl. This makes the hypocotyl: shoot ratio of radish a very sensitive and suitable indicator for various environmental stresses. Potential weaknesses and shortcomings of radish in its role as a model crop, particularly the high variability of injury and growth responses, are discussed along with possible solutions. Future research needs are derived from the summarized results presented and from some disparities among findings within the literature reviewed.     

Agricultural GHG emission and calorie intake nexus among different socioeconomic households of rural eastern India

A study was conducted to examine the interrelationships among socioeconomic factors, household consumption patterns, calorie intake and greenhouse gas emissions factors in rural eastern India based on household survey data. Findings indicated that higher monthly per capita incomes (12.1–80.1$) were associated with greater average calorie intakes (2021–2525 kcal d^?1). As estimated by the FEEDME model, in total 17.2% of the population was calorie malnourished with a regional disparity of 29.4–18.2% malnourishment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated only on the basis of crop and livestock production and consumption. Rice accounted for the highest share of total GHG emissions, on average 82.6% on a production basis, which varied from 58.1% to 94.9% in regional basis. Rice contributed the greatest share (~?65% and 66.2%) in terms of both calories and GHG emissions (CO₂ eq y^?1), respectively, on a consumption basis. We conclude that extensive rice farming and increasing animal product consumption are dominant factors in the higher carbon footprint in this region and are likely to further increase with increase in per capita income. This study provides useful information to help for better crop planning and for fine-tuning food access policy, to reduce carbon footprint and calorie malnutrition.

     

Sensitivity of modelled sulphate and nitrate aerosol to cloud,pH and ammonia emissions

A Lagrangian dispersion model has been used to predict daily sulphate aerosol in 2006 at five UK rural measurement sites and hourly nitrate aerosol in April 2003 at Harwell (UK). The sensitivity of aqueous phase sulphate production to the meteorological input has been investigated. Large differences were found between cloud fraction and cloud liquid water output from the regional and mesoscale Met Office Unified Model. The impact on the sulphate aerosol was relatively small, with the mesoscale meteorology giving better results.Sulphate aerosol production in the aqueous phase was found to be very sensitive to modelled cloud pH. As the cloud becomes acidic sulphate production is greatly limited, conversely if the cloud is basic large amounts of sulphate aerosol are produced. A fixed model pH of 5.8 was found to produce better results than allowing the model to calculate pH which resulted in large over-predictions of measured sulphate aerosol in some episodes.Nitrate aerosol was not sensitive to cloud variables or pH, but showed a slight increase with 30% more ammonia emissions, and a slight decrease with 30% less ammonia.Sulphate production in model runs with fixed pH was not sensitive to changing ammonia emissions, however the sulphate production with modelled pH was very sensitive to plus or minus 30% ammonia. This work suggests that good modelling of ammonia is essential to correct estimation of aqueous phase sulphate aerosol if cloud pH is modelled. It is concluded that modelling to estimate the effect of reduced ammonia emission scenarios on future ambient aerosol levels should also take into account the neutralising effect of ammonia in cloud and hence the effect on aqueous phase production of sulphate.