Populations of domesticated cattle and buffalo in the Western Forest Complex of Thailand and their possible impacts on the wildlife community

The Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM) of Thailand is comprised of many protected areas and has one of the highest wildlife populations in the country. Populations of wildlife in the WEFCOM have decreased dramatically over recent years. Rapid economic development has resulted in the conversion of forest into agricultural and pastoral land, which has directly and indirectly impacted the wildlife community. This research aimed to evaluate populations of domesticated cattle (Bos indicus) and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in the WEFCOM and their possible impacts on the wildlife community. Domesticated cattle and buffalo keepers from 1561 (or 3.3%) of houses in and near WEFCOM were interviewed. The average number of animals per household was 15.6 cattle and 8.5 buffalo. Most villagers released domesticated cattle and buffalo to forage in the protected areas. This tended to have a high impact on the wildlife community in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary and Tungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. The least impacted areas were Luam Khlong Ngu National Park, Thong Pha Phum National Park and Chaleam Ratanakosin National Park. With a high risk to the wildlife community, law enforcement should be used in combination with a certain level of co-management with local communities.     

Field Trial Assessment of Biological,Chemical, and Physical Responses of Soil to Tillage Intensity,Fertilization, and Grazing

Soil microbial populations can fluctuate in response to environmental changes and, therefore, are often used as biological indicators of soil quality. Soil chemical and physical parameters can also be used as indicators because they can vary in response to different management strategies. A long-term field trial was conducted to study the effects of different tillage systems (NT: no tillage, DH: disc harrow, and MP: moldboard plough), P fertilization (diammonium phosphate), and cattle grazing (in terms of crop residue consumption) in maize (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Heliantus annuus L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.) on soil biological, chemical, and physical parameters. The field trial was conducted for four crop years (2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, and 2003/2004). Soil populations of Actinomycetes, Trichoderma spp., and Gliocladium spp. were 49% higher under conservation tillage systems, in soil amended with diammonium phosphate (DAP) and not previously grazed. Management practices also influenced soil chemical parameters, especially organic matter content and total N, which were 10% and 55% higher under NT than under MP. Aggregate stability was 61% higher in NT than in MP, 15% higher in P-fertilized soil, and also 9% higher in not grazed strips, bulk density being 12% lower in NT systems compared with MP. DAP application and the absence of grazing also reduced bulk density (3%). Using conservation tillage systems, fertilizing crops with DAP, and avoiding grazing contribute to soil health preservation and enhanced crop production.     

关于随机振动试验

为了更好地进行随机振动试验,本文叙述了随机振动试验中需要的一些基本技术方法。     

Effects of cadmium on forearm bone density after reduction of exposure for 10 years in a Chinese population

The main focus of this study was to evaluate long term effects of cadmium on forearm bone mineral density after stopping ingestion of cadmium-polluted rice for 10 years in a Chinese population. A total of 532 persons (338 women and 194 men), living in control, moderately and heavily polluted areas, were included in this study. The residents living in the polluted area ceased ingesting cadmium-polluted rice in 1996. All participants were require to answer a questionnaire and the bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the proximal radius and ulna. Samples of urine and blood were collected for determination of cadmium in urine (UCd) and blood (BCd).The BMD of subjects living in the heavily polluted area was significantly lower than that of those living in control area in both men and women (p < 0.01). For the people living in the moderately polluted area, only the women's BMD was greatly lower compared to that in the control area (p < 0.05). The BMD declined with the increasing BCd and UCd in both sexes, especially in the highest level (BCd > 5 µg/L, UCd > 10 µg/g crea) groups (p < 0.01). It was found that there were significant differences in the prevalence of osteoporosis among the different areas (χ² = 13.046, p = 0.0003) and different UCd groups (χ² = 4.511, p = 0.0337) in women, but not in men (χ² = 0.962, p = 0.3268; χ² = 1.906, p = 0.1675). But a significant difference exists in the prevalence of osteoporosis among different BCd groups in both genders (χ² = 9.304, p = 0.00229, in women; χ² = 4603, p = 0.0319, in men). This study suggested that cadmium could play a long-term role on bone and more attention should be paid to cadmium effects on bone metabolism after reduction of exposure.     

Short-term seasonal variability in Be wet deposition in a semiarid ecosystem of central Argentina

The ⁷Be wet deposition has been intensively investigated in a semiarid region at San Luis Province, Argentina. From November 2006 to May 2008, the ⁷Be content in rainwater was determined in 58 individual rain events, randomly comprising more than 50% of all individual precipitations at the sampling period. ⁷Be activity concentration in rainwater ranged from 0.7 ± 0.3 Bq l⁻¹ to 3.2 ± 0.7 Bq l⁻¹, with a mean value of 1.7 Bq l⁻¹ (sd = 0.53 Bq l⁻¹). No relationship was found between ⁷Be content in rainwater and (a) rainfall amount, (b) precipitation intensity and (c) elapsed time between events. ⁷Be ground deposition was found to be well correlated with rainfall amount (R = 0.92). For the precipitation events considered, the ⁷Be depositional fluxes ranged from 1.1 to 120 Bq m⁻², with a mean value of 32.7 Bq m⁻² (sd = 29.9 Bq m⁻²). The annual depositional flux was estimated at 1140 ± 120 Bq m⁻² y⁻¹. Assuming the same monthly deposition pattern and that the ⁷Be content in soil decreases only through radioactive decay, the seasonal variation of ⁷Be areal activity density in soil was estimated. Results of this investigation may contribute to a valuable characterization of ⁷Be input in the explored semiarid ecosystem and its potential use as tracer of environmental processes.     

长江中上游防护林体系森林植被碳贮量及固碳潜力估算

基于“八五”期间长江中上游流域各省的森林资源调查资料,结合经典的材积源生物量法估算了长江中上游防护林体系生物量碳密度和碳贮量,并根据不同树种生物量-生产力回归关系推算了该地区当前的固碳潜力。结果表明：长江中上游地区森林平均碳密度为2575 t/hm2;碳贮量为1 39459 Tg (1 Tg = 1012 g),其中林分（包括经济林）碳贮量为1 20430 Tg,灌木林为13437 Tg,竹林为5592 Tg,三者分别占总碳贮量的8636%、963%和401%。整个防护林体系森林植被的固碳潜力为36856 Tg/a。位于本区西部的四川盆地嘉陵江流域和西部高山峡谷区,其森林碳密度、碳贮量和固碳潜力较高,而东部地区的川鄂山地长江干流、鄱阳湖水系以及洞庭湖水系相对较低,因此,长江中上游森林碳密度、碳贮量和固碳潜力总体上呈现自西向东逐渐降低的趋势。     

Changes in the structure of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylorhiza incarnata</Emphasis> (L.) Soó population during the overgrowing of a meadow-bog community complex in the Moscow region

The overgrowing of meadow-bog communities by shrubs and trees (age 5–40 years, crown closure 0.4–0.9) leads to a decrease in incident illumination. As a consequence, juvenile and generative plants disappear from D. incarnata population loci, their average ecological density decreases, and the loci enter the state of regression. The digging activity of wild boars disrupts phytocenotically closed groups of longirhizomatous herbs, thereby creating favorable conditions for seed reproduction of D. incarnata. The species begins to form population loci with a complete ontogenetic spectrum and high ecological density, eventually restoring the normal (definitive) population structure.     

The role of floods in the Long-term dynamics of geobiont and chortobiont communities on islands of the Kuibyshev Reservoir

Interannual changes in geobiont and chortobiont abundance on the islands of Kuibyshev Reservoir are largely determined by flood conditions, because the seasonal average abundance of many taxa is negatively correlated to the water level in May and June. Floods influence the abundance of these animals both directly and indirectly, through biocenotic connections and some aspects of behavior. Long-term positive trends are observed in the abundance of many species. The hypothesis is proposed that this increase in the abundance of geobionts and chortobionts is a consequence of adaptation processes in these communities, which are stimulated by the flood regime of the reservoir.     

Design considerations for environmental sustainability in high density development: a case study of Hong Kong

This study has indicated that there is close relationship between development density and environmental quality; therefore, it is necessary to decide the form of development carefully beforehand. The form of development is shaped either by new development or urban renewal which is a major tactic nowadays adopted by the Hong Kong Government to improve the living condition of the citizens and the quality of the built environment. This study is limited to urban renewal and aims to find out the major urban design considerations for sustaining the environment. Through a questionnaire survey carried out in Hong Kong, the opinions of architects, planners, property development managers, and local citizens were sought and evaluated, and critical design factors for enhancing environmental sustainability of urban renewal projects are highlighted. The results derived from factor analysis indicated that certain design considerations should be incorporated for sustaining the urban environment. “Land Use Planning”, “Quality of Life”, “Conservation & Preservation”, “Integrated Design”, “Provision of Welfare Facilities”, and “Conservation of Existing Properties” were believed to be the significant underlying factors for achieving environmental sustainability of local urban renewal projects. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Population, environment and poverty in Pakistan: linkages and empirical evidence

This study explores the interlinkages among population, environment and poverty and presents empirical evidence in a developing country like Pakistan. It gives alternative views on population environment linkages. It explains poverty trap, market based harmony, and dual effect of poverty on the basis of a link between population growth and natural resource degradation. In addition, the paper also highlights social and political instability through population-poverty-environment spiral. It also presents empirical evidence on population-environment-poverty nexus in Pakistan. It also compares environmental sustainability index and human development index for selected Asian countries. The paper also gives scores for different components of environmental sustainability index for Pakistan and compares these with India. The paper concludes that the causal relationship between poverty and environment works in both directions, often through changes in GDP and population. Population stress does not have any significant direct effect on all aspects of environmental status in Pakistan.