Growth,deforestation and the efficiency of the REDD mechanism

This paper assesses the long term impacts of an international transfer called the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) mechanism, which aims at preserving tropical forests of the recipient economy. This two-sector economy faces a dilemma between economic growth and deforestation. The rural sector can substitute reproducible capital for agricultural land whereas the manufacturing sector only requires capital. The model shows that the REDD mechanism has a non-monotonic effect on steady state welfares. For low transfer schemes, the agricultural output increases with the transfer even though less land is under cultivation. For high transfer schemes, the increase in the transfer may not offset the decrease in the agricultural output. The open-loop symmetric Nash equilibrium in a dynamic deforestation game predicts that redistributing the transfer among a finite number of producers is less efficient in reducing deforestation than in the social optimum.     

Arbuscular mycorrhiza confers lead tolerance and uptake in Miscanthus sacchariflorus

The effects of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) association on the growth, survival capabilities, nutrients and lead (Pb) uptake of Miscanthus sacchariflorus under different Pb concentrations were studied in the form of pot cultures. The treatments comprised inoculation or non-inoculation of the AMF, Gigaspora margarita, and the addition of three Pb concentrations to the soil (0, 100 and 1000?mg?kg^?1). The addition of Pb significantly decreased mycorrhizal colonisation. The inoculation of AMF with Pb increased chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, total dry mass, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, whereas H₂O₂ level, indole-3-acetic acid oxidase (IAAO) activity, and peroxidase (POD) activity were low compared to those in the non-inoculated treatments. Moreover, the application of AMF together with Pb doses induces concentrations of Pb in the plant, where the higher dose of Pb (1000?mg?kg^?1) induces a lower content of Pb in the aerial part of the plant but a higher content in the root. G. margarita enhanced the tolerance of M. sacchariflorus against Pb toxicity, and facilitated the accumulation of Pb in the plant roots, whereas translocation to the shoots was inhibited at the highest dose Pb (1000?mg?kg^?1). However, in contaminated soil, the Pb removal capability of M. sacchariflorus with AMF was remarkable.     

Application of a temperature-dependent von Bertalanffy growth model to bullhead (Cottus gobio)

The most studied and commonly applied model of fish growth is the von Bertalanffy model. However, this model does not take water temperature into account, which is one of the most important environmental factors affecting the life cycle of fish, as many physiological processes that determine growth, e.g. metabolic rate and oxygen supply, are directly influenced by temperature. In the present study we propose a version of the von Bertalanffy growth model that includes mean annual water temperatures by correlating the growth coefficient, k, explicitly and the asymptotic length, L_∞, implicitly to water temperature. All relationships include parameters with an obvious biological relevance that makes them easier to identify. The model is used to fit growth data of bullhead (Cottus gobio) at different locations in the Bez River network (Drme, France). We show that temperature explains much of the growth variability at the different sampling sites of the network.     

The resource curse revisited and revised: A tale of paradoxes and red herrings

We critically evaluate the empirical basis for the so-called resource curse and find that, despite the topic's popularity in economics and political science research, this apparent paradox may be a red herring. The most commonly used measure of “resource abundance” can be more usefully interpreted as a proxy for “resource dependence”—endogenous to underlying structural factors. In multiple estimations that combine resource abundance and dependence, institutional, and constitutional variables, we find that (i) resource abundance, constitutions, and institutions determine resource dependence, (ii) resource dependence does not affect growth, and (iii) resource abundance positively affects growth and institutional quality.     

常绿-半常绿杨树对磷素的利用特性

缺磷是限制农林业产量的一个重要因子,传统的农林业生产主要通过施肥和土壤改良来满足植物对磷的需求,近年来人们开始发掘磷高效利用植物来替代传统方法提高磷的利用效率.A-65/27、A-65/31及A-61/186是目前世界上仅有的3个常绿杨树无性系,共同特点是容易扦插繁殖,造林成活率高,生长快,材质好.3个无性系的推广将极大地丰富南方用材林树种资源.为揭示磷素胁迫条件下常绿杨无性系对土壤中磷素的利用特性,通过沙培试验,设计5个磷素处理水平(磷的质量浓度依次是0.00、0.0310、0.0619、0.1239、0.1858 g·L~(-1)),进行不同磷素处理水平下常绿杨生长及生理生态特性的研究.结果表明:当磷的质量浓度为0.0619 g·L~(-1)时已经能满足常绿杨生长对磷的基本需求;磷素不足会明显的影响到常绿杨的生长.低磷胁迫下常绿杨高度、地径及生物量明显降低;低磷胁迫下光合速率也明显下降,通过对气孔导度及胞间二氧化碳浓度的变化趋势分析,导致光合速率下降的主要原因是非气孔限制因素,同步叶绿素荧光的测定表明光系统Ⅱ受到了一定的影响,这是非气孔限制因素之一.     

Melanin-based colorations signal strategies to cope with poor and rich environments

One hypothesis for the maintenance of genetic variation states that alternative genotypes are adapted to different environmental conditions (i.e., genotype-by-environment interaction G×E) that vary in space and time. Although G×E has been demonstrated for morphological traits, little evidence has been given whether these G×E are associated with traits used as signal in mate choice. In three wild bird species, we investigated whether the degree of melanin-based coloration, a heritable trait, covaries with nestling growth rate in rich and poor environments. Variation in the degree of reddish-brown phaeomelanism is pronounced in the barn owl (Tyto alba) and tawny owl (Strix aluco), and variation in black eumelanism in the barn owl and Alpine swift (Apus melba). Melanin-based coloration has been shown to be a criterion in mate choice in the barn owl. We cross-fostered hatchlings to test whether nestlings sired by parents displaying melanin-based colorations to different extent exhibit alternative growth trajectories when raised by foster parents in poor (experimentally enlarged broods) and rich (experimentally reduced broods) environments. With respect to phaeomelanism, barn owl and tawny owl offspring sired by redder parents grew more rapidly in body mass only in experimentally reduced broods. With respect to eumelanism, Alpine swift offspring of darker fathers grew their wings more rapidly only in experimentally enlarged broods, a difference that was not detected in reduced broods. These interactions between parental melanism and offspring growth rate indicate that individuals display substantial plasticity in response to the rearing environment which is associated with the degree of melanism: at least with respect to nestling growth, phaeomelanic and eumelanic individuals are best adapted to rich and poor environments, respectively. It now remains to be investigated why eumelanism and phaeomelanism have a different signaling function and what the lifelong consequences of these melanism-dependent allocation strategies are. This is important to fully appraise the role played by environmental heterogeneity in maintaining variation in the degree of melanin-based coloration.     

Electricity consumption: The growth pattern as an ecological indicator

Ecological problems are mainly caused by growth processes. The energy input is a key indicator for ecosystems. In this context, the use of the most valuable kind of energy is of special importance. Economic systems may be considered as special ecosystems. The most valuable kind of energy used in economic systems of industrialised countries is electricity. For some industrialised countries the growth pattern of electricity consumption and its relation to the gross domestic product is considered in this contribution. A linear relation between both indicators for about 3 decades after the Second World War and a coupling of these indicators starting at 1973 has been found. The aim of the contribution is to present this relation and to initiate a discussion about its reason and its interpretation.     

正交设计法在刺叶墙藓土培中的应用

采用正交设计,研究了新疆的一种荒漠苔藓——刺叶墙藓的最适生长条件,包括最适基质、最适生长温度及最佳培养液的筛选。结果表明,5℃(8h)～15℃(16h)的温度,田土+砂+营养土的基质,最适合刺叶墙藓的生长;培养液的种类对其生长的影响并不明显。     

Optimizing carbon sequestration in commercial forests by integrating carbon management objectives in wood supply modeling

This paper provides a methodology for generating forest management plans, which explicitly maximize carbon (C) sequestration at the forest-landscape level. This paper takes advantage of concepts first presented in a paper by Meng et al. (2003; Mitigation Adaptation Strategies Global Change 8:371–403) by integrating C-sequestration objective functions in existing wood supply models. Carbon-stock calculations performed in Woodstock^TM (RemSoft Inc.) are based on C yields generated from volume table data obtained from local Forest Development Survey plots and a series of wood volume-to-C content conversion factors specified in von Mirbach (2000). The approach is used to investigate the impact of three demonstration forest-management scenarios on the C budget in a 110,000 ha forest in south-central New Brunswick, Canada. Explicit demonstration scenarios addressed include (1) maximizing timber extraction either by clearcut or selection harvesting for greatest revenue generation, (2) maximizing total C storage in the forest landscape and in wood products generated from harvesting, and (3) maximizing C storage together with revenue generation. The level of clearcut harvesting was greatest for scenario 1 (≥15 × 10⁴ m³ of wood and ≥943 ha of land per harvesting period), and least for scenario 2 (=0 m³ per harvesting period) where selection harvesting dominated. Because softwood saw logs were worth more than pulpwood ($60 m⁻³ vs. $40 m⁻³) and were strategic to the long-term storage of C, the production of softwood saw logs exceeded the production of pulpwood in all scenarios. Selection harvesting was generally the preferred harvesting method across scenarios. Only in scenario 1 did levels of clearcut harvesting occasionally exceed those of selection harvesting, mainly in the removal of old, dilapidated stands early in the simulation (i.e., during periods 1 through 3). Scenario 2 provided the greatest total C-storage increase over 80 years (i.e., 14 × 10⁶ Mg C, or roughly 264 Mg ha⁻¹) at a cost of $111 per Mg C due to lost revenues. Scenarios 3 and 1 produced reduced storage rates of roughly 9 × 10⁶ Mg C and 3 × 10⁶ Mg C, respectively; about 64% and 22% of the total, 80-year C storage calculated in scenario 2. The bulk of the C in scenario 2 was stored in the forest, amounting to about 76% of the total C sequestered.     

Early genetic amniocentesis—4 years' experience

Four hundred and thirty early amniocenteses (EAC) from 10 to 14 weeks' gestation were compared with 300 routine amniocenteses (RAC) from 15 weeks' gestation (control A) and 733 routine amniocenteses from 16 to 18 weeks' gestation (control B) with regard to success rates, various growth parameters, and cytogenetic results. Using both in situ and trypsiniz-ation techniques, the success rate was 99·8 per cent for EAC versus 100 per cent for RAC. The average turn-around time for establishing a diagnosis was 8·4 days in EAC versus 8·3 days in 15 weeks' specimens (n.s.) and 7·7 days in 16 to 18 weeks' specimens (p ≦ 0·0001) for the last 200 samples. The banding quality of early specimens compared favourably with that of controls (both 500–550 bphs) and was much better than that in long-term cultured chorionic villus sampling (CVS) (350–400 bphs). For level I and level II mosaicism, no statistically significant differences were noted between EAC and control group A. Comparing EAC with control group B, a significant increase in the number of numerical and structural single cell aberrations was observed (p ≦ 0·025 and p ≦ 0·001, respectively), whereas for multiple cell aberrations only the increase in numerical aberrations was statistically significant (p ≦ 0·001) (x²-test). Clinical problems arising from the detection of mosaicism were solved in all cases by investigating parallel cultures. It is concluded that early amniocentesis is a reliable procedure which permits prenatal diagnosis of numerical and structural chromosome aberrations to a high standard.