Recognizing animal personhood in compassionate conservation

Compassionate conservation is based on the ethical position that actions taken to protect biodiversity should be guided by compassion for all sentient beings. Critics argue that there are 3 core reasons harming animals is acceptable in conservation programs: the primary purpose of conservation is biodiversity protection; conservation is already compassionate to animals; and conservation should prioritize compassion to humans. We used argument analysis to clarify the values and logics underlying the debate around compassionate conservation. We found that objections to compassionate conservation are expressions of human exceptionalism, the view that humans are of a categorically separate and higher moral status than all other species. In contrast, compassionate conservationists believe that conservation should expand its moral community by recognizing all sentient beings as persons. Personhood, in an ethical sense, implies the individual is owed respect and should not be treated merely as a means to other ends. On scientific and ethical grounds, there are good reasons to extend personhood to sentient animals, particularly in conservation. The moral exclusion or subordination of members of other species legitimates the ongoing manipulation and exploitation of the living worlds, the very reason conservation was needed in the first place. Embracing compassion can help dismantle human exceptionalism, recognize nonhuman personhood, and navigate a more expansive moral space.     

禁食野生动物:法律规制的目的和限度——以新冠肺炎疫情为例证的分析和反思

新冠肺炎疫情的发生暴露了我国野生动物保护立法在禁止食用野生动物源头制度设计上的不足,引发了社会舆论对“全面禁止食用野生动物”的强烈呼吁。审视我国《野生动物保护法》,立法目的理念中并没有体现保障公众健康的内容;对捕食野生动物没有采取完全禁止的态度,而是根据野生动物的珍稀、濒危程度,生态、科学、社会价值,以及是否为人工繁育等多重标准,分别采取了禁止食用、限制食用、特别许可、支持利用等不同的措施,存在失之过宽的问题;野生动物保护范围不周延,一些可能引发疫病传播的野生动物没有纳入保护范围。回应社会关切,对立法中存在的问题进行理性分析,应当尽快修改《野生动物保护法》,矫正立法目的理念,体现对公众健康安全的保障;扩大野生动物的保护范围,并制定相应的管制规范;实现相关立法的衔接,建立以“全面禁止食用为原则,分类限制禁止食用为补充”的野生动物风险防范制度。从源头上防范野生动物病毒传播引发重大公共卫生风险,实现保护野生动物与保障公众健康安全的有机统一。     

Potential treatments to reduce phorbol esters levels in jatropha seed cake for improving the value added product

Jatropha seed cake contains high amounts of protein and other nutrients, however it has a drawback due to toxic compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the methods applied to detoxify the main toxin, phorbol esters in jatropha seed cake, to a safe and acceptable level by maintaining the nutritional values. Phorbol esters are tetracyclic diterpenoids-polycyclic compounds that are known as tumor promoters and hence exhibited the toxicity within a broad range of species. Mismanagement of the jatropha waste from jatropha oil industries would lead to contamination of the environment, affecting living organisms and human health through the food chain, so several methods were tested for reducing the toxicity of the seed cake. The results from this investigation showed that heat treatments at either 120°C or 220°C for 1 hour and then mixing with adsorbing bentonite (10%), nanoparticles of zinc oxide (100 μg/g) plus NaHCO₃ at 4%, followed by a 4-week incubation period yielded the best final product. The remaining phorbol esters concentration (0.05–0.04 mg/g) from this treatment was less than that reported for the nontoxic jatropha varieties (0.11–0.27 mg/g). Nutritional values of the seed cake after treatment remained at the same levels found in the control group and these values were crude protein (20.47–21.40 + 0.17–0.25%), crude lipid (14.27–14.68 + 0.13–0.14%) and crude fiber (27.33–29.67 + 0.58%). A cytotoxicity test conducted using L929 and normal human dermal fibroblast cell lines confirmed that most of the toxic compounds, especially phorbol esters, were shown as completely eliminated. The results suggested that the detoxification of phorbol esters residues in the jatropha seed cake was possible while it also retained nutritional values. Therefore, the methods to detoxify phorbol esters are necessary to minimize the toxicity of jatropha seed cake. Further, it is essential to reduce the possible environmental impacts that may be generated throughout the jatropha waste-handling process. However additional tests such as digestibility as well as acceptability of the treated jatropha seed cake should be conducted using both in vivo and in vitro studies before recommending the jatropha seed cake as a source of renewable animal feed and other value-added products.     

Tetracycline resistance in semi-arid agricultural soils under long-term swine effluent application

Annually, millions pounds of antibiotics are released unmetabolized into environment along with animal wastes. Accumulation of antibiotics in soils could potentially induce the persistence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Antibiotics such as tetracyclines and tetracycline-resistant bacteria have been previously detected in fields fertilized with animal manure. However, little is known about the accumulation of tetracyclines and the development of tetracycline resistance in semi-arid soils. Here we demonstrate that continuous land application with swine effluent, containing trace amounts of chlortetracycline, does not necessarily induce tetracycline resistance in soil bacteria. Based on the testing of more than 3,000 bacteria isolated from the amended soils, we found no significant increase in the occurrence and level of chlortetracycline resistant bacteria in soils after 15 years of continuous swine effluent fertilization. To account for a possible transfer of tetracycline-resistant bacteria originated from the swine effluent to soils, we analyzed two commonly found tetracycline resistant genes, tet(O) and tet(M), in the swine effluent and fertilized soils. Both genes were present in the swine effluent, however, they were not detectable in soils applied with swine effluent. Our data demonstrate that agronomic application of manure from antibiotic treated swine effluent does not necessarily result in the development of antibiotic bacterial resistance in soils. Apparently, concentrations of chlortetracycline present in manure are not significant enough to induce the development of antibiotic bacterial resistance.     

规模化养殖园区土壤中抗生素污染特征和生态风险评价

采集规模化养殖园区不同土地利用类型的土壤,采用高效液相色谱仪检测土壤中抗生素的含量,分析抗生素与土壤理化性质之间的关系,并利用风险商值法对养殖场园区土壤中的抗生素进行生态风险评价. 结果表明,养殖场周边土壤受到不同程度的抗生素污染,其中检出率和含量平均值最高的是四环素（TC）;不同土地利用类型的土壤中,ω平均值大小排序为：玉米地（1.48 μg·kg^-1）>养殖场围栏外0.5 m处（1.27 μg·kg^-1）>山药地（1.03 μg·kg^-1）>牧草地（0.69 μg·kg^-1）>林地（0.18 μg·kg^-1）;冗余分析结果显示,全氮、全磷和纤维素酶对土壤样品中抗生素的含量影响较大. 根据生态风险评价结果可知,土霉素（OTC）、金霉素（CTC）、强力霉素（DOC）、环丙沙星（CIP）和四环素（TC）属于低风险等级,磺胺嘧啶（SD）和磺胺二甲嘧啶（SM2）为中高风险,应当重视对养殖场周边土壤抗生素污染管控,加强兽用抗生素的管理.     

生长季节初期高山针叶林小生境土壤动物群落多样性

研究了非生长季节向生长季节转换过程中川西高山森林土壤动物群落结构和多样性的特征,以期解释土壤动物群落的自适应变化.从川西高山原始针叶林下6种小生境共捕获大型土壤动物为3 167只,隶属于2门8纲16目,以林隙小生境内大型土壤动物的个体密度(530.71只/m2)和类群数量(10类)最高;中小型土壤动物为10 585只,隶属于4门8纲8目,以苔藓小生境内中小型土壤动物的个体密度(148 400.00只/m2)和林隙小生境中类群数(8类)最高.林隙小生境中的大型土壤动物群落Shannon-Wiener多样性指数H’和Pielou均匀性指数J最高,Simpson优势度指数C最低,但倒木小生境表现出相反的趋势.林下凋落物小生境的中小型土壤动物群落多样性指数H’最高,C最低,但灌木小生境则相反.     

内蒙古天然草地资源精细化气候区划研究

根据内蒙古107个气象站资料,利用梯度距离平方反比法,推算出内蒙古自治区气候数据的千米网格数据图形。根据内蒙古实际草原类型和畜种结构的分布规律,确定了内蒙古5类草原类型、6个产草量等级和5类主要放牧家畜地理分布的气候区划指标。利用气候区划指标,对栅格点气候数据进行分级,绘制了内蒙古自治区天然草原草地类型、产草量和主要放牧家畜地理分布的区划图,并分区进行评述。研究结果可为内蒙古畜牧业生产区域合理布局提供科学依据。     

畜禽粪便改良土壤中E1和E2自然降解的影响因素

研究了E1(雌酮)和E2(17β-雌二醇)在牛粪、猪粪和鸡粪改良土壤自然降解过程中灭菌、光照和温度的影响以及泰乐菌素与吐温80的复合影响. 对比灭菌和未灭菌环境中E1和E2的降解效果表明,灭菌能显著抑制E1的降解,而对E2的降解影响不显著;对比光照和黑暗环境中E1和E2的降解可知,光照对二者的影响不大;在前2种条件下,E1和E2的降解效果(以去除率计)不受粪便类型的影响. 在0～35 ℃,雌激素E1和E2的去除率随温度的升高呈增大趋势,其中E1在牛粪改良土壤中的去除率由1.21%增至58.04%,E2的去除率由1.24%增至48.93%;环境中共存的吐温80能促进E1和E2的降解,当泰乐菌素与吐温80共存时,可有效促进E2的降解.      

Energy Analysis of Sugarcane Production in Morocco

An energy analysis of sugarcane production in small and large farms was made in Morocco. Total energy expenditures were 64.90 and 47.83 GJ/ha and energy outputs were 100.80 and 85.80 GJ/ha in large and small farms, respectively. The output/input energy ratios were 1.6 and 1.8. The energy intensity lies between 0.7 and 0.8 MJ/kg and is one of the highest among sugarcane producing countries. Irrigation is the most energy consuming operation with about 50% of total energy inputs. Electricity, fertilizers, fuel, and machinery are the main energy inputs. The influence of the different inputs is discussed and practical measures for energy saving and environmental conservation based on energy analysis are discussed.     

Health and Welfare in Danish Dairy Cattle in the Transition to Organic Production: Problems, Priorities and Perspectives

During the past few years,organic dairy farming has grown dramatically inDenmark. Consequently, an increasing number ofpeople are encountering this method ofproduction for the first time. Amongst these,many veterinarians have suddenly had to dealwith organic herds in their home district, and,meeting examples of poor animal welfare, theyhave recently started to express some concerns.Against this background, a so-called``Synthesis of Knowledge' project was initiatedto examine the health and welfare of dairycattle and the use of medication in thetransition to organic production. The aim ofthe project was to investigate associatedproblems from the point of view of the dairyherd. Based on qualitative research interviewswith vets and agricultural advisors, as well asfocus group interviews with farmers who hadrecently converted from conventional to organicfarming, an expert panel attempted to identifyproblem areas and possible solutions. Theproblems related to (a) the adjustment to newand unknown practices, (b) poor management ingeneral, and (c) inappropriate legislation fororganic farming.One problem area was the rearing of dairycalves, particularly with regard to theestablishment of post partumrelationships between cow and calf, grouphousing, and the grazing of young animals. A``natural life' was identified as beingfundamental to organic animal husbandry. Interms of animal welfare, this concept can beunderstood as a way of living in which the calfis allowed to express its natural behavior andsatisfy its natural needs. Essentially, theconditions needed for good calf welfare requirethe compatibility and interplay of elementsfrom ``nature' (the natural life; includingopportunities to satisfy natural needs) and``culture' (farmer management skills; exerciseof care). These elements should be balanced toensure animal welfare in organic herds.