Minimizing Harm in Agricultural Animal Experiments in New Zealand

Intrusive agricultural experimentspublished in New Zealand in the last five yearsare reviewed in terms of the degree of animalsuffering involved, and the necessity for thissuffering in relation to research findings.When measured against animal welfare criteriaof the Ministry of Agriculture, thirty-sixstudies inflicted ``severe' or ``very severe'suffering. Many of these experiments hadquestionable short-term applications, had anapplication restricted to agriculturalproduction or economic growth, or could havebeen modified to prevent or reduce suffering.     

Methane fermentation of dung from litter-free reared domestic animals — an optimisation study

Data on the quantity (27 453 tons from litter-free reared animals in Bulgaria, only) and the chemical and energy characteristics of dung produced in intensive management farms for domestic animals suggests that technologies combining biogenic elements recycling with energy utilistation and dung decontamination are expedient to be applied on these types of farms. To this effect a fermenter was designed and a mathematical model (a Chen-Hashimoto model based computer programme) was applied, as a result of which the optimum methane fermentation parameters were determined. The technological methane output (Y_v) — indicator of biogas production efficiency (output/dm³ fermentor volume) showed an optimum at temperature 55°C and period of exchange 6 days. The methane output per unit mineralised organic matter in the substrate (B) — assumed as an indicator of ecological efficiency (maximum organic matter degradation) exhibited an optimum at 33°C for 15 days period of exchange.     

Minimizing the cost of translocation failure with decision‐tree models that predict species’ behavioral response in translocation sites

The high number of failures is one reason why translocation is often not recommended. Considering how behavior changes during translocations may improve translocation success. To derive decision‐tree models for species’ translocation, we used data on the short‐term responses of an endangered Australian skink in 5 simulated translocations with different release conditions. We used 4 different decision‐tree algorithms (decision tree, decision‐tree parallel, decision stump, and random forest) with 4 different criteria (gain ratio, information gain, gini index, and accuracy) to investigate how environmental and behavioral parameters may affect the success of a translocation. We assumed behavioral changes that increased dispersal away from a release site would reduce translocation success. The trees became more complex when we included all behavioral parameters as attributes, but these trees yielded more detailed information about why and how dispersal occurred. According to these complex trees, there were positive associations between some behavioral parameters, such as fight and dispersal, that showed there was a higher chance, for example, of dispersal among lizards that fought than among those that did not fight. Decision trees based on parameters related to release conditions were easier to understand and could be used by managers to make translocation decisions under different circumstances. Minimizar el Costo del Fracaso de la Reubicación con Modelos de Árboles de Decisión que Predigan la Respuesta Conductual de la Especie en los Sitios de Reubicación     

The role of agri‐environment schemes in conservation and environmental management

Over half of the European landscape is under agricultural management and has been for millennia. Many species and ecosystems of conservation concern in Europe depend on agricultural management and are showing ongoing declines. Agri‐environment schemes (AES) are designed partly to address this. They are a major source of nature conservation funding within the European Union (EU) and the highest conservation expenditure in Europe. We reviewed the structure of current AES across Europe. Since a 2003 review questioned the overall effectiveness of AES for biodiversity, there has been a plethora of case studies and meta‐analyses examining their effectiveness. Most syntheses demonstrate general increases in farmland biodiversity in response to AES, with the size of the effect depending on the structure and management of the surrounding landscape. This is important in the light of successive EU enlargement and ongoing reforms of AES. We examined the change in effect size over time by merging the data sets of 3 recent meta‐analyses and found that schemes implemented after revision of the EU's agri‐environmental programs in 2007 were not more effective than schemes implemented before revision. Furthermore, schemes aimed at areas out of production (such as field margins and hedgerows) are more effective at enhancing species richness than those aimed at productive areas (such as arable crops or grasslands). Outstanding research questions include whether AES enhance ecosystem services, whether they are more effective in agriculturally marginal areas than in intensively farmed areas, whether they are more or less cost‐effective for farmland biodiversity than protected areas, and how much their effectiveness is influenced by farmer training and advice? The general lesson from the European experience is that AES can be effective for conserving wildlife on farmland, but they are expensive and need to be carefully designed and targeted.     

刈割对香港草地干物质生产的影响

研究了刈割频率对香港草地于物质生产的影响。结果表明，刈割使干物质生产量下降，刈割频率越高生产量下降越大。禾本科植物受刈割影响比木本和非禾本科草本植物大，且停止刚割一年后生物量仍低于对照点。认为常年刈割是华南草地生产力下降的重要原因之一。     

农牧交错区土地荒漠化与生物多样性研究--以宁夏盐池县为例

采用α-多样性指数即Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数、群落均匀度指数Jsw和Js和β-多样性指数(相似性系数Cs)研究宁夏盐池县草原群落在不同荒漠化治理措施下(人工封育、退耕还林、撂荒)生物多样性变化.2002和2003年固定样地观测数据表明,到2003年,各样地的α-多样性指数均有不同程度的提高,以撂荒地和退耕还林地α-多样性变化较大.Simpson指数、Js指数变化最为明显,分别平均增加了140%、109%,Shannon-Wiener指数、Jsw指数次之,分别增加67%、49%.人工封育不同处理区α-多样性指数也有较大变化,由核心＞边缘＞外围,变为边缘＞核心＞外围排列次序.β-多样性的研究结果同样表明,各样地的种类组成发生了一定的变化.文章还进一步分析了引起生物多样性变化的主要原因.     

Nitrogen availability in relation to vegetation changes resulting from grass encroachment in Dutch dry dunes

The encroachment of some tall grass species in open dune vegetation, as observed in a Dutch dry dune area, is considered unfavourable from a conservation viewpoint. This paper investigates differences in vegetation and soil properties between grass-dominated and still existing open dune grassland plots at four locations along the coast. Soil properties studied include nitrogen and phosphorus pools and nitrogen availability by mineralization. Vegetation properties included are above and below-ground biomass and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in above-ground biomass. Systematic differences in N-pools between grass-dominated and open dune grassland plots were not observed. However, N-availability by mineralization and its turnover rates are higher in grass-dominated plots than in open dune grassland plots, as well as above and below-ground biomass. In open dune grassland plots, atmospheric N-input is an important source of N, whereas in grass-dominated plots mineralization largely exceeds atmospheric N-input. However, these observations do not explain the mosaic-like vegetation pattern. Grazing intensity is most likely the determinant factor in the dry dune system. It is concluded, that grass encroachment is probably triggered by atmospheric deposition and is enhanced by positive feedbacks in the N-cycle. The relevance of these results for restoration management is briefly discussed.     

草坪绿地对土壤温度的调节作用

在冬半年,对南宁市郊草坪绿地和空旷裸地土壤温度的对比观测表明,０、５、１０、１５、２０ｃｍ土层中的温度日较差、草坪绿地依次为９．６、２．７、１．６、ｌ．０、０．６℃,相应比空旷裸地(１２．８、５．７、３．２、１．９、１．３℃)分别低３．２、３．０、１．６、０．９、０．７℃,并随土层深度的增加,日较差逐渐减少。研究结果显示草坪绿地缓热降温、降低土温日较差的效果比空旷裸地更为显著。     

衡阳市动物疫情现状分析与防治对策

分析了衡阳市动物疫情现状,探讨了影响动物疫病发生的社会因素、人为因素和客观因素,结合衡阳市的具体情况,提出了与国际接轨的动物防治目标和对策.着重从政策、法律、经济、技术等方面阐述如何搞好动物防疫工作,提出了搞好动物防疫工作的重要性.     

利用年限对农牧交错带退耕还草地土壤物理性质的影响

在农牧交错带以小麦为对照,比较研究不同利用年限对退耕还草种植的老芒麦草地土壤物理性质的影响。结果表明,随利用年限增加,在0~30cm范围内,老芒麦草地土壤体积质量呈现先降低后增加,土壤含水量、孔隙度呈现先增加后降低的趋势。利用第2年的老芒麦草地土壤体积质量最小、孔隙度最大,利用第3年的老芒麦草地土壤含水量最大。利用年限对0~120min内的老芒麦草地土壤渗透性影响不大。不同利用年限老芒麦草地首30min渗透率大小顺序为:第2年>第1年>第3年>第4年,利用第2年的老芒麦草地通过渗透截留降水的能力较强。一个生长季后,不同利用年限的老芒麦草地土壤含水量、孔隙度和体积质量分别比小麦地平均提高3.86%、1.53%和降低6.07%。