Mass-dependent take-off ability in wintering great tits (Parus major): comparison of top-ranked adult males and subordinate juvenile females

When birds are attacked by predators, initial take-off is crucial for survival. Theoretical studies have predicted that predation risk in terms of impaired flight ability increases with body weight. However, studies in which attacks were simulated, and within-individual daily changes in body weight were used to test mass-dependent take-off outside migration period, have so far failed to show an effect of mass on velocity. In this field study I compared the mass/velocity relationships of alarmed adult male and juvenile female great tits, Parus major. Fattening strategies differ among members of the dominance-structured basic flocks of wintering great tits, and dominant individuals often carry significantly less amount of fat reserves than subordinates. Since the range of body weight gain/loss is the least among dominant males, it was expected that impaired flight ability is more likely in lower-ranked female great tits. The results show that the birds differed significantly in their daily increase of relative body weight. Average daily weight increase of adult males was 6.2%, while it was 12.2% in juvenile females. Males were faster than females at take-off both at dawn and at dusk. Flight velocity of males did not differ significantly between dawn and dusk, whereas females took off at a significantly lower speed at dusk than at dawn. The results suggest that the larger fat reserves of subordinate females needed to increase their chances of overwinter survival probably place them at increased risk of predation. Electronic Publication     

A Budget Model to Scale Nutrient Biogeochemical Cycles in Two Semienclosed Gulfs

The nutrient dynamics of the Strymonikos and Ierissos Gulfs, two semienclosed coastal water bodies, are studied using a simple steady-state budget model, according to the Land–Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone modeling guidelines. Strymon river plume dynamics prevailed in the area of the Inner and Outer Srymonikos Gulfs, comprising two layers, while the Ierissos Gulf was defined as a one-box system. Seasonal and mean annual model input data for river discharge, precipitation, evaporation, and concentrations of salt, phosphorus, and nitrogen were obtained during four field campaigns. Results from the nitrogen and phosphorus cycling revealed the importance of river discharge in the horizontal and vertical transport of these substances within the system. Furthermore, it occurred that the major biogeochemical transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus takes place in the immediate nearshore zone (Inner Strymonikos Gulf), while the outer system sustains its nutrient dependence on oceanic exchanges. Therefore, under the summer low flow conditions, the river-influenced inner system acts as a net source of nitrogen and phosphorus, while under increased Strymon River discharge, phosphorus is transferred to the biological material (and the sediments), and the system moves to an autotrophic state. The outer system showed an opposite behavior being autotrophic throughout the year and heterotrophic in February. The Ierissos Gulf, a system not directly influenced by significant river discharge, experienced a seasonally independent behavior with net heterotrophic and denitrification processes prevailing. Model scenarios demonstrated that phosphate concentration increases, even under low river flow conditions and stimulates primary production in excess of respiration, resulting in nitrogen fixation prevalence in the Inner Strymonikos Gulf.     

The effects of apple pomace,bentonite and calcium superphosphate on swine manure aerobic composting

The effects of additives such as apple pomace, bentonite and calcium superphosphate on swine manure composting were investigated in a self-built aerated static box (90 L) by assessing their influences on the transformation of nitrogen, carbon, phosphorous and compost maturity. The results showed that additives all prolonged the thermophilic stage in composting compared to control. Nitrogen losses amounted to 34–58% of the initial nitrogen, in which ammonia volatilization accounted for 0.3–4.6%. Calcium superphosphate was helpful in facilitating composting process as it significantly reduced the ammonia volatilization during thermophilic stage and increased the contents of total nitrogen and phosphorous in compost, but bentonite increased the ammonia volatilization and reduced the total nitrogen concentration. It suggested that calcium superphosphate is an effective additive for keeping nitrogen during swine manure composting.     

Model Development for Nutrient Loading Estimates from Paddy Rice Fields in Korea

Abstract

A field experiment was performed to evaluate water and nutrient balances in paddy rice culture operations during 2001–2002. The water balance analysis indicated that about half (50–60%) of the total outflow was lost by surface drainage, with the remainder occurring by evapotranspiration (490–530 mm). The surface drainage from paddy fields was mainly caused by rainfall and forced-drainage, and in particular, the runoff during early rice culture periods depends more on the forced-drainage due to fertilization practices. Most of the total phosphorus (T-P) inflow was supplied by fertilization at transplanting, while the total nitrogen (T-N) inflow was supplied by the three fertilizations, precipitation, and from the upper paddy field, which comprised 13–33% of the total inflow. Although most of the nutrient outflow was attributed to plant uptake, nutrient loss by surface drainage was substantial, comprising 20% for T-N and 10% for T-P. Water and nutrient balances indicate that reduction of surface drainage from paddy rice fields is imperative for nonpoint source pollution control. The simplified computer model, PADDIMOD, was developed to simulate water and nutrient (T-N and T-P) behavior in the paddy rice field. The model predicts daily ponded water depth, surface drainage, and nutrient concentrations. It was formulated with a few equations and simplified assumptions, but its application and a model fitness test indicated that the simulation results reasonably matched the observed data. It is a simple and convenient planning model that could be used to evaluate BMPs of paddy rice fields alone or in combination with other complex watershed models. Application of the PADDIMOD to other paddy rice fields with different agricultural environments might require further calibration and validation.     

Phosphorus flows and use efficiencies in production and consumption of wheat, rice, and maize in China

Increasing fertilizer phosphorus (P) application in agriculture has greatly contributed to the increase of crop yields during the last decades in China but it has also increased P flows in food production and consumption. The relationship between P use efficiency and P flow is not well quantified at national level. In present paper we report on P flows and P use efficiencies in rice, wheat, and maize production in China using the NUFER model. Conservation strategies for P utilization and the impact of these strategies on P use efficiency have been evaluated. Total amounts of P input to wheat, rice, and maize fields were 1095, 1240, and 1128 Gg, respectively, in China, approximately 80% of which was in chemical fertilizers. The accumulation of P annually in the fields of wheat, rice, and maize was 29.4, 13.6, and 21.3 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Phosphorus recovered in the food products of wheat, rice, and maize accounted for only 12.5%, 13.5%, and 3.8% of the total P input, or 3.2%, 2.6%, and 0.9% of the applied fertilizer P, respectively. The present study shows that optimizing phosphorus flows and decreasing phosphorus losses in crop production and utilization through improved nutrient management must be considered as an important issue in the development of agriculture in China.     

Measurement of agricultural total factor productivity growth incorporating environmental factors: A nutrients balance approach

This article proposes to use nutrient-orientated environmental efficiency (EE) measures to construct a nutrient total factor productivity index (NTFP). Since nutrient-orientated EE measures are consistent with the materials balance principle, NTFP index is superior to other existing TFP indexes. An empirical study on the environmental performance of an agricultural sector in 30 OECD countries from 1990 to 2003 yielded several important findings. First, these countries should be able to produce current outputs with at least 50% less aggregate eutrophying power, implying that they should have been able to substantially reduce the potential for eutrophication. Second, traditional TFP has grown by 1.6% per annum due to technical progress; however, there are lags in the responses of several countries to this technical progress. Third, environmental TFP has grown at a slower rate than traditional TFP growth due to reductions in nutrient-orientated allocative efficiency. Finally, changes in input combinations could have significantly improved environmental efficiency and productivity. These findings favor policy interventions and faster technological transfer to improve environmental performance.     

湖南省湿地自然保护区管理评价

从基本管理、长期管理、资金支持、社区共管4个主要方面制定了管理有效性评价的13项评价标准,对湖南省目前6个湿地类型自然保护区进行评估。研究表明,这些保护区在渔业资源保护方面起到了重要作用,但其面临着经费紧缺、基础设施不足和社区参与薄弱等诸多问题。     

白水江国家自然保护区野生中药材资源现状研究——基于保护区白马河保护站管辖区的实地调查

通过实地考察、问卷调查和半结构式访谈,对白水江国家自然保护区白马河保护站管辖区的野生中药材资源现状进行了研究.结果表明,项目区共有野生中药材88种,隶属于39科82属,主要采集种有14种,其中社区居民经常采集的有10种.这10种中药材的蕴藏量在2006-2010年间呈下降趋势,但下降幅度在减小;采集量和交易量逐年下降,而收购价格则逐年攀升.     

Time discounting and the decision to protect areas that are near and threatened or remote and cheap to acquire

Should conservation organizations focus on protecting habitats that are at imminent risk of being converted but are expensive or more remote areas that are less immediately threatened but where a large amount of land can be set aside? Variants of this trade‐off commonly arise in spatial planning. I used models of land‐use change near a deforestation frontier to examine this trade‐off. The optimal choice of where to protect was determined by how decisions taken today accounted for ecological benefits and economic costs of conservation actions that would occur sometime in the future. I used an ecological and economic discount rate to weight these benefits and costs. A large economic discount rate favored protecting more remote areas, whereas a large, positive ecological discount rate favored protecting habitat near the current deforestation frontier. The decision over where to protect was also affected by the influence economic factors had on landowners' decisions, the rate of technological change, and ecological heterogeneity of the landscape. How benefits and costs through time are accounted for warrants careful consideration when specifying conservation objectives. It may provide a niche axis along which conservation organizations differentiate themselves when competing for donor funding or other support.