Infectious Diseases and Extinction Risk in Wild Mammals

Abstract:  Parasite-driven declines in wildlife have become increasingly common and can pose significant risks to natural populations. We used the IUCN Red List of Threatened and Endangered Species and compiled data on hosts threatened by infectious disease and their parasites to better understand the role of infectious disease in contemporary host extinctions. The majority of mammal species considered threatened by parasites were either carnivores or artiodactyls, two clades that include the majority of domesticated animals. Parasites affecting host threat status were predominantly viruses and bacteria that infect a wide range of host species, including domesticated animals. Counter to our predictions, parasites transmitted by close contact were more likely to cause extinction risk than those transmitted by other routes. Mammal species threatened by parasites were not better studied for infectious diseases than other threatened mammals and did not have more parasites or differ in four key traits demonstrated to affect parasite species richness in other comparative studies. Our findings underscore the need for better information concerning the distribution and impacts of infectious diseases in populations of endangered mammals. In addition, our results suggest that evolutionary similarity to domesticated animals may be a key factor associated with parasite-mediated declines; thus, efforts to limit contact between domesticated hosts and wildlife could reduce extinction risk.     

Quantification and Index of Non-Point Source Pollution in Taihu Lake Region with GIS

The contribution of phosphorus and nitrogen from non-point source pollution (NPS) in the Taihu Lake region was investigated through case study and surveying in the town of Xueyan, From experimental results coupled with survey and statistics in the studied area, the distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus input to the water body is achieved from four main sources: agricultural land, village, the town center and the poultry factory. The results showed that about 38% of total phosphorus (TP) and 48% of total nitrogen (TN) discharged is from agricultural land, 33% of TP and 40% TN from village residents, 25% of TP and 10% of TN from the town center and 4% of TP and 2% of TN from the poultry factory.The Agricultural Non-point Pollution Potential Index (APPI) system for identifying and ranking critical areas of NPS was established with a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based technology. Quantification of the key factors in non-point sources pollution was carried out utilizing the following: Sediment Production Index (SPI), Runoff Index (RI), People and Animal Loading Index (PALI) and Chemical Use Index (CUI). These are the core parts of the model, and the weighting factor of each index was evaluated according the results of quantification. The model was successfully applied for evaluating APPI in Xueyan. Results from the model showed that the critical area identified for NPS control in Xueyan. The model has several advantages including: requiring fewer parameters, easy acquirement of these parameters, friendly interface, and convenience of operation. In addition it is especially useful for identifying critical areas of NPS when the basic data are not fully accessible, which is the present situation in China.     

经济野生动物养殖管窥之见

本文对我国经济动物养殖业具有的高投入高产出,市场行情变化大,风险大,需要较特殊的养殖技术,以及易被炒种形成“养殖热”等特点进行了精辟的论述,并从此出发分析了经济野生动物的养殖必须具备足够的资金,懂法守法,懂得养殖技术,有较好的环境条件,种原优质和掌握市场行情等条件,对于我国经济动物养殖业大起大落以及产品价廉质差滞销的原因进行了深入分析,并就如何健康发展经济动物养殖业提出了针对性措施。     

On vegetarianism,morality, and science: A counter reply

I recently took issue with Kathryn George's contention that vegetarianism cannot be a moral obligation for most human beings, even assuming that Tom Regan's stringent thesis about the equal inherent value of humans and many sentient nonhumans is correct. I argued that both Regan and George are incorrect in claiming that his view would permit moral agents to kill and eat innocent, non-threatening rights holders. An unequal rights view, by contrast, would permit such actions if a moral agent's health or life is at stake. I then argued that current nutritional research does not support Professor George's claim that some wealthy adult males (and many fewer wealthy women) are the only persons whose health does not require the consumption of nonhuman animals and their products. In her 1992 response to my critique, George did not address my moral argumentation. She concentrated her entire paper on a wholesale rejection of my discussion of nutrition. Although she now takes a somewhat more moderate position on who can safely contemplate strict vegetarianism, she still believes that most people are not in a position to follow such a diet. In my counter-reply, I argue that her rejection is based upon numerous distortions, omissions, and false charges of fallacy. She even devotes a substantial section of her paper to criticizing me for saying the opposite of what I actually wrote. As I did in my earlier paper, I cite current research, including George's own preferred source on the topic of vegetarianism, to support my view. I conclude that Professor George has still not shown that for most human beings it is dangerous to follow a diet that omits nonhuman animals and their products. Moral agents who take the rights of humansand nonhumans seriously will find vegetarianism well worth considering.     

盐城沿海珍稀动物保护与经济发展的关系

江苏盐城沿海有我国至今仍保存较为完好的滩涂原生生态系统，栖息着３３０余种鸟兽资源，其中被列为我国重点保护的种类达５７种之多；然而，如何保护、发展和合理利用野生动物资源，力争做到既能维持生态平衡，又能促进经济发展，是我们今天所面临的新课题。本文对盐城沿海珍稀动物保护与经济发展的关系进行了探讨。     

曲阜地区资源土壤动物调查初报

本文报导了曲阜地区资源土壤动物现状，根据其经济用途，将它们分为食用土壤动物、药用土壤动物、天敌土壤动物和环境指示土壤动物的四大类，并论述了资源土壤动物的开发利用与保护。     

MEASURING THE CONTRIBUTION OF LAND AND WATER TO AGRICULTURE1

ABSTRACT Irrigated land outproduces dryland agriculture, especially in the western United States. Many valuable crops could not be grown without irrigation. A paucity of yield data does not allow direct measurement of the contribution from irrigated crop agriculture, nor does it allow evaluation of the contributions from livestock which are dependent upon irrigated feed. Regression results indicate that 80 percent of Idaho farm income is associated with irrigation, and that 75 percent of the farm income in the 17 western states is associated with irrigation. For the United States as a whole, results indicate that 13.7 percent of the total cropland (irrigated land) produced 41.3 percent of all cash receipts from farming in 1978. If 14 percent of the land can produce 40 percent of the value of production, can 35 percent of our land produce all our food and fiber needs? Such an allegation has several implications in terms of the adequacy of our land and water resources. It also emphasizes the role of technology in future resource use and production.     

Ethics and farm animal welfare

In this paper the authors argue that ethical considerations are relevant for evaluating animal production systems and that in consequence agrologists should seriously consider the arguments of animal welfare supporters. Furthermore, the authors point out the ethical basis for some (though not all) of the conclusions proposed by supporters of animal welfare. In consequence it is necessary to determine the nature of animal welfare and methods of evaluating the welfare of animals and to recognize when production systems fail to satisfy the needs of animals.     

中国北方农牧交错带农村土地利用变化因子分析--以内蒙古尧勒甸子村为例

以北方农牧交错带典型生态示范村尧勒甸子村为例,应用参与式农村评估法(PRA)并结合GPS与野外测量,恢复了该村1949年后50 a来的土地利用历史过程与格局,利用GIS分析其1950-1999年的土地利用变化特点.运用因子分析和逐步回归分析方法揭示了人类活动因素对土地利用变化的作用.结果发现1985年以前耕地面积扩大,草地面积减小,沙地面积迅猛持续增加;1985年以后土地利用变化向相反的方向发展,土地利用结构趋向合理.     

反刍动物甲烷排放研究进展

反刍动物甲烷排放是大气中甲烷的主要排放源之一,本文简述了国内外反刍动物甲烷排放总量研究概况,及甲烷排放研究尚存在的问题和初步结论。