Movement and habitat use of the freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus) in a remnant floodplain wetland

Knowledge of the movement and habitat use of fishes is important in identifying and understanding the causes of population declines and predicting how populations are likely to respond to management interventions. In this study, radiotelemetry was used to examine the spring and summer movement and habitat use patterns of the freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus) in a remnant wetland to inform the development of recovery actions for this threatened species. Twenty‐one adult fish were tagged and released within Tahbilk Lagoon, Victoria, Australia, in September 2009. Fish were located every 1–2 weeks between September 2009 and February 2010, a period which coincides with the spawning period for the species. Eleven of the fish were also tracked every 2 h for 68 consecutive hours in December 2009 to examine diel movements. The study revealed that freshwater catfish make extensive use of cover (e.g. wood and macrophytes) and typically have limited ranges (median total linear range and 90% linear range 599 and 173 m respectively), although they occasionally moved more extensively (up to 1.5 km) between floodplain and riverine habitats. Fish moved over much greater areas at night compared with during the day. There was also evidence of sex‐specific variation in movement, with a trend for greater movement of female fish at night compared with males. The results of the study suggest that strategies that protect macrophyte and wood habitats and improve connectivity between riverine and floodplain habitats are likely to be important in maintaining and restoring remnant populations of this species.     

The effect of soil texture and organic amendment on the hydrological behaviour of coarse-textured soils

To gain more insight into the hydrological behaviour of coarse-textured soils, the physical properties of artificially created soil mixtures with different texture were determined. The mixtures were prepared according to the specifications of the United States Golf Association (USGA) for constructing putting greens. In addition, the effect of 10 vol.% organic matter addition was studied. The soil moisture retention and hydraulic conductivity relationships of the different mixtures were determined and their hydrological behaviour was studied using the numerical model SoWaM. Both texture and organic matter addition substantially affected the hydraulic properties. Hydraulic conductivity significantly increased with increasing coarseness while moisture retention decreased. On the other hand, organic matter addition reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity by a factor of 10 to 100 and distinctly increased moisture retention capacity. The amounts of total available water were increased by the addition of organic matter between 144% (slightly coarse texture) and 434% (very coarse texture). Results indicate that the mixtures can contain only 2–16% plant available water and therefore need frequent irrigation to maintain plant growth. Addition of organic matter seems a good solution to reduce the irrigation water requirements but it increases the risk of ponding or runoff because of large reductions in the saturated hydraulic conductivity sometimes to below the rate of 3.6 m/day recommended by the USGA.     

Transect relascope sampling for assessing coarse woody debris: The case of a π/2 relascope angle

In transect relascope sampling, a wide‐angle relascope is used along survey lines for selecting a sample of objects that extend linearly in the plane, e.g. downed logs. The method is closely related to line intersect (intercept) sampling. In this article, a special case of the transect relascope technique is studied. Using a π/2 radian relascope angle, the method becomes invariant to the orientation of the line objects in the population. The reason is that the area of inclusion around objects, through which a survey line should pass for an object to be included, turns out to be circular. In analytical studies and Monte Carlo simulations, the cost‐efficiency of transect relascope and line intersect sampling is evaluated. It is found that transect relascope sampling is a competitive alternative to line intersect sampling in inventories of the total volume of coarse woody debris (in the form of downed logs) in forest compartments.     

Epiphytic life is the main characteristic of the life cycle ofPseudomonas syringae pv.pisi,pea bacterial blight agent

Pseudomonas syringae pv.pisi, pea bacterial blight agent, is seed-transmitted. Some aspects of its life cycle and its biology were investigated. The colonization of pea plants obtained from naturally infected seeds was studied in natural conditions while high populations of bacteria developed on plants showing no symptoms. Two streptomycin-resistant mutants were used to study the epiphytic life of the pathogen. Populations were monitored in different host-parasite compatibilities. When race 2 or race 6 of the pathogen was surface-inoculated on susceptible cultivars, a decrease of population size was observed during the following one to three days but was followed by an increase to levels 1000 times greater than the initial number detected, without symptoms for most of the plants. When race 2 was surface-inoculated on resistant genotypes or race 6 on non-host plants, bacteria did not multiply but population levels slightly decreased.Pseudomonas syringae pv.pisi shows a resident phase and its development is race-specific. Weeds collected in naturally contaminated pea fields, diseased or not, often harboured the pathogen but with levels smaller than those observed on peas. Pea crop debris and volunteers kept high levels of bacteria for at least eight months after the harvest of a diseased crop. As long as two pea crops are not grown one after the other in the same field, it is unlikely that debris and volunteers will act as an important inoculum source. The development of this pathogen during the growing season is considered as an important parameter to take into account for controlling the disease through seed health testing.     

泥石流多发区土地荒漠化程度模糊综合评判研究

根据对小江流域泥石流沟谷土地荒漠化影响因子的分析和筛选,选择切割密度、土壤有机质、泥石流堆积物面积、植被盖度等8个对土地荒漠化有较大影响的因子,从地貌、土壤、植被三方面建立层次分析模型。针对土地景观生态系统的复杂性和模糊性,在建立评价指标体系的基础上,采用模糊综合评判的方法,对土地荒漠化程度进行了定量评价。     

Extinction risk of wood-living model species in forest landscapes as related to forest history and conservation strategy

Dead wood is a critical resource for biodiversity in boreal forests. We analysed the persistence of five model species inhabiting dead wood. By parameterising a metapopulation model (the incidence function model), the model species were all assigned characteristics that makes it likely that they have disappeared from some (20%) forest landscapes with a long history of forest management. In the metapopulation model, a forest stand (5 ha) was regarded as a habitat patch. The amount of habitat in each patch was obtained from models of dead wood dynamics of Norway spruce in central Sweden. Dead wood generated by altered management over the entire landscape was found to be less efficient in reducing extinction risks in comparison to the same amount of dead wood generated by protecting reserves. Because generation of dead wood by altered management is often less expensive than setting aside reserves, it is difficult to determine which conservation measure is most cost-efficient. In a landscape subjected to forestry for the first time, it was better to preserve a few large reserves than many small ones. However, in a managed, highly fragmented forest landscape it was better to set aside many small reserves. The reason for this was that small plots with high habitat quality could be selected, while large reserves originally contained habitats both of high and low quality, and the rate of habitat quality increase was low. A strategy for biodiversity conservation in a managed forest landscape should include information about the history of the landscape, the current amount and spatial distribution of forest habitats, and the potential for rapid restoration of forest habitats, both on managed and unmanaged forest land.     

Effects of grazing strategy on limiting nitrate leaching in grazed grass‐clover pastures on coarse sandy soil

Urinations of ruminants on grazed pastures increase the risk of nitrate leaching. The study investigated the effect of reducing the length of the grazing season on nitrate leaching from a coarse sandy, irrigated soil during 2006–2007 and 2007–2008. In both years, precipitation was above the long‐term mean. The experiment was initiated in a 4‐yr‐old grass‐clover sward in south Denmark. Three treatments were as follows grazing only (G), spring cut followed by grazing (CG) and both spring and autumn cuts with summer grazing (CGC). Nitrate leaching was calculated by extracting water isolates from 80 cm depth using ceramic suction cups. Because of considerable variation in measured nitrate concentrations, the 32 installed suction cups per treatment were insufficient to reveal differences between treatments. However, weighted nitrate leaching estimations for G, CG and CGC showed estimated mean nitrate N concentrations of 23, 19 and 13 mg/L for an estimated proportion area occupied by urine patches of 0.33, 0.26 and 0.16, respectively. Thus, N concentrations in G and CG exceeded the EU limit of 11.3 mg N/L. Under the prevailing conditions, the time of urination did not appear important. The estimated background leaching calculated from suction cups presumably not situated under urine patches resulted in mean nitrate N concentrations of 2.6 mg/L.     

金平县林产业发展探讨

金平县2007年林业产值为1．91亿元，占全县农业总产值的35％，是林业重点县．该县具有发展林产业的优势项目，包括橡胶种植业、竹藤产业、木本油料（油荼）业、核桃特色经济林产业、杉木珍贵用材林产业以及草果林下资源开发等．分析了林产业发展的有利和不利因素．进行了产业发展规划和布局．提出加快集体林权制度改革、加大资金投入、加强科技支撑、扶持龙头企业、组建专业合作组织等保障措施．     

北京郊区河流生态护岸木本植物的选择

构建生态护岸是保护河岸带的一种有效措施.文章从河岸带植物的护岸功能出发,简述生态护岸技术及其种类,通过对北京郊区河流沿岸植被的调查分析,总结出适宜于北京效区河流生态护岸的木本植物种类、特性和繁殖方法.     

低温胁迫对四种野生常绿藤本植物抗寒生理指标的影响

以鹰爪枫Holboellia coriacea、南五味子Kadsura japonica、尾叶挪藤Stauntonia obovatifoliola ssp. urophylla、山蒟Piper hancei等4种野生常绿藤本植物为试验材料,通过人工冷冻处理,对叶片的相对电导率、过氧化物酶(POD)活性和游离脯氨酸含量等3个生理指标进行了测定.结果表明:细胞膜透性表现为逐渐上升趋势;而过氧化物酶(POD)活性和游离脯氨酸含量则随着温度的降低呈现出先上升后下降的变化规律,低温下耐寒性强的种类能保持较高的POD活性.4种野生常绿藤本植物的抗寒性具有明显差异,其中以鹰爪枫抗寒能力最强,其次为南五味子和尾叶挪藤,山蒟抗寒能力最差.