Finding a needle in the haystack: Regional analysis of suitable Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi) forest in Southeast Asia

For species whose decline preceded the modern era and whose distribution is in the developing world, it is difficult to map suitable habitat across its former range. Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi) is an endangered cervid whose range across Southeast Asia was reduced during the last century to disjoint populations in Myanmar and Cambodia. We used ecological data from the present populations to determine landscape and habitat parameters that would help us predict the occurrence of the species in forests not yet surveyed. The suitable-forest GIS model was created using four readily available datasets for elevation, forest type, canopy closure, and human density. Comparison of the GIS model with 24 verified sightings of Eld’s deer during recent large mammal surveys in Cambodia, found 22 sightings (92%) within predicted suitable forest. Use the suitable-forest GIS model to survey a province in southern Lao People’s Democratic Republic, located a single, previously unreported population from 9 patches surveyed. In a separate analysis, a logistic regression model to predict Eld’s deer habitat in Northern Cambodia found percent tree cover, presence of wetlands, and distance to villages as the best predictors of deer, similar to variables used in the GIS model, with the exception of the importance of wetlands. Using mean annual rainfall to rank suitable-forest patches identified in the GIS model indicated dry dipterocarp forests in Northeastern Cambodia and Northern Myanmar have the highest potential to conserve eld’s deer. Examination of the suitable-forest GIS map and current protected areas indicated only Cambodia, with 11% suitable forest protected, has placed sufficient dry dipterocarp forest under protected status. Other Southeast Asia countries have not recognized dry dipterocarp forest as a significant ecotype worthy of conservation status.     

Volatile emissions of navel oranges as predictors of freeze damage

Volatile emissions of navel orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck cv. Washington) fruit were evaluated as a means for predicting and gauging freeze damage. The fruits were subjected to -5 or -7 degrees C treatments in a laboratory freezer for various time periods of 2-9.5 h and stored at 23 degrees C for 1, 2, or 7 days, after which time the emission of volatiles from the fruit was measured. Following the final day of volatile measurements the fruits were stored at 5 degrees C for an additional 2-3 weeks and then evaluated for fruit quality characteristics. Peel injury in the form of brown lesions, drying of the juice vesicles, a decline in acidity, and a loss of flavor were observed to occur as a result of freezing. Corresponding to the loss in fruit quality were large increases in the emissions of ethanol, ethyl butanoate, methyl hexanoate, and ethyl octanoate. With the exception of methyl hexanoate, for which volatile emissions decreased during storage for 7 days at 23 degrees C, all of the other volatiles were relatively unchanged in amount by storage. Treatment at -7 degrees C caused greater injury, quality loss, and more volatile emanation than did freezing at -5 degrees C. The measurement of volatile emissions appears to be a useful approach to identify freeze-damaged navel oranges.     

Identification of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae by flow cytometry

Immunofluorescence and flow cytometric methods were examined to detect and distinguish Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae. The procedure employed 24-hr broth cultures of each organism, direct immunofluorescence staining with either homologous or heterologous antiserum, and analyses by flow cytometry. The organisms were distinguishable on the basis of fluorescent profiles when stained with the appropriate antiserum.     

A systems analysis of the guyanese livestock industry

This paper attempts to contribute to the capability for livestock sub-sector analysis. A model structure which offers potential for evaluation of changes of policy, available production technology, or factor and product market conditions is described. The structure integrates a multi-year biological cattle simulator with a price endogenous model of the cattle sub-sector to yield a model designed to simulate aggregate behaviour of profit maximising cattle producers interacting through competitive factor and product markets. The general model structure is specified to reflect conditions in Guyana, South America. The model, specified for Guyanese conditions, is used to evaluate the probable impact of a number of technical and economic changes in the system.     

Identification of hindleg lameness

The use of markers placed over the tuber coxae on each side of a horse to aid identification of the relative movement of these structures at the trot, for teaching and research purposes, is described. In each case of hindleg lameness studied, the tuber coxae on the lame side showed a consistent increase in vertical displacement relative to that of the contralateral limb, and a characteristic pattern of movement throughout the stride irrespective of the site or cause of pain.     

Inflammation: a clinical perspective. The Ciba-Geigy Prize for Research in Animal Health

The cardinal signs of acute inflammation have been recognised for almost 2000 years, but it is only in the last hundred years that significant progress has been made in understanding the underlying cellular response. Our knowledge of the chemical messengers which regulate and in some cases lead to persistence of the inflammatory process is, as yet, incomplete, but it is hoped that further research at this level will lead to the development of more effective therapeutic agents.     

Harvest-pruning and trellising of ‘Sultana’ vines. I. Effects on yield and vegetative growth

Yield reductions averaging 10% are reported from 2 experiments in which ‘Sultana’ vines were continuously harvest-pruned for 11 and 9 years respectively. Over the period of the study there was no evidence of the yield reduction increasing with time.Differences between treatments in bunch number, berry weight and total soluble solids did not account for the reduction in yield. However, berry number per bunch was consistently, if not always significantly, lower on treated vines. Harvest-pruned vines had lower pruning-weights than the control vines.Increases in trellis width from 0.30 to 0.45 m to 0.90 m generally led to increases in yield caused by increases in bunch number. A 0.30 m wide T-trellis, with foliage wires added to support the shoots vertically to a height of 2 m, also gave yield increases over the standard 0.30 m trellis in most seasons. Harvest-pruned vines on the 0.90 m wide trellis gave similar yields to control vines on the standard 0.30 m trellis.