Strategies and priorities in field collections for ex situ conservation: the case of the Israel Plant Gene Bank

The ex situ collection of the Israel Plant Gene Bank (IGB) aims to encompass the rich local flora and its genetic diversity with an emphasis on crop wild relatives. However, to properly establish a core collection, collection efforts must be prioritized and strategized. We previously classified local plant genetic resources into four priority groups that assisted in strategizing the collection activities. The following years of intensive collection activity yielded over 4200 banked accessions. However, these do not necessarily represent the distribution range of the target species for collection (TSC) and consequently, their genetic diversity. To best cover the latter, the collecting area was divided into botanical districts and the magnitude of the collection was determined according to prioritization group, e.g., a wild relative of an agricultural crop with a vast distribution range should be represented by a larger number of banked accessions than one with a smaller range. Continuous evaluation of specific needs shapes the collection scheme of the IGB to maximize collection efforts, better represent the presumed genetic diversity of TSC, and establish its core collection.     

The performance of community organisers in promotion of community forestry in Leyte Province,Philippines

A study was conducted to assess the role and effectiveness of community organisers in supporting the development of people’s organisations in achieving community-based forest management objectives in Leyte Province Philippines. Community organisers were found to be effective in forming people’s organisations (POs), motivating people to participate in voluntary activities organised by POs and encouraging cohesiveness among PO members. Community organisers manage to raise the level of environmental awareness and knowledge of members of people’s organisations, develop leadership interest and skills, create various livelihood opportunities and provide direction and facilitate the establishment of large tree plantations. However, the short duration of community organisers’ contracts (typically two years) is insufficient to establish mature and cohesive POs prepared to assume management on their own, including the management of tree plantations. Further, lack of training and funding support, low wages, delayed payment of salaries and limited time to work with people’s organisations, as well as the pressure to produce tangible outputs such the establishment of large tree plantations, prevents them from placing greater emphasis on the development and empowerment of the people.     

Farmers perception of pesticide use and genetic erosion of landraces of tetraploid wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum</Emphasis> spp.) in Ethiopia

Perception of farmers’ about the use of pesticides and genetic erosion of tetraploid wheat landraces of Ethiopia was assessed through focus group discussions with farmers, on-farm observations, personal interviews with farmers, by using structured questionnaires of temporal and spatial methods. A total of 1496 farmers from seven provinces in the country were interviewed. Farmers’ knowledge about pesticide increases suggests that they are not happy on using chemicals because of their negative impact on farm land. About 75 % of the farmers believe that, although the use of pesticides may increase the production of wheat, it has a negative impact on (human) health and environment. Women showed a higher concern for pesticides’ harmfulness than men. Farmers’ valuation of genetic erosion was estimated as reduced importance of landraces, as shown by a the lower proportion of landraces either grown or sold on the market. The four most important factors cited for loss of landraces were reduction in land area per capita, displacement by released/modern varieties of hexaploid wheat and teff, reduced benefit from landraces, and displacement by other crops and chat. Genetic erosion of 100 % was observed for Triticum dicoccon in the provinces of Gojam and Gonder and for T. polonicum in Tigray and Gojam. Overall, genetic erosion in the country was 32.0, 35.3, 55.9, 84.4 and 84.4 % for T. durum Desf., T. turgidum L., T. aethiopicum Jakubz., T. polonicum L. and T. dicoccon Schrank, respectively.     

佛教与基督教的儒学化比较

中国历史上，佛教与基督宗教先后入华传教，试图出响中国人和中国文化。在以儒家伦理道德为正统思想的中国封建社会，外来宗教和文化必须与中国传统文化融合，走本土化（中国化）的道路。而在这种本土化的进程中，佛教与基督宗教却取得不同的结果，这说明在文化传播和文化交流中通过和平而又有选择、制约的交流、对话所产生的创造性的融合更值得提倡。     

饲料中添加发酵豆粕对仔猪生长性能的影响

试验选择母猪胎次、初生体重相近的杜长大三元杂交哺乳仔猪24窝,随机分为对照组,试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ组,每组八窝。对照组饲喂常规乳猪料,试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ组分别饲喂添加10%、20%发酵豆粕的乳猪料,研究发酵豆粕对仔猪生长性能的影响。结果表明试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ组仔猪平均日增重、平均日采食量均显著高于对照组(P<0.05),而料肉比、腹泻率显著低于对照组(P<0.05);试验组Ⅱ平均日增重、平均日采食量高于试验组Ⅰ,料肉比、腹泻率低于试验组Ⅰ,但二者之间差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

Grassland responses to grazing disturbance: plant diversity changes with grazing intensity in a desert steppe

This study quantifies the impact of four different grazing regimes (heavy, moderate, light and ungrazed) on the vegetation dynamics of rangeland ecosystems along the southern boundary area of the Mu Us Desert, China. As the grazing intensities decreased, the soil quality, canopy cover, height, density, above‐ and below‐ground biomass, litter, root/shoot ratio and native plant (Aneurolepidium dasystachys) and grass abundances significantly increased; the above‐ground biomass of grasses increased, but the above‐ground biomass of forbs decreased. Ungrazed grassland has significantly improved from grasslands experiencing three other levels of grazing pressure, especially in the grassland biomass. Species richness increased as the grazing intensity decreased in the grazing grasslands, but peak species richness appeared under moderate and light grazing against lower productivity. Grazing exclusion causes desirable transitions in plant communities of desert steppe rangelands. Therefore, appropriate and efficient grazing exclusion is an available way to counteract local grassland degradation and promote rangeland sustainability.     

Soil aggregate characteristics and stability of soil carbon stocks in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus tabulaeformis</Emphasis> plantation

Pinus tabulaeformis has been widely planted in order to conserve soil and water and improve the ecological environment in China. This study aimed to unravel how soil aggregates and soil carbon (C) stock stability of a P. tabulaeformis plantation change after 60 years of natural development and was performed in Vitex negundo var. heterophylla and Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa shrub (shrub), a P. tabulaeformis forest (pine), and a coniferous broadleaf P. tabulaeformis mixed forest (pine-oak). Afforestation increased the stability of soil aggregates in the 0–10 cm soil layer but resulted in a decrease in the 10–20 cm soil layer. However, the presence of deciduous broadleaf species in the pine plantation improved the stability of soil aggregates. The total soil C stock was increased by afforestation, especially in the pine-oak forest, where it reached a significant level. The mineral soil C stock in the shrub stand was higher than that in pine and lower than that in pine-oak forests, but the C fractions had a different change. Afforestation increased the C fraction of macroaggregates in the 0–10 cm soil layer but decreased it in the 10–20 cm soil layer. This result suggested that afforestation could improve soil C stabilization in deeper soil. However, the pine-oak forest had a higher C fraction of macroaggregates than the pine forest in the 10–20 cm soil layer, indicating that soil C stabilization of the P. tabulaeformis plantation decreased when deciduous broadleaf species were present and thus formed the coniferous broadleaf mixed forest.     

Unravelling pest infestation and biological control in low-input orchards: the case of apple blossom weevil

Low-input farming is an alternative production system that provides a great opportunity to disentangle the natural mechanisms regulating crop pests, since neither pests nor their natural enemies are disrupted by pesticides. Here, we use a key apple pest in Europe, the apple blossom weevil (Anthonomus pomorum), as a model case to unravel the factors driving pest infestation and its biological control in a low-input context, namely the cider apple orchards of NW Spain. We applied a holistic approach based on the complete life cycle of the pest and combined large-scale observation (23 orchards) with small-scale experimental assessment. Weevil attack (0.4–37.4% of flowers) increased with the proportion on apple trees in the immediate orchard neighbourhood and with semi-natural woody habitat in the surrounding landscape and decreased with tree distance to orchard edge and apple bloom level. Thus, the prevalence of the pest depended on the availability of the various resources required for foraging, egg-lying and overwintering. Three types of natural enemies supplied complementary pest control by preying on weevils at different stages in their life cycle: seven parasitoid species attacked immature weevils (6.4–81.5%), while the additive effects of birds and crawling arthropods were evident in terms of the removal of adult weevils (31–44%). We conclude that the effective biological control of A. pomorum can be achieved in low-input systems to maintain the pest at non-harmful levels, through combined management of the pest, its habitat and its natural enemies.     

红麻和木槿属Furcaria组植物的形态分类及细胞遗传学研究

从国外引进木槿属Ｆｕｒｃａｒｉａ级植物１４个种，研究其形态分类、细胞遗传学、生物学特性、利用价值，并比较种间差异．１４个种均属短日照植物，染色体基数为１８．多数为四倍体（２ｎ＝７２）；红麻（Ｈ．ｃａｎｎａｂｉｎｕｓ），Ｈ．ｓｕｒａｔｔｅｎｓｉｓ和Ｈ．ｃｏｓｔａｔｕｓ为二倍体（２ｎ＝３６），Ｈ．ｄｉｖｅｒｓｉｆｏｌｉｕｓ为八倍体（２ｎ＝１４４）．抗根结线虫力强的有玫瑰麻（Ｈ．ｓａｂｄａｒｉｆｆａ），Ｈ．ａｃｅｔｏｓｅｌｌａ，Ｈ．ｓｕｒａｔｔｅｎｓｉｓ等．红麻品种间植物学形态丰富，可分为２９个品种类型；玫瑰麻有纤维用和食用两大类型     

西藏雅鲁藏布大峡谷国家级自然保护区生态评价

以雅鲁藏布大峡谷国家级自然保护区作为研究对象,从生物多样性保护、景观生态状况改善、教育科研价值、生态旅游价值4个方面,选取多样性、稀有性、代表性、自然性、适宜性、脆弱性、人类威胁7项I级评价指标,部分I级评价指标又分别构成Ⅱ级和Ⅲ级评价指标层,建立保护区生态评价层次结构模型,运用层次分析法对生态评价因子进行等级化处理,确定各评价指标的权重,计算各生态评价因子的评价指数.结果表明:准则层中生物多样性保护的制约性最强,景观生态状况改善次之,生态旅游价值最弱.从指标层各指标对目标层的贡献来看,多样性最大,稀有性、自然性、代表性次之,适宜性、人类威胁再次之,脆弱性最小.最后,得出雅鲁藏布大峡谷国家级自然保护区森林生态系统的综合评价指数(CEI)为0.945 l,说明该保护区森林生态系统的生态质量很好,具有极高的保护价值.