A technical opportunity index adapted to zone-specific management

Ten years after the introduction of zone-based management to take into account within-field phenomena in agronomic practices, several methodological developments have progressed to the operational level. However, this raises a new scientific question: how can the relevance of this type of management be evaluated? This paper adapts the concept of a technical opportunity index to zone-specific management. Based on the characteristics of machinery, zoning opportunity is introduced through a new index (ZOI) adapted specifically to zone-based management. This index takes into account the operational conditions in which zoning is applied, together with its associated risks. The results obtained on simulated and real field data highlight the relevance of this index.     

Impact assessment of urban waste processing systems using a multibox model

A set of 14 household waste management system scenarios have been ranked according to the environmental impact of their respective refuse outputs. Each system has been characterized by the annual release of 8 chemical elements, namely: S, Cl, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb. The method relies on the determination of a load factor, which is defined as the ratio between the actual pollutant concentration and the accepted norm for this concentration. These figures are calculated via a three box model, where the three boxes are air, water and soil. The model considers the pollutant output from each scenario, the dilution or accumulation in each box as well as dry deposition from air to water and soil. The pollutant load factors are then aggregated in order to obtain a score. These scores allow a final scenario grade to be determined, which can then be used to rank the various scenarios. The final grades are strongly dependant on the presence of deposition terms as well as on the values chosen for the individual pollutant concentration norms, whereas they are reasonably independent of all other parameters.     

Two new benzylbenzoate glucosides from Curculigo orchioides

An extract from in vitro cultures of Curculigo orchioides grown as bulbils in shake flasks, afforded two new glucosides of substituted benzylbenzoate - curculigoside C (3) and curculigoside D (4) - together with two known compounds - curculigoside A (1) and curculigoside B (2). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral evidence, in particular by using 2D NMR methods. Their vasoactive properties were assessed in isolated rat aortic rings.     

Measuring wood density by means of X-ray computer tomography

? Wood density is a characteristic of major interest. Usually, it is used as an indicator of wood quality; however, in the context of global change, it is increasingly used for biomass and carbon storage estimations. X-ray computer tomography is a method which enables quick estimates of wood density after applying a calibration procedure.

? A review of the literature is presented in this article. Most of the previous studies have been performed in the 80’s or at the beginning of the 90’s.

? In this study, the relationship between wood density and Hounsfield numbers was investigated using a recent medical scanner. A linear relationship was fitted using a calibration data set which consisted in tropical wood samples representing a large range of densities ranging between 133 and 1319 kg m^?3, and then validated using an independent data set (mainly temperate tree species). The fitted relationships were very strong (R ² > 0.999), whichever the tested scanner settings, with slight but significant effects of the current voltage and reconstruction filters. The RMSE values computed from the validation data set ranged between 5.4 and 7.7 kg m^?3 for densities ranging between 364 and 821 kg m^?3.

? In conclusion, this method of calibration enables the use of a medical scanner to obtain maps of wood density, in a fast and non destructive way, and with a very good accuracy. Very interesting perspectives are opened regarding biomass distribution within trees.

     

Does maternal environmental condition during reproductive development induce genotypic selection in Picea abies?

In forest trees, environmental conditions during reproduction can greatly influence progeny performance. This phenomenon probably results from adaptive phenotypic plasticity but also may be associated with genotypic selection. In order to determine whether selective effects during the reproduction are environment specific, single pair-crosses of Norway spruce were studied in two contrasted maternal environments (warm and cold conditions). One family expressed large and the other small phenotypic differences between these crossing environments. The inheritance of genetic polymorphism was analysed at the seed stage. Four parental genetic maps covering 66 to 78% of the genome were constructed using 190 to 200 loci. After correcting for multiple testing, there is no evidence of locus under strong and repeatable selection. The maternal environment could thus only induce limited genotypic-selection effects during reproductive steps, and performance of progenies may be mainly affected by a long-lasting epigenetic memory regulated by temperature and photoperiod prevailing during seed production.     

Coffee agroforestry systems in Central America: I. A review of quantitative information on physiological and ecological processes

Research on coffee agroforestry systems in Central America has identified various environmental factors, management strategies and plant characteristics that affect growth, yield and the impact of the systems on the environment. Much of this literature is not quantitative, and it remains difficult to optimise growing area selection, shade tree use and management. To assist in this optimisation we developed a simple dynamic model of coffee agroforestry systems. The model includes the physiology of vegetative and reproductive growth of coffee plants, and its response to different growing conditions. This is integrated into a plot-scale model of coffee and shade tree growth which includes competition for light, water and nutrients and allows for management treatments such as spacing, thinning, pruning and fertilising. Because of the limited availability of quantitative information, model parameterisation remains fraught with uncertainty, but model behaviour seems consistent with observations. We show examples of how the model can be used to examine trade-offs between increasing coffee and tree productivity, and between maximising productivity and limiting the impact of the system on the environment.     

Coffee agroforestry systems in Central America: II. Development of a simple process-based model and preliminary results

Research on coffee agroforestry systems in Central America has identified various environmental factors, management strategies and plant characteristics that affect growth, yield and the impact of the systems on the environment. Much of this literature is not quantitative, and it remains difficult to optimise growing area selection, shade tree use and management. To assist in this optimisation we developed a simple dynamic model of coffee agroforestry systems. The model includes the physiology of vegetative and reproductive growth of coffee plants, and its response to different growing conditions. This is integrated into a plot-scale model of coffee and shade tree growth which includes competition for light, water and nutrients and allows for management treatments such as spacing, thinning, pruning and fertilising. Because of the limited availability of quantitative information, model parameterisation remains fraught with uncertainty, but model behaviour seems consistent with observations. We show examples of how the model can be used to examine trade-offs between increasing coffee and tree productivity, and between maximising productivity and limiting the impact of the system on the environment.     

Divergent landscape effects on genetic differentiation in two populations of the European pine marten (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Martes martes</Emphasis>)

Context

Quantifying gene flow in natural populations is a key topic in both evolutionary and conservation biology. Understanding the extent to which the landscape matrix facilitates or impedes gene flow is becoming a high priority in a context of worldwide habitat loss and fragmentation.

Objectives

Unexpectedly, a lower genetic diversity and a higher genetic structure have been previously observed in the less fragmented and the most forested habitat across four pine marten (Martes martes) populations in France. Our aim was to quantify the effect of landscape on the spatial distribution of genetic diversity in two populations in contrasting habitats.

Methods

We conducted an individual-based landscape genetics analysis in a highly fragmented rural plain (Bresse, n = 126) and in a highly forested (50 %) mountainous area (Ariège, n = 88) in France. We tested for isolation-by-resistance using least-cost distances and used a causal modeling approach on 16,384 landscape and 104 elevation resistance scenarios.

Results

Landscape structure influenced the genetic differentiation in Bresse, with vegetation providing more genetic connectivity over the study area than open areas, while roads and human buildings showed unexpected low resistance to gene flow. In Ariège, genetic differentiation was mainly associated with changes in elevation, with an optimal elevation for gene flow of around 1700 m, likely associated with changes in vegetation structure.

Conclusions

The pine marten seems to be able to cope with human-dominated landscapes and with fragmented forest landscapes, whereas elevation is the major driver of genetic differentiation in our mountainous landscape. Additionally, we highlight the importance of spatial replication in landscape genetics for deriving reliable conservation and management measures over the species distribution.