Farmland degradation in the mountains of Nepal: a study of watersheds ‘with’ and ‘without’ external intervention

Amidst growing concerns about farmlands conservation, this paper examines the status of farmlands in two mountain watersheds ‘with’ and ‘without’ external intervention, located in the western hills of Nepal. Information was obtained from a household survey and group discussions conducted during April to September 1999. The severity of soil erosion from farmers' perspectives, density of landslides, soil nutrient balance and change in crop yield have been adopted as indicators of the status of the land. Results of the analysis indicate that land resources in both watersheds are undergoing degradation, though the causes and extent of degradation vary from one type of land to another. Upland crop terraces, locally called bari, are undergoing degradation most seriously under the combined influence of severe soil erosion, landslide and the depletion of soil nutrients. In particular, soil erosion has severely affected nearly half of the upland crop terraces in both watersheds due to a number of natural and anthropogenic factors ranging from weak geological structure to arable agriculture. Landslide and nutrient depletion have affected all types of farmlands except homesteads in both watersheds. Overall, the extent and intensity of land degradation is relatively high in the non‐project area, as farmers were not provided with necessary technical and financial support. A broad strategy has been outlined for effective conservation of farmlands. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patterns of leaf conductance and water potential of five Himalayan tree species

We studied variations in water relations and drought response in five Himalayan tree species (Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. (chilaune) and Castanopsis indica (Roxb.) Miq. (dhale katus) at an elevation of 1400 m, Quercus lanata Smith (banjh) and Rhododendron arboreum Smith (lali gurans) at 2020 m, and Quercus semecarpifolia Smith (khasru) at 2130 m) at Phulchowki Hill, Kathmandu, Nepal. Soil water potential at 15 (Psi(s15)) and 30 cm (Psi(s30)) depths, tree water potential at predawn (Psi(pd)) and midday (Psi(md)), and leaf conductance during the morning (g(wAM)) and afternoon (g(wPM)) were observed from December 1998 to April 2001, except during the monsoon months. There was significant variation among sites, species and months in Psi(pd), Psi(md), g(wAM) and g(wPM), and among months for all species for Psi(s15). Mean Psi(pd) and Psi(md) were lowest in Q. semecarpifolia (-0.40 and -1.18 MPa, respectively) and highest in S. wallichii (-0.20 and -0.63 MPa, respectively). The minimum Psi value for all species (-0.70 to -1.79 MPa) was observed in March 1999, after 4 months of unusually low rainfall. Some patterns of Psi(pd) were related to phenology and leaf damage. During leafing, Psi(pd) often increased. Mean g(wAM) and g(wPM) were highest in Q. semecarpifolia (172 and 190 mmol m(-2) s(-1), respectively) and lowest in C. indica (78 and 74 mmol m(-2) s(-1), respectively). Soil water potential (Psi) at 15 cm depth correlated with plant Psi in all species, but rarely with g(wAM) and not with g(wPM). Plant Psi declined with increasing elevation, whereas g(w) increased. As Psi(pd) declined, so did maximal g(w), but overall, g(w) was correlated with Psi(pd) only for R. arboreum. Schima wallichii maintained high Psi, with low stomatal conductance, as did Castanopsis indica, except that C. indica had low Psi during dry months. Rhododendron arboreum maintained high Psi(pd) and g(w), despite low soil Psi. Quercus lanata had low g(w) and low Psi(pd) in some months, but showed no correlation between tree Psi and g(w). Quercus semecarpifolia, which grows at the highest elevation, had low soil and plant Psi and high g(w).     

Evaluation of a minimally invasive non-calibrated pulse contour cardiac output monitor (FloTrac/Vigileo) in anaesthetized dogs

ObjectiveTo evaluate the accuracy of a new cardiac output monitor (FloTrac/Vigileo), originally designed for humans, in dogs. This pulse contour cardiac output monitoring system cannot be calibrated and measures cardiac output (

t) from a standard arterial catheter.Study designProspective experimental trial.AnimalsEight adult Beagle dogs weighing 13.1 (9.8–17.1) kg [median (range)].MethodsAnaesthesia in the dogs was maintained using isoflurane. A pulmonary artery catheter and a metatarsal arterial catheter (22 gauge) were placed. Cardiac output was measured simultaneously 331 times by thermodilution and FloTrac technique. A broad spectrum of

t measurements was achieved through alterations of isoflurane concentration, administration of propofol boluses and dobutamine infusions. Agreement between the methods was quantified with Bland Altman analysis and disagreement was assessed with linear mixed models.ResultsMedian (10th and 90th percentile) cardiac output as measured with thermodilution was 2.54 (1.47 and 5.15) L minute^?1 and as measured with FloTrac 8.6 (3.9 and 17.3) L minute^?1. FloTrac measurements were consistently higher with a mean bias of 7 L minute^?1 and limits of agreement of ?3.15 to 17.17 L minute^?1. Difference between the methods was most pronounced in high

t measurements. Linear mixed models showed an estimated difference between the two methods of 8.05 (standard error 1.18) L minute^?1 and a significant interaction between mean arterial pressure and method. Standard deviation (4.45 higher) with the FloTrac method compared to thermodilution was increased.ConclusionCompared to thermodilution measurements, the FloTrac system was influenced to a higher degree by arterial blood pressure, resulting in consistent overestimation of cardiac output.Clinical RelevanceThe FloTrac monitor, whose algorithms were developed based on human data, cannot be used as an alternative for thermodilution in dogs.     

Soil microbial community response to nitrogen enrichment in two scrub oak forests

Microbial communities play a pivotal role in soil nutrient cycling, which is affected by nitrogen loading on soil fungi and particularly mycorrhizal fungi. In this experiment, we evaluated the effects of allochthonous nitrogen addition on soil bacteria and fungi in two geographically distinct but structurally similar scrub oak forests, one in Florida (FL) and one in New Jersey (NJ). We applied allochthonous nitrogen as aqueous NH₄NO₃ in three concentrations (0 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (deionized water control), 35 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 70 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) via monthly treatments over the course of 1 yr. We applied treatments to replicated 1 m² plots, each at the base of a reference scrub oak tree (Quercus myrtifolia in FL and Q. ilicifolia in NJ). We measured microbial community response by monitoring: bacterial and fungal biomass using substrate induced respiration, and several indicators of community composition, including colony and ectomycorrhizal morphotyping and molecular profiling using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP). Bacterial colony type richness responded differently to nitrogen treatment in the different sites, but ectomycorrhizal morphotype richness was not affected by nitrogen or location. Both experimental sites were dominated by fungi, and FL consistently supported more bacterial and fungal biomass than NJ. Bacterial biomass responded to nitrogen addition, but only in FL. Fungal biomass did not respond significantly to nitrogen addition at either experimental site. The composition of the bacterial community differed between nitrogen treatments and experimental sites, while the composition of the fungal community did not. Our results imply that bacterial communities may be more sensitive than fungi to intense pulses of nitrogen in sandy soils.