Multi-attribute evaluation of landscape-level fuel management to reduce wildfire risk

This paper provides an example of the practical application of multi-attribute trade-off analysis (MATA) to wildfire management. The MATA approach supports more informed decision-making because it exposes important trade-offs among competing management objectives (requiring value-based choices), helps guide and structure necessary technical judgements, explicitly represents uncertainty (i.e., not just expected outcomes but risk profiles around outcomes) and addresses temporal trade-offs. MATA promotes critical thinking about what analysis is required for decision-making. A MATA approach can be applied for all types of forest and fire management decisions. In this paper, we provide a sample application of MATA to an evaluation of landscape-level fuel treatments for managing wildfire risk. The study area is located in southeastern British Columbia, Canada where historical fire suppression policies and expanding development in wildland urban interface areas have resulted in an increase in both the probability and the consequences of stand replacement fires. We specify management objectives and develop measurable attributes for fire management costs, timber supply, property damage, landscape-level biodiversity, local air quality and climate change. We then simulate the effects on these attributes of four alternative fuel management strategies that include combinations of mechanical treatments and prescribed burning over a 100-year period. The evaluation illustrates the key features of MATA while highlighting the benefits and challenges of implementing the approach.     

Effects of steam disinfestation on community structure,abundance and activity of heterotrophic,denitrifying and nitrifying bacteria in an organic farming soil

Steam disinfestation is an ecologically less harmful alternative to synthetic chemical fumigants such as methyl bromide, which is being phased out of use due to its ozone-depleting properties. Although previous studies have characterized the effects of steaming on targeted pests, soil microorganisms, including beneficial ones, may be strongly influenced by this agricultural practice, since: (1) high temperature disturbs most soil microorganisms; and (2) disinfestation-induced changes in the soil environment can indirectly affect soil microbiota. The impact of soil disinfestation on functional bacterial communities was evaluated particularly in view of their role in nitrogen cycling. The short-term effects of steam disinfestation on heterotrophic bacteria, denitrifying and nitrifying bacteria, and their ability to recover after this disturbance were examined by surveying the enzyme activity, size and genetic structure of each community. Our results show that: (1) steaming immediately induced significant decrease in community activity and size, and changes in community composition, nitrifying bacteria being mostly affected; (2) abundances of each community reached values equal or higher than those observed in control soil within 15–60 days after steaming, but community structures remained very different as compared to those in control soil; and (3) for each activity, no complete recovery was observed after the disturbance: substrate induced respiration and denitrification increased but remained lower in steamed soil, whereas nitrification was not detectable after 62 days. Our results show that these effects of steaming on key soil functional communities can have important, long-lasting implications for nitrogen cycle that should be taken into account when evaluating the influence of such an agricultural practice.     

Inbreeding effects on postweaning production traits, conformation, and calving performance in Irish beef cattle

The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of inbreeding on carcass quality, growth rate, live conformation measures, and calving performance in purebred populations of Charolais, Limousin, Simmental, Hereford, and Angus beef cattle using data from Irish commercial and pedigree herds. Variables analyzed are reflective of commercial farming practices. Inbreeding was included in a linear mixed model as either a class variable or a linear continuous variable. Nonlinear effects were nonsignificant across all traits. Inbred animals had decreased carcass weight and less carcass fat. The effects of inbreeding were more pronounced in the British beef breeds. Effects for carcass weight ranged from -0.87 kg (Charolais) to -1.90 kg (Hereford) per 1% increase in inbreeding. Inbred Charolais and Hereford animals were younger at slaughter by 3 and 5 d, respectively, per percentage of increase in inbreeding, whereas the effect of inbreeding on age at slaughter differed significantly with animal sex in the Limousin and Angus breeds. Inbred Limousin and Angus heifers were younger at slaughter by 5 and 7 d, respectively, per percentage of increase in inbreeding. Continental animals were more affected by inbreeding for live muscling and skeletal conformational measurements than the British breeds; inbred animals were smaller and narrower with poorer developed muscle. Calf inbreeding significantly affected perinatal mortality in Charolais, Simmental, and Hereford animals. The effects were dependent upon dam parity and calf sex; however, where significant, the association was always unfavorable. Dam inbreeding significantly affected perinatal mortality in Limousin and Hereford animals. Effects differed by parity in Limousins. Inbred first-parity Angus dams had a greater incidence of dystocia. Although the effects of inbreeding were some-times significant, they were small and are unlikely to make a large financial effect on commercial beef production in Ireland.     

Unconditional quantum teleportation

Quantum teleportation of optical coherent states was demonstrated experimentally using squeezed-state entanglement. The quantum nature of the achieved teleportation was verified by the experimentally determined fidelity Fexp = 0.58 +/- 0.02, which describes the match between input and output states. A fidelity greater than 0.5 is not possible for coherent states without the use of entanglement. This is the first realization of unconditional quantum teleportation where every state entering the device is actually teleported.     

Follicular Dynamics, Ovulation and Conception Rates in Bitches

Real-time ultrasound imaging was used in a clinical study to estimate the number of follicles of different sizes, ovulation and conception rates, and to study follicle dynamics following oestrus-induction of bitches.
Follicles were identified during late anoestrus (between 100 and 60 days prior to the pre-ovulatory LH surge) and there appeared to be a shift in the population from small follicles (1–3 mm in diameter) to large follicles (>4 mm diameter) approximately 2 days prior to the LH surge. Corpora lutea could be reliably identified although the majority were cavitated. High ovulation rates (97–100%) and pregnant rates (86–100%) were detected, and although the conception rate was approximately 70% it varied between 8 and 92%. Within the narrow range of the clinical population studied there were trends relating age to reproduction performance. Oestrus induction with a gonadotrophin regime appeared to result in large numbers of small follicles that did not ovulate, whilst when using cabergoline the number of small and large follicels and the number of copora lutea were similar to those of control cycles.     

Acute toxicity in five dogs after ingestion of a commercial snail and slug bait containing iron EDTA

This case series of five dogs describes the effects of ingesting large amounts of an iron EDTA snail-bait product. In all cases signs of toxicity occurred between 6 and 24 h after ingestion and included abdominal pain and haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Two of the dogs had pretreatment serum iron levels measured and in both cases the levels were above normal limits. All of the dogs were treated with iron chelation therapy and supportive care including intravenous fluids, analgesics, gastric protectants and antibiotics. Chelation therapy with desferrioxamine mesylate did not cause adverse effects in any of the dogs and all survived to discharge. The effects of iron EDTA snail bait in dogs requires further study and minimum toxic doses need to be established.