Initial vegetation recovery following a blowdown of a conifer plantation in monsoonal East Asia: Impacts of legacy retention, salvaging, site preparation, and weeding

All or a part of a sequence of forest practices (i.e., salvage logging, site preparation, planting crop trees, and weeding) has been implemented after natural disturbances for the rapid re-establishment of tree cover. Forest policies in Japan have recently changed from monocultural planting of coniferous crop trees to planting native broadleaved trees to restore forests and nurture local biodiversity following large windthrows. However, the effects of this new practice on preserving biodiversity, as well as the effects of legacy retention, have never been verified in Asia. Thus, the objective of our research was to compare the effects of legacy retention with plantation after salvaging on the initial stage of vegetation recovery in a blowdown area, specifically focusing on plant species diversity, the occurrence of alien species, and the composition of plant species. Following the analysis of our results, we finally describe appropriate practices to alter disturbed coniferous plantations to bring the species composition closer to that of the original natural mixed forests.A control (A, legacy retention) and three experimental treatment sites (B, salvage logged, site prepared, and Quercus crispula seedlings planted; C, same as B, but weeded once during the summer; and D, residual rows that emerged after establishing sites for planting) were prepared, and quadrats were set. Eleven indicators of the ground condition and the number of vascular plant species, including ferns, were quantified, and the number and abundance of residual and newly colonized plants of the main woody species were estimated.Our main findings were as follows: (1) in unsalvaged sites and residual rows, the diversity of plant species was poor, but a variety of plant species compositions were observed due to the heterogeneous conditions of the ground and ample residual plants; (2) in the planting site, many species appeared, but little variety of the species composition was observed due to the homogeneous condition of the ground and the destruction of residual plants; (3) a large number of alien species emerged in broad, unvegetated areas; (4) the impact of site preparation overwhelmed the impact of salvage logging on the initial recovery of plant species; and (5) to restore a natural mixed forest, a combination of legacy retention and plantation after salvaging would be the most appropriate.     

Effect of the lateral growth rate on wood properties in fast-growing hardwood species

We investigated the feasibility of using several fast-growing tropical or subtropical hardwood species for timber production by measuring key wood qualities in relationship to the high rates of lateral growth. The trees tested were sampled from even-aged plantations of Acacia mangium, A. auriculiformis, hybrid Acacia (A. mangium × A. auriculiformis), Eucalyptus grandis, E. globulus, and Paraserianthes falcataria (Solomon and Java origin) that had already reached commercial harvesting age. The released strain of the surface growth stress (RS), xylem density (XD), microfibril angle (MFA), and fiber length (FL) were measured at the outermost part of the xylem at breast height in each tree. Results were then compared to the lateral growth rate (radius/age) at breast height, which provides a relative indicator of the amount of tree growth per year. Our findings indicated that RS was constant, regardless of lateral growth rate in each species. Similar results were observed for XD, MFA, and FL, with a few exceptions, suggesting that high growth rates do not intrinsically affect the wood properties of fast-growing tropical or subtropical species that have reached harvesting age. However, special attention must be paid to patterns of xylem maturation when developing plantations of such species.     

Exploring the Socio-Economic Situation of Plantation Villagers: A Case Study in Myanmar Bago Yoma

Since the early 1980s, Myanmar Forest Department has been recruiting shifting cultivators, establishing plantation villages and applying the taungya method in establishing teak plantations. From the beginning, there has been an argument about whether the program is creating ‘forest protective groups’ or ‘forest destructive groups’. A key determinant to that question from the research viewpoint is the socio-economic situation; knowing the present situation of the plantation villagers can help to understand their forest management practices. Interview surveys were carried out in three villages in Bago Yoma, the main region of the special teak plantation program, to examine the current economic benefits to plantation villagers. Questions were designed mainly to explore the incentives for people participation and the socio-economic situations of the plantation villagers. Principal component analysis was used to group landholder types. It was found that local people are willing to participate in the initial establishment of plantations. However, all the incentives relating to plantation projects are temporary, with no long-term consideration for taungya farmers, which jeopardizes the plan to create forest protective groups. It is concluded that the time has come for the Myanmar Forest Department to change its main aim of earning foreign exchange from establishment of teak plantations through the taungya method to redressing deforestation through people participation based on rural socio-economic development.

Effects of feeding level of milk replacer on body growth,plasma metabolite and insulin concentrations,and visceral organ growth of suckling calves

The objective was to evaluate effects of feeding level of milk replacer on body growth, plasma metabolite and insulin concentrations, and allometric growth of visceral organs in suckling calves. Holstein bull calves (n = 8; 3–4 days of age) were fed either a low amount (average 0.63 kgDM/day, LM) or high amount (average 1.15 kgDM/day, HM) of high protein milk replacer until they were slaughtered at 6 weeks of age. Body weight (BW) at 4, 5, and 6 weeks of age, feed intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency were higher in the HM than LM calves. The HM group had higher plasma glucose at 3 and 4 weeks of age and insulin levels after the age of 4 weeks compared with LM calves whereas no effect was detected on plasma nonesterified fatty acid or urea nitrogen concentrations. The HM calves had greater empty body weight (EBW), viscera‐free BW and most of the organs dissected than LM calves. Relative weights (% of EBW) of liver, spleen, kidneys, and internal fat were higher, whereas head and large intestine was lower in HM than LM calves. The results suggest that increased milk feeding levels would accelerate the growth of the body and specific organs.     

Lipid droplets are formed in 2-cell-like cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells, derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, are believed to pluripotent cells and give rise to embryonic, but not extraembryonic, tissues. In mice, totipotent 2-cell stage embryo-like (2-cell-like) cells, which are identified by reactivation of murine endogenous retrovirus with leucin transfer RNA primer (MuERV-L), arise at a very few frequencies in ES cell cultures. Here, we found that a lipid droplet forms during the transition from ES cells to 2-cell-like cells, and we propose that 2-cell-like cells utilize a unique energy storage and production pathway.     

Successful introduction of modified dorsolumbar epidural anesthesia in a bovine referral center

This study describes the successful use of modified dorsolumbar epidural anesthesia with a fixed volume of anesthetic in a bovine referral center. Among the 130 Holstein cattle scheduled for flank surgery, 90 cattle received a mixed anesthetic consisting of 1 ml of xylazine hydrochloride and 3 ml of lidocaine hydrochloride by modified dorsolumbar epidural anesthesia. Eighteen cattle with dehydration and/or lameness received a mixed anesthetic containing 0.5 ml of xylazine and 3 ml of lidocaine. Infiltration anesthesia was performed in 22 cattle whose epidural space could not be reached in order to perform the flank surgery. The surgeries began about 12 min after the administration of the anesthetic and lasted for about 36 min. The modified method using a fixed volume of anesthetic was successfully introduced and effectively used in a bovine referral center. This modified method will allow veterinarians to save time and effort, thus lowering the cost of each surgery.     

Artificial insemination with frozen epididymal sperm in cats

Artificial insemination with frozen cauda epididymal sperm was performed in cats. Sperm were transmigrated from the epididymides in 10 male cats. The mean sperm motility and viability were 67% and 82.5%, respectively, and 11.6 x 10(7) sperm were recovered. The mean sperm motility after thawing was 24.0%. Eleven female cats received unilateral intrauterine insemination of 5 x 10(7) sperm, and the conception rate was 27.3% (3/11). This was the first case of conception obtained with frozen epididymal sperm in cats.     

Comparison of phospholipid fatty acid composition in percolating water,floodwater, and the plow layer soil during the rice cultivation period in a Japanese paddy field

Azolla has been used as a green manure for rice in Vietnam and southern China (3). Recently it was adopted by farmers in the Koronadal area in South Cotabato Province, the Philippines (2). In that area Azolla pinnata grows reasonably well without phosphate fertilizer, which is generally used for stimulating Azolla growth (3, 5).     

CONTRAST-ENHANCED ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF CANINE FOCAL LIVER LESIONS

In six normal beagles and 27 dogs with spontaneous focal or multifocal liver lesions, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography using Sonazoid^® was performed. Sonazoid^® is a newly developed second-generation contrast agent with the ability to be used for real-time contrast imaging along with parenchymal imaging. An appropriate protocol for the evaluation of all three phases (arterial, portal, and parenchymal) was established based on the results for normal beagles. By evaluation of the echogenicity of hepatic nodules during the arterial and parenchymal phases it was possible to differentiate malignant tumors from benign nodules with very high accuracy. In 15 of 16 dogs diagnosed as malignant tumors, nodules were clearly hypoechoic to the surrounding normal liver during the parenchymal phase. Additionally, malignant tumors had different echogenicity compared with the surrounding normal liver during the arterial phase in 14 of 15 dogs. In the portal phase, there were no characteristic findings. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with Sonazoid^® appears to improve the characterization of canine focal and multifocal hepatic lesions.