Reporting carbon (C) stocks in tree biomass (above- and belowground) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) should be transparent and verifiable. The development of nationally specific data is considered ‘good practice’
to assist in meeting these reporting requirements. From this study, biomass functions were developed for estimating above-
and belowground C stock in a 19-year-old stand of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.). Our estimates were then tested against current default values used for reporting in Ireland and literature
equations. Ten trees were destructively sampled to develop aboveground and tree component biomass equations. The roots were
excavated and a root:shoot (R) ratio developed to estimate belowground biomass. Application of the total aboveground biomass function yielded a C stock
estimate for the stand of 74 tonnes C ha−1, with an uncertainty of 7%. The R ratio was determined to be 0.23, with an uncertainty of 10%. The C stock estimate of the belowground biomass component was
then calculated to be 17 tonnes C ha−1, with an uncertainty of 12%. The equivalent C stock estimate from the biomass expansion factor (BEF) method, applying Ireland’s
currently reported default values for BEF (inclusive of belowground biomass), wood density and C concentration and methods
for estimating volume, was found to be 60 tonnes C ha−1, with an uncertainty of 26%. We found that volume tables, currently used for determining merchantable timber volume in Irish
forestry conditions, underestimated volume since they did not extend to the yield of the forest under investigation. Mean
stock values for belowground biomass compared well with that generated using published models. 相似文献
The potential of bacteriophage therapy to control bacterial disease in farmed fish was tested using, as an example, furunculosis of Atlantic salmon, caused by Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida.
In vivo testing with Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) showed no adverse effects, with bacteriophage generally cleared within 96 h of administration by either intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection or oral in-feed.
Juvenile Atlantic salmon were administered a combination of bacteriophage O, R and B (1.9 × 108 pfu fish− 1) by i.p. injection, after they had been challenged with A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida 78027, also by i.p. injection. The fish that were injected with bacteriophage immediately after challenge died at a significantly slower rate then those that were either not treated with bacteriophage, or treated 24 h post-challenge. However, the end result (100% mortality) was not affected.
In further experiments the effects of oral (1.88 × 105 pfu g− 1 fish− 1 daily for 30 days), bath (1.04 × 105 ml− 1 daily for 30 days) and i.p. (6.25 × 107 pfu fish− 1) phage treatment to control furunculosis in experimentally infected Atlantic salmon were compared with antibiotherapy (treatment with 10 mg kg− 1 bw− 1 day− 1 oxolinic acid for 10 days), using an indirect cohabitation challenge. No protection was offered by any of the bacteriophage treatments, compared to the positive challenge group, although significant protection was offered by the oxolinic acid treatment. Analysis of samples taken from the trials demonstrated that bacteriophage were correctly administered to the fish and, on occasion, were isolated from fish that had succumbed to furunculosis. It was also shown that bacteriophage resistant A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida isolates could be recovered from mortalities in all the treatment groups.
The results suggest that, although there were no safety problems associated with the approach, furunculosis in Atlantic salmon is not readily controllable by application of bacteriophage. 相似文献
The amount of short-wave solar radiation willingly tolerated by lactating Holstein cows on pasture was determined in an equatorial semi-arid environment. The study was carried out on a dairy farm located in Limoeiro do Norte, CE, northeastern Brazil. The observed behaviours were as follows: grazing, under the sun, under the shade, standing, lying, ruminating, idling and wallowing in the water. The behaviours were recorded using instantaneous scan sampling at regular intervals of 15 min from 0600 to 1800 hours over 5 days. On all sampling days, the meteorological variables, including local short-wave solar radiation (RS-W, W m?2), were recorded. The RS-W data were divided into five levels. The sun exposure was more frequent under low (100 %) and moderately low (97 %) levels, when RS-W remained below 500 W m?2. The grazing was more intense under low (100 %) and moderately low (93 %) levels. Above 500 W m?2, the grazing time significantly decreased (11 %). The cows avoided grazing under high (0 %) and very high (0 %) levels, when RS-W exceeded 700 W m?2. The ruminating behaviour was more frequent under high (33 %) and very high (37 %) levels, in which the highest averages of RS-W were recorded (815 and 958 W m?2, respectively). The standing posture was more frequent under low (100 %) and moderately low (97 %) levels. Therefore, the critical RS-W level that motivates cows to stop grazing and seek shade was in the interval between 500 and 700 W m?2. 相似文献
Nutrition is a major constraint in smallholder livestock production; hence, the use of alternative sources which are adaptive to long dry seasons is imperative. The study was conducted to establish options of improving nutrition and palatability and also to determine the performance of goats fed on cactus–browse hay as dry season supplements. Palatability and adequacy of nutrition was investigated using 32 castrated male goat kids. The kids were housed in individual metabolism cages for 84 days in a complete randomised design (CRD) with eight replicates for the four treatment diets. Daily experimental diet, basal diet and water intake were measured, and live mass was measured at weekly intervals. Daily diet intake was significantly different (P?0.05) among treatments. Kids that were supplemented with cactus–Leucaena leucocephala meal (CLLM) consumed more than those on cactus–Acacia angustissima meal (CAAM), cactus–Gliricidia sepium meal (CGSM) and cactus–Pennisetum purpureum meal (CPPM) in that order. CGSM was not readily palatable as goat kids refused to take it when mixed with fresh cactus. Animals that were not supplemented with a source of nitrogen together with those that were supplemented with less palatable diet of CGSM lost weight significantly (P?0.05) initially but gained weight slightly towards the end of the study. Significantly higher weight gains (P?0.05) were observed in animals in CLLM and CAAM treatment. It was concluded that fresh cactus could be used to improve poor quality roughage intakes in goats, and therefore, there is need to promote its use in periods of feed deficit especially in smallholder sector. 相似文献
The current field study used thoroughbred stallions and mares from central Kentucky to investigate the occurrence of potentially pathogenic bacteria on the stallion's external genitalia, based on cultures, and investigated the occurrence of bacteria and type of isolate in the mare's uterus after breeding by live cover to stallions with or without positive bacterial cultures. Fifteen thoroughbred stallions and 206 mares from two central Kentucky thoroughbred farms were used during the 2010 and 2011 breeding seasons. Samples for bacteriological evaluation were taken from the prepuce and postejaculate urethra (n = 201) of stallions. Uterine swabs (n = 264) were collected 12-18 hours postbreeding. For statistical analyses, a chi-squared test was used to test the relationship between stallion culture results and postbreeding uterine culture results, as well as the effect of bacterial types found on the stallion cultures with bacterial types found on the postbreeding uterine cultures. Of stallion cultures, 22.4% were positive for potentially pathogenic bacteria, with Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (51.1%) being the most common isolate. Uterine cultures resulted in a 29.2% positive rate for potentially pathogenic bacteria, with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus (90.9%) being the most common. There was no difference (P > .05) in the occurrence of bacteria or type of isolate found on uterine cultures after breeding stallions with or without positive cultures. In conclusion, potentially pathogenic bacteria found on the stallion's external genitalia did not affect the occurrence and type of bacterial isolate found in the mare's uterus after breeding by live cover. 相似文献
Egg content originating from ruptured ova progressively reduced the success of fertilization in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) eggs. The salmon egg differs in ionic composition from the ovarian fluid in exhibiting higher K+ and Mg2+ and lower Na+ concentrations. Normal ovarian fluid induced spermatozoan motility whereas ovarian fluid contaminated with egg content progressively lost the ability to induce motility. Loss of motility was related to decreasing ratios in the ovarian fluid, indicating that reduced fertility may be caused by inactivation of sperm cells in the insemination medium. Removal of contaminated ovarian fluid by rinsing ova in isotonic media induced spermatozoan motility and restored fertility completely. The use of an isotonic NaHCO3 solution for rinsing of ova is suggested as a routine procedure for artificial insemination in salmonids where the presence of broken eggs is suspected. 相似文献