Cultural ecosystem services in an urban park: understanding bundles,trade-offs,and synergies

Landscape Ecology - Sets of ecosystem services that occur together across space or time are called ‘bundles’, and the interactions among them can result in synergies or trade-offs....     

Water for irrigation or hydropower generation?—Complex questions regarding water allocation in Tanzania

The need for achieving efficient, equitable and sustainable use of water resources to meet water demands of different sectors is pressing, particularly in areas where water resources are dwindling. Along with this is the quest for having a good understanding of the value of water in its different uses. Using a simplified model derived from the residual imputation approach (the Change in Net Income Model) we assess the value of water in irrigated paddy and hydropower generation in the Great Ruaha River Catchment (GRRC) in Tanzania. The estimated productivity of water (PW) in irrigated paddy ranges from 0.059 to 0.250 kg/m³ (for withdrawn water) and 0.126 to 0.265 kg/m³ (for consumed water). The PW in hydropower generation is estimated to range from 0.45 to 1.68 kWh/m³. In monetary terms the value of water in irrigated paddy is estimated at 15.3 Tanzanian shilling (Tsh)/m³ (for water withdrawn) and 0.19 Tsh/m³ (for water consumed). The values of water for hydropower generation are relatively higher than for irrigated paddy, ranging from 59 to 226 Tsh/m³. Yet, irrigated paddy also supports livelihoods of about 30,000 agrarian families in the GRRC, with gross revenue of about Tsh 15.9 million per annum and GRCC paddy contributes about 14–24% of national rice production. We conclude that understanding the value of water in its alternative uses is key to fostering informed debate on water management and allocation, identifying the basis for making ‘agreeable’ trade-offs, the potential for improvement and creating linkages with water allocation options particularly in agricultural-based economies, where agriculture competes with other sectors and where water re-allocation decisions may involve large transfers of water from the sector generating the highest pro-poor returns (agriculture for this case) to the sectors generating the highest economic returns (hydropower generation and industrial uses).     

在人工接种和自然感虫情况下美洲黑杨后代对桑天牛抗性的研究

杨树 (Ｐｏｐｕｌｕｓｓｐｐ .)是我国主要造林和工业用材树种之一 ,据统计我国杨树人工林面积达 666×1 0 4ｈｍ2 (王世绩 ,1 995 )。但杨树天牛危害十分猖獗 ,其中光肩星天牛 (Ａｎｏｐｌｏｐｈｏｒａｇｌａｂｒｉｐｅｎｎｉｓ)和黄斑星天牛 (Ａｎｏｐｌｏｐｈｏｒａｎｏｂｉ     

CoRoT measures solar-like oscillations and granulation in stars hotter than the Sun

Oscillations of the Sun have been used to understand its interior structure. The extension of similar studies to more distant stars has raised many difficulties despite the strong efforts of the international community over the past decades. The CoRoT (Convection Rotation and Planetary Transits) satellite, launched in December 2006, has now measured oscillations and the stellar granulation signature in three main sequence stars that are noticeably hotter than the sun. The oscillation amplitudes are about 1.5 times as large as those in the Sun; the stellar granulation is up to three times as high. The stellar amplitudes are about 25% below the theoretic values, providing a measurement of the nonadiabaticity of the process ruling the oscillations in the outer layers of the stars.     

Nematode resistance in bananas: screening results on some wild and cultivated accessions of Musa spp.

Bananas cultivated for export all belong to Cavendish cultivars and are all recognized as very susceptible to nematodes, particularly to the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis and the lesion nematode Pratylenchus coffeae. Even if there have been many changes in the management of banana nematodes in large commercial banana plantations, chemical control still remains most often the last resort method to manage the nematodes, although the number of registered products is definitely declining. Therefore, nematode control though genetic improvement is gaining new interest worldwide. In this study, 55 banana accessions mostly diploids from the Musa acuminata genome group (AA) but including some triploid accessions (AAA), some diploids of the Musa balbisiana genome group (BB) and some interspecific hybrids (AAB, AB) were evaluated for resistance to four nematode species R. similis, P. coffeae, Meloidogyne incognita and M. arenaria. These experiments were conducted in a growth chamber under controlled conditions. All banana accessions were susceptible to nematode species, although many different levels of susceptibility were detected. This study confirmed the good resistance status to R. similis of some cultivars from the Pisang jari buaya and Pisang batuau subgroups and the partial resistance of 17 diploid accessions significantly different from the susceptible reference cv. Grande Naine. This study also showed that 12 diploid accessions exhibited a partial resistance to P. coffeae, including some usual or potential genitors belonging to the wild diploids subspecies burmannica (cvs. Long Tavoy 1 and 2) and burmannicoides (cv. Calcutta 4). No source of resistance to Meloidogyne spp. was found. These screening results, combining for the first time four nematode species, are discussed within the scope of banana breeding in order to produce parental diploid lines with single or combined nematode resistances and further develop triploids that can substitute existing susceptible commercial cultivars.     

Landscape ecology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> invasion in networks of linear wetlands

The interaction between landscape structure and spatial patterns of plant invasion has been little addressed by ecologists despite the new insights it can provide. Because of their spatial configuration as highly connected networks, linear wetlands such as roadside or agricultural ditches, can serve as corridors facilitating invasion at the landscape scale, but species dynamics in these important habitats are not well known. We conducted a landscape scale analysis of Phragmites australis invasion patterns (1985–2002 and 1987–2002) in two periurban areas of southern Québec (Canada) focusing on the interaction between the network of linear wetlands and the adjacent land-uses. Results show that, at the beginning of the reference period, the two landscapes were relatively non-invaded and populations occurred mostly in roadside habitats which then served as invasion foci into other parts of the landscape. The intrinsic rates of increase of P. australis populations in linear anthropogenic habitats were generally higher than those reported for natural wetlands. Riparian habitats along streams and rivers were little invaded compared to anthropogenic linear wetlands, except when they intersected transportation rights-of-way. Bivariate spatial point pattern analysis of colonization events using both Euclidian and network distances generally showed spatial dependence (association) to source populations. An autologistic regression model that included landscape and edaphic variables selected transportation rights-of-way as the best predictor of P. australis occurrence patterns in one of the landscapes. Given the high invasion rates observed, managers of linear wetlands should carefully monitor expansion patterns especially when roads intersect landscapes of conservation or economic value.     

Fragrance heritability in Hybrid Tea roses

Most of the Hybrid Tea roses that are sold as cut flowers are non-scented, despite the long-standing interest of the perfume industry to rose scent. In the absence of comprehensive knowledge on the genetic and biochemistry of volatile biosynthesis in roses, we decided to characterize a Hybrid Tea progeny obtained from parents that emit very different scents. First, we identified the 11 most abundant volatile compounds synthesized by the progeny, and a short review is given for each one that describes their occurrence in the genus Rosa, in the parents and the studied progeny. We have then used statistical analysis on the distribution of volatiles among individual progeny members to unveil the laws of segregation of the scent traits in this cross. As a general rule, the quantity and quality of volatile compounds was lower in the progeny members. Variations in scent quality were mostly linked to the quantity of monoterpenes that was present. Offsprings emitting a pleasant fragrance were, in practice, found to be rare.     

Comparative responses to sodium selenite and organic selenium supplements in Belgian Blue cows and calves

Belgian Blue (BB) beef cattle is particularly prone to selenium (Se) deficiency due to the poor Se content of soil and roughages on rearing farms and the higher requirements of this hypermuscled breed. The goal of this trial was to compare the effects of different forms and concentrations of Se supplementation on Se status, health and performance in 60 pregnant Se-deficient BB cows. Cows were allocated to 3 experimental groups receiving selenized-yeast at 0.5 ppm Se on total ration (Y–Se 0.5), Na–selenite at 0.5 ppm Se on total ration (Na–Se 0.5) and Na–selenite at 0.1 ppm Se on total ration (Na–Se 0.1), respectively. Cows were supplemented from 2 months before calving until 2 months after calving. Data on performance, health and Se status of the dams and their calves were analyzed using a linear model, least squares means and logistic regression. At the end of the study, plasmatic Se (pSe) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in cows receiving Y–Se than in cows from other groups. Glutathion-peroxidase in erythrocytes (GSH-pxe) was higher in Y–Se and Na–Se 0.5 than Na–Se 0.1 group (P < 0.01). Se content in colostrum and milk was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in Y–Se than other groups. At birth, Se status of calves from group Y–Se was significantly higher than those of other groups (P < 0.01). Plasmatic Se in calves remained higher for 75 days after birth in Y–Se compared to other groups (P < 0.01). Diarrhoea was the most commonly observed disease in the calves and, during the first 15 days of life, diarrhoea occurred in 6%, 21% and 35% of calves from groups Y–Se, Na–Se 0.5 and Na–Se 0.1, respectively. Over the whole 75 days trial period, incidence of diarrhoea was 19, 29 and 65%, respectively. Average daily gain (ADG) in calves born from Y–Se group of cows tended to be higher than in Na–Se 0.5 (P = 0.06) and Na–Se 0.1 (P < 0.05) but there was no difference between Na–Se 0.5 and Na–Se 0.1 (P > 0.1). At the same dosage, Y–Se conferred better Se status in both dams and their calves than did Na–Se. Requirement of 0.1 ppm Se seems to be insufficient in BB to optimise health and performance. Regarding health status and ADG in calves, Y–Se seems also to result in better performance.     

INTRA- AND INTEROBSERVER VARIABILITY OF ULTRASONOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENTS OF THE THYROID GLAND IN HEALTHY BEAGLES

The repeatability of ultrasonographic measurements of the canine thyroid gland was evaluated. The variability of three different parameters (the maximal length, width, and height) within observer, between observer and between dogs was assessed based on three different measurements made by each of three observers infive healthy beagle dogs. From the three parameters, the volume of the gland was estimated using a formula of a rotation ellipse. The height and the volume had the lowest intra- and interobserver variability, while measurements of the length had the biggest intra- and interobserver variability. The mean values, with their 90% confidence interval were: height = 0.53cm [0.33-0.73], length = 2.45cm [2.04-2.85], width = 0.62cm [0.46- 0.78], volume = 0.38 cm3 [0.20-0.55].     

Type IV secretion and Brucella virulence

The type IV secretion system, encoded by the virB region, is a key virulence factor for Brucella. The 12 genes of the region form an operon that is specifically induced by phagosome acidification in cells after phagocytosis. We speculate that the system serves to secrete unknown effector molecules, which allow Brucella to pervert the host cell endosomal pathways and to create a novel intracellular compartment in which it can replicate.