The role of vegetation management for enhancing productivity of the world's forests

The management of competing vegetation has evolved with forestmanagement over the past half century and is now an integralpart of modern forestry practice in many parts of the world.Vegetation management, primarily using herbicides, has provenespecially important in the establishment of high-yield forestplantations. There has been a substantial amount of researchquantifying the wood yield gains from the management of competingvegetation over the past few decades. We reviewed results from60 of the longest-term studies in North America (Canada andUS), South Africa, South America (Brazil) and New Zealand/Australia.About three-quarters of the studies reported 30–500 percent increases in wood volume from the most effective vegetationtreatments. In North America, where the longest-term studiesfor a variety of tree species were between 10 and 35 years old(or from 20–100 per cent of rotation age), gains in woodvolume ranged from 4–11 800 per cent in Pacific north-westernforests, 14–5840 per cent in the south-eastern forests,and 49–5478 per cent in northern forests. In South Africaand South America (Brazil), several full-rotation (6–8years) studies with eucalyptus indicate 29–122 per centand 10–179 per cent increases in wood volume yield, respectively,from effective vegetation management. In New Zealand, time gainsof 1 to 4 years from early vegetation control in radiata pineplantations translated into 7–27 per cent increases inwood volume yield over a 25- to 30-year rotation.     

The effect of cropping systems and irrigation management on development of potato early blight

Crop and soil management may modify canopy and belowground microclimate, but their effects on potential development and control of early blight are not well documented. Several management systems (Status Quo, Soil Conserving, Soil Improving (SI), Disease Suppressive, and Continuous Potato) were evaluated for their effects on early blight potential under irrigated and rainfed conditions. In 2006 and 2007, microclimatic data at the canopy level were recorded with a data logger. Early blight incidence and severity was determined by visually assessing symptoms. Disease incidence and lesion numbers varied among cropping systems and between years. Disease incidence ranged from 31 to 64% (2006) and 12 to 43% (2007), and was significantly higher with the Continuous Potato system than with Disease Suppressive, Status Quo, Soil Conserving, and SI systems. The relationships of incidence and disease severity with microclimate varied and were mostly non-significant, suggesting that the chosen variables were not reflective of pathogen development. Incidence was significantly associated with cropping systems. Disease prediction based on the Tom-Cast model was not correlated with observed disease levels. This research demonstrated that early blight disease is enhanced through continuous potato production.     

An assessment of the west winter–spring cohort of neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) in the Northwest Pacific Ocean

In the Northwest Pacific, the squid jigging fisheries targeted the west winter–spring cohort of neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) from August to November. Total annual catch by the Chinese mainland squid jigging fleet during 2000–2005 ranged from 64,100 to 104,200 t. The unique life history of this squid species makes the use of traditional age- or length-structured models difficult in evaluating the effect of intensive commercial jigging on this stock. We fitted a modified depletion model to the Chinese jigging fisheries data to estimate the squid stock abundance during 2000–2005. Monthly biological data were randomly sampled from the five squid jigging vessels during the fishing seasons. Effects of using different natural mortality rates (M) and three different error assumptions were evaluated in fitting the depletion model. Based on sensitivity analyses, the log-normal error model was found to be preferred for the squid assessment. The assessment results indicated that the initial (pre-fishing season) annual population sizes ranged from 199 to 704 million squid with the M value of 0.03–0.10 during 2000–2005. The proportional escapement (M = 0.03–0.10) for different fishing seasons over the time period of 2000–2005 ranged from 15.3% (in 2000) to 69.9% (in 2001), with an average of 37.18%, which was close to the management target of 40%. Thus, the current fishing mortality of the squid jigging fishery was considered to be sustainable. We inferred its annual maximum allowable catch ranging from 80,000 to 100,000 t. This study suggests that the modified depletion model provides an alternative method for assessing short-lived species such as O. bartramii.     

The equine immune response to Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus during uterine infection

The purpose of this study was to describe strain-specific immune responses to Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) during uterine infection in horses. Five isolates of S. zooepidemicus were differentiated into four strains antigenically by bactericidal testing in blood of 12 horses, and genetically by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Eight healthy mares were then divided into two groups, each inoculated with one strain intrauterinely on three successive oestrous cycles followed by a second strain for three successive cycles, first and second strains being reversed for each group. Immune responses to both strains were assessed by bactericidal testing and immunoblotting over eight cycles. Both techniques indicated that immune responses to each strain arose at different times. Immunoblots showed greater binding to the first inoculated strain than to the second (P < 0.05). These data confirm that immune responses to S. zooepidemicus during uterine infection are partly strain-specific.     

Evaluation of chemical and photochemical oxidation processes for degradation of phosmet on lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium)

Chemical and photochemical oxidation processes were evaluated for their ability to degrade residual phosmet on lowbush blueberries and for their role in the conversion of phosmet to phosmet oxon--a toxic metabolite of phosmet. Chemical processes included 1 ppm of aqueous ozone, 1% hydrogen peroxide, 100 ppm of chlorine, and UV, whereas photochemical processes included hydrogen peroxide/UV, chlorine/UV, and ozone/hydrogen peroxide/UV. Phosmet applied as Imidan 2.5EC under laboratory conditions resulted in a mean residual concentration of 44.4 ppm, which was significantly degraded (p < 0.05) by ozone and chlorine, yielding reductions of 57.7 and 46%, respectively. Interaction between phosmet (Imidan 2.5EC) and any chemical or photochemical treatment did not result in conversion to phosmet oxon. Residual analysis of commercially grown blueberries revealed mean phosmet (Imidan 70W) levels of 10.65 ppm and phosmet oxon levels of 12.49 ppm. Treatment of commercial blueberries resulted in significant reductions in phosmet regardless of treatment type; however, only UV, hydrogen peroxide/UV, and ozone treatments degraded phosmet (Imidan 70W) to less toxic metabolites and reduced phosmet oxon levels. Treatment-induced conversion of phosmet to phosmet oxon was noticeably influenced by variations between phosmet formulations. Acceleration of photochemical degradation by UV was not observed. Selective oxidation by ozone represents a significant postharvest process for degrading residual phosmet on lowbush blueberries.     

The PIRLA project (paleoecological investigation of recent lake acidification): Preliminary results for the Adirondacks,New England,N. Great Lakes states,and N. Florida

The PIRLA project is an interdisciplinary paleoecological study designed to provide reconstructions of the recent acidification histories of a representative set of lakes in four acid-sensitive regions in North America. We are trying to determine if lakes in the study regions have acidified, and if so, to what extent, over what time period and why. Sediment cores from 5 to 15 lakes in each region are being analyzed for several characteristics. Diatoms and chrysophytes are being used to reconstruct lakewater pH. Results for three Adirondack lakes with current pH of 4.8 to 5.0 indicate a decrease in pH beginning in the 1930's–1950's. Increased atmospheric deposition of strong acids appears to be the primary factor responsible for the pH decline. Two lakes (pH 4.4 and 4.7) in New England show clear evidence of acidification probably due to acidic deposition. Preliminary reconstructions for two lakes in Michigan (pH 4.4 and 5.6), one in Wisconsin (pH 5.3), and one in Minnesota (pH 6.8) suggest no recent pH decrease. For, the one Florida lake (pH 4.4) analyzed, inferred pH decreases by about 0.5 unit, beginning in the 1950s; the cause has not been determined.     

Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn Concentrations in Forest Vegetation and Soils in Maine

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in plant tissues can present a health risk to wildlife, and potentially to humans. The Passamaquoddy tribe in Maine was concerned about health risks of cadmium (Cd) because of a health advisory for moose liver and kidney consumption due to high Cd levels. This study found relatively low to moderate concentrations of Cd, nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) concentrations in four common terrestrial moose browse species, associated forest soils, and two species of aquatic vegetation on Passamaquoddy tribal land in eastern Maine. Terrestrial plant tissue concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 1.97, 0.65 to 7.08, 0.29 to 2.0, and 42 to 431 mg kg^?1 for Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn, respectively. Deciduous species, particularly aspen and birch, may be a more significant source of Cd and Zn to wildlife compared to coniferous or aquatic species. Aquatic plant tissue concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 0.14, 0.46 to 1.01, 0.8 to 0.9, and 22 to 41 mg kg^?1 for Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn, respectively. Total O horizon concentration means for coniferous and deciduous were 0.50 and 1.00, 4.27 and 4.11, 55 and 21, and 55 and 167 mg kg^?1 for Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn, respectively. The study provides baseline vegetation and soil trace metal concentrations for a remote region in Maine impacted by non-point sources.