From farm forestry to farm and forestry in south-western France as a result of changes in a ‘house-centred’ social structure

The importance of the ecological functions of farm forests in France calls for a better understanding of the social systems influencing forest management. The traditional ‘house-centred system’ involved a sharing of activities in farm forestry between fathers and their sons. Retired farmers were traditionally managers of the forests while their sons dealt with farming activities. The evolution of this relationship since World War 2 has been investigated with an ethnologic approach in two villages in south-western France where the traditional ‘house-centred system’ constrains the social rules. This system has led to a lifetime status for fathers as head of the farm and of the household. Before WW2, sons played a secondary role in relation to their fathers who took strategic decisions. After WW2, sons became more involved in the forest work and decisions which led to a more frequent use of agricultural methods in forests. This created differences of opinion between fathers and sons, with the fathers considering their sons’ management too intensive. The social consequence was that the fathers felt that their role as forest managers and as head of the farm was reduced. In future, farm forest management might become more dependent on agricultural activities, with the traditional social systems losing importance.     

Hepatitis E Virus of Subtype 3a in a Pig Farm,South‐Eastern France

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has emerged during the past decade as a causative agent of autochthonous hepatitis and is a clinical concern in Western developed countries. It has been increasingly recognized that pigs are a major reservoir of HEV of genotypes 3 and 4 worldwide and pig‐derived food items represent a potential source of infections by these viruses in humans. Hepatitis E virus RNA testing was performed here on faeces from rectal swabs sampled in 2012 from 50 3‐month‐old farm pigs from the same farm located in south‐eastern France than in a previous work conducted in 2007. Pig HEV sequences corresponding to genomic fragments of ORF2 and ORF1 genes were obtained after RT‐PCR amplification with in‐house protocols. Hepatitis E virus genotype was determined by phylogenetic analysis. Prevalence was similar to that determined 5 years earlier (68% versus 62%). Two robust phylogenetic clusters of HEV subtypes 3a and 3f were identified, and these sequences obtained in 2012 largely differ compared with those obtained in 2007. Notably, HEV sequences obtained in 2012 from a majority (62%) of the infected pigs belonged to subtype 3a, which was not previously described in France, including not being found in any of humans, pigs or wild boars. Further studies are needed to assess the circulation of HEV‐3a in pigs and humans in this country. In addition, along with previous findings, this study supports the need for increased information to the public on the risk of HEV infection through contacts with pigs or consumption of pig‐derived products in France.     

Land use history and botanical changes in the calcareous hillsides of Upper-Normandy (north-western France): new implications for their conservation management

Historical studies were made of the changing land use (260-1995) of 14 calcareous hillsides in Upper-Normandy to investigate botanical changes over the last 200 years. Before the French Revolution in 1789, most of these hillsides were used as vineyards mixed with common sheep walks. After the French Revolution, they were distributed among inhabitants for cultivation (cereals) but they were abandoned in the nineteenth century and grazed again. Our results show that this history is correlated with important changes in the floristic composition of the calcareous hillsides between 1816 and 1995. The species richness of arable weeds and fallow-land species of former cultivated fields or vineyards decrease faster than that of chalk grassland species. The consequences of these long-term dynamics are discussed with regards to the ecological requirements and the rarity status of the species that have disappeared since 1935. We conclude with the need to take account of land use change processes, e.g. the alternation of arable fields and grasslands, to maintain the present species-richness of calcareous hillsides.     

Impact Analysis of Green Procurement Policy for Forest Products in France and Its Reference

In order to combat illegal logging and associated trade and promote sustainable forest management, major developed countries, including France, have implemented green procurement policy for forest products. This paper described the background of why France implements green procurement policy for forest products, analyzed the basic content of the policy, and made a comprehensive assessment of the impact of green procurement policy on suppliers, processors, eco-environment and competitiveness of forest produc...     

Physical and chemical water requirements of the white‐clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) in western France

• 1. In France, the distribution of the native white‐clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) is restricted, fragmented and mainly located in headwater streams. To conserve this indigenous species, it is necessary to characterize its habitat preferences.
• 2. Seven brooks in the Deux‐Sèvres Département (western France) containing wild populations of A. pallipes were studied to determine its ranges of tolerance to 19 physical and chemical water parameters. On two brooks, the Sèvre Nantaise and the Verdonnière, sites with and without A. pallipes were compared. Each site was sampled twice monthly from November 2002 to November 2004.
• 3. It was found that the white‐clawed crayfish was able to tolerate wide ranges of values of some of the measured parameters. The Magot site harboured the largest A. pallipes population (17.5 crayfish m^?2) and had dissolved oxygen concentrations as low as 4.93 mg L^?1, while water temperature rose above 20°C for several consecutive days during summer and nitrate concentrations were always found to be above 30 mg L^?1. These unusual findings could call into question the status of A. pallipes as a bioindicator of good water quality.
• 4. Principal component analyses (PCA) suggested that an increase of organic matter was a discriminant factor for the presence or absence of A. pallipes. In addition, sites with and without crayfish on the Sèvre Nantaise brook showed showed significant differences (p<0.05) in total organic carbon (TOC), and those on the Verdonnière brook in turbidity and total suspended solids (TSS).

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

略论战后法国农业现代化迅速实现的原因

法国原是一个农业长期落后的国家 ,但在二战结束后不到 3 0年的时间内却迅速实现了以机械化、电气化 ,化学化、良种化为主要特征的农业现代化。究其原因主要有 :相对稳定的国内外局势为战后法国农业的发展创造了良好的外部环境和必要前提 ;法国政府对农业的高度重视和政策指导 ;法国工业现代化的的强劲带动 ;欧共体共同农业政策的积极影响等     

法国、欧盟的农业政策及其对我国的借鉴作用

探讨了法国农业政策的渊源、法国与欧共体的农业政策及其运行机制、法国与欧共体农业政策与农村政策的改革,介绍了法国农业社会化服务体系,同时指出了法国与欧共体的农业政策及农业服务对我国农业发展的参考和借鉴作用。     

The carbon content of topsoil and its geographical distribution in France

Abstract. An estimate of organic carbon stored in French soils to a depth of 30 cm was made using data from geo-referenced databases. We produced statistics on carbon stocks in soils according to land use, different land uses and soil type. Then, using a combination of maps of soil and land use we were able to estimate regional and national carbon stocks. This soil carbon map of France allowed us to identify the main controlling factors of the carbon distribution: land use, soil type in some cases, clay content, and elevation. Carbon stocks in French soils were found to be about 3.1 Pg (10¹⁵g).     

Effects of fire frequency on plant communities and landscape pattern in the Massif des Aspres (southern France)

Fire frequency can affect pattern and diversity in plant communities and landscapes. We had the opportunity to study changes due to recurring wildfires on the same sites over a period of 50 years in the Massif des Aspres (southern France). The study was carried out in areas occupied byQuercus suber andQ. ilex series. A comparison of historical and cartographical documents (vegetation maps covering a 50 year interval and an accurate map of major wildfires during this period) allowed us to determine the changes occurring over time with or without fire action. Plant communities were grouped into three main vegetation types: forests, treed shrublands and shrublands. The passage of three successive wildfires on the same site led to a decrease in forest areas and an increase in shrublands; however, shrublands were already present before the first fire of the period under consideration. Less frequent fire occurrence induced more complex heterogeneity and greater landscape diversity. In the study region as a whole, with or without fire action, a significant decrease in forest surfaces was recorded, whereas there was an increase of unforested communities such as treed shrublands and shrublands. In some parts of the Massif fires increased the homogeneity of the landscape, in other parts they created a greater heterogeneity and diversity of plant communities.     

Lagrange定理辅助函数的构造

文章主要探讨微积分学中辅助函数的构造,给出以Rolle定理为基础,用不同的构造辅助函数的方法来证明Lagrange定理,这里仅从分析法、尝试法、几何法来进行讲解说明.