Introduction: Working Forests in the Tropics: Policy and Market Impacts on Conservation and Management

Abstract

Tropical forests are very rich in biological diversity and form an important economic and ecological resource. This biodiversity is of great value for communities living in or near these forests as a ready source of subsistence and cash income, and for the world at large as a source of tropical timber and non-timber products and a repository of genetic and chemical information. However, this biological complexity is diminishing rapidly. We analyze the main human (anthropogenic) actions causing loss of tropical forest biodiversity along with the strategies of management for forest biodiversity. Not only is the biophysical component important in management for biodiversity, but the active participation and support of local people, national governments, and the international community as a whole are essential to effective and sustainable development of tropical forests. This development strategy ensures that socioeconomic and environmental benefits are provided for present and future generations.     

Effectiveness of Thinning and Prescribed Fire Fuel Treatments in Piñon-Juniper Woodlands of the Davis Mountains,West Texas,USA

We evaluated the effectiveness of four fire hazard mitigation techniques in piñon-juniper forests of the Davis Mountains Preserve in West Texas. Four replicate fuel treatments (thin only, thin + burn, burn only, and control) were implemented to assess the effects of fire and fire surrogates on fuel loadings. The results suggested that the thin only and the thin + burn treatments significantly altered fuel loadings. The thin + burn treatment resulted in a 63% reduction in tree density, the thin only treatment resulted in a 23% reduction, and the burn only treatment showed an 8% reduction. Seedling density and tree basal area were not significantly affected by the treatments. Although thinning and thinning + burning were the most effective for reducing live fuels, they generated significant increases in surface fuels. Our results suggest that more aggressive thinning operations that target larger trees and prescribed burning during hotter, drier conditions could enhance future fuel management treatments in piñon-juniper woodlands in this region.     

Bovine herpes virus-1 (BoHV-1) in cattle–a review with emphasis on reproductive impacts and the emergence of infection in Ireland and the United Kingdom

Bovine reproductive disease attributable to bovine herpes virus-1 (BoHV-1) was first described in Germany in the 19^th century, being recognised primarily as the cause of infectious vulvovaginitis and balanoposthitis until the mid-1950s when a more virulent strain of the virus (BoHV-1.1) associated with respiratory disease (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis; IBR) emerged in the western United States. Subsequently, IBR emerged as a clinical condition in Europe, from the 1970s onward. While the ability of BoHV-1 to produce respiratory disease is now well recognised, the potential negative outcomes of infection on fertility and reproduction are less frequently considered. This review was conducted against the background of the prioritization of disease caused by BoHV-1 as one of several diseases to be addressed by Animal Health Ireland, with the twin goals of summarizing the published literature on the potential outcomes of infection at different stages of breeding and pregnancy, and of describing the emergence of BoHV-1 as a significant pathogen in Ireland and the UK.     

三馆融合背景下国外图博档联合开发文创产品及对中国的启示——以美国总统图书馆为例

[目的/意义]在三馆融合背景下,全面调查美国总统图书馆文创产品开发现状,以期为中国的图书馆、博物馆和档案馆联合开发文创产品提供借鉴。[方法/过程]通过文献调研和网络调研,总结了美国总统图书馆的文创产品开发概况,分析了其产品开发设计特征和营销方式。[结果/结论]提出了在三馆融合背景下美国总统图书馆文创产品开发对中国图书馆联合博物馆、档案馆开发文创产品的借鉴意义。     

美国罗非鱼产品进口市场集中度分析

美国是全球罗非鱼产品进口贸易大国,2015年罗非鱼产品进口量为22.5万t,进口额为9.81亿美元,是国际罗非鱼产品市场上最重要的进口贸易国之一。我国是罗非鱼产品出口贸易国,了解和掌握美国罗非鱼产品进口市场情况,对促进中国罗非鱼产品出口具有重要的意义。从进口量额、进口产品分析、进口来源地和进口价格总结了美国罗非鱼产品进口现状,通过进口来源国市场集中度(CR指数)、赫芬达尔—赫希曼指数(HHI指数)和洛伦兹曲线分析了进口市场集中度指标,表明美国罗非鱼产品进口来源市场集中度非常高。     

美国耐旱景观实践及启示

在水资源日益紧缺的背景下,耐旱景观在世界范围内受到重视,其原则广泛应用于干旱地区的景观营造并获得了巨大收益。文中介绍美国耐旱景观及其原则,解析耐旱景观的内涵,列举美国耐旱景观实践的具体做法,希望通过美国耐旱景观的实践能够让更多地区的景观建设获得启示并从中受益。     

Ontogenetic niche shifts in the American Alligator establish functional connectivity between aquatic systems

Individual animals undergoing ontogenetic shifts in habitat use may establish a mobile link between discrete ecosystems via movement of energy, nutrients and matter, as well as through impacts on ecosystem and habitat structure. The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a model species for studying ecological implications of ontogenetic niche shifts, because they grow in size by several orders of magnitude, and they play a critical role as both top predators and ecosystem engineers. We used equal trapping effort, radio telemetry and nest surveys to document ontogenetic habitat shifts of alligators between hydrologically isolated, seasonal wetlands and riverine systems. To estimate the degree of functional connectivity between systems, we quantified alligator biomass and nutrient excretion in both systems. Seasonal wetlands provided nesting and nursery sites for adult females and juveniles, which constituted 0.78 g/m² biomass and excreted 0.05 g/m²/yr N, P, Ca, Mg, Na and K in that system. In contrast, the riverine system provided non-nesting habitat for adults and sub-adults of both sexes, totaling 0.18 g/m² biomass and excreting 0.01 g/m²/yr of nutrients. Furthermore, sub-adults and adult females were documented moving across the terrestrial matrix, while adult males spent the duration of the study in the creek. Our results demonstrated that ontogenetic niche shifts in alligators establish connectivity between seasonal wetlands and riverine systems and with the surrounding terrestrial matrix. These findings have implications for the definition of jurisdictional wetlands under the US Supreme Court’s 2001 SWANCC decision and highlight the importance of ecological, as well as hydrological, connectivity.     

Canine leishmaniosis in the United Kingdom: A zoonotic disease waiting for a vector?

Leishmaniosis is an important sand fly transmitted protozoan disease of dogs and humans. In northern Europe, infection is mainly restricted to dogs that have travelled to and/or from endemic areas of the Mediterranean region during periods when there is high sand fly exposure, mostly between March and November. Infected dogs in these areas in northern latitudes are a potential reservoir should incursion of a competent vector occur. However, information on the scale of the potential reservoir in the UK is lacking. Confirmed cases of canine leishmaniosis entering the United Kingdom between 2005 and 2007 were identified using diagnostic samples submitted to the Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol and from collaborating laboratories (n = 257). All study dogs had clinico-pathological signs compatible with leishmaniosis, as typically reported in endemic countries and were leishmania positive in real time or conventional PCR tests, IFA serology and/or tissue microscopic examination for amastigote identification. Information obtained from each case included travel history, habitat, clinico-pathological findings and geographical location once located in the UK. The majority of dogs with complete travel history (n = 183) had spent at least 6 months in Spain (105/183), 28/183 were rescued from re-homing centres in the country of origin and 26/183 entered the UK with confirmed leishmaniosis. Once located in the UK, the majority of positive cases were resident in south and central England. The spectrum of clinico-pathological signs for this group of dogs is similar to that reported in endemic countries. These data confirm that a potentially significant reservoir of infected dogs is resident in areas where future climatic conditions may support introduction of competent vectors.     

中、美农民合作经济组织的比较及启示

介绍美国农民合作经济组织的理论和特点,并着重比较中、美农民合作经济组织的差异性,提出我国发展农民经济合作组织应注意的问题：（1）肯定政府的支持引导作用;（2）提升农民的平等、服务与合作意识;（3）多样化的农民合作经济组织。