Landowners and cat predation across rural-to-urban landscapes

Fluctuations of bird abundances have been attributed to such factors as supplemental feeding, landscape change, and habitat fragmentation. Notably absent from consideration, however, is the role of private landowners and their actions, such as owning free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus; cats allowed free access to the outdoors). To understand the impacts of cat predation on birds, we surveyed all 1694 private landowners living on three breeding bird survey (BBS) routes (∼120 km) that represent a continuum of rural-to-urban landscapes in Southeastern Michigan, where the majority (>90%) of land is privately owned. Our data indicate that among the 58.5% of landowners that responded, one quarter of them owned outdoor cats. On average a cat depredated between 0.7 and 1.4 birds per week. A total of 23+ species (12.5% of breeding species) were on the list of being killed, including two species of conservation concern (Eastern Bluebirds and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds). Across the three landscapes there were ∼800 to ∼3100 cats, which kill between ∼16,000 and ∼47,000 birds during the breeding season, resulting in a minimum of ∼1 bird killed/km/day. While the number and density (no./ha) of free-ranging cats per landowner differed across the rural to urban landscapes, depredation rates were similar. Landowner participation in bird feeding showed no relationship with the number of free-ranging cats owned. Similarly, selected demographic characteristics of landowners were not significantly related to the number of free-ranging cats owned. Our results, even taken conservatively, indicate that cat predation most likely plays an important role in fluctuations of bird populations and should receive more attention in wildlife conservation and landscape studies.     

我国生态农村建设之探索

生态农村建设是当前建设社会主义新农村的重大举措,从农村的生态环境、基础条件和农民意识等方面,探讨了农村生态环境存在的问题,指出了加快农村生态建设的重要性,提出了加强乡镇企业环境综合整治、完善体制机制建设、发展生态农业、开展生态文明教育等措施。针对我国农村生态建设的现状和特点,探索出一种适合我国农村实际情况的可持续发展模式：以经济发展为基础,以科技应用为支点,以政府干预为手段,以制度创新为导向,以法制完善为保障,以意识提高为导向的生态农村建设。     

成都平原边缘洪雅县农村居民点时空演变与景观格局

农村居民点是农村居民为生产和生活便利修建的固定住所,社会表现为农村居民空间的聚集,其时空演变与景观格局变化受当地自然环境、传统文化、经济发展等多种因素影响。笔者通过成都平原边缘洪雅县1997、2006、2015年三期遥感影像,借助RS、GIS软件提取农村居民点数据,结合DEM高程及坡度数据,研究了洪雅县农村居民点的时空演变及景观格局,并分析了其影响因素。结果表明:(1)1997—2015年,18年间洪雅县农村居民点的空间分布总体表现为更加聚集,地理聚集方向没有变化,持续地逐渐集中于该县北部平缓区域;(2)坡度对洪雅县农村居民点的布局影响强烈,农村居民点中超过70%分布在0°~5°范围内。随坡度的升高,农村居民点的斑块数及斑块面积总体上均表现为先降低后回升再降低;(3)海拔对洪雅县农村居民点的布局影响显著,500 m范围集中了超过55%的农村居民点。从1997—2015年洪雅县农村居民点变化结果及趋势来看,农村居民点空间分布呈现逐渐优化过程,农村居民点有从高海拔地域向低海拔城镇迁移趋势明显。     

Pathways to breaking the poverty trap in Ethiopia: Investments in agricultural water, education, and markets

Investments in agricultural water management should complement or strengthen the livelihood and coping systems of the rural poor, and should thus be instrumental for breaking the poverty trap in Ethiopia. Underdeveloped water resources constrain progress towards poverty reduction. We examine linkages and complementarities between agricultural water, education, markets and rural poverty through an empirical study using household level data from selected villages in southern Ethiopia. We show that investments in irrigation can contribute to poverty reduction, but the poverty reducing impacts of irrigation water are greater when human capital and rural markets are well developed. The size of landholding, access to irrigation water, on-farm land and water conservation practices, literacy of the household head, and years of education of adults are all significant determinants of household welfare, and thus potential pathways for reducing poverty. Expansion of cultivated land, particularly irrigated land, universal literacy, and an extra school year for adults all reduce poverty, but reductions in poverty are greater when irrigation is combined with universal literacy. These findings call for simultaneous investments in agricultural water, education, markets and related policy support measures for reducing poverty in smallholder agriculture in Ethiopia.     

农村改水工程建设管理和饮水安全问题的探讨

对农村改水工程建设管理和饮水安全问题进行探讨．从工程建设前期和后期管理,确保改水工程设施正常运行和效益的持续发展,保障了农村饮水安全,鼓励农户节约用水,减少了水资源开发。     

重要农业文化遗产对乡村产业发展的价值研究

由农牧民创造并维护的重要农业文化遗产,对乡村产业发展具有重要价值。其一,重要农业文化遗产是乡村产业发展的基础。重要农业文化遗产蕴含有丰富的生物、技术和文化等因素,深入认识这些因素在乡村产业中的地位和价值,不仅可为乡村产业发展奠定基础,而且还可推动乡村产业的可持续性发展。其二,充分利用重要农业文化遗产是乡村产业发展的基本途径。这集中体现在传统品种和知识技术的保护利用,重要农业文化遗产与现代科学技术的结合利用,生态产品和现代社会消费群体的有效对接。其三,创新重要农业文化遗产是乡村产业可持续发展的必由之路。这些创新主要包括:创新消费对象,明确目标消费者的界定;创新服务功能,强化生态维护的价值;创新服务内容,推动乡村旅游的发展;创新服务空间,推广重要农业文化遗产的各种资源;创新服务手段,发挥重要农业文化遗产与国家政策充分结合的优势。总之,借助重要农业文化遗产的保护、利用与创新,时下的乡村产业发展可选择不同途径实现乡村生态振兴的可持续性。     

基于"综合指数法"的农村信息化测度分析平台研发

本文在简要分析农村信息化测度分析“综合指数法”的基础上,着重提出了农村信息化测度分析平台的设计方法和思路,进一步叙述了平台的运行环境和具体操作过程。平台的研发为管理者和科技人员提供一个先进实用的计算机管理工具。     

农村劳动力培训与转移数据库软件设计与开发

采用Microsoft Office Access 2003设计开发农村劳动力培训与转移数据库系统,实现培训申报、学员管理、资金申请、补助的数据管理.本文简述了系统功能与使用和主要的VB代码.     

UML2.0的用例建模及其应用

本文介绍使用UML2.0中的活动图和用例图对软件系统建立用例模型.首先建立论域的组织模型;然后使用活动图建立论域的工作流模型;接着根据活动图建立论域的用例模型;最后将论域的用例模型转化扩展成系统的用例模型.该方法已经在农村劳动力技能培训系统需求分析中得到成功应用.     

基于全域土地综合整治演变历程与发展趋势的问题与建议

随着我国工业化、城市化进程的不断加快,城乡长期二元发展,城镇扩张占用农用地、乡村地区土地利用粗放、生态环境问题等日益显现,为推进经济社会的可持续发展,从国家层面推行的土地综合整治,已成为保障粮食生产安全、推进土地集约利用、改善农村人居环境的重要手段。2019年,从国家层面安排部署全域土地综合整治试点工作,探索新形势下该项工作的实施路径,推进乡村振兴实施。本文在对土地整治发展历程、变革与发展趋势分析的基础上,总结了该项工作在规划引领、实施效益、资金投入等方面面临的问题,并提出相应的建议,以期为全域土地综合整治工作的实施、监管提供帮助。