Farm and Personal Characteristics of the Clientele of a Community-based Animal Health Service Programme in Northern Malawi

The social background, farm characteristics, indicators of income and self-evaluation returns of 96 randomly selected users of a Basic Animal Health Service (BAHS) programme in northern Malawi were compared with those of 96 matched past-users and 96 non-users, respectively. All 288 farms were visited between July and October 1997. Data analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate techniques. The results showed that, on average, BAHS users had larger cattle herds (16.3) than part-users (14.7) or non-users (12.4). Similarly, the annual yields of crops were higher for users compared to either of the other groups. Users occupied better houses and owned a larger number of farm and household items than did part-users or non-users. A third of all farmers were engaged in additional income generation to lessen the risk of poverty. However, analysis of the livestock management and the educational background of the farmers suggested that usage of the BAHS programme was not only determined by already existing `wealth'. Improved livestock husbandry and management measures, which do not require capital investment, were more frequently applied by users compared to either of the other groups. Non-users and part-users had attained a lower level of education, were less open towards improved farming methods and felt less knowledgeable than BAHS users. The average straight-line distances from farms using BAHS to their respective village animal health worker (2.2 km) or veterinary assistant (2.9 km) were similar but varied according to ecological zone. Intensified extension and awareness meetings in villages will be required to get more non-users involved in BAHS.     

Can epidemiology and economics make a meaningful contribution to national animal-disease control?

The general role of veterinary epidemiology and economics to national animal-disease control throughout the world is considered for the four main groupings of animal diseases: zoonotic, food-borne, endemic and epidemic diseases. This is done by considering how veterinary epidemiology and economics has contributed to priority setting (which diseases come first?), decision-making (for a given disease, which strategy is best?), and disease control implementation (how can optimal delivery and adoption of selected interventions best be achieved?). Within each of these categories, progress made and future opportunities are discussed. In addition, a review is made of how veterinary epidemiology and economics has been institutionalised. We conclude that veterinary epidemiology and economics holds a unique role in the development of national policies and strategies for improved animal health world-wide. However, we consider that we must capitalise more on the unique comparative advantage of the partnership between veterinarians and agricultural economists. We believe that much remains to be done to improve the "institutionalisation" of veterinary epidemiology and economics, and the adoption and impact of the products of our unique partnership, particularly in countries of the developing world.     

Privatization of Veterinary Services in Developing Countries: A Review

Increasing fiscal constraints on the government, a lackadaisical performance by public sector animal health and breeding services and pressure from donor partners have prompted the governments of various developing countries to rethink the role of the public sector in the provision of veterinary services. Various countries have started to implement, or have already implemented, privatization of some veterinary services. The results are mixed. It is established that private provision alone is not optimal, and a blend of private and public sector veterinary services is required to utilize the virtues of both.The privatization process has also begun in India. Certain state governments in India are pursuing a cost recovery approach and are encouraging private practitioners to cope with the financial constraints and to deliver broad and effective animal health and breeding services. This paper considers the global aspects of the privatization of veterinary services as well as the scenario in India, so as to gain an insight into the very complex and debatable issue of privatization of veterinary services.     

Microphytic crusts,shrub patches and water harvesting in the Negev Desert: the Shikim system

Human-made contour banks are a central component of theShikim water harvesting system in Israels Negev Desert.Efficient water capture depends on the presence of a stable microphytic crustwhich directs surplus surface runoff into the banks where it is stored. We usedsimulated rainfall to examine the impact of soil surface disturbance on runoffand sediment transport, and the effect of this on the efficiency of resourcecapture within the Shikim system. Two disturbance regimes:1) removal of the microphytic crust only, and 2) removal of the crust and shrubpatches by cultivation, were compared with an undisturbed control. In theundisturbed state, 32% of rainfall was redistributed as runoff. This runoffpenetrated approximately 27% deeper under the shrub patches compared with themicrophytic crust. When the microphytic crust was destroyed by simulatedtrampling, the runoff coefficient declined to 13%, and there was no significantdifference in water penetration between shrub and crust patches. Completedestruction of the shrub hummocks and crust by cultivation resulted in adeclinein the runoff coefficient to 6%. The result of sustained disturbance in thesepatchy Negev shrublands is a breakdown in spatial heterogeneity, a loss ofecosystem function, a reduction in ecosystem goods and services such as plantdiversity and production, and ultimately a reduction in pastoral productivity.These results reinforce the view that microphytic crusts are critical for theefficient operation of the Shikim water harvesting system.Given that practices such as cultivation and trampling which disturbmicrophyticcrusts result in enhanced infiltration, crusts should be left intact tomaximisethe water harvesting efficiency in these desert landscapes.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

陕北黄土高原生态资产与区域生态安全程度研究

在GIS支持下,通过测定陕北黄土高原植被生产和生态调节的物质量及生态资产价值.结果表明:①通过计算,陕北黄土高原每年的生态资产总价值为7.00×1010元,其中释放氧气的价值最高,占总价值的29.51%;土壤保持价值最小,占总价值的1.5%.而就植被类型而言,果树的生态价值最高,占总价值的43.89%;最小是沼泽,占总价值的0.4%.②通过地理信息系统与生态学的结合,对陕北黄土高原的生态资产进行定量测量,并利用GIS软件的空间分析功能,绘制了陕北黄土高原生态资产价值空间分布图.③陕北黄土高原生态安全程度为0.45,处于生态不安全状态,负荷超载,要狠抓生态建设.④针对陕北黄土高原环境现状,提出相应的治理对策.     

Quantifying the nitrogen retention capacity of natural wetlands in the large-scale drainage basin of the Baltic Sea

We estimate the nitrogen retention capacity of natural wetlands in the 1.7 million km² Baltic Sea drainage basin, using a wetland GIS data base. There are approximately 138,000 km² of wetlands (bogs and fens) in the Baltic Sea drainage basin, corresponding to 8% of the area. The input of nitrogen to natural wetlands from atmospheric deposition was estimated to 55,000–161,000 ton y¹. A map of the deposition of both wet and dry nitrogen is presented. The input from the human population was estimated to 255,000 ton y¹ in terms of excretory release in processed sewage water. There may also be leakage from forests and agricultural land into the wetlands. Due to lack of data on hydrology and topography, such potential nitrogen sources are not accounted for here. The capacity of the wetlands to retain the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen was estimated to 34,000–99,000 ton y¹. The potential retention by wetlands was estimated to 57,000–145,000 ton y¹ when the nitrogen input from the human population was added. If drained wetlands were to be restored and their area added to the present wetland area, the nitrogen retention capacity was estimated to increase to 196,000–261,000 ton y¹. Our results indicate that existing natural wetlands in the Baltic Sea drainage basin annually can retain an amount of nitrogen which corresponds to about 5–13% of annual total (natural and anthropogenic) nitrogen emissions entering the Baltic Sea. The ecosystem retention service performed by wetlands accounts for a substantial nitrogen removal, thereby reducing the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea.     

A spatially-explicit method to assess the dry deposition of air pollution by urban forests in the city of Florence,Italy

Urban forests (UF) provide a range of important ecosystem services (ES) for human well-being. Relevant ES delivered by UF include urban temperature regulation, runoff mitigation, noise reduction, recreation, and air purification. In this study the potential of air pollution removal by UF in the city of Florence (Italy) was investigated. Two main air pollutants were considered – particulate matter (PM₁₀) and tropospheric ozone (O₃) – with the aim of providing a methodological framework for mapping air pollutant removal by UF and assessing the percent removal of air pollutant.The distribution of UF was mapped by high spatial resolution remote sensing data and classified into seven forest categories. The Leaf Area Index (LAI) was estimated spatially using a regression model between in-field LAI survey and Airborne Laser Scanning data and it was found to be in good linear agreement with estimates from ground-based measurements (R² = 0.88 and RMSE% = 11%). We applied pollution deposition equations by using pollution concentrations measured at urban monitoring stations and then estimated the pollutant removal potential of the UF: annual O₃ and PM₁₀ removal accounted for 77.9 t and 171.3 t, respectively. O₃ and PM₁₀ removal rates by evergreen broadleaves (16.1 and 27.3 g/m²), conifers (10.9 and 28.5 g/m²), and mixed evergreen species (15.8 and 31.7 g/m²) were higher than by deciduous broadleaf stands (4.1 and 10 g/m²). However, deciduous forests exhibited the largest total removal due to the high percentage of tree cover within the city. The present study confirms that UF play an important role in air purification in Mediterranean cities as they can remove monthly up to 5% of O₃ and 13% of PM₁₀.     

基层图书馆为弱势群体服务的现状与思考——以徐州地区为例

在分析弱势群体构成和文化需求的基础上,以徐州地区为例论述了基层图书馆为农村弱势群体服务的若干举措和实践活动,探讨为农村弱势群体服务的方式方法,并对今后工作提出具体建议。     

林地定额管理系统分析与实现

林地是森林资源的重要组成部分,如何有效地对林地进行管理,对于实现胡锦涛总书记提出的到2020年我国森林面积和蓄积量比2005年分别增加4 000万hm2和13亿m3的林业双增目标具有重要意义。而林地定额管理是林地管理的一个重要组成部分。目前的林地定额管理主要依靠各省人工逐笔核算和月末上报的方式,不仅存在一定的时滞性,而且还可能出现超额使用林地定额情况。针对以上弊端,深入分析和研究林地定额的细分规则,提出一种基于面向服务的体系结构(SOA)架构的林地定额管理系统。不仅解决了时滞性,实现对林地定额的实时管理与监控,而且还能灵活地解决林地定额管理中出现的一些特殊情况。     

图书馆信息服务的优化

图书馆信息服务的优化是维护并促进图书馆事业可持续发展的关键,文献的多元性、文化的多样性以及生存环境的丰富性为其提供了拓展的空间.围绕这一主题进行阐述,分析了全新的信息环境下,拓展和延伸图书馆信息服务的必要性和优化的方式,希望借此对图书馆信息服务的发展有所助益.