The nearest-plant method is robust and powerful enough for different survey teams to monitor change in mesic grassland species composition

A long-term rangeland monitoring programme needs to employ a field survey technique that is practicable, precise, powerful enough to distinguish change, not prone to worker bias, and able to distinguish real change from operator error arising from staff turnover. These criteria were used to evaluate a widely used grassland sampling technique in South Africa – the nearest-plant (with 200 points) method (NP) – against common alternatives, namely NP excluding forbs (NP-nf), the plant number scale (PNS; a cover-abundance method) and quadrat frequency (QF), using multivariate ordination and permutation tests. Four trained teams surveyed four grasslands using each method. PNS took more than twice as long as the other techniques, which were similarly rapid. Estimates of composition using NP methods were the most precise and PNS was least repeatable, with QF intermediate. Compositional differences between sites were most finely distinguished using NP-nf, followed by NP and QF. PNS was able to detect only marked differences and had the greatest potential for surveyor bias. The NP method, with or without including forbs, is therefore recommended for monitoring the species composition of mesic, dense grassland. Some suggestions for monitoring agencies on how best to use multivariate methods are presented.     

Describing Human–Wildlife Interaction from a European Perspective

European researchers from both the natural and social sciences show growing interest in studying interactions between society and wildlife. A wealth of theoretical frameworks, concepts, and methods are used, but an integration of perspectives is lacking. This research note summarizes results from two workshops that included 63 delegates from 25 European countries, as well as a follow-up survey of 41 respondents. Two main theoretical approaches to the study of human–wildlife interactions were identified. One approach focuses on the collective societal level relying on theories of governance, social representation, deliberative procedures, and commons theory. The other approach targets individuals or groups, and is based on theories such as the cognitive hierarchy, theory of reasoned action, and theory of planned behavior. Interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to identify the best options for wildlife conservation and management in a more politically integrated Europe.     

ASVCP guidelines: quality assurance for portable blood glucose meter (glucometer) use in veterinary medicine

Portable blood glucose meters (PBGM, glucometers) are a convenient, cost effective, and quick means to assess patient blood glucose concentration. The number of commercially available PBGM is constantly increasing, making it challenging to determine whether certain glucometers may have benefits over others for veterinary testing. The challenge in selection of an appropriate glucometer from a quality perspective is compounded by the variety of analytic methods used to quantify glucose concentrations and disparate statistical analysis in many published studies. These guidelines were developed as part of the ASVCP QALS committee response to establish recommendations to improve the quality of testing using point‐of‐care testing (POCT) handheld and benchtop devices in veterinary medicine. They are intended for clinical pathologists and laboratory professionals to provide them with background knowledge and specific recommendations for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC), and to serve as a resource to assist the provision of advice to veterinarians and technicians to improve the quality of results obtained when using PBGM. These guidelines are not intended to be all‐inclusive; rather they provide a minimum standard for management of PBGM in the veterinary setting.     

基于逻辑回归的植物新品种权质量评估研究——以杂交水稻品种权为例

随着植物新品种权的申请授权量急剧增长,品种权的"数量多、质量差"的问题引起了全社会的普遍关注。如何评价品种权质量成为重要的理论和现实问题。为了科学合理地判断我国品种权的综合质量水平,首先从竞争力的角度界定植物新品种权质量的定义,然后从品种权的法律、技术和经济三大属性建立品种权质量评价指标体系,并利用均值差异法验证品种权质量指标的有效性,最后采用逻辑回归模型构建品种权质量综合指数,以便全面、快捷地综合评价品种权质量。植物新品种权质量评估研究不仅有利于解决品种权质量判断标准问题,对提高品种权质量水平提供了理论依据,而且为我国品种权的价值评估、许可转让、融资、抵押等交易活动提供重要参考。     

海绵体式复合植被毯及屋顶绿化技术

屋顶绿化是改善城市生态环境的重要途径,具有良好的生态和社会效益,但对建设投资方来说一次性投入增加较大,推广难度较大。为此,该文从海绵体式复合植被毯工艺与屋面施工流程等方面进行系统的介绍,突破传统的植被毯屋顶绿化形式,形成了一套造价低、维护简易,又有良好生态效益的海绵体式复合植被毯屋顶绿化形式。     

Dietary mannitol increased the absorption of calcium and magnesium in rats

The effect of mannitol on bone‐related mineral absorption and retention and the mechanism was investigated in this study. Fourteen 8‐week‐old male Wistar rats in experiment 1 and same number and age cecectomized Wistar male rats in experiment 2 were divided into two subgroups of seven animals, respectively, fed diets containing 0 or 4% mannitol for 28 days. Mineral balance tests were determined twice during days 8–12 and days 22–26, and the rats were slaughtered on day 28 both in experiment 1 and experiment 2. The whole caecum and colon were collected with the content to analyse tissue weight, content weight, content's pH and moisture, organic acids' concentration and mineral levels. In experiment 1, Ca absorption and retention and Mg absorption were significantly increased by mannitol feeding during days 8–12. Caecal total weight, tissue weight and content weight were increased, the pH of caecum and colon was reduced, and the concentrations of caecal short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were modified by mannitol feeding. In experiment 2, during days 8–12 and days 22–26, Ca absorption and retention were significantly lowered by mannitol feeding in cecectomized rats; however, mannitol feeding decreased Mg absorption during days 8–12, but did not impact Mg retention. Colonic total weight, tissue weight and content weight were significantly increased, and colonic pH was reduced by mannitol feeding. In conclusion, dietary mannitol increased the absorption of Ca and Mg and the caecum markedly contributed to this promoting effect of mannitol.     

微生物菌剂在蔬菜基质研发与应用上的研究进展

综述了在固体有机废弃物基质发酵过程中,添加微生物菌剂对堆体温度、p H值、养分含量和C/N等关键腐熟指标的影响,分析了微生物菌剂在蔬菜基质育苗和栽培上的应用效果及其作用机制,并展望了微生物菌剂在未来基质研发上的应用前景,以期为含有微生物菌剂的功能型蔬菜基质开发提供新的思路。