Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

Utilizing a DUALEM‐421 and inversion modelling to map baseline soil salinity along toposequences in the Hunter Valley Wine district

In the oldest commercial wine district of Australia, the Hunter Valley, there is the threat of soil salinization because marine sediments underlie the area. To understand the risk requires information about the spatial distribution of soil properties. Electromagnetic (EM) induction instruments have been used to identify and map the spatial variation of average soil salinity to a certain depth. However, soils vary with depth dependent on soil forming factors. We collected data from a single‐frequency and multiple‐coil DUALEM‐421 along a toposequence. We inverted this data using EM4Soil software and evaluated the resultant 2‐dimensional model of true electrical conductivity (σ – mS/m) with depth against electrical conductivity of saturated soil pastes (EC_p – dS/m). Using a fitted linear regression (LR) model calibration approach and by varying the forward model (cumulative function‐CF and full solution‐FS), inversion algorithm (S1 and S2), damping factor (λ) and number of arrays, we determined a suitable electromagnetic conductivity image (EMCI), which was optimal (R² = 0.82) when using the full solution, S2, λ = 3.6 and all six coil arrays. We conducted an uncertainty analysis of the LR model used to estimate the electrical conductivity of the saturated soil‐paste extract (EC_e – dS/m). Our interpretation based on estimates of EC_e suggests the approach can identify differences in salinity, how these vary with parent material and how topography influences salt distribution. The results provide information leading to insights into how soil forming factors and agricultural practices influence salinity down a toposequence and how this can guide soil management practices.     

Do cover crops change the lability of phosphorus in a clayey subtropical soil under different phosphate fertilizers?

Plants have developed different mechanisms to absorb and solubilize phosphorus (P) in the soil, especially in environments with low P availability. This study evaluated the effects of different winter cover crops on soil P availability in a clayey subtropical (Hapludox) soil receiving soluble P fertilizer and a rock phosphate applied to the summer crop, under no‐tillage. The experiment was carried out over 3 yrs (2009–2011) with five different cover crop species: common vetch, fodder radish, ryegrass, black oat, white clover and fallow as control. The soil was sampled after the third year of cover crop cultivation and analysed for inorganic and organic P forms according to the well‐established Hedley fractionation procedure. Phosphate fertilizers promoted accumulation of both labile and nonlabile P pools in soil in the near surface layer, especially under rock phosphate. Fertilizer applications were not able to change P fractions in deeper layers, emphasizing that the Brazilian clayey soils are a sink of P from fertilizer and its mobility is almost nil. Although the cover crops recycled a great amount of P in tissue, in a short‐term evaluation (3 yrs) they only changed the content of moderately labile P in soil, indicating that long‐term studies are needed for more conclusive results.     

Spatiotemporal patterns of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in response to a restoration of longitudinal connectivity

To examine the role of longitudinal connectivity on the spatial and temporal dynamics of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni), we quantified movement and population dynamics following installation of the Landsburg Dam fishway, Cedar River, WA, USA. Mountain whitefish is widely distributed, poorly studied and not the focus of restoration. Before the fishway, mountain whitefish were not observed above the dam. Here, we focus on snorkel counts collected at reach and mesohabitat (e.g. pools) scales over 11 summers on the 20‐km above‐dam segment following restoration. A camera within the ladder provided number, size and movement timing, thereby informing on behaviour and recolonisation. Segment‐scale abundance increased following fish passage reaching an asymptote in 7 years, and mountain whitefish were detected throughout the main stem in 10 years. Annual movement through the ladder increased over time and was positively correlated with instream abundance and discharge, but negatively correlated with water temperature. About 60% of fish movements occurred in spring and early summer, potentially for foraging opportunities. Reach‐scale abundance peaked between 7 and 10 km from the dam; deep, cool (~10.6 to 11.6°C) conditions characterised these reaches. At the mesohabitat scale, mountain whitefish detection increased with depth and velocity after accounting for distance from the dam. Our results show how restoring longitudinal connectivity allowed this nontarget species to colonise newly available habitat. Their response supports the critical roles of longitudinal connectivity and environmental conditions, that manifest at different spatial scales, in dictating how freshwater fish respond to habitat disturbance.     

Epidermal growth factor-like activity in mares' milk.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like activity was measured in mares' colostrum and milk by radioreceptor assay. Milk samples were collected from 22 mares 1 or more times during early lactation. Samples of colostrum were taken after parturition and before the foal first suckled (presuckle), within 6 hours after the foal first suckled (postsuckle), and on days 1, 2, 4, and 8 of lactation. In the 5 mares from which milk samples were obtained at each sampling time, presuckle colostral mean EGF-like activity (17.8 ng/ml) was greatest (P less than 0.05). The mean values for EGF-like activity at all other sampling times were not significantly different from each other (postsuckle colostrum, 9.7 ng/ml; day 1, 9.6 ng/ml; day 2, 8.5 ng/ml; day 4, 8.0 ng/ml; day 8, 7.8 ng/ml).     

Evaluation of the Hennessy grading probe to predict yields of lamb carcasses fabricated to multiple end points.

Lamb carcasses (n = 278) were selected immediately after slaughter and fat thickness was measured with the SP2 Hennessy grading probe (HP) at the interface of the 12th and 13th ribs, 3.8 cm from the backbone. After a 24-h chilling period, carcasses were graded by a USDA grader and probed with the HP to obtain a fat thickness measure on the chilled carcass. One hundred sixty-five carcasses were fabricated into wholesale cuts (.64 cm of external fat trim), and 113 carcasses were fabricated into tray-ready retail cuts (.25 cm of external fat trim). Carcass weight, fat thickness (metal probe), adjusted fat thickness, hot and chilled carcass HP fat measures, as well as kidney and pelvic fat percentage and USDA yield grade, were highly correlated to cutting yield for both fabrication methods. Regression models developed to predict wholesale cut yields using HP or grader-collected measures were similar with respect to predictive accuracy. Fat thickness explained most of the variation in wholesale and tray-ready cut yields among the variables collected by the grader. Kidney and pelvic fat accounted for more of the variation in yield of wholesale cuts during stepwise regression to determine HP equations, but for predicting tray-ready yields, fat thickness taken with the HP accounted for the largest amount of variation. Equations developed to predict tray-ready retail cut yields using the HP or USDA grader-collected carcass measures were similar in the amount of variation explained. Kidney and pelvic fat percentage must be included in equations to maximize predictive accuracy when this depot site is left in carcasses.     

Cryptococcal osteomyelitis in a dog

Osteomyelitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans was diagnosed in a three-year-old male Irish wolfhound. The case details and radiological findings of radiolucency and periosteal reaction of the left third metatarsal bone had lead to an initial diagnosis of a malignant bone tumour. Biopsy revealed a fungal granuloma and culture identified the causal organism. A four month course of ketaconazole was instigated and the lameness resolved. Twelve months after the end of treatment there was no recurrence of the problem.     

Consistency of results from the Vettest 8008 clinical biochemistry analyser.

Findings are presented on the precision of a clinical biochemistry analyser designed specifically for veterinary use. Twenty biochemical analytes have been examined in detail for variation within and between runs. The results indicate that the analyser can provide high precision for all the analytes with the possible exception of calcium, and suggest that the instrument can be used with confidence in the practice laboratory to aid diagnosis and to monitor biochemical changes in animals receiving treatment.