Carbon stocks and carbon fluxes from a 10‐year prescribed burning chronosequence on a UK blanket peat

Prescribed burning is a common land management technique in many areas of the UK uplands. However, concern has been expressed at the impact of this management practice on carbon stocks and fluxes found in the carbon‐rich peat soils that underlie many of these areas. This study measured both carbon stocks and carbon fluxes from a chronosequence of prescribed burn sites in northern England. A range of carbon parameters were measured including above ground biomass and carbon stocks; net ecosystem exchange (NEE), net ecosystem respiration (R_eco) and photosynthesis (P_g) from closed chamber methods; and particulate organic carbon (POC). Analysis of the CO₂ data showed that burning was a significant factor in measured CO₂ readings but that other factors such as month of sampling explained a greater proportion of the variation in the data. Carbon budget results showed that whereas all the plots were net sources of carbon, the most recent burn scars were smaller sources of carbon compared with the older burn scars, suggesting that burning of Calluna‐dominated landscapes leads to an ‘avoided loss’ of carbon. However, this management intervention did not lead to a transition to a carbon sink and that for carbon purposes, active peat‐forming conditions are desirable.     

笼养猕猴(Macaca mulatta)夏季昼间活动时间分配研究

2006年7月,采用瞬时扫描取样法和全事件取样法对陕西省珍稀野生动物抢救饲养研究中心的17只笼养猕猴的昼间活动规律进行了研究。结果表明,笼养猕猴昼间行为时间分配表现为休息时间最多,其次是摄食和活动,梳理、社交、游戏及其他等行为最少。在白昼各时间段内的活动规律为:摄食的高峰期在11:00-12:00,休息的高峰期在14:00-15:00,活动的高峰期在15:00-16:00,梳理、社交、游戏及其他行为在全昼趋于平缓。笼养猕猴的性别对活动时间分配影响不大,但母猴群体的梳理行为较雄猴群体多1倍以上。年龄对活动时间分配有较为明显的影响,成年猴、幼年猴休息行为最多,青年猴摄食行为最多,幼年猴运动时间明显高于成年猴和青年猴。     

Predicting survival, reproduction and abundance of polar bears under climate change

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations are predicted to be negatively affected by climate warming, but the timeframe and manner in which change to polar bear populations will occur remains unclear. Predictions incorporating climate change effects are necessary for proactive population management, the setting of optimal harvest quotas, and conservation status decisions. Such predictions are difficult to obtain from historic data directly because past and predicted environmental conditions differ substantially. Here, we explore how models can be used to predict polar bear population responses under climate change. We suggest the development of mechanistic models aimed at predicting reproduction and survival as a function of the environment. Such models can often be developed, parameterized, and tested under current environmental conditions. Model predictions for reproduction and survival under future conditions could then be input into demographic projection models to improve abundance predictions under climate change. We illustrate the approach using two examples. First, using an individual-based dynamic energy budget model, we estimate that 3-6% of adult males in Western Hudson Bay would die of starvation before the end of a 120 day summer fasting period but 28-48% would die if climate warming increases the fasting period to 180 days. Expected changes in survival are non-linear (sigmoid) as a function of fasting period length. Second, we use an encounter rate model to predict changes in female mating probability under sea ice area declines and declines in mate-searching efficiency due to habitat fragmentation. The model predicts that mating success will decline non-linearly if searching efficiency declines faster than habitat area, and increase non-linearly otherwise. Specifically for the Lancaster Sound population, we predict that female mating success would decline from 99% to 91% if searching efficiency declined twice as fast as sea ice area, and to 72% if searching efficiency declined four times as fast as area. Sea ice is a complex and dynamic habitat that is rapidly changing. Failure to incorporate climate change effects into population projections can result in flawed conservation assessments and management decisions.     

Use of time-activity budgets to measure early progress of a social attraction restoration project

Social attraction is a useful technique for re-establishing or relocating waterbird colonies and other species groups. However, little information exists regarding how newly attending individuals behave when the social environment is influenced predominantly by artificial stimuli. To help assess early progress of colony re-establishment, we compared time-activity budgets of common murres (Uria aalge) at a social attraction site (Devil’s Slide Rock; DSR) in central California with two nearby reference colonies during the first 3 years (1996–1998) of efforts. Murres at all colonies spent over 95% of their time engaged in resting, comfort, courtship, and alert activities during the pre-breeding period and over 88% of their time in similar activities during the breeding period. Although patterns were similar overall, comparisons of pooled and year-specific time budget data revealed significant differences between all three colonies, especially during pre-breeding. Murres at DSR typically engaged in comfort behaviors less frequently and in alert and courtship behaviors more frequently than reference colonies. Differences likely were due to recent re-establishment, including lower bird densities and higher proportions of non-breeders and first-time breeders at DSR, along with other factors such as disturbance. Results indicate that newly attracted birds at DSR behaved “normally” even though the social environment was influenced predominantly by artificial stimuli. Furthermore, re-established breeding in the first year of efforts, subsequent colony growth, and high productivity reflected successful restoration efforts. Thus, time-activity budgets can provide important measures of early progress of social attraction efforts and as such can be used to inform adaptive management decisions.     

Regional Sediment Deficits in the Dutch Lowlands: Implications for Long-Term Land-Use Options (8 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope   Coastal and river plains are the surfaces of depositional systems, to which sediment input is a parameter of key-importance. Their habitation and economic development usually requires protection with dikes, quays, etc., which are effective in retaining floods but have the side effect of retarding sedimentation in their hinterlands. The flood-protected Dutch lowlands (so-called dike-ring areas) have been sediment-starved for up to about a millennium. In addition to this, peat decomposition and soil compaction, brought about by land drainage, have caused significant land subsidence. Sediment deficiency, defined as the combined effect of sediment-starvation and drainage-induced volume losses, has already been substantial in this area, and it is expected to become urgent in view of the forecasted effects of climate change (sea-level rise, intensified precipitation and run-off). We therefore explore this deficiency, compare it with natural (Holocene) and current human sediment inputs, and discuss it in terms of long-term land-use options. Materials and Methods: We use available 3D geological models to define natural sediment inputs to our study area. Recent progress in large-scale modelling of peat oxidation and compaction enables us to address volume loss associated with these processes. Human sediment inputs are based on published minerals statistics. All results are given as first-order approximations. Results: The current sediment deficit in the diked lowlands of the Netherlands is estimated at 136 ± 67 million m3/a. About 85% of this volume is the hypothetical amount of sediment required to keep up with sea-level rise, and 15% is the effect of land drainage (peat decomposition and compaction). The average Holocene sediment input to our study area (based on a total of 145 km3) is ~14 million m3/a, and the maximum (millennium-averaged) input ~26 million m3/a. Historical sediment deficiency has resulted in an unused sediment accommodation space of about 13.3 km3. Net human input of sediment material currently amounts to ~23 million m3/a. Discussion: As sedimentary processes in the Dutch lowlands have been retarded, the depositional system's natural resilience to sea-level rise is low, and all that is left to cope is human countermeasure. Preserving some sort of status quo with water management solutions may reach its limits in the foreseeable future. The most viable long-term solutions therefore seem a combination of allowing for more water in open country (anything from flood-buffer zones to open water) and raising lands that are to be built up (enabling their lasting protection). As to the latter, doubling or tripling the use of filling sand in a planned and sustained effort may resolve up to one half of the Dutch sediment deficiency problems in about a century. Conclusions: Conclusions, Recommendations and Perspectives. We conclude that sediment deficiency – past, present and future – challenges the sustainable habitation of the Dutch lowlands. In order to explore possible solutions, we recommend the development of long-term scenarios for the changing lowland physiography, that include the effects of Global Change, compensation measures, costs and benefits, and the implications for long-term land-use options. Recommendations and Perspectives: -     

Ecosystem fertility and fallow function in the humid and subhumid tropics

The regeneration of natural vegetation (fallowing) is a traditional practice for restoring fertility of agricultural land in many parts in the tropics. As a result of increasing human population and insufficient fertilizer inputs, the ecosystem fertility functions of traditional fallows must now be improved upon via the use of managed fallows. Interactions between vegetation and soil determine nutrient losses and gains in crop—fallow systems and are influenced by fallow species, patterns and rates of biomass allocation, and crop and fallow management. Nutrient losses occur through offtake in crop harvests during the cropping phase and through leaching, runoff, and erosion in the cropping phase and the initial stage of fallows $#x2014; when nutrient availability exceeds nutrient demand by vegetation. Gains in nutrient stocks in later stages of fallow are generally more rapid on soils with high than low base status due to greater quantities of weatherable minerals and lack of constraints to N₂ fixation, deep rooting, and retrieval of subsoil nutrients by fallow vegetation. On low base status soils (exchangeable Ca < 1 cmol_c kg^–1), N₂ fixation and atmospheric inputs are likely to be the main sources of nutrient additions. On high base status soils limited by N, gains in N stocks by inputs from N₂ fixation and retrieval of subsoil nitrate can occur relatively rapidly; hence short-term fallows can often improve crop performance. Large losses of Ca associated with soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization and soil acidification during cropping and fallow establishment, combined with chemical barriers to root penetration, suggest that long-duration fallows (> 5 yr) are needed for recovery of cation stocks and crop performance on low base status soils. On both soils, however, residual benefits of fallows on crop yields usually last less than three crops.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Balance trials with African catfish Clarias gariepinus fed phytase-treated soybean meal-based diets

Balance trials were conducted with African catfish Clarias gariepinus to assess the effect of phytase treatment of soybean meal-based diets on growth, feed utilization and nutrient budgets. Isocaloric (20–22 kJ g⁻¹) and isonitrogenous (47–50% protein) diets were tested. In a first experiment the control diet (58% fish meal and 18% soybean meal) was compared with two diets containing 6% fish meal and 69% soybean meal, and two diets containing 29% fish meal and 41% soybean meal. One of each of these two diets had been pretreated with phytase (1000 units per kg dry diet). In the second experiment, the control diet (6% fish meal and 69% soybean meal, pretreated with 1000 units phytase kg⁻¹ dry diet) was compared with four diets that were similar in composition but supplemented with increasing amounts of phytase (15, 380, 750, 1000 units kg⁻¹ dry diet). Replacement of fish meal by soybean meal in the first experiment led to a depression in growth rate and feed utilization parameters. Results of both experiments clearly indicated a positive effect of phytase treatment, particularly on phosphorus digestibility and retention, and consequently the phosphorus conversion efficiency and the phosphorus budget. No differences in these parameters were found between addition of equal amounts of phytase by pretreatment or supplementation.     

Perspectives on soil fertility change: a case study from southern Ethiopia

This paper explores the complexities underlying the apparently simple question—Is soil fertility declining?—for Wolayta in southern Ethiopia, an area famed for its high population densities and extreme pressure on resources. Drawing on extensive field research in the area, the paper examines differing perceptions of soil fertility decline, and attempts to pick apart the range of evidence of changes in soil fertility over time from a variety of different sources, ranging from historical interviews with farmers to fertilizer trials carried out over many years. In contrast to the definitive statements so often made in development policy statements, the actual situation is much less clear. A detailed understanding of soil fertility dynamics is only reached by a farm and field level examination of soil nutrient balances. Differences according to agroecological zone and socio-economic group are evaluated. These results show that soil fertility is indeed declining in some places, for some people and over certain periods, but it is not universal. Indeed, soil fertility is apparently increasing at certain sites. The implications of such findings for development policy and practice are briefly explored. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同温度对九孔鲍能量收支影响的研究

在摸拟自然条件下,设定5个温度梯度（15、19、23、27、3lac）进行了室内水族箱养殖,结果表明,九孔鲍（Haliotis diversicolor superrtesxa）的生长能和代谢能随温度的增加而增加,高于此温度时则相反,呈负相关关系。在温度为27℃时,九孔鲍的生长能占摄食能的比例达到最大值。九孔鲍在各温度下的能量收支方程为：15℃：100（C）=18．05（F）＋8．00（U）＋7．91（M）＋39．60（R）＋7．14（Psh）＋9．36（Pg）＋9．94 19℃：100（C）=19．89（F）＋12．24（U）＋7．97（M）＋33．74（R）＋6．62（Psh）＋9．54（Pg）＋10．01 23℃：100（C）=17．43（F）＋12．93（U）＋7．04（M）＋33．79（R）＋6．20（Psh）＋10．25（Pg）＋12．37 27℃：100（C）=15．56（F）＋11．03（U）＋7．05（M）＋28．53（R）＋13．67（Psh）＋16．12（Pg）＋8．03 31℃：100（C）=18．82（F）＋13．87（U）＋12．52（M）＋38．44（R）＋12．35（Psh）＋13．62（Pg）-9．62从能量收支方程中看出,只有小部分能量用于生长壳,一部分能量用于生长软体肉能,绝大部分能量用于代谢,还有一小部分能量用于排泄、排粪和分泌粘液。     

Meristics and Morphometrics of Golden Shiner,Notemigonus crysoleucas,Rudd, Scardinus erythrophthalmus,and Their Reciprocal F1 Hybrids

Rudd, Scardinus erythrophthalmus, a European minnow, has been hybridized with golden shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas, in an attempt to produce sterile hybrids. If these hybrids are to be used as bait, easy means of differentiating the parental species and their hybrids is needed to ensure that no rudd are being sold. The scale pattern along the keel is the easiest and quickest way to distinguish the two species and their hybrids: the keel is raised and scaleless in the golden shiner, and it has 6-9 scales in the rudd; in hybrids, the keel is scaled, but the scales have different shapes and insertions than those in the rudd. No other phenotype can be used to positively identify these groups. No phenotype can be used to separate the reciprocal hybrids.