Threats to at-risk salmonids of the Canadian Rocky Mountain region

Trout and charr, members of the salmonid family, have high conservation value but are also susceptible to anthropogenic threats in part due to the specificity of their habitat requirements. Understanding historical and future threats facing these species is necessary to promote their recovery. Of freshwater trout and charr in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region, westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus; a charr species) and Athabasca rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are of conservation concern. And indeed, range contractions and declining populations are evident throughout much of their ranges. Range contraction was most evident in the southern Alberta designatable unit (DU) of westslope cutthroat trout. Diminished populations were also evident in the downstream watersheds of the Alberta bull trout range, and throughout the Athabasca rainbow trout range. We assessed historical and future threats to evaluate the relative importance of individual threats to each DU and compare their impact among species. Individual threats fall into the broad categories of angling, non-native species and genes, habitat loss and alteration, and climate change. Severity of each threat varies by DU and reflects the interaction between species’ biology and the location of the DU. Severity of threats facing each DU has changed over time, reflecting extirpation of native populations, changes in management and industry best practices, expansion of non-native species and progressing climate change. The overall threat impact for each DU indicates a high probability of substantial and continuing declines and calls for immediate action.     

A test for interaction between brown trout (Salmo trutta) and inanga (Galaxias maculatus) in an artificial stream

Abstract –  The interaction between brown trout ( Salmo trutta ; fork length (FL) range 255–390 mm) and inanga ( Galaxias maculatus ; FL range 55–115 mm) was tested during summer through autumn in an artificial stream consisting of a single run-riffle-pool sequence with a natural food supply. Each experimental trial lasted for 15 days, and consisted of two brown trout and 50 inanga collected fresh from a nearby stream, with each species given prior residence in four replicate tests, totalling eight trials in all. In addition, two control trials (each 10 days), with 50 inanga in each, were run. Brown trout almost exclusively occupied the pool, whereas inanga occupied all habitat types, although in different proportions, when tested with and without brown trout. The proportion of inanga in the pool was appreciably lower in the experimental trials with brown trout than in the control trials with no brown trout; prior residence had no significant effect on inanga habitat use. Mortality of inanga attributable to predation by brown trout ranged from 0 to 40% with a mean of 14.5 ± 4.7%. The results suggest that habitat use and survival of inanga populations in small streams can be adversely affected by brown trout.     

Assessment of Negative Training on the Use of Cubicle Beds by Heifers

40 in-calf heifers were observed to examine the effect of timbers placing in passage area on their use of cubicle beds. Prior to the experiment preliminary observation was taken on these 40 heifers and they were divided into two even groups (cubicle user(or control) group versus cubicle refusal (or experimental) group by whether they properly used the cubicle beds or not. The timbers were placed in passage and feeding areas for the cubicle refusal group to force the animls to lie in the cubicle beds. The results of this experiment showed that feeding behaviour was unaffected by the presence of the timbers, but lying acitvity was about 8% higher for the experimental group, which led to a mean of almost 2 hours longer lying time over 24 h. After the timbers were removed, there was a significant decline in lying by the experimental group. The diurnal pattern of lying behaviour in cubicles indicated that the major effect on lying activity exerted by the presence of the timbers was seen during midnight to 10:00 a     

山羊高床舍饲配套饲养技术探讨

山羊高床舍饲技术通过修建标准化山羊圈舍，实现山羊饲养过程中对山羊个体的有效控制和辅助，降低饲养劳动量和劳动强度；通过带动种草养羊、养羊与沼气结合，在实现山羊饲养的同时，促进了退耕还草、封山育林等生态建设项目的实施。     

棕床垫的创新设计与实践

将棕绷结构与弹簧结合,组成棕纤维床垫的中心缓冲层,再用不同的结构和材料形成多种类型的棕床垫。将这一创新设计应用于实践,生产出的产品得到市场的认可和欢迎,但受到规模量产的限制。     

Effect of conservation agriculture on soil organic and inorganic carbon sequestration and lability: A study from a rice–wheat cropping system on a calcareous soil of the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains

Increasing soil carbon (C) in arable soils is an important strategy to achieve sustainable yields and mitigate climate change. We investigated changes in soil organic and inorganic carbon (SOC and SIC) under conservation agriculture (CA) in a calcareous soil of the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The treatments were as follows: conventional-till rice and wheat (CT-CT), CT rice and zero-till wheat (CT-ZT), ZT direct seeded rice (DSR) and CT wheat (ZT-CT), ZTDSR and ZT wheat without crop residue retention (ZT-ZT), ZT-ZT with residue (ZT-ZT+R), and DSR and wheat both on permanent beds with residue (PB-PB+R). The ZT-ZT+R had the highest total SOC in both 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil layers (20% and 40% higher (p < .05) than CT-CT, respectively), whereas total SIC decreased by 11% and 15% in the respective layers under ZT-ZT+R compared with CT-CT. Non-labile SOC was the largest pool, followed by very labile, labile and less labile SOC. The benefits of ZT and residue retention were greatest for very labile SOC, which showed a significant (p < .05) increase (~50%) under ZT-ZT+R compared with CT-CT. The ZT-ZT+R sequestered ~2 Mg ha⁻¹ total SOC in the 0–15 cm soil layer in 6 years, where CT registered significant losses. Thus, the adoption of CA should be recommended in calcareous soils, for C sequestration, and also as a reclamation technique.     

海南景观水体水生植物调查及试验

对海南多个景观水体的水生植物进行调查研究，并采用浮床栽培技术对多种植物进行水培试验，结果植株在污染水体培养的植物长势和景观效果优于自来水体，富贵竹、闭鞘姜、黄花蔺等植物在浮床栽培技术中具有较高的观赏价值，可运用于热带地区水体景观中。     

海南景观水体水生植物调查及试验

对海南多个景观水体的水生植物进行调查研究,并采用浮床栽培技术对多种植物进行水培试验,结果植株在污染水体培养的植物长势和景观效果优于自来水体,富贵竹、闭鞘姜、黄花蔺等植物在浮床栽培技术中具有较高的观赏价值,可运用于热带地区水体景观中。     

Strawberry Production in Central Europe

Abstract

This paper focuses on the cropping systems in central European countries such as Belgium, The Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and the northern part of France and Italy. During the last decade there has been a consistent increase in programmed “out-of-season” strawberry production in several central European countries. This is being achieved in part, by using cultivars with different cropping seasons, but mainly by sequential planting of cold-stored plants and by growing strawberries in greenhouses and plastic tunnels. These methods have made it possible to extend the strawberry production for 11 months, from the end of February until mid January in central European countries with moderate climates.