Management oriented forest map of South India: thematic derivations

The principles and methods of the vegetation mapping undertaken at the French Institute, Pondicherry, are dealt with herein. Particularly, the characterisation of the different types of vegetation and especially the originality of the method: the dynamic interpretation of the vegetation and the depiction of the bioclimatic conditions. The programme of the forest map of South India at scale 1:250 000, undertaken in collaboration with the forest departments of the concerned states, is then described with special attention given to the source and the collection of data. This map has been conceived to serve as a basic document for the sustainable management of the forests. Three examples of its application are given. They concern the detection of anomalies between the existing forest cover and the prevalent climatic environment; the detection of areas for which protection is urgently needed; the selection of regions showing a particular interest in the field of nature conservation or as gene pool reserve. Finally, an example of a thematic map of sensibility of the forests is given, using the vegetation map as a basis.     

滇南地区桃树种植模式对土壤有机碳组分及碳库管理指数的影响

经果林种植可改变土壤质量、改善生态环境,同时具有较高的经济效益。合理的种植模式可通过物种间的互补性提高资源利用效率,改善土壤碳库质量并提高综合效益。为探讨桃树种植模式对土壤有机碳组分及碳库管理指数的影响,以云南省开远市不同桃树种植模式(桃树单种-SP和桃树南瓜套种-PP)为研究对象,以毗邻的天然林地(CK)为对照,分析不同种植模式下活性碳库,即高锰酸钾氧化有机碳(POXC)、颗粒有机碳(POC),惰性有机碳库即矿物结合态有机碳(MAOC)在0—40 cm土层的分布情况,明确土壤有机碳组分与土壤理化性质的关系;计算碳库活度指数(CPAI)、碳库指数(CPI)以及碳库管理指数(CPMI),明确不同桃树种植模式的碳库变化情况。结果表明：桃树种植模式和对照的土壤有机碳组分的含量均随着土层深度的增加而减少,平均土壤有机碳(SOC)含量为：14.68 g/kg(CK)>9.57 g/kg(PP)>8.58 g/kg(SP)。平均活性有机碳组分所占比例与POC/MAOC均表现为：SP>CK>PP,PP的活性有机碳比例较低,具有较高的有机碳稳定性。两种桃树种植模式的CPMI在1...     

韧性城市研究综述——基于城市复杂系统视角

在全球气候变化与持续城市化的背景下,增强城市韧性是提升城市应急管理能力,实现城市系统可持续发展的重要途径。明确城市韧性的内涵、核心要素及相互作用机理,开展城市系统韧性测度与城市系统模拟,对提升变化环境下城市系统恢复力与韧性水平,缓解变化环境对城市系统运行稳定性冲击压力具有重要意义。基于文献与资料分析,全面解析韧性城市核心概念与各国韧性城市建设、管理与研究实践。此外,研究从城市复杂系统视角探究变化环境对城市系统影响机制、测度方法与系统模拟路径。研究为韧性城市理论、方法与实证研究提供了参考,并为我国韧性城市建设实践提供决策依据与政策建议。     

The role of non-natural foods in the nutritional strategies of monkeys in a human-modified mosaic landscape

Many tropical animals inhabit mosaic landscapes including human-modified habitat. In such landscapes, animals commonly adjust feeding behavior, and may incorporate non-natural foods. These behavioral shifts can influence consumers' nutritional states, with implications for population persistence. However, few studies have addressed the nutritional role of non-natural food. We examined nutritional ecology of wild blue monkeys to understand how dietary habits related to non-natural foods might support population persistence in a mosaic landscape. We documented prevalence and nutritional composition of non-natural foods in monkey diets to assess how habitat use influenced their consumption, and their contribution to nutritional strategies. While most energy and macronutrients came from natural foods, subjects focused non-natural feeding activity on five exotic plants, and averaged about a third of daily calories from non-natural foods. Most non-natural food calories came from non-structural carbohydrates and least from protein. Consumption of non-natural foods related to time in human-modified habitats, which two groups used non-randomly. Non-natural and natural foods were similar in nutrients, and the amount of non-natural food consumed drove variation in nutritional strategy. When more daily calories came from non-natural foods, females consumed a higher ratio of non-protein energy to protein (NPE:P). Females also prioritized protein while allowing NPE:P to vary, increasing NPE while capitalizing on non-natural foods. Overall, these tropical mammals achieved a similar nutrient balance regardless of their intake of non-natural foods. Forest and forest-adjacent areas with non-natural vegetation may provide adequate nutrient access for consumers, and thus contribute to wildlife conservation in mosaic tropical landscapes.     

Assessment of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) populations in the wetlands of Corrientes,Argentina

Ten sampling sites were selected to represent six distinct habitat types used by capybaras (clean lagoons, dirty lagoons, cutwaters, fens and marshes, gallery forests, and erosion ditches). The sites were sampled during winter (July and August); densities were expressed as number of capybaras per linear km of shoreline (C/LKS). The sites were classified as protected from poachers (P), under light hunting pressure (LHP), and under heavy hunting pressure (HHP). Clean protected (P) lagoons had three times as many capybaras as LHP ones (30.7 and 10.9 C/LKS, respectively), and thirty times those under HHP (1.0 C/LKS). Protected marshes and dirty lagoons had even higher capybara densities (52.5 and 50.0 C/LKS, respectively). Gallery forests under LHP had low densities (6.3 C/LKS), and protected cutwaters intermediate densities (27.5 C/LKS). Erosion ditches had exceptionally high densities (900 C/LKS), probably because cattle were fenced out, reducing forage competition. These densities, when converted to the standard unit area measurement (individuals/ha), were similar to those obtained by other researchers in the Brazilian Pantanal, and somewhat smaller than those in the Venezuelan Llanos. Mean number of capybaras per group remained relatively constant in all habitats (averages ranged between 9.2 and 11.8 individuals/group) but its coefficient of variation was much higher in LHP sites, probably because social structure was altered severely by hunting. The overall ratio of young to adults and juveniles was 1:7.4. In one of the sites, 13 of 34 groups (38.2%) were with young (average of 17 capybaras per group, 4.7 of which were young), confirming that this species can reproduce all year long.Requests for reprints should be sent to: Dr. J. Rabinovich.     

The role of reed management and habitat quality on brood parasitism and chick survival of the brood parasitic Common Cuckoo

Despite efforts on ecosystem restoration and management, biodiversity loss remains one of the major environmental concerns of our time. Beyond the focus on threatened species, animals that indicate regional biodiversity hotspots and population trends, such as brood parasites, should also be targeted by conservation actions. We studied how reed habitat quality and management influence brood parasitism rate and offspring survival in Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus parasitizing nests of Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus in six reed habitats in an intensive agricultural landscape. Data collected from 45 sites over 13 years showed that the brood parasitism rate was highest on large canals and was positively influenced by the availability of potential perches (Cuckoo vantage points) and the height where host nests were built. Cuckoo chick survival decreased with water depth and was not affected by other factors. Our results suggest that the habitat-dependent detectability of host nests was central in brood parasitism rate and that water level was central in Cuckoo chick survival. Our study shows that a maintenance of intermediate water levels is the most optimal for maintaining Cuckoo populations in intensive agricultural landscapes. Because brood parasites are excellent bioindicators as their presence predicts regional hotspots of taxonomic and functional diversity as well as population trends in bird communities, knowledge on their habitat requirements is relevant in management targeting diverse bird communities.     

口岸检疫性蚧类害虫疫情截获分析

【目的】了解我国口岸截获的检疫性蚧类害虫情况,为口岸进一步做好植物检疫工作提供参考。【方法】收集整理2010—2019年口岸截获蚧类害虫数据,重点统计分析被截获蚧类害虫种类、时间、数量、寄主、来源地的变化和关系。【结果】2010—2019年,我国各口岸共截获检疫性蚧类害虫24541种次,年截获种次总体呈上升的趋势。截获检疫性蚧类害虫共有12种,截获频率最高的3种为无花果蜡蚧、松突圆蚧和扶桑绵粉蚧。截获该类害虫数量最多的3个关区为深圳关、南宁关和上海关。货物检疫为主要截获途径,主要截获寄主植物为榴梿、香蕉、红毛丹、番荔枝。截获货物来源地为除南极洲以外六大洲的49个国家或地区,其中尤以东南亚为主,代表国家包括泰国、越南和菲律宾。【结论】蚧类害虫的截获与进口水果贸易密切相关,在相关贸易量不断增加的背景下,应警惕蚧类害虫疫情持续传入我国的风险,建议有关部门进一步完善检疫管理体系,提升检测和监测技术水平,加强检疫处置能力。     

Chemical Composition and Insecticidal Activity against Tribolium Castaneum of Thapsia garganica L. Seed Essential Oil

Due to the several side effects of synthetic pesticides, including environmental pollution, threats to human health, and the development of pest resistance to insecticides, the use of alternative healthy, available and efficient agents in pest management strategies is necessary. Recently, the use of essential oil obtained from aromatic plants has shown significant potential for insect pest management. For this reason, the essential oil isolated from seeds of Thapsia garganica L. was investigated for the first time for its chemical profile, and its toxicity and repellency effects against Tribolium castaneum adults. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the chemical composition by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed the presence of 18 organic volatiles representing 96.8 % of the total constituents. The main compounds were 1,4-dimethylazulene (51.3 %) followed by methyl palmitate (8.2 %), methyl linoleate (6.2 %) and costol (5.1 %). Concerning the repellent effect, results revealed that SEO (Seed Essential Oil) was very repellent towards T. castaneum adults, with 100 % repellency after 2 h of exposure. Furthermore, the essential oil exhibited remarkable contact toxicity against T. castaneum (93.3 % of mortality) at the concentration of 10 % (v/v). The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the topical application of the seed essential oil was 4.4 %. These encouraging outcomes suggested that the essential oil from T. garganica seeds could be considered a potent natural alternative to residual persistent and toxic insecticides.     

FAIR research data management as community approach in bioengineering

Research data management (RDM) requires standards, policies, and guidelines. Findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data management is critical for sustainable research. Therefore, collaborative approaches for managing FAIR-structured data are becoming increasingly important for long-term, sustainable RDM. However, they are rather hesitantly applied in bioengineering. One of the reasons may be found in the interdisciplinary character of the research field. In addition, bioengineering as application of principles of biology and tools of process engineering, often have to meet different criteria. In consequence, RDM is complicated by the fact that researchers from different scientific institutions must meet the criteria of their home institution, which can lead to additional conflicts. Therefore, centrally provided general repositories implementing a collaborative approach that enables data storage from the outset In a biotechnology research network with over 20 tandem projects, it was demonstrated how FAIR-RDM can be implemented through a collaborative approach and the use of a data structure. In addition, the importance of a structure within a repository was demonstrated to keep biotechnology research data available throughout the entire data lifecycle. Furthermore, the biotechnology research network highlighted the importance of a structure within a repository to keep research data available throughout the entire data lifecycle.     

The application of reproductive technology to endangered species breeding programmes

Captive breeding plays an increasingly important role in species conservation, but special problems are encountered in achieving the ideal of a demographically stable but genetically diverse population. Breeding programmes involving co-operation among a number of centres are now being developed which will overcome some of these difficulties by identifying individual animals, genetic lineages or age cohorts from which to breed. Application of techniques such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer and semen collection and storage, as well as the monitoring of reproductive status will contribute to the success of such programmes. The usefulness of these procedures for various population problems is discussed and criteria for their appropriate implementation within breeding programmes is outlined.