Intensive Farming, Agro-Diversity, and Food Security Under Conditions of Extreme Population Pressure in Western Kenya

This paper examines the impact of very high population densities and agricultural intensification on farm diversity and food security. Geertz and other researchers have suggested that intensification is likely to lead to crop specialization and a loss of diversity. Others, especially for Africa, have argued that intensification maintains or even increases agro-diversity. The case of Hamisi, in western Kenya, one of the most densely populated areas in all of rural Africa, supports the latter scenario. Farmers engage in a wide variety of sophisticated practices that maintain exceptionally high levels of agro-diversity. Their farming system includes complex patterns of intercropping, polyvariety, an emphasis on multi-purpose crops, and the close integration of crops and livestock. Despite this agro-diversity, we find that the intense population pressure in Hamisi has resulted in such small landholdings that diet quality and food security are seriously jeopardized. Despite the diversity of their farms, most families are highly dependent on market purchases and they consume very limited quantities of nutritionally dense foods, especially protein.     

Ceratostomella hyalocoronata, a new pyrenomycete from a stream in southern China

Ceratostomella hyalocoronata is described and illustrated as a new species from old decaying wood immersed in a stream in Guangdong Province, southern China. It is compared toC. hyalostoma, a temperate terrestrial species.     

Further evidence for windborne movement of armyworm moths, Spodoptera exempta, in East Africa

Abstract. 1. Comparison of dominant wind directions with seasonal redistribution of Spodoptera exempta caterpillar outbreaks in East Africa provides further circumstantial evidence to support the hypothesis of downwind migration by adult moths.
2. Calculated backward and forward tracks for sixty-nine nights during the 1973–74 and 1974–75 seasons, when there were sudden increases in numbers of moths caught at six light traps, illustrate the variability of downwind movement due to the effects of temporary atmospheric disturbances.
3. Comparison of calculated tracks with known outbreaks before and after the nights of increased moth catch suggests that some outbreaks are derived from unreported sources, especially eariy in the season, and it is therefore unwise to link new outbreaks only with known earlier ones.     

A multifaceted ecological assessment reveals the invasion of the freshwater red macroalga Montagnia macrospora (Batrachospermales,Rhodophyta) in Taiwan

Invasive freshwater macroalgae are rarely described. Montagnia macrospora is a freshwater red alga introduced from South America to East Asia via the global aquarium trade. The earliest occurrence record of this alga in Taiwan is dated 2005. To determine whether M. macrospora has become invasive in Taiwan and to understand the traits that facilitated its invasion, we took a multifaceted approach that combines examination of ecological background and population genetic analysis. Our island‐wide survey showed that M. macrospora is widespread in the field across Taiwan, where the climate greatly differs from that of South America, and can self‐sustain for nearly a decade. Our population genetic analysis revealed a lack of genetic diversity of M. macrospora in Taiwan, consistent with the hypothesis that the alga expanded through asexual reproduction. Moreover, during our long‐term ecological assessments and field surveys, we observed that M. macrospora is an ecological generalist that can survive in a wide range of temperature, pH, illumination, and nutrient enrichment. Taken together, our data suggest that M. macrospora has successfully invaded the freshwater ecosystems of Taiwan, likely due to its ability to disperse asexually and to grow under broad environmental conditions. We hope that our study brings attention to invasive freshwater algae, which have been overlooked in conservation planning and management.     

Prevalencia de eventos adversos y sus manifestaciones en profesionales de la salud como segundas víctimas

Introduction:

Adverse events can cause harm to the patient, but they also affect health professionals making them second victims of the event. Interventions have been focused mostly on patients, but little on professionals, probably due to lack of tools.

Objective:

To estimate the prevalence of adverse events and describe their manifestations in healthcare personnel to evidence the phenomenon of second victims in a highly complex hospital.

Materials and methods:

We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study by a survey of 419 healthcare professionals from the hospitalization, emergency, and surgical areas in a highly complex hospital in Medellín in 2019. The frequency of adverse events was estimated and its association with some labor and demographic variables was determined.

Results:

We found that 93.1% of the participants knew of incident cases and 79% of serious adverse events while 44.4% had been involved in them and 99% of these had feelings as a second victim, mainly the difficulty to concentrate, guilt, fatigue, anxiety, and doubts about decisions; 95% indicated they wanted to receive training to face the consequences of adverse events and know how to inform the patient.

Conclusions:

Health professionals are frequently exposed to adverse events that can cause negative emotions in them such as guilt, fatigue, anxiety, and insecurity. Most professionals who participate in an adverse event express feelings as a second victim. Informing the patient about an adverse event requires preparation and most professionals requested training on the subject.     

基于遥感数据的东海浮游植物生物量时空变化研究

基于地理位置、纬度和生态特征的不同在东海选取了9个面积相同的子区域,采用1997-2015年由SeaWiFS(Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor)和MODIS(Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)传感器获得的叶绿素a浓度资料,对我国东海浮游植物生物量的时空变化和藻华现象进行了分析。通过高斯曲线模型拟合,得到了藻华爆发的起始时间、峰值时间、结束时间及持续时间。研究表明东海浮游植物生物量在空间上的分布规律为:外海浮游植物生物量小于近岸;长江口和台州列岛海域的浮游植物生物量较大,近黄海海域的两个区域次之,较小的位于南麂列岛海域和台湾海峡,越靠近南部海域浮游植物生物量越低。藻华发生的规律为:以南麂列岛为分界线,由高纬度到低纬度,浮游植物到达藻华发生峰值的时间持续推后,爆发持续时间增长。     

东海浮游植物数量分布与优势种

根据1997～2000年东海23°30′～33°N、118°30′～128°E海域4个季节海洋调查资料,运用定量、定性方法,探讨了东海浮游植物总丰度的平面分布、季节分布及变化的动力学机制,同时还探讨了东海浮游植物优势种的生态学特征和对温盐环境适应特征。结果表明:东海浮游植物总丰度有明显的季节分布,秋季总丰度达到4季最高峰,均值为211.91×104cell.m-3,夏季次之(50.40×104cell.m-3),冬季11.34×104cell.m-3,春季(2.01×104cel.lm-3)最低。春夏季东海近海(Ⅰ和Ⅲ)高于外海(Ⅱ和Ⅳ),秋冬季东海北部外海(Ⅱ)高于近海(Ⅰ),南部近海(Ⅲ)高于外海(Ⅳ)。4季共出现优势种(Y≥0.02)11种,冬季的主要优势种为洛氏角毛藻和细弱海链藻,春季的主要优势种为洛氏角毛藻和夜光藻,夏季以拟弯角毛藻和细长翼根管藻为主要优势种,秋季优势种仅为聚生角毛藻。浮游植物的聚集强度指数为较大正值,聚集作用明显。从全年的逐步回归分析结果看,温度是影响浮游植物总丰度季节分布的主要因子,盐度是次要因子。浮游植物的11个优势种之间生存环境适应比较,洛氏角毛藻和中华盒形藻生长温度幅度较大,可以在12～28℃水温增长,因而春、夏和冬季都成为优势种。中肋骨条藻适合生长的水温范围都较小,仅为22～28℃。聚生角毛藻更小,仅21～25℃。洛氏角毛藻和中华盒形藻生长温盐度和高分布区温盐度范围比聚生角毛藻和中肋骨条藻都广,而秋季数量却低于聚生角毛藻。     

东海海樽类生态类群统计分析

依据1997～2000年在东海23°30′～33°00′N、118°30′～128°00′E4个季节的海洋调查资料,采用曲线拟合,构造数学模型和极大值分析等数学方法,研究海樽类最适温度和盐度,籍此进一步分析其生态类群。结果表明,Yield Density模型可以应用于大多数海樽类最适温度和盐度的统计推断。依据物种分布的最适温度和盐度值,并参考其地理和季节分布特征,认为梭形纽鳃樽（Salpa fusiformis）属暖温带外海种;羽环纽鳃樽长柄亚种（Cyclosalpa pinnata polae）和安纽鳃樽（Ritteriella amboinensis）为热带大洋种;双尾纽鳃樽东方亚种（Thalia decocratica orientalis）、小齿海樽（Doliolum denticulatum）和软拟海樽（Dolioetta.gegenbauri）等其余13种为亚热带外海种。海樽类多数物种可以作为水团的指示种。梭形纽鳃樽往往出现在沿岸水和外海水混合水团偏高盐水一侧。羽环纽鳃樽长柄亚种高丰度分布在台湾暖流控制的水域,是台湾暖流的指示种。双尾纽鳃樽东方亚种高丰度水域,能够较为准确地反映黑潮入侵陆架水团和沿岸水交汇的位置。     

黄海南部和东海小黄鱼(Larimichthys polyactis)产卵场分布及其环境特征

根据2003～2005年和2007年4月份在黄海南部和东海海域进行的底拖网调查数据,分析了小黄鱼产卵场分布和产卵场环境特征等.结果表明,目前小黄鱼产卵场范围较过去有扩大,范围已经扩展到外海海域,产卵场可分为黄海南部产卵场和东海产卵场;其中黄海南部产卵场主要集中在33°00′～34°00′N,122°30′～124°00′E,产卵场最适水温范围为9.65～12.17℃,最适盐度范围为32.25～34.54,最适水深范围为29.74～76.49m;东海产卵场主要集中在30°30′～31°00′N,124°00′～125°00′E海域和30°30′～32°30′N,125°00′～126°00′E海域,产卵场最适水温范围为10.13～16.64℃,最适盐度范围为32.50～34.37,最适水深范围为40.23～85.61m;黄海南部和东海产卵场水温分布差异极显著(P<0.01);小黄鱼产卵场较过去发生较大变化的主要原因可能是在过度捕捞等扰动因素的影响下,小黄鱼对环境适应性明显提高.     

东海中南部外海蟹类群落结构特征

2006年5月（春）、9月（夏）、11月（秋）和2007年2月（冬）对东海中南部外海（26°00′-28°30′ N,121°00′-126°00′ E）海域蟹类资源进行调查,分析了蟹类的种类组成、优势度、多样性和生物量等群落结构特征.结果表明：本次调查共鉴定蟹类49种,隶属于12科30属;春、秋季,调查海域蟹类种数呈北部高、南部低的特征,夏季各站位的蟹类种数分布较均匀,冬季该海域南北地区蟹类种数的差异较小,但调查海域外侧站位的种数较多;调查海域蟹类的优势种为13种,主要包括：双斑蟳、卷折馒头蟹、武士蟳、细点圆趾蟹、长手隆背蟹、光掌蟳和银光梭子蟹等;调查海域夏季的蟹类多样性指数较低,其他3个季节的差别不大;调查海域蟹类平均渔获资源量为5197.62 g·h^-1,夏季（8830.79 g·h^-1）﹥春季（4877.50 g·h^-1）﹥秋季（4268.30 g·h^-1）﹥冬季（2813.87 g·h^-1）.东海中南部外海蟹类可划分为3个生态群落,即广温广盐生态群落、高温广盐生态群落、高温高盐生态群落.