Resource use efficiency in urban and peri-urban sheep, goat and cattle enterprises

Urban livestock husbandry receives growing attention given the increasing urban demand for livestock products. At the same time, little is known about the resource use efficiency in urban livestock enterprises and eventual negative externalities. In livestock production, feeds are an important resource whose nutrients are transformed into products (meat and milk) to generate financial return to the producer. The lack of knowledge on nutrient supply through feed might lead to oversupply with severe environmental impacts. In Niamey, a typical West African city and capital of the Republic of Niger, urban livestock production is constrained by feed scarcity, especially during the dry season. Here, the issue of resource use efficiency was studied in 13 representative and differently managed sheep/goat and cattle enterprises characterized by high and low feed inputs, respectively, during a period of 28 months. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inflows into each farm through livestock feeds and outflows through manure were determined using a semi-structured questionnaire; interviews were accompanied by regular weighing of feed supplied and dung produced. Live weight gain (LWG) and efficiency of conversion of total feed dry matter offered (kg TDMO/kg LWG) were computed along with nutrient balances (NBs) per metabolic body mass (kg0.75). NBs (per kg0.75/day) in the high-input (HI) sheep/goat enterprises were +1762.4 mg N, +127.2 mg P and +1363.5 mg K and were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those in low-input (LI) units (+69.1 mg N, -98.3 mg P and +16.5 mg K). In HI cattle enterprises, daily balances averaged +454.1 mg N, +40.1 mg P and +341.8 mg K compared to +34.4 mg N, -9.0 mg P and +68.3 mg K (P > 0.05) in LI cattle systems. All systems were characterized by poor conversion efficiencies of offered feed, which ranged from 13.5 to 46.1 kg TDMO/kg LWG in cattle and from 15.7 to 43.4 kg TDMO/kg LWG in sheep/goats. LWG in HI sheep/goats was 53 g/day in the rainy season, 86 g/day in the hot dry season and 104 g/day in the cool dry season, while HI cattle lost 79 g/day in the hot dry season and gained 121 g/day and 92 g/day in the cool dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The data indicate that there is nutrient wasting and scope for improvement of feeding strategies in Niamey's livestock enterprises, which might also decrease nutrient losses to the urban environment.     

上海城市森林群落结构对固碳能力的影响

基于上海市区航片数字化、代表性样地群落调查、优势树种生理参数测定和CITYgreen模型软件,对上海城市森林固碳能力进行评估,并探讨群落结构对固碳能力的影响。结果表明:上海城市森林总碳贮量为478472t,年碳固定量为6256t.a-1,平均碳密度为47.80t.hm-2,平均固碳率为0.625t.hm-2.a-1;城市森林的固碳率与郁闭度及群落密度均呈极显著正相关,而与平均胸径负相关;碳密度与郁闭度及平均胸径均呈极显著正相关,而与群落密度无显著相关;低密度高胸径群落比中、高密度群落具有更高的碳密度;混交林碳密度高于纯林,复层林碳密度和固碳率都高于单层林,且固碳能力的差异在一定程度上受平均胸径、群落密度等因子影响。     

Habitat Use of Fox Squirrels in an Urban Environment

Abstract: Tree squirrels are one of the most familiar mammals found in urban areas and are considered both desirable around homes and, conversely, a pest. We examined fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) habitat use in inner city and suburban areas using radiotelemetry. We estimated habitat selection ratios at differing scales by season and fox squirrel activity. Telemetry data suggests that during periods of inactivity radiocollared fox squirrels (n = 82) selected 1) areas with greater tree canopy, 2) live oaks (Quercus fusiromis and Q. virginiana), and 3) trees with larger diameters and canopies. When inactive during the winter and spring, fox squirrels also preferred, within their core areas, to use the inside of buildings, and during periods of activity in the autumn and spring, fox squirrels preferred grassy areas. During periods of activity, fox squirrels avoided using pavement but did not exclude it from their core-area movements. Fox squirrels' ability to use buildings and to tolerate pavement in core-area movements make vast areas of the urban environment available to fox squirrels. In evaluating habitat variables that increased fox squirrel activity in urban areas, we found the number of large and medium trees, amount of pavement and grassy areas, canopy cover, number of oaks, and the area covered by buildings were all important factors in predicting fox squirrel activity in an urban environment. Our data suggests urban planners, animal damage control officials, wildlife managers, and landscapers who want to control urban fox squirrel populations through habitat manipulation should consider the reduction of oaks trees, a reduction of the canopy cover, and restricting the access of fox squirrels to buildings. Alternatively, home owners and squirrel enthusiasts hoping to bolster fox squirrel populations in urban areas should consider increasing the number of large mast—bearing trees and canopy cover and providing nest boxes.     

城市湿地概念和功能及中国城市湿地保护

随着城市化进程加快,城市湿地保护问题日益突出。城市湿地是存在于城市区域之内的湿地,其生态服务功能与乡野湿地有着明显不同。受人为活动干扰强烈,中国城市湿地存在面积缩小、功能退化、污染严重,特别是富营养化现象突出。而由于长期对城市湿地研究薄弱,对湿地功能与价值认识存在偏差,以及城市湿地保护较高的机会成本,使得中国城市湿地保护面临诸多困难。本文在分析中国城市湿地存在的问题基础上,提出中国城市湿地保护对策,并就当前中国城市湿地研究与保护问题进行探讨。     

粒度变化对上海市景观格局分析的影响

采用1989年上海市1∶50 000彩红外航空遥感影像解译的土地利用数据,系统分析了粒度变化对中心城区、郊区和城郊结合部3类景观格局分析的影响.结果表明:景观格局指数对粒度具有尺度依赖性,随粒度的变粗,格局指数的变化可归为单调下降、阶梯上升或单峰变化以及不规则变化3类;景观格局指数随粒度变化的曲线存在多个拐点,并对应于合适的景观格局分析尺度,上海城市景观格局分析的合适尺度为10～20 m;不同城市景观类型对景观格局指数的粒度效应具有较大影响,景观格局指数在城郊结合部表现出与城区和郊区不同的变化趋势.     

Changes in home range sizes and population densities of carnivore species along the natural to urban habitat gradient

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Stable isotopes reveal links between human food inputs and urban ant diets

The amount of energy consumed within an average city block is an order of magnitude higher than that consumed in any other ecosystem over a similar area. This is driven by human food inputs, but the consequence of these resources for urban animal populations is poorly understood. We investigated the role of human foods in ant diets across an urbanization gradient in Manhattan using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. We found that some—but not all—ant species living in Manhattan''s most urbanized habitats had δ¹³C signatures associated with processed human foods. In particular, pavement ants (Tetramorium sp. E) had increased levels of δ¹³C similar to δ¹³C levels in human fast foods. The magnitude of this effect was positively correlated with urbanization. By contrast, we detected no differences in δ¹⁵N, suggesting Tetramorium feeds at the same trophic level despite shifting to human foods. This pattern persisted across the broader ant community; species in traffic islands used human resources more than park species. Our results demonstrate that the degree urban ants exploit human resources changes across the city and among species, and this variation could play a key role in community structure and ecosystem processes where human and animal food webs intersect.     

基于TM/ETM~+数据的沈阳市各区城市热岛特征

应用2001年8月和2010年8月Landsat TM/ETM+数据,计算沈阳市区及三环内各区的地表热岛强度(SUHI),根据土地利用数据和热岛源汇特征提取源汇信息,分析SUHI与土地利用类型、热岛源汇面积及边界长度、归一化植被指数(NDVI)、归一化建筑指数(NDBI)、改进的归一化差异水体指数(MNDWI)的关系。结果表明:2001年沈阳市区的中等热岛强度以上区域主要集中在三环内和苏家屯区,强热岛地区主要出现在铁西区和皇姑区;2010年中等以上热岛强度地区,与城区发展相一致,主要向西南,南面扩展,弱热岛、中等强度和强热岛地区有较大幅度的增加;城市热岛强度与NDVI存在显著的负相关,与NDBI存在显著的正相关;热岛源在区域内的面积比重与中等强度以上热岛存在较显著的相关关系,源汇边界长度与弱热岛和中等热岛存在较显著的相关关系。     

欧美杨对PM_(2.5)中重金属铅的吸附、吸收及适应性变化

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