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Within-field overwintering contributes to arthropod predator assemblages in arable fields irrespective of tillage intensity
Get PDFArthropod predators and pests overwinter in arable fields, but little is known about predator and pest overwintering under contrasting tillage intensities. Further, the contribution of within-field overwintering predator communities to the overall ground dwelling community is understudied. We sampled arthropod predators (carabids, staphylinids and spiders) and pests overwintering in arable fields, and estimated the activity densities of overall ground dwelling predator communities from early spring until harvest 2021. We sampled 29 conventionally managed crop fields managed using no till (direct drill), reduced tillage (non-inversion) or inversion tillage between harvesting winter cereals and sowing winter oilseed rape in 2020. No till management resulted in higher species diversity of overwintering predators, compared with inversion tillage. Tillage effects on density of overwintering predators and pests depended on sampling time. Predator and pest emergence were higher under inversion tillage compared with no till early in the season. During mid and late season, predator emergence was higher under reduced tillage compared with no till and inversion tillage. Tillage had no effects on species richness but affected community composition (beta-diversity) of the overwintering predator communities. Overwintering and overall ground dwelling predator communities were distinctly different in early season and homogenised as the crop-growing season progressed. The high average density of predators emerging per m2 of arable soil within the fields, 108 carabids, 604 staphylinids and 56 spiders, emphasises the need to adapt arable management in order to support arthropod overwintering in crop fields for enhanced biological pest regulation
Methodological nationalism and labour justice in seafood supply chains
Get PDFDrawing on the seafood industry in Thailand as our point of departure, we argue that scholarship and advocacy in seafood supply chains have often been limited by inaccurate characterisations of the diverse ways that these supply chains are organised. Scholars and labour justice advocates often assume that seafood exports from Thailand and elsewhere are produced by the domestic fishing industry, rather than accounting for the way that most raw materials are imported from non-Thai fisheries that also employ transnational migrant workers. They also assume an undifferentiated national seafood production industry. This has left labour advocacy vulnerable to counter-campaigns based on more accurate accounts of seafood supply chains, including that launched by the National Fishing Association of Thailand during the past year. We explain these inaccuracies as partly a result of methodological nationalism and territorial trap thinking. This refers to analytical frameworks that orient researchers to take the nation-state and its territorial boundaries as the main unit of analysis, while neglecting transnational networks and internal differentiation. Additional reasons include a lack of transparency and complexity in seafood supply chains, and the way that transnational advocacy networks are organised so that links across global South producing countries are weak. We illustrate an expanded supply chain approach by conducting an analysis of the labour justice issues for seafood supply chains based in and passing through Thailand
Impact of natural capital loss on poverty in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico: a synthetic control analysis
Get PDFThis study explores the relationship between natural capital, environmental policies, and poverty alleviation, with a focus on the Yucat & aacute;n Peninsula in Mexico. Utilizing analytical techniques such as the Synthetic Control Method, the research assesses the causal impact of natural capital loss-estimated at 14.29% between 2018 and 2022-on multidimensional poverty levels. Findings indicate that the decline in natural resources has contributed to a roughly 2% increase in poverty, preventing approximately 232,150 individuals from escaping impoverishment. The construction of infrastructure projects like the Mayan Train has significantly contributed to natural resource depletion. Despite ongoing social policies-including social programs and infrastructure investments-these efforts have been partially offset by ecological degradation, underscoring the importance of integrating ecological considerations into development strategies. The study emphasizes that conserving natural capital is vital for sustainable development and social wellbeing, advocating for policies that balance economic growth with ecological preservation. Incorporating ecological metrics, such as the natural capital index, into poverty assessments can enhance policy effectiveness. Overall, the findings underscore that environmental conservation is essential for effective poverty reduction, urging policymakers to adopt integrated approaches that prioritize ecological health alongside social and economic objectives for sustainable development
Mechanical attributes of Swedish pea cultivars
Get PDFMechanical or textural attributes of pulses like Swedish pea are important for milling process development like dehulling, splitting of cotyledons or making flour. This research is an attempt to gain better understanding of the compression and fracture behavior, cotyledon splitting and dehulling phenomena of Swedish pea cultivars (Ingrid, Clara and Balder) harvested from different years (2018, 2019 and 2020) in relation to chemical compositional profile and physical attributes. Physical attributes of Swedish pea were highly associated with specific cultivar types and environmental growth conditions. Majority of the chemical components (starch, dietary fibers) in pea samples were not significantly different between the cultivars or harvest years. Only protein content (16.9-19.6 % range) differed significantly between the cultivars and harvest years. Environmental conditions of the harvest year or cultivar types could not cast any significant difference in fracture or dehulling related parameters. Cotyledon splitting phenomena were significantly linked to different size and shape related parameters and starch content (47.6-50.0 % range). This study applies fracture mechanics principles to classify Swedish pea cultivars in terms of different mechanical attributes. Our work will help plant breeders to find scientific insight for gene targeting for future crop development with better milling efficiency and pulse milling industry to adopt pea cultivar specific dehulling and milling process development
Self-Governance and Adaptation: Rethinking Indigenous Arctic Histories
Get PDFHow can a self-governance perspective reshape our understanding of Indigenous Arctic histories? This paper aims at advancing our understanding about aboriginal societies and their historical use of common pool resources. By applying a self-governance approach, it moves beyond state-centric narratives that have long dominated interpretations of historical change, and highlights how Indigenous agency and internal dynamics have shaped historical trajectories. Aboriginal societies around the world have independently transitioned their production modes throughout history. In northern Eurasia, one such major transition manifested in a movement away from transport reindeer herding towards reindeer pastoralism from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Northern Fennoscandia was one of the first regions to witness this shift, and the Indigenous Sami there are an especially suitable case to study. The historical sources are exceptionally rich in the area, and Sami are an interesting case because reindeer pastoralism developed in a foraging culture, with many households continuing on as hunters and fishers long after pastoralism had been introduced. The shift to pastoralism was driven by concomitant, self-governed responses as the transition progressed. By combining historical sources and self-governance frameworks, this analysis advances the discussion about how Indigenous reindeer-herding societies – governance and social relations included – were affected by the transformation from 1550–1800 AD. The Sami case reflects that there was a dynamic interaction between customary rules-in-use and colonial rules-in-form, that complicates interpretations of Indigenous societies as either autonomous or passive in historical shifts
Rapid dough making quality analysis of wheat flour using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics
Get PDFCurrent methods for measuring wheat quality and dough rheology in the later stages of wheat breeding programs, including extensographs and farinographs, are costly and time-consuming. There is a significant interest in the Australian wheat industry for developing non-destructive, field-based, rapid dough-making quality assessment methods for Australian wheat varieties throughout earlier and later stages of the wheat breeding process. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a valuable tool for analysis and quality control in the food industry as it is a simple and rapid technique requiring no sample pre-treatment before analysis. We aimed to investigate the application of FTIR spectroscopy coupled with partial least squares (PLSR) regression data analysis to rapidly assess wheat flour's dough-making quality. Results indicated that using FTIR data, PLSR could be applied to accurately predict multiple dough-making qualities, including protein content, extensibility, water absorption, dough development time (DDT), dough stability, and maximum resistance to tension (Rmax). FTIR spectroscopy could not only be used to accurately predict the dough making quality of wheat lines from an in-sample test dataset, but this method also outperformed genetic predictive analysis, an established quality-prediction method in wheat breeding, in predicting dough making quality using out-ofsample data
Individual movement behaviour and habitat use of a small-sized cypriniform (Telestes muticellus) in a mountain stream
Get PDFKnowledge about the biology and ecology of species is fundamental for their management and conservation. Despite this, many fish species and life stages are understudied, and there is a great need for research efforts to understand their ecology. Italian riffle dace (Telestes muticellus; order Cypriniformes) is a small-sized (< 15 cm) stream fish native to the Italian peninsula. There is a scarcity of research on its ecology and behaviour. In this study, we explored the movement ecology of Telestes muticellus in a Mediterranean mountain stream in Northern Italy using passive integrated transponder (PIT) telemetry. Over 15 months, 267 fish were located 2-27 times. Most fish remained stationary, while a few roamed over several hundreds of meters. Fish covered a larger linear range during spring and autumn than during other seasons. T. muticellus showed a strong preference for pools, and this preference was strongest during summer. We observed no differences in habitat use and movements between day and night, and fish size had no major effect. Within pools, many T. muticellus displayed remarkably small home ranges (median 8 m(2)). Fish increased their linear ranges over a period of flood events, indicating that high-flow events may be important for the downstream and upstream dispersal of T. muticellus in small mountain streams
Methods for assessing skin temperature in two breeds of dairy cows and their correlation to indoor and rectal temperature
Get PDFRoutines for assessing body temperature and thermal comfort are not included in official animal welfare controls although European legislation consider it important. This study investigated time consumption and feasibility of using handheld skin temperature sensors in a dairy farm and the correlation of the recordings with indoor and rectal temperature. Skin temperatures in 21 dairy cows of two breeds were recorded monthly during one year at the neck, hip and vulva, using two techniques (infrared radiation (IR) and conduction). Rectal and indoor ambient temperature were recorded on the same occasion. Time spent recording temperature was similar to 2 s/cow with IR and >1 min/cow with conduction technique. Skin temperatures did not correlate well with rectal temperature but correlated strongly with indoor temperature. Neck temperature recorded by IR best reflected indoor temperature, with no difference between breeds, and could be a tool for quick monitoring of ambient conditions in individual cows
Effect of best bet methane abatement feed on feed intake, digestibility, live weight change, and methane emission in local Menz breed sheep in Ethiopia
Get PDFThis study continued the in vitro screening of locally available ruminant feedstuffs for optimum nutrient composition and low methane (CH4) production in Ethiopia. The best bet feeds from the in vitro study, hereafter called the test feeds, include dried leaves of Acacia nilotica, Ziziphus spina-christi, and brewery spent grains (BSG). The study involves four treatments: Control, Acacia, BSG, and Ziziphus; each treatment provided an equivalent crude protein and estimated enteric CH4 emissions using Modeling and a Laser CH4 detector (LMD). The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block, using initial weight as the blocking factor for 21 yearling castrated Menz sheep. The study spanned 90 days, and digestibility trials were carried out following a month of the feeding trial. The control group exhibited a significantly (p < 0.001) lower dry matter intake (DMI) compared to the test feed group, which had a higher intake, particularly in the Ziziphus group. However, the Ziziphus group demonstrated significantly (p < 0.01) lower CP digestibility than the other groups. The test diet also led to a significantly (p < 0.001) higher weight gain. Notably, the Ziziphus group demonstrated superior performance in weight change (BWC), final body weight (FBW), and average daily gain (ADG). Similar results were observed for CH4 production (g/day), CH4 yield (g/kg DMI), and CH4 intensity (g CH4/kg ADG) using both CH4 measuring methods. The CH4 emission intensity was significantly (p < 0.04) lower in the test feed groups than in the control group. The control group emitted 808.7 and 825.3 g of CH4, while the Ziziphus group emitted 220 and 265.3 g of CH4 per kg of ADG using the Modeling and LMD methods, respectively. This study indicates that LMD could yield biologically plausible data for sheep. Although the small sample size in the Ziziphus group was a limitation of this study, leaf meals from Ziziphus spina-christi and Acacia nilotica, which are rich in condensed tannins (CTs), have resulted in considerable weight gain and enhanced feed efficiency, thereby making these leaf meals a viable and sustainable feed option for ruminants in Ethiopia
Drought memory expression varies across ecologically contrasting forest tree species
Get PDFTrees may exhibit long-lasting morpho-physiological acclimation in response to drought (i.e. drought memory) throughout their extensive life cycles. This acclimation might be particularly crucial for seedlings and saplings due to their limited access to water. We studied the development of drought stress memory in seedlings of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.), and Douglas-fir ((Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in response to controlled drought exposure during their germination year (drought priming). We evaluated the effects of drought priming under a second-year drought, focusing on changes in water uptake capacity and transpiration demand, biomass allocation to new roots and foliage, root architecture, and photosynthesis. Drought priming led to significant morpho-physiological responses in the new leaves and roots developed during the subsequent growing season drought. Western larch showed increased biomass allocation to roots, higher specific root length and root tips, and enhanced water uptake, while Douglas-fir exhibited earlier bud break, greater net photosynthesis, and increased foliage growth. In contrast, black walnut seedlings displayed no notable changes in biomass allocation or physiology. Our results also show that biomass allocation to new roots plays a crucial role in enhancing water uptake capacity and gas exchange during seedling establishment. These findings underscore the importance of drought memory for stress resistance in trees, influencing the capacity of forests to regenerate and respond to recurrent droughts and climate change. The formation and expression of drought memory, however, varied across species, highlighting the complexity of adaptive responses across different forest ecosystems