Development of Tape Measure Model’s and Body Weight Estimation Formula Based on Chest Size on Horse

This study aims to test the reliability or accuracy of various types of tape measure and develop models measuring tape and body weight estimation formula based on the size of the heart girth at horse. This research was conducted in Humbang Hasundutan district, North Tapanuli district, Karo district, and Samosir district in May-July 2017. The tape measure used is the measuring tape Agrotech, Animeter and Rondo, then use a formula Schoorl and Smith as a comparison, and using a simple correlation analysis in testing research data. Estimating body weight in the horse that is closest to using a measuring tape based on the regression formula that has been obtained from this study. The result showed that the estimation of body weight for horse using measuring tape Agrotech, Animeter and Rondo obtained deviation 13,22% for male horse and 9,21% for female horse. It is concluded that estimation weight closest to horse is using a regression formula, that for male horse Y = -665,72+6,14X with deviation 0,43% and for female horse Y = -707,97+6,34X with deviation 0,28%

Wirkungen eines umweltgerechten Energiepflanzenanbaus auf Boden, Umwelt und Wirtschaftlichkeit: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Modellierung von Szenarien

Ein Vergleich der Standortbewertungsverfahren für den ökologisch-ökonomisch optimierten Anbau von Energiepflanzen weist auf größere Differenzen der Bewertungsmethoden hin. Die mit EPIC simulierten Ertragsklassen stimmen in der exemplarischen Untersuchungsregion Unterland/Gäu-Landschaft (SW-Dt.) zwar gut mit den statistischen Ertragsdaten überein und basieren auf einem quantitativen Standort- / Klimadatenraster (LUSACs). Dieses Raster weist allerdings für die gesamte Fläche Südwestdeutschlands Lücken im Datenbestand der Leitböden auf, die große Unsicherheit hinsichtlich räumlicher Repräsentativität aufkommen lassen. Die flächendeckende, agrarökologische Modellierung erfordert also Qualitätseinbußen bei den Simulationsergebnissen oder umgekehrt. Unabhängig von den Wirkungen eines vermehrten Energiepflanzenanbaus auf Erosion, Nitratauswaschung und Humusbilanz, die noch zu simulieren sind, weisen die agrarökonomischen Modellierungen mit EFEM bereits auf einen erhöhten Deckungsbeitrag bei gleichzeitigem CO2-Einsparpotenzial hin

The roles of traditional knowledge systems in orang-utan Pongo spp. and forest conservation: a case study of Danau Sentarum, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

The orang-utan Pongo spp. is protected by national and international legislation, yet populations continue to decline. Many reports implicate local people in the poaching and illegal trade in orang-utans, yet community participation has been promoted as an alternative conservation strategy. To explore how community-based orang-utan conservation could be developed, we conducted a study to understand informal institutions, particularly local people's perceptions, traditional beliefs, taboos, norms and knowledge, related to orang-utan conservation within and around the wetlands of Danau Sentarum. The majority of Dayak communities interviewed practised traditional taboos, which supported the protection of orang-utans and their habitat. Statistical analysis using generalized linear modelling indicated that more orang-utan nests were found in areas with both good habitat condition and strong informal institutions. Despite applying traditional systems that are similar to conservation, local people have negative perceptions about the term 'conservation'. We describe the underlying causes of these negative perceptions and highlight their implications for conservation programmes and policies. We conclude that conservation of orang-utans and other species should not focus on single species but on maintaining social and natural capital, cultural diversity and ecological functions at various institutional levels and across geographical scales

The impact of ZnO configuration as an external layer on the sensitivity of a bi-layer coated polymer optical fiber probe

Salinity magnitude changes are a critical factor for determining the chemistry of natural water bodies and biological processes. Label-free refractive index sensors are promising devices for detecting these changes. A polymer optical fiber (POF) sensor modified with cladding treatment and a bi-layer zinc oxide/silver (ZnO/Ag) nanostructure coating to determine sodium chloride concentration changes through refractive index variations in water is experimentally demonstrated. The use of three ZnO nanostructure shapes, nanoparticles and horizontally and vertically oriented nanorods, as an external layer and a broad spectrum light source from the visible (Vis) to the near infrared (NIR) region are investigated to achieve optimum sensitivity. The rms roughness, optical band-gap and zeta potential (ZP) value for the vertically oriented sample are 148 nm, 3.19 eV and 5.96 mV, respectively. In the NIR region the wavelength–intensity sensitivity values of probes coated with ZnO nanoparticles and horizontally and vertically oriented nanorods are 104 nm RIU−1–12 dB RIU−1, 63 nm RIU−1–10 dB RIU−1 and 146 nm RIU−1–22 dB RIU−1, respectively, and in the Vis area the values are 65 nm RIU−1–14 dB RIU−1, 58 nm RIU−1–11 dB RIU−1 and 89 nm RIU−1–23 dB RIU−1, respectively. The maximum amplitude sensitivity is obtained for the probe coated with vertically aligned ZnO nanorods in the NIR area due to the deeper penetration of evanescent waves, a higher surface-volume ratio, better crystallinity, more adhesive interactions with salt molecules, larger surface roughness and higher-order dispersion compared to the other coated ZnO nanostructures