Plant regulation of microbial enzyme production in situ

Soil extracellular enzymes regulate the rate at which complex organic forms of nitrogen (N) become bio-available. Much research has focused on the limitations to heterotrophic enzyme production via lab incubations, but little has been done to understand the limitations to enzyme production in situ. We created root and symbiotic mycelia exclusion treatments using mesh in-growth bags in the field to isolate the effect of roots and other portions of the microbial community on enzyme production. When fertilized with complex protein N we found increases in N-degrading enzyme concentrations only when root in-growth was allowed. No response was observed when complex N was added to root-free treatments. Expanding on economic rules of microbial element limitation theory developed from lab incubation data, we suggest this is due to active transport of labile carbon (C) from roots to associated microbial communities in root bags. Roots alleviate C-limitation of microbial enzyme synthesis, representing a trade off between plants and microbes- plant C for microbial derived N

Understanding Public Participation in Forest Planning in Australia: How Can We Learn From Each Other?

A round table discussion on public participation in forest planning, during a meeting of the Forest Planners Working group in February 1997 at the ANU, revealed a wealth of unexplored and unrecorded experiences of public participation across the country. It became clear that public participation, which is a legal requirement in most states, was perceived and implemented in different ways by different government agencies to various degrees of success. The first author who attended part of the meeting, could sense some ambient frustration at the ever increasing energy and resources devoted by the various forest agencies to involve the public in planning matters, while the very same 'public' never seemed to be satisfied and was making more and more unreasonable demands. Subsequent discussions with NRE Victoria, DNR Queensland, Forestry Tasmania and CALM WA reiterated that a collaborative effort to systematically record and analyse the experiences of public participation in forestry planning could deliver concrete learning outputs valid for all. Thanks to a grant from NRE Victoria, DNR Queensland and the ANU we designed a research program. It was based on reviewing relevant literature on participatory management processes and conducting field surveys to 1) develop an analytical framework , 2) record field realities in 4 states Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia 3) analyse the processes in those states and 4) put forward ideas and recommendations for further consultation processes. This paper reports on the various findings of the study.This research was made possible thanks to a grant from the ANU, DNR Queensland and NRE Victoria and to logistical support from Forestry Tasmania and CALM

Ignition of flammable hydrogen/air mixtures by high mass mechanical impact of Magnox contaminated surfaces

Magnox and its corrosion products are a major constituent of some legacy nuclear waste storage silos which generate hydrogen. An experimental study investigates the likelihood of ignition of hydrogen/air when large mass projectiles impact rusty surfaces with Magnox contamination. Ignition is observed with 50kg projectiles impacting a 45º Magnox-smeared rusty anvil plate with KE as low as 40J. Theoretical calculations relating to the angled impacts reveal that they involve substantial tangential energy losses associated with frictional heating of the impact surfaces. It is shown that these energy losses are particularly dependent on the shape of the projectile since projectile geometry determines the radius of gyration and the relationship of centre of gravity to the impact point. In conclusion, the projectile shape is likely to be of greater importance than the mass (i.e. for a given impact energy) because of its direct bearing on the magnitude of the tangential energy loss

Hoplia equina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and Nontarget Capture Using 2-Tetradecanone-Baited Traps

Using bucket traps baited with 2-tetradecanone, the sex pheromone of Hoplia equina LeConte, an important pest of cranberries in Massachusetts, we investigated the effect of trap height, color, pheromone load, and lure aging on male capture, as well as captures of nontarget arthropods including pollinators. Male capture was inversely related to height of traps over the four heights tested (0, 20, 60, and 100 cm). Captures increased with increasing pheromone load over the doses of 0, 100, 300, and 600 μg, but captures at the highest load, 1,000 μg, were not significantly different from 300 or 600 μg. H. equina captures were strongly diurnal, with a flight period spanning ≈6 wk starting in mid-June. Vane color of traps (white, yellow, green, blue, red, black) did not affect H. equina capture but significantly influenced capture of nontargets, including pollinators. A bucket trap with the funnel opening at 20 cm, and green (or red) vanes, baited with 600 μg of 2-tetradecanone, was the optimal design for high male capture and low nontarget capture. The low-cost capture of over 50,000 H. equina on a 2.4-ha commercial bog in Massachusetts with this lure-trap combination indicates the feasibility of mass trapping for managing established infestations of H. equin

Parasite Prevalence May Drive the Biotic Impoverishment of New England (USA) Bumble Bee Communities

Numerous studies have reported a diversity of stressors that may explain continental-scale declines in populations of native pollinators, particularly those in the genus Bombus. However, there has been little focus on the identification of the local-scale dynamics that may structure currently impoverished Bombus communities. For example, the historically diverse coastal-zone communities of New England (USA) now comprise only a few species and are primarily dominated by a single species, B. impatiens. To better understand the local-scale factors that might be influencing this change in community structure, we examined differences in the presence of parasites in different species of Bombus collected in coastal-zone communities. Our results indicate that Bombus species that are in decline in this region were more likely to harbor parasites than are B. impatiens populations, which were more likely to be parasite-free and to harbor fewer intense infections or co-infections. The contrasting parasite burden between co-occurring winners and losers in this community may impact the endgame of asymmetric contests among species competing for dwindling resources. We suggest that under changing climate and landscape conditions, increasing domination of communities by healthy, synanthropic Bombus species (such as B. impatiens) may be another factor hastening the further erosion of bumble bee diversity

Smart Knowledge Capture for Developing Adaptive Management Systems

In this paper we describe how a welldesigned Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) may facilitate initial (immediate) decision making, while establishing a robust foundation and framework for improving effectiveness over time as new data and knowledge becomes available. \u27Smart Knowledge Capture\u27 is a set of methods for rapidly developing a strong SDSS for adaptive management. We review some of the MIS tools used in Smart Knowledge Capture: multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) tools, online surveys, online knowledge portals, ontology systems, and describe the architecture of an SDSS that stores and utilizes this knowledge. We illustrate these concepts using our recent work supporting the development of a revised desert tortoise recovery plan

Descriptive Epidemiology of Bovine Tuberculosis in Michigan (1975–2010): Lessons Learned

Despite ongoing eradication efforts, bovine tuberculosis (BTB) remains a challenge in Michigan livestock and wildlife. The objectives of this study were to (1) review the epidemiology of BTB in Michigan cattle, privately owned cervids, and wildlife between 1975 and 2010 and (2) identify important lessons learned from the review and eradication strategies. BTB information was accessed from the Michigan BTB Eradication Project agencies. Cattle herds (49), privately owned deer herds (4), and wild white-tailed deer (668) were found infected with BTB during the review period. BTB has occurred primarily in counties located at the northern portion of the state's Lower Peninsula. Currently used BTB eradication strategies have successfully controlled BTB spread. However additional changes in BTB surveillance, prevention, and eradication strategies could improve eradication efforts