Scaling the benefits of agri-environment schemes for biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes

Agricultural expansion and intensification are major causes of biodiversity loss. To mitigate this, billions of dollars are committed by governments annually to agri-environment conservation schemes aiming to engage landholders, often at large (continental) scales, in sustainable farming practices. While some schemes have been successful in addressing the social and policy elements of farmland conservation, assessments of their effectiveness for conserving biodiversity in farming systems is lacking. Recent studies have demonstrated that the effectiveness of programs is influenced by a number of scale-dependent factors that may influence biodiversity response but remain poorly understood. Specifically, local- and landscape-scale management actions can influence biodiversity response, and hence the effectiveness of programs, but this aspect has been little explored. My research aimed to identify ways to enhance the effectiveness of agri-environmental schemes through a better understanding of scale-related management effects on herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians); a critical and declining vertebrate group severely threatened by agricultural development. First, I summarise current knowledge of local- and landscape-scale factors influencing agri-environment scheme effectiveness for biodiversity, highlighting novel research priorities relevant to practitioners (Paper #1). I then conducted baseline herpetofaunal surveys at 325 treatment/control sites within a critically endangered remnant woodland targeted under a large-scale (>1000 km; 172,000 km2) agri-environment scheme; the Australian Government Environmental Stewardship Programme (Paper #2). This is the most extensive xii herpetofaunal survey conducted to date throughout this woodland ecosystem. I found high levels of spatial variation in species detected across the study area; with large differences in species richness between biogeographic regions but not between treatment and control sites. Second, I conducted multi-season vegetation, habitat structural and herpetofaunal surveys at each of the 325 sites to identify key habitat variables (Paper #3) and management activities (livestock grazing; Paper #4) at local levels. I found that habitat use varied over biogeographically distinct regions, suggesting schemes that consider regional differences in local habitat preferences may be more effective than schemes that ignore such variation. Furthermore, past and present livestock grazing influenced herpetofaunal populations, but in complex and varied ways that have previously been overlooked. Finally, I collected data on land-use surrounding the remnant woodland sites and its influence on reptile movement to quantify the impact of landscape modification on community structure (Paper #5) and habitat connectivity (Paper #6). Landscape modification resulted in a change in community composition and a loss of species co-occurrence, but not a loss of species. Importantly, changes in co-occurrence pattern were complex and allowed for a novel classification of species susceptibility to the threat of land modification. Additionally, I found that pasture height and crop-sowing direction influenced reptile movements within the agricultural matrix, and hence must be considered where connectivity is a goal of agri-environment investment (Paper #6). xiii Collectively, my research identifies several outcomes that strengthen the theoretical and applied opportunities for enhancing effectiveness of agri-environment schemes. These include: (1) An improved knowledge of the environmental and anthropogenic drivers of the distributions of herpetofauna (2) Incorporating ecological effects operating at different scales can help agri-environment schemes to become more effective (3) A range of management actions is required to meet the conservation requirements for herpetofauna (4) Large occupancy datasets should be collected to extend observations of ecological patterns to identify underlying ecological processes (5) Management recommendations can be adaptively integrated into existing agri-environment schemes; as well as in new schemes. Such considerations are of broad relevance for the design of large-scale conservation strategies targeting the conservation of biodiversity across agricultural landscapes

Ion-Molecule Reactions in Unsaturated Hydrocarbons: Allene, Propyne, Diacetylene, and Vinylacetylene

Ion-molecule reactions in allene, propyne, diacetylene, and vinylacetylene (1-buten-3-yne) have been studied at near-thermal energies by the technique of ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Rate coefficients and branching ratios are reported for the reactions of C_3H^+_n (n = 1-4) with allene and propyne and for the reactions of C_4H^+_n (n = 0-5) with diacetylene and vinylacetylene. Branching ratios are also given for the reactions of C_4H^+_n, C_5H_n, and C_6H^+_n with propyne and for reactions of C_6H^+_n with diacetylene and vinylacetylene. More than 90% of the reactive channels lead to product ions having a larger carbon skeleton than the reactant ion. Evidence for ions with the same m/e ratio having differing reactivities was obtained for C_3H^+_3, C_6H^+_7, and C_7H^+_7. Ion reaction sequences in allene and propyne were followed at higher pressures (l0^(-4) torr) to investigate secondary, tertiary, and higher order processes

What We Know and Do Not Know about the Functions of the Orbitofrontal Cortex after 20 Years of Cross-Species Studies

When Pat Goldman-Rakic described the circuitry and function of primate prefrontal cortex in her influential 1987 monograph (Goldman-Rakic, 1987), she included only a few short paragraphs on the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). That year, there were only nine papers published containing the term “orbitofrontal,” an average of less than one paper per month. Twenty years later, this rate has increased to 32 papers per month. This explosive growth is partly attributable to the remarkable similarities that exist in structure and function across species. These similarities suggest that OFC function can be usefully modeled in nonhuman and even nonprimate species. Here, we review some of these similarities

Mapping the relationship between international sport and diplomacy

To date, the relationship between diplomacy and international sport has been relatively under-theorized. This paper seeks to redress the deficiency by proposing an analytical taxonomy of the multiple convergences between international sport and diplomacy. The principal analytical distinction to be drawn is between (1) international sport consciously employed by governments as an instrument of diplomacy and (2) international-sport-as-diplomacy, the diplomatic representation, communication and negotiation between non-state actors that take place as a result of ongoing international sporting competition. By increasing understanding of the roˆles of sport in diplomacy and diplomacy in sport, the paper seeks to promote the adoption of best practices to facilitate effective use of sport in diplomacy by governments and effective use of diplomacy by international sporting bodies, and to instigate a debate between theorists and practitioners from both realms.The genesis of this section of the paper came from Stuart Murray’s presentation ‘Sports- Diplomacy: A Hybrid of Two Halves’ at ‘The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy’, Berlin, 11–15 May 2011.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/fcss20am201

Mechanization of a High Aspect Ratio Wing for Aerodynamic Control

Investigations are conducted to mechanize a controlled spanwise-varying airfoil camber change for a high aspect ratio wing, resulting in optimized aerodynamic performance for a aircraft that changes weight by 50% over its mission. Mechanisms to achieve these shape changes are designed based on two separate design methodologies: a rigid body kinematics approach and a compliant mechanism approach. A framework for optimizing mechanisms based on each approach is presented. Differences between the approaches are illustrated through the design of a mechanism for a specific set of airfoil shapes. Mechanisms are evaluated based on the error in the shapes and on the energy efficiency of the systems

Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the ERA Project at Columbia Law School and Constitutional Law Scholars on Joint Resolution S.J.Res. 4: Removing the Deadline for the Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment Project at Columbia Law School (ERA Project) and the undersigned constitutional law scholars provide the following analysis of S.J.Res. 4, resolving to remove the time limit for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and declaring the ERA fully ratified

Meijer Renewable Energy Strategy

As one of the largest energy consumers in the Midwest, Meijer is seeking opportunities to decrease its fossil fuel based electricity consumption. The SEAS MS project team worked to identify and evaluate opportunities to expand Meijer's renewable energy portfolio by understanding the current state of energy consumption, benchmarking Meijer with their competition, and developing a tailored renewable energy strategy to meet Meijer's sustainability goals. The scope of this project included understanding the baseline of Meijer's electricity consumption, evaluating on-site generation opportunities, evaluating off-site procurement opportunities, and developing a pre-development guide tool to be used to analyze specific projects before making investments into project development. The project resulted in a per year prioritization list that considered the economic benefit of potential projects at every store site given annual budgetary constraints and project NPVs, an analysis of off-site Power Purchase Agreement opportunities, a comprehensive renewable energy strategy for on-site and off-site renewable energy generation, and an excel based pre-development guide to further analyze specific projects.Master of ScienceSchool for Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of Michiganhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143156/1/Meijer Renewable Energy Strategy_326.pd