Welcome Speech by Christian Ude

Klimaveränderung; Umweltabkommen; Emissionshandel; Außenpolitik; EU-Staaten; OPEC-Staaten

Reducing cross-sucking of group housed calves by an environmental enriched building design

Group housing is a natural and economic way of raising calves. One major disadvan-tage of group housing calves is the occurrence of cross-sucking as an abnormal behaviour. The main objective of our study on organic calf housing was the reduction of cross-sucking related to milk feeding. A new feeding stall with automatic gates was attached to an automatic teat feeder. One gate opened to an enriched area immedi-ately when the calves had finished their milk meal. In this zone calves could use rub-ber teats or a hay net (treatment optimized). The design for the control group used a simple feeding stall without attached enriched zone. 168 female calves (German Holstein) from one origin (herd) were randomly assigned to 14 groups with 12 calves each. Thus, each treatment could be repeated seven times. Two groups were used for preliminary testing of housing and technique. Calves were fed whole milk, according to EU-organic-farming-guidelines. The behaviour of calves was observed directly for 20 minutes following milk intake. In addition, 24 hour video observation completed the behavioural monitoring. The videos were analyzed with the continuous sampling method; statistical analysis was done with the SAS statistical software package and non-parametric procedures. As one result, cross-sucking of calves decreased signifi-cantly in the optimized housing treatment compared to the control treatment: cross-sucking behaviour occurred for 12% of the calves of the optimized treatment vs. 60% cross-sucking calves in the control treatment. Regarding the intensity of cross-sucking, the control group showed 200 cross-sucking bouts per 100 calves and meal, in comparison with a frequency of 16 bouts of the optimized treatment. Our study supports the thesis, that design of housing and environment could be used to reduce cross-sucking of group housed calves. However, future research should be done to evaluate interactions between feeding techniques, environment and physiological processes related to cross-sucking behaviour of calves

Effect of crude oil and some petroleum products on Clarias Gariepinus fingerlings (Catfish: Claridae)

Ninety (90) hatchery bred fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus (mean weight: 0.96 ± 0.1g) were randomly placed in 15 plastic baths (25 litres each) at the Research laboratory and were exposed to different concentrations of oil products to determine their effects on the fish, to facilitate inferential deductions that will enhance effective aquatic environmental management. Three (3) replicate basins of 5 experimental treatments (crude oil, petrol oil, kerosene oil, engine oil and control) were used at a concentration of 1.25ml. L-1. The control experiment was devoid of oil treatment. Six (6) fingerlings were placed in each replicate basin, flooded with 20 litres of clean tap water and fed with nutrafin cichilid food, 2 times daily at 3% body weight. The results showed that the feeding behaviour and swimming performances of fish were reduced after 24 hours of the addition of the various oil pollutants. Mortality of fingerlings in the oiled basins increased as the hours of exposure increased (i.e. 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours). Recovery was not immediate in the treated basin while surviving fingerlings in the control basins grew up to post-fingerlings after 90 days (3 months). There were significant differences (P<0.01 and P<0.05) in the effect of crude oil and the petroleum products on the mortality rate of C. gariepinus when exposed to oil pollutants at 1.25ml. L-1 concentratio

Evaluation of fish biodiversity integrity of Ebonyi River

A study of the fish biodiversity integrity of Ebonyi River was conducted from September 2006 to February 2008 to generate fundamental data needed in Fisheries policy formulations and to assess the potential of the Fishery in enhancing quality food protein production. A total number of 1,080 fishes (comprising Fin-fish and shell-fish) were caught with hooks and lines of size 13, cast nets, gill nets and traps of mesh sizes of 50mm, 75mm and 100mm and identified using taxonomic keys. There were 39 species belonging to 20 genera and 14 families. Percentage gear catch composition was 43.6%,23.8%,17.7% and 15.3%for cast nets, gillnets, hooks and traps respectively. Zooplankton samples were also collected identified and analyzed using standard plankton analysis protocol. Cladocerans, rotifers, copepods and protozoans were represented in the identified species. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the overall significance of the monthly means of all parameters and in locations and also to establish their correlation characteristics. Fisher's Least Significant Difference (F-LSD) was used to separate the means and to rank them. Family Amphilidae and Malapteruridae were not significant (p~B0.05) in monthly occurrence. Family Bagridae, Cichlidae and Clariidae showed highly significant (p<0. 01) monthly differences while the remaining fish families exhibited significant (p<0.05) differences in months. It was observed that artisanal fisherfolks used fishing gears whose mesh sizes deplete juvenile fish. It was concluded that there is an urgent need for improved management strategies to enhance sustainable productivity of the inland river system

Exchange rate policy and trade balance. A cointegration analysis of the argentine experience since 1962.

Using multivariate cointegration tests for non-stationary data and vector error correction models, this paper examines the determinants of trade balance for Argentina over the last forty to fifty years. Our investigation confirms the existence of long-run relationships among trade balance, Real Exchange Rate (RER) and foreign and domestic incomes for Argentina during different real exchange rate management policies. Based on the estimations, the Marshall-Lerner condition is examined and, by means of impulse response functions, we trace the effect of a one-time shock to the RER on the trade balance checking the J-curve pattern.Argentina; Marshall-Lerner; J-Curve; cointegration and impulse response analysis

A unified differential information framework assessing that more information is preferred to less

The Walrasian model has played a central role in all aspects of economics. The purpose of this paper is to propose a general modeling of differential information in the spirit of the Arrow-Debreu model and following the Radner tradition but away from the usual measurability conception. We provide a characterization of better informed agents in order to firstly formalize an essential feature known as part of some oral tradition: a decisionmaker prefers more information to less.Uncertainty; differential information; information sets; informational feasibility and better informed agents

Disaster Preparedness and Recovery For Community Development Organizations

The purpose of this handbook is to provide community development organizations (CDOs) with basic information useful for the following:- Developing organizational continuity of operations plans.- Proactively assisting their communities with preparedness.- Pre-planning for recovery and actual disaster recovery.More detailed information on these topics can be obtained from Web sites referenced at the end of this document.Typically after disasters, the vast majority (80%) of the affected population is able to manage its own recovery. The remaining 20% will need special assistance that CDOs and nonprofit organizations are uniquely positioned to provide. The kinds of assistance victims need varies greatly based on the type of disaster or crisis that has occurred and on each individual household's particular circumstances.CDOs have aided their communities' recovery from disaster with counseling services such as foreclosure prevention, help with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Association (FEMA and SBA) process, disaster recovery case management, rehabilitation services, recovery fundraising, volunteer management, new construction management, assistance in development of economic recovery, temporary housing to disaster victims, funding for day care, providing meeting spaces for recovery planning, communication with clientele, mental health services and so on. CDOs have also worked with local government to create a recovery that is sustainable and creates a better community than prior to the disaster. CDOs have responded to the needs of their existing clientele as well as disaster victims who were not in need of the CDOs' services previously.In order for CDOs to be positioned to provide assistance they must still be operational after the storm has passed. The first section of this handbook is a workbook designed to assist CDOs with step-by-step development of an organizational business continuity plan (BCP).The second portion of this handbook lists steps that organizations can take to work with emergency management leaders in their communities to encourage individual households and communities to be better prepared for natural and man-made disasters.The third and fourth sections of this handbook address issues associated with recovery. There is a guide to pre-planning for recovery, a guide to developing a disaster recovery notebook and best practices, and considerations and opportunities for housing, economic and community recovery are suggested.A resources section is included to provide additional information on preparedness for and recovery from disasters

Threats to fish biodiversity conservation in Echara River, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

A study on threats to fish species conservation in Echara River, Nigeria was carried out from September 2009 to February 2011 to generate inferential data for Fisheries policy formulations to assess the potential of the Fishery to alleviate malnutrition among the poor in the rural communities, and use of the living resources for teaching and research. A total number of 709 fishes comprising of Fin-fishes and shell-fishes belonging to 13 families, 19 genera and 40 species were caught in 216 fishing efforts, at 10 days interval using hooks and lines (size 13), cast nets, gill nets and traps of mesh sizes of 50mm, 75mm and l00mm respectively. Fish identification was done using taxonomic keys. Evaluation of fishing methods of the Artisans within the basin was by visual survey and the use of structured questionnaires. It was observed that during the dry season, 55% of artisanal Fishers used obnoxious methods to catch fish, ranging from chemical toxicants (14%), unselective Fishing gears (35%) and direct draining (6%). It was concluded that there is an urgent need for monitoring the impacts of human activities on freshwater systems and to evolve appropriate implementable management strategies, backed up by political will to check anthropogenic impacts that have deleterious effects on the fishery

Europe In The Global Economy: Matching The U.S.?

Stadtentwicklung, Weltwirtschaft, Wettbewerb, Deutschland, Europäische Wirtschafts- und Währungsunion, Vereinigte Staaten, Urban development, World economy, Competition, Germany, European Economic and Monetary Union, United States