Individual and demographic responses of the gray-tailed Vole (Microtus canicaudus) to an endocrine disruptor

In an experimental field study, populations of gray-tailed voles (Microtus canicaudus) were exposed to a commercial formulation of vinclozolin, a fungicide effective for disease control on ornamental plants, turf grasses, and fruits and vegetables. Vinclozolin has been shown in laboratory experiments to behave as an androgen antagonist, impairing the reproductive development in males of several species of mammals when exposed in utero. However, when applied to grassland habitat containing populations of gray-tailed voles, no biologically significant impairment was observed in reproductive development of male voles whose mothers were exposed to the treatment while the young were in utero. Reproductive organs were sufficiently developed to result in high reproductive rates and juvenile recruitment in the field with no effects on population growth or demography. Under the conditions of this study, one standard application of Curalan[copyright] fungicide had no measurable reproductive or demographic consequences on gray-tailed voles. However, the results suggest that higher application rates or several successive applications may have negative impacts on reproductive development and demography of wild vole populations

Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation

Energy derived from second generation perennial energy crops is projected to play an increasingly important role in the decarbonization of the energy sector. Such energy crops are expected to deliver net greenhouse gas emissions reductions through fossil fuel displacement and have potential for increasing soil carbon (C) storage. Despite this, few empirical studies have quantified the ecosystem‐level C balance of energy crops and the evidence base to inform energy policy remains limited. Here, the temporal dynamics and magnitude of net ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange (NEE) were quantified at a mature short rotation coppice (SRC) willow plantation in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, under commercial growing conditions. Eddy covariance flux observations of NEE were performed over a four‐year production cycle and combined with biomass yield data to estimate the net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) of the SRC. The magnitude of annual NEE ranged from −147 ± 70 to −502 ± 84 g CO2‐C m−2 year−1 with the magnitude of annual CO2 capture increasing over the production cycle. Defoliation during an unexpected outbreak of willow leaf beetle impacted gross ecosystem production, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem exchange during the second growth season. The NECB was −87 ± 303 g CO2‐C m−2 for the complete production cycle after accounting for C export at harvest (1,183 g C m−2), and was approximately CO2‐C neutral (−21 g CO2‐C m−2 year−1) when annualized. The results of this study are consistent with studies of soil organic C which have shown limited changes following conversion to SRC willow. In the context of global decarbonization, the study indicates that the primary benefit of SRC willow production at the site is through displacement of fossil fuel emissions

‘I have got too much stuff wrong with me’ – an exploration of how young people experience the Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) label within the confines of the UK education system

Young people whose behaviour does not conform to our expectations of how pupils should behave within an educational context have had a variety of labels attached to them including: Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The employment of such labels will shape how the young person is perceived by the adults surrounding them. This will not only have an impact on the relationships that are developed between the pupil and the educator but also how the young people see themselves in terms of their own identity. This paper seeks to give voice and explore the position of young people within the confines of their educational experiences. The paper draws on 13 in-depth case studies to reflect on how young people experience the SEBD labels attached to them by others and what pupils consider to be the main antecedents leading them to display behaviour which is deemed unacceptable in the classroom. The paper highlights the importance of providing opportunities for young people to have their voice heard to fill the gap between professional perceptions and those of the pupil. In order to truly understand why young people display behaviour that is considered difficult and how they experience the labels we attach to them we have to speak to young people themselves