Local and landscape effects of field margins on aerially dispersing beneficial insects and spiders

Field margins were implemented in UK agri-environment schemes with the aim to increase farmland biodiversity. Recently aerially dispersing aphid enemies have been shown to provide the majority of aphid control in winter wheat fields but there is a lack of research conducted on the aerial predator guild. This thesis examines the effect field margins have on aphid predators at the single field scale, the landscape scale and, using results from a marking study, examines the direct use of a pollen and nectar rich field margin by Episyrphus balteatus. At the single field scale, field margins had a positive effect of the numbers of Cantharidae, Empididae, Linyphiidae and Tachyporus spp. in fields with sown margins compared to those without during wheat growth and total aphid predator numbers were significantly higher in fields with margin surrounds in early May but not later in the year. At the landscape scale, results from twelve winter wheat fields with varying densities of surrounding field margins showed predatory Tachyporus spp. to exhibit a positive correlation at scales above 500m radius and Cantharidae to exhibit a negative correlation at local scales. Implications for field margins exerting both positive and negative influences on the presence of aerially dispersing aphid predators in winter wheat fields are discussed. A marking study using rubidium chloride proved direct utilisation of a pollen and nectar rich field margin by the Syrphid Episyrphus balteatus, and the traps used in this study also highlighted the association in distributions between Empididae and cereal aphids. Overall it was concluded that the presence of field margins does have an effect on the spatial and temporal distributions of some aerially dispersing aphid predators, but the response of each predator group varies depending on numerous interlinking components of their life history and directions for future research are discussed

Successful writing

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Dialoguing with dragons. assisting Chinese students' academic achievement

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You can get there from here: The highs and lows of writing a thesis

No abstract

Examining the uses of shared data

Background
 Many initiatives and repositories exist to encourage the sharing of research data, and thousands of microarray gene expression datasets are publicly available. Many studies reuse this data, but it is not well understood which datasets are reused and for what purpose.

 Materials and Methods
 We trained a machine-learning algorithm to automatically classify full-text gene expression microarray studies into two classes: those that generated original microarray data (n=900) and those which only reused data (n=250). We then compared the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms of two classes to identify MeSH topics which were over- or under-represented by publications with reused data.

 Results
 Studies on humans, mice, chordata, and invertebrates were equally likely to be conducted using original or shared microarray data, whereas shared data was used in a relatively high proportion of studies involving fungi (odds ratio (OR)=2.4), and a relatively low proportion involving rats, bacteria, viruses, plants, or genetically-altered or inbred animals (OR<0.05). Unsurprisingly, when we looked at Major MeSH terms to represent the primary purpose of the studies, statistical and computational methods clearly dominated. The only biomedical topics with a relatively high proportion of data reuse Major MeSH terms were Promoter Regions, Evolution, and Protein Interaction Mapping.

 Discussion
 Identifying areas of particularly successful microarray data reuse—such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae datasets and studies of promoter regions and evolution—can highlight best practices to be used when developing research agendas, tools, standards, repositories, and communities in areas which have yet to receive major benefits from shared data.
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Incentive-Based Instruments for Water Management

This report provides a synthesis review of a set of incentive-based instruments that have been employed to varying degrees around the world. It is part of an effort by The Rockefeller Foundation to improve understanding of both the potential of these instruments and their limitations. The report is divided into five sections. Section 1 provides an introduction to the synthesis review. Section 2 describes the research methodology. Section 3 provides background on policy instruments and detail on three incentive-based instruments -- water trading, payment for ecosystem services, and water quality trading -- describing the application of each, including their environmental, economic, and social performances, and the conditions needed for their implementation. Section 4 highlights the role of the private sector in implementing these instruments, and Section 5 provides a summary and conclusions

A study of the root surface phosphatase activities of three species of higher plants: Juncus effusus, Phragnutes australis, and Typha latifolia

The aim of this project was to investigate a possible link between environmental phosphorus status and the root surface phosphatase activities of three species of emergent macrophytes, with a view to assessing their potential for use as "biondicators". Analyses of water phosphorus concentrations and rates of surface phosphatase activities of Juncus effusus, Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia were carried out on samples from Bakethin Reservoir, Northumberland and Durham University Botanic Garden. Differences were found in water phosphorus concentrations at the sites. Water from Bakethin Reservoir was found to have lower levels of P than water from the Botanic Garden. Interspecific differences at p = 0.0002 were discovered in rates of phosphatase activity between Juncus, Phragmites and Typha. Juncus and Typha were found to exhibit significantly lower rates of phosphatase activity at the Botanic Garden than at Bakethin reservoir (p = 0.026 for Juncus, p = 0.037 for Typha). High rates of phosphatase activity in Juncus and Typha at Bakethin Reservoir corresponded with low concenfrations of environmental phosphorus, so it is possible that root surface phosphatases of both species are inducible in conditions of P- limitation. Juncus and Typha may therefore have the potential for use as bioindicators of environmental phosphorus status. Several practical problems were encountered, and may be of general significance. Rates of phosphatase activity declined rapidly in 100 μM pNPP assays. As a consequence, assays were terminated after 10 min. It was also observed that roots removed after assays had been terminated often showed a yellow coloration, presumably due to the retention of pNP. The accuracy of the pNPP assay relies upon all the pNP produced by the hydrolysis of pNPP being released into solution. The apparent retention of pNP by roots therefore brings the use of the pNPP assay, as a method for determining rates of phosphatase activity in eukaryotes, under scrutiny. One preliminary experiment carried out showed that more pNP was retained by roots under conditions of low pH

Britain's alcohol problem and what the UK government is (and is not) doing about it

Britain is currently experiencing a serious alcohol problem, as shown particularly by a steep increase in rates of liver cirrhosis mortality and by widespread alcohol-related disorder and harm among young people. The UK government introduced two major initiatives in 2004 - radical changes to the licensing laws regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages and an Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England – and these are described and criticised. In the opinion of most UK experts in the alcohol field and in a significant body of public opinion, neither of these developments is likely to lead to a reduction of alcohol-related harm. The UK government appears more concerned to support the welfare of the alcohol industry than to introduce effective measures to limit the damage caused by its products. However, it is speculated in conclusion that reactions to another "long wave" of alcohol consumption and problems may force the government to revise its alcohol policies

Danish Barley Variety Trial

With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the localvore movement, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics such as low protein content and high germination. Many farmers are also interested in barley as a feed source for livestock. Barley is a high energy and protein source, similar to corn and wheat. The Northwest Crops and Soils Team have been growing out spring barley varieties that were originally obtained from a colleague in Denmark. Over the last three years, the goal has been to increase the small seed lots to better quantify performance. In 2013, we finally had enough seed to measure yield and quality of these specialty varieties