Plantation forests and biodiversity conservation

There are five key reasons why biodiversity conservation should be considered a part of plantation management. (1) The plantation estate is large, and balancing various land management values with wood and pulp production is important when extensive areas of land are involved. (2) The locations and management of new plantations will affect the biota that currently exist in such landscapes. (3) Maintaining some elements of biodiversity within plantations can have benefits for stand productivity and the maintenance of key ecosystem processes such as pest control. (4) The retention (or loss) of biota in plantations is relevant to the formulation of ecological standards and the certification of plantations in many parts of the world. (5) Plantation forestry has a narrow and intensive management focus on producing a forest crop for a limited array of purposes. It will not meet future societal demands for a range of outputs from plantations (in addition to wood and pulp supply), and will not be congruent with the principles of ecological sustainability. This paper briefly reviews the biodiversity conservation values of Australian plantation s. It shows that almost all work in Australian plantations, whether conifer or eucalypt, highlights the importance of landscape heterogeneity and stand structural complexity for enhancing biodiversity. Management of plantations to promote landscape heterogeneity and stand structural complexity and enhance the conservation of biodiversity will, in many cases, involve tradeoffs that will affect wood and pulp production. The extent to which this occurs will depend on the objectives of plantation management and how far they extend towards the more complex plantation forestry models that incorporate social and environmental values. We argue that the widespread adoption of plantation forestry that leads to homogenous stands of extensive monocultures will risk re-creating the array of negative environmental outcomes that have been associated with agriculture in many parts of Australia

Incorporating novelty and novel ecosystems into restoration planning and practice in the 21st century

Novelty pervades the biosphere. In some cases, potentially irreversible abiotic and/or biotic changes have led to the crossing of thresholds and thus the formation of “novel ecosystems.” Their widespread emergence (particularly on land) and the presence of continued environmental change challenge a traditional restoration goal of restoring an historical ecosystem. Instead, we argue that restoration could broaden its frame of reference to consider how novel ecosystems might be used to maintain global biodiversity and provide ecosystem services and, in doing so, save potentially wasted efforts in attempting to fulfil traditional goals. Here we explore this contention in more depth by addressing: Are novel ecosystems innovative planning or lowering the bar? We show that novel ecosystems were not innovative planning in their original conception. On the contrary, they were recognized as ecosystems that were recalcitrant to traditional restoration approaches, coupled with an awareness that they had arisen inadvertently through deliberate human activity, either on- or off-site. Their recalcitrance to traditional restoration suggests that alternative goals may exist for these ecosystems using sometimes innovative intervention. This management may include biodiversity conservation or restoration for ecological function. We elucidate the latter aspect with reference to an experiment in the wheatbelt of Western Australia—The Ridgefield Multiple Ecosystem Services Experiment—the design of which has been informed by ecological theory and the acceptance of novelty as an ecosystem component. Although novel ecosystems do provide opportunities to broaden restoration planning and practice, and ultimately maintain and conserve global biodiversity in this era of environmental change, they necessarily “lower the bar” in restoration if the bar is considered to be the historical ecosystem. However, in these times of flux, such a bar is increasingly untenable. Instead, careful and appropriate interventions are required at local, regional, and global scales. These interventions need to take history into account, use ecological and evolutionary theory to inform their design, and be mindful of valid concerns such as hubris. Careful interventions thus provide an opportunity for broadening restoration’s framework to focus on maintaining global biodiversity and delivering ecosystem services as well as the traditional goals of restoring historical ecosystems

Targets and self monitoring in hypertension: randomised controlled trial and cost effectiveness analysis

Objectives: To assess whether blood pressure control in primary care could be improved with the use of patient held targets and self monitoring in a practice setting, and to assess the impact of these on health behaviours, anxiety, prescribed antihypertensive drugs, patients’ preferences, and costs. \ud Design: Randomised controlled trial. \ud Setting: Eight general practices in south Birmingham. \ud Participants: 441 people receiving treatment in primary care for hypertension but not controlled below the target of < 140/85 mm Hg. \ud Interventions: Patients in the intervention group received treatment targets along with facilities to measure their own blood pressure at their general practice; they were also asked to visit their general practitioner or practice nurse if their blood pressure was repeatedly above the target level. Patients in the control group received usual care (blood pressure monitoring by their practice). \ud Main outcome measures: Primary outcome: change in systolic blood pressure at six months and one year in both intervention and control groups. Secondary outcomes: change in health behaviours, anxiety, prescribed antihypertensive drugs, patients’ preferences of method of blood pressure monitoring, and costs. \ud Results: 400 (91%) patients attended follow up at one year. Systolic blood pressure in the intervention group had significantly reduced after six months (mean difference 4.3 mm Hg (95% confidence interval 0.8 mm Hg to 7.9 mm Hg)) but not after one year (mean difference 2.7 mm Hg (-1.2 mm Hg to 6.6 mm Hg)). No overall difference was found in diastolic blood pressure, anxiety, health behaviours, or number of prescribed drugs. Patients who self monitored lost more weight than controls (as evidenced by a drop in body mass index), rated self monitoring above monitoring by a doctor or nurse, and consulted less often. Overall, self monitoring did not cost significantly more than usual care (£251 ($437; 364 euros) (95% confidence interval £233 to £275) versus £240 (£217 to £263). \ud Conclusions: Practice based self monitoring resulted in small but significant improvements of blood pressure at six months, which were not sustained after a year. Self monitoring was well received by patients, anxiety did not increase, and there was no appreciable additional cost. Practice based self monitoring is feasible and results in blood pressure control that is similar to that in usual care. \u

Environmental geology study: parts of west Wiltshire and south-east Avon

The objective of this study has been to collect and interpret the available environmental geology data and to use it to compile a set of thematic maps and this report. The maps and report are intended for use by those not trained in geology as well as specialists, and to help assess the land-use planning implications of surface and subsurface development

Phosphorus supply affects seedling growth of mycorrhizal but not cluster-root forming jarrah-forest species

Aims Fertiliser is often used to kick-start ecological restoration despite growing evidence of the potentially negative impacts on plant diversity. Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest species growing on nutrient (especially phosphorus) impoverished soils in southwestern Australia have a suite of adaptations for phosphorus (P) acquisition, including the formation of cluster roots, and associations with mycorrhizal fungi. Here we investigated how escalating P supply, along with a stoichiometric adjustment of nitrogen (N) supply, impacted the growth and nutrition of a wide range of jarrah forest seedlings. Methods In a pot experiment, we measured seedling biomass and nutritional responses of 12 jarrah forest species to a gradient of P supply in relation to N supply, and for the mycorrhizal species, inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Results Three cluster-root forming species did not respond to increasing P, probably because they were reliant on seed P. Generally, mycorrhizal species showed a positive biomass response to increasing P when N was available. Mycorrhizas benefited seedling growth at low P (9 mg P added per kg of jarrah forest soil) when N was also available, and were parasitic to seedling growth at high P (243 mg P/ kg soil) without additional N. Conclusions These results highlight importance of P and N supply in determining the nature of the symbiosis between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. Since P supply has the potential to reduce plant growth, for a range of species, our results suggest careful consideration of fertiliser amounts for ecological restoration of ecosystems adapted to nutrient poor soils

Specific heat study of the Na(0.3)CoO(2).1.3H(2)O superconductor: influence of the complex chemistry

We report results of specific heat measurements on polycrystalline samples of the layered superconductor, Na(0.3)CoO(2).1.3H(2)O. The electronic contribution to the specific heat, gamma, is found to be 12.2 mJ/mol-K2. The feature at the superconducting transition is rather sharp, becoming broad and strongly suppressed in an applied magnetic field. The data indicate a residual normal state electronic specific heat at low temperatures, implying that there is a sizable population of normal state electrons in the samples even below Tc. Inhomogeneity in the Na content, to which the superconducting state is exquisitely sensitive, appears to be the most likely explanation for these results. These results further indicate that special sample handling is required for an accurate characterization of the superconducting state in this material.Comment: publication information adde

Rapid conformational analysis of semi-flexible liquid crystals.

We present an approach for rapid conformational analysis of semi-flexible liquid crystals. We use a simple graphical user interface (GUI) tool that leverages rules-based methods for efficient generation of bend-angle distributions, offering a significant improvement over traditional single-conformer analysis. Our methods demonstrated proficiency in approximating molecular shapes comparable to those obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, albeit with notable deviations in the under sampling of hairpin conformations and oversampling of extended configurations. Re-evaluation of existing data revealed an apparent weak correlation between NTB transition temperatures and bend angles, underscoring the complexity of molecular shapes beyond mere geometry. Furthermore, we integrated this conformational analysis into a pipeline of algorithmic molecular design, utilising a fragment-based genetic algorithm to generate novel cyanobiphenyl-containing materials. This integration opens new avenues for the exploration of liquid crystalline materials, particularly in systems where systematic conformer searches are impractical, such as large oligomeric systems. Our findings highlight the potential and growing importance of computational approaches in accelerating the design and synthesis of next-generation liquid crystalline materials

Cylindrical, periodic surface lattice — theory, dispersion analysis, and experiment

A two-dimensional surface lattice of cylindrical topology obtained via perturbing the inner surface of a cylinder is considered. Periodic perturbations of the surface lead to observation of high-impedance, dielectric-like media and resonant coupling of surface and non-propagating volume fields. This allows synthesis of tailored-for-purpose "coating" material with dispersion suitable, for instance, to mediate a Cherenkov type interaction. An analytical model of the lattice is discussed and coupled-wave equations are derived. Variations of the lattice dispersive properties with variation of parameters are shown, illustrating the tailoring of the structure's electromagnetic properties. Experimental results are presented showing agreement with the theoretical model

Novel resources: opportunities for and risks to species conservation

During the Anthropocene, ongoing rapid environmental changes are exposing many species to novel resources. However, scientists’ understanding of what novel resources are and how they impact species is still rudimentary. Here, we used a resource‐based approach to explore novel resources. First, we conceptualized novel resource use by species along two dimensions of novelty: namely, ecosystem novelty and resource novelty. We then examined characteristics that influence a species’ response to a novel resource and how novel resources can affect individuals, populations, species, and communities. In addition, we discuss potential management complications associated with novel resource use by threatened species. As conservation and management embrace global environmental change, it is critical that ecologists improve the current understanding of the opportunities and risks that novel resources present to species conservation

Climate risk and food security in Nepal—analysis of climate impacts on food security and livelihoods

Food security in Nepal is highly sensitive to climate risks. Recent climate-related events, such as the floods of 2008 and the winter drought of 2008/2009, have highlighted the potential impacts of climate on food production, access to markets and income from agricultural activities. However, the ways in which livelihoods and other vulnerabilities are linked to climate have not been well studied. The purpose of this analysis is to quantitatively and qualitatively assess climate (including climate variability, change and extremes) impacts on food security and livelihoods. The analytical method carried out for this research consisted of three components: (i) a dynamic analysis to evaluate the relationship between historic and current climatic variability and food security indicators, using long-term historical data; (ii) a descriptive analysis to establish a baseline against which vulnerability to future risks can be assessed, using household data from the Nepal Living Standards Survey 2010/2011 (NLSS-III); and (iii) a workshop with national stakeholders to validate the results and identify priority adaptation interventions