Search results for "forestry"
showing 10 items of 1998 documents
Cost-efficient strategies to preserve dead wood-dependent species in a managed forest landscape
2016
Negative consequences of intensive forest management on biodiversity are often mitigated by setting aside old forest, but alternative strategies have been suggested. We have compared using simulations the consequences of two of these alternatives setting aside young forests or extending rotation periods - to that of current practice in managed boreal forest In all scenarios we applied a constant conservation budget and predicted forest development and harvesting over 200 years. As a proxy for biodiversity conservation, we projected the extinction risk of a dead wood-dependent beetle, Diacanthous undulatus, in a 50 km(2) landscape in central Sweden, using a colonization-extinction model. Dur…
Assessing the indirect and long-term ecological impacts of innovation in agriculture is a real challenge: the GM example
2003
All innovation in agriculture constitutes a significant and complex ecological disturbance, even if limited to a single and simple action. Indeed, whatever the nature and objective of the action, a large number of ecological processes are affected and numerous discontinuities may occur within the agro-ecosystem, in both time and space. As the GMO example illustrates, it is not sufficient to focus on direct effect of innovation, it is necessary to forecast mid- and long-term impacts of innovation with respect to the environment. Modelling phenomena appear then to be a key element to achieve this goal.
Soil Solarization and Calcium Cyanamide Affect Plant Vigor, Yield, Nutritional Traits, and Nutraceutical Compounds of Strawberry Grown in a Protected…
2019
Soil solarization is a hydrothermal procedure of disinfesting soil of soilborne diseases and pests. Solarization can be combined with many other chemical or non-chemical alternatives to afford integrated pest and diseases management or improve plant yield. Calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) is a fertilizer used in agriculture sector and is also effective in suppressing soilborne pathogens. The present study assessed the influences of different pre-plant CaCN2 dosages on strawberry grown on solarized or non-solarized soil. Soil solarization and 500 kg ha&minus
IPSIM-Cirsium, a Qualitative Expert-Based Model to Predict Infestations of Cirsium arvense
2021
Throughout Europe, Cirsium arvense is the most problematic perennial weed in arable crops, whether managed under organic or conventional agriculture. Non-chemical control methods are limited with partial efficacy. Knowledge is missing on their effect across a wide gradient of cropping systems and pedoclimates. To achieve effective Cirsium arvense management ensuring crop productivity while limiting the reliance of cropping systems on herbicide, expert-based models are needed to gather knowledge on the effect of individual levers and their interactions in order to (i) design and assess finely tuned combinations of farming practices in different pedoclimates and (ii) support decisions for Cir…
Land-use and climate related drivers of change in the reindeer management system in Finland: geography of perceptions
2021
Drivers of change in the reindeer management system are rather well-known. But when developing the gover-nance to support the traditional livelihoods, it is crucial to understand also practitioner perceptions. Systematic research on these is lacking. We analyzed the land-use and climate related drivers within the reindeer man-agement area (RMA) in Finland, and, using a perception geography approach, studied the herder perceptions towards these. We conducted an on-site questionnaire survey with herders from 51 herding districts. Factors directly affecting the welfare of reindeer were perceived as crucial by herders, for example basal icing affecting the forage availability, and land-use rela…
Unrelenting spread of the alien monk parakeetMyiopsitta monachusin Israel. Is it time to sound the alarm?
2016
BACKGROUND Monk parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, are native to South America but have established populations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. They are claimed to act as agricultural pests in their native range, and their communal stick nests may damage human infrastructure. Although several monk parakeet populations are present in the Mediterranean Basin and temperate Europe, little empirical data are available on their population size and growth, distribution and potential impact. We investigated the temporal and spatial dynamics of monk parakeets in Israel to assess their invasion success and potential impact on agriculture. RESULTS Monk parakeet populations are growing…
Lesser kestrel diet and agricultural intensification in the Mediterranean: An unexpected win-win solution?
2018
Abstract Farmland bird species have suffered dramatic declines in recent decades, especially in Mediterranean areas. The intensification of agricultural practices has led to reduced invertebrate prey, which represent the bulk of the diet of many farmland birds. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) during the breeding season, monitored over a five-year period between 2006 and 2013 in the Gela Plain (Sicily). Our aim was to understand whether, and to what extent, farming practices affected the reproductive outputs of this predominantly insectivore bird in order to find a profitable compromise between conservation …
En quin grau afecten les pseudociències a la comunitat educativa?
2018
Pseudosciences are present and accepted naturally by broad sectors of the population. Despite their potential risks, they are not taken into account when teaching science; some universities have even offered official pseudoscientific courses. In this text we want to learn about the degree of acceptance of these beliefs in high-school science teachers in training, who have been detected to have significant levels of acceptance of pseudoscience.
Modelling binary mixtures of herbicides in populations resistant to one of the components: evaluation for resistance management
2008
BACKGROUND: Herbicide mixtures are commonly proposed to delay the selection of herbicide resistance in susceptible populations (called the SM strategy). However, in practice, herbicide mixtures are often used when resistance to one of the two active ingredients has already been detected in the targeted population (called the RM strategy). It is doubtful whether such a practice can select against resistance, as the corresponding selection pressure is still exerted. As a consequence, the effect of mixtures on the evolution of an already detected resistance to one of the herbicides in the combination remains largely unexplored. In the present work, a simple model was developed to explore furth…
Unpredicted ecological and ecosystem services of biodiversity. Spontaneous vegetation, hedgerows, and maple trees as useful landscape components to i…
2020
Abstract Rural landscapes have been dramatically simplified and reduced. Large mechanical machinery was adopted and most of the natural helps such as living tutors in the vineyards disappeared or were replaced by cement or steel pillars. In the same way, field margins and hedgerows have also become restricted and simplified. The vegetation in the rural landscape mosaic provides alternative food and overwintering places, maintaining the inestimable importance of biodiversity in providing unexpected ecological services in agroecosystems. An important example could be predatory mites both as species and population density, providing ecological service for biological control such as the two-spo…