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Dung
Kinds of Dung Terms modified by Dung Selected AbstractsDUNG BY PREFERENCE: THE CHOICE OF FUEL AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ANDEAN POTTERY PRODUCTION IS EMBEDDED WITHIN WIDER TECHNICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC PRACTICES,ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 1 2000B. SILLAR A discussion of how Andean potters acquire and use their fuels is used to demonstrate the ,embedded'nature of ceramic technology. The most common choice of fuel in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia is animal dung (mainly cow, sheep, and llama). This technological choice is related to wider social and economic practices (particularly in relation to animal husbandry) which has further repercussions that affect other technologies (such as agriculture practices). Such a succession of interrelated activities is not unique to pottery; it is fundamental to all technologies and should be considered within archaeological analysis. [source] Restoration of Species Richness in Abandoned Mediterranean Grasslands: Seeds in Cattle DungRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Juan Traba Abstract Endozoochory has proven to be a highly effective mechanism in the dispersal of viable seeds in Mediterranean grasslands. We studied the effect of cattle dung application on species richness, particularly on the reintroduction of species lost after abandonment. Sown and control plots were monitored for 3 years after dung sowing. We found a significant increase in small-scale richness, which may be attributed to the treatment, with the inclusion of species detected in the dung and in the grazed pasture. The differences in richness and floristic composition diminished over time. This experiment proves the potential utility of this treatment for the restoration of species richness in abandoned pastures, although supplementary steps are necessary, including further sowing and/or shrub cutting in subsequent years. [source] The Effect of Dung and Dispersal on Postdispersal Seed Predation of Attalea phalerata (Arecaceae) by Bruchid Beetles,BIOTROPICA, Issue 6 2006Rodrigo S. Rios ABSTRACT Low postdispersal mortality of palm seeds in tapir dung is hypothesized to result from the mechanical barrier provided by dung against bruchid infestation and/or from the distance to adult palms at which seeds are dispersed. We tested these hypotheses by distributing endocarps of Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. in experimental dung piles in Beni, Bolivia. Predation rates were significantly lower for seeds covered by dung than for exposed or partially covered seeds, but did not differ between seeds placed below and 50 m away from palms. Thus, dung, not short-distance dispersal, protects seeds against bruchid beetles, and may ultimately promote survival of palm seeds. RESÚMEN La baja mortalidad post dispersión de las semillas de la palmera Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. encontrada en heces de tapir puede ser el resultado de la barrera mecánica que brinda la materia fecal contra la infestación por brúquidos y/o de la distancia a la que son dispersadas las semillas. Pusimos a prueba estas hipótesis distribuyendo endocarpos de A. phalerata en pilas fecales experimentales en el Beni, Bolivia. Las tasas de depredación fueron significativamente menores en semillas completamente cubiertas por materia fecal que en semillas limpias o parcialmente recubiertas, pero no variaron entre semillas debajo y a 50 m de las palmeras madre. Por lo tanto, las heces y no la dispersión de corta distancia protegen a las semillas de brúquidos, promoviendo así la sobrevivencia de semillas. [source] Regional and local influence of grazing activity on the diversity of a semi-arid dung beetle communityDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2006Jorge M. Lobo ABSTRACT This study analyses the effect of resource availability (i.e. sheep dung) on dung beetle communities in an arid region of Central Spain, both at regional and at local scales. A total of 18 sites within 600 km2 were sampled for the regional analysis and 16 sites within the 30 km2 of an Iberian municipality were sampled for the local analysis. Spatial and environmental characteristics of sampling sites were also compiled at both scales, including measures of grazing activity (livestock density at regional scale, and two counts of rabbit and sheep dung at local scale). At a regional scale, any environmental or spatial variable can help to explain the variation in abundance. However, species richness was related to summer precipitation and composition was related to elevation. At local scale, abundance is not significantly related to any of the environmental variables, but species richness was related to the local amount of sheep dung (27% of variance). The amount of dung in a 2-km buffer around the site accounts for 27,32% of variance in abundance and 60,65% of variance in species richness. The presence of the flock with the highest sheep density explains 53% of abundance variability and 73% of species richness variance. A cluster analysis of localities identified two main groups, one characterized by a lower abundance and species richness that can be considered a nested subsample of the species-rich group. The mean and maximum amount of sheep dung in the sites separated by less than 2 km are the only significant explanatory variables able to discriminate both groups. These results suggest that grazing intensity (and the associated increase in the amount of trophic resources) is a key factor in determining local variation in the diversity and composition of dung beetle assemblages. However, dung beetle assemblages are not spatially independent at the analysed resolution, and the amount of dung in the surroundings seems to be more important for locally collected species than the dung effectively found in the site. Although differences in the availability and quantity of trophic resources among nearby sites could be affecting the population dynamics and dispersion of dung beetles within a locality, sites with larger populations, and greater species numbers would not be able to exercise enough influence as to bring about a complete local faunistic homogenization. [source] What do dung beetles eat?ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 6 2007PETER HOLTER Abstract 1.,Most adult coprophagous beetles feed on fresh dung of mammalian herbivores, confining ingestion to small particles with measured maximum diameters from 2,5 to 130 ,m, according to body size and kind of beetle. This study explores benefits and costs of selective feeding in a ,typical' dung beetle with a maximum diameter of ingested particles (MDIP) of 20 ,m. 2.,Examined dung types (from Danish domestic sheep, cattle and horse, and African wild buffalo, white rhino and elephant) contained 76,89% water. Costs of a 20 ,m MDIP were often low, since 69,87% of the total nitrogen in bulk dung other than that of elephant and rhino (40,58%) was available to selective feeders. 3.,Nitrogen concentrations were high , and C/N ratios low , in most types of bulk dung compared with the average food of terrestrial detritivores or herbivores. Exceptions were elephant and rhino dung with low nitrogen concentrations and high C/N ratios. 4.,Estimated C/N ratios of 13,39 in bulk dung (sheep,elephant) were decreased by selective feeding to 7.3,12.6 in the ingested material. In assimilated food, ratios are probably only 5,7, as most assimilable nitrogen and carbon may be of microbial origin. If so, the assimilable food contains a surplus of nitrogen relative to carbon. 5.,The primary advantage of selective feeding, particularly in dung with a high C/N ratio, may be to concentrate assimilable carbon in the ingested food. Effects of changing the MDIP within 20,106 ,m are modest, especially in dung with a low C/N ratio. [source] Dung beetles in a Central Amazonian rainforest and their ecological role as secondary seed dispersersECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Ellen Andresen Abstract 1. The role of several factors that affect the composition of the dung beetle assemblages in an Amazonian rainforest was quantified, together with the effect of these factors on the role that dung beetles play as secondary seed dispersers. 2. A total of 61 dung beetle species was captured during 3360 h of trapping. During nocturnal trapping periods, more dung beetles, of larger mean size, and more species were captured per trap than during diurnal trapping periods. 3. During the rainy season, more dung beetle species were captured per trap than during the dry season, but the number of individuals and their mean size did not vary between seasons. 4. Bait size had a significant effect on the mean number of beetles and mean number of species but not on mean beetle size. As bait size increased from 5, 10, 25, to 50 g, more beetles and more species were captured per trap. 5. Between 6 and 73% of plastic beads, used as seed mimics, were buried by dung beetles at depths that ranged from 0.5 to 7 cm. Both the proportion of beads buried and burial depth decreased with increasing bead size, and increased with increasing amounts of dung surrounding each bead (5, 10, and 25 g). 6. The proportion of buried seeds for three species varying in size between 5 and 27 mm, increased with increasing dung beetle size, using beetles of seven sizes, varying between 10 and 25 mm. 7. Seeds surrounded by dung were buried more often and more deeply when placed on the forest floor during the late afternoon than when placed during the early morning. Seeds were also buried more often when placed on the forest floor during the rainy season than when placed during the dry season, but season had no effect on burial depth. 8. Forests in Central Amazonia hold a rich dung beetle community that plays an active role in secondary seed dispersal, and consequently in plant regeneration. The interaction between seeds and beetles is complex because it is affected by many factors. [source] Effect of bacteria-mineral water produced from bio-reacted fowl dung on seed germination of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa L.)ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 1 2008Wenyuan He Abstract Positive effects of Bacteria-mineral water (BMW) produced from bio-reacted manure on plant growth and crop seed germination has been observed in agriculture practices. The experiment was conducted to examine the effects of BMW produced from bio-reacted fowl dung on seed germination of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Seeds were soaked in BMW at concentrations of 100, 10, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.025, and 0% (control) and then incubated at 25°C ± 1°C in a seed germinator for 7 days. All BMW treatments not only enhanced germination energy and final germination percentage of wheat and rice seeds, but also significantly improved (P < 0.05) seed vigor index (VI). Compared to control, treatment with 0.25% BMW had significant effects (P < 0.05) on final germination percentage and increased significantly seed germination percentage (7.34%) and germination energy (8.67%) of wheat seeds. There were strong correlations between germination energy and final germination percentage (P < 0.05), germination index (P < 0.05), VI (P < 0.05), water absorption rate (P < 0.01), and storage reserve transform rate (P < 0.01). While for rice seeds, 0.25% and 0.125% BMW treatments significantly improved (P < 0.05) final germination percentage by 8% separately, and germination energy enhanced 8.66% and 9.33% respectively. There were strong correlations between germination energy (and final germination percentage) and other parameters except for water adsorption rate and storage reserve loss rate. BMW consistently showed positive effects on crop seed germination. 0.25% BMW treatment may be the best concentration to stimulate wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds germination, while 0.125,0.25% BMW would be the most suitable concentration range for rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2008 [source] Bioconcentrations of metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb) in earthworms (Eisenia fetida), inoculated in municipal sewage sludge: Do earthworms pose a possible risk of terrestrial food chain contamination?ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Surindra Suthar Abstract Efforts have been made to evaluate the possible risks of metal bioaccumulation in composting earthworms during vermicomposting of hazardous wastes, e.g., sewage sludge. The sewage sludge was diluted by mixing cow dung in different proportions, and vermicomposted sludge as well as inoculated earthworms were analyzed for metal (Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb) contents. The sludge processed by worms showed a significant reduction in concentration of metals, Cu (29.4,51.6%), Fe (13.1,19.9%), Zn (15.2,25.8%), and Pb (4.6,46.9%), at the end. A considerable concentration of metals, total Cu (16.7,27.6 mg kg,1), total Fe (42.9,89.8 mg kg,1), total Zn (5.85,75.0 mg kg,1), and total Pb (1.79,12.4 mg kg,1), in composting earthworms was also recorded. The greater values of bioconcentration factors for metals suggested the possible risk of entering contaminants in higher food chains; since, earthworms are near to the terrestrial food chain, they can potentially mediate metal transfer from soil to a range of predators, including birds. Therefore, feasibility of vermitechnology in hazardous waste recycling needs close attention in respect to possible risk of environmental contamination. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2009. [source] Adjustment of Parental Investment in the Dung Beetle Onthophagus atripennis (Col., Scarabaeidae)ETHOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Shigeki Kishi If parents can invest resources optimally per offspring, they should adjust the amount of investment in an offspring according to environmental heterogeneity. Many studies have demonstrated changes in egg size or the amount of resource supplied in response to environmental heterogeneity. However, it remains unclear whether parents simply know the resource type a priori or can assess resource quality and adjust the quantity of investment accordingly. We examined the parental capability to adjust the amount of investment per offspring by providing Onthophagus atripennis dung beetle parents with one of three dung types of different quality: monkey dung (high quality), cow dung (low quality), or a mixture of monkey and cow dung (medium quality). The beetle parents cooperatively produce dung brood masses each with one egg under the ground. The size of a brood mass, on which a larva can only feed until adult, represents a large part of the amount of investment. Parents produced a greater number of smaller brood masses given high-quality resource, while they compensated for low quality of the resource by providing a larger amount of the resource, at the cost of offspring number. However, despite this compensation in the amount of food, offspring raised on low-quality food was still smaller than offspring raised on high-quality food. Thus, O. atripennis parents assessed resource quality partly and adjusted the amount of resource provided for their offspring. [source] The Contribution of Bioenergy to a New Energy ParadigmEUROCHOICES, Issue 3 2005Daniel De La Torre Ugarte Biomass is a widely available resource that is receiving increased consideration as a renewable substitute for fossil fuels. Developed sustainably and used efficiently, it can induce growth in developing countries, reduce oil demand, and address environmental problems. The potential benefits include: reduction of greenhouse gases, recuperation of soil productivity and degraded land, economic benefits from adding value to agricultural activities and improving access to and quality of energy services. The production of bioenergy involves a range of technologies, including solid combustion, gasification, and fermentation. These technologies produce energy from a diverse set of biological resources - traditional crops, crop residues, energy-dedicated crops, dung, and the organic component of urban waste. The results are bioenergy products that provide multiple energy services: cooking fuel, heat, electricity and transportation fuels. It is this very diversity that holds the potential of a win-win-win for the environment, social and economic development. Bioenergy has to be viewed not as a replacement for oil, but as an element of a portfolio of renewable sources of energy. Coherent and mutually supportive environmental and economic policies may be needed to encourage the emergence of a globally dispersed bioenergy industry that will pursue a path of sustainable development. La biomasse est une resource largement répandue, qui commence à retenir l'attention comme substitut renouvelable aux énergies fossiles. En l'utilisant de façon efficace et durable, on peut accélérer la croissance des pays en voie de développement, réduire la demandepour le pétrole et résoudre certains problèmes d'environnement. Au nombre des bénéfices potentiels il faut mettre : la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, la reconstitution de la fertilité dessols et des terres dégradées, les avantages économiques liés à l'accroissement de la production agricole et à l'amélioration des services énergétiques, tant en qualité qu'en accessibilité. La production de bioénergie met en oeuvre un large éventail de techniques parmi lesquelles la combustionde produits solides, la gazéification et la fermentation. Elles produisent de l'énergie à partir d'une grande variété de sources biologiques : cultures traditionnelles, résidus de cultures, cultures spécialisées, fumiers et déchets organiques urbains. Les produits bio-énergétiques qui en résultent couvrent une grande variété d'usages : énergie de cuisson, chauffage, électricité et transports. C'est précisément sur cette diversité que repose l'espoir de gains dans toutes les directions, sociales, environnementales et économiques. Il ne faut pas voir la bioénergie comme un simple substitut au pétrole, mais comme un portefeuille de ressources renouvelables. Pour encourager l'émergence d'une industrie bioénergétique largement répandue et susceptible de contribuer au développement durable, il faudra sans doute élaborer des politiques économiques et environnementales cohérentes, capables de se soutenir mutuellement. Bei Biomasse handelt es sich umeine weithin verfügbare Ressource, welche zunehmend als erneuerbarer Ersatz für fossile Brennstoffe in Betracht gezogen wird. Sie kann bei nachhaltiger Entwicklung und effizienter Nutzung zu Wachstum in den Entwicklungsländern führen, die Nachfrage nach Öl senken und dazu beitragen, die Umweltprobleme in den Griff zu bekommen. Zu den potenziellen Nutzen gehÖren: Verringerung der Treibhausgase, Wiederherstellung von Bodenproduktivität sowie von erodiertem Land, wirtschaftlicher Nutzen durch zusätzliche Wertschöpfung aus landwirtschaftlicher Aktivität und besserer Zugang zu und Qualität in der Energieversorgung. Bei der Erzeugungvon Bioenergie kommen eine Reihe von verschiedenen Technologien zur Anwendung, z.B. Verbrennung fester Brennstoffe, Vergasung sowie Gärung. Diese Technologien erzeugen Energie mittels unterschiedlicher biologischer Ressourcen , traditionelle Feldfrüchte und deren Rückstände, spezielle Energiepflanzen, Mist sowie der organische Anteil städtischer Abfälle. Die daraus erzeugte Bioenergie kann zum Kochen, zum Heizen, als Elektrizität oder als Treibstoff genutzt werden. Gerade in dieser Vielfalt liegt der potenzielle Gewinn für die Umwelt und die soziale sowie die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung. Bioenergie sollte nicht als ein Ersatz für Öl, sondern als Bestandteil des Portfolios erneuerbarer Energiequellen angesehen werden. Kohärente und sich gegenseitig unterstützende ökologische und Ökonomische Politikmaßnahmen könntenerforderlich sein, um die Entstehung einer global verbreiteten Bioenergieindustrie zu begünstigen, welche eine nachhaltige Entwicklung verfolgt. [source] Early pyrotechnology in the Near East: Experimental lime-plaster production at the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site of Kfar HaHoresh, IsraelGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 6 2008Y. Goren A characteristic hallmark of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) in the southern Levant was the extensive use of lime plaster for architectural and other purposes. Yet no obvious kilns have been identified in archaeological contexts. Here we present details of an experimental pit-kiln modeling lime-plaster production based on observed burnt stone accumulations in pits at the PPNB site of Kfar HaHoresh in the lower Galilee. The experimental kiln was loaded in layers with ,500 kg of limestone (pebbles and stones) and ,1000 kg of fuel (branches and dung). Fired for 24 hours, and reaching a maximum 870°C, the kiln yielded almost 250 kg of quicklime (calcium oxide, CaO). Micromorphological samples, general observations, and scaled plan view drawings made immediately following and nine years after ignition demonstrate that the original shape of the kiln and residual quicklime within and around it rapidly dissipated through bioturbation, trampling by animals, erosion, rain, and exposure to the elements. This could account for the seeming absence of kilns within sites, although they were probably located close to where lime-plaster was applied, given the unstable nature and toxic effects of handling quicklime. Calculations of the manpower and fuel involved indicate that PPNB lime-plaster production may have been less labor intensive and less detrimental to the environment than previously portrayed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Micromorphology and plant macrofossil analysis of cattle dung from the Neolithic lake shore settlement of Arbon Bleiche 3GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 6 2001Örni Akeret At the excavation of the Neolithic site of Arbon Bleiche 3, Switzerland (3384,3370 B.C., dated using dendrochronology), objects were found that strongly resembled cow pats. Both micromorphological characteristics and plant macrofossil content confirmed this. Although a detailed micromorphological description was possible, macrofossil analysis turned out to be more difficult than expected because of contamination along fissures. The contents of two of the four coprolites analyzed had conspicuously high amounts of leaves and wood of silver fir (Abies alba). This animal feed may have come in large quantities as a byproduct of house construction. In addition, mistletoe (Viscum album), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus s.l.), and ferns could be identified as animal fodder. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Did elephants hang from trees?GEOLOGY TODAY, Issue 2 2002the giant sloths of South America One hundred years ago, the discovery of fresh-looking, red, hairy skin and huge piles of dung of an extinct animal caused a media storm. The remains were found jumbled with human bones and tools on the floor of a cave near the southern tip of South America. Were the huge, cumbersome, hamster-like creatures known as ground sloths still roaming the remote forests? [source] Modelling the concentrations of nitrogen and water-soluble carbohydrates in grass herbage ingested by cattle under strip-grazing managementGRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008N. J. Hoekstra Abstract There is scope of increasing the nitrogen (N) efficiency of grazing cattle through manipulation of the energy and N concentrations in the herbage ingested. Because of asymmetric grazing by cattle between individual plant parts, it has not yet been established how this translates into the concentrations of N and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in the herbage ingested. A model is described with the objective of assessing the efficacy of individual tools in grassland management in manipulating the WSC and N concentrations of the herbage ingested by cattle under strip-grazing management throughout the growing season. The model was calibrated and independently evaluated for early (April), mid- (June, regrowth phase) and late (September) parts of the growing season. There was a high correlation between predicted and observed WSC concentrations in the ingested herbage (R2 = 0·78, P < 0·001). The correlation between predicted and observed neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) concentrations in the ingested herbage was lower (R2 = 0·49, P < 0·05) with a small absolute bias. Differences in the N concentration between laminae and sheaths, and between clean patches and fouled patches, were adequately simulated and it was concluded that the model could be used to assess the efficacy of grassland management tools for manipulating the WSC and N concentrations in the ingested herbage. Model application showed that reduced rates of application of N fertilizer and longer rotation lengths were effective tools for manipulating herbage quality in early and mid-season. During the later part of the growing season, the large proportion of area affected by dung and urine reduced the effect of application rate of N fertilizer on herbage quality. In contrast, relative differences between high-sugar and low-sugar cultivars of perennial ryegrass were largest during this period. This suggests that high-sugar cultivars may be an important tool in increasing N efficiency by cattle when risks of N losses to water bodies are largest. The model output showed that defoliation height affects the chemical composition of the ingested herbage of both the current and the subsequent grazing period. [source] Effect of Organic and Inorganic Nutrients for Soil Quality Conservation and Yield of Rainfed Low Land Rice in Sub-tropical Plateau RegionJOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 5 2006P. Banik Abstract The effect of organic sources of nutrients and inorganic fertilizers, was studied on grain yield of lowland rice and some aspect of soil quality parameters in a field experiment at Agricultural Experimental Farm of Indian Statistical Institute, Giridih, situated at eastern plateau region of India, during consecutive years 1997,2002. Chemical fertilizers and various organic matters were applied to two rice cultivars, Sabita and Subarna. The highest mean grain yield was 3.53 t ha,1 and maximum agronomic efficiency was 60.3 % with the application of inorganic fertilizer followed by cow dung, where 3.47 t ha,1 grain yield was recorded with an agronomic efficiency of 57.5 %. Grain yield of rice recorded under organic sources of nutrients was not significantly different from that of inorganic fertilization though there was improvement in soil quality parameters under organic sources. Soil organic carbon (0.72 %), microbial biomass-C (279.23 ,g g,1 dry soil), urease activity with buffer (33.54 ,g urea hydrolyzed g,1 oven-dry soil) and non-buffer (21.97 ,g urea hydrolyzed g,1 of oven-dry soil) methods and acid phosphatase activity (2.24 ,g para-nitrophenol released g,1 of oven-dry soil) analysed following the harvest of the crop were highest under cow dung manure treatment; the most efficient organic source under the experiment. Mean grain yield of rice was significantly higher in Sabita cultivar over Subarna. The regression analyses among the variables have shown that there was linear relationship among soil parameters and grain yield of rice. [source] Understanding the biodiversity consequences of habitat change: the value of secondary and plantation forests for neotropical dung beetlesJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Toby A. Gardner Summary 1Secondary and plantation forests are becoming increasingly widespread in the tropics. A recent meta-analysis on the impacts of land-use change on tropical forest dung beetles concluded that regenerating forests can be effective in helping to offset species loss following deforestation. However, our understanding of the extent to which these results can be generalized to new locations remains very poor. 2We attempted to overcome many of the design limitations that characterize previous studies by collecting spatially independent dung beetle samples from primary, secondary and Eucalyptus plantation forests in north-east Brazilian Amazonia across a large quasi-experimental landscape that minimized confounding edge and fragmentation effects. 3We recorded 9203 dung beetles, comprising 85 species. Species richness was significantly higher in primary forest and the majority of species were more abundant there than elsewhere, whereas secondary and plantation sites harboured an impoverished subset of primary forest species. 4Our data illustrate the low value of tropical secondary and plantation forests for dung beetles in our study area, and our conclusions are more pessimistic than those of earlier studies. 5Because of differences in the order of species rank-abundance and rank-biomass patterns, re-coding community data from abundance to biomass significantly altered the analytical weight of individual species in determining community patterns. Larger bodied beetles were more prone to local extinctions and abundance declines and this effect was consistent both within and between genera. 6Synthesis and applications. Our study demonstrates that secondary and plantation forests in a large neotropical landscape host exceptionally impoverished dung beetle communities. Furthermore, the depletion of beetle abundance combined with a reduction in average body mass in converted forests is likely to have detrimental consequences for the maintenance of dung beetle-mediated ecosystem services in these habitats. Differences in biogeographical and landscape context, and the influence of common limitations in sampling design, may explain why many other studies have painted a more optimistic picture of the conservation value of anthropogenic habitats. In the absence of further evidence we caution strongly against the claim that forest regeneration schemes on degraded land can effectively offset the loss of species following deforestation, and urge that conservation strategies prioritize the protection of remaining areas of primary forest. [source] Estimating deer abundance from line transect surveys of dung: sika deer in southern ScotlandJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Fernanda F.C. Marques Summary 1Accurate and precise estimates of abundance are required for the development of management regimes for deer populations. In woodland areas, indirect dung count methods, such as the clearance plot and standing crop methods, are currently the preferred procedures to estimate deer abundance. The use of line transect methodology is likely to provide a cost-effective alternative to these methods. 2We outline a methodology based on line transect surveys of deer dung that can be used to obtain deer abundance estimates by geographical block and habitat type. Variance estimation procedures are also described. 3As an example, we applied the method to estimate sika deer Cervus nippon abundance in south Scotland. Estimates of deer defecation and length of time to dung decay were used to convert pellet group density to deer density by geographical block and habitat type. The results obtained agreed with knowledge from cull and sightings data, and the precision of the estimates was generally high. 4Relatively high sika deer densities observed in moorland areas up to 300 m from the forest edge indicated the need to encompass those areas in future surveys to avoid an underestimate of deer abundance in the region of interest. 5It is unlikely that a single method for estimating deer abundance will prove to be better under all circumstances. Direct comparisons between methods are required to evaluate thoroughly the relative merits of each of them. 6Line transect surveys of dung are becoming a widely used tool to aid management and conservation of a wide range of species. The survey methodology we outline is readily adaptable to other vertebrates that are amenable to dung survey methodology. [source] Short-term assessment of dung beetle response to carbosulfan treatment against desert locust in SudanJOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 8 2009H. Eriksson Abstract The beneficial role of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is well known. Potential risks to these beetles from the widespread use of insecticides against the desert locust, a significant plant pest in Africa, the Near East and South West Asia, have not been studied previously. Short-term responses of dung beetles to carbamate carbosulfan (Marshal®, ultra low-volume formulation, 100 g active ingredient ha,1) were assessed during desert locust control operations at five sites within two major biotopes: Acacia tortilis shrubland and cultivated wetland; on the Red Sea Coast of Sudan. The study took place during January,February 2004. At each site, fresh dung from Zebu cows was placed in areas targeted for desert locust control. Dung pats were placed in plots in two areas and left for 24 h, before and after insecticide application. Beetles were extracted by floatation. There was a significant decrease in abundance between the pre- and post-spray period in treated areas for the Scarabaeinae species Onthophagus margaritifer (a dark colour morph). In contrast, it was found that Aphodius lucidus and beetles at the subfamily level of Aphodiinae increased in numbers after insecticide treatment. Mortality and sublethal impacts as well as a repellent effect of the insecticide may explain the decrease in Onthophagus margaritifer, while the increase in Aphodiinae beetles could be an indirect response to lower numbers of Scarabaeinae beetles in competing for the same resource. These organisms and the applied methodology may be useful for environmental monitoring of desert locust control, thus further studies are suggested. The assessment also revealed a marked difference between the two biotopes with high abundance and species richness of dung beetles in A. tortilis shrubland, while these measures were low in the cultivated wetland. Five new species of dung beetles for Sudan were found in this study. [source] Historical biogeography of scarabaeine dung beetlesJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 9 2002Adrian L. V. Davis Abstract Aim, (1) To review briefly global biogeographical patterns in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), a group whose evolutionary history has been dominated by ecological specialization to vertebrate dung in warmer climates. (2) To develop hypotheses accounting for the evolution of these patterns. Location, Six principal biogeographical regions: Palaearctic, Oriental, Afrotropical, Australasia, Neotropical, Nearctic and five outlying islands or island groups harbouring endemic genera: Caribbean, Madagascar, Mauritius, New Caledonia, New Zealand. Methods, Major patterns of tribal, generic and species distribution are investigated using cluster analysis, ordination, parsimony analysis of endemism and track analysis. Attempts are made to resolve biogeographical patterns with findings in the fields of plate tectonics, fossil and evolutionary history, plus phylogeny of both mammals and dung beetles. Results, Because of conflict between published findings, it is uncertain at what point in time density of dinosaur dung, mammal dung or both became sufficiently great to select for specialized habits in dung beetles. However, biogeographical evidence would suggest a Mesozoic origin followed by further taxonomic radiation during the Cenozoic, possibly in response to the increasing size and diversity of mammalian dung types in South America and Afro-Eurasia. Proportional generic distribution in fourteen tribes and subtribes showed four principal biogeographical patterns: (1) southerly biased Gondwanaland distribution, (2) Americas or (3) Madagascar endemism, and (4) northerly biased, Afro-Eurasian-centred distribution with limited numbers of genera also widespread in other regions. Proportional composition of faunas in eleven geographical regions indicated three principal distributional centres, East Gondwanaland fragments, Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. These patterns probably result from three principal long-term range expansion and vicariance events (Mesozoic: Gondwanaland interchange and fragmentation, Cenozoic: Afro-Eurasian/Nearctic interchange and the Great American interchange). It is suggested that old vicariance caused by the Mesozoic fragmentation of Gondwanaland leads to a high degree of regional endemism at generic or tribal level across one or more Gondwanaland tracks. In contrast, it is suggested that the more recent Cenozoic range expansions occurred primarily towards northern regions leading to endemism primarily at species level. These Cenozoic radiations were facilitated by the re-linking of continents, either because of tectonic plate movements (Africa to Eurasia in Miocene), climatically induced sea-level change (Afro-Eurasia to Nearctic in Miocene and Pleistocene), or similar coupled with orogenics (Nearctic to Neotropical in Pliocene). Speciation has followed vicariance either because of climatic change or physical barrier development. These recent range expansions probably occurred principally along an Afro-Eurasian land track to the Nearctic and Neotropical and an Americas land track northwards from the Neotropics to the Nearctic, with limited dispersal from Eurasia to Australia, probably across a sea barrier. This accounts for the overall, spatially constrained, biogeographical pattern comprising large numbers of species-poor genera endemic to a single biogeographical region and fewer more species-rich genera, many of which show wider biogeographical distributions. In most southerly regions (Australasia, Madagascar, Neotropical), faunal composition and generic endemism is primarily dominated by elements with Gondwanaland ancestry, which is consistent with the Gondwanaland origin claimed for Scarabaeinae. In Afro-Eurasia (Palaearctic, Oriental, Afrotropical), generic endemism of monophyletically derived Afro-Eurasian and widespread lineages is centred in the Afrotropical region and faunal composition is numerically dominated by Afro-Eurasian and widespread elements. In the Nearctic region, the fauna is jointly dominated by widespread elements, derived from Afro-Eurasia, and Gondwanaland and Americas elements derived from the Neotropical region. Main conclusions, Global biogeographical patterns in scarabaeine dung beetles primarily result from Mesozoic and Cenozoic range expansion events followed by vicariance, although recent dispersal to Australia may have occurred across sea barriers. Detailed phylogenetics research is required to provide data to support dispersal/vicariance hypotheses. [source] Heard but not seen: an acoustic survey of the African forest elephant population at Kakum Conservation Area, GhanaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Mya E. Thompson Abstract This study, designed to survey forest elephants (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) at Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana, is the first to apply acoustic methods to elephant abundance estimation and to compare results with independent survey estimates. Nine acoustic sensors gathered sound continuously for 38 days. Low-frequency calling rates have been established as useful elephant abundance indices at a Namibian watering hole and a central African forest clearing. In this study, we estimated elephant population size by applying an abundance index model and detection function developed in central Africa to data from simultaneous sampling periods on Kakum sensors. The sensor array recorded an average of 1.81 calls per 20-min sampling period from an effective detection area averaging 10.27 km2. The resulting estimate of 294 elephants (95% CI: 259,329) falls within confidence bounds of recent dung-based surveys. An extended acoustic model, estimating the frequency with which elephants are silent when present, yields an estimate of 350 elephants (95% CI: 315,384). Acoustic survey confidence intervals are at least half as wide as those from dung-based surveys. This study demonstrates that acoustic surveying is a valuable tool for estimating elephant abundance, as well as for detecting other vocal species and anthropogenic noises that may be associated with poaching. Résumé Cette étude, conçue pour étudier les éléphants de forêt (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) de l'Aire de conservation de Kakum, au Ghana, est la première qui applique des méthodes acoustiques pour l'estimation de l'abondance des éléphants et qui compare les résultats avec des estimations indépendantes. Pendant 38 jours, neuf senseurs acoustiques ont récolté les sons en continu. Le rythme des appels à basse fréquence est un indice utile de l'abondance des éléphants que l'on a pu établir à un point d'eau en Namibie et dans une clairière d'une forêt d'Afrique centrale. Ici, nous estimons la taille d'une population d'éléphants en appliquant un modèle d'indice d'abondance et une fonction de détection mis au point en Afrique centrale à des données provenant des senseurs de Kakum pour des périodes d'échantillonnage simultanées. La batterie de senseurs a enregistré une moyenne de 1.81 appel par 20 min, pour une superficie de détection réelle de 10.27 km² en moyenne. L'estimation qui en résulte, qui est de 294 éléphants (95% IC 259,329), tombe dans les limites de confiance de récentes études basées sur les crottes. Un modèle acoustique étendu, qui estime aussi la fréquence à laquelle les éléphants sont silencieux pendant leur présence, donne une estimation de 350 éléphants (95% IC 315,384). Les intervalles de confiance d'une étude acoustique sont au moins la moitié de ceux des études par les crottes. Cette étude montre que l'étude acoustique est un outil intéressant pour estimer l'abondance des éléphants et aussi pour détecter d'autres espèces bruyantes et les bruits d'origine anthropique qui pourraient être associés au braconnage. [source] Notes on seeds deposited in elephant dung at Tarangire National Park, TanzaniaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2009David J. Gonthier First page of article [source] Investigation and recommendations concerning prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and promotion of hygiene in earthquake-stricken areasJOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE, Issue 1 2008Guang Zeng Abstract In order to identify all public hygiene problems in the Wenchuan quake-affected areas, and also to provide relevant recommendations to local governments, the quake areas were entered for field investigation and consultation. The current situation and hidden dangers and problems of epidemic surveillance, planned immunization, drinking water hygiene, nutrition and food hygiene, environmental hygiene are discussed in the article. Some suggestions are also provided for government public hygiene policy: (i) launch a patriotic health campaign among the population; (ii) study on green agricultural policy of changing dung into manure; (iii) start from quake-affected area to develop rural environmental hygiene work; (iv) prolong treatment of infectious diseases free of charge, and draw up a policy of free vaccination for earthquake victims; and (v) realize reform of the CDG funding system in the quake-affected area. At last, meaning and judgment criteria of ,no big epidemic after a great disaster' are interpreted. The observation period is divided into three phases: forthcoming summer and autumn phase, forthcoming winter and next spring phase, and comprehensive recovery phase. [source] Household level tree planting and its implications for environmental management in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia: a case study in the Chemoga watershed, Blue Nile basinLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2003W. Bewket Abstract The unsustainable exploitation and destruction of forests is a serious environmental concern in the developing countries of Africa. One of its main driving forces is the growing population causing a growing demand for fuelwood. In Ethiopia, as in many developing countries, there is a heavy dependence on and a growing demand for fuelwood. This dependence has been contributing to a widescale deforestation, as stated in various reports. Contrary to these reports, a study in the Chemoga watershed found a slightly increased forest cover during the past four decades, which was ascribed to households' tree planting practices. The objective of this study was to examine household level tree planting activities in reference to biofuel consumption patterns in four sample villages in the watershed. The results indicate that fuelwood and cattle dung accounted for nearly 100 per cent of the domestic energy consumption, with cattle dung contributing 34 per cent of the total. Fuelwood and dung combined, per capita biofuel consumption was estimated at 511,kg,yr,1, but with variations between the villages and socio-economic groups. Supply appears to have influenced the quantity of biofuels used. The scarcity of wood for fuel and other uses has forced households to plant trees. This has contributed to the increased forest cover of the watershed at the present as compared to that four decades ago. Number of trees planted showed variation between the villages and socio-economic groups, which is attributable to physical and human factors. In promoting tree planting, agroforesters and environmental management planners should therefore take into account local level biophysical and socio-economic realities. This agroforestry practice is a good short-term solution to the problem of fuelwood shortage, and also has many positive implications for environmental management and agricultural production. Thus, it has to be encouraged. Spatially aggregated, local level agroforestry practices contribute positively towards global ecosystem health. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Treatment of sanitary-important bacteria by bacteriocin substance V24 in cattle dung waterLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2000A. Lauková Quantification of sanitary-important bacteria (e.g. Enterobacteriaceae), as well as indicators of environmental contamination, was assessed in samples of cattle dung from 25 cattle farms in 15 north-eastern Slovakia districts. The inhibitory effect of crude bacteriocin extract CBE V24 from Enterococcus faecalis V24 against Listeria monocytogenes Ohio and Yersinia enterocolitica YE85 was examined in cattle dung water with the aim of finding a new way of eliminating the health risk of the animal slurry. The following bacterial groups were quantified: Salmonella spp., Shigella -like spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., Citrobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria spp., staphylococci, streptococci and enterococci (the average count ranged from 102 up to 104 cfu ml,1). Antagonistic effect of the crude bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecalis V24 in the range of 100,600 Arbitrary units per ml (AU ml,1) was shown against the following bacteria: Enterobacter cloacae, Ent. asburiae, Proteus spp., Salmonella spp., Acinetobacter lwoffi, L. monocytogenes as well as Y. enterocolitica YE85. During tests performed to study the inhibitory effect of the crude bacteriocin CBE V24 (concentration 800, 1600 AU ml,1) against L. monocytogenes Ohio and Y. enterocolitica YE85 in experimentally contaminated cattle dung, a reduction of 2·03 and 1·44 log cfu ml,1, respectively, was already noted after 1 h after crude bacteriocin CBE V24 addition. [source] Endectocide residues affect insect attraction to dung from treated cattle: implications for toxicity testsMEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2007K. D. FLOATE Abstract A 3-year study was performed in southern Alberta, Canada to assess the effect of endectocide residues on the attractiveness of cattle dung to colonizing insects. In 2003 and 2004, insect captures were compared between pitfall traps baited with dung of untreated cattle and paired traps baited with dung of cattle that had been treated 7 days previously with topically applied doramectin, eprinomectin, ivermectin or moxidectin. Faecal residues associated with each compound affected insect captures in both spring and autumn of each year. Effects were detected (P < 0.05) for a total of 94 cases representing 27 insect taxa from 13 families in three orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera). Two-fold differences in captures were common. Up to six-fold differences were observed. Eleven cases of attraction and 11 cases of repellency were associated with residues of doramectin. Eprinomectin tended to repel insects, with decreased captures for 19 of 29 cases of effect. Ivermectin showed a strong attractive effect, with increased captures for 17 of 25 cases. Moxidectin also showed a strong attractive effect, with increased captures for 17 of 18 cases. Comparisons between compounds suggested that results for doramectin best predicted results for eprinomectin and vice versa. In 2005, insect captures were compared between pitfall traps baited with dung of untreated cattle and traps baited with dung from cattle treated 3, 7 or 14 days previously with topically applied doramectin. Effects were detected in 14 cases plus one case of near significance (P= 0.053). Significant differences between control vs. days 3, 7 and/or 14 dung were detected in nine cases. Residues enhanced captures in seven of these cases. Day 14 dung affected captures in six of these cases. This study shows that endectocide residues can affect the number of insects attracted to colonize and oviposit in dung. Hence, the emergence of their offspring from field-colonized dung of untreated vs. endectocide-treated cattle should not be used as a measure of residue toxicity per se, but rather as a measure of ,insect activity'. Insect activity is a composite measure of residue toxicity, the number and species composition of insect colonists, and the mortality factors (e.g. predation, parasitism, competition) associated with the co-occurrence of these species in the dung pat. [source] Chemostimuli implicated in selection of oviposition substrates by the stable fly Stomoxys calcitransMEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2007P JEANBOURQUIN Abstract Horse and cow dung were tested as substrates for oviposition by the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (L) (Diptera: Muscidae) in laboratory cages. Odour alone from either horse or cow dung was sufficient to attract flies for oviposition. This was confirmed in wind tunnel experiments, where both horse and cow dung were shown to attract gravid stable flies. However, when S. calcitrans was offered a choice between these two oviposition substrates, flies always chose horse dung over cow dung, both when allowed to contact the substrates and when relying on dung odour alone. Analyses of volatile compounds emanating from horse and cow dung by gas chromatography linked antennogram recordings from S. calcitrans antennae revealed no differences in the chemostimuli released from the two substrates. The predominant chemostimulant compounds in both substrates were carboxylic acids (butanoic acid), alcohols (oct-1-en-3-ol), aldehydes (decanal), ketones (octan-3-one), phenols (p -cresol), indoles (skatole), terpenes (,-caryophyllene) and sulphides (dimethyl trisulphide). Higher levels (20,40 p.p.m.) of carbon dioxide were recorded over horse dung compared with cow dung, a factor that may contribute to the preference exhibited by S. calcitrans for this substrate for oviposition. [source] Off-line pyrolysis and compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis of lignin moieties: a new method for determining the fate of lignin residues in soil,RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 11 2008Jennifer A. J. Dungait Off-line pyrolysis was used to liberate lignin moieties from dung and soil and, after trimethylsilylation, the ,13C values of these derivatives were determined by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Initial ,13C values determined for 4-vinylphenol, syringol, 4-vinylguaiacol, 4-acetylsyringol, 4-vinylsyringol, 4-(2- Z -propenyl)syringol, 4-(2- E -propenyl)syringol and 4-(2-propenone)syringol pyrolysis products of the lignin polyphenol structure from C4 (,13Cbulk,=,,12.6%) and C3 (,13Cbulk,=,,30.1,) dung confirmed the robust and reproducible nature of the off-line preparation technique. C4 dung was used as a treatment in a randomised field experiment to assess the short-term sequestration of dung carbon in managed grasslands. Since lignin was on average 3.5, depleted in 13C compared with bulk dung ,13C values, this may have resulted in an under-estimation of dung C incorporation based on bulk ,13C values. Therefore, an investigation of the compound-specific ,13C values of dung-derived lignin moieties extracted from soils sampled up to 372 days was undertaken. ,13C values between lignin moieties extracted from treated and untreated soils showed that dung-derived lignin was not especially resistant to degradation and suggested that individual moieties of the lignin macromolecule must: (i) move into soil, (ii) be degraded, or (iii) be transformed diagenetically at different rates. This adds to a gathering body of evidence that lignin is not particularly stable in soils, which has considerable significance for the perceived role of different biochemical components in the cycling of C in soils. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Restoration of Species Richness in Abandoned Mediterranean Grasslands: Seeds in Cattle DungRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Juan Traba Abstract Endozoochory has proven to be a highly effective mechanism in the dispersal of viable seeds in Mediterranean grasslands. We studied the effect of cattle dung application on species richness, particularly on the reintroduction of species lost after abandonment. Sown and control plots were monitored for 3 years after dung sowing. We found a significant increase in small-scale richness, which may be attributed to the treatment, with the inclusion of species detected in the dung and in the grazed pasture. The differences in richness and floristic composition diminished over time. This experiment proves the potential utility of this treatment for the restoration of species richness in abandoned pastures, although supplementary steps are necessary, including further sowing and/or shrub cutting in subsequent years. [source] Population genetic structure and conservation of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across IndiaANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2005T. N. C. Vidya This study examines the population genetic structure of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across India, which harbours over half the world's population of this endangered species. Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences and allele frequencies at six nuclear DNA microsatellite markers obtained from the dung of free-ranging elephants reveal low mtDNA and typical microsatellite diversity. Both known divergent clades of mtDNA haplotypes in the Asian elephant are present in India, with southern and central India exhibiting exclusively the , clade of Fernando et al. (2000), northern India exhibiting exclusively the , clade and northeastern India exhibiting both, but predominantly the , clade. A nested clade analysis revealed isolation by distance as the principal mechanism responsible for the observed haplotype distributions within the , and , clades. Analyses of molecular variance and pairwise population FST tests based on both mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA suggest that northern-northeastern India, central India, Nilgiris (in southern India) and Anamalai-Periyar (in southern India) are four demographically autonomous population units and should be managed separately. In addition, evidence for female philopatry, male-mediated gene flow and two possible historical biogeographical barriers is described. [source] Potential of endozoochorous seed dispersal by sheep in calcareous grasslands: correlations with seed traitsAPPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010A.T. Kuiters Abstract Questions: What is the potential of sheep to serve as seed dispersers via ingestion and defecation in calcareous grasslands? Is the presence of viable seeds from dung correlated with specific seed traits? Location: Calcareous grasslands, South Limburg, the Netherlands/Belgium. Methods: Dung samples (n=24) from sheep were collected between September 2006 and November 2007 from five sites with Mesobromion plant communities, and communities of Nardo-Galion saxatilis. Germinability and identity of seeds in the dung samples were ascertained from germination of seedlings under glasshouse conditions. Seed traits of species with viable seeds in dung were compared with those present in the local species pool. Results: Seventy-two plant species from 23 plant families had viable seeds in sheep dung. The plant families encountered most frequently were Gramineae and Compositae. The most abundant and frequently recorded plant species in dung samples was Urtica dioica, accounting for >80% of the total number of seeds. Mean seed density in sheep dung was 0.8 seeds g,1 dry matter. Seeds with low seed mass and a high seed longevity index were over-represented in dung. Viable seeds >2.5 mg were infrequent in the dung samples. Conclusions: We conclude that sheep are potentially important dispersers of plant species in Dutch calcareous grasslands. Although smaller seeds were relatively abundant in sheep dung, it cannot be excluded that this was mainly caused by differences in seed abundance. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||