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Western Britain (western + britain)
Selected AbstractsThe origins of Christian commemoration in late antique BritainEARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE, Issue 2 2001Mark A. Handley The corpus of approximately 250 Christian inscriptions, dating from before c.700, from western Britain has been interpreted as the result of contact between Britain and Gaul. This article will show that Christian commemoration was neither a new, post-Roman introduction into Britain nor the product of contact with Gaul. Rather, it will show that the inscriptions should be seen as part of a larger pattern of epigraphic practice also evidenced in Spain, Italy and North Africa during late antiquity. Where earlier scholars have argued that Christian inscriptions in Britain begin in the period AD 420,40, it will demonstrate that they are more likely to date from the late fourth century, a conclusion with important implications for the study of western Britain. [source] Experiments on the susceptibility of conifers to Heterobasidion annosum in Great BritainFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Greig During the period 1960,71, experimental plantings were established at three sites in western Britain that were infested with Heterobasidion annosum: Ceri in mid-Wales, Lael in north-west Scotland and Red Marley in the West Midlands of England. At each site a randomized block experiment involving at least four species was supplemented with an ancillary trial of other species. In two of the experiments various treatments were applied to the previous stand of trees before or at felling, but only stump removal reduced the amount of disease in the succeeding crops. At Ceri, the incidence of H. annosum in stems removed at first thinning was: Picea sitchensis, 14%; Pseudotsuga menziesii 11%; Pinus contorta 3% and Abies procera 1%. At Lael, the figures were Larix decidua 59%; P. menziesii 51%; Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 37%; Abies amabilis 33% and Tsuga heterophylla 21%. There was negligible disease in A. procera;Abies grandis and Pinus sylvestris. At Red Marley, the incidence of disease was: P. menziesii 28%; T. heterophylla 18%; A. grandis 7%; Picea abies 1% and Pinus nigra var. maritima 0%. In the ancillary trial at Lael, the incidence of H. annosum in P. sitchensis was 55% and in P. abies 16%. The mean height of colonization by H. annosum within the diseased stems removed at first thinning at Lael (age 21,22 years) was 2.1 m for L. decidua, 1.4 m for P. sitchensis and 1.3 m for P. abies. Armillaria sp. caused mortality and decay in two of the experiments and these data are also presented. The results are discussed in relation to other information on the susceptibility of these species to H. annosum in the UK and elsewhere. Expérimentations sur la sensibilité des conifères à Heterobasidion annosum Entre 1960 et 1971, des plantations expérimentales ont été installées dans trois sites infectés par Heterobasidion annosum dans l'ouest de la Grande-Bretagne: à Ceri (centre du Pays de Galles), à Lael (nord-ouest de l'Écosse), et à Red Marley (ouest des Midlands, Angleterre). Dans chaque site, un essai en blocs randomisés comprenant au moins quatre espèces a été complété avec des espèces supplémentaires. Dans deux des essais, divers traitements ont été appliqués au peuplement antérieur ou au moment de son exploitation, mais seul l'arrachage des souches avait réduit la quantité de maladie. A Ceri, l'incidence de H. annosum dans les tiges enlevées à la première éclaircie était la suivante: Picea sitchensis, 14%; Pseudotsuga menziesii, 11%; Pinus contorta, 3% et Abies procera, 1%. A Lael: Larix decidua, 59%; Pseudotsuga menziesii, 51%; Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, 37%; Abies amabilis, 33%; Tsuga heterophylla, 21%. La maladie était négligeable chez A. procera, A. grandis et Pinus sylvestris. A Red Marley, l'incidence était la suivante: Pseudotsuga menziesii, 28%; Tsuga heterophylla, 18%; Abies grandis, 7%; Picea abies, 1% et Pinus nigra var. maritima, 0%. Chez les espèces supplémentaires à Lael, l'incidence était de 55% chez Picea sitchensis et de 16% chez P. abies. La hauteur moyenne de colonisation des tiges infectées par H. annosum, prélevées à la première éclaircie à Lael (age: 21,22 ans) était de 2,1 m chez Larix decidua, 1,4 m chez Picea sitchensis et 1,3 m chez P. abies. Armillaria sp. provoquait des mortalités et des altérations dans deux des essais et ces données sont également présentées. Les résultats sont discutés en relation avec d'autres informations sur la sensibilité de ces espèces àH. annosum au Royaume-Uni et ailleurs. Versuche zur Anfälligkeit von Nadelgehölzen gegen Heterobasidion annosum in Grossbritannien Während der Jahre 1960,71 wurden an drei Standorten im Westen Großbritanniens Versuchspflanzungen angelegt, die von Heterobasidion annosum befallen waren (Ceri in Mittelwales, Lael in Nordwest-Schottland und Red Marley im westlichen Mittelland von England). An jedem Standort wurde ein randomisierter Blockversuch mit mindestens vier Baumarten angelegt. Ergänzend wurden zusätzliche Arten getestet. Auf zwei Versuchsflächen wurden unterschiedliche Behandlungen des Vorbestandes bzw. der Fläche durchgeführt. Das Auftreten der Krankheit im Folgebestand konnte nur durch die Rodung der Stümpfe reduziert werden. In Ceri wurden bei den in der ersten Durchforstung entnommenen Stämmen folgende Infektionshäufigkeiten festgestellt: Picea sitchensis 14%, Pseudotsuga menziesii 11%, Pinus contorta 3% und Abies procera 1%. In Lael ergab sich folgendes Bild: Larix decidua 59%, Pseudotsuga menziesii 51%, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 37%, Abies amabilis 33% und Tsuga heterophylla 21%. Der Befall von Abies grandis, A. procera and Pinus sylvestris war vernachlässigbar gering. In Red Marley betrug die Infektionshäufigkeit bei Pseudotsuga menziesii 28%, bei Tsuga heterophylla 18%, Abies grandis 7%, Picea abies 1% und Pinus nigra var. maritima 0%. In dem Ergänzungsversuch in Lael waren Picea sitchensis zu 55% und P. abies zu 16% von H. annosum infiziert. Die mittlere Höhe der Ausbreitung von H. annosum in den erkrankten Stämmen, die bei der ersten Durchforstung entfernt wurden, betrug in Lael (Alter 21,22 Jahre) 2,1 m bei Larix decidua, 1,4 m bei Picea sitchensis und 1,3 m bei P. abies. Auch Armillaria sp. verursachte Mortalität und Fäule. Diese Daten werden ebenfalls präsentiert. Die Ergebnisse werden im Vergleich mit der verfügbaren Information zur Anfälligkeit dieser Baumarten diskutiert. [source] Migration strategies of sylviid warblers: chance patterns or community dynamics?JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Peter Howlett The effects of community dynamics in birds on the optimisation of their migratory strategies is a neglected area. For three years, we captured migrating warblers on autumn passage at a coastal site in western Britain. We used canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to assess spatio-temporal patterns of occurrence, and principal components analysis (PCA) to assess morphological variation. We calculated Euclidean distance in ordination and morphological space to assess separation between species pairs, and used Monte-Carlo simulations to assess the probability of pattern occurring by chance. Ordination revealed five species-groups separated by habitat type and time of passage. Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus and Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus (Group 1) occurred in wet habitats and peaked simultaneously. In drier habitats with scrub, a first wave of Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (Group 2) significantly preceded Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, Whitethroat Sylvia communis and Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca (Group 3), which in all but one case (Lesser Whitethroat) significantly preceded Garden Warbler Sylvia borin (Group 4); peak numbers of Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita and a second wave of Blackcaps (Group 5) occurred later still. Age effects were found only in Acrocephalus, with adults peaking before juveniles. For seven out of eight pairings within genera, separation in time of passage increased significantly in species that were morphologically similar. The only exception was Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat which differed substantially in both passage time and morphology. Monte-Carlo simulations showed that chance was unlikely to be responsible for ordination patterns, nor for inter-specific variation in passage time and its relationship with species morphology. These data provide annually consistent evidence that migrating sylviid warblers are separated ecologically by habitat use, time of passage and morphology: we cannot refute the hypothesis that community dynamics have influenced niche use and autumn migratory strategy. We call for further tests of the ,migrant interaction' hypothesis in other geographical locations and taxa, particularly where migrants are allopatric and interact ecologically only on migration. [source] Ecology and conservation status of temporary and fluctuating ponds in two areas of southern EnglandAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 2 2009D.T. Bilton Abstract 1.A high proportion of ponds are temporary in nature, although the biodiversity value of such sites is still poorly recognized. This work explores the plant and macroinvertebrate communities of 76 temporary and fluctuating water bodies in two regions of southern England (Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall and New Forest, Hampshire) that have retained high pond densities. The ecology and conservation status of sites is examined, and comparisons made with ponds elsewhere in England and Wales. 2.Lizard and New Forest ponds supported 119 plant and 165 macroinvertebrate species respectively. Patterns of community similarity for plants and macroinvertebrates were highly concordant, taxa being related in a similar manner to measured environmental variables including pond area, depth, pH and water chemistry. 3.Patterns of pond occupancy revealed that most species were locally rare, over half occurring in less than 10% of ponds, and less than 10% being recorded from more than 50% of sites. More than 50% of ponds supported at least one nationally rare plant and almost 75% at least one nationally rare macroinvertebrate. These taxa occupied a wide range of pond types in each region, and did not have predictably different ecologies from common species. 4.Comparisons with ponds elsewhere in England and Wales revealed that Lizard and New Forest communities are nationally distinct, being most similar to ponds in areas of low intensity agriculture elsewhere in western Britain. Individual ponds in both regions supported more nationally rare taxa, on average, than ponds sampled in the national survey. 5.Ponds in the two areas have high conservation value, both regionally and nationally, supporting almost 75% of the global species richness of temporary ponds sampled across England and Wales. Within each region, many taxa are found in relatively few sites, and effective conservation of pond biodiversity will require a regional management approach. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||