The implications of controlling grazed sward height for the operation and productivity of upland sheep systems in the UK. 3. The effect of choice of genotype, level of nitrogen fertilizer and lamb:ewe ratio     

T. J. Maxwell  A. R. Sibbald  J. R. Jones  J. M. M. Munro  & M. E. Rees 《Grass and Forage Science》1997,52(3):258-268

Grazed sward surface height was controlled within the range 3·25–4·75 cm during spring and summer in two experiments. In Experiment 1, the effects of stocking two breeds of ewe of similar size but different potential levels of reproductive performance [Brecknock Cheviot (C) and Beulah Speckled Face (B)] at different annual stocking rates of twelve (SR₁₂) and twenty (SR₂₀) per hectare, rates of nitrogen fertilizer of 100 (N₁₀₀) and 200 (N₂₀₀) kg N ha^?1 annum^?1 and different lamb:ewe ratios (C_1·2, B_1·2 and B_1·5) were measured in four treatments (SR₂₀N₂₀₀C_1·2; SR₂₀N₂₀₀B_1·2; SR₂₀N₂₀₀B_1·5; SR₁₂N₁₀₀C_1·2) replicated three times. In each of three years animal performance and yield of silage from areas of pasture surplus to grazing requirements were measured. In Experiment 2, breed B was compared with the Welsh Mule (W) breed, a larger with a higher potential reproductive performance, at two stocking rates, two rates of nitrogen fertilizer and two lamb:ewe ratios set on the basis of results from Experiment 1 (SR₁₈N₂₀₀B_1·5; SR₁₂N₁₀₀B_1·5; SR₁₈N₂₀₀W_1·5; SR₁₈N₂₀₀W_1·7). The treatments were replicated three times. The same terminal sire (Suffolk) was used in both experiments. A primary aim of the experiments was to test the validity of the experimental procedures used for comparing breeds of sheep where nutrition is provided predominately from grazed pastures. In Experiment 1, there was no difference between breeds C and B in the live weights of individual lambs at weaning at the same SR (20), N rate (200) and lamb:ewe ratio (1·2). Breeds C and B produced similar total yields of lamb (633 kg lamb ha^?1± 10·5) and silage (193 kg DM ewe^?1± 37·7), but breed B had a higher level of potential reproductive performance (1·59 vs. 1·37 lambs ewe^?1: P < 0·001). The treatments SR₂₀N₂₀₀B_1·5 and SR₁₂N₁₀₀C_1·2 produced, respectively, greater and lesser yields of lamb (725 vs. 384 kg lamb ha^?1, P < 0·001) and lesser and greater yields of silage (123 vs. 327 kg DM ewe^?1, P < 0·001). In Experiment 2, the live weight of lambs at weaning from breed W were heavier than from breed B (29·1 vs. 26·2 kg lamb^?1, P < 0·01) but there was no significant difference in total yield of lamb weaned between breeds W and B at the same SR (18), N rate (200) and lamb:ewe ratio (1·5) (747 kg lamb ha^?1± 19·2), or in the yield of silage (66 kg DM ewe^?1± 16·4), but breed W had a higher potential reproductive performance (1·85 vs. 1·58 lambs ewe^?1, P < 0·05). The treatments SR₁₈N₂₀₀W_1·7 and SR₁₂N₁₀₀B_1·5 produced, respectively, greater and lesser yields of lamb (840 vs. 473 kg lamb ha^?1, P < 0·001) and similar and greater yields of silage (60 vs. 141 kg DM ewe^?1, P < 0·05). The experimental approach adopted and the management protocols used provided a basis for ranking the performance of the breeds of ewes examined at appropriate levels of annual stocking rate, N-fertilizer input and lamb:ewe ratio.  相似文献   

The G8 on energy: too little     

Rees M 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2006,313(5787):591

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Use of a jugular vein graft in a modified Blalock-Taussig procedure in dogs     

Pelosi A  Eyster GE  Déjardin LM  Kiupel M  Rees JL  Richter MA  Olivier NB 《American journal of veterinary research》2006,67(1):174-179

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether autologous jugular veins provide functional grafts with high 30-day patency rates in an experimental model of systemic-to-pulmonary shunting performed with a modified Blalock-Taussig procedure. ANIMALS: 15 healthy Beagles. PROCEDURE: A segment of the left jugular vein was implanted between the left subclavian and pulmonary arteries. Echocardiograms were obtained prior to surgery, at day 4 to 7, and at day 30 after surgery. Selective angiograms were performed immediately after surgery and on day 30. Oximetric shunt calculations were made via terminal angiography prior to euthanasia. Gross and histologic evaluations of the grafts were conducted. RESULTS: Grafts were patent in 12 of 15 dogs 30 days after surgery as assessed via auscultation, color Doppler ultrasonography, angiography, and histologic examination. Echocardiographic analysis revealed compensatory eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy. Mean pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio was 1.5:1. Histologic evidence of endothelialization of the anastomotic sites and vein graft arterialization was detectable at 30 days. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Autologous jugular vein grafts were effectively used to create a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt by use of a modified Blalock-Taussig procedure. High patency, ready accessibility, low cost, and theoretical adaptative remodeling during patient growth make autologous jugular vein grafts a valuable alternative to synthetic materials.  相似文献   

Release of nutrients dissolved organic carbon during decomposition of Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana leaves in a mountain forest in Taiwan     

Rainer Rees  Shih‐Chieh Chang  Chiao‐Ping Wang  Egbert Matzner 《植物养料与土壤学杂志》2006,169(6):792-798

Forest ecosystems in Taiwan are periodically influenced by typhoons that cause large amounts of litter input to the soil. The potential rapid decomposition of such litter under the warm and moist climatic conditions in Taiwan may lead to nutrient losses via seepage. The goal of this study was to investigate the dynamics of C, N, K, Ca, Mg, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during decomposition of Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana leaves in a field study at the Yuanyang Lake site in N Taiwan. We simulated the effect of a typhoon by adding about three times the annual aboveground litterfall (totally 13,900 kg ha^–1) as fresh leaves. Litterbags were taken at 7 dates over 16 months, followed by detection of mass loss and element composition in the remaining litter. Aqueous extracts of the remaining litter were analyzed for DOC and major elements. The properties of DOC were characterized by fluorescence spectra and by its stability against microbial decomposition. The litter mass loss was 35% after 16 months. The losses of Ca after 16 months from the litter bags were about equivalent to mass loss (39%), while those of K and Mg reached 86% and 60% of the initial amount, respectively. From the 13,900 kg ha^–1 of litter applied in total, 59 kg K ha^–1 and 12 kg Mg ha^–1 were released in the 16 months decomposition period, most of it in the first 4 months. The total release of Ca amounted to 69 kg ha^–1 but was more evenly distributed throughout the 16 months of observation. The absolute amount of N in the decomposing litter increased by 37% while the C : N decreased from 69 to 34. Extrapolated to the manipulation treatment, this resulted in a N gain of 36 kg N ha^–1 within 16 months. The leaching of K and DOC in laboratory extractions followed an asymptotic function with highest leaching from the initial litter and subsequent decrease with time of decomposition. On the contrary, the leaching of Ca and Mg reached a maximum after 2–4 months of incubation. About 2% of the C was extractable with water from the initially incubated leaves. The bioavailability of the extracted DOC decreased with litter age. Our results indicate that the decomposition of large amounts of litter induces a high risk of K and Mg losses with seepage, but the risk for N losses is low. The sources of N accumulation in decomposing litter at this site require further studies. In the initial phase of litter decomposition, the release of DOC seems to be an important contribution to mass loss.  相似文献   

Factors affecting the behavioural responses of whooper swans (Cygnus c. cygnus) to various human activities     

Eileen C. Rees  Jennifer H. Bruce 《Biological conservation》2005,121(3):369-382

The effects of human activity on bird behaviour and distribution have been studied extensively in recent years, but variation in their response to disturbance is still poorly understood. Here, we analyse variation in the behaviour of wintering whooper swans Cygnus c. cygnus, to determine whether their susceptibility to human activity changes with time, location and the type of disturbance involved. Overall, the swans' feeding activity varied within and between years, and in relation to feeding site, but there was less variation in the amount of time spent alert. Disturbance frequency resulting from human activity was lower with increasing flock size and with increased distance to the nearest road or track. Distances that humans could approach before alerting the birds similarly varied with field characteristics (e.g. size and proximity to roads or tracks), and also with the type of disturbance involved. The distance at which >5% of the flock became alert because of human activity decreased with the number of previous disturbance incidents in the day, indicating that swans become less sensitive to disturbance events if daily disturbance frequency is high, but there was no evidence that habituation to disturbance persisted over longer periods. The time taken for the birds to resume undisturbed behaviour varied with the duration of the disturbance event, which in turn depended on the type of disturbance involved, with pedestrians alerting the birds for longer periods than vehicles and aircraft. Recovery rates following disturbance were also associated with field size, flock size and the proportion of the flock alerted. Feeding activity was influenced by a range of variables, including year, season, field location, crop type and the number of days that the flock had used the field (32.9% of variance in the data explained by these variables), with disturbance factors explaining an additional 4.9% of variance in the proportion feeding per hour. Conversely, alert activity was influenced mainly by disturbance events. The range of factors influencing the swans' feeding behaviour, and variability in their response to human activity, has implications for management programmes and for attempts to predict the effects of human activity on the birds at a local and larger scale.  相似文献   

Characterization of Aspen ASH,Sand and Log-Yard Waste Mixtures from an Aspen-Based Oriented Strand Board Mill for Use as an Intermediate Landfill Cover     

Block  R. M. A.  van Rees  K. C. J. 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2004,158(1):223-235

Wood ash has a variety of uses including land application, geotechnical construction and daily and final covers for landfills. The objective of this study was to determine the relevant chemical and physical properties of selected mixtures of aspen burner-ash, log-yard waste scrapings (sandy soil plus wood waste) and a sandy soil as an intermediate landfill cover. The treatment mixtures, per weight basis, included: (1) 100% sand; (2) 80/20 log-yard waste/ash; (3) 50/50 sand/ash; (4) 40/30/30 sand/log-yard waste/ash; (5) 60/40 ash/log-yard waste; (6) 100% ash; (7) 100% log-yard waste. All treatments containing ash had a very high pH (12.8–13.3) and electrical conductivity (39–105 dS m^–1). The ash contained significant amounts of beneficial nutrients, but soil solution dominance by sodium carbonate suppressed concentrations of calcium and magnesium. Treatments containing ash showed lower bulk densities but relatively higher soil strength values (2.5–3.5 kg cm^–2) than that for the log-yard waste scrapings or the sandy soil, due to its self-cementing properties. Mixtures of soil material and ash had lower hydraulic conductivity rates (1.0 × 10^–4 cm s^–1) and lower infiltration rates compared to the sandy soil (5 × 10^–3 cm s^–1) or log-yard waste scrapings or pure ash. Water holding capacity increased with treatments containing ash. A soil–water balance model used to determine percolation rates through a 60 cm layer of treatment material showed that treatments containing a mixture of ash and soil material decreased the downward flow of water throughout the year.  相似文献   

Relationships between afforestation,water chemistry and fish stocks in an upland catchment in south west Scotland     

R. M. Rees  J. C. H. Ribbens 《Water, air, and soil pollution》1995,85(2):303-308

The soils and waters in the Galloway hills of south-west Scotland have undergone considerable acidification during the present century. The aims of this study were to examine the extent to which afforestation can influence water chemistry, and the occurrence of fish stocks within an individual catchment in this area. Studies were carried out at 45 sites in the Bladnoch catchment during 1994. River water samples were collected at all sites and determinations made of pH, total organic carbon, calcium and monomeric aluminium concentrations. In order to quantify the size and abundance of fish populations, electrofishing was carried out at 21 of the sites. Estimates of afforestation were made by a combination of field surveys and the use of 1∶:10 000 scale ordnance survey maps. The presence of coniferous trees had a substantial affect on water chemistry. In areas where the whole catchment was afforested, the water pH was 0.7 units lower than in unafforested areas (p<0.001). Afforestation was also correlated with low concentrations of calcium, and increases in the concentrations of monomeric aluminium and total organic carbon. There was a clear relationship between fish populations and water chemistry. Numbers of trout were positively correlated with pH (r ²=0.69; p<0.001), and with concentrations of calcium (r ²=0.55; p<0.001). The study has shown that salmonid fish populations are sensitive to acidity and the associated changes in river water chemistry; these problems were exacerbated by afforestation.  相似文献   

THE EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSION OF ANAPLASMOSIS BY DERMACENTOR VARIABILIS     

Rees CW 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1932,75(1942):318-320

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THE METRIC SYSTEM     

Rees JK 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1896,3(57):167-168

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SOME PROBLEMS ABOUT TO CONFRONT ASTRONOMERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY     

Rees JK 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1896,3(72):717-726

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