Differing Site Conditions: Clarifying Misunderstandings to Reduce Costly Litigation

Nest site availability and quality are important for maintaining robust populations and communities of wild bees. However, for most species, nesting traits and nest site conditions are poorly known, limiting both our understanding of basic ecology for bee species and conservation efforts. Additionally, many of the threats commonly associated with reducing bee populations have effects that can extend into nests but are largely unstudied. In general, threats such as habitat disturbances and climate change likely affect nest site availability and nest site conditions, which in turn affect nest initiation, growth, development, and overwintering success of bees. To facilitate a better understanding of how these and other threats may affect nesting bees, in this review, I quantify key nesting traits and environmental conditions and then consider how these traits may intersect with observed and anticipated changes in nesting conditions experienced by wild bees. These data suggest that the effects of common threats to bees through nesting may strongly influence their survival and persistence but are vastly understudied. Increasing research into nesting biology and incorporating nesting information into conservation efforts may help improve conservation of this declining but critical group.

Download Full-text

Monitoring the variation in the gut microbiota of captive woolly monkeys related to changes in diet during a reintroduction process

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-85990-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Camilo Quiroga-González ◽

Luis Alberto Chica Cardenas ◽

Mónica Ramírez ◽

Alejandro Reyes ◽

Camila González ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Bacterial Composition ◽

Diet Diversity ◽

Woolly Monkeys ◽

The Moment ◽

Positive Effect ◽

Lagothrix Lagothricha

AbstractMicrobiome is known to play an important role in the health of organisms and different factors such as diet have been associated with modifications in microbial communities. Differences in the microbiota composition of wild and captive animals has been evaluated; however, variation during a reintroduction process in primates has never been reported. Our aim was to identify changes in the bacterial composition of three individuals of reintroduced woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha) and the variables associated with such changes. Fecal samples were collected and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced to determine gut microbial composition and functionality. Individual samples from released individuals showed a higher microbial diversity after being released compared to before liberation, associated with changes in their diet. Beta diversity and functionality analysis showed separation of samples from released and captive conditions and the major factor of variation was the moment of liberation. This study shows that intestinal microbiota varies depending on site conditions and is mainly associated with diet diversity. The intake of food from wild origin by released primates may promote a positive effect on gut microbiota, improving health, and potentially increasing success in reintroduction processes.

Download Full-text

Response of soil microbial communities to mixed beech-conifer forests varies with site conditions

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108155 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 155 ◽

pp. 108155

Author(s):

Jing-Zhong Lu ◽

Stefan Scheu

Keyword(s):

Microbial Communities ◽

Soil Microbial Communities ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Conifer Forests ◽

Soil Microbial

Download Full-text

Innovative passive reinforcements for the gradual stabilization of a landslide according with the observational method

Landslides ◽

10.1007/s10346-021-01638-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lorenzo Brezzi ◽

Alberto Bisson ◽

Davide Pasa ◽

Simonetta Cola

Keyword(s):

Monitoring System ◽

Low Cost ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Fe Model ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Observational Method ◽

Rainy Period ◽

Sustainable Solutions ◽

Before And After ◽

Set Up

AbstractA large number of landslides occur in North-Eastern Italy during every rainy period due to the particular hydrogeological conditions of this area. Even if there are no casualties, the economic losses are often significant, and municipalities frequently do not have sufficient financial resources to repair the damage and stabilize all the unstable slopes. In this regard, the research for more economically sustainable solutions is a crucial challenge. Floating composite anchors are an innovative and low-cost technique set up for slope stabilization: it consists in the use of passive sub-horizontal reinforcements, obtained by coupling a traditional self-drilling bar with some tendons cemented inside it. This work concerns the application of this technique according to the observational method described within the Italian and European technical codes and mainly recommended for the design of geotechnical works, especially when performed in highly uncertain site conditions. The observational method prescribes designing an intervention and, at the same time, using a monitoring system in order to correct and adapt the project during realization of the works on the basis of new data acquired while on site. The case study is the landslide of Cischele, a medium landslide which occurred in 2010 after an exceptional heavy rainy period. In 2015, some floating composite anchors were installed to slow down the movement, even if, due to a limited budget, they were not enough to ensure the complete stabilization of the slope. Thanks to a monitoring system installed in the meantime, it is now possible to have a comparison between the site conditions before and after the intervention. This allows the evaluation of benefits achieved with the reinforcements and, at the same time, the assessment of additional improvements. Two stabilization scenarios are studied through an FE model: the first includes the stabilization system built in 2015, while the second evaluates a new solution proposed to further increase the slope stability.

Download Full-text

Four Site-Preparation Techniques for Regenerating Pine-Hardwood Mixtures in the Piedmont

Southern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/sjaf/21.3.116 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 116-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Thomas A. Waldrop

Keyword(s):

Pinus Taeda ◽

Loblolly Pine ◽

Height Growth ◽

Site Preparation ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Southern Appalachian ◽

Medium Quality ◽

Pinus Taeda L ◽

Preparation Techniques

Abstract Four variations of the fell-and-burn technique, a system developed to produce mixed pine-hardwood stands in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, were compared in the Piedmont region. All variations of this technique successfully improved the commercial value of low-quality hardwood stands by introducing a pine component. After six growing seasons, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) occupied the dominant crown position and oaks the codominant position in fell-and-burn treated stands on poor to medium quality sites. The precise timing of felling residual stems, as prescribed by the fell-and-burn technique, may be flexible because winter and spring felling produced similar results. Although summer site preparation burns reduced hardwood height growth by reducing the length of the first growing season, they did not improve pine survival or growth. Pines were as tall as hardwoods within four growing seasons in burned plots and within six growing seasons in unburned plots. Additional research is needed to determine the level or intensity of site preparation needed to establish pine-hardwood mixtures over a range of site conditions. South. J. Appl. For. 21(3):116-122.

Download Full-text

Floating Roof Influence on Seismic Response of Large Vertical Storage Tank

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.671-674.1399 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 671-674 ◽

pp. 1399-1402

Author(s):

Ying Sun ◽

Jian Gang Sun ◽

Li Fu Cui

Keyword(s):

Seismic Response ◽

Storage Tank ◽

Numerical Solutions ◽

Fluid Pressure ◽

Seismic Intensity ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Storage Tanks ◽

Analysis Model ◽

Base Shear ◽

The Impact

To study the impact of floating roof on seismic response of vertical storage tank structure system subjected to seismic excitation, select 150000m3 storage tanks as research object, and the finite element analysis model of storage tanks with and without floating roof were established respectively. The seismic response of these two types of structure in different site conditions and seismic intensity were calculated and the numerical solutions were compared. The results show that floating roof has little impact on base shear and base moment in different site conditions and seismic intensity. Floating roof can effectively reduce the sloshing wave height. The influence of floating roof on dynamic fluid pressure decreases with the increase of seismic intensity, which is less affected by ground conditions.

Download Full-text

Pimpinella ibradiensis (Apiaceae), an unusual new species from Turkey

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.217.2.6 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 217 (2) ◽

pp. 164 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

İlker Çinbilgel ◽

özkan Eren ◽

Hayri Duman ◽

Mustafa Gökceoğlu

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Geographical Distribution ◽

Related Species ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Identification Key ◽

The Other ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Closely Related Species

Pimpinella ibradiensis, an unusual new species found in the Toka Yayla (İbradı, Antalya) in southern Anatolia, is described and illustrated. Site conditions, synecology and conservation status of P. ibradiensis are considered. In light of the comparison with the other closely related four species, namely P. nephrophylla, P. flabellifolia, P. sintenisii and P. paucidentata, its similarity within the genus are discussed. P. ibradiensis is easly distinguished from its relatives by its white petals, presence of bracts and bracteoles, larger fruits (4–5.5 × 1–2 mm), and having serrulate basal leaves with 60–95 strongly cartilaginous teeth along margins. The geographical distribution of P. ibradiensis and closely related species are mapped and the identification key of those species is updated.

Download Full-text