Exploring the effects of prescribed fire on ticks spread and propagation in a spatial setting

Lyme disease is one of the most prominent tick-borne diseases in the United States and prevalence of the disease has been steadily increasing over the past several decades due to a number of factors, including climate change. Methods for control of the disease have been considered, one of which is prescribed burning. In this paper the effects of prescribed burns on the abundance of ticks present in a spatial domain are assessed. A spatial stage-structured tick-host model with an impulsive differential equation system is developed to simulate the effect that controlled burning has on tick populations. Subsequently, a global sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the effect of various model parameters on the prevalence of infectious nymphs. Results indicate that while ticks can recover relatively quickly following a burn, yearly, high-intensity prescribed burns can reduce the prevalence of ticks in and around the area that is burned. The use of prescribed burns in preventing the establishment of ticks into new areas is also explored and it is observed that frequent burning can slow establishment considerably.

Landscape footprints of peopling and colonisation from the Late Bronze Age to Antiquity in the coastal hinterland of Emporion-Emporiae, NE Iberia

The Empordà plain attests to a remarkable mixture of Late-Holocene cultural exchanges and colonial processes. This includes the founding of Emporion, the earliest Greek colony in Iberia, and of the Roman city of Emporiae. This study aims at assessing landscape changes related to indigenous and colonial settlement in this unique scenario where the shaping of cultural landscapes occurred within a dynamic coastal ecosystem. We carried out a high-temporal resolution palaeoenvironmental study in Els Estanys, a palaeowetland located in the vicinity of Emporion-Emporiae. Palynological, sedimentological and geochemical indicators were coupled with available archaeological and archaeobotanical data-sets. Between 1100 and 800 cal BC, the settling of Urnfield Late Bronze societies resulted in the sustained clearance of woodlands and moderate agropastoral exploitation of coastal ranges. During this period, marine-influenced lagoonal areas were poorly exploited. During the Iron Age (800–450 cal BC), a threshold in the landscape construction of the area occurred with the first pastoral exploitation of lagoonal areas, intensified cereal cultivation, controlled burning, and enhanced deforestation following the settlement of Iberian groups. Greek colonisation (580–200 cal BC), did not trigger intensified farming exploitation or landscape clearance, nor did it imply the introduction of new land uses or crops in the hinterland. Exploitation of the latter continued relying on cereal cultivation and grazing, as before, suggesting the permanence of indigenous landscapes and practices in the hinterland. To the contrary, urban and periurban landscapes played a significant role in the construction of the colonial landscape with the introduction of olive groves likely as ornamental trees. Roman conquest and colonisation of the area constituted a new threshold in the occupation and management of the hinterland with (1) intensified rural settlement; (2) expansion of wet pastures and removal of littoral woodlands; (3) development of diversified cropping activities; and (4) development of mining and smelting activities.

PELATIHAN PEMBUATAN BIOCHAR DARI SERESAH GAMBUT UNTUK MEMINIMALISIR KEBAKARAN LAHAN DI DESA RASAU JAYA II

ABSTRAKLahan gambut di Desa Rasau Jaya II relatif luas yang berpotensi untuk dimanfaatkan sebagai lahan pertanian walaupun kondisinya marginal. Petani umumnya membakar lahan tersebut pada musim kemarau untuk meningkatkan kesuburan namun efek negatifnya adalah munculnya titik api dan polusi udara dari asap hasil kebakaran lahan. Oleh karena itu dibutuhkan suatu teknologi agar lahan tersebut dapat dimanfaatkan untuk pertanian dengan risiko yang minimal terhadap lingkungan, seperti pembuatan biochar dengan teknik pembakaran terkontrol dari serasah gambut. Tujuan: (1) Meningkatkan pengetahuan petani mengenai pengelolaan lahan tanpa dibakar dan cara pembuatan biochar, (2) Meningkatkan keterampilan petani dalam pembuatan biochar, (3) Meningkatkan jiwa wirausaha terutama produk biochar. Kegiatan ini menggunakan metode observasi, partisipator dan eksperimental serta survey dengan kegiatan penyuluhan, pelatihan, pembuatan dan aplikasi biochar yang dibuat dari serasah gambut serta evaluasi di Desa Rasau Jaya II. Hasil dari kegiatan tersebut yaitu 97% peserta mengetahui dampak positif pengelolaan lahan tanpa dibakar dan mengetahui cara pembuatan biochar, 93% petani sudah terampil dalam membuat biochar, serta 93% petani juga tertarik untuk mengaplikasikan biochar dalam budidaya tanaman dan menjadikan produk usaha. Kegiatan ini telah meningkatkan pengetahuan, keterampilan dan jiwa wirausaha dalam pertanian khususnya pembuatan biochar dan cukup potensial untuk meningkatkan perekonomian petani cabai di Desa Rasau Jaya serta mengurangi pembakaran hutan dan lahan. Kata kunci: arang; charcoal; histosol; peat. ABSTRACTThe peat land in Rasau Jaya II Village are relatively wide which could be used for agriculture potentially even though its in marginal condition. Generally, the farmers would burned the land in the dry season to increase fertility, but the negative effects are emergence of hotspots and air pollution from smoke. Therefore, a technology is needed so that the land can be used for agriculture with minimal risk to the environment, such as making biochar with controlled burning techniques from peat litter or twigs. Objectives: (1) Increase farmers' knowledge about eco-friendly peat land management and how biochar are made, (2) Improve farmers' skills in making biochar, (3) Increase entrepreneurial spirit, especially biochar. This community service activity used observation, participatory and experimental methods as well as surveys with extension activities, training, manufacture and application of biochar made from peat litter as well as evaluation in Rasau Jaya II Village. The results of this activity are that 97% of participants know about positive impact in peat land management without burning activity wich is relatively new for them , 93% of farmers are skilled in making biochar, and 93% of farmers are also interested in applying biochar in plant cultivation and making business products. This activity has increased knowledge, skills and entrepreneurial spirit in agriculture, especially in producing biochar and has the potential to improve the economy of chili farmers in Rasau Jaya Village and reduce forest and land burning activity.Key words: charcoal; charcoal; histosol; peat.

Invasion by Ammophila arenaria alters soil chemistry, leaving lasting legacy effects on restored coastal dunes in California

Many restoration projects rely on invasive plant removal to restore ecosystems. However, success of restoration efforts relying on invasives removal can be jeopardized, because, in addition to displacing native plants, invasives can also dramatically impact soils. Many studies have documented invasives’ effects on soil chemistry and microbiota. While European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link) is a worldwide invasives problem in coastal dunes outside northern Europe, little attention has been paid to effects of this species on soil chemistry following invasion, even though it establishes persistent, dense monocultures. In our study, we evaluated effects of A. arenaria invasion on soil chemistry of coastal dunes at Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS); persistence of effects following removal by mechanical or herbicide treatment (legacy effects); and effects of treatment independent of invasion. Dune restoration efforts at PRNS have met with mixed success, especially in herbicide-treated backdunes, where decomposition of dead A. arenaria has been greatly delayed. Based on results, invasion impacted 74% of 19 variables assessed, although there was a significant interaction in many cases with successional status (earlier vs later). Almost 60% of invasion effects persisted after restoration, with legacy effects prevalent in herbicide-treated backdunes where sand deposition from adjacent beaches could not mitigate effects as it could in herbicide-treated foredunes. Mechanical removal — or inversion of invaded surface soils with less-contaminated subsoils — resulted in fewer legacy effects, but more treatment effects, primarily in backdunes. Soil chemistry may decelerate decomposition of A. arenaria due to the limited nitrogen (N) available to enable microbial breakdown of the high carbon(C):N (70.8:1) material, but microbial factors probably play a more important role. Success of restoration at PRNS may not be fully realized until legacy effects are resolved through additional actions such as inoculation with healthy microbiomes or necromass reduction through controlled burning.

Field test of herder and controlled burning of spilled oil in Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT Recent years have seen renewed interest in the viability of using herding chemicals in conjunction with in-situ burning. NCOC, an operator in the shallow north Caspian Sea, undertook herder research as an extension to studies performed under the Arctic Response Technology Joint Industry Programme (JIP). The purpose was to investigate the feasibility of using herders as part of their response toolkit. Laboratory tests were performed in Kazakhstan on weathered Kashagan export crude oil, using two herders listed on the US NCP Product Schedule. Results were positive and it was considered that a reasonable size test spill under realistic conditions was required to verify laboratory work. In November 2018 a field trial was undertaken in the boat basin at Damba in western Kazakhstan. A volume of 400 litres of artificially weathered Kashagan crude was pumped onto the water surface and allowed to spread. Air and water temperatures were just above freezing and a small amount of ice was present due to overnight low temperatures. The test was recorded by an unmanned aerial vehicle, using thermal IR and 4K video. After the oil had been allowed to spread out to be <1 mm, i.e. too thin to sustain combustion, a small boat was used to spray Siltech OP-40 herder around the periphery of the oil. After less than five minutes the effect of the herder became apparent. The oiled area was observed to begin contracting. A member of the boat crew successfully placed an igniter into the thick oil. A plume of black smoke was produced and the oil burned vigorously with flames of 2 to 3 metres high for approximately 8 minutes. After the burning had finished a visual inspection showed a relatively small quantity of oil residue. Pre- and post-environmental monitoring of the test site was undertaken. Based on the success of the test, the next steps are to develop a formal methodology for the inclusion of herders in the list of approved oil spill treatment products. It will then be possible to incorporate the technique into contingency plans using NEBA/SIMA justification. This will have the potential to improve the response options and speed of response to incidents in broken ice or open waters.

Rapid transformation of ambient absorbing aerosols from West African biomass burning

Seasonal biomass burning (BB) over West Africa is a globally significant source of carbonaceous particles in the atmosphere, which have important climate impacts but are poorly constrained. Here, the evolution of smoke aerosols emitted from flaming-controlled burning of agricultural waste and wooded savannah in the Senegal region was characterized over a timescale of half-day advection from source during the MOYA-2017 (Methane Observation Yearly Assessment-2017) aircraft campaign. Plumes from such fire types are rich in black carbon (BC) emissions. Concurrent measurements of chemical composition, organic aerosol (OA) oxidation state, bulk aerosol size and BC mixing state reveal that emitted BB submicron aerosols changed dramatically with time. Various aerosol optical properties (e.g., absorption Ångström exponent (AAE), and mass absorption coefficients (MAC)) also evolved with ageing. In this study, brown carbon (BrC) was a minor fractional component of the freshly emitted BB aerosols (

New locality records and call description of the Resplendent Shrub Frog Raorchestes resplendens (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Western Ghats, India

The Resplendent Shrub Frog, Raorchestes resplendens Biju, Shouche, Dubois, Dutta, & Bossuyt, 2010 is a Critically Endangered species endemic to the Western Ghats and was considered to be restricted to a three-square kilometer patch atop Anamudi summit. In this study, we report 36 new locations of the species from the Anamalai massif of the southern Western Ghats. Niche-based prediction modelling suggests that the species is restricted to Anamalai massif. The call description of this frog is also provided for the first time. The preferred microhabitat of the frog is Chrysopogon grass clumps in the marshy/swampy montane grassland ecosystem. Restricted to a small area with controlled burning management practiced in its habitat, R. resplendens needs immediate attention.

Impact of ecological restoration techniques on the dynamics of degraded ecosystems of the mounts of Saida: Case of the forests of Doui Thabet (West Algeria)

The aim of the present study aims to establish the impact of different restoration techniques (soil and vegetation works) of five pioneer species of the Doui Thabet forest (Mounts of Saida, West of Algeria): Pinus halepensis, Pistacia lentiscus., Tetraclinis articulata, Juniperus oxycedru,. and Stipa capensis (= S. tenacissima L.) between 2018 and 2020. An experimental field device covering an area of 1 ha has been installed in the Doui Thabet forest in a Pinus halepensis massive more than 80 years old. The following work was carried out: mechanical grinding of the vegetation (chopping), turning (scarification of soil) to a depth of 10 cm, tillage (Deep ploughing) to a depth of 20 cm, controlled burning of branches, clearing of Stipa capensis, seedlings planted in different seasons for certain species (Stipa capensis = S. tenacissima L.), monitoring of stump rejections and natural sowing. The sowing result varies according to the species and restoration techniques, it is high for Pinus halepensis and Stipa capensis. It is low for Tetraclinis articulata and Juniperus oxycedrus and none for Pistacia lentiscus while for Stipa capensis it is quite high when planted in autumn compared to spring. Turning and burning have proven to be the most abundant treatments for regeneration and growth. Grinding has medium seedling density and growth, while deep tillage and natural sowing showed low seedling density and growth.