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PubMed2005

[Transpiration of Choerospondias axillaris in agro-forestrial system and its affecting factors].

Measurement of transpiration is essential to assess plant water use efficiency. Applying Grainer method, this paper measured the sap flow of Choerospondias axillaries in an agro-forestrial system, aimed to evaluate the effects of intercropping and pruning on the diurnal variation of transpiration, and to relate the transpiration rate with climatic factors. The results showed that the diurnal variation of Choerospondias arillaries transpiration rate appeared in parabola, low in the morning and evening, and high at noon. The transpiration rate was closely related to leaf stomatal conductivity and soil water potential, especially the water potential in 100 cm soil depth (R = 0.737). The transpiration rate of Choerospondias axillaries was increased by about 40% approximately 160% in agro-forestrial system through the changes in regional environment and in the deep soil water use by tree. Correlation analysis and multi-factor successive regression analysis indicated that the transpiration was controlled by ray radiation intensity, air temperature and ground temperature, followed by the difference between saturated and actual vapor pressure and the wind speed. A statistical model for calculating the sap flow rate by micrometeorological factors was also provided.

Crops, Agricultural↗
PubMed1986

Soft tissue sarcoma risk in Swedish agricultural and forestry workers.

The risk of soft tissue sarcoma following possible exposure to phenoxy acid herbicides was studied in 354,620 Swedish men, who were employed in agriculture or forestry according to a national census in 1960. This cohort was further divided into six subcohorts, on assumed exposure to phenoxy acid herbicides. The most commonly used phenoxy acid in Sweden was (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid (CAS: 94-74-6). The reference cohort encompassed 1,725,845 Swedish men employed in other industries. All persons were followed up in the cancer-environment register during the period 1961-79. A total of 331 cases of soft tissue sarcomas was observed in the study cohort and there were 1,508 cases in the reference group [relative risk (RR), 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-1.0]. No subcohort of agricultural or forestry workers showed any significantly increased RR, nor was there any significant difference in RR between the subcohorts. Despite the greatly increased use of phenoxy acid herbicides from 1947 to 1970, no time-related increase in the RR of soft tissue sarcoma was found in the total cohort or in any of the subcohorts.

2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗
PubMed1986

[Work difficulty and the physical work capacity of female afforestation workers in forestry].

The severity of labour in manual soil-preparation and planting has been studied and the physical capacity for work of the female workers--determined, who performed those basic afforestation activities in the national forestry. The severity of labour has been characterized by the values of oxygen consumption, energy-expenditure and pulse rate during work. The physical capacity for work has been determined by physical loading on the Lanoy bicycle ergometer , with submaximum degrees of loading. The maximum working capacity was calculated by the values of the pulse rate with submaximum degrees of loading according to Astrand method. The physical loading during manual soil-preparation is high (6.6 kcal/min, 27.6 kJ resp.), and that of planting--moderate. The maximum aerobic capacity of the afforestation female workers examined, was characterized by maximum oxygen consumption 2.04 dm3/min, 29.6 cm3/kg/min resp., and maximum pulse rate--177 beats/min. Energy losses during work surpassed, to a considerable degree, 30 per cent of the maximum aerobic capacity of the female afforestation workers. On the base of the results obtained, measures are proposed for the reduction of the severity of labour and for improvement of the organization of the work during the afforestation activities in national forestry.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1983

Protection of the head and eyes in forestry work.

The helmet used in forestry work is the same as that in industrial use. The eye protector, which is usually a face shield made from wire mesh, is fastened to the helmet. The aim of the present study was the clarification of the frequency of use of, the protection afforded by, and the need for improvement in the helmet and eye protector. A questionnaire, an interview, observations, accident and near-accident reports, and user and laboratory tests were used for this purpose. Eighty-eight percent of loggers always use a helmet, and 32% an eye protector. According to official statistics and the questionnaire, in 1980, 8 to 15 of every 100 accidents in logging injured the head or eyes. Loggers reported that the helmet was too hot in summer and too cold in winter. The low utilization rate for eye protectors is partly explained by design defects. The protectors become frosted in the winter; there is poor visibility through the protectors when it rains or is dark; the protectors cause glare in sunshine. Product development seems to be necessary so that the helmet and eye protector can better fulfill the special requirements of forestry work.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1980

Forestry injuries and fatalities in New Zealand.

A series of 298 forestry injuries and fatalities were studied. The patients form three groups, those with fractures and/or soft-tissue injuries, those injured by chainsaws, and fatalities. Wide publicity is suggested in order to reduce the number of patients injured in forestry work.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Liquid chromatographic determination of RH-5992, an ecdysone agonist, in some forestry matrixes.

A liquid chromatographic method is described for the analysis of RH-5992 (N'-t-butyl-N'-[3,5-dimethyl-benzoyl]-N- [-ethylbenzoyl]hydrazine) from various terrestrial and aquatic forestry matrixes and stream water. The processed soils, litter, oak foliage, sediment, aquatic plants, and fish were extracted with a mixture of acetone and water; balsam fir needles were extracted with acidified methanol solution; stream water was extracted with dichloromethane. Aliquots of crude extracts were solvent partitioned, concentrated, and cleaned up by using Florisil or Prepsep-NH2 columns. After fractional elution of the columns with hexane-ethyl acetate as the eluent, the eluates were analyzed on a liquid chromatograph equipped with a diode-array UV detector set at 236 nm, using an RP-8, 10 microns column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-dioxane-water. Fir needles required methanol in addition to the 3 solvents in the mobile phase mixture. Water samples did not require any column cleanup. Mean recoveries for the analyte ranged from 84 to 98%, with coefficients of variation from 5 to 10%. Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) ranged from 0.004 to 0.030 ppm and from 0.013 to 0.101 ppm, respectively, for various forestry matrixes. LOD and LOQ for natural waters were 0.050 and 0.166 ppb, respectively.

Chromatography, Liquid↗
PubMed1994

Risk of infections transmitted by arthropods and rodents in forestry workers.

One hundred and fifty-one forestry workers and 151 matched office clerks were compared as to the presence of antibodies against Borelia burgdorferi, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Puumalavirus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Their occupational risks of being infected by Borrelia was fourfold and significant, by Puumalavirus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus was increased but not significant. No seropositivity has been established against tick-borne encephalitis virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Estimating the unknown components of nutrient mass balances for forestry plantations in mine rehabilitation, upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia.

Commercial forestry plantations as a postmining land use in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia are restricted by both the poor nutrient availability of mining substrates and low regional rainfall. An experiment was conducted to investigate whether municipal waste products and saline groundwater from coal mining operations could improve early tree growth without impacting on the environment through salt accumulation and/or nutrient enrichment and changes in groundwater quality. Potential impacts were investigated by quantifying the nutrient cycling dynamics within the plantation using an input-output mass balance approach for exchangeable calcium (Ca(2+)), exchangeable magnesium (Mg(2+)), exchangeable potassium (K(+)), exchangeable sodium (Na(+)), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). Measured inputs to and outputs from the available nutrient pool in the 0-30 cm of the overburden subsystem were used to estimate the net effect of unmeasured inputs and outputs (termed "residuals"). Residual values in the mass balance of the irrigated treatments demonstrated large leaching losses of exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, and Na. Between 96% and 103% of Na applied in saline mine-water irrigation was leached below the 0-30-cm soil profile zone. The fate of these salts beyond 30 cm is unknown, but results suggest that irrigation with saline mine water had minimal impact on the substrate to 30 cm over the first 2 years since plantation establishment. Accumulations of N and P were detected for the substrate amendments, suggesting that organic amendments (particularly compost) retained the applied nutrients with very little associated losses, particularly through leaching.

Calcium↗
PubMed2006

The South African experience of conservation and social forestry outreach nurseries.

Outreach nurseries are favored conservation and social forestry tools globally, but, as with many integrated conservation and development programs (ICDPs), they do not always produce anticipated results. A synopsis of the experience of South African practitioners is provided in this study of 65 outreach nurseries. South African outreach nurseries frequently include financial objectives, creating additional challenges in simultaneously attaining conservation and socioeconomic goals. Progress was hindered by biophysical problems (e.g., lack of water, poor soils, etc.) as well as the harsh socioeconomic conditions facing most communities in which nurseries had been established. Attaining financial viability was challenging. Business management skills were often restricted, and few viability studies included adequate market research. Costs to community participants were usually high, and benefits were limited. Conservation objectives were frequently lost in the struggle to attain financial viability. The management of social processes also proved challenging. Although small scale and relatively straightforward compared with many ICDPs, nurseries usually require substantial institutional support, including a range of technical, business, and development services. Project time frames need to be reconsidered, as practitioners estimate that it takes 5-10 years for nurseries to start meeting objectives, and donors and implementing agencies often operate on 2-3-year project cycles. Detailed viability studies are essential, incorporating a social probe and an assessment of potential impacts of projects on community participants. Progress needs to be continuously evaluated to enable institutions and community participants to adapt to changing conditions as well as ensure that the spectrum of objectives are being achieved.

Africa, Southern↗
PubMed2001

Print media framing of the environmental movement in a Canadian forestry debate.

In a recent paper, it was suggested that one of the reasons behind the decline in public regard toward British Columbia's environmental movement was an increasingly negative portrayal of them by the print media. To investigate this suggestion, we undertook a content analysis of print media reporting of forestry and environmental activities in the province's most widely read newspaper, the Vancouver Sun, during 1993 and 1997. We hypothesized that if the print media did contribute to the decline in public regard toward the environmental movement, we would find increasingly negative coverage of the environmental movement over the periods studied. We also hypothesized that this would be accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of articles dealing with issues consistent with the agenda of the environmental movement. We were not able to provide support for our initial hypothesis, nor did we observe a decrease in coverage emphasizing the environmental issues. We did, however, observe an increase in coverage of articles emphasizing typically proindustry issues with many more articles written with a proforestry slant in 1997 than articles written in 1993. This suggests that there had been an agenda shift from environmentally oriented concerns in British Columbia to those associated with the forest industry. As an explanation for the agenda shift, we point to changes in the management and reporting philosophy at the Vancouver Sun, the emergence of an organized, proindustry counterframing strategy by the BC Forest Alliance, and the implementation of several government policies aimed at regulating the activities of the forest industry.

British Columbia↗
PubMed2005

Arabidopsis thaliana full genome longmer microarrays: a powerful gene discovery tool for agriculture and forestry.

Sequenced plant genomes provide a large reservoir of known genes with potential for use in crop and tree improvement, but assignment of specific functions to annotated genes in sequenced plant genomes remains a challenge. Furthermore, most plant genes belong to families encoding proteins with related but distinct functions. In this commentary, we discuss our development of Arabidopsis spotted whole genome longmer oligonucleotide microarrays, and their use in global transcription profiling. We show that longmer array based transcriptome analysis in Arabidopsis can be used as an efficient and effective gene discovery and functional genomics tool, particularly for functional analyses of members of large gene families. We discuss experiments that focus on gene families involved in phenylpropanoid natural product biosynthesis and fiber differentiation. These analyses have helped to elucidate functions of individual gene family members, and have identified new candidate genes involved in fiber development and differentiation. Results obtained by these studies in Arabidopsis can be used as the basis for gene discovery in commercially important plants, and we have focused our attention on Populus trichocarpa (poplar), a species important in forestry and agroforestry for which complete genome sequence information is available.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Evaluation of a compost obtained from forestry wastes and solid phase of pig slurry as a substrate for seedlings production.

A composted material obtained from forestry wastes and solid phase of pig slurry was evaluated as a substrate component for the production of tomato and lettuce seedlings. Four different substrates were tested: compost (100C), a mixture of 75% compost and 25% peat substrate (75C), a mixture of 50% compost and 50% peat substrate (50C), and peat-based substrate (control). Compost increased the pH of the substrate from 6.3 (control) to 6.9 (100C) but did not affect the electrical conductivity (0.26 and 0.27 mScm(-1), respectively, for control and 100C). Germination and growth of lettuce seedlings were not affected by the substrate type, contrasting with tomato seedlings where the highest growth occurred at 100C substrate. Increasing compost percentage on substrate increased nitrogen, calcium and magnesium availability and, consequently, the concentration of these elements in plant tissues increased. On the contrary, potassium and manganese concentration decreased. Results from the study suggest that the compost studied is a good alternative to peat-based substrates for the production of vegetable seedlings.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Analysis of local perspectives on sustainable forest management: an Indonesian case studyThis study was funded through a collaborative project between the University of Illinois and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). The ideas contained herein are solely of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official views of CIFOR.

Despite widespread acceptance of sustainability as the ultimate goal of forest management, perspectives about its meaning, significance, and relevant indicators may still differ. This paper examines local perspectives on sustainability, and evaluates their similarities and differences. A systematic procedure based on criteria of proximity, pre-existing rights, dependency, knowledge of forest management, forestry spirit, daily activity, and legal rights was used to identify a small group of relevant stakeholders representing different groups, institutions, and organizations. Using participatory action research (PAR), stakeholders were asked to identify relevant indicators of sustainable forest management. The indicators identified by each stakeholder were then compared to a consolidated list assembled by field facilitators with respect to whether relevant indicators are present or not. Based on the resulting presence/absence matrix, a statistical tool called the simple matching coefficient was used to estimate the similarity measures among the stakeholders' perspectives. In addition, cluster analysis was used to classify groups of stakeholders depending on their similarities to each other. Finally, hypotheses related to the 'closeness' of perspectives among local communities, non-governmental organizations, a timber company, and government organizations, as revealed by their selection of indicators, were tested. Results show that: (a) local communities have different perceptions in terms of what they consider to be important indicators compared to the NGOs, (b) there are significantly different perceptions between the government and the timber companies, and (c) there are also different perceptions between urban and field-based personnel of the same organization.

Cluster Analysis↗
PubMed2006

Understanding self-evaluations of effectiveness by forestry advisory committee members: a case of Ontario's Local Citizens Committee members.

Researchers have devised many criteria that could assist with the development of an effective public participation process. Few studies, however, have linked these criteria to the effectiveness of decision-making resulting from these processes. We assess whether several criteria postulated by others for designing an effective decision-making process are associated with evaluations of the effectiveness of decision-making by advisory group members from a forest management planning process in Ontario, Canada. Data were collected by written questionnaires from 197 advisory group members in 2001. Four criteria were linked to the effectiveness evaluations including process control (influence), trust in decision-makers, information credibility, and process efficiency. The criterion of knowledge along with contextual variables related to experience, economic dependence on forestry, and geographical residence were not associated with evaluations of effectiveness.

Canada↗
PubMed2006

Monitoring and information reporting for sustainable forest management: a regional comparison of forestry stakeholder perceptions.

Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) [1992, Agenda 21: programme of action for sustainable development. United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 3-14 June 1992. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 294pp.], the management of information has become central to the management of forest resources. In the cases of North America and Europe, similar issues have been challenging policy makers as they determine the information suitable for monitoring progress towards sustainable forest management (SFM). Using an 'online' survey, this research explored multiple stakeholder perspectives on monitoring and information reporting for SFM in different jurisdictions. The research was based on the premise that an analysis of the variation in stakeholder observations across a range of SFM 'issue areas' could provide valuable insight into the perceived need for SFM-related monitoring and information reporting in the regions of Europe, Canada and the USA. Despite the traditional limitations associated with exploratory survey research, the results indicate a demand for more information on SFM-related issues. The results also highlight the degree to which the perceptions of a sample of stakeholders can differ between Europe, USA and Canada. While these results cannot be generalized beyond the present study, they do suggest that further studies are needed to understand stakeholder perspectives on forestry-related monitoring and information reporting in different jurisdictions.

Canada↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Testing the relative conspicuity of safety garments for New Zealand forestry workers.

The relative conspicuities of six test garments (fluorescent orange, green/red, high-contrast, fluorescent lime-yellow, white, black) were assessed to guide the selection process of a standard upper body safety garment to be used within the New Zealand logging industry. Six male and four female participants, aged between 18 and 26 years, volunteered to perform 10 trials each on a demanding, central (tracking) task, while peripherally searching colour slides for test garments displayed on each of eight positions, against a pine forest background typically found in the New Zealand forestry. During each trial, transparency luminance was first gradually increased from darkness to daylight and then decreased to darkness again within 180 s. A head mounted ASL eye tracking system (4000SU) recorded the eye line of gaze for each participant, enabling a rank order of detection to be obtained for the tested garments in each trial. The fluorescent lime-yellow, fluorescent orange and white test garments were detected earlier than any other test garments across all trials, and the fluorescent lime-yellow test garment was detected first with a higher frequency than the white test garment. It was concluded that while white may be the most visible colour in near darkness conditions, as it provides highest contrast, fluorescent lime-yellow stands out better in twilight and daylight conditions against the pine forest background. The results of this study led to the promotion of fluorescent lime-yellow as the standard safety colour used in upper body garments within the New Zealand forest industry.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Multifocal neural conduction impairment in forestry workers exposed and not exposed to vibration.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess peripheral neural involvement induced by exposure to hand-arm vibration. METHODS: Twenty lumberjacks, working regularly with chain-saws and exposed to hand-arm vibration (group E) and 20 forestry workers performing heavy manual work and not exposed to vibration (group NE) were matched with a control group of 20 healthy non-manual workers (group C). The subjects of groups E and NE, all symptomatic, and of group C underwent extensive bilateral neurophysiological examination consisting of: sensory conduction (velocity and amplitude) of radial, median and ulnar nerves in digit-wrist segments; sensory conduction (velocity) of median nerve in wrist-elbow segment; mixed conduction (velocity and amplitude) of median and ulnar nerves in palm-wrist segments; motor conduction velocity, including distal motor latencies, and amplitude of median (elbow-wrist) and ulnar (elbow-wrist and across the elbow) nerves. RESULTS: Electrophysiological abnormalities were found in 85% of group E's limbs, versus 62.5% of group NE's limbs. The most frequent pathological pattern in group E was a 'multifocal' impairment (multiple sites of several nerve segments), with a prevalent involvement of sensory rather than motor fibres in the hand, seldom extending to the forearm. Multivariate analysis showed that the neurographic parameters which better characterized workers exposed to hand-arm vibration had a pattern different from that usually found in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that vibration-induced neural involvement can be considered neither pure digital neuropathy, nor definite CTS, as previously described.

Action Potentials↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of smog on absenteeism in forestry workers.

Absenteeism among 161 Dutch forestry workers was investigated in a cohort study. The rate of taking sick leave was related to the concentrations of sulfate and ozone in ambient air, the air temperature, and the relative humidity. The incidence of absenteeism was treated as a Poisson process, with the size of population at risk as the offset factor and with the environmental monitoring data as hazard factors. There appeared to be some overdispersion; therefore, in a second analysis the incidence of absenteeism was also treated as a negative binomial outcome. With the exception of a separate overdispersion parameter in the negative binomial approach, both methods yielded approximately the same results. Although no significant association was found between absence rate and the measured ambient-air-quality data, there appeared to be a time lag of 3 d between a peak in temperature and 1 d in absenteeism.

Absenteeism↗