Life Sciences Commons^™

Prediction Of Grassland Plant Responses To Global Change, B D. Campbell, J P. Grime

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Global change is challenging the predictive power of biology. Increasingly, biologists are being asked to draw together existing knowledge and new experimental data, in order to provide predictions of the effects of global change at regional, national and global scales. In this paper we examine how well global change effects on grassland plants can be predicted, and what avenues might be used in future to improve predictive capabilities. Broad predictions of the direction of change in grassland vegetation can be made quite simply and from a limited set of data. Predictions of the rate and magnitude of change are more …

The Future Of Sustainable Agriculture In The United States, Dennis R. Keeney

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In the United States, sustainable agriculture remains complicated and controversial as a concept, particularly to define and apply in terms of practices and policies to achieve sustainability. Many consider current agricultural practices to be sustainable in the near term with regard to the dependable, affordable supply of food and fibre, but unsustainable in terms of environmental quality and social costs. Production agriculture hos been linked to soil erosion and water pollution, and the emphasis on efficiency has contributed to the loss of many farmers and increasing instability in rural communities. Many of agriculture's dilemmas can be linked to policies of …

Alfalfa Seed Production Under Marginal Environmental Conditions, S R. Smith Jr, F M. Katepa-Mupondwa, G Huebner

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seed production has become an important diversified cropping option for western Canadian producers covering approximately 60,000 ha. The objective of this research was to conduct and interpret a survey of Manitoba alfalfa seed producers from 1992 to 1995. Approximately 1/4 of producers completed the survey with questions ranging from seed yield to crop management practices. The 1992 and 1993 production seasons were characterized by below average temperatures and above average precipitation (historical records) which dramatically affected plant growth, reduced leafcutter bee activity and resulted in an average seed yield of 25 kg/ha. The 1994 and …

Agri-21: Sustainable Farming Demonstration, M Rasnake, W R. Burris, G D. Lacefield

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

On-farm demonstrations were established in 1993 to demonstrate the technology required to conduct a profitable and sustainable farming operation into the 21st Century. These were part of a cooperative program between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Land Grant Universities in the seven states of the TVA region. Four demonstrations were established in Kentucky. A beef farm in west Kentucky will be used to illustrate the project. This farm improved crop and livestock management, record keeping and environmental stewardship. Their goal is to increase farm profitability while improving the soil and water resources.

An Integrated Soil Testing-Modeling Approach To Improve Fertilizer Recommendations For Grassland, L Brown, D Scholefield, E C. Jewkes, N Preedy

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

New management strategies are required in order to reduce the appreciable emissions of N from intensively managed grassland. Previous work has shown that if fertiliser is applied at rates that take account of the mineral N found in soil at the time of each application, N use efficiency can be improved. A novel approach is described which integrates soil testing and modelling to produce N fertiliser recommendations on a monthly basis. An existing annual model of the N cycle in grassland has been modified to produce monthly predictions of mineral N in the soil. The model is being validated by …

Methane Production By Steers On Pasture, W P. Mccaughey, K Wittenberg, D Corrigan

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grazing system, stocking rate and monensin controlled release capsule (CRC) administration were investigated to determine impacts on methane (CH4) production by steers grazing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)/meadow bromegrass (Bromus biebersteinii Roem & Schult.)/Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski) pastures. Pasture treatments consisted of 2 replications each of two grazing systems (continuous stocking or 10-paddock rotational stocking) at each of two stocking rates (low, 1.1 steer ha-1 or high, 2.2 steers ha-1). Half of the animals in each pasture were administered a monensin CRC while untreated animals served as controls. During the grazing season, 1 steer per treatment …

Genetic Modification – Applications For Forage And Grassland Production Systems, J. R. Caradus

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Genetic modification has been extensively used in crops for 25 years but has rarely been a technology used to advance trait expression in forage and grassland species. The exceptions are the use of herbicide tolerance and low lignin traits in alfalfa which are currently commercially available. In crop species genetic modification has been a valuable option for delivering improved economic and environmental outcomes through providing solutions for many of the challenges facing mankind. There are a many beneficial characteristics that genetic modification has the potential to provide in forage and grassland species. Managing these in the environment and understanding consumer …

Environmental Co-Benefits Of Improved Forages In Smallholder Dairy Systems Of Kenya, A. Notenbaert, S. Mwendia, S. Burkart, P. Karimi, E. Mwema

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Livestock play a major role across Kenya, especially in smallholder mixed farms through provision of household nutrition and income through milk and meat. Equally, fertilization of cropland benefits from livestock manure, and livestock often act as insurance and saving. Despite the opportunities and benefits livestock production presents, livestock systems are also key drivers of environmental degradation, including increased nutrient loads, GHG emissions, water use, grassland degradation and land-use conversion. Low livestock productivity, largely due to use of low-quality crop residues and natural grasses often not endowed with nutrients key for animal performance, limits the potential positive contributions of livestock and …

Biodiversity And The Ecological Role Of Grasslands Environment And Territory, Elimane Lo, Makhmutov Serguei, Badim Almazov

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Biodiversity is all the living species that inhabit the planet: plants, animals, microorganisms, but also their genetic diversity and all the ecosystems in which they live. The preservation of biodiversity is vital, because the organisms that constitute it participate in the major ecological cycles of air, soil and water It is today recognized for its intrinsic value and for the functions it provides in ecosystems. The grassland and the hedges that surround them play a key role in carbon storage, water purification, biodiversity and the typicity of landscapes. They partly provide the plants necessary for feeding herds of herbivores (cattle, …

Silvopastoral Systems: Analyses Of An Alternative To Open Swards, James H. Mcadam, M. R. Mosquera-Losada, V. Papanastasis, Andrea Pardini, M. L. Rigueiro-Rodríguez

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Silvopasture is a sustainable land use management practiced in most continents in the world including parts of southern Europe, but is not broadly used in northern and western Europe. The importance of this practice has been recognised and the last draft of the EU regulation by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/capreform/rurdevprop_en.pdf) includes specifically funding for establishment of agroforestry practices in Europe. This paper discusses the advantages of managing semi intensive grassland within a silvopastoral system from an ecological, productive and social point of view in the south, south-central and western countries of Europe.

New Zealand Pastoral Systems: A Current Perspective, F. R. Duder, R. B. Green, W. D. Catto, D. R. Woodfield, B. R. Guy

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

New Zealand's diverse grassland resource of 13.5 M ha of permanent pasture, tussock or alpine grasslands underpin an intensive pastoral industry worth NZ$13 billion in 2004. The pastoral industry involves 37,000 farmers and a service industry of about 215,000 persons. It produces 27 M prime export lambs and 180,000 t of predominantly crossbred wool from 40 M ewes; 13 B litres of milk from 5.2 M dairy cattle; 800,000 t of beef from 4.7 M beef cattle and 33,000 t of venison from 2 M deer. Pastures and forage crops, mostly non- irrigated, are grazed 'in situ' by animals through …

Assessment And Monitoring Of Grazing Lands In The Northeastern United States, M. A. Sanderson, Sarah C. Goslee, J. B. Cropper, R. B. Bryant

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The Pasture Condition Score System (Cosgrove et al., 2001) was developed as a monitoring and management tool on grazing lands The system considers 10 indicators of soils, plants, and animals including percent desirable plants, plant cover, plant diversity, plant residue, plant vigor, percent legume, uniformity of use, livestock concentration areas, soil compaction, and soil erosion. The indicators are assigned a score according to detailed criteria and the scores are summed to give an overall score for a pasture, or relevant grazing unit. The score is then interpreted, indicating if some type of management change or treatment is necessary. We …

Evaluating The Economic And Environmental Sustainability Of Integrated Farming Systems, C. A. Rotz, M. A. Sanderson, M. Wachendorf, F. Taube

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Economic and environmental sustainability has become a major concern for forage-based animal production in Europe, North America and other parts of the world. Development of more sustainable farming systems requires an assimilation of experimental and modelling research. Field research is critical for supporting the development and evaluation of models, and modelling is needed to integrate farm components for predicting the long-term effects and interactions resulting from farm management changes. Experimentally supported simulation provides a tool for evaluating and comparing farming strategies and predicting their effect on the watershed, region and beyond.

New Approaches To Clover Breeding, M. T. Abberton, T. A. Williams, T. P. T. Michaelson-Yeates, A. H. Marshall, C. Jones, E. Sizer-Coverdale, R. P. Collins

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) and red clover (T. pratense) are the major forage legumes of temperate pastures. Breeding efforts have focused on overcoming the constraints to productivity and reliability in this species and thereby optimising their contribution to mixed swards. In recent years there has been an increased emphasis on livestock production and the efficient utilisation of forage material in the rumen. In this paper we report on a shift in the aims of forage legume breeding at IGER, building on a strong agronomic platform but giving greater consideration to the environmental footprint of our varieties …

Environmental Clustering Of New Zealand Dairy Herds, J. R. Bryant, N. López-Villalobos, J. E. Pryce, C. W. Holmes

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Previous studies have found that milk yield (a proxy for feeding level) and temperature-humidity index (THI) are important factors in explaining genotype x environment (G x E) interactions, indicating differences between the abilities of genotypes to forage or consume concentrates effectively or to cope with thermal stress (Ravagnolo and Misztal, 2000; Zwald et al., 2003). The objective of this study was to quantify and cluster (CL) herd environments within New Zealand (NZ) based on production levels, a summer heat load index (HLI) and geographical location.

Challenges And Opportunities For Animal Production From Temperate Pastures, D. A. Clark

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Key points

1. Temperate pastures offer a major opportunity to reduce the feed costs associated with ruminant production.

2. Pastures offer unique opportunities for producing high value components in feedstuffs that are beneficial to human health.

3. The increased use of pasture will not automatically lead to improved environmental outcomes – difficult challenges exist in reducing nitrogen and greenhouse gas pollution.

4. Grazed pasture systems offer advantages in animal welfare, provided management avoids the problems associated with climatic extremes, and the toxins associated with some pastures.

5. To remain competitive with total mixed ration systems, and environmentally acceptable, pastures with higher intake characteristics that allow …

   ---

   Go to article

New Insights Into The Nutritional Value Of Grass, D. H. Rearte

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Key points

1. The rumen environment in cattle grazing high quality forage is different to that reported for cattle fed indoors with diets based on processed feedstuffs.
2. Temperate pasture is an excellent source of nutrients for ruminants but a high energy:protein imbalance can occur when it is offered at the stage of optimal digestion.
3. Beef and milk produced on grass in temperate regions have a composition with nutritional advantages over beef or milk produced in indoor systems based on concentrate.
4. Increasing water soluble carbohydrate content of grasses would diminish environmental contamination by reducing the excretion of urea through the urine.
5. Increasing …

The Cleaned Approach For Flagging And Addressing Environmental Issues, A. Notenbaert, B. Paul, R. Van Der Hoek, J. Mukiri

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

While livestock presents an important livelihood strategy for many smallholders, it is also held responsible for important environmental impacts. In this paper, we used an online survey to identify the perceptions of global livestock experts on environmental impacts of livestock and how these might be tackled. We then explored how the CLEANED environmental ex-ante assessment tool (Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessment for improved Nutrition, a secured Environment and sustainable Development = CLEANED) responds to this and how it can be used to influence decision making towards more environmentally-friendly livestock production.

According to the survey, there was general agreement between researchers, development …

Deforestation For Pasture Development – Has It Been Worth It?, W. H. Burrows

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Differing scenarios leading to deforestation for pasture development in savanna (woodland) and closed forest communities in the tropics – sub-tropics are compared and contrasted. Australian and Brazilian examples are highlighted. No simple answer is given to the question of whether deforestation for pasture development has been worth it, since both commercial and non-commercial values have equal validity and need to be taken into account. These issues are addressed in the context of land assigned by governments for agricultural purposes. It is concluded that technology and ecological understanding are now available to maintain sustainable production from converted forest systems. However emphasis …

Management Changes And Strategies To Improve The Environmental Services From Grasslands In Northern China And Mongolia, David R. Kemp, J. Addison, K. Behrendt, G. Udval, D. Lkhagvaa, Guodong Han, Zhiguo Li, P. Li

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The grasslands of Mongolia and northern China are part of the vast Eurasian grasslands that extend from east Asia to eastern Europe, with many common problems. Grassland degradation and herder livelihoods in the steppe regions of China and Mongolia are widely acknowledged as major issues that need to be improved. The core problem is too many animals are now grazing grasslands, initially driven by significant policy changes, and decisions that assumed more animals would lift herder incomes. Problems are accentuated by poorly defined property rights over the land. The effectiveness of current Government Programs aimed at reducing grazing pressures has …

Climatic Factors, Acid Detergent Fiber, Neutral Detergent Fiber And Crude Protein Contents In Digitgrass, C. S. Chen, S. M. Wang, Y. K. Chang

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Digitgrass (Digitaria Xumifolia) was treated according to a set of programmed harvest cycles to study the impact of climatic factors on the quality of the grass. It is found that seasonal changes have greater effect on the quality of the grass than does the length of the harvest cycle. The highest correlation coefficient (0.81) between the ADF content and accumulated temperature is attained when the base temperature is set to 15.5 , while the highest correlation coefficient (0.88) between CP and is attained at a base temperature of 15.0 . The determination coefficient of regression (R² ) …

Comparative Study Of Leachate Characterization: Implication For Sustainable Environmental Management, Osakpolor Marvellous Omorogieva, Victory Itua Igberase

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding the sources of environmental stressors, the role of geology, climate and technology would provide a guide to solving the problems posed by such stressor. The study examine the sources of wastes in Ikhueniro open dumpsite located in Benin city, Nigeria and characterize the leachate emanating from it. This will assist in adequate design of managerial scheme to tackle the menace posed by it while putting into consideration the role of geology, climate and technology. The key objectives are to carry out field study, characterize wastes in the dumpsite and collect raw leachate emanating from the wastes heap in order …

Grazing Practices And Rangeland Conservation: Towards Output‐Based Contracts To Improve Relevance And Enhance Technical Innovation, Cyril Agreil, Jocelyn Haskell, John Haskell, Michel Meuret, Fred Provenza

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

No abstract provided.

A Research Of The Living Environment In The Pasturing Area, Yajuan Guo, Yong Gao, Xu Sun

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

No abstract provided.

Environmental Efficiency In Mixed Crop Livestock Farming In India, K. A. C. H. A. Kothalawala, S. Kumar, H. Kothalawala

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

No abstract provided.

Evolution Of Island, Dominique Kongsli

The STEAM Journal

Evolution of Island emerged from the depths of an ocean of blue paint. My process involves observation of nature: I remember scuba diving in Thailand in the Andaman Sea and having a spiritual experience underwater while observing Christmas-tree worms pop in and out of the coral.

Ever Graze‐More Livestock From Perennials, Geoffrey Saul, Angela Avery

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

No abstract provided.

Irish Grasslands 2010: A Sustainable Environment?, R. P. O. Schulte, N. Culleton

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

No abstract provided.

Year Long Water Quality Analysis Of White Horn Brook, Kevin Dyer

Senior Honors Projects

KEVIN DYER (Marine Biology)

Year-long Analysis of the Water Quality of White Horn Brook

Sponsor: Thomas Boving (Geological Sciences)

Water is the foundation for all life on earth and is the most vital resource on this planet. Despite this, oceans and waterways all over the world are being polluted and exploited in ways detrimental to their fundamental hydrologic functions. For instance, excess nitrate levels can lead to eutrophication which gives rise to harmful algae blooms. Low pH can cause the breakdown of CaCO3 exoskeletons of organisms, such mollusks. High temperature variations are major stressors to living things and can cause …

The North Wyke Farm Platform: A New Uk National Capability For Research Into Sustainability Of Agricultural Temperate Grassland Management, Phil J. Murray, Bruce A. Griffith, Robert J. Orr, Martin S. A. Blackwell, Jane M. B. Hawkins, S. Peukert

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The North Wyke Farm Platform is a new UK National Capability that will enable studies that can be closely monitored and controlled under different land-use options at the farm-scale. As a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council-funded National Capability, the Farm Platform provides centralised scientific facilities including core data (field and water chemistry, water flow rates, greenhouse gas emissions from soils, livestock and agronomic data, and farm management records). Access to the Farm Platform for experimental work or to data will be available to other research users and collaborators. This shared approach will enhance the depth and breadth of information …