Long term experiments related to agriculture, with abstracts Klaus Ammann, Web of Science and other sources, 20120919, 456 references (1989). "[The relationship between population dynamics and the process of development: an interdependence requiring the definition of population policies]." Pop Sahel : bulletin d'information sur la population et le developpement(8): 23-5. <Go to ISI>://MEDLINE:12316034 The case of Senegal is used to illustrate the impact of population dynamics on the economic development of a country and the process of creating a population policy. 1 of the 6 principles of the Kilimanjaro Program of Action concerning African population and autonomous development was the interdependence between population and development, but interest in the problem was only sporadic until the deepening of the economic crisis. Population growth is now regarded as a major constraint on improvement of welfare for the population. The population of the Sahel countries has almost doubled in the past 2 decades as a consequence of very high fertility rates and declining mortality rates. About 44% of the Sahel population is under 15 years old and only about 53% is aged 15-64. The population is unequally distributed and the proportion urban increased from 18 to 23% between 1982-85. The general opinion is that the African population is increasing more rapidly than available resources. From 1973-83, Senegal's gross national product increased by 2.2%/year on average, less than the population increase of 2.5%. Cereal production increased by 1%/year between 1973-81. Investments in agriculture have declined continuously since 1973. Cereal needs are on the order of 6.69 million tons, while production is only 4.4 million tons. According to the World Bank the literacy rate for 5 Sahel countries was only 15% in 1982, and only 35% of school aged children are enrolled. The constant increase of population is also putting pressure on health services. In response to these problems, Senegal developed its population policy in 3 phases. In the 1st phase, 3 commissions and a working group carried out research and documentation around the country, producing sectorial documents. In the 2nd phase, workshops and seminars were held for the critical examination of the sectorial documents, culminating in presentation of a synthesis to the National Commission on Population and to the Interministerial Council, which adopted the work. The population policy is a longterm orientation seeking to balance population development with economic and social development in Senegal. The 4 parts of the policy declaration examine population and development problems in Senegal, present the different aspects of a population policy, outline legislative and regulatory actions to be undertaken, and identify personnel and institutions that will be involved. (2003). "Royal society wants long-term monitoring of GM impact." Outlook on Agriculture 32(3): 200-201. <Go to ISI>://000186229400017 Aas, W. and A. Semb (2001). "Standardisation of methods for long-term monitoring." Water Air and Soil Pollution 130(1-4): 1595-1600. <Go to ISI>://000172012000114 A monitoring programme should be designed for duration. This means that methods should not only be appropriate with respect to detection limits and accuracy, but they should also be as simple as possible and they should be documented in such a way that measurements will be comparable over many decades. In this connection, it is particularly important to understand that results are dependent on methods, instruments and procedures. Within the European monitoring network (EMEP) there are several different sampling procedures for the main air components, SO2, NO2, SO42-, NO3- + HNO3, and co-located experiments have therefore been initiated to quantify the difference between the measurements. Reference methods and reference instruments corresponding to the recommendation in the EMEP Manual have been run together with the usual measurements at EMEP sites in several countries. The results are generally satisfactory, especially in the case where identical methods are used. However, there are also some unacceptable differences, e.g. when comparing NO2 and SO2 monitors with the reference methods. The monitors do have a main advantage of providing easily accessible data with short time resolution; nevertheless, the accuracy at low concentrations is usually poor. The traditional reference methods need development and simplification in the direction of the more appealing automatic instruments. AbuGhazaleh, A. A. and L. D. Holmes (2007). "Diet supplementation with fish oil and sunflower oil to increase conjugated linoleic acid levels in milk fat of partially grazing dairy cows." Journal of Dairy Science 90(6): 2897-2904. <Go to ISI>://WOS:000246603200033 The objective of this study was to determine the longterm effect on milk conjugated linoleic acid ( cis-9, trans-11 CLA) of adding fish oil ( FO) and sunflower oil ( SFO) to the diets of partially grazing dairy cows. Fourteen Holstein cows were divided into 2 groups ( 7 cows/treatment) and fed either a control or oil-supplemented diet for 8 wk while partially grazing pasture. Cows in group 1 were fed a grain mix diet ( 8.0 kg/d, DM basis) containing 400 g of saturated animal fat ( control). Cows in the second group were fed the same grain mix diet except the saturated animal fat was replaced with 100 g of FO and 300 g of SFO. Cows were milked twice a day and milk samples were collected weekly throughout the trial. Both groups grazed together on alfalfa-based pasture ad libitum and were fed their treatment diets after the morning and afternoon milking. Milk production ( 30.0 and 31.2 kg/d), milk fat percentages ( 3.64 and 3.50), milk fat yield ( 1.08 and 1.09 kg/d), milk protein percentages ( 2.97 and 2.88), and milk protein yield ( 0.99 and 0.91 kg/d) for diets 1 and 2, respectively, were not affected by the treatment diets. The concentrations of cis-9, trans-11 CLA ( 1.64 vs. 0.84 g/100 g of fatty acids) and vaccenic acid ( 5.11 vs. 2.20 g/100 g of fatty acids) in milk fat were higher for cows fed the oil- supplemented diet over the 8 wk of oil supplementation. The concentration of cis-9, trans-11 CLA in milk fat reached a maximum ( 1.0 and 1.64 g/100 g of fatty acids for diets 1 and 2, respectively) in wk 1 for both diets and remained relatively constant thereafter. The concentration of vaccenic acid in milk fat followed the same temporal pattern as cis-9, trans-11 CLA. In conclusion, supplementing the diet of partially grazing cows with FO and SFO increased the milk cis-9, trans-11 CLA content, and that increase remained relatively constant after 1 wk of oil supplementation. Adjei, M. B. and J. E. Rechcigl (2004). "Interactive effect of lime and nitrogen on bahiagrass pasture." Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida Proceedings 63: 52-56. <Go to ISI>://WOS:000226859000006 Information is lacking on the long-term effect of University of Florida's recommendation for application of N (no P or K) on grazed bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) pastures in south Florida on forage dry matter (DM) yield, nutritive value, and pasture botanical composition. This experiment consisted of four, annual, sub-plot, fertilizer treatments: 1) 67 kg N ha(-1) (N); 2) 67-12-56 kg N-P-K ha(-1) (NPK); 3) 67-12-56 kg N-P-K ha(-1) plus 22 kg ha(-1) of micronutrients mix (NPKM); and 4) control (no fertilizer), superimposed on two mainplot treatments: lime vs. no-lime to maintain a pH > 5.0 vs. < 4.5, respectively, from 1998 to 2002. The experiment was repeated under grazing conditions on four locations in central Florida. Although fertilized plots consistently yielded 20 to 30% more DM annually, and had greater crude protein (CP) concentration than the control, there were no yield nor CP differences (P > 0.05) between the N and NPK or NPKM treatments at three of the four sites. Mean annual forage yield increased from 6.5 Mg ha(-1) with the N treatment to 7.2 Mg hg(-1) with NPK or NPKM treatments on the deep sandy soil at Pasco Co., but CP remained similar among fertilized treatments. Forage IVOMD was generally unaffected by fertilizer or lime treatments, but tissue Ca, P, and K increased for amendments containing these elements. The percentage of bahiagrass stand that was yellow and/or dead and invaded by weeds in Hardee Co. averaged (5 yr) 5% for the control and 2 to 5% for the limed plots whether or not they were fertilized. The greatest (P < 0.01) deterioration in bahiagrass pasture (69% dead with weeds and only 31% green) occurred when grass was not limed but N-fertilized annually. While the N fertilizer alone may have longterm useful application to many bahiagrass pastures on flatwoods soils with spodic horizon close to the surface, the need for a fertilizer containing N, P and K on deep sandy soils may be warranted. Additionally, in acid-soil situations, it is better to lime to maintain the pH at 5.0 before N fertilization. Agee, J. K. (2003). "Monitoring postfire tree mortality in mixed-conifer forests of Crater Lake, Oregon, USA." Natural Areas Journal 23(2): 114- 120. <Go to ISI>://000182267800003 Tree mortality after a prescribed fire was monitored four times in 13 years in a mixed-conifer forest at Crater Lake, Oregon, USA. Immediate postfire mortality was concentrated in smaller size classes for all species. Mortality of larger and older trees continued, with a peak for Pinus ponderosa Dougl. and Pinus lambertiana Dougl. in the 3-7 y period following fire, and a peak for Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl in the 8- 13 y period.