Barron J. Orr

Farm-scale evaluation of the impacts of transgenic cotton on biodiversity, pesticide use, and yield

Higher yields and reduced pesticide impacts are needed to mitigate the effects of agricultural intensification. A 2-year farm-scale evaluation of 81 commercial fields in Arizona show that use of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton reduced insecticide use, whereas transgenic cotton with Bt protein and herbicide resistance (BtHr) did not affect herbicide use. Transgenic cotton had higher yield than nontransgenic cotton for any given number of insecticide applications. However, nontransgenic, Bt and BtHr cotton had similar yields overall, largely because higher insecticide use with nontransgenic cotton improved control of key pests. Unlike Bt and BtHr cotton, insecticides reduced the diversity of nontarget insects. Several other agronomic and ecological factors also affected biodiversity. Nevertheless, pairwise comparisons of diversity of nontarget insects in cotton fields with diversity in adjacent noncultivated sites revealed similar effects of cultivation of transgenic and nontransgenic cotton on biodiversity. The results indicate that impacts of agricultural intensification can be reduced when replacement of broad-spectrum insecticides by narrow-spectrum Bt crops does not reduce control of pests not affected by Bt crops.

Monitoring post-wildfire vegetation response with remotely sensed time-series data in Spain, USA and Israel

Due to the challenges faced by resource managers in maintaining post-fire ecosystem health, there is a need for methods to assess the ecological consequences of disturbances. This research examines an approach for assessing changes in post-fire vegetation dynamics for sites in Spain, Israel and the USA that burned in 1998, 1999 and 2002 respectively. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series data (2000-07) are used for all sites to characterise and track the seasonal and spatial changes in vegetation response. Post-fire trends and metrics for burned areas are evaluated and compared with unburned reference sites to account for the influence of local environmental conditions. Time-series data interpretation provides insights into climatic influences on the post-fire vegetation. Although only two sites show increases in post-fire vegetation, all sites show declines in heterogeneity across the site. The evaluation of land surface phenological metrics, including the start and end of the season, the base and peak NDVI, and the integrated seasonal NDVI, show promising results, indicating trends in some measures of post-fire phenology. Results indicate that this monitoring approach, based on readily available satellite-based time-series vegetation data, provides a valuable tool for assessing post-fire vegetation response.

Integrating knowledge exchange and the assessment of dryland management alternatives – A learning-centered participatory approach

The adoption of sustainable land management strategies and practices that respond to current climate and human pressures requires both assessment tools that can lead to better informed decision-making and effective knowledge-exchange mechanisms that facilitate new learning and behavior change. We propose a learning-centered participatory approach that links land management assessment and knowledge exchange and integrates science-based data and stakeholder perspectives on both biophysical and socio-economic attributes. We outline a structured procedure for a transparent assessment of land management alternatives, tailored to dryland management, that is based on (1) principles of constructivism and social learning, (2) the participation of stakeholders throughout the whole assessment process, from design to implementation, and (3) the combination of site-specific indicators, identified by local stakeholders as relevant to their particular objectives and context conditions, and science-based indicators that represent ecosystem services of drylands worldwide. The proposed procedure follows a pattern of eliciting, challenging, and self-reviewing stakeholder perspectives that aims to facilitate learning. The difference between the initial baseline perspectives and the final self-reviewed stakeholder perspectives is used as a proxy of learning. We illustrate the potential of this methodology by its application to the assessment of land uses in a Mediterranean fire-prone area in East Spain. The approach may be applied to a variety of socio-ecological systems and decision-making and governance scales.

Neighborhood Design, Physical Activity, and Wellbeing: Applying the Walkability Model

Neighborhood design affects lifestyle physical activity, and ultimately human wellbeing. There are, however, a limited number of studies that examine neighborhood design types. In this research, we examine four types of neighborhood designs: traditional development, suburban development, enclosed community, and cluster housing development, and assess their level of walkability and their effects on physical activity and wellbeing. We examine significant associations through a questionnaire (n = 486) distributed in Tucson, Arizona using the Walkability Model. Among the tested neighborhood design types, traditional development showed significant associations and the highest value for walkability, as well as for each of the two types of walking (recreation and transportation) representing physical activity. Suburban development showed significant associations and the highest mean values for mental health and wellbeing. Cluster housing showed significant associations and the highest mean value for social interactions with neighbors and for perceived safety from crime. Enclosed community did not obtain the highest means for any wellbeing benefit. The Walkability Model proved useful in identifying the walkability categories associated with physical activity and perceived crime. For example, the experience category was strongly and inversely associated with perceived crime. This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of including vegetation, particularly trees, throughout neighborhoods in order to increase physical activity and wellbeing. Likewise, the results suggest that regular maintenance is an important strategy to improve mental health and overall wellbeing in cities.

Prevention and restoration actions to combat desertification An integrated assessment: The PRACTICE Project

Actions de prevention et de restauration pour lutter contre la desertification : une evaluation integree (PRACTICE) est une action de soutien du septieme programme-cadre de recherche et de developpement technologique de la Commission europeenne. Elle se deroule pendant trois ans a partir de septembre 2009. Elle regroupe des scientifiques et des intervenants en provenance de plusieurs regions du monde affectees par la desertification, afin d’apprendre des experiences en cours sur la lutte contre la desertification, telles que le reboisement, l’amelioration des pâturages, le pâturage controle, la gestion des bassins-versants et des pratiques agricoles durables. L’objectif central de PRACTICE est de relier science et societe afin de partager et transferer des methodes et pratiques d’evaluation pour combattre la desertification. Pour atteindre cet objectif, PRACTICE vise d’abord a developper et mettre en œuvre un protocole d’evaluation integree pour evaluer l’efficacite des pratiques de prevention et de restauration, applicables dans le monde entier. Le protocole d’evaluation de PRACTICE considere les interactions mutuelles entre l’homme et l’environnement. Le protocole d’evaluation represente egalement une approche integree considerant simultanement les deux attributs, biophysiques et socio-economiques. Le protocole repose sur : 1) les principaux indicateurs communs qui representent l’ensemble de l’ecosysteme et le fonctionnement des systemes homme-environnement ; 2) les indicateurs specifiques aux sites identifies par les acteurs locaux qui sont pertinents pour les objectifs et les conditions du contexte particulier ; et 3) les perspectives des acteurs locaux. Les indicateurs sont selectionnes dans le cadre des services des ecosystemes developpe par le « Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005 », en se concentrant sur la contribution au bien-etre des populations et en essayant d’etre coherent avec les indicateurs d’impact selectionnes par la convention des Nations unies pour combattre la desertification (CNULCD) et aux recommandations de la convention sur la diversite biologique (CDB) et de la convention cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC). Des modeles de decision multicriteres seront utilises pour integrer les informations fournies par les differents indicateurs biophysiques et socio-economiques et les perspectives des parties prenantes. Cet article presente l’etat du projet en juin 2011, lors du seminaire « Politiques, programmes et projets de lutte contre la desertification. Comment les evaluer ? »

Successional stage after land abandonment modulates fire severity and post-fire recovery in a Mediterranean mountain landscape

This study analyses the effect of successional stage after farmland terrace abandonment on post-fire plant recovery in a Mediterranean landscape. Specific objectives of the study were to (1) compare fuel characteristics and fire severity in three successional stages after farmland abandonment – dry grassland, dense shrubland and pine stands; (2) analyse the effect of pre-fire successional stage and fire severity on vegetation recovery and (3) analyse the relative vulnerability (i.e. potential for ecosystem shift and soil degradation) to wildfires of the successional stages. We assessed 30 abandoned terraces (15 unburned and 15 burned), with diverse successional stages, on the Xorta Range (south-east Spain). Post-fire recovery was measured 1, 4 and 7 years after fire. The successional stages varied in aboveground biomass, litter amount, vertical structure and continuity of plant cover, and flammability. Dry grassland showed the lowest fire severity, whereas no differences in severity were found between shrubland and pine stands. One year after fire, plant cover was inversely related to fire severity; this relationship attenuated with time after fire. Post-fire recovery of pine stands and shrubland led in both cases to shrublands, contributing to landscape homogenisation. The pine stands showed the largest changes in composition due to fire and the lowest post-fire plant recovery – a sign of high vulnerability to fire.

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM WATCHES FOR ESTIMATING ENERGY EXPENDITURE

Abstract Hongu, N, Orr, BJ, Roe, DJ, Reed, RG, and Going, SB. Global positioning system watches for estimating energy expenditure. J Strength Cond Res 27(11): 3216–3220, 2013— Global positioning system (GPS) watches have been introduced commercially, converting frequent measurements of time, location, speed (pace), and elevation into energy expenditure (EE) estimates. The purpose of this study was to compare EE estimates of 4 different GPS watches (Forerunner, Suunto, Polar, Adeo), at various walking speeds, with EE estimate from a triaxial accelerometer (RT3), which was used as a reference measure in this study. Sixteen healthy young adults completed the study. Participants wore 4 different GPS watches and an RT3 accelerometer and walked at 6-minute intervals on an outdoor track at 3 speeds (3, 5, and 7 km/hr). The statistical significance of differences in EE between the 3 watches was assessed using linear contrasts of the coefficients from the overall model. Reliability across trials for a given device was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients as estimated in the mixed model. The GPS watches demonstrated lower reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) across trials when compared with the RT3, particularly at the higher speed, 7 km/hr. Three GPS watches (Forerunner, Polar, and Suunto) significantly and consistently underestimated EE compared with the reference EE given by the RT3 accelerometer (average mean difference: Garmin, −50.5%; Polar, −41.7%; and Suunto, −41.7%; all p < 0.001). Results suggested that caution should be exercised when using commercial GPS watches to estimate EE in athletes during field-based testing and training.

TECH SAVVY: Mobile technologies for promoting health and physical activity

Reference

Prevention and restoration actions to combat desertification

Actions de prevention et de restauration pour lutter contre la desertification : une evaluation integree (PRACTICE) est une action de soutien du septieme programme-cadre de recherche et de developpement technologique de la Commission europeenne. Elle se deroule pendant trois ans a partir de septembre 2009. Elle regroupe des scientifiques et des intervenants en provenance de plusieurs regions du monde affectees par la desertification, afin d’apprendre des experiences en cours sur la lutte contre la desertification, telles que le reboisement, l’amelioration des pâturages, le pâturage controle, la gestion des bassins-versants et des pratiques agricoles durables. L’objectif central de PRACTICE est de relier science et societe afin de partager et transferer des methodes et pratiques d’evaluation pour combattre la desertification. Pour atteindre cet objectif, PRACTICE vise d’abord a developper et mettre en œuvre un protocole d’evaluation integree pour evaluer l’efficacite des pratiques de prevention et de restauration, applicables dans le monde entier. Le protocole d’evaluation de PRACTICE considere les interactions mutuelles entre l’homme et l’environnement. Le protocole d’evaluation represente egalement une approche integree considerant simultanement les deux attributs, biophysiques et socio-economiques. Le protocole repose sur : 1) les principaux indicateurs communs qui representent l’ensemble de l’ecosysteme et le fonctionnement des systemes homme-environnement ; 2) les indicateurs specifiques aux sites identifies par les acteurs locaux qui sont pertinents pour les objectifs et les conditions du contexte particulier ; et 3) les perspectives des acteurs locaux. Les indicateurs sont selectionnes dans le cadre des services des ecosystemes developpe par le « Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005 », en se concentrant sur la contribution au bien-etre des populations et en essayant d’etre coherent avec les indicateurs d’impact selectionnes par la convention des Nations unies pour combattre la desertification (CNULCD) et aux recommandations de la convention sur la diversite biologique (CDB) et de la convention cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC). Des modeles de decision multicriteres seront utilises pour integrer les informations fournies par les differents indicateurs biophysiques et socio-economiques et les perspectives des parties prenantes. Cet article presente l’etat du projet en juin 2011, lors du seminaire « Politiques, programmes et projets de lutte contre la desertification. Comment les evaluer ? »

Potential of an outranking multi-criteria approach to support the participatory assessment of land management actions

We evaluated the potential of an outranking Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis approach for assisting in the participatory assessment of dryland management actions implemented in the San Simon watershed, in southeastern Arizona, USA. We compared an outranking-facilitated assessment of actions with a simple and direct (baseline) ranking of the same actions by the participating stakeholders in terms of: 1) internal homogeneity of each assessment approach, (2) similarity of individual assessments between methods, and (3) effects of the use of implicit/explicit assessment criteria. The actions assessed combined various management approaches, including livestock management (rotation, resting), vegetation management (grass seeding, brush control), and hydraulic structures (dams, dykes). The outranking-facilitated assessment discriminated better between actions and reduced the variability of results between individual stakeholders as compared with the direct ranking of actions. In general, the two assessments significantly differed in the relative preference of the five management actions assessed, yet both assessments identified rotational grazing combined with vegetation management (grass seeding and brush control) as the most preferred management action in the study area. The comparative analysis revealed inconsistencies between the use of implicit and explicit assessment criteria. Our findings highlight the opportunities offered by outranking approaches to help capture, structure, and make explicit stakeholder perspectives in the framework of a participatory environmental assessment process, which may facilitate the understanding of the multiple preferences involved. The outranking integration process, which resembles a voting procedure, proved simple and transparent, with potential for contributing to stakeholder engagement and trust in participatory assessment.