Individual Yards Research Articles

Stability of milk from dual purpose cows with different types of feeding

Objective: To establish milk stability using the alcohol test in cows with different feeding strategies in the tropical dairy system. Design/methodology/approach: Ten crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows whose milk frequently tested positive to the alcohol test were housed in individual yards and distributed into two groups. Experiment 1. T1: cows consumed dry Pangola grass (Digitaria eriantha); T2: cows consumed green Maralfalfa grass (Pennisetum violaceum). Forage was provided ad libitum. Experiment 2. T1 cows were supplemented with a concentrate with higher crude protein and metabolizable energy percentage than T2 cows; this percentage was gradually increased up to 4.0 kg. Milk was subjected to alcohol testing. Variance analyzes were performed under categorical data models. Results: Higher percentages of cases that tested positive for alcohol were observed in cows that consumed dry grass than in cows that consumed green grass (P<0.05). The concentrate addition to diets based on dry or green forage reduced the positive case percentage. Implications: A balanced diet improves milk stability. Findings/conclusions: The improvement in the cows’ nutritional value decreases the percentage of milk with positive results in the alcohol test.

Residential yards as designer ecosystems: effects of yardmanagement on land snail species composition.

Residential yards comprise the majority of green space in urban landscapes, yet are an understudied system because of access issues and because yards may be considered biologically depauperate. Yards are purposely created and managed and, hence, qualify as designer ecosystems, a term borrowed from restoration ecology. We investigated whether yard management (watering regime, mulching, and chemical use) or dog presence affected land snail assemblage composition and described the pattern of native vs. nonnative species among yards. Land snails form an appropriate model system for yard-scale studies because snails are speciose, common, and have limited mobility. We found 32 land snail species in our survey of 61 yards in Norman, Oklahoma, USA (population size of 118,000). Snail richness in individual yards averaged nine species, with a range of three to 14 species. Native snails were found in all yards and nonnative snails were found in all but one yard. Although some of the nine nonnative species were rare, the most frequently encountered species was the nonnative Triodopsis hopetonensis. All encountered nonnative species also occur in Oklahoma plant nurseries, indicating possible introduction through the plant trade. Yard-scale watering regime and the presence of dogs were associated with differences in snail species composition but not species richness. Pesticide use and mulch type had little, if any, association with snail composition. Effects may have been diluted by treating yards as units, whereas snails were concentrated in specific microhabitats, such as under shrubs. Soil type also influenced snail assemblages and acted at a scale larger than individual yards. Considering yards as designer ecosystems facilitates investigation of how local variation in management affects biota within yards and across the residential landscape, and highlights the importance of variation among residential yards in understanding patterns of urban biodiversity.

Pocket parks as community building blocks: A focus on Stapleton, CO

Concern for resources and energy, as well as limited physical space, has created a market for communities that use compact development with small residential lots to achieve efficient design. The Stapleton development in Denver, Colorado, is a smart growth, new urban-style community that offers shared neighborhood pocket parks to residents instead of large individual yards for outdoor activities. Our study assesses resident perceptions of pocket parks as an alternative to private yards and investigates pocket parks as places that foster community interaction. This article is informed by two empirical studies: a park preference survey and a series of walking interviews held with community members. We found that, in Stapleton, pocket parks do help foster community interaction and are generally perceived as a positive community amenity. Our study contributes to the discourse on social interaction in communal spaces, particularly in smart growth, new urban-style developments where pocket parks are offered in lieu of large residential yards.

Woody cover does not promote activity of nest predators in residential yards

Urban development often affects resource availability in ways that can influence not only community structure, but key species interactions that shape population dynamics. Although some resources are unintentionally altered, others are deliberately changed to improve habitat for urban wildlife, particularly songbirds. We hypothesized that management strategies that encourage planting trees and shrubs (i.e. increasing woody cover) would inadvertently attract predators of bird nests, which are generally abundant within cities. To test this, we examined the relationship between percent woody cover, pooled across trees and shrubs, and diurnal activity patterns of nest predators in residential yards. We surveyed predator activity and characterized habitat using aerial imagery of seven suburban neighborhoods in Franklin County, Ohio during April–August 2011 and 2012. Predator activity varied widely among individual yards, but contrary to our hypothesis, the availability of woody cover at either yard or neighborhood scales was not a strong predictor of diurnal activity in yards for five common species of nest predators (Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis; common grackle, Quiscalus quiscala; brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater; blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata; and domestic cat, Felis catus). Thus, our study suggests that wildlife habitat management or gardening programs that recommend increasing woody cover do not necessarily attract some common predators of songbird nests in Midwestern landscapes. Additional research that identifies which habitat features beyond woody cover best predict nest predator activity will facilitate the creation of management recommendations that increase the conservation value of urban environments for songbirds.

Having our yards and sharing them too: the collective effects of yards on native bird species in an urban landscape.

Residential yards comprise a substantial portion of urban landscapes, and the collective effects of the management of many individual yards may “scale up” to affect urban biodiversity. We conducted bird surveys and social surveys in Chicago-area (Illinois, USA) residential neighborhoods to identify the relative importance of yard design and management activities for native birds. We found that groups of neighboring yards, in the aggregate, were more important for native bird species richness than environmental characteristics at the neighborhood or landscape scale. The ratio of evergreen to deciduous trees in yards and the percentage of yards with trees and plants with fruits or berries were positively associated with native bird species richness, whereas the number of outdoor cats had a negative association. The number of birdfeeders was not an important predictor for native species richness. We also found that migratory birds were observed on transects with more wildlife-friendly features in yards, and nonnative birds were observed on transects with greater numbers of outdoor cats and dogs. Our results highlight the potential importance of residential matrix management as a conservation strategy in urban areas.

The common life of yards

Recent scholarship has begun to reimagine the commons beyond its traditional meaning as a collectively owned and managed natural resource. Building on research that considers commons through the practices which produce and maintain them—commoning—this article analyzes how privately owned front and backyards participate in urban commons. Through ethnographic research in three neighborhoods of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the article shows how these commons are made in two key registers: through yards as shared territories and through everyday practices of sharing plants across individual yards. The article’s central claim is that yards and the everyday practices which take place in and through them constitute one nodal point in the making of urban commons. In so doing, logics of private property come to be interwoven with logics of commoning. By finding a diverse range of common lives of yards, this article adds to emerging conversations about the nature of urban commons.

Conservation Subdivision: Post-construction Phase – Urban Trees Can Reduce Household Carbon Footprint

During the post-construction phase, the conservation and planting of native trees in individual yards and open spaces can reduce household and neighborhood carbon footprints. This 5-page fact sheet discusses the importance of urban trees and their role in mitigating for climate change by avoiding carbon emissions and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Written by Richard Vaughn, Mark Hostetler, and Francisco Escobedo, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, June 2012. WEC321/UW366: Conservation Subdivision: Post-construction Phase—Urban Trees Can Reduce Household Carbon Footprint (ufl.edu)

Distribution and species-specific occurrence of cyathostomins (Nematoda, Strongylida) in naturally infected horses from Italy, United Kingdom and Germany

A broad scale study was carried out in 2008 to evaluate the distribution and species-specific occurrence of cyathostomin populations in horse yards from Europe. In total 102 properties and 3123 horses were included in Italy (60 yards and 1646 animals), United Kingdom (22 yards and 737 animals) and Germany (20 yards and 740 animals). Individual faecal samples were examined with a McMaster technique while pooled samples were subjected to the microscopic examination of in vitro cultured larvae and to a Reverse Line Blot (RLB) assay able to molecularly identify the most diffused 13 species of cyathostomins. All yards were positive for the presence of cyathostomins both at the McMaster technique and at the microscopic examination of cultured larvae. One thousand and nine hundred thirty-one horses (61.8%) showed a positive faecal egg count, i.e. 1110 (67.4%), 463 (62.8%) and 358 (48.3%) from Italy, UK and Germany respectively. Out of the 1931 positive animals 1133 (36.3%) showed a faecal egg count per gram >150, specifically 694 (42.2%) from Italy, 237 (32.2%) from UK and 202 (27.3%) from Germany. The molecular results showed that all 13 species that can be detected by the RLB were found in each of the three countries, with a range of 3–13 species present in individual yards. The five most prevalent were Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cylicostephanus longibursatus, Cyathostomum catinatum, Cylicocyclus goldi and Cyathostomum pateratum. The relevance of these results and related biological and epidemiological features are discussed, together with their significance for both future studies of cyathostomins and further intervention programs aiming to control the spread of anthelmintic-resistant populations.

Faecal corticosteroid levels as an indicator of well-being in the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii

Faecal corticosteroid levels were measured in five female tammar wallabies, Macropus eugenii, at Macquarie University, NSW, Australia, to assess their reliability as indicators of well-being in this species. Animals were challenged with a change in conditions over the course of approximately 1 week, comprising movement from group yards to isolation in individual yards, in order to impose a disturbance to homeostasis (“stress”). Faecal samples were collected in 24-h intervals during the study period and analysed for corticosteroid concentration. The use of enzyme immunoassay for the measurement of corticosteroids in marsupial faecal pellets was validated. We observed a significant increase in faecal corticosteroids upon isolation and movement. Faecal corticosteroids remained above initial levels in all five animals throughout the study period, suggesting that faecal corticosteroid concentrations may be a useful indicator of a change in animal well-being. Faecal corticosteroid levels did not correlate with serum cortisol levels, implying that the use of noninvasive methods in a representative marsupial, the tammar wallaby, has the potential to provide information that is not readily apparent using blood-based protocols. Faecal corticosteroid analysis therefore has the potential for application in monitoring the well-being of captive and managed marsupial populations, as part of an integrated system of measures of animal health and well-being.

Landscape patterns of abundance of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) on Shelter Island, New York.

Nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say, the vector of Lyme borreliosis, was most common in forested areas across Shelter Island, Suffolk County, New York, and least common in xeric habitats such as beach and grassland. At the scale of individual house yards, nymphs were most common at wooded edges of property and least common on lawns. The abundance of ticks at yard edges was positively correlated with numbers on lawns and in landscaping, suggesting that tick abundance in woods affects abundances in adjacent yards. Because 57% of all yard area is adjacent to woodlands on Shelter Island, public health efforts to reduce tick populations in wooded areas should supplement efforts by individual yard owners to decrease risk. Methods of tick control for woodlands should also be evaluated for their effect on tick populations in adjacent yard habitats.

Soil lead concentrations in residential Minnesota as measured by ICP-AES

A total of 2454 samples were collected to evaluate the degree, extent, and distribution of Pb contaminated soil in Minnesota. Samples were collected primarily at locations where susceptible populations were concentrated. Soil Pb concentrations in chilldren's play areas, urban gardens, and at open sites were generally below 100 μg g −1 when Pb painted structures were absent. Street side and yard soils typically had Pb concentrations between 10 to 300 μg g−1, with samples collected near major highways or Pb painted structures exhibiting greater values. The most severely contaminated soils were found in localized areas around the foundations of private residences, where concentrations up to 20 136 μg g−1 were detected. Exterior Pb based house paint is the major Pb source in these soils, and its presence greatly influences the distribution of contaminated soil in individual yards. Contamination attributable to autoemissions is less concentrated but more widespread than contamination from paint. A higher proportion of soils exceeding 1000 wg g−1 Pb was found in large cities than elsewhere. However, a sufficient number were detected in small cities and rural areas to confirm that high soil Pb levels are not exclusively an urban phenomenon. By examining the degree, extent, and distribution of Pb contaminated soils in Minnesota, this study provides information useful in guiding response actions to reduce children's exposure to Pb by this pathway.

Estudo da temperatura do ar e umidade relativa vigentes em câmara climática, sôbre o crescimento e características das carcaças em suínos, desde a desmama até o abate

The performance in terms of rate of gain, food conversion efficiency and carcass quality measurements was studied in pigs held under the artificial conditions of a climatic chamber at constant air temperature 81,7°F (27,6°C). At weaning the male animals were paired for breed, weights and allocated to the two treatments and then were housed in individual yards. Feeding was carried out twice daily, in individual feeding crates and any feed refused was weighed and recorded. Water was constantly available and recorded as well. The live weight of the pigs was registered once a fortnight and the rations adjusted accordingly. The experimental period lasted 107 days. After reaching about 180 lb (82 kg) of body weight, the pigs were weighed and starved during 24 hours and slaughtered the next morning. After weighing the hot carcasses, they were cooled at 2°C until next morning and then re-weighed and measured. The killing out percentages were calculated on the basis of live weight and the hot carcass weight. The results of the experiment are described separately according to: a) rate of gain, food and water intake and conversion efficiency; b) live weight and carcasses measurements related to the air temperature and relative humidity; c) effects of the air temperature and humidity on the body temperature, respiratory and pulse rates. Analysis of variance was carried out for live weight initial and final, rate of gain, food intake and conversion efficiency and no significant differences were encountered between treatments — climatic chamber and environment — except the significant higher water intake observed in the lot held in climatic room. It is apparent as well that differences between treatments were not significant in length, loin fat at three points and “eye” muscle dimensions. Significant positive correlations were demonstrated between daily gain and body weight until 110 lb (50 kg) in both treatments, while at higher weights it continued positive but lacked statistical significance. In the light of the findings here encountered it was concluded that the constant air temperature of 81,7°F ± 0,07 (27,6°C) and relative humidity of 72,5 ± 0,60 per cent held at the climatic room, were not capable to exert influence upon the performance of pigs.