We resumed mowing in two plots of ca. 100 m2 in an abandoned meadow dominated by Brachypodium pinnatum on the slope of Monte Generoso (Switzerland). We monitored species composition and hay yield using point quadrats and biomass samples. Species frequencies changed little during 10 yr (1988-1997) while hay yields showed large fluctuations according to mean relative humidity in April-June. We pe...

Exotic annual grasses are a major challenge to successful restoration in temperate and Mediterranean climates. Experiments to restore abandoned agricultural fields from exotic grassland to coastal sage scrub habitat were conducted over two years in southern California, U.S.A. Grass control methods were tested in 5 m2 plots using soil and vegetation treatments seeded with a mix of natives. The t...

Questions: Are calorimeters and pyrometers accurate and reliable for describing fire parameters in large-scale ecological projects, and can data from them predict data derived from thermocouples? Do mechanical pre-treatments in Florida scrub areas alter fire properties? Location: Lake Wales Ridge, Florida, USA. Methods: We deployed thermocouples attached to digital dataloggers, copper and lacqu...

Spartina alterniflora Loisel. is one of the most invasive species in the world. However, little is known about the role of artificial mowing in its invasiveness and competiveness. In this work, we studied the effect of mowing on its interspecific interactions with native species Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin ex Steud of the Yangtze Estuary, China. We calculated their relative neighbor effect...

Box turtles (Terrapene carolina) are widely distributed but vulnerable to population decline across their range. Using distance sampling, morphometric data, and an index of carapace damage, we surveyed three-toed box turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis) at 2 sites in central Missouri, and compared differences in detection probabilities when transects were walked by one or two observers. Our e...

abstract background and aim: lack of balance in pattern and activity of quadriceps and hamstring muscles increases the risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury (acl). the purpose of the present study was to investigate the changes in pattern and activity of vastus medialis and semitendinosusmuscles in landing from different heights and to understand if these changes will increase the risk of a...

OBJECTIVE To study the pattern and changes of lumbar intervertebral foraminal heights in an asymptomatic Jordanian sample relative to age, sex, level, and correlate values with midpoint vertebral and disc heights. METHODS One hundred and fifty-three patients (87 male and 66 female) were selected during the study period. The study was carried out at the Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jorda...

background: this study was conducted to assess the effect of thickness and hydration condition on the surface microhardness of endosequence root repair material putty (errm; brasseler usa, savannah, ga), a premixed bioceramic material. materials and methods: polymethyl methacrylate cylindrical molds with an internal diameter of 4 mm and three heights of 2, 4, and 6 mm were fabricated. in group ...

Forage dry matter (DM) yield and its nutrient content are important in livestock nutrition; however, they have distinct, even opposite responses to mowing regimes. To optimize forage resources, two independent field experiments were conducted determine effects of initial time (15-day intervals from May 15 September 1) frequency (one five times per year) on DM nutritive value Leymus chinensis (T...