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A roadmap for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science for the next two decades and beyond
- M.C. Kennicutt II, S.L. Chown, J.J. Cassano, D. Liggett, L.S. Peck, R. Massom, S.R. Rintoul, J. Storey, D.G. Vaughan, T.J. Wilson, I. Allison, J. Ayton, R. Badhe, J. Baeseman, P.J. Barrett, R.E. Bell, N. Bertler, S. Bo, A. Brandt, D. Bromwich, S.C. Cary, M.S. Clark, P. Convey, E.S. Costa, D. Cowan, R. Deconto, R. Dunbar, C. Elfring, C. Escutia, J. Francis, H.A. Fricker, M. Fukuchi, N. Gilbert, J. Gutt, C. Havermans, D. Hik, G. Hosie, C. Jones, Y.D. Kim, Y. Le Maho, S.H. Lee, M. Leppe, G. Leitchenkov, X. Li, V. Lipenkov, K. Lochte, J. López-Martínez, C. Lüdecke, W. Lyons, S. Marenssi, H. Miller, P. Morozova, T. Naish, S. Nayak, R. Ravindra, J. Retamales, C.A. Ricci, M. Rogan-Finnemore, Y. Ropert-Coudert, A.A. Samah, L. Sanson, T. Scambos, I.R. Schloss, K. Shiraishi, M.J. Siegert, J.C. Simões, B. Storey, M.D. Sparrow, D.H. Wall, J.C. Walsh, G. Wilson, J.G. Winther, J.C. Xavier, H. Yang, W.J. Sutherland
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- Journal:
- Antarctic Science / Volume 27 / Issue 1 / February 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 September 2014, pp. 3-18
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Antarctic and Southern Ocean science is vital to understanding natural variability, the processes that govern global change and the role of humans in the Earth and climate system. The potential for new knowledge to be gained from future Antarctic science is substantial. Therefore, the international Antarctic community came together to ‘scan the horizon’ to identify the highest priority scientific questions that researchers should aspire to answer in the next two decades and beyond. Wide consultation was a fundamental principle for the development of a collective, international view of the most important future directions in Antarctic science. From the many possibilities, the horizon scan identified 80 key scientific questions through structured debate, discussion, revision and voting. Questions were clustered into seven topics: i) Antarctic atmosphere and global connections, ii) Southern Ocean and sea ice in a warming world, iii) ice sheet and sea level, iv) the dynamic Earth, v) life on the precipice, vi) near-Earth space and beyond, and vii) human presence in Antarctica. Answering the questions identified by the horizon scan will require innovative experimental designs, novel applications of technology, invention of next-generation field and laboratory approaches, and expanded observing systems and networks. Unbiased, non-contaminating procedures will be required to retrieve the requisite air, biota, sediment, rock, ice and water samples. Sustained year-round access to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean will be essential to increase winter-time measurements. Improved models are needed that represent Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the Earth System, and provide predictions at spatial and temporal resolutions useful for decision making. A co-ordinated portfolio of cross-disciplinary science, based on new models of international collaboration, will be essential as no scientist, programme or nation can realize these aspirations alone.
Effect of detoxified karanja (Pongamia spp.) cake on testicular architecture and semen production in ram lambs
- D. Dineshkumar, S. Selvaraju, S. Parthipan, Allen Thayakumar, D. Rajendran, J. P. Ravindra, P. Krishnamoorthy, I. J. Reddy, S. B. N. Rao
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The protein-rich non-conventional detoxified karanja cake (dKC) can be used in place of conventional protein supplements like soybean meal (SBM), groundnut meal, etc. in livestock feed. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of two levels of dKC by replacing SBM on testicular architecture, semen quality and expressions of mRNAs encoding luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) in testes of ram lambs. Eighteen ram lambs were randomly divided into three groups (n = 6) and fed different levels (%) of karanja cake (0% replacement – control; 50% replacement – dKC-50 and 75% replacement – dKC-75) for 140 days. After 120 days of feeding, the semen from the animals was collected and analysed. The testes samples were collected on day 140 of feeding for transcripts expression studies. The dKC-50 group had no change in BW, whereas dKC-75 group showed decreased (P < 0.05) BW as compared with control. The number of animals ejaculated semen in dKC-75 group was lower (P < 0.05) than the control group. A reduction (P < 0.05) in LHR expression in dKC-75 was observed, whereas a reduction in IGF-I expression (P < 0.05) was observed in dKC-50 and dKC-75 as compared with control group. The study reveals that in ram lambs, long-term feeding of dKC at 50% replacement of SBM may not affect BW. However, long-term feeding of dKC as a replacement of SBM may affect testicular function.
EFFICIENT TILLAGE AND NUTRIENT PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE PEARL MILLET PRODUCTIVITY IN DIFFERENT SOIL AND AGRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
- G. R. MARUTHI SANKAR, P. K. MISHRA, K. L. SHARMA, S. P. SINGH, A. K. NEMA, D. K. KATHMALE, S. K. UPADHYE, M. S. SIDHPURIA, M. OSMAN, G. RAVINDRA CHARY, J. KUSUMA GRACE, B. VENKATESWARLU, A. K. SINGH
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- Journal:
- Experimental Agriculture / Volume 48 / Issue 1 / January 2012
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 13 September 2011, pp. 1-20
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Long-term field experiments were conducted at Agra, Solapur and Hisar from 2000 to 2008 to identify efficient tillage and nutrient management practices and to develop predictive models that would describe the relationship between crop yields and monthly rainfall for rainfed pearl millet grown on arid and semi-arid Inceptisol, Vertisol and Aridisol soils. Nine treatments comprising a factorial combination of three tillage practices, viz., conventional tillage (CT), low tillage + interculture (LT1) and low tillage + herbicide (LT2) and three fertilizer treatments viz., 100% N from an organic source (F1), 50% organic N + 50% inorganic N (F2) and 100% inorganic N (F3) were tested in a split-plot design at the three locations. Studies revealed that tillage and fertilizer treatments, and their interactions, significantly influenced pearl millet grain yields at the three locations. Prediction models describing the relation between grain yield and monthly rainfall indicated that rainfall occurring in June, July and August at Agra; June and July at Solapur; and June and August at Hisar significantly influenced pearl millet grain yield attained by different treatments. The R2 values of the model ranged from 0.64 to 0.81 at Agra; 0.63 to 0.92 at Solapur, and 0.75 to 0.89 at Hisar. When averaged over all the treatment combinations, mean pearl millet grain yields varied from 1590 to 1744 kg ha−1 at Agra; 1424 to 1786 kg ha−1 at Solapur; and 1675 to 1766 kg ha−1 at Hisar while their corresponding sustainability yield indice (SYI) varied from 35.4 to 42.2%, 19.9 to 45.6% and 64.1 to 68.3%, respectively. At Agra (Inceptisol), CTF3 resulted in significantly higher mean net returns (Rs 11 439 ha−1), benefit-cost ratio (2.33), rainwater use efficiency (RWUE) (3.52 kg ha−1 mm−1) and the second best SYI (39.9%). At Solapur (Vertisol), the LT1F3 resulted in significantly higher net returns (Rs 12 818 ha−1), benefit-cost ratio (3.52), RWUE (3.89 kg ha−1 mm−1) and the fourth best SYI (42.6%). At Hisar (Aridisol), the LT1F3 treatment gave higher net returns (Rs 3866 ha−1), benefit-cost ratio (1.26), RWUE (5.05 kg ha−1 mm−1) and the fourth best SYI (67.8%). These treatment combinations can be recommended for their respective locations to achieve maximum RWUE, productivity and profitability.