Browsing by Author "Smith, J."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Could payments for forest carbon contribute to improved tropical forest management?
    Smith, J.; Applegate, G. (Elsevier B.V., 2004)
    This article assesses the likely impacts of payments for forestry projects that sequester carbon, focusing on scenarios in which industrialized countries may meet Kyoto Protocol emission reduction commitments by financing forest management projects in developing countries. The study addresses two questions: 1) Will this mechanism allow industrialized countries to avoid reducing their own energy use? 2) Are these forestry projects cost-effective and successful at improving forest management practices?
  • Forest carbon and local livelihoods: Assessment of opportunities and policy recommendations
    Smith, J.; Scherr, Sara J. (2002)
    This paper discusses how proactive efforts are needed to enable community based CDM (Clean Development Mechanism, Kyoto Protocol) forestry projects and local land uses to compete effectively in carbon trading markets with projects managed by large-scale operators.
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    Life on the edge: Vulnerability and adaptation of African ecosystems to global climate change
    Dixon, R.; Smith, J.; Guill, S. (Berlin, Germany: Springer Science+Business Media B.V., 2003)
    Donor countries are providing financial and technical support for global climate change country studies to help African nations meet their reporting needs under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Technical assistance to complete vulnerability and adaptation assessments includes training of analysts, sharing of contemporary tools (e.g. simulation models), data and assessment techniques, information-sharing workshops and an international exchange programme for analysts. This chapter summarizes 14 African country studies (Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) assessing vulnerabilities to global climate change and identifying adaptation options. The analysis revealed that the participating African countries are vulnerable to global climate change in more than one of the following socio-economic sectors: coastal resources, agriculture, grasslands and livestock, water resources, forests, wildlife, and human health. This vulnerability is exacerbated by widespread poverty, recurrent droughts, inequitable land distribution, environmental degradation, natural resource mismanagement and dependence on rain-fed agriculture. A range of practical adaptation options were identified in key socio-economic sectors of the African nations analysed. However, underdeveloped human and institutional capacity, as well as the absence of adequate infrastructure, renders many traditional coping strategies (rooted in political and economic stability) ineffective or insufficient. Future African country studies should be more closely coordinated with development of national climate change action plans.
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    MvirDB - a microbial database of protein toxins, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes for bio-defence applications
    Zhou, C. E.; Smith, J.; Lam, M.; Zemla, A.; Dyer, Matthew D.; Slezak, Tom (2007-01)
    Knowledge of toxins, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes is essential for bio-defense applications aimed at identifying 'functional' signatures for characterizing emerging or engineered pathogens. Whereas genetic signatures identify a pathogen, functional signatures identify what a pathogen is capable of. To facilitate rapid identification of sequences and characterization of genes for signature discovery, we have collected all publicly available (as of this writing), organized sequences representing known toxins, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance genes in one convenient database, which we believe will be of use to the bio-defense research community. MvirDB integrates DNA and protein sequence information from Tox-Prot, SCORPION, the PRINTS virulence factors, VFDB, TVFac, Islander, ARGO and a subset of VIDA. Entries in MvirDB are hyperlinked back to their original sources. A blast tool allows the user to blast against all DNA or protein sequences in MvirDB, and a browser tool allows the user to search the database to retrieve virulence factor descriptions, sequences, and classifications, and to download sequences of interest. MvirDB has an automated weekly update mechanism. Each protein sequence in MvirDB is annotated using our fully automated protein annotation system and is linked to that system's browser tool. MvirDB can be accessed at http://mvirdb.llnl.gov/.
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    A Study to Determine the Preference for Nesting Box Design of Sialia sialis (Eastern Bluebird), Tachycineta bicolor (Tree Swallow) and Poecile atricapillus (Black-capped Chickadee): Comparison of the Traditional Nesting Box and the Peterson Box, Year 3
    Burkart, Carol A.; Russo, Anthony; Adkins, T.; Blanton, A.; Burke, K.; Calhoun, H.; Crabtree, M.; Deaton, S.; Etter, S.; Fields, M.; Franklin, D.; Garrett, C.; Green, K.; Hall, L.; Hatley, K.; Hobbs, L.; Hofemeister, A.; Honaker, K.; Megen, M.; Key, J.; Kyle, A.; Lawson, K.; Lyke, L.; Maggard, R.; Mead, B.; Miles, M.; Price, S.; Sandhu, N.; Smith, J.; Stanley, A.; Stapleton, A.; Sturgill, W.; Taylor, K.; Tippett, J. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2014)
    The 2014 nesting season was the third and final year of our study comparing the Peterson box to the traditional rectangular bluebird nesting box. Unlike the traditional boxes, Peterson boxes are wedge shaped, decreasing the internal volume of the box and the amount of material required to build a nest. The idea behind the Peterson design is that the number of young fledged per nest will be higher over the traditional design. By reducing the energy required for nest building, more energy would be available for rearing young. As during the previous season, bluebirds, tree swallows and chickadees utilized the Peterson boxes. During the 2014 season, nest building activity was equally distributed between the two types of boxes (8 and 9 partial or complete nests in traditional and Peterson boxes, respectively). However, the pattern of egg laying activity shifted from the first season, with bluebird only laying eggs in Peterson boxes; while chickadees and tree swallows laid eggs in both box types. The number of eggs laid, hatching success and fledging were not enhanced by the Peterson design. Three seasons of data was pooled by species and across species. Differences were not found to be significant, with the exception of bluebird egg production. Average bluebird clutch size was higher for the traditional box than for the Peterson box. As in previous season, student volunteers from Mountain Empire Community College performed maintenance along the trail and assisted in the monitoring of nesting activity.