We compiled details of over 8000 assessments of protected area management effectiveness across the world and developed a method for analyzing results across diverse assessment methodologies and indicators. Data was compiled and analyzed for over 4000 of these sites. Management of these protected areas varied from weak to effective, with about 40% showing major deficiencies. About 14% of the surveyed areas showed significant deficiencies across many management effectiveness indicators and hence lacked basic requirements to operate effectively. Strongest management factors recorded on average related to establishment of protected areas (legal establishment, design, legislation and boundary marking) and to effectiveness of governance; while the weakest aspects of management included community benefit programs, resourcing (funding reliability and adequacy, staff numbers and facility and equipment maintenance) and management effectiveness evaluation. Estimations of management outcomes, including both environmental values conservation and impact on communities, were positive. We conclude that in spite of inadequate funding and management process, there are indications that protected areas are contributing to biodiversity conservation and community well-being.

ABSTRACT:The ability to predict the effects of extreme climatic variables on livestock is important in terms of welfare and performance. An index combining temperature and humidity (THI) has been used for more than 4 decades to assess heat stress in cattle. However, the THI does not include important climatic variables such as solar load and wind speed (WS, m/s). Likewise, it does not include management factors (the effect of shade) or animal factors (genotype differences). Over 8 summers, a total of 11,669 Bos taurus steers, 2,344 B. taurus crossbred steers, 2,142 B. taurus × Bos indicus steers, and 1,595 B. indicus steers were used to develop and test a heat load index (HLI) for feedlot cattle. A new HLI incorporating black globe (BG) temperature (°C), relative humidity (RH, decimal form), and WS was initially developed by using the panting score (PS) of 2,490 Angus steers. The HLI consists of 2 parts based on a BG temperature threshold of 25°C: HLI BG>25 = 8.62 + (0.38 × RH) + (1.55 × BG) − (0.5 × WS) + e (2.4−WS) , and HLI BG<25 = 10.66 + (0.28 × RH) + (1.3 × BG) − WS, where e is the base of the natural logarithm. A threshold HLI above which cattle of different genotypes gain body heat was developed for 7 genotypes. The threshold for unshaded black B. taurus steers was 86, and for unshaded B. indicus (100%) the

A 120-d feedlot study using 164 Angus steers (BW = 396.7 ± 7.0 kg) was undertaken in Queensland Australia (24°84' S, 149°78' N) to determine the effect of shade on body temperature (T(B)) and performance. Cattle were allocated to 20 pens: 16 with an area of 144 m(2) (8 steers/pen) and 4 with an area of 168 m(2) (9 steers/pen). Treatments (10 pens/treatment) were unshaded (NS) vs. shaded (SH). Shade (3.3 m(2)/steer) was provided by 80% solar block shade cloth. Before the study (d -31), 63 steers were implanted (between the internal abdominal muscle and the peritoneum at the right side flank) with a T(B) transmitter. Within each pen, 3 steers had a T(B) transmitter. Individual T(B) was obtained every 30 min. The cattle were fed a feedlot diet and had ad libitum access to water. Water usage and DMI were recorded daily on a pen basis. Average daily gain and G:F were calculated on a pen basis. Climatic variables were obtained from an on-site weather station every 30 min. Individual panting scores (PS) were obtained daily at 0600, 1200, and 1600 h. From these, mean PS (MPS) were calculated for each pen. At slaughter (d 121), individual HCW, loin muscle area (LMA), rump fat depth (P8), 12th-rib fat depth, and marbling score were obtained. Mean T(B) was not affected (P > 0.05) by treatment (SH = 39.58°C; NS = 39.60°C). However, during a 21-d heat wave when cattle were exposed to a mean ambient temperature (T(AM)) > 30°C for 8 h each d (T(AM) between 0800 and 1800 h = 29.7°C, and 23.4°C between 1830 and 0730 h), the T(B) of SH steers (40.41 ± 0.10°C) was less (P < 0.01) than the T(B) of NS steers (41.14 ± 0.10°C). During this period, pen-MPS were greater (P < 0.05) for the NS cattle at all observation times. Over the first 6 d of the heat wave, MPS of NS steers at 1200 h was 2.47 (P < 0.01) vs. 1.39 for SH steers. Hip height, DMI, ADG, and G:F were greater (P < 0.05) for SH cattle. Exit BW (final BW) of SH steers (596.1 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) when compared with NS steers (578.6 kg). During the heat wave, DMI was 51% less for NS steers and 39% less for SH steers when compared with the pre-heat wave period (P < 0.01). The HCW of SH steers (315.4 ± 0.8 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) than for NS steers (321.4 ± 0.8 kg). No treatment differences (P > 0.05) were found for LMA, P8, or marbling score. Access to shade improved (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F, increased HCW, and decreased MPS; however, shade did not completely eliminate the impact of high heat load.

Dietary starch is a major component in the human diet. A proportion of the starch in our diet escapes digestion in the small intestine and is fermented in the colon. In this study, we use a model of the colon, seeded with porcine feces, in which we investigate the fermentation of a variety of starches with structures typical of those found in foods. We show that the microbial community changes over time in our model colon are highly dependent on the structure of the substrate and how accessible the starch is to colonic microbes. These findings have important implications for how we classify starches reaching the colon and for the design of foods with improved nutritional properties.