Florida citrus and vegetable crops generate billions of dollars in revenue every year. However, wind, freezing temperatures, hurricanes, and diseases negatively impact production. Windbreaks located perpendicular to the prevailing wind can increase farm production simply by reducing wind and modifying microclimate. Windbreaks can also help in managing pathogens such as citrus canker (Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri). To study the modification of wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity on the leeside of single-row tree windbreaks in southern Florida, automated weather stations were installed in 2007/2008 at 2 m above the ground along transects perpendicular to a eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and three cadaghi (Corymbia torelliana) (WB1-WB3) windbreaks. All windbreaks reduced wind speed, with minimum wind speed (*5% of the open wind speed) at two times the distance of windbreak height (2H, where H = windbreak height in m) on the leeside of a E. redcedar (*17% porosity) and at 4H (*3-30% of the open wind speed) and 6H (\50% of the open wind speed) on the leeside of cadaghi windbreaks WB1 (*22% porosity) and WB2 (*36% porosity), respectively, when the wind direction was nearly perpendicular to the windbreaks. Wind speed reduction was observed up to 31 times the windbreak height (31H). Cadaghi windbreaks reduced wind speed on the leeside even during a tropical storm event. Temperatures on the leeside of the windbreaks were warmer during the day and cooler near the windbreaks at night compared to temperature in the open fields. This study demonstrates that single-row tree windbreaks can reduce wind and modify the microclimate to enhance crop production for Florida growers.
Park-people conflict is a serious challenge undermining the integrity of protected areas in developing countries. Developing effective human-carnivore conflict mitigation strategies requires an understanding of the spatio-temporal conflict patterns and the species involved. This study therefore aims to examine spatio-temporal variations in livestock loss, severity and magnitude of the problem, and the predators involved in the southwestern section of the Bardia National Park, Nepal. Of 484 households surveyed, 66.5% reported 442 livestock loss over a 6 year period. About 45% of the total livestock loss occurred during the hot dry season. Tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus) were the two major predators in the area: tigers killed larger livestock while leopards killed smaller livestock. Although the western villages lost livestock grazing inside the park, the eastern villages lost livestock either from corrals or from buffer zone forests. The estimated total economic loss was US$11,709.53 in 6 years. Rather than enforcing stringent rules, alternative approaches to the problem should be explored. Involving local residents in conflict management, providing incentives to maintain and relocate corrals, and introducing grass and fodder species can be helpful in mitigating the problem.
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