Requirements for building information modeling based lean production management systems for construction

Smooth flow of production in construction is hampered by disparity between individual trade teams' goals and the goals of stable production flow for the project as a whole. This is exacerbated by the difficulty of visualizing the flow of work in a construction project. While the addresses some of the issues in Building information modeling provides a powerful platform for visualizing work flow in control systems that also enable pull flow and deeper collaboration between teams on and off site. The requirements for implementation of a BIM-enabled pull flow construction management software system based on the Last Planner System™, called ‘KanBIM’, have been specified, and a set of functional mock-ups of the proposed system has been implemented and evaluated in a series of three focus group workshops. The requirements cover the areas of maintenance of work flow stability, enabling negotiation and commitment between teams, lean production planning with sophisticated pull flow control, and effective communication and visualization of flow. The evaluation results show that the system holds the potential to improve work flow and reduce waste by providing both process and product visualization at the work face.

An economic decision support tool for simulating paratuberculosis control strategies in a UK suckler beef herd

A dynamic, deterministic, economic simulation model was developed to estimate the costs and benefits of controlling Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in a suckler beef herd. The model is intended as a demonstration tool for veterinarians to use with farmers. The model design process involved user consultation and participation and the model is freely accessible on a dedicated website. The 'user-friendly' model interface allows the input of key assumptions and farm specific parameters enabling model simulations to be tailored to individual farm circumstances. The model simulates the effect of Johne's disease and various measures for its control in terms of herd prevalence and the shedding states of animals within the herd, the financial costs of the disease and of any control measures and the likely benefits of control of Johne's disease for the beef suckler herd over a 10-year period. The model thus helps to make more transparent the 'hidden costs' of Johne's in a herd and the likely benefits to be gained from controlling the disease. The control strategies considered within the model are 'no control', 'testing and culling of diagnosed animals', 'improving management measures' or a dual strategy of 'testing and culling in association with improving management measures'. An example 'run' of the model shows that the strategy 'improving management measures', which reduces infection routes during the early stages, results in a marked fall in herd prevalence and total costs. Testing and culling does little to reduce prevalence and does not reduce total costs over the 10-year period.

Public values for badgers, bovine TB reduction and management strategies

This paper applies an attribute-based stated choice experiment approach to estimate the value that society places on changes to the size of the badger population in England and Wales. The study was undertaken in the context of a rising incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle and the government's review of current bTB control policy. This review includes consideration of culling badgers to reduce bTB in cattle, since badgers are thought to be an important wildlife reservoir for the disease. The design of the CE involved four attributes (size of badger population, cattle slaughtered due to bTB, badger management strategy and household tax) at four levels with eight choice sets of two alternatives presented to respondents. Telephone interviews were undertaken with over 400 respondents, which elicited their attitudes and preferences concerning badgers, bTB in cattle and badger management strategies. The study estimated a willingness to pay of 0.10 pound per household per year per 100,000 badgers and 1.52 pound per household per year per 10,000 cattle slaughtered due to bTB which aggregated to 22 per badger and 3298 pound per bTB slaughtered animal for all households in England and Wales. Management strategy toward badgers had a very high valuation, highlighting the emotive issue of badger culling for respondents and the importance of government policy towards badgers.

Management of plant communities on set-aside land and its effects on earthworm communities

Plant communities of set-aside agricultural land in a European project were managed in order to enhance plant succession towards weed-resistant, mid-successional grassland. Here, we ask if the management of a plant community affects the earthworm community. Field experiments were established in four countries, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, and the Czech Republic. High (15 plant species) and low diversity (four plant species) seed mixtures were sown as management practice, with natural colonization as control treatment in a randomized block design. The response of the earthworrns to the management was studied after three summers since establishment of the sites. Samples were also taken from plots with continued agricultural practices included in the experimental design and from a site with a late successional plant community representing the target plant community. The numbers and biomass of individuals were higher in the set-aside plots than in the agricultural treatment in two countries out of four. The numbers of individuals at one site (The Netherlands) was higher in the naturally colonized plots than in the sowing treatments, otherwise there were no differences between the treatments. Species diversity was lower in the agricultural plots in one country. The species composition had changed from the initial community of the agricultural field, but was still different from a late successional target community. The worm biomass was positively related to legume biomass in Sweden and to grass biomass in the UK. (C) 2005 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

The potential of combining Pasteuria penetrans and neem (Azadirachta indica) formulations as a management system for root-knot nematodes on tomato

Initial applications of 10(4) spores g(-1) of Pasteuria penetrans, and dried neem cake and leaves at 3 and 2% w:w, respectively, were applied to soil in pots. Juveniles of Meloidogyne javanica were added immediately to the pots (500, 5,000 or 10,000) before planting 6-week-old tomato seedlings. The tomatoes were sampled after 64 days; subsequently a second crop was grown for 59 days and a third crop for 67 days without further applications of P. penetrans and neem. There was significantly less root-galling in the P. penetrans combined with neem cake treatment at the end of the third crop and this treatment also had the greatest effect on the growth of the tomato plants. At the end of the third crop, 30% of the females were infected with P. penetrans in those treatments where spores had been applied at the start of the experiment. The effects of neem leaves and neem cake on the nematode population did not persist through the crop sequences but the potential for combining the amendments with a biological control agent such as P. penetrans is worthy of further evaluation.

Evaluating integrated management strategies for Orobanche and Striga

Abstracts EU Cost Action 849 .

Economic analysis of integrated weed management in field bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Field experiments were conducted in field bean in the north-eastern part of the Republic of Croatia to compare weed control and crop response under different management practices within the critical period of field bean production. The practices consisted in broadcast application of labelled rate of preemergence herbicide (PRE) and postemergence herbicide application: (POST) broadcast, band application over the rows, and band application combined with mechanical cultivation using of different herbicide doses recommended by the manufacturer (2x, 1x, 1/2x, 1/4x, 1/8x). In 1999, weed control with PRE application of pendimethalin was superior to POST bentazone application due to late emergence of weeds and lack of residual herbicide control. In 2000 bentazone combined with cycloxydim controlled weeds in field bean better than PRE herbicide application. Based on the results of this research, single PRE or POST application of herbicide did not control a broad spectrum of weeds and did not provide the commercially acceptable full season control. Reduced rates of herbicide are not advisable tinder high weed pressure.

Response of a weed community to different management practice in field bean

Weed control strategies for field beans were studied in North-eastern Croatia. This study focused on how different weed management practices affect weed community composition. The recommended pre-emergence herbicide application was compared to different treatments of post-emergence herbicide (broadcasted or banded over crop rows) and mechanical weed control in order to explore the response of a weed community to different management practice. Weed density data were used to compare total community densities by weed management strategies and to calculate diversity indices (Shannon's H', Shannon's E and Margalef's D-MG). Data were analyzed using ANOVA and multivariate technique. Weed community structure was generally similar in the post-emergence herbicide treatments, which were dominated by a few species that had high relative abundance values, while most of the species were of lower abundance. Notable fluctuations in weed communities corresponded with variation in weather patterns and management practice.

Spatial and management factors associated with exposure of smallholder dairy cattle in Tanzania to tick-borne pathogens

A cross-sectional study of serum antibody responses of cattle to tick-borne pathogens (Theileria parva, Theileria mutans, Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis) was conducted on smallholder dairy farms in Tanga and Iringa Regions of Tanzania. Seroprevalence was highest for T. parva (48% in Iringa and 23% in Tanga) and B. bigemina (43% in Iringa and 27% in Tanga) and lowest for B. bovis (12% in Iringa and 6% in Tanga). We use spatial and non-spatial models, fitted using classical and Bayesian methods, to explore risk factors associated with seroprevalence. These include both fixed effects (age, grazing history and breeding status) and random effects (farm and local spatial effects). In both regions, seroprevalence for all tick-borne pathogens increased significantly with age. Animals pasture grazed in the 3 months prior to the start of the sampling period were significantly more likely to be seropositive for Theileria spp. and Babesia spp. Pasture grazed animals were more likely to be seropositive than zero-grazed animals for A. marginale, but the relationship was weaker than that observed for the other four pathogens. This study did not detect any significant differences in seroprevalence associated with other management-related variables, including the method or frequency of acaricide application. After adjusting for age, there was weak evidence of localised (< 5 km) spatial correlation in exposure to some of the tick borne diseases. However, this was small compared with the 'farm-effect', suggesting that risk factors specific to the farm were more important than those common to the local neighbourhood. Many animals were seropositive for more than one pathogen and the correlation between exposure to the different pathogens remained after adjusting for the identified risk factors. Identifying the determinants of exposure to multiple tick-borne pathogens and characterizing local variation in risk will assist in the development of more effective control strategies for smallholder dairy farms. (c) 2005 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the effects of predator removal and habitat management on nest success and breeding population size of a farmland passerine: a case study

Passerines are especially vulnerable to predation at the pre-independence stage. Although the role of nest success in British farmland passerine declines is contentious, improvement in nest success through sympathetic management could play a role in their reversal. Because habitat is known to interact with predation, management options for mitigation will need to consider effects of nest predation. We present results from an observational study of a population of Common Blackbird Turdus merula on a farm which has experienced a range of agri-environment and game-management options, including a period with nest predator control, as a case study to address some of these issues. We used an information theoretic model comparison procedure to look for evidence of interactions between habitat and nest predation, and then asked whether habitat management and nest predator abundances could explain population trends at the site through their effects on nest success. Interactions were detected between measures of predator abundance and habitat variables, and these varied with nest stage - habitat within the vicinity of the nest appeared to be important at the egg stage, and nest-placement characteristics were important at the nestling stage. Although predator control appeared to have a positive influence on Blackbird breeding population size, the non-experimental set-up meant we could not eliminate other potential explanations. Variation in breeding population size did not appear to be influenced by variation in nest success alone. Our study demonstrates that observational data can only go so far in detection of such effects, and we discuss how it might be taken further. Agri-environment and game-management techniques are likely to influence nest predation pressure on farmland passerines, but the patterns, mechanisms and importance to population processes remain not wholly understood.

Investigating the effects of predator removal and habitat management on nest success and breeding population size of a farmland passerine: a case study

Passerines are especially vulnerable to predation at the pre-independence stage. Although the role of nest success in British farmland passerine declines is contentious, improvement in nest success through sympathetic management could play a role in their reversal. Because habitat is known to interact with predation, management options for mitigation will need to consider effects of nest predation. We present results from an observational study of a population of Common Blackbird Turdus merula on a farm which has experienced a range of agri-environment and game-management options, including a period with nest predator control, as a case study to address some of these issues. We used an information theoretic model comparison procedure to look for evidence of interactions between habitat and nest predation, and then asked whether habitat management and nest predator abundances could explain population trends at the site through their effects on nest success. Interactions were detected between measures of predator abundance and habitat variables, and these varied with nest stage - habitat within the vicinity of the nest appeared to be important at the egg stage, and nest-placement characteristics were important at the nestling stage. Although predator control appeared to have a positive influence on Blackbird breeding population size, the non-experimental set-up meant we could not eliminate other potential explanations. Variation in breeding population size did not appear to be influenced by variation in nest success alone. Our study demonstrates that observational data can only go so far in detection of such effects, and we discuss how it might be taken further. Agri-environment and game-management techniques are likely to influence nest predation pressure on farmland passerines, but the patterns, mechanisms and importance to population processes remain not wholly understood.

Effects of grazing management on beetle and plant assemblages during the re-creation of a flood-plain meadow

Flood-plain meadows (Alopecurus-Sanguisorba grassland) are a floristically rich community of conservation importance throughout Europe. Declines in their distribution due in part to modern farming practices mean they now cover less than 1500 ha in the UK. To investigate the effect of grazing regime during the re-creation of this grassland type, target plant species were sown onto ex-arable land during 1985. Traditional management, based on a July hay cut followed by aftermath grazing was subsequently instigated, and the site was divided into replicated grazing regimes of cattle, sheep and an un-grazed control. Plant and beetle assemblages were sampled and compared to those of target flood-plain meadows and improved grassland communities. Within the re-creation treatments the absence of aftermath grazing reduced beetle abundances and species richness. Assemblages of plants were closest to that of the target flood-plain meadow under sheep grazing, although this differed little from cattle grazing. Beetle species assemblages and functional group structure were, however, closest to the target grassland under cattle grazing. For all taxa the greatest resilience to succession to the target flood-plain meadow occurred when grazing was not part of the management prescription. Although successful re-creation had not been achieved for either the plants or beetles, cutting followed by aftermath cattle grazing has provided the best management to date. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The potential of grass field margin management for enhancing beetle diversity in intensive livestock farms

1. Declining populations of UK grassland flora and fauna have been attributed to intensification of agricultural management practices, including changes in cutting, fertilizer, grazing and drainage regimes. We aimed to develop field margin management practices that could reverse declines in intensively managed grassland biodiversity that would have application in the UK and Europe. Here we focus on one aspect of grassland biodiversity, the beetles. 2. In four intensively managed livestock farms in south-west England, 10-m wide field margins in existing grasslands were managed to create seven treatments of increasing sward architectural complexity. This was achieved through combinations of inorganic (NPK) fertilizer, cattle grazing, and timing and height of cutting. To examine the potential influence of complexity on faunal diversity, beetles were identified to species level from suction samples taken between 2003 and 2005, and their assemblage structure was related to margin management, floral assemblages and sward architecture. 3. Beetle abundance, and species richness and evenness were influenced by margin management treatment and its interaction with year. Correlations with sward architecture and the percentage cover of dominant forbs and grasses were also found. Functional groups of the beetles showed different responses to the management treatments. In particular, higher proportional abundances of seed/flower-feeding guilds were found in treatments not receiving NPK fertilizer. 4. The assemblage structure was shown to respond to margin management treatments, sward architecture and the percentage cover of dominant forbs and grasses. The most extensively managed treatments were characterized by distinct successional trajectories from the control treatment. 5. Synthesis and applications. This study provides management options suitable for use within agri-environment schemes intended to improve faunal diversity associated with intensively managed lowland grasslands. Field margins receiving either no management or a single July silage cut were shown to support greater abundances and species richness of beetles, although subtler modifications of conventional management may also be beneficial, for example the absence of NPK fertilizer while maintaining grazing and silage cutting systems.

Field evaluation of systemic inducing resistance chemicals at different growth stages for the control of apple (Venturia inaequalis) and pear (Venturia pirina) scab

Two field trials were conducted using established apple (Malus cv. Golden Delicious) and pear (Pyrus communis 'Williams' Bon Chretien') to assess the efficacy of three commercially available systemic inducing resistance (SIR) products, Messenger (a.i. Harpin protein), Phoenix (a.i. Potassium phosphite) and Rigel (a.i. Salicylic acid derivative) applied at four different growth stages of tree development (bud break, green cluster, 90% petal fall, early fruitlet) against the foliar pathogens Venturia inaequalis and Venturia pirina which cause apple and pear scab respectively. A conventional synthetic fungicide (penconazole) used within the UK for apple and pear scab control was included for comparison. Little efficacy as scab protectants was demonstrated when each SIR product and penconazole was applied at only two growth stages (bud break, green cluster). However when the above compounds were applied at three or more growth stages efficacy as scab protectants was confirmed. The synthetic fungicide penconazole provided greatest protection against apple and pear scab in both the 2006 and 2007 field trials. There was little difference in the magnitude of scab protection conferred by each SIR agent. Results suggest application of at least three sprays during bud break to early fruitlet formation with an appropriate SIR agent may provide a useful addition to existing methods of apple and pear scab management under field conditions. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of film forming polymers to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) G. Wint.) under laboratory and field conditions

A detached leaf bioassay was used to determine the influence of several film forming polymers and a conventional triazole fungicide on apple scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) G. Wint.) development under laboratory in vitro conditions, supported by two field trials using established apple cv. Golden Delicious to further assess the efficacy of foliar applied film forming polymers as scab protectant compounds. All film forming polymers used in this investigation (Bond, Designer, Nu-Film P, Spray Gard, Moisturin, Companion PCT12) inhibited germination of conidia, subsequent formation of appressoria and reduced leaf scab severity using a detached leaf bioassay. Regardless of treatment, there were no obvious trends in the percentage of conidia with one to four appressoria 5 days after inoculation. The synthetic fungicide penconazole resulted in the greatest levels of germination inhibition, appressorium development and least leaf scab severity. Under field conditions, scab severity on leaves and fruit of apple cv. Golden Delicious treated with a film forming polymer (Bond, Spray Gard, Moisturin) was less than on untreated controls. However, greatest protection in both field trials was provided by the synthetic fungicide penconazole. Higher chlorophyll fluorescence Fv/Fm emissions in polymer and penconazole treated trees indicated less damage to the leaf photosynthetic system as a result of fungal invasion. In addition, higher SPAD values as measures of leaf chlorophyll content were recorded in polymer and penconazole treated trees. Application of a film forming polymer or penconazole resulted in a higher apple yield per tree at harvest in both the 2005 and 2006 field trials compared to untreated controls. Results suggest application of an appropriate film forming polymer may provide a useful addition to existing methods of apple scab management. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.