International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2015
International agricultural research centres use approaches which aim to create effective linkages... more International agricultural research centres use approaches which aim to create effective linkages between the practices of farmers, introduced technologies and the wider environment that affects farming. This paper argues that such new approaches require a different type of monitoring as a complement to conventional approaches that tend to favour a quantitative assessment of adoption and impact at the farm level. In this context, we examined monitoring data from an Adaptive Research (AR) project highlighting complementary qualitative analysis. Our emphasis is to capture the improvisational capacities of farmers and to reveal social and institutional constraints and opportunities in a broader innovation system. Our approach provided clear insights into how rice farmers adjusted their practices and how actors involved linked (or not) with others in the innovation system. We also demonstrated how institutions such as policies, religious rituals or service provider arrangements pose conditions that establish or constrain practices aligned with introduced technologies. A broader perspective in monitoring AR therefore provides important additional insights into the factors which shape outcomes in farming communities. To expand outcomes, AR projects should also pay attention to designing and testing new institutional arrangements that create enabling conditions for agricultural innovation.
Rice (Oryza sativa) agriculture provides food and economic security for nearly half of the world’... more Rice (Oryza sativa) agriculture provides food and economic security for nearly half of the world’s population. Rice agriculture is intensive in both land and agrochemical use. However, rice fields also provide aquatic resources for wildlife, including amphibians. In turn, some species may provide ecosystem services back to the farmers working in the rice agroecosystem. The foundation for understanding the complexity of agroecosystem–human relationships requires garnering information regarding human perceptions and knowledge of the role of biodiversity in these rice agroecosystems. Understanding farmer knowledge and perceptions of the ecosystem services provided by wildlife in their fields, along with their understanding of the risks to wildlife associated with agrochemical exposure, can inform biodiversity preservation efforts. In June and July 2014, we used focus groups and structured and semi-structured interviews that engaged 22 individuals involved in rice agriculture operations...
The multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, is the most common rodent pest species in sub-Sahara... more The multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, is the most common rodent pest species in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, rodenticides are the preferred method used to reduce the population of rodent pests, but this method poses direct and indirect risks to humans and other non-target species. Fertility control is a promising alternative that has been argued to be a more sustainable and humane method for controlling rodent pests. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of fertility control bait EP-1 (quinestrol (E) and levonorgestrel (P), 10 ppm) and an anticoagulant rodenticide bait (bromadiolone, 50 ppm) on the population dynamics of M. natalensis in maize fields in Zambia during two cropping seasons. M. natalensis was the most abundant species in maize fields (77% of total captures). Fertility control reduced the number of juveniles and suppressed population growth of M. natalensis at the end of the 2019-2020 cropping season. The population density initially decreased after rodenticide treatment, but the population rapidly recovered through immigration. None of the treatments influenced maize damage by rodents at germination (F 2,67 = 1.626, p = 0.204). Applying the treatments during the maize seeding time was effective at suppressing population growth at the end of the cropping season than application the month before maize seeding. This research indicates that a single dose delivery of EP-1 and rodenticide have comparable effects on the population dynamics of M. natalensis. These findings are important in developing fertility control protocols for rodent pest populations to reduce maize crop damage and improve yields. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Laboratory studies confirm the potential for fertility control in the house mouse Mus domesticus ... more Laboratory studies confirm the potential for fertility control in the house mouse Mus domesticus using mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as a vector for an immunocontraceptive vaccine. This article presents an overview of key results from research in Australia on enclosed and field populations of mice and the associated epidemiology of MCMV. The virus is geographically widespread in Australia. It also persists in low population densities of mice, although if population densities are low for at least a year, transmission of the virus is sporadic until a population threshold of approximately 40 mice ha(-1) is reached. The serological prevalence of MCMV was high early in the breeding season of four field populations. Enclosure studies confirm that MCMV has minimal impact on the survival and breeding performance of mice and that it can be transmitted to most adults within 10-12 weeks. Other enclosure studies indicate that about two-thirds of females would need to be sterilized to provide eff...
Page 1. ABUNDANCE ESTIMATORS AND TRUTH: ACCOUNTING FOR INDIVIDUAL HETEROGENEITY IN WILD HOUSE MIC... more Page 1. ABUNDANCE ESTIMATORS AND TRUTH: ACCOUNTING FOR INDIVIDUAL HETEROGENEITY IN WILD HOUSE MICE STEPHEN A. DAVIS,1 CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, GPO Box 284, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia ...
SUMMARYA 13-month study of wild mice (Mus domesticus) in wheatlands in southeastern Australia con... more SUMMARYA 13-month study of wild mice (Mus domesticus) in wheatlands in southeastern Australia contrasted changes in the seroprevalence of antibody to 13 viruses and the occurrence of helminths with changes in their population dynamics. Mice were seropositive for mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), rotavirus, minute virus of mice (MVM), mouse adenovirus (MAdV), reovirus (reo 3), and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). The seroprevalences of all but rotavirus varied significantly with time and increased with host density. Near the end of the study, host density declined rapidly and the seroprevalence of MVM and reo 3 increased significantly. These two viruses had low seroprevalence when host survival was high and high seroprevalence when host survival was low, indicating they may play a role in regulating mouse populations. In the case of MVM, there was evidence of a viral epizootic during the decline in mouse abundance. The prevalence of four helminths (Taenia taeniaeformis, Syphacia obvelata, a...
A 2-year program monitored the spatial organization, genetic structure and turnover rate of an un... more A 2-year program monitored the spatial organization, genetic structure and turnover rate of an unconfined commensal colony of mice. Four demes (social breeding units) were identified; each usually consisted of one or two males and two or three females. Demes were detected simultaneously in adjoining cages of an aviary (one deme per cage). Movement between demes was rare and the life span of a deme ranged from 2 to 7 months. The adult members of each deme had genotypes compatible to the majority of the young captured in the respective cage of the aviary at the time of residence of the deme. Taken in isolation, these results suggest that social behaviour would have a major impact on the genetic structure of the aviary population. When viewed over the main breeding season, the short life span of a deme and the genetic differences between demes indicate that social organization probably had only a temporary effect on the genetic composition of the aviary population.
... Authors Jacob, J.; Sudarmaji; Singleton, GR Book Rats, mice and people: rodent biology and ma... more ... Authors Jacob, J.; Sudarmaji; Singleton, GR Book Rats, mice and people: rodent biology and management 2003 pp. ... You are viewing sample pages from CABI's life sciences databases on CAB Direct. To learn more about our products please visit our website. ...
We studied the seroprevalence of three viruses (mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV), minute virus of mic... more We studied the seroprevalence of three viruses (mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV), minute virus of mice (MVM), and mouse parvovirus (MPV)) in house mice (Mus domesticus) in 1995–7. In the first year average mouse density was less than 1 mouse/ha. From November 1995 to May 1996 the population increased at an average rate of 7% per week, a doubling time of about 10 weeks. From August 1996 to May 1997 the population increased at an average rate of 10% per week, a doubling time of about 7·5 weeks. From a peak around 250 mice/ha in May 1997, the mouse population fell 19% per week to 5 mice/ha in October 1997. The seroprevalence for all three viruses varied dramatically over time. MCMV had the highest seroprevalence (61·7%), followed by MVM (8·5%) and MPV (18·4%). Time series data indicated that MCMV spread rapidly through the population of mice once trap success was greater than 14% (40–100 mice/ha). By contrast MVM and MPV seroprevalence occurred with a 2–3 month and 3–4 month time lag, resp...
International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2015
International agricultural research centres use approaches which aim to create effective linkages... more International agricultural research centres use approaches which aim to create effective linkages between the practices of farmers, introduced technologies and the wider environment that affects farming. This paper argues that such new approaches require a different type of monitoring as a complement to conventional approaches that tend to favour a quantitative assessment of adoption and impact at the farm level. In this context, we examined monitoring data from an Adaptive Research (AR) project highlighting complementary qualitative analysis. Our emphasis is to capture the improvisational capacities of farmers and to reveal social and institutional constraints and opportunities in a broader innovation system. Our approach provided clear insights into how rice farmers adjusted their practices and how actors involved linked (or not) with others in the innovation system. We also demonstrated how institutions such as policies, religious rituals or service provider arrangements pose conditions that establish or constrain practices aligned with introduced technologies. A broader perspective in monitoring AR therefore provides important additional insights into the factors which shape outcomes in farming communities. To expand outcomes, AR projects should also pay attention to designing and testing new institutional arrangements that create enabling conditions for agricultural innovation.
Rice (Oryza sativa) agriculture provides food and economic security for nearly half of the world’... more Rice (Oryza sativa) agriculture provides food and economic security for nearly half of the world’s population. Rice agriculture is intensive in both land and agrochemical use. However, rice fields also provide aquatic resources for wildlife, including amphibians. In turn, some species may provide ecosystem services back to the farmers working in the rice agroecosystem. The foundation for understanding the complexity of agroecosystem–human relationships requires garnering information regarding human perceptions and knowledge of the role of biodiversity in these rice agroecosystems. Understanding farmer knowledge and perceptions of the ecosystem services provided by wildlife in their fields, along with their understanding of the risks to wildlife associated with agrochemical exposure, can inform biodiversity preservation efforts. In June and July 2014, we used focus groups and structured and semi-structured interviews that engaged 22 individuals involved in rice agriculture operations...
The multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, is the most common rodent pest species in sub-Sahara... more The multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, is the most common rodent pest species in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, rodenticides are the preferred method used to reduce the population of rodent pests, but this method poses direct and indirect risks to humans and other non-target species. Fertility control is a promising alternative that has been argued to be a more sustainable and humane method for controlling rodent pests. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of fertility control bait EP-1 (quinestrol (E) and levonorgestrel (P), 10 ppm) and an anticoagulant rodenticide bait (bromadiolone, 50 ppm) on the population dynamics of M. natalensis in maize fields in Zambia during two cropping seasons. M. natalensis was the most abundant species in maize fields (77% of total captures). Fertility control reduced the number of juveniles and suppressed population growth of M. natalensis at the end of the 2019-2020 cropping season. The population density initially decreased after rodenticide treatment, but the population rapidly recovered through immigration. None of the treatments influenced maize damage by rodents at germination (F 2,67 = 1.626, p = 0.204). Applying the treatments during the maize seeding time was effective at suppressing population growth at the end of the cropping season than application the month before maize seeding. This research indicates that a single dose delivery of EP-1 and rodenticide have comparable effects on the population dynamics of M. natalensis. These findings are important in developing fertility control protocols for rodent pest populations to reduce maize crop damage and improve yields. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Laboratory studies confirm the potential for fertility control in the house mouse Mus domesticus ... more Laboratory studies confirm the potential for fertility control in the house mouse Mus domesticus using mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as a vector for an immunocontraceptive vaccine. This article presents an overview of key results from research in Australia on enclosed and field populations of mice and the associated epidemiology of MCMV. The virus is geographically widespread in Australia. It also persists in low population densities of mice, although if population densities are low for at least a year, transmission of the virus is sporadic until a population threshold of approximately 40 mice ha(-1) is reached. The serological prevalence of MCMV was high early in the breeding season of four field populations. Enclosure studies confirm that MCMV has minimal impact on the survival and breeding performance of mice and that it can be transmitted to most adults within 10-12 weeks. Other enclosure studies indicate that about two-thirds of females would need to be sterilized to provide eff...
Page 1. ABUNDANCE ESTIMATORS AND TRUTH: ACCOUNTING FOR INDIVIDUAL HETEROGENEITY IN WILD HOUSE MIC... more Page 1. ABUNDANCE ESTIMATORS AND TRUTH: ACCOUNTING FOR INDIVIDUAL HETEROGENEITY IN WILD HOUSE MICE STEPHEN A. DAVIS,1 CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, GPO Box 284, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia ...
SUMMARYA 13-month study of wild mice (Mus domesticus) in wheatlands in southeastern Australia con... more SUMMARYA 13-month study of wild mice (Mus domesticus) in wheatlands in southeastern Australia contrasted changes in the seroprevalence of antibody to 13 viruses and the occurrence of helminths with changes in their population dynamics. Mice were seropositive for mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), rotavirus, minute virus of mice (MVM), mouse adenovirus (MAdV), reovirus (reo 3), and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). The seroprevalences of all but rotavirus varied significantly with time and increased with host density. Near the end of the study, host density declined rapidly and the seroprevalence of MVM and reo 3 increased significantly. These two viruses had low seroprevalence when host survival was high and high seroprevalence when host survival was low, indicating they may play a role in regulating mouse populations. In the case of MVM, there was evidence of a viral epizootic during the decline in mouse abundance. The prevalence of four helminths (Taenia taeniaeformis, Syphacia obvelata, a...
A 2-year program monitored the spatial organization, genetic structure and turnover rate of an un... more A 2-year program monitored the spatial organization, genetic structure and turnover rate of an unconfined commensal colony of mice. Four demes (social breeding units) were identified; each usually consisted of one or two males and two or three females. Demes were detected simultaneously in adjoining cages of an aviary (one deme per cage). Movement between demes was rare and the life span of a deme ranged from 2 to 7 months. The adult members of each deme had genotypes compatible to the majority of the young captured in the respective cage of the aviary at the time of residence of the deme. Taken in isolation, these results suggest that social behaviour would have a major impact on the genetic structure of the aviary population. When viewed over the main breeding season, the short life span of a deme and the genetic differences between demes indicate that social organization probably had only a temporary effect on the genetic composition of the aviary population.
... Authors Jacob, J.; Sudarmaji; Singleton, GR Book Rats, mice and people: rodent biology and ma... more ... Authors Jacob, J.; Sudarmaji; Singleton, GR Book Rats, mice and people: rodent biology and management 2003 pp. ... You are viewing sample pages from CABI's life sciences databases on CAB Direct. To learn more about our products please visit our website. ...
We studied the seroprevalence of three viruses (mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV), minute virus of mic... more We studied the seroprevalence of three viruses (mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV), minute virus of mice (MVM), and mouse parvovirus (MPV)) in house mice (Mus domesticus) in 1995–7. In the first year average mouse density was less than 1 mouse/ha. From November 1995 to May 1996 the population increased at an average rate of 7% per week, a doubling time of about 10 weeks. From August 1996 to May 1997 the population increased at an average rate of 10% per week, a doubling time of about 7·5 weeks. From a peak around 250 mice/ha in May 1997, the mouse population fell 19% per week to 5 mice/ha in October 1997. The seroprevalence for all three viruses varied dramatically over time. MCMV had the highest seroprevalence (61·7%), followed by MVM (8·5%) and MPV (18·4%). Time series data indicated that MCMV spread rapidly through the population of mice once trap success was greater than 14% (40–100 mice/ha). By contrast MVM and MPV seroprevalence occurred with a 2–3 month and 3–4 month time lag, resp...
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Papers by Grant R Singleton