The demand for dairy products from grass-fed cows is driven, in part, by their more desirable fat... more The demand for dairy products from grass-fed cows is driven, in part, by their more desirable fatty acid (FA) profile, containing more n-3 FA and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) than conventionally produced dairy products. This study investigated the effects of pearl millet (PM) vs. cool-season pasture (CSP) on animal performance and milk FA in a grazing system. Eight Holstein dairy cows were used in a repeated measures design with four-week periods. Forage type had no effect on animal performance (estimated dry matter intake, milk production, fat, or protein). The contents of CLA and n-3 FA in a serving of whole milk (3.25% fat) increased when cows grazed CSP compared to PM. A serving of whole milk from cows grazing PM had a higher content of saturated FA and branched-chain FA. In conclusion, the contents of various bioactive FA were higher in milk fat of cows grazing a CSP compared to PM.
Cuba has a long history of environmental protection, with a network of more than 250 national par... more Cuba has a long history of environmental protection, with a network of more than 250 national parks and protected areas, and relatively high levels of fish biomass and marine biodiversity in marine parks that are unparalleled in the Caribbean. There is concern that the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba might reverse the country’s advances in ecological conservation. In this chapter, I propose an approach to protect Cuba’s coastal ecosystems and enhance conservation and ecological research throughout the Caribbean. After helping Cuba fight for independence from Spain, the United States occupied the island in 1898. As part of the Cuban-American Treaty, which granted Cuba independence in 1902, the new country was required to rent Guantanamo Bay to the United States as a coaling and naval station, a perpetual lease that could be broken only by mutual consent. The present U.S. policy is that withdrawal from the base is not an option. Cuba insists on an uncondi...
Classical ecology provides principles for construction and function of biological communities, bu... more Classical ecology provides principles for construction and function of biological communities, but to what extent these apply to the animal-associated microbiota is just beginning to be assessed. Here, we investigated the influence of several well-known ecological principles on animal-associated microbiota by characterizing gut microbial specimens from bilaterally symmetrical animals () ranging from flies to whales. A rigorously vetted sample set containing 265 specimens from 64 species was assembled. Bacterial lineages were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Previously published samples were also compared, allowing analysis of over 1,098 samples in total. A restricted number of bacterial phyla was found to account for the great majority of gut colonists. Gut microbial composition was associated with host phylogeny and diet. We identified numerous gut bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences that diverged deeply from previously studied taxa, identifying opportunities to discover ne...
Biologists and policymakers are accustomed to managing species in decline, but for the first time... more Biologists and policymakers are accustomed to managing species in decline, but for the first time in generations they are also encountering recovering populations of ocean predators. Many citizens perceive these species as invaders and conflicts are increasing. It is time to celebrate these hard-earned successes and lift baselines for recovering species.
"If we refuse to take into account the full cost of our fossil fuel addiction—if we don'... more "If we refuse to take into account the full cost of our fossil fuel addiction—if we don't factor in the environmental costs and national security costs and true economic costs—we will have missed our best chance to seize a clean energy future." —President Barack Obama, Carnegie Mellon University, June 2, 2010 The oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon has caused enormous economic and ecological damage. Estimates of its size and impact continue to escalate, but it is now the largest in U.S. history and clearly among the largest oil spills on record. 1 As efforts to clean up the damages and compensate injured parties continue, it is not too soon to begin to draw lessons from this disaster. We need to learn from this experience so we can prevent future oil spills, reevaluate society's current trajectory, and set a better course. One major lesson is that our natural capital assets and other public goods are far too valuable to continue to put them a...
Human history has followed a pattern—which began in Africa but is now global in scope—of exploiti... more Human history has followed a pattern—which began in Africa but is now global in scope—of exploiting nature and depleting resources. As we have expanded our influence over the world, we have also extinguished species and populations at an alarming rate. Despite attempts to reduce biodiversity loss, the trend is likely to continue: nearly 20% of all humans—more than a billion—now live within biodiversity hotspots, and their growth rate is faster than the population at large. This article presents nine steps to reduce biodiversity loss, with a goal of categorizing human-caused extinctions as wrongs, such as the slave trade and child labor, that are unacceptable to society. These steps include developing a system of parks that highlight the planet’s biological legacy, much as historical landmarks celebrate human history. Legal prohibitions that are fairly and capably enforced will also be essential in protecting rare and declining species. Biodiversity endowments—from national governmen...
The demand for dairy products from grass-fed cows is driven, in part, by their more desirable fat... more The demand for dairy products from grass-fed cows is driven, in part, by their more desirable fatty acid (FA) profile, containing more n-3 FA and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) than conventionally produced dairy products. This study investigated the effects of pearl millet (PM) vs. cool-season pasture (CSP) on animal performance and milk FA in a grazing system. Eight Holstein dairy cows were used in a repeated measures design with four-week periods. Forage type had no effect on animal performance (estimated dry matter intake, milk production, fat, or protein). The contents of CLA and n-3 FA in a serving of whole milk (3.25% fat) increased when cows grazed CSP compared to PM. A serving of whole milk from cows grazing PM had a higher content of saturated FA and branched-chain FA. In conclusion, the contents of various bioactive FA were higher in milk fat of cows grazing a CSP compared to PM.
Cuba has a long history of environmental protection, with a network of more than 250 national par... more Cuba has a long history of environmental protection, with a network of more than 250 national parks and protected areas, and relatively high levels of fish biomass and marine biodiversity in marine parks that are unparalleled in the Caribbean. There is concern that the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba might reverse the country’s advances in ecological conservation. In this chapter, I propose an approach to protect Cuba’s coastal ecosystems and enhance conservation and ecological research throughout the Caribbean. After helping Cuba fight for independence from Spain, the United States occupied the island in 1898. As part of the Cuban-American Treaty, which granted Cuba independence in 1902, the new country was required to rent Guantanamo Bay to the United States as a coaling and naval station, a perpetual lease that could be broken only by mutual consent. The present U.S. policy is that withdrawal from the base is not an option. Cuba insists on an uncondi...
Classical ecology provides principles for construction and function of biological communities, bu... more Classical ecology provides principles for construction and function of biological communities, but to what extent these apply to the animal-associated microbiota is just beginning to be assessed. Here, we investigated the influence of several well-known ecological principles on animal-associated microbiota by characterizing gut microbial specimens from bilaterally symmetrical animals () ranging from flies to whales. A rigorously vetted sample set containing 265 specimens from 64 species was assembled. Bacterial lineages were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Previously published samples were also compared, allowing analysis of over 1,098 samples in total. A restricted number of bacterial phyla was found to account for the great majority of gut colonists. Gut microbial composition was associated with host phylogeny and diet. We identified numerous gut bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences that diverged deeply from previously studied taxa, identifying opportunities to discover ne...
Biologists and policymakers are accustomed to managing species in decline, but for the first time... more Biologists and policymakers are accustomed to managing species in decline, but for the first time in generations they are also encountering recovering populations of ocean predators. Many citizens perceive these species as invaders and conflicts are increasing. It is time to celebrate these hard-earned successes and lift baselines for recovering species.
"If we refuse to take into account the full cost of our fossil fuel addiction—if we don'... more "If we refuse to take into account the full cost of our fossil fuel addiction—if we don't factor in the environmental costs and national security costs and true economic costs—we will have missed our best chance to seize a clean energy future." —President Barack Obama, Carnegie Mellon University, June 2, 2010 The oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon has caused enormous economic and ecological damage. Estimates of its size and impact continue to escalate, but it is now the largest in U.S. history and clearly among the largest oil spills on record. 1 As efforts to clean up the damages and compensate injured parties continue, it is not too soon to begin to draw lessons from this disaster. We need to learn from this experience so we can prevent future oil spills, reevaluate society's current trajectory, and set a better course. One major lesson is that our natural capital assets and other public goods are far too valuable to continue to put them a...
Human history has followed a pattern—which began in Africa but is now global in scope—of exploiti... more Human history has followed a pattern—which began in Africa but is now global in scope—of exploiting nature and depleting resources. As we have expanded our influence over the world, we have also extinguished species and populations at an alarming rate. Despite attempts to reduce biodiversity loss, the trend is likely to continue: nearly 20% of all humans—more than a billion—now live within biodiversity hotspots, and their growth rate is faster than the population at large. This article presents nine steps to reduce biodiversity loss, with a goal of categorizing human-caused extinctions as wrongs, such as the slave trade and child labor, that are unacceptable to society. These steps include developing a system of parks that highlight the planet’s biological legacy, much as historical landmarks celebrate human history. Legal prohibitions that are fairly and capably enforced will also be essential in protecting rare and declining species. Biodiversity endowments—from national governmen...
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