Economic and environmental impacts of different amounts of calcium soaps of linseed oil fatty acids (LOFA) supplementation on beef fattening systems were evaluated based on a life cycle assessment and a linear programming method. Optimization for 7 types of rations containing 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0% of LOFA at a dry matter basis were conducted using linear programming. The amounts of emitted pollutants and energy consumption from fossil fuel combustion and volatilization in feed preparation, feed transport, barn, animal, and composting were calculated through late fattening period. Environmental impacts of global warming, acidification, eutrophication, and energy consumption were estimated based on weighed amounts of emitted pollutants. Functional unit was 1 animal in the period analyzed. In ration optimization, the amount of concentrate was reduced with increasing levels of LOFA content. When 3.0% of LOFA were supplemented, the amount of reduction of concentrate was 1.6 times as much as of the added amount of LOFA. Feed costs were increased but environmental impacts for global warming, acidification, and eutrophication were reduced with increasing levels of LOFA content. Global warming potential was decreased by 8.9% with 3.0% addition of LOFA. Reduction of the environmental potentials was caused by decreases in methane emission from rumination and the amount of concentrate.

View full abstract

In the course of determining species diversity of medium and large-sized mammals by camera trapping, the effects of possible bias factors such as year, season, type of remote camera, grazing condition, attractants including baits and scent lures, and site selection were evaluated. The survey effort required to detect the present mammal species was also estimated. As a result, the number of species detected and the frequency of each species photographed by camera traps were affected to a various degree by all these possible bias factors. Therefore, the effects of these factors must be reduced when the camera trapping is conducted as an accurate survey of mammal fauna. The survey effort required to detect the present mammal species varied enormously among study sites, and could not be estimated in advance. Thus, the survey effort must be evaluated after a preliminary survey of camera trapping is conducted.

View full abstract

In 2002, the City of Kobe enacted an ordinance banning the feeding of boars to stop the increasing the number of boars in the urban area. Although eight years have passed since the ordinance was enacted, it is not clear whether it has improved the situation or not. This paper explores the relationship between humans and boars through a case study on the frequency of sighting boars and the attitude of local residents toward the animals in Kobe city and the urban area of the southern part of Mt.Rokko.Field studies were conducted in 2000 and 2001 in the watershed areas of Tenjo River in Higashinada Ward of Kobe where boars had appeared. Identical surveys, interviews with and questionnaires to the local residents were also conducted from September to December in 2009.The surveys found that the number of boars seen on the roads and damage to garbage collections sites—feeding sites for the boars—have decreased. On the other hand, sightings of boars in the riverbed have increased according to the relative differences in the elevation of the riverbed. Although seventy-four per cent of those who responded to the questionnaires were aware of the ordinance, feeding the boars in the riverbed of Tenjo River has not stopped since the ordinance was enacted. Surveys also discovered that those who answered the interviews and questionnaires tend to have a favorable attitude toward boars and feed them based on the preference to boars. Therefore, it can be said that although the ordinance has been effective to some extent, many people still continue to ignore the ban. To establish a realistic policy that accommodates people's feelings, other measures to help bores in their current habitat are necessary.

View full abstract