scholarly journals Temporary Exclusion of Cattle from a Riparian Zone Using Virtual Fencing Technology

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Campbell ◽  
Sally Haynes ◽  
Jim Lea ◽  
William Farrer ◽  
Caroline Lee
Keyword(s):  
Individual Variation ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Electrical Stimulus ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Audio Cues ◽  
Grazing Cattle ◽  
Electrical Stimuli ◽  
Inclusion Zone

Grazing cattle can both negatively and positively impact riparian zones, dependent on controlled grazing management. Virtual fencing technology, using collar devices that operate via GPS can provide audio cues and electrical stimuli to temporarily exclude cattle from specified areas as desired. An early experimental prototype automated virtual fencing system was tested in excluding ten cattle from a riparian zone in Australia. Animals were given free access to an 11.33-hectare area for three weeks, excluded from river access by a virtual fence for ten days (2.86-hectare inclusion zone), followed by free access again for six days. Animals were almost exclusively contained by the virtual fence. All animals received audio cues and electrical stimuli with daily fence interactions, but there was high individual variation with some animals first approaching the fence more often than others. Overall, there was an approximately 25% probability that animals would receive an electrical stimulus following an audio cue. Individual associative learning may have been socially-facilitated by the group’s behaviour. Following fence deactivation, all animals re-entered the previously excluded area. Further research with more groups and longer periods of exclusion using updated collar devices would determine the scope of virtual fencing technology for cattle grazing control.

scholarly journals The Effects of Dairy Heifer Age at Training on Rate of Learning and Retention of Learning in a Virtual Fencing Feed Attractant Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Verdon ◽  
Richard Rawnsley
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Electrical Stimulus ◽  
Dairy Heifers ◽  
Audio Cues ◽  
Rate Of Learning ◽  
Audio Stimulus ◽  
Electrical Stimuli ◽  
Previous Training ◽  
Effect Of Age

A better understanding of factors that influence learning of cattle with respect to new virtual fencing technology is required to inform the development of best practice training protocols and guide the introduction of the technology to naïve dairy cattle. This experiment examined the effect of age on (1) the efficiency of associative pairing of audio and electrical stimuli in dairy heifers and (2) the retention of this associative pairing over a long period of time without use. Fifty-nine Holstein dairy heifers were used in feed attractant trials where audio cues and electrical stimuli were delivered through manually controlled training collars. Heifers were allocated to four treatments that differed in the age at which naïve animals underwent training; these were 6-months (“6M”; n = 15), 9-months (“9M”; n = 15), 12-months (“12M”; n = 15), or 22-months of age (“22M”; n = 14). Animals in the 6, 9, and 12M treatments underwent a second round of training at 22-months of age (i.e., at the same time as naïve 22M heifers). Heifers received an audio stimulus (2 s; 84 dB) when they breached a virtual fence after which a short electrical stimulus (0.5 s; 3 V, 120 mW) was administered if they continued to move forward. If the animal stopped moving forward no further stimuli were applied. There were no effects of age treatment on the total number of interactions with the virtual fence (P > 0.05). During initial training, 22M heifers received a lower proportion of electrical stimuli (i.e., responded to audio without requiring the electrical stimulus; P < 0.001) and more frequently stopped walking (P = 0.01) and turned back (P = 0.008) following administration of the audio cue compared to younger heifers. Previous training at an early age did not improve the responsiveness of heifers to virtual fencing when re-trained at 22-months of age (P > 0.05). We conclude that dairy heifers should be trained to virtual fencing technology close to calving age rather than earlier in their ontogeny and that stock be re-trained following an extended period without virtual fencing technology.

scholarly journals Improved Accuracy of Riparian Zone Mapping Using Near Ground Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Photogrammetry Method

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1997
Author(s):  
Joan Grau ◽  
Kang Liang ◽  
Jae Ogilvie ◽  
Paul Arp ◽  
Sheng Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Agricultural Watershed ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Low Resolution ◽  
Channel Network ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

In agriculture-dominant watersheds, riparian ecosystems provide a wide array of benefits such as reducing soil erosion, filtering chemical compounds, and retaining sediments. Traditionally, the boundaries of riparian zones could be estimated from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) or field surveys. In this study, we used an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and photogrammetry method to map the boundaries of riparian zones. We first obtained the 3D digital surface model with a UAV. We applied the Vertical Distance to Channel Network (VDTCN) as a classifier to delineate the boundaries of the riparian area in an agricultural watershed. The same method was also used with a low-resolution DEM obtained with traditional photogrammetry and two more LiDAR-derived DEMs, and the results of different methods were compared. Results indicated that higher resolution UAV-derived DEM achieved a high agreement with the field-measured riparian zone. The accuracy achieved (Kappa Coefficient, KC = 63%) with the UAV-derived DEM was comparable with high-resolution LiDAR-derived DEMs and significantly higher than the prediction accuracy based on traditional low-resolution DEMs obtained with high altitude aerial photos (KC = 25%). We also found that the presence of a dense herbaceous layer on the ground could cause errors in riparian zone delineation with VDTCN for both low altitude UAV and LiDAR data. Nevertheless, the study indicated that using the VDTCN as a classifier combined with a UAV-derived DEM is a suitable approach for mapping riparian zones and can be used for precision agriculture and environmental protection over agricultural landscapes.

scholarly journals A Machine Learning Approach for Mapping Forest Vegetation in Riparian Zones in an Atlantic Biome Environment Using Sentinel-2 Imagery

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4086
Author(s):  
Danielle Elis Garcia Furuya ◽  
João Alex Floriano Aguiar ◽  
Nayara V. Estrabis ◽  
Mayara Maezano Faita Pinheiro ◽  
Michelle Taís Garcia Furuya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Environmental Planning ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Learning Algorithms ◽  
Vegetation Mapping ◽  
Forest Vegetation ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Sentinel 2

Riparian zones consist of important environmental regions, specifically to maintain the quality of water resources. Accurately mapping forest vegetation in riparian zones is an important issue, since it may provide information about numerous surface processes that occur in these areas. Recently, machine learning algorithms have gained attention as an innovative approach to extract information from remote sensing imagery, including to support the mapping task of vegetation areas. Nonetheless, studies related to machine learning application for forest vegetation mapping in the riparian zones exclusively is still limited. Therefore, this paper presents a framework for forest vegetation mapping in riparian zones based on machine learning models using orbital multispectral images. A total of 14 Sentinel-2 images registered throughout the year, covering a large riparian zone of a portion of a wide river in the Pontal do Paranapanema region, São Paulo state, Brazil, was adopted as the dataset. This area is mainly composed of the Atlantic Biome vegetation, and it is near to the last primary fragment of its biome, being an important region from the environmental planning point of view. We compared the performance of multiple machine learning algorithms like decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and normal Bayes (NB). We evaluated different dates and locations with all models. Our results demonstrated that the DT learner has, overall, the highest accuracy in this task. The DT algorithm also showed high accuracy when applied on different dates and in the riparian zone of another river. We conclude that the proposed approach is appropriated to accurately map forest vegetation in riparian zones, including temporal context.

scholarly journals High-frequency measurements explain quantity and quality of dissolved organic carbon mobilization in a headwater catchment

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4497-4516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt J. Werner ◽  
Andreas Musolff ◽  
Oliver J. Lechtenfeld ◽  
Gerrit H. de Rooij ◽  
Marieke R. Oosterwoud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Frequency Measurements ◽  
Seasonal Scale ◽  
Headwater Catchment

Abstract. Increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and exports from headwater catchments impact the quality of downstream waters and pose challenges to water supply. The importance of riparian zones for DOC export from catchments in humid, temperate climates has generally been acknowledged, but the hydrological controls and biogeochemical factors that govern mobilization of DOC from riparian zones remain elusive. A high-frequency dataset (15 min resolution for over 1 year) from a headwater catchment in the Harz Mountains (Germany) was analyzed for dominant patterns in DOC concentration (CDOC) and optical DOC quality parameters SUVA254 and S275−295 (spectral slope between 275 and 295 nm) on event and seasonal scales. Quality parameters and CDOC systematically changed with increasing fractions of high-frequency quick flow (Qhf) and antecedent hydroclimatic conditions, defined by the following metrics: aridity index (AI60) of the preceding 60 d and the quotient of mean temperature (T30) and mean discharge (Q30) of the preceding 30 d, which we refer to as discharge-normalized temperature (DNT30). Selected statistical multiple linear regression models for the complete time series (R2=0.72, 0.64 and 0.65 for CDOC, SUVA254 and S275−295, resp.) captured DOC dynamics based on event (Qhf and baseflow) and seasonal-scale predictors (AI60, DNT30). The relative importance of seasonal-scale predictors allowed for the separation of three hydroclimatic states (warm and dry, cold and wet, and intermediate). The specific DOC quality for each state indicates a shift in the activated source zones and highlights the importance of antecedent conditions and their impact on DOC accumulation and mobilization in the riparian zone. The warm and dry state results in high DOC concentrations during events and low concentrations between events and thus can be seen as mobilization limited, whereas the cold and wet state results in low concentration between and during events due to limited DOC accumulation in the riparian zone. The study demonstrates the considerable value of continuous high-frequency measurements of DOC quality and quantity and its (hydroclimatic) key controlling variables in quantitatively unraveling DOC mobilization in the riparian zone. These variables can be linked to DOC source activation by discharge events and the more seasonal control of DOC production in riparian soils.

Nociceptive Temporalis Inhibitory Reflexes Evoked by Co2-Laser Stimulation in Tension-Type Headache

Cephalalgia ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 361-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
M de Tommaso ◽  
M Guido ◽  
G Libro ◽  
L Losito ◽  
V Sciruicchio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Co2 Laser ◽  
Electrical Stimulus ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Nociceptive Response ◽  
Temporalis Muscle ◽  
Laser Stimulation ◽  
Type Headache ◽  
Tension Type Headaches ◽  
Electrical Stimuli ◽  
Second Period

The aim of the study was to evaluate the laser-induced suppression periods of the temporalis muscle in patients with tension-type headache, compared with the pattern of temporalis activity suppression induced by electrical stimulation. Fifteen patients with chronic and 10 with episodic tension-type headaches were selected. Suppression periods were recorded simultaneously from both temporalis muscles using both electrical stimuli and CO2-laser stimuli. A significant reduction in the later electrically induced suppression period was found in both tension-type headache groups. Laser stimulation induced a first suppression period (LSP1) with a latency of about 50 ms in all patients. The features of LSP1 were similar across groups. The LSP1 should correspond to the first suppression period induced by electrical stimulus, which is partly a nociceptive response, whereas the second period seemed negligibly linked with the activation of pain-related afferents, though probably their activation may contribute to increase the reflex duration and to emphasize abnormalities in tension-type headache.

scholarly journals Quantifying the performance of automated GIS-based geomorphological approaches for riparian zone delineation using digital elevation models

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 3851-3862 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Fernández ◽  
J. Barquín ◽  
M. Álvarez-Cabria ◽  
F. J. Peñas
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
River Networks ◽  
Riparian Areas ◽  
River Basin Scale ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Objective Quantification

Abstract. Riparian zone delineation is a central issue for managing rivers and adjacent areas; however, criteria used to delineate them are still under debate. The area inundated by a 50-yr flood has been indicated as an optimal hydrological descriptor for riparian areas. This detailed hydrological information is usually only available for populated areas at risk of flooding. In this work we created several floodplain surfaces by means of two different GIS-based geomorphological approaches using digital elevation models (DEMs), in an attempt to find hydrologically meaningful potential riparian zones for river networks at the river basin scale. Objective quantification of the performance of the two geomorphologic models is provided by analysing coinciding and exceeding areas with respect to the 50-yr flood surface in different river geomorphological types.

scholarly journals Dairy Cattle Response to a Virtual Fence When Pasture on Offer Is Restricted to the Post-grazing Residual

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia I. Colusso ◽  
Cameron E. F. Clark ◽  
Lachlan J. Ingram ◽  
Peter C. Thomson ◽  
Sabrina Lomax
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Small Area ◽  
Annual Ryegrass ◽  
Real Time Control ◽  
Exclusion Zone ◽  
Time Control ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Strip Grazing ◽  
Inclusion Zone

Pasture-based dairy systems rely on the accurate allocation of pasture to both meet livestock requirements and maintain the growth of herbage. Currently, physical fences are used to contain livestock however they can be labor-intensive to shift and maintain. Alternatively, virtual fence (VF) systems offer flexibility and real-time control of livestock location. Pre-commercial neckbands (eShepherd®, Agersens, Melbourne, VIC) emit a warning audio tone (AT) when a cow approaches a VF boundary, paired with an electrical pulse (EP) if the cow continues forward into the exclusion zone (EZ). However, the ability of VF technology to control animal location when pasture is restricted to the previous day's residual, remains unknown. Ten non-lactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were trained to use a VF system for 6 days before strip grazing a 1.2 ha paddock of annual ryegrass. Over 10 days the cows grazed eight pasture allocations at a pre-grazing pasture mass of 2,324 ± 81 kg DM/ha (mean ± SE) and post-grazing pasture-mass (post-grazing residual) of 1,649 ± 48 kg/DM/ha with a front VF. The allocations had a physical backing fence that included the fresh allocation and a small area of residual to cater for any GPS drift of the front VF. On each day, with the exception of days 5 and 10, the VF was moved forward, and the cows were provided a new pasture allocation. On days 5 and 10, the VF was not shifted, and cows were only offered the previous allocation's residual pasture. The location of each animal (inclusion, buffer, and exclusion zones) and number of stimuli (AT and EP) delivered were recorded. The number of stimuli delivered between the grazing and hold-off days was similar. Cows spent 89% of time within the inclusion zone (IZ), with significant peaks observed on day 5 and 10. Distance that cows traveled into the EZ reduced across time. There was also evidence of individual variation in the number of stimuli and thus time spent in each zone. Overall, the VF system was successful in containing the dairy cows during strip grazing even when only offered the previous days post-grazing residual.

scholarly journals Probing and predicting ganglion cell responses to smooth electrical stimulation in healthy and blind mouse retina

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Höfling ◽  
Philipp Berens ◽  
Günther Zeck
Keyword(s):  
Microelectrode Array ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Gaussian White Noise ◽  
Electrical Stimulus ◽  
Mouse Retina ◽  
Linear Filters ◽  
Large Space ◽  
Retinal Pathways ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Electrical Stimuli

ABSTRACTRetinal implants are used to replace lost photoreceptors in blind patients suffering from retinopathies such as retinitis pigmentosa. Patients wearing implants regain some rudimentary visual function. However, it is severely limited compared to normal vision because non-physiological stimulation strategies fail to selectively activate different retinal pathways at sufficient spatial and temporal resolution. The development of improved stimulation strategies is rendered difficult by the large space of potential stimuli. Here we systematically explore a subspace of potential stimuli by electrically stimulating healthy and blind mouse retina in epiretinal configuration using smooth Gaussian white noise delivered by a high-density CMOS-based microelectrode array. We identify linear filters of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) by fitting a linear-nonlinear-Poisson (LNP) model. Our stimulus evokes fast, reliable, and spatially confined spiking responses in RGC which are accurately predicted by the LNP model. Furthermore, we find diverse shapes of linear filters in the linear stage of the model, suggesting diverse preferred electrical stimuli of RGCs. Our smooth electrical stimulus could provide a starting point of a model-guided search for improved stimuli for retinal prosthetics.

scholarly journals Ecosystem services of a functionally diverse riparian zone in the Amazon–Cerrado agricultural frontier

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Luiz Bezerra Nóbrega ◽  
Taciana Ziembowicz ◽  
Gilmar N. Torres ◽  
Alphonce C. Guzha ◽  
Ricardo S. S. Amorim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Plant Biodiversity ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Agricultural Frontier

The ecological services provided by protected riparian zones in human-altered landscapes are widely acknowledged, yet little is known about them. In this study, we assess ecosystem properties that a protected riparian zone maintains in contrast to environmental changes in its surroundings caused by agro-industrial activities in the northwestern fringe of the Brazilian Cerrado on the Amazon–Cerrado agricultural frontier. We assessed the plant biodiversity, soil hydro-physical properties, and water quality, to understand how the underlying ecological characteristics of a riparian zone withstand the effects of its neighboring cropland area on the stream water quality. We show that the riparian zone is fundamental in providing key ecosystem regulating services, including maintenance of plant biodiversity, soil properties, and water quality. Protection of plant biodiversity in the riparian zone sustains a synergy between soil, and functionally and phylogenetically diverse plant communities by promoting higher infiltration rates, higher soil porosity, and natural soil biogeochemistry conditions, which in turn have direct implications for stream water quality. Our study reaffirms that the conservation of riparian zones is crucial to buffer the negative impacts of agricultural practices on ecosystem services. Our results provide consistent evidence to support further studies and environmental policies for riparian environments, which are often the last fragment of natural vegetation remaining in the dominantly agricultural lands within the Cerrado and Amazon forests.

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