Diet and movements of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) in a large oligotrophic lake with an exceptionally high pikeperch yield

Through the recent increases in abundance, pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) has not only become a valuable target for recreational and commercial fishing, but also the most important top predator in many lakes. Generally oligotrophic Lake Höytiäinen (283 km²) sustains one of the most economically valuable pikeperch stocks in Finland, and its annual fisheries yield (up to 5.5 kg/ha) is exceptionally high among Finnish lakes. Here, we followed seasonal movements of fish using conventional tagging, and studied short‐term and long‐term diet of pikeperch by stomach content and stable isotope analyses to examine if the movements were motivated by prey availability. A clear seasonal migration pattern was observed: in summer, 80% of the tag recoveries were obtained from the shallow and mesotrophic northern and western areas, whereas in autumn and winter, the deep and oligotrophic southern area dominated in the recaptures. The diet of pikeperch consisted of the most abundant fish species in the lake, perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus), as well as insects. Stable isotope analysis indicated a shift from a dominance of pelagic food sources to littoral food sources during the growing season of pikeperch. Our results suggest that the pikeperch migrations facilitate efficient material transfer from the mesotrophic part while the deeper and oligotrophic part offers a favourable overwintering environment.     

Toward harmonization of the European food hygiene/veterinary public health curriculum

Prompted by developments in the agri-food industry and associated recent changes in European legislation, the responsibilities of veterinarians professionally active in veterinary public health (VPH), and particularly in food hygiene (FH), have increasingly shifted from the traditional end-product control toward longitudinally integrated safety assurance. This necessitates the restructuring of university training programs to provide starting competence in this area for veterinary graduates or a sub-population of them. To date, there are substantial differences in Europe in the way in which graduate programs in FH/VPH are structured and in the time allocated to this important curricular group of subjects. Having recognized this, the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) recently instituted a working group to analyze the current situation, with a view to produce standard operating procedures allowing fair and transparent evaluations of universities/faculties constituting its membership and in concurrence with explicit European legislation on the professional qualifications deemed necessary for this veterinary discipline. This article summarizes the main conclusions and recommendations of the working group and seeks to contribute to the international efforts to optimize veterinary training in FH/VPH.     

Structure and function of microbial communities in the rhizosphere of Scots pine after tree-felling

We evaluated changes occurring in the rhizosphere microbial communities of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) due to tree-felling and decrease of the photosynthetic C flow into the soil under field conditions over one growing season. Samples were taken from tree rhizospheres, freshly felled stump rhizospheres and bulk soil. We used culture dependent (CFU counts, community level physiological profiles, CLPPs) and independent methods (fluorogenic MUF-substrates, PLFA pattern and PCR-DGGE) to monitor the microbial communities in soil samples. The numbers of cultivable bacteria and amounts of phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere of trees were significantly higher compared with those in the bulk soil. The organic C consuming community measured by CLPP was stimulated directly after the tree-felling in stump rhizospheres; utilization of the disintegration components of cellulose, hemicellulose and chitin increased. Furthermore, bacterial and fungal biomass as well as chitin decomposers (CFU) increased in the stump rhizosphere. After 11 weeks of tree-felling the stump rhizosphere soluble PO₄-P and NH₄-N as well as amounts of total C and N began to resemble the concentrations measured in the bulk soil. However, the stump rhizosphere community structure detected by PLFA and PCR-DGGE still resembled that of the tree rhizosphere.     

Microbial communities, biomass, and activities in soils as affected by freeze thaw cycles

Two Finnish agricultural soils (peat soil and loamy sand) were exposed to four freeze-thaw cycles (FTC), with a temperature change from −17.3±0.4 °C to +4.1±0.4 °C. Control cores from both soils were kept at constant temperature (+6.6±2.0 °C) without FTCs. Soil N₂O and CO₂ emissions were monitored during soil thawing, and the effects of FTCs on soil microbes were studied. N₂O emissions were extremely low in peat soil, possibly due to low soil water content. Loamy sand had high N₂O emission, with the highest emission after the second FTC. Soil freeze-thaw increased anaerobic respiration in both soil types during the first 3-4 FTCs, and this increase was higher in the peat soil. The microbial community structure and biomass analysed with lipid biomarkers (phospholipid fatty acids, 3- and 2- hydroxy fatty acids) were not affected by freezing-thawing cycles, nor was soil microbial biomass carbon (MIB-C). Molecular analysis of the microbial community structure with temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) also showed no changes due the FTCs. These results show that freezing and thawing of boreal soils does not have a strong effect on microbial biomass or community structure.     

Chemical moieties and interactions involved in the binding of zearalenone to the surface of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains GG

Viable, heat-and acid-killed Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG (LGG) has shown high binding properties with zearalenone (ZEN). To identify the type of chemical moieties and interactions involved in binding with the ZEN, LGG was subjected to different chemical and enzymatical treatments, prior to the binding experiments. Pretreating the viable, heat- and acid-killed bacteria with m-periodate significantly decreased ZEN binding, suggesting that ZEN binds predominantly to carbohydrate components. Pretreatment with Pronase E had no effect on the ability of viable cells to bind ZEN, however, a reduction in the binding of ZEN by heat- and acid-killed cells, suggesting that the new binding sites exposed by heat or acid are proteins in nature. Pretreatment with urea also decreased binding, suggesting that hydrophobic interactions play a role in ZEN binding. The binding of ZEN in concentrations ranging from 0.79 to 62.82 microM and its subsequent dissociation by repetitive aqueous washes was also studied. The binding sites of the bacteria were not saturated by the maximum ZEN concentration studied.     

Malting enzyme activities, grain protein variation and yield potentials in the displaced genetic resources of barley landraces of Finland

Thirty-two unimproved landraces of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) based on single plant selections in SE Finland were studied. Some of the lines still had ancient features, e.g., rachis brittleness in the tip of the spike. The lines showed 17 different and 16 unique hordein patterns and three lines showed more than one pattern, suggesting heterozygosity, and six different residual grain protein patterns. The three enzyme activities (-amylase, -amylase and -glucanase) of grains germinated aseptically for 120 h were determined. The average activity levels were high compared with a standard of five global barleys and with those determined previously in wild barley (H. vulgare ssp. spontaneum (Koch) Archers et Graebn.) grown in Finland. The ssp. spontaneum sample of 257 accessions showed significantly (P<0.001) less variation in -amylase and significantly (P<0.001) lower mean activity of all three enzymes. The high variation of these chemotypes indicates great potential variation of possible use by breeders has been lost by the disappearance and displacement of local barleys with commercial cultivars since 1950 in Finland before which barley cultivation and adaptation to the local environment had occurred over more than 3000 years. Selection for currently preferable plant characteristics in the descendants of the cross of HA52 (a landrace selection) × Adorra discriminated the hordein pattern of HA52 not being directly selected. The best landraces outyield the standard cultivars especially when there was no lodging. Top yield and small grains appeared to be associated characteristics under the environmental selection pressure, conflicting with the man-made regulations of the EU.     

Nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils at low temperatures: a laboratory microcosm study

We studied in laboratory microcosms (intact soil cores) N₂O and CO₂ emissions from four different agricultural soil types (organic soil, clay, silt and loam) at low temperatures with or without freezing-thawing events. When the temperature of the frozen soil cores was increased stepwise from −8 °C the N₂O emissions began to increase at −0.5 °C, and peaked at −0.1 °C in the organic, clay and silt soils, and at +1.6 °C in the loam soils. However, a stepwise decrease in soil temperature from +15 °C also induced an increase in the N₂O emissions close to the 0 °C. These emissions peaked between −0.4 and +2.5 °C depending on the soil type and water content. However, the emission maxima were from 2 to 14.3% of those encountered in the experiments where frozen soils were thawed. Our results show that in addition to the well-documented thawing peak, soils also can have a maximum in their N₂O emission near 0 °C when soil temperature decrease. These emissions, however, are less than those emitted from thawing soils. The correlations between the N₂O and CO₂ emissions were weak. Our results suggest that N₂O is produced in soils down to a temperature of −6 °C.     

Organisms,decomposition, and growth of pine seedlings in boreal forest soil affected by sod cutting and trenching

In an experiment with factorial design performed in a mature, mixed Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand in central Finland, we studied the effects of sod cutting (exposing the mineral soil simulating mechanical site preparation) and trenching the study plot (excluding root-mycorrhizal connections) on soil organisms, decomposition rate and pine seedling performance. During two growing seasons after sod cutting, the growth of pine seedlings was significantly enhanced compared to plots with the organic layer left intact. Some epiedaphic soil animals, such as ants, spiders and certain entomobryid collembolan, were more active (pitfall sampling) on sod-cut plots. By the end of the second growing season numbers of enchytraeids were greater in the exposed mineral soil than in the mineral soil under the forest floor. Trenching induced changes in microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) pattern and collembolan community structure with decreased numbers of collembolans and biomass of fungi in organic soil of uncut plots. In addition, N content of pine seedlings increased after trenching. Overall, the effects of trenching on the measured variables were similar in sod-cut and uncut plots. We conclude that the effects of mechanical site preparation on decomposers and decomposition processes can be explained partly by exclusion of mycorrhizal-root connections and partly by a decrease in unfavourable conditions created by the organic soil layer and ground vegetation.     

Unfecund, gigantic mutant of oats (Avena sativa) shows fecundity overdominance and difference in DNA methylation properties

Summary The fecundity heterosis of the gig/+oats (Avena sativa) was examined in a population showing segregation of the gene under the long photoperiods in S Finland. Segregating isolines of cv Hannes and of cv Kyrö were raised at two plant densities and the grain yield of heterozygotes and nonmutant homozygotes were evaluated. The heterozygotes in mean outyielded the homozygotes. The overdominance of grain number explains the persistance of this mutant at a relatively high frequency in oats in Finland, though the fecundity of the extremely late homozygous mutant is zero. Previous and current data indicate that the heterozygotes show heterosis of fecundity depending on genetic background, season or other environmental conditions. Grafting of cut stems of nonmutants onto wounded nodes of mutants did not transfer any observable florescence inductor. Hypomethylation of DNA, as revealed with HpaII digestion, occurred in topmost leaves of non-mutants, being absent or occurring to a lesser extent in the comparative leaves of mutants.     

Effects of site preparation on soil properties and on morphology of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies seedlings sown at different dates

The aims of the study are to find out the effects of site preparation on soil properties and on the morphology of three-year-old Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings sown at different dates along a slope with variation in soil texture, water, and fertility. Based on the hypothesis that soil texture affects soil water content, water retention capacity, and nutrient content, we studied site preparation of varying intensities: exposed C horizon, mounds (broken O/E/B horizons piled over undisturbed ground), and exposed E/B horizon. Though the growing time difference between sowings was about one month, after three growing seasons, spring-sown seedlings were larger than summer-sown seedlings. P. sylvestris seedlings were largest with mounds and smallest with exposed C horizon, but site preparation did not affect the morphology of P. abies seedlings.