Empirical models for predicting the production of wild mushrooms in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in the Central Pyrenees

Mushroom picking has become a widespread autumn recreational activity in the Central Pyrenees and other regions of Spain. Predictive models that relate mushroom production or fungal species richness with forest stand and site characteristics are not available. This study used mushroom production data from 24 Scots pine plots over 3 years to develop a predictive model that could facilitate forest management decisions when comparing silvicultural options in terms of mushroom production. Mixed modelling was used to model the dependence of mushroom production on stand and site factors. The results showed that productions were greatest when stand basal area was approximately 20 m² ha^?1. Increasing elevation and northern aspect increased total mushroom production as well as the production of edible and marketed mushrooms. Increasing slope decreased productions. Marketed Lactarius spp., the most important group collected in the region, showed similar relationships. The annual variation in mushroom production correlated with autumn rainfall. Mushroom species richness was highest when the total production was highest.     

Carbon inventory methods and carbon mitigation potentials of forests in Europe: a short review of recent progress

The role of European forests and forest management in the carbon balance has received much attention in research recently. This was particularly motivated by the recognition of forest management as one possible measure countries may adopt in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere. The main method to assess carbon budget in forests is based on traditional forest inventories. This method requires the conversion of measured stem volume to carbon pools. This conversion has been identified as a large source of uncertainty in past assessments. Over the last 5 years, intensive research efforts have resulted in significant advances in the reliability of forest inventory based carbon budgets. In parallel, the impact of forest management on the carbon balance of forest ecosystems has been investigated and the carbon mitigation potential of these activities has been analysed. This paper reviews the progress that was made in these two fields of research with a particular focus on European forests.

Genomic prediction of grain yield in commercial Finnish oat (Avena sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) breeding programmes

Genomic selection has been adopted in many plant breeding programmes. In this paper, we cover some aspects of information necessary before starting genomic selection. Spring oat and barley breeding data sets from commercial breeding programmes were studied using single, multitrait and trait-assisted models for predicting grain yield. Heritabilities were higher when estimated using multitrait models compared to single-trait models. However, no corresponding increase in prediction accuracy was observed in a cross-validation scenario. On the other hand, forward prediction showed a slight, but not significant, increase in accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values for breeding cohorts when a multitrait model was applied. When a correlated trait was used in a trait-assisted model, on average the accuracies increased by 9%–14% for oat and by 11%–28% for barley compared with a single-trait model. Overall, accuracies in forward validation varied between breeding cohorts and years for grain yield. Forward prediction accuracies for multiple cohorts and multiple years’ data are reported for oat for the first time.     

Substrate-Dependent Bioavailability of Deltamethrin for the Epigeal Spider Oedothorax apicatus (Blackwall) (Aranaea,Erigonidae)

Terrestrial arthropods are mainly exposed to pesticides by uptake from the substrate e.g. “residual” uptake, which depends on the bioavailability of the pesticide. The residual uptake of deltamethrin by female Oedothorax apicatus (Blackwall), a linyphiid spider, was studied in relation to dependence on soil cover, soil moisture, walking behaviour, time after spraying and deposition rate. C¹⁴-labelled deltamethrin was used to quantify the uptake processes. Data were analysed using multiple regression analysis. Uptake was markedly higher from soil covered with fungi or moss than from uncovered soil. From uncovered soils with moisture contents varying from 7 to 49% dry weight, low uptake was measured, while at 63% moisture, the uptake was high. The bioavailability half-life was 157 min. The rate of uptake decreased with distance walked. The possible consequences of these results for field experiments are discussed.     

Abundance of ammonia oxidizing microbes and denitrifiers in different soil horizons of an agricultural soil in relation to the cultivated crops

The role of subsoils and their microbial communities for the nutrient supply for plants is to a large extent unknown, especially in comparison to well investigated topsoil layers. Therefore, in this study, the influence of three different plant species with different rooting systems and different N uptake strategies on ammonium and nitrate levels and microbial communities involved in ammonia oxidation and denitrification was investigated in different soil horizons. Overall, our results show a higher genetic potential for both processes in topsoils than in subsoils independent of the present plant. Although we found accumulation of N in top and subsoils in plots with legumes, we could not observe an impact of the higher nitrate content on the genetic potential of denitrification and ammonia oxidation. However, differences in the ratios of ammonia oxidizing archaea to bacteria and also between denitrifying bacteria harboring genes for copper- (nirK) or cytochrome- (nirS) dependent nitrite reductase in top and subsoil samples reveal different ecophysiologies of microbes involved in N turnover in top and subsoil habitats.     

On the Ultrastructure of Mast Cells and Globule Leucocytes in the Common Bile Duct of Cattle Chronically Infected With Fasciola Hepatica

Mast cells and globule leucocytes in the walls of the common bile ducts of seven uninfected slaughtered cows and of five cows chronically infected with Fasciola hepatica were studied by electron microscopy. The mast cells displayed numerous small intracytoplasmic granules, the matrixes of which were either strongly electron-opaque and homogeneous or less dense with a fine-granular ultrastructure. Unattached ribosomes were abundant in the cytoplasm of the cells. Many mast cells in the walls of chronically infected bile ducts were normal-looking while the cells in the subepithelial tissues often showed striking irregularities in the ultrastructure of the granules. Globule leucocytes were most numerous in the surface epithelium and were not connected by desmosomes to the epithelial cells. The nuclei of the globule leucocytes were similar to those in the mast cells except that indentations caused by the globules were more usually seen. The globules were considerably larger than the mast cell granules but bounded by similar agranular capsules. The matrix of most globules was dense and homogeneous while the other globules showed dense reticulate or lamellate structures. The relationship between the mast cell and globule leucocyte in the liver is briefly discussed with reference to recent reports on these cells in the intestinal wall.     

Resection and Anastomosis of the Descending Colon in 43 Horses

Objectives: To determine (1) the short‐ (to hospital discharge) and long‐ (>6 months) term survival, (2) factors associated with short‐term survival, and (3) the perioperative course for horses with resection and anastomosis of the descending colon. Study Design: Multicentered case series. Animals: Horses (n=43) that had descending colon resection and anastomosis. Methods: Medical records (January 1995–June 2009) of 7 equine referral hospitals were reviewed for horses that had descending colon resection and anastomosis and were recovered from anesthesia. Retrieved data included history, results of clinical and clinicopathologic examinations, surgical findings, postsurgical treatment and complications, and short‐term survival (hospital discharge). Long‐term survival was defined as survival ≥6 months after hospital discharge. Results: Of 43 horses, 36 (84%) were discharged from the hospital. Twenty‐eight of 30 horses with follow‐up information survived ≥6 months. No significant associations between perioperative factors and short‐term survival were identified. Lesions included strangulating lipoma (n=27), postfoaling trauma (4), infarction (4), intraluminal obstruction (2), and other (6). Common postoperative complications included fever and diarrhea. During hospitalization 7 horses were euthanatized or died because of septic peritonitis (3), endotoxemia (3), and colic and ileus (1). Conclusions: Descending colon resection and anastomosis has a favorable prognosis for hospital discharge and survival ≥6 months. The most common cause of small colon incarceration was strangulating lipoma. Clinical Relevance: Complications include postoperative fever and diarrhea but the prognosis is good after small colon resection and anastomosis.     

Effects of timing of soil frost thawing on Scots pine

Effects of the timing of soil thawing in the spring on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were studied under controlled laboratory conditions. Sixteen 6-year-old saplings were lifted from the field, replanted in containers and placed in four treatments in controlled environment (CE) chambers with four replicate saplings per chamber. The saplings were held in the CE chambers during one simulated winter and one simulated growing season. The soil was frozen to -2 degrees C during a second simulated winter in the CE chambers, and the soil thawing treatments began at the end of the second simulated winter. Soil thawing began at various times before (no delay in thawing) and after (delay in thawing) chamber air conditions were changed from simulated winter to simulated summer. Delayed soil thawing subjected saplings to stress, with the severity of stress depending on the length of the delay in thawing. If there was no delay or only a short delay in soil thawing, stress was minor and reversible. A 2-week delay in soil thawing led to death of the saplings. Stress was apparent as decreases in the variable to maximal chlorophyll fluorescence ratio (Fv/Fm), chlorophyll a/b ratio and needle water potential. In needles of stressed saplings, apoplastic electrical resistance first decreased and then increased and there were anomalies in the electrical impedance spectra of the stems. Stress from the soil thawing treatments affected both root and shoot growth.     

Effects of perennial fodder crops on soil structure in agricultural headlands

In agricultural headlands, rooting and yield of crops may be limited because of soil‐structure changes as a consequence of multiple passes of turning machinery. We hypothesized that perennial forage crops can substantially alter soil structure in agricultural headlands. On one experimental field and two commercial farms on Haplic Luvisols from respectively loess and sandy loess in the Lower Rhine Bay (Germany), we investigated how 4 y of continuously grown grass/clover or alfalfa affected soil structure and the performance of subsequent spring wheat. Compared with a crop rotation with annual plowing to 30 cm soil depth, perennial forage crops led to increased soil C content (+1.3% to +22.8%) and N content (+4.2% to +15.1%), higher densities of medium and coarse biopores at a depth of 35 cm, more large water‐stable soil macroaggregates, higher biomass and abundance of anecic earthworms, and higher grain yield and grain protein content of spring wheat grown as the following crop. Root‐length density of spring wheat in the subsoil was not affected by the preceding perennial fodder crops in two of the three field trials. We concluded that besides increasing N input to the soil, perennial cropping of grass/clover or alfalfa has effects on soil structure that may substantially reduce yield losses in agricultural headlands.