Diurnal and seasonal changes in stem increment and water use by yellow poplar trees in response to environmental stress

To evaluate indicators of whole-tree physiological responses to climate stress, we determined seasonal, daily and diurnal patterns of growth and water use in 10 yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) trees in a stand recently released from competition. Precise measurements of stem increment and sap flow made with automated electronic dendrometers and thermal dissipation probes, respectively, indicated close temporal linkages between water use and patterns of stem shrinkage and swelling during daily cycles of water depletion and recharge of extensible outer-stem tissues. These cycles also determined net daily basal area increment. Multivariate regression models based on a 123-day data series showed that daily diameter increments were related negatively to vapor pressure deficit (VPD), but positively to precipitation and temperature. The same model form with slight changes in coefficients yielded coefficients of determination of about 0.62 (0.57-0.66) across data subsets that included widely variable growth rates and VPDs. Model R2 was improved to 0.75 by using 3-day running mean daily growth data. Rapid recovery of stem diameter growth following short-term, diurnal reductions in VPD indicated that water stored in extensible stem tissues was part of a fast recharge system that limited hydration changes in the cambial zone during periods of water stress. There were substantial differences in the seasonal dynamics of growth among individual trees, and analyses indicated that faster-growing trees were more positively affected by precipitation, solar irradiance and temperature and more negatively affected by high VPD than slower-growing trees. There were no negative effects of ozone on daily growth rates in a year of low ozone concentrations.     

Radial variation in sap velocity as a function of stem diameter and sapwood thickness in yellow-poplar trees

Canopy transpiration and forest water use are frequently estimated as the product of sap velocity and cross-sectional sapwood area. Few studies, however, have considered whether radial variation in sap velocity and the proportion of sapwood active in water transport are significant sources of uncertainty in the extrapolation process. Therefore, radial profiles of sap velocity were examined as a function of stem diameter and sapwood thickness for yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) trees growing on two adjacent watersheds in eastern Tennessee. The compensation heat pulse velocity technique was used to quantify sap velocity at four equal-area depths in 20 trees that ranged in stem diameter from 15 to 69 cm, and in sapwood thickness from 2.1 to 14.8 cm. Sap velocity was highly dependent on the depth of probe insertion into the sapwood. Rates of sap velocity were greatest for probes located in the two outer sapwood annuli (P1 and P2) and lowest for probes in closest proximity to the heartwood (P3 and P4). Relative sap velocities averaged 0.98 at P1, 0.66 at P2, 0.41 at P3 and 0.35 at P4. Tree-specific sap velocities measured at each of the four probe positions, divided by the maximum sap velocity measured (usually at P1 or P2), indicated that the fraction of sapwood functional in water transport (f(S)) varied between 0.49 and 0.96. There was no relationship between f(S) and sapwood thickness, or between f(S) and stem diameter. The fraction of functional sapwood averaged 0.66 +/- 0.13 for trees on which radial profiles were determined. No significant depth-related differences were observed for sapwood density, which averaged 469 kg m(-3) across all four probe positions. There was, however, a significant decline in sapwood water content between the two outer probe positions (1.04 versus 0.89 kg kg(-1)). This difference was not sufficient to account for the observed radial variation in sap velocity. A Monte-Carlo analysis indicated that the standard error in estimated mean f(S) declined rapidly with increasing sample size. At n = 10, the coefficient of variation in mean f(S) was 7% and at n = 15 it was slightly less than 5%. These observations indicate that radial variation in sap velocity is an important, albeit often overlooked, source of uncertainty in the scaling process. Failure to recognize that not all sapwood is functional in water transport will introduce systematic bias into estimates of both tree and stand water use. Future studies should devise sampling strategies for assessing radial variation in sap velocity and such strategies should be used to identify the magnitude of this variation in a range of non-, diffuse- and ring-porous trees.     

Modeling and field-testing of Ovenbird (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Seiurus aurocapillus</Emphasis>) responses to boreal forest dissection by energy sector development at multiple spatial scales

Although the area disturbed by linear features in forested systems is small relative to many other human disturbances, linear features create significantly more amounts of edge per unit area. In the boreal plains of Alberta, Canada, energy sector exploration has resulted in extensive dissection of the landscape through 8 m wide seismic lines. A spatially explicit model was developed to test how bird abundance might change in response to increasing seismic line density if individuals use seismic lines as territory boundaries or actively avoid these edges. Assuming birds had fixed territory shape and size, increasing seismic line density from 0 to 8 km/km² resulted in a 38% decline and an 82% decline in bird abundance when individuals used lines as territory boundaries or avoided edges by 50 m, respectively. We tested the assumptions of our model using the Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus). Based on radio-telemetry (n = 12), all Ovenbirds crossed seismic lines at some point during the breeding season. However, male Ovenbirds showed a distinct use of one side of the seismic line, suggesting lines acted as territory boundaries. In 12.25 ha plots (n = 24) spot-mapping detected no change in Ovenbird density as linear feature density increased from 0 to 8.6 km/km². In 4 km² landscapes (n = 62) sampled using a grid of nine point-counts, we also detected no changes in Ovenbird numbers across the same range of seismic line densities. Ovenbirds declined with seismic line density at the level of the individual point-count station (12 ha scale), but only when a threshold seismic line density of 8.5 km/km² was reached. Above the threshold, Ovenbirds declined 19% for each 1 km/km² increase in seismic line density. While relatively few places in Alberta’s boreal forest have local seismic line densities of 8.5 km/km², forest dissection could increasingly become an issue if current energy exploration practices continue.     

Changes in neurosecretory activity in the hypothalamus of sheep after administration of PMSG

By means of histological methods of histochemical nature we examined the qualitative alterations in neurosecretory cells of anterior (nucl. paraventricularis - NPV. nucl. preopticus medialis - NPM), medial (nucl. arcuatus s. infundibularis - NARC), and posterior (nucl. tuberomamillaris - NTM) hypothalamus of sheep with a simultaneous caryometric analysis of neurons of the same nuclei after administration of various PMSG doses. The examination was performed on the brain samples of 23 two- to three-year-old sheep, of the Slovak Merino breed, at the live weight of 30 to 40 kg. in the period of physiological anoestrus (June-July). The animals were divided into three experimental groups and were instilled agellin sponges (20 mg). On the 13th day the sponges were removed and the first group was applied 1000 i. u. PMSG, the second group 750 i. u. PMSG. The sheep were killed within 30 to 36 hours after the oestrus determination with a teaser ram. After bleeding of animals the brains were perfused with 2% buffered paraformaldehyde and after taking out the brains from the crania their fixation was finished in buffered picroformol. Paraffin slices were stained with haematoxylin-eosine and crotonaldehyde-fuchsin to neurosecretions. Caryometric analysis was carried out with a 1000 fold magnifying and with a measuring of 200 cells from one sample. We recorded the neurosecretion increase in all hypothalamic nuclei under study. The caryometric analysis has shown a moderate shift to the right, it means the volume increase of nuclei of neurosecretory cells, which demonstrates a stimulation of the function of hypothalamic structures.     

Partial resistance to black spot disease in diploid and tetraploid roses: general combining ability and implications for breeding and selection

Black spot disease, incited by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae Wolf, is the most important disease of roses (Rosa hybrida L.) in the outdoor landscape. Though partial resistance exists in cultivated germplasm, the genetic basis of this trait has not yet been elucidated. Six diploid and six tetraploid rose cultivars were crossed in two factorial combining ability arrays. Whole plant and detached leaf inoculation methods were used to assess partial resistance under two different disease pressures using a characterized single-spore isolate. Parents from both arrays had significant general combining ability effects across multiple inoculation methods and environments. Specific combining ability was not significant for either array. Parent per se performance was highly correlated with progeny performance on a family mean basis. High positive correlations among whole plant and detached leaf inoculation methods indicate that detached leaf assays can substitute for whole plant assays. Based on these results, a breeding strategy including parental selection and early, among-family selection is proposed. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of combining ability for disease resistance in rose.     

Determination of Acidic Pesticides in the Drinking Water of Greece Using Capillary Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

There is no data currently available on acidic pesticides in the drinking water of Greece, although considerable quantities of them are in use. In this study, the occurrence of the six most important acidic herbicides in the drinking water of Greece was investigated. The target compounds studied include four chlorophenoxy herbicides, namely mecoprop, dichlorprop, MCPA and 2,4-D, and two other acidic herbicides, i.e. bromoxynil and bentazone. Analysis was carried out at a concentration level of 100 ng L^?1 using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with selected ion monitoring (SIM). The method involved a pre-concentration with solid phase extraction and derivatization with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. Thirty-eight samples of drinking water from nine regions in Greece were screened. No herbicides were detected although fortification experiments with parallel water samples resulted in recovery rates better than 70%. The detection limits of the recovered compounds were found to be between 10 and 50 ng L^?1.     

Fish Bone Derived Bi-Phasic Calcium Phosphate Coatings Fabricated by Pulsed Laser Deposition for Biomedical Applications

We report on new biomaterials with promising bone and cartilage regeneration potential, from sustainable, cheap resources of fish origin. Thin films were fabricated from fish bone-derived bi-phasic calcium phosphate targets via pulsed laser deposition with a KrF * excimer laser source (λ = 248 nm, τ_FWHM ≤ 25 ns). Targets and deposited nanostructures were characterized by SEM and XRD, as well as by Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and FTIR spectroscopy. Films were next assessed in vitro by dedicated cytocompatibility and antimicrobial assays. Films were Ca-deficient and contained a significant fraction of β-tricalcium phosphate apart from hydroxyapatite, which could contribute to an increased solubility and an improved biocompatibility for bone regeneration applications. The deposited structures were biocompatible as confirmed by the lack of cytotoxicity on human gingival fibroblast cells, making them promising for fast osseointegration implants. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) coatings inhibited the microbial adhesion and/or the subsequent biofilm development. A persistent protection against bacterial colonization (Escherichia coli) was demonstrated for at least 72 h, probably due to the release of the native trace elements (i.e., Na, Mg, Si, and/or S) from fish bones. Progress is therefore expected in the realm of multifunctional thin film biomaterials, combining antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative properties for advanced implant coatings and nosocomial infections prevention applications.     

Factors associated with long-term changes in distribution of black-tailed prairie dogs in northwestern Mexico

The area occupied by colonies of the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus; BTPD henceforth) in northwestern Mexico was dramatically reduced between 1988 and 2005. We conducted a quantitative assessment of the distributional changes of these BTPD colonies during the periods 1988–2000 and 2000–2005 focusing on the potential roles of plant biomass, landscape configuration, habitat loss, and habitat suitability. We used remote sensing and GIS tools to characterize habitat and landscape conditions at areas of extinction and persistence at the beginning of each period. Based on this information, we contrasted areas of extinction and persistence within single BTPD colonies, and used logistic regression to model extinction of entire colonies. The greatest levels of reduction, fragmentation and extinction of colonies occurred between 1988 and 2000. The trend of reduction continued between 2000 and 2005 because the largest colony became smaller and fragmented, driving the area down, however, the rest of the towns showed a marginal increase. During the first period, extinction of entire colonies was higher in smaller colonies occupying low-biomass areas. Both extinction models and raw data indicate that colony area lost to agriculture and urbanization was relatively low for both periods. Because the period exhibiting the highest colony area loss coincided with a severe period of drought (1994–1995), we hypothesized that an unusually high food shortage could be the driving force behind this generalized reduction in colonies. Our results suggest that BTPD populations are sensitive to size and isolation effects mainly in the context of severe drought. Because changes in precipitation have profound impacts on plant productivity and composition in arid ecosystems, BTPD populations at the southernmost edge of their geographic range are especially vulnerable to drought and desertification processes, and therefore to climate disruption.     

Metaflumizone-amitraz (Promeris)-associated pustular acantholytic dermatitis in 22 dogs: evidence suggests contact drug-triggered pemphigus foliaceus

Promeris Duo (PD) is a novel topical flea and tick preventative for dogs, which is also licensed for treatment of canine demodicosis. In this article, we present 22 dogs that all developed pemphigus foliaceus (PF)-like cutaneous drug reactions at the site of PD application. In eight dogs, the lesions were restricted to the application site (localized group). Signs of systemic illness were reported in three dogs, and four required immunosuppressive treatment. Direct immunofluorescence for IgG was positive in four dogs, although circulating antikeratinocyte IgG could not be detected in any tested sera. Complete remission was achieved in all dogs, with one patient still remaining on treatment. Fourteen dogs developed skin lesions at the application site as well as other noncontiguous areas (distant group). Systemic signs were reported in 11 dogs, and immunosuppression was required in 10 cases. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence tests were positive for antikeratinocyte autoantibodies in 10 of 13 and six of 10 patients with distant disease, respectively. Complete remission was achieved in 10 of 13 dogs with distant disease; one-third are still on treatment. Histological changes were similar to canine PF. Desmosomal architectural changes, assessed by desmoglein-1 immunostaining, were also similar to those of dogs with spontaneous autoimmune PF. Apoptosis did not appear to contribute to lesion formation, in either autoimmune or PD-associated PF. In conclusion, PD has the potential of triggering a variant of PF that resembles spontaneously occurring autoimmune PF at clinical, morphological, immunological and treatment outcome levels.