Leaf litter selection by detritivore and geophagous earthworms

Summary Litterbag experiments with 10 different kinds of leaf litter showed that detritivore (Lumbricus species) and geophagous (Aporrectodea species) earthworms prefer certain litter types over others, since different numbers of worms were found below the litter after 50–52 days of exposure in a pasture. The detritivores preferred Fraxinus, Tilia, and predecomposed Ulmus and Fagus litter to Fagus litter and paper, while geophages preferred Tilia litter to Alnus and Ulmus litter, so that the two groups of earthworms showed different preferences. The detritivores seemed to be more selective than the geophages. The palatability of the litter was examined in relation to the C: N ratio, the lignin concentration and the initial and final polyphenol concentration. The numbers of detritivores were significantly correlated with the C: N ratio and the final polyphenol concentration, so that selection of litter seems to be related to palatability. The numbers of geophages were not significantly correlated with any of the parameters for palatability. The disappearance of litter after 50–52 days appeared to be due to detritivore activity, since the numbers found below the litter were positively and significantly correlated with the litter disappearance. There was no significant correlation with geophage activity. This indicates that detritivores use litter as food, and therefore influence the composition of the litter layer.     

Comparison of CLPP and enzyme activity assay for functional characterization of bacterial soil communities

Background, Aims and Scope  

Functional characterization of soil microbial communities by the use of BIOLOG GN microtiter plates was compared with an optimized assay of measuring the enzymatic activity of bacterial associated enzymes. Since the first use of BIOLOG GN microtiter plates for characterization of environmental microorganisms, this Community Level Physiological Profile (CLPP) has been widely used and is today routinely used in soil monitoring programmes in e.g. the Netherlands (Nielsen and Winding 2002). The CLPP method is based upon the metabolic capabilities of bacteria during growth in the wells of the microtiter plates at nutrient rich conditions compared to the conditions in soil. Inoculum preparation, incubation conditions, reading intervals and data treatment have all been the subject of many investigations. In spite of the various criticisms, the method remains to be widely used, to a large extent due to the ease and speed of performance. The Enzymatic Activity Assay (EAA) is based on enzymatic cleavage of model fluorogenic enzyme substrates (4-methylumbelliferyl, MUF), that upon cleavage forms a fluorescent product. The assay is independent of bacterial growth and can be used directly on bacteria extracted from soil, yielding a functional characterization of the bacterial communities based on the enzymatic activities. The substrates chosen here represent 14 different enzymes related to the degradation of different carbohydrates, including starch, chitin and cellulose.     

Note on the probable cause of the occurrence of tetraploid plants in commercial triploid varieties of sugar beet

In crossing diploid male-sterile beets (18 chromosomes) with a tetraploid pollinator (36 chromosomes) it was established that of 532 individuals from this cross 8.4% were diploid, 83.9% triploid and 7.7% tetraploid.The most reasonable explanation was that the diploid male-sterile plants had given a number of unreduced egg cells. This could be put to a test by crossing diploid male-sterile plants with normal diploids. The average number of triploids found by chromosome counts was 2.4%; in a normal diploid no triploids were found.The type of cytoplasm associated with the male-sterility may lead to abnormal egg cells.Trirave (Triplex) with 84% of triploids, represents an enormous advance over normal polyploid types, which very commonly have no more than 40 per cent triploids and very rarely have more than 50 per cent.Bush Johnsons Limited and D.J. van der Have n.v.Paper read on the XXIInd Winter Meeting of the Institut International de Recherches Betteravières on February 24th, 1959.     

Measuring intestinal blood flow in group-housed weaner pigs using Physiogear™ I: A pilot study

The objective of this study was to determine whether intestinal blood flow can be measured adequately in group-housed animals using the recently developed Physiogear™ I wireless flowmeter. We used the weaner pig as one of many possible animal models. Four 7-kg piglets were instrumented with a 3-mm flowprobe around the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and SMA flow was measured pre- and post-weaning. During measurements, behavior was recorded. The piglets did not show any abnormal behavior and were not restrained by the flowmeter. Severe reductions (> 75%) in SMA flow coincided with nursing (pre-weaning) and aggressive behavior (post-weaning) and were only short-lived. Our results demonstrate that the Physiogear™ I flowmeter can be used to measure flow in group-housed animals without any human contact, providing the opportunity to relate flow measurements to undisturbed animal behavior.     

External quality assurance system for antibiotic resistance in bacteria of animal origin in Europe (ARBAO-II), 2003

Initiated in 2003 by the European Union, ARBAO-II aims to establish a monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility among the veterinary laboratories in all European countries based on validated methodologies. This includes an external quality control system for the most important bacterial pathogens. In 2003 two trials were performed. The first on Salmonella and Escherichia coli involved 31 laboratories in 18 countries and the second on Staphylococcus and Streptococcus included 22 laboratories in 15 countries. For the E. coli strains, 92.8% of the results complied with the reference MICs, for Salmonella 93.7%, for Streptococcus 80.4% and for Staphylococcus 93.1%. Most problems were observed when testing florfenicol (79.2% correct), gentamicin (84.2%) and amoxicillin + cl (84.9%) in E. coli; streptomycin in Salmonella (62.5%); gentamicin (56.7%), lincomycin (71.4%), clindamycin (75.4%), TMP + sulfonamides (75.7%) and chloramphenicol (78.5%) in Streptococcus; erythromycin (81.5%) and oxacillin (78.2.5%) in Staphylococcus. A few laboratories caused most deviations. However, there was no correlation between good performance for one bacterial group and good performance for other groups. This study showed that most laboratories are capable of performing correct susceptibility testing for E. coli and Salmonella, even though performance of some laboratories can be improved, and that some problems exist for Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. This clearly shows the need for continuous harmonisation of methodologies within the EU.     

Bacteria and protozoa in soil microhabitats as affected by earthworms

The effects of incorporation of elm leaves (Ulmus glabra) into an agricultural sandy loam soil by earthworms (Lumbricus festivus) on the bacterial and protozoan populations were investigated. Three model systems consisting of soil, soil with leaves, and soil with leaves and earthworms, respectively, were compared. The total, viable, and culturable number of bacteria, the metabolic potentials of bacterial populations, and the number of protozoa and nematodes were determined in soil size fractions. Significant differences between soil fractions were shown by all assays. The highest number of microorganisms was found in microaggregates of 2–53 μm and the lowest in the <0.2μm fraction. A major part of the bacteria in the latter fraction was viable, but non-culturable, while a relatively higher number of culturable bacteria was found in the macroaggregates. The number of colony-forming units and 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolim chloride (CTC)-reducing bacteria explained a major part of the variation in the number of protozoa. High protozoan activity and predation thus coincided with high bacterial activity. In soil with elm leaves, fungal growth is assumed to inhibit bacterial and protozoan activity. In soil with elm leaves and earthworms, earthworm activity led to increased culturability of bacteria, activity of protozoa, number of nematodes, changed metabolic potentials of the bacteria, and decreased differences in metabolic potentials between bacterial populations in the soil fractions. The effects of earthworms can be mediated by mechanical mixing of the soil constituents and incorporation of organic matter into the soil, but as the earthworms have only consumed a minor part of the soil, priming effects are believed partly to explain the increased microbial activity. Received: 7 January 1996