Linking small pelagic fish and cetacean distribution to model suitable habitat for coastal dolphin species,Delphinus delphis and Tursiops truncatus,in the Greek Seas (Eastern Mediterranean)

1. A large‐scale assessment of the summertime suitable habitat for Delphinus delphis (short‐beaked common dolphin) and Tursiops truncatus (common bottlenose dolphin) in Greek Seas (Eastern Mediterranean) was conducted using data from dedicated and opportunistic cetacean surveys and published data records.
2. Using a presence/absence approach, generalized additive models were applied to define a suite of environmental, bathymetric and biotic factors that best describe common and bottlenose dolphin spatial distribution, during early (May, June, July) and late (August, September) summer.
3. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to integrate sightings data with environmental characteristics, distance from the coast and sardine probability of presence. These variables were considered as good proxies for defining species‐suitable habitat within the study area's coastal environment.
4. The final selected models were used to produce annual probability maps of the presence of the species in the entire Greek Seas, as a measure of habitat suitability. Based on the mean probability and standard deviation maps for the study period GIS techniques were subsequently used to determine the persistent (areas with high mean and low variation) and occasional (high mean and high variation) habitat of each species.
5. Results showed that there was a high probability of common dolphin presence in areas with a high probability of sardine presence. For bottlenose dolphin, higher probability of the presence of species occurred in areas closer to the shore, with a high probability of sardine presence and with high concentrations of chlorophyll‐a.
6. In both seasons, the North Aegean Sea and the Inner Ionian Sea Archipelago were indicated as the most suitable areas for common dolphin distribution. Persistent habitat areas of the bottlenose dolphin included enclosed seas, continental shelf waters, and waters surrounding islands. The indicated suitable areas are discussed along with deficiencies of the models and future implications for conservation.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vole abundance and reindeer carcasses determine breeding activity of Arctic foxes in low Arctic Yamal,Russia

Background

High latitude ecosystems are at present changing rapidly under the influence of climate warming, and specialized Arctic species at the southern margin of the Arctic may be particularly affected. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), a small mammalian predator endemic to northern tundra areas, is able to exploit different resources in the context of varying tundra ecosystems. Although generally widespread, it is critically endangered in subarctic Fennoscandia, where a fading out of the characteristic lemming cycles and competition with abundant red foxes have been identified as main threats. We studied an Arctic fox population at the Erkuta Tundra Monitoring site in low Arctic Yamal (Russia) during 10 years in order to determine which resources support the breeding activity in this population. In the study area, lemmings have been rare during the last 15 years and red foxes are nearly absent, creating an interesting contrast to the situation in Fennoscandia.

Results

Arctic fox was breeding in nine of the 10 years of the study. The number of active dens was on average 2.6 (range 0–6) per 100 km² and increased with small rodent abundance. It was also higher after winters with many reindeer carcasses, which occurred when mortality was unusually high due to icy pastures following rain-on-snow events. Average litter size was 5.2 (SD = 2.1). Scat dissection suggested that small rodents (mostly Microtus spp.) were the most important prey category. Prey remains observed at dens show that birds, notably waterfowl, were also an important resource in summer.

Conclusions

The Arctic fox in southern Yamal, which is part of a species-rich low Arctic food web, seems at present able to cope with a state shift of the small rodent community from high amplitude cyclicity with lemming dominated peaks, to a vole community with low amplitude fluctuations. The estimated breeding parameters characterized the population as intermediate between the lemming fox and the coastal fox ecotype. Only continued ecosystem-based monitoring will reveal their fate in a changing tundra ecosystem.

     

Toward the Identification of Novel Antimicrobial Agents: One-Pot Synthesis of Lipophilic Conjugates of N-Alkyl d- and l-Iminosugars

In the effort to improve the antimicrobial activity of iminosugars, we report the synthesis of lipophilic iminosugars 10a–b and 11a–b based on the one-pot conjugation of both enantiomeric forms of N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NBDNJ) and N-nonyloxypentyldeoxynojirimycin (NPDNJ) with cholesterol and a succinic acid model linker. The conjugation reaction was tuned using the established PS-TPP/I₂/ImH activating system, which provided the desired compounds in high yields (94–96%) by a one-pot procedure. The substantial increase in the lipophilicity of 10a–b and 11a–b is supposed to improve internalization within the bacterial cell, thereby potentially leading to enhanced antimicrobial properties. However, assays are currently hampered by solubility problems; therefore, alternative administration strategies will need to be devised.     

Composition of organic C fractions in soils of different texture affected by sugarcane monoculture

ABSTRACT

Sugarcane is a strategic commodity in Indonesia. It is usually raised in a monoculture system. There is a lack of information about the effects of extended sugarcane monoculture on the soil carbon fraction. The aim of this study was to determine the relative changes in the soil organic C fractions in response to the duration of sugarcane monoculture on Entisols, Inceptisols, and Vertisols. The measured variables were the percentages of sand, silt, and clay, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), pH (H₂O), cation exchange capacity (CEC), NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ^-, labile carbon fraction (soil carbon mineralization (C-Min), soil microbial carbon (C-Mic), and carbon particulate organic matter (C-POM)), and stable carbon fraction (humic and fulvic acids). Soil type with sugarcane monoculture period had significant influences on the percentages of clay, sand, silt, CEC, and pH (H₂O). Soil type and sugarcane monoculture period had no apparent significant effect on C-Min or C-POM but did significantly influence C-Mic. The humic and fulvic acid levels in all three soil types were affected by the duration of sugarcane monoculture. To establish the impact of long-term sugarcane monoculture on the physicochemical properties of soils with various textures, it is more appropriate to measure the soil stable carbon fractions such as humic and fulvic acid rather than the soil labile carbon fractions such as C-Min, C-POM, or C-Mic.     

Relationship of Icelandic cattle with Northern and Western European cattle breeds,admixture and population structure

ABSTRACT

Icelandic cattle is believed to have been brought from Norway during the settlement of Iceland around AD 870-930. Previous research on genetic relationships has indicated that Icelandic cattle is most related to northern Nordic indigenous breeds. Using single nucleotide polymorphism genotype data from Icelandic cattle and 29 Northern and Western European cattle breeds, we studied relationships and admixture among these breeds, and assessed population structure in Icelandic cattle. Population structure analysis through principal component analysis, estimation of ancestry, and analysis of patterns of population splitting and mixing revealed that Icelandic cattle are most related to three Finncattle breeds (Eastern, Northern and Western Finncattle), and Swedish Mountain cattle. Icelandic cattle has very low levels of admixture. We observed very limited population structure in Icelandic cattle. The observed structure was due to variable sire contributions. Over 1000 years of almost complete isolation has made Icelandic cattle highly genetically distinct from other cattle breeds.     

Productive and biochemical responses of durum wheat to UV filtration

A UV exclusion experiment was conducted on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. var. Claudio) grown in pots. Plants were grown under three different radiative treatments in greenhouses covered with plastic filters: Teflon, transparent to the entire region of natural UV‐visible sunlight (TEF); polyester, transparent above 312 nm (MYL, excluding UVB) and Lee, transparent above 400 nm (LEE, excluding both UVA and UVB). Analyses have been carried out to determine the concentration of photosynthetic pigments in leaves, UV‐absorbing compounds, nitrogen and carbon in leaves, culms and spikes and proteins and gluten in grains. In particular, plants grown under UV exclusion showed a reduction in protein and dry gluten content (consequently without variation in the ratio dry gluten/protein), but at the same time, a significant increase of gluten index, which is a parameter to define the quality of gluten, was observed. The results highlighted the influence played by UV radiation on some biochemical parameters, mainly UV‐absorbing compounds, leaf nitrogen and grain protein characteristics of durum wheat cultivated under Mediterranean conditions. In particular, natural level of UV in the Mediterranean improves the characteristics of durum wheat flour important for pasta production (high dry gluten level), while the UV exclusion could improve characteristics of flour important for bread production (high gluten index).     

Mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils by precision management

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions make up a significant part of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. There is an urgent need to identify new approaches to the mitigation of these emissions with emerging technology. In this short review four approaches to precision managements of agricultural systems are described based on examples of work being undertaken in the UK and New Zealand. They offer the opportunity for N₂O mitigation without any reduction in productivity. These approaches depend upon new sensor technology, modeling and spatial information with which to make management decisions and interventions that can both improve agricultural productivity and environmental protection.