Introgression of mountain hare (Lepus timidus) mitochondrial DNA into wild brown hares (Lepus europaeus) in Denmark

Background  

In Europe the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) exists in Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, parts of the Alps and in Eastern Europe, but not in Denmark. Interspecific hybridization has been demonstrated between native Swedish mountain hares and introduced brown hares (Lepus europaeus). During the data collection in a study concerning Danish brown hares we identified 16 hares with a single very divergent haplotype.     

Climate Change and CO2 Effects on Productivity of Danish Agricultural Systems

SUMMARY

Scenarios of climate change for Denmark suggest increases in annual mean temperature of 1 to 4°C by the end of the 21st century with an associated increase in rainfall of approximately 10%. The climatic warming and the associated increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration will increase the productivity of agricultural crops. The increase may be slightly higher for indeterminate species, such as grass and other fodder crops, compared with cereals and other determinate species, where the duration of growth depends on temperature and daylength. The full benefits of the climatic warming requires adaptation in crop management, which at the individual crop level means changes in sowing dates, i.e., later sowings for winter cereals and earlier sowings for spring cereals. Some crop substitution will probably occur. On dairy farms more cereals will be grown due to higher productivity of the grasslands, which frees up some land for grain production. On sandy loam and loam soils spring cereals may become slightly more favorable and winter cereals slightly less favorable.     

Increase in Atmospheric CO2 and Ambient Temperatures in the North

SUMMARY

Crop production in the North is constrained by a short growing season, spring and autumn frosts, long winters with deep snow cover and low temperatures during the growing season. Increase in concentration of atmospheric CO₂ and other greenhouse gases, and the subsequent increase in ambient temperatures could benefit crop production in countries located in the North, including Finland. However, longer growing seasons, milder winters and higher growing season temperatures could increase the occurrence of pests and pathogens, and ultimately decrease crop yields and the net income of farmers. Benefits to be gained from increased tillering and higher numbers of grains per unit area resulting from elevated CO₂ levels might be smaller than expected in countries like Finland, where the uniculm growth habit of cereals is maintained by the long days that characterise the growing season.     

Fox sightings in a city are related to certain land use classes and sociodemographics: results from a citizen science project

Background

Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.) have become successful inhabitants of urban areas in recent years. However, our knowledge about the occurrence, distribution and association with land uses of these urban foxes is poor, partly because many favoured habitats are on private properties and therefore hardly accessible to scientists. We assumed that citizen science, i.e. the involvement of the public, could enable researchers to bridge this information gap. We analysed 1179 fox sightings in the city of Vienna, Austria reported via citizen science projects to examine relationships between foxes and the surrounding land use classes as well as sociodemographic parameters.

Results

Conditional probabilities of encountering foxes were substantially higher in gardens, areas with a low building density, parks or squares as compared to agricultural areas, industrial areas or forests. Generalized linear model analyses showed that sociodemographic parameters such as education levels, district area, population density and average household income additionally improved the predictability of fox sightings.

Conclusions

Reports of fox sightings by citizen scientists might help to support the establishment of wildlife management in cities. Additionally, these data could be used to address public health issues in relation with red foxes as they can carry zoonoses that are also dangerous to humans.

     

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.

     

Cereal yield trends in northern European conditions: Changes in yield potential and its realisation

In recent decades there has been steady reduction in the rate of increase in cereal yields worldwide. This paper aims to (1) characterise the changes in yield trends of spring (barley, oat and wheat) and winter cereals (rye and wheat) grown in Finland and (2) distinguish between plant breeding achievements and other potential contributors to changes in national yield trends and differences among crops. In this work we used long-term datasets from FAO (FAOSTAT, 2007) (1960–2005) and results from multi-location MTT Official Variety Trials (1970–2005). A mixed model technique was used to divide the yield trends in variety trials into two components: genetic improvements and environmental changes. All trends were characterised using 5 years moving averages. The study period was divided into three agronomically relevant sub-periods: (1) in 1960–1980 agriculture was mechanised and improved basic agricultural practices largely introduced, (2) in 1981–1994 intensified crop management practices were increasingly applied and (3) in 1995–2005 Finland had joined the European Union, which resulted in altered agricultural policies and markets. Plant breeding has successfully increased genetic yield potential of all cereal crops without any indication of reduced rates of improvement. Since 1995 the Finnish national yield trends declined for all crops except wheat, for which the trend levelled-off. The main reasons for this are: cereal production has become less intensive because of (1) application of an environmental programme aimed at increasing the sustainability of agriculture by reducing the environmental load it represents and (2) markedly decreased economic incentives to produce intensively as producer prices for cereals decreased and input prices remained unchanged. National yield trends did not decline because of lack of genetic improvement in yield potential. It is likely that future cereals yield trends will again respond to increasing demand for food, feed, biofuel production and global climate change.     

Gene targeting using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated CRISPR-Cas system in rice

Background

The type II clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system is a novel molecular tool for site-specific genome modification. The CRISPR-Cas9 system was recently introduced into plants by transient or stable transformation.

Findings

Here, we report gene targeting in rice via the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 system. Three 20-nt CRISPR RNAs were designed to pair with diverse sites followed by the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) of the rice herbicide resistance gene BEL. After integrating the single-guide RNA (sgRNA) and Cas9 cassette in a single binary vector, transgenic rice plants harboring sgRNA:Cas9 were generated by A. tumefaciens-mediated stable transformation. By analyzing the targeting site on the genome of corresponding transgenic plants, the mutations were determined. The mutagenesis efficiency was varied from ~2% to ~16%. Furthermore, phenotypic analysis revealed that the biallelic mutated transgenic plant was sensitive to bentazon.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the agricultural trait could be purposely modified by sgRNA:Cas9-induced gene targeting. CRISPR-Cas9 system could be exploited as a powerful tool for trait improvements in crop breeding.     

Fish communities in coastal freshwater ecosystems: the role of the physical and chemical setting

Background

We explored how embayment watershed inputs, morphometry, and hydrology influence fish community structure among eight embayments located along the southeastern shoreline of Lake Ontario, New York, USA. Embayments differed in surface area and depth, varied in their connections to Lake Ontario and their watersheds, and drained watersheds representing a gradient of agricultural to forested land use.

Results

We related various physicochemical factors, including total phosphorus load, embayment area, and submerged vegetation, to differences in fish species diversity and community relative abundance, biomass, and size structure both among and within embayments. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and centrarchids numerically dominated most embayment fish communities. Biomass was dominated by piscivorous fishes including brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), bowfin (Amia calva), and northern pike (Esox lucius). Phosphorus loading influenced relative biomass, but not species diversity or relative abundance. Fish relative abundance differed among embayments; within embayments, fish abundance at individual sampling stations increased significantly with submerged vegetative cover. Relative biomass differed among embayments and was positively related to total phophorus loading and embayment area. Fish community size structure, based on size spectra analysis, differed among embayments, with the frequency of smaller-bodied fishes positively related to percent vegetation.

Conclusion

The importance of total phosphorus loading and vegetation in structuring fish communities has implications for anthropogenic impacts to embayment fish communities through activities such as farming and residential development, reduction of cultural eutrophication, and shoreline development and maintenance.     

Phenology and pest status of Agrotis segetum in a changing climate

Insects are strongly dependent on climatic factors, especially temperature. For this reason, changes in insect phenology are predicted to be one of the many effects of climate change. We analysed the effect of climate warming on Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller) in Denmark. Agrotis segetum is an agricultural pest that causes root crop damage. Extensive registers of root crop damages by A. segetum in Denmark were kept between 1905 and 1980. These records show a correlation between A. segetum outbreaks and hot, dry summers. The last outbreak in Denmark, in 1976, prompted the implementation of pheromone trap monitoring. Data from these pheromone traps, for the periods between 1981–1991 and 1997–2009, show a decline in the number of A. segetum individuals during 2000–2009. We used this pheromone trapping data to test the hypothesis that temporal changes in phenology and abundance are correlated with temperature and precipitation patterns. As phenological fixed points, we use the time of capture (first, 10%, 50%, 90% and last) of 1st generation A. segetum together with the 10%–90% capture period and the total capture per location for a statistical comparison of the period 1981–1990 versus 2000–2009. We also analysed the effect of temperature on the timing of fixed points and the effect of precipitation on the mean total capture from the summer and the preceding winter. Our analyses showed an earlier occurrence of A. segetum during 2000–2009 than during 1981–1990: all phenological fixed points advanced by 6–9 days. Trap captures of the 1st generation roughly halved from the 1981–1990 decade to the 2000–2009 decade, and a much larger 2nd generation of moths developed in the latest decade. When a second generation occurs, populations in following years decrease because the larval offspring of the 2nd generation cannot successfully overwinter. Our analyses further indicated that increased precipitation during the summers and mild winters contributed to an overall decline in the populations of this pest. The presence of A. segetum remains sufficient to be a potential threat to yields. Forecasting an economically important attack of A. segetum is challenging because of the early emergence of A. segetum and more variable local weather conditions than 20 years ago; forecasting relies on the timely and correct delivery of monitoring results. Farmers are a vital source of information for monitoring, for estimating control requests and for timing the emergence of A. segtum. However, the growing frequency of no-risk forecasts has reduced the interest and lowered the motivation of farmers to participate in monitoring programs.     

苎麻品种圆叶青不同生育期抗旱性差异研究

采用盆栽干旱胁迫方法对苎麻品种圆叶青不同生育期抗旱性差异进行了研究,结果表明:在干旱胁迫下,苎麻品种圆叶青农艺性状、干物质积累和产量的胁迫指数均以苗期>工艺成熟期>旺长期,旺长期是苎麻品种圆叶青干旱胁迫敏感期。     

Flower strip networks offer promising long term effects on pollinator species richness in intensively cultivated agricultural areas

Background

Intensively cultivated agricultural landscapes often suffer from substantial pollinator losses, which may be leading to decreasing pollination services for crops and wild flowering plants. Conservation measures that are easy to implement and accepted by farmers are needed to halt a further loss of pollinators in large areas under intensive agricultural management. Here we report the results of a replicated long-term study involving networks of mostly perennial flower strips covering 10% of a conventionally managed agricultural landscape in southwestern Germany.

Results

We demonstrate the considerable success of these measures for wild bee and butterfly species richness over an observation period of 5 years. Overall species richness of bees and butterflies but also the numbers of specialist bee species clearly increased in the ecological enhancement areas as compared to the control areas without ecological enhancement measures. A three to five-fold increase in species richness was found after more than 2 years of enhancement of the areas with flower strips. Oligolectic bee species increased significantly only after the third year.

Conclusions

In our long-term field experiment we used a large variety of seed mixtures and temporal variation in seeding time, ensured continuity of the flower-strips by using perennial seed mixtures and distributed the measures over c. 10% of the landscape. This led to an increase in pollinator abundance, suggesting that these measures may be instrumental for the successful support of pollinators. These measures may ensure the availability of a network of diverse habitats and foraging resources for pollinators throughout the year, as well as nesting sites for many species. The measures are applied in-field and are suitable for application in areas under intensive agriculture. We propose that flower strip networks should be implemented much more in the upcoming CAP (common agricultural policy) reform in the European Union and promoted more by advisory services for farmers.

     

Validation of actigraphy to assess circadian organization and sleep quality in patients with advanced lung cancer

Background

Many previous studies have documented seasonal variation in suicides globally. We re-assessed the seasonal variation of suicides in Finland and tried to relate it to the seasonal variation in daylength and ambient temperature and in the discrepancy between local time and solar time.

Methods

The daily data of all suicides from 1969 to 2003 in Finland (N = 43,393) were available. The calendar year was divided into twelve periods according to the length of daylight and the routinely changing time difference between sun time and official time. The daily mean of suicide mortality was calculated for each of these periods and the 95% confidence intervals of the daily means were used to evaluate the statistical significance of the means. In addition, daily changes in sunshine hours and mean temperature were compared to the daily means of suicide mortality in two locations during these afore mentioned periods.

Results

A significant peak of the daily mean value of suicide mortality occurred in Finland between May 15th and July 25th, a period that lies symmetrically around the solstice. Concerning the suicide mortality among men in the northern location (Oulu), the peak was postponed as compared with the southern location (Helsinki). The daily variation in temperature or in sunshine did not have significant association with suicide mortality in these two locations.

Conclusions

The period with the longest length of the day associated with the increased suicide mortality. Furthermore, since the peak of suicide mortality seems to manifest later during the year in the north, some other physical or biological signals, besides the variation in daylight, may be involved. In order to have novel means for suicide prevention, the assessment of susceptibility to the circadian misalignment might help.     

CO2 Enrichment Effects on Forage and Grain Nitrogen Content of Pasture and Cereal Plants

SUMMARY

Increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations [CO₂] have the potential to enhance growth and yield of agricultural plants. Con-comitantly plants grown under high [CO₂] show significant changes of the chemical composition of their foliage and of other plant parts. Particularly, high [CO₂] result in a decrease of plant nitrogen (N) concentration, which may have serious consequences for crop quality. This presentation summarizes the results of a variety of CO₂ enrichment studies with pasture plants (Lolium spp., Trifolium repens) and cereal species (Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare) which were conducted at our laboratory under different growth and CO₂ exposure conditions ranging from controlled environment studies to investigations under free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE). With the exception of clover in all experiments a CO₂-induced decline of forage and grain N concentration was observed. The magnitude of this reduction differed between species, cultivars, management conditions (N fertilization) and CO₂ exposure conditions. No unambiguous evidence was obtained whether N fertilization can contribute to meet the quality requirements for cereals and grass monocultures with respect to tissue N concentrations in a future high-CO₂ world. As shown in the FACE experiments current application rates of N fertilizers are inadequate to achieve quality standards.     

Effects of brood size manipulation and common origin on phenotype and telomere length in nestling collared flycatchers

Background

Most species of brown macroalgae recruit exclusively sexually. However, Fucus radicans, a dominant species in the northern Baltic Sea, recruits new attached thalli both sexually and asexually. The level of asexual recruitment varies among populations from complete sexual recruitment to almost (> 90%) monoclonal populations. If phenotypic traits have substantial inherited variation, low levels of sexual activity will decrease population variation in these traits, which may affect function and resilience of the species. We assessed the level of inherited variation in nine phenotypic traits by comparing variation within and among three monoclonal groups and one group of unique multilocus genotypes (MLGs) sampled in the wild.

Results

Of the nine phenotypic traits, recovery after freezing, recovery after desiccation, and phlorotannin content showed substantial inherited variation, that is, phenotypic variation in these traits were to a large extend genetically determined. In contrast, variation in six other phenotypic traits (growth rate, palatability to isopod grazers, thallus width, distance between dichotomies, water content after desiccation and photochemical yield under ambient conditions) did not show significant signals of genetic variation at the power of analyses used in the study. Averaged over all nine traits, phenotypic variation within monoclonal groups was only 68% of the variation within the group of different MLGs showing that genotype diversity does affect the overall level of phenotypic variation in this species.

Conclusions

Our result indicates that, in general, phenotypic diversity in populations of Fucus radicans increases with increased multilocus genotype (MLG) diversity, but effects are specific for individual traits. In the light of Fucus radicans being a foundation species of the northern Baltic Sea, we propose that increased MLG diversity (leading to increased trait variation) will promote ecosystem function and resilience in areas where F. radicans is common, but this suggestion needs experimental support.     

Polymorphisms in melatonin synthesis pathways: possible influences on depression

Background

It has been reported that rs4446909, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of acetylserotonin methyltransferase (ASMT), influences the expression of the ASMT enzyme. The common G allele is associated with lower ASMT activity, and therefore, diminishes conversion of N-acetylserotonin to melatonin. The G allele was associated with recurrent depressive disorder in a Polish group. ASMT might also affect bipolar relapse, given evidence that N-acetylserotonin might stimulate TRKB receptors, and TRKB may influence mood relapse in bipolar disorder. Additionally, arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) polymorphisms have been reported associated with depression, perhaps through their influence upon N-acetylserotonin or melatonin synthesis.

Results

To replicate and further explore these ideas, rs4446909 was genotyped in four research groups, as part of a panel of 610 SNPs surveyed by an Illumina Golden Gate assay. In 768 cases with delayed sleep phase disorder or matched controls, rs4446909 was indeed associated with the depressive symptoms on a self-report scale (P = 0.01, R² = 0.007). However, there was no significant association of rs4446909 with self-reported depression in a sleep clinic patient group or with two groups of elderly men and women from multicenter studies, nor was the response to lithium treatment associated with rs4446909 in bipolar patients. No associations of two AANAT SNPs with depression were found.

Conclusions

The evidence did not support a strong influence of rs4446909 upon mood, but the partial replication may be consistent with a modest effect. It is possible that larger or younger subject groups with improved phenotype ascertainment might demonstrate more persuasive replication.     

Gastrointestinal complaints in shift-working and day-working nurses in Iran

Background

There is evidence in the scientific literature of the adverse physiological and psychological effects of shift work. The work of nurses in hospitals is connected with shift and night work. Several publications have described gastrointestinal disturbances in shift workers. The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of gastrointestinal (GI) complaints of nurses on a rotating shift with that of nurses on a regular day shift.

Methods

The study involved 160 nurses (133 working in shifts and at night and 27 working on day shifts) in the Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran. These nurses answered a Gastrointestinal Symptom Questionnaire regarding the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms (including heartburn, regurgitation, constipation, diarrhea and bloating). Positive responses required frequent symptom occurrence in the past 4 weeks. Significance of group differences was assessed by chi-square and Fisher-exact tests.

Results

Prevalence of GI symptoms was significantly higher (p = 0.009) in rotating-shift nurses (81.9%) than in day-shift nurses (59.2%). Irregular meal consumption (p = 0.01) and GI medications (p = 0.002) were all significantly higher among the rotating shift nurses. In both groups, regurgitation was the most common symptom.

Conclusion

Nurses on rotating shifts in Iran experience more GI disturbances than do nurses on day shifts.