Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli from swine, horses, dogs and cats as determined in the BfT-GermVet monitoring program 2004-2006

A total of 417 isolates of Escherichia coli collected from five animal species/organ system combinations from swine [urinary/genital tract (UGT) incl. mastitis metritis agalactia syndrome], horses [genital tract (GT)] and dogs/cats [respiratory tract (RT), UGT and gastrointestinal tract (GIT)] were analysed quantitatively for their susceptibility against different antimicrobial agents by determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations. Regardless of which animal species the strains originated from, resistance appeared most frequently against sulfamethoxazole (18-59%), tetracycline (14-54 %), and ampicillin (14-39%). High percentages of intermediate isolates were observed for cephalothin (39-46 %). In general, low prevalences of resistance were detected for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (1-4%), gentamicin (1-9%), and cefazolin (0-11%). Generally speaking, the antimicrobial resistance situation among E. coli isolates from horses and small animals is relatively good.     

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica from dogs and cats as determined in the BfT-GermVet monitoring program 2004-2006

A total of 92 canine/feline Pasteurella multocida strains form respiratory tract infections or infections of skin/ear/mouth as well as 42 canine/feline Bordetella bronchiseptica strains from respiratory tract infections were investigated for their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. While the P. multocida strains were susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested - except sulfonamides -, a considerable number of the B. bronchiseptica strains was resistant or exhibited high MIC values against a number of antimicrobial agents including penicillin G, oxacillin, cefazolin, ceftiofur, cefquinome, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.     

Influence of regional-scale soil heterogeneity and land use on water discharge formation in the “Stettiner Haff” catchment in North-East Germany

Abstract

The influence of regional soil distribution and land use on discharge formation in the “Stettiner Haff” catchment (8,456 km²) was investigated. The model ABIMO was used to calculate mean discharge for a long period (1961 – 1990) in consideration of regional differences in hydrological site conditions and soil heterogeneity. The highest discharge was found on settlement areas (276 mm a^?1), on devastated plots (319 mm a^?1) and on the non-hydromorphic agriculturally used sandy soils (214 mm a^?1). Due to their small size these sub-areas were found to influence regional discharge for a limited extent only. On loam and clay soils only about 100 mm a^?1 of discharge was formed. However, this share proved to be most important for the height of regional discharge because of the high area proportion in the region. Mineral soils of comparable parent material produce lower discharge under hydromorphic conditions than under non-hydromorphic conditions. With increasing clay content of the soils these differences decreased. The agriculturally used areas were found to be most important for the region's water discharge. They accounted for 83% of the discharge, i.e. they originated 119 mm a^?1 on average. At forest sites, the discharge height was about 52 mm a^?1. Sites close to groundwater table (groundwater level <1 m) proved to act as depletive areas.     

Ertragsreaktionen von Zuckerrüben in den internationalen organischen Stickstoffdauerdün‐Gungsversuchen (IOSDV) Rauischholzhausen und Wrocław‐Swojec

Gegenstand der Untersuchungen sind zwei Dauerfeldversuche, die im Jahr 1984 in Rauischholzhausen (Deutschland) und im Jahr 1996 in Wroc?aw‐Swqjec (Polen) mit vergleichbarer Methode und Zielstellung angelegt wurden. Ausgewertet wurden hier die Zuckerrübenerträge im Mittel der dreijährigen Rotation der Jahre 1997–1999 in Abhängigkeit von organischen und mineralischen Düngungsmaßnahmen. Die erzielten Ergebnisse unterstreichen die Bedeutung der organischen Düngung für die Ertragssicherung im Zuckerrübenanbau. Die untersuchten organischen Dünger Stalldung, Stroh und Biokompost verbesserten die Ertragswirksamkeit mineralischer N‐Gaben.

Die ertragssteigernde Wirkung organischer Dünger war bei fehlender oder niedriger mineralischer N‐Düngung größer als bei hohen N‐Gaben. Auf stark lehmigem Sandboden (Wrozlaw) wurden höhere Ertragseffekte erzielt als auf schwerem Lehmboden (Rauischholzhausen). Die Blatterträge wurden durch die angewendeten Düngungsmaßnahmen stärker beeinflußt als die Rübenerträge. Stroh und Biokompost zeigten die gleichen Ertragseffekte wie Stalldung.     

The occurrence of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes in lower Saxony: identification of a high risk area by spatial epidemiological cluster analysis

There is considerable interest in the spatial distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.), because this parasite causes the zoonoses of alveolar echinococcosis which is potentially of high fatality rate. High risk areas are known from France, Switzerland and the Swabian Alb in Germany for a long time. In this work, the spatial scan statistic is introduced as an instrument for identification and localisation of high risk areas, so called disease clusters in spatial epidemiology. The use of the spatial scan statistic along with data about the distribution of the parasite in 5365 red foxes in Lower Saxony, that were collected during 1991 to 1997, led to the identification of another high risk area. The relative risk for this disease cluster is approximated by RR = 5.03 (CI0.95(RR) = [4.27; 6.58]) for the period of 1991 to 1994 and by RR = 4.45 (CI0.95(RR) = [3.53; 5.59]) for the period of 1994 to 1997, respectively.     

Mechanical perturbation affects conductivity, mechanical properties and aboveground biomass of hybrid poplars

Xylem development in trees is affected by dynamic mechanical stresses imposed on stems by wind. To assess clonal differences in response to mechanical perturbation (MP), we subjected seven greenhouse-grown F1 hybrids of Populus trichocarpa Torr. and A. Gray. x P. deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh. to a standard MP treatment consisting of 20 manually imposed stem flexures per day for 70-90 days. Effects of MP on aboveground biomass, hydraulic conductivity (k(h)), specific conductivity (k(s)), flexural stiffness (EI), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) were determined. Treatment increased stem radial growth and decreased height growth, leaf area and total aboveground biomass. It also significantly decreased k(s), MOE and MOR, but significantly increased EI and wood specific gravity in most clones. Mechanical perturbation caused greater stem rigidity, without having a significant effect on whole-stem k(h) or percent loss of conductivity due to embolism. Maximum k(h) was positively correlated with EI in both control (r(2) = 0.54, P < 0.0001) and MP-treated (r(2) = 0.61, P < 0.0001) plants, and k(s) and MOE were positively correlated with percent vessel lumen area (r(2) = 0.45, P < 0.0001 and r(2) = 0.28, P = 0.002, respectively). Thus, contrary to our expectation of a trade-off between conductivity and wood strength, there may be an opportunity to select clones for woody biomass production that are superior in both mechanical strength and hydraulic conductivity, as is the triploid Clone 19-61.     

Properties and composition of soil organic matter in forest and arable soils of schleswig-holstein. 2. litter and humic compounds in mineral horizons

Organic matter composition is an important soil constituent with regard to function in soil ecosystems. In the recent paper litter and humic compound contents from about 100 mineral soil investigations are presented. The soil horizons are divided into four groups (Ah, Ap, M. Bh) in order to compare the SOM quality. Ap and Ah horizons showed a similar litter and humic compound distribution. Structural differences in the humic compound fractions were only visible with CPMAS ¹³C-NMR. SOM-containing non-spodic subsoil horizons had a similar SOM quality as the A horizons. In the Bh horizons the humic compounds dominated with about 75% in the SOM. Alkylic and O-alkylic carbon units are the main fractions. The combination of the solid-state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy of whole soil samples and the wet chemical analysis of litter compounds allowed the estimation of the liner and chemically defined humic compound distribution in soil samples.     

Expanding oxygen-minimum zones in the tropical oceans

Oxygen-poor waters occupy large volumes of the intermediate-depth eastern tropical oceans. Oxygen-poor conditions have far-reaching impacts on ecosystems because important mobile macroorganisms avoid or cannot survive in hypoxic zones. Climate models predict declines in oceanic dissolved oxygen produced by global warming. We constructed 50-year time series of dissolved-oxygen concentration for select tropical oceanic regions by augmenting a historical database with recent measurements. These time series reveal vertical expansion of the intermediate-depth low-oxygen zones in the eastern tropical Atlantic and the equatorial Pacific during the past 50 years. The oxygen decrease in the 300- to 700-m layer is 0.09 to 0.34 micromoles per kilogram per year. Reduced oxygen levels may have dramatic consequences for ecosystems and coastal economies.     

Der Bodenwasserhaushalt an einem Fichtenstandort im Hochschwarzwald – Messung und Modellierung zur Deutung der montanen Nadelvergilbung

Soil water regime at a spruce site in the Southern Black Forest – measurements and modelling for the interpretation of tip-yellowing The occurrence of high-altitude needle tip-yellowing in spruce was repeatedly related to dry years and in general explained as a consequence of magnesium deficiency. To test this hypothesis the soil water regime of the mountain site Schluchsee (southern Black Forest) was analysed. No apparent drought stress was expected from the climatic situation and the soil physical properties. In order to get a high resolution of the soil water content in space and time, a soil water model was fitted with soil water data from an 8 years measurement period (1987–1995). The model enables retrospective simulations of daily soil water balance with climatic data from neighbouring meteorological stations 25 years before measurement started at this site. In the markedly dry years 1976 and 1983 the organic layer showed parching of the soil up to the permanent wilting point. In contrast to the dry situations in 1991 and 1992, the dry periods in 1976 and 1983 commenced shortly after the start of the growing season. Additionally, in 1983 the dryness of the organic layer lasted for more than 6 weeks. In times of high nutrient demand (period of spring flush in early summer) the shallow rooting pattern of spruce is likely to cause drought induced bottle-necks in the supply of nutrient elements. Especially magnesium is latently deficient at this site because it is mainly supplied through litter decomposition. In the magnesium-poor mineral soil normally matric potentials will not be reached that may limit seriously transpiration, so that water supply to the roots in dry periods is not hampered. Therefore, the appearance of high-altitude tip-yellowing is likely to be associated with an extreme climatic condition of an early summer drought inducing nutritional disturbances.