Phenylpyrazoles impact on Folsomia candida (Collembola)

Effects of the broad-spectrum insecticide fipronil were investigated on a non-target insect living in the soil, the springtail Folsomia candida Willem. Fipronil induced a significant reduction in juvenile production (PNEC = 250 μg kg⁻¹ dry soil), which seemed to be linked with an impact on the first stages of springtail development: juveniles and 7-day-old adults. These young organisms have a thinner integument, a smaller mass body and a weaker detoxification efficiency and were more sensitive than adults (14 days old) to fipronil and phenylpyrazole derivatives. Contact toxicity for juveniles was measured (LC₅₀(96 h)) giving the following values: fipronil, 450 μg l⁻¹; sulfone-fipronil, 430 μg l⁻¹; sulfide-fipronil, 160 μg l⁻¹. F. candida organisms were able to avoid contaminated food because phenylpyrazoles decreased food appetency. However, F. candida could bioaccumulate fipronil through trans-tegumental penetration (BAF_96 h = 160) and its high biotransformation rate inside springtail bodies (1 ng fipronil metabolized day⁻¹ individual⁻¹) was suspected to increase this process. Under natural conditions, phenylpyrazoles risk assessment on springtails seems to be weak due to their capacity of avoiding high contaminated zones and their biochemical tolerance to this class of insecticides.     

Soil properties and the macrofauna community in abandoned irrigated rice fields of northeastern Argentina

This study compared soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics between natural grassland and recently abandoned rice fields in order to identify those variables that might explain the observed increase of Camponotus punctulatus anthills in abandoned rice paddy fields from Northern Argentina. Mainly due to a reduction of macropores and mesopores, overall porosity decreased by around 6% and bulk density was about 7% greater, in the 0- to 10- and 10- to 20-cm layers of the abandoned rice fields. Carbon and nitrogen content from organic matter increased (29% and 41% respectively for the 0- to 20-cm horizon) during cultivation but decreased (38% and 24%) 2 years after the last rice harvest. Forty percent of natural grassland-organic matter and 30% of abandoned rice-organic matter mineralized in less than 2 years. There was a different community structure between the abandoned rice fields and the undisturbed natural grassland and only a 20.6% (i.e. only 19 species from a total of 92) overlap in species composition. The abundance of macrofauna was greater in abandoned rice fields (2,208 individuals m^–2) in comparison to natural grasslands (288 ind m^–2) due to higher densities of small earthworms and Camponotus punctulatus ants; however, the Shannon index showed lower values in comparison to natural grasslands. Earthworms and C. punctulatus in the abandoned rice fields showed a change in their ¹³C signature indicating a switch in diet from natural grassland organic matter (C4) to organic matter from rice (C3). Our results indicate that the effects of rice cultivation practices did not seem to produce any physical or trophic limitations to recolonization by the macrofauna. It seems that changes in overall soil conditions have favored a change in the construction behavior of C. punctulatus which, in combination with population increases, could explain the explosion in number of anthills.     

Routes of transmission and consequences of small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) infection and eradication schemes

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV = maedi-visna in sheep and caprine arthritis encephalitis in goats) are distributed throughout most countries of the world, particularly Europe. Laboratories from 16 European countries established collaborations within the framework of a COST (CO-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) action sponsored by the European Union in order to (i) better organize their research programmes on SRLVs and (ii) to coordinate efforts to combat these two diseases. After five years, a consensus conference--the first one in the veterinary medicine field--concluded the work of this network of laboratories by reviewing the present position and discussing three important questions in the field of SRLVs: routes of transmission, consequences of infection and potential role of eradication programmes at either a European or local level, according to the situation in each country or region. This paper brings together existing information regarding these questions and identifies areas for future research.     

Aspects of the owning/keeping and disposal of horses, and how these relate to equine health/welfare in Ireland

Background

Ireland has long been renowned as a major centre for the breeding, rearing and keeping of horses. Since 2007, however, there has been increasing concern for horse health and welfare standards, and links between these concerns and the structures, governance and funding of the Irish equine industries have been reported. This paper addresses two central issues: firstly the local governance of, trade in and disposal of unwanted horses; and secondly mechanisms employed to improve standards of care given to horses owned by certain communities.

Method

Primary information was gathered through visits to horse pounds run by and on behalf of Local Authorities, to social horse projects, to horse dealer yards, ferry ports, horse slaughter plants and knackeries.

Results

The approach adopted by members of a given group, e.g. ferry ports, is described and differences are highlighted, for example in how different Local Authorities implement the Control of Horses Act of 1986, and how the choice, for example, of disposal route affects the standard of animal welfare.

Conclusions

There is a pressing need for a more centrally mandated and uniformly applied system of governance to safeguard the health and promote the keeping of horses to a higher welfare standard in Ireland. Fundamental to an understanding of why there is insufficient oversight of the keeping and proper disposal of horses is the lack of a comprehensive, integrated system for the registration, identification and tracing of equidae in Ireland.     

Susceptibility of cocooned pupae and adults of the parasitoid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microplitis mediator</Emphasis> to selected insecticides

The braconid parasitoid Microplitis mediator (Haliday) is a key natural enemy of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae (L.), in Europe. In the context of an Integrated Pest Management approach, the use of selective insecticides is essential for the conservation of naturally occurring beneficial arthropods. The present laboratory study investigated the side effects of six insecticides applied at recommended field rates on adults and cocooned pupae of M. mediator. Male and female parasitoids were paired in drum cells contaminated with dry residues of insecticides. Besides lethal effects after 24 h, parasitization capacity and longevity of the surviving parasitoids was evaluated. Lethal effects on cocooned pupae were also investigated by assessing adult emergence from treated cocoons. Pirimicarb caused 100% adult mortality after 24 h, whereas the other tested insecticides caused no direct toxic effects. However, sub-lethal effects in terms of reduced parasitization activity, percentage of parasitism or female longevity were found for flonicamid, pymetrozine, spinosad and thiacloprid. Spirotetramat shortened only male longevity. Adult emergence from treated cocoons was reduced only by flonicamid and pymetrozine.     

Photolytic versus microbial degradation of clomazone in a flooded California rice field soil

BACKGROUND: Clomazone is a popular herbicide used on California rice fields and exhibits rapid anaerobic microbial degradation (t_1/2 = 7.9 days). To test the potential of direct and indirect photolytic degradation as a cofactor in the overall degradation rate, sacrificial time‐series microcosms were amended with water, non‐sterilized soil + water and sterilized soil + water. Clomazone was added to each microcosm, which was then exposed to natural and artificial sunlight over 35 days. Water and acetonitrile extracts were analyzed for clomazone and metabolites via LC/MS/MS. RESULTS: The calculated pseudo‐first‐order degradation rate constants (k) were k_water = 0–0.005 ± 0.003 day^?1, k_sterile = 0–0.005 ± 0.003 day^?1 and k_non?sterile = 0.010 ± 0.002–0.044 ± 0.007 day^?1, depending on light type. The formation of ring‐open clomazone, a microbial metabolite, correlated with clomazone degradation. Trace amounts of 5‐hydroxyclomazone (m/z = 256 → 125), aromatic hydroxyclomazone (m/z = 256 → 141) and an unknown product (m/z = 268 → 125) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The photolytic degradation rate depends on both light type and the quality of the chromophores that induce indirect photolysis. Microbial degradation was found to be sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Overall, microbes are shown to be more detrimental to the environmental fate of clomazone than photolysis. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Structural and physiological studies of paraquat-resistant Conyza

Structural and physiological studies were conducted with a population of Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronq. that segregates into paraquat-resistant and -susceptible biotypes. Leaf disks from resistant seedlings, when incubated on 10 μM paraquat for 24 hr, exhibited little difference from the control disks incubated on H₂O as measured by conductivity change, malondialdehyde formation, or plastid ultrastructure. Leaf disks from the susceptible seedlings incubated on 10^?5M paraquat for 24 hr were uniformly bleached, had elevated malondialdehyde content, and leaked more electrolytes than control disks. Plastids of the susceptible biotype incubated on 10^?5M paraquat for 24 hr were swollen organelles with gross rearrangements of the lamella system. Most of the chloroplasts from the central area of the leaf disk of the resistant biotype incubated on a paraquat solution were structurally normal. Swollen plastids and plastids with twisted lamellae were also noted, although much less frequently. Plastids from the edges of the leaf disks of paraquat-resistant clones were structurally similar to those found throughout the leaf disks in susceptible seedlings. When the size of the leaf disk was increased, paraquat-resistant clones exhibited more “resistance” toward paraquat compared to similar-sized leaf disks of the susceptible seedlings. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the paraquat-resistant seedlings have an altered uptake and/or compartmentalization of paraquat. Superoxide dismutase isozymes, which were previously considered to be related to paraquat resistance in Conyza, did not correlate with the segregation of paraquat resistance in this population.     

Morphological and molecular characteristics of Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus mixed infection in a dog from Xinjiang, China

The Xinjiang plateau of western China has been shown to have a high prevalence for human cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus, and human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by Echinococcus multilocularis. The domestic dog is suspected to be the primary definitive host for the transmission of both E. granulosus and E. multilocularis to humans in this locality. Seventeen of 30 stray dogs from Hejing County of Xinjiang were found positive for E. granulosus post mortem, and one double infection was suspected. Worm samples were collected, dyed by carmine, and observed microscopically. Carmine staining examination clearly revealed the differences in number of proglottids and appearance of uterine branches and lateral genital pore for those two species of Echinococcus. Furthermore, gene target DNA fragments were amplified for formal identification of the two parasite species, based on 12s rRNA mitochondrial gene. The PCR products were purified and sequenced. Compared with NCBI GenBank, the DNA sequences demonstrated 100% identity with E. granulosus (sheep strain, G1 genotype) and E. multilocularis.     

Challenges of modeling ocean basin ecosystems

With increasing pressure for a more ecological approach to marine fisheries and environmental management, there is a growing need to understand and predict changes in marine ecosystems. Biogeochemical and physical oceanographic models are well developed, but extending these further up the food web to include zooplankton and fish is a major challenge. The difficulty arises because organisms at higher trophic levels are longer lived, with important variability in abundance and distribution at basin and decadal scales. Those organisms at higher trophic levels also have complex life histories compared to microbes, further complicating their coupling to lower trophic levels and the physical system. We discuss a strategy that builds on recent advances in modeling and observations and suggest a way forward that includes approaches to coupling across trophic levels and the inclusion of uncertainty.