Blood parasites of sheep in the Netherlands. II. Babesia motasi (Sporozoa,Babesiidae)

Summary

A large Babesia species occurs in sheep on the North Sea islands of the Netherlands. The tick Haemaphysalis punctata is a vector. Its pathogenicity appears to be low. It is morphologically similar to a Turkish strain, considered to be B. motasi, which is also transmitted by Haemaphysalis ticks. It differs from the Turkish parasite serologically as well as in cross‐immunity tests and in not being effective to goats.

There may be a group of morphologically similar parasites with serological differences and different infectivity for sheep and goats. As it is impossible to know which one is to be considered as the original B. motasi, we designate the Dutch parasite as B. motasi (Netherlands). Anaplasma mesaeterum was found to occur on the island of Texel as well as on Ameland, where it had been found initially.     

An integrated model for predicting maximum net photosynthetic rate of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) leaves in silvopastoral systems

Net light-saturated photosynthetic rate (A_max) of field grown cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) leaves in a radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) silvopastoral system (Canterbury, New Zealand) was measured at different times under severe shade (85–95 μmol m^–2 s^–1 photosynthetic photon flux density, PPFD) and in full sunlight (1900 μmol m^–2 s^–1 PPFD). The aim was to integrate individual functions for A_max against air temperature (2 to 37 oC), water status, expressed as pre-dawn leaf water potential (ψ_lp) (-0.01 to −1.6 MPa), herbage nitrogen (N) (1.5 to 5.9%), regrowth duration (20 to 60 days) and time under shade (1 to 180 min) into a multiplicative model. The highest A_max value obtained was 27.4 μmol CO₂ m^–2 s^–1 in non-limiting conditions with full sunlight. This value was defined as standardised dimensionless A_maxs = 1 for comparison of factor effects. The canopy temperature of the cocksfoot sward was up to 7.4 oC cooler than air temperature for plants under shade. Therefore, canopy temperature was used to predict A_max. The only interaction was between time under severe shade (5% of the open PPFD) and water stress (ψ_lp = −0.4 to −1.3 MPa) and this was included in the model. Validation of this model indicated 78% of the variation in A_max could be accounted for using these five factors by the addition of the interaction function. This model could be used to assist the prediction of pasture growth in silvopastoral systems through incorporation into a canopy photosynthesis model. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Windbreaks in southern Patagonia,Argentina: A review of research on growth models, windspeed reduction, and effects oncrops

In Patagonia, where strong winds are a constraint to agricultural production, live windbreaks are often planted in agricultural fields to protect crops, livestock, and soils from wind hazards. The major factors that determine the efficacy of windbreaks are height, porosity, orientation, length, and location in the landscape. A review of the research on the effect of live windbreaks during 1993 through 2000 is presented in the paper. Porosity and distance from windbreak were found to have major effects on relative windspeed reduction. The greatest degree of protection was for dense windbreaks (windspeed reduction of 85%) at 1H (1H = a distance of one tree height, leeward of the windbreak). Different crops showed a differential yield response to wind stress. The production of garlic (Allium sativum) was not significantly affected by wind. Tulip (Tulipa sp.) bulb yield decreased on average by 25% between 2H and 17H. The production of lucerne (Medicago sativa) at 1H was 40% higher than lucerne grown in open conditions. In contrast, strawberry (Fragaria sp.)and cherry (Prunus avium) were more sensitive to the effect of the wind. Dendrometric models (diameter, site index, volume and crown dynamics) were developed to define the wood potential productivity that could be expected from different site qualities. The prediction of height growth as a function of age, allows the estimation of the area protected by the windbreak. An economic assessment based on realistic estimates of shelter benefits is required to encourage the development of windbreak systems that could also offer other benefits, including erosion control and timber production.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Agroforestry landscapes and global change: landscape ecology tools for management and conservation

Forest ecosystems are impacted by multiple uses under the influence of global drivers, and where landscape ecology tools may substantially facilitate the management and conservation of the agroforestry ecosystems. The use of landscape ecology tools was described in the eight papers of the present special issue, including changes in forested landscapes due to agricultural and forestry activities, landscape changes due to recent intensification of agriculture, and the impacts of agroforestry as compared to natural forest ecosystems. Landscape ecology can improve the economic, environmental and social values of agroforestry, and this knowledge should help to develop new management alternatives for agroforestry. We believe that these papers will inform management at the landscape level, especially in agroforestry landscapes, offering new tools for management and conservation.     

Artificial infection of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus with Theileria parva by percutaneous injection

Rhipicephalus appendiculatus nymphs were inoculated with fresh or cryopreserved blood containing Theileria parva piroplasms, or with cell culture grown stages of T parva. The use of fresh blood was successful. Cryopreserved blood containing dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), killed most nymphs after inoculation: DMSO could be removed by slow dialysis, without destroying the infectivity of the blood. Attempts to infect ticks by inoculating cell culture grown stages of T parva failed, even when large numbers of merozoites were present in the inoculum.     

Timber management with variable retention in Nothofagus pumilio forests of Southern Patagonia

Forestry practices integrating ecological and social criteria have been replacing those based only on economic values. Traditional silviculture, such as shelterwood cuts (SC), transforms uneven-aged original stands to an even-aged managed forest. Recently, other methods have proposed to conserve some of the original heterogeneity of the old-growth forests. One proposal leaves 30% of the timber quality forest area as aggregated retention and 20% basal area as dispersed retention. The aim of this study was to analyze the feasibility of timber management with aggregated and dispersed retention in Nothofagus pumilio old-growth forests by analyzing timber and harvesting yield potential compared with traditional regeneration systems. Also, remnant tree stability of aggregated retention was analyzed.     

Above- and belowground nutrients storage and biomass accumulation in marginal Nothofagus antarctica forests in Southern Patagonia

The above- and belowground biomass and nutrient content (N, P, K, Ca, S and Mg) of pure deciduous Nothofagus antarctica (Forster f.) Oersted stands grown in a marginal site and aged from 8 to 180 years were measured in Southern Patagonia. The total biomass accumulated ranged from 60.8 to 70.8 Mg ha⁻¹ for regeneration and final growth stand, respectively. The proportions of belowground components were 51.6, 47.2, 43.9 and 46.7% for regeneration, initial growth, final growth and mature stand, respectively. Also, crown classes affected the biomass accumulation where dominant trees had 38.4 Mg ha⁻¹ and suppressed trees 2.6 Mg ha⁻¹ to the stand biomass in mature stand. Nutrient concentrations varied according to tree component, crown class and stand age. Total nutrient concentration graded in the fallowing order: leaves > bark > middle roots > small branches > fine roots > sapwood > coarse roots > heartwood. While N and K concentrations increased with age in leaves and fine roots, concentration of Ca increased with stand age in all components. Dominant trees had higher N, K and Ca concentrations in leaves, and higher P, K and S concentrations in roots, compared with suppressed trees. Although the stands had similar biomass at different ages, there were important differences in nutrient accumulation per hectare from 979.8 kg ha⁻¹ at the initial growth phase to 665.5 kg ha⁻¹ at mature stands. Nutrient storage for mature and final growth stands was in the order Ca > N > K > P > Mg > S, and for regeneration stand was Ca > N > K > Mg > P > S. Belowground biomass represented an important budget of all nutrients. At early ages, N, K, S, Ca and Mg were about 50% in the belowground components. However, P was 60% in belowground biomass and then increased to 70% in mature stands. These data can assist to quantify the impact of different silviculture practices which should aim to leave material (mainly leaves, small branches and bark) on the site to ameliorate nutrient removal and to avoid a decline of long-term yields.     

The relative importance of soil properties and regional climate as drivers of productivity in southern Patagonia’s <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nothofagus antarctica</Emphasis> forests

Key message

Soil texture and temperature-related variables were the variables that most contributed to Nothofagus antarctica forest height in southern Patagonia. This information may be useful for improving forest management, for instance related to the establishment of silvopastoral systems or selection of suitable sites for forest reforestation in southern Patagonia.

Context

Changes in forest productivity result from a combination of climate, topography, and soil properties.

Aims

The relative importance of edaphic and climatic variables as drivers of productivity in Nothofagus antarctica forests of southern Patagonia, Argentina, was evaluated.

Methods

A total of 48 mature stands of N. antarctica were selected. For each study site, we measured the height of three mature dominant trees, as an indicator of productivity. Seven soil, five spatial, and 19 climatic features were determined and related to forest productivity. Through partial least squares regression analyses, we obtained a model that was an effective predictor of height of mature dominant trees in the regional data set presented here.

Results

The four variables that most contributed to the predictive power of the model were altitude, temperature annual range, soil texture, and temperature seasonality.

Conclusion

The information gathered in this study suggested that the incidence of the soil and temperature-related variables on the height of dominant trees, at the regionally evaluated scale, was higher than the effect of water-related variables.