Mushroom picking does not impair future harvests - results of a long-term study in Switzerland

Forest fungi not only have important functions within the forest ecosystem, but picking their fruit bodies is also a popular past time, as well as a source of income in many developing and developed countries. The expansion of commercial harvesting in many parts of the world has led to widespread concern about overharvesting and possible damage to fungal resources. In 1975, we started a field research project to investigate the effects of mushroom picking on fruit body occurrence. The three treatments applied were the harvesting techniques picking and cutting, and the concomitant trampling of the forest floor. The results reveal that, contrary to expectations, long-term and systematic harvesting reduces neither the future yields of fruit bodies nor the species richness of wild forest fungi, irrespective of whether the harvesting technique was picking or cutting. Forest floor trampling does, however, reduce fruit body numbers, but our data show no evidence that trampling damaged the soil mycelia in the studied time period.     

Contribution of mineral nutrition to the response of barley seedlings to polyethylene glycol–induced mild water stress

The effect of polyethylene glycol–induced osmotic stress on the activity of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glycolate oxidase in leaves of young barley plants grown under two nutrient‐supply regimes was studied. The activity of nitrate reductase gradually decreased after polyethylene glycol (PEG) application, while glutamine synthetase and glycolate oxidase were increased. It is speculated that the enhanced glutamine synthetase and glycolate oxidase activities are due to increased flux of metabolites through the photorespiratory cycle. Prominent increase in concentrations of free proline, reducing sugars, and free amino acids was observed. The possible contribution of these cellular solutes to the process of osmotic adjustment and the role of mineral supply is discussed. It is suggested that low N supply in combination with stress conditions switched the preferred osmolyte type from amino acids (N‐containing) to sugars (C‐containing).     

Absorption of calcium fumarate salts is equivalent to other calcium salts when measured in the rat model

Calcium absorption from fumarate salts (calcium fumarate and calcium malate fumarate), which have recently been considered for use as sources for food and beverage enrichment, was compared to that from calcium citrate malate, calcium citrate, and calcium carbonate. Salts were instrinsically labeled with 45Ca and orally administered to Sprague-Dawley rats. Fractional absorption of calcium from each salt was determined using the femur uptake model. Fractional absorption from the five salts (0.30-0.27) was not significantly different (p > 0.05). Thus, when measured in the rat model, calcium from calcium fumarate and calcium malate fumarate is absorbed equally well as compared to other salts, which are common calcium sources in many foods, beverages, and supplements.     

Episodic Events in Water Chemistry and Metals in Streams in Northern Sweden during Spring Flood

Thirteen streams in the province of Jämtland in northern Sweden were monitored during spring in 1995 (December 94 – July 95) to study changes in water chemistry and metal concentrations during snow melt. The brooks are not treated with lime, with one exception, and can be approximately divided into three groups according to watershed characteristics; A) > 65% above tree line, B) > 65 % wetland, C) > 55% forested. During peak flow, pH dropped 0.5–2.5 units and alkalinity generally to zero. The brooks above tree line were lowest in base cations and reached the lowest pH-values (4.4–4.6) during peak flow, while sulphate levels were about the same as in the forested watersheds. During peak flow, organic anions showed the highest increase in the wetland and forested catchments. Compared to base flow, Al, Zn, Pb and to some extent Mn was enriched during peak flow. The results also illustrate the difficulties in generalising the reasons for alkalinity losses during spring flood in this kind of streams. In some of the brooks, the use of either base cations or silica, when calculating dilution effects, gave deviating results concerning the relative contribution of strong acids in the snow pack.     

Connectivity of reef fish between mangroves and coral reefs: Algorithms for the design of marine reserves at seascape scales

Many species of coral reef fish undertake ontogenetic migrations between seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral reefs. A recent study from the Caribbean found that the availability of mangrove nursery habitat had a striking impact on the community structure and biomass of reef fish in their adult, coral reef habitat. The biomass of several species more than doubled when the reefs were connected to rich mangrove resources (defined as having at least 70 km of fringing Rhizophora mangle within a region of 200 km²). Here, the results of this large-scale empirical study are translated into a series of algorithms for use in natural resource management planning. Four algorithms are described that identify (i) the relative importance of mangrove nursery sites, (ii) the connectivity of individual reefs to mangrove nurseries, (iii) areas of nursery habitat that have an unusually large importance to specific reefs, and (iv) priority sites for mangrove reforestation projects. The algorithms generate a connectivity matrix among mangroves and coral reefs that facilitates the identification of connected corridors of habitats within a dynamic planning environment (e.g., reserve selection algorithms).     

Quantitation of transgenic plant DNA in leachate water: real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis

Roundup Ready (RR) genetically modified (GM) corn and soybean comprise a large portion of the annual planted acreage of GM crops. Plant growth and subsequent plant decomposition introduce the recombinant DNA (rDNA) into the soil environment, where its fate has not been completely researched. Little is known of the temporal and spatial distribution of plant-derived rDNA in the soil environment and in situ transport of plant DNA by leachate water has not been studied before. The objectives of this study were to determine whether sufficient quantities of plant rDNA were released by roots during growth and early decomposition to be detected in water collected after percolating through a soil profile and to determine the influence of temperature on DNA persistence in the leachate water. Individual plants of RR corn and RR soybean were grown in modified cylinders in a growth room, and the cylinders were flushed with rain water weekly. Immediately after collection, the leachate was subjected to DNA purification followed by rDNA quantification using real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis. To test the effects of temperature on plant DNA persistence in leachate water, water samples were spiked with known quantities of RR soybean or RR corn genomic DNA and DNA persistence was examined at 5, 15, and 25 degrees C. Differences in the amounts and temporal distributions of root-derived rDNA were observed between corn and soybean plants. The results suggest that rainfall events may distribute plant DNA throughout the soil and into leachate water. Half-lives of plant DNA in leachate water ranged from 1.2 to 26.7 h, and persistence was greater at colder temperatures (5 and 15 degrees C).     

Collection of plant-genetic resources in the Georgian SSR 1986

Summary After having finished in 1985 the collection of plant-genetic resources in Western Georgia (the results have been summarized in some tables) joint activities for the collection of indigenous taxa of cultivated plants began for Eastern regions of the Georgian SSR in 1986. The mission took place within the rayon Dueti, which is highly differentiated in geographical respect and stretches beyond the main ridge of the Great Caucasus. Althogether 265 samples could be collected, grain legumes and vegetables represent the most numerous groups but the amount of cereal accessions is not much less; this contrasts sharply with the results from the missions in Western Georgia. The gene-erosion is very advanced in Dueti too, especially for cereals.Triticum carthlicum, T. dicoccon and naked barleys have disappeared within the last decades from the fields. However in isolated settlements the cultivation of old local races ofT. aestivum as well as of barley and rye had been maintained up till now. For breeding purposes and botanically interesting material could be collected also from vegetables, spice plants and grain legumes. Some examples have been shortly characterized.

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Sammlung pflanzen-genetischer Ressourcen in der Georgischen SSR 1986

Zusammenfassung Nachdem 1985 die Sammlungen pflanzen-genetischer Ressourcen in Westgeorgien abgeschlossen wurden (in einigen Tabellen werden die Sammelergebnisse kurz zusammengefaßt), wurde 1986 die gemeinsame Sammeltätigkeit zur Erfassung indigener Kulturpflanzen-Sippen in östlichen Gebieten der Georgischen SSR aufgenommen. Die Reise führte in den Rayon Dueti, der geographisch sehr differenziert ist und bis jenseits des Kaukasus-Hauptkammes reicht. Es konnten insgesamt 265 Proben gesammelt werden, unter denen Körnerleguminosen und Gemüse den Hauptanteil einnehmen, denen aber die Getreide (im Gegensatz zu den Sammelergebnissen in Westgeorgien) nur wenig nachstehen. Die Generosion ist auch hier vor allem bei den Getreiden sehr weit fortgeschritten;Triticum carthlicum, T. dicoccon sowie Nacktgersten sind in den letzten Jahrzehnten aus dem Anbau verschwunden. Jedoch hat sich in entlegenen Siedlungen noch die Kultur alter Lokalsorten vonTr. aestivum sowie von Gerste und Roggen erhalten. Auch von Gemüsen, Gewürzpflanzen und Körnerleguminosen konnte botanisch und züchterisch interessantes Material gesammelt werden. Einige Beispiele davon werden kurz charakterisiert.

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- 1986

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Differentiation of physical from chemical toxicity in solid waste fish bioassays

This study showed that particulate (i.e., physical) toxicity was responsible for rainbow trout deaths in bioassays with two separate solid wastes. This conclusion was based on: (1) fish necropsies which indicated physical damage to gills but no evidence of chemical damage to liver or kidney, (2) chemical analyses which indicated that levels of Priority Pollutants and other target compounds were too low to cause the observed toxicity, (3) structural and chemical analyses of the waste particles which showed that these consisted of inert materials, and (4) the use of centrifugation techniques to remove most of the suspended particulate material in bioassay tanks resulting in an elimination of most of the toxicity. The particles associated with the lethal effects were approximately 5 to 10 μm in size. Regulatory testing of solid wastes must distinguish physical and chemical toxicity since disposal options can vary depending on the mode of toxicity. For instance, chemical toxicity raises concern regarding leaching through soils into groundwater, whereas if physical particles are responsible for toxicity, such leaching is not of concern.