Long-term trends of pesticides in Norwegian agricultural streams and potential future challenges in northern climate

Effective plant protection practices and use of chemical pesticides are a prerequisite for maintaining yields of sufficient quality and quantity in conventional agriculture today. Despite regulatory efforts to ensure safe use, reports have indicated that residual amounts of pesticides and their metabolites occur in surface and ground water and may have non-target effects on aquatic organisms. The objective of the present study was to identify environmental challenges of pesticide use in the northern climate by evaluating long-term pesticide monitoring data compiled by the Norwegian Agricultural Environmental Monitoring Programme. Pesticide use data and pesticide concentrations measured in stream water from six small agricultural catchments in Norway were analysed. Observed trends in pesticide detection frequencies, measured concentrations and cumulative risk from the six monitoring sites were compared. The results demonstrated the need for continued focus on the herbicides metribuzin and aclonifen, and potential concerns regarding use of the fungicide prothioconazole and the insecticide imidacloprid. The six monitoring sites represented the diversity of intensively cropped areas in Norway and differed with respect to estimated cumulative risk. Vegetable and potato cropping areas showed not only the highest level of total environmental risk, but also a statistically significant decreasing trend over the monitoring period. Cereal cropping areas exhibited no statistically significant time-dependent trends in the studied parameters but did show an increase in fungicide use that requires continued attention. The need for risk assessment of mixture toxicity effects and improved monitoring strategy is also discussed. In conclusion, the present results imply that the current global focus on multiple stressors and mixture toxicity of pesticides in stream water is equally relevant in cold climatic conditions.     

Stocking of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) cohorts after liming- effects on survival and growth during five years of reacidification

The chronically acid Hovvatn and the adjoining pond Pollen were limed in March 1981. During the first 4 yr after the liming, a total of 11 437 brown trout were stocked in the two locations. The fish population was monitored by annual testfishing in a five yr period following the liming. The stocking material constituted 6 cohorts and included fish stocked at age 0+, 1+ and 2+. The stocking program assured a 7.9 times higher density of fish ha^?1 in Pollen than in Hovvatn. Consequently, the fish from Hovvatn grew significantly better and had a significantly higher condition factor than fish in Pollen. Monitoring of water chemistry showed that the cohorts were exposed to a gradual reacidification process, abrupted by episodic events of severe acidification. Within 2–3 yr after the liming, the locations had reacidified to conditions which were considered critical for fish. However, the acidinduced increase in mortality appeared 1–2 yr later than what was expected from water chemistry data. This discrepancy could most likely be ascribed to the existence of water chemical refugia which enhanced the survival of the fish. Recaptures were significantly correlated to pH, Ca, labile-Al and ANC. Growth were significantly reduced throughout the reacidification period. Estimated yield showed that fish stocked at age 2+, as opposed to fish stocked at a younger age, managed to turn the high food availability into high growthrates before the reacidification retarded growth and survival.     

Protozoan response to addition of the bacteria Mycobacterium chlorophenolicum and Pseudomonas chlororaphis to soil microcosms

 Protozoa are important predators of bacteria in soil and protozoan predation is one of the main factors responsible for the decline of bacterial populations introduced into soil. Bacteria, however, are not equally susceptible to protozoan predation. We have studied the response of indigenous protozoan populations to the introduction of the polychlorophenol-degrading bacterium Mycobacterium chlorophenolicum PCP-1 (DSM 43826), and Pseudomonas chlororaphis (ATCC 43928), into soil microcosms. Introduction of P. chlororaphis to the soil resulted in a huge increase in the numbers of heterotrophic flagellates and naked amoebae during the first 8 days of the experiment. Addition of M. chlorophenolicum to soil caused only a slight increase in protozoan numbers, which was similar to the increase caused by addition of water. There was no indication that addition of M. chlorophenolicum to soil resulted in any increase in the number of protozoa able to feed on this bacterium. The number of colony forming units (CFU) decreased rapidly in the treatment amended with P. chlororaphis cells, whereas there was no decrease in CFUs in the M. chlorophenolicum treatment. The only slight increase in protozoan numbers in the M. chlorophenolicum treatment, as well as the apparently low mortality rate of M. chlorophenolicum in the soil microcosms, coincided with significantly lower soil respiration in the soil microcosms amended with M. chlorophenolicum compared to those amended with P. chlororaphis. The results suggest that the indigenous soil protozoa did not graze on M. chlorophenolicum at all, presumably because it is not a suitable food source. Received: 23 February 2000     

Chicken model for studying dietary antioxidants reveals that apple (Cox's Orange)/broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) stabilizes erythrocytes and reduces oxidation of insoluble muscle proteins and lipids in cooked liver

A chicken model for studying the effects of antioxidants in the diet on oxidative status was set up. Chickens fed a semi-synthetic diet low in antioxidants showed a remarkable decrease in erythrocyte stability toward H(2)O(2) or 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), but increases in catalase activity in liver, carbonyls in insoluble muscle proteins, and enhanced lipid oxidation in heat-treated liver samples compared to that of conventionally fed chickens. Thus, this chicken model proved to be more susceptible to oxidative changes than conventionally fed chickens, reflecting a low antioxidative defense. Supplementing this low antioxidant diet with 10% apple/broccoli mixture counteracted these changes, except for activity of catalase in the liver and AAPH-induced lysis of erythrocytes. Supplementation with 10% sweet corn only reduced the carbonyl content in insoluble proteins. However, neither low antioxidant diet nor vegetable supplements affected selected antioxidative enzymes or oxidative stability of lipids in heat-treated muscle tissue.     

Hybrids between wild and cultivated carrots in Danish carrotfields

It is well known that wild carrots may pollute the seed cropsof cultivated carrots, but whether cultivated carrots can alsodisperse pollen and seed, and thereby introduce genes into wildcarrot populations, is only little described. In Denmark, there is nocommercial seed production of carrots, and as biennials they shouldnormally not flower before harvest of the roots. Still, floweringindividuals can be found in most Danish fields, and sometimes in veryhigh numbers. At least 75% of the flowering plants are malefertile, with ca. 83% of the pollen being viable. More thanhalf of the plants produce seeds. Pollen and seed dispersal fromfields into wild carrot populations is probably rather frequent inDenmark. A closer inspection of the morphology of flowering plantsindicate that some of these (2–60%) arebolters of pure cultivar origin, as indicated primarily by orangeroot colour. The remainder is probably first or advanced generationhybrids between wild and cultivated plants, as indicated by theirwhite roots and combinations of morphological characters from eitherplant type. Some of these hybrids are imported to Denmark togetherwith the sowing seed, as indicated by significantly differentfrequencies of bolters with white roots in different carrot cultivarstested in the field.     

Effects of aluminium ions on uptake of calcium,magnesium and nitrogen in Betula pendula seedlings growing at high and low nutrient supply rates

The effects of aluminium on plant nutrition in small birch plants (Betula pendula Roth) were investigated. By using relative addition rate (r _A, g g^?1 d^?1) of nutrients as the growth-controlling variable, it was possible to grow the plants at very low external nutrient concentrations and to simulate plant requirements at two different fertility levels. Before aluminium addition the plants were at steady-state relative growth rate, (R _G, g g^?1 d^?1). The two addition rates were free access of nutrients with R _G ≈ 0.215 d^?1, or nutrient-limited, R _Aand R _G=0.10 d^?1. Internal concentrations of calcium and magnesium decreased with increasing Al³⁺ conncentration in the nutrient solution while nitrogen concentrations in the plants remained unchanged or increased. It was demonstrated in both nutrition treatments that calcium and magnesium decrease per se does not reduce plant growth and that uptake has to be considered in relation to plant requirement at different growth rates. The interpretation of the effects of aluminium on Ca and Mg uptake and plant biomass development suggested that processes other than disturbances in Ca and Mg uptake are the cause of the decrease in growth.     

Geographical, altitude and agro-ecological differentiation of isozyme and hordein genotypes of landrace barleys from Ethiopia: implications to germplasm conservation

An analysis of the variability of genes encoding six isozyme systems (15 loci) and two storage proteins (2 loci) in landrace barley from Ethiopia is reported. The materials consisted of populations collected from sites as low as 1650 and as high as 3750 meters, covering a wide range of agro-ecological conditions and geographical areas. Of the 17 loci 7 were polymorphic and 10 monomorphic when the 95% criterion of polymorphism was applied. Despite the disproportionate monomorphic loci, polymorphism was detected in all populations when this criterion is used. The populations were found to possess fairly low mean number of alleles per locus (A = 1.5), low mean value of expected heterozygosity (H = 0.134) and a fairly high mean percentage of polymorphic loci (P = 35.3%). The mean F_ST= 0.474 for the populations is typical of inbreeding species. The result indicated that allelic richness is concentrated in altitude class 3 (2500–3000 m) followed by altitude class 1 (<2000 m). Altitude class 2 (2000–2500) holds an intermediate place though it is the highest in terms of expected heterozygosity (H = 0.245). Higher genetic diversity is concentrated in some geographical regions such as Shewa, Arsi, Bale compared to others (Welo, Gamu Gofa, Gojam). Genetic differentiation among the agro-ecological zones was more profound than both among the altitudes and among regions. Correlation analysis between phenotypic diversity (Shannon-Weaver diversity index) and expected heterozygosity (H) for isozyme/hordein loci revealed non significant associations except with respect to agro-ecological zones. In general, it was detected that sites in highland areas in central and northern regions may be more desirable for in situ conservation than sites in peripheral regions in terms of isozyme/hordein diversity and current rate of varietal replacement.     

Postmortem proteome changes of porcine muscle related to tenderness

Proteome analysis was used to investigate the relation between changes in postmortem proteome of porcine muscle and tenderness development. Muscle samples were taken at slaughter and 72 h postmortem, and the registered changes in the proteome were related to Warner-Bratzler shear force. One hundred and three protein spots were found to change significantly (P < 0.01) over time, and of these the 27 most pronounced changes were identified. Eleven out of the 27 changes were fragments of actin. Other identified myofibril proteins or fragments included myosin heavy chain, titin, myosin light chain I, myosin light II, CapZ, and cofilin. Correlation analysis revealed significant correlations between three of the identified actin fragments and the myosin heavy chain fragment to shear force. Moreover, myosin light chain II and triose phosphate isomerase I were also found to correlate significantly to shear force. The results clearly demonstrate that postmortem degradation of actin and myosin heavy chain is related to meat tenderness.     

Crustacean Communities in Canada and Norway: Comparison of Species along A pH Gradient

Increased pH in acid lakes changes the crustacean fauna from communities dominated by acid-tolerant species to communities dominated by more acid-sensitive species. Studies from Canada (Killarney) and southeastern Norway (Østfold county) have demonstrated that planktonic and littoral crustaceans can be used as indicators of such recoveries. In both places the cladocerans Alona rustica and Acantholeberis curvirostris were found in acidic lakes, whereas Alona costata and the copepod Eucyclops macrurus were found in near neutral lakes. The calanoids Diaptomus minutus in North America and Eudiaptomus gracilis in Europe, both dominate in acidic water, and may ecologically be equivalent species. Sometimes the same species occur at different pH in the two continents. Bosmina longirostris and Alonella excisa may serve as examples, but a pertinent question is whether or not they are really the same species.