Exotic and invasive species compromise the seed bank and seed rain dynamics in forests undergoing restoration at urban regions

The control of exotic and invasive species in areas undergoing recovery is a challenge for ecological restoration and this problem may be even greater in urbanized areas. This study evaluated the seed bank and seed rain of a 5-year-old riparian forest located at the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte in southeast Brazil, and verified changes over time in the abundance and species richness and whether planted species already were providing propagules to the site. At the forest, fifteen parcels of 100 m² were distributed randomly and soil samples were collected thrice (October 2011, March 2012 and July 2012) to evaluate the seed bank. Seed traps were installed in nine parcels to collect propagules over 1 year. Propagules were segregated and germinate at greenhouse. Species richness and abundance were estimated, and variance and similarity were quantified. In total, 86 species were recorded in the seed banks, 41.9% natives and 33.7% exotics, with the predominance of herbs (87.2%) and only 7% of trees. Species classified as weeds amounted to 52.3%. In the seed rain 642 seedlings germinated but they belonged to only 10 species, half of them were exotics. Regarding life forms, half of the species were arboreal and dominated the samples, highlighting the exotic species Melia azedarach. The species richness of the seed bank did not differ by season, unlike the seed rain which varied significantly by month. Seed bank and seed rain species had a very low floristic similarity with the list of planted species, suggesting that few planted trees had dispersed or were stocking propagules. Many non-planted species were recorded, mostly exotics and/or invasive that were probably derived from the surrounding urban matrix. These might interrupt the successional dynamics of the restoration forest and compromise the restoration process in the medium and long-terms. Our results highlight: (1) the importance of monitoring areas undergoing restoration; (2) that restoration methods and management actions directed to control exotic and invasive species are particularly important for sites in urban regions; and (3) the relevance of conserving forest fragments as sources of propagules for nearby areas.     

Antimycotic effectiveness against dermatophytes: comparison of two in vitro tests

Seven antimycotic drugs (econazole, enilconazole, fluconazole, griseofulvin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, and miconazole) were tested against 36 dermatophyte strains (19 M. canis, 7 T. mentagrophytes, 5 M. gypseum, 2 M. cookei, 1 T. rubrum, 1 T. ajelloi, and 1 T. terrestre) isolated from animals, humans, and the environment. Two in vitro methods were compared: a micro-dilution test based on the CLSI M38-A method, and a disk-diffusion test. Fluconazole was not effective in vitro against the dermatophytes. Econazole and enilconazole were the most effective. Thirteen strains were griseofulvin-resistant. The correlation between the two methods was statistically significant for enilconazole, griseofulvin, itraconazole, and miconazole.     

Susceptibility of grapevine viruses to thermotherapy on in vitro collection of Kober 5BB

A number of virus elimination protocols have been developed to obtain healthy plants but their success rates have been variable due to the strong virus–host relationship, treatment performances and experimental condition. An in vitro collection of plants of Vitis berlandieri × Vitis riparia Kober 5BB single-infected by Grapevine vitivirus A (GVA), Grapevine fanleaf nepovirus (GFLV), Grapevine fleck maculavirus (GFkV), Grapevine leafroll ampelovirus 1 (GLRaV-1) and Grapevine leafroll ampelovirus 3 (GLRaV-3) was established to carry out thermotherapy treatments. The experimental system allowed to control the effects of host genotype by using the same genetic background, and the environmental condition such as relative humidity, soil and temperature conditions. Trials were conducted in a growth chamber set at 37 ± 0.5 °C for 48 days using in vitro cultures for all infections. ELISA and RT-PCR were used to check sanitary conditions. Results showed complete eradication of GFLV and no effect against GFkV. Different sanitation rates were obtained for other phloematic viruses: 70.2% for GVA, 25.1% for GFLaV-1 and 24.7% for GLRaV-3. The results on phloematic viruses showed a gradient of elimination efficiency which could not be completely explained with the location of viral particles that seems to be only one of the several factors affecting virus susceptibility to heat stress. Moreover, the advantages of this experimental system provide the opportunity to obtain a greater understanding of the thermotherapeutic effects on phloematic viruses.     

Genome-wide analysis of plastome sequence variation and development of plastidial CAPS markers in common potato and related <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum</Emphasis> species

The plastome sequence of the European cultivated potato, Solanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum (tbr, GenBank accession no. DQ386163), was compared with that of S. bulbocastanum, a wild potato relative (blb, GenBank accession no. DQ347958), in order to characterize the degree and type of variability in different genomic regions, and develop molecular markers relevant to genetics, breeding and biotechnology of potato. One hundred forty-two and 251 PICs (Potentially Informative Characters) were found in coding and non-coding sequences (NCSs), respectively. Further, while variation in coding regions was almost exclusively due to nucleotide substitutions, 25% of PICs in NCSs of tbr and blb were due to indels, most of them mononucleotide or longer tandem repeats (micro and minisatellites). Four intergenic regions were selected for further analyses in other 16 tuber-bearing Solanum species. The rps16-trnQ ^UUG gene spacer was found to be the most variable, forty-six PICs in this region distinguishing 18 haplotypes. Analysis of haplotype relationships, based on variability in the four intergenic regions, confirmed that the most primitive species from Central America were the most distant to S. tuberosum. Finally, polymorphic sites in the same regions were used to develop a set of CAPS (Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences) markers for species/cytoplasm identification in Solanum spp.     

Proximal mandibular nerve block, using electrolocation, for rostral mandibulectomy in a geriatric dog

We describe a case of proximal mandibular nerve block with ropivacaine, using electrolocation, for perioperative pain management in a geriatric dog undergoing rostral mandibulectomy. The patient did not require intraoperative analgesia or analgesic supplementation for 8 h after the end of the surgery.     

Paraneoplastic leukocytosis in a dog with a renal carcinoma

A 7-year-old male German Shepherd dog in poor body condition had a 3-month history of intermittent hematuria. Nonregenerative anemia, mild leukocytosis, marked hypoalbuminemia, and hematuria were observed. Subsequently, marked neutrophilia and moderate monocytosis were noted; anemia, hypoalbuminemia, and hematuria persisted; and the dog developed disseminated intravascular coagulation. Ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen revealed the presence of an enlarged and irregularly shaped right kidney with a large area of cavitation, and a nephrectomy was performed 30 days after initial examination. Cytologic examination of fine-needle aspirates and imprints of the right kidney revealed a neoplastic cell population suggestive of renal carcinoma. The histopathologic diagnosis was chromophobic cystic-papillary renal carcinoma. The tumor cells expressed granulocytic/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), detected by immunohistochemical staining, and elaboration of GM-CSF by the tumor may have mediated the leukocytosis in this dog. Following excision of the tumor, neutrophil and monocyte counts were only mildly increased. The dog died 135 days after initial presentation, and a necropsy was not permitted. Paraneoplastic neutrophilic leukocytosis is an uncommon finding and may be caused by elaboration of CSF by neoplastic cells.     

First reports of Trichinella pseudospiralis in wild boars (Sus scrofa) of Italy

Trichinella pseudospiralis is a non-encapsulated species infecting both mammals and birds. In Italy, this parasite was reported only in two night-birds of prey of Central Italy. In January 2010, Trichinella larvae were detected in three wild boars (Sus scrofa) of two regions of Northern Italy by enzymatic digestion. The parasites were identified as T. pseudospiralis by multiplex-PCR. The first infected wild boar was hunted in the Emilia Romagna region and the other two infected wild boars were bred outdoors in a small family farm of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. These new epidemiological data reinforce the role of the wild boar as the main reservoir of T. pseudospiralis in Europe.     

Soil organic C variability and microbial functions in a Mediterranean agro-forest ecosystem

Five soils characterised by different agro-forest managements, typical of Mediterranean environment and with increasing human impact were chosen in Sardinia (Italy): two vineyards with different management systems, a rotation hay crop-pasture and a forest (Quercus suber L.). The study aimed to investigate the relationships between C storage and microbial functionality in soil under different managements. Pools of total organic C and microbial biomass C were determined, as well as the loss of organic C due to microbial respiration (basal and cumulative) and several microbial indices (metabolic, mineralization, and microbial quotient) as indicators of the microbial efficiency in the use of energy and the degree of substrate limitation for soil microbes. Enzymes were chosen on their relevance in the C (β-cellobiohydrolase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, β-glucosidase, α-glucosidase), N (leucine aminopeptidase), S (arylsulphatase) and P (acid phosphatase) cycling and were used as indicators of functional diversity in soil. Organic C pools and enzyme activities on average increased noticeably in soils with a lower human impact showing the highest values in forest and the lowest in the vineyards, following the trend of organic matter availability. The trend in functional diversity reflected the increase of microbial pool and organic C availability: the vineyards showed a lower Shannon’s diversity index, whilst pasture and forest sites reached the maximum levels of functional diversity. These soils showed an increase of microbial efficiency in the use of available resources and the decrease of substrate limitation for soil microbes.     

The Antitranspirant Di-1-p-menthene, a Potential Chemical Protectant of Ozone Damage to Plants

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pinolene-based film-forming Vapor Gard (VG) emulsion (di-1-p-menthene), a commercial antitranspirant, on the response of the sensitive bean (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Pinto) plants to realistic ozone fumigations. Plants treated with the chemical were significantly less damaged in comparison with untreated controls when exposed to as much as 150 ppb of ozone in the atmosphere for 4 h. In unozonated plants, photosynthesis as well as stomatal conductance was significantly depressed by the antitranspirant. In VG-treated individuals, (1) visible injury is strongly reduced; (2) membrane damage is counteracted; (3) photosynthetic activity is unchanged, as well as the stomatal conductance and the store of CO₂ in substomatal chamber; (4) F _v/F _m and the other parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence reveal a stability of the photochemical apparatus; and (v) antioxidant defence is not stimulated. Unexpectedly, our results highlighted a dramatic difference between the protective effects towards ozone damage induced by VG, depending on its mode of distribution. As reported above, when entire plants (??both leaves??) are treated or untreated with VG, those individuals wherein VG was not applied showed severe alterations in phenomenological, biochemical and ecophysiological parameters investigated due to ozone toxicity. This is not true in the cases where ??single primary leaves?? or selected regions (??half leaves??) are treated with VG. Even if visible injury is present after ozone fumigation, physiological parameters, such as A _max and G _w, in ozonated and VG-treated single leaves and half leaves are similar to unfumigated controls. Similar results were obtained for chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. A membrane-protective action is observed in half-leaves treatment. It appears that the presence of regions (single leaves or half leaves), which are treated with VG, modifies the behaviour to ozone of untreated regions. Possible explanations of the observed phenomenon are discussed. The antitranspirant di-1-p-menthene proved to be a low-cost, low-technology tool for assessing ozone injury in the field.