Post-fire salvage logging increases restoration costs in a Mediterranean mountain ecosystem

Post-fire salvage logging (i.e. felling and removing burnt trees, often eliminating the remaining woody debris) is a practice routinely performed by forest managers worldwide. In Mediterranean-type ecosystems, salvage logging is considered a measure to reduce future reforestation costs, but this assumption remains largely untested. We made a cost analysis of different management schemes, addressing the immediate post-fire burnt-wood management as well as the costs and success of subsequent reforestation efforts. Two experimental 25-ha plots were established in a burnt pine reforestation of SE Spain, in which three replicates of three post-fire treatments were applied: non-intervention (NI), partial cut plus lopping (PCL; felling and lopping off the branches from most of the trees, leaving all biomass in situ), and salvage logging (SL). After 4?years, a mechanised reforestation was undertaken, and seedling mortality was monitored for 2?years. The cost of all management operations was recorded in situ, and the cost of re-planting the dead seedlings was estimated according to the expenses of previous reforestation. Initial cost of wood management was greatest in SL and zero in NI. Reforestation cost was highest in NI and lowest in SL, and seedling-mortality rates proved lowest in PCL (43?% vs. 51?% and 52?% in SL and NI, respectively). Considering all the post-fire management operations, salvage logging did not provide particular economic advantages for forest restoration, and had an overall cost of 3,436?±?340?€/ha. By contrast, NI and PCL reduced total restoration costs by 50 and 35?%, respectively, and PCL indeed promoted restoration success. We suggest that the full cost of management operations needs to be considered when evaluating the economic implications of post-fire salvage logging.     

Use of quantitative two-dimensional color tissue Doppler imaging for assessment of left ventricular radial and longitudinal myocardial velocities in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine left ventricular free wall (LVFW) radial and longitudinal myocardial contraction velocities in healthy dogs via quantitative 2-dimensional color tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). ANIMALS: 100 dogs. PROCEDURE: TDI was used by a single trained observer to measure radial and longitudinal myocardial movement in the LVFW. Radial myocardial velocities were recorded in segments in the endocardial and epicardial layers of the LVFW, and longitudinal velocities were recorded in segments at 3 levels (basal, middle, apical) of the LVFW. RESULTS: LVFW velocities were higher in the endocardial layers than in the epicardial layers. Left ventricular free wall velocities were higher in the basal segments than in the middle and apical segments. Radial myocardial velocity gradients, defined as the difference between endocardial and epicardial velocities, were (mean +/- SD) 2.5 +/- 0.8 cm/s, 3.8 +/- 1.5 cm/s, and 2.3 +/- 0.9 cm/s in systole, early diastole, and late diastole, respectively. Longitudinal myocardial velocity gradients, defined as the difference between basal and apical velocities, were 5.9 +/- 2.2 cm/s, 6.9 +/- 2.5 cm/s, and 4.9 +/- 1.7 cm/s in systole, early diastole, and late diastole, respectively. A breed effect was detected for several systolic and diastolic TDI variables. In all segments, systolic velocities were independent of fractional shortening. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: LVFW myocardial velocities decreased from the endocardium to the epicardium and from base to apex, thus revealing intramyocardial radial and longitudinal velocity gradients. These indices could enhance conventional echocardiographic analysis of left ventricular function in dogs. Breed-specific reference intervals should be defined.     

Use of tissue Doppler imaging to confirm the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy in a dog with equivocal echocardiographic findings

A 1-year-old healthy female Great Dane was referred for an echocardiographic examination prior to anesthesia and surgical correction of prolapse of the right third eyelid gland. Findings of a physical examination were normal. Conventional 2-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography revealed equivocal findings of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Conversely, tissue Doppler imaging revealed a dramatic decrease in systolic and early diastolic radial myocardial velocity gradients, which were related to a decrease in endocardial velocities. Four months later, the diagnosis of DCM was confirmed via conventional echocardiography. In dogs with equivocal conventional echocardiographic findings of DCM, severe myocardial alterations may be detected via tissue Doppler imaging and this technique may enable early diagnosis of radial myocardial dysfunction.     

Development of an Isavirus minigenome system to study the function of the pocket RNA-binding domain of the viral nucleoprotein (NP) in salmon cells

The Isavirus is an orthomyxovirus with a genome composed of eight segments of negative single-strand RNA (−ssRNA). It has been proposed that the eight genomic segments of the Isavirus are organized as a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex called a minigenome, which contains all the viral RNA segments, a viral heterotrimeric polymerase and multiple copies of the viral nucleoprotein (NP). Here, we develop an Isavirus minigenome system and show the importance of the formation of active RNPs and the role of viral NP R189, R194, R302 and K325 residues in the NP RNA-binding domain in the context of RNPs. The results indicate it is possible to generate a minigenome in salmon cells, a composite ISAV RNPs with EGFP-based chimeric vRNA with heterotrimeric polymerase (PB1, PB2, PA) and NP protein using CMV-based auxiliary plasmids. It was also shown that NP R189, R194, R302 and K325 residues are important to generate viral mRNA from the constituted RNPs and a detectable reporter protein. This work is the first salmon cell-based minigenome assay for the Isavirus, which was evaluated by a bioinformatic and functional study of the NP protein in viral RNPs, which showed that correct NP-vRNA interaction is key to the functioning of RNPs.     

The Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative: Promoting scientific support for global ocean governance

相似文献   

Use of organic amendments to reclaim saline and sodic soils: a review

Soil salinity and sodicity are land degradation processes that strongly alter soil quality and consequently plant productivity. The reclamation of soils affected by salinity and/or sodicity is an important goal to maintain the sustainability of production. The objectives of this review were (1) to investigate the effectiveness of different organic amendments to reclaim saline/sodic soils and improve environmental quality and productivity of agro-ecosystems and (2) to provide useful information on the most appropriate waste management for minimizing any potential risks. To achieve these aims, recently published literature, related to field and laboratory studies, considering the effects of a wide range of organic amendments on main soil properties, was collected. Results of these studies underline that input of exogenous organic matter (manure, plant residues, by-product of farming or municipal activities, etc.) can be a feasible way to reclaim soils with serious problems of salinity and sodicity. Optimal rates (not greater than 50 t ha^?1) of different organic amendments can improve physical (soil structure, permeability, water holding capacity, etc.) and chemical (pH, cation exchangeable capacity, etc.) soil properties, favoring plant growth and microbial activity, without any risks for the environment (subsoil and groundwater contamination). Of course, it is very important to characterize carefully the organic wastes before their use in agriculture and optimize their management, for avoiding further land degradation.     

Canine ocular gliomas: a retrospective study

Objective The purpose of this paper is to classify glial tumors observed in the canine retina and optic nerve, describe the histopathological features and provide prognostic information on these neoplasms. Methods The database of the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin (COPLOW) was searched to collect canine glioma cases. Clinical and follow-up information was gathered from submission forms and an extensive follow-up survey. Slides were reviewed to describe the histopathological characteristics of the neoplasm and classify them. Immunohistochemistry for Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) was performed in all cases. Results 18 canine glioma cases were found in the COPLOW database. There was no breed or gender predilection. The mean age was 9.33 ± 3.67 years. Follow-up information was available for 12 dogs, 8 of which were dead at the time of most recent contact, with a survival time ranging from 0 days (globes received after euthanasia) up to 20 months post-enucleation. In 6 of the 8 dogs that had died during this stud), tumor extended to the margin where the optic nerve had been sectioned. Light microscopic examination of the optic nerve of the affected eyes of four dogs that were still alive during this study revealed no tumor at this surgical margin. One neoplasm was classified as low-grade astrocytoma, 5 tumors as medium-grade astrocytoma, 11 tumors as high grade-astrocytoma and 1 tumor as oligodendroglioma. GFAP was positive in all but two tumors. Conclusion Retinal and optic nerve gliomas may be considered as differential diagnoses of intraocular and orbital masses. The metastatic potential appears to be low, but ascending invasion into the ventral aspect of the brain is possible.