Evaluation of the photo stabilising efficiency of clear coatings comprising organic UV absorbers and mineral UV screeners on wood surfaces

A study of the surface discolouration of clear coated wood during artificial and outdoor weathering and its prevention using clear coatings comprising organic UV absorbers (UVA) and mineral UV screeners was carried out. It was shown that the use of UVA and UV screeners in clear coatings was very effective in reducing photodegradation of the wood surface. Preliminary irradiation trials with Xenon arc light showed that the UV screener TiO₂ led to the least discolouration of the coated wood surface, closely followed by UVA of the hydroxyphenyl-s-triazine class (HPT). The artificial and outdoor weathering trials indicated that UVA of the HPT class stabilised the colour of the wood surface better than UVA of the 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-benzotriazole class (BTZ). Comparison of different artificial weathering methods indicated that Xenon arc light weathering showed the best match to the proceeding discolouration of the clear coated wood panels during outdoor weathering.     

The potential of moisture content measurements for testing the durability of timber products

Traditionally, the durability of timber is determined in laboratory decay tests or ground contact field tests. Since it is commonly accepted that results from those tests are not directly transferable to less severe above-ground exposures, this study aimed at assessing alternative durability measures related to the moisture performance of wood. Results from above-ground tests including continuous wood moisture monitoring were analyzed. Decay ratings determined in double-layer field tests were compared with time of wetness, and temperature- and moisture-induced dose according to a dose–response model for above-ground decay. Significant differences between European wood species were found in façade, decking, sandwich, lap-joint, and double-layer tests with respect to their moisture performance. It is concluded that for many wood-based products intended for above-ground use, a combination of short-term laboratory decay tests and mid-term moisture performance field tests may serve as time-saving alternative to long-term decay tests in the field.     

Lake trout growth is sensitive to spring temperature in southwest Alaska lakes

In high‐latitude lakes, air temperature is an important driver of ice cover thickness and duration, which in turn influence water temperature and primary production supporting lake consumers and predators. In lieu of multidecadal observational records necessary to assess the response of lakes to long‐term warming, we used otolith‐based growth records from a long‐lived resident lake fish, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), as a proxy for production. Lake trout were collected from seven deep, oligotrophic lakes in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve on in southwest Alaska that varied in the presence of marine‐derived nutrients (MDN) from anadromous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Linear mixed‐effects models were used to partition variation in lake trout growth by age and calendar‐year and model comparisons tested for a mean increase in lake trout growth with sockeye salmon presence. Year effects from the best mixed‐effects model were subsequently compared to indices of temperature, lake ice, and regional indices of sockeye salmon escapement. A strong positive correlation between annual lake trout growth and temperature suggested that warmer springs, earlier lake ice break‐up, and a longer ice‐free growing season increase lake trout growth via previously identified bottom‐up increases in production with warming. Accounting for differences in the presence or annual escapement of sockeye salmon with available data did not improve model fit. Collectively with other studies, the results suggest that productivity of subarctic lakes has benefitted from warming spring temperatures and that temperature can synchronise otolith growth across lakes with and without sockeye salmon MDN.     

Prevalence of equine ulcerative keratomycosis in Colorado and association of environmental factors: A retrospective and descriptive study (2002–2017)

Equine ulcerative keratomycosis is relatively commonly presented to teaching hospitals in North America, with a prevalence from 24 to 86%. Horses in Colorado may have lower risk due to the dry mountain climate, but data are lacking. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ulcerative keratomycosis amongst horses with ulcerative keratitis presented to Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CSU-VTH) ophthalmology service and to evaluate environmental factors (season, temperature, humidity, wind speed and elevation) associated with ulcerative keratomycosis in Colorado. A database search identified horses with ulcerative keratitis presented to the ophthalmology service at CSU-VTH from January 2002 to August 2017. Sixty-one horses met the inclusion criteria of a corneal cytology and/or culture or histopathology at the time of diagnosis; cases lacking that were excluded. Environmental factors at the boarding sites, including season, temperature, humidity, wind speed and elevation and clinical outcomes for fungal cases, were recorded. Prevalence of fungal infection amongst equine ulcerative keratitis was 16.4% (10/61), suggesting that CSU-VTH has considerably fewer ulcerative keratomycosis cases than other veterinary teaching hospitals in North America. Spring (50%, 5/10) and fall (40%, 4/10) had the highest prevalence of fungal ulcerative keratitis in Colorado. Only one case was reported in summer (10%, 1/10); no horses were positive (0%, 0/10) in winter. Only wind speed seemed to influence the development of ulcerative keratomycosis with higher wind speeds associated with greater rates of fungal involvement (P = 0.047). Other environmental factors did not show a detectable association (all P-values >0.05). Outcomes were variable. It was concluded that horses from the area of CSU-VTH appear to be at lower risk for ulcerative keratomycosis than from the areas around other North American veterinary teaching hospitals that have reported data. Most horses with keratomycosis in this area present in the spring and fall.     

Coexistence of diploid and triploid hybrid water frogs: population differences persist in the apparent absence of differential survival

Background  

The role of differential selection in determining the geographic distribution of genotypes in hybrid systems has long been discussed, but not settled. The present study aims to asses the importance of selection in structuring all-hybrid Pelophylax esculentus populations. These populations, in which the parental species (P. lessonae with genotype LL and P. ridibundus with genotype RR) are absent, have pond-specific proportions of diploid (LR) and triploid (LLR and LRR) genotypes.     

Modelling flowering of plants using time-to-event methods

Climate and environmental factors are known to influence the propensity of plants to flower. In order to capture the time dynamics in the underlying biological processes, this paper proposes to use a grouped-data survival analysis methodology. We formulate a semi-parametric model for the hazard rate of flowering, which allows all available climatic and environmental data to be included. Estimation can be carried using a generalized linear model approach. In addition, the model can be validated by means of recently developed residual-based model-checking procedures similar to what is available for ordinary regression models. The main finding is that the model proposed captures the major trends and is a first step in the direction of a model-based quantification of some climatic and environmental factors that influence the flowering of plants.     

Assessing resistance of rubber tree clones to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcyclus ulei</Emphasis> in large-scale clone trials in Ecuador: a less time-consuming field method

Resistance of rubber tree clones to South American Leaf Blight (SALB) caused by the fungus Microcyclus ulei is normally assessed in specific large-scale clone trials, which in general entail a considerable amount of work. Four variables are observed monthly on each tree over many years: disease severity and conidial sporulation intensity on young leaves, and severity and stroma density on mature leaves. In order to simplify this field assessment method, we tested the resistance of eight rubber tree clones to M. ulei in Ecuador in a Fisher block design with four replicates per treatment. Three months after planting, monthly observations were made for a period of 12 months on the foliage focusing on the four variables, in order to quantify disease development. Given the correlations between the four variables, assessment of conidial sporulation intensity on young leaves and stroma density on mature leaves should be sufficient. The most suitable period to start the assessment was 6 months after planting, for a duration of six to nine months. As repeated observations on the same trees were autocorrelated, it was possible to reduce the assessment frequency to once every 2 months. To conclude, assessing the resistance of rubber tree clones to SALB in large-scale clone trials can be optimized to reduce the number of observation times by 50%.     

Altitude,tree species and soil type are the main factors influencing the severity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeoramularia</Emphasis> leaf and fruit spot disease of citrus in the humid zones of Cameroon

In Cameroon and most countries of tropical Africa where Phaeoramularia leaf and fruit spot disease of citrus is reported, a total yield loss of 50–100% is common. For effective control of this disease, it is imperative to understand how it originates, and which factors contribute to its development. To this end, the environmental and biological characteristics of each tree from 39 sites located in 13 citrus production basins in the humid zones of Cameroon were collected by means of a survey. Information was collected by interviewing heads of households, and by visual inspection of trees and their environment. The independent variable was severity of the disease while the dependent variables were environmental and biological characteristics. Climatic characteristics varied from one basin to another. The 13 citrus production basins were regrouped in five categories based on disease severity. Altitude, tree species and soil type were the main factors influencing the disease severity. Thus the higher is the altitude, the more important is the disease severity. Also, disease severity increased with increasing number of grape fruit, orange and pummelo trees. However, disease severity was lower on trees growing on volcanic soils as compared with the other soil types. Further analysis of these factors could lead to the development of a risk assessment model for Phaeoramularia leaf and fruit spot of citrus.     

Scanning electron microscopy and fungal culture of hoof horn from horses suffering from onychomycosis

Horn samples were taken from the hooves of eight horses with clinical signs of equine onychomycosis in at least one hoof capsule. None of the horses had a documented mycological history. The predominant alterations of the horn capsules were sand cracks, white line disease, brittleness (especially around the nail holes), parakeratosis and bruising. The horn samples were stored in sterile tubes for transportation and transferred onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar and dermatophyte test agar for mycological examination within 6 h. Fungal cultures were incubated for 30 days at room temperature. Fungal identification was based on colonial morphology and microscopic examination of conidia. Horn samples were also stored at ?80°C until used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fungal culture revealed that the hoof horn from all eight horses was infected with keratinophilic fungi. The keratinopathogenic fungi Trichophyton spp and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis were also detected in six horses. SEM revealed severe alterations of the horn structure in horn samples infected with keratinopathogenic fungi compared to horn samples from a sound hoof. The most evident changes were deterioration of the tubular structure of the horn wall, disruption of the horny layers, superficial lysis of cornified cells and the presence of fungal elements. Samples without dermatophyte or Scopulariopsis infection, in contrast, were similar to healthy hoof horn.