Response of snails and slugs to fragmentation of lowland forests in NW Germany

Habitat fragmentation is a major cause for species loss, but its effect on invertebrates with low active dispersal power, like terrestrial gastropods, has rarely been studied. Such species can not cross a hostile habitat matrix, for which the predictions of island theory, such as positive relations between species richness and patch size, should apply. In order to test this prediction, we studied gastropod species diversity by assessing gastropod assemblage characteristics from 35 sites in 19 fragments of deciduous old-growth forests in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany. Assemblages differed between larger (≥700 ha) and smaller forests (<400 ha), those of large forests held a higher percentage of forest species. Although α-diversity was similar between the two forest size classes, small forests often comprised matrix species, resulting in a higher β-diversity. Edge effects on the species richness of matrix species were noticeable up to 250 m into the forest. Hierarchical partitioning revealed that distance to disturbances (external edge, internal edges like roads) explained most assemblage variables, whereas forest size and woodland cover within a 1 km radius from the sites explained only a few assemblage variables. Densities of two forest-associated species, Discus rotundatus and Arion fuscus, decreased with forest size. Yet, forest size was positively correlated with richness of typical forest species and densities of Limax cinereoniger. The latter species seems to need forests of >1,000 ha, i.e., well above the size of most fragments. In conclusion, the prediction is valid only for forest species. The response to fragmentation is species specific and seems to depend on habitat specialization and macroclimatic conditions. Jean-Pierre Maelfait: Deceased.     

Combining top-down and bottom-up dynamics in land use modeling: exploring the future of abandoned farmlands in Europe with the Dyna-CLUE model

Land use change is the result of interactions between processes operating at different scales. Simulation models at regional to global scales are often incapable of including locally determined processes of land use change. This paper introduces a modeling approach that integrates demand-driven changes in land area with locally determined conversion processes. The model is illustrated with an application for European land use. Interactions between changing demands for agricultural land and vegetation processes leading to the re-growth of (semi-) natural vegetation on abandoned farmland are explicitly addressed. Succession of natural vegetation is simulated based on the spatial variation in biophysical and management related conditions, while the dynamics of the agricultural area are determined by a global multi-sector model. The results allow an exploration of the future dynamics of European land use and landscapes. The model approach is similarly suitable for other regions and processes where large scale processes interact with local dynamics.     

An integrated approach of remote sensing,GIS and swarm intelligence for zoning protected ecological areas

Interest in protecting ecological areas is increasing because of land uses conflicts and environmental pressures. The optimal zoning of protected ecological areas belongs to a NP-hard problem because it is subject to both box and spatial constraints. A challenge in solving area optimization problems emerges with the increasing size of a study region. In this article, an integrated approach of remote sensing, GIS and modified ant colony optimization (ACO) is proposed for application in zoning protected ecological areas. Significant modifications have been made in the conventional ACO so that it can be further extended to solve zoning problems in large regions. An improved selection strategy is designed to accelerate the progress of sites selection for artificial ants. Another important modification in ACO is to incorporate the neighborhood diffusion strategy into pheromone updating. The optimal objective is to generate protected areas that maximize both ecological suitability and spatial compactness. The modified ACO model has been successfully applied to a case study involving an area of 25,483 cells in Dongguan, Guangdong, China. The experiments have demonstrated that the proposed model is an efficient and effective optimization technique for generating optimal protection. The modified ACO model only requires approximately 119 s for determining near-optimal solutions. Furthermore, the proposed method performs better than other methods, including simulated annealing, genetic algorithm, iterative relaxation, basic ACO, and density slicing.     

An assessment of the impact of climate adaptation measures to reduce flood risk on ecosystem services

Measures of climate change adaptation often involve modification of land use and land use planning practices. Such changes in land use affect the provision of various ecosystem goods and services. Therefore, it is likely that adaptation measures may result in synergies and trade-offs between a range of ecosystems goods and services. An integrative land use modelling approach is presented to assess such impacts for the European Union. A reference scenario accounts for current trends in global drivers and includes a number of important policy developments that correspond to on-going changes in European policies. The reference scenario is compared to a policy scenario in which a range of measures is implemented to regulate flood risk and protect soils under conditions of climate change. The impacts of the simulated land use dynamics are assessed for four key indicators of ecosystem service provision: flood risk, carbon sequestration, habitat connectivity and biodiversity. The results indicate a large spatial variation in the consequences of the adaptation measures on the provisioning of ecosystem services. Synergies are frequently observed at the location of the measures itself, whereas trade-offs are found at other locations. Reducing land use intensity in specific parts of the catchment may lead to increased pressure in other regions, resulting in trade-offs. Consequently, when aggregating the results to larger spatial scales the positive and negative impacts may be off-set, indicating the need for detailed spatial assessments. The modelled results indicate that for a careful planning and evaluation of adaptation measures it is needed to consider the trade-offs accounting for the negative effects of a measure at locations distant from the actual measure. Integrated land use modelling can help land use planning in such complex trade-off evaluation by providing evidence on synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services, different policy fields and societal demands.     

县域农技推广区域站站长选拔案例研究——基于迁安市的调查

为完善县域农技推广区域站管理制度,基于归因理论,并以迁安市为研究案例,调查迁安市8个农技推广区域站站长选拔现状,发现存在着选拔方式不合理、分值比例不协调、选拔标准不完善等问题;提出通过构建指标体系并完善选拔方式,以改进县域农技推广区域站站长选拔的制度设计。     

胸膜莫肺炎放线杆菌APXIV部分基因片段的表达及纯化

参照GenBank中已发表的ApxIV基因序列,以自行分离的App DNA为模板,利用PCR方法扩增出ApxIV3'端,大小为552bp的保守基因序列.将PCR产物克隆到pMD18-T Simple Vector中,获得重组质粒pMD-ApxIV,对其重组质粒pMD-ApxIV进行BamHI、HindIII双酶切,并将酶切产物克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a(+)中,构建了重组表达质粒pET-ApxIV.将表达质粒转化至大肠杆菌BL21中,用IPTG诱导表达,通过SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析,结果表明pET-ApxIV在BL21中成功表达,并能被App阳性血清所识别,具有良好的免疫原性.表达蛋白的分子质量约为39.5KDa.利用HiTrap FF crude columns将表达的蛋白进行了纯化.     

奶牛日粮中添加棕榈酸钙对乳品质及乳钙含量的影响

选择36头产奶量相近且健康的中国荷斯坦牛,研究棕榈酸钙对乳品质和乳钙含量的影响.试验分为三组:A组为基础日粮;B组为基础日粮+200g棕榈酸钙;C组为基础日粮+400g棕榈酸钙.试验结果表明:(1)B组C组乳脂率分别比对照组提高6.3%、9.8%(P<0.05),乳中钙含量分别提高20.0%、16.3%(P<0.05);(2)A、B、C三组乳蛋白率差异不显著(P>0.05).     

Growth,feed efficiency and blood profile of buffalo calves consuming high levels of fluoride

Twelve male buffalo calves of 10 to 12 months of age were divided into 3 groups of four each. They were fed wheat straw+concentrate mixture +3 Kg greens. The chemical composition of the diet was same in all the three groups except fluoride which was added (as NaF) in concentrate mixture of group B and C to make the final fluoride concentration 30 ppm and 60 ppm respectively. The animals were kept on scheduled diet for a period of 90 days. Body weights were recorded at the start of the experiment and at fortnightly interval thereafter. Analysis of data revealed that the dry matter intake decreased non significantly in group B and C as compared to control group. A significant decrease in serum calcium and a significant increase in phosphorus concentration were observed in group C animals. A significant increase was observed in alkaline phosphatase activity in group C animals. A non significant decrease was observed in T₄ values in group C animals. On the basis of these results it could be concluded that fluoride in the diet of buffalo calves @ 30 ppm is a safe level whereas 60 ppm has affected the blood metabolites.     

Veterinary aspects of ecological monitoring: the natural history of emerging infectious diseases of humans,domestic animals and wildlife

Proliferation of disease pathogens capable of affecting humans, domestic livestock and wildlife increasingly threatens environmental security and biodiversity. Livestock and wild animals in proximity to human beings are often in the chain of transmission and infection. Globalization of industrial livestock production (especially poultry upon which so much of the burgeoning human population depends) often permits transcontinental disease spread. Rapidly expanding (and often illegal) international trade in wild and domestic animals and their products are increasingly involved in the emergence of new diseases that may have the ability to transmit among humans, livestock and wildlife. Rapidly increasing urbanization has led in many places to overcrowded townships that rely on “bushmeat” for sustenance and has contributed to the emergence of virulent zoonotic pathogens. The emergence and proliferation of pathogens are exacerbated by anthropogenic transformation of natural landscapes in order to increase agricultural and livestock production. This paper posits that data gathered by veterinary ecologists should be interpreted and used by other disciplines. The importance of a thorough knowledge of the “natural history” (ecology) of the disease agent and its human, domestic and wild hosts is stressed.     

不同咸蛋腌制温度对禽流感毒灭活的影响

经人工接种H9亚型禽流感病毒(AIV)的鸭蛋,分别在12℃、22℃和32℃条件下按常规方法腌制于饱和盐水中,同时以置饱和盐水中的禽流感病毒和未经处理禽流感病毒样品作为对照,通过MDCK细胞培养、间接免疫荧光方法定期进行禽流感病毒毒力测定,结果在12℃、22℃和32℃条件下腌制鸭蛋中的禽流感病毒分别于49天、27天和4天失去毒力,置饱和盐水中的禽流感病毒分别在27天、9天和2天失去毒力,而未经处理的禽流感病毒分别在92天、29天和17天失去毒力;不同试验温度条件下,以荧光RT-PCR检测腌制鸭蛋和对照样品中的禽流感病毒,在100天后仍可检出病毒核酸(Ct<30)。以上检测结果表明,在腌制鸭蛋时于常温下置饱和盐水腌制40天以上的传统咸蛋生产工艺,可使禽流感病毒完全失去毒力,腌制的鲜咸蛋携带或传播禽流感病毒的风险极低或不存在风险。