Einfluß langjähriger Düngung mit verschiedenen N-Formen auf die Phosphat-Dynamik einer Ackerbraunerde

Influence of long-term application of different nitrogen sources on the dynamics of phosphate in an arable brown earth In a long-term field experiment parameters of the soil phosphate status were determined after 53 years. Soil characteristics of the arable brown earth are: sandy silt loam; pH 5,9–6,6; total carbon 0,9%; CEC 13–15 meq/100 g soil; effective field capacity 160 mm unto 150 cm. The following results were obtained: Total P content was slightly higher in the plots without mineral N and with farm manure (90 and 93 mg P/100 g soil resp.) than in the plots with mineral N supply (Ø 85 mg P/100 g soil). Application of farm yard manure and ammonium sulfate caused higher proportions of ?Fe and Al phosphates”? (56–57% of inorganic phosphate) whereas calcium cyanamide, calcium nitrate and ammonium sulfate with annual liming led to higher a content of Ca-phosphate (52–56% of inorganic phosphate). When pH was brought to 6,5 by liming, P uptake of rye grass and green oats/green rape-seed in a pot experiment depended on the soil content of ?Fe- and Al-phosphates”?. Without liming, P uptake was lower in the plot with ammonium sulfate, however, in the calcium cyanamide plot P uptake was higher than expected from the content of ?Fe- and Al-phosphate”?.     

Ionic interactions and salinity affect monoterpene and phenolic diterpene composition in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

In this study, we evaluated how increased cation supply can alleviate the toxic effects of NaCl on plants and how it affects essential oils (EOs) and phenolic diterpene composition in leaves of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) plants grown in pots. Two concentrations of the chloride salts KCl, CaCl₂, MgCl₂, and FeCl₃ were used together with 100 mM NaCl to study the effects of these nutrients on plant mineral nutrition and leaf monoterpene, phenolic diterpene, and EO composition. The addition of 100 mM NaCl, which decreased K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ concentrations with increasing Na⁺ in leaves, significantly altered secondary metabolite accumulation. Addition of MgCl₂ and FeCl₃ altered leaf EO composition in 100 mM NaCl–treated rosemary plants while KCl and CaCl₂ did not. Furthermore, addition of CaCl₂ promoted the accumulation of the major phenolic diterpene, carnosic acid, in the leaves. The carnosol concentration was reduced by the addition of KCl to salt‐stressed plants. It is concluded that different salt applications in combination with NaCl treatment may have a pronounced effect on phenolic diterpene and EO composition in rosemary leaves thus indicating that ionic interactions may be carefully considered in the cultivation of these species to achieve the desired concentrations of these secondary metabolites.     

Effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on the biochemical composition and metabolic activity of tenocytes in normal tendinous structures in ponies

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has recently been introduced as a new therapy for tendon injuries in horses, but little is known about the basic mechanism of action of this therapy. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of ESWT on biochemical parameters and tenocyte metabolism of normal tendinous structures in ponies. METHODS: Six Shetland ponies, free of lameness and with ultrasonographically normal flexor and extensor tendons and suspensory ligaments (SL), were used. ESWT was applied at the origin of the suspensory ligament and the mid-metacarpal region of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) 6 weeks prior to sample taking, and at the mid-metacarpal region (ET) and the insertion on the extensor process of the distal phalanx (EP) of the common digital extensor tendon 3 h prior to tendon sampling. In all animals one front leg was treated and the other front leg was used as control. After euthanasia, tendon explants were harvested aseptically for in vitro cell culture experiments and additional samples were taken for biochemical analyses. RESULTS: In the explants harvested 3 h after treatment, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and protein syntheses were increased (P<0.05). The synthesis of all measured parameters was decreased 6 weeks after ESWT treatment. Biochemically, the level of degraded collagen was increased 3 h after treatment (P<0.05). Six weeks after treatment, there was a decrease of degraded collagen and GAG contents. DNA content had not changed in either tendon samples or explants after culturing. CONCLUSIONS: ESWT causes a transient stimulation of metabolism in tendinous structures of ponies shortly after treatment. After 6 weeks metabolism has decreased significantly and GAG levels are lower than in untreated control limbs. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The stimulating short-term effect of ESWT might accelerate the initiation of the healing process in injured tendons. The long-term effect seems less beneficial. Further research should aim at determining the duration of this effect and at assessing its relevance for end-stage tendon quality.     

Dissipation of the defoliant tribufos in cotton-producing soils

Soil dissipation of the cotton defoliant tribufos was measured in laboratory incubations and on 0.2-ha research plots. Computed 50% dissipation time (DT(50)) using nonlinear and linear kinetic models ranged from 1 to 19 days. Data indicated that exchangeable soil aluminum inhibited tribufos-degrading soil organisms. Nevertheless, measured DT(50) values were 40 to 700 times less than the aerobic soil half-life (t(1/2)) values used in recent tribufos risk assessments. DT(50) values suggest that risk estimates were overstated. However, edge-of-field runoff concentrations measured on research plots exceeded invertebrate LOECs, thus some aquatic risk is indicated. Field data also suggested that volatilization may be a significant soil dissipation pathway. From this result, we conclude that volatilization should be included in simulation models used for pesticide registration. This will likely improve the accuracy of model outputs for products such as tribufos. Potential volatilization losses indicate a need to evaluate the atmospheric behavior of tribufos.     

Between Big Ideas and Daily Realities – The roles and perspectives of Danish municipal green space managers on public involvement in green space maintenance

Public involvement (PI) in green space maintenance activities has increased during the past decades. The various (potential) benefits of PI have been recognised. Denmark, however, has no established tradition for such activities, despite its well-established tradition of volunteering. Local authorities have traditionally been the sovereign entity within public green space management, reflecting a hierarchical mode of governance. Yet, an increased call for new forms of local democracy and for new governance modes has resulted in growing attention for PI practices. Hence more knowledge is needed, for example on ongoing changes in governance arrangements regarding municipal green space.This paper thus aims to gain insight into (a) current governance arrangements with respect to municipal green space maintenance as well as temporal changes in these and (b) the consequences of the former for governmental actors and municipal managers in particular. An analytical framework based on governance theory and the Policy Arrangement Approach was developed to meet these aims. Data was collected by means of selected semi-structured interviews with green space managers from ten Danish municipalities.Findings show that green space PI occurred in all ten municipalities and thus that governance arrangements had started to include non-government actors, signalling a possible shift to co-governance from more common hierarchical governance modes. Green space managers felt themselves often ill-prepared for new governance arrangements and PI, e.g. in terms of lack of training and expertise. They based themselves strongly on their own experiences and preferences. More responsibility had been allocated to citizens, but often only to a select group of those who were already organised and/or had good connections with local authorities (i.e. closed co-governance). Green space managers listed a number of benefits of PI, generally adhering to the prevailing discourse of more co-governance. However, they also noted a number of challenges, including discrepancies between current maintenance practices and more PI. These, as well as a wider understanding of changing governance arrangements in green space management and maintenance, need to be addressed in future research.     

A comparison of some range condition assessment techniques used in southern African grasslands

Techniques currently used to assess range condition in the grassland biome of southern Africa are reviewed. The methods were used to calculate range condition indices from fire‐climax and climatic‐climax grassland data. These indices were then used to evaluate each method in terms of sensitivity (i.e. the detection of spatio‐temporal differences in index), index interpretation and efficiency, bearing in mind the objectives of each technique. The Weighted Key Species Method and Degradation Gradient Method were found to currently provide the best indices for assessing range condition. Shortcomings of the techniques are recognized and suggestions are made for the application of these methods in different vegetation types.     

Ecological status of species on grazing gradients on the shallow soils of the western grassland biome in South Africa

Abstract

Grasses on the shallow soils of the western grassland biome of South Africa were classified on their ecological status on the basis of their reaction to grazing. Vegetation data were gathered in such a way that those of different successional stages could be identified. An ordination technique was used to define the grazing gradient. Species abundance curves were statistically fitted to the grazing gradient and used to classify the species into decreaser and increaser categories.