The effects of acid rain on nitrogen fixation in Western Washington coniferous forests

We investigated both the current status of N₂ fixation in western Washington forests, and the potential effects of acid rain on this vital process. Even the low concentrations of SO₂ presently found in the Northwest are thought to have an adverse effect on N₂ fixation by limiting the distribution of the epiphytic N₂-fixing lichen, Lobaria pulmonaria, which is found mainly in deciduous forests. A close relative, L. oregana, was found to be the major N₂ fixer in old-growth coniferous forests. It fixes less N₂ following exposure to H₂SO₄ of pH 4 or less. A more serious threat to N₂ fixation than acid rain is the practice of deliberately suppressing red alder to keep it from competing with Douglas fir. Also, L. oregana is a late successional species and does not develop in forests where short cutting cycles are practiced.     

福建省明溪县农地土壤重金属的空间分异和潜在生态风险评价

以福建省明溪县农地土壤为研究对象,采集耕层土壤(0-20 cm)样品88个,测定其Cd、Cu和Pb等3种重金属元素含量;利用Arc GIS软件分析其农地土壤重金属空间变异特征;采用Hakanson潜在生态危险指数法评价研究区域农地土壤重金属潜在生态风险与环境污染.结果表明:研究区域土壤重金属Cd、Cu和Pb平均含量分别为0.0119、13.9606和6.8480mg·kg-1,均未超过国家土壤环境质量二级标准.Cd、Cu和Pb等3种重金属含量变异系数为22%-386%,大小排列顺序为CdPbCu;在空间分异上,Cd和Pb元素的空间相关性较强,Cu元素的空间相关性较弱;Cd的高含量区集中于瀚仙镇北部和城关乡东北部,Cu的高含量区位于枫溪、夏坊二乡和盖洋、瀚仙镇,Pb的高含量区则分布在雪峰镇和城关乡以北地带及沙溪乡东部.研究区域中98.86%的样本为低度等级的重金属潜在生态风险(RI平均值为11.03);在生态风险等级分布上,瀚仙镇东北部的重金属潜在生态风险等级较高.     

Growth,food conversion and survival of 0-group English sole (Parophrys vetulus Girard) at five temperatures and five rations

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effects of temperature and food ration on growth, conversion efficiency and survival of 0-group English sole (Parophrys vetulus Girard). Young sole, fed a diet of Oregon Moist Pellets, were exposed to constant temperature-ration combinations between 9.5 and 21° C and between 0 and 16% rations (dry weight basis) for a 12-week experimental period. The juvenile sole, initially 4–6 g, grew at a rate of up to 0.95% per day at the most favorable temperature-ration combination, 9.5°C and 16% ration. Highest food conversion efficiency, 10.5%, was observed at the temperature-ration combination of 9.5°C and 8% ration. At 21°C, young sole lost weight at the ration levels fed. Based on growth rate, survival and food conversion efficiencies observed during the experiments and the temperatures to which the young sole are exposed in nature, the temperature at which greatest growth and maximum food conversion efficiency occurs is probably near or below 9.5°C. Although English sole juveniles were maintained for up to 1.5 years on Oregon Moist Pellets primarily, mortality was high during experiments (between 16 and 48%). The high mortality may have been associated with the pellet diet used, which is formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of salmonids and not flatfishes. The microsporidan protozoan Glugea sp., the monogenetic trematode Gyrodactylus sp., and Vibro bacteria also were associated with mortalities during the experiments, and one fish died of a large tumor.     

Microbial characteristics of ectomycorrhizal mat communities in Oregon and California

Summary Specialized ectomycorrhizal fungi form dense mats in forest soils that have different enzyme levels, higher respiration rates, more biomass, different soil fauna, and different soil chemistry compared with adjacent soils not obviously colonized by these mats. In this study, mats formed by two genera of fungi collected in three locations were compared with a wide range of measurements. Per cent moisture, pH, chloroform fumigation-flush C, anaerobic N mineralization, exchangeable ammonium, and respiration, N₂ fixation, and denitrification rates were compared between soils or litter colonized by ectomycorrhizal mat-forming fungi and adjacent non-mat material. Significant differences were observed between the two genera of mat-forming fungi and also between mats formed primarily in mineral soil and those formed in litter. These differences suggest that different mat-forming fungi perform different functions in forest soils and that these fungi function differently in mineral soil compared with litter.Published as Technical Paper 9496, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station     

The influence of tropical adaptation on plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I in purebred and crossbred beef cattle

In an effort to determine whether tropical adaptation influences circulating concentrations of the growth-related hormone IGF-I, 3-breed diallel matings were conducted using temperate Bos taurus (Angus), tropical Bos indicus (Brahman), and tropical Bos taurus (Romosinuano). Purebred Angus, Braham, and Romosinuano and crossbred Angus-Braham, Angus-Romosinuano, and Braham-Romosinuano heifers and steers were evaluated in 2 separate calf crops from 2003 and 2004. Blood samples were obtained from 10 heifers of each breed group (n = 90) for each year at weaning and on d 0 and 84 of postweaning trials. Samples were also taken from 10 steers of each breed group (n = 90) at weaning and on d 0 and 60 of individual finishing phase feeding trials for each year. Concentrations of IGF-I were determined by RIA. Analyses included effects of sire breed, dam breed, year of record, the age of the dam of the calf in years, and interactions. Age of calf in days was investigated as a linear and quadratic covariate. Separate analyses were conducted for steers and heifers. The direct effect of Angus was to reduce (P < 0.03) heifer concentrations of IGF-I at d 84 and in the repeated measures analysis. In the repeated measures analysis, the direct effect of Romosinuano was to increase concentrations of IGF-I (P = 0.01). Relative to the temperate Bos taurus breed, plasma concentrations of IGF-I were numerically greater in male and female tropically adapted breed groups.     

Weaning and post-weaning performance by fall-born beef calves weaned on different dates in the spring from Neotyphodium coenophialum-infected tall fescue pastures

Fall-born calves grazing Neotyphodium coenophialum-infected tall fescue [E+; Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.] pastures should benefit from early weaning because of reduced exposure to fungal toxins. However, fall-born calves that grazed E+ and were weaned in mid-April had reduced post-weaning performance compared with calves managed similarly but weaned in early June. Gelbvieh × Angus calves (n = 238) were used in a 3-year study to determine the optimal time to wean fall-born calves grazing E+. Cow/calf pairs were allocated randomly to one of four weaning date treatments: 1) March 16 (177 ± 4.7 days of age; MarW), 2) April 13 (204 ± 4.7 days of age; AprW), 3) May 11 (236 ± 4.7 days of age; MayW), and 4) June 8 (264 ± 4.8 days of age; JuneW). On their assigned weaning date, calves were weighed, vaccinated, blood samples were collected, and calves were moved to 3.2-ha pastures adjacent to their dams for 14 days. After the weaning period, calves were weighed, blood samples were collected, and then calves were moved to pastures containing non-toxic forages. Birth weight and calf weights on MarW, AprW, and MayW weaning dates did not differ (P ≥ 0.21) across weaning date treatments. However, calf weaning weights on their respective weaning dates, weight on JuneW and on June 22 (14 days following the JuneW), daily gain between birth and June 22, and weight change between MarW and JuneW increased linearly (P < 0.05) across weaning dates. Linear decreases (P < 0.05) across weaning dates were noted for antibody titers to bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), serum Cu, and platelets at the time of actual weaning. Linear increases (P < 0.05) across weaning dates were noted for: i) total antioxidant potential and eosinophils at weaning; ii) changes in antibody titers to BVD and IBR, total antioxidant potential, and serum Zn during the 14-day post-weaning period; and iii) and changes in BVD and BRSV titers and serum Cu between actual weaning date and June 22. Heifer weight at breeding increased (P < 0.05) and steer weight at shipping, hot carcass weight and backfat thickness tended (P ≤ 0.10) to increase linearly across weaning dates. Final feedlot weight and gain did not differ (P ≥ 0.18) among weaning dates. Therefore, delaying weaning of fall-born calves grazing E+ pastures until early June may be beneficial for calf weight and immune function at weaning, and heifer weight at breeding, but those benefits in steers may be mitigated through the feedlot period.     

Determination of serum bile acids in fasting dogs with hepatobiliary disease

The diagnostic value of determining total conjugated serum bile acid (SBA) concentrations was evaluated in fasting dogs with spontaneous liver disease. Conjugated primary SBA values were determined by radioimmunoassay in 12 healthy dogs, 64 dogs with hepatobiliary disease, and 9 dogs with intestinal disorders unassociated with clinical or biochemical evidence of liver disease. Reference values for SBA concentrations ranged from 0 to 5 mumol/L and were not significantly different from those determined in dogs with intestinal disease (P less than 0.05). Mean SBA concentrations determined in dogs with portosystemic shunts, glucocorticoid-induced hepatopathy, hepatic neoplasia, hepatitis, cholestasis, and cirrhosis were significantly greater than reference values (P less than 0.05). The mean SBA concentration in dogs with glucocorticoid-induced hepatopathy was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than that in all other clinical groups of dogs with liver disease, except in dogs with cholestasis. Although these 2 groups were statistically indistinguishable, dogs with glucocorticoid-induced hepatopathy generally had lower SBA values (2 to 37 mumol/L) than did the group with cholestasis (2 to 562 mumol/L). The SBA concentrations in fasting dogs were weakly correlated with histologic evidence of hepatic damage, as determined by a total biopsy score (r = 0.28, P less than 0.02). Because total SBA concentrations were increased in 89% of all dogs with hepatobiliary disease, the determination of SBA appears to be a sensitive test of hepatic dysfunction.     

An outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever in young rusa deer (Cervus timorensis)

On the basis of clinical signs and histological findings eight 9-month-old male rusa deer ( Cervus timorensis ) were diagnosed with sheep associated-malignant catarrhal fever. Following a variable course involving rectal temperatures around 40.5°C, depression, inappetence, diarrhoea, corneal opacity and hypopyon all animals died or were euthanased over a 5-week period. Severe multifocal vasculitis, mainly periglomerular and in the arcuate vessels were consistent histological findings which in the past have been adequate to confirm clinical diagnosis of sheep associated-malignant catarrhal fever. A nested poly-merase chain reaction test has been used to detect a sheep associated-malignant catarrhal fever PRC product, 238 base-pairs in size, in DNA extracted from lymphocyte preparations. The result supported the diagnosis of sheep associated-malignant catarrhal fever in these deer.