Short-term effects of whole-tree harvesting on understory plant species diversity and cover in two Norway spruce sites in southern Norway

Effects of clear-cut harvesting on ground vegetation plant species diversity and their cover are investigated at two Norway spruce sites in southern Norway, differing in climate and topography. Experimental plots at these two sites were either harvested conventionally (stem-only harvesting) or whole trees including crowns, twigs and branches were removed (whole-tree harvesting), leaving residue piles on the ground for some months. We compare the number of plant species in different groups and their cover sums before and after harvesting, and between the different treatments, using non-parametric statistical tests. An overall loss of ground vegetation biodiversity is induced by harvesting and there is a shift in cover of dominant species, with negative effects for bryophytes and dwarf shrubs and an increase of graminoid cover. Differences between the two harvesting methods at both sites were mainly due to the residue piles assembled during whole-tree harvesting and the physical damage made during the harvesting of residues in these piles. The presence of the residue piles had a clear negative impact on both species numbers and cover. Pile residue harvesting on unfrozen and snow-free soil caused more damage to the forest floor in the steep terrain at the western site compared to the eastern site.     

Soil‐gas diffusivity in large soil monoliths

The variability of gas diffusion in soil is not well known, but is important for assessing greenhouse gas emissions, soil decontamination, oxidation in soil and plant and root respiration. The goal of this study was to assess small‐scale variability of the relative soil‐gas diffusivity (D_s / D_o, m_{soil air}) using large intact soil monoliths and to compare D_s / D_o calculation methods. Neon (Ne) was maintained constant at the lower boundary of three monoliths of two soils (a sand and an organic soil). Ne concentration was measured at large spatial and temporal frequencies. Calculation methods included the use of average concentration, and average D_s / D_o per horizon, per section, or for the entire soil profile. Considering all sections of the monoliths, D_s / D_o varied from 3.5 × 10⁻³ to 1.2 × 10⁻¹ for the A_p horizon and from 4.8 × 10⁻³ to 8.3 × 10⁻¹ for the B_f horizon in the sand and from 1.0 × 10⁻³ to 7.9 × 10⁻³ for the O_hp horizon and from 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ to 7.7 × 10⁻² for the O_f horizon in the organic soil. For the entire soil profile, variations in D_s / D_o between monoliths reached 125% in the sand and 56% in the organic soil. The D_s / D_o calculation method influenced the apparent variability (CV) of D_s / D_o and, to a lesser extent, D_s / D_o values of the overall soil profile. Differences in D_s / D_o between monoliths could not be explained solely by the variability of total soil porosity and air‐filled porosity. Soil macroporosity (cracks and earthworm burrows) and layering greatly influenced variability of gas movement. Thus, the choice of sampling procedure, calculation method and modelling must be governed by the scale of the processes of interest and soil variability attributes.     

Studies on the antibody response of Lama glama--evaluation of the binding capacity of different IgG subtypes in ELISAs for clenbuterol and BSA

Camelidae are known to produce three subtypes of immunoglobulin G (IgG), two of which are devoid of light chains. Two llamas (Lama glama) were immunised against clenbuterol-bovine serum albumin (BSA). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for clenbuterol and BSA on the basis of protein A-coated microtitration plates were established to investigate the titre development. Three subclasses of IgG (IgG(1): 29+66KDD, IgG(2): 52KDD, IgG(3): 56KDD) depending on their different binding properties to protein A and protein G could be separated chromatographically. Only IgG(1), which consists of conventional four-chain antibodies, bound to clenbuterol, whereas all forms of heavy-chain antibodies merely bound BSA.     

Zur Frage der Gefährdung von Weidevich bei Anwendung der Flächenbehandlung gegen Feldmäuse (Microtus arvalis PALLAS) auf Grünland

Zusammenfassung Die in eigenen Versuchen ermittelten Minimum - Dosierungen von Toxaphen und Endrin bei der Flächenbehandlung gegen Feldmäuse (Microtus arvalis PALLAS) werden an Hand der von anderer Seite veröffentlichten Untersuchungen zur Toxizität der Wirkstoffe für Weidevieh diskutiert. Die vorliegenden Versuche mit Futter, das unmittelbar nach der Applikation der Wirkstoffe verabreicht wurde, lassen jedoch keine Rückschlüsse auf die Verhältnisse bei der Feldmaus-Flächenbegiftung zu. Denn bei der Durchführung dieses Verfahrens während der Vegetationsruhe werden die Wirkstoffe in der zwangsläufig gegebenen Wartezeit bis zur Wiederbeweidung abgebaut, so daß es kaum zur Bildung von bedenklichen Rückstandsmengen in Fleisch, Fett und Milch der Weidetiere kommen kann. Eine einmalige Flächenbehandlung gegen Feldmäuse auf Grünland mit den jetzt erreichten Minimal-Dosierungen, die eine weitere Annäherung an den insektiziden Bereich bedeuten, ist augenscheinlich in toxikologischer Hinsicht nicht anders zu bewerten als z. B. eine zweimalige Behandlung von Kulturpflanzen mit insektiziden Konzentrationen.     

Growth Strategies for a Declining Market- the German Fresh Potato Market

To determine potential growth strategies for the German fresh potato market, production area, harvested quantities, producer prices and consumption values for the German potato market were examined using trend analysis. German potato harvests were stable over time due to improved growing techniques. Producer longterm prices stayed stable despite their periodic volatility. Overall production area and levels of fresh potato consumption are undergoing a sharp decline. Furthermore, there is a significant relation between total yield and producer prices as dependent variables. In order to compensate for the reduction in consumption, a framework was developed to change the commodity status of fresh potatoes into a differentiated product with new market potential. A consumer and product orientated market segmentation and analysis was applied to the fresh potato market to identify trends and future opportunities. Application of these new differentiated products will help stop the decline of fresh potato consumption by attracting new customers in urban and rural areas. In addition, these new markets are expected to reduce the producer price volatility.     

Serum induced lymphoid cell mediated cytotoxicity to human transitional cell carcinomas of the genitourinary tract

In some serums of patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a factor is present which induces lymphocytes from most donors with or without TCC to become cytotoxic against TCC-derived target cells. The induced cytotoxicity was directed against target cells derived from TCC's of the renal pelvis, ureter, and urinary bladder, but not against cells derived from normal kidney, bladder, testis, or skin or from renal cell carcinoma. Cytotoxicity occurred without complement but did not occur without effector cells.     

The effect of protein status of the pig on the recovery and amino acid composition of endogenous protein in digesta collected from the distal ileum

Barrows with an average initial weight of 55 kg were fitted with simple T-cannulas at the distal ileum. The animals were fed a protein-free diet that consisted of 79.7% cornstarch, 10% sucrose, 3% Alphafloc (a source of cellulose), 3% canola oil and a vitamin-mineral premix. The pigs were fed 700 g of diet twice each day, at 0800 and 2000. A balanced amino acid mixture or a saline solution was administered intravenously while the protein-free diet was fed. Ileal digesta were collected for 24 h following a 7-d adaptation period. The administration of amino acids reduced (P less than .05) the recovery of endogenous protein from 18.5 to 12.7 g per kg dry matter intake. For the amino acids, the reduction was only significant (P less than .05) for proline, from 3.6 to .6 g per kg dry matter intake. If the total endogenous protein losses are assumed to be constant and the differences in the amino acid composition of non-reabsorbed endogenous protein, as observed in this study, are used to calculate true ileal digestibilities, differences in the digestibilities of the indispensable amino acids are large (up to 7.4 percentage units for threonine). The amino acid composition of endogenous protein determined in pigs fed a protein-free diet and parenterally administered with amino acids should provide a better estimate for the calculation of true amino acid digestibilities when based on the determination of true protein digestibility by the 15N-isotope dilution technique.     

采用综合技术措施快速育肥肉兔

Feeding pelteobagrus fulvidraco in cyclic-water tank with six different feeds over aperiod of sixty days.The results are shown as follows1.The frequency of occurrence of the foods on the stomach of pelteodagrus fulvidracocomplete feedI,I,Sliver carp meat＞pond-snail meat,pig meat＞mud-fish meat,complete feed II.Inthe case of the growth,similar changes arenoticed.2.After feeding,the protease and diastase activities of stomach and intestine show asignificant rising(p＜0.05).3.The oxygen consumption rate of pelteobagrus fulvidraco is144mg/h.kg,and increases by 13.8%than before trial,suffocation point is0.309mg/l(p＞0.05).