Gastric submucosal fat in cats

A previous study showed that a gastric intramural radiolucent band seen on radiographs and a gastric intramural hypoattenuating layer seen on computed tomography were due to the presence of gastric submucosal fat in a cat. There is no known prevalence and distribution pattern of this gastric submucosal fat in cats. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and distribution pattern of submucosal fat in cat stomachs. Histologic examination of 41 cat stomachs was performed after scheduled killing of cats, obtained from animal shelters. The results revealed that submucosal fat was present in all stomachs. However, thickness and distribution pattern of the submucosal fat varied.     

Porewater Monitoring Under Different Layer Systems on a Sloping Surface at a Closed Mine Site

In this study, we investigate the corrosion effects on modern materials at various sheltered and unsheltered locations in the Greater Athens Area (GAA) due to atmospheric pollution, since materials deterioration could emerge severe economic costs in the near future. The preselected materials are weathering steel, copper, bronze, zinc, and aluminum, which are mainly used in modern constructions in the GAA. The method applied in this study leads in the production of corrosion maps for GAA in the period 2000–2009 by using sophisticated geoanalytical methods together with dose–response functions for the selected materials. The corrosion effects are significant for weathering steel, moderate for copper and bronze and weak for zinc and aluminum. Also, a corrosion trend analysis is performed, which can be a very helpful tool for future protection of such materials from atmospheric pollution. The results show increasing corrosion trends for weathering steel and copper in the eastern regions of GAA, probably caused by the recent operation of the Athens International Airport at Spata, while no corrosion trends were observed to the other materials. The method applied in this work provides comprehensive results for the estimation of the impact of atmospheric corrosion on various construction materials.     

Interspecific variation in xylem vulnerability to cavitation among tropical tree and shrub species

In tropical moist forests, seasonal drought limits plant survival, productivity and diversity. Drought-tolerance mechanisms of tropical species should reflect the maximum seasonal water deficits experienced in a particular habitat. We investigated stem xylem vulnerability to cavitation in nine tropical species with different life histories and habitat associations. Stem xylem vulnerability was scored as the xylem water potential causing 50 and 75% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P50 and P75, respectively). Four shade-tolerant shrubs ranged from moderately resistant (P50=-1.9 MPa for Ouratea lucens Kunth. Engl.) to highly resistant to cavitation (P50=-4.1 MPa for Psychotria horizontalis Sw.), with shallow-rooted species being the most resistant. Among the tree species, those characteristic of waterlogged soils, Carapa guianensis Aubl., Prioria copaifera Griseb. and Ficus citrifolia Mill., were the most vulnerable to cavitation (P50=-0.8 to -1.6 MPa). The wet-season, deciduous tree, Cordia alliodora (Ruiz and Pav.) Oken., had resistant xylem (P50=-3.2 MPa), whereas the dry-season, deciduous tree, Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. was among the most vulnerable to cavitation (P50=-0.8 MPa) of the species studied. For eight out of the nine study species, previously reported minimum seasonal leaf water potentials measured in the field during periods of drought correlated with our P50 and P75 values. Rooting depth, deciduousness, soil type and growth habit might also contribute to desiccation tolerance. Our results support the functional dependence of drought tolerance on xylem resistance to cavitation.     

新疆大学农场资源土壤动物调查初报

对新疆大学农场资源土壤动物现状进行了首次调查研究,共获标本2050只,隶属于6门,17纲,26目和56种。根据其经济用途分为食用土壤动物、药用土壤动物、饲料土壤动物、天敌土壤动物、环境指示土壤动物和观赏土壤动物6大类,并论述了资源土壤动物的开发利用和保护措施。     

Herbaceous vegetation response to controlled fire and postfire defoliation in a semiarid rangeland of Argentina

Semiarid rangelands of central Argentina are shaped by fire and grazing. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of controlled fire on aboveground biomass production of (1) herbaceous species as a whole group and (2) herbaceous species subclassified as desirable or undesirable perennial grasses and as herbaceous forbs at the end of two growing seasons after an experimental fire in a semiarid rangeland of central Argentina. The effect of the length of the resting period after fire on aboveground biomass production of desirable perennial grass species was also assessed; treatments consisted in defoliations at the end of the first and second postfire growing seasons, at the beginning and at the end of the second postfire growing season and only at the end of the second postfire growing season. Total biomass production of the burned treatments was higher than that of the control treatment, the difference being attributed to an increase in desirable perennial grass species biomass. This in turn was negatively affected by defoliation at the end of the first postfire growing season, suggesting that the beneficial effect of fire on biomass production might have been overridden by the stress imposed by an early defoliation. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that grazing should be held back for at least a whole year after the fire to achieve the pursued aim of increasing forage production by the use of controlled fire.     

Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) zabensis sp. n. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from freshwater fish in northern Iraq

Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) zabensis sp. n. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) is described from Capoeta damascina (Valenciennes, 1842) (type host) and Capoeta trutta (Heckel, 1843) in the Greater and Lesser Zab Rivers, northern Iraq. The new species is unique among all other species of the genus by its characteristic paired para-vaginal muscular appendage and fragmented giant nuclei in the lemnisci. Eleven of the other 88 valid species of Neoechinorhynchus and N. zabensis have middle and posterior hooks of equal length. However, N. zabensis is distinguished from the others by size of trunk, proboscis, proboscis hooks and lemnisci, number of giant nuclei, position of female gonopore, and geographical and host distribution. It is also distinguished from six other species of Neoechinorhynchus previously reported from Iraq. Other distinguishing features are also included.     

新疆艾比湖流域平原区不同生境中小型土壤动物群落多样性与相似性

2012年4、7、9和11月中旬分别对艾比湖流域平原区的灌木林、盐碱地、草地、胡杨林、枸杞园、防护林及农田7种生境下中小型土壤动物群落多样性进行了取样调查.结果表明:获得中小型土壤动物共18971只,隶属于3门12纲29目(30类).不同生境中小型土壤动物群落多样性指标之间差异显著(p＜0.05),其中:Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H)依次为胡杨林＞草地＞盐碱地＞农田＞枸杞园＞灌木林＞防护林;Margalef(M)丰富度指数依次为防护林＞胡杨林＞枸杞园＞农田＞草地＞灌木林＞盐碱地;Simpson优势度指数(C)依次为防护林＞灌木林＞草地＞农田＞枸杞园＞胡杨林＞盐碱地.不同生境中小型土壤动物群落的Jaccard相似性主要为中等相似(处于0.50 ～0.75).群落欧氏聚类和MDS排序分析结果表现为以灌木林、盐碱地及胡杨林为一组的自然荒漠环境类型、以农田和枸杞园为一组的耕作干扰环境类型、草地环境类型和防护林环境类型.研究结果表明,微环境植被类型、土壤环境条件和人为干扰差异是影响该流域中小型土壤动物群落多样性和相似性变化的主要因素.     

New diseases of ornamental plants in Brunei Darussalam

During a recent survey, 21 new diseases were recorded for the first time on ornamental plants in Brunei Darussalam. These include two new species: a new variety and a new combination. In most cases, the pathogens were isolated from disease specimens, and Koch's postulates for pathogenicity were established.     

准噶尔盆地东南缘绿洲-荒漠交错带土壤螨类的群落多样性与相似性

为了查明准噶尔盆地东南缘绿洲-荒漠交错带土壤螨类群落多样性与相似性特征,于2010年4月、7月、9月和11月中旬对该区的自然林、防护林、耕地、菜瓜地、荒草原、灌木林及荒漠等7种不同生境进行采样调查研究。结果表明,共获得土壤螨类5200只,隶属于4目41科61属。在7种不同生境土壤螨类群落多样性间具有明显的差异(p<0.05),Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H)顺序为灌木林>防护林>自然林>荒草原>耕地>荒漠>菜瓜地,Margalef丰富度指数(M)顺序为自然林>防护林>灌木林>荒草原>耕地>菜瓜地>荒漠。Jaccard群落相似性分析表明,不同生境土壤螨类相似性程度主要为中等不相似(处于0.25～0.50),而在荒漠与自然林、防护林及灌木林之间的相似程度已达到极不相似水平。7种生境土壤螨类聚类和排序分析结果分为林地环境类型、耕作环境类型、荒漠草原环境类型和荒漠环境类型等四大类型。研究结果表明植被类型、土壤湿度和人为干扰是影响土壤螨类群落多样性及其动态变化的主要因素。