Reinvestigation of the proteolytically active components of Bromelia pinguin fruit

Pinguinain is the name given to a proteolytic enzyme preparation obtained from Bromelia pinguin fruits that has been scarcely studied. The present paper deals on the reexamination of the proteases present in fruits of B. pinguin grown in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The preparation (partially purified pinguinain, PPP) showed the main characteristics of the cysteine proteases, i.e., optimum pH within alkaline range (pH 7.2-8.8), inhibition of proteolytic activity by thiol blocking reagents, which is usually reverted by addition of cysteine, a remarkable thermal stability and notable stability at high ionic strength values. Isoelectric focusing and zymogram of PPP revealed the presence of several proteolytic components between pI 4.6 and 8.1. Preliminary peptidase purification by cationic exchange chromatography showed the presence of two main proteolytic fractions with molecular masses of approximately 20.0 kDa, according to SDS-PAGE.     

Signals of summer drought in crown condition data from the German Level I network

Crown transparency estimates of Scots pine, Norway spruce, common beech, pedunculate and sessile oak, annually surveyed between 1990 and 2004 within a grid over Germany, provide a suitable response variable to study drought effects on forest trees. Major climatic factors, available on a monthly basis as plot-specifically interpolated values and parameters of site and stand conditions, biotic and other relevant factors were used as predictors in different cross- and length-sectional, and longitudinal models. Stand age is a considerable and most constant driver of crown transparency in all species. Pine, spruce and beech responded—mainly with a delay of 1 year—with some foliar loss in areas where there was a surplus of temperature after the generally hot and dry summer of 2003. Parallel time-series analyses delivered species-specific geographic large-scale patterns with delayed or recent precipitation deficits or temperature surpluses. Even if beech is partly responding in current years with leaf loss towards precipitation surpluses, defoliation is especially high 1 year after hot summers, partly a result of high seed sets after such summers. Crown condition of oak responds in dry and warm areas according to the drought stress hypothesis, however, in cool and wet mountainous ranges oak responds after wet summers with higher defoliation. Longitudinal approaches revealed for all 4-tree species significant relationships between crown condition and deviations from the long-term means of temperature, precipitation but also global radiation and wind speed. Results do not always match the drought stress hypothesis, however, this is not to expect considering the heterogeneous site, stand and climatic conditions across Germany. Complex interactions of climatic and biotic factors also impede simple relationships. Soil-related clusters reveal higher sensitivity of spruce and beech towards climatic drought factors on more acid soils with thin humus layers. Also clusters constructed from plot-specific courses of defoliation reveal groups with rather closer relationships like a group of pine plots in the Oberpfalz, which seems to be especially sensitive to summer drought.     

European forest accounting: general concepts and Austrian experiences

Within the European Union there exist three different frameworks for forest accounting at the national level. For purposes of the national accounts, the regulations of the European System of Integrated Economic Accounts (ESA) have to be observed. They require a distinction between forestry and logging and provide specific guidelines for the valuation of standing timber. In recognition of the special character of forests and forestry production, two satellite accounts are devoted to forestry: the Economic Accounts for Forestry (EAF) and the European Framework for Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting for Forests (IEEAF). Although they were designed as complementary to the national accounts and refer to the same basic methodologies, the guidelines for forest accounting provided by the three manuals are not fully compatible. Just recently, a further integration and harmonization of the concepts for forest accounting has been proposed. Austria has implemented the valuation of the increment as an output of forestry as requested by ESA and produces the EAF tables on a regular basis. The possibilities for extending forest accounting to natural resource accounts for standing timber and the IEEAF have been investigated in terms of pilot studies. The Austrian experiences and results exemplify the problems and possible solutions associated with the adoption of the different European schemes. Data deficits and valuation issues restrict the significance of respective results to some degree, especially as regards forestry-specific extensions of the accounting schemes.     

Zur Technik der Untersuchung von Erdbeerpflanzen und Chrysanthemenblättern auf Blattälchen (Aphelenchoides fragariae undA. ritzemabosi)

Zusammenfassung Voraussetzung für die Erhaltung der Nematodenpopulation während der Aufbewahrung von Erdbeerproben ist die Erhaltung der Pflanzen selbst. Erdbeerpflanzen bleiben bei lockerer Lagerung in Plastikbeuteln mit einer Folienstärke von 0,03 mm bei Temperaturen von –2 bis +4 °C frisch und wuchskräftig. Es wird oft bei gelagerten Proben ein höherer Befall ermittelt als aus eben gezogenen. Dies ist mit der Unvollkommenheit unserer Untersuchungsmethoden, die nur einen Teil der tatsächlich vorhandenen Nematoden erfassen, zu erklä ren. Bei gelagerten Proben ist der Prozentsatz der gewonnenen Tiere größer als bei frischen Proben. Diese Mehrausbeute kann durch andere Einflüsse verstärkt, vermindert, ganz kompensiert oder sogar ins Gegenteil verschoben werden. Zur vollständigen Klärung der Ursachen der stark schwankenden Veränderungen während der Aufbewahrung der Proben sind noch weitere Versuche nötig.

---

Summary On the isolation of bud and leaf nematodes (Aphelenchoides fragariae andA. ritzemabosi) from strawberry and chrysanthemum. Part III: Influence of storage on the experimental results.In storing strawberry samples for nematodes it is necessary to preserve the host plants themselves. Strawberry plants keep well when stored in plastic bags 0,03 mm. thick at temperatures ranging from –2 to +4 °C. More nematodes are often separated from stored samples than from freshly taken ones. This is due to error in our research methodes, which consider only a portion of the nematodes present. Experiments showed that the amount of nematodes separated was not affected when the samples were stored for a period of one week in an unheated glasshouse in winter, but in a refrigerator at –2 to –1 °C, an increase of 56% was recorded and at 0 to 5 °C, 131–188%. The amount obtained was not notably affected when stored in a room at 14 to 15% but was multiplied several times when kept at about 20 °C. OnlyA. ritzemabosi and small portion ofA. fragariae survived when the samples were kept in a deep freaze at –20 °C. To find out the causes for the large changes which occure during the storage of samples more research is needed.

     

Wachstum und Vermehrung der Erdmans(Microtus agrestis L.) auf Forstkulturen

Growth and reproduction of the Field Vole (Microtus agrestis L.) in forest plantations The growth of the Field Vole was persecuted by means of the capture mark and recapture method in the years 1971–75. Investigations were made about the number of embryoes, the condition of the gonads and the blood glucose content of specimens which were trapped in comparable areas nearby and killed immediately after capture.In each year a peak of number of embryoes, percentage of pregnant females and a short distance between pregnancy was observed in May and June. At this time also males reached a high index weight of the testes and young males with juvenile coat were sexually mature. The growth of the testes began at the end of February and was followed by a rapid increase of body weight in the spring. In the midsummer a fast decline in body weight was observed and the havier males disappeared. At this time the blood glucose content was at a minimum about 25–90 mg./ 100 ml. blood. The highest level over 250mg./100ml. was observed in winter. The high energy requirement for growth and reproduction of the voles in early spring can cause damages in forest plantations. At this time trees with freshly gnawed bark were observed.     

Influence of climate on radial growth of Pinus cembra within the alpine timberline ecotone

Radial growth variability and response to interannual climate variation of Cembran pine (Pinus cembra L.) were studied in the timberline ecotone on Mt. Patscherkofel (2246 m a.s.l.). The study area, which is in the inner alpine dry region of the Central Austrian Alps, is characterized by a continental climate with minimum precipitation in winter (about 150 mm during December-February) and frequent occurrence of warm dry winds (F?hn) in early spring. The hypothesis that spatial and temporal variability of radial growth is caused by site-related differences in sensitivity to winter stress (i.e., desiccation) was examined by applying dendroclimatological techniques. Ordination methods applied to tree ring time series revealed that spatial variability in radial growth is influenced by the local site factors elevation and slope aspect. Growth-climate relationships were explored using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. Radial growth at the timberline was positively correlated with temperature in July and was also strongly correlated with mild temperatures in the previous autumn and high precipitation in winter (January-March). At the tree line, temperatures in the previous autumn and precipitation in late winter (March) also controlled radial growth, whereas July temperature was not significantly correlated with ring width. Because previous autumn temperature and winter precipitation were the main growth-determining factors at the timberline and the tree line, and both of these climate variables are known to influence susceptibility of trees to winter stress, the results support the working hypothesis. Analysis of climatic conditions in extreme growth years confirmed the high sensitivity of tree ring growth to precipitation in late winter (March) at the tree line plots. Furthermore, extent of growth reduction and release varied spatially and temporarily, with south- and west-facing stands showing a higher sensitivity to climate variation in the most recent decade (1990s) than the north-facing stand. This aspect-related change in sensitivity to climate may be associated with effects of climate warming on cambial activity.     

Nebenwirkungen von Toxaphen auf Maüse

Side-effects of Toxaphene of Mice. Albino-mice (swiss) and wild-captured voles and mice were given a high dose of 50 mg toxaphene (M 5055) per kg body weight daily for a period of some weeks or months. Three weasels and one ermine were fed on 300 of these sublethally poisoned mice without showing any negative effect. The following parameters of mice unpoisoned and poisoned with a sublethal dose of toxaphen were examined: mortality, number of litters, resorption rate of embryoes, growth, haematological values, activity of enzymes, amino acids and proteins in serum and urine. In the group of poisoned mice a slight increase of neutrophile blood cells (Tab. 2), a higher level of enzyme activities (SP, GPT, GT; Tab. 3) in serum and a typical change in uric proteins were observed. (Abb. 1).In the field 6 liters of toxaphen (M5055) were sprayed over a forest plantination of 1,5 ha for mouse control. The following development of mice, especially of the Common Vole (Microtus agrestis) was investigated with the capture, mark and recapture (CMR) method. Toxaphene had an influence on the parasitic complex of the vole for a long time. The number of fleas, mites, ticks, blood protozoa, grahemella and haemobartonella of the voles was reduced for more than 6 months in the treated area. This may be one reason for the fast recovery, good growth and increasing number of the voles observed after control with the insecticide toxaphene.

---

---

Die Arbeiten wurden durch Mittel der Gesellschaft für Strahlen- und Umweltforschung (GSF), München-Neuherberg, unterstützt     

Evaluation of the effectiveness of Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium in the biological control of gastrointestinal nematodes in female bovines bred in the semiarid region

Brazil has a herd of 212 million cattle and 171 million hectares of pastures that produce approximately 96 % of Brazilian beef. The Brazilian production system enables animal infection by endoparasites, which are considered one of the main obstacles for the development of this industry and are responsible for considerable economic losses. The control of parasitic diseases is performed via the administration of antiparasitic drugs, but they leave residues of the products in the treated animal, affect non-target organisms and select resistant strains of the parasites. The species D. flagrans and M. thaumasium are promising and sustainable alternatives for controlling gastrointestinal helminths of ruminants and other herbivores. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of isolates of these species, formulated in a sodium alginate matrix and administered twice a week, to reduce the number of environmental infective larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes that affect prepubescent zebu females. The treated animals presented fewer eggs and a lower number of infective larvae per gram of faeces (p?<?0.05). The pastures occupied by treated animals showed a statistically significant reduction (p?<?0.05) of the number of L₃ and, furthermore, the genera Cooperia sp., Haemonchus sp., and Oesophagostomum sp. were the most prevalent. The average weight of the animals did not differ statistically (p?>?0.05) among the treated and control groups. The use of sodium alginate pellets as vehicle for delivery of the fungus mycelia D. flagrans (isolate AC001) and M. thaumasium (isolate NF34A) proved effective in controlling trichostrongylids in prepubescent cows bred in the semi-arid region, with an effective reduction in the number of infective larvae in the pastures.     

Effects of the needle bladder rust (Chrysomyxa rhododendri) on Norway spruce: implications for subalpine forests

Norway spruce trees in the subalpine forests of the European Alps are frequently attacked by the needle rust Chrysomyxa rhododendri. The obligate parasite undergoes a complex life cycle with a host shift between rhododendrons (Rhododendron sp.) and Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karsten] and causes a yellowing and defoliation of the current-year needles in summer. Infected trees show several anatomical, morphological and physiological modifications, including a decrease in pigment content and net photosynthesis of infected needles, lower biomass production and reduced radial and height growth. The consequences are diminished timber yield and cripple growth. Because of repeated heavy infections in recent years, forest managers report increasing difficulties in both natural regeneration and afforestation at high elevation sites, where rhododendrons occur. This review gives a summary of the present knowledge about the effects of C. rhododendri infections on Norway spruce, including so far unpublished findings and with particular attention to the phenomena of resistant trees. Implications for subalpine forests and counter strategies are discussed.