An overview of forest loss and restoration in the Brazilian Amazon

New Forests - Forest restoration is a strategy to reverse forest loss and degradation. We overviewed deforestation in the period 1975–2018 in the Brazilian Amazon and the projects,...     

Applications of Trichoderma formulations in crop protection

The choice of active Trichoderma strains is important in designing effective and safe biocontrol applications. Many species of Trichoderma have multiple strategies for fungal antagonism and indirect effects on plant health, such as growth promotion, systemic resistance induction and fertility improvements. Some strains are powerful antibiotic producers, and their suitability for use in biocontrol systems must be carefully assessed. However, many other active strains have no antibiotic cap…     

Temporal changes in the spatial pattern of leaf traits in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus robur</Emphasis> population

Background  

Plant resources in natural ecosystems are frequently spatially structured at a scale relevant to individuals. This spatial structure can be variable in time, and can even vary within a single growing season. Several leaf traits may show spatial structure at the same scale as light or soil resources. However, whether this spatial structure stays constant from one growing season to the next is still unknown.     

Abundances of 30 elements in lunar rocks, soil, and core samples

Abundances of 30 elements in seven lunar rocks and soil were determined by instrumental and radiochemical activation analysis. Seven major and minor elements in chips from 27 rocks were determined by instrumental activation analysis. Abundances of ten bulk elements overlap for the breccia rocks and soil samples. All lunar rare earth elements distribution patterns resemble those found in terrestrial abyssal subalkaline basalt, but with Eu depleted by about 60 percent in all lunar samples compared to the adjacent rare earth elements. Precipitation of plagioclase and hypersthene achondritic-like minerals from a melt could account for Eu depletion and the observed distribution of rare earth elements. Abundances of Ti, Al, Ca, Na, and Mn determined by instrumental activation analysis in five core-tube soil samples indicate uniformity for Al and Mn and apparent differences (10 to 20 percent) for Ti, Ca, and Na at 7.8 and 10.5 centimeters as compared to 0to5.2 centimeter depths.     

In vitro steroid metabolism during final oocyte maturation in white croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Sciaenidae)

The main steroids produced by three stages ovarian fragments (post-vitellogenic PV, oocytes in GV migration phase Mtg and mature oocytes M) of white croaker were compared. In Mtg and M stages 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20βP), 17,21-dihydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione (17,21P) and 17,20β,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20β-S) were synthesised. The specific synthesis of 20βS in Mtg oocytes suggests a MIS role for this steroid.     

Impacting Librarianship and Veterinary Medicine: History of the Veterinary Medical Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association from 1974 to 2014

This article discusses the Veterinary Medical Libraries Section (VMLS) of the Medical Library Association (MLA), its impacts on both librarianship and veterinary medicine during its 40-year history, how it achieved those impacts, relationships, selected projects, and organizational changes through the years. A listing of publications about veterinary librarianship and VMLS products is available on the VMLS website (Veterinary Medical Libraries Section, 2014).     

Serotypes,phage types and virulence genes of shiga-producing Escherichia coli isolated from sheep in Spain

PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), have emerged as food poisoning pathogens which can cause severe diseases in humans. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determinate the serotypes and virulence genes of STEC strains isolated from sheep in Spain, with the purpose of determining whether sheep represent a potential source of STEC pathogenic for humans. METHODS AND APPROACH: Faecal swabs obtained from 697 healthy lambs on 35 flocks in Spain during the years 2000 and 2001 were examined for STEC using phenotypic (Vero cells) and genotypic (PCR) methods. RESULTS: STEC O157:H7 strains were isolated from seven (1%) animals in six flocks, whereas non-O157 STEC strains were isolated from 246 (35%) lambs in 33 flocks. A total of 253 ovine STEC strains were identified in this study. PCR showed that 110 (43%) strains carried stx(1) genes, 10 (4%) possessed stx(2) genes and 133 (53%) both stx(1) and stx(2). Enterohaemolysin (ehxA) and intimin (eae) virulence genes were detected in 120 (47%) and in 9 (4%) of the STEC strains. STEC strains belonged to 22 O serogroups and 44 O:H serotypes. However, 70% were of one of these six serogroups (O6, O91, O117, O128, O146, O166) and 71% belonged to only nine serotypes (O6:H10, O76:H19, O91:H-, O117:H-, O128:H-, O128:H2, O146:H21, O157:H7, O166:H28). A total of 10 new O:H serotypes not previously reported in STEC strains were found in this study. Seven strains of serotype O157:H7 possessed intimin type gamma1, and two strains of serotype O156:H- had the new intimin zeta. STEC O157:H7 strains were phage types 54 (four strains), 34 (two strains) and 14 (one strain). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that healthy sheep are a major reservoir of STEC pathogenic for humans. However, because the eae gene is present only in a very small proportion of ovine non-O157 STEC, most ovine strains may be less pathogenic.     

Long-term photosynthetic acclimation to increased atmospheric CO(2) concentration in young birch (Betula pendula) trees

To study the long-term response of photosynthesis to elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentration in silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), 18 trees were grown in the field in open-top chambers supplied with 350 or 700 &mgr;mol mol(-1) CO(2) for four consecutive growing seasons. Maximum photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance and CO(2) response curves were measured over the fourth growing season with a portable photosynthesis system. The photosynthesis model developed by Farquhar et al. (1980) was fitted to the CO(2) response curves. Chlorophyll, soluble proteins, total nonstructural carbohydrates, nitrogen and Rubisco activity were determined monthly. Elevated CO(2) concentration stimulated photosynthesis by 33% on average over the fourth growing season. However, comparison of maximum photosynthetic rates at the same CO(2) concentration (350 or 700 &mgr;mol mol(-1)) revealed that the photosynthetic capacity of trees grown in an elevated CO(2) concentration was reduced. Analysis of the response curves showed that acclimation to elevated CO(2) concentration involved decreases in carboxylation efficiency and RuBP regeneration capacity. No clear evidence for a redistribution of nitrogen within the leaf was observed. Down-regulation of photosynthesis increased as the growing season progressed and appeared to be related to the source-sink balance of the trees. Analysis of the main leaf components revealed that the reduction in photosynthetic capacity was accompanied by an accumulation of starch in leaves (100%), which was probably responsible for the reduction in Rubisco activity (27%) and to a lesser extent for reductions in other photosynthetic components: chlorophyll (10%), soluble protein (9%), and N concentrations (12%) expressed on an area basis. Despite a 21% reduction in stomatal conductance in response to the elevated CO(2) treatment, stomatal limitation was significantly less in the elevated, than in the ambient, CO(2) treatment. Thus, after four growing seasons exposed to an elevated CO(2) concentration in the field, the trees maintained increased photosynthetic rates, although their photosynthetic capacity was reduced compared with trees grown in ambient CO(2).     

Management of Austrian Black Pine on Marly Lands for Sustainable Protection Against Erosion (Southern Alps, France)

The old afforestations of Austrian black pine dating from more than a century ago on marly substrates in the French Southern Alps play a protective role against erosion and torrential floods. However, these forests have now reached maturity and it is necessary to consider their renewal within the framework of minimal management to ensure sustainable protection against erosion. We first present methods for determining and mapping priority areas for forestry actions on different spatial scales, after which we define various forestry application rules.