Modern forestry vehicles and their impacts on soil physical properties

“Close-to-nature forest stands” are one central key in the project “Future oriented Forest Management” financially supported by the German Ministry for Science and Research (BMBF). The determination of ecological as well as economical consequences of mechanized harvesting procedures during the transformation from pure spruce stands to close-to-nature mixed forest stands is one part of the “Southern Black Forest research cooperation”. Mechanical operations of several typical forest harvesting vehicles were analysed to examine the actual soil stresses and displacements in soil profiles and to reveal the changes in soil physical properties of the forest soils. Soil compaction stresses were determined by Stress State Transducer (SST) and displacement transducer system (DTS) at two depths: 20 and 40 cm. Complete harvesting and trunk logging processes accomplished during brief 9-min operations were observed at time resolutions of 20 readings per second. Maximum vertical stresses for all experiments always exceeded 200 kPa and at soil depths of 20 cm for some vehicles and sequences of harvesting operations approached ≥500 kPa. To evaluate the impacts of soil stresses on soil structure, internal soil strengths were determined by measuring precompression stresses. Precompression stress values of forest soils at the field sites ranged from 20 to 50 kPa at soil depths of 20 cm depth and from 25 to 60 kPa at soil depths of 40 cm, at a pore water pressure of −60 hPa. Data obtained for these measured soil stresses and their natural bearing capacities proved that sustainable wheeling is impossible, irrespective of the vehicle type and the working process. Re-occurring top and subsoil compaction, increases in precompression stress values in the various soil horizons, deep rut depths, vertical and horizontal soil displacements associated with shearing stresses, all affected the mechanical strengths of forest soils. In order to sustain naturally “unwheeled” soil areas with minimal compaction, it is recommended that smaller machines, having less mass, be used to complete forest harvesting in order to prevent or at least to maintain currently minimal-compacted forest soils. Additionally, if larger machines are required, permanent wheel and skid tracks must be established with the goal of their maximum usefulness for future forest operations. A first step towards accomplishing these permanent pathways requires comprehensive planning with the Federal State Baden-Württemberg. The new guideline for final opening with skid tracks (Landesforstverwaltung Baden-Württemberg, 2003) proposes a permanent skid track system with a width of 20–40 m.     

Water parameters affect anaesthesia induced by eugenol in silver catfish,Rhamdia quelen

The present study investigated the effects of water pH (5.0, 7.0 and 9.0), hardness (0, 20 and 120 mg CaCO₃ L^?1) and temperature (15, 23 and 30 °C) on the induction of sedation and anaesthesia, and subsequent recovery, of silver catfish exposed to eugenol. Moreover, the blood gas tensions (PvO₂ and PvCO₂) and blood pH in silver catfish acclimated to these temperatures were investigated after exposure to eugenol. Water pH, hardness, temperature and fish size affect the efficacy of eugenol in silver catfish, particularly at the lower concentrations tested (20 and 30 mg L^?1). Sedation of this species can be induced at concentrations as low as 20 mg L^?1, but for anaesthesia, a concentration of at least 40 mg L^?1 of eugenol must be used to compensate for the influence of fish size and water quality. Blood gas tension and pH were affected by eugenol anaesthesia, but only in fish acclimated to 30 °C.     

Multiple striate keratotomy: a treatment for corneal erosions caused by epithelial basement membrane disease

Objective To study the efficacy of multiple striate keratotomy for the treatment of persistent corneal erosions suspected to be caused by primary corneal epithelial basement membrane disease.
Design A retrospective study.
Animals 16 dogs, three cats and one Australian dingo.
Procedure A technique called multiple striate keratotomy was used to treat twenty animals suffering from persistent corneal erosions.
Results All persistent corneal erosions healed with only one treatment. Most cases healed within 2 weeks. One case developed a second erosion in the same eye but in a different position to the original erosion.
Conclusions Multiple striate keratotomy is a safe, effective and well tolerated technique for the treatment of persistent corneal erosions thought to be caused by corneal epithelial basement membrane disease.     

Excitation Gap in the Normal State of Underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta

Angle-resolved photoemission experiments reveal evidence of an energy gap in the normal state excitation spectrum of the cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta. This gap exists only in underdoped samples and closes around the doping level at which the superconducting transition temperature Tc is a maximum. The momentum dependence and magnitude of the gap closely resemble those of the dx2-y2 gap observed in the superconducting state. This observation is consistent with results from several other experimental techniques, which also indicate the presence of a gap in the normal state. Some possible theoretical explanations for this effect are reviewed.     

Diversity, distribution and management of yam landraces (Dioscorea spp.) in Southern Ethiopia

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is widely grown in many parts of Ethiopia and plays a vital role in local subsistence. Nevertheless, its diversity has not been studied in detail. A survey covering 339 farm households and eight districts was conducted in the major yam growing regions of Southern Ethiopia to investigate the diversity and distribution of yam landraces using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 37 named landraces were recorded, with a range from one to six (mean 2.9) on individual farms. Farmers’ decisions regarding the number and type of landraces maintained was influenced by tolerance of the landraces to drought, their maturity time and market demand. Most landraces had limited abundance and distribution, and only a few dominant landraces were widely grown. There was also variation amongst districts with respect to diversity, distribution and abundance of the landraces found. In the majority of the localities surveyed, farmers reported a decreasing trend in the number of landraces maintained on individual farms and in the overall yam production. Besides, in those limited areas where yam production is expanding, farmers are increasingly relying on a few selected landraces that mature early. Findings of this study suggest that local farmers in Wolayita and Gamo-Gofa zones maintain considerable yam diversity that remains to be further explored for sustainable utilization and conservation of the available genetic resources.     

Geographic Pattern of Genetic Diversity Among 43 Ethiopian Mustard(Brassica carinata A. Braun) Accessions as Revealed by RAPD Analysis

As an oilseed crop, the cultivation of Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) is restricted only to Ethiopia. Even though geographic diversity is a potent source of allelic diversity, the extent of genetic diversity among germplasm material of Ethiopian mustard from different countries has not been assessed. Forty-three accessions, comprising 29 accessions from eight different geographic regions of Ethiopia and 14 exotic accessions from Australia, Pakistan, Spain, and Zambia were analysed for their genetic diversity using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. A set of 50 primers yielded a total of 275 polymorphic bands allowing an unequivocal separation of every Ethiopian mustard accession. The usefulness of the 50 RAPD primers in measuring heterozygousity and distinguishing accessions was variable such that polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.05 to 0.40, band informativeness (BI) from 0.05 to 0.65 and primer resolving power (RP) from 0.15 to 6.83. Jaccard's similarity coefficients ranged from 0.44 to 0.87 indicating the presence of a high level of genetic diversity. On the average, Australian and Ethiopian accessions were the most similar while, Spanish and Zambian accessions were the most distant ones. Cluster analysis grouped the 43 accessions into four groups, which has quite a high fit (r = 0.80) to the original similarity matrix. With no prior molecular information, the RAPD technique detected large genetic diversity among the 43 accessions from five different countries and their grouping by dendrogram and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) was inclined towards geographic differentiation of RAPD markers. Conversely, RAPD differentiation along geographic origin was not apparent within the Ethiopian accessions.     

Long-term dynamics of leaf and root decomposition and nitrogen release in a grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) stands

The decomposition of the leaf litter, fine roots (d?<?2?mm) and coarser roots (2?≤?d?<?5?mm) of grey alder and silver birch, as well as of α-cellulose sheets using the litterbag method was studied in two experimental stands on Podzoluvisol soils in Southern Estonia. For both tree species, the coarser roots decomposed faster than the fine roots, (p?<?.05), tree species did not affect the decomposition rate of the roots (p?>?.5). The nitrogen (N) input to soil from aboveground litter was multiple times higher than the N flux from roots. The remaining relative ash-free mass of the leaves of grey alder and silver birch after three and a half years was similar. After 11 years the remaining relative ash-free mass of the fine and coarser roots of grey alder still accounted for around 10% of the initial value. For silver birch the remaining value was around 20% after 9 years. The litterbag method to underestimates in fertile soils the decomposition of organic matter and thus did not reflect the actual dynamics of decomposition.     

Repetitive Applications of the Biocontrol Agent Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal and Effects on Populations of Phytophthora parasitica in Citrus Orchards

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal was applied repetitively during the irrigation season in two citrus orchards over 3 years. In a mature (50-yearold) commercial citrus orchard covering 2.02 ha, weekly applications of Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal with an in-field fermentor resulted in soil populations that fluctuated between 2.83 log CFU + 1 per g of soil and 4.35 log CFU + 1 per g of soil. Resulting rhizosphere populations of Phytophthora parasitica were significantly reduced in 1999 but not 1997 or 1998. In a newly planted citrus orchard, yearly applications of Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal at the beginning of the irrigation season resulted in high soil populations of Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal that declined rapidly and never reduced the rhizosphere populations of Phytophthora parasitica. When Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal was applied weekly, soil populations increased throughout the 1997 and 1998 irrigation seasons, reaching a maximum in 1998 and remained high throughout the 1999 irrigation season. Rhizosphere populations of Phytophthora parasitica were significantly reduced in 1998. Yearly applications of the fungicide metalaxyl and the nematicide phenamiphos reduced rhizosphere populations of Phytophthora parasitica in 1997 but not in 1998 or 1999. Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal was uniformly distributed throughout the soil profile to a depth of 75 cm in both yearly and weekly applications. When applied through low-volume minisprinklers, Pseudomonas putida 06909-rif/nal was found in aerosols up to 3 m away.