Description of a new procedure to estimate the carbon stocks of all forest pools and impact assessment of methodological choices on the estimates

Forest ecosystems play a major role in atmospheric carbon sequestration and emission. Comparable organic carbon stock estimates at temporal and spatial scales for all forest pools are needed for scientific investigations and political purposes. Therefore, we developed a new carbon stock (CS) estimation procedure that combines forest inventory and soil and litter geodatabases at a regional scale (southern Belgium). This procedure can be implemented in other regions and countries on condition that available external carbon soil and litter data can be linked to forest inventory plots. The presented procedure includes a specific CS estimation method for each of the following forest pools and subpools (in brackets): living biomass (aboveground and belowground), deadwood (dead trees and snags, coarse woody debris and stumps), litter, and soil. The total CS of the forest was estimated at 86 Tg (185 Mg ha^?1). Soil up to 0.2 m depth, living biomass, litter, and deadwood CSs account, respectively, for 48, 47, 4, and 1 % of the total CS. The analysis of the CS variation within the pools across ecoregions and forest types revealed in particular that: (1) the living biomass CS of broadleaved forests exceeds that of coniferous forests, (2) the soil and litter CSs of coniferous forest exceed those of broadleaved forests, and (3) beech stands come at the top in carbon stocking capacity. Because our estimates differ sometimes significantly from the previous studies, we compared different methods and their impacts on the estimates. We demonstrated that estimates may vary highly, from ?16 to +12 %, depending on the selected methods. Methodological choices are thus essential especially for estimating CO₂ fluxes by the stock change approach. The sources of error and the accuracy of the estimates were discussed extensively.     

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Abnormal Behaviors in Chilean Racehorses: A Direct Observational Study

Stereotypies are considered a cause and symptom of impaired welfare, and have been associated with suboptimal husbandry systems. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of stereotypic and other abnormal behaviors in Chilean thoroughbreds by direct observation, and examine their associations with biological characteristics and management practices. Seven hundred forty-three racehorses were observed directly, every 5 minutes during 1 hour before and after feeding, to identify behavioral disorders. A questionnaire was administered to handlers to obtain information about the animal and husbandry practices.     

Prostatic abscess in a neutered cat

A 6-year-old, male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, and constipation. Physical examination revealed an elevated body temperature and an extramural colonic mass. Abdominal ultrasonography demonstrated a hypoechoic mass measuring 2.2 cm in maximum dimension immediately caudal to the bladder. Cytological evaluation of a fine-needle aspirate confirmed the mass was a prostatic abscess. Abdominal celiotomy and prostatic omentalization were successful in resolving clinical abnormalities. Feline prostatic abscessation is a rare condition that has not been previously reported and may have a good outcome if treated early and appropriately.     

Ultrasonographic findings in 2 cows with duodenal obstruction

Two cases where clinical findings suggestive of proximal ileus resulting in hypokalemic and hypochloremic alkalosis are presented. Ultrasonographs showed distension of the sigmoid flexure along the ventral border of the liver and between the serosal lamellae of the greater omentum in the flank, allowing exact preoperative obstruction localization.     

Pharmacokinetics and physiologic/behavioral effects of buprenorphine administered sublingually and intravenously to neonatal foals

Buprenorphine is absorbed following sublingual administration, which would be a low‐stress delivery route in foals. However, the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics are not described in foals. Six healthy foals <21 days of age participated in a blinded, randomized, 3‐period, 5‐sequence, 3‐treatment crossover prospective study. Foals received 0.01–0.02 mg/kg buprenorphine administered SL or IV with an equivalent volume of saline administered by the opposite route. Blood was collected from the cephalic vein for pharmacokinetic analysis. Physiologic parameters (HR, RR, body temperature, GI sounds), locomotion (pedometer), and behavioral data (activity level, nursing time, response to humans) were recorded. Plasma concentration of buprenorphine exceeded a presumed analgesic level (0.6 ng/ml) in five foals in the IV group and one in the SL group but only for a very brief time. Pharmacokinetic analysis following IV administration demonstrated a short elimination half‐life (t_1/2β 1.95 ± 0.7 hr), large volume of distribution (6.46 ± 1.54 L/kg), and a high total clearance (55.83 ± 23.75 ml/kg/min), which differs from adult horses. Following SL administration, maximum concentrations reached were 0.61 ± 0.11 ng/ml and bioavailability was 25.1% ± 10.9%. In both groups, there were minor statistical differences in HR, RR, body temperature, locomotion, and time spent nursing. However, these differences were clinically insignificant in this single dose study, and excitement, sedation, or colic did not occur.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of a hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in a cat.

A hepatic mass was identified in a 5-year-old, female mixed-breed cat that died spontaneously after a clinical history of progressive emaciation, ptyalism, and persistent coryza. At necropsy, a 7-cm-diameter, yellow-brown, firm, multilobulated tumor was identified in the liver. Microscopically, the mass consisted of neoplastic cells arranged in small, closely packed nests within a thin fibrovascular stroma. These cells were of medium sized and polygonal, with fine argyrophilic cytoplasmic granules. Nuclei were predominantly round with finely stippled chromatin and indistinct nucleoli. Mitotic figures were numerous. Immunohistochemically, most of the neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and weakly labeled for synaptophysin. The tumor was negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and cytokeratins 5, 6, 8, and 17. Vascular emboli and intrahepatic micrometastasis were also identified with chromogranin A. All these features were consistent with a hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma and emphasized the importance of using a panel of antibodies to diagnose such rare tumors.     

Soundscapes reveal disturbance impacts: biophonic response to wildfire in the Sonoran Desert Sky Islands

Context

While remote sensing imagery is effective for quantifying land cover changes across large areas, its utility for directly assessing the response of animals to disturbance is limited. Soundscapes approaches—the recording and analysis of sounds in a landscape—could address this shortcoming.

Objectives

In 2011, a massive wildfire named “the Horseshoe 2 Burn” occurred in the Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona, USA. We evaluated the impact of this wildfire on acoustic activity of animal communities.

Methods

In 2013, soundscape recordings were collected over 9 months in 12 burned and 12 non-burned sites in four ecological systems. The seasonal and diel biological acoustic activity were described using the “Bioacoustic Index”, a detailed aural analysis of sound sources, and a new tool called “Sonic Timelapse Builder” (STLB).

Results

Seasonal biophony phenology showed a diurnal peak in June and a nocturnal peak in October in all ecological systems. On June mornings, acoustic activity was lower at burned than at non-burned sites in three of four ecological systems, due to a decreased abundance of cicadas directly impacted by the death of trees. Aural analyses revealed that 55% of recordings from non-burned sites contained insect sounds compared to 18% from burned sites. On October nights, orthopteran activity was more prevalent at some burned sites, possibly due to post-fire emergence of herbaceous.

Conclusions

Soundscape approaches can help address long-term conservation issues involving the responses of animal communities to wildfire. Acoustic methods can serve as a valuable complement to remote sensing for disturbance-based landscape management.

     

Guava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium guajava L</Emphasis>. cv. Red Suprema) Crude Extract Protect Human Dermal Fibroblasts against Cytotoxic Damage Mediated by Oxidative Stress

We analyzed guava fruits (Psidium guajava L. cv. Red Suprema) from Cuba to determine their chemical composition, total antioxidant capacity, as well as their protective effect against oxidative damage using an in vitro model of human dermal fibroblasts. The guava fruit is a natural source of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, vitamin C, folates and beta carotenes with proven health benefits. Human dermal fibroblasts were pre-incubated with different concentrations of guava crude extract and then subjected to oxidative stress using the AAPH stressor. The number of apoptotic and dead cells, as well as the markers of oxidative damage such as lipid and protein oxidation significantly decreased when cells were pre-incubated with guava crude extract and then exposed to the stressor. The activity of antioxidant enzymes also improved when cells were pre-incubated with guava crude extract in comparison to cells subjected to stress without prior pre-incubation with the guava extract. The results obtained in this study highlight the health benefits of guava regarding oxidative stress, proving it to be an important source of bioactive compounds associated with important biological properties.