Response of five temperate deciduous tree species to water stress

Gas exchange, tissue water relations, and leaf/root dry weight ratios were compared among young, container-grown plants of five temperate-zone, deciduous tree species (Acer negundo L., Betula papyrifera Marsh, Malus baccata Borkh, Robinia pseudoacacia L., and Ulmus parvifolia Jacq.) under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. There was a small decrease (mean reduction of 0.22 MPa across species) in the water potential at which turgor was lost (Psi(tlp)) in response to water stress. The Psi(tlp) for water-stressed plants was -1.18, -1.34, -1.61, -1.70, and -2.12 MPa for B. papyrifera, A. negundo, U. parvifolia, R. pseudoacacia, and M. baccata, respectively. Variation in Psi(tlp) resulted primarily from differences in tissue osmotic potential and not tissue elasticity. Rates of net photosynthesis declined in response to water stress. However, despite differences in Psi(tlp), there were no differences in net photosynthesis among water-stressed plants under the conditions of water stress imposed. In A. negundo and M. baccata, water use efficiency (net photosynthesis/transpiration) increased significantly in response to water stress. Comparisons among water-stressed plants showed that water use efficiency for M. baccata was greater than for B. papyrifera or U. parvifolia. There were no significant differences in water use efficiency among B. papyrifera, U. parvifolia, A. negundo, and R. pseudoacacia. Under water-stressed conditions, leaf/root dry weight ratios (an index of transpiration to absorptive capacity) ranged from 0.77 in R. pseudoacacia to 1.05 in B. papyrifera.     

Armillaria ostoyae associated with dying 60‐year‐old Scots pines in northern Turkey

We investigated an Armillaria root disease centre in a 60‐year‐old, naturally regenerated Pinus sylvestris stand located at 1250 m altitude in Sinop province in northern Turkey. Based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of the rDNA, the mycelial fans sampled from the infected trees were Armillaria ostoyae. Multilocus genotyping indicated that the fans belonged to a single genet, at least 0.2 ha in size. Drought as a predisposing factor is discussed. The study area received 50–70 and 25–50% of the normal precipitation in May, June and August in 2009 and in August and September in 2010, respectively. Moreover, earlier excavation work to prepare a forest road had probably disrupted the water table in the affected stand.     

Theileria parva: the immune status of calves born of dams immunised against East Coast fever

Eight Friesian cross cows three months pregnant to a single Friesian bull were immunised against East Coast fever by infection with Theileria parva (Muguga) sporozoite stabilate and treatment with pyrrolidino-methyl tetracycline. They were challenged with the homologous stock four times before calving and a fifth time after calving, and resisted all five challenges which killed all of the five groups of five susceptible controls. Calves born to these hyperimmunised dams were fully susceptible on challenge with the same stabilate, as were susceptible cows from the same farm and their calves. In both instances the calves died three to seven days earlier than the cows which were approximately 10 times heavier. These results show that one- to two-month-old taurine calves from artificially immunised dams are not protected from experimental T parva sporozoite challenge and that there is no inherent calfhood resistance to East Coast fever.     

Pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen in healthy horses and horses with acute synovitis

The pharmacokinetlc properties of a single intravenous dose of ketoprofen (2.2 mg/kg) in plasma and synovial fluid were compared in four healthy animals and four horses with experimentally induced acute synovitis. Synovitis was induced by the injection of a 1% solution of sterile carrageenan into the left intercarpal joint Ketoprofen was administered at the same time as carrageenan infection. The plasma disposition followed a biexponential equation or a two-compartment model in most horses. The plasma harmonic mean half-life in healthy horses (0.88 h) was longer than in horses with synovitis (0.5 5 h). Synovial fluid concentrations of ketoprofen in healthy horses approximated those in plasma by 3 h post-dose. In horses with synovitis, synovial fluid concentrations approximated plasma concentrations by 1 h. Synovial fluid concentrations of ketoprofen in horses with synovitis were 6.5 times higher than those in healthy horses at 1 h. The area under the synovial fluid concentration curve for horses with synovitis was greater than in healthy horses. These data suggest that the inflamed joint serves as a site of sequestration for ketoprofen. Furthermore, these results indicate that plasma pharmacokinetics may be altered by inflammation in a peripheral compartment such as the joint     

The influence of cyst nematodes and drought on potato growth. 3. Effects on carbon isotope fractionation

A good agreement was found between drought induced water-use efficiencies and carbon isotope fractionation of potato plants of the same age. Discrimination of¹³Carbon isotope increased with plant age and with the rank order of the distinguished plant organs. In young plants, nematode infection (contrary to drought) reduced¹³C discrimination but also reduced the water-use efficiency, leading to the conclusion that nematode infection, by slowing down the plant metabolism may have reduced the extrusion of¹³C. Towards senescence both nematode infection and drought reduced¹³C discrimination and increased water-use efficiencies indicating that then nematode caused water stress in the plants.     

The rate of Salmonella spp. infection in zoo animals at Seoul Grand Park, Korea

Salmonellosis is an important zoonotic disease that affects both people and animals. The incidence of reptile-associated salmonellosis has increased in Western countries due to the increasing popularity of reptiles as pets. In Korea, where reptiles are not popular as pets, many zoos offer programs in which people have contact with animals, including reptiles. So, we determined the rate of Salmonella spp. infection in animals by taking anal swabs from 294 animals at Seoul Grand Park. Salmonella spp. were isolated from 14 of 46 reptiles (30.4%), 1 of 15 birds (6.7%) and 2 of 233 mammals (0.9%). These findings indicate that vigilance is required for determining the presence of zoonotic pathogen infections in zoo animals and contamination of animal facilities to prevent human infection with zoonotic diseases from zoo facilities and animal exhibitions. In addition, prevention of human infection requires proper education about personal hygiene.     

Presence–absence surveys of prey and their use in predicting leopard (Panthera pardus) densities: a case study from Armenia

It is important to predict how many individuals of a predator species can survive in a given area on the basis of prey sufficiency and to compare predictive estimates with actual numbers to understand whether or not key threats are related to prey availability. Rugged terrain and low detection probabilities do not allow for the use of traditional prey count techniques in mountain areas. We used presence–absence occupancy modeling and camera‐trapping to estimate the abundance and densities of prey species and regression analysis to predict leopard (Panthera pardus) densities from estimated prey biomass in the mountains of the Nuvadi area, Meghri Ridge, southern Armenia. The prey densities were 12.94 ± 2.18 individuals km^?2 for the bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus), 6.88 ± 1.56 for the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and 0.44 ± 0.20 for the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). The detection probability of the prey was a strong function of the activity patterns, and was highest in diurnal bezoar goats (0.59 ± 0.09). Based on robust regression, the estimated total ungulate prey biomass (720.37 ± 142.72 kg km^?2) can support a leopard density of 7. 18 ± 3.06 individuals 100 km^?2. The actual leopard density is only 0.34 individuals 100 km^?2 (i.e. one subadult male recorded over the 296.9 km²), estimated from tracking and camera‐trapping. The most plausible explanation for this discrepancy between predicted and actual leopard density is that poaching and disturbance caused by livestock breeding, plant gathering, deforestation and human‐induced wild fires are affecting the leopard population in Armenia.