Ecosystem C and N dynamics affected by a modified spring barley trait with increased nitrogen use - a simulation case study

To what extent might a crop with increased plant N uptake efficiency and/or N demand increase plant biomass and soil carbon storage, decrease N leaching, and reduce the need for N fertilisation? This was assessed for a fertilised sandy loam site in central Sweden cultivated with spring barley for a four year period using a process based crop and soil simulation model (SOILN) calibrated to fit observations of field experiments with non-modified crops. Crop properties were changed in accordance with previous model applications to other crops with higher N uptake and utilisation efficiencies, to resemble potential effects of breeding. For the modified crops a doubling of daily uptake efficiency of soil mineral N and/or increase of radiation use efficiency by 30%, increased plant biomass by 3%–30%, decreased N leaching by 1%–30% and increased soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 1–12?g?C?m^?2 year^?1. The larger changes were mainly due to increased uptake efficiency. Fertilisation of the modified spring barley crop could be reduced while still producing the same plant biomass as the non-modified crop. The plant biomass to N leaching ratio of the modified crops increased. The simulated changes in plant biomass and SOC were sensitive to weather conditions suggesting that in situ experiments would need to cover a large range of weather conditions to evaluate the performance of new crop traits under climatic variability. The study suggests a strong need that field experiments are accompanied with model applications, when exploring the potential of the modified crops under variable conditions.     

Organic carbon stocks in topsoil and subsoil in long-term ley and cereal monoculture rotations

Soil organic C (SOC) in agricultural soils is affected by cropping system. In order to compare the impact of ley-dominated and cereal monoculture rotations on soil properties, a series of experiments was started in Sweden in the early 1980s. This study quantified the effect of rotations and N fertilisation on SOC stocks and microbial community composition. After 35 years, soil samples taken down to 50-cm depth at two sites with contrasting soil texture (clay and loam) were analysed for soil C and N, bulk density and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) content. Significant increases in SOC concentrations and stocks were found in the ley-dominated rotation compared with the cereal monoculture rotation, the difference being 0.36 and 0.59 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 in the topsoil (0–20 cm) for sites with the clay and loam texture, respectively, in average over N fertiliser levels. Nitrogen fertilisation increased SOC stocks significantly in the cereal monoculture, but not in the ley-dominated rotation. In the loam, SOC responses in the subsoil were almost as high as those in the topsoil, but they were insignificant in the clay soil. These results indicate that soil texture and structure can have a great impact on the potential of subsoils to sequester C, which requires attention when scaling up SOC sequestration rates for regional or global assessments.     

The efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in pharmacoresistant epileptic dogs

Twenty-two dogs with idiopathic epilepsy which were pharmacoresistant to phenobarbitone and bromide were treated with levetiracetam as an add-on medication. Records of eight dogs were used retrospectively to determine a safe, efficient levetiracetam dosage. Fourteen dogs were entered into a prospective, open label, non-comparative study. After 2 months of levetiracetam oral treatment (10 mg/kg TID), 8/14 dogs responded significantly to the treatment and seizure frequency was reduced by 50%. In dogs that remained refractory, the dosage was increased to 20 mg/kg TID for 2 months. One further dog responded to levetiracetam treatment. Levetiracetam responders had a significant decrease in seizure frequency of 77% (7.9+/-5.2 to 1.8+/-1.7 seizures/month) and a decrease in seizure days per month of 68% (3.8+/-1.7 to 1.2+/-1.1 seizure days/month). However, 6/9 responders experienced an increase in seizure frequency and seizure days after 4-8 months continuing with the levetiracetam treatment at the last effective dosage. Levetiracetam was well tolerated by all dogs and sedation was the only side-effect reported in just one of the 14 dogs.