The 10 Australian ecosystems most vulnerable to tipping points

We identify the 10 major terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Australia most vulnerable to tipping points, in which modest environmental changes can cause disproportionately large changes in ecosystem properties. To accomplish this we independently surveyed the coauthors of this paper to produce a list of candidate ecosystems, and then refined this list during a 2-day workshop. The list includes (1) elevationally restricted mountain ecosystems, (2) tropical savannas, (3) coastal floodplains and wetlands, (4) coral reefs, (5) drier rainforests, (6) wetlands and floodplains in the Murray-Darling Basin, (7) the Mediterranean ecosystems of southwestern Australia, (8) offshore islands, (9) temperate eucalypt forests, and (10) salt marshes and mangroves. Some of these ecosystems are vulnerable to widespread phase-changes that could fundamentally alter ecosystem properties such as habitat structure, species composition, fire regimes, or carbon storage. Others appear susceptible to major changes across only part of their geographic range, whereas yet others are susceptible to a large-scale decline of key biotic components, such as small mammals or stream-dwelling amphibians. For each ecosystem we consider the intrinsic features and external drivers that render it susceptible to tipping points, and identify subtypes of the ecosystem that we deem to be especially vulnerable.     

The radiative signature of upper tropospheric moistening

Climate models predict that the concentration of water vapor in the upper troposphere could double by the end of the century as a result of increases in greenhouse gases. Such moistening plays a key role in amplifying the rate at which the climate warms in response to anthropogenic activities, but has been difficult to detect because of deficiencies in conventional observing systems. We use satellite measurements to highlight a distinct radiative signature of upper tropospheric moistening over the period 1982 to 2004. The observed moistening is accurately captured by climate model simulations and lends further credence to model projections of future global warming.     

Einfluss der langzeitlagerung und einer kontrollierten Stossbeschädigung mit anschliessender kurzzeitlagerung auf den gehalt an phenolischen Säuren in Knollen verschiedener kartoffelsorten

Zusammenfassung Phenolische Verbindungen, wie die Chlorogens?ure, sind an Verf?rbungsreaktionen der Kartoffelknollen beteiligt. Der Gehalt an Chlorogens?ure in den geprüften Sorten schwankt weitgehend sortenabh?ngig nach der Ernte im Bereich von 800–1450 mg/kg in der Trockensubstanz und nimmt bei einigen Sorten w?hrend einer viermonatigen Lagerung bei 4°C etwas ab. Eine Nachlagerungsphase von sieben Tagen bei 20°C führt nicht zu einer wesentlichen Ver?nderung des Chlorogens?uregehaltes. Werden die Knollen vor dieser Kurzzeitlagerung besch?digt, wie beim kalten Sortieren, f?llt zun?chst der Gehalt an Chlorogens?ure ab und steigt dann innerhalb von sieben Tagen auf—bei fast allen Sorten—h?here Werten als die Vergleichsproben an.     

Improvement of biogas production from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB)

Oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB), a waste lignocellulosic material, which is the main byproduct of vegetable oil production industries in Indonesia and Malaysia, was utilized as a source for biogas production. Pretreatments using NaOH as well as phosphoric acid were investigated to improve the biogas production. Clear positive effects of the pretreatments on the yield of methane were observed. The best improvement was achieved when 8% NaOH for 60 min was used for the pretreatment, which resulted in 100% improvement in the yield of methane production. In addition, treatment with phosphoric acid resulted in 40% improvement in the methane yield compared with that of the untreated material. The results showed that the carbohydrate content of OPEFB could be efficiently converted to methane under the anaerobic digestion process. 97% of the theoretical value of methane production was achieved after the pretreatment with NaOH for 60 min. Moreover, the initial rate of methane production was also increased by more than 85% after the treatment with NaOH compared with that of the untreated OPEFB.     

Euphresco Sendo: An international laboratory comparison study of molecular tests for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synchytrium endobioticum</Emphasis> detection and identification

An international test performance study (TPS) was organised to generate validation data for three molecular Synchytrium endobioticum tests: van den Boogert et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology 113, 47–57, 2005), and van Gent-Pelzer et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 126, 129-133, 2010) for the detection of S. endobioticum, and the pathotype 1(D1) identification test described by Bonants et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 143, 495-506, 2015). Two TPS rounds were organised focussing on different test matrices, i.e. round 1: warted potato tissue, and round 2: resting spore suspensions. When using the tests for detection and identification of S. endobioticum in warted potato tissue, no significant differences were observed for diagnostic sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, overall accuracy, analytical sensitivity and robustness. When using the tests for detection and identification of S. endobioticum in resting spore suspensions, the van den Boogert and van Gent-Pelzer tests significantly outperform the Bonants test for diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity. For overall accuracy and analytical sensitivity, the van Gent-Pelzer significantly outperforms the van den Boogert and Bonants tests and is regarded as the test of choice when identifying S. endobioticum from resting spores. Tests regarded fit for purpose for routine testing of wart material and resting spore suspensions are proposed for the update of EPPO standard PM7/28(1) Synchytrium endobioticum.     

Prevalence and control of bovine cryptosporidiosis in German dairy herds

In a 5-year survey regarding its prevalence and importance in five German state veterinary laboratories Cryptosporidium was diagnosed annually in 19-36% of faecal samples either submitted to the laboratories or taken post mortem. In approximately half of the cases no other enteropathogens were detected. However, only 73% of 30 laboratories participating in a questionnaire survey routinely tested for this parasite, and the majority of researchers considered cryptosporidiosis to be of minor importance. In a placebo-controlled field study 152 suckling calves were treated daily against cryptosporidiosis either with sulfadimidine or with halofuginone (Halocur, Intervet) over 1 week. Treatment by oral drench started at the onset of diarrhoea in the herd. Oocyst excretion, faecal consistency and health status were recorded five times for a 3-week period. Oocyst excretion peaked 7-14 days in the placebo group after the onset of diarrhoea, and during that period prevalence and intensity of excretion were significantly lower in the halofuginone-treated group compared to the sulfadimidine and the placebo control groups. The health status (diarrhoea, dehydration) declined in all groups but was significantly (P<0.05-0.001) better in the halofuginone group in the first 2 weeks. Halofuginone effectively (P<0.05-0.001) reduced oocyst excretion and improved the health status of the treated animals, while sulfadimidine had no effect against Cryptosporidium.     

Characteristics of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plasmopara angustiterminalis</Emphasis> isolate from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthium strumarium</Emphasis>

Leaves of Xanthium strumarium infected with downy mildew were collected in the vicinity of a sunflower field in southern Hungary in 2003. Based on phenotypic characteristics of sporangiophores, sporangia and oospores as well as host preference the pathogen was classified as Plasmopara angustiterminalis. Additional phenotypic characters were investigated such as the size of sporangia, the number of zoospores per sporangium and the time-course of their release. Infection studies revealed infectivity of the P. angustiterminalis isolate to both X. strumarium and Helianthus annuus. Inoculation of the sunflower inbred line, HA-335 with resistance to all known P. halstedii pathotypes, resulted in profuse sporulation on cotyledons and formation of oospores in the bases of hypocotyls. Infections of sunflower differential lines often led to damping-off. Molecular genetic analysis using simple sequence repeat primers and nuclear rDNA sequences revealed clear differences to Plasmopara halstedii, the downy mildew pathogen of sunflower.