Improving assessments of marine protected areas

• 1. The use of experimental design and statistical analysis to evaluate the effects of marine protected areas (MPAs) is increasingly popular throughout the world.
• 2. However, in looking at historical approaches to MPA evaluations, flaws were identified in the execution of theoretically correct designs, as well as disconnects between the stated objectives of MPAs and those of assessment studies.
• 3. MPA assessments can be improved by: (1) considering the enforcement/compliance level; (2) linking explicitly the choice of indicator(s) to the MPA objectives; (3) accounting for habitat structure; (4) taking into account the age and size of the MPA; and (5) quantifying the fishing pressure outside the MPA (including possible displacement effects).
• 4. Neglecting social factors, using inappropriate indicators, and/or ignoring relevant covariates, carries the risk of having MPAs dismissed as an effective management tool. Societal expectations are strong that MPAs will confer benefits, and thus assessment studies need to be progressively improved using new methodologies and the best available scientific evidence. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Chemistry,stereochemistry and biological properties of KWG 4168

KWG 4168 (8-tert-butyl-1,4-dioxaspiro[4,5]decan-2-ylmethyl(ethyl)(propyl)amine; proposed common name spiroxamine) is a new fungicide consisting of four biologically active isomers (two diastereomers, four enantiomers). The four isomers were separated by preparative HPLC on a chiral stationary phase. The diastereoisomers were synthesised from the corresponding chirally pure glycerol derivatives and were separated by preparative HPLC. COSY, HSQC and NOESY NMR spectroscopy were used to asign the configuration of the amino residue relative to the cyclohexyl ring. Studies of the activity against wheat powdery mildew, as well as the inhibition of sterol biosynthesis in fungi by the four stereoisomers, indicate the contribution of each isomer to the biological activity of spiroxamine.     

Regionale systemanalysen zu minderungsstrategien gegen diffuse nährstoffeinträge in gewässer im elbetiefland

Für das pleistozäne Elbetiefland und untersetzt für die Beispielsregion “Rhin”; werden hydrologische Systemanalysen zu den dominierenden Abflußkomponenten für diffuse Stoffausträge über den Pfad Versickerung‐Grundwassertransit vorgestellt. Gewässernahe Bereiche mit relativ kurzen Austragsfristen von Wochen und Monaten bis zu 10 Jahren haben einen besonders hohen Anteil an den diffusen Nährstoffeinträgen in Gewässer. Austräge aus gewässerfernen Bereichen mit Austragsfristen von Jahrzehnten bis zu mehreren Jahrhunderten werden während des langen Transits reduziert und haben einen sehr geringen Anteil am Eintragsmix in die Gewässer. Entwässerte Niedermoorgebiete können durch Wiedervernässung in ihrer Senkenfunktion reaktiviert werden. Bei Wasserrückhalt in der Größenordnung der erhöhten Verdunstung der Feuchtflächen gegenüber den entwässerten Flächen lassen sich anteilig auch die gelösten Nährstoffe in der Biomasse, im Torfsubstrat und im Grundwasser zurückhalten. Für das Fallbeispiel Rhin‐Gebiet werden Rückhaltpotenziale ausgewiesen und es werden Schlussfolgerungen für Minderungsstrategien im gesamten Elbetiefland gezogen.     

Immobilization of heavy metals in soils amended by nanoparticulate zeolitic tuff: Sorption‐desorption of cadmium

Immobilization of Cd in contaminated soil is a technique to improve soil quality. Zeolites are potentially useful additives to bind heavy metals. This study examines the influence of decreasing the grain size of raw zeolitic tuff to the nano‐range on Cd sorption‐desorption isotherms in a sandy soil. The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of using nanoparticulate zeolitic tuff as a sequestering agent for Cd in soil. Sorption and desorption of Cd on zeolitic nanotuff was investigated in batch experiments. The sandy soil was amended with zeolitic nanotuff, synthetic Al oxide nanoparticles, or raw zeolitic tuff. After a 48 h sorption step, three desorption steps were induced using the sequential dilution method. The measured sorption‐desorption data were adequately described by the Freundlich equation. A nonlinear two‐stage one‐rate model matched well with measured Cd sorption‐desorption isotherms of zeolitic nanotuff, raw zeolitic tuff, Al oxide nanoparticle, and control soil. The batch experiments demonstrated the strong influence of pH on Cd sorption. Zeta‐potential measurements of zeolitic nanotuff indicated that electrostatic interaction was important for sorption. Soil amended with zeolitic nanotuff showed the lowest hysteresis index based on the differences obtained from sorption‐desorption isotherms regarding the amount of Cd sorbed. The index decreased with increasing metal concentration. For soil amended with nanoparticulate zeolitic tuff, the estimated Freundlich coefficient was 4 orders of magnitude higher than in the control soil and 2 orders of magnitude higher than the soil amended with raw zeolitic tuff. In addition, this sorbent decreased the amount of Cd released after three desorption steps by up to 12 and 7 times compared to the control soil and the soil amended with raw zeolitic tuff, respectively. The effect on Cd sorption of grinding the raw zeolitic tuff to the nanorange was considerably more pronounced than the effect of raw zeolitic tuff.     

Herd-specific strains of Mycoplasma bovis in outbreaks of mycoplasmal mastitis and pneumonia

Mycoplasma bovis causes severe economic losses in livestock production, particularly on the Northern American continent and more recently also in continental Europe. The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether the recently emerging outbreaks were due to a particular clone or strain of M. bovis or whether these outbreaks are due to multiple infectious strains of M. bovis. The study is based on the analysis M. bovis isolated from cattle of herds with outbreaks of mycoplasmal mastitis or pneumonia from geographically non related parts of Switzerland. M. bovis isolates were typed by insertion sequence (IS) element analysis based upon ISMbov1 and ISMbov2 southern-blot hybridization. We observed a strong divergence of M. bovis strains among affected herds which mostly were herd specific. This argues against the assumption that a recent infiltration of a particular clone of M. bovis is the cause of the perilous emerging outbreaks. The study suggests that transmission occurs from animal to animal most probably via milk.     

Application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolite profiling techniques to the analysis of heathland plant diets of sheep

Little is known about how plant biochemistry influences the grazing behavior of animals consuming heterogeneous plant communities. The biochemical profiles of grassland species are mostly restricted to major nutritional characteristics, although recent developments in analytical techniques and data analysis have made possible the detailed analysis of minor components that may influence animal feeding preferences, performance, and health. In the present study, gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) was used to profile the abundances of metabolites in nine specific heathland plant groups and in three mixed forage diets containing 10, 20, or 30% heather (Calluna vulgaris) and also in plasma and feces from sheep offered one of the three diets. Statistical and chemometric approaches, that is, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), were used to discriminate between these diets and between individual animals maintained on these diets. It is shown that GC-TOF/MS analysis of sheep plasma allowed distinction between the very similar diets by PCA and HCA, and, moreover, the plant metabolites responsible for the differences observed have been identified. Furthermore, metabolite markers of herbage mixtures and individual plant groups have been identified, and markers have been detected in sheep plasma and feces.     

The use of Thymi Herba as feed additive (0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%) in weanling piglets with assessment of the shedding of haemolysing E. coli and the detection of thymol in the blood plasma

Thymi Herba (Thymus vulgaris, rubbed) was given as feed additive to weanling piglets. 3 concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%) were tested against a control group. Rectal swabs were collected weekly and were sent in for bacterial testing. The shedding of haemolysing E. coli was evaluated. There was no significant difference in the shedding of haemolysing E. coli between the 4 groups. Neither was there a difference in the distribution of the various serotypes. Thymol was detected in the blood plasma in all thyme groups. The increase in thymol level with greater amounts of thyme herb was significant. Three days after withdrawal of the feed additive no thymol levels were detected. The study results did not reveal any effects on haemolysing E. coli in the gut.     

Mycoplasma felis arthritis in two cats

This report describes the occurrence of non-weightbearing lameness caused by Mycoplasma felis monoarthritis in two, immunocompetent, European, shorthair adult cats with a suspected history of trauma. Clinical signs recurred after conservative treatment. The joints were treated surgically and M felis was identified as the causative agent for the monoarthritis. Medication with 10 mg/kg doxycycline twice daily was initiated according to susceptibility testing. One cat underwent further joint flushing after two weeks; both the cats recovered completely after eight and nine weeks, respectively. The findings suggest that M felis, in addition to being an agent associated with conjunctivitis in cats, is able to act as a pathogen in other tissues and cause arthritis even in immunocompetent cats.     

Identification and quantification of polybrominated hexahydroxanthene derivatives and other halogenated natural products in commercial fish and other marine samples

During routine analysis of commercial fish on halogenated pollutants, an unknown tribromo component (TriBHD) was initially detected as an abundant peak in sample extracts from the Mediterranean Sea. The molecular formula was established to be C16H19Br3O by gas chromatography with electron ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/EI-HRMS). GC/EI-MS data were virtually identical with a polybrominated hexahydroxanthene derivative (PBHD) previously isolated from an Australian sponge species known to occur in the Mediterranean Sea as well. A tetrabromo isomer (TetraBHD) was also found in the fish samples. The concentrations of TriBHD and other halogenated compounds in commercial fish (sea bass, gilt head bream, anchovy, sardine, and salmon) were estimated with GC/electron capture detection (ECD). Using the ECD response of trans-nonachlor, the concentration of TriBHD reached up to 90 ng/g lipid weight and accounted for up to >90% of the concentration of p,p'-DDE, which was the most abundant peak in the most samples investigated. On the basis of the GC/ECD response, TetraBHD amounted for approximately 1/7 of TriBHD in all fish samples investigated. The sample with the highest content was a green-lipped mussel from New Zealand (236 ng/g lipid weight). The halogenated natural products TBA, Q1, and MHC-1 were also present in most of the samples. We assume that the bulk of the residues in fish from aquaculture may originate from algae and sponges living in proximity of the fish farms. Detection of TriBHD and TetraBHD in blubber of a monk seal (Monachus monachus) suggests that both HNPs may reach the top predators of food webs and thus also humans.