Distribution and establishment of the alien Australian redclaw crayfish,Cherax quadricarinatus,in the Zambezi Basin

1. Crayfish are invasive polytrophic keystone species, which are phylogenetically unique on the African continent. The Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus is invasive in southern African freshwater systems including the Zambezi River Basin. Surveys conducted across the Zambezi Basin (Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia) between 2017 and 2019 showed that C. quadricarinatus is broadly distributed across the Upper and Middle Zambezi and is rapidly spreading through natural and human-mediated means across several ecoregions.
2. The probability of capture (P_capture), catch per unit effort (CPUE) and population characteristics of C. quadricarinatus from the recent Barotse floodplain invasion were compared with older invasions from Lake Kariba and Kafue River.
3. The P_capture and CPUE of C. quadricarinatus in the recently invaded region of the Barotse floodplain were similar to those of the older invasions. Mass and carapace length of C. quadricarinatus from the Barotse floodplain were significantly lower than those of C. quadricarinatus from the older invasions. Sex ratios differed significantly between the three invasive populations. The Barotse floodplain population had a disproportionate investment in females (65.3%) and intersex individuals (8.4%). No crayfish were detected in the Zambezian Headwaters or the Okavango Floodplains ecoregions, but current spread rates are 49 km yr⁻¹ downstream and 12 km yr⁻¹ upstream.
4. Investment in population management and the prevention of spread will have high conservation value across the invaded regions in order to restrict crayfish ecological impacts via direct predation and competition. In areas where crayfish are in high abundance, existing fisheries are affected through damage to nets, leading to increased net abandonment and ghost gear pollution in invaded regions.
5. The emphasis should be on developing cohesive transboundary biosecurity policies in southern Africa to limit further spread that will threaten the integrity of freshwater ecosystems. However, long-term monitoring is needed to gauge invasion risk to sensitive areas such as the Okavango Floodplains ecoregion and determine field-based ecological impacts.

     

Landscape services: the concept and its practical relevance

Recently, in addition to the popular concept of “ecosystem services” (ES), the term “landscape services” (LS) has come into use. We are examining the question of whether a stronger focus on LS would be useful, particularly with regard to case studies carried out in Germany. Important reasons for introducing the term LS include the prominent role of spatial aspects, the reference to landscape elements and the landscape character, and the relevance of LS for landscape planning. We found no strong arguments for replacing the concept of ES by LS; however, we do prefer a situation-related use of both concepts. We propose the following definition: Landscape services are the contributions of landscapes and landscape elements to human well-being.     

Carbon flow into microbial and fungal biomass as a basis for the belowground food web of agroecosystems

The origin and quantity of plant inputs to soil are primary factors controlling the size and structure of the soil microbial community. The present study aimed to elucidate and quantify the carbon (C) flow from both root and shoot litter residues into soil organic, extractable, microbial and fungal C pools. Using the shift in C stable isotope values associated with replacing C3 by C4 plants we followed root- vs. shoot litter-derived C resources into different soil C pools. We established the following treatments: Corn Maize (CM), Fodder Maize (FM), Wheat + maize Litter (WL) and Wheat (W) as reference. The Corn Maize treatment provided root- as well as shoot litter-derived C (without corn cobs) whereas Fodder Maize (FM) provided only root-derived C (aboveground shoot material was removed). Maize shoot litter was applied on the Wheat + maize Litter (WL) plots to trace the incorporation of C4 litter C into soil microorganisms. Soil samples were taken three times per year (summer, autumn, winter) over two growing seasons. Maize-derived C signal was detectable after three to six months in the following pools: soil organic C (C_org), extractable organic C (EOC), microbial biomass (C_mic) and fungal biomass (ergosterol). In spite of the lower amounts of root- than of shoot litter-derived C inputs, similar amounts were incorporated into each of the C pools in the FM and WL treatments, indicating greater importance of the root- than shoot litter-derived resources for the soil microorganisms as a basis for the belowground food web. In the CM plots twice as much maize-derived C was incorporated into the pools. After two years, maize-derived C in the CM treatment contributed 14.1, 24.7, 46.6 and 76.2% to C_org, EOC, C_mic and ergosterol pools, respectively. Fungi incorporated maize-derived C to a greater extent than did total soil microbial biomass.     

Inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication by drug-induced depletion of nucleocapsids

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of liver disease. Only interferon-alpha and the nucleosidic inhibitors of the viral polymerase, 3TC and adefovir, are approved for therapy. However, these therapies are limited by the side effects of interferon and the substantial resistance of the virus to nucleosidic inhibitors. Potent new antiviral compounds suitable for monotherapy or combination therapy are highly desired. We describe non-nucleosidic inhibitors of HBV nucleocapsid maturation that possess in vitro and in vivo antiviral activity. These inhibitors have potential for future therapeutic regimens to combat chronic HBV infection.     

A PINOID-dependent binary switch in apical-basal PIN polar targeting directs auxin efflux

Polar transport-dependent local accumulation of auxin provides positional cues for multiple plant patterning processes. This directional auxin flow depends on the polar subcellular localization of the PIN auxin efflux regulators. Overexpression of the PINOID protein kinase induces a basal-to-apical shift in PIN localization, resulting in the loss of auxin gradients and strong defects in embryo and seedling roots. Conversely, pid loss of function induces an apical-to-basal shift in PIN1 polar targeting at the inflorescence apex, accompanied by defective organogenesis. Our results show that a PINOID-dependent binary switch controls PIN polarity and mediates changes in auxin flow to create local gradients for patterning processes.