Anwendbarkeit geophysikalischer Prospektionsmethoden zur Bestimmung von Bodenverdichtungen und Substratheterogenitäten landwirtschaftlich genutzter Flächen

Applicability of geophysical prospecting methods for mapping of soil compaction and variability of soil texture on farm land The increasing degree of mechanization in agriculture has resulted in the use of more powerful and heavier tractors and machines. Consequently, mechanical burden to soils has increased, too, which can lead to persistent subsoil compaction at depths below 30 cm. In soils damaged by compaction soil functions like transportation of water and air decrease. Because of that, conditions for plant growth are getting worse and the soils' natural regulation functions could be impaired. In order to take counteractive measures, it is necessary to get information about the status of soil compaction. Up to now, the status of soil compaction can only be determined at single points in laboratory measurements or with less accuracy in field measurements. Therefore, the demand for an efficient planar‐mapping system arises. The applicability of different geophysical prospecting methods with regard to this problem has been examined. For this purpose, geophysical and soil measurements were performed in a field with conventional agricultural land use in Schleswig‐Holstein (Germany) on a young moraine site. We applied GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) with main frequencies 500 MHz and 900 MHz, supplemented by inductive electromagnetic technique (EM) using the Ground Conductivity Meter EM38 and high‐resolution refraction seismic using compressional and shear waves. Differences in soil type were found by all these geophysical methods and confirmed by soil measurements, therefore, locations with higher risk for compaction (loamy soils) could be distinguished from locations with lower risk (sandy soils). Under humid conditions, radar data showed strong reflections at a depth of approx. 30 cm. During summer, under dry conditions, these reflections did not occur. This temporal variation of radar reflections can be explained by variable water layers inside the soil, which can be regarded as an indicator for compacted soil. The seismic investigation was performed along short (12 m) profiles with dense (20 cm) sensor spacing. Excellent data quality showed that this sort of measurement, known from engineering geophysics, is also feasible for soil investigations. We performed both compressional‐ (P‐) and shear‐(SH‐) wave refraction studies. Differences in soil type of subsoil affected especially seismic velocities of P‐waves. Whether or not areas of compacted soil can be detected is still unknown, because deeper soil horizons of our test area showed only uniformly strong compaction with little contrasts.     

Carbon turnover and sequestration potential of fodder radish cover crop

We studied fodder radish carbon turnover as affected by soil tillage in Foulum, Denmark. Actively growing fodder radish monoliths from direct‐drilled (DD) and conventionally tilled (CT) plots were extracted and labelled regularly with ¹⁴C isotope across their entire growth period. At the end of the fodder radish growth cycle, labelled biomass was harvested and incorporated into the same monolith. These monoliths were destructively sampled at biomass incorporation, 4, 8 and 18 months after incorporation. For each sampling period, soil and root samples were taken at 0‐ to 10‐, 10‐ to 25‐, and 25‐ to 45‐cm‐depth increments for determination of ¹⁴C distribution and retention. Carbon‐14 declined significantly with increasing soil depth at each sampling for the two tillage practices (P < 0.05). We further observed significantly higher ¹⁴C at 0–10 cm for DD than for CT at 4 and 8 months after biomass incorporation. For the 10–25 cm depth, ¹⁴C was significantly higher for CT than for DD, 4 and 8 months after incorporation. However, despite these depth‐specific differences, cumulative (0–45 cm soil depth) ¹⁴C retention was similar for DD and CT treatments for all the sampling periods. On the basis of a CN‐SIM model forecast, we estimated that over a 30‐yr period of continuous autumn fodder radish establishment, at least 4.9 t C/ha fodder radish C with a residence time of more than 20 yr could be stored in the soil.     

Movement of pendimethalin,ioxynil and soil particles to field drainage tiles

Knowledge of the movement of herbicides and soil particles to sub-surface tile drainage may help to predict chemical leaching to surface waters and deeper groundwater systems. The movement of pendimethalin (2 years), ioxynil (1 year) and soil particles (3 years) to two tile drains was investigated on a sandy loam soil under natural weather conditions. Herbicide and particle concentrations in the drain water showed a very dynamic pattern. The largest herbicide concentrations were detected during the first tile drain flow events after application. Very little herbicide was lost with drain water later than 2 months after application. The turbidity, reflecting concentrations of soil particles, correlated positively and strongly with the pendimethalin concentration and negatively with the rate of drain water discharge, whereas it was uncorrelated with the ioxynil concentration. Peak turbidity values occurred during or shortly after rainfall events, either in break of frost situations, or on unfrozen soil coinciding with the occurrence of peak moisture contents in the topsoil well (3-7%) above field capacity. On average, 0.0013% of the applied pendimethalin and 0.0015% of the applied ioxynil were lost with drain water. The results suggest that preferential flow promotes the movement of all three substances to the tile drains but indicate somewhat different transport mechanisms for the two herbicides.     

Movement of suspended matter and a bromide tracer to field drains in tilled and untilled soil

Abstract. Drainage water was sampled intensively during a four-year field experiment on a sandy loam soil subjected to four unreplicated tillage treatments: (1) harrowing with a springtine harrow, drilling; (2) direct drilling; (3) ploughing with light subsurface compaction, one pass with a PTO-driven rotary harrow, drilling; (4) ploughing, one pass with a springtine harrow, drilling. In all years, the losses of suspended matter with drainage water (0.1–4.3 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) were smaller by a factor of 1.9 or more from direct drilled plots than from plots subjected to the other tillage treatments, strongly suggesting that tillage increased the losses. Annual bromide losses were governed by the amount of drainage water rather than by the tillage treatments. However, after one drainage season, more bromide was left in the soil at 0–100 cm depth with ploughless tillage than with ploughing, thus indicating more bypass flow without ploughing. The study demonstrated very changeable patterns of suspended matter and bromide concentrations in drainage water sampled from large field plots, and questions the representativeness of drainage water samples for water reaching the subsoil or shallow groundwater.     

Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Danish horses

Background

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are able to infect horses. However, the extend to which Danish horses are infected and seroconvert due to these two bacteria is unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum in Danish horses.

Methods

A total of 390 blood samples collected from all major regions of Denmark and with a geographical distribution corresponding to the density of the Danish horse population were analyzed. All samples were examined for the presence of antibodies against B. burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum by the use of the SNAP^®4DX ^® ELISA test.

Results

Overall, 29.0% of the horses were seropositive for B. burgdorferi sensu lato whereas 22.3% were seropositive for A. phagocytophilum.

Conclusions

Antibodies against B burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum are commonly found among Danish horses thus showing that Danish horses are frequently infected by these organisms.     

Effects of different step‐wise temperature increment regimes during egg incubation of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) on egg viability and newly hatched larval quality

We carried out an experiment to determine how rapidly the early incubation temperature of Atlantic cod eggs can be increased without affecting normal embryonic development and hatching. Atlantic cod eggs were incubated at a constant low temperature (4.5 ± 0.5°C; T5 – control) and four temperature increment treatments where the temperatures were increased stepwise from 4.5°C at zygote stage to 9.5 ± 05°C (T1‐8 h, T2‐32 h, T3‐64 h and T4‐96 h). Embryonic cell symmetry, embryonic mortality, hatching success and larval skeletal abnormalities, length and yolk sac volume were recorded. Larval samples were also taken at hatch for histological analysis. Except for higher egg mortality and lower hatching success in the T1, the differences among experimental groups were minor. Cell asymmetries and embryo mortalities were not significantly different between the control and T2–T4 treatment groups. Control larvae were significantly longer and had smaller yolk reserves at hatch than T1–T4 larvae and larvae from T2 had the largest yolk reserves. Tissue and organ histology of hatched larvae were similar. Considering embryonic cleavage pattern, hatching success and larval morphology and histology, a gradual increment of temperature in 32 h seems to be the better choice for future developmental programming studies in Atlantic cod.     

Prevalence of the AMHR2 mutation in Miniature Schnauzers and genetic investigation of a Belgian Malinois with persistent Müllerian duct syndrome

Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a sex‐limited disorder in which males develop portions of the female reproductive tract. Important consequences of PMDS are cryptorchidism and its sequelae of infertility and increased risk of testicular cancer. Anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and its receptor (AMHR2) induce the regression of the Müllerian ducts in male embryos. In Miniature Schnauzer dogs, the genetic basis has been identified as an autosomal recessive nonsense mutation in AMHR2, but the allele frequency of the mutation is unknown. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of the AMHR2 mutation in North American Miniature Schnauzers, in order to ascertain the value of genetic testing in this breed. An additional objective was to determine whether mutations in AMH or AMHR2 were responsible for PMDS in a Belgian Malinois; this would aid development of a genetic test for the Belgian Malinois breed. Genomic DNA from 216 Miniature Schnauzers (including one known PMDS case) was genotyped for the AMHR2 mutation, and DNA from a single PMDS‐affected Belgian Malinois was sequenced for all coding exons of AMH and AMHR2. The Miniature Schnauzer cohort had an AMHR2 mutation allele frequency of 0.16 and a carrier genotypic frequency of 0.27. The genetic basis for PMDS in the Belgian Malinois was not determined, as no coding or splicing mutations were identified in either AMH or AMHR2. These findings support a benefit to AMHR2 mutation testing Miniature Schnauzers used for breeding or with cryptorchidism.     

The effect of concurrent infections with Pasteurella multocida and Ascaridia galli on free range chickens

Pasteurella multocida and Ascaridia galli are observed with high prevalences in free range chickens in Denmark, but the impact is unknown. A study was carried out to examine the interaction between A. galli and P. multocida in chickens and the impact on production.Five groups, each with 20 18-week-old Lohmann Brown chickens were infected. Group 1 was orally infected with 1000+/-50 embryonated A. galli eggs. Group 2 received 10(4) cfu P. multocida intratracheally. Group 3 was infected with A. galli and subsequently with P. multocida. Group 4 was infected with P. multocida followed by A. galli. Group 5 was the control. The study ran for 11 weeks where clinical manifestations, weight gain and egg production were recorded. Excretion of P. multocida was determined on individual basis and blood smears were made for differential counts. At the end of the study pathological lesions and the number of adult worms, larvae and eggs in the faeces were recorded.The birds were more severely affected when infected with both pathogens compared to single infections with A. galli or P. multocida, respectively. A lower weight gain and egg production was observed with dual infections. A. galli infection followed by a secondary P. multocida infection resulted in more birds with pathological lesions and continued P. multocida excretion.In conclusion a negative interaction between A. galli and P. multocida was observed and it is postulated that free range chickens are at higher risk of being subjected to outbreaks of fowl cholera when they are infected with A. galli.     

What Do We Know About Risk Factors for Infection in Humans with Toxoplasma gondii and How Can We Prevent Infections?

Fourteen case–control studies evaluating the importance of different risk factors for infection of humans with Toxoplasma gondii were identified. Surprisingly, up to two‐thirds of infections could not be explained by risk factors such as consuming raw or undercooked meat or poor kitchen hygiene. Few studies reported population attributable risk, and when reported, it was low. Protocols including questionnaires used for collecting data, age and socio‐economic groups studied, and sample sizes varied among studies. There is a need for carefully planned, case–control studies to identify sources of infection with T. gondii in humans. New risk factors, such as the manufacture of organic meat, and possible ways to sterilize meat to inactivate T. gondii tissue cysts are discussed.     

Grain yield and crop N offtake in response to residual fertilizer N in long‐term field experiments

Organic inputs [e.g. animal manure (AM) and plant residues] contribute directly to the soil organic N pool, whereas mineral N fertilizer contributes indirectly by increasing the return of the crop residues and by microbial immobilization. To evaluate the residual effect of N treatments established in four long‐term (>35 yr) field experiments, we measured the response of barley (grain yield and N offtake at crop maturity) to six rates (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg N/ha) of mineral fertilizer N (N_new) applied in subplots replacing the customary long‐term plot treatments of fertilizer inputs (N_prev). Rates of N_prev above 50–100 kg N/ha had no consistent effect on the soil N content, but this was up to 20% greater than that in unfertilized treatments. Long‐term unfertilized plots should not be used as control to test the residual value of N in modern agriculture with large production potentials. Although the effect of mineral N_prev on grain yield and N offtake could be substituted by N_new within a range of previous inputs, the value of N_prev was not eliminated irrespective of N_new rate. Provided a sufficient supply of plant nutrients other than N, the use‐efficiency of N_new did not change significantly with previous mineral N fertilizer rate. The residual effect of mineral N fertilizer was negligible compared with the residual effect of N from AM and catch crop residues.