Regional and local scale variations in soil organic carbon stocks in West Greenland

The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool of the Northern Hemisphere contains about half of the global SOC stored in soils. As the Arctic is exceptionally sensitive to global warming, temperature rise and prolonged summer lead to deeper thawing of permafrost‐affected soils and might contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions progressively. To assess the overall feedback of soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) to global warming in permafrost‐affected regions the spatial variation in SOCS at different environmental scales is of great interest. However, sparse and unequally distributed soil data sets at various scales in such regions result in highly uncertain estimations of SOCS of the Northern Hemisphere and here particularly in Greenland. The objectives of this study are to compare and evaluate three controlling factors for SOCS distribution (vegetation, landscape, aspect) at two different scales (local, regional). The regional scale reflects the different environmental conditions between the two study areas at the coast and the ice margin. On the local scale, characteristics of each controlling factor in form of defined units (vegetation units, landscape units, aspect units) are used to describe the variation in the SOCS over short distances within each study area, where the variation in SOCS is high. On a regional scale, we investigate the variation in SOCS by comparing the same units between the study areas. The results show for both study areas that SOCS are with 8 kg m^?2 in the uppermost 25 cm and 16 kg m^?2 in the first 100 cm of the soil, i.e., 3 to 6 kg m^?2 (37.5%) higher than existing large scale estimations of SOCS in West Greenland. Our approach allows to rank the scale‐dependent importance of the controlling factors within and between the study areas. However, vegetation and aspect better explain variations in SOCS than landscape units. Therefore, we recommend vegetation and aspect for determining the variation in SOCS in West Greenland on both scales.     

Metabolism of the pesticide metabolites 4-nitrophenol and 3,4-dichloroaniline in carrot (Daucus carota) cell suspension cultures

The metabolism of [ 14 C]-4-nitrophenol and [ 14 C]-3,4-dichloroaniline (the xenobiotics are degradation products of parathion and propanil, respectively) was studied in cell suspension cultures of carrot (Daucus carota L.). 4-Nitrophenol was transformed almost quantitatively to water-soluble conjugates with minor amounts of non-extractable residues. The conjugates identified were 1-(O-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-4-nitrobenzene and 1-(6′-O-malonyl-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-4-nitrobenzene. In addition, two unidentified metabolites were observed, possibly a disaccharide and another malonylated glycoside of 4-nitrophenol. Time-course studies demonstrated that 4-nitrophenol was rapidly taken up and conjugated; all metabolites remained associated with the cells rather than nutrient medium. 3,4-Dichloroaniline was transformed quantitatively to water-soluble conjugates and bound residues (3.6%). The water-soluble metabolites were identified as 6′-O-malonyl-N-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,4-dichloroaniline, N-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,4-dichloroaniline and N-malonyl-3,4-dichloroaniline. A time-course study showed that the glucosides were formed initially, then decreased, possibly due to hydrolysis. This decrease was paralleled by an increase of the main metabolite, N-malonyl-3,4-dichloroaniline, which was predominantly recovered from the medium.     

The influence of diet on Lawsonia intracellularis colonization in pigs upon experimental challenge

The objective of this investigation was to study if different feeding strategies influence experimental infections of pigs with Lawsonia intracellularis, the causative agent of proliferative enteropathy. In three sequential trials, a total of 144 weaned pigs were fed five different diets all made from a standard diet based on wheat and barley as carbohydrate source and soybean as protein source. The five diets were: a standard diet (fine ground and pelleted), the standard diet fed as fermented liquid feed, the standard diet added 1.8% formic acid, the standard diet added 2.4% lactic acid and a diet similar to the standard diet (made from the same ingredients), but fed coarse ground. Twenty-four pigs on each diet were orally inoculated with L. intracellularis and growth performance and faecal excretion of bacteria were monitored. Twenty-four pigs fed the standard diet were included as not experimentally infected controls. Pigs in the first two trials were sacrificed 4 weeks post-inoculation, whereas animals in the third trial were sacrificed after 5 weeks. Pigs in all experimentally infected groups excreted L. intracellularis. The fermented liquid diet delayed the excretion of L. intracellularis and furthermore, pigs fed the standard diet supplemented with lactic acid had limited pathological lesions when the intestines were examined 4 weeks after inoculation. The growth performance was reduced in pigs experimentally challenged with L. intracellularis, however the prevalence and severity of diarrhea was limited.     

Investigations of an enteric infection of cockatoos caused by an enterovirus-like agent

An enteric infection in cockatoos associated with a 30 nm diameter enterovirus-like agent seen in faeces and intestinal epithelial cells is described. The disease is characterised by intractable, profuse, mucoid diarrhoea, weight loss, dehydration and death. Lesions in the intestine consist of villous atrophy, villous fusion, enterocyte hyperplasia and, in some cases, chronic inflammation. Affected birds so far examined have concurrent psittacine beak and feather disease.     

Assessment and up-scaling of CO2 exchange by patches of the herbaceous vegetation mosaic in a Portuguese cork oak woodland

Long-term eddy covariance measurements over a montado oak woodland in southern Portugal have documented a vulnerability to predicted decreases in springtime rainfall, since water availability during spring limits annual CO₂ gain, the growth of fodder for animals, and the production of cork by Quercus suber. The current study examined CO₂ exchange of three different herbaceous vegetation components distributed over montado landscapes and within the footprint of long-term landscape eddy covariance monitoring studies. Simultaneous measurements with eddy covariance at two sites and with manually operated chambers at multiple locations revealed that slow drainage of shallow basins, the onset of drying at higher sites and a high release of CO₂ below tree canopies significantly influenced the overall course of montado ecosystem gas exchange during the spring.Hyperbolic light response models were employed to up-scale and compare herbaceous gas exchange with landscape net ecosystem CO₂ flux. The up-scaling demonstrates the importance of the herbaceous understory in determining annual carbon balance of the montado and suggests a relatively small additional CO₂ uptake by the tree canopies and boles, i.e., by the aboveground tree compartment, during springtime. Annual flux totals obtained during the extremely dry year 2005 and a normal precipitation year 2006 for the oak woodland and a nearby grassland were essentially the same, indicating that both ecosystems similarly exploit available resources. Based on comparisons with additional temperate grasslands, we can visualize the montado herbaceous cover as a typical European grassland canopy, but where temperature fluctuations in winter control uptake, and where total production depends on springtime rainfall as it controls phenological events and eventually dieback of the vegetation. On the other hand, tree canopies remain active longer during late spring and early summer, modifying the montado response from that of grassland. Uncertainties in flux estimates via both chamber and eddy covariance methodologies currently prevent a full understanding of vegetation/atmosphere coupling, of the recycling of CO₂ between the understory communities and trees, and of relationships between exchange rates of individual components of the vegetation mosaic and overall carbon and water balances in montado landscapes.     

Contrasting edge and pasture matrix effects on ant diversity from fragmented landscapes across multiple spatial scales

Landscape Ecology - Harmful effects of habitat loss and fragmentation can be detected across multiple spatial scales, yet most studies that aim to characterize these effects take place at a single...     

Malignant meningioma with lung metastases in a Boxer

The rare case of a meningioma with pulmonary metastases in a dog is described. Clinically, the ten-year-old boxer bitch showed generalized seizures, strabismus and deficient proprioception. The post-mortem examination revealed a basically localized meningeal tumor, having the light- and electron-microscopic appearance of a malignant meningotheliomatous meningioma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells did not show any positive reaction with antibodies to GFAP, S-100 protein, NSE, vimentin, cytokeratin, desmin, and von Willebrand factor (factor VIII related antigen). Immunohistochemical examination of seven other canine meningiomas showed an identical pattern. The results and the relevant literature are discussed.     

Scheduled breeding of gilts after estrous synchronization with altrenogest

Fertility of 104 gilts artificially inseminated (AI) at a predetermined time (scheduled AI) after estrous synchronization with altrenogest (15 mg X gilt-1 X d-1 for 18 d) was compared with that of 103 gilts checked for estrus (estrus checked) and inseminated after altrenogest. Scheduled-AI gilts were inseminated once on d 5, 6 and 7 after the last altrenogest feeding (d 0). Estrus-checked gilts were exposed to a boar twice daily at 0830 and 1630 h and inseminated after the second and third estrous detection period following first detected estrus. Percentage of gilts assigned to treatment that farrowed (72.8 vs 67.3%), total pigs farrowed (11 +/- .4 vs 11.3 +/- .4) and pigs born alive (10.1 +/- .4 vs 10.5 +/- .4) were similar for estrus-checked and scheduled-AI gilts, respectively. We conclude that scheduled AI can be used with estrous synchronization for gilts and may have advantages in breeding herd management and the use of AI in swine.     

Vitamin A requirements of alipochromatic ('recessive-white') and coloured canaries (Serinus canaria) during the breeding season

Six pairs of alipochromatic ('recessive-white') canaries (Serinus canaria) and six pairs of coloured canaries were kept through a complete breeding cycle while being fed a diet providing 12,000 iu vitamin A/kg. The eggs of three pairs (one recessive-white and two coloured) were all unfertilised and there were only 23 hatchlings (14 recessive-white and nine coloured), of which 14 (10 recessive-white and four coloured) were alive after the first moult. However, there was no clinical, biochemical or pathological evidence that the recessive-white canaries were suffering from vitamin A deficiency or that the coloured canaries were suffering from vitamin A toxicity, suggesting that the diet met the vitamin A requirements of both groups.     

牛GDF-9基因的克隆与组织表达的分析

为了检测牛GDF-9基因mRNA在怀孕期牛生殖系统的表达情况,为GDF-9基因在雌性动物繁殖上的研究提供一定的理论依据。本试验根据GenBank中报道的牛GDF-9基因序列设计引物,从牛卵巢、输卵管、子宫、肾脏中提取RNA,采用RT-PCR技术进行cDNA扩增,扩增产物与载体pGM-T连接,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,筛选阳性克隆,测序。结果表明,已成功克隆的阳性重组子经测序鉴定其片段大小与预期大小完全一致,为264 bp。序列同源性分析比较表明,该cDNA及其推导的氨基酸序列与绵羊GDF-9cDNA和氨基酸序列同源性分别为97%和94%。以-βactin为内参照物,采用RT-PCR技术进行半定量分析,通过检测比较牛GDF-9基因在卵巢、输卵管、子宫、肾脏组织中mRNA的表达情况。结果表明,牛GDF-9基因在卵巢中表达量最高,在输卵管、子宫、肾脏中均有表达,但表达量不高。