Effect of dietary iodine on growth and iodine status of growing fattening bulls

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of different levels of iodine supplementation on animal growth and the iodine content of food from beef cattle. In a dose–response experiment with 34 growing fattening bulls of the “German Holstein” breed, in the range from 223 to 550 kg body weight, three iodine dosages were tested. The animals were fed a corn silage/concentrate ration. Iodine concentration in the diet amounted to 0.79 (Group 1), 3.52 (Group 2) and 8.31(Group 3) mg I per kg dry matter (DM). After slaughtering, I was determined in blood, serum, plasma, thyroid, liver, kidneys and meat (M. longissimus dorsi, M. glutaeus medius) by ICP-MS. I-supplementation did not significantly influence DM intake, daily weight gain (1453 (1), 1419 (2) and 1343 (3) g; p > 0.05) or slaughtering performance, but the weight of the thyroid gland increased significantly with the highest I dosage (32 (1), 26 (2) and 42 (3) g animal^− 1, p < 0.05). I-supplementation significantly increased I-concentration in muscle, liver, kidney and thyroid gland (p < 0.05). The contribution of beef food to I-intake of humans is relatively low, therefore there is no need to reduce the EU-upper limit (10 mg kg^− 1 feed) for growing fattening cattle from the view of consumer safety. In view of animal health and performance more dose–response studies seem to be necessary.     

Seroprevalence for norovirus genogroups GII and GIV in captive non‐human primates

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a major cause of epidemic gastroenteritis in children and adults. Several pieces of evidence suggest that viruses genetically and antigenically closely related to human NoVs might infect animals, raising public health concerns about potential cross‐species transmission. The natural susceptibility of non‐human primates (NPHs) to human NoV infections has already been reported, but a limited amount of data is currently available. In order to start filling this gap, we screened a total of 86 serum samples of seven different species of NPHs housed at the Zoological Garden (Bioparco) of Rome (Italy), collected between 2001 and 2017, using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on virus‐like particles (VLPs) of human GII.4 and GIV.1 NoVs. Antibodies specific for both genotypes were detected with an overall prevalence of 32.6%. In detail, IgG antibodies against GII.4 NoVs were found in 18 Japanese macaques (29.0%, 18/62), a mandrill (10.0%, 1/10), a white‐crowned mangabey (16.6%, 1/6) and in an orangutan (33.3%, 1/3). Twelve macaques (19.3%, 12/62), five mandrills (50.0%, 5/10), two chimpanzees (100%, 2/2) and a white‐crowned mangabey (16.6%, 1/6) showed antibodies for GIV.1 NoVs. The findings of this study confirm the natural susceptibility of captive NHPs to GII NoV infections. In addition, IgG antibodies against GIV.1 were detected, suggesting that NHPs are exposed to GIV NoVs or to antigenically related NoV strains.     

Atomabsorptionsflammenphotometrische Manganbestimmung in Pflanzenaschen

In 3 Lysimetern (Standort Brandis bei Leipzig) mit Bodenmonolithen (Lys. 5 ‐ Braunerde, Lys. 7 ‐Pseudogley, Lys. 10 ‐ Schwarzerde) wurden im September 1994 vergleichend zu Bodenprofilen der Herkunftsflächen schichtweise bis Im Tiefe Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen von Lumbriciden durchgeführt. Die Anzahl der Regenwürmer stieg mit zunehmendem pH‐Wert und C_org‐Gehalt in der Reihenfolge Lys. 10 > Lys. 7 > Lys. 5. Auf Grund des geringen Probenumfangs können keine flächenbezogenen Aussagen abgeleitet werden. Es wurden überwiegend endogäische Würmer gefunden. Es ließ sich nicht mit Sicherheit feststellen, ob die anözischen Würmer in den Lysimetern leben oder sich nur kurzzeitig dort aufhalten. Durchgängige vertikale Regenwurmgänge, wie sie abschnittsweise in verschiedenen Tiefen an senkrechten Schnitten mit Hilfe der Computertomographie nachgewiesen wurden, würden für einen ständigen Aufenthalt anözischer Arten sprechen. Nur dann sind Schlußfolgerungen zur Tätigkeit der Tiefgräber und deren Einfluß auf Infiltration, Nähr‐ und Schadstofftransport möglich. Vergleichsuntersuchungen an Bodenprofilen der Herkunftsflächen zeigten, daß wohl auf Grund der andersartigen Bewirtschaftung nur eine partielle Übereinstimmung im Regenwurmvorkommen zwischen Lysimetern und Bodenprofilen besteht. Da auch viele Ackerböden einen sehr geringen Regenwurmbesatz aufweisen, scheint eine Übertragung der Lysimeterergebnisse auf das Freiland unter diesem Gesichtspunkt möglich zu sein.     

The morphology–diet relationship and its role in the coexistence of two species of annual fishes

Annual fishes, which inhabit temporary pools with extremely limited habitat complexity and niche availability, display remarkable sexual dimorphism, rapid growth, and enormous investment into reproduction, all traits associated with high energy requirement. This study tests three hypotheses for two syntopic annual fishes (Austrolebias minuano and Cynopoecilus fulgens) found in six wetlands of southern Brazil: (i) considerable morphological differences result in low dietary overlap, (ii) sexual dimorphism in both species leads to intraspecific diet segregation, and (iii) dietary richness increases during ontogenetic development, and is narrower in C. fulgens than A. minuano due to morphological limitations imposed by reduced size. The diet of 82 A. minuano and 211 C. fulgens individuals was analyzed over two annual cycles. The morphology was characterized by 26 measurements covering the entire body of both species. There was no evidence of morphological specialization related to food competition and the diet of A. minuano and C. fulgens showed high overlap. High food availability, high predator abundance, and high connectivity of adjacent wetlands are likely the main mechanisms allowing coexistence of both species. Within species, sexual dimorphism did not result in a decrease in dietary overlap, which reinforces the idea that morphological differences between the sexes did not evolve as a mechanism to decrease food competition. Large A. minuano did not have a more diverse diet than the smaller C. fulgens; however, increase in body size allowed both species to ingest larger prey. Morphological variability in both species was mainly related to ontogenetic development and reproduction.     

保护性农业带来的光明

每一个热心农业工作的人迟早都会对目前耕作的方法提出疑问。耕地的保护已经研究和试验很长时间了，然而，耕地的持续退化和侵蚀却无处不在。约定俗成的传统耕作方式，是耗尽土壤中的有机物质，并造成土壤退化的主要原因。相反，保护性农业，由于省去了种植前的土壤准备工作，给农业带来了光明。     

Forest property rights in the frame of public policies and societal change

Property rights over natural resources became a distinct area of inquiry in environmental economics and policy in the last decades, but their role has not yet been investigated thoroughly. Transition countries represent an excellent material of analysis of various policies and institutional developments concerning the regime of use and management of natural resources. The processes of societal transformation had deep impacts on the forestry sector, entailing land reforms and subsequent changes to its institutional and organisational framework. This paper presents an analysis of the reciprocal relationship between the evolving forest property rights and the conduct of policy and economic actors, in connection with their outcomes. The theoretical framework consists of institutional economics, whose core concept is that patterns of interaction between institutions and actors produce physical outcomes, assessable by criteria such as equity and efficiency. The study concentrated on three distinct periods and the applicable property regimes. Within this framework, the impacts of the characteristics of property regimes and the general framework of socio-economic conditions on the exercise of property rights were analysed. The analysis of the conduct of forest owners in relation to the institutional design was completed by the analysis of the other actors influential for land reforms. Romanian forestry sector, in evolution from the period shortly before World War II to present, represents the case of the study. Research data were collected by interviewing/questioning, participant observation and literature review. They were analysed through an integrated method of content analysis and a matrix analysis. An important conclusion is that not only the regime of forest property is determinant for the outcomes of resource use and management, but also the general settings in which they are embedded. Another essential point is that land reforms driven by either efficiency or equity rationales are not mere diversions of the benefit stream, but complex processes with serious implications for the status of the resource at stake.     

Glückwunsch und Dank!

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Zum Tode von Dr. Walter Bosshard

Ohne Zusammenfassung