Retention-tree groups in clear-cuts: Do they constitute ‘life-boats’ for spiders and carabids?

Green-tree retention aims at maintaining biodiversity while harvesting timber, but knowledge of its efficiency is still limited. Green-tree retention may function as a ‘life-boat’ for organisms, maintain structural features, or create stepping-stones in the harvested landscape. The aim of this study is to determine whether larger retention-tree groups established in clear-cuts maintain forest species better than smaller ones. We posed hypotheses for different habitat affinity groups of spiders and carabids, and tested them in Eastern Finland with 11 retention-tree groups, 0.09–0.55 ha in size (47–385 trees per tree group). Although some of the analysed species responded as expected, we did not find unambiguous support for the hypotheses that (1) species requiring forest and/or (medium-) moist habitat should be more abundant in larger retention-tree groups, (2) species requiring (semi-) open and/or (medium-) dry habitat should be more common in smaller retention-tree groups, and (3) species indifferent with respect to light intensity and moisture should be caught in equal numbers in all retention-tree groups irrespective of their size. However, the mean numbers of individuals of many forest species and/or species requiring (medium-) moist habitat decreased over the 3 years after logging in all retention-tree groups, whereas the mean numbers of many species of (semi-) open and/or (medium-) dry habitat increased over the 3 years after logging. Furthermore, species composition changed from the pre-treatment year for spiders. We conclude that green-tree retention is justified because (1) retention-tree groups tend to maintain some forest species, thereby mitigating the effects of clear-cutting, at least in the short term, (2) they provide dead wood, large old trees, and other structural features, and (3) there are gaps in our ecological knowledge that warrant the adoption of the precautionary principle. However, as there are economic costs associated with the establishment of retention-tree groups, their ecological benefits as compared to other approaches aimed at maintaining biodiversity should be assessed carefully.     

Activity of Hypericum brasiliense and Hypericum cordatum on the central nervous system in rodents

Hydroalcoholic extracts from species Hypericum brasiliense Choisy (HB) and Hypericum cordatum (Vell. Conc.) N. Robson (HC), were evaluated on the central nervous system (CNS) in some pharmacological tests. Signs of toxicity were observed for both species during the initial screening when high doses of up to 100 mg/kg (i.p.) and 1000 mg/kg (oral) were utilized. HC presented greater toxicity, with LD(50) of 269 mg/kg, as compared to HB (537 mg/kg). Alterations in sleeping time and in motor coordination were not observed both for HB and for HC. On the other hand, both species showed signs of general depressant action on the CNS, verified by decreased motor activity. Furthermore, animals treated with HB presented an increase in response time to thermal stimulus with doses of 50 mg/kg (i.p.) and 500 mg/kg (oral) suggesting possible analgesic action. Both HB and HC were tested in animal models to verify antidepressant action (forced swimming and hypothermy induced by apomorphine). In these tests, neither of the plants inhibited hypothermy, nor did they reduce immobility time in forced swimming.     

Habitat preferences and distribution of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus Berk.) in the city of Salzburg (Austria): implications for an urban rat management

The population of Rattus norvegicus was assessed using live traps and hair sampling tubes in 71 discrete patches distributed in the urban area of the city of Salzburg, Austria. R. norvegicus occurred in 35% of the examined habitats and reached a maximum density of 113.12 individuals/km along water banks. The occurrence of rats was strongly influenced by vegetation, habitat modification and man-made impact in the area. The results of this study could be used to support the development of a new, more scientifically based rat management plan in cooperation with the city of Salzburg.     

New constituents of sweet Capsicum annuum L. fruits and evaluation of their biological activity

Four new acyclic diterpene glycosides named capsianosides (1-4), together with 12 known compounds, were isolated from the fresh sweet pepper fruits of Capsicum annuum L., a plant used as a vegetable food, spice, and external medicine. The chemical structures of new natural compounds, as well as their absolute configurations, were established by means of spectroscopic data including infrared, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance and by chemical derivatization. The known capsidiol (11) showed bacteriostatic properties in vitro against Helicobacter pylori with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 200 microg/mL when compared with the commercial drug metronidazole (MIC, 250 microg/mL). Some purified components were also tested for their antioxidant activities.     

Simultaneously mitigating near-term climate change and improving human health and food security

Tropospheric ozone and black carbon (BC) contribute to both degraded air quality and global warming. We considered ~400 emission control measures to reduce these pollutants by using current technology and experience. We identified 14 measures targeting methane and BC emissions that reduce projected global mean warming ~0.5°C by 2050. This strategy avoids 0.7 to 4.7 million annual premature deaths from outdoor air pollution and increases annual crop yields by 30 to 135 million metric tons due to ozone reductions in 2030 and beyond. Benefits of methane emissions reductions are valued at $700 to $5000 per metric ton, which is well above typical marginal abatement costs (less than $250). The selected controls target different sources and influence climate on shorter time scales than those of carbon dioxide-reduction measures. Implementing both substantially reduces the risks of crossing the 2°C threshold.     

Narrow sense heritability estimates of bacterial leaf spot resistance in pseudo F2 (F1) population of mulberry (Morus spp.)

Bacterial leaf spot incited by Xanthomonas campestris pv. mori is a devastating foliar disease of mulberry reported globally. Host plant resistance is the most sustainable and economic control measure but so far unexplored. Highly heterozygous plant behaviour and scant genetic information of bacterial leaf spot resistance limits a targetted breeding approach in mulberry. In the present research eight pseudo-F₂(F₁)full-sib progenies derived from selected resistant and susceptible sources were evaluated symptomatically for bacterial leaf spot resistance under natural disease occurrence in 2008 and 2009. Significant variation for bacterial leaf spot resistance was observed in the parents and progenies. Broad sense heritability estimate (0.9) indicates that selection of resistant genotypes can be useful for exploitation in future advanced breeding programs for mulberry. High narrow sense heritability estimates (0.76)[2008] and (0.79)[2009] suggest additive gene effects for the disease resistant trait. The continuous frequency distribution of diseases severity across the progenies indicates that bacterial leaf spot resistance in mulberry may be inherited quantitatively.     

Action of the fungicide tridemorph on the glucose,lactate and succinate dehydrogenase activities of some tridemorph-sensitive and -resistant bacteria

The systemic morpholine fungicide tridemorph, which is known to exert its antifungal action through inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis, can also inhibit the growth of organisms which are incapable of sterol biosynthesis. It was found to inhibit strongly glucose and lactate dehydrogenase activities in cultures of four Gram( +) bacteria, Rhodococcus sp. AK 1, Bacillus cereus Frankland & Frankland, Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn, Nocardia asteroides and a Gram(?) bacterium, Rhizobium leguminosarum. Growth of these bacteria was inhibited by tridemorph at concentrations between 7 and 60 mg litre^?1. In contrast, similar dehydrogenase activities in other Gram(?) organisms, Escherichia coli Cast. & Chalm. and Azotobacter vinelandii, which showed no growth inhibition at 200 mg litre ^?1 tridemorph, were either not inhibited or inhibited only slightly. Similarly, succinate dehydrogenase activity in Rhodococcus sp. AK 1 was more strongly inhibited by tridemorph than that in E. coli. In cell-free extracts of Rhodococcus sp. AK1 and E. coli, lactate dehydrogenase activity was also inhibited by tridemorph to a much greater extent in the sensitive strain (63%) than in the resistant ones (8%).     

Type 2 heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-II)-producing Escherichia coli isolated from ostriches with diarrhea

The culture supernatant of Escherichia coli, isolated from ostriches with diarrhea in Brazil, caused elongation in Vero cell, rounding in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and a cytoplasmic vacuolation in ostrich embryo fibroblasts (OEF), but it was not cytotoxic for chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). These effects were not neutralized by antiserum to cholera toxin. Polymerase chain reaction assays showed that the ostrich E. coli contained the gene encoding (eltII-A), but not those for type 1 heat-labile enterotoxin (eltA), heat-stable enterotoxins (estA, estB), verocytotoxins (stx-I, stx-II), or cytotoxic necrotizing factors (cnf 1, cnf 2). All isolates belonged to serotype O15:H8. The enteropathogenic relevance of LT-II in ostrich diarrhea remains undetermined.     

Evidence for cytoskeletal changes secondary to plasma membrane functional alterations in the in vitro cell response to Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin

To investigate the mode of action of Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin, MDCK cells were treated with purified toxin and incubated at 37 degrees C for up to 24h. Exposure to epsilon-toxin caused a time-dependent decrease in cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions. After 30min of treatment retraction of the cell body and the emission of filopodia were detectable in a number of cells. Longer exposure resulted in cell rounding and cell blebbing which reached a maximum after 5h of toxin treatment. A parallel modification in the cytoskeleton was also detected. Actin marginalization and the entanglement of microtubules and intermediate filaments were observed by fluorescence microscopy after 30min of toxin exposure. Functional alterations of the plasma membrane of MDCK cells were assessed by flow cytometry. After 10 or 30min of intoxication an increase in cell volume was detected, indicating an alteration in plasma membrane permeability. These findings provide evidence for cytoskeletal changes and plasma membrane functional alterations in the in vitro cell response to C. perfringens epsilon-toxin.