Milk production of cows infected experimentally with trichostrongylid parasites

The milk production of 6 cows infected with 15000 infective trichostrongylid larvae per week for 9 weeks in early lactation was compared with the milk production of 6 uninfected cows. After adjustment for differences in pre-infection milk production by covariance analysis, the infected cows produced 2.16 kg/day less milk than the uninfected cows.     

Landscape setting and risk of Ranavirus mortality events

Amphibian mortality events in relatively pristine and protected settings cause particular concern because they may be linked to larger scale, off-site factors that interact with local landscape features. We used logistic regression and model selection criterion (QAIC_c) to identify landscape features key to predicting disease incidence in Acadia National Park (ANP), Maine, USA. High catchment position was the most important landscape feature associated with larval mortality events in ANP wetlands, and was present in all competing models. No spatial autocorrelation of disease events was observed, suggesting that within our study area, epizootics are not clustered and landscape and within-pond stressors may be more influential in mortality occurrence than vector movement. However, our model may be a considerable underestimate of in-field infection rates because it was based on die-off event incidences and did not include infected reservoirs or vectors. This study provides the first clear connection between landscape position and Ranavirus mortality events. Conservation and disease containment efforts in ANP should be directed toward higher catchment position and headwater wetlands such as vernal pools.     

Natural disturbance regimes in northeastern North America—evaluating silvicultural systems using natural scales and frequencies

Many scientists and foresters have begun to embrace an ecological, natural disturbance paradigm for management, but lack specific guidance on how to design systems in ways that are in harmony with natural patterns. To provide such guidance, we conducted a comprehensive literature survey of northeastern disturbances, emphasizing papers that studied late-successional, undisturbed, or presettlement forests. Evidence demonstrates convincingly that such forests were dominated by relatively frequent, partial disturbances that produced a finely patterned, diverse mosaic dominated by late-successional species and structures. In contrast, large-scale, catastrophic stand-replacing disturbances were rare, returning at intervals of at least one order of magnitude longer than gap-producing events. Graphing the contiguous areas disturbed against their corresponding return intervals shows that these important disturbance parameters are positively related; area disturbed increases exponentially as the return interval lengthens. This graph provides a convenient metric, termed the natural disturbance comparability index, against which to evaluate both single and multi-cohort silvicultural systems based on their rotations or cutting-cycles and stand or gap sizes. We review implications of these findings for silvicultural practice in the region, and offer recommendations for emulating natural disturbance regimes.     

Connectivity of lobster (Homarus americanus) populations in the coastal Gulf of Maine: part II. Coupled biophysical dynamics

We used a coupled biophysical model to investigate larval transport and connectivity patterns in the Gulf of Maine lobster ( Homarus americanus ) population. Biological 'particles' were released at over 21 000 locations every 10 days over a 4-month hatching period, and were followed from hatching through late postlarval stage. In addition to circulation and dispersion, model calculations included spatial patterns of egg production, temporal patterns of hatching, temperature-dependent development, vertical distribution and mortality. We ran the model for three larval production seasons using the same hatching patterns and individual-based modeling parameters but different flow patterns in the coastal current system. Model results gave distribution and abundance patterns of competent postlarvae that closely resembled observed, alongshore patterns of lobster settlement density. We evaluated the relative contribution of all source regions to the total number of competent postlarvae in a series of medium-size zones along the coastal shelf, many of which are used in lobster management. Connectivity depended on many factors, including patterns of egg production and transport, and the location and size of the receiving zones. Self recruitment ranged from a few percent to >90% of competent postlarvae. Although it was common for postlarvae to come from many, often distant, sources, most of the competent postlarvae in a zone originated within one to two zones in the prevailing 'up-stream' direction, forming shorter connections along the coast than the energetic currents might otherwise suggest. Inshore migrations during summer hatching may contribute to these shorter patterns of connectivity. Transport in the prevailing 'upstream' direction was also indicated.     

Ecosystem structure and functioning of Lake Taihu (China) and the impacts of fishing

Lake Taihu is the third largest freshwater lake in China and has provided local communities with valuable fisheries for centuries. However, we have only a limited knowledge of its ecosystem. In this study, a trophic model was constructed for the Lake Taihu ecosystem. This model was used to evaluate and analyze the food web structure and other properties of this ecosystem using data covering the period from 1991 to 1995. Using the model, we evaluated the impacts on local fisheries of various management scenarios comprising two basic management regimes: (1) setting fishing mortality for the top predator (large culters, Erythroculter mongolicus and Erythroculter ilishaeformis) to 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2, and (2) adjusting overall fishing effort to 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.25 times the current level. For both scenarios, fishery profit and cost were evaluated to provide an understanding of how components of the ecosystem interact. We identified possible causes of fishery overexploitation in the lake ecosystem and described the necessity of developing ecosystem-based management. The results showed that Lake Taihu had six theoretical trophic levels (TLs), with the trophic flows primarily occurring through the first five TLs. System properties such as transfer efficiency, Finn's index, Finn's mean length, connectance index, system omnivory index, primary production/respiration ratio, and net primary production all indicated that Lake Taihu was an immature, fairly simple ecosystem in which a relatively low fraction of total primary production was utilized. At the same time, the ecosystem was also experiencing high fishing pressure. Yet despite this, the low ascendency index (25.9%) and high system overhead ratio (74.1%) indicated that the system was highly developed and relatively stable, a condition that might result from the high degree of recycling in the system. Among the harvesting strategies considered, a strategy of either decreasing the fishing mortality of the top predator (large culters) to 0.3 or, alternatively, reducing the overall effort on the system by a factor of 0.75 appeared to be most effective at increasing the efficiency of the fisheries.     

Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxide Control on Sulfate and Phosphate in Sediment-Solution Systems

We experimentally determined the adsorption characteristics of natural, freshly precipitated Al(OH)₃ for SO₄ and PO₄. The fresh Al precipitate occurred in stream sediment of Jachymov Stream (Czech Republic). The Al-rich sediment strongly adsorbed added PO₄ prior to acidification experiment; this sorbed PO₄ was released only after substantial dissolution of the sediment, at pH?<?3.67. Sorption of P by Al(OH)₃ appears to be an important control on dissolved PO₄ concentration in surface waters, unless there is a large excess of PO₄. Acidification of the sediment-solution system caused protonation of the sediment surface, thereby increasing the adsorption capacity for SO₄. Maximum SO₄ adsorption occurred at pH 4.2, below which dissolution of the sediment offset the increasing anion adsorption capacity, and formation of AISO₄ ⁺ inhibited the increasing SO₄ adsorption capacity. This research demonstrates that there are important pH thresholds for anion adsorption in freshwaters below which dissolution of the Al(OH)₃ substrate reduces total capacity for anion adsorption. In freshwaters, with sufficient concentrations of suspended Al(OH)₃, or in Al(OH)₃-rich sediment, PO₄ mobility will be severely restricted. Suspended Al(OH)₃ in acidified surface waters cannot strongly influence SO₄ concentrations because of the considerably higher total SO₄ concentrations compared to the available surface area.     

Characterization of plant-derived water extractable organic matter by multiple spectroscopic techniques

Water extractable organic matter (WEOM) derived from fresh- or early-stage decomposing soil amendment materials may play an important role in the process of organic matter accumulation. In this study, eight WEOM samples extracted with a 40:1 (v/w) water to sample ratio from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa L.), lupin (Lupinus albus L.), soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and dairy manure were investigated using ultraviolet (UV)–visible, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), solution ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and solid state ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. UV–visible and FT-IR spectra of the plant-derived WEOM samples were typical for natural organic matter, but possessed less humic-like characteristics than dairy manure-derived WEOM. Solution ³¹P NMR spectra indicated that WEOM samples extracted from alfalfa, corn, and soybean shoots contained both orthophosphate and monoester P. Of the monoester P in WEOM from soybean shoot, 70% was phytate P. WEOM from crimson clover, hairy vetch, lupin, and wheat shoots contained orthophosphate only. The solid-state ¹³C NMR spectra of the seven plant-derived WEOM samples indicated that they all were primarily composed of sugars, amino acids or peptides, and low molecular mass carboxylic acids. Carbohydrates were dominant components with very few aromatics present in these samples. In addition, WEOM from crimson clover and lupin, but not other three leguminous plant WEOM samples, contained significant asparagine. On the other hand, WEOM from corn and wheat contained less amino acids or peptides. The spectra of WEOM of dairy manure revealed the presence of significant amounts of nonprotonated carbons and lignin residues, suggesting humification of the manure-derived WEOM. Significant carbohydrates as well as aromatics were present in this WEOM. The P and C bonding information for these WEOM samples may be useful for understanding the effects of WEOM on soil nutrient availability to plants. Trade or manufacturers' names mentioned in the paper are for information only and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or exclusion by the USDA-ARS.     

Species differences in total and vertical distribution of branch- and tree-level leaf area for the five primary conifer species in Maine, USA

Vertical distribution of leaf area largely governs both tree structure and function. Models of this important tree attribute have been constructed for several commercially important conifers. However, a limited number of studies have compared alternative modeling techniques and inherent species differences. This study used several existing datasets for the five primary conifer species in Maine, namely balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.], northern white-cedar [Thuja occidentalis (L.)], eastern hemlock [Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.], eastern white pine [Pinus strobus (L.)], and red spruce [Picea rubens (Sarg.)] to examine species variation in total and vertical distribution of projected leaf area at the individual branch- and tree-levels. In addition, multiple methods for modeling the vertical distribution of leaf area were examined across the species. For a given branch diameter and location within the crown, eastern hemlock branches held the greatest amount of leaf area, followed by balsam fir, northern white-cedar, white pine, and red spruce. At the tree-level, eastern white pine held the greatest amount of leaf area followed by eastern hemlock, balsam fir, red spruce, and northern white-cedar for a given tree size. Across species, the two-parameter, right-truncated Weibull distribution performed the best for predicting vertical distribution of leaf area when compared to the four-parameter beta and Johnson's S_B distributions (reduction of root mean square error of 1.7–21.1%). Northern white-cedar had a relative distribution of leaf area distinctly different than other species in this study with a mode shifted towards the upper crown. In contrast to red spruce and white pine, the mode of the relative distribution of leaf area for balsam fir and eastern hemlock occurred lower in the crown. Results of this study suggest that differences in total and vertical distribution of leaf area exist between species, but significant amounts of their variation are largely accounted for by bole and crown size.     

苹果属种、杂交种及品种之间关系的AFLP分析

用AFLP技术,对72个苹果属植物样本(34个种、变种、杂交种及38个品种)进行遗传多样性分析.在64对AFLP引物中选出6对引物进行扩增,得到有效谱带1692条,其中多态谱带1547条,多态谱带比率为91.4%.对72个样品的试验数据进行聚类分析,它们的相似系数为0.54～0.82.在相似系数0.60处参试材料被分为4大类,即佛罗伦萨苹果(Malus florentina)为一类;绿苹果组(Sect.Choromeles)和多胜苹果组(Sect.Docyniopsis)分别各聚一类;花楸组(Sect.Sorbomalus)、脱萼组(Sect.Gymnomeles)和苹果组(Sect.Malus)聚为一类,所有苹果品种和观赏海棠品种全聚在原产亚洲的花楸组、脱萼组及苹果组中.亚洲原产的苹果属植物对于苹果及观赏海棠品种的发展起重要作用.根据试验结果及文献资料,支持将佛罗伦萨苹果组(Sect.Florentinae Cheng M.H.)成立单种组;建议将原属花楸组植物除佛罗伦萨苹果外,全部并入苹果组;取消脱萼组,将其组内的植物全部并入苹果组.     

Comparison of model forms for estimating stem taper and volume in the primary conifer species of the North American Acadian Region

? The performance of ten commonly used taper equations for predicting both stem form and volume in balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill], red spruce[Picea rubens (Sarg.)], and white pine[Pinus strobus (L.)] in the Acadian Region of North America was investigated.

? Results show that the Kozak (2004) and Bi (2000) equations were superior to the other equations in predicting diameter inside bark for red spruce and white pine, while the Valentine and Gregoire (2001) equation performed slightly better for balsam fir.

? For stem volume, the Clark et al. (1991) equation provided the best predictions across all species when upper stem diameter measurements were available, while the Kozak (2004) and compatible taper equation of Fang et al. (2000) performed well when those measurements were unavailable.

? The incorporation of crown variables substantially improved stem volume predictions (mean absolute bias reduction of 7–15%; root mean square error reduction of 10–15%) for all three species, but had little impact on stem form predictions.

? The best taper equation reduced the predicted root mean square error by 16, 39, and 45% compared to estimates from the widely used Honer (1965) regional stem volume equations for balsam fir, red spruce, and white pine, respectively.

? When multiple taper equations exist for a certain species, the use of the geometric mean of all predictions is an attractive alternative to selecting the “best” equation.