Diversity and dynamics of eco-units in the biological reserves of the Fontainebleau Forest (France): Contribution of soil biology to a functional approach

Beech integral biological reserves of the Fontainebleau forest (France) display varied site conditions due to geomorphological heterogeneity and to interactions between biological components of the ecosystem. Taking examples in shifts observed in plant communities following gap opening, the authors show that, as Oldeman viewed it, tree-fall gaps seem to be the driving force in sylvigenesis as well as a source of spatial biodiversity. Studies carried out on macromorphological features of humus profiles and on the behaviour of soil invertebrate communities (Lumbricidae and Nematoda) pointed out two key aspects of forest functioning. First, the renewal of the forest ecosystem is linked to the dynamics of humus forms and of soil animal functional groups, featuring the regeneration of trees. Second, tree-fall gaps are places where the forest ecosystem is destabilized and thereafter may renew itself or on the contrary may evolve towards another ecosystem, showing either a co-adaptation between the sylvigenetic and the edaphic cycle, or a discordance between these two cycles. These two aspects (co-adaptation and discordance), important from the point of view of fundamental ecology and forest management, suggest a need for further field research.

Résumé

La hêtraie des réserves biologiques intégrales de la forêt de Fontainebleau offre des situations naturelles variées en fonction de l'hétérogénéité géomorphologique et des interactions entre les composantes biologiques de l'écosystème. Prenant comme exemple l'évolution des associations végétales au sein des clairières, les auteurs montrent que, selon la conception d'Oldeman, le chablis apparaît comme l'élément moteur de la sylvigénèse et un facteur important de biodiversit é spatiale. Des études portant sur la caractérisation macromorphologique des profils d'humus et le comportement des peuplements d 'invertébrés du sol (Lumbricidae, Nematoda) mettent en avant deux points importants pour le fonctionnement de l'écosysteme forestier. Premièrement, le renouvellement de l'écosystème est associé à la dynamique des humus et des groupes fonctionnels de la pédofaune, façonnant ainsi la niche de régénération. Deuxièmement, les clairières apparaissent comme une zone de rupture de l'écosystème forestier pouvant lui permettre, soit de se renouveler, soit d'évoluer vers un autre écosystème, montrant ainsi soit une co-adaptation entre le cycle sylvigénétique et le cycle édaphique, soit une discordance entre ces deux cycles. Cette approche fonctionnelle par le biais de la biologie des sols suggère une réflexion touchant autant l'écologie fondamentale que la gestion forestière.     

Impacts of red wood ants Formica polyctena on the spatial distribution and behavioural patterns of ground beetles (Carabidae)

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of red wood ants Formica polyctena s.l. Foerst. on the spatial distribution of carabids and describe mechanisms of the ant–beetle interactions at the individual level. Fifteen carabid species were found in the foraging territory of an ant colony. The difference in the numbers of carabids in ant-controlled and ant-free territories was maximal in July, when the ants were most active. Measurements of running speed, duration of stops, and individual trajectories showed significant alterations in the behaviour of beetles in the ant-controlled territory. Experiments with a binary Y-shaped labyrinth showed that different carabid species used species-specific sets of behavioural tactics for avoiding conflict with ants. Pterostichus magus and P. oblongopunctatus, which are comparable with red wood ants in body length and speed of movement, possess the most effective stereotyped tactics in combination with a flexible behaviour. Such properties allow these species to penetrate ant foraging territory and partly avoid interference competition.     

Comparative autoradiographic study of parasite-host-cell cyclical relationship in lymphoblastoid cell lines infected with Theileria annulata and Theileria parva in vitro

Cyclical interactions between intracellular schizonts of the Ankara and Hissar strains of Theileria annulata and the Muguga strain of T. parva and the parasitised host lymphoblasts have been studied autoradiographically by following the incorporation of (3H) thymidine into parasite and host cell nuclei, and also by quantitating the number of schizont nuclei per lymphoblast, at various stages and phases of host cell cycle. The synthesis of DNA by Theileria schizonts and the parasitised host lymphoblasts was found to be asynchronous and to occur at different phases of the host cell interphase stage. While the lymphoblast nuclear DNA incorporates (3H) thymidine during the S phase, schizont nuclei were labelled during the G2 phase of the host lymphoblast interphase stage. The replication of schizont nuclei took place before the metaphase stage of host cell cycle, viz, prometaphase, so that the mean schizont nuclear number at host prometaphase and at anaphase--telophase was consistently more or less double the mean nuclear number at interphase.     

Tillage and straw management for modifying physical properties of a subarctic soil

Conservation tillage practices are intended to minimize soil erosion. Yet little is known concerning changes in physical properties of subarctic soils subject to tillage practices. This study ascertained whether physical properties of a newly cleared subarctic soil are altered after 7 years of continuous barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using different tillage and straw management strategies. Tillage and straw treatments were established in 1983 near Delta Junction, Alaska, and consisted of conventional fall and spring disk, fall chisel plow, spring disk, and no-tillage. Tillage plots were split by straw management practices, which included straw and stubble, stubble only, and no straw or stubble. Soil samples were collected from the upper 0.15 m of the profile in the spring of 1990 to assess water content, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, dry aggregate and mechanical stability, penetration resistance, water retention, and particle size distribution. Percent non-erodible aggregates, mechanical stability, and penetration resistance were greater for no-tillage compared to conventional tillage, chisel plow, and spring disk. No-tillage soils were also typically wetter, denser, and had a greater hydraulic conductivity. The spring disk treatment was least susceptible to erosion and also conserved soil water compared with chisel plow. Straw maintained on the surface conserved water and promoted soil stability.     

Therapeutic effect of anti-TNF-α antibody and levofloxacin (LVFX) in a mouse model of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 infection

The ability of an anti-TNF-α antibody to confer protection against enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 was investigated in germfree IQI mice. The use of an antibiotic levofloxacin (LVFX) alone or with the antibody was also studied. Protection included an increase in survival rate. Treatment with the anti-TNF-α antibody inhibited the histological signs associated with EHEC infection but did not prevent the colonization of EHEC or production of Shiga toxin (Stx). No clinical signs were observed and EHEC was completely eliminated in the mouse model receiving both anti-TNF-α antibody and LVFX. Anti-TNF-α antibody suppressed inflammatory cytokine response in the mouse kidney and brain by EHEC infection.     

Effect of design parameters of flat tillage tools on loosening of a clay soil

Very little research has been done to investigate soil loosening as a function of the geometry of the tillage tool and of the original soil properties and moisture content. A field experiment was conducted to observe the effects of the geometric parameters of flat tillage tools on their draft, cutting efficiency and loosening of a moist clay soil. The test tool variables included rake angles to the horizontal of 30, 60 and 90°, widths of 75 and 150 mm and depths of operation of 100, 150 and 200 mm. Measurements were taken of draft, disturbed soil cross sectional profiles and the initial area of soil disturbed by the tools. The resulting draft requirement increased with width, depth and rake angle of the tool. The cross sectional area of soil disturbed did not change appreciably with rake angle, but the significant increase in draft with angle resulted in markedly diminished soil cutting efficiency (area divided by draft). The degree of soil loosening was generally smaller at a rake angle of 60° than at 30 or 90°, and tended to be higher at greater depths of operation. In addition, a larger depth to width ratio generally increased the degree of loosening. Results for the soil studied indicate that the best implement design for low draft, high cutting efficiency and superior soil loosening should have a rake angle of about 30° and should be fairly narrow with a depth to width ratio of 2 or more.     

Reducing oxidative browning during in vitro establishment of Protea cynaroides

Oxidative browning is one of the reasons why Protea cynaroides is not being extensively propagated via tissue culture techniques. The reduction of oxidative browning was best achieved by stirring the explants for 1 h in an antioxidant solution mixture containing 100 mg l⁻¹ ascorbic acid and 1500 mg l⁻¹ citric acid before inserting them into the medium. In combination with this antioxidant solution, in vitro establishment was highly successful where 100% bud growth was achieved by explants growing under 16 h photoperiod.     

The role of field studies in landscape-scale applications of process models: an example of soil redistribution and soil organic carbon modeling using CENTURY

Field studies on soil properties and processes in southern Saskatchewan have clearly indicated the need to account for both lateral and vertical transfers of components in the landscape for a better understanding of soil dynamics at a given point. Extrapolation of these studies requires greater integration of the site-specific field results with the current generation of process models. In this paper, we use the results of a field study to assess the ability of the CENTURY model to describe the influence of soil redistribution on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. After modifying the erosion input of CENTURY to account for soil deposition, the results from CENTURY were compared to measured SOC levels from a chronosequential study of cultivation effects on SOC levels in southern Saskatchewan. CENTURY closely simulated the effects of soil loss on SOC levels in landform segments with dominantly convex profile (i.e., downslope) curvature. CENTURY estimates of SOC changes for landform segments experiencing soil gain are less comparable to the field results; it overestimated SOC loss after 80 years by 16 Mg ha⁻¹ for depressional complexes and 10 Mg ha⁻¹ for footslope complexes. This leads to a 14% difference in total SOC loss on a landscape-weighted basis (estimated loss based on field data of 36 Mg ha⁻¹ versus a CENTURY-simulated loss of 41 Mg ha⁻¹).     

Biomass allocation strategies and productivity of tropical trees related to successional status

The productivity and biomass allocation strategies of two early successional (ES) and two late successional (LS) tropical tree species were compared and related to their successional status. Apart from distinct differences in clean bole length, crown depth, maximum crown width and leaf area index (LAI), the ES species showed higher allocation to the shoot, particularly to the bole, whereas the LS species had higher allocation to the root. The ES species with shallow root system had more root biomass within the upper 20 cm of the soil profile while the LS species with deeper roots had a higher proportion of root biomass distributed below the 20 cm depth. The productivity of the shoot of ES species was significantly higher than that of LS species. However, root productivity for ES species was higher only up to 4 years of age; the differences were not significant between 5 and 7 years. The implication of these results for agroforestry and mixed plantation forestry is emphasized.     

Landscape-level effects of forest management on faunal diversity in bottomland hardwoods

Forest management activities potentially influence ecosystems at many spatial scales. For most forest systems, influences at the stand level have been most intensively studied and are best understood. Management impacts at the larger, landscape scale are poorly understood and many hypotheses regarding landscape-level effects remain untested. This lack of knowledge is particularly acute in bottomland hardwood forest (BLH) ecosystems. Most hypotheses regarding landscape-level impacts were derived from theories about island biogeography and metapopulations. Thus, species presence and productivity sometimes are viewed as functions of patch characteristics such as size, shape, amount of edge, degree of isolation from larger, similar habitats, time since isolation, and dispersal, immigration, and extinction rates. Recommendations for mitigating fragmentation effects often include maintenance of reserves, increasing patch size, reducing edges, and enhancing connectivity through the use of corridors. While many of these theories are intuitively sound, there are few data to demonstrate their effectiveness in landscapes dominated by managed forests, including BLH forests. We suggest that high priority be given to using adaptive management to simultaneously test hypotheses about how biotic communities function in managed, BLH landscapes. Such information would help managers understand the consequences of their activities, provide them with more flexibility, and improve their ability to protect biological diversity while also meeting society's needs for forest resources.