The impact of mowing as a management strategy for wet meadows on spider (Araneae) communities

Meadows are often managed by mowing to prevent succession and brushwood encroachment. This management practice is efficient to maintain plant diversity, but the effect on arthropod groups is less well known. We sampled spiders in the Grande Cariçaie (Switzerland), a site of nature conservation importance, in two types of wet meadows, an unmanaged site and one 2-years-old mown conditions. Numbers of individuals for the most abundant families, diversity measures, and indicator taxa were compared among vegetation and treatment types. The results indicate that the less mobile spiders and species linked to litter or dead reeds, including rare species, are reduced by mowing. Present management consists in triennial mowing of 2-4 ha non-contiguous sectors. We investigate the conflict between the need to mow the meadows to maintain them, and the negative effect of mowing on spider communities. We therefore propose a new management scheme aimed at maintain the vegetation while lessening its negative effects on spider communities by providing refuges.     

Bruchpilot promotes active zone assembly, Ca2+ channel clustering, and vesicle release

The molecular organization of presynaptic active zones during calcium influx-triggered neurotransmitter release is the focus of intense investigation. The Drosophila coiled-coil domain protein Bruchpilot (BRP) was observed in donut-shaped structures centered at active zones of neuromuscular synapses by using subdiffraction resolution STED (stimulated emission depletion) fluorescence microscopy. At brp mutant active zones, electron-dense projections (T-bars) were entirely lost, Ca2+ channels were reduced in density, evoked vesicle release was depressed, and short-term plasticity was altered. BRP-like proteins seem to establish proximity between Ca2+ channels and vesicles to allow efficient transmitter release and patterned synaptic plasticity.     

Evidence of plaggen soils in SW Norway

This study aimed at clarifying whether a notable group of soils of the Jæren region, SW Norway, with deep humus‐rich top soils support a man‐made genesis. Four sites were investigated. The soils are characterized by thick top soils of 45, 70, 80, and 90 cm, which are enriched in soil organic matter and often also in artifacts, like fragments of potter's clay, indicating an anthropogenic origin. Soil pH ranges from 5.4 to 6.2 (H₂O) and 4.4 to 5.3 (CaCl₂), respectively. Soil organic C (SOC) contents range from 6.4 to 51.6 g kg^?1 and N contents vary between 0 and 2.9 g kg^?1. Increased P contents of up to 2,924.3 mg kg^?1 total P (P_t) and 1,166.4 mg kg^?1 citric acid‐soluble phosphorus (P_c) in the humus‐rich top soils support the assumption of an anthropogenic influence. Although many characteristics indicate an anthropogenic genesis, one soil lacks the required depth of 50 cm of a plaggen horizon and cannot be classified as Plaggic Anthrosol (WRB) and Plagganthrept (US Soil Taxonomy). As the requirement is 40 cm in the German system, all soils can be classified as Plaggenesch. The formation of these soils is related to human activity aiming at increasing soil fertility and overcoming the need of bedding material, the basic aims of the plaggen management in Europe. Highest P contents ever found for this kind of soils and references from the literature indicate that the formation of the soils in Norway started at Viking time, hence, being older than most other Plaggic Anthrosols.     

Land use history and historical soil erosion at Albersdorf (northern Germany) — Ceased agricultural land use after the pre-historical period

The Holocene landscape history and historical soil erosion were reconstructed at Albersdorf (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) from soils and colluvial layers. In contrast to many landscapes in central Europe, agricultural land use and soil erosion were more frequent during pre-historical times, whereas it has almost ceased after the advent of history. Pre-historical soil erosion rates from about 0.1 to 6.9 t ha^− 1 a^− 1 were reconstructed with no significant differences between the prehistoric cultural phases. The study of buried soils within the soil/soil-sediment-sequences provided evidence for an acceleration of soil formation processes probably as a consequence of excessive prehistoric woodland pasture on poor sandy soils.     

Predicting dynamic modulus of elasticity of Norway spruce structural timber by forest inventory,airborne laser scanning and harvester-derived data

Norway spruce structural timber is one of the most important products of the Norwegian sawmilling industry, and a high grade-yield of structural timber is therefore important for the economic yield. Presorting of logs suited for production of structural timber might be one option to increase the grade yield. In this study, dynamic modulus of elasticity (E_dyn) of structural timber was predicted based on forest inventory data at site level and single-tree data from airborne laser scanning (ALS) and harvester. The models were based on 611 boards from 4 sites in southeastern Norway. Important variables at site level were elevation, site index (SI), and mean stand age. However, when combining data from all information sources, mean stand age and site index were the only significant variables at site level. Tree height and variables describing the crown, like crown length and crown volume, were important vaiables extracted from ALS data. Stem diameter measures and tapering were important variables measured by the harvester. The combined model with variables from all three information sources reduced the variance the most, especially when using individual tree age instead of average stand age. However, combining all these data requires accurate positioning of the trees by the harvester.     

Real-time RT-PCR detection of Citrus bark cracking viroid (CBCVd) in hops including an mRNA-based internal positive control

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Citrus bark cracking viroid (CBCVd), formerly known as pathogen in the genus Citrus and first detected in Slovenian hops in 2014, threatens hop production...     

Air sacculitis in poultry--human relevance of E. coli-isolates from the body cavity of turkeys unfit for human consumption

Air sacculitis is a common lesion found in herds during poultry meat inspection. To support the decision during inspection, 101 carcasses from turkey herds with frequently occurring air sacculitis (unfit for human consumption because of air sacculitis) were examined and 96 E. coil-isolates were collected. The isolates were tested for EHEC/STEC, i.e. gene sequences encoding Shigatoxin 1 and 2, EHEC-hemolysin (hlyEHEC) and intimin (eae). Moreover, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolates to 13 antimicrobial substances was tested. Factors determining EHEC or STEC were not identified. MIC to several substances were higher, related to the reference strain. Regarding the farm units, some of the respective strains had more frequently higher MIC. Based on these results, in case of air sacculitis, the decision should depend on macroscopic lesions exclusively.