A landscape model for quantifying the trade-off between conservation needs and economic constraints in the management of a semi-natural grassland community

We present a landscape model to investigate the ecological consequences and costs of different management regimes in semi-natural grasslands. The model integrates dynamic abiotic conditions, management (i.e. disturbance) regime and response of more than 50 characteristic plant and insect species by modelling the dynamics of relevant niche parameters as predictors for species distribution models. We compare our results for exemplary scenarios differing in spatial and temporal scales and exemplary species belonging to different functional groups through several steps of aggregation.Our analysis aims at the question whether an infrequent massive disturbance by rototilling can serve as a less expensive alternative to annual mowing for preserving the characteristic species composition of open dry grasslands in Southern Germany. Rototilling results in a shifting mosaic determining the habitat quality for plant and animal species that may reduce the survival of local or regional populations.For some meadow species as well as the encroaching shrub species, rototilling has a detrimental effect on regional habitat quality. Other species, e.g. weeds and annual pioneers, strongly benefit or show only negligible reaction. Since this is a multi-objective problem, there is a no magic bullet in selecting an optimum scenario of measures. But by visualising the trade-off between ecological consequences and costs, our model is a valuable tool for conservation managers providing a sound scientific basis for management decisions relying on available ecological knowledge. It is also an interesting example for a model describing complex communities in a relatively simple way, simultaneously considering the main driving factors.     

RacA,a bacterial protein that anchors chromosomes to the cell poles

Eukaryotic chromosomes are anchored to a spindle apparatus during mitosis, but no such structure is known during chromosome segregation in bacteria. When sister chromosomes are segregated during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, the replication origin regions migrate to opposite poles of the cell. If and how origin regions are fastened at the poles has not been determined. Here we describe a developmental protein, RacA, that acts as a bridge between the origin region and the cell poles. We propose that RacA assembles into an adhesive patch at a centromere-like element near the origin, causing chromosomes to stick at the poles.     

Active Immunization against Gonadotrophin-releasing Hormone in Chinese Male Pigs

We have investigated, under the normal conditions of local Chinese pig farming, castration of young male pigs by vaccination with a newly developed vaccine against gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH). Because of the very early onset of puberty, long fattening period and relatively harsh circumstances in Chinese pig production, an investigation of the endocrine response of Chinese breeds to this type of vaccination was of particular interest. Fifteen crossbred boars (Yorkshire × Yanan) from three different litters were randomly assigned to three groups of five animals each. The first group was immunized at 13 weeks of age with a GnRH tandem dimer OVA‐conjugate in Specol and received a booster immunization 8 weeks later. The second group was injected with Specol alone and served as untreated controls. The remaining group was surgically castrated at the time of weaning (at 6 weeks of age). Pigs were fed ad libitum from weaning onwards. All animals were slaughtered at 31 weeks of age. Immunized boars had undetectable or low serum testosterone (0.09 ± 0.12 ng/ml), low fat androstenone (0.05 ± 0.01 μg/g) levels and very low testes weights (19.1 ± 4.3 g). Intact controls had much higher serum levels of testosterone (9.76 ± 4.81 ng/ml), fat androstenone levels (2.26 ± 0.87 μg/g) and testes weights (114.3 ± 29.41 g) at slaughter. Both the immunized and castrated group grew significantly faster than intact boars (p < 0.01). Average daily gains in immunized, castrated and intact animals were 0.69 ± 0.08, 0.63 ± 0.05 and 0.42 ± 0.07 kg (mean ± SD), respectively. The present data demonstrate for the first time that the newly developed anti‐GnRH vaccine works very well under practical Chinese pig farming conditions, and can be an attractive alternative to surgical castration.     

Dynamic Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling: A Thermostat for the Tropics

The ocean currents connecting the western tropical Pacific Ocean with the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are driven by surface winds. The surface winds are in turn driven by the sea-surface temperature (SST) differences between these two regions. This dynamic coupling between the atmosphere and ocean may limit the SST in the tropical Pacific Ocean to below 305 kelvin even in the absence of cloud feedbacks.     

Coupled, circumferential motions of the cell wall synthesis machinery and MreB filaments in B. subtilis

Rod-shaped bacteria elongate by the action of cell wall synthesis complexes linked to underlying dynamic MreB filaments. To understand how the movements of these filaments relate to cell wall synthesis, we characterized the dynamics of MreB and the cell wall elongation machinery using high-precision particle tracking in Bacillus subtilis. We found that MreB and the elongation machinery moved circumferentially around the cell, perpendicular to its length, with nearby synthesis complexes and MreB filaments moving independently in both directions. Inhibition of cell wall synthesis by various methods blocked the movement of MreB. Thus, bacteria elongate by the uncoordinated, circumferential movements of synthetic complexes that insert radial hoops of new peptidoglycan during their transit, possibly driving the motion of the underlying MreB filaments.