Impacts of population growth, economic development, and technical change on global food production and consumption

Over the next decades mankind will demand more food from fewer land and water resources. This study quantifies the food production impacts of four alternative development scenarios from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Special Report on Emission Scenarios. Partially and jointly considered are land and water supply impacts from population growth, and technical change, as well as forest and agricultural commodity demand shifts from population growth and economic development. The income impacts on food demand are computed with dynamic elasticities. Simulations with a global, partial equilibrium model of the agricultural and forest sectors show that per capita food levels increase in all examined development scenarios with minor impacts on food prices. Global agricultural land increases by up to 14% between 2010 and 2030. Deforestation restrictions strongly impact the price of land and water resources but have little consequences for the global level of food production and food prices. While projected income changes have the highest partial impact on per capita food consumption levels, population growth leads to the highest increase in total food production. The impact of technical change is amplified or mitigated by adaptations of land management intensities.     

Effect of (+)-limonene and 1-methoxy-2-propanol on Ips typographus response to pheromone blends

We compared two different strategies to increase the catches of Ips typographus (L.), particularly males, in pheromone-baited traps. The first of these strategies, the barrier approach, used alternating pheromone blends, targeting males and females respectively, in closely-spaced traps forming a barrier around forest stands. The second strategy, the single trap approach, used widely-spaced traps that were all baited with the same lure and intended to trap the highest possible numbers of males without compromising trapping of females. In the blend used for the barrier traps targeting primarily males, with a lower percentage of (4S)-cis-verbenol (cV), the (−)-α-pinene was replaced step wise with (+)-limonene at rates of 0%, 1%, 10%, 35%, 60% and 90%. This replacement had no significant effect on the numbers of responding I. typographus males, but there was a slight effect on the percentage of males caught. In the attractant blend for the barrier traps targeting females, with a higher percentage of cV, the 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MB) was replaced with 1-methoxy-2-propanol (MP) in a similar fashion as for the male-specific blends. The replacement did not significantly affect the catch of females. Thus, it is possible to use the MP in the blend with cV and ipsdienol without significant change in catch efficacy. In the blends for single traps, the (−)-α- pinene was replaced with (+)-limonene and MB with MP. The replacement of (−)-α-pinene had only a slight effect on the percentage of males, but the results suggest that replacing MB with MP in the blend will not significantly reduce trapping efficacy. Foundation project: The research was supported by Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV-51-P06005 and APVV-27-P05205) and by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (2/6153/26)     

Development of evapotranspiration and water supply of clay-loamy soil on the East Slovak Lowland

With regard to optimization of the factors of field crop harvest formation in semi-arid areas the phenomenon of soil drought is of key importance. This article deals with the problem of soil water management in connection to soil fertility in the area of East Slovakian Lowland, characterized by the complexity of its agro-ecologic conditions. In clay-loamy soils of the corresponding area, soil water content at the level limited by the threshold point and field water capacity ensures that the average value of actual evapotranspiration intensity varies between 2.69 and 3.89 mm per day⁻¹. Time development of soil water storage and evaporation deficit depends on optimized system of soil water management necessary for plant production.     

National soil data in EU countries,where do we stand?

At the European scale, soil characteristics are needed to evaluate soil quality, soil health and soil-based ecosystem services in the context of the European Green Deal. While some soil databases exist at the European scale, a much larger wealth of data is present in individual European countries, allowing a more detailed soil assessment. There is thus an urgent and crucial need to combine these data at the European scale. In the frame of a large European Joint Programme on agricultural soils launched by the European Commission, a survey was conducted in the spring of 2020, in the 24 European participating countries to assess the existing soil data sources, focusing on agricultural soils. The survey will become a contribution to the European Soil Observatory, launched in December 2020, which aims to collect metadata of soil databases related to all kind of land uses, including forest and urban soils. Based upon a comprehensive questionnaire, 170 soil databases were identified at local, regional and national scales. Soil parameters were divided into five groups: (1) main soil parameters according to the Global Soil Map specifications; (2) other soil chemical parameters; (3) other physical parameters; (4) other pedological parameters; and (5) soil biological features. A classification based on the environmental zones of Europe was used to distinguish the climatic zones. This survey shows that while most of the main pedological and chemical parameters are included in more than 70% of the country soil databases, water content, contamination with organic pollutants, and biological parameters are the least frequently reported parameters. Such differences will have consequences when developing an EU policy on soil health as proposed under the EU soil strategy for 2023 and using the data to derive soil health indicators. Many differences in the methods used in collecting, preparing, and analysing the soils were found, thus requiring harmonization procedures and more cooperation among countries and with the EU to use the data at the European scale. In addition, choosing harmonized and useful interpretation and threshold values for EU soil indicators may be challenging due to the different methods used and the wide variety of soil land-use and climate combinations influencing possible thresholds. The temporal scale of the soil databases reported is also extremely wide, starting from the '20s of the 20th century.     

BoLA-DRB3 exon 2 mutations associated with paratuberculosis in cattle

A single nucleotide polymorphism at the antigen recognition site of the bovine leucocyte antigen (BoLA) DRB3 gene was assessed in healthy and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) - infected cattle, in order to determine if there was a correlation between mutations and altered susceptibility to infection. Of a sample of 200 animals, 19.6% were found to be infected with MAP. PCR - single strand conformational polymorphism analysis of the BoLA DRB3 gene found 19 genotypes (16 in the heterozygous and three in homozygous state, respectively). Four mutations, Val53Glu (OR 453.7), Val53Leu (OR 453.7), Asp57His (OR 1.944) and Arg84Gly (OR 1.458), were linked with increased susceptibility to infection, whereas, Asp57Asn (OR 0) and Phe60Tyr (OR 0.453) were associated with increased resistance. The findings indicate potentially important mutations in the protein-binding site of DRB3, which may be crucial to the activation of an appropriate immune response against MAP.     

Utilization of digital image correlation in determining of both longitudinal shear moduli of wood at single torsion test

A sophisticated approach for the precise determination of both longitudinal shear moduli of wood at single test is introduced. The method is based on the combination of the torsion test inducing pure shear stresses in sample and an optical method providing the full-field strain data of such stress state. The proposed procedure of the longitudinal shear moduli determination consists of two main steps. In the first step, the apparent longitudinal shear modulus following the standardized procedure (EN 408+A1) was determined. Secondly, both longitudinal shear moduli were derived based on the apparent longitudinal shear modulus and the shear strain distribution on the radial and tangential sample surfaces. The wood of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) was used as material for the experiments. The exploratory analysis revealed the increasing difference between the longitudinal shear moduli determined in the longitudinal–radial plane and in the longitudinal–tangential plane as the total torsion angle increased as well as with the increase in the average torsion stiffness. Further, the longitudinal shear moduli and the torsional longitudinal shear strength did not correlate well. Therefore, they cannot be used in order to predict each other. Although such findings need more detailed studies, they should be taken into account when designing wood structures.     

Evaluation of haematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters of transgenic rabbits

The aim of our study was to compare the hFVIII mRNA expression in different organs, pathological changes and selected haematological and biochemical blood parameters between transgenic and non-transgenic rabbits from F3 generation. Selected physiological parameters of 3- to 4-month-old transgenic rabbits from F3 generation carrying human factor VIII gene (hFVIII) were analysed and compared with those of non-transgenic ones. Before slaughtering, the blood for haematological and biochemical analysis was taken from the central ear artery. Pathological and histological examination of vital organs and RT-PCR analysis of several tissue organs of transgenic and non-transgenic animals were performed after slaughtering. Except for the mammary gland tissue, slight hfVIII mRNA expression in the spleen, lung and brain and none expression in the liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and heart of rabbits were recorded. pathological examination of vital organs showed some pathological changes in both transgenic and non-transgenic rabbits which were confirmed by histological qualitative evaluations. Statistically significant lower values of blood haemoglobin in blood of transgenic (11.86+/-0.86) animals compared with non-transgenic (12.41+/-1.02, P<0.05) ones and lower parameters of HCT (39.22+/-2.44 versus 40.89+/-2.26, P<0.01) in blood of transgenic rabbits were observed. Parameters of WBC, RBC and PLT showed no significant differences between the analysed groups. All biochemical serum parameters of transgenic rabbits were higher in comparison with non-transgenic ones. Significant differences were found in the concentration of the urea, AST and GMT between transgenic and non-transgenic animals (P<0.001) and in the total protein content, the difference was significant at P<0.05. In conclusion, our results showed that no considerable impact on the general health was found in transgenic rabbits.     

(+)-柠檬烯和1-甲氧基-2-丙醇对云杉八齿小蠹虫对信息素混合物反映的影响(英文)

对利用信息素诱捕云杉八齿小蠹的策略进行了对比分析,尤其是雄性小蠹的诱捕。第一种策略是障碍法,在林分的周围密集的布置捕捉陷阱,使用交互式信息素分别诱捕雄性小蠹和雌性小蠹。第二种策略是单一诱捕法,广阔使用投有相同诱饵诱捕陷阱,以捕捉最大数量的雄性小蠹为目的,而不包含雌性小蠹的捕捉。在带有低含量的(4S)一反式马鞭草烯醇诱饵混合物中,用0%,1%,10%,35%,60%and90%的(+)-柠檬烯逐步取代α-蒎烯。这种替换对雄性小蠹的反映数量没有影响,但对雄性小蠹的捕捉量稍有影响。在有高含量(4S)-反式马鞭草烯醇捕捉雌性小蠹的引诱剂混合物中,用1-甲氧基-2-丙醇取代2-甲基-3-丁烯-2-醇,对雌性小蠹的捕捉率没有影响。因而,在具有反式马鞭草烯醇和(4县)-2-甲基-6-甲基-2,7-辛-4-醇的混合物中使用1-甲氧基-2-丙醇,捕捉效果没有明显的变化。在单一捕捉的引诱剂混合物中,用(+)-柠檬烯取代α-蒎烯,用1-甲氧基-2-丙醇取代2-甲基-3-丁烯-2-醇,α-蒎烯被代替后对雄性小蠹的捕捉率轻微的影响,但2-甲基-3-丁烯-2-醇被代替后,将不会没有明显地降低捕捉效果。     

Soil Oribatida and Collembola communities across a land depression in an arable field

A small-scale field study of oribatid and collembolan communities was conducted in the floodplain area of the Ondava River in the East-Slovak Lowland, to assess the role of temporary water pools in microdepressions with heavy soils for microarthropod distribution in an agricultural landscape. Soil samples were taken from five sites across a microdepression without water outflow located in a cultivated field. For comparison, willow field margin was included into the study. Results from ordination analysis showed specific communities at the pool-shore, clearly different from those of the arable field and willow margin sites. Pool-shore communities were mainly affected by soil pH (positive correlation) and dominated by oribatid mites Subiasella quadrimaculata and Microppia minus, together with Collembola Folsomia quadrioculata and Lepidocyrtus cyaneus. The soil surrounding freshwater pools is assumed to be a temporary microhabitat for several microarthropod species that contribute to the biodiversity of the agricultural landscape.