Quantitative variations in the essential oil of Minthostachys mollis (Kunth.) Griseb. in response to insects with different feeding habits

Plants display a diverse array of inducible changes in secondary metabolites following insect herbivory. Herbivores differ in their feeding behavior, physiology, and mode of attachment to the leaf surface, and such variations might be reflected in the induced responses of damaged plants. Induced changes were analyzed for Minthostachys mollis, a Lamiaceae with medicinal and aromatic uses, and four species of folivore insects with different feeding habits (chewing, scraping, sap-sucking, and puncturing). In M. mollis leaves experimentally exposed to the insects, levels of the two dominant monoterpenes pulegone and menthone were assessed 24 and 48 h after wounding. Menthone content generally decreased in the essential oil of damaged leaves, whereas pulegone concentration increased in all treatments. These changes occurred also in the adjacent undamaged leaves, suggesting a systemic response. The relatively uniform response to different kinds of damage could be attributable to the presence of such a strongly active compound as pulegone in the essential oil of M. mollis. The effects of wounding on essential oil concentration may be significant from a commercial point of view.     

Effects of temporal floral resource availability and non-crop habitats on broad bean pollination

Landscape Ecology - Flowering plants can enhance wild insect populations and their pollination services to crops in agricultural landscapes, especially when they flower before the focal crop....     

First glimpse into the origin and spread of the Asian longhorned tick,Haemaphysalis longicornis,in the United States

Established populations of Asian longhorned ticks (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, were first identified in the United States (US) in 2017 by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) ‘barcoding’ locus followed by morphological confirmation. Subsequent investigations detected ALT infestations in 12, mostly eastern, US states. To gain information on the origin and spread of US ALT, we (1) sequenced cox1 from ALT populations across 9 US states and (2) obtained cox1 sequences from potential source populations [China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga (KOT)] both by sequencing and by downloading publicly available sequences in NCBI GenBank. Additionally, we conducted epidemiological investigations of properties near its initial detection locale in Hunterdon County, NJ, as well as a broader risk analysis for importation of ectoparasites into the area. In eastern Asian populations (China/Japan/ROK), we detected 35 cox1 haplotypes that neatly clustered into two clades with known bisexual versus parthenogenetic phenotypes. In Australia/New Zealand/KOT, we detected 10 cox1 haplotypes all falling within the parthenogenetic cluster. In the United States, we detected three differentially distributed cox1 haplotypes from the parthenogenetic cluster, supporting phenotypic evidence that US ALT are parthenogenetic. While none of the source populations examined had all three US cox1 haplotypes, a phylogeographic network analysis supports a northeast Asian source for the US populations. Within the United States, epidemiological investigations indicate ALT can be moved long distances by human transport of animals, such as horses and dogs, with smaller scale movements on wildlife. These results have relevant implications for efforts aimed at minimizing the spread of ALT in the United States and preventing additional exotic tick introductions.     

FC‐42 Sarcoptic mange epidemic in a cat population

Worldwide, sarcoptic mange in cats is seldom reported, and then only in sporadic individual cases. We describe an epidemic in a household with a dog and 25 cats. From September 2002, the dog was repeatedly treated with ivermectin for sarcoptic mange. The diagnosis was confirmed by skin scrapings. Fifteen months later, cats from the same household were diagnosed with severe sarcoptic mange. Twenty‐one of the cats were euthanized and necropsies were performed. Skin samples were taken from all cats from different body sites for histology, and skin scrapings were examined for ectoparasites. Samples for bacterial and dermatophyte culture were taken from six cats. Smears for cytology were made from lesions on four cats with severe mange. Sera from 21 cats and the dog were analysed for specific antibodies to Sarcoptesscabiei. Molecular characterizations of six individual mites were done. Large numbers of S.scabiei were isolated from the infected skin of most of the cats. Two‐thirds of the cats showed skin lesions compatible with chronic sarcoptic mange. Macroscopically, internal organs exhibited no obvious pathology. Yeast organisms and coccoid bacteria were found in the smears; penicillinase‐negative Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from all samples and Malassezia pachydermatis was identified from four cats. Sarcoptes scabiei was seen histologically in all cats showing chronic skin lesions. No other ectoparasites were found. All analysed cats had specific antibodies against S. scabiei. Twenty‐one cats tested negatively for FeLV and FIV. The mites had DNA sequences identical to S. scabiei from naturally infected dogs and Swedish wildlife. Funding: Self‐funded.     

Cannabinoid receptors are widely expressed in goldfish: molecular cloning of a CB2-like receptor and evaluation of CB1 and CB2 mRNA expression profiles in different organs

Cannabinoids, the bioactive constituents of Cannabis sativa, and endocannabinoids, among which the most important are anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, control various biological processes by binding to specific G protein-coupled receptors, namely CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. While a vast amount of information on the mammalian endocannabinoid system does exist, few data have been reported on bony fish. In the goldfish, Carassius auratus, the CB1 receptor has been cloned and its distribution has been analyzed in the retina, brain and gonads, while CB2 had not yet been isolated. In the present paper, we cloned the goldfish CB2 receptor and show that it presents a quite high degree of amino acid identity with zebrafish Danio rerio CB2A and CB2B receptors, while the percentage of identity is lower with the puffer fish Fugu rubripes CB2, as also confirmed by the phylogenetic analysis. The sequence identity becomes much lower when comparing the goldfish and the mammalian CB2 sequences; as for other species, goldfish CB2 and CB1 amino acid sequences share moderate levels of identity. Western-blotting analysis shows the CB2 receptor as two major bands of about 53 and 40 kDa and other faint bands with apparent molecular masses around 70, 57 and 55 kDa. Since the distribution of a receptor could give information on its physiological role, we evaluated and compared CB1 and CB2 mRNA expression in different goldfish organs by means of qReal-Time PCR. Our results show that both CB1 and CB2 receptors are widely expressed in the goldfish, displaying some tissue specificities, thus opening the way for further functional studies on bony fish and other nonmammalian vertebrates.     

The effect of organic matter on the structure of soils of different land uses

In this study, the soil structure of two soils (Haplic Chernozem and Eutric Fluvisol) of different land uses (forest, meadow, urban and agro-ecosystem – consisted of four crop rotations) in Slovakia was compared. The soil aggregate stability was determined with a dependence on the chemical composition of plant residues. The quantity and quality of the organic matter was assessed through the parameters of the C and N in size fractions of dry-sieved and water-resistant aggregates. The soil structure of the forest ecosystem was evaluated as the best of all of forms of land use. Differences in the soil structure under the grass vegetation of a meadow (natural conditions) and urban ecosystem were also recorded. The agro-ecosystem was characterised by a higher portion (55.95%) of the most valuable (agronomically) water-resistant aggregate size fraction of 0.5–3 mm. Values of the carbon management index showed that the larger water-resistant aggregates were, the greater were the changes in the organic matter (r = ?0.680, P < 0.05). In addition, a smaller content of dry-sieved aggregates of the 3–5 mm size fraction was observed with higher contents of soil organic carbon (SOC) (r = ?0.728, P < 0.05) and labile carbon (C_L) (r = ?0.760, P < 0.05); there were also greater changes in the soil organic matter and vice versa, higher contents of SOC (r = 0.744, P < 0.05) and C_L (r = 0.806, P < 0.05) greater contents of dry-sieved aggregates of size fraction 0.5–1 mm. The soil structure of agro-ecosystem was superior at a higher content of cellulose (r = ?0.712, P < 0.05) in the plant residues. The higher content of cellulose and hemicellulose in the plant residue of a previous crop was reflected in a smaller C_L content in the water-resistant aggregates (r = ?0.984, P < 0.05). A correlation was observed between a high content of lignin in the plant residue and a smaller SOC content in the water-resistant aggregates (r = ?0.967, P < 0.05). Lastly, a higher content of proteins in the plant residues (r = 0.744, P < 0.05) supported a greater content of dry-sieved aggregates of the 0.5–1 mm size fraction.     

Diffuse cylindrical bronchiectasis due to eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy in a dog

A miniature pinscher-cross was evaluated for chronic coughing. Computed tomography and bronchoscopy revealed severe, diffuse, cylindrical bronchiectasis secondary to eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy. Computed tomography is the gold standard for diagnosis of bronchiectasis in humans, and should be further investigated in dogs as a means of characterizing severity and pattern of disease.     

Soil tillage and fertilization of Orthic Luvisol and their influence on chemical properties, soil structure stability and carbon distribution in water-stable macro-aggregates

We studied the influence of different soil tillage and fertilization on chemical parameters, soil structure stability and carbon distribution in water-stable macro-aggregates (WSA_ma) of loamy Orthic Luvisol. In 1994, the Department of Plant Production of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra established a long-term field experiment in locality Dolná Malanta. In 1994–2007, the soil samples were collected from the depth 0–0.3 m. The field experiment included two types of soil tillage (conventional tillage—CT and reduced tillage—RT) and three variants of fertilization (1. C_o—without fertilization, 2. PR + NPK—crop residues together with added NPK fertilizers, 3. NPK—with added NPK fertilizers). Different tillage and fertilization had statistically significant influence on changes of the soil pH and soil sorptive complex. The values of pH were more favourable in RT than in CT. In NPK (by 26%) and in PR + NPK (by 21%) decreased values of hydrolytic acidity. On the other hand it increased the sum of basic cations. This led to the increase of cation exchangeable capacity. In comparison to CT, a higher total carbon concentration (C_t) was determined in RT. According to vulnerability coefficient (K_v), the soil structure stability was better in RT (4.64 ± 1.54) than in CT (5.15 ± 1.75). Average value of WSA_ma was higher by 9% in RT and it led to increasing of the sum of mean weight diameters of water-stable aggregates (MWD-WSA) by 11% and increasing of index stability (S_w) by 12%. We determined linear dependences between C_t and critic level of soil organic matter concentration (S_t) in CT and RT as well as in PR + NPK and NPK. The negative correlation between Ca²⁺ and S_t (−0.507^**) and positive correlation between Ca²⁺ and crusting index (0.525^**) were detected in CT. The values of Ca²⁺ were in positive correlation with crusting index (0.363^*) in RT. We observed higher concentrations of C_t and labile carbon content (C_L) in water-stable micro-aggregates (WSA_mi) and WSA_ma in the size fractions from 25 × 10⁻⁴ to 3 × 10⁻³ m in RT. There were also higher concentrations of C_t and C_L in WSA_ma in the size fractions >3 × 10⁻³ m in CT. The application of crop residues together with NPK fertilizers increased the concentration of C_t in all fractions of WSA_ma. On the other hand, C_t concentration decreased by 7% in WSA_mi. In PR + NPK, the highest concentration of C_L was observed in WSA_ma in the size fraction 2 × 10⁻³ to 3 × 10⁻³ m.     

采用参与式方法评估中国玉米研究的优先序

 采用参与式方法,对全国5个玉米生态区进行了参与式农村评估(PRA),并邀请专家以参与式学术研讨的方式对PRA所获得的玉米生产发展限制因素进行分析,以及对不同生态区的限制因素的重要性进行排序,在此基础上得出了我国玉米研究的优先序。结果表明,干旱是未来我国玉米生产发展的第一限制因素,也是玉米科研最优先的研究领域。栽培管理技术和农业技术推广等是近期我国政府在制定相关产业发展政策时必须考虑的重要领域。     

Physiological condition and migratory experience affect fitness‐related outcomes in adult female sockeye salmon

Relating fish physiology, behaviour and experience to fitness‐related outcomes at the individual scale is ecologically significant, but presents difficulties for free‐ranging fishes in natural systems. Physiological state (e.g. level of stress or maturity) and experience (e.g. habitat use or exposure to stressors) may alter the probability of survival or reproduction. This study examined the relative influence of physiology and migratory experience on survival, migration duration, reproductive longevity, and egg retention in adult female sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) from a Fraser River population. One hundred and thirty‐five females were plasma sampled and tagged with radio transmitters and archival temperature loggers. Fish were tracked 55 km through two natal lakes to spawning grounds, following passage of a hydroelectric dam. For 39 females, we assessed the proportion of time within an optimal temperature (T_optAS) window (13.4–19.5°C), which provides ≥90% of maximum aerobic scope. Females with lower plasma glucose concentrations were more likely to reach spawning grounds. Early migrants spent longer in natal lakes. More time in the T_optAS window was associated with greater reproductive longevity and lower probability of egg retention. Later arriving females had reduced longevity on spawning grounds, as did females that retained eggs. Exposure to higher dam discharge was associated with reduced reproductive longevity and greater probability of egg retention, but not lower survival, indicating a delayed effect of dam passage. Our results underscore the complexity of factors governing fitness‐related outcomes for salmonids, particularly the importance of female experience in the days and weeks prior to spawning.