Geographically structured and temporally unstable growth responses of Juniperus thurifera to recent climate variability in the Iberian Peninsula     

Lucía DeSoto  Jesús Julio Camarero  José Miguel Olano  Vicente Rozas 《European Journal of Forest Research》2012,131(4):905-917

Geographically structured tree-ring networks are needed to fully understand the spatiotemporal variability in climatic sensitiveness of trees and to study their future responses to global warming. We aim to identify the spatially constrained structure of radial-growth patterns of the Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifera L.) and to assess whether their climate–growth responses were unstable during the late twentieth century. Tree–ring width chronologies were built for 13?J. thurifera stands in Spain using dendrochronological methods and related to monthly climatic data. Sites were grouped according to their growth patterns using hierarchical cluster analysis. The relationships among geographical, climatic and stand features and their influence on radial growth were evaluated using redundancy analysis. The climate–growth relationships and their temporal stability were assessed using Pearson’s and moving bootstrapped correlations, respectively. Stands formed three geographical groups according to their high-frequency growth variation: North West and Centre, North East and South East. We found that J. thurifera radial-growth patterns depended on geographical and climatic factors, but not on the stand structure, and responded to a northwest–southeast gradient of decreasing rainfall and influence of Atlantic Westerlies and Mediterranean cyclonic activity. The positive response to June precipitation was unstable during the late twentieth century and started earlier in populations from western mesic sites than in eastern xeric sites. This pattern may be related to either decreasing water availability in western than in eastern sites or the resilience of J. thurifera growth from xeric sites in response to the increasing summer aridity.  相似文献   

Anomalous Pregnancies during Late Embryonic/Early Foetal Period in High Producing Dairy Cows     

B Serrano  F López-Gatius  RHF Hunter  P Santolaria  I García-Ispierto  G Bech-Sabat  NM de Sousa  JF Beckers  JL Yániz 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2009,44(4):672-676

This study analyses anomalous cases of gestation ending in pregnancy loss during the early foetal period and their effect on progesterone and plasma pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (PAG-1) concentrations. Data derived from a large-scale ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis programme in high producing dairy cows. Over a 3-year period (2004–2007), a very low incidence (0.5%: 15 of 3094) of anomalous pregnancies was recorded. The results revealed that the following anomalies were detected on days 35–41 of gestation in cows carrying singletons with one single corpus luteum: embryo death in eight cows (0.3%); and embryo in the uterine horn contralateral to the corpus luteum in seven cows (0.2%). All these animals suffered pregnancy loss during the early foetal period. In cows carrying dead embryos, no signs of conceptus degeneration were observed on pregnancy diagnosis. Amnion size (approximately 25 mm diameter) and uterine horn fluid contents were estimated to be similar to those of the normal pregnant cows in this period. In the contralateral gestations, live embryos were observed in all ultrasound checks before pregnancy loss. Uterine fluid contents increased in the two cows in which gestation continued for more than a week. In the cases of embryo death but not in those of contralateral gestation, a drop in PAG-1 levels was noted prior to pregnancy loss. Two cows carrying dead embryos increased with time allantoic fluid contents. The PAG-1 values increased with time in one cow bearing a dead embryo (from 2.31 to 6.79 ng/ml) and in two of the contralateral gestations (from 1.66 to 2.33 ng/ml and from 0.39 to 6.79 ng/ml, respectively). Results of this study indicate that the foetal membranes continue to undergo some activity following embryo death, and that contralateral pregnancy may determine failure of the gestation process.  相似文献   

Third‐compartment cannulation in alpacas using a polyurethane gastrostomy tube     

GW Smith  MP Gerard  NB Campbell  DM Foster  SM Smith  JL Davis 《Australian veterinary journal》2009,87(12):487-491

Objective To develop a simple and effective surgical technique for third‐compartment cannulation in alpacas. Design Prospective study using six adult male alpacas. Methods General anaesthesia was induced and a polyurethane gastrostomy tube was surgically implanted into the distal portion of the third compartment. Results Three of the alpacas retained their cannulas for a 100‐day period; however, three cannulas were dislodged during the study. Two of the three dislodged cannulas were replaced during a second surgical procedure. Cannulas were well tolerated by the alpacas and all animals remained clinically healthy during the study period. Third compartment contents did not leak from the cannulation site. The tubes were manually removed following the completion of the study and the small defect in the body wall quickly healed over in all animals. Conclusion Surgical placement of polyurethane tubes designed for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a useful method of cannulating the third compartment in camelids. This technique can be used for experimental studies and possibly could be used for nutritional support and fluid therapy in sick camelids that might need long‐term care.  相似文献   

Lythrum hyssopifolia (lesser loosestrife) poisoning of sheep in Victoria     

MJ Lancaster  JS Nimmo  C Lenghaus  IJ Gill  RD Crawford  RT Badman  JL Samuel  CJ Werner  C Button  N Kvalheim 《Australian veterinary journal》2009,87(12):476-479

Objective To document an ovine disease attributed to the consumption of Lythrum hyssopifolia (lesser loosestrife). Procedures Historical and histological review of field and experimental cases. Results 1–20% mortality occurred in sheep flocks grazing paddocks where L. hyssopifolia was the predominant green vegetation. Well‐documented disease outbreaks occurred in summer on nine farms across Victoria between 1974 and 2002. Liver damage occurred in all nine outbreaks, with kidney damage in at least eight. Hepatocyte necrosis was usually zonal to midzonal (zone 2) in the liver samples from four farms and periacinar (zone 3) in those from three farms, but some livers showed only single‐cell necrosis. Multinucleate hepatocytes near necrotic areas were a feature in six cases. Proximal tubular epithelium appeared to be the primary renal target and brown granules were often present in renal tubules. Biochemical and histological evidence of liver and kidney damage was obtained from two sheep experimentally pen‐fed harvested L. hyssopifolia. Conclusion Chemicals in L. hyssopifolia are toxic to ovine hepatocytes and renal tubular epithelial cells.  相似文献   

Increases in Growing Degree Days in the Alpine Desert of the San Luis Valley, Colorado     

Ken Mix  Walter Rast  Vicente L. Lopes 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2010,205(1-4):289-304

Most alpine ecosystem climate change studies identify changes in biota, several report abiotic factors and conditions, few report temperature changes, and few to none discuss growing degree days (GDD) changes. This study provides results of data analysis on changes in number of GDD in the alpine desert of the San Luis Valley (SLV) whose community is dominated by an irrigated agricultural region. Analysis indicates significant increases (p?<?0.05) in annual and growing season GDD₁₀, GDD_4.4 (potato), and GDD_5.5 (alfalfa) during 1994–2007 compared to 1958–1993. With one exception, all stations experienced significant increases in mean annual daily GDD between 0.12 and 0.50 day^?2 and growing season GDD day^?2 0.21 and 0.81. Higher temperatures increase numbers of GDD, quickening growth of crops and maturity at the cost of reduced yield and quality. Increases in GDD indicate the Valley’s agricultural region and economy may experience negative impacts as yields decrease and water use increases.  相似文献   

Pine Wilt Disease: a threat to European forestry     

Cláudia Vicente  Margarida Espada  Paulo Vieira  Manuel Mota 《European journal of plant pathology / European Foundation for Plant Pathology》2012,133(1):89-99

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pinewood nematode (PWN) and causal agent of Pine Wilt Disease (PWD), was detected for the first time, in 1999, in Portugal, and in Europe. Despite the efforts of the Portuguese National Forestry and Quarantine Authorities, the disease has spread to new forest areas in the centre of mainland Portugal, in 2008, and to the island of Madeira, in 2009. More recently, two foci of PWD were reported from Spain. The free circulation of non-treated wood and wood products, as part of global trade, may explain this phenomenon, which constitutes a threat to other European forestlands. This review gathers the most recent up-to-date information about PWD in Europe, as well as in other countries, presenting integrative management procedures for detection and control, and the scientific knowledge generated over the last decade, to understand the complex biological system behind the disease.  相似文献   

Life history parameters and scale-cover surface area of Aonidiella aurantii are altered in a mating disruption environment: implications for biological control     

Vanaclocha P  Vacas S  Alfaro C  Primo J  Verdú MJ  Navarro-Llopis V  Urbaneja A 《Pest management science》2012,68(7):1092-1097

BACKGROUND: In recent years, environmentally safe measures to control the California red scale (CRS), Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), have been successfully implemented. These measures include mating disruption (MD) and biological control. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of high concentrations of the CRS sex pheromone on its life history parameters and scale‐cover surface area under controlled laboratory conditions. RESULTS: The developmental time of both males and females of CRS increased with exposure to airborne pheromone. MD had an effect on both the total number of progeny and on the crawler production period for females. Accordingly, demographic parameters such as net fecundity (R₀) and intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) were significantly lower in the pheromone‐treated populations. The largest scale‐cover surface areas were observed in the CRS reared in the pheromone environment. CONCLUSION: A clear influence of airborne pheromone on the biology of CRS has been demonstrated. In addition to the classical mating disruption benefits of this technique, additional benefits, such as increase in the duration of exposure to natural enemies and increase in size, which benefits some species of parasitoids, have been confirmed. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry  相似文献   

Environmentally friendly treatment alternatives to Bordeaux mixture for controlling bacterial apical necrosis (BAN) of mango     

J. A. Gutiérrez‐Barranquero  E. Arrebola  N. Bonilla  D. Sarmiento  F. M. Cazorla  A. de Vicente 《Plant pathology》2012,61(4):665-676

Bacterial apical necrosis (BAN), caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss), is currently the most limiting disease affecting the mango crop in the Mediterranean area. The copper‐based compound Bordeaux mixture (BM) is considered to be the conventional treatment against BAN, but it does not act as a bactericide. Alternative experimental treatments to BM that are compatible with organic farming were tested for their ability to control BAN disease. Field trials were conducted over six seasons in different mango orchards with natural infestation of Pss. The experimental treatments included applications of Silicon gel (a commercial formulation of aqueous potassium silicate), dicalcium phosphate, Kaolinite, and Ulmasud B^® (bentonite, powder); BM was applied as the conventional treatment. During the first two seasons (small‐scale trial, 2002–2004), all these experimental compounds were applied in order to select those treatments providing the greatest reduction of BAN symptoms. In the next three seasons (2005–2008), a semi‐commercial scale trial was carried out with the best‐performing treatments, resulting in the selection of Silicon gel. Finally, Silicon gel was tested in a commercial scale trial during the last season (2008–2009). Trees treated with Silicon gel showed significantly fewer necrotic buds and leaves, reaching disease levels very similar to those using the conventional treatment with BM. However, minor differences in P. syringae‐like population levels were observed, as has been described in previous studies. The possible mode of action of the Silicon gel is discussed. Currently, the Silicon gel compound is undergoing the registration process for its commercial use in mango management in Spain.  相似文献   

Conventional and Doppler ultrasound for the differentiation of benign and malignant canine mammary tumours     

Feliciano MA  Vicente WR  Silva MA 《The Journal of small animal practice》2012,53(6):332-337

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of conventional and Doppler ultrasound for differentiation of benign and malignant mammary tumours in female dogs. Methods : Mammary tumours were evaluated from 60 animals and divided into two distinct groups, group 1 (benign tumours) and group 2 (malignant tumours). The tumours were assessed by conventional ultrasound, Doppler ultrasound mode, histopathology and immunohistochemical detection of vascular endothelial growth factor. Results : Conventional ultrasound examination was found to be ineffective in separating tumours into the two experimental groups. Similarly, using colour‐flow Doppler ultrasound, no correlation was found between the presence of vascularisation and its characteristics between the two groups. Triplex Doppler ultrasound yielded average maximum velocities of 28·71 cm/s for malignant and 19·91 cm/s for benign tumours, which were significantly different (P=0·01). For vascular endothelial growth factor, an average score of 2·22 was found for group 2 and 1·66 for group 1 (P=0·03). Positive correlations were found between vascular endothelial growth factor and presence of vascularisation (P=0·04 and r=0·3658) and between vascular endothelial growth factor and maximum velocity (P=0·03 and r=0·3913). Clinical Significance : Doppler evaluation may be used to predict malignancy of mammary tumours in bitches.  相似文献   

Serosurvey of Aujeszky's disease virus infection in European wild boar in Spain   总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3  

Vicente J  Ruiz-Fons F  Vidal D  Höfle U  Acevedo P  Villanúa D  Fernández-de-Mera IG  Martín MP  Gortázar C 《The Veterinary record》2005,156(13):408-412

Serum samples from 693 hunted wild boar (Sus scrofa) were analysed by means of a blocking ELISA technique, and the mean (se) prevalence of antibodies to Aujeszky's disease virus was 44 (4) per cent. All the seropositive wild boar were from south central Spain, except for one from central Spain, close to the main positive area. In this area, where large game species are increasingly managed for hunting, the seroprevalence was affected by the type of management. More intensively managed populations had a higher prevalence than wild boar living in natural situations, and the seroprevalence increased with the age of the animals; the seroprevalence was higher in females in all age groups. The seroprevalence in males more than one year old peaked after the breeding season, whereas females of the same age had a higher and constant seroprevalence throughout the year.  相似文献