Ertragsbildung von unterschiedlichen Kulturarten für die Biogaserzeugung im ökologischen Landbau

Energy crops for biogas production need to be integrated into sustainable and site adapted crop rotation systems, minimising the competition with food production. Luzerne/clover (-grass), sun flower, maize, green-rye + maize and vetch-rye + maize were compared at two sites in Austria with semi-arid (Raasdorf) and humid (Lambach) conditions with and without biogas slurry application. The yield of legumes and fertilised non-legumes at the humid site were 9 % to 56 % higher then at the semi-arid site. The 2-crop system maize following vetch-rye achieved the highest yields at both sites. Slurry from the biogas plant increased the yield only at the humid site

Four in One: Cryptic Diversity in Geoffroy’s Side-Necked Turtle \u3cem\u3ePhrynops geoffroanus\u3c/em\u3e (Schweigger 1812) (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) in Brazil

Turtles are one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates, with about 60% of species classified at some level of extinction risk. Compounding this extinction crisis are cryptic species and species complexes that are evaluated under a single species epithet but harbor multiple species, each of which needs to be evaluated independently. The Phrynops geoffroanus species group is a classic example. Described first in 1812, it is currently thought to harbor multiple species. To test this hypothesis, we collected mitochondrial and nuclear genomic data, morphometric data, and distribution and associated biome information. We applied statistically rigorous species delimitation analyses, taxonomic hypotheses tests, and fully coalescent phylogenetic reconstruction methods, concluding that the Phrynops geoffroanus species complex comprises four geographically structured species/lineages that diverged during the Pleistocene and are currently geographically structured along the main South American river basins and biomes. These species/lineages show subtle and largely non-significant differences in shape but are characterized by differences in coloration and patterns of marks on the head and plastron. Our results contribute to the understanding of species diversity and diversification of biodiversity in South America and provide an important basis for the conservation of freshwater turtles

Phylogeny, molecular dating and zoogeographic history of the titi monkeys (Callicebus, Pitheciidae) of eastern Brazil

The titi monkeys belong to a genus of New World primates endemic to South America, which were recently reclassified in three genera (Cheracebus, Plecturocebus and Callicebus). The genus Callicebus, which currently includes five species, is endemic to eastern Brazil, occurring in the Caatinga, Savanna, and Atlantic Forest biomes. In the present study, we investigated the validity of these species and inferred their phylogenetic relationships, divergence times, and biogeographic patterns based on the molecular analysis of a concatenated sequence of 11 mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers, derived from 13 specimens. We ran Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) analyses, and estimated genetic distances, divergence times. Ancestral areas were estimated on BioGeoBears. Our results suggest that at about twelve million years ago, the ancestor of all titi monkeys inhabited a wide area that extended from the Amazon forest to the South of the Atlantic forest. A first vicariant event originated Cheracebus in the West of the Amazon and the ancestor of Callicebus and Plectorocebus which, later were separated by a second one. The diversification of Callicebus occurred during the Plio-Pleistocene (beginning at 5 Ma) probably influenced by climatic fluctuations and geological events. Therefore, the results of the present work confirmed the existence of five species that currently inhabit forested areas under increasing threat from human activities. Thus, a reliable diagnosis of the taxonomic status of species living in endangered environments is extremely important for the development of conservation measures

An Integrative Analysis Uncovers a New, Pseudo-Cryptic Species of Amazonian Marmoset (Primates: Callitrichidae: \u3cem\u3eMico\u3c/em\u3e) from the Arc of Deforestation

Amazonia has the richest primate fauna in the world. Nonetheless, the diversity and distribution of Amazonian primates remain little known and the scarcity of baseline data challenges their conservation. These challenges are especially acute in the Amazonian arc of deforestation, the 2500 km long southern edge of the Amazonian biome that is rapidly being deforested and converted to agricultural and pastoral landscapes. Amazonian marmosets of the genus Mico are little known endemics of this region and therefore a priority for research and conservation efforts. However, even nascent conservation efforts are hampered by taxonomic uncertainties in this group, such as the existence of a potentially new species from the Juruena–Teles Pires interfluve hidden within the M. emiliae epithet. Here we test if these marmosets belong to a distinct species using new morphological, phylogenomic, and geographic distribution data analysed within an integrative taxonomic framework. We discovered a new, pseudo-cryptic Mico species hidden within the epithet M. emiliae, here described and named after Horacio Schneider, the pioneer of molecular phylogenetics of Neotropical primates. We also clarify the distribution, evolutionary and morphological relationships of four other Mico species, bridging Linnean, Wallacean, and Darwinian shortfalls in the conservation of primates in the Amazonian arc of deforestation

Applying laboratory thermal desorption data in an interstellar context: sublimation of methanol thin films

Methods by which experimental measurements of thermal desorption can be applied in astrophysical environments have been developed, using the sublimation of solid methanol as an example. The temperature programmed desorption of methanol from graphitic, amorphous silica and polycrystalline gold substrates was compared, with the kinetic parameters of desorption extracted by either a leading edge analysis or by fitting using a stochastic integration method. At low coverages, the desorption shows a substrate-dependent fractional order. However, at higher coverages methanol desorption is zeroth order with kinetic parameters independent of substrate. Using a kinetic model based on the stochastic integration analyses, desorption under astrophysically relevant conditions can be simulated. We find that the chemical and morphological nature of the substrate has relatively little impact on the desorption temperature of solid methanol, and that the substrate independent zeroth-order kinetics can provide a satisfactory model for desorption in astrophysical environments. Uncertainties in the heating rate and the distribution of grain sizes will have the largest influence on the range of desorption temperature. These conclusions are likely to be generally applicable to all species in dust grain ice mantles

A dataset of new occurrence records of primates from the arc of deforestation, Brazil

​​​​​​​The so-called arc of deforestation is a major agricultural and industrial frontier in southern Amazonia and northern Cerrado of Brazil. As arboreal mammals, the primates in this region are therefore threatened by forest loss and fragmentation. At the same time, knowledge about the taxonomic diversity and distribution ranges of these taxa is incomplete, which might hamper efficient conservation measurements. New species have been recently discovered in this region, and their ranges remain imprecise because only a few occurrence records are available for each species. Here we present 192 new records of 22 species and subspecies of Alouatta, Aotus, Ateles, Cebus, Chiropotes, Lagothrix, Leontocebus, Pithecia, Plecturocebus, Saimiri, and Sapajus, collected in 56 different localities during 10 field expeditions across the arc of deforestation between 2015 and 2018. Based on these new records, we extend the ranges of Alouatta puruensis, Ateles chamek, and Saimiri collinsi; identify potential hybridization zones between A. puruensis and A. discolor, and between At. chamek and At. marginatus; redefine the range of Plecturocebus moloch; and clarify the ranges of P. baptista and P. hoffmannsi. Moreover, these results and the dataset are valuable for further research on, for example, species distribution and habitat use modeling, for assessing species extinction risks, and for supporting efforts for the conservation of species increasingly threatened on a global deforestation frontier.</p

Uncovering the diversity in the amazophrynella minuta complex: Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species of amazophrynella (anura, bufonidae) from southern peru

A new species of the genus Amazophrynella (Anura, Bufonidae) is described from the departments of Madre de Dios, Cusco and Junin in Peru. An integrative taxonomy approach is used. A morphological diagnosis, morphometrics comparisons, description of the advertisement call, and the phylogenetic relationships of the new species are provided. Amazophrynella javierbustamantei sp. n. differs from other species of Amazophrynella by: intermediate body-size (snout-vent length 14.9 mm in males, n = 26 and 19.6 mm in females, n = 20), tuberculate skin texture of body, greatest hand length of the Amazophrynella spp. (3.6 mm in males, n = 26 and 4.6 mm in females, n = 20), venter coloration yellowish, tiny rounded black points covering the venter, and thirteen molecular autapomorphies in the 16S RNA gene. Its distribution varies from 215 to 708 m a.s.l. This discovery highlights the importance of the remnant forest in preserving the biodiversity in Peru, and increase in seven the species formally described in the genus Amazophrynella. © R. Rojas et al

Österreichisches Projekt Grundlagen zur Züchtung, Vermehrung und Sorten-/Saatgutprüfung für den Biolandbau: Ergebnisübersicht

In the Austrian research project “Basic principles for breeding, multiplication and variety testing for organic agriculture” (from 2004 until 2008) novel methods for the assessment of the suitability of seed and cultivars for organic farming were developed and evaluated by an interdisciplinary co-operation of researchers, breeders and variety testers. Organic farming requires specific combinations of crop plant characters, especially seed health and resistance against seed-borne diseases. Another crucial feature is the competitive ability against weeds. Early development was found to significantly increase the competitiveness of different crop plants. Genotypic variation in characters necessary for an efficient utilisation of below-ground resources was also investigated, e.g. interrelations between root development and drought stress tolerance and between mycorrhiza formation and nutrient use efficiency. Based on the results obtained in various cultivar trials, it can be concluded that genotypes suitable for organic growing conditions may be pre-selected from early breeding material of conventional breeding programmes. The selected breeding material must subsequently be rigorously tested on organically managed fields starting from the first yield trials at the latest. The project results were communicated to farmers and advisors during field days and excursions. They will be applied in the breeding of new cultivars