Allelopathic effects of Rumex obtusifolius leaf extracts against native grassland species

In perennial grasslands R. obtusifolius (broad-leaved dock) is often surrounded by certain plant species. Thus, it is hypothesized for the current study that Rumex can affect their neighbouring plant species by allelopathic interactions. To test this hypothesis, in a series of laboratory and field experiments aqueous extracts of green R. obtusifolius leaves were sprayed on seeds of 14 herbaceous plant species (graminoids, non-leguminuous forbs and leguminuous forbs) commonly native to perennial grasslands and its effects on seed germination compared with those with tap water spraying. An allelopathic effect was defined as inhibitory influence of Rumex extracts on seed germination relative to tap water. Generally, results of the laboratory experiments showed a species-specific susceptibility of grassland species to Rumex extracts; no species was promoted by Rumex extracts. All grasses tested were heavily inhibited by Rumex extracts, herbs and legumes varied from not affected until heavily inhibited. Spraying of Rumex extracts in the field had no effect on germination of these species. The results could be considered in designing seeding mixtures for resowing sward damages to especially contain species not susceptible to Rumex allelopathy (e.g. Trifolium pratense, T. repens, Plantago lanceolata) that would thus be assumed to be more competitive against R. obtusifolius regrowing in these grasslands

J/ψ→γη′π+π−J/\psi \to \gamma\eta'\pi^+\pi^- and the structure observed around the pˉp\bar pp threshold

We analyze the origin of the structure observed in the reaction $J/\psi \to \gamma \eta'\pi^+\pi^-$ for $\eta'\pi^+\pi^-$ invariant masses close to the antiproton-proton ($\bar pp$) threshold, commonly associated with the $X(1835)$ resonance. Specifically, we explore the effect of a possible contribution from the two-step process $J/\psi \to \gamma \bar NN \to \gamma \eta'\pi^+\pi^-$. The calculation is performed in distorted-wave Born approximation which allows an appropriate inclusion of the $\bar NN$ interaction in the transition amplitude. The $\bar NN$ amplitude itself is generated from a corresponding potential recently derived within chiral effective field theory. We are able to reproduce the measured spectra for the reactions $J/\psi \to \gamma \bar pp$ and $J/\psi \to \gamma \eta'\pi^+\pi^-$ for invariant masses around the $\bar pp$ threshold. The structure seen in the $\eta'\pi^+\pi^-$ spectrum emerges as a threshold effect due to the opening of the $\bar pp$ channel.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Antinucleon-nucleon interaction in chiral effective field theory

Results of an exploratory study of the antinucleon-nucleon interaction within chiral effective field theory are reported. The antinucleon-nucleon potential is derived up to next-to-next-to-leading order, based on a modified Weinberg power counting, in close analogy to pertinent studies of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. The low-energy constants associated with the arising contact interactions are fixed by a fit to phase shifts and inelasticities provided by a recently published phase-shift analysis of antiproton-proton scattering data. The overall quality of the achieved description of the antinucleon-nucleon amplitudes is comparable to the one found in case of the nucleon-nucleon interaction at the same order. For most S-waves and several P-waves good agreement with the antinucleon-nucleon phase shifts and inelasticities is obtained up to laboratory energies of around 200 MeV.Comment: 24 pp, uses JHEP styl

Re-examining the X(4630)X(4630) resonance in the reaction e+e−→Λc+Λˉc−e^+e^-\rightarrow \Lambda^+_c\bar\Lambda^-_c

The reaction $e^+e^-\rightarrow \Lambda^+_c\bar\Lambda^-_c$ is investigated at energies close to the threshold with emphasis on the role played by the $X(4630)$ resonance. The interaction in the final $\Lambda^+_c \bar\Lambda^-_c$ system, constructed within chiral effective field theory and supplemented by a pole diagram that represents a bare $X(4630)$ resonance, is taken into account rigorously. The pole parameters of the $X(4630)$ are extracted and found to be compatible with the ones of the $X(4660)$ resonance that have been established in the reaction $e^+e^- \to \pi^+\pi^-\psi(2S)$. The actual result for the $X(4630)$ is $M = (4652.5\pm 3.4)$ MeV and $\Gamma = (62.6\pm 5.6)$ MeV. Predictions for the $\Lambda^+_c$ electromagnetic form factors in the timelike region are presented.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Antinucleon-nucleon interaction in chiral effective field theory

Results of an exploratory study of the antinucleon-nucleon interaction within chiral effective field theory are reported. The antinucleon-nucleon potential is derived up to next-to-next-to-leading order, based on a modified Weinberg power counting, in close analogy to pertinent studies of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. The low-energy constants associated with the arising contact interactions are fixed by a fit to phase shifts and inelasticities provided by a recently published phase-shift analysis of antiproton-proton scattering data. The overall quality of the achieved description of the antinucleon-nucleon amplitudes is comparable to the one found in case of the nucleon-nucleon interaction at the same order. For most S-waves and several P-waves good agreement with the antinucleon-nucleon phase shifts and inelasticities is obtained up to laboratory energies of around 200 MeV.Comment: 24 pp, uses JHEP styl

Der Einfluss von Feld- und Landschaftsparameter auf die Abundanzen wichtiger Rapsschädlinge

In agroecological research it has been appreciated only fairly recently that plant-insect interactions and other ecological processes depend on scales much larger than a single habitat (Wiens et al. 1997). Crop-pest interactions have mainly been studied on single pest species by focusing either on the impact of field parameters or on landscape structure but only rarely included both factors (Östman et al. 2001). Here we investigated how the abundances of three major insect pest species in oilseed rape (OSR) responded to field parameters and landscape characteristics at various spatial scales. Pest species considered in the current study include (i) ceutorhynchid stem weevils that lay eggs in leaf petioles or midribs of OSR plants while the larvae tunnel in the stems; (ii) pollen beetles that feed on pollen and destroy flower buds and (iii) brassica pod midge that lay eggs into OSR pods where the hatched larvae consume the seeds as well as tissue of the pod walls and cause the pods to split prematurely (Alford et al. 2003). Studying these different groups of pests is especially important because they attack different parts of the crop, use different habitats as overwintering sites and also differ in their mobility; with the exception of pollen beetles these pest species have never been studied in a landscape context. The specific objectives of this study were to determine (i) whether the major OSR pest species differ in their relation to field and landscape characteristics and (ii) at which spatial scales landscape variables are effective.Der Einfluss von Feld- und Landschaftsparameter auf die Abundanzen wichtiger Rapsschädlinge (Rapsglanzkäfer - Meligethes aeneus und M. viridescens, Nitidulidae, Coleoptera; Gefleckter Kohltriebrüssler und Großer Rapsstängelrüssler - Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus und C. napi, Curculionidae, Coleoptera; Kohlschotenmücke - Dasineura brassicae, Cecidomyiidae, Diptera) wurde untersucht. In Raps-Untersuchungsfeldern wurden die Beziehungen zwischen Schädlingsabundanzen und Feld-/Landschaftsparametern in 29 von strukturarm bis komplex reichenden Landschaftssektoren auf acht räumlichen Skalen (Radien 250 - 2000 m) untersucht. Die Abundanzen der Stängelrüssler waren signifikant positiv korreliert mit der Bestandesdichte des Raps und der Bodenqualität. Die Abundanzen der Rapsglanzkäfer reagierten auf allen Radien signifikant negativ mit dem Anteil an Rapsfläche und positiv mit der Bestandesdichte. Die Dichte der Kohlschotenmücke war jeweils auf dem kleinsten Radius signifikant positiv mit dem Anteil an Gehölzen korreliert, negativ mit dem Anteil an Rapsfläch

Automatic Derivation of Statistical Algorithms: The EM Family and Beyond

Machine learning has reached a point where many probabilistic methods can be understood as variations, extensions and combinations of a much smaller set of abstract themes, e.g., as different instances of the EM algorithm. This enables the systematic derivation of algorithms customized for different models. Here, we describe the AUTOBAYES system which takes a high-level statistical model specification, uses powerful symbolic techniques based on schema-based program synthesis and computer algebra to derive an efficient specialized algorithm for learning that model, and generates executable code implementing that algorithm. This capability is far beyond that of code collections such as Matlab toolboxes or even tools for model-independent optimization such as BUGS for Gibbs sampling: complex new algorithms can be generated without new programming, algorithms can be highly specialized and tightly crafted for the exact structure of the model and data, and efficient and commented code can be generated for different languages or systems. We present automatically-derived algorithms ranging from closed-form solutions of Bayesian textbook problems to recently-proposed EM algorithms for clustering, regression, and a multinomial form of PCA

Charmed Hadrons from Strangeness-rich QGP

The yields of charmed hadrons emitted by strangeness rich QGP are evaluated within chemical non-equilibrium statistical hadronization model, conserving strangeness, charm, and entropy yields at hadronization.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures SQM 2006; the same as J. Phys. G in pres

Skalenabhängiger Einfluss der Landschaft auf die Diversität epigäischer Spinnen in Winterrapsfeldern

Agricultural intensification is a major threat to biological diversity worldwide. Land management activities enhancing landscape diversity are therefore regarded as a key strategy to halt species loss in cultural landscapes. Diverse and abundant communities of predatory arthropods, e.g. spiders (Araneae), have a high potential to suppress pest populations (Symondson et al. 2002) and could therefore contribute to allow reductions of pesticide use. Crop fields alone are usually not able to sustain diverse and individual-rich populations of predatory arthropods, because agricultural management results in disturbances and habitat deteriorations (harvest, soil cultivation, pesticide application) that kill or drive away large parts of the populations. Therefore semi-natural and perennial habitats in agricultural landscapes are considered to be of great importance for beneficial arthropods. On the one hand they offer refuge habitats in times when arable fields are hostile, e.g. fields with bare grounds during winter (Schmidt & Tscharntke 2005). On the other hand, viable populations of predatory arthropods in semi-natural habitats can serve as sources for (re-) colonisation of arable fields (Schmidt & Tscharntke 2005). Because of these exchanges between crop and non-crop areas it is important to include the surrounding landscape when investigating field-scale processes. We investigated the relations between spider assemblages in arable fields and the surrounding landscape in 29 fields of winter oilseed rape (OSR) in an agricultural landscape in eastern Austria. The objectives of this study were to estimate (1) how much spider assemblages in oilseed rape fields are influenced by the surrounding landscape, (2) the relative influence of landscape variables compared to field-scale variables and (3) at which spatial scales landscape variables are effective.Die Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft stellt weltweit eine der bedeutendsten Bedrohungen der Biodiversität dar. Maßnahmen, die die Diversität der Landschaft erhöhen werden daher als eine zentrale Möglichkeit gesehen, den Verlust von Arten in Kulturlandschaften zu stoppen und durch die Förderung von Nützlingen einen Betrag zu einer Reduktion des Pestizideinsatzes zu leisten. Wir untersuchten den Einfluss der Landschaft auf epigäische Spinnen (Araneae) in 29 Winterrapsfelder in einer durch landwirtschaftliche Nutzung dominierten Region östlich von Wien (Österreich). Spinnen – generalistische Prädatoren, die ein bedeutsames Potenzial in der natürlichen Schädlingskontrolle aufweisen – wurden während der Feldsaison 2005 mit Barberfallen erfasst. Die umgebenden Landschaften wurden hinsichtlich Zusammensetzung, Diversität und Komplexität charakterisiert (Landschaftsausschnitte mit 250 bis 2000 m Radius). Zusätzlich wurden Feldparameter, vor allem die Bewirtschaftung betreffend, in die Analyse einbezogen. Die Datenanalyse erfolgte mit Generalized Linear Models. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die Spinnengemeinschaften hinsichtlich Diversität und Individuenzahlen auf unterschiedliche Landschaftvariablen auf unterschiedlichen Skalenebenen reagieren. Für die Gesamtartenzahl war der Anteil an gehölzdominierten Habitaten in der näheren Umgebung der Felder der wichtigste, fördernde Faktor. Die Anzahl der häufigen Arten und die Gesamtindividuenzahlen hingegen nahmen mit dem Anteil an Brachen bzw. der Lauflänge an Wegrainen in größerem Umkreis der Felder zu. Diese Ergebnisse unterstreichen die Bedeutung von naturnahe Landschaftselementen, v.a. Brachen, für epigäische Spinnen als eine Gruppe von räuberischen Arthropoden in Agrarsystemen