Is small mammal mycophagy relevant for truffle cultivation?

The role of small mammal mycophagy as vectors of hypogeous fungi is well established. However, little is known about dispersal of gourmet truffle species by mammal vectors, or about the potential role of mycophagy in truffle plantations. We hypothesize that small mammal mycophagy contributes to the productivity of truffle plantations by providing inoculum for truffle mycelium establishment and mating. Spread of non-desired competitors of gourmet truffles is a potential adverse effect of small mammal mycophagy

Is small mammal mycophagy relevant for truffle cultivation?

The role of small mammal mycophagy as vectors of hypogeous fungi is well established. However, little is known about dispersal of gourmet truffle species by mammal vectors, or about the potential role of mycophagy in truffle plantations. We hypothesize that small mammal mycophagy contributes to the productivity of truffle plantations by providing inoculum for truffle mycelium establishment and mating. Spread of non-desired competitors of gourmet truffles is a potential adverse effect of small mammal mycophagy

Lietuvos požeminių grybų įvairovė, paplitimas ir saitai su smulkiaisiais žinduoliais

Hypogeous fungi perform various functions in the forest ecosystems, they form the mycorrhizal relationship with plants and serve as the food source of some animals. Main aims of this dissertation were to ascertain the diversity and distribution of hypogeous fungi in Lithuania, to compare the communities of hypogeous and epigeous mycorrhizal fungi, and to explore the composition of fungi in small mammal diet. Using various research methods (an analysis of the literature data, the critical examination of the herbarium specimens, the search of the fruit-bodies by raking the soil, an examination of the fecal pellets of small mammals) in total 29 species of hypogeous fungi have been ascertained in Lithuania. The taxonomic structure, distribution and fructification phenology of hypogeous fungi has been analysed. The data on the structure and dynamics of communities of hypogeous and epigeous mycorrhizal fungi in spruce, oak and mixed tree stands were presented. The influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the species composition and fructification of fungi was assessed. The peculiarities of small mammal mycophagy in different tree stands were described

Hypogeous fungi of Lithuania: diversity, distribution and links with small mammals

Hypogeous fungi perform various functions in the forest ecosystems, they form the mycorrhizal relationship with plants and serve as the food source of some animals. Main aims of this dissertation were to ascertain the diversity and distribution of hypogeous fungi in Lithuania, to compare the communities of hypogeous and epigeous mycorrhizal fungi, and to explore the composition of fungi in small mammal diet. Using various research methods (an analysis of the literature data, the critical examination of the herbarium specimens, the search of the fruit-bodies by raking the soil, an examination of the fecal pellets of small mammals) in total 29 species of hypogeous fungi have been ascertained in Lithuania. An annotated checklist of hypogeous fungi of Lithuania was compiled, fungal macro- and microstructures were illustrated with color photographs. The taxonomic structure, distribution and fructification phenology of hypogeous fungi has been analysed. The data on the structure and dynamics of communities of hypogeous and epigeous mycorrhizal fungi in spruce, oak and mixed tree stands were presented. The influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the species composition and fructification of fungi was assessed. The peculiarities of small mammal mycophagy in different tree stands were described

Small mammal mycophagy in hemiboreal forest communities of Lithuania

The diets of small mammals in different hemiboreal spruce-dominated, oak-dominated and mixed forests in western part of Lithuania were studied by examination of fungal spores in fresh fecal pellets of caught animals. In the diets of mice (Apodemus spp.), bank voles (Myodes glareolus), and common and pygmy shrews (Sorex araneus and S. minutus), 22 different fungal taxa were identified, 15 of which were hypogeous fungi. The sporocarp abundance and the spores in fecal samples of Elaphomyces fungi prevailed in study area during this investigation. Although most of the captured individuals consumed fungi, the consumption varied among small mammal species. The data show that the fungi were more frequent and taxonomically diverse in Myodes glareolus than in Apodemus spp. diets. The study provided evidence that the fungal component in the diets of insectivorous Sorex species is more diverse than previously known. The availability of sporocarps and the fungal component in the diets of small mammals showed seasonal effects. Annual hypogeous and epigeous sporocarp abundances did not vary significantly across forest types. The significant difference in mycophagy was observed across all forest cover types, with the greatest fungal diversity in fecal samples collected in mixed coniferous-deciduous tree stands

Application and evaluation of an indicator set to measure and promote sustainable development in coastal areas

AbstractIncreasing problems in and pressures on coastal zones and subsequent high-ranking political initiatives to deal with these problems have resulted in several efforts to measure state of and progress towards sustainability in coastal zones. The project SUSTAIN developed an indicator-based methodology and scoring system which allows municipalities as well as district and regional authorities to evaluate their sustainability performance. The results shall serve as a policy and strategic planning tool and improve the management of coastal zones. Ten groups applied the indicator set in two contrasting Baltic coastal municipalities, Neringa in Lithuania and Warnemünde in Germany. Nine groups were composed of five students, and the tenth group had a single expert. The variability of results from different groups is high for both study sites and on every data aggregation level. The data's limited reliability and reproducibility hinders regional, national and European inter-comparisons between sites. Indicator applications for time series are also problematic due to limited data availability, quality, and spatial resolution, as well as shortcomings in the indicator set and the human factor. The role of evaluators and their background and spatial heterogeneity are discussed, and recommendations are given. Overall, the interactive application process supports a learning-focused process for building awareness of sustainability and favours strategic planning. In combination with the QualityCoast labelling system, the SUSTAIN methodology can provide convincing practical benefits for municipalities

U-Net Performance for Beach Wrack Segmentation: Effects of UAV Camera Bands, Height Measurements, and Spectral Indices

This study delves into the application of the U-Net convolutional neural network (CNN) model for beach wrack (BW) segmentation and monitoring in coastal environments using multispectral imagery. Through the utilization of different input configurations, namely, “RGB”, “RGB and height”, “5 bands”, “5 bands and height”, and “Band ratio indices”, this research provides insights into the optimal dataset combination for the U-Net model. The results indicate promising performance with the “RGB” combination, achieving a moderate Intersection over Union (IoU) of 0.42 for BW and an overall accuracy of IoU = 0.59. However, challenges arise in the segmentation of potential BW, primarily attributed to the dynamics of light in aquatic environments. Factors such as sun glint, wave patterns, and turbidity also influenced model accuracy. Contrary to the hypothesis, integrating all spectral bands did not enhance the model’s efficacy, and adding height data acquired from UAVs decreased model precision in both RGB and multispectral scenarios. This study reaffirms the potential of U-Net CNNs for BW detection, emphasizing the suitability of the suggested method for deployment in diverse beach geomorphology, requiring no high-end computing resources, and thereby facilitating more accessible applications in coastal monitoring and management

Požeminių grybų įvairovė miškuose ir bandomosios trumų plantacijos Lietuvoje

Klaipėdos universiteto Baltijos pajūrio aplinkos tyrimų ir planavimo institutasLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro filialas Miškų instituta

Macrophytes and their wrack as a habitat for faecal indicator bacteria and Vibrio in coastal marine environments

Waterborne pathogenic bacteria, including faecal indicator bacteria and potentially pathogenic Vibrio, are a global concern for diseases transmitted through water. A systematic review was conducted to analyse publications that investigated these bacteria in relation to macrophytes (seagrasses and macroalgae) in coastal marine environments. The highest quantities of FIB were found on brown algae and seagrasses, and the highest quantities of Vibrio bacteria were on red algae. The most extensively studied macrophyte group was brown algae, green algae were the least researched. Macrophyte wrack was found to favor the presence of FIB, but there is a lack of information about Vibrio quantities in this environment. To understand the role of Vibrio bacteria that are pathogenic to humans, molecular methods complementary to cultivation methods should be used. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of FIB and potentially pathogenic Vibrio with macrophytes and their microbiome in the coastal marine environment