Mapping dominant runoff processes : an evaluation of different approaches using similarity measures and synthetic runoff simulations

The identification of landscapes with similar hydrological behaviour is useful for runoff and flood predictions in small ungauged catchments. An established method for landscape classification is based on the concept of dominant runoff process (DRP). The various DRP-mapping approaches differ with respect to the time and data required for mapping. Manual approaches based on expert knowledge are reliable but time-consuming, whereas automatic GIS-based approaches are easier to implement but rely on simplifications which restrict their application range. To what extent these simplifications are applicable in other catchments is unclear. More information is also needed on how the different complexities of automatic DRP-mapping approaches affect hydrological simulations. In this paper, three automatic approaches were used to map two catchments on the Swiss Plateau. The resulting maps were compared to reference maps obtained with manual mapping. Measures of agreement and association, a class comparison, and a deviation map were derived. The automatically derived DRP maps were used in synthetic runoff simulations with an adapted version of the PREVAH hydrological model, and simulation results compared with those from simulations using the reference maps. The DRP maps derived with the automatic approach with highest complexity and data requirement were the most similar to the reference maps, while those derived with simplified approaches without original soil information differed significantly in terms of both extent and distribution of the DRPs. The runoff simulations derived from the simpler DRP maps were more uncertain due to inaccuracies in the input data and their coarse resolution, but problems were also linked with the use of topography as a proxy for the storage capacity of soils. The perception of the intensity of the DRP classes also seems to vary among the different authors, and a standardised definition of DRPs is still lacking. Furthermore, we argue not to use expert knowledge for only model building and constraining, but also in the phase of landscape classification

Abundance changes of neophytes and native species indicate a thermophilisation and eutrophisation of the Swiss flora during the 20th century

During the 20th century human activities drastically altered the natural environment at global and local scales by habitat destruction, urbanisation, intensive agriculture, and climate warming. This anthropogenic pressure has modified species distributions and abundances, and led to the increased spread of neophytes. However, the determination of the magnitude, direction, and drivers of changes remains challenging as comparable historic data is often lacking. Here, we analysed the floristic shifts during the 20th century based on a historic (1900–1930) and current (2000–2017) floristic survey of the canton of Zurich (Switzerland; 1729 km2) in combination with Landolt ecological indicator values (EIVs) for vascular plants. We used two complementary approaches to quantify the floristic shifts using EIVs for temperature, moisture, continentality, nutrients, soil pH and available light. 1) Regarding 244 map tiles with each a 3 × 3 km2 area, we compared the average EIVs for neophytes (i.e., novel species arriving of expanding in the study area) and native species (i.e., species present in Switzerland for centuries). 2) Based on standardized species abundances in the historic and the current flora, we analysed the directed changes by comparing the species’ EIVs of different frequency classes for both the historic and current floristic surveys. Our results showed, that neophyte species arriving or spreading in the study area indicate both a thermophilisation and an eutrophisation. The observed shift in average EIVs for temperature corresponded to about 2 ◦C, which is in line with the calculated difference in niche centroids for neophytes and native species based on their global distribution (1.78 ◦C). The indicated thermophilisation and eutrophisation relate to the decrease in abundances of cold-adapted species and species of nutrient poor environments as well as the increase of warm-adapted and nitrophilous/ruderal species. Directed changes in the flora of the study area are likely to be driven by both climatic changes and land-use changes. Increases in trade activity, anthropogenic habitat disturbances and rising temperatures facilitate the establishment and spread of neophytes from warmer and drier regions. In parallel, wetland area and wetland species strongly decreased as well as species thriving on nutrient-poor sites due to intensified agriculture and nitrogen deposition

Strain diversity in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis-positive bovine fecal samples collected in Switzerland

Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease is a chronic intestinal disease in domestic and wild ruminants. It affects global dairy economy and is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The objective of this study was to analyze strain diversity in MAP-positive fecal samples by using a particular single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) distinguishing between cattle (C-) and sheep (S-) type MAP and analysis of SNPs within gyrA and gyrB genes differentiating between Types I, II, and III. Moreover, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit and variable-number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) analysis using eight established loci was performed. A total of 90 fecal samples from diseased animals presenting diarrhea and/or weight loss, originating from 59 bovine herds across 16 cantons of Switzerland were screened by PCR for the MAP-specific F57 and IS900 genes and were further subtyped. 96.7% and 3.3% of the samples contained C- and S-type MAP, respectively. Ten INRA Nouzilly MIRU-VNTR (INMV) profiles, with a discriminatory index of 0.802, calculated based on 65 epidemiological independent genotypes, were detected: INMV 1 (33.8%), INMV 2 (23.1%), INMV 6 (16.9%), INMV 9 (9.2%), INMV 116 (4.6%), INMV 3 (3.1%), INMV 5 (3.1%) and INMV 72 (1.5%), including two novel INMV profiles, namely INMV 253 (3.1%; S-type III) and INMV 252 (1.5%; C-type). INMV 1, INMV 2, and INMV 6 comprised almost 75% of the F57- and IS900-positive samples. Typing data from 11 herds suggest that there are some herds with intra-herd diversity of genotypes. The results of this study indicate a heterogeneity of MAP in Switzerland

An Ex Vivo Approach to Complex Renal Artery Aneurysm Repair

Ex vivo repair technique for a complex renal artery aneurysm may have several advantages. Smaller incision size and use of minimally invasive techniques may decrease incisional morbidity and improve recovery time, especially in patients with a high body mass index. Improved visualization afforded by back-table methods may also be valuable when repair of aneurysms involving multiple branches is necessary. We report of a successful case of laparoscopic nephrectomy, followed by back-table aneurysmorrhaphy and autotransplant, in a patient with a renal artery aneurysm

Preventing corporate turnarounds through an early warning system

Bankruptcy proceedings of companies have been all but new phenomena in the business world. Latest cases, encompassing Toys R Us, Fred’s, and Sears in the US as well as Thomas Cook and Air Italy in Europe, demonstrate that managers often fail to run their businesses properly. As an alternative in such a case, managers could prevent potential downfalls through knowledge of a successful turnaround management. Learning about the implementation of an early warning system (EWS) might help avoid corporate turnarounds in the first place. Hence, it is crucial to offer managers a pragmatic and solution-oriented approach. That being said, the authors design a specific EWS that might contribute to bypassing corporate turnarounds at an early stage. By doing so, the article aims at disseminating information on better EWS for public corporations

Wertprüfung der in Deutschland zugelassenen Winterweizen-Populationen

Mit dem Durchführungsbeschluss 2014/150/EU fordert die Europäische Kommission die Organisation eines zeitlich befristeten Experiments, welches Ausnahmen in Bezug auf das Inverkehrbringen von heterogenem Pflanzenmaterial zulässt. Das als Populationen bezeichnete heterogene Material muss die DUS-Kriterien der regulären Sortenzulassung nicht erfüllen. Stattdessen wird im Durchführungsbeschluss ein Mindestmaß für die Heterogenität der Populationen vorgeschrieben. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir Ergebnisse von Wertprüfungen der in Deutschland zugelassenen Winterweizen-Populationen vor, die 2016/17 und 2017/18 gemäß den Richtlinien für landwirtschaftliche Wertprüfungen und Sortenversuche des Bundessortenamts durchgeführt wurden. Erfasst wurden der Ertrag, agronomische Eigenschaften und Backqualitätseigenschaften