The Vjosa River corridor: a model of natural hydro-morphodynamics and a hotspot of highly threatened ecosystems of European significance

Context: Large near-natural rivers have become rare in Europe, a fact reflected in the high conservation status of many riverine ecosystems. While the Balkan still harbors several intact river corridors, most of these are under pressure from planned hydropower constructions. Unfortunately, there is little information available on the hydromorphodynamics and biota of Balkan rivers under threat. Objectives: We present a synthesis of research on the Vjosa in Southern Albania. Here, longitudinal continuity in water flow, undisturbed sediment transport and intact fluvial dynamics are still maintained, but threatened by two large dams planned in its downstream section. We intend to provide a first multidisciplinary inventory of this river system as an example of the knowledge base required for sound water management decisions in the Balkans. Methods: Based on field work of a multidisciplinary consortium of scientists from Albania and other countries conducted from 2017 onwards, we summarize the most important findings on geomorphology of the riverine landscape, habitat turnover rates, vegetation ecology and selected animal taxa. Results: We found evidence that significant areas (86%) of the river corridor are covered by habitats listed in Annex 1 of the European Union Habitats Directive. These are associated with a high number of threatened biota. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the value of the Vjosa as one of the few remaining reference sites for dynamic floodplains in Europe and as a natural laboratory for interdisciplinary research. We emphasize that such multidisciplinary studies are a prerequisite for informed evaluation of potential impacts caused by hydropower plants

High molecular diversity in the Carabus variolosus/nodulosus complex

Starting point of this study was the problem considering the status of Carabus variolous and C. nodulosus: French and some German authors classified them as species, most German authors as subspecies and Casale as semispecies. We performed analyses of mitochondrial genes (COI-5', COI-3', ND5) as well as nuclear ones (ITS2, wingless) and analysed the DNA sequences using Seqotron, CLUSTALX (editing and alignment), MEGA, DNAML, SplitsTree (phylogeny and network), 4SALE (compensatory base changes), and BEAST (coalescence). We could study specimens from all regions except the western most part of the distribution area (Massif Central and French Jura, France). The mitochondrial DNA data resulted in a geographic pattern of high diversity within both taxa indicating a series of glacial refuges. In addition, a considerably large area was found were introgressive hybridisation took place in the past - at least two times by nodulosus of different regions into variolosus. The nuclear DNA data show a clear and constant difference between both taxa. In consequence, this complex of forms may be characterised as semispecies from an evolutionary viewpoint but taxonomically as one species because of  hybridisation and the lack of compensatory bases changes

Efecto de Cuatro L\ue1minas de Agua Sobre el Rendimiento y Calidad de Tomates de Invernadero Producido en Primavera-Verano

A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of four levels of water application on the yield and quality of a tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. Presto produced in a greenhouse at the Panguilemo Experimental Station, of the University of Talca (35\ub023'S lat; 71\ub0 W long; 110 m.a.s.l.), during the period August 2000 and January 2001. The irrigation treatments were application of 60 (T1), 100 (T2) and 140% (T3) of the actual evapotranspiration (ETreal) and a control (T4) was the irrigation level that farmers traditionally apply in the region. The results indicated that the largest total yield (180 t ha-1) was obtained by treatment T3, followed by treatment T4. The largest commercial yields were observed in treatments T3 and T4, which corresponded to 129.8 and 120.3 t ha-1 , respectively. The diameter and weight of fruit were reduced as the water application decreased, but soluble solids and dry matter increased. The treatment T3 was the best combination of yield and quality of greenhouse tomatoes with a 72% reduction of water application in comparison with T4.Se realiz\uf3 una investigaci\uf3n para evaluar el efecto de cuatro l\ue1minas de agua sobre el rendimiento y calidad de un cultivo de tomates ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. Presto, producido en invernadero en la Estaci\uf3n Experimental Panguilemo de la Universidad de Talca (35 \ub0 23' lat. Sur; 71 \ub0 40' long. Oeste; 110 m.s.n.m), durante los meses de agosto de 2000 a enero de 2001. Los tratamientos de riego correspondieron a una reposici\uf3n de 60 (T1), 100 (T2) y 140% (T3) de la evapotranspiraci\uf3n real (ETreal) y un testigo (T4) que correspondi\uf3 a las l\ue1minas de agua que los agricultores utilizan tradicionalmente en la zona. Los resultados indicaron que el mayor rendimiento total (180 t ha-1) fue obtenido en el tratamiento T3, seguido por el testigo. Los mayores rendimientos comerciales fueron observados en los tratamientos T3 y T4, los cuales correspondieron a 129,8 y 120,3 t ha-1 , respectivamente. El di\ue1metro y peso de los frutos fueron reducidos a medida que se aplicaron cantidades de agua menores; por el contrario, los s\uf3lidos solubles y el peso seco fueron aumentados. El tratamiento T3 presento la mejor combinaci\uf3n de rendimiento y calidad para el cultivo de tomate producido en invernadero, con una reducci\uf3n de un 72 % en la aplicaci\uf3n de agua en comparaci\uf3n al tratamiento T4

Relicts from Glacial Times: The Ground Beetle <i>Pterostichus adstrictus</i> Eschscholtz, 1823 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Austrian Alps

The last ice age considerably influenced distribution patterns of extant species of plants and animals, with some of them now inhabiting disjunct areas in the subarctic/arctic and alpine regions. This arctic-alpine distribution is characteristic for many cold-adapted species with a limited dispersal ability and can be found in many invertebrate taxa, including ground beetles. The ground beetle Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz, 1823 of the subgenus Bothriopterus was previously known to have a holarctic-circumpolar distribution, in Europe reaching its southern borders in Wales and southern Scandinavia. Here, we report the first findings of this species from the Austrian Ötztal Alps, representing also the southernmost edge of its currently known distribution, confirmed by the comparison of morphological characters to other Bothriopterus species and DNA barcoding data. Molecular data revealed a separation of the Austrian and Finish specimens with limited to no gene flow at all. Furthermore, we present the first data on habitat preference and seasonality of P. adstrictus in the Austrian Alps

Distinct levels of dopamine denervation differentially alter striatal synaptic plasticity and NMDA receptor subunit composition

A correct interplay between dopamine (DA) and glutamate is essential for corticostriatal synaptic plasticity and motor activity. In an experimental model of Parkinson's disease (PD) obtained in rats, the complete depletion of striatal DA, mimicking advanced stages of the disease, results in the loss of both forms of striatal plasticity: long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). However, early PD stages are characterized by an incomplete reduction in striatal DA levels. The mechanism by which this incomplete reduction in DA level affects striatal synaptic plasticity and glutamatergic synapses is unknown. Here we present a model of early PD in which a partial denervation, causing mild motor deficits, selectively affects NMDA-dependent LTP but not LTD and dramatically alters NMDA receptor composition in the postsynaptic density. Our findings show that DA decrease influences corticostriatal synaptic plasticity depending on the level of depletion. The use of the TAT2A cell-permeable peptide, as an innovative therapeutic strategy in early PD, rescues physiological NMDA receptor composition, synaptic plasticity, and motor behavio