Jahresdynamik und Habitatbindung von Wanzen (Heteroptera) auf renaturierten Moorstandorten in den Kendlmühlfilzen (Oberbayern, Lkr. Traunstein).

Im Jahr 1998 wurde auf seit elf Jahren renaturierten Frästorfabbaufeldern in den Kendlmühlfilzen, einem Hochmoorkomplex südlich des Chiemsees (Oberbayern, Lkr. Traunstein), die Heteropterenfauna in sechs ausgewählten Habitaten untersucht. Seggenried, Birkenaufwuchsfläche, Zwergstrauchheide, Wollgrasfläche und Schwimmrasen stellen unterschiedliche Sukzessionsstadien auf Renaturierungsflächen mit verschiedenen Standortbedingungen (Wasserstand, Nährstoffverfügbarkeit) dar. Die sechste Fläche war eine Fläche der Hochmoorweite (Schlenken-Komplex) und diente als Referenzfläche. Die Probenahmen erfolgten mit einem Insektensauggerät und dem Kescher. Mit zusätzlichen Fängen auch in den Randbereichen wurden insgesamt 6750 Wanzen in 55 Arten nachgewiesen. - Von verschiedenen faunistisch bemerkenswerten oder häufigen Arten wurden Vorkommen in Bayern, Aktivitätsdynamik und Habitatansprüche dokumentiert. Es wurde je nach Art und Überwinterungsstrategie ein ein- (Eiüberwinterer) oder zwei- bis mehrgipfliger (Imaginalüberwinterer) Verlauf der Jahresaktivität festgestellt. - In den sechs Habitaten konnten in Abhängigkeit von der Struktur des Habitates oder der vorkommenden Pflanzenarten Zeigerarten determiniert werden: Zeigerarten für das Seggenried waren in den Kendlmühlfilzen unter anderen Nabis rugosus, für die Birkenaufwuchsfläche Kleidocerys resedae und Pilophorus clavatus, für die Zwergstrauchheide Scolopostethus decoratus, Orthotylus ericetorum und Nabis ericetorum, für die Wollgrasfläche Hebrus pusillus, für den Schwimmrasen Microvelia reticulata, Cymus melanocephalus, Pachybrachius fracticollis und Pachybrachius luridus, und für das Hochmoor Agramma ruficorne. Hebrus ruficeps und Agramma ruficorne sind in den Kendlmühlfilzen tyrphophil.StichwörterHochmoor, Heteroptera, tyrphophil, hygrophil, Hebrus ruficeps, Jahresdynamik, Renaturierung, Habitatbindung, Kendlmühlfilzen.In 1998, the Heteroptera fauna of six selected habitats in the Kendmühlfilzen, an ombrotrophic bog south of Lake Chiemsee (Upper Bavaria, County of Traunstein), was investigated. Parts of the Kendlmühlfilzen were formerly exploited for peat and were restored eleven years ago. Carex rostrata wetland, birch woodland, Calluna-heathland, Eriophorum vaginatum wetland, and sedge-rich floating mats on restored areas represent succession states due to different abiotic conditions (groundwater level, nutrient supply). The sixth site was a natural peat bog (hummock-hollow-complex) and served as reference of undisturbed habitats. The samples were made with an insect suction sampler (D-vac) and with a sweep net. Additional plots in border areas included, a total of 6750 true bugs of 55 species were collected. Bavarian records, annual activity dynamics and habitat preferences in the Kendlmühlfilzen of several remarkable and frequent species are described. - Populations dynamics with one activity maximum (hibernation as eggs) or two and more activity maxima (hibernation as imago) were observed. The following indicator species were identified: (1) e.g. Nabis rugosus, (2) Kleidocerys resedae and Pilophorus clavatus, (3) Scolopostethus decoratus, Orthotylus ericetorum and Nabis ericetorum, (4) Hebrus pusillus, (5) Microvelia reticulata, Cymus melanocephalus, Pachybrachius fracticollis and Pachybrachius luridus, and for habitat (6) Agramma ruficorne. Hebrus ruficeps and Agramma ruficorne are tyrphophilous in the Kendlmühlfilzen.KeywordsHochmoor, Heteroptera, tyrphophil, hygrophil, Hebrus ruficeps, Jahresdynamik, Renaturierung, Habitatbindung, Kendlmühlfilzen

Cooperating for grassland conservation : Cross-regional networking event in support of the Natura 2000 biogeographical process, 16th Eurasian Grassland Conference, Graz(Austria), 28th May 2019

During the 16th Eurasian Grassland Conference, organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) together with the University of Graz, a network event took place on the management of dry grasslands. The Regional networking event was held in Graz, Austria in May 2019. A total of 16 experts participated. The program focussed on three discussion topics: • What are traditional management methods that are still being practiced, and how have they developed/altered over time? • What tools do farmers need in relation to N2000, to maintain Favourable Conservation Status, for monitoring and adaptive management? • Is there a specific regional focus required for action; are there regional differences which require different tools or are tools sufficiently adaptable? An international team of experts nominated by EU Member States has prepared the Habitat Action Plan 6210, which is very relevant for the conservation of species rich grasslands. The BioGeographical Process (BGP) presented the plan on behalf of Concha Olmeida, one of the authors. Both the presentation and the a summary of the Action plan have been shared with the participants. Several presenters highlighted various aspects of grassland management. In particular relevant discussions were held in relation to forms of traditional management of complex landscape systems, indigenous knowledge, and how current (national) regulations sometimes fail to facilitate the continuation of such management. The themes were discussed in an interactive way, in small working groups, to stimulate involvement from all participants. The second part of the workshop continued with following questions: 1. How can we sustain adjusted management methods, and what support measures are needed? 2. How can we ensure ecological and economical sustainability of grassland management independent of financial support? 3. How can we ensure actions towards FCS at various levels? In summary, the following recurring suggestions were made in the workshop: - more flexibility is necessary to cope with regional differences, in particular with regard to traditional knowledge; - Although the directives come from Brussels, it is the countries that implement them. The Directives are not perfect, but some of the problems arise at national level, and Member States have freedom to adapt the directive to national or regional needs; - subsidies are not always the solution, and sometimes they are the problem. It creates dependency on external funding and does not generate intrinsic motivation of farmers; - still, payments should be sufficient to cover costs of farmers, and to ensure sufficient income; - the price of products should take the quality into account; however, it is noted that in some countries the willingness to pay is much higher than in other, e.g. in the Netherlands or Germany many people want cheap products, whereas consumers in Austria or Italy may value more high-quality (expensive) food

Subsistence farming and conservation constrains in coastal peat swamp forests of the Kosi Bay Lake system, Maputaland, South Africa

Maputaland is a region of exceptionally rich biodiversity located in the north-eastern corner of Kwazulu-Natal and forms the southern most tip of the Mozambique coastal plain. It can be considered as the most southern end of the tropics in Africa and consequently many tropical species reach their southern most distribution boundary here. Maputaland is the largest peat containing region in South Africa with 60 % of the country’s peat present therein. Coastal peat swamps forests are more abundant in Maputaland than anywhere else in South Africa, but remain poorly studied as far as their vegetation composition, structure, functioning, and the nature and impact of exploitation on them are concerned. In this ongoing study an initial vegetation and environmental dataset of May 2003 was used to assess the impact of subsistence farming, predominately with madumbes (Colocasia esculenta) and bananas (Musa xparadisiaca), on coastal peat swamp forests. A TWINSPAN numerical classification resulted in the identification of 10 vegetation groups, exhibiting a gradient from pristine to highly disturbed peat swamp forests. The pristine peat swamp forest group is separated on the degree of wetness, ranging from wet to dry peat swamp forests, while the highly disturbed group is divided according to the presence or absence of active gardening. A Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA ordination) determined anthropogenic practices involving tree felling and peat draining as the main factors responsible for peat swamp forest habitat modification. The change in swamp forest structure and peat hydrology critically threatens the continued existence and ecological functioning of these systems. This impacts negatively on habitat and biodiversity loss and will eventually deprive the rural community of a sustainable gardening environment, bring about a change in the lake system’s nutrient balance, and even reduce available sources of clean and fresh water. The situation poses an urgent conservation challenge for the conservation agency and local community whose livelihood is intricately interwoven and pivoted around their peat swamp forest environments. Before progress can however be made trust needs to be established between the different stakeholders, looking beyond solutions of complete exclusion, but rather to mutual cooperation, involving practices such as wise use gardening management.La conciliation difficile entre cultures vivrières et conservation de la nature dans les forêts marécageuses côtières de Kosi Bay dans le Maputaland en Afrique du Sud Le Maputaland est un secteur de la province du Kwazulu-Natal, une région située au nord-est de l’Afrique du Sud, près des frontières avec le Swaziland et le Mozambique. Ce secteur correspond d’un point de vue géomorphologique à l’extrémité sud de la plaine côtière du Mozambique et d’un point de vue bio-climatique aux confins méridionaux de la zone tropicale africaine. Aussi de nombreuses espèces tropicales se trouvent ici à la limite de leur aire de répartition. Le Maputaland accueille par ailleurs l’essentiel des zones tourbeuses d’Afrique du Sud avec 60 % des tourbières nationales. Celles des forêts marécageuses - swamp forests - de la région côtière, bien que les plus riches d’un point de vue biologique, sont parmi les moins bien étudiées alors même qu’elles sont sérieusement menacées de disparition par la très forte pression des communautés agricoles locales. Les études dont cet article rend compte s’appuient sur une base de données constituée en mai 2003 à partir de 34 sites tourbeux sites au cœur des forêts marécageuses. Elle comporte un ensemble d’informations relatives à la végétation mais également à la pédologie, à l’occupation humaine, aux perturbations anthropiques…. Une classification des tourbières a ensuite été réalisée au moyen du modèle TWINSPAN qui a proposé dix classes, des tourbières intactes à celles largement affectées par les interventions humaines. Une analyse statistique a ensuite permis de mettre en évidence les principaux facteurs de la dégradation des tourbières qui sont liés à la progression des cultures vivrières au cœur même de la forêt. Il apparaît que certaines zones tourbeuses ont désormais un fonctionnement hydrologique gravement affecté, ce qui menace la structure même des forêts marécageuses. A cela s’ajoutent les conséquences sur la qualité de l’eau et la disponibilité en nutriments des eaux lacustres qui, en plus de leurs intérêts écologiques, sont une zone de pêche pour les populations locales. Cette situation pose un double problème : celui de la conservation des tourbières et des forêts primaires qui les abritent d’une part, celui de l’avenir des populations locales qui peu à peu détruisent les milieux qui les font vivre. Des solutions sont à imaginer pour concilier les intérêts des populations à long terme et le maintien de la biodiversité, cela dans la perspective d’un développement durable

Mediation of Growth Hormone-dependent Transcriptional Activation by Mammary Gland Factor/Stat 5

International audiencePrevious observations have shown that binding of growth hormone to its receptor leads to activation of transcription factors via a mechanism involving phosphorylation on tyrosine residues. In order to establish whether the prolactin-activated transcription factor Stat 5 (mammary gland factor) is also activated by growth hormone, nuclear extracts were prepared from COS-7 cells transiently expressing transfected Stat 5 and growth hormone receptor cDNA. Gel electrophoresis mobility shift analyses revealed the growth hormone-dependent presence of specific DNA-binding proteins in these extracts. The complexes formed could be supershifted by polyclonal anti-Stat 5 antiserum. In other experiments nuclear extracts from growth hormone-treated Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing transfected growth hormone receptor cDNA and liver from growth hormone-treated hypophysectomized rats were used for gel electrophoresis mobility shift analyses. These also revealed the presence of specific DNA-binding proteins sharing antigenic determinants with Stat 5. Stat 5 cDNA was shown to be capable of complementing the growth hormone-dependent activation of transcription of a reporter gene in the otherwise unresponsive COS-7 cell line. This complementation was dependent on the presence of Stat 5 tyrosine 694, suggesting a role for phosphorylation of this residue in growth hormone-dependent activation of DNA-binding and transcription

Trimeric and Tetrameric A‑Type Procyanidins from Peanut Skins

Peanut skins are a rich source of oligomeric and polymeric procyanidins. The oligomeric fractions are dominated by dimers, trimers, and tetramers. A multistep chromatographic fractionation led to the isolation of four new A-type procyanidins of tri- and tetrameric structures. The structures of the new trimers were defined by NMR, electronic circular dichroism, and MS data as epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-catechin, peanut procyanidin B (<b>3</b>), and epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-epicatechin-(4β→6)-catechin, peanut procyanidin C (<b>4</b>). The new tetramers were defined as epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-epicatechin-(4β→6)-epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-catechin, peanut procyanidin E (<b>1</b>), and epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-epicatechin-(4β→6)-epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-epicatechin, peanut procyanidin F (<b>2</b>). In addition, both A-type dimers A1, epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-catechin, and A2, epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-epicatechin, as well as two known peanut trimers, <i>ent-</i>epicatechin-(4β→6)-epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-catechin, peanut procyanidin A (<b>5</b>), and epicatechin-(4β→8)-epicatechin-(4β→8,2β→O→7)-catechin, peanut procyanidin D (<b>6</b>), were also isolated. Dimer A1, the four trimers, and two tetramers were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity in an in vitro assay, in which LPS-stimulated macrophages were responding with secretion of TNF-α, a pro-inflammatory cytokine. Tetramer F (<b>2</b>) was the most potent, suppressing TNF-α secretion to 82% at 8.7 μM (10 μg/mL), while tetramer E (<b>1</b>) at the same concentrations caused a 4% suppression. The results of the TNF-α secretion inhibition indicate that small structural differences, as in peanut procyanidin tetramers E and F, can be strongly differentiated in biological systems