Patterns in recent and Holocene pollen accumulation rates across Europe - the Pollen Monitoring Programme Database as a tool for vegetation reconstruction

The collection of modern, spatially extensive pollen data is important for the interpretation of fossil pollen assemblages and the reconstruction of past vegetation communities in space and time. Modern datasets are readily available for percentage data but lacking for pollen accumulation rates (PARs). Filling this gap has been the motivation of the pollen monitoring network, whose contributors monitored pollen deposition in modified Tauber traps for several years or decades across Europe. Here we present this monitoring dataset consisting of 351 trap locations with a total of 2742 annual samples covering the period from 1981 to 2017. This dataset shows that total PAR is influenced by forest cover and climate parameters, which determine pollen productivity and correlate with latitude. Treeless vegetation produced PAR values of at least 140 grains cm−2 yr−1. Tree PAR increased by at least 400 grains cm−2 yr−1 with each 10 % increase in forest cover. Pollen traps situated beyond 200 km of the distribution of a given tree species still collect occasional pollen grains of that species. The threshold of this long-distance transport differs for individual species and is generally below 60 grains cm−2 yr−1. Comparisons between modern and fossil PAR from the same regions show similar values. For temperate taxa, modern analogues for fossil PARs are generally found downslope or southward of the fossil sites. While we do not find modern situations comparable to fossil PAR values of some taxa (e.g. Corylus), CO2 fertilization and land use may cause high modern PARs that are not documented in the fossil record. The modern data are now publicly available in the Neotoma Paleoecology Database and aid interpretations of fossil PAR data.publishedVersio

Patterns in recent and Holocene pollen accumulation rates across Europe - the Pollen Monitoring Programme Database as a tool for vegetation reconstruction

The collection of modern, spatially extensive pollen data is important for the interpretation of fossil pollen assemblages and the reconstruction of past vegetation communities in space and time. Modern datasets are readily available for percentage data but lacking for pollen accumulation rates (PARs). Filling this gap has been the motivation of the pollen monitoring network, whose contributors monitored pollen deposition in modified Tauber traps for several years or decades across Europe. Here we present this monitoring dataset consisting of 351 trap locations with a total of 2742 annual samples covering the period from 1981 to 2017. This dataset shows that total PAR is influenced by forest cover and climate parameters, which determine pollen productivity and correlate with latitude. Treeless vegetation produced PAR values of at least 140 grains cm(-2) yr(-1). Tree PAR increased by at least 400 grains cm(-2) yr(-1) with each 10% increase in forest cover. Pollen traps situated beyond 200 km of the distribution of a given tree species still collect occasional pollen grains of that species. The threshold of this long-distance transport differs for individual species and is generally below 60 grains cm(-2) yr(-1). Comparisons between modern and fossil PAR from the same regions show similar values. For temperate taxa, modern analogues for fossil PARs are generally found downslope or southward of the fossil sites. While we do not find modern situations comparable to fossil PAR values of some taxa (e.g. Corylus), CO2 fertilization and land use may cause high modern PARs that are not documented in the fossil record. The modern data are now publicly available in the Neotoma Paleoecology Database and aid interpretations of fossil PAR data

Estimation of genetic parameters of Thoroughbred racing performance in the Czech Republic

The aim of this study was to estimate the breeding value of English Thoroughbreds in the Czech Republic using racing results from a 22-year period (1980–2001). The data include the performance of two and three-year-old horses which raced in flat races at hippodromes in the Czech Republic. The racing results (30 203) were available corresponding to 6 333 horses descending from 762 sires and 2 836 dams. Different criteria were applied in order to analyse the performance: Log of earnings per race, a normalized ranking value, distance of the race when placed, earnings and number of starts for 2, 3, 2+3 year-old horses. After preliminary studies, a year effect or a sex by year effect was finally retained. Variance component estimation using VCE software gave the following values for heritability (±standard errors): 0.14 ± 0.01 and 0.16 ± 0.01 for the Log of earnings per race and the ranking value. Repeatability was 0.31 and 0.35, respectively. The maternal environment component was evaluated as 0.02 ± 0.004 for the Log of earnings per race and 0.03 ± 0.004 for the ranking value. We found that the Log of earnings per race and the ranking value were two appropriate criteria when taking into account racing performance in selection for Thoroughbreds in the Czech Republic. The genetic correlation of the two criteria was 0.98 ± 0.003. The heritability for the distance when placed was 0.18 ± 0.01. The genetic correlation of the Log of earnings per race and distance was medium, 0.38 ± 0.05 and of the same order, 0.39 ± 0.05 for ranking value and distance. In the case where we used the Log of annual earnings and the number of starts, the heritabilities were for the Log of earnings: 0.15 ± 0.03 for two-year-olds, 0.34 ± 0.03 for three-year-olds and 0.32 ± 0.03 for two and three-year-old careers together and respectively, 0.12 ± 0.03, 0.21 ± 0.03 and 0.20 ± 0.02 for number of starts. The genetic correlations between the earnings and the number of starts were respectively: 0.26 ± 0.14, 0.33 ± 0.06 and 0.19 ± 0.07. The genetic correlation between the number of starts for two and three year-olds which was restricted to horses earning money for two consecutive years, was average: 0.35 ± 0.05 and between earnings for the same ages was high 0.80 ± 0.04.Estimation de la valeur génétique du Pur Sang Anglais en République Tchèque. L’objectif de cette étude était d’estimer la valeur génétique des Pur Sang de la République Tchèque à l’aide des résultats de course sur une période de 22 ans (1980–2001). Notre fichier comprend les performances à 2 et 3 ans des chevaux ayant couru en plat sur les hippodromes Tchèques soit 30 203 résultats de courses de 6 333 chevaux issus de 762 étalons et 2 836 poulinières. La performance a été appréhendée par différents critères, le Log du gain par course, une valeur calculée à partir du rang d’arrivée, la distance de course si le cheval est placé, le gain et le nombre de départs à 2, 3 et 2+3 ans. Après quelques analyses préliminaires un effet année ou un effet sexe par année a finalement été retenu. L’estimation des composantes de la variance par l’utilisation du programme VCE a donné les valeurs suivantes pour l’héritabilité (± écart-type) 0,14 ± 0,01 et 0,16 ± 0,01 pour le Log du gain par course et la valeur issue du classement. La répétabilité a été de 0,31 et 0,35 respectivement. La composante environnement maternel a été évaluée à 0,02 ± 0,004 pour le Log du gain par course et à 0,03 ± 0,004 pour la valeur issue du classement. Ces deux critères constituent deux moyens appropriés d’appréhender les performances pour la sélection des Pur sang en République Tchèque. La corrélation génétique des deux critères a été de 0,98 ± 0,03. Pour les chevaux placés uniquement, l’héritabilité de la distance de course a été estimée à 0,18 ± 0,01, sa corrélation génétique avec le Log du gain par course a été trouvée moyenne 0,38 ± 0,05 et du même ordre pour la valeur issue du classement 0,39 ± 0,05. Dans le cas ou l’on utilise le Log du gain et le nombre de départs annuels, l’héritabilité a été pour le Log du gain 0,15 ± 0,03 pour les 2 ans, 0,34 ± 0,03 pour les 3 ans, 0,32 ± 0,03 pour les 2 et 3 ans ensemble et respectivement 0,12 ± 0,03, 0,21 ± 0,03 et 0,20 ± 0,02 pour le nombre de départs. La corrélation génétique entre gains et nombre de départs a été respectivement 0,26 ± 0,14, 0,33 ± 0,06 et 0,19 ± 0,07. En se limitant aux chevaux ayant gagné deux années consécutives, la corrélation génétique entre le nombre de départs à 2 et 3 ans a été moyenne : 0,35 ± 0,05 et entre gains aux mêmes âges elle a été forte : 0,80 ± 0,04

A review on immobilised aptamers for high throughput biomolecular detection and screening

The discovery of Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) assay has led to the generation of aptamers from libraries of nucleic acids. Concomitantly, aptamer-target recognition and its potential biomedical applications have become a major research endeavour. Aptamers possess unique properties that make them superior biological receptors to antibodies with a plethora of target molecules. Some specific areas of opportunities explored for aptamer-target interactions include biochemical analysis, cell signalling and targeting, biomolecular purification processes, pathogen detection and, clinical diagnosis and therapy. Most of these potential applications rely on the effective immobilisation of aptamers on support systems to probe target species. Hence, recent research focus is geared towards immobilising aptamers as oligosorbents for biodetection and bioscreening. This article seeks to review advances in immobilised aptameric binding with associated successful milestones and respective limitations. A proposal for high throughput bioscreening using continuous polymeric adsorbents is also presented