Linking food web functioning and habitat diversity for an ecosystem based management: A Mediterranean lagoon case-study

We propose a modelling approach relating the functioning of a transitional ecosystem with the spatial extension of its habitats. A test case is presented for the lagoon of Venice, discussing the results in the context of the application of current EU directives. The effects on food web functioning due to changes related to manageable and unmanageable drivers were investigated. The modelling procedure involved the use of steady-state food web models and network analysis, respectively applied to estimate the fluxes of energy associated with trophic interactions, and to compute indices of food web functioning. On the long term (hundred years) temporal scale, the model indicated that the expected loss of salt marshes will produce further changes at the system level, with a lagoon showing a decrease in the energy processing efficiency. On the short term scale, simulation results indicated that fishery management accompanied by seagrass restoration measures would produce a slight transition towards a more healthy system, with higher energy cycling, and maintaining a good balance between processing efficiency and resilience. Scenarios presented suggest that the effectiveness of short term management strategies can be better evaluated when contextualized in the long term trends of evolution of a system. We also remark the need for further studying the relationship between habitat diversity and indicators of food web functioning

Diverse tick-borne microorganisms identified in free-living ungulates in Slovakia

Background: Free-living ungulates are hosts of ixodid ticks and reservoirs of tick-borne microorganisms in central Europe and many regions around the world. Tissue samples and engorged ticks were obtained from roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, and wild boar hunted in deciduous forests of south-western Slovakia. DNA isolated from these samples was screened for the presence of tick-borne microorganisms by PCR-based methods. Results: Ticks were found to infest all examined ungulate species. The principal infesting tick was Ixodes ricinus, identified on 90.4% of wildlife, and included all developmental stages. Larvae and nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna were feeding on 9.6% of wildlife. Two specimens of Dermacentor reticulatus were also identified. Ungulates were positive for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was found to infect 96.1% of cervids, 88.9% of mouflon, and 28.2% of wild boar, whereas Theileria spp. was detected only in cervids (94.6%). Importantly, a high rate of cervids (89%) showed mixed infections with both these microorganisms. In addition to A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp., Rickettsia helvetica, R. monacensis, unidentified Rickettsia sp., Coxiella burnetii, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis", Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Babesia venatorum were identified in engorged I. ricinus. Furthermore, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. were detected in engorged H. concinna. Analysis of 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequences revealed the presence of five and two A. phagocytophilum variants, respectively, among which sequences identified in wild boar showed identity to the sequence of the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria 18S rRNA gene sequences amplified from cervids and engorged I. ricinus ticks segregated jointly with sequences of T. capreoli isolates into a moderately supported monophyletic clade. Conclusions: The findings indicate that free-living ungulates are reservoirs for A. phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. and engorged ixodid ticks attached to ungulates are good sentinels for the presence of agents of public and veterinary concern. Further analyses of the A. phagocytophilum genetic variants and Theileria species and their associations with vector ticks and free-living ungulates are required.Fil: Kazimírová, Mária. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Hamšíková, Zuzana. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Spitalská, Eva. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Minichová, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; EslovaquiaFil: Mahríková, Lenka. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology; EslovaquiaFil: Caban, Radoslav. Široká ; EslovaquiaFil: Sprong, Hein. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Fonville, Manoj. National Institute for Public Health and Environment.Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology; Países BajosFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kocianová, Elena. Slovak Academy of Sciences. Institute of Virology. Biomedical Research Center,; Eslovaqui

Effects of water extracts from chicory and BHT on the in vitro rumen degradation of feeds.

Effects of Butyl-Hydroxyl-Toluene (BHT) and of Red Chicory Extract (RCE) on kinetics of gas production (GP) and rumen degradability values (OMd, NDFd and in vitro true OM degradability - IVTOMD) of two feeds (meadow hay and corn meal) were evaluated using an in vitro automatic batch system. For each feed 2 increasing dosages (0.15 and 1.5 mg/g of feed) of BHT and RCE and a Control (C) were tested in 4 replications and 2 incubations. First incubation lasted 72h, the 2nd one was stopped at the times on which half of GP was produced (t½), which were 9 and 16 h for corn and hay, respectively. From the supernatants of the 2nd incubation, VFA, NH3, N content of the residual NDF were analysed and the microbial N balance was computed. The 2 feeds significantly affected rumen fermentation parameters; BHT significantly increased asymptotic GP, t½ and IVTOMD (P<0.01), decreased the proportion of butyrate (P<0.01) but did not affect microbial N balance; RCE did not influence any of the parameters measured with respect to C, except for a significant increase of the estimated N available for microbes at the higher dosage

Ecosistemi di acque interne e di transizione

In questo contributo la vulnerabilità degli ecosistemi acquatici ai cambiamenti climatici è analizzata in relazione ai meccanismi di organizzazione e mantenimento della biodiversità e dei processi ecosistemici. Dai processi degli ecosistemi derivano funzioni che forniscono una serie di benefici o servizi per il genere umano (Daily et al., 2009). Tali servizi sono in larga misura dipendenti dalle componenti biologiche degli ecosistemi86. Negli ecosistemi acquatici i processi biogeochimici (ad es. denitrificazione batterica e assimilazione da parte della vegetazione acquatica), garantiscono l’abbattimento dei nutrienti, una funzione ecosistemica che produce il servizio di depurazione dell’acqua. Altri servizi sono la laminazione delle piene, la ricarica degli acquiferi, la regolazione del microclima locale, la produzione di risorse alimentari quali pesci, crostacei, ecc. (Jones, 2013). Le alterazioni degli ecosistemi, in particolare la perdita di specie e la diminuzione della biodiversità danneggiano questi servizi, con ricadute anche di tipo economico(si pensi, ad esempio, ai costi della depurazione dell’acqua destinata al consumo umano)

Polyethylene Identification in ocean water samples by means of 50 keV energy electron beam

The study presented hereafter shows a new methodology to reveal traces of polyethylene (the most common microplastic particles, known as a structure of C_2 H_4) in a sample of ocean water by the irradiation of a 50 keV, 1 uA electron beam. This is performed by analyzing the photon (produced by the electrons in water ) fluxes and spectra (i.e. fluxes as a function of photon energy) at different types of contaminated water with an adequate device and in particular looking at the peculiar interactions of electrons/photons with the potential abnormal atomic hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), carbon (C), phosphorus (P) compositions present in the water, as a function of living and not living organic organisms with a PO4 group RNA/DNA strands in a cluster configuration through a volumetric cells grid.Comment: 34 pages, 33 figure

Spatio-temporal re-colonization of top-predators modulates zoonotic infections in ticks

Introduction and objectives: Predator community can change abundance and composition of their preys, affecting emergence and spread of tick-borne infectious diseases for which some preys (e.g., ungulates, rodents) are often common hosts. We aim to evaluate if sites with gradual temporal re-colonization of a top-predator, the wolf (Canis lupus), exhibit different infection prevalence in ticks. Materials and methods: We identified four study areas (NV = Non Valley, PP = Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park, LV = Laghi Valley and GV = Giudicarie Valley) located in the Autonomous Province of Trento (Italian Alps), each characterized by a temporal gradient of re-colonization from east-to-west of wolf in recent years. Specifically, in NV the species is considered stable since 2017, in PP since 2019, in LV since 2021, while yet sporadic in GV. During 2023 in each study area, we collected host-seeking ticks in forested habitats by dragging the vegetation. PCR-based methods were used to detect infection of Borrelia burgorferi s.l., Anaplasma spp. and Babesia spp. in ticks. Results, discussion and conclusion: During this first year, we collected 394 Ixodes spp. ticks across the study areas. We preliminary obtained higher prevalence of Borrelia spp. in areas historically colonized by wolves (NV: 28.72%; PP: 15.48%), compared to where wolf is sporadic (LV: 13.11%; GV: 11.70%) and the opposite for Anaplasma spp. (NV: 1.06%; GV: 4.25%). Babesia spp. prevalence rates did not show any specific pattern. We speculate that the established presence of wolf may interfere differently with the circulation of tick-borne pathogens, both indirectly affecting Borrelia-competent rodent hosts’ predators, such as foxes, or directly by hunting Anaplasma-competent hosts, such as ungulates. These preliminary findings suggest that predator community may have a crucial role in modulating zoonotic disease circulation by affecting preys local presence or abundance that will be incorporated in our forthcoming analysis. The authors acknowledge the support of NBFC to Fondazione Edmund Mach, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, PNRR

Ecological factors associated to the invasion by alien Aedes species in the province of Trento, northern Italy

Aedes albopictus, Ae. koreicus and Ae. japonicus are of increasing public health concerns in Europe. In Trentino province (northern Italy), an established population of Aedes albopictus is reported since late 90’ (1) whilst Ae. koreicus was detected for the first time in 2013 (2). The most recently introduced IMS in our province is Ae. japonicus, recorded in 2022 (Arnoldi D., personal communication). To get an insight into the ecological process affetting IMS abilty to establish into new areas and to obtain a number of parametrs of utility to develop risk maps and predictive mathematical models, we carried out a series of investigation combining filed observation and laboratory experiments. Here we summarise some of the results so far obtained

Fast multigram scale microwave-assisted synthesis of Vitamin E and C10-, C15-analogues under vacuum

A novel protocol for the microwave-assisted synthesis of (all-rac)-α-tocopherol, including its C10- and C15-analogues, is reported.</p

Temporal changes in tick-borne pathogen prevalence in questing Ixodes ricinus across different habitats in the North-Eastern Italian Alps

Changes in land use, climate, and host community are leading to increased complexity in eco-epidemiological relationships and the emergence of zoonoses. This study investigates the changes in the prevalence of several Ixodes ricinus-transmitted pathogens in questing ticks over a 10-year interval (2011–2013, 2020) in natural and agricultural habitats of the Autonomous Province of Trento (North-eastern Alps), finding an average prevalence of infection of 27.1%. Analysis of 2652 ticks, investigating four infectious agents (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., and Babesia spp.), revealed the circulation of 11 different zoonotic pathogens, with varying infection rates across different years and habitats. In 2020, we found a decrease in Anaplasma phagocytophilum, associated with agricultural habitats, and Rickettsia spp., found in all habitats. In the same year, Babesia spp. increased in both habitats, similar to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, which was related to natural habitats. Co-infections were identified in 8% of positive-tested ticks with different spatiotemporal associations, primarily in natural settings. Our results provide new evidence that the risk of infection with tick-borne pathogens in the Alpine region varies over time and in different environments, broadening the current information on co-infection rates and the circulation of zoonotic pathogens, previously not reported in this are