Ground beetles as indicator species for stand tradition and nearness to nature of broadleaved forests

Laufkäfer werden in ökologischen Studien zur Lebensraumbewertung sehr häufig als Bioindikatoren hinzugezogen (PLATEN & KOWARIK 1995, PLATNER et al. 1996, POSPISCHIL 1981), denn ihre Ökologie und die daraus resultierenden ökologischen Ansprüche sind durch zahlreiche Studien eingehend untersucht (u.a. BAEHR 1980, LINDROTH 1945, THIELE 1977). Unterschiede in der Artengemeinschaft bzw. Änderungen in der Abundanz der Carabiden lassen Rückschlüsse über Habitatqualität, Standortsfaktoren, Minimalareal- Fragen, Habitattradition und Vernetzung von Lebensräumen zu. Diese Tatsachen wurden ausgenutzt, um die Bestandstradition und die Naturnähe der Bestockung der Probeflächen zu untersuchen. Diese sind weitgehend naturnahe Wälder im südbayerischen Tertiärhügelland, einem insgesamt wenig naturnahen, forstlich durch Fichtenforste geprägten Landschaftsraum.The role of isolated near natural broadleaved forests in a landscape dominated by manmade coniferous plantations was investigated using ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as indicator species. Natural beech and ravine forests as well as near-natural secondary oak forests, and a pure spruce stand were researched using pitfall traps. The results were ordinated using CCA including 76 additional sites in similar forest associations. The carabid faunas of these associations group together rather well. Wet forests are most distinct, including natural oak-hornbeam forests and wet ravine forests. Dry ravine forests on calcareous slopes overlap with beech forests on calcareous sites to a certain degree, while acidic beech forests are distinct. The investigated isolated sites do not group with the natural reference sites well, the main reason being „size of forest“ and „size of broadleaved forest“, according to the CCA. These factors are to blame for an apparent loss of species that could be expected for these sites according to data from similar sites under different circumstances. Especially one investigation area with only about 5 hectares of completely isolated forest and a historical record of large-scale deforestation (for use as a vineyard and as a coppice-with-standards stand) is deprived of many species. In the other investigated area, Carabus purpurascens, absent from the entire tertiary hill land of southern Bavaria, was rediscovered after approximately 100 years in an oak forest. In this site, circumstances are apparently better, albeit not good, again due largely to habitat fragmentation, though not habitat tradition. The species lost on these sites are foremost stenotopic forest species with preference to broadleaved forests, species with a montane distribution and large species (several species of the genus Carabus) with accordingly large requirements for contiguous habitat. The results stress the importance of the protection of forests with a habitat tradition on a sufficient area

Global cotton production under climate change – Implications for yield and water consumption

Being an extensively produced natural fiber on earth, cotton is of importance for economies. Although the plant is broadly adapted to varying environments, the growth of and irrigation water demand on cotton may be challenged by future climate change. To study the impacts of climate change on cotton productivity in different regions across the world and the irrigation water requirements related to it, we use the process-based, spatially detailed biosphere and hydrology model LPJmL (Lund Potsdam Jena managed land). We find our modeled cotton yield levels in good agreement with reported values and simulated water consumption of cotton production similar to published estimates. Following the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP) protocol, we employ an ensemble of five general circulation models under four representative concentration pathways (RCPs) for the 2011 2099 period to simulate future cotton yields. We find that irrigated cotton production does not suffer from climate change if CO2 effects are considered, whereas rainfed production is more sensitive to varying climate conditions. Considering the overall effect of a changing climate and CO2 fertilization, cotton production on current cropland steadily increases for most of the RCPs. Starting from _ 65 million tonnes in 2010, cotton production for RCP4.5 and RCP6.0 equates to 83 and 92 million tonnes at the end of the century, respectively. Under RCP8.5, simulated global cotton production rises by more than 50% by 2099. Taking only climate change into account, projected cotton production considerably shrinks in most scenarios, by up to one-Third or 43 million tonnes under RCP8.5. The simulation of future virtual water content (VWC) of cotton grown under elevated CO2 results for all scenarios in less VWC compared to ambient CO2 conditions. Under RCP6.0 and RCP8.5, VWC is notably decreased by more than 2000m3 t1 in areas where cotton is produced under purely rainfed conditions. By 2040, the average global VWC for cotton declines in all scenarios from currently 3300 to 3000m3 t1, and reduction continues by up to 30% in 2100 under RCP8.5. While the VWC decreases by the CO2 effect, elevated temperature acts in the opposite direction. Ignoring beneficial CO2 effects, global VWC of cotton would increase for all RCPs except RCP2.6, reaching more than 5000m3 t1 by the end of the simulation period under RCP8.5. Given the economic relevance of cotton production, climate change poses an additional stress and deserves special attention. Changes in VWC and water demands for cotton production are of special importance, as cotton production is known for its intense water consumption. The implications of climate impacts on cotton production on the one hand and the impact of cotton production on water resources on the other hand illustrate the need to assess how future climate change may affect cotton production and its resource requirements. Our results should be regarded as optimistic, because of high uncertainty with respect to CO2 fertilization and the lack of implementing processes of boll abscission under heat stress. Still, the inclusion of cotton in LPJmL allows for various large-scale studies to assess impacts of climate change on hydrological factors and the implications for agricultural production and carbon sequestration. © 2021 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved

First process-based simulations of climate change impacts on global tea production indicate large effects in the World’s major producer countries

Modeling of climate change impacts have mainly been focused on a small number of annual staple crops that provide most of the world's calories. Crop models typically do not represent perennial crops despite their high economic, nutritional, or cultural value. Here we assess climate change impacts on global tea production, chosen because of its high importance in culture and livelihoods of people around the world. We extended the dynamic global vegetation model with managed land, LPJmL4, global crop model to simulate the cultivation of tea plants. Simulated tea yields were validated and found in good agreement with historical observations as well as experiments on the effects of increasing CO2 concentrations. We then projected yields into the future under a range of climate scenarios from the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project. Under current irrigation levels and lowest climate change scenarios, tea yields are expected to decrease in major producing countries. In most climate scenarios, we project that tea yields are set to increase in China, India, and Vietnam. However, yield losses are expected to affect Kenya, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. If abundant water supply and full irrigation is assumed for all tea cultivation areas, yields are projected to increase in all regions

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Its Neurocognitive, Social and Emotive Correlates:A Systematic Review of the Current Literature

OBJECTIVES: Since the elimination of items associated with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) during the transition from DSM-III to DSM-IV from the diagnostic criteria of Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), interest in SCT and its associated cognitive as well as emotional and social consequences is on the increase. The current review discusses recent findings on SCT in clinical as well as community based ADHD populations. The focus is further on clinical correlates of SCT in populations different from ADHD, SCT’s genetic background, SCT’s association with internalizing and other behavioral comorbidities, as well as SCT’s association with social functioning and its treatment efficacy. METHOD: A systematic review of empirical studies on SCT in ADHD and other pathologies in PsycInfo, SocIndex, Web of Science and PubMed using the key terms “Sluggish Cognitive Tempo”, “Cognitive Tempo”, “Sluggish Tempo” was performed. Thirty-two out of 63 studies met inclusion criteria and are discussed in the current review. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: From the current literature, it can be concluded that SCT is a psychometrically valid construct with additive value in the clinical field of ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), internalizing disorders and neuro-rehabilitation. The taxonomy of SCT has been shown to be far from consistent across studies; however, the impact of SCT on individuals’ functioning (e.g., academic achievement, social interactions) seems remarkable. SCT has been shown to share some of the genes with ADHD, however, related most strongly to non-shared environmental factors. Future research should focus on the identification of adequate SCT measurement to promote symptom tailored treatment and increase studies on SCT in populations different from ADHD. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2049-9256-2-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Sea Bass Primary Cultures versus RTgill-W1 Cell Line: Influence of Cell Model on the Sensitivity to Nanoparticles

Determination of acute toxicity to vertebrates in aquatic environments is mainly performed following OECD test guideline 203, requiring the use of a large number of fish and with mortality as endpoint. This test is also used to determine toxicity of nanomaterials in aquatic environments. Since a replacement method for animal testing in nanotoxicity studies is desirable, the feasibility of fish primary cultures or cell lines as a model for nanotoxicity screenings is investigated here. Dicentrarchus labrax primary cultures and RTgill-W1 cell line were exposed to several concentrations (0.1 to 200 ug/mL) of different nanoparticles (TiO2, polystyrene and silver), and cytotoxicity, metabolic activity and reactive oxygen species formation were investigated after 24 and 48 h of exposure. Protein corona as amount of protein bound, as well as the influence of surface modification (-COOH, -NH2), exposure media (Leibovitz’s L15 or seawater), weathering and cell type were the experimental variables included to test their influence on the results of the assays. Data from all scenarios was split based on the significance each experimental variable had in the result of the cytotoxicity tests, in an exploratory approach that allows for better understanding of the determining factors affecting toxicity. Data shows that more variables significantly influenced the outcome of toxicity tests when the primary cultures were exposed to the different nanoparticles. Toxicity tests performed in RTgill-W1 were influenced only by exposure time and nanoparticle concentration. The whole data set was integrated in a biological response index to show the overall impact of nanoparticle exposures.This study was supported by a postdoctoral grant to AJ-R (Basque Government; POSDOC program 2017–2019), Basque Country, Spain; and Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF (NanoUmwelt, grant agreement Nº 030150B), Germany

Understanding the role of health information in patients' experiences: secondary analysis of qualitative narrative interviews with people diagnosed with cancer in Germany

Objective To analyse the role and meaning of health information in individuals' experiences with either breast, colorectal or prostate cancer in order to better understand unmet information needs of people with a cancer diagnosis. Design This is a secondary analysis of data from a qualitative interview study including narrative interviews and maximum variation sampling. A thematic analysis was conducted, followed by an in-depth analysis based on the principles of grounded theory. Setting Interviewees were sought across Germany through self-help organisations, primary care clinics, rehabilitation facilities, physicians and other healthcare professionals to develop cancer modules for the website kr ankheitserfahrungen.de (illness experiences.de). Participants Women with a diagnosis of breast cancer, individuals with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer and men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Results The meaning and role of information in the illness experiences were clearly associated with gaining control in a seemingly uncontrollable situation in which others people, the disease take over. Four categories characterise the ways in which information helped interviewees to regain a sense of control following a diagnosis of cancer: 'becoming confident in one's treatment decision', 'taking responsibility for one's situation', 'understanding the consequences of the disease and treatment for one's life', and 'dealing with fear'. There was, however, always a fine line between information seeking and becoming overwhelmed by information. Conclusions Information needs to be understood as a management tool for handling the disease and its (potential) consequences. Patients' unmet needs for information might not be easily solved by a simple increase in the amount of information because emotional support and respect for patient autonomy might also play a role. The evaluation of one's own information behaviour and the information received is closely linked to how the illness unfolds. This makes it challenging to document unmet information needs and satisfaction with information independent of an individual's illness trajectory over time

Macroalgae may mitigate ocean acidification effects on mussel calcification by increasing pH and its fluctuations

Ocean acidification (OA) is generally assumed to negatively impact calcification rates of marine organisms. At a local scale however, biological activity of macrophytes may generate pH fluctuations with rates of change that are orders of magnitude larger than the long-term trend predicted for the open ocean. These fluctuations may in turn impact benthic calcifiers in the vicinity. Combining laboratory, mesocosm and field studies, such interactions between OA, the brown alga Fucus vesiculosus, the sea grass Zostera marina and the blue mussel Mytilus edulis were investigated at spatial scales from decimetres to 100s of meters in the western Baltic. Macrophytes increased the overall mean pH of the habitat by up to 0.3 units relative to macrophyte-free, but otherwise similar, habitats and imposed diurnal pH fluctuations with amplitudes ranging from 0.3 to more than 1 pH unit. These amplitudes and their impact on mussel calcification tended to increase with increasing macrophyte biomass to bulk water ratio. At the laboratory and mesocosm scales, biogenic pH fluctuations allowed mussels to maintain calcification even under acidified conditions by shifting most of their calcification activity into the daytime when biogenic fluctuations caused by macrophyte activity offered temporal refuge from OA stress. In natural habitats with a low biomass to water body ratio, the impact of biogenic pH fluctuations on mean calcification rates of M. edulis was less pronounced. Thus, in dense algae or seagrass habitats, macrophytes may mitigate OA impact on mussel calcification by raising mean pH and providing temporal refuge from acidification stress