upland Dotaz Zobrazit nápovědu
Ergosterol, a biomarker of living saprotrophic fungi, was obtained from soil by microwave-assisted extraction and determined by GC-MS-MS, HPLC, and GC-FID. The GC-MS-MS technique was used to monitor fungal biomass in the soils differently impacted by overwintering cattle. The amount of ergosterol in soil increased from 0.93 ± 0.34 to 29.28 ± 3.07 ?g g?1 of soil. The detection limits in GC-MS-MS and HPLC methods were ca. ten times lower than in GC-FID. Whereas GC-MS-MS is the best method for monitoring the complex sterol profile in the environment, the selective MS-MS mode allowed the determination of ergosterol in complex matrices by elimination of coeluting peaks. The enrichment of cattleimpacted soils in non-fungal sterols (campesterol, stigmaserol and ß-sitosterol) and stanols (ergostanol, sitostanol) was due to digested plant materials and rumen microflora, suggesting significant biochemical changes in the pasture soils under study.
The diversity of grassland in upland areas of Czech Republic was studied on selected soil characteristics of these biotopes. In the first phase, 44 soil characteristics were studied and mutual correlations were found between many of them. In the following phase characteristics were chosen which correlated most with other soil characteristics and, at the same time, were easy to evaluate in practise. A great number of correlations were also evidenced between many soil characteristics and the content of humus and nitrogen, which are closely linked to organic matter in soil. In studying these characteristics on selected areas with different types of grassland and consequential cluster analysis and further evaluation, the grassland plots were divided into three groups, from newly established vegetation to species-rich communities. Non-parametric analysis was carried out on the results and a statistically significant difference was proved between the species rich and poorvegetation and carbon and nitrogen content of the soil. Slightly different humus quality (higher amount of HA) was also found under richer vegetation. These results show that at 0-20 cm layer, 58.9 tonnes of carbon ha⁻¹ was measured under species-poor pastureland and 106.1 tonnes of carbon ha under species-rich vegetation. The results showed that besides supporting species diversity, the described quality change can also be important for carbon sequestration. The difference of about 40-50 tonnes of carbon ha and converting 10% of grassland in the Czech Republic to species-rich vegetation would mean sequestration of about 3.9 Mt carbon. If only agroenvironmentally subsidized areas are converted, carbon sequestration in such vegetation could amountto 1.7 Mt.
- MeSH
- ekosystém MeSH
- lipnicovité fyziologie MeSH
- půda chemie MeSH
- zemědělství MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that animal treading associated with a high input of organic matter would favour methanogenesis in soils used as overwintering pasture. Hence, methane emissions and methanogen populations were examined at sections with different degree of cattle impact in a Farm in South Bohemia, Czech Republic. In spring, methane emission positively corresponded to the gradient of animal impact. Applying phospholipid etherlipid analysis, the highest archaeal biomass was found in section severe impact (SI), followed by moderate impact (MI) and no impact. The same trend was observed for the methanogens as showed by real-time quantitative PCR analyses of methyl coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) genes. The detection of monounsaturated isoprenoid side chain hydrocarbons (i20:1) indicated the presence of acetoclastic methanogens in the cattle-impacted sites. This result was corroborated by the phylogenetic analysis of mcrA gene sequences obtained from section SI, which showed that 33% of the analysed clones belonged to the genus Methanosarcina. The majority of the sequenced clones (41%) showed close affiliations with uncultured rumen archaeons. This leads to the assumption that a substantial part of the methanogenic community in plot SI derived from the grazing cattle itself. Compared to the spring sampling, in autumn, a significant reduction in archaeal biomass and number of copies of mcrA genes was observed mainly for section MI. It can be concluded that after 5 months without cattle impact, the severely impact section maintained its methane production potential, whereas the methane production potential under moderate impact returned to background values.
- MeSH
- archeální geny MeSH
- biomasa MeSH
- chov zvířat * MeSH
- Euryarchaeota genetika metabolismus MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- genetická variace MeSH
- methan metabolismus MeSH
- půdní mikrobiologie * MeSH
- roční období MeSH
- skot fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- skot fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
An experiment to reveal functional response and heifers' performance to sward characteristics and forage chemical composition was conducted for 5 years in rotational (RSS) and continuous (CSS) stocking systems on native species-rich upland grassland. We measured sward characteristics, forage chemical composition, heifers' grazing behavior and live-weight gains from July to September. Mean sward surface height was lower on CSS than on RSS; grass and forb density, and white clover stolon length, were similar. Herbage on CSS had higher crude protein content and lower crude fiber content than on RSS. No difference existed in time budgets of grazing, ruminating and resting between stocking systems and season, while grazing rates were higher on CSS. Stocking rate was 1671 and 1332 kg per ha on CSS and RSS, individual daily live-weight gain 683 and 652 g on CSS and RSS. Gain per ha was 20 kg higher on CSS. Results suggested stocking systems on native species-rich grassland had no effect on activity time budgets or animal performance. Both RSS and CSS allow similar outputs for stocking rates in terms of individual daily live-weight gain. Key parameters determining heifers' behavior and performance were sward height, grass and forb density in the sward, and content of crude fiber and protein in forage.
The energy content was studied in above-ground live plant material and in litter in a natural grassland ecosystem with dominant Nardus stricta L., defined phytosociologically as Polygalo-Nardetum strictae. PREISING 1950 corr. OBERDORFER 1957, and in two of its fertilized variants in the course of 1975 to 1977. Based on the determined production characteristics and data on decomposition processes, the amounts of energy accumulated by the green parts of the stands and the amount of energy released during decomposition from the litter were calculated. Changes in the energy content of litter in different stages of decomposition were determined. With progressing decomposition the energy content per gram ash-free decomposing plant litter increases.
- MeSH
- biodegradace MeSH
- energetický metabolismus * MeSH
- lipnicovité metabolismus MeSH
- průmyslová hnojiva MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Československo MeSH
The activity concentrations of Beryllium-7 ((7)Be), a naturally occurring radioisotope produced in the atmosphere, were measured in leaves of birch-trees, above-ground parts of grass, soil and rainwater in the mountain massive Kralicky Sneznik (the northeast of the Czech Republic, altitude about 750 m) in the years of 2005, 2006 and 2007. Dried and ground samples of the plants and soils, and water samples from wet deposition were used to determine the (7)Be content using a semiconductor gamma spectrometer. The (7)Be values ranged from 147.0 to 279.6 Bq kg(-1), from 48.7 to 740.8 Bq kg(-1), from 2.1 to 8.7 Bq kg(-1), and from 0.6 to 1.9 Bq kg(-1) in birch-tree leaves, grass samples, soils, and rainwater, respectively. Insignificant inter-annual variations but significant increase in the (7)Be activity concentrations during the spring and summer months were observed in birch-tree leaves and grass samples. The seasonal variation of the (7)Be concentrations in grass samples correlated (R(2) = 0.4663 and 0.6489) with precipitation. No similar correlation was found for (7)Be in birch-tree leaves. Beryllium-7 content in birch-tree leaves and in aerial parts of grass was mainly caused by direct transport of (7)Be from wet deposition into aerial parts of the observed plants.
- MeSH
- beryllium metabolismus MeSH
- bříza metabolismus MeSH
- lipnicovité metabolismus MeSH
- listy rostlin metabolismus MeSH
- monitorování radiace MeSH
- radiační pozadí MeSH
- radioaktivní látky znečišťující vzduch metabolismus MeSH
- radionuklidy metabolismus MeSH
- roční období MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Senescence is the process of losing fitness when growing old, and is shaped by the trade-off between maintenance and reproduction that makes reproduction more unsure and maintenance more costly with age. In repeatedly reproducing plants, reductions in growth and fertility are signs of senescence. Disturbance, however, provides an opportunity to reset the ageing clock and consequently potentially ameliorate senescence. METHODS: To test the effects of disturbance on traits closely related to fitness and thus to senescence, a long-term garden experiment was established with two short-lived perennial congeners,Barbarea vulgaris and Barbarea stricta, that differ in their ability to resprout after injury. In the experiment, five damage treatments were applied to plants in four different phenophases. KEY RESULTS: It was found that damage to the plant body significantly prolonged life span in B. vulgaris but decreased whole-life seed production in both species. High concentration of seed production in one growing season characterized short life spans. Both more severe damage and a more advanced phenological phase at the time of damage caused reproduction to be spread over more than one growing season and equalized per-season seed production. In terms of seed quality, average weight of a single seed decreased and seed germination rate increased with age regardless of damage. CONCLUSIONS: Although disturbance is able to reset the ageing clock of plants, it is so harmful to plant fitness that resprouting serves, at best, only to alleviate slightly the signs of senescence. Thus, in terms of whole-life seed production, injured plants were not more successful than uninjured ones in the two studied species. Indeed, in these species, injury only slightly postponed or decelerated senescence and did not cause effective rejuvenation.
- MeSH
- Barbarea růst a vývoj MeSH
- biologické modely MeSH
- časové faktory MeSH
- druhová specificita MeSH
- klíčení * MeSH
- kořeny rostlin růst a vývoj MeSH
- rozmnožování MeSH
- semena rostlinná růst a vývoj MeSH
- statistické modely MeSH
- velikost těla MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
The diversity and structure of bacterial and actinobacteral diversity and communities were determined in a metallophytic grassland soil from an upland site in northern England. The community profiles were subjected to multivariate analyses using correspondence and cluster analyses. The total bacterial community diversities and structures were not significantly affected by Pb and Zn concentration in the soil. However, the community structure did show changes between winter and summer samples. Raup and Crick analysis indicated that deterministic selection lead to winter profiles exhibiting significant similarity. The actinobacterial community was also unaffected by Pb and Zn concentration. However, seasonal changes were apparent as diversity were significantly lower in winter compared to summer profiles. Moreover, the community structure showed evidence of changes of structure based on the seasonal samples with winter samples showing significant similarity to each other.
- MeSH
- Bacteria MeSH
- biodiverzita MeSH
- financování organizované MeSH
- olovo metabolismus MeSH
- půda analýza MeSH
- půdní mikrobiologie MeSH
- roční období MeSH
- zinek metabolismus MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Anglie MeSH
Avian eggshells are variable in appearance, including coloration. Here, we demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy can provide accurate diagnostic information about major eggshell constituents, including the pigments biliverdin and protoporphyrin IX. Eggshells pigmented with biliverdin showed a series of pigment-diagnostic Raman peaks under 785 nm excitation. Eggshells pigmented with protoporphyrin IX showed strong emission under 1064 nm and 785 nm excitation, whereas resonance Raman spectra (351 nm excitation) showed a set of protoporphyrin IX informative peaks characteristic of protoporphyrin IX. As representative examples, we identified biliverdin in the olive green eggshells of elegant crested tinamous (Eudromia elegans) and in the blue eggshells of extinct upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus). This study encourages the wider use of Raman spectroscopy in pigment and coloration research and highlights the value of this technique for non-destructive analyses of museum eggshell specimens.
- MeSH
- barva MeSH
- biliverdin analýza MeSH
- biologické pigmenty analýza MeSH
- protoporfyriny analýza MeSH
- ptáci * MeSH
- Ramanova spektroskopie MeSH
- vaječná skořápka chemie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the aetiological agent of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA). The aim of this survey was to assess the prevalence of anti-A. phagocytophilum antibodies in the horse population of the Czech Republic (CZ) and to investigate possible links between seropositivity and the geographic origin, age, and/or sex of the tested horses. Antibodies against A. phagocytophilum were screened using an indirect fluorescent antibody method (IFA). Serum samples from 96 healthy horses from 8 localities (7 within the CZ and one control upland/tick-free locality in Ukraine) were examined. While the controls tested negative, the seroprevalence in the Czech localities was estimated at 73%, which suggests that subclinical EGA is common among horses in the CZ. Significant differences between seropositivity rates in individual stables were demonstrated (explicable by the different environment and/or management styles of the horses stabled therein). Horses in stables from which previous manifest cases had been reported tended to have higher average titres. Mares displayed a somewhat higher seropositivity rate than did stallions; age had no demonstrable effect upon the serological status of the examined horses.
- MeSH
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum imunologie MeSH
- ehrlichióza epidemiologie MeSH
- koně imunologie mikrobiologie MeSH
- nemoci koní epidemiologie MeSH
- séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
