Mixed Grass Research Articles

The frequency of single specific immunoglobulin E and allergen mixes with a MAST (multiple-antigen simultaneous test) technique

Abstract Objectives Allergy is an important public health problem that affects children and adults, its prevalence potentially differs across cultures with the change of several factors in recent years. However, scarcity of reliable data on allergy prevalence does not exist in Turkey. We aimed to assess IgE-mediated allergy prevalence an automated multiple allergen simultaneous tests (MAST) analyzer. Methods Open-population samples were obtained from patients from all over the country for the diagnosis of their allergic diseases and tested for SpIgE Allergy Panel. Results The study included 100 patients. As we grouped the patients according to the classification of their allergy level, we did not find any allergen in 62 patients, which means they were in Class 0. The rest (n=38) of the patients were positive for at least one or more sIgE allergens. Overall, 478 SpIgE-positive allergen types were obtained from one hundred patients. The highest value was observed at Common Allergen Group, with a ratio of 36.8 % and the lowest value was at animals materials (0.60 %). We found that D.farinea was the most (28 %) allergen. Among participants who were allergic to at least one or more sIgE allergens, 100 % stated that they were the most allergic to grass mix, Timothy grass, beef, and fish (shell) mix. Conclusions This MAST assay for detecting sIgE might be a reliable and cost-effective alternative to a component-resolved diagnosis of allergic patients. The study was a great ranged retrospective analysis of the characteristics of IgE allergies for the entire country of Turkey.

Effect of Total Mixed Fountain Grass Pellets on The Growth Performance of Goats

Purpose: Feed quality is inconsistent throughout the year. The nutrient composition of feed supplies is affected by the transition from wet to dry seasons, which also decreases digestibility. This study evaluated the effect of varying levels of fountain grass hay total mixed ration (TMR) pellets on the apparent digestibility, growth performance, and blood profile of Djallonké Goats in the Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana. Design/Methodology/Approach: The experimental treatments were T0 (unpelleted hay), T1 (75% pelleted hay total mixed ration), T2 (50% pelleted hay total mixed ration), and T3 (25% pelleted hay total mixed ration). Sixteen (16) weaned male Djallonke goats (5.190 kg) were randomly divided into four treatments (four bucks/treatment) using a completely randomised design (CRD). After adaptation for 14 d, the animals were fed for 84 d and 7 d to determine the digestibility coefficient. Findings: Goats fed total mixed ratio (TMR) hay pellets exhibited significantly higher (P < 0.05) dry matter intake (DMI) and digestibility coefficients than those fed unpelleted hay. The average daily gain (ADG) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in T0 and lowest in T3. Haematological and serological parameters did not differ significantly among the treatments (p>0.05). Research Limitation: This study examined the feed intake, nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and blood profile of Djallonké Goats. Its results cannot be generalised to the entire livestock industry. Practical Implication: Hay pellets could serve as an alternative feed resource for ruminants, reducing production costs and ensuring the sustainability of the animal industry in Ghana. Social Implication: This study will help address dry season feeding challenges and ensure the sustainability of the livestock industry. Originality/value: This study highlights the potential of Pennisetum purpureum hay as an underutilised native pasture that could improve ruminant production in Northern Ghana.

A Hierarchical Machine Learning-Based Strategy for Mapping Grassland in Manitoba’s Diverse Ecoregions

Accurate and reliable knowledge about grassland distribution is essential for farmers, stakeholders, and government to effectively manage grassland resources from agro-economical and ecological perspectives. This study developed a novel pixel-based grassland classification approach using three supervised machine learning (ML) algorithms, which were assessed in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The grassland classification process involved three stages: (1) to distinguish between vegetation and non-vegetation covers, (2) to differentiate grassland from non-grassland landscapes, and (3) to identify three specific grassland classes (tame, native, and mixed grasses). Initially, this study investigated different satellite data, such as Sentinel-1 (S1), Sentinel-2 (S2), and Landsat 8 and 9, individually and combined, using the random forest (RF) method, with the best performance at the first two steps achieved using a combination of S1 and S2. The combination was then utilized to conduct the first two steps of classification using support vector machine (SVM) and gradient tree boosting (GTB). In step 3, after filtering out non-grassland pixels, the performance of RF, SVM, and GTB classifiers was evaluated with combined S1 and S2 data to distinguish different grassland types. Eighty-nine multitemporal raster-based variables, including spectral bands, SAR backscatters, and digital elevation models (DEM), were input for ML models. RF had the highest classification accuracy at 69.96% overall accuracy (OA) and a Kappa value of 0.55. After feature selection, the variables were reduced to 61, increasing OA to 72.62% with a Kappa value of 0.58. GTB ranked second, with its OA and Kappa values improving from 67.69% and 0.50 to 72.18% and 0.58 after feature selection. The impact of raster data quality on grassland classification accuracy was assessed through multisensor image fusion. Grassland classification using the Hue, Saturation, and Value (HSV) fused images showed higher OA (59.18%) and Kappa values (0.36) than the Brovey Transform (BT) and non-fused images. Finally, a web map was created to show grassland results within the Soil Landscapes of Canada (SLC) polygons, relating soil landscapes to grassland distribution and providing valuable information for decision-makers and researchers. Future work may include extending the current methodology by considering other influential variables, like meteorological parameters or soil properties, to create a comprehensive grassland inventory across the whole Prairie ecozone of Canada.

Characterization, source profiles and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban dust of 14 Chinese cities

ABSTRACT Data for 16 USEPA priority PAHs were collected in urban dust from 14 cities in China between 2008 and 2022, and concentration, profile composition, and human health risk were investigated. The mean concentration of PAHs was 6.60 mg kg−1, ranging from 2.88 mg kg−1 to 13.88 mg kg−1, and it was higher than other important cities in neighboring countries of China. Among different individual PAHs, mean fluoranthene (Flr) was dominant, accounting for 15.04%, and low molecular weight PAH (LMW) was almost a third of high molecular weight PAH (HMW). The results of PAH composition profiles suggested that the proportion of different rings of PAHs increased in order: 2-ring PAHs (4.40%)< 6-ring PAHs (15.73%)< 3-ring PAHs (17.77%)< 5-ring PAHs (22.54%)< 4-ring PAHs (39.56%). The results of the source appointment suggested that pyrogenic sources and mixed sources, particularly wood, grass, coal, and diesel combustion, were the main sources of PAHs in urban dust. The results of the health risk assessment illustrated that children were more vulnerable to PAHs, and ingestion was the dominant exposure pathway to PAHs (78.152%, 67.519%, 73.206%, and 72.957% of children, adolescents, adults, and the total lifetime cancer risk (TLCR)). PAH pollution in urban dust from different cities in China was a commonly existing phenomenon, but the mean and maximum of TLCR were acceptable according to the standard established by USEPA (10−4). Based on Monte Carlo simulations, body weight (BW) was the most important uncertain input in three age groups (60.75%-91.22% contribution).

Mixed Grass Species Enhances Root Production and Plant–Soil Reinforcement

ABSTRACTVegetation is a widely used eco‐friendly approach for slope reinforcement and ecological restoration. As a potential planting strategy, mixed planting of plants is often recommended to improve biodiversity, but the effects of mixed planting on soil reinforcement and slope stability are not yet clear. To address this issue, a study on two typical herbaceous slope protection plants, Chrysopogon zizanioides and Cynodon dactylon, were conducted. The biomechanical characteristics of different herbaceous plants were analyzed, and their root distribution and soil reinforcement performance under single and mixed planting were explored. Results show that mixed planting could significantly increase the number and root area ratio of root systems. At 0.1 cm depth after 42 days, the root number under mixed planting increased by 111.42% compared to vetiver grass monoculture and by 19.57% compared to bermuda grass monoculture. Mixed planting can provide stronger soil reinforcement by increasing apparent cohesion, with a maximum increase in apparent cohesion of 47.9%. The results of slope stability analysis showed that vegetation mainly relied on mechanical reinforcement in the root zone and hydrological reinforcement outside the root zone. After 42 days of growth, mixed planting at 0.1 m depth increased slope stability by 11.94% compared to vetiver grass monoculture and by 27.12% compared to bermuda grass monoculture, with both mechanical and hydrological effects of vegetation significantly enhanced. These findings suggest that mixed planting can promote plant development and growth, improve root production, and enhance plant–soil reinforcement and slope stability during the early establishment of vegetation. Therefore, in formulating slope reinforcement and ecological restoration strategies, more consideration can be given to mixed planting of plants, maximizing the utilization of competition characteristics between plants, and reducing the risk of shallow landslides while improving biodiversity.

Cropping systems and ecological groups of soil animals jointly affect the transfer of root-derived carbon and mineral nitrogen into the soil food web

Root-derived carbon (C) is a crucial resource fuelling soil food webs. However, the quantity of these resources varies with plant communities and may also influence the flux of mineral nitrogen (N) into belowground food webs. Yet, little is known about how different plant communities, especially in agricultural systems, influence the incorporation of plant C and mineral N into the soil macrofauna. Here, we combined pulse 13C-labelling of plants with 15N-labelling of soil in a crop monoculture (oilseed rape), a mixed grass community (grass and legume mixture) and a young tree plantation (willow) to trace the fluxes of root-derived C and mineral N into earthworms and centipedes as major soil decomposers and predators, respectively, over 28 days. Bulk stable isotope analysis and compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids were used to quantify the uptake of 13C and 15N by soil macrofauna and to investigate the pathways by which these resources are channelled into soil macrofauna. Aligning with their use of plant-derived resources, epigeic and anecic earthworms incorporated more root-derived C than endogeic earthworms, with endogeic earthworms mainly relying on bacteria or bacterial necromass associated with soil organic matter. Generally, macrofauna incorporated both root-derived C and mineral N across cropping systems, but incorporation was more pronounced in rape and grass than in willow. Importantly, root-derived resources facilitated the incorporation of mineral N into soil animal food webs. Centipedes, as one of the most important predators in soil, mainly incorporated root-derived C and mineral N via preying on collembolans, whereas in willow epigeic earthworms likely also contributed to their diet. Overall, the fluxes of root-derived C and mineral N into the soil food web depended on plant communities and soil animal ecological groups, with higher fluxes in herbaceous crops than in tree plantations.

Fire severity and plant productivity recovery in a mixed grass prairie wildfire driven by extreme winds

Background Wildfire on rangelands in the mixed grassland can severely disrupt livestock operations. Understanding how fire severity impacts post-fire production recovery is important for grazing management. Aims We examined how topography and other environmental factors influence wildfire severity, or the consumption of biomass and exposure of soil, under extreme (&gt;120 km h−1) wind conditions in native mixed grass prairie in western Canada. We also examined how variation in fire severity impacts grassland production recovery. Methods Fire severity and production recovery were measured using the bare soil index (BSI) and normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). Impacts of topography, wind exposure, and site capability on fire severity and production recovery were assessed using generalised additive models. Key results Fire severity varied as a function of slope, wind exposure and fuel load. Severity peaked at NDVI between 0 and 0.4, values associated with high litter content and minimal green vegetation. Interactions between slope and aspect with respect to dominant wind direction generated very high fire severity on slopes greater than 15° that faced into the wind. Production recovery increased moderately with higher fire severity and recovery was generally higher on sites with lower potential productivity. Implications Post-fire production recovery was rapid; fire severity and site capability had only modest impacts on recovery rates demonstrating the resilience of grassland ecosystems to even severe wildfire.

Litter Chemistry Is a Main Driver of Inorganic Nitrogen in Disturbed Soils in the Arid Patagonian Monte

ABSTRACTChanges in plant cover and soil characteristics induced by grazing may affect litter quality and nitrogen (N) release under varying abiotic conditions. Our study was focused on the importance of litter chemistry as a main driver of inorganic N (ammonium‐N: NH4+‐N and nitrate‐N: NO3−‐N) release to soil. Both inorganic N forms are important components for N availability to plants and soil processes, and the long‐term conservation of soil‐N fertility. We analyzed the effect of secondary compounds and the C/N ratio in litter under varying soil water, and UV exposure on soil inorganic N (NH4+‐N and NO3−‐N) in Patagonian Monte degraded soils. We hypothesized that secondary compounds and C/N ratio in litter are main drivers of soil inorganic N under varying abiotic conditions. We conducted a microcosm experiment (13 months) using intact upper soil blocks from denuded soil areas. Surface soils were added with shrub (SL), and mixed grass and shrub (GSL) litter with high versus low secondary metabolites concentration and low vs. high C/N ratio, respectively. Microcosms were maintained under ambient and reduced UV exposure, and high and low soil water. We used microcosms without litter as controls. Monthly, we assessed NH4+‐N and NO3−‐N concentrations in upper and sub‐superficial soils. Litter chemistry interacting with abiotic factors did not significantly influence soil NH4+‐N at any soil depth while litter chemistry was a main driver of NO3−‐N in upper soil. SL enhanced NO3−‐N in upper soil compared with GSL independently of abiotic factors. In upper soils without litter and in those with GSL, the highest NO3−‐N concentration occurred mostly under high soil water and exposition to UV. We concluded that litter chemistry was a main driver of soil N fertility in disturbed rangelands. Shrub litter may enhance N fertility (NO3−‐N) in degraded soils.

Uptake of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Mixed Forages on Biosolid-Amended Farm Fields.

Models to predict perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations in livestock based on soil concentrations are essential to guide decisions surrounding food testing and farm management. A key parameter in modeling soil-to-livestock exposure pathways is the plant transfer factor (TF) from soil into forages. Uptake of PFOS and other individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were examined in perennial mixed grasses and legumes on PFAS-contaminated farm fields. In a field plot study, PFOS TFs were similar within each plot over three consecutive years but varied 10-fold among the four plots with mean TFs ranging from 0.026 to 0.27. In a multifarm field survey study, mean PFOS TFs ranged from 0.039 to 0.37. Increasing concentrations of two PFOS precursors in soil were significantly associated with increasing PFOS TFs. These data represent a substantial increase in empirical observations of PFAS TFs for grass-based forages for use in modeling soil-to-livestock exposure scenarios.

Intercomparison of sensible and latent heat flux measurements from combined eddy covariance, energy balance, and Bowen ratio methods above a grassland prairie

We present a comparison of four different methods of measuring sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes for a year over a mixed grass prairie ecosystem in the Nebraska SandHills [eddy covariance (EC), energy balance/Bowen ratio (EBBR), residual energy (RES), modified Bowen ratio (MBR) methods]. Additionally, we developed a set of quality control criteria for each method and present a simplification to the traditional EBBR setup. Using EC as reference, all methods yielded similar estimates of yearly H (regression slopes (m) ~ 2% from unity; HEC > HEBBR, HRES, and HMBR). For yearly LE, EBBR and RES yielded similar estimates with EC (m ~ 2% from unity; LEEC < LEEBBR and LERES), while a larger bias was found from MBR (m ~ 8% from unity; LEEC > LEMBR). At shorter time scales (~ hourly), moderate scatter was found about linear regression fits for H between EBBR and EC (R2 = 0.81), with smaller scatter between RES and MBR, and EC (R2 = 0.91). For LE, smaller scatter was also measured between EC, and EBBR and RES (R2 = 0.89 and 0.87, respectively), with the larger scatter between EC and MBR (R2 = 0.65). This suggests methods other than EC may be well suited to longer-term applications (≥ yearly), but have larger uncertainty on individual measurements.

Compost incorporation and wildflowers introduction for stormwater infiltration and erosion-control vegetation cover establishment in post-construction landscapes

Urban and suburban development frequently disturbs and compacts soils, reducing infiltration rates and fertility, posing challenges for post-development vegetation establishment, and contributing to soil erosion. This study investigated the effectiveness of compost incorporation in enhancing stormwater infiltration and vegetation establishment in urban landscapes. Experimental treatments comprised a split-split plot design of vegetation mix (grass, wildflowers, and grass-wildflowers) as main plot, ground cover (hydro-mulch and excelsior) as subplot, and compost (30% Compost and No-Compost) as sub-subplot factors. Wildflower inclusion was motivated by their recognized ecological benefits, including aesthetics, pollinator habitat, and deep root systems. Vegetation cover was assessed using RGB (Red-Green-Blue) imagery and ArcGIS-based supervised image classification. Over a 24-month period, bulk density, infiltration rate, soil penetration resistance, vegetation cover, and root mass density were assessed. Results highlighted that Compost treatments consistently reduced bulk density by 19–24%, lowered soil penetration resistance to under 2 MPa at both field-capacity and water-stressed conditions, and increased infiltration rate by 2–3 times compared to No-Compost treatments. Vegetation cover assessment revealed rapid establishment with 30% compost and 60:40 grass-wildflower mix, persisting for an initial 12 months. Subsequently, all treatments exhibited similar vegetation coverage from 13 to 24 months, reaching 95–100% cover. Compost treatments had significantly higher root mass density within the top 15 cm than No-Compost, but compost addition did not alter the root profile beyond the 15 cm depth incorporation depth. The findings suggest that incorporating 30% compost and including a wildflower or grass-wildflower mix appears to be effective in enhancing stormwater infiltration and provides rapid erosion control vegetation cover establishment in post-construction landscapes.

Retrospective, Real Life Study on the Effectiveness and Safety of a Depigmented-Polymerized Subcutaneous Vaccine Containing a Mixture of Grasses and Olea europaea

Introduction: Allergen immunotherapy is the only modifying treatment of the natural course of respiratory allergic diseases; however, the lack of evidence leads to little inconclusive results. Real life studies are on the rise and are becoming a valuable tool to confirm and complement findings from clinical trials. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a depigmented-polymerized undiluted subcutaneous extract of grass and olive pollen, under routine clinical practice conditions. Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, longitudinal, single-center study on the use of a 2-pollen (grass mix and Olea europaea) undiluted subcutaneous extract over at least 3 consecutive years. Data were collected from 76 patients (n = 44 female; median age: 12.5 years old) diagnosed with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with/without allergic asthma due to sensitization to both grasses and O. europaea. Primary and secondary effectiveness endpoints were symptom severity, concomitant medication, and immunological profile before and after completing the immunotherapy. A 2-year follow-up of patients’ symptoms and medication history after completing the subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) was performed. Results: There was a significant improvement of symptoms and medication consumption after 3 years of SCIT treatment, and a significant decrease in specific IgE levels for grasses and O. europaea was observed after finishing the treatment. Conclusion: Three years treatment of allergic patients using an undiluted mixture of two allergen extracts was shown to be safe and effective for rhinitis and asthma, with efficacy maintained for at least 2 years after finishing SCIT. These results reinforce the importance of real life clinical data in addition to those from clinical trials, helping to individualize allergic treatments.

Performance of heifers grazing native or introduced mixed warm-season grasses during summer months in south-central United States

Performance of heifers grazing native or introduced mixed warm-season grasses during summer months in south-central United States

A method for evaluating the effects of gentle remediation options (GRO) on soil health: Demonstration at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery in Sweden

Healthy soils provide valuable ecosystem services (ES), but soil contamination can inhibit essential soil functions (SF) and pose risks to human health and the environment. A key advantage of using gentle remediation options (GRO) is the potential for multifunctionality: to both manage risks and improve soil functionality. In this study, an accessible, scientific method for soil health assessment directed towards practitioners and decision-makers in contaminated land management was developed and demonstrated for a field experiment at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery site in Sweden to evaluate the relative effects of GRO on soil health (i.e., the ‘current capacity’ to provide ES). For the set of relevant soil quality indicators (SQI) selected using a simplified logical sieve, GRO treatment was observed to have highly significant effects on many SQI according to statistical analysis due to the strong influence of biochar amendment on the sandy soil and positive effects of nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants. The SQI were grouped within five SF and the relative effects on soil health were evaluated compared to a reference state (experimental control) by calculating quantitative treated-SF indices. Multiple GRO treatments are shown to have statistically significant positive effects on many SF, including pollutant attenuation and degradation, water cycling and storage, nutrient cycling and provisioning, and soil structure and maintenance. The SF were in turn linked to soil-based ES to calculate treated-ES indices and an overall soil health index (SHI), which can provide simplified yet valuable information to decision-makers regarding the effectiveness of GRO. The experimental GRO treatment of the legume mix with biochar amendment and grass mix with biochar amendment are shown to result in statistically significant improvements to soil health, with overall SHI values of 141 % and 128 %, respectively, compared to the reference state of the grass mix without biochar (set to 100 %).

Assessing the combination efficiency of some unconventional feed resources with concentrates and Chloris gayana grass in mitigating ruminal methane production in vitro.

In a preliminary in vitro study, leaves of Acacia nilotica, Prosopis juliflora, Cajanus cajan, Leucaena leucocephala and seed kernel of Mangifera indica were identified as potential candidates in mitigating ruminal methane (CH4) production. The objective of the current study was to investigate the combination efficiency of these unconventional feeds with concentrate mix (CM) or Chloris gayana grass in CH4 reduction. Two feed combinations in different proportions were incubated in vitro with buffered rumen fluid at Hohenheim Gas test. In combination 1, C. gayana and CM were included as basal substrates, while in combination 2, A. nilotica, P. juliflora, C. cajan, L. leucocephala or M. indica seed kernel were included as CH4 reducing supplements at different proportions. The CH4 reducing potentials of feed combinations were presented as the ratio of CH4 to net gas production and expressed as percentage (pCH4). The pCH4 for CM and C. gayana was 16.7% and 16.9%, respectively, while it ranged from 3.18% in A. nilotica to 13.1% in C. cajan. The pCH4 was reduced (p < 0.05) from 14.6% to 9.39% when A. nilotica was combined with CM. In combination of L. leucocephala or C. cajan with CM, the pCH4 (p < 0.05) was reduced from 16.5% and 16.6% with the lowest proportion to 15.1% and 15.2% with the highest inclusion rate respectively. The combination of C. gayana with L. leucocephala or C. cajan reduced (p < 0.05) the pCH4 from 16.3% and 16.4% to 15.1% and 14.9% respectively. The pCH4 was reduced (p < 0.05) from 13.4% to 7.60% when A. nilotica was combined with C. gayana. Estimated digestible organic matter (dOM) and metabolizable energy (ME) increased (p < 0.05) with increasing proportions of M. indica seed kernel with CM or C. gayana. In conclusion, the combination of the basal substrates with unconventional supplements resulted in CH4 reduction without affecting the dOM and ME at lower inclusion rates. Animal-based experiments await to validate in vitro findings.

Assessment of Oklahoma Phlox (Phlox oklahomensis: Polemoniaceae) in the Gypsum Hills of Northwestern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas

Phlox oklahomensis Wherry, Oklahoma phlox, occurs within the tall grass prairie of the southern Flint Hills of Kansas, and other populations occur within the southern mixed grass prairie of the Gypsum Hills of northwestern Oklahoma and southern Kansas. The first census of Oklahoma phlox in northwestern Oklahoma and southern Kansas was conducted over a three-year period (1980-1982). The second and third censuses occurred approximately 20 years after the first census, in 2002 and 2003. Since the 1980s two major wildfires and several droughts have occurred throughout its distribution range. The goals of this research were to compare the 1980-1982 census and the 2002 and 2003 censuses of Oklahoma phlox to censuses conducted in 2020 and 2021 and assess the current status of the species. In addition, we used a geographic information system (GIS) to identify factors that influence the likelihood of finding Oklahoma phlox in the region. The final census found that the occurrence of Oklahoma phlox has not changed significantly over the last 40 years. Populations thrive in areas where the fire interval is &gt;5 years, and it commonly occurs on the upper elevations of the landscape on hilltops and/or ridges where the slope is &gt; 7%. Although plants were observed on all landscape exposures, populations occur more frequently on west and northwest facing slopes. The authors recommend an S3 ranking for Oklahoma phlox.

Evaluation of Skin Prick Test Results Performed for the Diagnosis of Inhaled Allergens in Konya

Aims: We aimed to determine the distribution of inhaled allergens by evaluating the results of skin prick tests performed on patients with allergic complaints in Konya. Methods: The study included 2351 patients aged 2-18 years who underwent skin prick tests for the diagnosis of inhaled allergens at the Selçuk University Medical Faculty Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Outpatient Clinic between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023. Demographic characteristics and skin prick test results of 696 patients with sensitivity to at least one inhaled allergen were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Sensitivity to at least one inhaled allergen was detected in 696 (29.6%) of 2351 patients who underwent skin prick testing for allergic symptoms. The average age of patients with inhaled allergen sensitivity was 10.37 ± 4.14 years. 278 (39.9%) of the patients were girls and 418 (60.1%) were boys. Considering the distribution of inhaled allergens detected by skin prick test, the most frequent allergens were pollen allergens (78.2%), cat epithelium (38.8%) and dog epithelium (33.8%). The most common allergens detected in girls were pollen allergens (77.3%), cat epithelium (38.1%) and house dust mites (37.1%). The most common allergens detected in males were pollen allergens (78.7%), cat epithelium (39.2%) and dog epithelium (34.7%). When allergen sensitivities were evaluated according to gender, sensitivity to house dust mites was more common in girls than in boys. Sensitivity to pollen allergens was most frequently detected in all seasons. Statistically significant differences were detected between house dust mites, pollen allergens, rye, grass mix and cat epithelium sensitivities according to seasons. Conclusion: Our study shows the distribution of inhaled allergens in Konya province. Therefore, we assume that it can contribute to the implementation of environmental measures that can be taken to protect against allergens and thus to the treatment of patients.

Effects of spatial variability in vegetation phenology, climate, landcover, biodiversity, topography, and soil property on soil respiration across a coastal ecosystem

Coastal terrestrial-aquatic interfaces (TAIs) are crucial contributors to global biogeochemical cycles and carbon exchange. The soil carbon dioxide (CO2) efflux in these transition zones is however poorly understood due to the high spatiotemporal dynamics of TAIs, as various sub-ecosystems in this region are compressed and expanded by complex influences of tides, changes in river levels, climate, and land use. We focus on the Chesapeake Bay region to (i) investigate the spatial heterogeneity of the coastal ecosystem and identify spatial zones with similar environmental characteristics based on the spatial data layers, including vegetation phenology, climate, landcover, diversity, topography, soil property, and relative tidal elevation; (ii) understand the primary driving factors affecting soil respiration within sub-ecosystems of the coastal ecosystem. Specifically, we employed hierarchical clustering analysis to identify spatial regions with distinct environmental characteristics, followed by the determination of main driving factors using Random Forest regression and SHapley Additive exPlanations. Maximum and minimum temperature are the main drivers common to all sub-ecosystems, while each region also has additional unique major drivers that differentiate them from one another. Precipitation exerts an influence on vegetated lands, while soil pH value holds importance specifically in forested lands. In croplands characterized by high clay content and low sand content, the significant role is attributed to bulk density. Wetlands demonstrate the importance of both elevation and sand content, with clay content being more relevant in non-inundated wetlands than in inundated wetlands. The topographic wetness index significantly contributes to the mixed vegetation areas, including shrub, grass, pasture, and forest. Additionally, our research reveals that dense vegetation land covers and urban/developed areas exhibit distinct soil property drivers. Overall, our research demonstrates an efficient method of employing various open-source remote sensing and GIS datasets to comprehend the spatial variability and soil respiration mechanisms in coastal TAI. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to modeling carbon fluxes released by soil respiration in coastal TAIs, and our study highlights the importance of further research and monitoring practices to improve our understanding of carbon dynamics and promote the sustainable management of coastal TAIs.

Transplanted sagebrush “wildlings” exhibit higher survival than greenhouse-grown tubelings yet both recruit new plants

BackgroundLand uses such as crop production, livestock grazing, mining, and urban development have contributed to degradation of drylands worldwide. Loss of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) on disturbed drylands across the western U.S. has prompted massive efforts to re-establish this foundational species. There has been growing interest in avoiding the severe limitations experienced by plants at the seed and seedling stages by instead establishing plants from containerized greenhouse seedlings (“tubelings”). In some settings, a potential alternative approach is to transplant larger locally-collected plants (“wildlings”). We compared the establishment of mountain big sagebrush (A. tridentata ssp. vaseyana) from tubelings vs. wildlings in southeastern Idaho. A mix of native and non-native grass and forb species was drill-seeded in a pasture previously dominated by the introduced forage grass, smooth brome (Bromus inermis). We then established 80 m x 80 m treatment plots and planted sagebrush tubelings (n = 12 plots, 1200 plants) and wildlings (n = 12 plots, 1200 plants). We also established seeded plots (n = 12) and untreated control plots (n = 6) for long-term comparison. We tracked project expenses in order to calculate costs of using tubelings vs. wildlings as modified by probability of success.ResultsThere was high (79%) tubeling and low (10%) wildling mortality within the first year. Three years post-planting, chance of survival for wildlings was significantly higher than that of tubelings (85% and 14% respectively). Despite high up-front costs of planting wildlings, high survival rates resulted in their being < 50% of the cost of tubelings on a per-surviving plant basis. Additionally, by the third year post-planting 34% of surviving tubelings and 95% of surviving wildlings showed evidence of reproduction (presence / absence of flowering stems), and the two types of plantings recruited new plants via seed (3.7 and 2.4 plants, respectively, per surviving tubeling/wildling).ConclusionsOur results indicate that larger plants with more developed root systems (wildlings) may be a promising avenue for increasing early establishment rates of sagebrush plants in restoration settings. Our results also illustrate the potential for tubelings and wildlings to improve restoration outcomes by “nucleating” the landscape via recruitment of new plants during ideal climate conditions.

Day-to-day variation in trace and macro-mineral concentrations in corn and mixed grass–legume silages of Canadian commercial dairy herds

The aims were to assess the day-to-day variation in trace minerals (TM), macro-minerals, dry matter, and physical effectiveness factor in grass–legume and corn silages and to evaluate the variance partition. Grass–legume and corn silage samples were collected in nine Canadian dairy herds during two episodes of five consecutive days at 4 weeks apart by the same individual. All variables were analyzed in duplicate. The proportion of variation due to the farm was more variable within TM than macro-minerals. Using TM software reference values of silages for formulating rations can lead to important errors. Except for physical effectiveness factor, the within-farm variations between sampling episodes were more marked for mixed grass–legume than corn silage. For most of the minerals and nutrients analyzed, the sampling + day-to-day variations were the main source of variability, accounting for over 50% of the within-farm variance for both silage types. The remaining within-farm variance was explained by subsampling and laboratory analyses. The high within-herd variation suggests that a silage sampling over more than 1 day can be useful to get a representative sample for TM analysis. Accurate nutrients and TM values when formulating cow diets is essential to cow health and productivity.