Temperate Climatic Conditions Research Articles

Variation in prevalence and intensity of macroparasites in moose and their interactions with winter tick load in eastern Canada

Wild animals are infected with a large diversity and abundance of parasites that can affect their behavior, growth, body condition, and ultimately their survival. Although the adverse effects of parasites and the mechanisms involved in the interactions between a host and its parasites are generally well studied, much less is known about the additive or synergistic effects of multiple parasite species on a host. Moose populations in eastern Canada are infected by several species of endoparasites. In the last decades, the intensity of infestations by winter ticks, an ectoparasite, on moose have increased as a result of increased moose densities and favorable weather conditions that benefit winter tick survival. We aimed to document the diversity, intensity, prevalence, and distribution of different parasite species of moose in southern Quebec, Canada. We then evaluated the potential interaction between winter tick and endoparasites of moose, and we evaluated the effect of the simultaneous presence of ticks and endoparasites on moose body condition. To do so, we collected organs to identify and count endoparasite species, estimate winter tick abundance, and measure subcutaneous fat thickness from 174 hunted moose in fall 2019 in 8 regions of Quebec. Our results showed that the prevalence and intensity of winter tick and gastrointestinal parasites differed among regions, as well as the prevalence of the heart parasite Taenia krabbei and the intensity of lung parasite Echinoccocus granulosus. Moose body condition, however, was not influenced by the simultaneous presence of winter tick and endoparasites. The documentation of the interactive effects of multiple parasite species on a host is fundamental given that future environmental conditions in temperate climate will favor the reproduction, development, and survival of several parasite species, which could affect parasite diversity and abundance in the environment and modify host–parasite dynamics.

An Assessment of a Photovoltaic System’s Performance Based on the Measurements of Electric Parameters under Changing External Conditions

This article presents an analysis of the performance of a 14.04 kWp grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) installation consisting of monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon and bifacial glass–glass monocrystalline silicon modules. The photovoltaic system was mounted in Poland, a location characterized by temperate climate conditions. On the basis of the obtained results, the photovoltaic parameters were determined in accordance with the international standard. The annual energy yield of the entire system was 1033 kWh/kWp, and the performance ratio achieved was 83%. The highest average daily final yield was in the range of 4.0–4.5 kWh/kWp for each photovoltaic technology under investigation. In the cold part of the year, the efficiency of the photovoltaic modules was estimated to be 15%, and it was estimated to be 7% during the warm part of the year. Array capture losses accounted for around 0.75 kWh/kWp of energy loss per day, whereas the inverter efficiency was over 95% during the months that are beneficial for energy production.

Influence of the Long-Term Application of Management Practices (Tillage, Cover Crop and Glyphosate) on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Soil Physical Properties

Soil treatments have a significant influence on the agricultural and environmental productivity of agricultural practices. Arable lands are one of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that are influenced by the chemical and physical properties of the soil and are an essential contributor to climate change. We aim to evaluate the long-term management of agricultural practices, such as different tillage systems, cover crops, and glyphosate, on GHG emissions and soil physical properties. The field trial involved three tillage systems (conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and no-tillage (NT)), along with variations in cover cropping (with and without cover crops) and glyphosate application (with and without glyphosate). These treatments were implemented during the cultivation of oilseed rape in 2022 as part of a cropping sequence consisting of five crops: winter wheat; winter oilseed rape; spring wheat; spring barley; and field pea. Greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)) were directly measured using a closed static chamber system. Through the examination of these management techniques, the soil’s physical properties over the studied period were assessed for their impact on GHG fluxes. The findings of the study reveal that N2O emissions were relatively low during the first month of measurement, with significant differences (p < 0.05) observed in the interaction between cover crop and glyphosate treatments. Additionally, N2O emissions were notably elevated in the reduced (0.079 µg m−2 h−1) and conventional tillage (0.097 µg m−2 h−1) treatments at the second month of measurement. Regarding CH4, increased emissions were observed in the reduced tillage and cover crop treatments. CO2 emissions exhibited variability across all of the investigated treatments. Notably, GHG fluxes spiked at the second measurement, signifying the maximum uptake of nutrients by the main plants during the growth phase. Greenhouse gas emissions leveled off across all of the treatments following the harvest, marking the end of the cultivation period. The influence of the deployed techniques varied across the determined physical parameters of the soil. The incorporation of cover crops contributed to improved water content and, further, to electrical conductivity. Glyphosate use showed no direct impact on physical properties of the soil while the different tillage treatments had varying effects on the distribution of the physical properties of the soil with respect to the degree of disturbance or tillage-induced changes. Additionally, GHG emissions were strongly correlated with precipitation at one week and two weeks before sampling, except for CO2, which showed a weaker correlation at two weeks before GHG sampling. The findings indicate that reduced and conventional tillage methods might adversely affect greenhouse gas emissions and plant functionality, particularly concerning nutrient release and uptake, especially in temperate climate conditions.

Initial agronomic benefits of enhanced weathering using basalt: A study of spring oat in a temperate climate.

Addressing soil nutrient degradation and global warming requires novel solutions. Enhanced weathering using crushed basalt rock is a promising dual-action strategy that can enhance soil health and sequester carbon dioxide. This study examines the short-term effects of basalt amendment on spring oat (Avena sativa L.) during the 2022 growing season in NE England. The experimental design consisted of four blocks with control and basalt-amended plots, and two cultivation types within each treatment, laid out in a split plot design. Basalt (18.86 tonnes ha-1) was incorporated into the soil during seeding. Tissue, grain and soil samples were collected for yield, nutrient, and pH analysis. Basalt amendment led to significantly higher yields, averaging 20.5% and 9.3% increases in direct drill and ploughed plots, respectively. Soil pH was significantly higher 256 days after rock application across cultivation types (direct drill: on average 6.47 vs. 6.76 and ploughed: on average 6.69 vs. 6.89, for control and basalt-amended plots, respectively), likely due to rapidly dissolving minerals in the applied basalt, such as calcite. Indications of growing season differences in soil pH are observed through direct measurement of lower manganese and iron uptake in plants grown on basalt-amended soil. Higher grain and tissue potassium, and tissue calcium uptake were observed in basalt-treated crops. Notably, no accumulation of potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel) was detected in the grain, indicating that crops grown using this basaltic feedstock are safe for consumption. This study indicates that basalt amendments can improve agronomic performance in sandy clay-loam agricultural soil under temperate climate conditions. These findings offer valuable insights for producers in temperate regions who are considering using such amendments, demonstrating the potential for improved crop yields and environmental benefits while ensuring crop safety.

Contribution of the Soil Macro- and Microstructure to Organic Matter Stabilisation in Natural and Post-Mining/Industrial Soils under Temperate Climatic Conditions

The soil organic matter (SOM) content and stability in natural gypsum soils and mining/industrial soils were compared to check the effects of selected soil properties (mainly macro- and microstructure) on SOM stability and determine whether the old brownfield soils regardless of being highly polluted with trace metals could store high amounts of SOM. The mining/industrial soils were 50–400 years old and so had been left sufficiently long for full self-restoration. Despite having very different origins, both natural and brownfield soils stored similar amounts of SOM and had similar pH values, calcium carbonate contents, and textures but differed in SOM stabilisation, which was expressed by higher C/N ratios, lower aggregate water resistance index, lower dehydrogenase activity, and greater areas of undecomposed or slightly decomposed plant residues in mining/industrial soils compared to gypsum ones. However, the differences diminished with time, and in the oldest (150–400 years) brownfield soils, these parameters were similar to those in natural soils. Multiple regression analysis indicated that under the study conditions, SOM amounts, besides CaCO3 contents and dehydrogenase activity were also strongly affected by porosity and microaggregation. In the research we showed the role of degraded soils in the sustainable use of the environment.

Assessment of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of potato using weather models under sub temperate climatic condition of North-Western Himalaya

To optimize irrigation water and enhance yield, appropriate amount of irrigation water and its scheduling according to real time weather data can help in reducing crop water foot prints. The evapotranspiration (ET) based irrigation scheduling using present weather conditions reflecting changed climatic scenarios in the study regions in the past few decades has proved to be sagacious use of water. To study the ET based irrigation scheduling, field experiment conducted with the treatments comprising four ET based weather models irrigation scheduling methods viz. no irrigation or rainfed, Thornthwaite, Hargreaves method, Temperature and modified Penman Monteith under sowing windows of 20th December and 20th January were conducted at research farm, of Department of Agronomy, CSK HPKV, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh during Rabi season of 2015-16. The estimated crop evapo-transpiration (ETc) with different ET estimation methods under North Western Himalayas showed variation during crop season. The highest estimated ET was observed in December as compared to January sown potato crop with Hargreaves method (376.8 mm) followed by Temperature (354 mm), Thornthwaite (329.5 mm) and the lowest in modified Penman Monteith methods (241.9 mm). The estimated ETc from pan evaporation observed to be the highest to the tune of (382.3 mm) compared to other methods of ETc estimation. The crop coefficients modeled at different pheno-phases were used for estimating water requirement of potato crop. It was found that irrigation scheduling based on modified Penman Monteith of ET estimation saved one irrigation to the tune of 60 mm during crop period without affecting significantly growth, and tuber yield of the potato as compared to other methods, viz., However, the irrigation schedule based on Thornthwaite method has recorded highest total potato tuber yield (171.76 q ha-1) being at par with irrigation schedules worked out from other ET estimation methods. The total water footprints were the lowest in modified Penman Monteith to the tune of 300 liters per kg of potato yield compared to other methods.

Physico-chemical alteration of pyroxene in coastal environments: Empirical constraints from New Zealand and the Azores

Developing approaches to determine the modes of transport and weathering of mafic detrital minerals in natural sedimentary environments is critical to our understanding of sediment production, dispersal and provenance, as well as carbon capture under natural and enhanced weathering regimes. We integrated the characterisation of morphological and surface textures with the surface composition of recent detrital clinopyroxene grains concentrated in a sandy coastal area from the western North Island of New Zealand and a rocky shore area of Santa Maria Island in the Azores Archipelago. Using the compactness shape descriptor, 341 grains were subdivided into elongated, elongated angular, euhedral, angular and subangular groups, with each group further characterised using morphological and microtextural indicators of abrasion, breakage and dissolution/chemical weathering. In both studied environments, the clinopyroxenes are dominated by elongated to angular shapes with flat cleavage surfaces and conchoidal fractures. This is consistent with dominant subaqueous transport by rivers and longshore currents for New Zealand, and dominant wave action with limited sediment supply by rivers along the rocky shore of Santa Maria. More abundant subabraded and abraded shapes with bulbous and elongated depression microtextures are observed in New Zealand, which indicates additional effects by aeolian transport that are not seen in Santa Maria. Consistent with semi-quantitative EDS spot analyses that document fresh clinopyroxenes surfaces, chemical weathering textures are very rare to absent. In Santa Maria, sampling of recent beach sand was complemented by ∼125 kyr-old palaeobeach clinopyroxenes, but these yielded similar textural results without evidence for chemical weathering. However, the surface of these older clinopyroxenes includes small adhering smectite (typically <50 μm in width and a few μm in thickness) interpreted to reflect incipient cementation with buffering of acidic fluids by more reactive lithic fragments in the deposits. The lack of chemical weathering but pervasive evidence for mechanical breakage of clinopyroxenes indicate that, at the sand size, these minerals break faster than they dissolve due to frequent subaqueous and/or aeolian reworking in the studied high-energy environments and temperate climatic conditions.

Molecular species determination of cyathostomins from horses in Ireland

Cyathostomins are globally important equine parasites, responsible for both chronic and acute pathogenic effects. The occurrence of mixed infections with numerous cyathostomin species hinders our understanding of parasite epidemiology, host-parasite dynamics, and species pathogenicity. There have been few studies of cyathostomin species occurring in horses in Ireland, where temperate climatic conditions with year-round rainfall provide suitable conditions for infection of grazing animals with bursate nematodes. Here, we amplified and sequenced the ITS-2 region of adult worms harvested at post-mortem from eleven adult horses between August 2018 and June 2020, and recorded species prevalence and abundance of worms recovered from the caecum, right ventral colon and left dorsal colon, using both BLAST and IDTAXA for taxonomic attribution. Phylogenetic relationships and community composition were also recorded and compared with other relevant studies, including a global meta-analysis. Overall, our results agree with previous studies that there does not seem to be a major difference in cyathostomin species occurrence in equids in different geographical regions. We confirmed the results of other workers in relation to the difficulties in discriminating between Cylicostephanus calicatus and Coronocyclus coronatus on the basis of ITS-2 sequences.

Does the Deep Placement of Fertilizers Increase Potato Yields, Fertilization Efficiency and Reduce N2O Emissions from the Soil?

Despite the notable decline in potato cultivation areas across Poland and Europe, potatoes remain a crucial crop with diverse applications. Achieving the ambitious emission targets set by the EU for agricultural production may be easier with the practice of deep placement of slow-release fertilizers, which may increase yields and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To examine the effect of deep placement of slow-release fertilizers on potato tuber yields, plant nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, and soil N2O-N emissions, a two-year field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil classified as Alblic Podzol (Ochric) soil, under temperate climate conditions prevailing in central Poland. The experiment involved a three-field rotation (potatoes, wheat, and peas), with potatoes being cultivated after peas in both years of the study. The experiment compared the effects of applying slow-release fertilizer at soil depths of 10 and 20 cm (DP10 and DP20) to fertilization with single-nutrient fertilizers applied to the soil surface (TD). The experiment utilized increasing doses of nitrogen and phosphorus, denoted as D0 (control), D1, D2, and D3, along with a standard dose of potassium across all tested fertilizer application methods. The results of this study confirmed that deep placement of slow-release fertilizers had limited effects on potato tuber yields. Deep placement of slow-release fertilizer increased plant nitrogen uptake by 2.8–13.5% compared to topdressing. Consequently, there was an improvement in nitrogen use efficiency from 29.8–75.0% on sites with fertilizer topdressing to 38.7–89.8% on sites with slow-release fertilizer deep placement. Phosphorus uptake by plants on sites with slow-release fertilizer deep placement was approximately 9.3–13.0% higher than on sites with fertilizer topdressing. This led to an enhancement in phosphorus use efficiency from about 15.1–19.5% on fertilizer topdressing sites to 19.4–25.4% on slow-release fertilizer deep placement sites. The impact of fertilizer deep placement was found to be less pronounced compared to the effects observed with increased nitrogen and phosphorus doses. The most important factors affecting tuber yield and nutrient use in potatoes were rainfall levels during the growing season. Deep fertilization did contribute to reduce soil N2O emissions by about 14%. However, further research involving different fertilization methods is needed to comprehensively assess the effectiveness of this practice in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Quantifying the effect of competition on the functional assembly of bryophyte and lichen communities: A process‐based model analysis

Abstract Environmental filtering and competition are two fundamental processes that shape plant community assembly in terms of functional composition, that is, the distribution of trait values. Understanding the role of these two processes in the assembly of non‐vascular vegetation, such as bryophytes and lichens, is important since these communities provide essential ecosystem services in many regions around the world, and these depend on functional composition. Responses of non‐vascular communities to environmental selection pressures have been explored in a range of experimental and modelling studies. However, it is still largely unknown to what extent competition affects the distribution of functional traits of non‐vascular communities. Moreover, it remains poorly explored which traits that are associated with competition are key for shaping community functional assembly. Here, we integrated a field transplantation experiment with a process‐based model to disentangle the effects of environmental filtering and competition on the assembly of non‐vascular communities. Following the validation of environmental selection in the model using field observations, we performed a simulation experiment to understand the impacts of competition on trait distributions in non‐vascular communities growing in two temperate locations that differ in microclimatic conditions (a shaded and an open location). Our results suggest that the functional composition is likely a result of weak competition or may not depend on competitive exclusion at all while environmental filtering plays an essential role. Plant height seems to be a key trait for competition. However, no single‐trait competition scheme could consistently explain the observed functional composition of the studied non‐vascular communities. Synthesis. The presented model provides a new trait‐based approach for simulating the functional assembly of non‐vascular communities. Environmental filtering appears to be more essential than competition for predicting trait distributions of non‐vascular communities under temperate climatic conditions and we recommend caution in associating competition to a single trait while analysing community functional assembly.

Adjustment of the AquaCrop model in maize with different levels of irrigation in southern Uruguay temperate climate conditions

The AquaCrop model allows evaluating and designing irrigation strategies that improve the use of irrigation water. The objective of this research was to calibrate and validate the AquaCrop model for maize to the climatic conditions of southern Uruguay, with different irrigation water management. This model was calibrated and validated for corn using experimental data from irrigation trials with different deficit levels in three seasons, 2015-16 and 2016-17 (calibration) and 2014-15 (validation). Three maximum irrigation depths were evaluated: 3, 6 and 9 mm day-1, and rainfed (rainfall only). The crop was parameterized for local conditions and water stress coefficients were adjusted. The calibration simulated the yield, biomass and soil moisture in the irrigated treatments with good performance. All the statistic indexes used to evaluate the adjustment between the observed and simulated data model indicated a good model performance, with the exception of the efficiency coefficient of the Nash-Sutcliffe (EF) model. The model underestimated the yield in the rainfed treatment (EF of -0.52) when root depth was limited to 0.7 m. However, the test soil allowed for greater radical exploration than the initially used. At 0.90 m root depth, the model was good at simulating the yields in the rainfed treatment, mainly in dry years (EF of 0.79). The model predicts the yield with good adjustment in different irrigation and rainfall situations if the stress coefficients are adjusted and the crop is properly parameterized, mainly the root depth.

Effect of Spring Goshoerami Mulberry Leaf Extract on Second Commercial Cocoon Crop under Temperate Climatic Condition

Nutrition plays an important role in silkworm rearing. It improves the growth, development, health and feed consumption, thereby improving the commercial traits. As reported, the mulberry leaf under Kashmir climatic condition during Summer/autumn season is nutritionally poor. In Kashmir Valley 90% of silkworm rearers mostly do rearing only once in a year i.e during spring season and lesser number of rearers goes for second rearing during summer/ autumn season because of less productivity and poor quality cocoon crops. Fortification of leaves by supplementing nutrients and using them for feeding the silkworm is a useful technique to increase their economic value. Several attempts have been made to enhance the cocoon yield and silk content through supplement of amino acids on mulberry leaf. However supplement of amino acids on mulberry leaf may not be economical and is not easily assessable to farmers. Silkworm, Bombyx mori L., is a monophagous insect that drives all required nutrients for its growth and development from mulberry leaf. Hence the present study was undertaken to study the efficacy of fortification of spring leaf extract of Goshoerami on growth and commercial traits of double hybrid FC1 (CSR6×CSR26) × FC2 (CSR2×CSR27) of silkworm Bombyx mori L. during second commercial rearing. The results showed, that application of aqueous extract of spring mulberry leaf fed silkworm larvae shows significantly higher in terms of body weight, cocoon weight, shell weight, yield and silk filament length in all the treatments over the control. However the highest body weight (44.143 g/10) mature larval, Single cocoon weight (1.967g), single shell weight (0.471g), shell ratio percentage (23.921 %) and silk filament length (1,159.66 mtr) were recorded at 10% fortification. In order to promote the use of spring leaf extract for fortification among the silkworm rearers further studies are required in consultation with Department of Sericulture of the U T of Jammu and Kashmir.

Health-Promoting Properties of Anthocyanins from Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas L.) Fruits.

The cornelian cherry is a plant that annually provides fruits, drupe-type, ranging in color from yellow through pink, red, carmine, and almost black. Cornelian cherry bears abundant fruit in temperate climate conditions, which means that its dark-colored fruits can be treated as an excellent source of anthocyanins. After consuming, anthocyanins have a protective function in the human body. Raw fruit extracts and their pure isolates, rich in anthocyanins, have a wide spectrum of health-promoting properties. This review focuses on the health-promoting properties of anthocyanins from fruits of cornelian cherry, documented in research conducted in vitro, in vivo, and in humans. The results obtained so far confirm the beneficial effects of anthocyanins on the blood parameters, whose values are important in predicting and assessing the risk and progression of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. A beneficial effect on molecular and histopathological changes in target organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys, and liver has also been demonstrated. Anthocyanins from cornelian cherry have a strong antioxidant effect, which explains their protective effects on organs and anticancer effects. Moreover, they have antiglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. The work highlights the perspectives and directions of necessary research.

Impact of Plant Growth Regulators on Strawberry Plant – A Review

Strawberry is soft, luscious, nutritious, tasty, and perishable fruit which are grown in temperate climatic conditions where the plant like a small perennial herb and also grown in a sub-tropical climate whose plant behaves as an annual belonging to the family Rosacea. Application of growth regulators has been practiced commercially to increase the production and quality of crops. Gibberellic acid has a significant role in plant heights, number of runners, number of flowers, fruit set percentage, number of fruits, fruit size, fruit weight and fruit quality. In this study we present influence of gibberellic, yield and fruit quality of strawberry, Triacontanol and NAA on growth on yield and quality, chlormequat. Gibberellins are well-known for acting as a long-day hormone in short-day plants. Gibberellin treatment increases vegetative growth but limits flower development applied gibberellic acid promoted blooming and growth. However it was observed that the highest effect on leave, runner, crown, inflorescence and flower production. Triacontanol, Activol and NAA resulted in increased vegetative growth of strawberry as compared control. Highest crown height (7.2cm) was obtained with 100 ppm Activol and highest leaf number/plant (7.2) and leaf region (49.4m2) were obtained with 50ppm tricontanol treated plants.

To study various economic parameters of some bivoltine breeds of silkworm Bombyx mori L. in different seasons under temperate climatic conditions

To study various economic parameters of some bivoltine breeds of silkworm Bombyx mori L. in different seasons under temperate climatic conditions

Influence of application of microbial consortium on established mulberry plantation under temperate climatic conditions

Influence of application of microbial consortium on established mulberry plantation under temperate climatic conditions

In vivo pathological evaluation of naturally occurring infectious Bursal disease in broiler chicken reared under temperate climatic conditions of Kashmir

In vivo pathological evaluation of naturally occurring infectious Bursal disease in broiler chicken reared under temperate climatic conditions of Kashmir

Subsurface drainage and nitrogen management affects corn and soybean yield in claypan soils in upstate Missouri

AbstractNitrogen (N) and subsurface drainage water management are crucial and challenging components of sustainable crop production on poorly drained claypan soils. During extreme precipitation events, N fertilizer management is difficult in a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation that balances productivity and environmental quality. This 4‐year (2018–2021) experiment was conducted on a poorly drained soil to examine the interactive effects of drainage (subsurface tile drainage [SD] and no drainage [ND]) and corn N fertilizer treatments (non‐treated control [NTC], fall‐applied anhydrous ammonia [AA] at 190 kg N ha−1 with nitrapyrin [fall AA + NI], pre‐plant AA [spring AA] at 190 kg N ha−1, and top‐dressed urea [TD urea] as 42 kg N ha−1 SuperU and 126 kg N ha−1 ESN as a 25:75% granular blend) on yield and nutrient uptake. Corn grain yield was 1.22–1.53 Mg ha−1 greater with fertilizer treatments in SD compared to ND. Drought conditions in 2018 lowered corn grain yield compared to 2020. Average over 2 years, corn yield in SD soils was ranked as spring AA &gt; fall AA + NI &gt; TD urea &gt; NTC. While soybean yield following corn was 13% greater in the NTC compared to TD urea. The SD treatment increased soybean yield by 0.6–2 Mg ha−1 compared to ND. This study results showed that fall AA + NI produced corn yields similar to spring AA in SD and ND soils in temperate humid climatic conditions.

PRUNUL TRANSGENIC HONEYSWEET ARE EFECT NEUTRAL ASUPRA DIVERSITĂȚII ȘI DINAMICII POPULAȚIILOR DE AFIDE ÎN CONDIȚII DE CLIMAT TEMPERAT- CONTINENTAL

‘HoneySweet’ is a genetically engineered plum resistant to Plum pox virus. Potential risks such as its impact on the diversity and dynamics of indigenous aphid populations was assessed. The study compared winged population of aphids visiting transgenic and conventional plums under continental temperate climatic conditions of Romania. The experimental analysis was conducted during three years (2016-2018) within an experimental plot containing transgenic (‘HoneySweet’) and conventional (‘Reine Claude d’Althan’ and ‘Stanley’) plums. This study revealed a similarity of both flight curves and the number and species of aphids landing on the two types of plum. Overall results showed no statistically differences between aphid species visiting the three cultivars, respectively the two types of plum. Consequently, our results support the hypothesis of the neutral effect of the transgenic plum on indigenous populations of aphids.

Multiproxy approach to reconstruct the climate and environment of a new late Middle Pleistocene vertebrate site in northwestern Italy

The Moleto site (Ottiglio, AL, Piemonte, Italy) was discovered in the 1990s in an abandoned quarry carved into a Burdigalian–Langhian carbonate succession called Pietra da Cantoni. Sediment collection in three closely spaced fissures provided a rich vertebrate association whose age can be constrained to the late Middle Pleistocene on the basis of the presence of the extinct water vole Arvicola mosbachensis and its enamel characteristics (SDQ values ranging from 100 to 130). The very similar faunal content, evidenced by the common presence of Arvicola mosbachensis and its similar SDQ values, is indicative of a coeval deposition of the fillings of the three fissures. The vertebrate assemblage is represented by 30 taxa, including amphibians, squamate reptiles, birds, and mammals. Interestingly, a diverse fish assemblage from the embedded sediments of the Miocene Pietra da Cantoni has been found in the fissure fillings. We present here a multi-method approach using the small vertebrate assemblages (rodents, insectivores, amphibians, and squamate reptiles) from Moleto to characterize the environment and climate of the site. In order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic conditions, we applied the Mutual Ecogeographic Range using UDA-ODA technique, the Bioclimatic Model, the Habitat Weightings, and the Quantified Ecology methods. The results revealed a landscape dominated by woodland habitats with presence of open humid meadows, under temperate and moist climatic conditions, although somewhat colder and drier than today. According to all evidence, the associations from Moleto would correspond to the interglacial MIS 7.