Influence of young black spruce plantations on moose winter distribution

Logging in the boreal forest may benefit moose by increasing food availability. However, the influence of tree plantations on moose behavior, especially on moose spatial ecology, is poorly understood. We assessed the impacts of black spruce plantations on moose winter distribution at a landscape scale in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region (Québec, Canada). We used winter aerial surveys to examine relationships among plantation characteristics and other habitat variables known to affect moose distribution. The total area of plantations positively influenced moose abundance, but highly aggregated plantations resulted in fewer moose. Moose abundance was also positively associated with food availability and the density of edges between stands providing cover and stands offering high food availability, but moose abundance was negatively associated with road density. Although plantation characteristics were less influential than habitat variables related to foraging and predator avoidance, we demonstrate that the area of black spruce plantations and their configuration should be considered in moose management. We conclude that an integrated management strategy is needed to find a balance between overdeveloped road networks (needed to join homogeneously distributed plantations) and agglomerated plantations in order to mitigate impacts on moose winter distribution. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

The identification of disease-induced biomarkers in the urine of BSE infected cattle

Background  

The bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic and the emergence of a new human variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) have led to profound changes in the production and trade of agricultural goods. The rapid tests currently approved for BSE monitoring in slaughtered cattle are all based on the detection of the disease related isoform of the prion protein, PrP^d, in brain tissue and consequently are only suitable for post-mortem diagnosis. Objectives: In instances such as assessing the health of breeding stock for export purposes where post-mortem testing is not an option, there is a demand for an ante-mortem test based on a matrix or body fluid that would permit easy access and repeated sampling. Urine and urine based analyses would meet these requirements.     

Factors influencing the in vitro growth of Mycobacterium leprae: effect of oxygen.

In our efforts to evaluate factors responsible for in vitro growth of Mycobacterium leprae in DH medium and also to improve the system, effects of oxygen tension on in vitro growth of M. leprae were determined. This was achieved by varying the ratio between DH medium and free air space above the medium in the culture tubes. Growth-competent M. phlei (ATCC 11758) could tolerate all the oxygen it can get in the medium. On the other hand, M. leprae seemed to be of microaerophilic nature. In vivo-grown M. leprae cells were more sensitive than their counterparts that were adapted to in vitro environment. In vivo-grown cells grew better when 70% of the space in culture tube was occupied by DH medium. These in vitro-adapted cells gave optimum growth in subcultures when the air spaces in the culture tubes were 40-50%. The role of oxygen tensions in the development of lesions in leprosy patients and armadillos has been discussed.