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Copyright of Veterinarska Stanica is the property of Croatian Veterinary Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The authors present their thoughts on why agroforestry should be promoted in Europe as an ecosystem service provision through the common agricultural policy (CAP). They discuss how the CAP can be revised to maximize the productivity of land where agroforestry could be adopted as part of rural development programs.

Most farm-based agroforestry projects focus on the integration of trees on arable or livestock enterprises. This paper focuses on the integration of understorey crops and/or livestock within high value tree systems (e.g., apple orchards, olive groves, chestnut woodlands, and walnut plantations), and describes the components, structure, ecosystem services and economic value of ten case studies of this type of agroforestry across Europe. Although their ecological and socio-economic contexts vary, the systems share some common characteristics. The primary objective of the farmer is likely to remain the value of tree products like apples, olives, oranges, or nuts, or particularly high value timber. However there can still be production, environmental or economic benefits of integrating agricultural crops such as chickpeas and barley, or grazing an understorey grass crop with livestock. Three of the systems focused on the grazing of apple orchards with sheep in the UK and France. The introduction of sheep to apple orchards can minimise the need for mowing and provide an additional source of revenue. Throughout the Mediterranean, there is a need to improve the financial viability of olive groves. The case studies illustrate the possibility of intercropping traditional olive stands with chickpea in Greece, or the intercropping of wild asparagus in high density olive groves in Italy. Another system studied in Greece involves orange trees intercropped with chickpeas. Stands of chestnut trees in North-west Spain can provide feed for pigs when the fruit falls in November, and provide an excellent habitat for the commercial production of edible mushrooms. In Spain, in the production of high quality walnut trees using rotations of up to 50-60 years, there are options to establish a legume-based mixed pasture understorey and to introduce sheep to provide financial and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yellow-cedar, Callitropsis nootkatensis, is prevalent in coastal forests of southeast Alaska, western Canada, and inland forests along the Cascades to northern California, USA. These trees have few microbial or animal pests, attributable in part to the distinct groups of biologically active secondary metabolites their tissues store for chemical defense. Here we summarize the new yellow-cedar compounds identified and their biological activities, plus new or expanded activities for tissues, extracts, essential oils and previously known compounds since the last review more than 40 years ago. Monoterpene hydrocarbons are the most abundant compounds in foliage, while heartwood contains substantial quantities of oxygenated monoterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, with one or more tropolones. Diterpenes occur in foliage and bark, whereas condensed tannins have been isolated from inner bark. Biological activities expressed by one or more compounds in these groups include fungicide, bactericide, sporicide, acaricide, insecticide, general cytotoxicity, antioxidant and human anticancer. The diversity of organisms impacted by whole tissues, essential oils, extracts, or individual compounds now encompasses ticks, fleas, termites, ants, mosquitoes, bacteria, a water mold, fungi and browsing animals. Nootkatone, is a heartwood component with sufficient activity against arthropods to warrant research focused toward potential development as a commercial repellent and biopesticide for ticks, mosquitoes and possibly other arthropods that vector human and animal pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Leyland cypress, an intergeneric hybrid, produces the same volatile heartwood compounds as its parental taxa, yellow-cedar and Monterrey cypress. However, the proportion of total sesquiterpenes and some of the individual components appear unique to their respective heartwoods. Context: Leyland cypress, x Hesperotropsis leylandii is an intergeneric hybrid between yellow-cedar, Callitropsis nootkatensis, and Monterey cypress, Hesperocyparis macrocarpa. Their heartwoods are protected by bioactive compounds and rated very durable to durable for products used above ground. Several compounds in yellow-cedar and Monterrey cypress heartwoods are also active against various fungi, bacteria, human insect pests, and plant pathogens, whereas Leyland cypress heartwood has never been thoroughly investigated. Aims: The first aim for this study was to examine the volatile compounds in ethyl acetate extracts from the heartwood of all three tree species in Oregon. The second aim was to determine the extent Leyland cypress differs from its parental species, and further investigate any of its novel compounds for biological activity. Methods: Ethyl acetate extracts of fresh heartwood were prepared for three trees of each species and analyzed by gas chromatography. Results: Thirty-three compounds were detected at 0.5 % or greater abundance across all species, and 23 were identified. Carvacrol was the major monoterpene and nootkatin the most abundant tropolone in all three species. Valencene 11, 12-diol and nootkatone topped the list of sesquiterpenes in yellow-cedar and Leyland cypress, respectively, whereas no sesquiterpenes were detected in Monterrey cypress. This appears to be the first report of tropolones hinokitiol, procerin, and nootkatin in Leyland cypress, α-thujaplicinol, pygmaein, and procerin in Monterrey cypress, and hinokitiol in yellow-cedar. Conclusions: Leyland cypress heartwood does not biosynthesize structurally unique compounds from those produced by its parental species, and is an unlikely source of novel biocides. However, the proportion of total sesquiterpenes and some of the individual components in Leyland cypress heartwood may distinguish it from the heartwood of its parental species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Exotic coniferous species have been used widely in restoration efforts in tropical montane forests due to their tolerance to adverse conditions and rapid growth, with little consideration given to the potential ecological benefits provided by native tree species. The aim of this study was to elucidate differences in litterfall and nutrient flow between a montane oak forest ( Quercus humboldtii Bonpl.) and exotic coniferous plantations of pine ( Pinus patula Schltdl. & Cham.) and cypress ( Cupressus lusitanica Mill.) in the Colombian Andes. Methods: Litter production, litter decomposition rate, and element composition of leaf litter were monitored during 3 years. Results: Litter production in the oak forest and pine plantation was similar, but considerably lower in the cypress plantation . Similar patterns were observed for nutrient concentrations in litterfall, with the exception of Ca which was three times higher in the cypress plantation. The annual decay rate of litter was faster in the montane oak forest than in either of the exotic coniferous plantations. The potential and net return of nutrients to the forest floor were significantly higher in oak forest than in the exotic coniferous plantations. Conclusions: Future restoration programs should consider new species that can emulate the nutrient flow of native broadleaf species instead of exotic species that tend to impoverish soil nutrient stocks in tropical montane forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elicitin-mediated acquisition of plant sterols is required for growth and sporulation of Phytophthora spp. This study examined the interactions between elicitins, sterols, and tannins. Ground leaf tissue, sterols, and tannin-enriched extracts were obtained from three different plant species (California bay laurel, California black oak, and Oregon white oak) in order to evaluate the effect of differing sterol/tannin contents on Phytophthora ramorum growth. For all three species, high levels of foliage inhibited P. ramorum growth and sporulation, with a steeper concentration dependence for the two oak samples. Phytophthora ramorum growth and sporulation were inhibited by either phytosterols or tannin-enriched extracts. High levels of sterols diminished elicitin gene expression in P. ramorum; whereas the tannin-enriched extract decreased the amount of 'functional' or ELISA-detectable elicitin, but not gene expression. Across all treatment combinations, P. ramorum growth and sporulation correlated strongly with the amount of ELISA-detectable elicitin ( R = 0.791 and 0.961, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Research aimed to define the olfactory sensory spaces of Spanish red wines from different price segments and to determine relationships between sensory descriptors and quality as evaluated by experts. Methods and Results: A trained panel using a frequency of citation method assessed the orthonasal sensory characteristics of 96 Spanish wines belonging to three price segments (premium; high standard; low standard). Eleven robust sensory terms were built by combining similar terms using statistical criteria. A panel of experts consistently assessed quality. Negative aroma profiles, some of them very skewed, were identified in the different sets with 'animal', 'undergrowth', 'vegetal', 'dried fruit' or 'evolved/oxidized' notes. While skewed aroma profiles were not necessary for achieving low quality, the role of some terms was highly dependent on the category. 'Dried fruit' was positive in premium wines and negative in the other categories, in which its role was played by 'berry'. The low standard wines had to be segmented into wooded and unwooded samples to find clear relationships with quality. Satisfactory models for quality could be built in all segments. Conclusions: Orthonasal aroma can explain wine quality. The sensory pair 'woody/animal' was confirmed as the most relevant and influential for wine quality. The role of the other terms depended on the category. Oxidation-related attributes are particularly detrimental to younger wines. Significance of the Study: The results provide a reliable and complete sensory database. They identified aroma profiles related to quality, provided an insight into the hierarchies of terms and provided information that will assist in the identification of the aroma chemicals potentially involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Pregnancy courses with low response to angiotensin II and adrenergic agonists. In preeclampsia, both effects are reverted. It is known that angiotensin II regulates adrenergic system. It is not known, however, the interaction between both systems receptors. 2 Our aim was to study if AT1R and α1D adrenoceptor heterodimerize in preeclampsia. 3 We used subrenal aorctic coarctation in pregnant rats. Aortic tissues were prepared for confocal imaging and coimmunoprecipitated for α1D and AT1 receptors. 4 We found that AT1R and α1D adrenoceptor heterodimerize in both, healthy and preeclamptic groups. In healthy pregnant rats, heterodimer is barely detected. In preeclamptic rats however, we found higher heterodimerization. 5 These results suggest that AT1R and α1D -adrenoceptor may form heterodimers, and may play a role in preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Physiology & Biochemistry is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We studied the effect of six tree species planted at six different densities on pasture production seven years after establishment. Annual and seasonal pasture production was studied every six months, over three years. Pasture production was lower under conifer trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, Pinus pinaster Aiton, Pinus radiata D. Don) than under broadleaved trees (Betula alba L., Quercus rubra L. and Castanea sativa Mill.). Annual pasture production under Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus pinaster decreased progressively starting from 952 trees ha-1, while decline in herbage production under Pinus radiata began to occur at 427 trees ha-1. Tree density effect on pasture production was detected at 2,000 trees ha-1 for all of the deciduous species studied. This effect on pasture production was more important in the first six months of the year (June sampling), while from June to December herbage production was less affected by tree density. The tree effect became more noticeable over time, with the last sampling showing the inverse relationship between tree density and herbage production most clearly. Seven years after tree establishment, pasture production was quite consistent under tree densities between 190 trees ha-1 and 556 trees ha-1 and declined remarkably from 556 trees ha-1 to 2,500 trees ha-1. The study also indicated that by the sixth growing season, annual pasture production under different tree species is inversely correlated with tree leaf area index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to determine whether changes in chemical composition could be a factor in increased utilization of red alder ( Alnus rubra) by the two cervids, the Columbian black-tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) and Roosevelt elk ( Cervus elaphus roosevelti), during the fall in parts of the Douglas fir region of the Pacific Northwest. We found that concentrations and astringency of phenolic compounds decreased from spring through fall, while crude protein content remained high. We conclude that red alder leaves provide a significant source of digestible protein for cervids during fall, when availability of nutrients in most forage species is generally declining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]