Das Projekt "Forest management and habitat structure - influences on the network of song birds, vectors and blood parasites" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Forstzoologisches Institut, Professur für Wildtierökologie und Wildtiermanagement durchgeführt. Forest structure is altered by humans for long times (Bramanti et al. 2009). The long lasting modification of forests pursuant to human demands modified the living conditions for birds as well as for many other animals. This included changes in resource availability (e.g., food, foraging, nesting sites) and changes of interspecific interactions, e.g., parasitism and predation (Knoke et al. 2009; Ellis et al. 2012). Also species compositions and the survivability of populations and even species are affected. The loss of foraging sites and suitable places for reproduction, the limitation of mobility due to fragmented habitats and the disturbances by humans itself may lead to more stressed individuals and less optimal living conditions. In certain cases species are not able to deal with the modified requirements and their populations will shrink and even vanish. Depending on the intensity of management and the remaining forest structure, biodiversity is more or less endangered. Especially in systems of two or more strongly connected taxa changing conditions that affect at least one part may subsequently affect the other, too. One system of interspecific communities that recently attracted the attention of biologists includes birds, blood parasites (haemosporidians) and their transmitting vectors. For instance, avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) represents the reason for extreme declines in the avifauna of Hawaii since the introduction of respective vectors (e.g. Culicidae) during the 20th century (van Riper et al. 1986, Woodworth et al. 2005). With the current knowledge of this topic we are not able to predict if such incidences could also occur in Germany. All in all, different management strategies and intensity of forest management may influence the network of birds, vectors and blood parasites and change biodiversity. To elucidate this ecological complex, and to understand the interactions of the triad of songbirds as vertebrate hosts, dipteran vectors and haemosporidians within changing local conditions, I intend to collect data on the three taxa in differently managed forest areas, the given forest structure and the climatic conditions. I will try to explain the role of abiotic factors on infection dynamics, in detail the role of forest management intensity. Data acquisition takes place at three spatially divided locations: inside the Biodiversity Exploratory Schwäbische Alb, at the Mooswald in Freiburg, and inside the Schwarzwald.
Das Projekt "Integrated control of thrips in vegetables in Eastern Africa - development of user-friendly ID tools" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Biologie , Mikrobiologie durchgeführt. Main goals: 1. Identity, importance and distribution of major plant infesting thrips studied in Kenya and Uganda. 2. Conduct surveys for thrips, natural enemies and TSWV in cultivated plants and surrounding vegetation in Eastern Africa. 3. Development of a thrips identification key using LucID 3.4 software. 4. Fact sheet fusion database with special reference to tospovirus vectors. 5. Finally production of a CDROM: Pest thrips of Africa. (in collaboration with ICIPE/Nairobi)
Das Projekt "Der Einfluss der Optimierung von Rotteverfahren auf die Fauna einer Rottedeponie und die hygienische Bedeutung der Tierwelt" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Gießen, Fachbereich 19 Ernährungs- und Haushaltswissenschaften, Institut für Pflanzenernährung durchgeführt. Untersuchung verschiedener Verfahren zur Optimierung der Rotte. Erfassung der Arthropodenfauna. Beziehungen der Tierwelt der Deponie zur Umgebung. Die Bedeutung der Insekten als Vektoren von Mikroorganismen.
Das Projekt "VEKDOR - Verteilung der Ozonkonzentration im Donauraum" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre Oberpfaffenhofen durchgeführt.
Das Projekt "Malaria risk resulting from urban agriculture - persisting misconception or urgent need for mitigation? - GIS-supported spatial analysis in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Institut für Umweltsozialwissenschaften und Geographie, Professur für Physische Geographie durchgeführt. Urban agriculture is a common livelihood strategy for residents of cities in developing countries. In Dar es Salaam, urban agriculture comprises the production of crops, livestock and vegetables. Malaria transmission in Dar es Salaam is a significant problem and assumed to be closely linked to agricultural activities, where farmers and mosquitoes share common water resources. Although urban agriculture often provides breeding sites for malaria vectors, it is not clear if this increases actual malaria transmission in the surrounding areas.
Das Projekt "Modes of vector transmission of Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) - molecular basis and potential arthropod vector species" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Berlin (Humboldt-Univ.), Department für Nutzpflanzen- und Tierwissenschaften, Fachgebiet Phytomedizin durchgeführt. Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) is a plant pathogen of economic and ecologic importance. It is globally distributed in a wide range of forest, fruit, and ornamental trees and shrubs. In several areas of cherry and walnut production CLRV causes severe losses in yield and quality. With current reference to the rapid dissemination and strong symptom expression in Finnish birches and the Germany-wide distribution of CLRV in birches and elderberry, we continuously investigate and gradually reveal CLRV transmission pathways as by pollen, seeds or water. However, modes and interactions responsible for the wide intergeneric host transmission as well as for the exceptional CLRV epidemic in Fennoscandia still remain unknown. In this project systematic studies shall investigate biological vectors as a causal agent to finally derive control mechanisms and strategies to avoid new epidemics in different hosts and geographic regions. Detailed monitoring of the invertebrate fauna of birch stands/forests and elderberry plantations in Germany and Finland shall reveal potential vectors to subsequently study them in detail by approved virus detection methods and transmission experiments. Molecular analyses of the CLRV coat protein shall prove its role as a viral determinant for a virus/vector interaction. Consequently, this project essentially will contribute important answers on the CLRV epidemiology, and this will be a key element within the first network of research on plant viral pathogens in forest trees.
Das Projekt "Studien zum metabolischen Schicksal von 13C-Nonylphenol in Wasser und Sediment und entsprechenden mikrobiellen Systemen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Umweltforschung, Biologie V, Lehrstuhl für Umweltbiologie und -chemodynamik durchgeführt. The aim of this research project is to study the metabolic fate of 13C-labelled nonylphenol in water, sediment and related microbial model systems. The main use of nonylphenol is the production of NP polyethoxilates. These nonionic surfactants have different application such as the production of industrial and household detergents. The most common route of nonylphenol to enter in the environment is through the wastewater. In fact NP polyethoxilates is most used in cleaners and for this reasons is discharged directly in the sewage system. Under anaerobic conditions NP polyetoxilates is degraded to NP. Laboratories studies on NP have demonstrated that NP can be classified as endocrine disrupter compound. Isomers highly branched in the alpha position of the nonyl chain show an higher estrogenic activity and that the para position is favorite as well for estrogenic activity.So far data on the metabolic fate of NP in water and soil are limitated in literature. Several studies have been performed in the laboratories about the metabolic fate of EDC using 14C labelled compounds. But this lead to 2 disadvantages: 1) the complete identification of the metabolites was not possible using GC/MS and 2) problems related with the discharge of radioactive compounds. For the previous reasons isomers of NP (353-NP, 363-NP, 33-NP) will be synthesised and labelled with 13C on the aromatic ring. An equimolar mixture of the labelled compound with the corresponding non labelled compound will yields a characteristic double peak with approximately the same abundance in MS analyses. Taking advantages of this it will be able to follow the degradation of nonylphenol in the experiments. The metabolic fate of NP exposed to different conditions will be studied: exposed to UV light, degraded by a recombinant yeast and in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The first line of the project is to study the metabolic fate of NP exposed under condition of photo degradation. In fact NP can be exposed to sunlight when present in the aquatic environment. UV rays are of a short wavelength and have the energy to degrade products in sunlights. A lamp that had a ratio of UV-A and UV-B quite similar to the sun light was chosen. The NP degradation will be followed in a water/sediment system and in chlorinated water. The water sediment system and chlorinated water will be spiked with the nonylphenol, than the sample will be exposed to UV light at difference distance from the lamp and for different time. Than the metabolites will be extracted and analyzed via GC/MS. The second line of the project is to study the metabolic fate of NP after degradation with a recombinant yeast. The host used will be the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, because it is well known and the genome of this yeast has been completely sequenced. The yeast will be transformed with an expression vector containing one cytochrome P-450 and the yeast reductase. Etc.
Das Projekt "Emerging Diseases in a Changing European Environment (EDEN)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Heidelberg, Hygiene-Institut, Abteilung für Tropenhygiene und öffentliches Gesundheitswesen durchgeführt. These last years, several vector-borne, parasitic or zoonotic diseases have (re)-emerged and spread in the European territory with major health, ecological, socio-economical and political consequences. Most of these outbreaks are linked to global and local changes resulting of climatic changes or activities of human populations. Europe must anticipate, prevent and control new emergences to avoid major societal and economical crisis (cf. SARS in Asia, West Nile in US). EDEN (Emerging Diseases in a changing European Environment) offers a unique opportunity to prepare for uncertainties about the future of the European environment and its impact on human health. EDEN's aim is to increase preparedness by developing and coordinating at European level a set of generic investigative methods, tools and skills within a common scientific framework (Landscapes, Vector and Parasite bionomics, Public Health, Animal Reservoirs). EDEN has therefore selected for study a range of diseases that are especially sensitive to environmental changes. Some of these diseases are already present in Europe (West Nile, Rodent-born, Tick-born, Leishmaniosis), others were present historically (Malaria) and so may re-emerge, whilst finally Rift Valley Fever is either on the fringes of Europe. EDEN integrates research between 42 leading institutes from 23 countries with the combined experience and skills to reach their common goals. EDEN is organised into a series of vertical Sub-Projects led and managed by an internationally recognised expert and linked by a series of Integrative Activities that include biodiversity monitoring, environmental change detection, disease modelling, remote sensing and image interpretation, information and communication. The proposed management structure, including a Scientific Board and a User Forum, takes into account both the diversity of the partners and the size of the project. Specific links with third world countries will be achieved through an Africa platform. Prime Contractor: Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement; Paris; France.
Das Projekt "Development and risk assessment of transgenic environmentally-friendly insect pest control methods for fruit flies and mosquitoes" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Gießen, Institut für Phytopathologie und Angewandte Zoologie, Abteilung Angewandte Entomologie durchgeführt. Various species of pest insects cause substantial damage to agriculture every year, or transmit deadly diseases to animals and humans. A successful strategy to control pest insect populations is based on the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), which uses the release of mass-reared, radiation sterilized male insects to cause infertile matings and thus reduce the pest population level. However, irradiation is not applicable to every insect species. Thus, new strategies based on genetic modifications of pest insects have been developed or are currently under investigation.The goal of the proposed research is to improve the development and ecological safety of genetically engineered (GE) insects created for enhanced biological control programs, including the SIT and new strategies based on conditional lethality. A major concern for GE insect release programs is transgene stability, and maintenance of their consistent expression. Transgene loss or intra-genomic movement could result in loss of strain attributes, and may ultimately lead to interspecies movement resulting in ecological risks. To address potential transgene instability, a new transposon vector that allows post-integration immobilization will be tested in the Mediterranean, Mexican and Oriental fruit fly tephritid pest species. In addition, the system will be established in the mosquito species Aedes and Anopheles - carriers of dengue and malaria.Random genomic insertion is also problematic for GE strain development due to genomic position effects that suppress transgene expression, and insertional mutations that negatively affect host fitness and viability. Diminished transgene expression could result in the unintended survival of conditional lethal individuals, or the inability to identify them. To target transgene vectors to defined genomic insertion sites having minimal negative effects on gene expression and host fitness, a recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) strategy will be developed that. RMCE will also allow for stabilization of the target site, will be tested in tephritid and mosquito species, and will aid to the development of stabilized target-site strains for conditional lethal biocontrol. This will include a molecular and organismal evaluation of an RNAi-based lethality approach. Lethality based on an RNAi mechanism in the proposed insects would increase the species specificity and having multiple targets for lethality versus one target in existing systems. By seeking to improve transgene expressivity and stabilization of transposon-based vector systems, this proposal specifically addresses issues related to new GE insects by reducing their unintended spread after field release, and by limiting the possibilities for transgene introgression.
Das Projekt "Depletion of algal toxin-contaminated water using selective biofilters based on plant-produced antibodies (plantibodies)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität München, Institut für Wasserchemie und Chemische Balneologie, Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie und Wasserchemie durchgeführt. Although the use of genetically modified plants for bioremediation, or the in situ cleaning of contaminated sites, has been known for quite some time, little attention has so far been paid to the production of antibodies in plants and their ex vivo application in selective depletion. Therefore, highly affine and specific antibodies against algal toxins using microcystin as an example will be produced in plants at low cost within this research project. The basis is a monoclonal antibody (Mab 10E7, species: mouse) generated in a former research project. The sequence of the variable domains will be determined, optimized for plants and sub cloned into suitable plant transformation vectors, which already contain constant antibody sequences. In addition, a scFv fragment containing different tag sequences and fusion proteins will be constructed. Leaf-based (tobacco) as well as seed-based (barley) systems will be used.Affinity-purified plant-produced antibodies (plantibodies) will be characterized in detail for their binding properties using microtitre plate-ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The monoclonal mouse antibody will be used as reference. To assure cost-efficiency for future applications, roughly purified fractions (sequential pH and temperature treatment followed by filtration) will be tested for the upscaling. Following immobilization of the plantibody fractions on suitable substrates, for instance membranes, porous polymer monoliths or in porous glasses, their application for depletion will be defined using model water samples spiked fortified with microcystins.
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