The significance of tick-borne diseases has increased considerably in recent years. Because of the unique distribution of the tick species Dermacentor reticulatus in Poland, comprising two expanding ...populations, Eastern and Western that are separated by a Dermacentor-free zone, it is important to conduct studies on the process of tick expansion and emergence of canine babesiosis. The main aim of the current study was to monitor the expansion of D. reticulatus populations from spring 2016 to autumn 2018 to determine (1) the actual geographical range of this tick species, and (2) and the seasonal/annual shift in range limits and changes in distance between Western and Eastern populations of ticks (the size of the non-endemic area).
Ticks were collected in spring/autumn during a 3-year study. From each season and year at least three pairs of sites from the Western and Eastern populations were selected. Then the mean distance between paired sites was calculated for each season and year. We collected and analyzed data from veterinary clinics on the number of canine babesiosis cases treated in the clinic during a whole year (2018).
Accordingly, further expansion of the two D. reticulatus populations was recorded, mainly along river basins. Marked colonization of the gap zone was observed, with a mean annual shift in the range of 2.5-10 km and a steadily decreasing distance between the two tick populations. The occurrence of babesiosis in different regions revealed low numbers of cases in Western Poland (19 cases/year) and the gap area (only 7 cases/year) and high incidence (up to 250 cases/1000 dogs) and fatality (total 3.65%) in Central and Eastern Poland. Strong associations were found geographically between tick and babesiosis occurrence and temporally in the seasonal patterns of occurrence of ticks and outbreaks of babesiosis.
We documented the shift in range limits and continued process of colonization of the gap zone accompanied by the emergence of canine babesiosis in the Eastern expansion zone. Updated maps of the distribution of ticks and occurrence of babesiosis in different regions of Poland have allowed us to predict of the emergence of pathogens vectored by D. reticulatus. Incidence (per 1000 dogs) of canine babesiosis in veterinary clinics by current range of D. reticulatus.
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The aim of this study was to elucidate how different nursery production methods influence the composition of and relationship between soil and root community levels of Abies alba. In the Międzylesie ...Forest District, we quantified the responses of samples of both community-level fine roots and surrounding soil to environmental changes evoked by various seedling production methods. Fungi levels were identified based on their ITS 1 region and 5.8 S rDNA component. Analysis was conducted using Illumina SBS technology, and the obtained sequences were compared with reference samples deposited in the UNITE. Chemical analysis of the soil was also performed. Different nursery production methods resulted in a strong decoupling in the responses of fungal community levels between soil and roots. Changes in growth conditions imposed by production methods were significant in determining species composition. We found differences in fungal communities among functional groups of samples. In the soil, the dominant species of mycorrhizal fungi were Tylospora asterophora, Amanita rubescens, and Russula ionochlora. Mycorrhizal fungi in roots included Tuber anniae, Thelephoraceae sp., and Acephala applanata. Specific soil substrate conditions significantly influenced fungal community composition, leading to an increase in abundance of mycorrhizal fungi, specifically T. anniae.
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Rodents constitute an important part of the diet of many carnivore species. This predator-prey food chain is exploited by helminth parasites, such as cestodes, whose larval stages develop in rodents ...and then mature to the adult stage in predators. The main aim of our study was to use molecular techniques for identification of cestode species recovered from both intermediate and definitive hosts, with a particular focus on the genus Mesocestoides.
Larval cestodes were obtained during our long-term studies on rodent helminth communities in the Mazury Lake District in the north-east Poland in 2000-2018. Cestode larvae/cysts were collected from body cavities or internal organs (e.g. liver) during autopsies. Adult tapeworms were derived from nine red foxes, three Eurasian badgers and one Eurasian lynx. PCR amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analyses were conducted employing three genetic markers: 18S rDNA, mitochondrial (mt) 12S rDNA and the mt cytochrome c oxydase subunit 1 (cox1) gene fragment.
Altogether 19 Mesocestoides samples were analyzed, including 13 adult tapeworms from definitive hosts and six larval samples from 4 bank voles and 2 yellow-necked mice. Phylogenetic analyses revealed three well-supported trees of similar topology. In each case the Mesocestoides samples formed two separate clades. All isolates from foxes, the lynx isolate and two isolates from rodents grouped with Mesocestoides litteratus. Four isolates from rodents and all three isolates from Eurasian badgers were resolved in a separate clade, most similar to North American M. vogae (syn. M. corti). Examination of fixed, stained adult specimens from Eurasian badgers revealed consistency with the morphology of Mesocestoides melesi. Therefore, this clade is likely to represent M. melesi, a species first described in 1985 from the Eurasian badger Meles meles. Molecular analysis allowed also the identification of Taenia crassiceps, Hydatigera kamiyai and Cladotaenia globifera among larvae derived from rodents.
Molecular and phylogenetic analyses support the recognition of M. melesi as a valid species. Our data represent the first record of the larvae of this species in rodents. This is the first report on the occurrence of H. kamiyai in rodents from Poland.
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•Coarse woody debris of Scots pine hosts abundant and diverse mycobiota.•The Illumina technology proved to be very effective in detection of fungi.•Fungal communities in coarse dead wood are huge ...complexes with many previously undifferentiated taxa.•Sanitary cutting, commercial thinning and timber harvesting cause an increase in abundance of fungi and richness of fungal communities in decayed dead wood.•Faster decomposition of wood decreases the abundance and diversity of fungi.
Abundance of fungi and richness of fungal communities were studied in coarse wood debris of Scots pine in stands that were unmanaged or managed (by sanitary cutting, commercial thinning and timber harvesting) in an 85-year-old Scots pine forest in western Poland, in June 2014. Samples consisted of 20 × 20 × 20 cm pieces of logs, fallen branches and stumps, in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd decay classes. Fungal communities were analysed using high throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing of fungal rDNA internal transcribed spacer. From a total of 80 076 OTUs from 34 samples, 58 436 (72.98%) were of culturable fungi and 21 640 (27.02%) were of non-culturable fungi and other organisms. Fungi from Glomeromycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were detected. In the unmanaged stand the frequency of Glomeromycota was 0–0.2%, of Zygomycota 0.01–0.29%, of Ascomycota 30.47–79.08%, of Basidiomycota 1.56–16.45%, and of non-culturable fungi 7.28–65.51%. In the managed stand the frequency of Glomeromycota was 0–0.12%, of Zygomycota 0.04–1.48%, of Ascomycota 52.25–68.33%, of Basidiomycota 8.01–18.05%, and of non-culturable fungi 10.54–26.09%. Fungal communities in coarse dead wood were shown to be huge complexes which include many previously undifferentiated taxa that often occupy specific ecological niches. Samples were colonized by at least 260 taxa of fungi. Fungi were most abundant and fungal communities most species-rich in the managed stand and in the initial stages of wood decay. Known wood-decay species were most abundant in the less decayed wood. Management practice influenced density and diversity of fungal communities in decayed wood. Illumina technology proved to be more effective in detection of fungi than analysis based on fungal morphology in culture or Sanger DNA sequencing.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The western red cedar (
Donn ex D. Don), an important forest-forming species in the Western part of the North American continent, is an alien species naturalised in Europe. It is popular and highly ...valued in horticulture. While considering the progressing climate change, it may also be a potential alternative to native species in European forests. The community of soil fungi associated with the western red cedar in forested areas of Europe has not been fully determined. Thus, this study is aimed to identify the community of soil fungi associated with the western red cedar. The experimental plots are located in the Kościan Forest District (51°98’87″ N; 16°23’54″ E). All soil samples were taken from the topsoil layer at a depth of 25 cm with a trowel, three from the centre of natural regeneration (1G, 2G, 5G) and three from the centre stand under the canopy of old-growth western red cedar (3G, 4G, 6G). Fungi were identified directly from the soil based on the ITS1 rDNA region. The derived product was sequenced using Illumina’s sequencing by synthesis (SBS) technology. Sequences were referred to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database applying the BLAST algorithm. The fungal counts were defined based on the number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) in the sample. The OTU number was 835 206, with fungal isolates accounting for 683 095 (81.79%). A total of 8 591 taxa belonging to the Kingdom Fungi were identified. The species with the greatest shares in the community included
spp. (10.5%),
spp. (5.6%),
spp. (3.44%),
spp. (3.1%) and
spp. (2.2%). Results showed that saprotrophs and mycorrhizal fungi predominated in the community. The dominance of ectomycorrhizal fungi over arbuscular ones, quite impressive natural regeneration was shown in
stands in Kościan. Subsequent research should take into account tree stands in Poland in which natural regeneration does not occur or occurs sporadically.
Silver fir is an important forest-forming species in the mountain and upland parts of Poland. It was determined that fir lost the possibility of spontaneous return to the forests of the region. That ...is why the Polish State Forests has launched a programme to restore its resources in the Sudetes. Until now, fungi and their relationship with fir have not been fully addressed in the Sudetes Restitution Programme, therefore this study was undertaken. The aim of this study was to determine the species composition of soil fungi from quarters producing silver fir seedlings. The research material was rhizosphere soil collected from 3-year-old saplings produced in forest nurseries of the Międzylesie Forest District. Fungal composition was determined by Next-Generation sequencing (Illumina NextSeq 500). The total number of OTUs obtained (638 435) included sequences of cultivated horcultured fungi (433 412 OTUs = 52.7%), non-cultivable fungi, that is which cannot be cultured (97 108 OTUs = 22.41 %) and potential fungi with no reference sequence in UNITE (73 419 OTUs = 16.93%) and non-fungal organisms (34 496 = 7.96%). The following taxa as Mortierella sp. (8.23%). Tylospora sp. (6.68%) and Russula sp. (3.76%) had the largest share in the soil fungal communities. The results of the study indicate the dominance of saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi in the communities of fir roots, which proves that saplings are of good quality. Small share of pathogens sequences suggests that soil-born fungal pathogens are not a major threat to fir seedlings in nurseries.
Key words: mycorrhizal fungi, nursery, Abies alba, seedlings, Międzylesie Forest District.
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