Effects of short term bioturbation by common voles on biogeochemical soil variables.

Bioturbation contributes to soil formation and ecosystem functioning. With respect to the active transport of matter by voles, bioturbation may be considered as a very dynamic process among those shaping soil formation and biogeochemistry. The present study aimed at characterizing and quantifying the effects of bioturbation by voles on soil water relations and carbon and nitrogen stocks.

Relevance of nonfunctional linear polyacrylic acid for the biodegradation of superabsorbent polymer in soils.

Biodegradability is a desired characteristic for synthetic soil amendments. Cross-linked polyacrylic acid (PAA) is a synthetic superabsorbent used to increase the water availability for plant growth in soils. About 4% within products of cross-linked PAA remains as linear polyacrylic acid (PAAlinear).

Detection of Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in a tick population from Austria.

Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA was discovered in Ixodes ricinus ticks in 1999 and is referred to as an emerging human pathogen since its first detection in patients with febrile illness reported in 2010. In recent years, Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis has been detected in ticks from several European, Asian, and African countries.

Biodegradability of a polyacrylate superabsorbent in agricultural soil.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) are used, inter alia, as soil amendment to increase the water holding capacity of soils. Biodegradability of soil conditioners has become a desired key characteristic to protect soil and groundwater resources. The present study characterized the biodegradability of one acrylate based SAP in four agricultural soils and at three temperatures.

Borrelia bavariensis sp. nov. is widely distributed in Europe and Asia.

Since the original description of Borrelia bavariensis sp. nov. in 2009, additional samples available from humans and ticks from Europe and Mongolia, respectively, have been used to further characterize Borrelia strains belonging to this group of spirochaetes that utilize rodents as reservoir hosts.