Exploiting hot-spots; effective determination of lichen diversity in a Carpathian virgin forest.

Although lichenized fungi are among the most reliable indicators of forest quality and represent a considerable part of forest biodiversity, methods maximizing completeness of their species lists per area are lacking. Employing a novel methodological approach including a multi-expert competition and a search for local hot-spot plots, we have obtained outstanding data about epiphytic lichen biota in a part of the largest Central European virgin forest reserve Uholka-Shyrokyi Luh situated in Ukrainian Carpathians. Our field research consisted of two four-day periods: (1) an overall floristic survey and a search for spots with raised lichen diversity, and (2) survey in four one-hectare plots established in lichen diversity hot-spots along an altitudinal gradient. Recorded alpha-diversities in plots ranged from 181-228 species, but estimated species richness is in the range 207-322 species. Detected gamma-diversity was 387 species; estimates are 409-484 species. 93% of the species found in the forest were recorded in plots, but only 65% outside the plots. This underlines the high-efficiency of the multi-expert competitive survey in diversity hot-spot plots. Species richness in each one-hectare plot was equal to the numbers of species obtained by floristic surveys of much larger old-growth forest areas in Central Europe. Gamma-diversity detected in the Uholka primeval forest far exceeded all numbers achieved in Central European old-growth forests. Our method appears to be both effective (it obtains a more nearly complete inventory of species) and practical (the resources required are not unreasonably large).

Porcine teschovirus polioencephalomyelitis in western Canada.

Beginning in 2002, a small number of pig farms in western Canada began reporting 4-7-week-old pigs with bilateral hind-end paresis or paralysis. Low numbers of pigs were affected, some died, most had to be euthanized, and those that survived had reduced weight gains and neurological deficits. Necropsies revealed no gross lesions, but microscopic lesions consisted of a nonsuppurative polioencephalomyelitis, most severe in the brain stem and spinal cord. The lesions were most consistent with a viral infection. Tests for circovirus, Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, coronavirus, Rabies virus, and Pseudorabies virus were negative. Using immunohistochemistry, virus neutralization, fluorescent antibody test, and nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Porcine teschovirus was identified in tissues from affected individuals. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of teschovirus encephalitis in western Canada and the first reported case of polioencephalomyelitis in pigs in Canada, where teschovirus was confirmed as the cause.