Ziel ist es, einen Maßnahmenkatalog für ein standardisiertes Ausbruchsmanagement unter Berücksichtigung der neu etablierten Sammel- und Analyseverfahren zu erarbeiten, um relevante Infektionsquellen schnellstmöglich identifizieren und beseitigen zu können und somit eine weitere Ausbreitung unterbunden wird. Der Maßnahmenkatalog soll mit Hilfe eines Expertenteams, das in Verantwortung des LGL etabliert wird, erstellt werden. In diesem Rahmen evaluiert das LGL als Endnutzer die im Verbund erarbeitete Screeningmethode (Antikörper-Mikroarray) zur Serotypisierung in Wasser- und Luftproben und etabliert eine Referenzmethode, die auf einer Lebend/Tot-PCR beruht. Dieses Testsystem ermöglicht die Identifizierung des Status von L. pneumophila (infektiös, kultivierbar, lebend, viable not but not culturable (VBNC), tot, in Amöben). Zum Vergleich analysiert das LGL die Proben mit dem Standardkulturverfahren. Des Weiteren wird eine Methode zur molekularbiologischen Feintypisierung für Legionellen als Referenzmethode am LGL aufgebaut. Im Einzelnen ergibt sich folgende Arbeitsplanung: 1. Etablierung eines Testsystems zur Identifizierung des Status von L. pneumophila (infektiös, kultivierbar, lebend, viable but not culturable (VBNC), tot, in Amöben) mittels Lebend/Tot-PCR, in Wasser- und Aerosolproben 2. Verbesserung der Strategien für die Bioaerosol- und Wasserprobenahme, um die Sensitivität zu steigern 3. Aufbau einer molekularen Feintypisierungsmethode zur Bestimmung der Klonalität der Legionellenstämme in Umwelt- und Patientenproben 4. Evaluierung des Screening-Programms / Messprogramms von Wasser- und Luftproben mittels Antikörper-Mikroarray, Kulturverfahren, PCR und Feintypisierung 5. Erstellung eines Maßnahmenkataloges mit Hilfe eines Expertenteams (Workshop) und daraus Erarbeitung einer VDI-Richtlinie.
Humans are altering the composition of biological communities through a variety of activities that increase rates of species invasions and/or species extinctions, at all scales, from local to global. These changes in components of biodiversity have a strong potential to alter ecosystem properties. In plant communities subordinate species (locally non-dominant species) that collectively compose the main part of the diversity, are generally at greater risk for extinction due their small population sizes. The role of subordinate plant species for the maintenance of ecosystem functions (e.g., production), for the resistance of plant communities against change in resource availability (e.g., drought, fertilization) and for the maintenance of the diversity of belowground organisms (e.g., protists, bacteria, fungi) and their function has recently received increasing attention, but remains poorly known. Understanding the impact of the present loss of biodiversity on ecosystem functions is a key challenge in ecology. If diversity per se can be shown to have a critical role on ecosystem functions, this can be, together with ethical and aesthetic reasons a crucial argument to increase present biodiversity conservation efforts. Moreover, understanding the link between above and belowground diversity is one of the main present challenges in ecology. While this research addresses primarily purely scientific questions, its broader impact on the management of biodiversity and natural plant communities could be significant. Specific aims are: - To assess the role of subordinate plant species on the structure and functioning of the above- and below-ground components of a grassland ecosystem by using a removal experiment. - To assess experimentally the influence of subordinate plant species on the response of above- and belowground components of the ecosystem to resource limitation (drought). - To initiate a long-term experiment in the same site, with possible extension to other ecosystem processes (e.g., nutrient stress release by N or P addition, invasibility) and components (e.g., nematodes, earthworms, flagellates). A field experiment will be carried out on permanent plots in a species-rich grazed meadow of the Swiss Jura Mountains. The effect of subordinate plant species (frequent but never dominant in the plant community) will be assessed through a three-level factor: (1) removal of subordinate plant species; (2) removal of similar biomass of dominant plant species; (3) control without removal. The effect of resource limitation will be assessed through a two-level factor: (1) drought; (2) control. Plant composition, functional traits and biomass will be monitored during the ongoing experiment. Belowground diversity will be identified by monitoring three groups with contrasted functional roles in the soil food web: bacteria, fungi and testate amoebae. Moreover, direct measurements of key soil processes (respiration, decomposition) will be done.
The proposed project investigates the response of the decomposer system to major climate change factors i.e., increased temperature (as represented by altitude) and nutrient inputs (N and P) of Andean forest ecosystems in the framework of the NUMEX experiment. The project focuses on major players of decomposition processes i.e., microorganisms (as analysed by phospholipid fatty acid patterns) and representative taxa of decomposer invertebrates: testate amoebae ('Testacea'), nematodes (Nematoda) and oribatid mites (Oribtida). The selected taxa represent major soil food web components i.e., microorganisms as major primary decomposers, testate amoebae and bacterial feeding nematodes as major representatives of the bacterial energy channel and fungal feeding nematodes and oribatid mites as major representatives of the fungal energy channel. Each of these groups responds sensitively to environmental changes and represent powerful bioindicators. The project aims at evaluating the use of bioindicators for the investigated climate change factors in Andean ecosystems. It is hypothesized that microorganisms, oribatid mites and nematodes sensitively and differentially respond to climate change factors allowing to identify indicators representative for large regions of Ecuador and the Andes in general. Further, molecular analysis of focal taxa of the selected soil animal groups target at understanding changes in animal diversity along altitudinal gradients of the study sites and along worldwide latitudinal gradients allowing deeper understanding of the evolution of the diversity of soil animals in tropical ecosystems. Project description: The proposed project investigates the response of the decomposer system to major climate change factors i.e., increased temperature (as represented by altitude) and nutrient inputs (N and P) of Andean forest ecosystems in the framework of the NUMEX experiment. The project focuses on major players of decomposition processes i.e., microorganisms (as analysed by phospholipid fatty acid patterns) and representative taxa of decomposer invertebrates: testate amoebae ('Testacea'), nematodes (Nematoda) and oribatid mites (Oribtida). The selected taxa represent major soil food web components i.e., microorganisms as major primary decomposers, testate amoebae and bacterial feeding nematodes as major representatives of the bacterial energy channel and fungal feeding nematodes and oribatid mites as major representatives of the fungal energy channel. Each of these groups responds sensitively to environmental changes and represent powerful bioindicators. The project aims at evaluating the use of bioindicators for the investigated climate change factors in Andean ecosystems. (abridged text)