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Familiarisation with manual blood examination methods and the morphologies of leukocytes in peripheral blood contributes to routine veterinary practice. It enables veterinarians to verify automated analysis results and to examine blood cell morphology using the microscope. Third-year students therefore participated in an online module including 10 clinical cases of various mammal species with a haematological focus. Each case required the differentiation of 100 leukocytes using digitised cell images (= items) photographed from corresponding blood films. The study aims to provide insights into student difficulties with different leukocyte morphologies by calculating the Difficulty Index (DI) values. Out of 247 participating students, 96% completed the course in full, contributing 2197 differential white blood count (dWBC) responses for evaluation. The mean DI for all items (n = 1033) was 0.95 (± 0.09 SD), indicating overall low difficulty. Nucleated red blood cells (nRBC) (DI 0.98 ± 0.03 SD), segmented neutrophils (0.98 ± 0.07), and lymphocytes (0.97 ± 0.05) obtained high scores, whereas DIs for myelocytes (0.72 ± 0.14) and monocytes (0.82 ± 0.20) posed a greater challenge for the students to recognise these types of cells. Basophils, metamyelocytes, band neutrophils, platelets, and eosinophils ranged between DIs of 0.83 (± 0.12) to 0.94 (± 0.08). In contrast to hands-on microscopy, this digital format provided valuable training to gain routine in leukocyte differentiation and presentation, particularly of uncommon cell types. These should, however, be reliably distinguished by the examiner from the more common cell types, as they usually have a relatively high clinical significance even if they occur in small numbers. Nevertheless, the lack of dynamic manual adjustments during the microscopic examination emphasises the need for hands-on microscopy in combination with a digital format., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. Here we investigate a widely cited example of urban adaptation, Culex pipiens form molestus , also known as the London Underground Mosquito. Population genomic analysis of ~350 contemporary and historical samples counter the popular hypothesis that molestus originated belowground in London less than 200 years ago. Instead, we show that molestus first adapted to human environments aboveground in the Middle East over the course of >1000 years, likely in concert with the rise of agricultural civilizations. Our results highlight the role of early human society in priming taxa for contemporary urban evolution and have important implications for understanding arbovirus transmission., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

The determination of biochemical parameters plays an important role in the veterinary care of alpacas, as it can provide an overview of the integrity and function of various organs and metabolic states. Various reference intervals are available for interpreting biochemical results in alpacas, but physiological variations due to age, sex or season should also be considered. Particularly, information on the influence of age is scarce. In a retrospective study, we examined 17 measured and three calculated biochemical parameters of 21 healthy female alpacas from a research herd over a period of nine years. We found significant positive correlations between age and serum triglycerides, selenium, vitamin E, urea, urea/creatinine ratio, calcium/phosphate ratio and significant negative correlations between age and aspartate aminotransferase activity, calcium and phosphate. However, our results differ to some extent from those found in the literature comparing changes in biochemical parameters between juvenile and adult alpacas. Overall, our data suggest that some biochemical parameters in adult alpacas are subject to physiological changes with age, which should be considered when interpreting laboratory results in this species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

White blood cell (WBC) ratios are used as diagnostic markers for various inflammatory or tumor diseases as well as stress in a broad range of species. The aim of this work was to provide data on five WBC ratios (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], band neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [BLR], band neutrophil-to-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [BNLR], band neutrophil-to-neutrophil ratio [BNR] and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio [LMR]) in South American camelids (SAC) and characterize their association with demographic and important diagnostic parameters. Medical records of 307 SAC (275 alpacas, 32 llamas) that were presented at a veterinary teaching hospital were evaluated retrospectively. WBC ratios were calculated based on hematologic results of the initial blood samples. The influence of species, sex, age, body condition score, WBC count, and anemia on those ratios was investigated using descriptive statistics and generalized linear models. NLR, BLR and LMR were found to be significantly influenced by age and WBC count. Associations of individual WBC ratios with species, nutritional status or an anemic condition could be detected. NLR was 4.32; 2.31-7.81 (median; IQR), BLR 0.24; 0.07-0.87, BNLR 3.66 × 10 -3 ; 1.17 × 10 -3 - 14.20 × 10 -3 , BNR 0.06; 0.02-0.15 and LMR was 7; 3.54-14.67. Our data might serve as a basis for further studies on WBC ratios in SAC. The animals in this study showed a variety of underlying diseases. It should hence be noted that these values are orientation values and provide a representative overview of conditions in a clinic, but are not suitable as reference values for healthy animals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study assesses the use of fructosamine as a diagnostic tool for hyperglycemia in alpacas in view of their sensitivity to stress and susceptibility to conditions like lipid mobilization syndrome. Plasma fructosamine, like in diagnosing diabetes in cats and dogs, can reveal long-term blood glucose trends, differentiating stress-induced spikes from persistent diabetic hyperglycemia. In 125 alpacas presented as patients of a veterinary clinic, plasma glucose and fructosamine concentrations were compared for correlations with findings of the general clinical examination, laboratory parameters, demographic data, and a behavioral stress assessment processed by using principal component analysis. Hyperglycemia was observed on admission of 71% (89/125) of the animals. This was significantly associated with a higher concentration of serum cortisol and a higher behavioral stress scoring. Fructosamine above the reference limit was detected in only 15% (13/89) of the hyperglycemic individuals. In addition to a positive correlation of fructosamine to glucose concentration, positive relationships with different plasma proteins were detected. A relationship to stress parameters was not observed. These findings underscore stress as a significant trigger for hyperglycemia in alpacas and suggest fructosamine as a valuable parameter for distinguishing between stress-induced and diabetic hyperglycemia. However, the dependence of fructosamine formation on total plasma protein concentration should be considered to avoid misinterpretation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The Schmallenberg virus (SBV), an emerging Orthobunyavirus of mainly ruminant hosts, caused a substantial epidemic in European ruminant populations between 2011 and 2013. The pathogen is transmitted by arthropod vectors (Culicoides spp.) and can cause reproductive disorders and severe malformations of the offspring or stillbirth. The present study aimed to assess SBV seroprevalence among German sheep and goats a few years after the first virus detection in the country (November 2011). In addition, an extensive risk factor analysis including host-specific and husbandry-related factors was implemented. Seroprevalence was determined by examining serum samples from 2759 sheep and 446 goats out of a total of 70 flocks across five German federal states. The samples were withdrawn in the period between 2017 and 2018. Using a commercial competitive ELISA, antibodies against SBV were detected in all 70 investigated flocks. A percentage of 60.1 % (1657/2759) of the sheep and 40.4 % (180/446) of the goat sera contained SBV antibodies. Generalized linear mixed modeling revealed significant effects of host species (sheep > goats), age (old > young) and sex (female > male) on SBV seroprevalence. For both species, also the farming purpose, and for goats, ectoparasite treatment and the presence of cattle on the farm played a role in terms of risk for SBV exposure. The observations from this study still emphasize a wide distribution of the pathogen in Germany. Nevertheless, the observed seroprevalence might not be sufficient to achieve effective herd immunity. Pinpointing risk factors identified susceptible populations for targeted vaccination programs to reduce potential animal losses caused by SBV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Anemia is a common problem in South American camelids (SACs). Infections with Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae (CMh), a cell-wall free, hemotropic bacterium, are often suspected to be an important cause of anemia, as the pathogen infects the erythrocytes and is found in the blood of up to 30% of SACs. The information on the clinical signs of animals infected with this pathogen vary widely. Most infections are clinically inapparent. Treatment is usually carried out with oxytetracycline. A detailed overview of the clinical and hematological findings in 13 alpacas infected with Candidatus M. haemolamae (CMh+), based on patients from our university clinic and comparing those findings with the results of 22 negative alpacas (CMh-) is provided. Assignment to both groups was based on the PCR result. No relevant clinical or hematological differences between CMh+ and CMh- were found, the clinical signs in CMh+ were usually due to comorbidities. The examination of a blood smear alone proved to be insufficient; a PCR test should be carried out to confirm or rule out an infection. A critical review of the need for antibiotic treatment on the basis of a positive test result alone is recommended., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: The objective of this study was to provide orientation values for fructosamine in adult llamas and to characterize relationships with other laboratory and clinical parameters., Animals: Data from 22 healthy adult llamas of both sexes., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with the findings of a veterinary herd visit from August 2022. Fructosamine measured from plasma samples was characterized, and its relationships with clinical and laboratory diagnostic data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis., Results: Fructosamine was 311 ± 34 µmol/L (mean ± SD), with a range of 254.8 to 409.2 µmol/L. Males showed significantly higher plasma fructosamine levels than females (P < .05). Plasma fructosamine revealed significant positive correlations with glucose, total protein, and albumin and also with PCV, hemoglobin, calcium, sodium, and selenium. Female llamas revealed further positive correlations with body condition scoring., Clinical Relevance: The results of this study can be used as orientation values for fructosamine in llamas. Fructosamine is used to distinguish acute hyperglycemia caused by stress from chronic hyperglycemia in other species, which might be caused by disorders of the glucose metabolism.

Background: The nutritional status in alpacas is often masked by their dense fibre coat. Its assessment is commonly approached by different body condition scores (BCS) that rely on manual palpation of defined anatomical regions. However, BCS is an important diagnostic tool to aid recognition of diseased South American camelids (SACs) and low BCS has been associated with conditions like anaemia and neutrophilia. For dose-dependent veterinary treatment, body weight (BW), that should be as accurate as possible, is required. As on-site weighing with scales is often not possible, BW can mostly only be roughly estimated. To date, it remains unclear whether BCS in alpacas provides reliable information on BW or the ratios of BW to body length commonly known as Body Mass Index (BMI) or Ponderal Index (PI). Equations to estimate BW based on body measurements are available in the literature. Nonetheless, respective equations were developed in growing alpacas or adult llamas and BCS was not included., Results: To compare six different BCS approaches and to examine the relationship between BCS and BW, body measurements and BCS scores were recorded in a herd of 105 alpacas. The examined BCS approaches showed significant (p < 0.05) but poor to moderate positive correlations to BW, BMI or PI. A solely visual inspection of BCS, in contrast, was not correlated with BW, BMI or PI. Equations previously developed in other studies provided an accurate estimation of BW. Multiple linear regression showed that the accuracy in predicting BW could be further increased by adding BCS data and sex., Conclusion: Our observations indicate that most selected BCS approaches are not only important measures of nutritional status but can also be used to create more accurate models for BW calculation in alpacas. The study also supports the claim that a purely visual inspection of alpacas is not an adequate method to evaluate the nutritional status of these animals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Alpacas, like all camelids, have elliptical red blood cells (RBCs) in contrast to other mammals. This particular shape is important for increased osmotic resistance and stability. Age-related changes in the RBC count are known in other species, with alterations in both red and white blood cells being described. In alpacas, there are few data on age-related changes, and only a comparison of crias with adult animals. We characterized age-related hematologic changes in a study of 21 female alpacas from a research herd. A total of 87 records of clinically healthy alpacas of different ages were statistically analyzed retrospectively from the hematologic records over a nine-year period. Significant positive correlations of age with hemoglobin (Hb), HCT, MCV, MCH, neutrophils, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were found as well as significant negative correlations of age with lymphocytes in addition to lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR). A paired comparison of eight older animals in the herd at three different ages also showed significant differences in the parameters Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, lymphocytes, eosinophils and neutrophils. Similar changes in hematologic parameters have been reported in other species and should be taken into account when interpreting hematologic results in alpacas., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The infection dynamics of Coxiella (C.) burnetii were investigated in three dairy goat herds (A, B, and C) 2 years after the first pathogen detection. A total of 28 and 29 goats from herds A and B, and 35 goats from herd C, were examined. Sera were analyzed on three sampling dates using phase-specific serology. Pathogen shedding was assessed using post-partum vaginal swabs and monthly bulk tank milk (BTM) samples. Dust samples from a barn and milking parlor were also collected monthly. These samples were analyzed with PCR (target IS 1111 ). In herd A, individual animals tested seropositive, while vaginal swabs, BTM, and most dust samples tested negative. Herds B and C exhibited high IgG phase I activity, indicating a past infection. In herd B, approximately two-thirds of the goats shed C. burnetii with vaginal mucus, and irregular positive results were obtained from BTM. Herd C had two positive goats based on vaginal swabs, and BTM tested positive once. Dust samples from herds B and C contained C. burnetii DNA, with higher quantities typically found in samples from the milking parlor. This study highlights the different infection dynamics in three unvaccinated dairy goat herds and the potential use of dust samples as a supportive tool to detect C. burnetii at the herd level.

Due to contact restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a novel digital course on the Moodle learning platform for winter term in 2020. In the clinical pathology course (CPC) with hematological content, third-year students were able to work independently on 10 extra digital cases of internal medicine involving eight different animal species as a compensation for the reduction in traditional microscopy exercises. Each case presented was initiated using an anamnesis, also the participants to generate a differential blood count based on digitized leukocytes, previously been photographed using a microscope camera. The cases were successive and increased in complexity, for example through the increase in the number of different cell types to be differentiated. The participants had the opportunity to evaluate the course through a final module to rate user-friendliness and acceptance. The total results of the participants in 2021 were analyzed descriptively, focusing on success rates, time spent on the tasks, and number of attempts. A total of 237 (= 96%) of 247 students completed all cases, each assessing 1033 photographed blood cells in sum. The mean processing time was 22.48 min for a differentiation and the students spent an average of 1.48 attempts on it. A voluntary feedback form was completed by 192 (= 78%) students, with more than 95% rating the course positively in 12 evaluation questions, and 29 of 33 comments (= 87.88%) providing positive statements in a comment box. Suggestions for improvement primarily included more explanations on erythrocyte morphologies, followed by adjusting the difficulty level and improving the presentational set-up. Slight improvements in results, time spent on processing the tasks, and the number of attempts indicated an achievement of routine and confidence during the course and were associated with an increase of competency. The positive feedback showed a high acceptance of the digital format and students evaluated the course as improving the quality of teaching when combined with practical exercises., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Marahrens, Wagener, Schaper, Zintl, Kiene and Ganter.)

Habitat loss and fragmentation are of concern to conservation biologists worldwide. However, not all organisms are affected equally by these processes; thus, it is important to study the effects of living in fragmented habitats on species that differ in lifestyle and habitat requirements. In this study, we examined the dispersal and connectivity patterns of rodents, one endemic ( Eliurus myoxinus ) and one invasive ( Rattus rattus ), in two landscapes containing forest fragments and adjacent continuous forest patches in northwestern Madagascar. We generated genetic (RADseq) data for 66 E. myoxinus and 81 R. rattus individuals to evaluate differences in genetic diversity as well as inbreeding and connectivity in two landscapes. We found higher levels of inbreeding and lower levels of genetic diversity in E. myoxinus compared with R. rattus . We observed related dyads both within and between habitat patches and positive spatial autocorrelation at lower distance classes for both species, with a stronger pattern of spatial autocorrelation in R. rattus . Across each site, we identified contrasting migration rates for each species, but these did not correspond to habitat-matrix dichotomies. The relatively low genetic diversity in the endemic E. myoxinus suggests ecological constraints that require further investigation.

Parasite infestations depend on multiple host-related and environmental factors. In the case of ectoparasites, which are exposed to the environment beyond the host, an impact of climate, expressed by seasonal or yearly variations, can be expected. However, long-term dynamics of ectoparasite infestations are rarely studied in nonhuman primates. We investigated the yearly variations in ectoparasite infestations of two small primates, the gray (Microcebus murinus) and the golden-brown (Microcebus ravelobensis) mouse lemur. For a more comprehensive evaluation, we also analyzed the potential effects of yearly and monthly climatic variation (temperature, rainfall) in addition to habitat, host sex, age, species, and body mass, on ectoparasite infestation. Individuals of both host species were sampled in two study sites within the Ankarafantsika National Park in northwestern Madagascar during several months (March-November) and across 4 years (2010, 2011, 2015, 2016). Our results show significant monthly and yearly variations in the infestation rates of three native ectoparasite taxa (Haemaphysalis spp. ticks, Schoutedenichia microcebi chigger mites, Lemurpediculus spp. sucking lice) and in ectoparasite species richness in both mouse lemur species. In addition, significant impacts of several host-related (species, sex, body mass) and environmental factors (habitat, temperature, rainfall) were found, but with differences in relevance for the different parasite taxa and partly deviating in their direction. Although some differences could be attributed to either permanent or temporary presence of the parasites on the host or to ecological differences between the host species, the lack of specific knowledge regarding the life cycle and microhabitat requirements of each parasite taxon precludes a complete understanding of the factors that determine their infestation dynamics. This study demonstrates the presence of yearly and monthly dynamics in lemur-parasite interactions in tropical, seasonal, dry deciduous forests in Madagascar, which call out for broad ecological long-term studies focusing both on primate hosts and their parasites., (© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Primatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Sucking lice live in intimate association with their hosts and often display a high degree of host specificity. The present study investigated sucking lice of the genus Lemurpediculus from six mouse lemur ( Microcebus ) and two dwarf lemur ( Cheirogaleus ) species endemic to the island of Madagascar, considered a biodiversity hotspot. Louse phylogenetic trees were created based on cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI), elongation factor 1α (EF1α) and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences. While clustering according to host species was generally observed for COI and ITS1, suggesting high host specificity of the examined lice, EF1α sequences alone did not distinguish between lice of different Microcebus species, possibly due to rather recent divergence. As bootstrap support for basal tree structure was rather low, further data are necessary to resolve the evolutionary history of louse-mouse lemur associations. Three new species of sucking lice are described: Lemurpediculus zimmermanni sp. Nov. From Microcebus ravelobensis , Lemurpediculus gerpi sp.nov. from Microcebus gerpi , and Lemurpediculus tsimanampesotsae sp. nov. from Microcebus griseorufus . These new species are compared with all known congeneric species and identifying features are illustrated for all known species of Lemurpediculus ., Competing Interests: None., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Particularly in unshorn llamas and alpacas with a dense fiber coat, changes in body condition often remain undetected for a long time. Manual palpation of the lumbar vertebrae is hence a simple and practical method for the objective assessment of body condition in South American camelids (SAC). Depending on tissue coverage, a body condition score (BCS) of 1 (emaciated) to 5 (obese) with an optimum of 3 is assigned. To date, there is a lack of detailed information on the comparability of the results when the BCS in llamas or alpacas is assessed by different examiners. Reliability of BCS assessment of 20 llamas and nine alpacas during a veterinary herd visit by six examiners was hence evaluated in this study. A gold standard BCS (gsBCS) was calculated from the results of the two most experienced examiners. The other examiners deviated by a maximum of 0.5 score points from the gsBCS in more than 80% of the animals. Inter-rater reliability statistics between the assessors were comparable to those in body condition scoring in sheep and cattle ( r = 0.52-0.89; τ = 0.43-0.80; κ w = 0.50-0.79). Agreements were higher among the more experienced assessors. Based on the results, the assessment of BCS in SAC by palpation of the lumbar vertebrae can be considered as a simple and reproducible method to reliably determine nutritional status in llamas and alpacas., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wagener, Schregel, Ossowski, Trojakowska, Ganter and Kiene.)

The relevance of emerging infectious diseases continues to grow worldwide as human activities increasingly extend into formerly remote natural areas. This is particularly noticeable on the island of Madagascar. As closest relatives to humans on the island, lemurs are of particular relevance as a potential origin of zoonotic pathogen spillover. Knowledge of pathogens circulating in lemur populations is, however, very poor. Particularly little is known about lemur hemoparasites. To infer host range, ecological and geographic spread of the recently described hemoparasitic nematode Lemurfilaria lemuris in northwestern Madagascar, a total of 942 individuals of two mouse lemur species (Microcebus murinus [n = 207] and Microcebus ravelobensis [n = 433]) and two rodent species (the endemic Eliurus myoxinus [n = 118] and the invasive Rattus rattus [n = 184]) were captured in two fragmented forest landscapes (Ankarafantsika National Park and Mariarano Classified Forest) in northwestern Madagascar for blood sample examination. No protozoan hemoparasites were detected by microscopic blood smear screening. Microfilaria were present in 1.0% (2/207) of M. murinus and 2.1% (9/433) of M. ravelobensis blood samples but not in rodent samples. Internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) sequences were identical to an unnamed Onchocercidae species previously described to infect a larger lemur species, Propithecus verreauxi, about 650 km further south. In contrast to expectations, L. lemuris was not detected. The finding of a pathogen in a distantly related host species, at a considerable geographic distance from the location of its original detection, instead of a microfilaria species previously described for one of the studied host species in the same region, illustrates our low level of knowledge of lemur hemoparasites, their host ranges, distribution, modes of transmission, and their zoonotic potential. Our findings shall stimulate new research that will be of relevance for both conservation medicine and human epidemiology., (© 2022 The Authors. American Journal of Primatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Polyfunctional thiols like 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3SH) and its ester 3-sulfanylhexyl acetate (3SHA) are important aroma determinants in wine with exceptionally low odor thresholds. 3SH is largely found in grape must bound to glutathione and cysteine and requires enzymatic action to be perceived sensorially. The wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is ineffective in releasing volatile thiols from their precursor configuration. For this purpose, a yeast strain was constructed that expresses the carbon-sulfur lyase encoding the tnaA gene from Escherichia coli and overexpresses its native alcohol acetyltransferase encoding genes, ATF1 and ATF2 . The resulting yeast strain, which co-expresses tnaA and ATF1 , showed elevated 3SH-releasing capabilities and the esterification of 3SH to its acetate ester 3SHA. Levels of over 7000 ng/L of 3SHA in Sauvignon blanc wines were achieved. Enhanced release and esterification of 3SH were also shown in the fermentation of guava and passionfruit pulp and three hop varieties. This study offers prospects for the development of flavor-enhancing yeast strains with optimized thiol-releasing and esterification capabilities in a diverse set of beverage matrices.

Deleterious effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity have been demonstrated in numerous taxa. Although parasites represent a large part of worldwide biodiversity, they are mostly neglected in this context. We investigated the effects of various anthropogenic environmental changes on gastrointestinal parasite infections in four small mammal hosts inhabiting two landscapes of fragmented dry forest in northwestern Madagascar. Coproscopical examinations were performed on 1,418 fecal samples from 903 individuals of two mouse lemur species, Microcebus murinus ( n  = 199) and M. ravelobensis ( n  = 421), and two rodent species, the native Eliurus myoxinus ( n  = 102) and the invasive Rattus rattus ( n  = 181). Overall, sixteen parasite morphotypes were detected and significant prevalence differences between host species regarding the most common five parasites may be explained by parasite-host specificity or host behavior, diet, and socioecology. Ten host- and habitat-related ecological variables were evaluated by generalized linear mixed modeling for significant impacts on the prevalence of the most abundant gastrointestinal parasites and on gastrointestinal parasite species richness (GPSR). Forest maturation affected homoxenous parasites (direct life cycle) by increasing Lemuricola , but decreasing Enterobiinae gen. sp. prevalence, while habitat fragmentation and vegetation clearance negatively affected the prevalence of parasites with heterogenic environment (i.e., Strongyloides spp.) or heteroxenous (indirect cycle with intermediate host) cycles, and consequently reduced GPSR. Forest edges and forest degradation likely change abiotic conditions which may reduce habitat suitability for soil-transmitted helminths or required intermediate hosts. The fragility of complex parasite life cycles suggests understudied and potentially severe effects of decreasing habitat quality by fragmentation and degradation on hidden ecological networks that involve parasites. Since parasites can provide indispensable ecological services and ensure stability of ecosystems by modulating animal population dynamics and nutrient pathways, our study underlines the importance of habitat quality and integrity as key aspects of conservation., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors., (© 2021 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Edge effects can influence species composition and community structure as a result of changes in microenvironment and edaphic variables. We investigated effects of habitat edges on vegetation structure, abundance and body mass of one vulnerable Microcebus species in northwestern Madagascar. We trapped mouse lemurs along four 1000-m transects (total of 2424 trap nights) that ran perpendicular to the forest edge. We installed 16 pairs of 20 m 2 vegetation plots along each transect and measured nine vegetation parameters. To determine the responses of the vegetation and animals to an increasing distance to the edge, we tested the fit of four alternative mathematical functions (linear, power, logistic and unimodal) to the data and derived the depth of edge influence (DEI) for all parameters., Results: Logistic and unimodal functions best explained edge responses of vegetation parameters, and the logistic function performed best for abundance and body mass of M. ravelobensis. The DEI varied between 50 m (no. of seedlings, no. of liana, dbh of large trees [dbh ≥ 10 cm]) and 460 m (tree height of large trees) for the vegetation parameters, whereas it was 340 m for M. ravelobensis abundance and 390 m for body mass, corresponding best to the DEI of small tree [dbh < 10 cm] density (360 m). Small trees were significantly taller and the density of seedlings was higher in the interior than in the edge habitat. However, there was no significant difference in M. ravelobensis abundance and body mass between interior and edge habitats, suggesting that M. ravelobensis did not show a strong edge response in the study region. Finally, regression analyses revealed three negative (species abundance and three vegetation parameters) and two positive relationships (body mass and two vegetation parameters), suggesting an impact of vegetation structure on M. ravelobensis which may be partly independent of edge effects., Conclusions: A comparison of our results with previous findings reveals that edge effects are variable in space in a small nocturnal primate from Madagascar. Such an ecological plasticity could be extremely relevant for mitigating species responses to habitat loss and anthropogenic disturbances.

Habitat loss and fragmentation drive the worldwide depletion of biodiversity. Although it is known that anthropogenic disturbances severely affect host and ecosystem integrity, effects on parasites are largely understudied. This study aims to investigate if and how habitat fragmentation affects the composition of ectoparasite communities on small mammalian hosts in two networks of dry deciduous forest fragments in northwestern Madagascar. Forest sites differing in size, proportion of edge habitat and host density were studied in the Ankarafantsika National Park and in the Mariarano region. A total of 924 individuals of two mouse lemur species, Microcebus murinus (n = 200) and Microcebus ravelobensis (n = 426), and two rodent species, endemic Eliurus myoxinus (n = 114) and introduced Rattus rattus (n = 184), were captured to assess ectoparasite infestations. Ectoparasite prevalence and ectoparasite species richness were statistically related to nine ecological variables applying generalized linear mixed models. Hosts harbored ticks (Haemaphysalis microcebi), mites (Schoutedenichia microcebi, Listrophoroides spp., Laelaptidae gen. spp.) and sucking lice (Lemurpediculus spp., Polyplax sp., Hoplopleuridae gen. sp.). Parasite prevalence differed significantly between host species for all detected parasite taxa. Proximity to the forest edge led to a significant reduction in ectoparasites. Parasite-specific edge effects were observed up to a distance of 750 m from the forest edge. The obtained results imply that habitat fragmentation impacts ectoparasite communities, in particular by negatively affecting temporary parasite species. The results are best explained by an interplay of parasite life cycles, responses to changes in abiotic factors induced by edges and host-specific responses to habitat fragmentation. The negative responses of most studied ectoparasite taxa to forest edges and habitat fragmentation demonstrate their ecological vulnerability that may eventually threaten the integrity of ecosystems and potentially impact ectoparasite biodiversity worldwide., (Copyright © 2020 Australian Society for Parasitology. All rights reserved.)

Habitat loss and fragmentation are major ecological forces threatening animal communities across the globe. These issues are especially true in Madagascar, where forest loss is ongoing. We examined the effects of forest fragmentation on the distribution and abundance of sympatric, endemic gray, and golden-brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus and Microcebus ravelobensis), the endemic western tuft-tailed rat (Eliurus myoxinus), and the invasive black rat (Rattus rattus) in two regions in northwestern Madagascar. We used systematic capture procedures in 40 forest fragments and four continuous forest sites which differed in size, shape, and degree of isolation. With a trapping effort of 11,567 trap nights during two dry seasons (2017-2018), we captured 929 individuals (432 M. ravelobensis, 196 M. murinus, 116 E. myoxinus, and 185 R. rattus). We examined the influence of study region, forest type (fragment vs. continuous), forest size, forest shape, the proportion of 50-m forest edge and distance to continuous forest on the abundance and interaction of the four species. Responses to fragmentation differed strongly between species, but no interaction could be detected between the abundance of the different species. Thus competition within and between native and invasive species may not be regulating abundances in these regions. On the contrary, the abundance of M. ravelobensis and E. myoxinus differed significantly between study regions and was negatively affected by fragmentation. In contrast, there was no evidence of an impact of fragmentation on the abundance of M. murinus. Finally, the invasive R. rattus responded positively to the increasing distance to the continuous forest. In conclusion, the response of small Malagasy mammals to forest fragmentation varies largely between species, and fragmentation effects need to be examined at a species-specific level to fully understand their ecological dynamics and complexity., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Although there are many chemical compounds present in wines, only a few of these compounds contribute to the sensory perception of wine flavor. This review focuses on the knowledge regarding varietal aroma compounds, which are among the compounds that are the greatest contributors to the overall aroma. These aroma compounds are found in grapes in the form of nonodorant precursors that, due to the metabolic activity of yeasts during fermentation, are transformed to aromas that are of great relevance in the sensory perception of wines. Due to the multiple interactions of varietal aromas with other types of aromas and other nonodorant components of the complex wine matrix, knowledge regarding the varietal aroma composition alone cannot adequately explain the contribution of these compounds to the overall wine flavor. These interactions and the associated effects on aroma volatility are currently being investigated. This review also provides an overview of recent developments in analytical techniques for varietal aroma identification, including methods used to identify the precursor compounds of varietal aromas, which are the greatest contributors to the overall aroma after the aforementioned yeast-mediated odor release.