Search

Climate change is increasing the weather persistence in the mid‐latitudes, prolonging both dry and wet spells compared to historic averages. These newly emerging environmental conditions destabilize plant communities, but the role of species interactions in this process is unknown. Here, we tested how direct and higher‐order interactions (HOIs) between species may change in synthesized grassland communities along an experimental gradient of increasing persistence in precipitation regimes. Our results indicate that species interactions (including HOIs) are an important determinant of plant performance under increasing weather persistence. Out of the 12 most parsimonious models predicting species productivity, 75% contained significant direct interactions and 92% significant HOIs. Inclusion of direct interactions or HOIs respectively tripled or quadrupled the explained variance of target species biomass compared to null models only including the precipitation treatment. Drought was the main driver of plant responses, with longer droughts increasing direct competition but also HOI‐driven facilitation. Despite these counteracting changes, drought intensified net competition. Grasses were generally more involved in competitive interactions whereas legumes were more involved in facilitative interactions. Under longer drought, species affinity for nutrient rich or wet environments resulted in more negative direct interactions or HOIs, respectively. We conclude that HOIs, crucially depending on species identity, only partially stabilize community dynamics under increasing weather persistence. Keywords: drought, facilitation and competition, grasslands, higher‐order interactions, increasing weather persistence, species interactions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are frequently reared for meat production in China. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and risk factors of infection in domestic rabbits raised in Henan province, central China. 1,213 serum samples of domestic rabbits were collected and tested for anti-T. gondii and anti-E. cuniculi antibodies using a modified agglutination test (MAT) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The serum positive rates of T. gondii and E. cuniculi were 128/1,213 (10.55%) and 235/1,213 (19.37%), respectively. Co-infection of T. gondii and E. cuniculi was demonstrated in 84 specimens; 44 rabbits were seropositive for T. gondii alone, while 151 rabbits were seropositive for E. cuniculi alone. The main risk factors simultaneously associated with T. gondii and E. cuniculi infection were the age of the rabbit, the type of food, and the rabbit rearing system. Serum positive rates of T. gondii and E. cuniculi among domestic rabbits were high, indicating the possibility of public health issues.

This study aimed to determine the frequency of antibodies to Neospora caninum in domestic sheep raised in Henan province, central China. Serum samples from 779 domestic sheep were collected from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to N. caninum were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed an overall IgG positive rate of 7.32% (57/779). The risk factors significantly related to seropositivity to N. caninum in sheep were the age, the presence of dogs, and the rearing system. This is the first report of N. caninum infection and associated risk factors in domestic sheep in central China.