BackgroundThelazia callipaeda is a vector-borne zoonotic nematode parasitizing the conjunctival sac of domestic and wild carnivores, rabbits and humans, with a vast distribution in Asia and the former Soviet Union. In Europe, the nematode has an emerging trend, being reported in Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, Greece and Serbia, with human cases known in Italy, France, Spain, Serbia and Croatia. In Romania, the infection was so far reported only in dogs, whereas there are no reports in wildlife despite the large numbers of wild carnivores in the country. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of wild carnivores in the natural cycle of T. callipaeda in Romania.MethodsBetween 2014 and 2016, 89 wild carnivores (64 golden jackals, Canis aureus, 13 grey wolves, Canis lupus, nine wildcats, Felis silvestris and three Eurasian lynxes, Lynx lynx) have been examined. During the necropsy, both eyes of all the examined animals have been thoroughly inspected for the presence of parasites. If present, all nematodes were collected in absolute ethanol (for molecular analysis of the partial cox1 gene) or in 4 % formalin (for morphological identification).ResultsIn total, three animals were found to be infected with T. callipaeda: a grey wolf, a golden jackal and a wildcat. The BLAST analysis of all the sequences showed a 100 % similarity to T. callipaeda haplotype h1. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of T. callipaeda in golden jackals, and the first study on T. callipaeda in wildlife from Romania.ConclusionOur data broaden the host spectrum and geographical distribution of T. callipaeda, highlighting the role of wild carnivores as natural reservoirs for the infection and confirming the ongoing expanding trend of this zoonotic nematode in Europe.
Favourability classification for forest species represents a fundamental activity for deriving technological solutions in forestry, as specialists need detailed information about the ecological requirements of forest species from environmental factors: climate, pedological characteristics and morphometric characteristics of the study area. The purpose of the present study was the use of the qualitative data extracted from the ecological records of the Pinus mugo species and the generation of a complex geospatial database for the entire territory of Romania. The results were represented by a collection of thematic maps generated on favourability classes for the Romanian Carpathians, as well as for the major landform subunits which had been the basis for the statistical analysis of the results. The validation of the results was performed by comparing the results obtained through the application of the model which used the frequency points reported in the European Atlas of the Forest Tree Species from Europe, 2016. In order to identify the spatio-temporal dynamics, LANDSAT satellite images from 30 years were used, which enabled the identification of the expansion and the reduction in size of the Pinus mugo area at a zonal level, a process which is dependent on natural factors, like climatic variations, or anthropic factors (overgrazing or works of cleaning the montain pastures).
A very simple analysis of the forested areas across the Transylvanian Basin shows that they cover approximately 45.8% of the area, according to data provided by the European Environment Agency. In order to extend the areas covered by forests, especially over badlands specific for the Transylvanian Basin and to increase the economic and environmental value of these lands, a GIS model of spatial analysis has been developed to identify the areas favourable for downy oak (Quercus pubescens) plantations, a forest species which has specific requirements in terms of adaptability conditions. The developed spatial analysis model is based on the unitary analysis of the climatic, soil and geomorphologic components, spatially materialized as raster format databases, and their integration according to spatial analysis equations in order to get a modelled database which represents spatially the favourable areas for the creation of downy oak plantations. The result of this study highlights the territories which provide favourable but also restrictive conditions for Quercus pubescens. The model has a high predictability rate taking as comparative reference the direct monitoring at the level of forest planning units (PUs) within Cluj County, identified from the analysis of forestry plans. The high validation rate of the proposed model was obtained by overlapping the favourability classes which themselves were obtained after modelling with the limits of the forest planning units where the consistency of the downy oak is greater than 0.7. According to the presented validation procedure, a 93% validation rate was obtained, fact which highlights the usefulness of applying the model in areas having similar features and its extrapolation in areas where the environmental conditions present only slight differences. ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********
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