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Physical and chemical weathering, together with biological and biochemical processes, form soil from bedrock and strongly influence the chemical composition of natural waters. Erosive processes, primarily through the agents of running water and wind, remove the products of weathering from catchments. The aim was to determine the chemical weathering of minerals because of changes in land-use and natural forestation in two small neighboring catchments of the rivers Argilla and Bazuja. Agricultural land-use practice is very intense in the Argilla catchment, while the Bazuja catchment’s arable land is mostly abandoned, with progressive forestation. Chemical weathering in soils and sediments was evaluated with the aid of bulk chemistry analysis focused on major elements, trace elements, and zirconium. Weathering indices, mass balance, and strain were calculated. The abandonment of arable land and intense forestation in the Bazuja catchment caused increased chemical weathering with the loss of base cations (Ca and Mg) and enrichment of conservative elements (Zr and Ti) in surface horizons. EIC and MTF values are positive (enrichment) in areas with agricultural activities, while forested areas show negative values (loss). A comparison of the oldest and youngest parts of the overbank sediment profiles in the swallow hole zone and stream sediments shows that chemical and mechanical weathering in the Bazuja catchment was similar to present weathering in the Argilla catchment, while agriculture was active in the Bazuja catchment. The integrated knowledge gained in small catchment studies can be broadly applicable to larger systems.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Processo FAPESP: 2015/08714-8 The hematopoietic system changes during the pregnancy to carry fetal development and maternal needs. This study compared the hematological parameters between ewes with single and twin pregnancies during gestation, delivery, and postpartum. The experiment was conducted on 60 healthy pregnant Dorper ewes that were divided into two experimental groups: Group 1 (G1), with single pregnancies (n=30), and Group 2 (G2), with twin pregnancies (n=30). Blood samples were collected from all ewes at different times: immediately before fixed-time artificial insemination (AI); on day 30, 90, 120, 130, and 140 of pregnancy; immediately after delivery; and at 24h and 48h postpartum. Statistical analysis compared the two groups at different times (P<0.05). Mild, normocytic, and hypochromic anemia was detected in all ewes from AI time and throughout pregnancy from both groups, but did not prove to be of clinical relevance. In the peripartum stage (from the 140th day of pregnancy to 48h postpartum), the ewes with twin pregnancies (G2) exhibited higher erythrogram values and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio than did ewes with single pregnancies (G1). This indicated a greater hematopoietic adaptation in the body during the development of two fetuses. Except for the eosinophil numbers, all leukogram parameters were influenced by pregnancy in a similar way in both groups, and was characterized mainly by leukocytosis with neutrophilia during peripartum due to the high presence of endogenous cortisol at delivery. Thus, these findings showed that pregnancy was a stressful physiological event that increased the leukocyte count with a slight alteration in the erythrogram of Dorper ewes. O sistema hematopoiético sofre mudanças durante a gestação para atender o desenvolvimento fetal e as necessidades maternas. Este estudo comparou os parâmetros hematológicos entre ovelhas com gestação simples e gemelar durante a prenhez, parto e pós-parto. O estudo foi realizado em 60 ovelhas Dorper prenhes, saudáveis, divididas em dois grupos experimentais: Grupo 1 (G1) com gestação simples (n = 30); e Grupo 2 (G2) com gestação gemelar (n = 30). Amostras de sangue foram colhidos de todas as ovelhas em diferentes momentos: imediatamente antes da inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (IA); nos dias 30, 90, 120, 130 e 140 de gestação; imediatamente após o parto; e às 24h e 48h pós-parto. A análise estatística comparou os dois grupos nos diferentes momentos (P < 0,05). Anemia leve, normocítica e hipocrômica foi detectada desde a IA e ao longo da gestação, nas ovelhas de ambos os grupos, mas não houve relevância clínica. Na fase periparto (do 140º dia de gestação às 48h pós-parto), as ovelhas com gestação gemelar (G2) mostraram valores do eritrograma e proporção neutrófilos: linfócitos mais elevados do que as ovelhas com gestação simples (G1). Isso indicou maior adaptação hematopoiética da ovelha para o desenvolvimento de dois fetos. Com exceção do número de eosinófilos, todos os parâmetros do leucograma foram influenciados pela gestação de forma semelhante em ambos os grupos, e foi caracterizada principalmente por leucocitose com neutrofilia no periparto devido ao alto nível de cortisol endógeno no parto. Assim, os achados mostraram que a gestação foi um evento fisiológico estressante que aumentou a contagem de leucócitos com leve alteração no eritrograma de ovelhas Dorper.

Since the role of wild rodents/small mammals in hepatitis E virus (HEV) epidemiology has been a subject of considerable debate, this study was conducted to investigate the potential presence of HEV RNA in small rodents collected within their natural habitats and to detect if they can be potential reservoirs of the virus. A total of 483 small rodents were captured using snap traps placed at 11 regions in Croatia. Sampling was undertaken in 2008 and repeated from 2010 to 2014. Liver samples were tested for the presence of HEV RNA. HEV RNA was detected in only one liver sample (0.21%) originated from Apodemus flavicollis from the location Medvednica, nearby Zagreb collected in 2014. According to the sequence analysis, the isolate has shown to be a member of Orthohepevirus A species, genotype HEV- 3. The genotyping results confirmed grouping into subtype 3a, general cluster 3abchij. The detected HEV strain showed to be genetically highly related to strains found in humans and/or domestic pigs and wild boars from Croatia. Our finding indicates that wild small mammals could play a role in the epidemiology of HEV-3 infection and therefore should be taken under consideration as potential reservoirs or/and transmitters of the disease. However, further investigation is needed to recognize their potential for maintaining the infection in natural conditions.

The aim of the present research was to determine the haemato-biochemical profile and blood acid–base status of Croatian spotted goats in a traditional Mediterranean production system. The 60 non-gravid female Croatian spotted goats of different ages were included in the research. They were divided into four groups of 15 goats according to age: group I – ≤1 year old; group II – 2–3 years; group III – 3–6 years; and group IV – 7–10 years. Haematological parameters were determined in whole blood, biochemical parameters in serum and acid–base status in plasma by automatic analyser. Total leukocyte number (WBC), haemoglobin (HGB) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in the blood were the highest, while mean haemoglobin concentration in erythrocytes (MCHCs) was the lowest in yearlings compared to other groups. Concentrations of urea, Mg, Cl, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and lactate were the highest in yearlings. Concentrations of Ca, Na, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and beta hydroxybutyrate (BHB) as well as the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were higher in older goats compared to yearlings, while the opposite was determined for the activities of creatine kinase (CK) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Values of pH, the strong ion difference (SID), anion gap (AG) and z values as well as the content of HCO3 and total pressure of carbon dioxide (ctCO2) were higher in older goats compared to yearlings. The results obtained may help in monitoring the health and nutritional status and improve the management of Croatian spotted goats. Based on the results of the present study, the effect of age needs to be included in the model when preparing the reference values for the haemato-biochemical profile and acid–base status of goats.

Arthropods, within the olive tree canopy, which can act as bioindicators of different management systems (conventional, integrated and organic), were collected in costal Croatia during 2007-2009. The aim of the research was to determine the arthropod orders present in each of the observed olive groves, to identify the number of individuals in each order, and to set potential bioindicators of different management systems. In order to do that, arthropods were collected from the olive canopies at three locations (Supetar, Kaštel Stari and Duilovo). After the samples were sorted according to orders, and determined according to arthropods determination keys. Olive groves were characterised by the same growth conditions and environment, with differences in agricultural management systems. In this investigation, 7882 arthropods were collected, belonging to 17 orders. It was found that Diptera, Heteroptera and other Hemiptera individuals, excluded Cicadidae and Psyllidae family individuals, could be defined as potential bioindicators of olive groves under different management systems. The number of Araneae and Coleoptera individuals significantly differed in all researched olive groves. So, these orders can be considered as bioindicators of different management systems. The knowledge obtained in this research can potentially be exploited in olive production in the future. Obtained results represent an important contribution to the inventory of arthropods in olive canopy. Also, this research significantly improves understanding of both harmful and beneficial entomofauna in olive groves and consequently contributes to better understanding of the total entomofauna in Croatia.

During routine monitoring of commercial purse seine catches in 2011, 87 fingerling specimens of scombrids were collected in the southern Adriatic Sea. Sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA control region locus inferred that specimens belonged to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) (N = 29), bullet tuna, Auxis rochei (Risso, 1810) (N = 30) and little tunny, Euthynnus alletteratus, Rafinesque, 1810 (N = 28). According to previously published growth parameters, the age of the collected specimens was estimated at approximately 30–40 days, suggesting they might have been spawned in the Adriatic Sea, contrary to the current knowledge. A coupled modelling system with hydrodynamic (ROMS) and individual based model (IBM—Ichthyop) was set up to determine the location of the spawning event. Numerical simulations with the IBM model, both backward and forward in time, indicate commercial tuna cages in the middle Adriatic coastal area as possible spawning location. The two other non-commercial species likely opportunistically use the positive environmental (abiotic and biotic) conditions to spawn in the same area. International audience