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  • Publication
    Accès libre
    Serological signature of tick-borne pathogens in Scandinavian brown bears over two decades
    (2015-7-28) ;
    Jones, Krista L.
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    Evans, Alina L.
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    ; ;
    Lienhard, Reto
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    Arnemo, Jon M.
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    Swenson, Jon E.
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    Background: Anthropogenic disturbances are changing the geographic distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Over the last few decades, the tick Ixodes ricinus has expanded its range and abundance considerably in northern Europe. Concurrently, the incidence of tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis, has increased in the human populations of the Scandinavian countries. Methods: Wildlife populations can serve as sentinels for changes in the distribution of tick-borne diseases. We used serum samples from a long-term study on the Scandinavian brown bear, Ursus arctos, and standard immunological methods to test whether exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) had increased over time. Bears had been sampled over a period of 18 years (1995-2012) from a southern area, where Ixodes ricinus ticks are present, and a northern area where ticks are uncommon or absent. Results: Bears had high levels of IgG antibodies against B. burgdorferi sensu lato but not TBEV. Bears at the southern area had higher values of anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies than bears at the northern area. Over the duration of the study, the value of anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies increased in the southern area but not the northern area. Anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies increased with the age of the bear but declined in the oldest age classes. Conclusions: Our study is consistent with the view that ticks and tick-borne pathogens are expanding their abundance and prevalence in Scandinavia. Long-term serological monitoring of large mammals can provide insight into how anthropogenic disturbances are changing the distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
  • Publication
    Accès libre
    3-D groundwater modeling at regional scale
    (2001)
    Kimmeier, Francesco
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    ;
    Király, László
    Large hydrogeological basins are constituted of several superimposed aquifers, separated by geological formations of relatively low permeabilities. The delimitation of the different flow systems is far more difficult to realize for a heterogeneous system. Flux vectors provide valuable indications about groundwater flow paths and hydraulic exchanges between the different geological formations. Hydraulic relationships between two superimposed aquifers can vary locally: an aquifer can «feed» the underlying one at some point and conversely elsewhere. These relationships, which constitute in fact the flow field, will be determined by the structure of the basin as defined by the spatial distribution of the rock permeabilities, and by the boundary conditions, as defined by the locations of the recharge and discharge areas. The aim of this study is to show schematically the deep groundwater flow patterns between the massives of the Aar and the Black Forest. The hydrogeological profiles illustrate three-dimensional flow fields inside a large volume of terrain and represent but one of the numerous solutions of the mathematical modelling realized. Computations have been performed for a steady state flow regime, which means that the boundary conditions do not vary with time.
    On the basis of modelling results, it was possible to illustrate schematically the deep flow systems of the most important aquifers between the Aar massives and the Black Forest (Malm, Muschelkalk and upper Cristallin). An approximate but plausible representation of the groundwater circulation in deep aquifers was obtained thanks to the model. We are able to distinguish between the hydraulic relationships of two superimposed aquifers in various regions. The three-dimensional representation shows the outcrop zones of the different geological formations as well as the situation of recharge areas, which are characterised by high potentials, and discharge zones, which are characterised by low potentials in valleys represented by the hydrographic network.
    Modelling results are then compared to available measurements in an attempt to validate the results. It is interesting to notice that it was possible, to a certain extent, to verify the modelling results by deep drillings. Most particularly, measurements of the hydraulic potentials at various depths in these boreholes have revealed upwellings close to the regional discharge areas.
  • Publication
    Métadonnées seulement
  • Publication
    Métadonnées seulement
    Impact des changements climatiques sur le comportement des systèmes aquifères
    (Hochschulverlag AG an der ETH Zürich, 1997) ;
    Kimmeier, Francesco
    ;
    Rossier, Yvan
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    Eisenlohr, Laurent
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    Kilary, Laszlo
    ;
  • Publication
    Métadonnées seulement
  • Publication
    Accès libre
    Spatial Group Structure as Potential Mechanism to Maintain Cooperation in Fish Shoals of Unrelated Individuals
    In public goods games, group members share the benefits created through individual investments. If benefits are shared equally, individual contributions readily become altruistic, and hence, a social dilemma arises in which group interests and individual interests oppose each other. However, contributions to public goods can be self-serving if each investor gains a disproportionate benefit from its own contribution. This scenario may hold for our study system, the interactions of shoaling-unrelated scalefin anthias Pseudanthias squamipinnis and the ectoparasitic blenny Plagiotremus tapeinosoma. The blenny bites off pieces of skin, mucus and scales from anthias that in return may chase the blenny. Chasing the blenny represents a public good as it makes the parasite change victim species for its next attack. Laboratory experiments using artificial Plexiglas hosts suggest that one reason why individuals contribute to the public good is that the blenny may specialise on non-punishing ‘free-riders’. Here, we investigated how far a spatial structure within the shoal and limited space use by the blenny may contribute to punishment being self-serving. Field observation reveals that anthias indeed live in spatially structured groups and that blennies have preferred areas for attacks. Thus, some anthias individuals are consistently more exposed to blennies than others and hence may gain disproportional benefits from their punishment. In conclusion, spatial structure may contribute to the maintenance of punishment in blenny–anthias interactions even when groups are large.
  • Publication
    Accès libre
    Numerical simulation as a tool for checking the interpretation of karst spring hydrographs
    Eisenlohr, Laurent
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    Király, László
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    ;
    Rossier, Yvan
    A schematic representation of karst aquifers may be that of a high hydraulic conductivity channel network with kilometre-wide intervals, surrounded by a low hydraulic conductivity fractured limestone volume and connected to a local discharge area, the karst spring. The behaviour of the karst spring (hydrographs, chemical or isotopic composition, etc.) represents the global response of the karst aquifer to input events.
    The available data on karst aquifer hydraulic parameters are limited. Global response is therefore more easily obtained and is commonly used to make inferences on the recharge and groundwater flow processes, as well as on the hydraulic parameter fields. Direct verification of these interpretations is, obviously, very difficult.
    We have used an indirect method of verification, consisting of introducing well-defined theoretical karst structures into a finite element model and then analysing the simulated global response according to presently accepted interpretation schemes. As we know what we put into the numerical model, the validity of any interpretation may be checked.
    The first results indicate that some of the generally accepted interpretations are not necessarily true. In particular: (i) separation of simulated recession hydrographs into several components shows that different exponential components do not necessarily correspond to aquifer volumes with different hydraulic conductivities; (ii) non-exponential parts of recession hydrographs do not always give information about the infiltration process; and (iii) the recession coefficient of the baseflow (i.e. the last, nearly exponential part of the recession hydrograph) depends on the global configuration of the whole karst aquifer, not just on the hydraulic properties of the low hydraulic conductivity volumes.
  • Publication
    Accès libre
    Olocenic alluvial aquifer of the River Cornia coastal plain (southern Tuscany, Italy): database design for groundwater management
    Barazzuoli, P
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    ;
    Cucini, M. S
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    Király, László. Centre d'Hydrogéologie, Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
    ;
    Menicori, P
    ;
    Salleolini M
    Hydrogeological research is in progress, utilizing GIS methods, with the principal aim of modelling the Olocenic alluvial aquifer of the River Cornia coastal plain (southern Tuscany, Italy), which has been exploited for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial uses. A consequence of exploitation has been the appearance of wide seawater intrusion. The alluvial aquifer has recently been subjected to new well fields for the supply of drinking water, with an increase of total average discharge of about 4×106 m3/year. This paper presents results obtained from updating and integrating basic knowledge and structuring the database. The hydrogeological study allowed the recognition of the extension of areas that are characterized by a hydraulic head under the sea level, the progressive salinization of the aquifer, and the increase of water deficit in the aquifer which is produced by a progressive extraction of water superior to the natural recharge. In addition, benefits and disadvantages resulting from the location of new well fields in a hydrogeologically favourable zone, and the boundary conditions for much of the area studied have been defined. The GIS was used as support for making and updating the tabular and spatial database with the aim of integrating the local and regional hydrogeological knowledge. This study will permit the realization of a numerical simulation of the groundwater flow of the aquifer aimed at correcting the management of water resources, by means of the GIS-modelling integration.