This article presents the process of teat order formation in piglets (i.e. tendency to suckle at the same position). Teat order, which is normally established in a few days after birth, has been the only known form of the suckling order. However, our results showed that right after birth, thus, prior to the establishment of teat order, piglets rely on group suckling cohesion, an order mechanism that refers to the maintenance of significantly similar inter-individual distances on the udder. Similar collective cohesive behaviour of large animal groups, which increases survival rates of the group members, is a well-known phenomenon and is apparent in the moving of fish schools, bird flocks or insect swarms. Our studies introduced a new paradigm of the primary socialisation in piglets and elucidate some important aspects of the suckling behaviour. The present study implies caution by the sows litters manipulation, e.g. cross-fostering, which may disturbs the formation of social structure and increases the mortality of neonatal piglets.
E.01 National awards
COBISS.SI-ID: 4123180Political ideologies, policies and economy affect land use which in turn may affect biodiversity patterns and future conservation targets. However, few studies have investigated biodiversity in landscapes with similar physical properties but governed by different political systems. Here we investigate land use and biodiversity patterns, and number and composition of birds and plants, in the borderland of Austria, Slovenia and Hungary. It is a physically uniform landscape but managed differently during the last 70 years as a consequence of the political "map" of Europe after World War I and II. We used a historical map from 1910 and satellite data to delineate land use within three 10-kilometre transects starting from the point where the three countries meet. There was a clear difference between countries detectable in current biodiversity patterns, which relates to land use history. Mobile species richness was associated with current land use whereas diversity of sessile species was more associated with past land use. Heterogeneous landscapes were positively and forest cover was negatively correlated to bird species richness. Our results provide insights into why landscape history is important to understand present and future biodiversity patterns, which is crucial for designing policies and conservation strategies across the world.
F.27 Contribution to preserving/protecting natural and cultural heritage
COBISS.SI-ID: 20770568The scientific monography describes the multifaceted importance of meadow orchards in a wider environment; it draws attention to their production role, the role of maintaining biodiversity and the role of preserving the cultural landscape. The monography presents the methodology for the assessment of meadow orchards, based on the following criteria: plantation (agglomeration), general impression, ecological and environmental significance, protection against erosion and importance for biodiversity. The monograph contains two real examples where the orchard orchards compare each other according to DEX- or AHP methods. It is intended for farmers (because it draws attention to the minimal measures taken in the meadow orchard on an annual level) and to researchers from different fields whose work is related to biodiversity, sociology and landscaping. Therefore we estimate that it has a broader social significance.
F.27 Contribution to preserving/protecting natural and cultural heritage
COBISS.SI-ID: 4239660The development of alternative plant protection product (hereinafter PPP) application techniques in recent decades has been based on various principles of sprayer operation. So far, several researchers have tried with partial success to find a compromise (a uniform standard) to ensure continuous PPP application to selected tree canopies in an orchard. Researchers have offered certain solutions for controlling dosage rates of PPP, based on special measurement systems and decision-making models to optimize the dosage rate of PPP. With sensing systems for electronic canopy characterization, which originally functioned on the basis of ultrasound waving and later on the principle of spectral reflection, characteristics of tree canopies in an orchard could be adequately estimated. However, attention must be paid to the fact that discrepancies in the original measurement systems were too large, owing to imprecise operation of various sensor components. Nevertheless it is necessary to underline that advanced spectral laser technology is a strong tool for developers of alternative PPP application techniques, and with it, tree canopy properties are sensed in real time. So it is no longer a major problem in the precise application to establish the tree canopy properties, but to control artificial intelligence actuation, which in the future will properly direct the air flow and the dosage rate of PPP per tree canopy in the orchard.
F.11 Development of a new service
COBISS.SI-ID: 4140332At the conference in Brussels we presented the achievements of the EU-FP7 project: Ecsafeseafood. Representatives of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Union regulatory bodies and representatives of the food industry were present. We presented the problem of emerging food contaminants, their toxicology, bioavailability and mitigation techniques. The message affected all food chain stakeholders in the European Union, including consumers. With this, we have informed the public about the latest achievements in the field of food contaminants and have increased consumer confidence in food safety.
F.18 Transfer of new know-how to direct users (seminars, fora, conferences)
COBISS.SI-ID: 4324652