Beaver dams,streamflow complexity,and the distribution of a rare minnow,Lepidomeda copei

Freshwater fishes are threatened globally, and often too little is known about threatened species to effectively guide their conservation. Habitat complexity is linked to fish species diversity and persistence, and degraded streams often lack habitat complexity. Beaver Castor spp., in turn, have been used to restore streams and increase habitat complexity. The northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei is a rare, small‐bodied, drift‐feeding minnow that has anecdotally been observed to use complex habitats associated with beaver dams in the western United States. To investigate this anecdote, we conducted fish and habitat surveys, the latter focusing on quantifying habitat complexity, in a sub‐basin of the Upper Snake River Basin in the USA. Complementary generalised linear model and path analyses revealed that northern leatherside chub occurred more often at sites with complex streamflows, and streamflows were more complex when beaver dams were present and pools were deeper. Northern leatherside chubs were also more likely to occur when temperatures were warmer, aquatic macrophytes were abundant and stream channels were narrow and deep. The linkage between chubs, complex streamflows and beaver dams needs to be evaluated more broadly to completely understand its role in the rangewide status of the species. However, it does suggests that increased use of beaver reintroductions and dam analogues for stream restoration could be a boon for the northern leatherside chub, but such efforts should be monitored to determine their effectiveness to help adapt beaver‐based restoration approaches to best benefit the species.     

Predicting the potential geographic distribution of Bactrocera bryoniae and Bactrocera neohumeralis(Diptera: Tephritidae) in China using MaxEnt ecological niche modeling

Bactrocera bryoniae and Bactrocera neohumeralis are highly destructive and major biosecurity/quarantine pests of fruit and vegetable in the tropical and subtropical regions in the South Pacific and Australia. Although these pests have not established in China, precautions must be taken due to their highly destructive nature. Thus, we predicted the potential geographic distribution of B. bryoniae and B. neohumeralis across the world and in particular China by ecological niche modeling of the Maximum Entropy(Max Ent) model with the occurrence records of these two species. Bactrocera bryoniae and B. neohumeralis exhibit similar potential geographic distribution ranges across the world and in China, and each species was predicted to be able to distribute to over 20% of the globe. Globally, the potential geographic distribution ranges for these two fruit fly species included southern Asia, the central and the southeast coast of Africa, southern North America, northern and central South America, and Australia. While within China, most of the southern Yangtze River area was found suitable for these species. Notably, southern China was considered to have the highest risk of B. bryoniae and B. neohumeralis invasions. Our study identifies the regions at high risk for potential establishment of B. bryoniae and B. neohumeralis in the world and in particular China, and informs the development of inspection and biosecurity/quarantine measures to prevent and control their invasions.     

Cohort‐specific variation in juvenile coho salmon habitat use

In this study, we examined summer and fall freshwater rearing habitat use by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the quickly urbanising Big Lake drainage in south‐central Alaska. Habitat use was assessed by regressing fish count data against habitat survey information across thirty study sites using generalised linear mixed models. Habitat associations were examined by age‐0 and age‐1+ cohorts separately, providing an opportunity to compare habitat use across different juvenile coho salmon life stages during freshwater rearing. Regression results indicated that the age‐0 cohorts were strongly associated with shallow, wide stream reaches with in‐stream vegetation, whereas age‐1+ cohorts were associated with deeper stream reaches. Furthermore, associations between fork length and habitat characteristics suggest cohort‐specific habitat use patterns are distinct from those attributable to fish size. Habitat use information generated from this study is being used to guide optimal fish passage restoration planning in the Big Lake drainage. Evidence for habitat use partitioning by age cohort during freshwater juvenile rearing indicates that pooling age cohorts into a single “juvenile” stage for the purposes of watershed management may mask important habitat use dynamics.     

A test for interaction between brown trout (Salmo trutta) and inanga (Galaxias maculatus) in an artificial stream

Abstract –  The interaction between brown trout ( Salmo trutta ; fork length (FL) range 255–390 mm) and inanga ( Galaxias maculatus ; FL range 55–115 mm) was tested during summer through autumn in an artificial stream consisting of a single run-riffle-pool sequence with a natural food supply. Each experimental trial lasted for 15 days, and consisted of two brown trout and 50 inanga collected fresh from a nearby stream, with each species given prior residence in four replicate tests, totalling eight trials in all. In addition, two control trials (each 10 days), with 50 inanga in each, were run. Brown trout almost exclusively occupied the pool, whereas inanga occupied all habitat types, although in different proportions, when tested with and without brown trout. The proportion of inanga in the pool was appreciably lower in the experimental trials with brown trout than in the control trials with no brown trout; prior residence had no significant effect on inanga habitat use. Mortality of inanga attributable to predation by brown trout ranged from 0 to 40% with a mean of 14.5 ± 4.7%. The results suggest that habitat use and survival of inanga populations in small streams can be adversely affected by brown trout.     

Estimating dispersibility of Acer,Fraxinus and Tilia in fragmented landscapes from patterns of seedling establishment

Relative dispersibility of Tilia americana L., Acer saccharum Marsh. and Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh, was inferred from the ratio among species-specific regression coefficients () computed from seedling density-distance plots. Density counts were made in spatially-uniform old fields adjacent to single seed sources or monotypic fencerows. Resultant seedling shadow curves approximate the negative exponential form expected for many seeds (log y=a–X). This basic curve shape fit species of differing dispersibility, dispersal under a range of wind directions and one-year-old or all-aged cohorts. The ratios of were 1:2.6:3.2 for Tilia, Acer and Fraxinus, respectively, in order of increasing dispersibility. Vegetation patches isolated from seed sources by several hundred meters or more should have extremely low input of seeds, especially Tilia and Acer.The finding that Fraxinus disperses farther than Acer was unexpected, since the samaras of the former have faster terminal velocities. The relationship can be explained by better performance of Fraxinus samaras in the stronger winds experienced by trees in open landscapes, poorer formation of the samara abscission layer, and release of samaras following leaf abscission and during the winter when winds are the strongest. Both the samara plan and dispersal phenology need to be considered in estimating relative dispersibility among species.     

新疆山地鸟类和哺乳类多样性及其区系特征

新疆各类陆栖脊椎动物近 70 0种 ,占中国这一类动物种数的 32 %,其中鸟兽资源尤其丰富 ,计有 42 5种鸟类和 1 5 5种兽类 (哺乳类 ) ,占中国鸟兽种数的 31 %。本文主要以新疆三大山区———阿尔泰山、天山、昆仑 -阿尔金山地区鸟类和哺乳类动物的多样性及区系分布作综合性介绍和分析。根据实地考察和以往文献资料 ,新疆阿尔泰山区记录在 1 2 4种鸟类 ,其中古北界北方型鸟类 5 1种 (占 41 .1 %) ,中亚型鸟类 31种 (占 2 5 .0 %) ,广布种鸟类 2 7种 (占 2 1 .8%) ,其他类型1 5种 (占 1 2 .1 %) ,显出以北方型泰加林鸟类为主的鸟类区系特征 ;分布的 5 0种兽类 ,区系上以古北界北方泰加林为主 ,即北方型兽类占该山区种数的 5 2 %。天山山区记录的鸟类大约2 81种 ,北方型种类占绝对优势 ,即北方型 1 0 6种 (占 37.72 %) ,北方广布型 76种 (占 2 7.0 4 %) ,中亚型 39种 (占 1 3.88%) ,高地型 1 8种 (占 6.41 %) ,广布型 33种 (占 1 1 .74%) ,东北型 9种 (占 3.2 1 %)。兽类分布有 62种 ,北方型兽类区系占优势 ,有 30种 (占 48.40 %) ,广布型 1 2种 (占 1 9.40 %) ,中亚型 1 1种 (占 1 7.70 %) ,特有种 9种 (占 1 4.5 0 %)。昆仑—阿尔金山地区 96种鸟类中 ,中亚类型成份占 2 8.1 %,高地型成分占 2 6%,北方型成?     

Bird flu (H7N9) outbreak and its implications on the supply chain of poultry meat in China

During the past two decades, food safety issues in China not only posed serious threats to Chinese consumers but also damaged the image of Chinese products internationally. In China, food safety is not only about scientific discoveries, advanced laboratories, and sanitation equipment; it is more about the role of different players in the food supply chain. The poultry meat supply chain is instrumental in the spread of the avian influenza A virus (H7N9), raising questions about how policymakers respond to such threats and whether industries need to be restructured to manage and control this epidemic so that it does not recur. As a short-term measure, to prevent the spread of this disease, government authorities enforced the closure of live bird markets (LBM) in disease-affected areas of China. However, in the long term, the poultry meat supply chain needs to be restructured. The aim of the current study was to analyze distribution channels for chicken meat in China and then describe arrangements in poultry meat sectors that incorporate small- and medium-scale producers into the supply chain while responding to shifts in LBMs. We also assessed the role of LBMs in spreading H7N9 and how these interventions affect the poultry meat supply chain in the Chinese market.     

Polymorphic mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a coastal riverscape: size class assemblages,distribution, and habitat associations

We compared the assemblage structure, spatial distributions, and habitat associations of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) morphotypes and size classes. We hypothesised that morphotypes would have different spatial distributions and would be associated with different habitat features based on feeding behaviour and diet. Spatially continuous sampling was conducted over a broad extent (29 km) in the Calawah River, WA (USA). Whitefish were enumerated via snorkelling in three size classes: small (10–29 cm), medium (30–49 cm), and large (≥50 cm). We identified morphotypes based on head and snout morphology: a pinocchio form that had an elongated snout and a normal form with a blunted snout. Large size classes of both morphotypes were distributed downstream of small and medium size classes, and normal whitefish were distributed downstream of pinocchio whitefish. Ordination of whitefish assemblages with nonmetric multidimensional scaling revealed that normal whitefish size classes were associated with higher gradient and depth, whereas pinocchio whitefish size classes were positively associated with pool area, distance upstream, and depth. Reach‐scale generalised additive models indicated that normal whitefish relative density was associated with larger substrate size in downstream reaches (R² = 0.64), and pinocchio whitefish were associated with greater stream depth in the reaches farther upstream (R² = 0.87). These results suggest broad‐scale spatial segregation (1–10 km), particularly between larger and more phenotypically extreme individuals. These results provide the first perspective on spatial distributions and habitat relationships of polymorphic mountain whitefish.     

新疆与美国早实核桃(Juglans regia L.)品种生长结实与成花特性比较

以引进的美国核桃品种‘维纳’、‘艾米格’和新疆本地品种‘温185’和‘新新2号’为试材,研究分析不同品种的植物学和生物学特性、花芽分化过程以及相关成花基因的表达。结果显示:4个品种在树体生长、枝芽发育特性、物侯期以及成花率和坐果率方面没有明显差异。在结果枝同一坐果部位形成双果、三果或以上的能力‘新新2号’明显强于‘维纳’,但‘新新2号’的果实大小和单果重都低于‘维纳’,而‘维纳’平均结果母枝上形成侧花芽的数量和坐果率高于‘新新2号’。从萌芽到开花结束直至当年侧芽发育过程中‘维纳’混合芽中的JrFT和JrLFY基因表达也高于‘新新2号’,而同时期的JrFLC基因表达则相对较低,说明‘维纳’在花芽分化和花器官形成过程中通过高表达JrFT和JrLFY基因,低表达JrFLC基因促进结果母枝上形成大量侧花芽,并利用大量侧花芽抽生结果枝坐果,形成较大的果实,使得最终产量并不低于同一个坐果部位大量着生2个或多个果实的‘新新2号’品种。     

Associations of fish with various types of littoral habitats in reservoirs

Fish associations with different types of littoral habitats were studied in four canyon‐shaped reservoirs in the Czech Republic in years 2010 and 2011 by gillnets. Two to three habitats per reservoir–beaches (former meadows), stump fields (former forest) and rubble slopes–were defined and sampled along the longitudinal axis of reservoirs. Effects of reservoir, habitat and locality (position along longitudinal axis) on fish biomass, abundance and species structure were tested for juvenile and adult fish separately. Hierarchical analysis of variance revealed that habitats differed significantly in fish biomass and abundance. Redundancy analysis showed that analysed environmental variables had significant influence on fish community structure. Most variability in community structure was explained by reservoir and then by combination of habitat and slope steepness. Locality position had the smallest influence on community structure. For both adult and juvenile fish total abundance and biomass, the most inhabited habitat was beaches; rubble slopes were the least inhabited. Habitat associations differed among species. Among adults, bream Abramis brama, white bream Blicca bjoerkna and roach Rutilus rutilus were associated with beaches and stump fields, whereas perch Perca fluviatilis, ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus, asp Aspius aspius and pike Esox lucius were associated with rubble slopes. Bream, white bream, bleak Alburnus alburnus, roach, ruffe and pikeperch Sander lucioperca were associated with beaches among juveniles, whereas the only juvenile associated with rubble slopes was perch. We showed that most common species are associated with distinct habitats and also that utilisation of various littoral habitats differs in general.