Voluntary responses and limits of tolerance to pressure reduction and swimbladder expansion in farmed Atlantic cod

Atlantic cod and other teleosts with closed swimbladders have slow gas resorption rates and are therefore vulnerable to sudden pressure reductions that lead to swimbladder expansion and possible loss of behavioural control. This problem is of particular relevance to fish farmers, who require safe protocols for lifting of cages containing cod that account for swimbladder expansion. To recommend a limit for pressure reduction, we experimentally determined the maximum pressure reduction, relative to neutral buoyancy pressure, free-swimming farmed cod would expose themselves to. Classical reward conditioning was used to motivate cod that were neutrally buoyant at 2?C3.3 ATM (10?C23 m depth) to respond to a sound signal by swimming rapidly upwards to a feeding station positioned at 1.5 ATM (5 m depth). Sixteen cod were implanted with data storage tags (DSTs) that registered their ambient pressure throughout the experiment. The DST data showed that cod voluntarily stopped rapid ascents before they reached the feeding station at an average maximum pressure reduction of about 41% relative to their neutral buoyancy pressure. This was equivalent to a 70% swimbladder expansion relative to neutral volume. During the experiment, cod seldom remained above their neutral buoyancy depths, except when feeding, indicating a behavioural aversion to positive buoyancy. To avoid the loss of buoyancy control in cod, we conclude that single lifting events of sea-cages, which forces swimbladder expansion, should never exceed a 70% expansion of the swimbladder above the pre-existing neutral buoyancy volume.     

Novel tools for early detection of a global aquatic invasive,the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha

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Interaction dynamics between a contaminated dredged sediment and extracting solutions of different nature

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to study the dynamics between the matrix of a contaminated marine sediment, its contaminants and various desorbing solutions by means of equilibrium tests, sedimentation trials and zeta potential, with the focus on assessing optimum enhancing solutions for decontamination purposes.

Materials and methods

The sediment samples were analysed to determine their physico-chemical characteristics: particle size distribution, solids concentration, total organic carbon (TOC), content of heavy metals, organic contaminants, mineralogical phases, zeta potential and buffer capacity. Twelve extracting solutions of different nature were used for equilibrium tests, in which the dynamic behaviour of the sediment was evaluated. Elemental analysis was carried out for the sediment samples and the solutions before and after the tests.

Results and discussion

The sediment was mainly composed of clay and lime, with a high content of iron, which has a strong influence on sorption-desorption processes. The sediment had a considerable buffer capacity at low and high pH values. The desorption of the metals was not proportional to pH. The highest decrease in the concentration of metals from the sediment was obtained with 0.2 M ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA) and 1 M nitric acid, while the lowest degree of metal extraction occurred in pure water and potassium iodide (KI).

Conclusions

The most important parameters for contaminant release were complexation ability of the solution for the sediment components and pH of the solution. A promising design for the remediation treatment for the investigated sediment includes complexation and strong acid agents.

     

Correction to: Interaction dynamics between a contaminated dredged sediment and extracting solutions of different nature

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Figure 4 is not correct in the PDF format of the originally published article. Please note that in the HTML or online format, the image is correct.     

Use of Banana (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Musa acuminata</Emphasis> Colla AAA) Peel Extract as an Antioxidant Source in Orange Juices

Using banana peel extract as an antioxidant in freshly squeezed orange juices and juices from concentrate was evaluated. Free radical scavenging capacity increased by adding banana peel extracts to both types of orange juice. In addition, remarkable increases in antioxidant capacity using 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical were observed when equal or greater than 5 mg of banana peel extract per ml of freshly squeezed juice was added. No clear effects were observed in the capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Adding 5 mg banana peel extract per ml of orange juice did not substantially modify the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of either type of juice. However, undesirable changes in the sensory characteristics (in-mouth sensations and colour) were detected when equal or greater than 10 mg banana peel extract per ml of orange juice was added. These results confirm that banana peel is a promising natural additive that increases the capacity to scavenge free radicals of orange juice with acceptable sensory and physicochemical characteristics for the consumer.     

Cultivar Effects on the Interaction between Free-Living Plant-Parasitic Nematodes and the Fungal Pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis> in Potato

Crop damage is associated with infection by plant pathogens but can also arise through abiotic factors. However, the plant pathogens are involved in biotic interactions with other plant pathogens, and these interactions may differ depending of the cultivar of the crop. Here, the interaction between the fungus Rhizoctonia solani (AG3) and free-living plant-parasitic nematodes was investigated in a pot experiment with different potato cultivars. No synergistic interaction between R. solani and plant-parasitic nematodes was found, instead there was an effect of treatment with lower tuber yield when nematodes occurred alone. There were differences among the cultivars regarding incidence of black scurf, dry weight of stems and tubers, and there was interactive effects between treatment and cultivar regarding dry weight of stolons and roots. Therefore, results concerning incidence and damage of R. solani and/or plant-parasitic nematodes found for one cultivar may not be applicable to other cultivars.     

Hair cortisol concentrations correlate negatively with survival in a wild primate population

Background

Glucocorticoid hormones are known to play a key role in mediating a cascade of physiological responses to social and ecological stressors and can therefore influence animals’ behaviour and ultimately fitness. Yet, how glucocorticoid levels are associated with reproductive success or survival in a natural setting has received little empirical attention so far. Here, we examined links between survival and levels of glucocorticoid in a small, short-lived primate, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), using for the first time an indicator of long-term stress load (hair cortisol concentration). Using a capture-mark-recapture modelling approach, we assessed the effect of stress on survival in a broad context (semi-annual rates), but also under a specific period of high energetic demands during the reproductive season. We further assessed the power of other commonly used health indicators (body condition and parasitism) in predicting survival outcomes relative to the effect of long-term stress.

Results

We found that high levels of hair cortisol were associated with reduced survival probabilities both at the semi-annual scale and over the reproductive season. Additionally, very good body condition (measured as scaled mass index) was related to increased survival at the semi-annual scale, but not during the breeding season. In contrast, variation in parasitism failed to predict survival.

Conclusion

Altogether, our results indicate that long-term increased glucocorticoid levels can be related to survival and hence population dynamics, and suggest differential strength of selection acting on glucocorticoids, body condition, and parasite infection.