The release of a troop of rehabilitated vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: outcomes and assessment

Rehabilitation and release have become central to the management and welfare of primate species in South Africa such as the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops). However, limited research means that it is unknown whether rehabilitation is a successful management strategy for this species. This study describes the release of a troop of rehabilitated vervet monkeys and evaluates the results of 1 year of post-release monitoring. The released animals exhibited wild behaviours and established a home range. Survival could not be adequately evaluated due to the high number of untraceable animals, and troop composition was significantly different from that of wild troops. Improvement may be gained by radio-collaring more animals using improved technology, ensuring that troop composition is comparable to wild troops, excluding ex-pets from re-introduction and a more detailed assessment of the release site.     

Deforestation and forest degradation monitoring and assessment of biomass and carbon stock of lowland rainforest in the Analanjirofo region, Madagascar

Madagascar is currently developing a policy and strategies to enhance the sustainable management of its natural resources, encouraged by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and REDD. To set up a sustainable financing scheme methodologies have to be provided that estimate, prevent and mitigate leakage, develop national and regional baselines, and estimate carbon benefits. With this research study this challenge was tried to be addressed by analysing a lowland rainforest in the Analanjirofo region in the district of Soanierana Ivongo, North East of Madagascar. For two distinguished forest degradation stages: “low degraded forest” and “degraded forest” aboveground biomass and carbon stock was assessed. The corresponding rates of carbon within those two classes were calculated and linked to a multi-temporal set of SPOT satellite data acquired in 1991, 2004 and 2009. Deforestation and particularly degradation and the related carbon stock developments were analysed. With the assessed data for the 3 years 1991, 2004 and 2009 it was possible to model a baseline and to develop a forest prediction for 2020 for Analanjirofo region in the district of Soanierana Ivongo. These results, developed applying robust methods, may provide important spatial information regarding the priorities in planning and implementation of future REDD+ activities in the area.     

Bacterial and archaeal communities in saline soils from a Los Negritos geothermal area in Mexico

In recent years, there has been a growing need to understand how salinity affects microbial communities in agricultural soils. Archaeal and bacterial community diversities and structures were investigated by high-throughput sequencing analysis of their 16S rRNA in two arable soils with low electrical conductivity(EC)(2.3 and 2.6 dS m^-1) and a saline soil(EC = 17.6 dS m^-1). The dominant bacterial phyla in the soils were Proteobacteria(relative abundance(RA) = 46.2%), followe...     

Density fractionation of organic matter in dolomite‐derived soils

Dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂) constitutes half of the global carbonates. Thus, many calcareous soils have been developing rather from dolomitic rocks than from calcite (CaCO₃)‐dominated limestone. We developed a physical fractionation procedure based on three fractionation steps, using sonication with subsequent density fractionation to separate soil organic matter (SOM) from dolomite‐derived soil constituents. The method avoids acidic pretreatment for destruction of carbonates but aims at separating out carbonate minerals according to density. The fractionation was tested on three soils developed on dolostone parent material (alluvial gravel and solid rock), differing in organic‐C (OC) and inorganic‐C (IC) concentrations and degree of carbonate weathering. Soil samples were suspended and centrifuged in Na‐polytungstate (SPT) solutions of increasing density, resulting in five different fractions: two light fractions < 1.8 g cm^–3 (> 20 μm and < 20 μm), rich in OC and free of carbonate, and two organomineral fractions (1.8–2.4 g cm^–3 and 2.4–2.6 g cm^–3), containing 66–145 mg g^–1 and 16–29 mg g^–1 OC. The organomineral fractions consist of residual clay from carbonate weathering such as clay minerals and iron oxides associated with SOM. The fifth fraction (> 2.6 g cm^–3) was dominated by dolomite (85%–95%). The density separation yielded fractions differing in mineral compositions, as well as in SOM, indicated by soil‐type‐specific OC distributions and decreasing OC : N ratios with increasing density of fractions. The presented method is applicable to a wide range of dolomitic and most likely to all other calcareous soils.     

Lipid classes and fatty acids during embryogenesis of captive and wild silverside (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chirostoma estor estor</Emphasis>) from Pátzcuaro Lake

Lipid classes and fatty acid levels were analyzed in freshly fertilized eggs, early and late embryo development, and freshly hatched larvae obtained from wild and captive silverside Chirostoma estor estor broodstock, as well as in plankton, Artemia, and pelleted feed. The concentration of triglycerides (TGs) and highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in neutral lipid fraction significantly decreased during early development and especially after hatching, whereas phospholipids and HUFA in polar lipid fraction remained constant. These results indicate that TGs rather than PLs are used as energy sources and that all HUFAs [20:4n-6/arachidonic acid (ARA), 20:5n-3/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and 22:6n-3/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] of polar lipids are selectively conserved during early development. High levels of DHA (30%, on average, of total fatty acids) and low levels of EPA (4%) were observed in eggs, embryos, and larvae and did not reflect the proportions of these fatty acids in food. Preferential accumulation of DHA from food consumed by broodstock, and then transference to eggs, was probably occurring. The main difference between eggs from both origins was a low level of ARA in eggs from captive fish (4% of total fatty acids) compared to wild fish (9%). This could be associated with a deficiency in the diet that is not compensated for by desaturation/elongation of 18:2n-6 and, possibly, with greater stress in captive fish. In any case, particular requirements of ARA should be determined to optimize the culture of C. estor.     

Specific humoral and cellular immunity induced by Trypanosoma cruzi DNA immunization in a canine model

Chagas disease has a high incidence in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Because one of the most important known methods of prevention is vector control, which has been effective only in certain areas of South America, the development of a vaccine to protect people at risk has been proposed. In this study, we assessed the cellular and humoral immune response generated following immunization with pBCSP and pBCSSP4 plasmids containing the genes encoding a trans-sialidase protein (present in all three forms of T. cruzi) and an amastigote specific glycoprotein, respectively, in a canine model. Thirty-five beagle dogs were divided randomly into 5 groups (n = 7) and were immunized twice intramuscularly with 500 μg of pBCSSP4, pBCSP, pBk-CMV (empty plasmid) or saline solution. Fifteen days after the last immunization the 4 groups were infected intraperitoneally with 500 000 metacyclic trypomastigotes. The fifth group was unimmunized/infected. The parasitaemia in the immunized/infected dogs was for a shorter period (14 vs. 29 days) and the parasite load was lower. The concentration of IgG1 (0.612 ± 0.019 O.D.) and IgG2 (1.167 ± 0.097 O.D.) subclasses was measured (absorbance) 15 days after the last immunization with both recombinant plasmids, the majority of which were IgG2. The treatment of parasites using the serum from dogs immunized with pBCSP and pBCSSP4 plasmids produced 54% (± 11.8) and 68% (± 21.4) complement-mediated lysis, respectively. At 12 h post immunization, an increase in cytokines was not observed; however, vaccination with pBCSSP4 significantly increased the levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 at 9 months post-infection. The recombinant plasmid immunization stimulated the spleen cell proliferation showing a positive stimulatory index above 2.0. In conclusion, immunization using both genes effectively induces a humoral and cellular immune response.     

Resettlement and the environment in Vietnam: Implications for climate change adaptation planning

Increasingly the environment, and climate risks in particular, are influencing migration and planned resettlement in Vietnam, raising the spectre of increased displacement in a country already confronting serious challenges around sustainable land and water use as well as urbanisation. Planned resettlement has emerged as part of a suite of measures being pursued as part of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation strategies. This paper provides an historical, political, legal and environmental overview of resettlement in Vietnam identifying key challenges for framing resettlement as climate change adaptation. The paper outlines the scale of past resettlement in Vietnam, identifying the drivers and implications for vulnerability. Detailed case studies of resettlement are reviewed. Through this review, the paper reflects on the growing threat of climate change and the likelihood of increased displacement associated with worsening climate risks to identify some critical considerations for planned resettlement in climate change adaptation planning.     

Influence of environmental and biological factors on the overwinter growth rate of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr in a UK chalk stream

Smolt lengths are increasingly recognised as an important determinant of salmonid marine survival rates. Overwintering growth rates could thus strongly influence adult return rates. In Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, most overwintering studies focus on rivers in harsh climates with minimal growth, yet in more southerly rivers, overwintering growth rates can be relatively high. Here, the factors influencing annual overwinter growth rates were tested for juvenile S. salar in a temperate chalk stream in southern England over 13 years, where over 10,000 salmon parr were tagged annually in autumn and a proportion recaptured the following spring during smolt emigration. Winters of higher and more variable water temperatures, with longer periods of high flows, showed increased overwintering growth rates. Faster growth rates were recorded from sites further upstream and that had lower parr densities; smaller individuals also grew more than expected for their initial size. These results suggest that a range of factors influences overwintering salmonid growth rates and can be used to inform management decisions to maximise the quality of emigrating smolts.