生态核不育大麦花粉的扫描电镜观察

对生态核不育大麦不育株和可育株的成熟花粉以及对照品种８９０９和鄂啤２号的成熟花粉进行了扫描电镜观察，发现生态核不育大麦不育株和可育株均含有空秕状和圆形、饱满两类花粉；两对照品种的花粉为圆形、饱满类型。生态核不育大麦可育株的圆形花粉与对照品种花粉一样，其萌发孔有明显突出的孔盖；而生态核不育大麦不育株的圆形花粉则无孔盖。因此，可认为萌发孔孔盖的有无是生态核不育大麦可育与不育花粉的典型鉴别特征。     

DBD技术处理鱼粉厂恶臭气体的研究

为了去除鱼粉加工中产生的大量恶臭气体,利用DBD低温等离子体技术对硫化氢和三甲胺进行去除,并在单因素试验的基础上,采用Box-Behnken设计方法,考察了电压、放电频率、处理时间、初始浓度及其交互作用对硫化氢和三甲胺去除率的影响。结果表明,响应面法优化所得的最佳工艺条件为:电压10.6k V,放电频率8.91KHz,处理时间0.26s,硫化氢初始浓度0.76mg·m-3,三甲胺初始浓度为19.8mg·m-3。此条件下硫化氢和三甲胺的去除率均可达100%,能耗为1.77×10-2KW·h·m-3;同时,验证试验结果与模型预测值吻合。本研究为DBD技术在鱼粉厂去除恶臭气体中的应用奠定了基础。     

Numerical simulation of deformations and forces of a floating fish cage collar in waves

The dynamic behavior of a fish cage collar in waves was investigated using a numerical model based on the finite element method. The floating collar and mooring system were divided into a series of line segments modeled by straight massless model segments with a node at each end. To verify the validity of the numerical model, research data from other authors were cited and compared with the simulated results, the comparison of results showed a good agreement. The numerical model was then applied to a dynamic simulation of a floating cage collar in waves to analyze its elastic deformation and mooring line tension. The simulated results indicated that the greatest deformation of the collar taken place in the position of the mooring line connection point when incident waves were in the same direction. An increase in the length of mooring line would help to decrease the mooring line tension of the collar. Furthermore, the effects of collar dimension, including collar circumference, pipe diameter in cross-section, and pipe thickness, on the dynamic behavior of the floating collar were discussed. The results of this study provided a better understanding of the dynamic behavior of the fish cage collar.     

Extensive dispersal of Roanoke logperch (Percina rex) inferred from genetic marker data

The dispersal ecology of most stream fishes is poorly characterised, complicating conservation efforts for these species. We used microsatellite DNA marker data to characterise dispersal patterns and effective population size (N_e) for a population of Roanoke logperch Percina rex, an endangered darter (Percidae). Juveniles and candidate parents were sampled for 2 years at sites throughout the Roanoke River watershed. Dispersal was inferred via genetic assignment tests (ATs), pedigree reconstruction (PR) and estimation of lifetime dispersal distance under a genetic isolation‐by‐distance model. Estimates of N_e varied from 105 to 1218 individuals, depending on the estimation method. Based on PR, polygamy was frequent in parents of both sexes, with individuals spawning with an average of 2.4 mates. The sample contained 61 half‐sibling pairs, but only one parent–offspring pair and no full‐sib pairs, which limited our ability to discriminate natal dispersal of juveniles from breeding dispersal of their parents between spawning events. Nonetheless, all methods indicated extensive dispersal. The AT indicated unrestricted dispersal among sites ≤15 km apart, while siblings inferred by the PR were captured an average of 14 km and up to 55 km apart. Model‐based estimates of median lifetime dispersal distance (6–24 km, depending on assumptions) bracketed AT and PR estimates, indicating that widely dispersed individuals do, on average, contribute to gene flow. Extensive dispersal of P. rex suggests that darters and other small benthic stream fishes may be unexpectedly mobile. Monitoring and management activities for such populations should encompass entire watersheds to fully capture population dynamics.     

Multiple watershed alterations influence fish community structure in Great Plains prairie streams

Stream fish distributions are commonly linked to environmental disturbances affecting terrestrial landscapes. In Great Plains prairie streams, the independent and interactive effects of watershed impoundments and land cover changes remain poorly understood despite their prevalence and assumed contribution to declining stream fish diversity. We used structural equation models and fish community samples from third‐order streams in the Kansas River and Arkansas River basins of Kansas, USA to test the simultaneous effects of geographic location, terrestrial landscape alteration, watershed impoundments and local habitat on species richness for stream‐associated and impoundment‐associated habitat guilds. Watershed impoundment density increased from west to east in both basins, while per cent altered terrestrial landscape (urbanisation + row‐crop agriculture) averaged ~50% in the west, declined throughout the Flint Hills ecoregion and increased (Kansas River basin ~80%) or decreased (Arkansas River basin ~30%) to the east. Geographic location had the strongest effect on richness for both guilds across basins, supporting known zoogeography patterns. In addition to location, impoundment species richness was positively correlated with local habitat in both basins; whereas stream‐species richness was negatively correlated with landscape alterations (Kansas River basin) or landscape alterations and watershed impoundments (Arkansas River basin). These findings suggest that convergences in the relative proportions of impoundment and stream species (i.e., community structure) in the eastern extent of both basins are related to positive effects of increased habitat opportunities for impoundment species and negative effects caused by landscape alterations (Kansas River basin) or landscape alterations plus watershed impoundments (Arkansas River basin) for stream species.     

Ecological impacts of small hydropower plants on headwater stream fish: from individual to community effects

Hydroelectricity is increasingly used worldwide as a source of renewable energy, and many mountain ranges have dozens or hundreds of hydropower plants, with many more being under construction or planned. Although the ecological impacts of large dams are relatively well known, the effects of small hydropower plants and their weirs have been much less investigated. We studied the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants on fish assemblages in the upper Ter river basin (Catalonia, NE Spain), which has headwater reaches with good water quality and no large dams but many of such plants. We studied fish populations and habitat features on control and impacted reaches for water diversion of 16 hydropower plants. In the impacted reaches, there was a significantly lower presence of refuges for fish, poorer habitat quality, more pools and less riffles and macrophytes, and shallower water levels. We also observed higher fish abundance, larger mean fish size and better fish condition in the control than in impacted reaches, although the results were species‐specific. Accordingly, species composition was also affected, with lower relative abundance of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Pyrenean minnow (Phoxinus bigerri) in the impacted reaches and higher presence of stone loach (Barbatula quignardi) and Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis). Our study highlights the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants from the individual to the population and community levels but probably underestimates them, urging for further assessment and mitigation of these ecological impacts.     

Salinity and geomorphology drive long‐term changes to local and regional fish assemblage attributes in the lower Pecos River,Texas

River systems throughout arid regions worldwide have been heavily impacted by human activities, resulting in long‐term ecological consequences. The lower Pecos River in the Trans‐Pecos region of Texas is no exception, having undergone anthropogenic changes that include decreased flow, elevated salinity, species loss and species invasion. We compared historical and contemporary fish assemblage attributes from the Pecos River at local (site‐specific) and regional (Trans‐Pecos region) scales across a 24‐year time period. Fish assemblage data were collected in October 1987 and 2011, by seining at 15 sites spanning 430 km of the river in Texas. Additionally, we examined contemporary environmental conditions to determine species–environment relationships. We found that fish assemblages were significantly different between time periods, likely due to increased salinisation in the upper half of the study region. Decreased species richness, species replacement and increases in euryhaline species were documented in the upstream sites. Freshwater springs lower the salinity and maintain flows in the downstream reach, allowing for maintenance of the native fish fauna. Careful management of regional aquifers, irrigation practices and petroleum waste water will be necessary for protecting biodiversity and environmental flows in the lower Pecos River.     

青稞秸秆对生长期藏绵羊体增重及免疫指标的影响

本试验用青稞秸秆替代燕麦干草作为唯一粗饲料来源,研究其对生长期藏绵羊体增重及免疫功能的影响。选择18只4~5月龄健康河谷型藏绵羊,随机分为2组,即:青稞组(青稞秸秆300 g/d+精料300 g/d)和燕麦组(燕麦干草300 g/d+精料300 g/d)。试验期4周,第1周为预试期,第2~4周为正试期。正试期结束后,按公母各占1/2原则,各组分别选取6只羊屠宰采样。结果发现:青稞组与燕麦组藏绵羊的体重、日增重、脾脏重和脾脏指数均差异不显著(P0.05);青稞组与燕麦组藏绵羊血清中免疫球蛋白(Ig)G、Ig A、Ig M、溶菌酶含量和酸性磷酸酶活性均差异不显著(P0.05),但青稞组中溶菌酶含量有高于燕麦组的趋势(P=0.083);青稞组与燕麦组血清、胸腺和脾脏白细胞介素(IL)-2、IL-4、IL-6、IL-10和干扰素γ(IFN-γ)含量均差异不显著(P0.05)。综合来看,与燕麦干草相比,饲喂青稞秸秆不会降低生长期藏绵羊的体增重及免疫性能,且有提高机体非特异性免疫因子(溶菌酶)含量的潜力,可作为藏绵羊的粗饲料来源。     

Assemblage patterns of fish functional groups relative to habitat connectivity and conditions in floodplain lakes

Miyazono S, Aycock JN, Miranda LE, Tietjen TE. Assemblage patterns of fish functional groups relative to habitat connectivity and conditions in floodplain lakes.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 578–585. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – We evaluated the influences of habitat connectivity and local environmental factors on the distribution and abundance patterns of fish functional groups in 17 floodplain lakes in the Yazoo River Basin, USA. The results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that species–environmental relationships varied with the functional groups. Species richness and assemblage structure of periodic strategists showed strong and positive correlations with habitat connectivity. Densities of most equilibrium and opportunistic strategists decreased with habitat connectivity. Densities of certain equilibrium and opportunistic strategists increased with turbidity. Forested wetlands around the lakes were positively related to the densities of periodic and equilibrium strategists. These results suggest that decreases in habitat connectivity, forested wetland buffers and water quality resulting from environmental manipulations may cause local extinction of certain fish taxa and accelerate the dominance of tolerant fishes in floodplain lakes.     

Environmental assessment of boreal rivers using fish data – a contribution to the Water Framework Directive

Abstract A fish‐based assessment method was developed to estimate the ecological status of boreal rivers. Electric fishing data were collected from 902 rapids, together with information on the land use, channel modification and water chemistry. Discriminant function analysis was used to select fish variables that most correctly classified the undisturbed reference sites and human impacted sites into exact classes. The relationship between the level of human alteration and fish metrics was examined. Five metrics were selected for the index: the number of fish species, proportion of sensitive species, proportion of tolerant species, density of cyprinid individuals and the density of age‐0+ salmonids. The value for each metric (between 0 and 1) was calculated according to a point estimate for classical probability. The index is used to estimate the ecological classification of rivers according to the EU Water Framework Directive.