Background
Facing numerous challenges, such as illness, storms or human disturbance, some harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups lose contact to their dams and are found abandoned along the North Sea coast. In Schleswig-Holstein, pups with the prospect of surviving rehabilitation are admitted to the Seal Center Friedrichskoog. Despite elaborate clinical health assessments on admission, including differential hematology, in 2010, 17% of 108 admitted pups did not survive the first 20 days. The death rate during the years 2006 and 2009 varied between 9 and 19%. To broaden the spectrum of variables which could be predictive for survival, blood gas and serum analyses were performed for 99 pups using venous blood. Variables included total CO2, pH, partial CO2, HCO3–, base excess and anion gap as well as glucose, urea nitrogen, sodium, potassium and chloride. Moreover, total serum protein and fat (triglyceride) concentrations were measured for all pups on admission.Results
Repeated measurements of 12 randomly selected individuals revealed a significant (p = 0.002) positive influence of time in rehabilitation on triglyceride concentrations. This trend probably shows the improvement of the pups’ nutritional status as a consequence of the shift from milk replacer formula to fish. No such positive influence was detected for total protein concentrations though. Hematologic values, including blood gases, were not predictive for survival.Conclusions
For the first time blood gas values are reported in this study for a large sample size (N = 99) of seal pups (regardless of their health status). The ranges and medians calculated from the data can serve as a stepping stone towards the establishment of reference values for neonate harbor seals. However, future investigations on the development of blood gases in harbor seals with different health conditions and ages over time are necessary to allow for a better understanding of acid–base regulation in harbor seals. 相似文献利用2011年10月至2012年9月在象山港水域采集的365尾黄姑鱼(Nibea albiflora)样本, 结合其生物环境的同步调查数据, 采用胃含物中饵料生物质量百分比(W%)、个数百分比(N%)和出现频率(F%)分析其饵料生物组成, 采用相对重要性指数(IRI)和百分比相对重要性指数(IRI%)衡量各饵料生物的重要性; 采用空胃率和胃饱满指数分析黄姑鱼的摄食强度; 采用选择性指数Va检验黄姑鱼对某种饵料生物是否具有选择性。研究表明, 黄姑鱼的饵料生物共34种, 主要摄食虾类, 其中巨指长臂虾(Palaemon macrodactylus)、葛氏长臂虾(Palaemon gravieri)、口虾蛄(Oratosquilla oratoria)、刺螯鼓虾(Alpheus hoplocheles)和日本鼓虾(Alpheus japonicus)等是黄姑鱼主要的摄食对象。黄姑鱼的摄食强度受季节和体长变化影响, 冬季的摄食强度最低; 体长大于190 mm个体的摄食强度较低。此外, 性腺发育对摄食强度也存在一定影响。春、秋和冬季黄姑鱼主要以摄食巨指长臂虾、葛氏长臂虾、口虾蛄和日本鼓虾等为食; 夏季以巨指长臂虾、脊尾白虾(Exopalaemon carinicauda)和中华管鞭虾(Solenocera crassicornis)等为食。体长80 ~ 220 mm的黄姑鱼主要以小型虾类为食, 而体长大于220 mm的黄姑鱼主要摄食鱼类、口虾蛄等较大个体的饵料生物。选择性指数计算结果显示, 巨指长臂虾(选择性指数为0.145, χ2=4.192, P<0.05)、刺螯鼓虾(选择性指数为0.141, χ2=3.957, P<0.05)是其偏好食物, 日本囊对虾(Marsupenaeus japonicus)(选择性指数为–0.174, χ2=6.030, P<0.05)则属不易获得食物。结论认为, 黄姑鱼在象山港水域有着广泛的食物来源, 摄食种类多样, 不同季节和体长组的食物组成和摄食强度有所变化, 具有独特的食物选择性和摄食习性。建议在今后的黄姑鱼增殖养护工作中, 实时监测象山港水域黄姑鱼的种群变化动态, 结合港内黄姑鱼饵料生物的分布状况, 确定黄姑鱼合理的增殖放流规模和放流地点, 以争取最优的生态功效。