牦牛放牧率与小嵩草高寒草甸暖季草地地上、地下生物量相关分析

通过对牦牛放牧率与小嵩草Kobrecia parva高寒草甸暖季草地地上、地下生物量相关分析得出,牦牛放牧率对小嵩草高寒草甸地上、地下生物量有显著的影响.随着放牧率的增加, 总地上生物量和优良牧草地上生物量及其比例减小,杂类草比例增加;总地上生物量和优良牧草地上生物量与放牧率呈线性回归关系, 杂类草地上生物量与放牧率呈二次回归关系,且当放牧率为2.30头/hm2时, 1998年杂类草的地上生物量达到最大;放牧率为2.04头/hm2时, 1999年杂类草的地上生物量达到最大.各土壤层地下生物量与放牧率呈线性回归关系;1998和1999年对照组0～30 cm地下生物量分别是轻度、中度和重度放牧的1.1,1.4,1.5倍和1.1,1.6,1.7倍;1998年各放牧处理不同土壤层地下生物量占0～30 cm地下生物量的比例为:0～10 cm占87.18%～88.38%,10～20 cm占8.19%～9.55%,20～30 cm占2.87%～3.44%;1999年各放牧处理0～10 cm地下生物量占0～30 cm总地下生物量的88.04%～89.37%,10～20 cm占7.14%～9.34%,20～30 cm占2.25%～3.5%;另外,1999年各处理组0～10 cm地下生物量的比例均高于1998年,而10～20和20～30 cm地下生物量的比例均低于1998年.不同土壤层地下生物量与地上生物量呈线性回归关系.     

小皱蝽生物学特性初步研究

小皱蝽既是重要的槐树害虫,又是可药用的资源昆虫,该虫在湖北荆州1年发生1代,以成虫在地表越冬,5月中旬进入繁殖期,但繁殖系数较低。产卵期成虫具有群集习性和护卵、护幼习性。     

牦牛放牧强度对小嵩草高寒草甸草场生产力的影响研究

依据小嵩草高寒草甸两年的牦牛放牧试验数据,构建了牦牛个体增重与放牧强度的简单数学模型,Y=a-bX(b>0),单位面积小嵩草高寒草甸牦牛生产力与放牧强度的数学模型,Y=ax-bX2(b>0);确定了暖季草场、冷季草场和年度每公顷草地牦牛最大生产力放牧强度和草地最大负载能力分别为2.52头/hm2、1.68头/hm2和1.47头/hm2,5.03头/hm2、3.36头/hm2和2.94头/hm2,相应的最大牦牛生产力分别为60.96 kg/hm2、19.41 kg/hm2和36.55 kg/hm2;确定了小嵩草高寒草甸两季轮牧草场放牧强度的最佳配置:暖季草场为1.81头/hm2,冷季草场为1.08头/hm2,探讨了限制小嵩草高寒草甸两季草场最大负载能力的因素以及在不同放牧强度下小嵩草高寒草甸的时空稳定性和恢复能力。     

牦牛放牧率对小嵩草高寒草甸植物群落的影响

两年的放牧实验结果表明随着放牧率的提高,优良牧草的盖度和比例降低,杂草的盖度和比例增加;两季草场各放牧处理植物群落发生了变化轻度放牧和重度放牧的优势种没有变化,中度放牧的优势种发生了变化.在暖季草场,放牧率与植物群落多样性指数、均匀度指数和植物群落组成种的种数呈显著的线性回归关系 (R=0.9840,P<0.01;R=0.9986,P<0.01;R=-0.8660,P<0.05);在冷季草场,放牧率与植物群落多样性指数、均匀度指数和植物群落组成种的种数均呈显著的二次回归关系(P<0.05).地上现存量的变化基本呈"S"型变化,而且随着放牧率的提高,地上现存量减小.在冷季草场,放牧率与优良牧草的盖度和地上现存量之间呈极显著的线性回归关系,而与杂草的盖度和地上现存量之间呈显著的二次回归关系;在暖季草场,放牧率与各植物类群盖度和地上现存量之间呈极显著的线性回归关系.     

苯酚和铬对麦穗鱼的急性毒性及苯酚麦穗鱼的遗传毒性研究

[目的]为水产养殖业生产捕捞环境的水质科学管理提供理论依据。[方法]以麦穗鱼仔鱼为材料,研究了苯酚、铬对麦穗鱼的急性毒性以及苯酚对其的遗传毒性。[结果]苯酚对麦穗鱼仔鱼24、48、72、96 h的半致死浓度(LC50)分别为53.236、47.039、38.729和36.56 mg/L;铬对麦穗鱼仔鱼24、48、72、96 h的LC50为366.367、319.530、284.205和190.757 mg/L。苯酚和铬对麦穗鱼仔鱼的安全质量浓度分别为0.365 6和1.907 57 mg/L。在染毒96 h后0～42 mg/L浓度范围内苯酚对麦穗鱼仔鱼微核的产生具有明显的影响,且随着浓度的升高而增加。[结论]苯酚对麦穗鱼属于高毒物质,而铬对麦穗鱼属于中等毒性物质。     

麦穗鱼的组型分析和DNA含量测定

采用PHA和秋水仙素活体注射、肾细胞短期培养和空气干燥制片法,对麦穗鱼染色体数目和核型进行研究;以麦穗鱼外周血细胞为样本,鸡血细胞DNA为标准(2.30pg),使用美国贝克曼库尔特公司Cell LabQuanta SC流式细胞仪测定了麦穗鱼二倍体细胞的DNA含量。结果显示:麦穗鱼染色体数目2n=50,未观察到次缢痕及性染色体,亦未发现有随体,核型公式为18m+22sm+10st,NF=90;麦穗鱼二倍体细胞DNA含量为鸡血对照的1.38倍,绝对含量为3.18pg。     

蟹池养殖麦穗鱼重金属的富集特征

为了掌握重金属在麦穗鱼体内的富集规律,确保蟹池养殖麦穗鱼的食用安全性,2015年4月、8月和12月分别对宣城市郎溪县河蟹养殖池塘和南漪湖定期采集水样和麦穗鱼,采用原子吸收分光光度法测定水样和鱼样中的重金属含量。结果表明:河蟹养殖池塘水体Pb、Cu、Zn、Cd和Hg含量均符合《无公害食品淡水养殖用水水质》(NY 5051—2001),南漪湖水体重金属含量基本符合《地表水环境质量标准》(GB 3838—2002)中Ⅰ类或Ⅱ类水平。整个检测周期内,水体中的重金属含量随着季节的变动而增加;不同水体中的麦穗鱼重金属含量有所差异,总体上呈现出同一时期蟹池鱼体重金属含量高于湖泊的现象,且2种水体麦穗鱼重金属单项污染指数均小于0.5,含量均符合《无公害食品水产品中有毒有害物质限量》(NY 5073—2006)。     

Reducing a spatial database to its effective dimensionality for logistic-regression analysis of incidence of livestock disease

Large databases with multiple variables, selected because they are available and might provide an insight into establishing causal relationships, are often difficult to analyse and interpret because of multicollinearity. The objective of this study was to reduce the dimensionality of a multivariable spatial database of Zimbabwe, containing many environmental variables that were collected to predict the distribution of outbreaks of theileriosis (the tick-borne infection of cattle caused by Theileria parva and transmitted by the brown ear tick). Principal-component analysis and varimax rotation of the principal components were first used to select a reduced number of variables. The logistic-regression model was evaluated by appropriate goodness-of-fit tests.     

The sensitivity of PCR and serology in different Theileria parva epidemiological situations in Rwanda

Theileria parva is the causative agent of a lethal tick-borne disease of cattle occurring in eastern, central and southern Africa. Variations in the sensitivity of the serological and molecular tests with seasonal vector occurrence and discrepancies between low PCR prevalence and high T. parva vector density are a setback to estimate true prevalences. Therefore, the objectives of the present studies were to evaluate (1) the sensitivity of three serological tests (IFAT, ELISA and SELISA) and one molecular test (PCR) in the diagnosis of chronic T. parva infections in four different agro-ecological zones of Rwanda and (2) the effect of tick challenge and animal's age on the sensitivity of PCR. Blood samples from 635 bovines were collected in four agro-ecological zones of Rwanda. All sera were screened using the IFAT, ELISA, SELISA and PCR. The binary results of the four diagnostic tests were introduced separately for each agro-ecological zone in a Bayesian model to estimate the prevalence of T. parva infections and the sensitivity of the four diagnostic tests. All test specificities were set to 100%. The estimated T. parva prevalence was much higher (83–85%) than estimations based on single diagnostic tests. The estimated sensitivity of serological tests was relatively constant and ranged from 57 to 75% in the various areas. The sensitivity of PCR showed more pronounced variations, ranging from 66% in the low T. parva transmission (high land) zones compared to 24% in the highly vector infested (low land) zones. Calves and adult cattle (n = 194) were also sampled in regularly and irregularly dipped herds in the low land region. The apparent T. parva prevalence detected by PCR was significantly higher in calves than in adult cattle and in herds regularly treated with acaricides, while no significant differences were found with IFAT. The conditional probability that a sample was positive at PCR while it was positive at IFAT was significantly lower in adults. The implication of these findings in the use of diagnostic assays for epidemiological studies is discussed.     

Effect of agro-ecological zone and grazing system on incidence of East Coast Fever in calves in Mbale and Sironko Districts of Eastern Uganda

Between May 2002 and February 2003 a longitudinal survey was carried out in Mbale and Sironko Districts of Eastern Uganda to determine the influence of agro-ecological zones (AEZ) and grazing systems on tick infestation patterns and incidence of East Coast Fever (ECF) in bovine calves. The study area was stratified into AEZ (lowland, midland and upland) and grazing systems {zero grazing (ZG), restricted-outdoor grazing (ROG) and communal grazing (CG)}, whose strata had previously been shown to influence the prevalence of ECF, babesiosis and anaplasmosis. One hundred and eighty-five smallholder dairy farms with a total of 198 calves of both sexes, between the ages of 1 day and 6 weeks, were purposively selected from the AEZ–grazing system strata. Nine dynamic cohorts (11–51 calves in each) of these calves were examined and sampled monthly. Ticks infesting the calves were counted from one side of the animal body and categorized into the different species, sex and feeding status. Sera were collected at recruitment and monthly thereafter and antibodies against Theileria parva, T. mutans, Babesia bigemina, B. bovis and Anaplasma marginale were measured using ELISA. Tick challenge (total and specific) varied with AEZ and grazing system. The risk of infection with T. parva was higher in the lowland zone compared to the upland zone (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.00–6.34). The risk of infection with T. parva was higher in the CG system than the ZG system (HR = 10.00; 95% CI: 3.61–27.92). The incidence risk for sero-conversion, over the 10 months study period, was 62, 16 and 9% in the lowland, midland and upland zones, respectively. Ninety-eight percent of the calves in lowland-CG stratum sero-converted by the age of 6 months, while 56 and 8% did so in the lowland-ROG and the lowland-ZG stratum, respectively. The results of this study show the need to consider farm circumstances and the variation in ECF risk, both spatially and temporally when designing control strategies for ECF.