Conservation implications of establishment success of the Critically Endangered Twee River redfin ‘Pseudobarbus’ erubescens (Skelton, ) in an artificial impoundment in South Africa

1. This study reports the first known record of breeding of the Critically Endangered Twee River redfin ‘Pseudobarbus’ erubescens in an artificial impoundment. This followed an introduction of 48 individuals into a 10 ha impoundment within the species' native range more than a decade ago.
2. Sampling the impoundment using three fyke nets set overnight yielded 2838 P. erubescens, which included both juveniles and adults capable of spawning. Fork length measurements of a subsample of 250 individuals ranged from 29 to 125 mm with length cohorts indicating multiple spawning events.
3. This demonstrates that this species can successfully reproduce in lentic environments and suggests that artificial impoundments could be stocked to provide refugia for P. erubescens and other highly threatened small cyprinids while conservation strategies are developed to mitigate against habitat loss resulting from alien fish invasions, increased human use of water, and from climate change in rivers.

     

Effects of Different Soil Treatments on the Development of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spongospora subterranea</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">subterranea</Emphasis> in Potato Roots and Tubers in the Greenhouse

Powdery scab caused by Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea (Sss) causes extensive losses in potato production systems globally. Two pot experiments were established in the greenhouse in summer 2013 and winter 2014 to evaluate the effectiveness of different soil chemicals, fumigant, amendments and biological control agents (BCAs) against Sss in the rhizospheric soil, potato roots and tubers. The study used visual assessment methods to assess the effect of treatments on root galling and zoosporangia production, and qPCR to measure Sss concentration in the soil and in the potato roots and tubers. All six soil treatments, namely metam sodium, fluazinam, ZincMax, calcium cyanamide, Biocult and a combination of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma asperellum recorded significantly (P < 0.05) lower numbers of zoosporangia in the roots compared to the untreated control. The same effect was observed on the concentration of Sss DNA in the roots at tuber initiation. A more diverse picture was obtained when root gall scores at tuber initiation and Sss DNA in the rhizospheric soil at tuber initiation and harvesting were compared. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were also noted in disease severity, disease incidence, and tuber yield between metam sodium, fluazinam, ZincMax, calcium cyanamide and the untreated control. Calcium cyanamide gave the highest tuber yield. The study demonstrated the potential of soil treatments such as metam sodium, fluazinam, ZincMax and calcium cyanamide in managing Sss in potatoes by reducing the pathogen both in the rhizospheric soil and the roots of the potato plant.     

Resistance to Streptococcus iniae and its genetic associations with traits of economic importance in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Streptococcus iniae is one of the most serious aquatic pathogens, causing significant economic losses in marine and freshwater species, including Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). Controlling this gram‐positive bacterial pathogen has been an issue in aquaculture systems, due to the combined effects of aquaculture intensification and climatic impacts. To date, there have not been any genetic parameter estimates for S. iniae resistance in Asian seabass. The main aim of this study was to examine genetic variation in S. iniae resistance and its genetic correlations with growth and cannibalism in Asian seabass families produced from a breeding programme for high growth in 2016 and 2017. The study included a total of 5,835 individual fish that were offspring of 41 sires and 60 dams (31 half‐sib and 34 full‐sib families). The experimental fish were challenged by intraperitoneal injection with a volume containing 10⁵ CFU (colony‐forming unit)/fish. Resistance to S. iniae was measured as survival rate at 6 hr, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 days post‐challenge test. There were significant variations in S. iniae resistance among families at different observation periods (ranging from 24.4% to 80%). Restricted maximum‐likelihood method and mixed model analysis were applied to estimate heritability for S. iniae resistance. The heritability for S. iniae resistance ranged from 7% to 18% across different statistical models used. The common full‐sib effects accounted for 0.1%–2% of the total variation in resistance to S. iniae. Genetic correlations of the S. iniae resistance at 6 hr and 3 days with later post‐challenge test periods were low to moderate. However, these estimates for S. iniae resistance between successive measurement times (5, 7, 10 and 15 days) were high and close to 1. The genetic correlations of resistance with body weights at 180, 270 and 360 days post‐hatch were not significant as well with cannibalism. It is concluded that there is substantial additive genetic variation in resistance to S. iniae, suggesting there is potential for genetic improvement of Asian seabass for resistance to S. iniae through selective breeding.     

The role of dietary methionine concentrations on growth,metabolism and N‐retention in cobia (Rachycentron canadum) at elevated water temperatures

This study determined impacts of dietary methionine concentrations at two temperatures on growth, feeding efficiency and N‐metabolites in juvenile cobia. Methionine concentrations of the experimental diets were deficient (M9; 9 g/kg), sufficient (M12; 12 g/kg) and surplus (M16, 16 g/kg). Water temperature was normal (30°C) or elevated (34°C). Twenty cobia in triplicate tanks were fed the experimental diets for 6 weeks. Both methionine and temperature affected cobia's growth and feeding efficiency. Cobia fed M9 performed lower than the fish fed M12 and M16 diets. Additionally, cobia reared at 34°C performed poorer than at 30°C, probably due to lower voluntary feed intake in the fish reared at 34°C. Protein efficiency ratio and protein productive value in cobia fed M9 diet were less than M12 or M16 diets. This was confirmed with the improved retentions of indispensable amino acids (AAs). No interactions between methionine and temperature were observed in growth and protein accretion. At 30°C, CF improved, while HSI and VSI declined upon methionine supplementation levels. Of which an interaction between temperature and methionine was present. Plasma, muscle and liver free AA and N‐metabolites were affected by methionine and temperature. Furthermore, temperature affected cobia's lipid class composition, resulting in increased phospholipids and cholesterol at 34°C.     

Induced expression of selected plant defence related genes in pot azalea, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhododendron simsii</Emphasis> hybrid

A set of putative marker genes to study plant defense responses against Polyphagotarsonemus latus, a key pest in the production of Rhododendron simsii hybrids, was selected and validated. Genes belonged to the biosynthetic pathway of phytohormones jasmonic acid (JA) (RsLOX, RsAOS, RsAOC, RsOPR3 and RsJMT) and salicylic acid (SA) (RsPAL and RsICS). Furthermore, RsPPO, a putative marker gene for oxidative stress response was successfully cloned from R. simsii. A CTAB-based extraction protocol was optimized to assure excellent RNA quality for subsequent RT-qPCR analysis. The RT-qPCR protocol was extensively tested and RsRG7 and RsRG14 were selected as reference genes from a geNorm pilot study. Validation of the marker genes was done after application with elicitors [methyl jasmonate (MeJA), coronatine, β-aminobutyric acid and acibenzolar-Smethyl] or wounding. Both 100 μM MeJA and 0.1 μM coronatine had a significant effect on the expression of all marker genes. Foliar application of MeJA on the shoots resulted in a significantly earlier response when compared to root application and subsequent sampling of the shoots. Expression patterns after MeJA treatment were generally the same in six R. simsii genotypes: ‘Nordlicht’, ‘Elien’, ‘Aiko Pink’, ‘Michelle Marie’, ‘Mevrouw Gerard Kint’ and ‘Sachsenstern’. Wounding resulted in the same expression patterns as MeJA treatment except for RsJMT. None of the genotypes showed a significant induction of the latter gene 6 h upon wounding. Findings of these experiments indicated that the tolerant genotype ‘Elien’ has low basal expression levels of RsPPO. This might be the first step towards the breeding of mite-tolerant genotypes.     

What side of town? How proximity to critical survival factors affects rural business longevity

This research adds to the literature on locational determinants of business survival by focusing on an establishment's proximity to fixed assets. Using longitudinal, establishment-level data from rural counties in the Midwestern United States, we developed a hazard model to estimate the likelihood of rural businesses surviving the Great Recession and the recovery that followed (2007–2017). Two critical survival factors are of principal interest: proximity to a pre-automobile era downtown business district and proximity to a limited-access highway ramp. The results suggest that highway proximity enhances survival for manufacturing, transportation, and wholesaling establishments, as does own-industry agglomeration. For food, retail, and accommodation businesses, proximity to cultural anchor institutions enhances the probability of survival but competitive effects, including downtown proximity, reduce the likelihood of survival. On its own, proximity to a downtown was not associated with higher odds of business survival.     

Mild Drought Stress‐Induced Changes in Yield,Physiological Processes and Chemical Composition in Festuca,Lolium and Festulolium

The impact of mild drought stress (3 weeks at 40 % field water capacity) on yield, physiological processes, accumulation of proline and phenolic compounds and forage quality parameters in forage grasses was evaluated in pot experiments. During four different growing periods, the effects of water deficit were assessed in nine varieties from five species (Lolium perenne, Lolium multiflorum, Festuca pratensis, Festuca arundinacea and Festulolium braunii). All measured parameters were affected by drought stress in the different cuts. Photosynthesis, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and dry matter yield were significantly lower in drought stress than under well‐watered conditions in all varieties. Higher water‐use efficiency was only observed during the first and fourth drought period, while this was not the case in the second and third. Mild drought stress significantly increased the content of proline, phenolic acid, flavonoids, water‐soluble carbohydrates and protein. All tested grasses showed also an increase of organic matter digestibility and cell wall digestibility under drought stress conditions.     

Impact of traditional soil burning (guie) on Planosol properties and land‐use intensification in south‐western Ethiopia

In the Gilgel Gibe catchment in Ethiopia, local farmers intensify land use on Planosols by adjusting a traditional soil burning practice known as guie. The burning practice used to be applied in a cycle of shifting cultivation. However, more recently, farmers burn small plots to make fertile seedbeds for Eucalyptus seedlings in the first year before these trees are transplanted to larger plots. The purpose of this research was to assess the physico‐chemical properties of Planosols that have been subjected to burning over the last 10 yrs and evaluate the contribution of guie to land‐use intensification of these soils. Transect studies and interviews of local farmers, followed by chemical, physical and micromorphological analyses of samples from selected plots were used to compare the soil properties of recently (0–2 yrs) and formerly (3–10 yrs) burnt Planosols with those of unburnt Planosols. The analytical results show that the burning practice improved nutrient availability in the first 2 yrs after guie. Increased amounts of exchangeable aluminium (Al) were reported in the long term. Charge fingerprints illustrate that the nutrient‐buffering capacity of the soil was high shortly after the practice but subsequently decreased with time. Given the population pressure on the formerly extensively used Planosols, it is argued that the current application of guie on small, localized plots for raising Eucalyptus seedlings is well adapted to the local socio‐economic context and promotes land‐use intensification on the Planosols. The increased exchangeable Al content of former Eucalyptus seedbeds merits further in‐depth research into the biophysical sustainability of the burning practice.     

Economic value of conserving deep-sea corals in Irish waters: A choice experiment study on marine protected areas

Deep-water corals are slow growing, fragile and vulnerable to the impacts of deep-water fisheries and the development activities of the offshore industries. In Ireland there is now evidence of major damage to deep-water corals linked to a recent expansion of the Irish deep-water fishery. This fishery uses trawls fitted with robust rock hopping gear and employs a high risk fishing technique, which is potentially very destructive to coral habitats. Consequently resource managers have been exploring the potential of marine protected areas (MPA) as a tool for the conservation of these coral ecosystems in the North East Atlantic. MPAs aim to minimise the socio-economic costs associated with closures or other management restrictions while still achieving the desired conservation objectives. However, the decision to use MPAs (and thereby restrict fishing) is often taken in the light of uncertainty over the value of the reserved habitats to the fishing industry. This paper reports on a choice experiment study carried out in Ireland in early 2007 aimed at partly addressing this uncertainty. The study primarily focused on determining the economic value held by the Irish public for the conservation of deep-sea corals using several variants of the concept of MPAs. They have endorsed MPA strategies that banned trawling in an MPA that included all areas where corals are thought to exist with no personal tax imposed, banned trawling in an MPA covering all known corals with a personal tax imposed of €1 p.a. and banned all fishing in an MPA covering all areas where corals are thought to exist with a personal tax imposed of €1 p.a. In terms of the probabilities attached to the individual attributes, the most preferred policy options were to ban trawling, protect all areas where corals are thought to exist, and pay a ring-fenced personal tax of €1 p.a.