Patterns of silver eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) sex ratio in a catchment

Abstract –  Changes in the numbers and size-class structure of European silver eels, Anguilla anguilla , in the River Frémur (France) were examined over a 9-year period after installation of downstream eel passes. The number of silver eels migrating downstream peaked in 1999, then decreased strongly and steadily after 2000, reaching relatively low levels. At the same time, a gradual shift in the silver eel sex ratio from a dominance of males (size from 270 to 442 mm, age from 3 to 6 years) to females (size from 366 to 1112 mm, age from 4 to 9 years) was recorded. Possible explanations for the escapement patterns observed are environmental sex determination and the installation of eel passes on the main hydraulic engineering structures in 1992 and 1996.     

Heterologous Radioimmunoassay for Llama and Alpaca Luteinizing Hormone with a Monoclonal Antibody,an Equine Standard and a Human Tracer

A radioimmunoassay for llama and alpaca LH was developed using a human I¹²⁵LH tracer from a commercial kit, equine LH diluted in human LH free serum as standard, and a monoclonal antibody (518B7) specific for LH but with low species specificity. A 60-min delay in the addition of the tracer and overnight incubation gave a sensitivity of 0.8 μg L⁻¹. The intra-assay coefficient of variation was 37% at 1 μg L⁻¹, declined to 15% at 4 pg L⁻¹ and was below 6% for concentrations up to 32 μg L⁻¹. The inter-assay coefficients of variation for 3 control samples were 20% (2.8 μg L⁻¹), 16% (7.1 μg L⁻¹) and 9.8% (19 μg L⁻¹). In an attempt to increase sensitivity, all tubes were preincubated for 4 h at room temperature before adding the tracer, and the sample volume was increased from 50 μL to 100 μL· (in the standard curve the increased volume was compensated for by human LH free serum). With this protocol, the assay sensitivity was 0.5 μg L⁻¹. The assay was validated clinically and demonstrated increased concentrations of LH after mating in llamas and alpacas. Furthermore, the assay was used to monitor LH responses to a single dose of GnRH in llamas (adult males and females at different ages).     

Improving management for higher reproduction accelerates genetic improvement in closed herd of swine

The present study compared responses to selection at different conception rates and litter sizes at weaning in a simulated closed herd in a swine breeding program. The base population consisted of 10 males and 50 females, and 10 generations of selection was practiced by using individual phenotype or best linear unbiased prediction of breeding values for a trait with heritability (h²) of either 0.2 or 0.5. The probability of conception in a single mating was assumed to be 0.8, 0.9 or 1.0. Litter size at weaning was sampled randomly from a normal distribution with mean 8, 10 or 12 and variance 8.1225. Genetic response increased by approximately 6% for h² = 0.2 and approximately 5% for h² = 0.5 at generation 10 when conception rate was increased from 0.8 to 1.0. However, litter size at weaning did not affect response to selection. In conclusion, improving conception rate by environmental management increases genetic response indirectly in a breeding program of a closed swine herd.     

Effects of straw and silicon soil amendments on some foliar and stem-base diseases in pot-grown winter wheat

Four foliar and two stem-base pathogens were inoculated onto wheat plants grown in different substrates in pot experiments. Soils from four different UK locations were each treated in three ways: (i) straw incorporated in the field at 10 t ha⁻¹ several months previously; (ii) silicon fertilization at 100 mg L⁻¹ during the experiment; and (iii) no amendments. A sand and vermiculite mix was used with and without silicon amendment. The silicon treatment increased plant silica concentrations in all experiments, but incorporating straw was not associated with raised plant silica concentrations. Blumeria graminis and Puccinia recondita were inoculated by shaking infected plants over the test plants, followed by suitable humid periods. The silicon treatment reduced powdery mildew ( B. graminis ) substantially in sand and vermiculite and in two of the soils, but there were no effects on the slight infection by brown rust ( P. recondita ). Phaeosphaeria nodorum and Mycosphaerella graminicola were inoculated as conidial suspensions. Leaf spot caused by P. nodorum was reduced in silicon-amended sand and vermiculite; soil was not tested. Symptoms of septoria leaf blotch caused by M. graminicola were reduced by silicon amendment in a severely infected sand and vermiculite experiment but not in soil or a slightly infected sand and vermiculite experiment. Oculimacula yallundae (eyespot) and Fusarium culmorum (brown foot rot) were inoculated as agar plugs on the stem base. Severity of O. yallundae was reduced by silicon amendment of two of the soils but not sand and vermiculite; brown foot rot symptoms caused by F. culmorum were unaffected by silicon amendment. The straw treatment reduced severity of powdery mildew but did not detectably affect the other pathogens. Both straw and silicon treatments appeared to increase plant resistance to all diseases only under high disease pressure.     

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia within the 19th century miasmatic landscape

When contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) was first detected on a farm north of Melbourne, at Bundoora, in 1858, the predominant theory of miasma was being challenged by contagionist theories of disease transmission. This well‐documented case was recorded during a period of change in the scientific assessment of disease and therefore affords an exploration of what aspects of the landscape were considered important for livestock health at the time. Although the introduction, vaccination programs and eventual eradication of CBPP on mainland Australia has been well explored, scholars have neglected this aspect of the disease's history. By comparing 19th century records of farmland with how the site appears today, it is also possible to highlight the limited information provided by contemporary texts, while at the same time developing an appreciation of the ways in which the perception of the rural landscape has changed. This differing perception has implications for the utilisation of these sources for veterinary and environmental historians seeking to understand the mid‐19th century agricultural landscape and how it relates to animal health.     

供热发展的未来展望

本文分析了燃煤集中供热的优缺点,并对未来城市供热的发展趋势提出了一些独特看法。     

森林生态旅游环境解译服务游客态度调查--以金殿国家森林公园为例

通过实地考察、调查问卷等方法,以金殿国家森林公园为研究案例,进行游客对解译服务内心期望重要程度和实际体验满意程度调查,了解游客对解译媒体、媒体设计、解译内容等的选择倾向,分析不同性别、不同年龄、不同文化层次游客的偏好差异,并提出完善解译媒体、系统培训人员、建立教育基地等的构建对策。     

高等农业院校人文素质教育现状和对策分析——以大学语文为例

我国高校特别是农业院校的人文素质教育状况令人忧虑,呈现了边缘化倾向。作为高校素质教育主渠道的大学语文课的开设状况也不容乐观。要改变现状,适应人文教育对大学语文的要求,进行大学语文的教学改革已势在必行。以大学语文为例,分析了农业院校的人文素质教育状况,并从明确《大学语文》的课程定位、更新教学内容、创新教学模式、改革教学手段等方面提出了改革的建议和对策。     

绿色产品的生命周期评价模型研究

本文根据绿色产品的特点,采用层次分析法研究了绿色产品环境影响和经济性能的评价指标体系,结合等价转化及产品成本收益的经济利润分析等方法,建立了相应的绿色产品生命周期评价数学模型,探讨了其在绿色产品生产和管理过程评价中的广泛适用性。     

日本的森林环境税——以高知县为例

主要介绍了日本引入森林环境税的背景及现状。通过高知县的事例, 进一步阐述了森林环境税引入的前因后果、课税方式、课税框架、税收用项以及存在的问题; 通过对高知县、冈山县和鸟取县3县森林环境税的比较, 分析了日本森林环境税的特点; 在此基础上分析了森林环境税对日本森林环境和林业的意义以及仍然面临的问题; 最后讨论了日本森林环境税对中国的借鉴意义以及在中国实施森林环境税的可能性。