Assessing the efficacy and impact of management of an invasive species in a protected area: Poa annua on sub‐Antarctic Macquarie Island

Plant eradication is difficult, particularly in remote, protected areas. The Southern Ocean Islands are very isolated and highly protected, but the flora contains many alien plants. Small restricted populations have been eradicated, but eradication of established species has proven difficult. A better understanding of the efficacy of control methods at sub‐Antarctic temperatures and their off‐target impacts may increase eradication success. With interest in controlling non‐native Poa annua in the region, we aimed to determine if physical and chemical methods can control P. annua (the sub‐Antarctic biotype) in sub‐Antarctic conditions and examined their impact on native plants. We quantified the effectiveness of physical control methods on P. annua in situ on sub‐Antarctic Macquarie Island through field‐based experiments and assessed their selectivity on P. annua compared with native grasses. We also quantified the effectiveness of several herbicides on P. annua at sub‐Antarctic temperatures and assessed their selectivity on native grasses. Of the four physical disturbance methods tested, none effectively reduced P. annua cover as one‐off treatments. Of the herbicide treatments, glyphosate and trifloxysulfuron sodium were effective and were less damaging to native grass species, indicating potential selectivity. Physical control was of limited effectiveness, but did not affect native species richness. An integrated weed management programme utilising the strategic use of selective herbicides with follow‐up chemical and physical intervention may balance control and biodiversity outcomes. This research highlights the importance of site‐specific testing of control methods and understanding off‐target impacts of control when managing alien plant species in protected areas.     

The effects of density and artificial substrate on intensive shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei nursery production

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) can be installed indoors, allowing year-round production of tropical animals in nearly any climate. A nursery phase is commonly used in Litopenaeus vannamei production since it allows for enhanced biosecurity and better quantification of animals while reducing space requirements. However, it is unclear whether animal density and inclusion of artificial substrate may improve shrimp performance during the nursery phase. In this experiment, we compared shrimp production parameters in two stocking densities with or without the use of an artificial substrate by creating four treatments: low-density LD; 1500 PL/m⁻³, low-density with substrate LDS, high-density HD; 3000 PL/m⁻³), and high-density with substrate (HDS). The LDS and HDS treatments included 0.46-m² of high-density polyethylene 2.5-cm mesh as a substrate, which increased the tank surface area by 21 %. Each treatment was randomly assigned to four 160-l culture tanks, each with a biofilter. The shrimp had an initial weight of 4 mg and were grown for 50 days. The low-density treatments had significantly higher dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH than the high-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001). Specifically, LDS had the highest DO and pH followed by the LD, HD, and HDS treatments, respectively. High-density treatments had significantly higher NO₂-N levels than low-density treatments during week 2 of the experiment when an unusually high concentration of nitrite was observed. FCR was significantly lower in both low-density treatments than in high-density treatments. At harvest, the total biomass (kg m⁻³) was significantly higher in high-density treatments than in low-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001), and the HDS treatment had a significantly greater biomass output than HD. Producers should consider artificial substrate and higher densities during nursery production to maximize shrimp production; however, the effects on water quality should also be taken into account.     

Comparing biofloc,clear-water,and hybrid nursery systems (Part I): Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production,water quality,and stable isotope dynamics

Indoor, intensive, nursery-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) can provide high-quality juvenile shrimp for indoor or pond-based production systems in a biosecure manner. However, it is unclear what type of RAS is most appropriate for indoor shrimp nurseries. This study compared three types of RAS nurseries: biofloc (BF), clear-water (CW), and hybrid (HY). Each treatment included four, randomly assigned 160 L (0.35-m²) tanks that were stocked with 3000 post-larvae shrimp m⁻³. The post-larvae (PL10) shrimp had an initial average weight of 7 ± 0.0 mg and were grown for 48 days. The BF tanks included external settling chambers as the only filtration mechanism. The CW tanks had settling chambers, foam fractionators, and external biofilters to fully clarify the water and process nitrogenous waste. Hybrid tanks included settling chambers, and external biofilters to maintain some suspended solids along with external biofiltration. Overall, the CW treatment had significantly higher dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH levels than the BF and HY systems. The HY treatment had significantly higher DO than the BF treatment. Nitrite concentration was significantly higher in the HY treatment than the CW treatment. Turbidity in the BF treatment was significantly higher than the other treatments. On the final sample date, the BF treatment had significantly higher nitrite and nitrate concentrations than the other treatments. Differences between treatments in terms of shrimp survival, mean harvest weight, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio were not significant. The final weight of the shrimp at 48 days for the BF, CW, and HY were 670 mg, 640 mg, and 590 mg respectively. A stable isotope mixing model indicated that, in the BF treatment, 13% of the C and 34% of the N in harvested shrimp tissue may have originated from biofloc material, signifying some nutrient recycling. The nitrification process was more effective with the inclusion of an external biofilter. All three system types appear suitable for RAS shrimp nursery production although consideration should be given to water quality consistency and filtration costs.     

What the past tells us about the future of Pacific salmon research

The Larkin lectures are held every two years at the University of British Columbia in recognition of Dr. Peter Larkin's contributions to fisheries science. The lecture I presented in November 2015 coincided with an announcement that the Institute of Fisheries that Peter Larkin founded in the 1960s would be restructured as the “Institute for Oceans and Fisheries” with an emphasis on fisheries and oceans issues important to British Columbia as well as the rest of the world. I decided to look back at research issues that Peter Larkin thought would be important for Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the future and see what has happened as a way of identifying the complexity that the Institute for Oceans and Fisheries in particular and the science community in general will face. I chose five themes from Peter Larkin's talks: 1 understanding marine survival, 2 ocean carrying capacity, 3 aquaculture, 4 climate, Pacific salmon and climate change and 5 informing the public, and then added my opinion about research priorities for the future. Peter Larkin recognized the future relevance of these examples, but he probably could not have imagined how these and related issues will challenge his renamed institute and the rest of the research community over the next 50 years.     

Fluorescence of Extracts from Argentine Hake (Merluccius hubbsi) Muscle and Its Correlation with Quality Indices During Chilled Storage

Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) was stored chilled for 8 days. The evolution of fluorescence of the aqueous and organic extracts of muscle during storage at 4°C was studied and correlated with common damage indices; pH, total volatile basic nitrogen, free fatty acids, and the fluorescence intensity of the aqueous phase showed a good correlation with storage time. The excitation-emission matrices of the aqueous extracts were also obtained. A fluorescence landscape that could be attributed to tryptophan decreased with storage time, meanwhile a peak (around 340 and 400 nm for excitation and emission wavelengths, respectively) is developed during chilled storage.     

采用卷积神经网络构建西北太平洋柔鱼渔场预报模型

对远洋渔场资源和位置进行预报可以为远洋渔业生产及管理提供重要信息。该研究针对西北太平洋柔鱼渔场，利用海洋表面温度遥感信息和中国远洋渔船生产资料，基于深度学习原理，选取卷积神经网络构建西北太平洋柔鱼渔场预报模型。根据不同月份、不同通道构建了多种数据集，用于训练渔场预报模型。训练结果表明，4个通道组合的数据集的训练结果最优，渔汛早期（7-8月）、中期（9月）和后期（10-11月）测试样本的准确率分别为80.5%、81.5%和81.4%。以2015年的真实渔场数据对模型进行验证，模型的平均召回率为82.3%，平均精确率为66.6%，F1得分平均值为73.1%，预测的高产渔区与实际作业的高单位捕捞努力量渔获量区基本匹配。该研究构建的渔场预报模型可以获得较好的准确率，可为其他鱼种的渔场预报模型构建提供新的思路。     

不同种类浮游植物对CO2浓度升高的响应

本研究采用实验生态学的方法，以金藻、硅藻、绿藻3个门中的4种常见饵料藻叉鞭金藻(Dicrateria sp.)、三角褐指藻(Phaeodactylum tricornutum)、小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)和亚心形扁藻(Platymonas subcordiformis)为研究对象，分析比较不同浮游植物的细胞数量和质量对CO2浓度升高引起的海水酸化的响应情况。结果显示，与对照组相比，(1) CO2浓度升高显著提高了这4种藻的生长速率(P<0.05)；其中，亚心形扁藻平均比生长速率最高，比对照组高出13.5%；小球藻次之，为5.9%；叉鞭金藻和三角褐指藻均为2.2%。(2) CO2浓度升高使浮游植物细胞内的碳(C)含量增加、氮(N)含量降低，C/N提高；种间差异较大，其中，亚心形扁藻的C/N、C/P值、小球藻的C/P值和三角褐指藻的C/N值显著提高，叉鞭金藻不显著。(3) CO2浓度升高使小球藻单位细胞叶绿素a含量显著提高，小球藻通过提高光合作用能力促进生长，而另外3种藻叶绿素a含量与对照组无显著差异；三角褐指藻最大光化学量子产量(Fv/Fm)在实验初期显著升高；叉鞭金藻非光化学淬灭(NPQ)显著降低，快速光曲线初始斜率(α)显著增加；三角褐指藻和亚心形扁藻潜在的最大光合作用能力(rETRmax)显著升高(P<0.05)，但CO2浓度升高对4种藻的光化学淬灭(qP)均没有显著影响(P>0.05)。可见，亚心形扁藻、小球藻和三角褐指藻在高CO2浓度下虽然生长速率加快，但营养质量降低。不同种类的浮游植物对CO2浓度升高的响应不同，这种差异可能会使未来海洋浮游植物群落结构发生变化；浮游植物C/N、C/P值的改变可能通过食物链对次级生产者，诸如浮游动物、滤食性贝类等产生影响。     

凡纳滨对虾商业苗种抗WSSV性能比较

白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)一直是甲壳类生物的高致病性病原。为了解市场上不同凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)商业苗种病原携带情况及其抗WSSV性能,本研究收集了6个品牌的凡纳滨对虾商业苗种(分别简称为海南Z、海南S、广州P、广州Z、黄骅R和东营M),先进行包括WSSV在内的8种病原的检测,然后,采用单尾定量口饲感染方式进行抗WSSV性能测试,并比较各组苗种感染WSSV后的平均存活时间、存活率以及累积死亡率的差异。结果显示,6个商业苗种都不携带WSSV,部分苗种检测有潜在虾肝肠胞虫(EHP)和偷死野田村病毒(CMNV)。各苗种感染WSSV后,平均存活时间从长到短依次为海南Z、广州P、黄骅R、海南S、广州Z、东营M。东营M感染WSSV后第4天达到死亡高峰,而海南Z在第6~7天到达死亡高峰,比东营M晚了2~3d。感染实验结束后,海南Z和广州P存活率最高,同为72.5%,而东营M和黄骅R的存活率最低。本研究表明,海南Z和广州P抗WSSV性能最强,研究结果可为凡纳滨对虾抗病新品种的选育提供基础数据。     

Analysis of sinking death using video images of the swimming performance of Pacific Bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) larvae

In this study, we aimed to clarify the mechanism of sinking death during the larval stage of Pacific Bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis by investigating the effects of swimming performance on sinking death, using a behavioral approach. Swimming performance was examined 3–9 days after hatching (DAH) under day and night light conditions in cuboid experimental tanks. Swimming behavior variables such as swimming speed and swimming angle were measured under both light conditions. Larvae in the daytime experiment and larvae with inflated swim bladders at night were distributed on the surface layer of the water column. In contrast, larvae with uninflated swim bladders at night were frequently observed swimming vertically or sinking to the bottom of the tank. Larvae with inflated swim bladders at night were always distributed beneath the surface until the next morning (survival rates were 100 %). However, larvae with uninflated swim bladders at night swam upward repeatedly and later sank to the bottom of the tank (survival rates were 60 % and 38 % at 5 and 9 DAH, respectively). Larvae with uninflated swim bladders were not always able to maintain their swimming depth by swimming until the next morning. Additionally, their swimming speed and vertical swimming frequency (ratio) depended on the illumination and swim bladder conditions. Our findings show that larvae with uninflated swim bladders at night were associated with a higher risk of sinking death. The swimming energy capacity of Pacific Bluefin tuna larvae, which indicates the total amount of the energy that enables individuals to swim throughout the night without feeding, was found to be linked to sinking death.     

Effect of disinfection with peracetic acid on the microbial community of a seawater aquaculture recirculation system for Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

When tropical shrimps are kept in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), one of the limiting factors is the maintenance of a sufficient water quality, and therefore, often disinfectants like peracetic acid (PAA) are added to the water either as prophylactic or treatment measure. In this study, PAA in concentrations of 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L and 10 mg/L was applied continuously for 56 days to small-scale seawater RAS stocked with Litopenaeus vannamei. Treatment with 0.1 mg/L did not result in a reduction in the total bacterial amount and therefore was not effective. A concentration of 10 mg/L led to significant changes in the chemical water parameters already after 2 days and was therefore not recommendable. A concentration of 1 mg/L led to increased levels of ammonia and nitrite within 2 days and to a significant increase in the bacterial amount in the water, most probably due to an enhanced growth of heterotrophic bacteria. The microflora showed significant fluctuations, and there were indications that the welfare of the shrimps was affected. Using 1 mg PAA/L for prophylactic use is therefore also not recommendable but might be an alternative option for short-term treatment in cases of disease outbreaks.