Assessment of the socio-economic impacts associated with the arrival of apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) in Mwea irrigation scheme,Kenya

Background

In Kenya, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is mainly produced under irrigation by small-scale farmers. Mwea irrigation scheme (MIS) in Kirinyaga County accounts for 80–88% of rice production. Here, rice is the main source of livelihood and a source of revenue generation for the county. However, a recently established invasive freshwater snail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck) (family: Ampullariidae), a species of apple snail, presents a serious threat to rice production.

Results

Household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews highlight apple snail as a serious problem in MIS. Households that observed at least a moderate level of infestation (>20% of cultivated area) experienced significant reductions in rice yield (~14%) and net rice income (~60%). Farmers reported increased use of chemical pesticides for management of apple snail. In addition, the cost of hired labor for physical removal of egg masses and snails is resulting in substantial negative effects on net income. Farmer age, area of land owned, responsibility for decision-making, receipt of extension advice, training, and membership of a farmer organization, were all statistically significant variables to explain farmers awareness of the need for area-wide apple snail management.

Conclusion

Strategies to limit the spread of apple snail are urgently needed. A Multi-Institutional Technical Team (MITT) has been established to spearhead management efforts and consolidate advice to farmers on how to manage apple snail. However, without action to mitigate spread, the consequences could be disastrous for rice production and food security in Kenya, and for other rice growing regions across Africa. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

洞庭湖洲滩杨树人工林对钉螺孳生的影响

为探讨修枝强度、林农间种、异龄林等因素对洞庭湖洲滩钉螺孳生的影响,对拐棍洲有螺滩地杨树人工林的螺情分布进行了长期定点调查。结果表明:4年生杨树林,修枝次年林分内的活螺框出现率、活螺密度均低于修枝当年,其中1/3修枝强度次年林分活螺框出现率、活螺密度较修枝当年分别降低了68.00%和80.80%。林农间种的杨树林较翻耕不种和不耕不种的杨树林抑螺效应显著,翻耕而不间种的杨树林,活螺框出现率与不耕不种的1年生杨树林一样,但活螺密度却较不耕不种下降了47.20%。异龄林营造后,活螺密度大致呈下降趋势,营造后的第2、3、4年时活螺框出现率、活螺密度分布较营造当年下降73.33%、50.00%、77.67%和75.96%、43.94%、83.85%。林分郁闭后,全面翻垦的林分活螺框出现率、活螺密度均比不翻垦的林分低直至趋于零。除了高程(32.64m)较高的林分外,其他高程全耕不种林分内活螺框出现率、活螺密度均低于全垦间种。     

扩展青霉基因组DNA五种提取方法比较

为寻找一种适合于扩展青霉基因组DNA的提取方法,比较了固体培养、液体静置培养和液体振荡培养3种培养方式的提取效果,分别采用氯化苄法、蜗牛酶法、CTAB法、SDS法及异硫氰酸胍法提取扩展青霉菌基因组DNA,经DNA质量浓度测定及电泳分析,比较5种方法的差异,并利用扩展青霉的多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(Polygalacturonase)基因内一段保守序列,设计PCR引物,扩增大小为288 bp的特异目的基因,检测其灵敏性.结果表明:固体培养的方式较适合扩展青霉基因组DNA的提取,另外5种提取方法均能提取出扩展青霉菌基因组DNA,扩增出目的条带,其中氯化苄法和蜗牛酶法所提DNA的纯度均较好,但蜗牛酶法所提DNA量较少.因此,氯化苄法是5种提取方法中最可靠的DNA提取方法,所提DNA浓度高、纯度好、结果稳定,可作为PCR反应的模板进行特异性扩增,且该方法的最低检测限大约为1.01×10-1μg/mL.     

Replacement of squid and krill meal by snail meal (Buccinum striatissimum) in practical diets for juvenile of kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus)

A 60‐day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of substituting squid and krill meal with marine snails (Buccinum striatissimum) into the diets of juvenile kuruma shrimps (Marsupenaeus japonicus). Five experimental diets were formulated to contain varying levels of snail meal at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, respectively) and fed to juvenile kuruma shrimps (initial mean weight 0.27 ± 0.02 g). The results showed that weight gain, feed intake and specific growth rate were improved significantly in D4 and D5 groups when compared with D1 group (p < 0.05). Significant differences were not detected in survival rate among all shrimps fed diets containing several levels of snail meal (p > 0.05). Crude protein content of shrimps fed the control diet was significantly lower than other treatments (p < 0.05). Lipid content in shrimps fed 50% snail meal were significantly higher than the control while cholesterol content in shrimps fed 100% snail meal were significantly decreased and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents were significantly increased in shrimps fed 75%–100% snail meal (p < 0.05). These results suggest that supplementing snail meal for complete replacement of squid and krill meal can be done to improve juvenile kuruma shrimps’ growth and reducing their cholesterol levels.     

不同地区福寿螺繁殖力比较

应用单对交配的方法对江苏、福建和广东3个不同地理群体福寿螺的繁殖力进行比较.结果显示,福寿螺的繁殖力变异较大;在个体产卵量方面,福建螺与江苏螺有显著差异(P<0.05);在雌螺个体体重的相对产卵量方面,广东螺与福建螺、广东螺与江苏螺有显著差异(P<0.05);不同地区、不同交配个体产卵块数差异不显著(P＞0.05);不同壳色的福寿螺繁殖力差异不明显(P＞0.05);交配个体雌雄大小不同其交配产卵量与雌螺个体大小呈正相关,与雄螺个体大小无关;雌螺个体越大产卵量越大,但相对产卵量反而越小;雌螺产卵量与卵块数呈正相关.福寿螺的繁殖力与环境条件、食物种类、温度等因素有密切的关系.     

林业血防生态工程在血吸虫病防治中的作用及展望

1990年以来, 我国一些林业学者在总结长期生产和科研实践基础上提出了"以林为主, 抑螺防病"的林业血防生态工程科学设想, 即运用生态经济学原理, 在因地制宜的基础上, 采取以林为主, 生态学、环境学、农学、系统工程学以及流行病学等众多学科结合, 林、农、副、渔等多种经营, 创立融抑螺防病、经济、生态三效一体的人工林生态系统——抑螺防病林。通过多年的试验研究, 提出了多物种、多层次、多结构、多功能的低丘滩地的治理与开发模式以及不同类型的抑螺防病综合治理模式, 形成了以生物为主与工程措施相互结合的一整套较为系统的抑螺防病林体系。目前在长江流域湖区5省建立抑螺防病林试验点19个, 试验区面积6万多hm2, 抑螺防病效果十分明显。同时, 林业血防生态工程还兼具湿地保护、促进滩地综合治理与开发、有效降低滩地钉螺密度和促进林业产业发展等多重功能。     

福寿螺对水体环境与水体微生物的影响

福寿螺为首批入侵中国的16种危害最大的外来物种之一,它适应性强、食性广泛、繁殖速度快,近年来对稻田等水体生态系统造成了较大危害。本研究通过室内养殖试验,探讨了福寿螺对水体环境,以及福寿螺养殖液对水体放线菌和酵母菌的影响效应。结果发现,与对照处理相比,养殖福寿螺的水体呈弱酸性,水体的浊度、总氮、总磷等含量随着养殖时间的延长而增大。同时,福寿螺养殖液使水体中总细菌的数量显著增加,对酵母菌的生长有促进效应,但不同密度福寿螺的养殖液对酵母菌和放线菌的生长均无显著差异。本研究表明,福寿螺入侵可能会导致水体富营养化和水质恶化等环境问题。这些研究结果可为福寿螺入侵的生态危害及风险评价提供参考依据。     

Conotoxins: Therapeutic Potential and Application

The pharmacological variety of conotoxins, diverse peptides found in the venoms of marine cone snails, is well recognized. Venoms from each of the estimated 500 species of cone snails contain 50 to 200 distinct biologically active peptides. Most conotoxins characterized to date target receptors and ion channels of excitable tissues, such as ligand-gated nicotinic acetylcholine, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and type 3 serotonin receptors, as well as voltage-gated calcium, sodium, and potassium channels, and G-protein-coupled receptors including α-adrenergic, neurotensin, and vasopressin receptors, and the norepinephrine transporter. Several conotoxins have shown promise in preclinical models of pain, convulsive disorders, stroke, neuromuscular block, and cardioprotection. The pharmacological selectivity of the conotoxins, coupled with the safety and efficacy demonstrated in preclinical models, has led to their investigation as human therapeutic agents. In the following review, we will survey the pharmacology and therapeutic rationale of those conotoxins with potential clinical application, and discuss the unique challenges that each will face in the course of their transition from venom component to human therapeutic.     

南昌市抑螺防病林工程实施探讨

分析了南昌市自然、经济、螺情概况,从组织领导、科学规划、经营主体等方面探讨了抑螺防病林工程实施成效及措施,指出了目前存在的问题,并提出了相应的建议。     

Acute toxicity in five dogs after ingestion of a commercial snail and slug bait containing iron EDTA

This case series of five dogs describes the effects of ingesting large amounts of an iron EDTA snail-bait product. In all cases signs of toxicity occurred between 6 and 24 h after ingestion and included abdominal pain and haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Two of the dogs had pretreatment serum iron levels measured and in both cases the levels were above normal limits. All of the dogs were treated with iron chelation therapy and supportive care including intravenous fluids, analgesics, gastric protectants and antibiotics. Chelation therapy with desferrioxamine mesylate did not cause adverse effects in any of the dogs and all survived to discharge. The effects of iron EDTA snail bait in dogs requires further study and minimum toxic doses need to be established.