Threats to at-risk salmonids of the Canadian Rocky Mountain region

Trout and charr, members of the salmonid family, have high conservation value but are also susceptible to anthropogenic threats in part due to the specificity of their habitat requirements. Understanding historical and future threats facing these species is necessary to promote their recovery. Of freshwater trout and charr in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region, westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus; a charr species) and Athabasca rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are of conservation concern. And indeed, range contractions and declining populations are evident throughout much of their ranges. Range contraction was most evident in the southern Alberta designatable unit (DU) of westslope cutthroat trout. Diminished populations were also evident in the downstream watersheds of the Alberta bull trout range, and throughout the Athabasca rainbow trout range. We assessed historical and future threats to evaluate the relative importance of individual threats to each DU and compare their impact among species. Individual threats fall into the broad categories of angling, non-native species and genes, habitat loss and alteration, and climate change. Severity of each threat varies by DU and reflects the interaction between species’ biology and the location of the DU. Severity of threats facing each DU has changed over time, reflecting extirpation of native populations, changes in management and industry best practices, expansion of non-native species and progressing climate change. The overall threat impact for each DU indicates a high probability of substantial and continuing declines and calls for immediate action.     

Beaver dams,streamflow complexity,and the distribution of a rare minnow,Lepidomeda copei

Freshwater fishes are threatened globally, and often too little is known about threatened species to effectively guide their conservation. Habitat complexity is linked to fish species diversity and persistence, and degraded streams often lack habitat complexity. Beaver Castor spp., in turn, have been used to restore streams and increase habitat complexity. The northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei is a rare, small‐bodied, drift‐feeding minnow that has anecdotally been observed to use complex habitats associated with beaver dams in the western United States. To investigate this anecdote, we conducted fish and habitat surveys, the latter focusing on quantifying habitat complexity, in a sub‐basin of the Upper Snake River Basin in the USA. Complementary generalised linear model and path analyses revealed that northern leatherside chub occurred more often at sites with complex streamflows, and streamflows were more complex when beaver dams were present and pools were deeper. Northern leatherside chubs were also more likely to occur when temperatures were warmer, aquatic macrophytes were abundant and stream channels were narrow and deep. The linkage between chubs, complex streamflows and beaver dams needs to be evaluated more broadly to completely understand its role in the rangewide status of the species. However, it does suggests that increased use of beaver reintroductions and dam analogues for stream restoration could be a boon for the northern leatherside chub, but such efforts should be monitored to determine their effectiveness to help adapt beaver‐based restoration approaches to best benefit the species.     

Nutrients in litterfall,forest floor and mineral soils in two adjacent forest ecosystems in Greece

The fluxes of masses and the nutrients Ca,Mg,K,N,P and S were determined in the litterfall of two adjacent forest ecosystems of Hungarian oak(Quercus frainetto L.)and European beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)in a mountainous area of northeastern Greece in 2010–2015.The foliar litterfall for both species reached about 70%of the total litterfall,and was significantly higher from the other two fractions(woody and rest litterfall).The fluxes of masses and nutrients were compared between ecosystems for each fraction separately.Only one significant statistical difference was found,that of K in the woody litterfall.In addition,the stocks of masses and nutrients were calculated in the forest floors and mineral soils of the two ecosystems.Likewise,the stocks of nutrients in the forest floors and mineral soils were compared between ecosystems.In the L horizon of the forest floors,statistical differences,as a result of species effect,were found for the stocks of Ca and N.In the FH horizons,the masses and all the nutrient stocks differed significantly,as the beech plot had much higher quantities of organic matter and nutrients.These higher quantities were probably due to low soil temperatures(microclimate)and high acidity in the beech plot(species effect)that slowed down decomposition.In the mineral soils,the propagation of random error derived from random errors of the individual soil layers was an important factor in the statistical comparisons.Because of the soil acidity in the beech plot,the stocks of exchangeable base cations were significantly higher in the oak plot,whereas the other nutrient stocks did not differ.     

一种面向育种家的新型台式棉籽脱绒机

正棉籽酸脱绒会危害育种家人身安全和潜在环境。需要1种无需用酸,能有效去除棉短绒且对棉种萌发无不利影响的脱绒方法。为了优化棉籽机械脱绒流程,美国农业部农业研究中心(USDA-ARS)棉花生产与加工部门(Lubbock,Texas)研发创制了一台棉籽机械脱绒样机(图1,图2)。测试设计了应用7种滚筒衬垫(1种是不用任何研磨材料,其余6种分别采用不同的研磨材料)、1个或2个辊刷"擦     

母体外激素对仔猪断奶后行为的影响

猪嗅觉系统高度发达 ,有多种外激素都能调节猪的行为和生理。外激素是动物分泌的一种化合物 ,它能影响其它动物个体的行为和生理。外激素还传递个体、性别或其它识别模式的信息。还有证据表明 ,母体外激素可调节哺乳仔猪的行为。行为学研究结果表明 ,用溶剂将泌乳母猪皮肤上的气味洗去 ,仔猪就会拒绝哺乳 ,还证明了仔猪会被粪便中或其他生物液体中的母体气味所吸引 ,并且会区分这些物质中的母体气味。Pageat(2 0 0 1)分离到了哺乳动物的皮肤分泌物 ,研制出了与母猪皮肤分泌物成分相类似的脂肪酸混合物。据认为 ,这种混合物中可能含有母体外…