Agrocenosis Stability during Long-Term Application of Fertilizers on Soddy-Podzolic Soil

Eurasian Soil Science - In a long-term field experiment in the western part of the nonchernozemic zone of Russia (Smolensk oblast) on sandy loamy soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Glossic Retisol...     

Maize harvest index and water use efficiency can be improved by inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis

Possibilities to improve maize harvest index and nutrient utilization efficiency by application of plant growth regulators were investigated. In container experiments, the effects of different growth regulators on the development of the maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas were tested. Paclobutrazol (PAC) and chlorocholine chloride (CCC), two inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis, as well as gibberellic acid (GA₃) were applied at growth stage V5. Three weeks after application of PAC, shoot growth of both maize cultivars was strongly affected with a significant decrease in plant height in the PAC treatment by 44% and 36% for Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas, respectively. The growth‐retarded plants had higher leaf areas and reduced transpiration rates. The higher shoot growth after GA₃ application was accompanied by a reduction in leaf area and an increase in transpiration rate during 1 week before anthesis. CCC treatment showed no significant effects on plant height, leaf area and transpiration rate. The PAC‐treated cultivar Pioneer 3906 produced several cobs per plant, which were mainly barren at maturity. However, PAC application to Fabregas resulted in just one cob per plant with good kernel development and a grain yield, which was not significantly reduced in comparison with the control. With this similar grain yield in combination with a straw yield decrease of 32%, the harvest index was significantly improved by 12%. In addition, with PAC‐treated Fabregas plants, a 19% increased water use efficiency of the grain (WUE_grain) during the critical period of kernel setting was achieved. In this maize cultivar, CCC application also improved harvest index by 5%, but no effect on WUE_grain occurred. GA₃ treatment decreased harvest index of both maize cultivars, and it either reduced WUE_grain (Pioneer 3906) or showed no effect (Fabregas). Utilization efficiencies of N, P and K were not increased with growth regulator application, even in the PAC‐treated Fabregas plants with a significantly improved allocation of assimilates to the grain, mirrored by the higher harvest index. The results indicate that fertilizer applications must be adjusted to the reduced demand of growth‐retarded plants, most likely leading to higher nutrient utilization efficiencies.     

Evidence of cormorant‐induced mortality,disparate migration strategies and repeatable circadian rhythm in the endangered North Sea houting (Coregonus oxyrinchus): A telemetry study mapping the postspawning migration

Life history theory predicts a trade‐off between migration and residency where migration is favoured when it infers elevated fitness. Although migration to more favourable environments may offer higher growth rates, migrants often experience increased mortality due to predation. Here, we investigated mortality and migration behaviour of the North Sea houting (Coregonus oxyrinchus), an anadromous salmonid endemic to the Wadden Sea. We used acoustic telemetry to map the migration of the only remaining indigenous population by applying stationary hydrophones combined with manual tracking. Data suggested a total mortality of 26%, with 30% of the total mortality attributed to predation by great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis), highlighting that North Sea houting conservation could be jeopardised by increased cormorant predation. Risk of cormorant predation was size‐dependent, with smaller fish suffering higher risk of predation. The study found North Sea houting to exhibit disparate migration strategies and identified a lentic area in the estuary as an important habitat. Two newly established artificial lakes within the river system significantly reduced the migration speeds, possibly indicating constrained navigation through the lakes. The migration into the Wadden Sea correlated with temperature perhaps indicating osmoregulatory constraints of sea entry. Unlike many salmonid species, migration occurred both day and night. Moreover, fish exhibited repeatable individual differences in diel activity patterns, suggesting that individuals differ consistently in their migratory activity throughout the 24‐hr period. Our study provides novel information on salmonid migration, which is crucial for the development of science‐based conservation strategies.     

Allochrony as a potential driver for reproductive isolation in adaptive radiations of European whitefish ecomorphs

In northern Fennoscandian lakes, monophylogenetic lineages of postglacial fishes are radiating into several adaptive forms, but the speciation process is still at an incipient stage. The speciation process has received increased attention over the years, but the underlying mechanisms and drivers are still debated and poorly understood. European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus [L.]) is the most abundant fish species in these lakes and has evolved into several ecomorphs adapted to different trophic niches and habitats. Genetic divergence has been observed among these ecomorphs, but the mechanism(s) responsible for the ongoing build-up of reproductive isolation has still to be revealed. As these systems are young in evolutionary time (<10 kyr), prezygotic and postzygotic extrinsic isolation mechanisms are thought to be more likely to contribute to the reproductive isolation than intrinsic isolation mechanisms. We determined the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of three ecomorphs in two replicated lake systems and used GSI as a proxy to investigate the prezygotic isolation mechanism, allochrony, as a driving factor of divergence in this adaptive radiation of whitefish. We found that the three ecomorphs differed in GSI values within and between lakes, suggesting different spawning times of the ecomorphs. We also show that males of one ecomorph had equal onset of maturity as another ecomorph, giving novel insights into the ongoing gene flow observed between ecomorphs. The result supports allochrony as a driver for the divergence process of whitefish ecomorphs, but more evidence is still needed to rule out that the three ecomorphs make use of different spawning grounds.     

Lipid content and fatty acid composition of freshwater eels Anguilla japonica caught in different seasons and locations in South Korea

Fisheries Science - The objective of this study is to determine the lipid content and fatty acid composition of Anguilla japonica caught in South Korea. Seventy-nine eels caught at four different...     

Fishing efficiency of competitive largemouth bass tournament anglers has increased since early 21st century

Tournament fishing has risen in popularity over the last half a century. As such, social and financial incentives combined with technological advancements are expected to drive changes in angler's capacity to exploit tournament‐eligible fish stocks, as has been observed in commercial fisheries. The aim of this study was to quantify temporal trends in angler efficiency and their ability to exploit a given fish stock relative to effort in largemouth bass fishing tournaments. A collective analysis across seven Illinois reservoirs comparing change through time in angler catch rates and relative population abundances indicated that angler efficiency has generally improved through time. For the decade from 2005 to 2015, a greater than threefold increase in the efficiency of anglers to exploit a static population of largemouth bass was estimated. Anglers have become more efficient at exploiting populations, which is likely to influence management decisions in the future, particularly in harvest‐orientated fisheries and those reliant upon fishery‐dependent surveys.     

Dietary nucleotides enhance growth performance,feed efficiency and intestinal functional topography in European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleic acids (NU) have many critical functions in supporting life and increasing evidence suggests that exogenous supply can benefit the health of mammals and fish. For these reasons, a 6‐week feeding trial was conducted on juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) with diets containing 0%, 0.15% and 0.3% inclusion of a NU mixture (Laltide^®) derived from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. At the end of the study no significant differences were found in fish performance, although a tendency towards better performance was indicated in fish fed the Nu0.3 diet. In relation to histological assessment, a significantly greater perimeter ratio; internal to outer (IP/OP) was observed in the posterior intestine of fish fed supplemental NU. Microvilli heights in the posterior intestine were also shown to be significantly promoted in fish fed NU diets (p < 0.05). Goblet cell abundance was shown to be unaffected by the inclusion of NU in the diet (p > 0.05). Overall, this study indicates that orally administered NU may be effective promoters of gut functional topography with marginal associated improvements to fish performance. Nonetheless, longer exposure and/or commercial scale application, and in diets that were challenging in use of high inclusion levels of plant by‐products would potentially amplify improvements in production characteristics, in turn benefiting fish culturists.     

Attachment and growth of vegetative propagules of Chondria crassicaulis Harvey (Ceramiales,Rhodophyta) under various culture conditions

The red alga Chondria crassicaulis has a wide‐ranging bioactive chemical composition and is used as a local foodstuff, representing a potentially new cultivar in Korea. The cultivation techniques were developed by examining the monthly changes in frond weight in a field population of C. crassicaulis from November 2016 to October 2017. For seedling production, temperature and irradiance effects on the attachment and growth of vegetative propagules of C. crassicaulis were evaluated. In addition, effects of day length and salinity on the propagule growth were examined. C. crassicaulis is a year‐round species with a maximum frond wet weight of 817 mg observed in July 2017, as seawater temperature increases to 20°C. The attachment of vegetative propagules was significantly affected by temperature and irradiance, with maximal values detected at 20–25°C and 60 µmol photons m^?2 s^?1. The relative growth rates of vegetative propagules of C. crassicaulis were the highest at 20–25°C, 60 µmol photons m^?2 s^?1, and a salinity of 25 psu. In conclusion, due to its tremendous tolerance under variable environmental conditions, the vegetative propagules of C. crassicaulis can be used as seedlings for mass cultivation.