Holding wild Snow crab,Chionoecetes opilio: effects of stocking density and feeding on survival and injury

In this study the effects of different stocking densities on survival, injury and weight of captive male snow crab were examined. The first experiment (I) was carried out in square plastic tanks (700 L) with stocking densities of 100 (L), 150 (M) and 200 kg m^?3 (H) for 30 days. In a second experiment (II) snow crabs were kept at a stocking density of 50 kg m^?3 and were either fed (F) or not fed (S) for the same period of 35 days. The last experiment (III), was carried out with stocking densities of 25 kg m^?3 for 21 days with two groups, one with inactivated claw and one without rubber bands, with three replicates per treatment. In the first experiment mortality (H = 27, M = 26 and L = 36%) and occurrence of injuries (H = 27, M = 20 and L = 16%) were high in all groups. The weight loss during the experimental period was; H = 15.3, M = 10.9 and L = 15.5 g, and was not significant different between the groups. In experiment II the mortality (F = 13% and S = 14%) and injuries were lower (F = 12% and S = 17%). The average weight increased in the fed treatment and decreased in the starved treatments. In the last experiment there was no mortality in any of the groups and the levels of injury were low (5% and 7%). The results show that adult male snow crab cannot be stored at densities equal to or higher than 25 kg m^?3 for 3 weeks without risk of mortality.     

Physiological response of temperature shocks in turbot and sole

In the present study, selected temperature drops were examined to investigate the effects of live chilling on stress and welfare in turbot and sole. This study demonstrated that rapid temperature drops from 11°C–12°C and 18°C–18.7°C to 4°C–0°C in turbot resulted in higher blood sodium and potassium at 0°C (164 mmol l^?1, 4.4 mmol ^?1) compared to 4°C (153 mmol l^?1, 3.1 mmol ^?1), indicating osmoregulatory disturbance. A rapid temperature drop from 18°C to 0°C in Senegal sole also resulted in higher blood sodium and potassium at 0°C (164 mmol l^?1, 4.8 mmol ^?1) compared to the control group at 18°C (157 mmol l^?1, 3.2 mmol ^?1). Based on present findings, we conclude that immersion in ice water will have a negative effect on the animal osmoregulatory capacity, and we recommend that turbot and sole are stunned before slaughter.     

Effects on nutrients and on grain quality in spring wheat crops grown under elevated CO2 concentrations and stress conditions in the European, multiple-site experiment ‘ESPACE-wheat’

Nutrient element concentrations and grain quality were assessed in spring wheat grown under elevated CO₂ concentrations and contrasting levels of tropospheric ozone at different nitrogen supply rates at several European sites. Carbon dioxide enrichment proved to affect nutrient concentrations in a complex manner. In green leaves, all elements (with exception of phosphorus and iron) decreased. In contrast, effects on the element composition of grains were restricted to reductions in nitrogen, calcium, sulphur and iron. Ozone exposure resulted in no significant effects on nutrient element concentrations in different tissues in the overall analysis. The nitrogen demand of green tissues was reduced due to CO₂ enrichment as shown by reductions in the critical leaf nitrogen concentration and also enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. Reductions in the content of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and repression of the photorespiratory pathway and reduced nitrogen allocation to enzymes driving the photosynthetic carbon oxidation cycle were chiefly responsible for this effect. Thus, nitrogen acquisition by the crop did not match carbon acquisition under CO₂ enrichment. Since crop nitrogen uptake from the soil was already completed at anthesis, nitrogen allocated to the grain after anthesis originated from vegetative pools—causing grain nitrogen concentrations to decrease under CO₂ enrichment (on average by 15% when CO₂ concentrations increased from 360 to 680 μmol mol⁻¹). Correspondingly, grain quality was reduced by CO₂ enrichment. The Zeleny value, Hagberg value and dry/wet gluten content decreased significantly with increasing [CO₂]. Despite the beneficial impact of CO₂ enrichment on growth and yield of C₃ cereal crops, declines in flour quality due to reduced nitrogen content are likely in a future, [CO₂]-rich world.     

Forms and plant-availability of sulfur in cattle and pig slurry

The contribution of animal slurry to the supply of S to plants was studied. The total-S content of cattle and pig slurry was significantly correlated to DM and nitrogen content and was composed of sulfide, sulfate and C-bonded S. During 42 weeks of storage sulfate concentrations decreased and sulfide and C-bonded S concentrations increased. In a pot experiment plant-availability of S in slurry was found to be low, 5 to 7% of total-S.     

Foliar Injuries Caused by Ozone in Betula pubescens Ehrh. and Phleum pratense L. as Influenced by Climatic Conditions Before and During O3 Exposure

Seedlings of Betula pubescens Ehrh. (mountain birch) and Phleum pratense L. (timothy) were grown for 42 days under full light or 50% shade in the field at 12°C, and at comparable photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) levels in a greenhouse at 18°C. Plants from the four pretreatments were exposed to 78 nmol mol^-1 (ppb) O₃ (8 h day^-1) under two temperatures (15 and 25°C), two relative air humidities (50 and 80% RH) or two CO₂     

The Influence of Carbon Dioxide or Ozone Concentration on Growth and Assimilate Partitioning in Seedlings of Nine Conifers

Abstract

Seedlings of nine different conifers were exposed to 355 and 730 μmol mol-1 CO₂, or low (> 15 nmol mol^?1) and elevated 0₃ concentration (70 nmol mol^?1) for 81–116 days. The experiments were conducted in growth chambers placed in a greenhouse. Increased CO₂ concentration enhanced the mean relative growth rate (RGR) and total plant dry weight by 4 and 33% in Larix leptolepis, by 4 and 38% in Larix sibirica, by 7 and 47% in Picea glauca and by 3 and 16% in Picea sitchensis, respectively. The growth rates and dry weights of Pimis contorta, Pinus mugo and Pseudotsuga menziesii were not significantly affected. Carbon dioxide enrichment enhanced RGR of two provenances of Picea abies by 4 and 6%, respectively, while a third provenance was unaffected. In Pimis sylvestris, only the RGR of one of three provenances was stimulated by CO₂ enrichment (4%).

After two growth seasons CO₂ enrichment enhanced RGR and total plant dry weight by 11 and 35% in Picea abies and by 12 and 36% in Pinus sylvestris, respectively. Elevated CO₂ decreased the shoot:root ratio in Larix leptolepis, and decreased the needlerstem ratio in Picea glauca, but increased it in Pseudotsuga menziesii.

Elevated O₃ significantly decreased the plant dry weight in Picea sitchensis, Pseudotsuga menziesii and in one of three provenances of Pinus sylvestris, while the other species and provenances were unaffected. Increased O₃ concentration increased the shoot:root dry weight ratio in one of three Picea abies provenances, in all three Pinus sylvestris provenances and in Pinus contorta. The needle:stem ratio was enhanced by O₃ in seven of the nine species. The O₃ exposure caused chlorosis of needles in all species except Pseudotsuga menziesii.     

The influence of anaerobic muscle activity,maturation and season on the flesh quality of farmed turbot

In order to test seasonal, rearing, maturing and anaerobic muscle activity effect on the flesh quality of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) a total of 80 farmed turbot from three different strains from reared under natural or continuous light were killed by a percussive blow to the head in November (winter, Icelandic strain), March (spring, Portuguese strain) and June (summer, domesticated strain (France turbot)). To test the effect of anaerobic muscle activity, 10 fish were on each occasion pre rigor filleted, where one fillet was used as a control, while the other fillet was electrically stimulated using a squared 5 Hz, 10 V pulsed DC for 3 min. All pre rigor fillets were measured for pH, weighed, wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in polystyrene boxes with ice. After 7 days of storage the fillets were measured instrumentally for pH, drip loss, colour (CIE L* a* b*) and texture properties such as hardness and shear force, while fillet shrinkage and colour (RBG) were evaluated with computer imaging on photographs from a standard lightbox. Results showed that softness of the flesh was mainly influenced by factors associated with growth, such as season, photoperiod and maturation. Anaerobic muscle activity simulated with electrical stimulation caused an increase in drip loss (<1%) and loss of shear force (<4%), but had no effect on hardness or fillet shrinkage. Computer imaging revealed that muscle contractions related to the electrical stimulus forced out blood from the fillet causing less reddishness for the entire storage period. We conclude that a pH drop upon slaughter associated with anaerobic muscle activity has a minor effect on the flesh quality in the short run, while seasonal/alternatively genetic effects are predominant.     

Larval rearing environment influences the physiological adaptation in juvenile Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

Juvenile Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, that had been fed rotifers as larvae (R group) had significantly lower growth rates (SGR) at high-ambient ammonia (UIA?=?115?C120???g?l^?1) than did juveniles that had been first fed with natural zooplankton (Z group). Overall specific growth rates (SGRs) were 5?C11% higher in the Z group at the control ammonia (UIA?=?1?C2???g?l^?1) treatments. An interaction between larval rearing history, oxygen and ammonia levels was found, as SGR decreased with decreasing oxygen levels at high ammonia in the R group, while the SGR in the Z group were less affected by hypoxia. At high-ambient ammonia, the SGRs were 5% (mild hyperoxia, 101?C104% O₂ in effluent water), 28% (normoxia, 83?C88% O₂ in effluent water) and 86% (hypoxia, 57?C69% O₂ in effluent water) higher in the Z group, compared to the R group. The present findings indicate that larval rearing environment could influence the adaptability to environmental changes and growth performance during later juvenile stage in cod. These findings have implications for the optimization of Atlantic cod culture.     

Long-term effect of photoperiod manipulation on growth, maturation and flesh quality in Atlantic halibut

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of continuous light at different stages during the production cycle of Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus L. on growth, age at first maturity, endocrine parameters and flesh quality. A group of juvenile halibut [mean (SD), initial weight 191.3 g (44.7)] was reared in indoor tanks under ambient temperature conditions for 38 months until harvesting (mean final weight, 4.6 kg). The entire photoperiod experiment was divided into four phases, where the fish in each phase were exposed to either natural photoperiod (62°33'N) or continuous light (L). Thus, the following five photoperiod combinations were tested: (a) Control group (NNNN), (b) Group 2A (NLNN), (c) Group 2B (NNLN), (d) Group 2C (NNNL) and (e) Production group (LNNN). Exposure to continuous light stimulated growth, and the final mean weights of Groups 2A and 2B were 23% and 11% higher than those of the Control group (NNNN). The final plasma 11-ketotestosteron levels were lower in Groups 2A (2.94 ng mL⁻¹) and 2B (2.46 ng mL⁻¹) compared with the Control (5.29 ng mL⁻¹), Group 2C (5.09 ng mL⁻¹) and the Production group (4.78 ng mL⁻¹) during spring 2007 (age 4 years), indicating higher age at first maturity in Groups 2A and 2B. Photoperiod regime had only a minor, and transient, effect on flesh-quality traits of the fish, whereas a significant seasonal effect was seen with a tendency towards increased gaping, lower pH, lower hardness and lower shear force in July compared with December and March.     

Compensatory growth in Atlantic halibut: Effect of starvation and subsequent feeding on growth, maturation, feed utilization and flesh quality

A group of juvenile Atlantic halibut (mean, SD, 199.5 g, 44.7) was split into two experimental groups: one group was fed in excess twice a day and later five days a week (i.e. Control group), and the other group was starved for 5 weeks and then subsequently re-fed for 10 weeks (i.e. 5/10 starvation/re-fed group). This treatment was repeated for three years until the fish were harvested (mean final weight, 4.4 kg). A size +specific compensatory response was seen; partial compensation was observed in halibut weighing less than 500 g whereas full recovery growth was seen in halibut over 2 kg. Food consumption and feed conversion efficiency was measured during two full 5/10 starvation/re-fed cycles. The Control group consumed 86% more food in the measurement period, whereas the FCE 40% higher in the 5/10 starvation/re-fed group (FCE = 0.95) compared to the Control group (FCE = 0.68). In males lower gonadosomatic index (2.2 vs. 3.0) and plasma 11-ketotestosterone (0.22 vs. 1.26 ng ml^− 1) levels in the 5/10 starvation/re-fed group were observed during late winter and spring of 2006 (age 3 years) indicating higher age at 1st maturity. Starvation had a significant effect for improving the quality as starved fish had higher muscle pH (6.4 vs. 6.2), less gaping (0.1 vs. 0.3) and harder texture (61.4 vs. 57.6 N). Overall, the rearing on a repeated 5/10 starvation/re-fed regime for 3 years led to full growth compensation, higher feed conversion efficiency, lower male maturation and improved flesh quality.