Temperate zone coastal seascapes: seascape patterning and adjacent seagrass habitat shape the distribution of rocky reef fish assemblages

Landscape Ecology - Whilst the composition and arrangement of habitats within landscape mosaics are known to be important determinants of biodiversity patterns, the influence of seascape patterning...     

DNA‐analysis to monitor fisheries and aquaculture: Too costly?

Evidence from DNA‐analysis is commonplace in human criminal investigations, and while it is increasingly being used in wildlife crime, to date, its application to control and enforcement activities in fisheries and aquaculture has only been sporadic. Contemporary DNA‐analysis tools are capable of addressing a broad range of compliance issues, species identification, mislabelling of fish products, determining the origin of catches and the farm of origin of aquaculture escapees. Such applications have the potential to ensure traceability along the fish product supply chain and to combat consumer fraud and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing. Nevertheless, DNA‐analysis is not yet used routinely in investigations into compliance with fisheries and aquaculture legislation. One potential reason for this is that DNA‐analysis techniques may have been regarded as too expensive. However, costs have plummeted over the past decade prompting us to objectively assess whether the costs associated with routine use of DNA‐analysis techniques for fisheries and aquaculture control and enforcement activities do constitute an impediment. Based on a number of recent fisheries and aquaculture compliance investigations that incorporated DNA‐analysis, our results indicate that the use of genetic analysis was justified and worthwhile in all cases examined. We therefore conclude that the costs associated with DNA‐analysis do not represent a barrier to the routine adoption of DNA‐analysis techniques in fisheries and aquaculture compliance investigations. Thus, control and enforcement agencies should be encouraged to use such techniques routinely.     

A test of supposed mutants for stem rust resistance in wheat

Summary Eight stem rust (Puccinia graminis tritici Eriks. and Henn.) resistant lines (designated TICENA lines) that had been selected by Veiga et al. (1981) following gamma radiation of BH-1146 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were studied. Six of the lines were resistant to race 15B-1 of stem rust and susceptible to race 56, and proved to carry the gene Sr7a. TICENA 4 carries two unidentified genes, each giving resistance to one of the two races. TICENA 10 carries Sr6, Sr7a and an unidentified gene giving resistance to race 56 but not 15B-1. The results raise doubts about the supposed origin of the lines as mutants.     

Effect of Stocking Density on the Growth,Survival, and Behavior of Postpuerulus Western Rock Lobster,Panulirus cygnus (George) (Decapoda: Palinuridae)

The effect of four stocking densities (30, 60, 100, and 150 lobsters/m²) on the growth and survival of Panulirus cygnus postpueruli was determined over a 112‐d grow‐out trial. Agonistic behavior at each experimental density was recorded using infrared filming. Survival and growth decreased with increasing density, although this trend was only significant between the lowest (30/m²) and the highest densities (150/m²) (P < 0.05) at the conclusion of the grow‐out trial. Density had no significant effect on apparent feed intake but significantly affected food conversion ratios (FCR) across all four densities, with FCR being best at 30/m² and worst at 150/m². The number and frequency of agonistic encounters per tank differed significantly with density, with agonistic encounters being highest at 150/m² and lowest at 30/m². Agonistic encounters coincided with the crepuscular foraging pattern of postpueruli. The reduction in survival and growth of postpueruli at the highest density (150/m²) can be attributed to the significant increase in the number of agonistic encounters. This study supports that P. cygnus postpueruli should be stocked at densities less than 100/m² in order to minimize the negative effect of density on growth and survival.     

Cataracts in Labrador Retriever and Jack Russell Terrier From the United Kingdom: A Two-Year Retrospective Study

Cataracts are among the most common ocular diseases, and are a leading cause of vision loss in humans and dogs. Jack Russell Terriers (JRT) and Labrador Retrievers (LR) are among the most popular canine breeds in the United Kingdom, and also among the most affected by cataracts.This study aimed to analyze the clinical features and the surgical outcome of cataracts in JRT and LR in an ophthalmologic reference Veterinary Hospital in the United Kingdom. For that purpose, medical records from JRT and LR diagnosed with cataracts between January 2015 and December 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Data related to identification, clinical history, preoperative features, and surgical outcomes were analyzed.Forty-four dogs (81 eyes), including 26 JRT and 18 LR, were enrolled in the study. Mean ages were 10.2 ± 3.2 years in JRT and 8.5 ± 3.7 years in LR. Twenty-eight (63.6%) were females and 16 (36.4%) were males. Most dogs (84.1%) presented with bilateral cataracts. Nuclear and cortical cataracts were the most prevalent type in both breeds (JRT: n?=?30, 61.2%; LR: n?=?16, 50.0%), although subcapsular cataracts were also frequent in LR (n?=?10, 31.3%). Significant differences in cataract location within the lens were detected between the two breeds (P?=?.002).Senile in JRT (n?=?7) and genetic in LR (n?=?7) were the most common etiologies. Concomitant ocular lesions were more frequent in dogs presented with cataracts in advanced stages, and included lens (n?=?18; JRT: n?=?15; LR: n?=?3) and retinal alterations (n?=?8; JRT: n?=?2; LR: n?=?6), and glaucoma (n?=?6; JRT: n?=?5; LR: n?=?1). Thirty-three animals (75.0%, 51 eyes) were submitted to phacoemulsification with intraocular lens placement. Of these, 28 eyes (54.9%; JRT: n?=?21; LR: n?=?7) were visual, 19 eyes (37.3%; JRT: n?=?11; LR: n?=?8) presented impaired vision and four eyes (7.8%; JRT: n?=?0; LR: n?=?4) were blind at last clinical record. Postoperative complications were detected in 11 eyes (21.6%), and were more frequent in dogs presented with cataracts in advanced stages.These results and the multifactorial nature of cataracts call for further studies to identify and characterize the variables in a broader assessment, including other breeds and influencing factors.     

Estimation of linkage disequilibrium in a sample of the United Kingdom dairy cattle population using unphased genotypes

The association between genetic marker alleles was estimated for two regions of the bovine genome from a random sample of 50 young dairy bulls born in the United Kingdom between 1988 and 1995. Microsatellite marker genotypes were obtained for six markers on chromosome 2 and seven markers on chromosome 6, spanning 38 and 20 cM, respectively. Two different methods, which do not require family information, were used to estimate population haplotype frequencies. Haplotype frequencies were estimated for pairs of loci using the expectation-maximization algorithm and for all linked loci using a Bayesian approach via a Markov chain-Monte Carlo algorithm. Significant (P = 0.0007) linkage disequilibrium was detected between pairs of loci in syntenic groups (that is, loci in the same linkage group), extending to about 10 cM. No significant linkage disequilibrium was detected between markers in nonsyntenic regions. Given the observed level of linkage disequilibrium, mapping methods based on population-wide association might provide a better resolution than traditional quantitative trait loci mapping methods in the U.K. dairy cattle population and may reduce the required sample sizes of the experiments.     

BOVINE HERPESVIRUS 1 - INFECTION OF THE UPPER ALIMENTARY TRACT OF CATTLE AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH A SEVERE MORTALITY

SUMMARY A severe cattle mortality in which 132 out of 340 animals died on a property in southern Queensland was investigated. Clinical signs shown by affected animals included fever, inappetance, depression, lethargy, salivation, diarrhoea, ataxia, and ulceration of the oral cavity. The most common lesions seen at autopsy of 6 affected animals were ulceration of the tongue, gums, dental pad and buccal mucosa, linear ulceration of the caudal third of the oesophagus, mild catarrhal enteritis and necrosis of lymph nodes draining areas of ulceration. Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV 1) was isolated from 3 out of 5 animals from which virus isolation was attempted. BHV 1 was recovered from oesophageal ulcers, retropharyngeal lymph nodes, blood clot, and swabs from ulcers in the oral cavity but not from spleen, liver or mesenteric lymph node. Serum neutralising (SN) antibody to BHV 1 was detected in 4 out of 12 affected animals in the second of paired serum samples but not in the first. Mucosal Disease (MD) virus was not recovered from any of 17 animals from which isolation was attempted but moderate MD SN titres, without a rise on paired sera, were detected in affected animals. Fever, depression, inappetance, ulceration of the upper alimentary tract, and adrenal necrosis were produced in 2 susceptible animals following inoculation with third passage cell culture fluid containing BHV 1. A serological response to BHV 1, but not to MD virus was detected in one of the cattle infected experimentally.