A novel approach to estimating the competitive ability of Cirsium arvense in cereals using unmanned aerial vehicle imagery

Eight experiments were carried out in Denmark to determine the yield loss of spring barley due to Cirsium arvense in farmers' fields and to suggest and evaluate a novel approach for quantifying C. arvense infestation in large plots. Literature about the competitive ability of C. arvense is old, scattered and inconclusive, and existing models for estimating crop yield loss are based on data from North America. This study showed that C. arvense coverage could be quantified from unmanned aerial vehicle imagery using a manual image analysis procedure. This gave similar results as scoring the coverage. Yield loss of spring barley due to C. arvense infestation assessed at harvest was given by Y = 100·(1−exp(−0.00170·X)) where Y is the percentage of crop yield loss and X is the percentage of C. arvense coverage. The yield loss was much lower than estimates from models that have been developed in North America. It is speculated that the main reason for this is the later emergence of C. arvense than the crop due to lower soil temperatures in spring. Grain moisture increased linearly with C. arvense coverage: M = 0.0310·X where M is the proportional (%) increase in grain moisture and X is the proportion (%) of C. arvense coverage. Automated image analysis procedures are needed to estimate C. arvense coverage on field scales, and further experiments are needed to reveal whether the low competitive ability of C. arvense found in this study is representative for Northern Europe.     

Growth characteristics of the endangered thick‐shelled river mussel (Unio crassus) near the northern limit of its natural range

1. The thick‐shelled river mussel, Unio crassus (Bivalvia: Unionoida), is one of Europe's most‐threatened mussels. Finnish populations of U. crassus lie close to the northern limit of its natural distribution. Extirpation of these populations will reduce the range of this endangered species.
2. Growth characteristics of U. crassus were measured in a river running through the Helsinki metropolitan area. Shell dimensions (size‐at‐age data) and annual shell growth increments were used to reconstruct growth rate and its variation during the lifespan of individual mussels and to investigate the relationship between growth rate and longevity (age‐at‐death).
3. Reconstructed growth rates compared well with size‐at‐age data conventionally used to study individual growth in natural populations, and fitted von Bertalanffy growth functions very well. Based on the same function, reconstruction and size‐at‐age methods resulted in similar estimates of growth rate.
4. Shell weight explained the body size more reliably than age, suggesting that growth rate varied significantly among individuals. Comparison of individual growth histories revealed a negative correlation between age‐at‐death and growth rate, i.e. slow‐growing mussels lived longer, and vice versa.
5. In comparison with populations from central and southern Europe, U. crassus populations in the north of its range grew more slowly but lived longer, a phenomenon most likely explained by latitudinal changes in ambient temperature.
6. Although northern populations are expected to benefit from a relatively high number of reproductive periods and lower juvenile mortality, the individuals studied here died earlier and suffered higher mortality than expected and an elevated conservative status is identified. Any management programme should take into account the life‐history traits essential to the recognition of management units of U. crassus.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of Salinity,Commercial Salts,and Water Type on Cultivation of the Cryptophyte Microalgae Rhodomonas salina and the Calanoid Copepod Acartia tonsa

Marine aquaculture facilities positioned far from the sea need access to seawater (SW); hence, commercial salts are often the chosen solution. In marine hatcheries, most fish larvae require live feed (zooplankton) that are in turn fed with microalgae. The objective of this research was to investigate the applicability of commercial salts and clarify the potential effects on the cultivation of the microalga Rhodomonas salina and the copepod Acartia tonsa. Three commercial salts were tested, Red Sea Salt (RS), Red Sea – Coral Pro Salt (CP), and Blue Treasure Salt. R. salina was cultured at salinities of 10, 20, and 30 psu resulting in equal growth rates at salinities 20 and 30 in SW and RS mixed with deionized (DI) water. The optimum salinity for R. salina was 29 psu. For A. tonsa eggs, we observed highest hatching success in 30 psu with CP or RS mixed with DI water. The egg hatching success was not affected by salinities 15–40 and optimal hatching was obtained at 27 psu. Results confirm it was possible to use commercial salts for rearing of both R. salina and A. tonsa, widening the application of these species for aquaculture facilities without access to SW.     

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.     

Assessing the influence of mechanical ventilation on blood gases and blood pressure in rattlesnakes

ObjectiveTo characterize the impact of mechanical positive pressure ventilation on heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure, blood gases, lactate, glucose, sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations in rattlesnakes during anesthesia and the subsequent recovery period.Study designProspective, randomized trial.AnimalsTwenty one fasted adult South American rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus).MethodsSnakes were anesthetized with propofol (15 mg kg⁻¹) intravenously, endotracheally intubated and assigned to one of four ventilation regimens: Spontaneous ventilation, or mechanical ventilation at a tidal volume of 30 mL kg⁻¹ at 1 breath every 90 seconds, 5 breaths minute⁻¹, or 15 breaths minute⁻¹. Arterial blood was collected from indwelling catheters at 30, 40, and 60 minutes and 2, 6, and 24 hours following induction of anesthesia and analyzed for pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, and selected variables. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and HR were recorded at 30, 40, 60 minutes and 24 hours.ResultsSpontaneous ventilation and 1 breath every 90 seconds resulted in a mild hypercapnia (PaCO₂ 22.4 ± 4.3 mmHg [3.0 ± 0.6 kPa] and 24.5 ± 1.6 mmHg [3.3 ± 0.2 kPa], respectively), 5 breaths minute⁻¹ resulted in normocapnia (14.2 ± 2.7 mmHg [1.9 ± 0.4 kPa]), while 15 breaths minute⁻¹ caused marked hypocapnia (8.2 ± 2.5 mmHg [1.1 ± 0.3 kPa]). Following recovery, blood gases of the four groups were similar from 2 hours. Anesthesia, independent of ventilation was associated with significantly elevated glucose, lactate and potassium concentrations compared to values at 24 hours (p < 0.0001). MAP increased significantly with increasing ventilation frequency (p < 0.001). HR did not vary among regimens.Conclusions and clinical relevanceMechanical ventilation had a profound impact on blood gases and blood pressure. The results support the use of mechanical ventilation with a frequency of 1–2 breaths minute⁻¹ at a tidal volume of 30 mL kg⁻¹ during anesthesia in fasted snakes.     

Evaluation of Bacterial Effects on Folic Acid Loss in Fortified,Nixtamalized Corn Masa Flour

Many Mexican women are deficient in folic acid. Fortification of the corn tortilla could be an effective way to help increase the folic acid levels among the Mexican population. Previous studies have shown significant folic acid losses in the masa dough as it is held before baking. This loss in folic acid could be owing to utilization by lactic acid bacteria naturally present in the masa. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of bacteria native to corn masa on the folic acid content in masa. Bacteria in dough samples from six mills in Guadalajara, Mexico, were isolated and identified. Bacterial isolates were inoculated into sterile fortified corn masa flour, which was converted to masa and held at 56°C for 0, 3, and 6 h, replicating the conditions of freshly milled masa as held before baking. All samples, including the control, showed losses of folic acid between 66 and 79% w/w in the first 3 h of incubation. Because folic acid degradation in the sterile control sample was not different than the inoculated sample results, the decline in folic acid was not owing to bacteria (mainly Streptococcus spp.) present in the masa flour but appeared to be a chemical degradation related to time and temperature.     

261 Bisamratten im Aalfang

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