Genotyping,pedigree reconstruction and endocrinological characterization of Acipenser naccarii (Bonaparte, 1836) using microsatellite markers and plasma steroid levels

This study aimed to set up a method for the long‐term management of Adriatic sturgeon, through the analysis of sex steroids and the genetic profiling of individuals in order to maximize the already reduced genetic variability of this species. Ten A. naccarii adults (nine of captive origin, one captured in the Ticino river and then moved into captivity) and eight subadults located in a semi‐natural land‐locked pond in Abbiategrasso (Milan, Italy) were analysed. Plasma testosterone differed significantly in the eight analysed subadults allowing their differentiation into two groups: the first group with an average testosterone concentration of 5.42 ± 1.31 ng/ml (probably female) and the second group with an average of 423.14 ± 75.97 ng/ml (probably male), as subsequently confirmed by artificial stripping. The plasma testosterone level was also significantly different between adult males and females (371.37 ± 43.58 vs. 95.34 ± 51.10 ng/ml), while the E2 levels showed no significant differences. Animals were genotyped on the basis of 10 microsatellite loci and their parental relationships were defined: four adults, two females and two males, generated the eight subadults. On the basis of pedigree analyses and genetic distances, 15 unrelated couples were identified for the future breeding seasons. Finally, the adult female captured in the Ticino River showed an interesting genetic profile, widely different from all of the other 17 specimens analysed, and represents a valuable source of genetic diversity.     

Effect of high inclusion of rendered animal by‐product ingredients on growth,digestibility and economic performances in climbing perch Anabas testudineus

A 70‐day growth trail was conducted to investigate the effects of inclusion of high levels of meat and bone meal (MBM) and protein concentrate (PC) on growth, digestibility and economic performances of climbing perch, Anabas testudineus. Four isonitrogenous diets were formulated by lowering the level of dietary fishmeal protein at 0 (D₁, control), 70 (D₂), 85 (D₃) and 100% (D₄) with a mixture of MBM and PC protein (1:1). Triplicate groups of 300 fish (mean weight of 0.80 g) stocked in each 40 m² pond and fed the respective test diets. A digestibility trial was conducted after the growth trial in indoor glass aquarium. The result showed that growth parameters were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) with fishmeal replacement levels. However, significant differences were not found in feed conversion ratio and survival of fish. No difference was also found in protein efficiency ratio among D1, D2 and D3. Similar to growth parameters, total fish production was highest in D1, intermediate in D2 and D3; and lowest in D4. Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein and lipid were highest (P < 0.05) in D1 and lowest in D4. The economic analysis revealed that the benefit cost ratio was ranked by D₃ (1.81), D₂ (1.71), D₁ (1.66) and D₄ (1.46) respectively. Upon considering the overall performances and unavailability of finite protein sources, it can be concluded that 70–85% fishmeal could be replaced with a mixture of MBM and PC (1:1) in practical diets for climbing perch.     

Distribution and diversity of leaf-cutting ants in Northeastern Argentina: species most associated with forest plantations

Abstract

Leaf-cutting ants (LCA) are considered one of the main herbivores and one of the most destructive pest insects of the Neotropics. Northeastern Argentina harbors the greatest species richness of these ants and in turn comprises the highest surface with forest plantations. Our aim was to establish which species of leaf-cutting ants are most commonly associated with forest plantations by analyzing their geographic distribution using published and unpublished species occurrence data. Also, estimate their potential areas of distribution along a latitudinal gradient that entirely encompasses northeastern Argentina using Ecological Niche Modeling. Only seven of the 20 species recorded were strongly associated with productive systems along the gradient, but only 2–3 species in each region could be considered high-risk species for forest plantations. High-risk species composition shows a turnover between regions. Our models show the potential distribution areas where LCA could become more abundant and dominant, and possibly causing a detrimental effect on the forest plantations in the studied region. We find that ecological niche models are useful tools to assess the environmental suitability of important LCA.     

Detection of full and limited amphidromous migratory dynamics of fish in Caribbean rivers

All native fishes living in the Caribbean island rivers are considered diadromous but few species have been validated as diadromous. In Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles) as well as in the other tropical islands, the riverine habitats are subject to strong anthropogenic pressure due to resource modifications or dams. The management of fish biodiversity requires knowledge concerning their life history traits and behaviour that are still unknown for most species at a local scale and at the whole distribution area of the species. In a Guadeloupe river, we inferred the migratory patterns of four freshwater fishes common to Caribbean rivers by the analysis of otolith microchemistry. We found two species Eleotris perniger (Eleotridae) and Sicydium plumieri (Gobiidae) to be completely amphidromous with a marine larval phase and a freshwater adult phase. Agonostomus monticola (Mugilidae) was also found to be amphidromous in this system. The fourth species Gobiesox cephalus (Gobiesocidae) showed elemental ratios suggesting an estuarine larval phase and was defined as “limited amphidromous”. The identification of such life history traits, with limited dispersion abilities, argues for specific management measures in tropical island rivers at a basin scale for the conservation of biodiversity.     

Bioactivity of some formulations of neem seed extracts against the whiteflyBemisia tabaci (Genn.)

The bioactivity of different formulations of neem seed extracts against the whiteflyBemisia tabaci (Genn.) was assayed in semifield trials during 1992. Tomato plants variety UC-97 were cultivated in pots and left to natural infestation with whitefly in an open field and sprayed with various concentrations of each extract. The high concentrations of all the extracts tested exhibited obvious activity. Also, the different treatments reduced the population density of the adult whiteflies compared with the control. The percentage reduction in the population reached its maximum level one hour after treatment with any tested extract.With one table     

Laboratory evaluation of some pesticides on the cabbage aphid,Brevicoryne brassicae L. and their side effects on some important natural enemies

The susceptibility of adults of the cabbage aphid,Brevicoryne brassicae and two of the most important predators,Coccinella undecimpunctata andChrysopa carnea to pesticides was assessed. Most of the organophosphorus and carbamate compounds tested were toxic to the aphids. Profenophos was highly toxic to the adult virginoparous aphid at Lc50 level. Malathion demonstrated the highest toxicity to, the aphids. The application of profenophos for the cabbage aphid at Lc50 level exhibited no toxicity forCoccinella but was highly toxic forChrysopa. Pirimicarb proved to be the most selective of the compounds tested for the control of aphids when it was used at a concentration that caused 50% mortality as it was found to be unharmful to bothChrysopa andCoccinella. Dimethoate, on the other hand, was found to be very harmful and highly toxic to bothCoccinella andChrysopa adults and would probably be destructive to those natural enemies in the field. Laboratory evaluation indicates that both pirimicarb and malathion have potentials for use, in IPM program for vegetable pest control.     

Screening of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis> isolates from vineyards in Israel for resistance to fungicides

Plots in two vineyards in the Golan Heights, Israel were treated with six botryticides during three growing seasons with 3 applications per season. Applications of fenhexamid, pyrimethanil and cyprodinil + fludioxonil were effective, resulting in 52–65% and 53–63% mean reduction in grey mould incidence and severity, respectively. Carbendazim, fluazinam and iprodione were ineffective or slightly effective. Five hundred and sixteen B. cinerea isolates were collected from infected berries or trapped from the air in the vineyards, and profiles of sensitivity to benomyl, fenhexamid, fluazinam, fludioxonil, iprodione and pyrimethanil were established for each of the isolates based on a mycelial growth test. Seventy-four percent of the isolates were sensitive to the six tested fungicides, and the other 26% of the isolates were classified into 10 phenotypes characterized by resistance to one or more fungicides. Resistant isolates showed fitness parameters similar or reduced in comparison to sensitive isolates. Resistance to benzimidazoles and to dicarboximides was the most frequent (up to 25%) and apparently pre-existed in the populations tested. Increased frequency of benzimidazole resistance, but not dicarboximide resistance, was observed following the 3 years of applications of the fungicides. High level resistance to pyrimethanil was present at a frequency of about 2% in both vineyards in the first 2 years of the sampling survey and reached 10% in the third year at Site 2. A few isolates were resistant to fenhexamid or fludioxonil (0.8 or 0.2%, respectively). No strong resistance to fluazinam was detected, although numerous, less sensitive isolates, presumably possessing multi-drug resistance traits, were recovered at higher frequency from the plots treated with fluazinam than from the untreated plots.     

Food sources,digestive efficiency and resource allocation in the sea cucumber Holothuria forskali (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea): Insights from pigments and fatty acids

Various research projects in Europe and North Africa have recently intended to breed temperate holothurians to alleviate fishing pressure on natural populations. However, to date little is known about the nutritional requirements of East Atlantic and Mediterranean species. In this study, we propose a “natural population”‐oriented approach to characterize food sources, digestive efficiency and resources allocation based on the composition of pigments and fatty acids (FA) in gut contents and tissues (muscles, gonads and digestive tract walls) of wild individuals of the species Holothuria (Panningothuria) forskali (Delle Chiaje, 1823) sampled in Brittany (France). Our study reveals that neither green nor red algae enter the diet of H. forskali in spring and that the only fresh vegetal material found in gut contents is brown algae (very likely diatoms). The high nutritional quality of gut contents however contrasts with the detrital nature of the ingested food sources, suggesting that a trophic upgrading of organic matter occurs before digestion. In addition, unusual FA (i.e. only present in a few groups of living species) such as long‐chain monounsaturated FA (especially the FA 23:1ω9) were found in large proportions in muscles and gonad and their effect on sea cucumber fitness needs further investigation.     

基于SEPLS模型的GIAHS恢复力评估框架及其在保护成效评估中的应用

由联合国粮农组织认定的全球重要农业文化遗产(GIAHS)是一类典型的社会生态生产景观(SEPLS),在传统知识传承保护、粮食与食物安全保障、农业生物多样性保护、气候变化应对等诸多方面具有重要意义。为了更好、更有效地开展GIAHS保护及管理工作,本文在分析GIAHS评估重要性和恢复力概念的基础上,以联合国大学(UNU)等团队开发的社会生态生产景观恢复力评估框架(SEPLS模型)为基础,构建了GIAHS恢复力评估框架(GIAHS-RAF),明确了其评估及计算过程。并以中国第1个GIAHS项目——浙江青田稻鱼共生系统(Qingtian Rice-Fish Culture System in Zhejiang Province, RFC)为例,通过对核心保护区——龙现村在2004年(GIAHS项目授牌前)和2016年(GIAHS授牌11年)的恢复力状况进行评估,探讨模型在GIAHS保护成效评估中的适用性。研究结果显示:1)2016年龙现村恢复力整体状况相对较弱,各项资本评估得分为:物质资本(0.75)经济资本(0.63)人类资本(0.61)社会资本(0.57)自然资本(0.38);2)虽然农户收入来源多样且社会经济基础设施能较好地满足社区需求,但是遗产地内部农业物种较少,农户对于系统提供的粮食多样性尚不是非常满意; 3)相较于2004年,经过11年的保护工作,研究区恢复力有所提高,说明GIAHS项目的实施对该遗产的恢复力有积极影响,尤其是物质资本和经济资本两方面。评估结果与该区域相关研究结果及实地调查情况一致,说明所构建的GIAHS恢复力评估框架可以很好地应用于对GIAHS项目及其他相关农业文化遗产的保护成效评估工作。     

Anhydrous goat's milk fat: thermal and structural behaviors studied by coupled differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. 2. Influence of cooling rate

Crystallization and melting properties of triacylglycerols (TGs) in anhydrous goat's milk fat (AGMF) are investigated by X-ray diffraction as a function of temperature (XRDT) coupled with high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), using synchrotron radiation and Microcalix. The polymorphic behavior of AGMF was monitored by varying the cooling rates between 5 and 1 degrees C/min from 45 to -20 degrees C with their subsequent melting at 1 degrees C/min. Quenching of AGMF at -20 degrees C was also examined to determine the metastable polymorphic form of AGMF. At intermediate cooling rates, TGs in AGMF crystallize, from about 18 degrees C in two different lamellar structures with triple chain length 3Lalpha stacking of 72 A and a double chain length 2Lalpha stacking of 48 A, which are correlated to two overlapped exothermic peaks recorded by DSC. A reversible transition sub alpha <--> alpha was observed. Subsequent heating at 1 degrees C/min shows numerous structural rearrangements before final melting. At fast cooling of AGMF (5 degrees C/min), similar unstable crystalline varieties are formed while three endotherms are recorded. Several new unstable lamellar structures are observed after quenching. All of these data are compared to those previously reported at slow cooling (0.1 degrees C/min) showing a relative stability of the structures formed. In spite of general similitude, the thermal and structural behavior of the goat's milk is more complex than that of the cow's milk.