Impact of sedimentation history for As distribution in Late Pleistocene-Holocene sediments in the Hetao Basin,China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - To understand the impact of geochemical sedimentation history for arsenic (As) distribution in the sediment profiles of the Hetao Basin, we (1) evaluated sediments...     

Influence of climate and abundance on migration timing of adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) among rivers in Newfoundland and Labrador

Evidence mounts for the influence of climate variability on temporal trends in the phenology of many organisms including various species of fish. Accordingly, we examined variation in adult Atlantic salmon Salmo salar run timing in thirteen Newfoundland and Labrador rivers where returns were monitored at fishways or fish‐counting fences. Run timing varied significantly among rivers with the median date of return differing by up to 5 weeks. Duration of runs was generally short with most adults returning over a period of three to 5 weeks. A mixed model analysis incorporating a first‐order autoregressive error structure was used to generalise changes in run timing among all monitored rivers. Results indicated that the median date of return has advanced by almost 12 days over a 35‐year interval from 1978 to 2012, while several individual rivers have advanced by almost 21 days. The influence of climate on median timing was evident when the simultaneous effects of both climate and salmon abundance were controlled. We found earlier runs associated with overall warmer climate conditions on the Newfoundland and Labrador Shelf. Results contrast with those from the north‐east Atlantic where Atlantic salmon are returning later in some rivers coincident with warming climate conditions.     

Conservation needs for the endangered New Zealand sea lion,Phocarctos hookeri

1. Understanding population size and trend is critical information in species management and conservation. To enable accurate population trend estimates, consistent robust monitoring of a species is essential, particularly for a species such as the New Zealand (NZ) sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri , which has experienced an almost continuous decline in pup production since the late 1990s.
2. This research examines the pup production estimates for all known breeding sites for this species, and using a stage‐structured matrix population model, estimates population size and trend between 1995 and 2015.
3. Overall, it is estimated that 2,316 pups were born in 2015, a decrease of 13% since 1995 and a 27% decline since the highest pup production estimate in 1998. This decline has been driven by the significant decline of 48% at the main breeding area, the Auckland Islands since 1998.
4. Using the stage‐structured matrix population model a total species population size of 11,767 sea lions (95% CrI: 10,790–12,923) was estimated. This is the lowest population size of any sea lion species. Trend data for the Auckland Islands indicated that pup and population numbers have decreased at 1.9% yr^?1 in the last 20 yr, while total species population decline is 0.6% yr^?1.
5. Estimates of population trends for this species have been hindered by inconsistent monitoring at most breeding sites. This study strengthens the growing field of research highlighting the need for consistent long‐term monitoring for the conservation management of endangered species.

     

Efficiency of inorganic fungicides against the formation of Erysiphe necator chasmothecia in vineyards

BACKGROUND

A reduction in chasmothecia, an important inoculum of grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.), is essential for disease control in vineyards; the use of fungicides during the formation of chasmothecia on vine leaves, late in the growing season, may accomplish this. Inorganic fungicides, such as sulphur, copper, and potassium bicarbonate, are very useful for this purpose because of their multisite mode of action. The aim of this study was to evaluate chasmothecia reduction using different fungicide applications late in the growing season in commercially managed vineyards and in an exact application trial.

RESULTS

Chasmothecia on vine leaves were reduced in commercial vineyards by four copper (P = 0.01) and five potassium bicarbonate (P = 0.026) applications. The positive effect of potassium bicarbonate was also confirmed in the application trial, where two applications showed lower chasmothecia numbers than the control (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The application of inorganic fungicides reduced the amount of chasmothecia as the primary inoculum source. Potassium bicarbonate and copper are of further interest for disease control as these fungicides can be used by organic and conventional wine growers. The application of these fungicides should be carried out as late as possible before harvest to reduce chasmothecia formation and, consequently, the potential for powdery mildew infestation in the subsequent season. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Lumbo-sacral epidural anaesthesia as a complement to dissociative anaesthesia during scrotal herniorrhaphy of livestock pigs in the field

Background

In Sweden, scrotal or inguinal herniorrhaphy of livestock pigs in the field has traditionally been an important part of the surgical skills training of veterinary students. Few substances meet the legal requirements for field anaesthesia of production animals in the European Union but a protocol based on azaperone-detomidine-butorphanol-ketamine does. Unfortunately the anaesthesia is characterised by unpredictable duration and depth and of abrupt awakenings which is not acceptable from an animal welfare perspective and impedes surgical training. Lumbo-sacral epidural analgesia is proven to provide sufficient analgesia to allow abdominal surgery, but there are few reports on the field use of this loco-regional technique. The study aim was to evaluate whether lumbo-sacral anaesthesia can be safely and successfully used in the field by a veterinary student and whether the combination of dissociative and lumbo-sacral epidural anaesthesia improves analgesia and anaesthesia to guarantee animal welfare during herniorrhaphy in livestock pigs, enabling surgical skills training.

Results

Pigs in the control-group (placebo) responded significantly stronger to surgery, with five out of 11 requiring additional doses of detomidine and ketamine. There were no significant differences between groups in respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, SpO₂ or blood gases. SpO₂ levels <94 % were recorded in several pigs in both groups. No post-injection complications were reported at follow-up.

Conclusions

The results from this study showed that lumbo-sacral epidural anaesthesia with lidocaine could successfully be administered during dissociative anaesthesia of livestock pigs by a veterinary student and without reported post-injection complications. It improved analgesia and anaesthesia during herniorrhaphy of sufficient duration to enable surgical skills training. The risks and consequences of hypoxaemia and hypoventilation should be considered.     

Country‐wide analysis of large wood as a driver of fish abundance in Swedish streams: Which species benefit and where?

1. Rivers are heavily affected by human impacts that threaten many fish species. Among restoration measures, the addition of large wood (LW) in streams has been shown to increase fish abundance, yet which species benefit from LW, to what extent relative to other drivers, and which factors influence LW quantity is not clear, and these uncertainties limit our ability to use LW as an effective restoration measure.
2. Here, a time series (from 1993 to 2016) of electrofishing data, including 3641 streams across Sweden, was used to investigate the beneficial effects of LW on the abundance of juvenile brown trout, Salmo trutta, juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, and juvenile and adult sculpins, Cottus gobio and Cottus poecilopus, while accounting for other abiotic and biotic factors, and the drivers of LW abundance at a country‐wide scale.
3. Large wood benefitted brown trout, and the effects were greater with decreasing shaded stream surface. LW effects were comparable in magnitude to the positive effects of average annual air temperature and the negative effects of stream depth and predator abundance – factors where the influence was second only to the negative effects of stream width. LW did not benefit salmon abundance, which was correlated positively with stream width and negatively with altitude, nor did it benefit sculpin abundances, which mainly decreased with annual average air temperature and altitude.
4. The quantity of LW strongly diminished with stream width, and, to a lesser extent, with stream depth, altitude, annual average air temperature, and forest age, whereas it increased with stream velocity, slope, and forest cover.
5. The results suggest that LW can be used as an effective restoration tool for brown trout in shallow and narrow streams, especially in areas with little shade. Here, the addition of LW may help to alleviate the impacts of forest clearance and climate change.