Threats to at-risk salmonids of the Canadian Rocky Mountain region

Trout and charr, members of the salmonid family, have high conservation value but are also susceptible to anthropogenic threats in part due to the specificity of their habitat requirements. Understanding historical and future threats facing these species is necessary to promote their recovery. Of freshwater trout and charr in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region, westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus; a charr species) and Athabasca rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are of conservation concern. And indeed, range contractions and declining populations are evident throughout much of their ranges. Range contraction was most evident in the southern Alberta designatable unit (DU) of westslope cutthroat trout. Diminished populations were also evident in the downstream watersheds of the Alberta bull trout range, and throughout the Athabasca rainbow trout range. We assessed historical and future threats to evaluate the relative importance of individual threats to each DU and compare their impact among species. Individual threats fall into the broad categories of angling, non-native species and genes, habitat loss and alteration, and climate change. Severity of each threat varies by DU and reflects the interaction between species’ biology and the location of the DU. Severity of threats facing each DU has changed over time, reflecting extirpation of native populations, changes in management and industry best practices, expansion of non-native species and progressing climate change. The overall threat impact for each DU indicates a high probability of substantial and continuing declines and calls for immediate action.     

圈养华南虎血液生化指标正常参考值初步研究

以国内部分圈养的健康华南虎Panthera tigris amoyensis作为研究对象,通过收集华南虎血液生化报告和采集华南虎血液样本检测建立样本数据,血样检测采用自动血液生化分析仪干式试剂片生化技术测定,测定血液生化指标包括血糖(GLU)、总蛋白(TP)、总胆固醇(CHOL)、总胆红素(TBIL)、肌酐(CREA)等。得到华南虎血液生化共38项指标的正常参考值范围(95%概率),其中几项主要指标正常值范围如下:GLU(2.82-11.55)mmol/L、TP(56.58-85.93)g/L、CHOL(3.32-8.66)μmol/L、TBIL(0-5.30)μmol/L、CREA(52-349)μmol/L等。统计结果显示,雌雄华南虎间血液生化指标的部分项目有差异(P <0.05),幼龄组和成年组间各项生化指标差异不显著(P >0.05),与其他虎亚种相关血液生化报道的生化指标部分有差别。华南虎血液生化指标正常参考值范围不同于其他虎亚种,建立华南虎血液生化指标正常值对华南虎的饲养管理、疾病诊治预防和保育繁殖研究工作有重要作用。     

宿主域扩大的苜蓿尺蠖核多角体杂交型病毒

将家蚕核型多角体病毒 (BombyxmoriNuclearPolyhedrosisVirus,BmNPV)的解链酶基因DNA和苜蓿尺蠖核型多角体病毒 (AutographacalifonicaMultipleNuclearPolyhedrosisVirus,AcMNPV)的基因组DNA共转染到秋粘虫细胞系Sf 2 1,经过累代的筛选获得既能感染家蚕细胞 ,又能感染秋粘虫细胞的宿主域扩大的杂交型病毒HyNPV。     

新疆哈密瓜疫病掘氏疫霉及寄主范围的初步研究

据1981～1983年9个哈密瓜生产基地根颈部病害的病原成份调查表明,哈密瓜疫病的优势种为掘氏疫霉菌(Phytophthora drechsleri Tucker.)。为澄清在新疆掘氏疫霉的寄主范围,1989～1990年用1981年采自鄯善县哈密瓜上分离的单孢(Phy-6)菌株,在温室平均温度25～28℃条件下对5科25种自然根颈感病的栽培作物作接种试验。结果表明,本菌是葫芦科大多数作物的重要致病菌,并可侵染棉花和红花;在有伤口条件下可以侵染南瓜、西葫芦和茄株;对苦瓜、丝瓜,豆科作物的豇豆、四季豆、菊科的向日葵、茄科的蕃茄、辣椒、烟草、马铃薯、蔷薇科草莓(植株)等均不能致病。     

国产MJ3210小型木工跑车带锯机锯解正交试验分析

采用正交试验设计法，对国产MJ3210小型木工跑车带锯机的锯解质量进行研究。通过实测马尾松锯材尺寸偏差、表面粗糙度等参数，得到其最佳的进料速度、锯解厚度和锯卡高度的组合方案。结果表明，该设备具有结构简单、出材率高、锯解精度高、质量好、成本低和生产效率高等优点。     

日光温室内外金太阳杏光合特性的比较研究

为了探明杏对设施栽培的生理反应,对日光温室内外金太阳杏光合特性进行了比较研究。结果表明,日光温室栽培条件下,金太阳杏单位重量叶片的叶绿素含量增加;光(CO2)饱和点和光(CO2)补偿点降低鸦露地晴天净光合速率Pn日变化呈明显的双峰曲线,温室内也呈双峰线,但双峰出现原因不同。并且研究了影响光合作用的主要生态因子及变化规律,发现净光合速率与胞间CO2浓度、蒸腾作用、气温、叶温、光合有效辐射等因子相关。     

Historical range of variability in eastern Cascades forests,Washington, USA

The historical range of variability (HRV) has been suggested as a coarse filter approach to maintain ecosystem sustainability and resiliency. The historical range of variability in forest age structure for the central eastern Cascade Range in Washington State, USA was developed from historical fire return intervals and the manner in which fire acted as both cyclic and stochastic processes. The proportions of seven forest structural stages calculated through these processes were applied to the area of each forest series within the central eastern Cascades landscape. Early successional forest stages were more common in high elevation forest than low elevation forest. The historical proportion of old growth and late successional forest varied from 38 to 63 percent of the forested landscape. These process-based estimates are consistent with those developed from forest structural information. HRV is a valuable planning tool for ecosystem conservation purposes, but must be applied to real landscapes with consideration of both temporal and spatial scale. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Biology of the Larger Grain Borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

After about 25 years of intensive research a substantial moment of information has accumulated on the basic biology of Prostephanus truncatus in stored products. This article reviews the literature on the geographical distribution, biotypes, symbiotic associations, mating and flight behaviour, oviposition, and development on both agricultural and non-agricultural hosts. The current knowledge about the nutritional biology (including the role of symbionts) and host finding behaviour (including the inter-linked roles of plant chemicals and the insect's own pheronones) are highlighted as research areas which deserve future attention. In addition, few studies have been conducted to determine the extent to which the biology of P. truncatus permits it to survive and reproduce in non-agricultural environments. These areas of study should be pursued as possible routes to providing more effective integrated pest managements strategies for the larger grain borer.     

Resistance to Leveillula taurica in the genus Capsicum

One hundred and sixty-two Capsicum genotypes were evaluated for powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) resistance, following inoculations with a suspension of 5 × 10⁴ conidia mL⁻¹ on 10-leaved to 12-leaved plants. Genotypes were graded into five resistance classes, based on the areas under the disease progress curves calculated from disease incidence (percentage infected leaves per plant) and severity (total number of colonies per plant). Results revealed a continuum from resistance to susceptibility, with the majority (70%) of C. annuum materials being classified as moderately to highly susceptible to L. taurica. Conversely, C. baccatum, C. chinense and C. frutescens were most often resistant, indicating that resistance to L. taurica among Capsicum species is found mainly outside the C. annuum taxon. Nevertheless, some resistant C. annuum material was identified that may be useful for resistance breeding. Eight genotypes were identified as immune to the pathogen: H-V-12 and 4638 (previously reported), and CNPH 36, 38, 50, 52, 279 and 288. Only H-V-12 and 4638 are C. annuum, while all others belong to the C. baccatum taxon. Latent period of disease on a set of commercial sweet pepper genotypes varied, indicating diverse levels of polygenic resistance. The latent period progressively reduced with plant maturity, from 14·3 days in plants at the mid-vegetative stage to 8·6 days in plants at the fruiting stage. Young plants of all commercial genotypes tested at the early vegetative stage were immune, irrespective of the reaction of the genotype at later stages, demonstrating widespread juvenile resistance to L. taurica in the Capsicum germplasm. Inoculation of plants of different botanical taxa with a local isolate indicated a wide host range. Some hosts, including tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), artichoke (Cynara scolymus) and poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), produced large amounts of secondary inoculum. Other hosts included okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), eggplant (Solanum melongena), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), Solanum gilo, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Nicandra physaloides.     

Biological and molecular characterization of Tomato spotted wilt Virus in Israel

Received April 24, 1997; received in final form June 29, 1997. Symptoms resembling tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) infections were documented among ornamental and vegetable crops in commercial greenhouses and open fields in Israel. Plants exhibiting these symptoms were collected from January 1992 to December 1996. Among cultivated plants analyzed for TSWV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 19 species representing five families were found to be infected; natural infection was also recorded in six plant species of weeds. Virus identity was characterized by host range, serology and electron microscopy. Serological reaction with the isolates, found in Israel, using antisera from different sources as well as the sequence analysis of the nucleocapsid gene, demonstrated that the Israeli isolates of TSWV are a member of tospovirus serogroup I, type I (BR-01 strain). No virus transmission was found in seeds collected from virus-infected vegetable and ornamental crops. A non-radioactive molecular probe derived from the cloned nucleocapsid isolate enables specific detection of the virus in crude sap from infected plants. The detection of TSWV in Israel constitutes a severe potential threat to the ornamental and vegetable industry.