乌鳢群体遗传多样性和遗传结构分析

为了解乌鳢群体遗传变异规律,本研究对8个群体共212个个体的mtDNA控制区全序列进行群体遗传多样性、遗传结构和群体历史动态分析。结果显示,乌鳢控制区全序列长度为907 bp,乌鳢群体单倍型多样性水平变化较大,中国黄河及以北的乌鳢群体单倍型多样性水平比淮河和长江等南方群体相对较低,所有群体表现出较低的核苷酸多样性水平(h0.5%)。基于单倍型构建的系统发育树和群体聚类树结果均未显示出与地理位置相对应的谱系结构。单倍型网络图显示存在多个主单倍型。遗传结构分析显示,不同水系间存在显著的遗传差异,相同水系间遗传差异较小。群体历史动态分析显示,中国乌鳢所有群体有效种群数量在中更新世晚期到晚更新世0.222—0.050百万年出现了一次较明显的快速增长,之后在晚更新世末次冰期0.050—0.010百万年出现了有效种群下降,伴随着全新世到来,在0.010百万年之后,乌鳢群体又发生了一次较小的有效种群增长。洞庭湖群体则发生一次有效种群的快速增长,增长时间大约在0.160百万年。研究表明,青藏高原隆起后,东亚季风在中国南北方气候的差异和秦岭山脉屏障对季风的阻断作用加大了这一差异,可能对乌鳢群体的遗传多样度差异造成一定影响。乌鳢群体不存在显著的谱系结构可能与乌鳢遗传分化时间较短有关,但是地理隔离等因素导致了不同水系间确切的遗传差异。第四纪更新世气候的波动,尤其是中更新世间冰期气候的转暖、末次盛冰期的降温和冰后期全新世的到来可能对乌鳢群体的数量和栖息地的扩缩起着重要影响。     

Diet of non‐native northern snakehead (Channa argus) compared to three co‐occurring predators in the lower Potomac River,USA

Abstract – Introductions of large, non‐native, carnivorous fishes continue to occur worldwide and represent a substantial management concern to global biodiversity. One of the most recent non‐native fishes to successfully establish in North America is the northern snakehead (Channa argus), found in the lower Potomac River catchment. Dispersal of the northern snakehead throughout this system has been well documented since its original discovery in May 2004; however, little is known about the foraging habits of this species and its interactions with co‐occurring predators. Here, we quantify northern snakehead diet in comparison with the diets of naturalised largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and native American eel (Anguilla rostrata) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) collected from tidal freshwaters bordering Virginia and Maryland near Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Over 97% of northern snakehead gut contents were fishes, with fundulid and centrarchid species consumed most frequently. Dietary overlap was biologically significant only between northern snakehead and largemouth bass. Aquatic invertebrates were >10 times more common in native predator diets, reducing dietary overlap with northern snakehead. Ontogenic shifts in adult northern snakehead diet were also detected, which may be explained by optimal foraging rather than true prey specificity. Northern snakehead may be occupying a novel niche based on a piscivorous diet, therefore limiting competition with resident predators in the lower Potomac River. Further research into interactions between largemouth bass and northern snakehead is needed to inform management decisions and understand the ecological impacts of this non‐native species.     

Maximum handling size,prey size and type selection by snakehead (Channa argus) feeding on juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Laboratory predation trials were conducted to investigate maximum handling size, prey size and type selection by small (35–37 cm in total length, L_T), medium (43–46 cm L_T) and larger (58–60 cm L_T) snakehead (Channa argus) when feeding on a wide size (9–34 mm in carapace width, C_W) range of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). The maximum handling size of predator feeding on crabs monotonically increased with predator L_T and mouth gape width, G_W. Snakehead with at least 16.0 cm L_T or 27.7 mm G_W would be capability to consume the smallest size group of crabs, whereas the predator with 72.6 cm L_T or 63.4 mm G_W would be capability to consume all size groups of crabs in these trails. Prey‐size selection trials showed that snakehead has a high preference to the small‐sized crabs, and lower preference to the medium or large size crabs. The preference index was significantly affected by prey size and prey size × predator size interaction, however, was not affected by predator size. In prey type experiments, snakehead consumed lower proportions of juvenile crabs when fed on the crab and crucian carp than when fed on only the crab, which suggests alternative fish prey may reduce predation risk of the crab by snakehead in nature. These results could be useful for improving the fishery management and release strategies for the crab.     

Effects of size and nitrite exposure on respiration,oxygen partitioning,and growth of obligate air-breathing fish Channa striata

The effects of fish size and nitrite level on metabolic rate and growth were investigated in the obligate air-breathing snakehead Channa striata, which is an important aquaculture species in Vietnam. Channa striata displayed respiratory size dependence, whereby the standard metabolic rate (SMR) and routine metabolic rate (RMR) decreased progressively in an exponential manner as fish size increased from 50 to 200 g. A mildly elevated nitrite level of 5% of the LC₅₀ 96 h (12 mg NO₂^?/L or safe concentration) induced significant increases in Channa striata SMR and RMR, which were almost double that of the control at the same size. At mild elevation, nitrite caused no significant effect on fish growth and survival during 3 months of rearing. However, both growth and survival rates of fish reared at severely elevated nitrite levels were significantly lower than those of the control; in particular, survival rates were under 50%. While changes in size reduced SMR and RMR, the percentage of air oxygen partitioning remained unchanged. Channa striata upregulation of SMR and RMR and air-breathing regulation were not significantly proven in this study. In summary, maintaining water environments at levels lower than 12 mg NO₂^?/L with ample oxygenation will not affect the growth and survival rate of snakeheads.

     

Spatial niche variability for young Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (S. trutta) in heterogeneous streams

Abstract– Habitat is important in determining stream carrying capacity and population density in young Atlantic salmon and brown trout. We review stream habitat selection studies and relate results to variable and interacting abiotic and biotic factors. The importance of spatial and temporal scales are often overlooked. Different physical variables may influence fish position choice at different spatial scales. Temporally variable water flows and temperatures are pervasive environmental factors in streams that affect behavior and habitat selection. The more frequently measured abiotic variables are water depth, water velocity (or stream gradient), substrate particle size, and cover. Summer daytime, feeding habitats of Atlantic salmon are size structured. Larger parr (>7 cm) have a wider spatial niche than small parr. Selected snout water velocities are consistently low (3–25 cm. s^?1). Mean (or surface) water velocities are in the preferred range of 30–50 cm. s^?1, and usually in combination with coarse substratum (16–256 mm). However, salmon parr demonstrate flexibility with respect to preferred water velocity, depending on fish size, intra- and interspecific competition, and predation risk. Water depth is less important, except in small streams. In large rivers and lakes a variety of water depths are used by salmon parr. Summer daytime, feeding habitat of brown trout is also characterized by a narrow selection of low snout water velocities. Habitat use is size-structured, which appears to be mainly a result of intraspecific competition. The small trout parr (<7 cm) are abundant in the shallow swift stream areas (<20–30 cm depths, 10–50 cm. s^?1 water velocities) with cobble substrates. The larger trout have increasingly strong preferences for deep-slow stream areas, in particular pools. Water depth is considered the most important habitat variable for brown trout. Spatial niche overlap is considerable where the two species are sympatric, although young Atlantic salmon tend to be distributed more in the faster flowing and shallow habitats compared with trout. Habitat use by salmon is restricted through interspecific competition with the more aggressive brown trout (interactive segregation). However, subtle innate differences in behavior at an early stage also indicate selective segregation. Seasonal changes in habitat use related to water temperatures occur in both species. In winter, they have a stronger preference for cover and shelter, and may seek shelter in the streambed and/or deeper water. At low temperatures (higher latitudes), there are also marked shifts in habitat use during day and night as the fish become nocturnal. Passive sheltering in the substrate or aggregating in deep-slow stream areas is the typical daytime behavior. While active at night, the fish move to more exposed holding positions primarily on but also above the substrate. Diurnal changes in habitat use take place also in summer; brown trout may utilize a wider spatial niche at night with more fish occupying the shallow-slow stream areas. Brown trout and young Atlantic salmon also exhibit a flexible response to variability in streamflows, wherein habitat selection may change considerably. Important topics in need of further research include: influence of spatial measurement scale, effects of temporal and spatial variability in habitat conditions on habitat selection, effects of interactive competition and trophic interactions (predation risk) on habitat selection, influence of extreme natural events on habitat selection use or suitability (floods, ice formation and jams, droughts), and individual variation in habitat use or behavior.     

Seasonal habitat use of alligator gar in a river–floodplain ecosystem at multiple spatial scales

Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) populations are declining throughout their range in the United States, even where considered stable. Similar declines in other riverine species are occurring worldwide due to alteration of habitat in river–floodplain systems. Most rivers in the world are highly regulated, resulting in departures from historic hydrology that provides connection to the floodplain habitats used by riverine fishes. Knowledge of the seasonal habitat requirements of alligator gar and similar riverine fishes at a watershed scale is limited, hindering management practices. We used radiotelemetry to monitor movements and habitat use of adult alligator gar (N = 32; 25.0–84.5 kg; 149–224 cm) at macro‐ and microhabitat scales during 2 years of varying hydrology. Fish showed seasonal differences in their use of main channel and floodplain macrohabitats. Floodplain tributaries and their upper reaches were especially important to reproductive ecology. Minimum distance travelled per day varied seasonally. While using the main channel Fourche LaFave River, gar selected low velocity, shallow depth and complex structure along channel margins. The Fourche LaFave River is unique in its connection to floodplain habitats on a relatively predictable basis, with frequent flooding during the spring and summer reproductive period. Our study emphasises the importance of connectivity between the main river channel and floodplain habitats to a floodplain‐obligate riverine species. An intact, heterogeneous riparian zone creates essential microhabitat for the species. Understanding habitat requirements of alligator gar at multiple spatial scales in a river–floodplain system is crucial to management of many other species and river systems.     

Distribution and habitat associations of the endangered Oxleyan pygmy perch,Nannoperca oxleyana Whitley,in eastern Australia

• 1. Detailed knowledge of habitat requirements is particularly relevant to the conservation of rare and threatened fish species because habitat fragmentation and loss are usually the major threats to species with limited distributions and restricted habitat requirements, and habitat restoration is typically the first step in species' recovery plans. This paper documents the macro‐, meso‐ and microhabitat habitat associations of a small threatened percichthyid, the Oxleyan pygmy perch, Nannoperca oxleyana, in south‐eastern Queensland and north‐eastern New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
• 2. The species' range encompasses approximately 530 km of coastline from Coongul Creek on Fraser Island, Queensland (25° 16′S, 153° 09′E) south to Tick Gate Swamp near the township of Wooli, NSW (29° 54′S, 153° 15′E). It is confined primarily to dystrophic, acidic, freshwater systems draining through sandy coastal lowlands and Banksia ‐ dominated heath ecosystems.
• 3. Both lentic and lotic environments provide habitat for N. oxleyana but the species is found only in slow‐flowing pools and backwaters of river channels and tributaries as well as in swampy drainages, lakes, ponds and dams.
• 4. Trapping studies found that an abundance of structural aquatic habitat was a defining microhabitat feature either in the form of beds of emergent or submerged plants or the presence of steep/undercut banks fringed with the semi‐submerged branches and fine rootlets of riparian vegetation. When present, leaf litter and snags also provided cover.
• 5. Recent and historical survey data suggest that human activities have had a significant influence on contemporary species presence/absence patterns and may have been responsible for the prominent gaps within the Queensland‐NSW distribution of N. oxleyana.
• 6. The distinctive relationships of N. oxleyana with features of aquatic habitat at the macro‐, meso‐ and microhabitat scale demonstrate principles applicable to any study focused on the conservation of an endangered fish species.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rheology and Texture Properties of Surimi Gels of Northern Snakehead (Channa Argus) as Affected by Angelica Sinensis (Oliv.) Diels. (Danggui) Powder

Northern snakehead (Channa argus) is very popular freshwater fish in China and is expected to become a new surimi material with therapeutic efficacy. The Angelica sinensis powder is a type of famous Chinese medicine that helps to regulate metabolism and enhance the immune function. Therefore, an upmarket medicated surimi product with hygienic qualities was designed to adapt to the stressful current lifestyle using snakehead and Angelica sinensis powder. The texture, whiteness, rheological properties, and sensory properties were studied to further optimize the dosage of the Angelica sinensis powder used in the surimi processing. The results indicated that the maximum breaking force and breaking distance were obtained at a concentration of 4 g/kg, and the whiteness value and driage were significantly decreased with the increase of the amount of the Angelica sinensis powder. Ultimately, the highest total sensory evaluation score was obtained for samples with the addition of 2 g/kg Angelica sinensis powder. This study shows that the Angelica sinensis powder has the potentiality to become an added ingredient to snakehead surimi products in order to improve the health status of sub-health population.     

Effects of multienzyme complex and probiotic supplementation on the growth performance,digestive enzyme activity and gut microorganisms composition of snakehead (Channa argus)

The major objective of this study conducted for 7 weeks was to investigate the influence of supplementation with multienzyme complex and probiotic and their interaction effects on the growth performance, body composition, serum biochemical parameters and gut microorganism composition of snakehead (Channa argus). There were four treatments in this experiment coded as control, probiotic (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens), multienzyme (amylase, acid protease and papain) and pro‐multi (B. amyloliquefaciens and amylase, acid protease and papain), respectively. The results demonstrated that snakeheads on the multienzyme resulted in better growth performance in terms of final body weight (FBW), weight gain ratio (WGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) significantly (p < 0.05) than those on the control diet, while they did not (p > 0.05) on probiotic and pro‐multi. Snakeheads receiving multienzyme increased significantly (p < 0.05) the serum parameters, including albumin, total protein and AKP and probiotic increased AKP and lysozyme meanwhile decreased the LDL‐C significantly (p < 0.05) compared with control. Analysis of the composition of gut microorganisms showed that four dominant microorganisms were Spirochaetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Probiotic could enhance the richness and diversity of gut microorganisms in snakeheads, furthermore revealing a means of evaluating the relationship between feed supplementation and microorganisms.     

Productivity and economic viability of snakehead Channa striata culture using an aquaponics approach

This study was carried out to investigate the viability of utilizing aquaponic technology in culturing local fish: snakehead Channa striata and water spinach Ipomoea aquatica. Snakehead was raised for 150 days in a floating plastic pond with an area of 3 × 4 × 1.2 m having a capacity volume of ∼14.4 m³. Fish were randomly arranged into two experimental systems at density of ∼0.3 kg fingerlings/m³ e.g. SAQ – snakehead in aquaponics; SC – snakehead in normal system where control ponds were continuously aerated with ∼20% daily exchange of water. Fish were fed commercial feed twice a day. Initial results showed that in aquaponics compared with normal systems the SAQ efficiency exhibited 70% water exchange; five times lower in NH₃ level: (0.01–0.03 mg/L vs. 0.05–0.16 mg/L); three times lower in NO₂ level: (0.28–0.58 mg/L vs. 0.56–2.59 mg/L). Snakehead production was significantly higher in aquaponics with higher survival ratio of fish: 99.76% vs. 71.40%; ∼3 times higher in fish yield: 366 kg vs. 130 kg. The production of water spinach was also elevated in aquaponics versus normal systems 406.4 kg vs. 188 kg. The total income from snakehead and water spinach in SAQ were 4 times higher than in normal farming systems: 1219.42 $US and 307.04 $US. Based on the results of the current study, it is expected that applying aquaponics utilizing local available materials and species will enhance the sustainability of the overall system and keep the aquaponics lasting and expanding to social life especially on sustainable culturing snakehead Channa striata.     

Weaning methods using formulated feeds for snakehead (Channa striata and Channa micropeltes) larvae

The culture of snakehead fish (Channa striata and Channa micropeltes) in Vietnam is limited, and snakehead culture has been banned in Cambodia, because traditional practices include capture of fingerlings from the wild as seed, as well as capture of small‐size (also known as trash fish or low‐value) fish. As hatchery breeding technology has improved, we investigated the optimal weaning practices for these two species. Both laboratory experiments and farm trials were conducted. For C. striata, the optimal weaning procedure is to begin at 17 days after hatch (dah) and wean the fish at 10% replacement of live feed with formulated feed per day. However, for C. micropeltes, the optimal procedure is to wait until 40 dah to begin weaning and then to wean the fish with a 10% replacement of live feed with formulated feed every 3 days. These results should enable farmers to domesticate snakehead culture in Vietnam and Cambodia and eliminate reliance on fish captured from the wild as both seed and feed.     

Foraging behaviour and optimal microhabitat selection in Yukon River Basin nonanadromous Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma)

Species conservation requires understanding the mechanistic processes of habitat selection and their effects on fitness. Nonetheless, there are few fitness‐based habitat selection models for aquatic organisms. We examined multiple aspects of foraging behaviour of nonanadromous Dolly Varden Charr (Salvelinus malma) in Panguingue Creek, Alaska, USA and applied these data to test a fitness‐based microhabitat selection model. Velocity negatively affected prey capture success, positively affected holding velocity, and had no effect on reactive distance. Dominance was a better predictor of prey capture success than length difference between competitors, but there was no relationship between these variables and holding velocity or reactive distance. We used the velocity–prey capture success relationship to parameterise the microhabitat habitat selection model and compared the predicted optimal holding velocity to the 95% confidence interval (24.9–29.3 cm/s) of holding velocities occupied by Dolly Varden (N = 29) in Panguingue Creek. The prediction of 24.0 cm/s fell just slightly (0.9 cm/s) outside the lower limit of the confidence interval; the model barely failed to predict holding velocity for this species in Panguingue Creek. Although this discrepancy fell within measurement error, model failure also may have been due to influence of high turbulence on fish holding velocities in the creek, low sample sizes imposed by permitting limitations, or field logistical issues. The relationship between velocity and prey capture success is an important aspect of drift feeder habitat selection. Our optimal holding velocity prediction for Dolly Varden should aid in the management and conservation of this species.     

Dietary lipid concentrations influence growth,liver oxidative stress,and serum metabolites of juvenile hybrid snakehead (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa argus</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa maculata</Emphasis>)

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary lipid levels on growth, liver oxidative stress, and serum metabolites of juvenile hybrid snakehead (Channa argus × Channa maculata). Five isonitrogenous (crude protein 420 g kg^?1) practical diets containing 58, 87, 115, 144, and 173 g kg^?1 crude lipid (named L58, L87, L115, L144, and L173, respectively) were fed to triplicate groups of 30 fish (mean initial weight 24 g) for 8 weeks. The results showed that the final body weight (58.68–78.81 g), specific growth rate (1.41–1.75 % day^?1), and protein efficiency ratio (1.66–2.64) increased significantly with the increasing dietary lipid levels. Liver lipid contents (71.65–101.80 g kg^?1) and crude lipid (52.10–83.63 g kg^?1) of whole body increased with increasing dietary lipid levels and reached the highest values in fish of L173. Fish of L173 showed lower alkaline phosphatase (23.81 King Unit gprot^?1) and catalase activities (4.44 U mgprot^?1) but higher malondialdehyde content (0.69 nmol mgprot^?1) in liver than the other groups. Higher alanine transaminase activity (8.20 U L^?1), aspartate transaminase activity (63.65 U L^?1), and triglyceride (0.29 mmol L^?1) in serum were observed in fish of L173 compared to the other treatments. Fish of L144 showed higher superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione peroxidase activities in liver than that of fish fed diet L58. Fish fed diet L58 showed lower total cholesterol (3.61 mmol L^?1), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (1.39 mmol L^?1), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.46 mmol L^?1) in serum. These results suggested that juvenile snakehead (Channa argus × Channa maculata) achieved good growth performance with dietary lipid level 173 g kg^?1. Diet with 143 g kg^?1 lipid was more conductive to liver health. The appropriate dietary lipid supplementation needs to be determined in further studies.     

Influence of aquatic plant‐specific habitat on an assemblage of small neotropical floodplain fishes

Dibble ED, Pelicice FM. Influence of aquatic plant‐specific habitat on an assemblage of small neotropical floodplain fishes.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 381–389. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – This study investigated the effects of plant‐specific habitat on the distribution of young and small adult fishes in lagoons of the Upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil. We compared fish catch per unit effort (CPUE) and species richness and used an indirect gradient analysis to investigate fish‐plant relationships within three aquatic macrophytes beds (Cabomba furcata, Eichhornia azurea, Nymphaea amazonum), and explored microhabitat influence (indexed by eight variables related to physical structure and water quality) on the structure of fish assemblages. Rarefaction analysis was used to compare fish species richness among the vegetated habitats. We captured a total of 1599 fish constituting 23 species, 7 families and 3 orders. Fish CPUE and species richness increased relative to microhabitat structure innate to the macrophytes; higher CPUE and richness were observed in C. furcata beds, a submerged aquatic macrophyte with finely dissected leaves. On the contrary, N. amazonum, a species that provides low microhabitat complexity, harbored fewer individual fish and number of species. Reproduction dynamics, hydrology and the amount of available plant‐generated habitat structure (surface effect) contributed to the disproportionally high number of individuals captured during the dry season. Our data suggest that the microhabitat physical structure (e.g., edge distance, stem density and patch size) provided by macrophyte beds in the lagoons of the Upper Paraná River may play a more important role than physicochemistry (e.g., oxygen, temperature and pH) at mediating distribution patterns of small‐sized fishes.     

Habitat of pike gudgeon Pseudogobio esocinus esocinus in Nakagawa River, northern Kyushu, Japan

ABSTRACT:   Habitat selection of the pike gudgeon Pseudogobio esocinus esocinus (Cyprinidae) was examined in the Nakagawa River in northern Kyushu, Japan. The study area was 80 m long with two meanders comprising three riffles and two pools, located 20 km upstream from the river mouth. The pike gudgeon were visually counted underwater. Larvae and juveniles were observed in the shallow and slow-flowing water near the shores. Simultaneously, young and adult individuals were observed to inhabit the river bed. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were applied to estimate the microhabitat selections of the larvae, juveniles and other individuals by using four variables (water depth, current velocity, particle size of substrate and amount of organic matter). The larvae and juveniles inhabited the shallow (<30 cm) and slow-flowing waters (<6.5 cm/s) near the shore; habitat selection was independent of particle size of the substrate and the amount of organic matter present. Young and adult individuals inhabited the river bed independent of the four variables.     

杂交鳢和乌鳢池塘养殖对比试验

对杂交鳢和乌鳢进行池塘养殖对比试验.前者投喂人工饲料,后者投喂冰鲜鱼,结合水质调控和病害防治等技术,杂交鳢成活率80.9%,乌鳢53.9%;杂交鳢平均单产为5.2 kg/m~2,饵料系数1.367;乌鳢1.8 kg/m~2,饵料系数4.29.整个养殖过程杂交鳢塘换水2次,乌鳢塘换水6次.     

Effect of dietary soybean meal associated with feeding time on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota composition of northern snakehead

A 63‐day growth trial was conducted with northern snakehead Channa argus to evaluate how rapidly its growth performance and how reproducibly its gut microbiota respond to different dietary protein sources. Four diets were formulated with different levels of soybean meal as a replacement for fishmeal (0%, 25%, 50% and 75%). Each diet was fed to three replicates of juvenile C. argus (30 juveniles per replicate, initial weight 8.65 ± 0.25 g) to produce groups G1, G2, G3 and G4 respectively. During this trial, survival rate, growth performance and intestinal microbiota composition were determined on days 9, 21 and 63. At day 9, there was no effect of the dietary soybean meal on the final weight (Wt), weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) between the four groups (p > 0.05). However, at day 21 (p < 0.05), they were significantly lower in G4 fish than that in G1 and G2. The highest Wt, WG and SGR were found in G1 and G2 fish, the lowest growth was found in G4 fish at day 63 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, higher operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and alpha diversity were found in G4. With the dietary soybean level increased, the proportion of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, as well as some genera of bacteria (Carnobacterium, Cetobacterium, Planctomyces, Shewanella and Thermomonas) significantly increased in the G3 and G4 fish (p < 0.05). However, the OTUs, Chao index, and the proportion of Firmicutes and some genera (Acinetobacter, Bacillus and Geobacillus) in G4 fish were significantly higher at days 21 and 63 than that at day 9 (p < 0.05). Taken together, in response to dietary soybean meal levels, dynamic and significant changes in microbiota occurred, which then ultimately attained a new equilibrium.     

Microhabitat preferences of fish assemblages in the Udzungwa Mountains (Eastern Africa)

Environmental flow assessment (EFA) involving microhabitat preference models is a common approach to set ecologically friendly flow regimes in territories with ongoing or planned projects to develop river basins, such as many rivers of Eastern Africa. However, habitat requirements of many African fish species are poorly studied, which may impair EFAs. This study investigated habitat preferences of fish assemblages, based on species presence–absence data from 300 microhabitats collected in two tributaries of the Kilombero River (Tanzania), aiming to disentangle differences in habitat preferences of African species at two levels: assemblage (i.e. between tributaries) and species (i.e. species‐specific habitat preferences). Overall, flow velocity, which implies coarser substrates and shallower microhabitats, emerged as the most important driver responsible of the changes in stream‐dwelling assemblages at the microhabitat scale. At the assemblage level, we identified two important groups of species according to habitat preferences: (a) cover‐orientated and limnophilic species, including Barbus spp., Mormyridae and Chiloglanis deckenii, and (b) rheophilic species, including Labeo cylindricus, Amphilius uranoscopus and Parakneria spekii. Rheophilic species preferred boulders, fast flow velocity and deeper microhabitats. At the species level, we identified species‐specific habitat preferences. For instance, Barbus spp. preferred low flow velocity shallow depth and fine‐to‐medium substratum, whereas L. cylindricus and P. spekii mainly selected shallow microhabitats with coarse substrata. Knowledge of habitat preferences of these assemblages and species should enhance the implementation of ongoing and future EFA studies of the region.     

Habitat selection by rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a California stream: implications for the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology

We quantified microhabitat selection of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at 2 flows (low= 1.13 m³. s^?1 and high =4.95 m³. s^?1) in the Pit River, California. Flows were controlled by an upstream dam and habitat availability was similar during 4 sampling periods at low flow and 2 periods at high flow. A principal components analysis reduced 6 microhabitat variables to 3 new variables that explained 80% of the observed variance. The 3 components loaded heavily on velocity variables, depth variables and substrate. Microhabitat selection generally differed among macrohabitats (i. e., pools, runs, and riffles). Rainbow trout selected different microhabitats at high flow relative to low flow in response to the availability of deeper, faster water. At low flow, depth and velocity selection were positively correlated with seasonal temperature change for adults but not juveniles. Rainbow trout apparently sought shelter in interstitial spaces in the substrate of runs and riffles during the day in early winter. Generally, large rainbow trout were observed in pools, intermediate-sized fish in runs, and small trout in riffles. The largest fish occurred in slow, deep areas of pools, where they moved slowly without orientation to flow and were not observed feeding, whereas small fish generally faced upstream and fed in all habitat types. Foraging forays were directed up in the water column at velocities similar to the mean water column velocities at holding positions. Rainbow trout were the most abundant species in 76% of the population survey stations. Other species that might have influenced microhabitat selection by rainbow trout were uncommon.