Effect of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate on Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, larvae challenged with pathogenic Vibrio anguillarum

This study investigated the protective effect of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) on Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, zoea larvae challenged with pathogenic Vibrio anguillarum. PHB was delivered to the crab larvae through rotifer and Artemia bioencapsulation. Zoea 3 larvae were challenged with V. anguillarum at a final concentration of 10(5) CFU mL(-1). PHB-enriched rotifers and Artemia nauplii were added to the culture water 24 h prior to, upon and 24 h after challenge. The results confirmed that PHB could enhance the survival and growth of unexposed E. sinensis larvae. Moreover, PHB protected larvae from the pathogen as the larvae fed PHB-enriched live food showed the highest survival and development rate in all challenged groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, larval performance was the best when PHB was delivered to the larvae 24 h before challenge (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that PHB can be used as part of an effective strategy to protect E. sinensis larvae from V. anguillarum resulting in higher survival and better growth, especially when applied before the challenge.     

Does the wild‐caught Chinese mitten crab megalopae perform better than the hatchery‐produced seed during the juvenile culture?

Although wild Yangtze Eriocheir sinensis juveniles (coin‐sized seed) have better culture performance than the pond‐reared juveniles during the adult crab culture stage, the culture performance of wild‐caught megalopae (WC) remains unknown. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the growth, survival rate, crab yield, feed conversion rate (FCR), precocity, final weight and size distribution between WC and hatchery‐produced megalopae (HP) during the juvenile culture stage. Wild‐caught megalopae had significantly higher body weight, weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) during 0–4 weeks but lower WGR and SGR than HP during 4–8 weeks (p < .05). Although WC had a significantly lower survival rate and yield of normal juvenile crabs than HP, total yields of normal juveniles and precocious crabs were similar. Wild‐caught megalopae had a significantly higher precocious rate and yield of precocious crabs than HP (p < .05). Regardless of sex, no significant differences were found in the gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and final weight of normal juveniles and precocious crabs between WC and HP. As for the size distribution of normal crabs, WC had a higher percentage of small female juveniles (<3 g) but a lower proportion of middle size ranges (3–5.99 g and 6–8.99 g) than HP for females (p < .05), and there was no significant difference for males. In conclusion, wild megalopae of the Yangtze E. sinensis had worse culture performance than the hatchery‐produced seeds; therefore, wild megalopae would not be recommended for commercially juvenile culture of E. sinensis.     

Can smolting and maturation of hatchery-reared brown trout Salmo trutta L. be affected by food deprivation during the first and second years of rearing?

Smolting and maturation of 2+ brown trout Salmo trutta L. were evaluated after exposing the groups of trout to different feeding regimes during the summers at 0+ and 1+ ages. The hypothesis tested was based on the theory of smolting of a congeneric species, Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., in which the physiological smolting decision is expected to be taken at the end of July or beginning of August. During the first summer, the growth of the trout was restricted in two groups out of four by low feeding frequency. During the second summer, food was totally withheld for 3 weeks in June–July (i.e. before the expected sensitive period), in August or not at all (control). The proportion of sexually mature males in November was 5.2% in the groups fasted during August, but somewhat lower in the groups fasted in June–July (average 2.3%) or in control fish (3%). The tendency for smolting was evaluated during the following spring in an artificial stream with the help of PIT-tag technology, which allowed monitoring of the movements of individually tagged trout. Seawater challenge tests were also carried out in April and June. Differences in osmoregulatory ability in seawater indicated that feeding treatments had a slight effect on the timing of smolting, but no differences were observed in movement behaviour between treatment groups. Mature and maturing males moved less at the peak migration time (mid-May) but more in October than immature fishes. These results suggest that the smolting decision in brown trout may be taken at a different time than in Atlantic salmon and that periodic poor growth conditions during the summer will not prevent smolting of trout during the following spring.     

Habitat and prey selection of common minke,sei, and Bryde’s whales in mesoscale during summer in the subarctic and transition regions of the western North Pacific

This study represents the first quantitative analysis of the characteristics of the distribution areas and stomach contents of common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, sei whale B. borealis, and Bryde’s whale B. edeni in relation to oceanographic and prey environments in mid summer in the western North Pacific. Common minke whales were distributed within subarctic regions and the northernmost region of the transitional domain, coinciding with the main habitat of their preferred prey, Pacific saury Cololabis saira. Sei whales were mainly found in the northernmost part of the transition zone and showed prey preference for Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonica, which was significantly more abundant in the main distribution area of the whale than in its adjacent areas. “Hot spots” of Bryde’s whales were found in several regions of the transition zone between the subarctic boundary and the Kuroshio front. This whale species preferred Japanese anchovy as prey, for which the distribution density was significantly higher in the main distribution area of the whale than in the adjacent areas. These results indicate that the summer distributions of Pacific saury and Japanese anchovy greatly influence the distributions of these whale species, suggesting that the whales’ habitat selection is closely related to their prey selection.     

Spatial genetic structure of dusky dolphin,Lagenorhynchus obscurus,along the argentine coast: preserve what scale?

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Going,going, gone? Loss of genetic diversity in two critically endangered Australian freshwater fishes,Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis and Chlamydogobius squamigenus,from Great Artesian Basin springs at Edgbaston,Queensland, Australia

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How much variation can be explained by seasonal,spatial and environmental effects in nekton assemblages of the Terminos Lagoon?

• 1. The coastline is very sensitive to both climatic and human influences but also provides essential goods and services upon which human welfare depends. Species inhabiting these coastal areas provide valuable resources and enhance ecosystem functioning: it is therefore essential to understand the main factors influencing species abundance patterns. The aim of this study is to estimate the amount of variation in nekton coastal assemblages explained by spatial, temporal and environmental variables.
• 2. Nekton sampling was carried out over 17 months in the Terminos Lagoon, a reserve area situated in the Gulf of Mexico, using a shrimp trawl. At each station, 11 environmental variables were recorded. The influence of seasonal, spatial and environmental variables on nekton species abundance was analysed using Partial Canonical Correspondence Analysis (PCCA).
• 3. The explanatory variables explained only 19.7% of the total observed variation in the nekton community for the Terminos Lagoon. The major part of the explained variation was due to the spatial effect (9.2%), while environmental variables and seasonality explained only 3.6% and 0.8%, respectively, suggesting the necessity to consider experimental fishing design in such artisanal fisheries.
• 4. Results also suggest focusing on more integrative indicators of community structure such as measures of taxonomic diversity based on presence/absence or on measures related to functional attributes of communities rather than using species abundance patterns to predict changes in coastal ecosystems.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Does the capacity for energy utilization affect the survival of post‐smolt Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar L., during natural outbreaks of infectious pancreatic necrosis?

If osmotic stress and reduced seawater tolerance are predisposing factors for infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) outbreaks in farmed Atlantic salmon, increased survival by enhancing access to energy would be expected. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to increase energy access in 1-year old Atlantic salmon after sea transfer by increasing the level of dietary fat, by exchanging some of the dietary oil with more easily oxidized medium chain triacylglycerols, or by dietary supplementation of potentially energy enhancing additives such as clofibrate and tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA). A natural outbreak of IPN occurred 8 weeks after sea transfer, and a significant dietary effect explaining 76% of the variation in mortality was observed. Relative percentage survival for the fish fed TTA in sea water was 70% when compared with the unsupplemented control, reducing mortality from 7.8 to 2.3%. Muscle fat content and plasma chloride were related to IPN mortality, suggesting that reduced hypoosmoregulatory capacity might be a predisposing factor to the onset of an IPN outbreak. Based on the observation of a threefold increase in white muscle mitochondrial fatty acid oxidizing activity by TTA, it is suggested that TTA has resulted in a re-allocation of dietary fatty acids from storage to energy producing oxidation.     

Use of biomarkers to assess the welfare of the edible clam, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis>: may it be a tool for proving areas of origin?

The use of biomarkers as early-warning signals to assess the impact of pollutants and other environmental stressors in coastal habitats has been internationally recognized as a useful tool in marine coastal monitoring. We propose a similar approach to verify the welfare of edible shellfish, Ruditapes philippinarum, thus exploiting its possible application as an effective tool to verify the origin of fishing/aquaculture products. A selected battery of biomarkers was chosen and applied to organisms from two different habitats in the Lagoon of Venice (a farming site and a natural area where fishing is currently banned, because of pollution problems) and from a local market. Biological responses were evaluated physiologically (survival in air test and condition index), behaviourally (reburrowing rate), and histochemically (quantification of neutral lipids and lipofuscin). Micropollutants (heavy metals, PCBs, and PAHs) were also determined in the soft tissues. Results indicated clams from the farming site were in the best condition with regard to both chemical and biological measurements. In contrast, the market sample contained the highest concentrations of PAHs. PCBs and heavy metals varied slightly and quite irregularly among the three samples. The worst values of the biomarkers were observed for clams collected at the polluted site, where, in particular, the lowest physiological and behavioural indexes and the highest accumulation of lipofuscin in the digestive tissue were recorded.     

Can research on the early marine life stage of juvenile chum salmon <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus keta</Emphasis> forecast returns of adult salmon? A case study from eastern Hokkaido,Japan

To examine the efficacy of juvenile salmon research as a tool for forecasting adult returns, the results from a study on the early marine life stage of juvenile chum salmon, conducted in the Nemuro Strait during 1999–2002 (i.e., 1998–2001 brood years), were compared with the return rates of adult salmon. Among the four brood years, the 2000 brood year (i.e., salmon migrating to the sea in 2001) was previously reported as showing higher abundance, higher growth rate and better somatic condition during the coastal residency period. Consequently, we expected it to have the highest return rate, under a hypothesis that juvenile survival in coastal residency regulates brood-year strength. Contrary to this expectation, the 2000 brood year had almost the lowest return rate. Alternatively, a statistical model in which sea surface temperature during the first year of marine life and size at release were utilized as explanatory variables reconstructed the actual variability in return rates more accurately than that based on the early marine life stage. Possible reasons for the discrepancy between the results of the juvenile salmon research and adult returns are discussed, and we suggest improvements for future research on juvenile salmon.