Historical spatial baselines in conservation and management of marine resources

Increased knowledge on the spatial distribution of marine resources is crucial for the implementation of a true ecosystem approach to management and the conservation of marine organisms. For exploited fish species characterized by aggregation behaviour during spawning time, the identification and tracking of spawning areas is essential for a correct assessment of their productivity and population abundance. To elucidate this concept, we reconstructed the spatio‐temporal distribution of adult plaice (Pleuronectes platessa, Pleuronectidae) during spawning time along the 20^th century. Historical data reveal that not only the abundance but also the former population richness was much higher than previously estimated and has declined because of protracted over‐exploitation during the last 30 years. We conclude that forecast of stock recovery to former levels of abundance neglecting spatial reorganizations might be over‐optimistic and shaded by a lost memory of the past population richness. These results reinforce the importance of managing exploited marine resources at a greater spatial resolution than has been carried out in the history of fishery management.     

Extinction and ecosystem function in the marine benthos

Rapid changes in biodiversity are occurring globally, yet the ecological impacts of diversity loss are poorly understood. Here we use data from marine invertebrate communities to parameterize models that predict how extinctions will affect sediment bioturbation, a process vital to the persistence of aquatic communities. We show that species extinction is generally expected to reduce bioturbation, but the magnitude of reduction depends on how the functional traits of individual species covary with their risk of extinction. As a result, the particular cause of extinction and the order in which species are lost ultimately govern the ecosystem-level consequences of biodiversity loss.     

Resistance to a triple-combination anthelmintic in Trichostrongylus spp. on a commercial sheep farm in New Zealand

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate resistance to anthelmintics containing abamectin, levamisole, and oxfendazole (AB-LEV-OX), derquantal and abamectin (DEQ-AB), moxidectin, and monepantel in naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematodes present on a sheep farm.

METHODS: Faecal nematode egg count reduction tests (FECRT) were carried out on lambs that were approximately 7 months-old and infected with naturally acquired nematodes. Lambs were randomly allocated to one of five groups (n=15 per group): treatment with 2?mg/kg derquantel and 0.2?mg/kg abamectin; 0.2?mg/kg abamectin, 8?mg/kg levamisole HCl and 4.5?mg/kg oxfendazole; 2.5?mg/kg monepantel; 0.2?mg/kg moxidectin, or no treatment. Post-treatment samples were collected 12 days later. Abomasa and small intestines were collected from two slaughtered lambs from each of the DEQ-AB, AB-LEV-OX, moxidectin and control groups 15 days after treatment, for nematode counting.

RESULTS: The FECRT demonstrated that efficacy was 90.3 (95% CI=84.2–94.1)% for AB-LEV-OX, 54.5 (95% CI=28.4–71.1)% for moxidectin, 99.2 (95% CI=97.4–99.8)% for DEQ-AB and 100% for monepantel, across all genera. For Trichostrongylus spp. efficacy was 85.5% for AB-LEV-OX and 46.7% for moxidectin. Haemonchus spp. were fully susceptible to all treatments. Post-treatment nematode counts indicated that the resistant Trichostrongylus spp. were from the small intestine.

CONCLUSIONS: Anthelmintic resistance to both AB-LEV-OX and moxidectin was present in the Trichostrongylus genus on a commercial sheep farm. Monepantel and DEQ-AB were both effective against Trichostrongylus spp. based on FECRT results.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This finding of resistance to an AB-LEV-OX triple-combination anthelmintic in the Trichostrongylus genus in sheep in New Zealand further limits anthelmintic treatment options available, and calls into question whether this combination is suitable for use as a quarantine treatment.     

Stenotrophomonas rhizophila DSM14405T promotes plant growth probably by altering fungal communities in the rhizosphere

Stenotrophomonas rhizophila DSM14405^T is of high biotechnological interest as plant growth stimulator, especially for salinated conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of plant species (cotton, tomato, and sweet pepper) on colonisation and plant growth promotion of this beneficial bacterium in gnotobiotic systems and in non-sterile soil. All plant structures (leaves, stems, and roots) were densely colonised by DSM14405^T reaching up to 10⁹ cells g^?1 fresh weight; under gnotobiotic conditions the abundances were 4–5 orders of magnitude higher than in non-sterile soil. Under non-sterile conditions and ambient humidity, tomato shoots were more densely colonised than shoots of sweet pepper and cotton. S. rhizophila DSM14405^T was shown to grow endophytically and colonise the vicinity of root hairs of tomato. Plant growth promotion was particularly apparent in tomato. In general, the impact of plant species on colonisation and plant growth promotion was more pronounced in soil than under gnotobiotic conditions and likely due to the control of diseases and deleterious microorganisms. S. rhizophila DSM14405^T was shown to control diseases in sweet pepper and in cotton. Molecular profiling via single strand conformation polymorphism of internal transcribed spacers and 16S rRNA genes (PCR-single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP)) revealed that S. rhizophila DSM14405^T strongly affected fungal, but not bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of tomato and sweet pepper. Major SSCP bands related to uncultured fungi and Candida subhashii, disappeared in tomato rhizosphere after Stenotrophomonas treatment. This suggests an indirect, species-specific plant growth promotion effect of S. rhizophila via the elimination of deleterious rhizosphere organisms.     

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: current understanding and recommendations from the Australian and New Zealand Equine Endocrine Group

The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the current knowledge and opinions about the epidemiology, clinical findings (including sequelae), diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, particularly in the Australian context. This information and the recommendations provided will assist practitioners in making informed decisions regarding the diagnosis and management of this disorder.     

Calving rates in a tropical beef herd after treatment with a synthetic progestagen, norgestomet, or a prostaglandin analogue, cloprostenol

Maiden heifers and lactating cows of known ovarian status and of several breeds were treated with a synthetic prostaglandin, cloprostenol, or a synthetic progestagen, norgestomet, at the start of an artificial insemination (AI) program. Animals in the cloprostenol treatment received 2 injections 10 days apart. Over the next 26 days those animals that showed oestrous behaviour were inseminated. Synchronisation rates and calving rates to insemination over the first 7 days were calculated. Those in the norgestomet treatment received an implant of norgestomet plus an injection of norgestomet and oestradiol valerate. The implant was removed 10 days later and the animals were given an injection of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG). They were inseminated at 48 h (maiden heifers) or 56 h (lactating cows) after implant removal. Calving rates to fixed-time insemination were recorded. After completion of the AI program the animals in both treatments were joined with bulls. Overall calving rates (AI plus bulls) were calculated. By day 7 of the program, 82% of the maiden heifers and 76% of the lactating cows in the cloprostenol treatment had been detected in oestrus. By day 21 the respective figures were 99% and 81% Norgestomet treatment had an immediate and a prolonged effect on ovarian activity in those females classified as having inactive ovaries at the start of the AI program. Calving rates of those females to fixed-time AI and overall were similar to those of the females with active ovaries in both treatments. Their calving rates to fixed-time insemination, and overall calving rates for the lactating females, were significantly higher than the corresponding values of their contemporaries treated with cloprostenol and inseminated on observed oestrus over 7 days. For those females classified as having active ovaries at the start of the AI program, calving rates to first insemination and overall were similar for both treatments. Overall calving rates of lactating cows of each breed were, with one exception, higher in the norgestomet treatment than in the cloprostenol treatment. Although norgestomet treatment was more expensive than cloprostenol treatment, the advantage in calf crop resulted in an overall monetary advantage to the norgestomet treatment.     

Risk factors for Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica infection in senegalese broiler-chicken flocks

Our objective was to assess the association of managerial practices, general hygiene and Salmonella infection in Senegalese broiler flocks. Seventy broilers farms were studied from January 2000 to December 2001 around Dakar. A questionnaire was submitted to the farmers and samples of fresh broiler droppings were taken. A 28.6% of the flocks were infected by Salmonella (mainly Hadar and Brancaster serovars). Salmonella infection of the previous flock (OR=6.82) and of day-old chicks (OR=3.73), frequent poultry farmers’ visits (OR=5.38) and keeping sick birds inside the farm (OR=5.32) increased the risk of Salmonella infection. But, using antibiotics on day-old chicks (OR=0.17) and a detergent for cleaning (OR=0.16) decreased the risk.