A comparative study of three different methods for assessing fish communities in a small eutrophic lake

Sound decisions on the management of fish stocks depend on knowledge about the species composition, number, biomass and size structure of existing populations. Accordingly, the ability to make solid population estimates is essential. In this study, a 2.15 ha lake was completely drained and the total number of fish was recorded and amounted to 180,915 individuals divided into seven species having a total weight of 1,395 kg. Before the draining, three commonly used methods in fish surveys were applied: multi‐mesh gillnets, point abundance sampling by electrofishing (PASE) and mark–recapture. Following the determination of the actual number and size distribution of each species, we evaluated the efficiency of the methods and found that gillnets caught a relatively high number of species (five out of seven) and thus proved to be the best tool for mapping species richness. However, gillnets were size selective towards larger individuals of perch (Perca fluviatilis) and did not catch roach (Rutilus rutilus) <5 cm. In contrast to gillnets, PASE was very effective at catching YOY fish in the shore zone but selected for larger‐sized roach. In sum, gillnetting proved to be the most accurate method for estimating species composition, PASE also being useful. Overall, mark–recapture provided relatively good estimates of population size but small‐sized (<11 cm) roach proved not to be well suited for mark–recapture surveys. We conclude that the best method(s) surveying fish stocks depends on various factors such as target species, size distribution and the purpose of the survey.     

Comparison of B-mode and Doppler ultrasonographic findings with histologic features of benign and malignant mammary tumors in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To compare and correlate B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonographic characteristics with the histologic findings of benign and malignant mammary tumors in dogs. STUDY POPULATION: 49 mammary tumors in 26 dogs. PROCEDURES: Before excision, tumors were evaluated via B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonography to assess size, echogenicity, echopattern, acoustic transmission, invasiveness, and vascularity. Paraffin-embedded microsections of the tumors were stained with H&E and examined for presence of necrosis, cysts, cartilage, bone, mineralization, invasion of surrounding tissue, and tissue heterogeneity. To assess vascularity, the number and distribution of vessels that were stained by the Verhoeff van Gieson technique were recorded. RESULTS: Tumor echogenicity and echopattern on ultrasonographic images correlated with tissue heterogeneity detected histologically. Acoustic enhancement was correlated with the presence of necrotic or cystic areas. Tumor invasion into surrounding tissues as determined ultrasonographically did not correlate with the histologic findings. There was a significant correlation between the number of detected vessels and distribution of flow within the tumors determined via ultrasonographic and histologic examinations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In canine mammary tumors, ultrasonographic characteristics appear to be correlated with histopathologic changes. Data suggest that ultrasonography may have an important role in the evaluation of mammary tumors in dogs, particularly in the evaluation of tissue composition and tumor vascularity.     

Weed Mapping with Co-Kriging Using Soil Properties

Our aim is to build reliable weed maps to control weeds in patches. Weed sampling is time consuming but there are some shortcuts. If an intensively sampled variable (e.g. soil property) can be used to improve estimation of a sparsely sampled variable (e.g. weed distribution), one can reduce weed sampling. The geostatistical estimation method co-kriging uses two or more sampled variables, which are correlated, to improve the estimation of one of the variables at locations where it was not sampled. We did an experiment on a 2.1ha winter wheat field to compare co-kriging using soil properties, with kriging based only on one variable. The results showed that co-kriging Lamium spp. from 96 0.25m2 sample plots ha–1 with silt content improved the prediction variance by 11 % compared to kriging. With 51 or 18 sample plots ha–1 the prediction variance was improved by 21 and 15 %.     

基于同源克隆技术分离玉米漆酶基因片段

漆酶是木质素生物合成途径的关键酶,其高度保守的铜离子结合区以及N末端糖基化位点使利用同源克隆技术成为可能。本研究利用GeneBank中公布的黑麦草漆酶基因全长cDNA序列及在玉米数据库中的比对结果设计特异引物,以8份AS系列玉米自交系为模板进行PCR筛选。经过提取质粒、测序及对推导的氨基酸序列进行比对,发现所克隆基因片段中含有保守的H-A-H基元和N末端糖基化位点,为以后玉米漆酶基因全长的克隆以及饲用玉米改良打下了基础。     

Distribution, density and abundance of the western Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) in the Sound (ICES Subdivision 23) in relation to hydrographical features

Biomass and duration of the over-wintering period of the Rügen spring spawning herring stock (RHS) in the Sound (ICES Subdivison 23) were investigated as well as possible hydrographical factors affecting relative distribution and triggering southwards migration towards the spawning grounds. Monitoring was performed during 27 surveys over a 6-year period (1993–1998). Abundance of 45–165 000 t in August–February, 5–60 000 t in March–May, and <2000 t in June–July was found. This indicates a longer over-wintering period than hitherto assumed. The year classes 1988, 1991 and 1994 were relatively strong occurring in the Sound from age 2 (winter-rings) and abundance in autumn 1993 and 1996–1997 was relatively high. Relative year class strengths are in accordance with variations in larval indices at the spawning grounds. Decreasing abundance in late spring in the Sound was concordant with observed peaks in commercial landings and (subsequent) peak larval indices at the spawning grounds. Larger size groups seem to migrate southwards in spring before smaller herring size groups. Peak herring densities occur in the northern Sound in autumn and they do not concentrate near the southern Drogden threshold in spring before southwards spawning migration. Highest densities were found from 8 to 22 m below sea surface, and just below or in the halocline in areas with stratified water column. Indications of inflows to the Baltic triggering southwards migration can be observed at some occasions, however, these results are not conclusive because of relatively few biomass estimates in 1996–1998. The identified patterns in herring occurrence agree with some conclusions on migration routes for RHS from previously reported tagging studies, but the present investigations indicate prolonged over-wintering in the Sound. This report quantifies the abundance and distribution of herring in the Sound over the year on basis of repeated investigations, and investigates possible influence of hydrographical factors on distribution and migration.     

Endogenous Amino Acid Flow in the Duodenum of Dairy Cows

In an inbred pig family founded by commercial breeds, nine microsatellite markers from porcine chromosome 4 were screened to find associations with weight gain and fat deposition traits. In this family showing a linear decrease in weight gain with inbreeding, an association (P <0.05) was found between average daily slaughter gain and markers S0214 and S0373 located at approximately 88 and 98 cM in the linkage map constructed in this study. No association (P >0.05) between backfat thickness and marker genotypes could be detected. Furthermore, the genotypes of the markers showed a surprisingly high degree of heterozygosity in all of the inbred generations, even though the theoretical inbreeding coefficients reaching 0.59.     

Presence of Eriophorum scheuchzeri enhances substrate availability and methane emission in an Arctic wetland

Here we present results from a field experiment in an Arctic wetland situated in Zackenberg, NE Greenland. During one growing season we investigated how dominance of the sedge Eriophorum scheuchzeri affected the below-ground concentrations of low molecular weight carbon compounds (LMWOC) and the fluxes of CO₂ and CH₄ in comparison to dominance of other sedges (Carex stans and Dupontia psilosantha). Three groups of LMWOC were analysed using liquid chromatography-ionspray tandem mass spectrometry, i.e., organic acids (OAs), amino acids (AAs) and simple carbohydrates (CHs). To identify the effect of plant composition the experiments were carried out in a continuous fen area with very little between species variation in environmental conditions, e.g., water-table and active layer thickness and soil temperature. The pool of labile LMWOC compounds in this Arctic fen was dominated by OAs, constituting between 75 and 83% of the total pore water pool of OAs, CHs and AAs. The dominant OA was acetic acid, an easily available substrate for methanogens, which constituted ≥85% of the OA pool. We estimated that the concentration of acetic acid found in pore water would support 2–2.5 h of CH₄ flux and an additional continuous input of acetic acid through root exudation that would support 1.3–1.5 h of CH₄ flux. Thus, the results clearly points to the importance of a continuous input for acetoclastic methanogenesis to be sustainable. Additionally, Eriophorum had a very strong effect on parts of the carbon cycle in the Arctic fen. The mean seasonal CH₄ flux was twice as high in Eriophorum dominated plots, most likely due to a 1.7 times higher concentration of OAs in these plots. Further, the ecosystem respiration was 1.3 times higher in Eriophorum dominated plots. In conclusion, the results offer further support to the importance of certain vascular plant species for the carbon cycle of wetland ecosystems.     

Protein quality and digestible energy of selected foods determined in balance trials with rats

Chemical analyses and balance trials with rats of 17 foods showed marked differences in protein quality. According to anin vitro procedure true protein digestibility was high (around 90%). The same was also the case for thein vivo values with the exception of two legumes, beans and chick peas, which were digested to a markedly lower degree when compared to thein vitro values. The assumed reason for this is discussed. Due to extensive differences in the amino acid composition of the 17 samples BV varied considerably with the lowest value (45.5) of rice-wheat gluten breakfast cereal. Energy digestibility was generally high. Amino acid digestibility determinedin vivo followed the pattern of the corresponding protein digestibility, although marked differences occurred from one amino acid to another in the same food.