Afforestation,restoration and regeneration——Not all trees are created equal

Undulations in weather patterns have caused climate shifts of increased frequency and duration around the world. The need for additional research and model data on this pressing problem has resulted in a plethora of research groups examining a particular tree species or biome for negative effects of climate change. This review aims to （1） collect and merge recent research data on regeneration within old- and new-growth forests, （2） highlight and expand upon selected topics for additional discussion, and （3） report how shade tolerance, drought toler- ance, and inherent plasticity affect tree growth and development. Al- though shade and drought tolerance have been well studied by a number of research groups, this review reveals that in-depth analysis of a single or a few species in a given area will not generate the data required to implement a successful regeneration plan. Studies using historical accounts of previous species composition, information regarding site sea- sonality, species competition, and individual responses to drought and shade are needed to （1） develop best management plans and （2） ensure future modeling experiments are focused on a greater variety of species using more innovative methods to evaluate climate change effects.     

Performance of Different Types of Commercial Feeds on the Growth of Juvenile Silver Pomfret, Pampus argenteus, under Tank Culture Conditions

The present study was carried out using juveniles of silver pomfret, Pampus argenteus, produced in the hatchery by stripping eggs from spawners collected from the wild during 2004 and 2005 culture period. The experiments carried out during 2004 investigated the efficiency of using salmon feed mixed with cyclopeeze, salmon feed mixed with shrimp meat, salmon feed alone, and shrimp meat alone in the diet using 1 m³ capacity round fiberglass tanks in three replicates for each treatment with flow‐through seawater. The results showed that inclusion of shrimp meat in the diet either with salmon feed or alone give significantly high (P < 0.01) weight gain of up to 1.10 ± 0.06 g/fish/d and significantly lower (P < 0.001) feed conversion ratio compared to that of feeds without shrimp meat. The experiments carried out during 2005 investigated the use of commercially available feeds with feed additives. The results showed that feeding with “Gemma” feed with 54.0% crude protein and 19.0% crude fat or salmon feed with 41.4% crude protein and 23.9% crude fat give significantly high (P < 0.01) growth rates compared to that of pompano feed with 43.0% crude protein and 6.0% crude fat. The results of these investigations although show high growth rate of the fish compared to that of previous observations; there is yet an urgent need to formulate a suitable feed for this fish species for commercial ventures.     

Volume and Value of Marine Ornamentals Collected in Florida, 1990–98

The marine life fishing industry in Florida is defined by the state as the non-lethal harvest of marine plants, finfish, and invertebrates that are sold live for commercial purposes (primarily into the saltwater aquarium industry). Approximately 330 different species of finfish and invertebrates are harvested by marine life collectors in Florida, including 180 species of finfish and 150 species of invertebrates and plants. In 1998, the total dockside value of these species was approximately US$1.9 million. The industry is highly regulated via limits on gear, handling methods, harvest sizes, and trip/bag/possession limits. Entry into the industry has been recently curtailed by the implementation of a moratorium on marine life endorsements. The total number of licensed harvesters exceeded 700 in 1998. Approximately 70 wholesales buyers also participated in the market during 1998. The majority of the dockside value is generated in south Florida, with the majority of the remaining value accruing from the region including and north of Tampa Bay. Over 80% of the total value associated with both finfish and invertebrates is generated by only 10 species within each group. Dockside prices vary considerably among the various species landed, with those landed in greater volumes exhibiting the lower prices.     

Active habitat selection by pre-settlement reef fishes

Our understanding of habitat selection by reef fish larvae has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Fish larvae have long been considered passive particles at the mercy of ocean currents, tides and weather events. For reef fishes, ecological evidence has shown that passive dispersal alone often cannot explain larval distributions, suggesting active behaviour by reef fish larvae. While behaviourally modified passive transport may be important, recent work demonstrates that some reef fish larvae have the capability to actively swim to settlement habitat. They can orientate to reefs from distances of at least 1 km and can swim at speeds of 13.5 cm s^?1 for several days. The question then becomes, what are the cues that fish larvae use to orientate to reefs? Ambient reef sound has been shown to be attractive to reef fish larvae, and current research aims to understand better the nature and use of these acoustic cues. Other potential cues include chemoreception/olfaction, wave cues and visual location of reefs. A better understanding of active habitat selection and the underlying sensory and behavioural mechanisms will improve our knowledge of recruitment processes in reef fish ecology, and may have implications for active management of reef fish populations.     

Comparison of acid-detergent lignin,alkaline-peroxide lignin,and acid-detergent insoluble ash as internal markers for predicting fecal output and digestibilily by caltie offered bermudagrass hays of varying nutrient composition

Background： The potential for acid-detergent insoluble ash （ADIA）, alkaline-peroxide lignin （APL）, and acid-detergent lignin （ADL） to predict fecal output （FO） and dry matter digestibility （DMD） by cattle offered bermudagrass [Cynodon doctylon （L） Pers.] hays of different qualities was evaluated. Eight ruminally cannulated cows （594 ± 35.5 kg） were allocated randomly to 4 hay diets： low （L）, medium low （ML）, medium high （MH）, and high （H） crude protein （CP） concentration （79, 111,131, and 164 g CP/kg on a DM basis, respectively）. Diets were offered in 3 periods with 2 diet replicates per period and were rotated across cows between periods. Cows were individually fed 20 g DM/kg of body weight in equal feedings at 08：00 and 16：00 h for a 10-d adaptation followed by a 5-d total fecal collection. Actual DM intake （DMI）, DMD, and FO were determined based on hay offered, ort, and feces excreted. These components were then analyzed for ADL, APL, and ADIA concentration to determine marker recovery and marker-based estimates of FO and DMD. Results： Forage DMI was affected by diet （P = 0.02）, and DMI from MH and H was greater （P 〈 0.05） than from L. Apparent DMD tended （P = 0.08） to differ among diets while FO （P = 0.20） was not affected by diet treatments. Average ADL recovery （1.16） was greater （P 〈 0.05） than that of ADIA （1.03） and APL （1.06）, but ADIA and APL did not differ （P = 0.42）. Estimates of FO and DMD derived using APL and ADIA were not different （P≥0.05） from total fecal collection while those using ADL differed （P 〈 0.05）. There was no diet by marker interaction （P≥ 0.22） for either FO or DMD. Conclusion： Acid-detergent insoluble ash and APL accurately predicted FO and DMD of cattle fed bermudagrass hay of varying nutrient composition. These internal markers may facilitate studies involving large numbers of animals and forages. Results from such studies may be used to develop improve     

Coral Farming: Past, Present and Future Trends

There Have Been Significant Technical Advances in Marine Aquarium Maintenance in The Last 20 Years. It is Now Possible to Maintain, Grow and Reproduce in Aquaria Many of the Coral Species Found on Coral Reefs. Due to the increased Demand For Live Corals and Other Reef Invertebrates, The Commercial Production of these Organisms for the Home Aquarium Market Has Become Feasible. This Paper Describes the Early Beginnings of Live Coral Propagation, Current Coral Propagation Facilities Located in Europe, North America, and the Pacific Basin Followed by a Discussion of an Example of the Possible Future for Coral Farming, Namely Propagation by Sexual Reproduction. Suggestions for Areas of Further Research in Captive Coral Propagation are Also Presented.     

A study of goldfish oocyte meiosisin vitro: effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol and adenosine-5-triphosphate

Germinal vesicle migration (GVM) and/or dissolution (GVD) were measured in goldfish oocytes, treated with 17α, 20β dihydroxyprogesterone (DHP) and other compounds considered to effect the cytoskeleton and oxidative phosphorylation,in vitro. Administration of DHP reinitiated meiotic maturation, increasing GVM and GVD in goldfish oocytes. Addition of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to the incubation medium significantly inhibited DHP-induced GVM and GVD. The DNP effect was found to be partially reversible after 24 h and could be reversed fully after a further delay of approximately 24h. Treatment of goldfish oocytes with demecolcine (DE; a colchicine derivative also known as colcemid) induces GVM to the micropyle without effecting GVD; while Cytochalasin-B which inhibits microfilament polymerization impairs both GVM and GVD. Administration of DNP, significantly inhibited DE-induced GVM, suggesting that GVM as well as GVD are dependent upon the process of oxidative phosphorylation. Addition of adenosine-5′ -triphosphate (ATP) at low concentrations (0.01–0.1 mM) did not effect DHP-induced or DNP-inhibited GVD in goldfish oocytes. The present results are consistent with the idea that migration of the oocyte nucleus during meiosis reinitiation has an energy requirement and involves participation by the cytoskeleton.     

Tolerance of juvenile black sea bass Centropristis striata to acute ammonia and nitrite exposure at various salinities

ABSTRACT:   Experiments were conducted to determine the acute tolerance of juvenile (mean weight ± standard error, 9.9 ± 0.9 g) black sea bass Centropristis striata to environmental un-ionized ammonia-nitrogen (NH₃-N) and nitrite-nitrogen (NO₂-N) exposure at various salinities. Specifically, median lethal concentrations (LC50 values) of NH₃-N and NO₂-N at 24, 48 and 96 h of exposure were determined at salinities of 10, 20 and 30 g/L at 22°C. With the exception of LC50 values determined at 48 h, median lethal concentrations of NH₃-N to black sea bass were not influenced by environmental salinity; 24, 48, and 96 h LC50 values ranged from 0.81 to 0.85, 0.65–0.77, and 0.46–0.54 mg-NH₃-N/L, respectively. In contrast, tolerance of black sea bass to environmental NO₂-N was compromised at reduced salinities. Median lethal concentrations of NO₂-N to fish at 24, 48 and 96 h of exposure ranged from 288.3 to 429.0, 258.4 to 358.8 and 190.0 to 241.9 mg-NO₂-N/L, respectively. Results indicate that while juvenile black sea bass are relatively sensitive to acute NH₃-N exposure, they are highly resistant to NO₂-N exposure.     

Endotoxin Structures in the Psychrophiles Psychromonas marina and Psychrobacter cryohalolentis Contain Distinctive Acyl Features

Lipid A is the essential component of endotoxin (Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide), a potent immunostimulatory compound. As the outer surface of the outer membrane, the details of lipid A structure are crucial not only to bacterial pathogenesis but also to membrane integrity. This work characterizes the structure of lipid A in two psychrophiles, Psychromonas marina and Psychrobacter cryohalolentis, and also two mesophiles to which they are related using MALDI-TOF MS and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) GC-MS. P. marina lipid A is strikingly similar to that of Escherichia coli in organization and total acyl size, but incorporates an unusual doubly unsaturated tetradecadienoyl acyl residue. P. cryohalolentis also shows structural organization similar to a closely related mesophile, Acinetobacter baumannii, however it has generally shorter acyl constituents and shows many acyl variants differing by single methylene (-CH₂-) units, a characteristic it shares with the one previously reported psychrotolerant lipid A structure. This work is the first detailed structural characterization of lipid A from an obligate psychrophile and the second from a psychrotolerant species. It reveals distinctive structural features of psychrophilic lipid A in comparison to that of related mesophiles which suggest constitutive adaptations to maintain outer membrane fluidity in cold environments.