Linking nest histories,remotely sensed land use data and wildlife crime records to explore the impact of grouse moor management on peregrine falcon populations

Wildlife crime can be difficult to quantify, and its true impact on populations can be underestimated if rates are under-recorded. The illegal killing of birds of prey is an important form of wildlife crime, which in the UK, is often associated with land managed for the recreational shooting of red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. In the UK, increases in peregrine falcons Falco peregrinus following recovery from organo-chlorine pesticides have not been uniform, with slow growth and localised declines in some areas, including those managed for red grouse shooting. In this study, we combined 1081 peregrine nest histories across northern England between 1980 and 2006 with a remotely sensed map of grouse moor management, to test whether breeding performance was lower in areas with active management for grouse shooting. Productivity of pairs on grouse moors was 50% lower than pairs breeding on non-grouse moor habitat. However, clutch size and brood size of successful nests did not differ between habitat types, suggesting that food constraints were unlikely to explain this difference. Population models suggested source-sink dynamics, with populations on grouse moors unable to sustain themselves without immigration. Population data confirmed that growth rates were indeed lower on grouse moors than on non-grouse moor sites. Analysis of wildlife crime data confirmed that persecution of the species was more frequent on grouse moors than in other habitat types. This population will be more secure, and better able to function as a barometer of environmental health and climate change, if illegal persecution of the species ceases on areas of land managed for grouse shooting.     

Effects of Pentoxifylline on Equine Epididymal Sperm

This study evaluated whether pentoxifylline (PTX) present in the flushing extender influenced the function of equine epididymal spermatozoa after recovery and after thawing. For this experiment, 58 testicles from 29 Brazilian Jumping Horses were used. Cauda epididymides of each stallion were separated and flushed with a skim milk extender, with or without 7.18 mM PTX and then subjected to the freezing process. Samples flushed with the extender containing PTX showed a significant increase in total motility, progressive motility, straight line velocity, curvilinear velocity, and percentage of rapid sperm immediately after the recovery of epididymal sperm and after 15 minutes of incubation at 37°C (P < .05). However, the presence of PTX in the flushing extender did not affect the post-thaw motility parameters or plasma membrane integrity (P > .05). The results of this study showed that the PTX present in the flushing extender improved motility parameters of recently recovered epididymal sperm and had no deleterious effects on plasma membrane integrity and freezability of equine epididymal sperm.     

Development of plant‐based diets and the evaluation of dietary attractants for juvenile Florida pompano,Trachinotus carolinus L.

Sustainable and profitable commercial aquaculture production of marine fish species is dependent on the development of sustainable protein sources as substitutes for expensive animal meals such as fishmeal (FM). Previous Florida pompano Trachinotus carolinus studies have indicated that poultry by‐product meal (PBM) and meat and bone meal can be used to produce a FM‐free diet if suitable levels of nutrients (such as taurine) are included in the diets. In this study, we attempted to develop an all‐plant protein diet by removing the animal proteins in practical diets for pompano by substituting back select ingredients. A series of eight FM‐free diets were formulated, four systematically replaced soybean meal (SBM) with soy protein concentrate (SPC) and four replaced PBM with SPC. Based on the results, there is no clear disadvantage to the use of SPC as a replacement for SBM. However, the complete removal of PBM resulted in reduced performance. Two additional growth trials were conducted to supplement additional amino acids including glycine, valine and histidine, a proprietary chemical attractant mix, fish protein concentrate and squid hydrolysate to improve the growth of pompano when fed all‐plant protein diets. The only improvement in performance occurred with the squid hydrolysate. These results demonstrate that using soybean meal, soy protein concentrate and corn gluten meal as the primary protein sources, a plant‐based feed formulation can be developed, but the removal of all animal proteins is not yet feasible.     

Spatial and temporal variations in the erosion threshold of fine riverbed sediments

Purpose

Lowland chalk streams in the UK are experiencing increased deposition of fine sediment due to changes in land-use practices, channel modifications, and groundwater abstraction. The excessive fine sediment deposits have been linked to benthic habitat degradation, the obstruction of surface?Cgroundwater flow, and the storage of contaminants, such as nutrients and pesticides. While research has been conducted on the provenance, transport, deposition, and storage of fine sediment in chalk streams, none has expressly investigated the erosion of fine sediment deposits.

Materials and methods

A year-long field survey was conducted in two reaches of the Frome-Piddle catchment (Dorset, UK) to quantify spatial and temporal variations in the erosion thresholds of surficial fine sediment deposits. Erosion thresholds were measured at randomly located points within areas of sediment accumulation using a cohesive strength meter (CSM). The threshold measurements were paired with sediment cores for analysis of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the sediment. Spatial and temporal patterns in the erosion thresholds of fine sediment were analyzed using nonparametric statistical tests and visualized with GIS. The sediment properties underlying the variations in erosion thresholds were examined through correlation and linear regression analyses.

Results and discussion

Erosion thresholds varied significantly over space and time within the stream reaches. Erosion thresholds were greater for fine sediment deposits found in the center of the channel than in the margins. Thresholds were highest in September 2008 and declined substantially to a minimum in May 2009, with a small peak in March 2009, indicating an annual cycle in erosion thresholds. Effective particle size was identified statistically as the most important sediment property influencing erosion thresholds and was probably underlying much of the spatial variation within the reaches. None of the measured sediment properties adequately characterized the temporal variation in erosion thresholds, however, the results suggest that biological sediment properties and water geochemistry (i.e., cation content) may play a role.

Conclusions

By identifying significant spatial and temporal variations in erosion thresholds, this study provides valuable information on the stability of fine sediment deposits, and sediment-bound contaminants, in lowland river systems. This is a crucial step in assessing their local environmental impacts and developing models of fine sediment transport for the effective management of catchment sediment budgets and water resources.     

A preliminary equine abuse policy with potential application to veterinary practice

An equine abuse policy was developed as an adjunct to an equine management survey. If at least 3 of 5 categories caused concern, a report to the authorities was indicated. The policy was not used but, in the absence of other guidelines, it might assist veterinarians considering potential abuse cases.     

Influence of pH and temperature on force development and shortening velocity in skinned muscle fibres from fish

Three species of fish were studied: Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) (from the North Sea, temperature 2 to 12°C) andNotothenia neglecta (from Antarctica, temperature –2 to +2°C). Single fast muscle fibres were isolated from anterior myotomes and skinned with detergent in order to directly determine the effects of pH and temperature on force production and shortening velocity.In all species maximum force production (Po) was independent of pH over the range 7.3–8.0. Decreasing the pH from 7.3 to 6.6 reduced maximum force by 28% in fibres fromG. morhua andN. neglecta but had no effect on fibres fromM. scorpius. The depression in maximum force with acidosis was accompanied by a proportional decrease in stiffness and an increase in the rate of force recovery after stretch.Unloaded contraction velocity of cod fibres (Vmax) showed a pH optimum at around pH 7.6 decreasing by 31% at pH 6.6. Vmax of fibres from the other species was independent of pH over the range 6.6–8.0.The effects of pH on Po and Vmax were similar at 0 and 10°C. Thus for maximally activated fibres both force and contraction velocity are independent of temperature induced changes in pH. In some species acidosis depresses contractility and is likely to be a contributory factor to muscle fatigue.     

Serum antibody responses to vaccinal antigens in lean and obese geriatric dogs

The immune responses in control dogs [1 to 4 years of age, body condition score (BCS): 4 to 5 out of 9] were compared to those of aging dogs (based on breed and body size) either categorized as lean (BCS: 4 to 5 out of 9) or obese (BCS: 8 to 9 out of 9). Of interest were the serum titers to the following common agents found in vaccines, canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV), and Bordetella bronchiseptica. There were no statistical differences in the antibodies to CPIV, B. bronchispetica, and CRCoV, among the age/weight categories, nor among the age/weight categories and the time, in days, between the date of sample collection and the date of the last recorded vaccination for CPIV, B. bronchiseptica, CPV, and CDV. For CPV, the control dogs had significantly (P < 0.002) higher serum neutralization (SN) titers than the lean geriatric dogs and the obese geriatric dogs. For CDV SN titers, the only statistically significant (P = 0.01) difference was that the control dogs had higher SN titers than the lean geriatric dogs.     

New methods and strategies for monitoring susceptibility of fleas to current flea control products

A flea larval bioassay was developed by an international team of scientists to monitor the susceptibility of fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) to imidacloprid (Advantage, Bayer HealthCare). The assay was validated using laboratory and field isolates of C. felis. Flea eggs representing different field isolates of C. felis were collected by veterinarians in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. Of the 972 flea isolates obtained during the 5-year study, 768 contained sufficient numbers of eggs to conduct the larval bioassay. Greater than 5% survival occurred for only six of the field isolates evaluated. Further evaluation and analysis of these isolates demonstrated that they did not differ significantly in their susceptibility to imidacloprid from the reference strains used to develop the assay. Collections of field flea isolates will continue in an attempt to detect and document any change in the susceptibility of field flea populations to imidacloprid.