Digestive enzyme activity during larval development of the Senegal sole (Solea senegalensis)

The activities of the main digestive enzymes (proteases, amylase, lipase) as well as those of acid and alkaline phosphatases were assessed during the larval development of the Senegal sole, Solea senegalensis. Important variations in specific activities of all the enzymes were observed during the period of study and were mostly related to the beginning or the end of metamorphosis. Both acid and alkaline protease activities were identified at early stages of development. Acid proteases accounted for only 10% of total protease activity in a 9 days-old larva, but exceeded 75% in a 33 days-old individual. Maximum lipase activity was related to the development of exocrine pancreas (days 6 to 10) and to metamorphosis. It is suggested this can be related to the metabolism of lipid reserves taking place during this morphological change. Activity of alkaline phosphatase decreased from day 5 to day 20 but therafter revealed a sharp increase, possibly linked to the development of enterocytes. The pattern of development of the main digestive enzymes found in S. senegalensis is similar to that described in other flatfish species.     

Influence of broodstock gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) dietary fatty acids on egg quality and egg fatty acid composition throughout the spawning season

The influence of broodstock dietary lipids on egg quality and egg fatty acid composition throughout the spawning season of gilthead seabream was investigated. For this purpose, the fish were fed for 7 months either a control diet (diet C) or a diet deficient in n−3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n−3 HUFA) but rich in both oleic (18:1n−9) and linolenic (18:3n−3) acids (diet D). Eggs spawned by both groups of fish were sampled at the beginning, middle and end of the spawning season and the fatty acid composition of their neutral (NL) and polar lipids (PL) determined. In the early season, percentages of fertilized and hatched eggs, relative proportions of NL and PL as well as their fatty acid compositions, were not affected by the lipid composition of the broodstock diet. However, the eggs spawned during the middle and late seasons showed marked differences among the two groups of fish, clearly reflecting the influence of dietary fatty acids. This influence was more evident in the neutral lipid fraction than in the polar lipids. No correlation was found between the number of buoyant eggs and eicosapentaenoic (20:5n−3, EPA), docosahexaenoic (22:6n−3, DHA) fatty acids or total n−3 HUFA contents in egg phospholipids. However, a negative correlation was detected when percentages of fertilized eggs were compared with the levels of 18:1n−9, 18:3n−3 and with the ratio 18:1n−9/n−3 HUFA present in the phospholipids. Our results indicate the importance of maintaining not only the level of n−3 HUFA in egg membrane phospholipids, but also the balance between n−3 HUFA and other fatty acids such as 18:1n−9 and 18:3n−3, in order to obtain a high spawning quality.     

Serological Analysis and Coat Protein Sequence Determination of Potato Virus Y (PVY) Pepper Pathotypes and Differentiation from Other PVY Strains

The serological relationships of Potato Virus Y (PVY) isolates belonging to the pepper pathotypes 0, 1 and 1-2 were established by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PVY pepper pathotypes did not react with monoclonal antibodies which typically recognize non-pepper strains within the PVY group, leading to discrimination between these two groups of strains. No serological differences were found between the three PVY pepper pathotypes. The coat protein (CP) nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences of the three different PVY pepper pathotypes were determined. The highest sequence similarity was found between pathotypes 0 and 1 (99.2%), while the lowest occurred between these two and pathotype 1–2 (98.1%). PVY strains from potato and tobacco appeared more distantly related. Phenetic analysis of the CP amino acid sequences showed that the PVY pepper pathotypes formed a tightly clustered group separate from other PVY strains.     

Statistical properties and performance of pairwise relatedness estimators using turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) family data

The statistical properties and performance of four estimators of pairwise relatedness were evaluated in several scenarios using the microsatellite genotype data from a set of large known full‐sibships of turbot. All estimators showed a significant negative bias for the four kinships commonly used in these studies (unrelated: UR, half‐sibs, full‐sibs and parent–offspring), when allele frequencies of the reference population were estimated from the individuals analysed. When these frequencies were obtained from the base population from which all families proceeded, the bias was mostly corrected. The Wang (W) and Li (L) estimators were the least sensitive to this factor, while the Lynch and Ritland (L&R estimator) was the highest one. The error (mean around 0.130) was very similar in all scenarios for W, L and Queller and Goodnight (QG) estimators, while L&R was the highest error‐prone estimator. Parent–offspring kinship resulted in the lowest error, when using W, L and QG estimators, while UR resulted in the lowest error with the L&R estimator. Globally, W was the best‐performing estimator, although L&R could perform better in specific sampling scenarios. In summary, pairwise estimators represent useful tools for kinship classification in aquaculture broodstock management by applying appropriate thresholds depending on the goals of the analysis.     

Surface water quality and deforestation of the Purus river basin,Brazilian Amazon

In the last years, deforestation constitutes a threat for the aquatic ecosystems. This paper aims to characterize the water quality of the Purus river in the Brazilian Amazon, and investigate the relations between water quality and deforestation of the Purus river basin over a 9-year period, as well as to quantify the Purus river basin’s land cover changes (%) in a 5-year period. Sampling data from upstream to downstream show a decrease in pH-value, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and total suspended solids. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation of the accumulated total deforestation values (km2) with the pH-value (in all the study sites), and a significant positive correlation with temperature (only in two sites). However, the deforestation rates (km2/year) did not present, in none of the study stations, any significant correlation with water quality parameters. It seems that the effects of deforestation on water quality are related not with the rate but with the total area deforested. It was estimated that the basin’s forested area decreased by 5.17%. Since similar attributes are common in other basins of the whitewater systems of the Brazilian Amazon, this results may be seen as a warning on the effects of deforestation on water quality (reduction in pH and increment in temperature values), in larger areas than those of our study sites. To maintain the conservation and preservation status of the Purus river basin, it is necessary, the implementation of a transboundary watershed management program that could serve as a conservation model for Brazil and other countries of the Amazonian region.     

Temporal and Spatial Variations of Ectoparasites on Cage‐reared Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,in Tamaulipas,Mexico

Studies in cage‐cultured fish have reported spatial and temporal variations on parasite prevalence; however, most of these studies have been carried out in cold water and marine environments. Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is the main floating cages‐raised species used in intensive fish culture in Tamaulipas. In Mexico, there are no seasonal reports on fish parasites in this type of cage system. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and mean intensity of ectoparasites of cage‐cultured channel catfish in a year. Fish were sampled bimonthly from six locations in Tamaulipas and measured and evaluated for ectoparasites. Results showed the presence of two gill‐dwelling metazoans, Ligictaluridus floridanus and Ergasilus cerastes and one skin‐dwelling protozoan, Trichodina sp.; a pattern characterized by peaks in prevalence in early autumn for L. floridanus and late autumn for E. cerastes was observed. In addition, geographic location had a significant effect on the prevalence of L. floridanus and E. cerastes. It was also observed that presence of these parasites was not associated with any fish mortality. To our knowledge, this is the first seasonal study on ectoparasite prevalence on channel catfish reared in cages in México.     

Effects of thyroxine administration on the growth and survival of pike silverside (Chirostoma estor) juveniles

The pike silverside has high aquaculture potential despite its slow growth. In this study, thyroxine (T₄) concentrations (0.13, 1.3 and 13 nM), a control with no hormonal supplement and a negative control containing 4.5 mM methimazole (MMI) were tested to evaluate the growth of this species. Juveniles (0.2 g) were exposed by immersion to these treatments for 8 h every second day for 120 days, and growth evaluations were performed monthly over the entire trial period. In addition, tissue samples from each treatment group were assayed for triiodothyronine (T₃) and deiodinase type 2 (D2) activity . The survival rates in all T₄ groups were high, and a significant increase in growth was observed (average of 58%). The MMI treatment caused an increase in mortality and a reduction in the final body weight compared with the control. T₄ administration did not affect the tissue levels of T₃, and it decreased muscular D2 activity only after 30 days of exposure. These results demonstrated that low concentrations of T₄ in the culture environment could improve the growth of this species without affecting tissue hormone levels. The technique may have useful applications for early‐stage aquaculture of this and other economically important species.     

Replacement of fishmeal by vegetable meal mix in the diets of Litopenaeus vannamei reared in low‐salinity biofloc system: effect on digestive enzymatic activity

Biofloc (consortium of diverse microorganisms associated to suspending substrates) was developed from waste of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae culture under low salinity (5 g L^?1) to provide an additional nutritious biomass and reduce fishmeal inclusion in feeds in a 28‐day indoor shrimp nursery trial conducted in 15 experimental containers (250 L stocked at 600 org m^?3). Four experimental diets (isoproteic and isocaloric) containing different percentage of fishmeal: 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% substituted by vegetable meal mix (corn, sorghum and wheat) were formulated and elaborated. A control treatment consisted of a commercial feed. The main water quality parameters were monitored, and no significant differences were found among treatments. The growth and survival were similar among treatments. In general, digestive enzymatic activities showed differences being greater in the biofloc system compared with clear water. It was concluded that low‐salinity shrimp nursery could be successfully developed with minimum inclusion of fishmeal in feeds, without significant effect on production response. The adjustment of C : N ratio allowed the increase of microbial biomass in the bioflocs, which contributed to maintain good water quality, provide live food and enhance digestive enzymatic activity of cultured organisms.     

Biomass yield and nutrient content of a tropical mulberry forage bank: effects of season,harvest frequency and fertilization rate

Effects of season (SEAS), organic fertilization with laying hen manure (N) and harvest frequency (FREQ) on forage yield and composition were evaluated in a high‐density mulberry forage bank, established under low‐input tropical farming conditions. The experiment, replicated over two consecutive years, was arranged in 18 treatments resulting from a 3 × 3×2 factorial design which combined three FREQ (60, 90 and 120 d), 3 N rates (100, 300 and 500 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) and the two seasons (RAIN and DRY). Forage yield, leaf‐to‐stem ratio, the edible fraction (EDIB, %), nutrient content and the maturity indexes were monitored. Either forage yield or qualities by plant fraction were strongly affected by SEAS, FREQ, N rate and by their interactions. Effects of FREQ and N were modulated by SEAS. Increasing FREQ during RAIN negatively affected EDIB yield and quality after 90 d, while increasing ligneous fraction. During DRY, longer FREQ allowed higher total forage and EDIB yields. Leaves were more abundant in RAIN, and its yield was increased with fertilization but only during this season. Maturity indexes were higher in DRY than in RAIN. Under the conditions of this experiment, harvesting at 60 and 90 d in RAIN and DRY, respectively, with an N rate of 300 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 seems the best agronomic choice for an optimal compromise between forage yield and nutritive value.