When fish shoals meet: outcomes for evolution and fisheries

The mechanisms underlying the social structure of free‐ranging fish shoals have received little attention in comparison to functional studies on shoaling. Recently, however, a number of investigations, both in the marine and in the freshwater environment, have begun to address the underlying mechanisms by concentrating on interactions between free‐ranging shoals. The rates of shoal encounters can influence the opportunities for individual assortment by phenotype and selection of shoal size; act as a constraint on the observed patterns of shoal structure by restricting individual choice behaviour and were found to be high in several small freshwater species (where intershoal distances were small), but lower in marine species where shoals were more dispersed. The duration of encounters may play a role in that it affects both the time available for assessment (of the encountered shoal) as well as that for exchange of individuals. Scarce published information on the outcome of shoal encounters suggests that the outcome of shoal encounters is influenced by shoal composition but not by shoal size. Individual behaviour may have evolved to maintain shoal size when shoals encounter, but when fish populations are depleted by fishing, this trait can exacerbate range and stock collapse. Furthermore, an understanding of the dynamics of shoal encounters has important consequences for the evolution of reciprocal altruism and the transmission of information through social learning within populations. Finally, information on encounter rates between shoals and the number of individuals that are exchanged on such occasions could be important for making predictions about the spread of disease through fish populations.     

Accurate Dereplication of Bioactive Secondary Metabolites from Marine-Derived Fungi by UHPLC-DAD-QTOFMS and a MS/HRMS Library

In drug discovery, reliable and fast dereplication of known compounds is essential for identification of novel bioactive compounds. Here, we show an integrated approach using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-QTOFMS) providing both accurate mass full-scan mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem high resolution MS (MS/HRMS) data. The methodology was demonstrated on compounds from bioactive marine-derived strains of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Emericellopsis, including small polyketides, non-ribosomal peptides, terpenes, and meroterpenoids. The MS/HRMS data were then searched against an in-house MS/HRMS library of ~1300 compounds for unambiguous identification. The full scan MS data was used for dereplication of compounds not in the MS/HRMS library, combined with ultraviolet/visual (UV/Vis) and MS/HRMS data for faster exclusion of database search results. This led to the identification of four novel isomers of the known anticancer compound, asperphenamate. Except for very low intensity peaks, no false negatives were found using the MS/HRMS approach, which proved to be robust against poor data quality caused by system overload or loss of lock-mass. Only for small polyketides, like patulin, were both retention time and UV/Vis spectra necessary for unambiguous identification. For the ophiobolin family with many structurally similar analogues partly co-eluting, the peaks could be assigned correctly by combining MS/HRMS data and m/z of the [M + Na]⁺ ions.     

Biomass equations for seven different tree species growing in coppice-with-standards forests in Central Germany

With an increasing demand of sustainable raw materials for bioenergy use, coppicing as management approach to increase the biomass production of forests is becoming of greater importance. This study describes the parameterization of biomass equations for six tree species traditionally used in coppices forests, namely sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), field maple (Acer campestre L.), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), and common hazel (Corylus avellana L.) growing in coppice-with-standard systems in Lower Saxony, Germany. The parameterization was based on measurements of over 950 trees sampled from two forest sites. The sampled trees were felled and separated into three biomass compartments (stem, coarse branches, and fine brushwood) and weighed on site. The dry weight of sub samples from each compartment was measured. Equations were derived for total aboveground biomass, stem biomass, and crown biomass using regression analyses. We either used diameter at breast height as single independent explanatory variable or in combination with tree height. Biomass production of stump sprouts and generatively grown stems was compared for ash and sycamore maple. In the same age classes, it was found that ash stump sprouts had a slightly higher production than seed-grown stems. For sycamore maple, no difference was detected.     

Cell-specific activation of aflatoxin B1 correlates with presence of some cytochrome P450 enzymes in olfactory and respiratory tissues in horse

Horses may be exposed to aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) via inhalation of mouldy dust, leading to high exposure of olfactory and respiratory tissues. In the present study the metabolic activation of AFB(1) was examined in olfactory and respiratory tissues in horse. The results showed covalent binding of AFB(1)-metabolites in sustentacular cells and cells of Bowman's glands in the olfactory mucosa, in some cells of the surface epithelium of nasal respiratory, tracheal, bronchial and bronchiolar mucosa and in some glands in these areas. Immunohistochemistry revealed that cells expressing proteins reacting with CYP 3A4- and CYP 2A6/2B6-antibodies had a similar distribution as those having capacity to activate AFB(1). Our data indicate that the cell-specific activation of AFB(1) correlates with presence of some CYP-enzymes in olfactory and respiratory tissues in horse.     

Competitive adsorption between phosphate and carboxylic acids: quantitative effects and molecular mechanisms

The competitive adsorption at the water‐goethite interface between phosphate and a carboxylic acid, either oxalate, citrate, 1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), mellitate or Suwannee River Standard Fulvic Acid 1S101F (FA), was investigated over a wide pH range (3–9) by means of batch experiments and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy. The quantitative results from the competitive adsorption measurements show that the efficiency of the organic acids in competing with phosphate was in the order oxalate < citrate < BTCA ≅ FA < mellitate. Oxalate showed no detectable effect, whereas the effect in the mellitate system was strong, and the aggregative results indicate that an increasing number of carboxylic groups favours competitive ability towards phosphate. The infrared spectroscopic results show conclusively that competition for goethite surface sites between carboxylic acids and phosphate is not a ligand‐exchange reaction between inner‐sphere surface complexes. Instead, ligands capable of multiple H‐bonding interactions are required to out‐compete and desorb surface complexes of phosphate. The fact that partially protonated organic acids are the most efficient emphasizes the importance of both H‐accepting carboxylate groups and H‐donating carboxylic acid groups for the competitive effect.     

Changes in blood and milk lymphocyte sub-populations during acute and chronic phases of Staphylococcus aureus induced bovine mastitis

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) often causes long-lasting chronic sub-clinical udder infections in dairy cows. To investigate if this can be due to a negative impact of S. aureus on lymphocytes important for the immune defence, alterations in proportions and expression intensity of CD4+, CD8+, WC1+, B and IL-2R+ lymphocytes was studied in blood and milk, as S. aureus mastitis developed from acute clinical to chronic sub-clinical form. Six healthy dairy cows were inoculated with S. aureus in one udder quarter per cow, and one quarter per cow acted as an uninfected control. Blood samples, and milk samples from infected and non-infected quarters were collected before infection and for five weeks after infection. All infected quarters developed acute clinical mastitis, of which five turned into chronic sub-clinical mastitis. In infected quarters, the proportions of all lymphocyte sub-sets, except WC1+ cells, differed in acute phase compared to pre-infection, while the dominant finding in the chronic phase was increased expression intensities per cell. An impact on blood lymphocytes and milk lymphocytes in non-infected quarters also occurred, mainly during the chronic phase. The most prominent finding was the increased proportion and expression of B-lymphocytes in blood, infected and non-infected quarters during chronic sub-clinical mastitis. As S. aureus can invade and survive intracellularly, a preferential stimulation of B-cells, suggesting development of a humoral response, may not be sufficient to eliminate intracellular bacteria, which could explain the persistence of the infection.     

Culling prey promotes predator recovery--alternative states in a whole-lake experiment

Many top-predator fish stocks in both freshwater and marine systems have collapsed as a result of overharvesting. Consequently, some of these communities have shifted into seemingly irreversible new states. We showed, for predators feeding on prey that exhibit food-dependent growth, that culling of fish prey may promote predator recovery. We removed old stunted individuals of a prey-fish species in a large, low-productive lake, which caused an increase in the availability of small-sized prey and allowed the predator to recover. The shift in community state has been sustained for more than 15 years after the cull ended and represents an experimental demonstration of an alternative stable state in a large-scale field system. Because most animals exhibit food-dependent growth, shifts into alternative stable states resulting from overcompensating prey growth may be common in nature and may require counterintuitive management strategies.     

Resorptive tooth root lesions in the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus)

Facial abscessation and osteomyelitis due to dental disease is commonly seen in the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), but little is known about the prevalence or etiology of these lesions. To determine the prevalence of dental ailments, 56 skulls and mandibles of deceased Malayan tapirs were visually and radiographically evaluated. Dental lesions were scored according to severity, and individuals were classified according to their age (juvenile/ young adult/adult) and origin (captive/free ranging). All of the lesions identified were of a resorptive nature. seemingly originating at the cementoenamel junction and burrowing towards the center of the tooth. Overall, 27% of the investigated skulls presented radiolucent dental lesions. The prevalence among captive animals was 52% (13/25), while only 6% (2/31) of the free-ranging tapirs had dental lesions. The second, third, and fourth premolars and first molar were the teeth most commonly affected, and the mandibular teeth were more often involved than the maxillary dentition. This study demonstrates a high prevalence of resorptive dental lesions in captive Malayan tapirs and provides a strong indication that age and captivity are significant risk factors in the development of these lesions. Dental disease, Malayan tapir, radiology, resorptive lesions, Tapirus indicus.     

Allele distributions of two novel SNPs within the sheep Cyp19 gene

Oestrogen is an important regulator of reproduction and growth. The key enzyme of oestrogen biosynthesis, aromatase cytochrome P450, is encoded by the Cyp19 gene. In order to generate genetic markers for the sheep Cyp19 gene, two novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one located in promoter 2 (P2), the other one in intron 9 (I9), were identified by a comparative sequencing approach. The allele distributions of both SNPs were investigated by means of Polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR‐RFLP) in five economically relevant sheep breeds (British Milk Sheep, Carranzana, Latxa Black Face, Latxa White Face, Merino) and three ancient Hungarian breeds kept as gene reserves (Cikta, Racka, Tsigai). In British Milk Sheep, only the intronic SNP was present whereas in Merino, Cikta, Racka, Tsigai, Carranzana, Latxa Black Face and Latxa White Face, both SNPs could be found. This indicates that the newly identified SNPs can be used as markers for the Cyp19 locus in various sheep breeds.