Environmental influences on life history strategies in partially anadromous brown trout (Salmo trutta,Salmonidae)

This paper reviews the life history of brown trout and factors influencing decisions to migrate. Decisions that maximize fitness appear dependent on size at age. In partly anadromous populations, individuals that attain maturity at the parr stage typically become freshwater resident. For individual fish, the life history is not genetically fixed and can be modified by the previous growth history and energetic state in early life. This phenotypic plasticity may be influenced by epigenetic modifications of the genome. Thus, factors influencing survival and growth determine life‐history decisions. These are intra‐ and interspecific competition, feeding and shelter opportunities in freshwater and salt water, temperature in alternative habitats and flow conditions in running water. Male trout exhibit alternative mating strategies and can spawn as a subordinate sneaker or a dominant competitor. Females do not exhibit alternative mating behaviour. The relationship between growth, size and reproductive success differs between sexes in that females exhibit a higher tendency to migrate than males. Southern populations are sensitive to global warming. In addition, fisheries, aquaculture with increased spreading of salmon lice, introduction of new species, weirs and river regulation, poor water quality and coastal developments all threaten trout populations. The paper summarizes life‐history data from six populations across Europe and ends by presenting new research questions and directions for future research.     

Developments in the nutrition of Menidia estor Jordan 1880

The Mexican silverside, Menidia estor, is a species with great regional importance and with very high prices in local markets. Unfortunately, due to high fisheries pressure, environmental degradation and pollution, the species has become endangered. Recently, there has been much progress in the biotechnology of this species, aimed at its culture, and the present paper describes the advances in feeding and nutrition of those important fish. M. estor is a stomachless, zooplantophagous fish, which also occasionally feeds on small fish and crustaceans in the adult stage. Studies on the digestive enzymatic activities show high proteolytic capacity and a late or different model of digestive maturation from that described for marine stomach fish. Nutritional studies on M. estor have shown that juveniles have dietary requirements of about 400 g kg^?1 protein and 80 mg kg^?1 vitamin C. The upper level of dietary carbohydrate for good growth and survival for juveniles is about 150 g kg^?1. Based on the high docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content in flesh when fed on diets low in DHA, it is believed that the species has the capacity to biosynthetize >20‐carbon fatty acids from 18‐carbon fatty acids. The high levels of DHA in flesh makes this fish a very significant potential component of human nutrition. Using these findings the first practical diets for commercial culture of the species have been developed.     

Effect of lipid source and bile salts in diet of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., on astaxanthin blood levels

A study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary lipid and bile acids on astaxanthin absorption in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Fish with an average weight of 1500 g were fitted with a dorsal aorta cannula and fed diets containing herring oil, soybean lecithin, lard, or herring oil supplemented with taurocholic acid (2.5 g/kg diet). Each fish was fed all of the experimental diets in successive order to minimize the effect of individual variation. At a given time following the feeding of each diet, blood was collected and analyzed for astaxanthin. Soybean lecithin significantly lowered the absorption of astaxanthin compared to fish fed herring oil. A 20% (p < 0.12) increase in blood astaxanthin was observed when the fish were fed the diet supplemented with taurocholic acid. Feeding lard significantly increased the blood astaxanthin level compared to the control group. It appears that altering the micellar structure by stimulating micellar (taurocholic acid) or mixed micellar (lecithin) systems did not increase the apparent absorption of astaxanthin. However, increasing the phospholipid level may have actually decreased the absorption possibly by lowering the astaxanthin solubility in the micelles. The increased apparent absorption of astaxanthin with lard is possibly linked to the increased content of 16:0, 18:1n − 9 or 18:2n − 6 fatty acids in this diet, or a reduction in very long chain monoenes (20:1n − 9 and 22:1n − 9). This suggests that the solubility of astaxanthin is higher in diets containing higher levels of 16:0 or 18:1n − 1, or alternatively, that reductions in longer chain monoenes (20:1n − 9 and 22:1n − 9) increase the micellar solubility of this pigment.     

Integrating in situ quantitative geographic information tools and size‐specific,laboratory‐based growth zones in a dynamic river‐mouth estuary

• 1. The ultimate determination of coastal habitat suitability requires the integration of both dynamic (i.e. water mass characteristics) and stationary (structural) habitats. An approach using real‐time streamed data collection, remote sensing, and GIS modelling to compare and contrast seasonal and spatial patterns in these habitat components of the eastern and western distributaries of the lower Pascagoula River estuary is described.
• 2. Structural and dynamic habitat characteristics are described using GIS and integrated with published growth data on juvenile mullet (Mugil spp.) and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) to reveal zones of accelerated growth. Both mullet and spot had their greatest growth when water temperature and salinity (dynamic habitat) were physiologically optimal. The lack of spatial difference in the dynamic habitat between distributaries resulted in no growth zone differences for both species.
• 3. The integration of the growth zones with the structural habitat component showed that the west distributary, with its greater availability and reduced fragmentation of main channel marsh edge, should provide a greater area of essential fish habitat than the east distributary for juvenile spot, a marsh‐edge associate. Because juvenile mullet are less associated with structural wetland habitat, growth zones and the stationary (structural) habitat were not integrated.
• 4. The approach of integrating real‐time geo‐referenced water quality data with regional fish growth‐rate data is an important step towards a quantitative understanding of the hierarchical nature and inherent variability of dynamic coastal environments. The use of this holistic approach should lead to more effective management of estuarine systems, especially in regard to potential impacts within the estuary's watershed and to its coupling with offshore environments.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

抗菌肽CecropinB对人工感染大肠杆菌雏鸡的治疗效果研究

以1日龄来航蛋雏鸡为试验对象,研究重组抗菌肽CecropinB治疗雏鸡大肠杆菌感染的效果.120只雏鸡分6个组,每组20只,其中不同剂量抗菌肽治疗组又分为口服和肌内注射两个不同的处理,每个处理10只.致死剂量大肠杆菌肌内注射24 h后,肌内注射和口服不同浓度的重组CecropinB抗菌肽,连续治疗5 d.结果表明,重组抗菌肽CecropinB对大肠杆菌病有较好的治疗效果.其中高剂量(0.75 mL)口服组的效果最佳,治愈率达到80%,中剂量(0.5 mL)口服组与高剂量肌内注射组治愈率同为70%.中剂量肌内注射组与环丙沙星组效果一致,治愈率达到60%,低剂量抗菌肽治疗组治疗效果不如上述所有治疗组.与感染对照组相比,所有组别的雏鸡死亡率显著降低.     

Effect of selenium and vitamin E on oxidative stress in lambs experimentally infected with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haemonchus contortus</Emphasis>

The objective of this study was to evaluate oxidative stress in lambs experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus and supplemented with selenium and vitamin E. Twenty male Corriedale lambs were divided into four experimental groups with five animals each: G1 consisted of animals infected and supplemented with 0.2 mg/kg of live weight (LW) sodium selenite by intramuscular injection (IM); G2 consisted of animals infected with larvae and supplemented with 0.2 mg/kg LW sodium selenite IM and 2000 IU per animal of Vitamin E IM; G3 consisted of animals infected with larvae and supplemented with 2000 IU per animal of Vitamin E IM; and G4 consisted of animals infected with larvae. The animals were infected orally with 500 H. contortus larvae (L3) every 48 hours for 20 days. For biochemical analyses and eggs per grams of feces (EPG) evaluation, blood and feces were both collected at zero (T0), 20 (T1), 40 (T2) and 60 (T3) days. The weight of the animals was also measured at these times. Lower TBARS values were observed in the supplemented animals compared to the control group. The groups supplemented with Selenium exhibited blood GSH-Px activity higher than that of non-supplemented animals. Supplementation with selenium provided greater antioxidant protection against oxidative stress generated from experimental infection of lambs with H. contortus.     

Neodymium-142 evidence for Hadean mafic crust

Neodymium-142 data for rocks from the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt in northern Quebec, Canada, show that some rock types have lower 142Nd/144Nd ratios than the terrestrial standard (epsilon142Nd = -0.07 to -0.15). Within a mafic amphibolite unit, 142Nd/144Nd ratios correlate positively with Sm/Nd ratios and produce a 146Sm-142Nd isochron with an age of 4280(-81)(+53) million years. These rocks thus sample incompatible-element-enriched material formed shortly after Earth formation and may represent the oldest preserved crustal section on Earth.     

Formalin and footrot in sheep

Changes in formalin concentration were measured over time in uncontaminated solutions and solutions heavily contaminated by mud, faeces, wool or straw. Shallow plastic trays containing 1.11 of a 9% aqueous solution of formalin were exposed for 6 days (trial 1) or 8 days (trial 2) to windy autumn weather. Evaporation of solution volumes was high (47-73%). Concentration generally increased over time: by 13-31% in trial 1 and by 61-162% in trial 2. These figures represent actual increases in percentage formalin of up to 3.0% in trial 1 and up to 7.6% in trial 2. Exposure to mud, sheep faeces or wool did not affect the increase in concentration but there was no increase in the presence of straw. As exposure to excessively concentrated formalin solutions produces hyperaemia, cracking of interdigital skin and lameness in sheep it is recommended that footbath solutions should be diluted to 2-S%, prepared on the day of use and discarded daily whether contaminated or not. Addition of formalin or water to existing solutions of unknown strength should be avoided.     

痕量灌溉管不同埋深对日光温室沙培黄瓜的影响

以微喷灌溉(CK)为对照,研究痕量灌溉管在沙培中不同埋深对日光温室春季黄瓜生长、产量和水分生产效率等的影响.结果表明,T3处理(25cm)的黄瓜生长与CK(微喷)相比受到显著抑制,T1 (5cm)、T2(15cm)处理黄瓜生物积累量、叶片净光合速率、果实品质与CK相比均有所提高,不同处理间叶片电导率、MDA、根系活力差异不显著,T1、T2、T3处理沙子含水量均低于CK;T1处理的产量比T2处理提高了1.9％;与CK相比的T1、T2处理水分生产效率分别提高50.9％、60.0％.分析表明,日光温室沙培黄瓜栽培中痕量灌溉管埋设深度为5 cm最佳.