Comparing the behavioural thermoregulation response to heat stress by Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) in two rivers

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme thermal events in rivers. The Little Southwest Miramichi River (LSWM) and the Ouelle River (OR) are two Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) rivers located in eastern Canada, where in recent years, water temperatures have exceeded known thermal limits (~23°C). Once temperature surpasses this threshold, juvenile salmon exploit thermal heterogeneity to behaviourally thermoregulate, forming aggregations in coolwater refuges. This study aimed to determine whether the behavioural thermoregulation response is universal across rivers, arising from common thermal cues. We detailed the temperature and discharge patterns of two geographically distinct rivers from 2010 to 2012 and compared these with aggregation onset temperature. PIT telemetry and snorkelling were used to confirm the presence of aggregations. Mean daily maximum temperature in 2010 was significantly greater in the OR versus the LSWM (p = 0.005), but not in other years (p = 0.090–0.353). Aggregations occurred on 14 and 9 occasions in the OR and LSWM respectively. Temperature at onset of aggregation was significantly greater in the OR (T_onset = 28.3°C) than in the LSWM (T_onset = 27.3°C; p = 0.049). Logistic regression models varied by river and were able to predict the probability of aggregation based on the preceding number of hours >23°C (R² = 0.61 & 0.65; P₅₀ = 27.4°C & 28.9°C; in the OR and LSWM respectively). These results imply the preceding local thermal regime may influence behaviour and indicate a degree of phenotypic plasticity, illustrating a need for localised management strategies.     

The value of sea urchin,Lytechinus variegatus,egesta consumed by shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei

Sea urchins produce high‐energy, membrane‐bound fecal pellets that contain residual nutrients and large quantities of microbiota. These egesta are readily consumed by the shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Egesta of the sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, were evaluated as a feed supplement or total replacement for a commercial shrimp diet. Shrimp were stocked at 0.49 g ± 0.06 g initial body weight and housed individually in 2.8‐L tanks in a commercial recirculating zebrafish system. Shrimp were assigned to one of six diets: commercial shrimp feed, reference sea urchin feed, collected dried sea urchin egesta, collected wet sea urchin egesta, half ration of shrimp feed and half collected wet sea urchin egesta, and egesta naturally produced by two sea urchins in polyculture. Equivalent dry matter amounts of each diet were proffered to shrimp in each treatment twice daily, except for those that had complete access to natural egesta excreted by sea urchins in polyculture. Sea urchins were proffered a reference sea urchin feed at 2% body weight daily. After 27 days, shrimp proffered collected dried or wet egesta did not differ significantly in percent weight gain and showed the lowest weight gain. The percent weight gain of shrimp fed the commercial shrimp diet did not differ significantly from that of the shrimp fed half commercial shrimp diet and half egesta. The highest weight gain was recorded for those shrimp that consumed the untouched egesta produced by sea urchins in polyculture. These data suggest that consumed egesta have noteworthy nutritional value and therefore would be beneficial to the culture of extractive species in an integrated multitrophic aquaculture system.     

Compatibility of root growth and tuber production of potato cultivars with dynamic and static water‐saving irrigation managements

The important root characteristics of root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) generally differ among irrigation managements and potato cultivars. The objective of this study was to investigate the RLD and RMD variations and their functional relationships with gross potato tuber yield for two commercial potato cultivars, Agria and Sante, under different irrigation strategies. Full irrigation and water‐saving irrigation strategies, deficit and partial root drying irrigations, were applied statically (S) and dynamically (D) based on daily crop evapotranspiration. Results showed that SPRD had significantly greater RLD (3.64 cm/cm³) and RMD (132.7 μg/cm³) than other irrigation treatments. Between the potato cultivars, Agria had significantly larger values of RLD (3.50 cm/cm³) and RMD (138.7 μg/cm³) than Sante. The functional relationship between the root growth characteristics and tuber yield showed that under water‐saving irrigations, Agria increased root mass at the expense of gross tuber yield but Sante increased root mass to maintain larger gross tuber yields. However, Agria produced more roots and gross tuber yield than Sante, and it is concluded that Agria is a more drought‐tolerant potato cultivar, which is recommended for tuber production in regions where water might be scarce. It was shown that larger root production in potatoes was associated with improved tolerance to water stress.     

我国牧草种植成本收益变化与比较

本研究以牧草种植户牧草及粮食作物的调研数据为基础,计算出2010-2014年主要牧草和粮食作物的成本收益基本信息,对其变化进行统计分析,并对各作物的成本收益进行比较。分析发现,2014年苜蓿(Medicago sativa)的经济效益有所下降;黑麦草(Lolium perenne)和青贮玉米(Zea mays)的纯收益和收益率有所增长;苜蓿的纯收益和收益率要高于黑麦草和青贮玉米;马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum)和苜蓿的经济效益更具优势,种植小麦(Triticum aestivum)经济效益较差;黑麦草和青贮玉米人工和土地成本更高,苜蓿水电费最高。建议调整农业产业结构,推行"粮+经+饲+草"四元种植结构,全面扶持牧草产业发展,建立健全牧草生产资料补贴制度。     

Leaf carbohydrates assimilation and metabolism affect seed yield of rapeseed with different waterlogging tolerance under the interactive effects of nitrogen and waterlogging

Waterlogging is a main factor causing rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) yield loss, and reasonable nitrogen (N) applications can compensate for this loss. To investigate the effects of N rates on seed yield of waterlogged rapeseed, the waterlogging-tolerant rapeseed variety ZS 9 and sensitive variety GH01 were waterlogged for 0 and 10 days with five leaves at the seedling stage under four N rates (0, 90, 180 and 270 kg/ha). Waterlogging significantly decreased seed yield, while N application can alleviate the yield loss. The yield decrease rate of waterlogged GH01 was greater than that of ZS 9 under the same N rate. During the seedling and bolting stage, the leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity increased, while activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), sucrose synthase (SuSy) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) decreased with more N under the same watering conditions. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the leaf Pn and Rubisco activity, starch and sucrose contents of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the two stages; activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the seedling while increased at the bolting stage for both the two varieties. At the flowering stage, the Pn, the activities of Rubisco, AGPase, SuSy, SPS and contents of sucrose, starch increased with more N application for both ZS 9 and GH01. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the Pn and Rubisco activity for waterlogged plants of the two varieties increased; the waterlogged plants of tolerant variety had higher activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS, while those of sensitive variety was significantly lower. However, the decreased starch and sucrose content were found in both tolerant and sensitive varieties. The activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS at flowering were highly positively correlated with yield under the interactive effects of N and waterlogging. These results suggested that the flowering stage is the most important stage that N had the positive regulation on waterlogged rapeseed growth. The carbohydrates translocation from leaves to seeds of the tolerant variety were enhanced after waterlogging, while that of the sensitive variety was still inhibited. This was the main reason for the difference in yield between the two waterlogged varieties.     

Do cover crops change the lability of phosphorus in a clayey subtropical soil under different phosphate fertilizers?

Plants have developed different mechanisms to absorb and solubilize phosphorus (P) in the soil, especially in environments with low P availability. This study evaluated the effects of different winter cover crops on soil P availability in a clayey subtropical (Hapludox) soil receiving soluble P fertilizer and a rock phosphate applied to the summer crop, under no‐tillage. The experiment was carried out over 3 yrs (2009–2011) with five different cover crop species: common vetch, fodder radish, ryegrass, black oat, white clover and fallow as control. The soil was sampled after the third year of cover crop cultivation and analysed for inorganic and organic P forms according to the well‐established Hedley fractionation procedure. Phosphate fertilizers promoted accumulation of both labile and nonlabile P pools in soil in the near surface layer, especially under rock phosphate. Fertilizer applications were not able to change P fractions in deeper layers, emphasizing that the Brazilian clayey soils are a sink of P from fertilizer and its mobility is almost nil. Although the cover crops recycled a great amount of P in tissue, in a short‐term evaluation (3 yrs) they only changed the content of moderately labile P in soil, indicating that long‐term studies are needed for more conclusive results.     

陈将三兄弟:迪尔青贮机让致富路越走越宽

1988年出生的陈将,是安徽省蚌埠市五河县农机大户,投身农机作业服务已有7年多了,算得上是"老农机"了。如今拥有5台约翰迪尔进口青贮饲料收获机,以及其他农机具产品,总资产1 000多万元。没见到陈将之前,很难想象这么年轻的一位小伙,竟有如此的实力和魄力,在青贮机械化收获事业上越做越大,成了远近闻名的农机大户,并且是迪尔公司的"铁粉"。     

基于森林健康理念的森林康养产业发展研究

阐述了森林健康理念和森林康养的基本概念,介绍了森林健康理念和森林康养的发展现状,分析了森林健康与森林康养产业之间的关系。结果表明:森林康养产业的理论基础就是基于森林健康理念继承发展来的,必然会促进森林健康产业的发展。运用森林健康理念指导森林康养产业发展是森林康养产业可持续发展的有效途径,森林健康理念在中国会不断完善和发展,也更有利于中国森林康养产业的发展。展望康养产业,会形成一种新的经济形态,成为国民福祉。