Delineating a managed fire regime and exploring its relationship to the natural fire regime in East Central Florida,USA: A remote sensing and GIS approach

A managed fire regime on John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida and surrounding federal properties was mapped using time series satellite imagery and GIS techniques. Our goals were to: (1) determine if an image processing technique designed for individual fire scar mapping could be applied to an image time series for mapping a managed fire regime in a rapid re-growth pyrogenic system; (2) develop a method for labeling mapped fire scar confidence knowing a formal accuracy analysis was not possible; and (3) compare results of the managed fire regime with regional information on natural fire regimes to look for similarities/differences that might help optimize management for persistence of native fire-dependent species. We found that the area burned by managed fire peaked when the drought index was low and was reduced when the drought index was high. This contrasts with the expectations regarding the natural fire regime of this region. With altered natural fire regimes and fire-dependent species declining in many pyrogenic ecosystems, it is important to manage fire for the survival of fire-adapted native species. The remote sensing and GIS techniques presented are effective for delineating and monitoring managed fire regimes in shrub systems that grow rapidly and may be appropriate for other fire-dependent systems world wide.     

Clinical evaluation of dietary modification for treatment of spontaneous chronic renal failure in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a diet used for dogs with renal failure (renal food [RF]) was superior to an adult maintenance food (MF) in minimizing uremic crises and mortality rate in dogs with spontaneous chronic renal failure. DESIGN: Double-masked, randomized, controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS: 38 dogs with spontaneous chronic renal failure. PROCEDURE: Dogs were randomly assigned to a group fed adult MF or a group fed RF and evaluated for up to 24 months. The 2 groups were of similar clinical, biochemical, and hematologic status. The effects of diets on uremic crises and mortality rate were compared. Changes in renal function were evaluated by use of serial evaluation of serum creatinine concentrations and reciprocal of serum creatinine concentrations. RESULTS: Compared with the MF, the RF had a beneficial effect regarding uremic crises and mortality rate in dogs with mild and moderate renal failure. Dogs fed the RF had a slower decline in renal function, compared with dogs fed the MF. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dietary modifications are beneficial in minimizing extrarenal manifestations of uremia and mortality rate in dogs with mild and moderate spontaneous chronic renal failure. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that delay in development of uremic crises and associated mortality rate in dogs fed RF was associated, at least in part, with reduction in rate of progression of renal failure.     

Expanding the utilization of sustainable plant products in aquafeeds: a review

Continued growth and intensification of aquaculture production depends upon the development of sustainable protein sources to replace fish meal in aquafeeds. This document reviews various plant feedstuffs, which currently are or potentially may be incorporated into aquafeeds to support the sustainable production of various fish species in aquaculture. The plant feedstuffs considered include oilseeds, legumes and cereal grains, which traditionally have been used as protein or energy concentrates as well as novel products developed through various processing technologies. The nutritional composition of these various feedstuffs are considered along with the presence of any bioactive compounds that may positively or negatively affect the target organism. Lipid composition of these feedstuffs is not specifically considered although it is recognized that incorporating lipid supplements in aquafeeds to achieve proper fatty acid profiles to meet the metabolic requirements of fish and maximize human health benefits are important aspects. Specific strategies and techniques to optimize the nutritional composition of plant feedstuffs and limit potentially adverse effects of bioactive compounds are also described. Such information will provide a foundation for developing strategic research plans for increasing the use of plant feedstuffs in aquaculture to reduce dependence of animal feedstuffs and thereby enhance the sustainability of aquaculture.     

Emerging arthropod-borne diseases of companion animals in Europe

Vector-borne diseases are caused by parasites, bacteria or viruses transmitted by the bite of hematophagous arthropods (mainly ticks and mosquitoes). The past few years have seen the emergence of new diseases, or re-emergence of existing ones, usually with changes in their epidemiology (i.e. geographical distribution, prevalence, and pathogenicity). The frequency of some vector-borne diseases of pets is increasing in Europe, i.e. canine babesiosis, granulocytic anaplasmosis, canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, thrombocytic anaplasmosis, and leishmaniosis. Except for the last, these diseases are transmitted by ticks. Both the distribution and abundance of the three main tick species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus are changing. The conditions for such changes involve primarily human factors, such as travel with pets, changes in human habitats, social and leisure activities, but climate changes also have a direct impact on arthropod vectors (abundance, geographical distribution, and vectorial capacity). Besides the most known diseases, attention should be kept on tick-borne encephalitis, which seems to be increasing in western Europe, as well as flea-borne diseases like the flea-transmitted rickettsiosis. Here, after consideration of the main reasons for changes in tick vector ecology, an overview of each “emerging” vector-borne diseases of pets is presented.     

Taurine Supplementation of All-plant Protein Diets for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract.— Taurine has been demonstrated to be conditionally indispensable for several carnivorous fish species. Current trends in trout production include decreasing levels of fish-meal content in feeds, along with faster growing strains of fish. Taurine may be a limiting nutrient in support of elevated planes of growth for rainbow trout. A 9-wk feeding trial was conducted using a factorial treatment design with protein source (fish meal or plant) and taurine supplementation (four levels) as the main effects. The fish-meal diet series included 23% herring meal and contained 1.76% total sulfur amino acids (TSAA). The plant diet series did not contain any animal proteins and substituted protein from soy protein concentrate in place of the herring-meal protein and contained 1.5% TSAA. Taurine was supplemented at 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/kg dry diet to each of the diets in the plant series and the fish-meal series of diets. All diets were formulated to contain 43.8% crude protein and 20% lipid with an estimated physiological fuel value of 4.2 kcal/g. Fifteen fish were stocked in each of 24 tanks with a mean initial weight of approximately 26.8 g per fish. The unsupplemented fish-meal diet contained 2 g/kg taurine, and the unsupplemented plant diet had taurine levels below the detection limit of 0.1 g/kg diet. Taurine supplementation improved growth, feed conversion ratios, protein retention efficiencies, and energy retention efficiencies of fish fed the plant protein diets. No effects of taurine supplementation were observed for these response factors in fish fed the fish-meal series diets. This study demonstrates that taurine supplementation may be necessary for rainbow trout fed plant-protein-based feeds.     

Identification and functional characterization of ApisOr23 in pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Pea aphid,Acyrthosiphon pisum,is a serious pest of many different leguminous plants,and it mainly relies on its odorant receptors(Ors) to discriminate among host species.However,less is known about the role that Ors play in the host plant location.In this study,we identified a novel conserved odorant receptor clade by phylogenetic analysis,and conducted the functional analysis of ApisOr23 in A.pisum.The results showed that the homologous Ors from A.pisum,Aphis glycines and Aphis gossypii share 9...