Geographic variation in host fish use and larval metamorphosis for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel

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Evaluating estimators of the numbers of females with cubs-of-the-year in the yellowstone grizzly bear population

Current management of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas requires annual estimation of the number of adult female bears with cubs-of-the-year. We examined the performance of nine estimators of population size via simulation. Data were simulated using two methods for different combinations of population size, sample size, and coefficient of variation of individual sighting probabilities. We show that the coefficient of variation does not, by itself, adequately describe the effects of capture heterogeneity, because two different distributions of capture probabilities can have the same coefficient of variation. All estimators produced biased estimates of population size with bias decreasing as effort in creased. Based on the simulation results we recommend the Chao estimator for model M _h be used to estimate the number of the female bears with cubs of the year; however, the estimator of Chao and Shen may also be useful depending on the goals of the research.     

Heterotrophic and autotrophic nitrification in two acid pasture soils

Laboratory incubation experiments, using ¹⁵N-labeling techniques and simple analytical models, were conducted to measure heterotrophic and autotrophic nitrification rates in two acid soils (pH 4.8-5.3; 1/5 in H₂O) with high organic carbon contents (6.2-6.8% in top 5 cm soil). The soils were from pastures located near Maindample and Ruffy in the Northeast Victoria, Australia. Gross rates of N mineralization, nitrification and immobilization were measured. The gross rates of autotrophic nitrification were 0.157 and 0.119 μg N g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and heterotrophic nitrification rates were 0.036 and 0.009 μg N g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for the Maindample and Ruffy soils, respectively. Heterotrophic nitrification accounted for 19% and 7% of the total nitrification in the Maindample and Ruffy soils, respectively. The heterotrophic nitrifiers used organic N compounds and no as the substrate for nitrification.     

Early origin and recent expansion of Plasmodium falciparum

The emergence of virulent Plasmodium falciparum in Africa within the past 6000 years as a result of a cascade of changes in human behavior and mosquito transmission has recently been hypothesized. Here, we provide genetic evidence for a sudden increase in the African malaria parasite population about 10,000 years ago, followed by migration to other regions on the basis of variation in 100 worldwide mitochondrial DNA sequences. However, both the world and some regional populations appear to be older (50,000 to 100,000 years old), suggesting an earlier wave of migration out of Africa, perhaps during the Pleistocene migration of human beings.     

Assessment of caecal parameters in layer hens fed on diets containing wheat distillers dried grains with solubles

1. There is much interest in quantifying the nutritional value of UK wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (W-DDGS) for livestock species. A study was designed to evaluate caecal parameters (pH, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bacterial diversity) in layer hens fed on balanced diets containing graded concentrations of W-DDGS.

2. A total of 32 layer hens (Bovans Brown strain at 27 weeks of age) were randomly allocated to one of 4 dietary treatments containing W-DDGS at 0, 60, 120 or 180 g/kg. Each treatment was fed to 8 replicate individually housed layer hens over a 5-d acclimatisation period, followed by a 4-week trial. Individual feed intakes were monitored and all eggs were collected daily for weeks 2, 3 and 4 of the trial, weighed and an assessment of eggshell “dirtiness” made. All hens were culled on d 29 and caecal pH and SCFAs measured. Polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of the bacterial 16 S rDNA gene was used to assess total bacterial diversity of luminal caecal content from hens fed the 0 and 180 g W-DDGS/kg diets. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrograms were generated from DGGE banding patterns.

3. Increasing W-DDGS dietary concentrations resulted in a more acidic caecal environment. Caecal SCFAs were unaffected by diet aside from a quadratic effect for molar proportions of isobutyric acid. Diversity profiles of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from luminal caecal contents were unaffected by W-DDGS inclusion.

4. The results of the current study suggest that W-DDGS can be successfully formulated into nutritionally balanced layer diets (supplemented with xylanase and phytase) at up to 180 g/kg with no detrimental effects to the caecal environment.

     

Bacterial biodegradation of ethoxylated surfactants

Agricultural, industrial and domestic use of surfactants leads to the entry of these compounds into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Synthetic surfactants vary significantly in structure, but most consist of alkyl or alkylphenol groups attached to nonionic or anionic hydrophilic moieties. Continued use of these compounds is usually justified on the basis that they do not cause pollution problems because they undergo biodegradation by micro-organisms present in soils and surface waters. In accomplishing biodegradation, micro-organisms, predominantly bacteria, are exploiting these potentially useful resources of reduced carbon to derive energy and support growth in situations which are otherwise frequently oligotrophic. This paper reviews aspects of surfactant biodegradation, especially in relation to alcohol and alkylphenol ethoxylates used extensively as adjuvants for agrochemicals. In principle, bacteria can employ two strategies to gain access to the aliphatic chains in alcohol ethoxylate surfactants: separation of the hydrophobic chain from the hydrophile (central fission), or direct attack on the -terminal of the alkyl chain of the intact surfactant. Direct exo-cleavage of ethylene glycol units from the polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain also provides a third route to assimilable carbon. In pure cultures of known degraders or in mined environmental samples, all three strategies are exploited, some even within the same organism. Central fission occurs predominantly at the alkyl-ether bond, but may also occur within the PEG chain itself, thus producing various glycol intermediates which accumulate in pure cultures but appear only transiently in mixed environmental samples. Against this background, the relative resistance of some alkylphenol ethoxylates to biodegradation can be assessed in mechanistic terms. The steric bulk of the aryl nucleus effectively eliminates the central fission pathway. Moreover, some alkyl phenol ethoxylates contain branched alkyl chains which restrict ω-β-oxidation. As a result, ethoxylate shortening appears to be the major course of biodegradation observed so far. Not surprisingly, these surfactants are observed to undergo extensive primary biodegradation (removal of surfactant properties) but relatively restricted ultimate degradation to carbon dioxide and normal cell components.     

AN OUTBREAK OF ANAL FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS IN COWS FOLLOWING RECTAL EXAMINATIONS

An outbreak of fibropapillomatosis following rectal examination for pregnancy and involving the anus and to a lesser extent the rectum in a herd of beef heifers in western Victoria is described. Almost half the herd were involved at one time; most lesions regressed with the following 16 weeks. Lesions varied from 0.2 mm diameter polyps up to large multiple lesions up to 7 x 5 x 2 cm with a broad base. The presence of lesions did not affect the body condition or health of the animals.