Assessing opportunity and relocation costs of marine protected areas using a behavioural model of longline fleet dynamics

Increasing use of spatial management tools in fisheries requires an understanding of fleet response, and in particular to where displaced fishing effort is likely to move. We develop a state‐dependent decision‐making model to address the spatial allocation of effort in an Australian tuna longline fishery. We assume that fishers have an economic objective in deciding where to fish, but that decisions in any period are also influenced by the remaining quota held at the time of the decision. Key features of the model include endogenous price dynamics, a moving stock and a competitive pool of different vessel types operating from different port locations. We utilize this model to illustrate fleet responses to marine reserves and limits on fishing effort. The results illustrate that the model framework provides advantages over statistically based models in that decisions made in response to the imposition of a reserve are not consistent with a proportional reallocation of effort. Rather, the stochastic dynamic model yielded an overall profit level of ～4% higher relative to scenarios with no reserve. Incorporating the opportunity cost of a quota into the model resulted in an optimal utilization of effort, in which effort was concentrated in time periods and locations yielding maximized profit. Under a low level of effort relative to the season length, the model indicated an overall profit level 43% greater than the highest obtained when the same level of effort was applied solely within any given quarter of the season.     

Variability in the composition of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) meals influences their digestible nutrient and energy value when fed to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Over a series of seven separate experiments 76 different lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) meals were assessed for their digestible dry matter, protein, amino acid and energy characteristics when fed to rainbow trout. Two reference diets (a common basal diet and a reference lupin meal) were also included in each experiment. Minimal variance in the digestibility parameters of both reference diets was observed among the experiments ensuring that there was a high degree of robustness in the across-experiment evaluations. Using simple and multiple-regression techniques, principal diet and ingredient composition factors affecting diet and ingredient digestibilities and ingredient digestible values were explored within the dataset. Using simple linear regression, it was shown that nitrogen digestibility of the lupin meals was negatively influenced by ingredient lignin content, but positively affected ingredient protein (N × 6.25) content. The energy digestibility of the lupin meals was positively affected by a range of compositional features including protein, sum of amino acids and negatively affected by carbohydrate content. The digestible nutrient and energy content of the meals reflected the combined effects of both ingredient digestibilities and ingredient composition. The digestible nitrogen content of the lupin meals was positively affected by protein (N × 6.25), sum of amino acids and energy content, but was negatively affected by lignin and carbohydrate content. The digestible sum of amino acids was also positively affected by protein, sum of amino acids, but only negatively affected by carbohydrate content, not lignin content. The digestible energy content of the lupin meals was also positively affected by protein, sum of amino acids and their own energy density, but only negatively affected by carbohydrate content. Multiple linear regression modelling supported that together ingredient protein and lignin content were the strongest predictors of digestible protein value, explaining close to 60% of the variability in this parameter. Discrete reassessment of these relationships using non-linear analysis methods provided a stronger interpretation of the ingredient composition effects. In recognition of this, a functional model including terms for ingredient protein and lignin content on the digestible protein value was defined. This study demonstrates that within one raw material type that not only does significant variability in the digestible value of the raw materials exist, but that it is possible to identify compositional features of that raw material that are intrinsically influencing their own digestible value.     

黄金鲈与伊犁鲈杂交后代在气提泵循环水养殖系统中生长分析

研究通过黄金鲈(Perca flavescens)雌鱼与伊犁鲈(Perca schrenki)雄鱼进行杂交,以期加快鲈鱼的生长速度,推迟其性成熟和提高上市规格.为减少饲养环境条件和人为管理差异造成生长试验误差,研究采用试验鱼同池混养的方法进行生长比较.在气提泵循环水养殖系统中,经690 d的生长比较试验.结果表明:杂交鲈体重增长比黄金鲈快33.91%;杂交鲈的性腺发育被推迟或性腺发育不良;黄金鲈和杂交鲈的成活率分别为87.50%和82.08%,二者在成活率上无显著差异(P=0.29).杂交鲈适宜在高密度循环水养殖条件下生长,杂交优势较为显著,可以取代黄金鲈进行集约化养殖生产.     

Composts Vary in Their Effect on Soil P Pools and P Uptake by Wheat

With diminishing world reserves of phosphorus (P) deposits and rising fertilizer prices, it is important to find alternate sources of P for crops. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of four different composts C1 (animal manure and straw), C2 (garden waste), C3 (wood chips and bark), and C4 (kitchen waste) on soil P pools and P uptake by wheat on 14, 28, and 72 days after compost application. The composts were applied as a 2.5 cm thick layer on the soil surface. During sampling, only the soil underlying compost was sampled. Soil pH and total organic carbon were not affected by the amendments. Soil respiration was significantly higher in compost-amended soils compared with the unamended soil except with C4 on day 72. Addition of composts increased plant growth, and P uptake being highest on day 72 with C1 and C4. With little effect on available P concentration on day 14, there was a conversion of organic P into inorganic P in the compost treatments suggesting net mineralization of organic P on day 28. On day 72, the concentrations of the less labile P forms were higher in the compost treatments compared with the unamended suggesting precipitation and fixation as well as synthesis of organic P. This study showed that mulching with composts having high available and total P concentrations can provide plants with P and also increase soil P concentrations which could reduce the fertilizer requirement for the following crop.     

Uptake of veterinary medicines from soils into plants

Medicines play an important role in the treatment and prevention of disease. Whereas the side effects on human and animal health resulting directly from treatment have been widely documented, only recently have the occurrence and fate of medicines in the environment and the potential consequences for human health been recognized as an issue warranting consideration. Medicines have been shown to be released to soils and to persist in the environment. This study was performed to investigate the potential for a range of veterinary medicines to be taken up from soil by plants used for human consumption and to assess the potential significance of this exposure route in terms of human health. Soil analyses indicated that, for selected substances, measurable residues of these are likely to occur in soils for at least 5 months following application of manure containing these compounds. Experimental studies on the uptake of veterinary medicines into carrot roots (tubers) and lettuce leaves showed that only florfenicol, levamisole, and trimethoprim were taken up by lettuces, whereas diazinon, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, and trimethoprim were detected in carrot roots. Measured concentrations in plant material were used to model potential adult human exposure to these compounds. Although exposure concentrations were appreciable in a few instances, accounting for approximately 10% of the acceptable daily intake values (ADI), all were lower than the ADI values, indicating that, at least for compounds with properties similar to those considered here, there is little evidence of an appreciable risk. This exposure route may, however, be important when veterinary medicines have a very low ADI, at which they elicit subtle effects over prolonged periods, or when exposure is occurring via a number of routes at once. Although degradation products (produced in the soil or the plant) were not measured, it is possible for some substances that these could increase the risks to consumers.     

Transitioning from standard to minimum tillage: Trade-offs between soil organic matter stabilization, nitrous oxide emissions, and N availability in irrigated cropping systems

Few studies address nutrient cycling during the transition period (e.g., 1–4 years following conversion) from standard to some form of conservation tillage. This study compares the influence of minimum versus standard tillage on changes in soil nitrogen (N) stabilization, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, short-term N cycling, and crop N use efficiency 1 year after tillage conversion in conventional (i.e., synthetic fertilizer-N only), low-input (i.e., alternating annual synthetic fertilizer- and cover crop-N), and organic (i.e., manure- and cover crop-N) irrigated, maize–tomato systems in California. To understand the mechanisms governing N cycling in these systems, we traced ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizer/cover crop into the maize grain, whole soil, and three soil fractions: macroaggregates (>250 μm), microaggregates (53–250 μm) and silt-and-clay (<53 μm). We found a cropping system effect on soil N_new (i.e., N derived from ¹⁵N-fertilizer or -¹⁵N-cover crop), with 173 kg N_new ha⁻¹ in the conventional system compared to 71.6 and 69.2 kg N_new ha⁻¹ in the low-input and organic systems, respectively. In the conventional system, more N_new was found in the microaggregate and silt-and-clay fractions, whereas, the N_new of the organic and low-input systems resided mainly in the macroaggregates. Even though no effect of tillage was found on soil aggregation, the minimum tillage systems showed greater soil fraction-N_new than the standard tillage systems, suggesting greater potential for N stabilization under minimum tillage. Grain-N_new was also higher in the minimum versus standard tillage systems. Nevertheless, minimum tillage led to the greatest N₂O emissions (39.5 g N₂O–N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹) from the conventional cropping system, where N turnover was already the fastest among the cropping systems. In contrast, minimum tillage combined with the low-input system (which received the least N ha⁻¹) produced intermediate N₂O emissions, soil N stabilization, and crop N use efficiency. Although total soil N did not change after 1 year of conversion from standard to minimum tillage, our use of stable isotopes permitted the early detection of interactive effects between tillage regimes and cropping systems that determine the trade-offs among N stabilization, N₂O emissions, and N availability.     

Hemoxygenase-2 is an oxygen sensor for a calcium-sensitive potassium channel

Modulation of calcium-sensitive potassium (BK) channels by oxygen is important in several mammalian tissues, and in the carotid body it is crucial to respiratory control. However, the identity of the oxygen sensor remains unknown. We demonstrate that hemoxygenase-2 (HO-2) is part of the BK channel complex and enhances channel activity in normoxia. Knockdown of HO-2 expression reduced channel activity, and carbon monoxide, a product of HO-2 activity, rescued this loss of function. Inhibition of BK channels by hypoxia was dependent on HO-2 expression and was augmented by HO-2 stimulation. Furthermore, carotid body cells demonstrated HO-2-dependent hypoxic BK channel inhibition, which indicates that HO-2 is an oxygen sensor that controls channel activity during oxygen deprivation.     

Pigeonpea improvement: An amalgam of breeding and genomic research

In the past five decades, constant research has been directed towards yield improvement in pigeonpea resulting in the deployment of several commercially acceptable cultivars in India. Though, the genesis of hybrid technology, the biggest breakthrough, enigma of stagnant productivity still remains unsolved. To sort this productivity disparity, genomic research along with conventional breeding was successfully initiated at ICRISAT. It endowed ample genomic resource providing insight in the pigeonpea genome combating production constraints in a precise and speedy manner. The availability of the draft genome sequence with a large‐scale marker resource, oriented the research towards trait mapping for flowering time, determinacy, fertility restoration, yield attributing traits and photo‐insensitivity. Defined core and mini‐core collection, still eased the pigeonpea breeding being accessible for existing genetic diversity and developing stress resistance. Modern genomic tools like next‐generation sequencing, genome‐wide selection helping in the appraisal of selection efficiency is leading towards next‐generation breeding, an awaited milestone in pigeonpea genetic enhancement. This paper emphasizes the ongoing genetic improvement in pigeonpea with an amalgam of conventional breeding as well as genomic research.