The effects of inbreeding on performance traits of adult Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)

Understanding the effects of inbreeding is critical to the long-term viability of shellfish breeding programs, especially as breeders attempt to develop selected lines in hatcheries with small effective population sizes. Inbreeding depression in shellfish is well documented among the offspring of selfed individuals and full-sib crosses. This study was conducted to determine if crossing more distantly related parents would result in measurable inbreeding depression of performance traits in adult Crassostrea gigas raised in a commercial intertidal growing environment. Families were created with expected inbreeding coefficients (F) of 0, 0.0625, and 0.203. Average family yield, individual growth rate, and survival were recorded after the first and second growing seasons. Significant inbreeding depression in yield, individual growth rate and survival was observed after the first growing season in families with F=0.203 (P<0.0001), but not in families with F=0.0625 (P>0.058). After two growing seasons, significant inbreeding depression of yield and individual growth rate was observed in families with F=0.0625 (P<0.01) and F=0.203 (P<0.001). Significant depression of survival at harvest was observed only in families with F=0.203 (P=0.009). These results emphasize the importance of maintaining pedigree records in shellfish breeding programs to help avoid the deleterious effects of inbreeding depression, even among crosses of distantly related parents.     

Apparent protein and energy digestibility of common and alternative feed ingredients by Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua (Linnaeus, 1758)

Studies were conducted with Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua (L.), to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of protein and energy and the digestible energy (DE) content in feed ingredients widely available in Canada. We also tested the assumption of “independency” used in digestibility studies. The feed ingredients included two fish meals (herring, anchovy), three crustacean by-product meals (whole krill, crab, shrimp), two animal by-product meals (poultry by-product, hydrolyzed feather), six oilseed meals (soybean, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, canola, canola protein concentrate, flaxseed), two pulse meals (white lupin, pea protein concentrate) and two cereal grain meals (corn gluten, wheat gluten). Protein ADCs were high for wheat gluten meal (99.9%), soy protein concentrate (98.6%), soy protein isolate (97.4%), whole krill meal (96.3%), herring meal (93.3%), soybean meal (92.3%), anchovy meal (92.2%), pea protein concentrate (89.8%), white lupin meal (89.7%), crab meal (89.4%), canola protein concentrate (88.8%) and corn gluten meal (86.3%); mid-range for poultry by-product meal (80.2%) and canola meal (76.0%); and low for shrimp meal (66.7%), hydrolyzed feather meal (62.4%) and flaxseed meal (50.2-55.0%). Energy ADC was high for whole krill meal (96.3%), wheat gluten meal (95.4%), soy protein concentrate (94.9%), herring meal (92.8%), soy protein isolate (92.1%), soybean meal (88.1%) and anchovy meal (86.4%); mid-range for canola protein concentrate (83.3%), corn gluten meal (82.7%), crab meal (82.4%), pea protein concentrate (76.7%) and white lupin meal (75.3%); and low for poultry by-product meal (71.0%), canola meal (60.6%), hydrolyzed feather meal (58.9%), shrimp meal (41.4%) and flaxseed meal (21.2-37.4%). From the protein ADC data, results clearly showed that the basal diet and test feed ingredients were digested independently of one another in nearly all cases, the only exceptions being for those diets containing test ingredients of very high (> 99%, wheat gluten) or very low (< 67%, hydrolyzed feather and flaxseed) protein ADCs. In the case of DE, the basal diet and test feed ingredients were digested independently in all test diets without exception.     

Antioxidant Defences in Planktonic Crustaceans Exposed to Different Underwater Light Irradiances in Andean Lakes

In freshwater environments direct biological effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) result from absorption of specific wavelengths by macromolecules and alteration of biochemical processes. Indirect effects are related to UVR interaction with water and dissolved organic carbon to form chemically reactive species (ROS: reactive oxygen species). Zooplankton photoprotection includes mycosporine-like amino acids, pigments, production of quenching agents and antioxidant enzymes. The relative importance of each mechanism would depend on the organisms. In this study, we determined the antioxidant enzyme activities Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in the copepod Boeckella gracilipes and the cladoceran Ceriodaphnia dubia in three Andean lakes of the North-Patagonia region. There were differences in antioxidant enzymes expression between copepods and cladocerans. CAT was significantly higher in C. dubia than in B. gracilipes whereas GST was similar in both species. The comparison of B. gracilipes enzyme activity in the three lakes showed also differences in GST but not in CAT. DOC decreases the exposure by absorption of UVR but simultaneously acts as photosensitizer producing ROS and their successive toxic products in the surface waters. We discuss that comparisons among lakes of different DOC should be considered carefully because lake physico-chemicals parameters, as well as food web structure, will difficult any predictions on the net effect of DOC.     

Trace Elements in Sediments of an Aging Reservoir in Rural Mississippi: Potential for Mobilization Following Dredging

Since 1948, the United States Department of Agriculture has assisted construction of over 10,000 flood control dams, many of which are reaching the end of their design life. Rehabilitation by dredging, or decommissioning by dam removal both have the potential to mobilize contaminants currently sequestered in the sediments. Plans to rehabilitate a small aging reservoir in a rural area of northern Mississippi led to a study characterizing the chemical composition of the reservoir sediments, and the potential for mobilizing contaminants if aerated. Sediment analyses included bulk and trace elements, and a suite of agrichemicals. Trace element concentrations are highly correlated with clay and Fe concentrations, with no elevated levels indicative of anthropogenic inputs. Batch leaching studies under reducing conditions simulating in situ conditions, and under mildly oxidizing conditions simulating disturbed sediments indicate that aeration should lead to a decrease in the aqueous concentration of trace metals currently found in sediment pore water. Decreased aqueous concentrations under oxidizing conditions are probably caused by precipitation of iron as amorphous oxides that scavenge released metals. Based on these results, dredging is a viable rehabilitation strategy for reservoir rehabilitation.     

Antagonism of pheromone response of Ostrinia nubilalis males and implications on behavior in the laboratory and in the field

The antagonistic effect on the pheromone response and catabolism of male European corn borers, Ostrinia nubilalis, by several trifluoromethyl ketones is reported. (Z)-11-Tetradecenyl trifluoromethyl ketone (Z11-14:TFMK), the most closely related analogue of the main component of the pheromone, elicits a remarkable disruptive effect on close approach and source contact of males flying to a source baited with mixtures of the pheromone and the antagonist in 5:1 and 10:1 ratios. In this experiment, the male displayed an erratic flight track with frequent counter turns and intersections with the plume. In the field, the TFMK significantly lowered the number of males caught when mixed with the pheromone in a 10:1 ratio in comparison with the natural attractant. The compound was also a good inhibitor of the antennal esterase of the insect with a IC(50) value of 0.28 muM. The homologous (Z)-10-tridecenyl trifluoromethyl ketone, with one carbon less in the chain, also elicited an antagonistic effect in the wind tunnel, but in the field, the results were not conclusive. The effect induced was lower than the one displayed by Z11-14:TFMK including the activity as the esterase inhibitor (IC(50) value of 7.55 muM). The saturated tetradecyl trifluoromethyl ketone, tetradecyltrifluoropyruvamide, and (Z)-11-2-thiatetradecenyl trifluoromethyl ketone resulted completely inactive. The results obtained in conjunction to the previously shown low toxicity to mice by related trifluoromethyl ketones provide new important data for the putative utilization of these chemicals as new pest control agents.     

Removal of Zn from Aqueous Solutions by Low-Rank Coal

The ability of an immature coal (leonardite) to remove zincfrom aqueous solutions was studied as a function of pH,contact time and concentration of metal solutions.Effective removal of Zn²⁺ was demonstrated at pHvalues of 5–6. Kinetic study showed that the adsorption ofZn²⁺ occurs in two phases: a rapid phase followed by aquasi-equilibrium state attained within the first twohours. The adsorption isotherm was measured at 25 °C, using adsorptive solutions at the optimum pH value todetermine the adsorption capacity.     

Nitrogen Fixation and N-Balance Studies on Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) Landraces Grown on Tropical Acidic Soils of Malaysia

Bambara groundnut has great potential as an alternative crop for improving food security in its production regions and beyond. A field experiment was conducted at the Field Research Centre of the Crops for the Future to obtain information on the nitrogen (N) fixation and N balance of Bambara groundnut landraces on tropical acidic soils of Malaysia. Treatments consisted of three Bambara groundnut landraces (Ex-Sokoto, Kaaro, and NN-1) laid out in a randomized complete block design replicated three times. Results obtained revealed that Ex-Sokoto landrace was greater in yield and N fixation, whereas N balance (-haulm) was greater in NN-1 landrace. The results revealed grain yield of 703–2256 kg ha^?1 and N fixation from 32–81 kg ha^?1 and suggest that Bambara groundnut could be integrated into a cereal-based cropping system. Ex-Sokoto landrace appeared to be the most promising for yield and N fixation under Malaysian acidic soil conditions.     

Reflectance and color variations on Mercury: regolith processes and compositional heterogeneity

Multispectral images of Mercury obtained by the MESSENGER spacecraft reveal that its surface has an overall relatively low reflectance with three large-scale units identified on the basis of reflectance and slope (0.4 to 1.0 micrometer). A higher-reflectance, relatively red material occurs as a distinct class of smooth plains that were likely emplaced volcanically; a lower-reflectance material with a lesser spectral slope may represent a distinct crustal component enriched in opaque minerals, possibly more common at depth. A spectrally intermediate terrain probably forms most of the upper crust. Three other spectrally distinct but spatially restricted units include fresh crater ejecta less affected by space weathering than other surface materials; high-reflectance deposits seen in some crater floors; and moderately high-reflectance, relatively reddish material associated with rimless depressions.     

MESSENGER observations of the composition of Mercury's ionized exosphere and plasma environment

The region around Mercury is filled with ions that originate from interactions of the solar wind with Mercury's space environment and through ionization of its exosphere. The MESSENGER spacecraft's observations of Mercury's ionized exosphere during its first flyby yielded Na+, O+, and K+ abundances, consistent with expectations from observations of neutral species. There are increases in ions at a mass per charge (m/q) = 32 to 35, which we interpret to be S+ and H2S+, with (S+ + H2S+)/(Na+ + Mg+) = 0.67 +/- 0.06, and from water-group ions around m/q = 18, at an abundance of 0.20 +/- 0.03 relative to Na+ plus Mg+. The fluxes of Na+, O+, and heavier ions are largest near the planet, but these Mercury-derived ions fill the magnetosphere. Doubly ionized ions originating from Mercury imply that electrons with energies less than 1 kiloelectron volt are substantially energized in Mercury's magnetosphere.