Effects of predator-induced visual and olfactory cues on 0+ perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) foraging behaviour

Abstract –  Foraging juvenile fish with relatively high food demands are usually vulnerable to various aquatic and avian predators. To compromise between foraging and antipredator activity, they need exact and reliable information about current predation risk. Among direct predator-induced cues, visual and olfactory signals are considered to be most important. Food intake rates and prey-size selectivity of laboratory-reared, naive young-of-the-year (YOY) perch, Perca fluviatilis , were studied in experiments with Daphnia magna of two size classes: 2.8 and 1.3 mm as prey and northern pike, Esox lucius , as predator. Neither total intake rate nor prey-size selectivity was modified by predator kairomones alone (water from an aquarium with a pike was pumped into the test aquaria) under daylight conditions. Visual presentation of pike reduced total food intake by perch. This effect was significantly more pronounced (synergistic) when visual and olfactory cues were presented simultaneously to foraging perch. Moreover, the combination of cues caused a significant shift in prey-size selection, expressed as a reduced proportion of large prey in the diet. Our observations demonstrate that predator-induced olfactory cues alone are less important modifiers of the feeding behaviour of naive YOY perch than visual cues under daylight conditions. However, pike odour acts as a modulatory stimulus enhancing the effects of visual cues, which trigger an innate response in perch.     

Effects of Added Substrate on Production of Red Swamp Crawfish, Procambarus clarkii, in Earthen Ponds without Planted Forage

The effects of addition of substrate consisting of plastic mesh fencing to experimental earthen ponds were evaluated for the culture of the red swamp crawfish, Procambarus clarkii, without planted forage. Mean daily yield (kg/ha/d), number of crawfish harvested (number/ha/d), and mean individual harvest weight were compared for ponds with and without substrate during a 2‐yr period. The surface area of added substrate was equivalent to 50% of the bottom surface area of the pond. Mean daily yield in the ponds containing substrate, based on a comparison with that of the previous year, increased by 80.2% and was principally attributed to a 66.7% increase in the number of crawfish harvested. Comparative values for the ponds without substrate were ?13.1 and ?11.7%. For the second year, the treatment‐dependent response was consistent. Mean daily yield for the substrate ponds increased by 48.8% compared to 15.0% for the ponds lacking substrate. The primary benefit of the substrate appears to be provision of refuge and three‐dimensional distribution of crawfish in the pond, thereby reducing the incidence of cannibalism and increasing the total number of crawfish harvested per hectare per day. The benefit of the substrate in a commercial production setting must be weighed against its cost and longevity as well as the conditions of the particular management scenario into which it may be incorporated.     

黑龙江流域中俄保护区现状及展望

黑龙江地处中俄边界，在流域内中俄积极开展保护合作。本文分析了中俄在黑龙江两侧的保护区类型、保护对象，结果表明黑龙江流域的众保护区具有共同的保护对象，保护区的类型也惊人的相似。这些相同相似之处对于中俄保护合作深入发展有重要义。     

乳成分在线测定仪——"魔盒"

魔盒(如左图)只有拳头般大小,但它的功能却多样,在挤奶的同时,能在线检测原料奶的各种成分,包含乳脂、乳蛋白、乳糖、总固体、尿素,血、体细胞,其中体细胞又可分成四个类别,(a)体细胞<20万/mL,(b)体细胞在20￣40万/mL,(c)体细胞在40￣80万/mL,(d)体细胞>80万/mL。检测的时间就是牛只完成挤奶的同时,即在挤奶的瞬间,魔盒对牛奶中的上述指标进行检测。测出的数据将自动显示并保存在电脑中,并由阿菲牧(由以色列阿菲金公司研发)牛场管理软件永久保存,方便随时随地查阅。这些数据对牛场和乳品企业具有如下意义:1对牧场生产具有直接的指导意义牛…     

Manipulated Mouse Embryos as Bioassay System for Water Quality Control

Mouse pronuclear stage embryos with intact slit zona pellucida (manipulated) were cultured in vitro until the hatched blastocyst stage in simplex optimized medium with higher K⁺ concentration (KSOM) prepared with three different water types: tap, deionized reverse osmosis (D‐O) water and Milli‐Q system (M‐Q) water. The culture media were supplemented with or without protein and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, disodium salt). The rates of hatched blastocysts were significantly affected (p < 0.01) by micromanipulation, protein supplement and water source. The water source has no influence (p > 0.05) on development in EDTA‐supplemented protein‐free culture media, whereas in EDTA‐ and protein‐free culture media, the water quality significantly (p < 0.001) affected the rates of development, with higher rates in media prepared with M‐Q water. The micromanipulated embryos showed higher sensitivity to the water quality (p < 0.01). It worth mentioning that the rates of hatched blastocysts in protein‐free culture media were very low (0–7.5%). Furthermore, the three different water types were analysed by measuring the electrical conductivity, inorganic ions, total organic carbon and endotoxins to evaluate the purity. M‐Q water showed the lowest levels of inorganic ion, total organic carbon and endotoxin concentrations. We concluded that manipulated mouse embryos are good system to evaluate the quality of water used in biological system.     

猪血浆转铁蛋白与部分经济性状关系的研究——Ⅰ. 多态性与产仔数和日增重的关系

用经改进的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳铁染法,测定了二花脸猪血浆转铁蛋白多态类型,分析了其基因型频率和基因频率,并探讨了猪血浆转铁蛋白多态性与产仔性能和增重速度的相关性。     

小麦面粉沉淀值的微量快速测定(简报)

沉淀值(sedimentation value)是衡量小麦面粉蛋白质品质的一个重要指标。研究表明,沉淀值与面包的体积及面包得分有最密切的相关性。可用沉淀值测定法来估价小麦面粉的品质。许多育种单位都采用沉淀值测定法作为蛋白质品质育种的早代筛选法。按照 ICC-116标准,沉淀值测定需要最少3.2g 面粉,如果要在 F_2对单株进行测定,样品量显得大了些。因而有人发展了一些微量的沉淀值测定法。作者在联邦德国进修期间,对一私人育种公司发展的一种微量测定法进行了研究,现将结果简报如下。