Maturity and reproduction of goneplacid crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carcinoplax vestita</Emphasis> (Decapoda,Brachyura) in Tokyo Bay

ABSTRACT:     Sexual maturity, morphological sexual dimorphism, and reproduction of the goneplacid crab Carcinoplax vestita were investigated in Tokyo Bay, Japan, from November 2002 to October 2003. The puberty molt in males was evidenced by changes in the relative size of the chelipeds and merus of the walking legs, and was estimated to occur at a size range of 13.20–18.85 mm carapace length. Post-pubertal females were identified by the relative size of the abdomen and puberty was estimated to occur at a size range of 12.81–15.46 mm carapace length. Sexual dimorphism in C. vestita was observed in all features that showed secondary sexual characteristics. Monthly changes of gonad index in males, and of seminal receptacle index and occurrence of sperm plugs in females were synchronized, and indicated that mating was intense in spring. Ovaries began developing in March. Ovigerous females were found in all months except December, but were clearly more abundant between August and October. Fecundity ranged from 7800 to 57 000 mature oocytes per female per batch and was highly correlated with body size. The results suggest that some females may spawn more than one batch per year.     

Sedative and antinociceptive effects of dexmedetomidine and buprenorphine after oral transmucosal or intramuscular administration in cats

ObjectiveTo compare sedation and antinociception after oral transmucosal (OTM) and intramuscular (IM) administration of a dexmedetomidine-buprenorphine combination in healthy adult cats.Study designRandomized, ‘blinded’ crossover study, with 1 month washout between treatments.AnimalsSix healthy neutered female cats, weighing 5.3–7.5 kg.MethodsA combination of dexmedetomidine (40 μg kg^?1) and buprenorphine (20 μg kg^?1) was administered by either the OTM (buccal cavity) or IM (quadriceps muscle) route. Sedation was measured using a numerical rating scale, at baseline and at various time points until 6 hours after treatment. At the same time points, analgesia was scored using a dynamic and interactive visual analogue scale, based on the response to an ear pinch, and by the cat’s response to a mechanical stimulus exerted by a pressure rate onset device. Physiological and adverse effects were recorded, and oral pH measured. Signed rank tests were performed, with significance set at p < 0.05. Data are presented as median and range.ResultsThere were no differences in sedation or antinociception scores between OTM and IM dosing at any of the time points. Nociceptive thresholds increased after both treatments but without significant difference between groups. Buccal pH remained between 8 and 8.5. Salivation was noted after OTM administration (n = 2) and vomiting after both OTM (n = 4), and IM (n = 3) dosing.Conclusions and clinical relevanceIn healthy adult cats, OTM administration of dexmedetomidine and buprenorphine resulted in comparable levels of sedation and antinociception to IM dosing. The OTM administration may offer an alternative route to administer this sedative-analgesic combination in cats.     

Feeding,growth and environmental requirements of Arctic charr: a review of aquaculture potential

Interest in the cultivation of Arctic charr arose during the 1970s, and research into charr farming was instigated in the Nordic countries and in Canada. Most work has been conducted on fish from anadromous populations, although land-locked freshwater populations of Arctic charr have also received attention. Research has also been carried out in the British Isles and in the alpine regions of central Europe, where land-locked populations of charr. Small-scale commercial farming is now carried out in several countries of northern Europe and North America, and charr are reared for restocking purposes in a number of countries.Growth of charr is rapid during the early freshwater rearing stages, and quite good rates of growth can be achieved at low water temperatures. Growth may be submaximal if charr are reared in systems designed for other salmonids, and problems may arise when charr are held at low stocking densities. Growth and food conversion can be improved by exposing the fish to water currents, forcing them to swim at moderate speeds. Growth in seawater has been reported as being highly variable, probably as a result of the use of inappropriate rearing techniques and owing to the seasonal changes in the hypo-osmoregulatory ability of the charr.Prospects for aquaculture development and areas requiring further research effort are briefly discussed.     

Potential use of otolith microchemistry for field studies of temperature-dependent sex determination and gonadal degeneration in fish

This paper describes a novel approach to study the expression of temperature-related reproductive phenomena such as thermolabile sex determination (TSD) and heat-induced germ cell loss in wild fish populations. The proposed approach is based on the reconstruction of the past thermal history of individual fish through the microchemical analysis of the otoliths (mineralized structures responsible for the sense of balance). As an example, we outline the preliminary results of an investigation on the natural occurrence of TSD in pejerrey Odontesthes bonariensis, an atherinid fish in which all-female to all-male populations can be produced by experimental manipulation of the rearing temperature during the critical time of sex differentiation, from Lake Kasumigaura, Japan.     

Reproductive parameters of the chub mackerel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scomber japonicus</Emphasis> estimated from human chorionic gonadotropin-induced final oocyte maturation and ovulation in captivity

ABSTRACT:   Final oocyte maturation and ovulation of captive chub mackerel Scomber japonicus with fully yolk-accumulated oocytes were induced by a single injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Reproductive parameters, including spawning frequency and batch fecundity, which are required to estimate spawning biomass in pelagic fish by the daily egg production method, were analyzed. Germinal vesicle migration (GVM) occurred at 18–24 h post-injection, and the hydration and ovulation of oocytes were completed at 30 and 36 h post-injection, respectively. The results of the maturation process suggest that fish with GVM-stage ovaries captured in the daytime from the field are capable of spawning on the night following their capture. The oocytes used in the oocyte size-frequency distribution method for batch fecundity estimates should be at late GVM and more advanced stages. The results of sequential artificial insemination showed that the quality of ovulated eggs held in the ovarian lumen rapidly deteriorated as time progressed after ovulation. This indicates that the fertilization window for the ovulated eggs of chub mackerel lasts only a few hours, and spawning behavior should be performed within a few hours after ovulation in the wild population.     

Managing the potential for outdoor recreation: Adequate mapping and measuring of accessibility to urban recreational landscapes

Following the increasing public health concerns related to physical inactivity in the population, the relationship between outdoor recreation and public health has been increasingly acknowledged over the last decades. To improve public health, planners and policy-makers aim to provide good accessibility to recreational landscapes to facilitate outdoor recreational activity. At the same time, they are facing development pressure due to urban growth. In order for planners and policy-makers to secure people access to urban and near urban recreational areas, there is a need to map and measure access in a way that is adequate as a basis for decision-making in planning and design processes. Access is often defined as distance, or proximity, from residents’ homes to recreational areas. This paper explores different ways to map and measure distance to recreational areas, and aims to provide better decision support for planners and decision-makers. Moss municipality in Norway serves as a case study. We begin by addressing the meaning of the term ‘recreational landscape’ and how the choice of definition affects the results when mapping recreational areas. We also discuss who we are measuring distance for, and how different user groups will have different thresholds or critical distances affecting their frequency of visits to a recreational area. Last, we explore different methods for measuring distance within a GIS environment. The paper shows how the purpose of the analysis must be decisive when defining recreational landscapes and choosing methods for measuring access to recreational landscape, in order to provide valuable input to planners and policy-makers aiming at enhancing the possibility for outdoor recreation for people.     

Willingness to travel to avoid recreation conflicts in Danish forests

Conflicts among forest visitors have direct effects on the quality of a recreational experience. As the number of visitors to forests close to residential areas increases, as well as the number of different activities, so does the potential for perceived conflicts. According to the literature, expanding knowledge of conflict characteristics and their causes is important for recreation planners and managers who aim to reduce conflicts.In the present study, different forest user groups were identified and categorised according to their pursued activities, and for each group, causes of conflict were identified. Furthermore, a choice experiment was constructed to estimate the distance visitors are willing to travel to encounter few visitors as opposed to many visitors, and thereby potentially experience fewer conflicts. Comparing the marginal willingness to travel (WTT) of different user groups suggests that some groups have a WTT further than the average to reach a forest with ‘Few’ visitors. The average WTT to reach a forest area with ‘Few’ visitors. ‘Mountain bikers,’ ‘Peace and nature lovers’ and ‘Horse riders’ are willing to travel 4 km more than the average per visit to reach a less crowded forest. At the other end of the scale, we find that people who are doing physical exercise are willing to travel 2 km less than the average to reach a less crowded forest.