The paradox of the conservation of an endangered fish species in a Mediterranean region under agricultural intensification

We studied the relative value of natural habitats, river and coastal wetlands, and artificial habitats, irrigation canal and ponds, for the conservation of an endangered fish, Iberian toothcarp, in its southernmost area of distribution, characterised by agricultural intensification. Our results show that the bulk of the population of the Iberian toothcarp is concentrated in irrigation ponds. Natural habitats sustained null or impoverished subpopulations, and individuals showed signs of low metabolic activity. This coincided with the relatively high habitat quality observed in ponds, particularly those with submerged aquatic vegetation, in contrast with the chronic eutrophication of the coastal lagoons. In spite of a generalised aggressive management in the irrigation system, featured by periodic vegetation clearance, desiccation and biocide treatment, the subpopulation of the Iberian toothcarp thrives in it probably thanks to adequate water quality and to an active path dynamics maintained by connectivity through the canal. Agro-environmental measures are discussed for the improvement of this species conservation in natural and artificial habitats.     

Potential distribution modelling, niche characterization and conservation status assessment using GIS tools: a case study of Iberian Copris species

Dung beetle populations, in decline, play a critical ecological role in extensive pasture ecosystems by recycling organic matter; thus the importance of their conservation status. Presence data available for Copris hispanus (L.) and Copris lunaris (L.) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) in Comunidad de Madrid (CM), and BIOMAPPER, a GIS-based tool, was used to model their environmental niches. The so derived potential distributions of both species were used to exemplify the utility of this kind of methodologies in conservation assessment, as well as its capacity to describe the potential sympatry between two or more species. Both species, distributed along a Dry-Mediterranean to Wet-Alpine environmental conditions gradient, overlap in areas of moderate temperatures and mean annual precipitations in the north of CM. Copris are poorly conserved in the existing protected sites network, but protection provided by new sites included in the future Natura 2000 Network will improve the general conservation status of these species in CM.     

胶东地区不同花生品种的养分吸收分配特性

【目的】我国花生种质资源丰富,高产优质的新品种更新速度较快,且栽培方式、栽培条件各异,不同类型花生对养分的吸收、分配特性存在较大差异。为明确花生种植面积较大的胶东地区不同花生品种的养分需求特性,本研究分析比较了5个花生品种对N、P2O5、K2O的吸收、分配特性,以期为该地区花生生产的科学施肥提供理论依据和技术指导。【方法】采用田间小区试验的方法,以鲁花11、丰花5、花育25、潍花10和青花6为试材,在平度市白埠镇良种繁殖场进行试验,并分别于花生播种后50 d(开花期)、90 d(荚果膨大期)和125 d(收获期)取样,同时测定花生根系(包括果针)、茎枝、叶片、荚果等器官的干鲜重及氮、磷、钾含量,收获时测定花生荚果产量、百果重、单株荚果数、饱果率等指标。【结果】丰花5和花育25的荚果产量较高,平均为5578 kg/hm2,显著高于其他品种;青花6和潍花10则相对较低,分别是丰花5的82.0%和84.5%。大粒丰花5及小粒青花6的饱果率显著高于其他品种。不同花生品种各养分的累积分配特征及养分利用效应存在显著差异,鲁花11和花育25的N、P2O5、K2O累积量均较高,潍花10的3种养分累积量显著低于其他品种;不同取样时期各花生品种对N、P2O5、K2O的吸收累积量均表现为NK2OP2O5。播后50 d,5个花生品种整株的养分需求量平均为N 28.29 kg/hm2、P2O56.03 kg/hm2和K2O 16.32 kg/hm2,分别占全生育期总需求量的13.0%、15.2%和19.9%;N、P2O5、K2O累积速率最快的时期是播种后50 90 d,3种养分需求量平均为N 134.02 kg/hm2、P2O528.17 kg/hm2和K2O 72.35kg/hm2,分别占总需求量的61.7%、71.0%和79.6%;播种后90 125 d,各品种对氮、磷、钾的需求量分别降低为54.77 kg/hm2、5.45 kg/hm2和-6.60 kg/hm2,各占总需求量的25.2%、13.8%和-8.04%;生育前期养分主要累积在地上部,后期则大部分集中在荚果中,且整株花生的K2O可能会出现负吸收现象;潍花10荚果的N、P2O5、K2O生产效率和干物质生产效率均较高。【结论】在本试验条件下,鲁花11和花育25为养分高效累积型品种,潍花10为养分生理利用高效率品种,丰花5为养分利用高效率品种;对于荚果养分分配系数较高的品种,尤其要重视营养生长期的养分供应。     

舞钢市“建业森林半岛”景观设计研究

通过对舞钢"建业森林半岛"1期景观设计理念及设计内容的总结与分析,探讨在居住区环境景观设计中融入自然观念及生态设计思想,旨在创造人与自然和谐的居住环境空间,将"建业森林半岛"构建成一个具有自然气息的理想家园。     

Involvement of spleen components of mature fowl in the primary and secondary humoral antibody response following experimental EDS'76 virus infection

Summary

Cellular changes in spleens of mature fowl in relation to both the primary and secondary humoral antibody response following experimentalEDS'76 virus infection were studied. The influence of splenectomy on humoral antibody response was also examined.

Experimental fowl had been naturally infected with fowl adenovirus (FAV) but did not possess precipitins to these viruses at the time of EDS’ 76 virus infection. Since EDS'76 infection provokes a recall of the group antibody to FAV, this infection simultaneously induces a primary response against EDS’ 76 virus and a secondary response due to the recall of the group antibody to FAV.

HI and precipitating antibodies toEDS'76 virus (primary response) werefirst detected at 6 and 8 days p.i. respectively. Curves of HI, precipating and neutralising antibody titres were biphasic; the first peak (IgM peak) occurred at 10–11 days p.i., the second (IgG peak) at 16–28 days p.i.

Precipitating antibodies to FAV (secondary response) were demonstrated from 4 days p.i. The curve of these antibody titres was also biphasic, with peaks at the same times as in the primary response.

Based on HI and AGP testing of primary and secondary immune response in both splenectomised and non‐splenectomised fowl it is concluded that in the primary response the spleen of the adult fowl is involved significantly in only IgM secretion, while in the secondary response it is likely that bothIgM and IgG are secreted in considerable amounts.

Clusters of lymphoblasts and plasmablasts were observed at 3 days p.i. in the red pulp. It is very likely that antigen‐antibody complexes are formed from that time and circulate bound to the surface of lymphocytes. These antigen‐loaded lymphocytes are ‘picked up’ from the blood stream by

– red pulp macrophages, leading to enhanced formation of lymphoblasts in the red pulp. Great numbers of these cells (which are very probably IgM secreting cells) were present on days 6 and 7 p.i., but were no longer detectable after day 10 p.i.

– macrophages of the macrophagalellipsoidal corona (MEC), leading to significant enlargement of the periellipsoidal lymphoid tissue(PELT) by an increase of the number of lymphocytes observedfrom days 4–12 p.i. The MEC was significantly enlarged from 7–12 days p.i., very likely due to an increased number of macrophages.

Following deposition of antigen in the white pulp, formation of follicles begins. The number of small, intact follicles includingfollicle precursors increasedfrom 6 days p.i. From 15 days p.i. to the end of the experiment both the number and size of follicles increased significantly.

Uptake and processing of antigen by macrophages is probably accompanied by death of some of these cells. This might explain the degenerative changes observed in large mesenchymal cells, probably macrophages, at 3 and 5 days p.i. in the red pulp and at 5 and 6 days especially in the MEC. Splenitis which was present at 3 and 5 days p.i. and oedema observed in and around ellipsoidal cells at 5 days p.i. may be due to mediators released from these degenerative macrophages.

A significantly increased number of follicles with lymphoblasts was seen from 2–15 days p.i. while lymphoblasts and plasmablasts were present in the PELT from 5–15 days p.i., but predominantly at 6 and 7 days p.i. It is likely that disruption of follicles and blast transformation of white pulp lymphoid cells are secondary response events. White pulp lymphoblastsand plasmablastsare probably IgG secreting cells.

Splenomegaly was observed at 3, 5 and 6 days after infection and was mainly due to swelling of red pulp macrophages and infiltration of granulocytes in the red pulp. Ellipsoidal and periellipsoidal changes could contribute to the splenomegaly at 5 and 6 days p.i.     

Serological evidence of bovine herpesvirus 2 in northern New Zealand

In the pathological collection of native fauna diseases held at the Taronga Zoo, Sydney, there are materials from about 300 wild, free range brush-tail possums from the Sydney area. Thirty-five of these have neurologic lesions.     

2020年夏季南极南奥克尼群岛裘氏鳄头冰鱼胃含物组成及食性分析

裘氏鳄头冰鱼（Champsocephalus gunnari）作为南大洋冰鱼科的代表,不仅具有重要的经济价值,同时也是南大洋生态系统中的重要物种。裘氏鳄头冰鱼主要摄食南极磷虾,同时也是高营养级生物的捕食对象。研究裘氏鳄头冰鱼的食性,对于了解南极磷虾种群资源变动,预测高营养级生物的生存和发育至关重要。本研究对南奥克尼群岛裘氏鳄头冰鱼的胃含物分析表明,该鱼种的饵料分为南极磷虾（Euphausia superba）和长脚虫戎（Themisto gaudichaudii）两大类,其中南极磷虾在裘氏鳄头冰鱼食物组成中占绝对优势,其出现频率和数量百分比分别为100%和99.9%;剩余饵料为长脚虫戎。广义线性模型（generalized linear model,GLM）分析结果显示,空间因素（经度）有显著影响,即裘氏鳄头冰鱼摄食南极磷虾的数量与距南奥克尼群岛的距离成正比。裘氏鳄头冰鱼体长-胃含物质量关系为SM = 6.6396×e0.01794L,胃含物质量和日消化量随着体长的增加而增加,而日消化率为0.98% ~2.08%。本研究结果可为了解裘氏鳄头冰鱼摄食生态学提供基础信息,为南奥克尼群岛裘氏鳄头冰鱼资源养护提供参考。     

Human–Dromedary Camel Interactions and the Risk of Acquiring Zoonotic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) cases without documented contact with another human MERS‐CoV case make up 61% (517/853) of all reported cases. These primary cases are of particular interest for understanding the source(s) and route(s) of transmission and for designing long‐term disease control measures. Dromedary camels are the only animal species for which there is convincing evidence that it is a host species for MERS‐CoV and hence a potential source of human infections. However, only a small proportion of the primary cases have reported contact with camels. Other possible sources and vehicles of infection include food‐borne transmission through consumption of unpasteurized camel milk and raw meat, medicinal use of camel urine and zoonotic transmission from other species. There are critical knowledge gaps around this new disease which can only be closed through traditional field epidemiological investigations and studies designed to test hypothesis regarding sources of infection and risk factors for disease. Since the 1960s, there has been a radical change in dromedary camel farming practices in the Arabian Peninsula with an intensification of the production and a concentration of the production around cities. It is possible that the recent intensification of camel herding in the Arabian Peninsula has increased the virus' reproductive number and attack rate in camel herds while the ‘urbanization’ of camel herding increased the frequency of zoonotic ‘spillover’ infections from camels to humans. It is reasonable to assume, although difficult to measure, that the sensitivity of public health surveillance to detect previously unknown diseases is lower in East Africa than in Saudi Arabia and that sporadic human cases may have gone undetected there.     

胶东半岛水库河蟹养殖试验

在烟台市蓬莱平山水库,进行了一年的河蟹养殖试验。养殖方式为粗放型养殖,不投饵、不施加任何药物。针对水库的条件,进行合理科学的放养,加大看护力度,采用合适的捕捞方式,最后取得了成功,这说明胶东半岛水库进行河蟹养殖切实可行。     

Metabolomics Tools Assisting Classic Screening Methods in Discovering New Antibiotics from Mangrove Actinomycetia in Leizhou Peninsula

Mangrove actinomycetia are considered one of the promising sources for discovering novel biologically active compounds. Traditional bioactivity- and/or taxonomy-based methods are inefficient and usually result in the re-discovery of known metabolites. Thus, improving selection efficiency among strain candidates is of interest especially in the early stage of the antibiotic discovery program. In this study, an integrated strategy of combining phylogenetic data and bioactivity tests with a metabolomics-based dereplication approach was applied to fast track the selection process. A total of 521 actinomycetial strains affiliated to 40 genera in 23 families were isolated from 13 different mangrove soil samples by the culture-dependent method. A total of 179 strains affiliated to 40 different genera with a unique colony morphology were selected to evaluate antibacterial activity against 12 indicator bacteria. Of the 179 tested isolates, 47 showed activities against at least one of the tested pathogens. Analysis of 23 out of 47 active isolates using UPLC-HRMS-PCA revealed six outliers. Further analysis using the OPLS-DA model identified five compounds from two outliers contributing to the bioactivity against drug-sensitive A. baumannii. Molecular networking was used to determine the relationship of significant metabolites in six outliers and to find their potentially new congeners. Finally, two Streptomyces strains (M22, H37) producing potentially new compounds were rapidly prioritized on the basis of their distinct chemistry profiles, dereplication results, and antibacterial activities, as well as taxonomical information. Two new trioxacarcins with keto-reduced trioxacarcinose B, gutingimycin B (16) and trioxacarcin G (20), together with known gutingimycin (12), were isolated from the scale-up fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp. M22. Our study demonstrated that metabolomics tools could greatly assist classic antibiotic discovery methods in strain prioritization to improve efficiency in discovering novel antibiotics from those highly productive and rich diversity ecosystems.