Variation in life history parameters of the cardinalfish Apogonlineatus

ABSTRACT:   Life history parameters (growth pattern, the length of the spawningseason and age at sexual maturity) of Apogon lineatus wereinvestigated from three localities in Japan. The maximum ages werefound to be 3 years in Tokyo Bay, 2 years in Osaka Bay and 5 yearsoff Niigata Prefecture. Both sexes from Tokyo Bay grew to largersizes between the ages of 1 and 2 years than both sexes from otherlocalities, food availability being suggested as the major factorfor differences in growth. Spawning seasons were during 4 months(July–October) in Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay, but were foundto only occur during the two months of July and August off NiigataPrefecture. Factors that could limit the spawning season off NiigataPrefecture were not determined. Age at maturity for both sexes inall localities appeared to be 1 year. We could not elucidate whetherthese variations in life history parameters arose from genetic differencesor from phenotypic plasticity. In either case, the trade-off betweenthe maximum age and the length of the spawning season in the offNiigata Prefecture population and any other population may be interpretedas an adaptation to local conditions, such as with the off NiigataPrefecture population.     

An analysis of age and body weight at first calving for Holsteins in the United States

In a national survey of US dairy producers, only 2.7 ± 0.5% of Holstein dairy operations reported achieving recommended target ranges of age ≤ 24 months and body weight (BW) ≥ 550 kg at first calving. Allowing for wider target ranges, still only 14.6 ± 1.3% of Holstein dairy operations reported achieving age ≤ 25 months and BW ≥ 544.3 kg at first calving. Ages of individual first-calf heifers observed at calving were heavily skewed toward older individuals. Dairy producers reported an average age at first calving that was 1.3 months lower than the mean and 1.0 months lower than median age of first-calf heifers' observed calving on the operations. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the herd characteristics associated with producers reporting first calvings within the wider age and BW target ranges for Holsteins. Rolling herd average milk production ≥ 7711 kg/yr, using a computer for recordkeeping, and not tying preweaned heifers in a barn with cows, were associated with achieving the target BW and age at first calving.     

Production and related variables in bovine leukaemia virus-infected cows

A newly developed milk dot blot test was used to detect anti-bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) antibody in milk samples from 2079 lactating adult cows from among 61 herds. The milk dot blot test was highly repeatable; the concordance rate, compared with the agar gel immunodiffusion test performed on serum, was 83.5%. All herds contained BLV-positive cows; the prevalence rate was 36%. BLV-positive cows tended to come from larger herds and were older and more often later in lactation. Fourteen production and related variables (herd size, age, days open, days in milk, milk somatic cell count, milk, fat, and protein produced in the current lactation, projected production of milk, fat, and protein, and breed class average deviations for milk, fat, and protein) were compared between BLV-positive and BLV-negative cows. Although somatic cell count, milk produced, and projected production of milk and protein were related significantly to BLV status using simple tests of association, once the variables herd size, age and days in milk were controlled, these differences were removed. Further analyses using logistic (outcome: individual cow BLV status) and least-squares regression (outcome:herd proportion of BLV-positive cows) failed to show an association between any of the measured production or related variables and BLV-positivity. We concluded that the effect of BLV on production and related variables in dairy cows was below the sensitivity of our analytical techniques or was non-existent.Abbreviations ABCA herd average breed class average for milk, fat, and protein production - AVGAGE average age of the herd - ADIM herd average for days in milk - AGID agar gel immunodiffusion - AVGSCC herd average milk somatic cell count - BCA breed class average, a milk, fat and protein production index calculated by comparing a cow's actual 305-day lactation production to the corresponding BCA standard for the same breed, age, and month of calving - BLV bovine leukaemia virus - CALVINT calving interval - COWAGE cow age - DBCA breed class average deviation for milk, fat, and protein production, the difference between an individual cow's BCA and the herd average - DIM days in milk - HS herd size corresponding to the number of lactating cows in a herd - LACT actual amount of milk, fat, and protein produced in a cow's lactation - ODHIC Ontario Dairy Herd Improvement Corporation - PCTPOS percentage of herd that is BLV-positive - PROJ projected 305-day production for milk, fat, and protein by fitting to a standard lactation curve adjusted for days in milk and age at calving - RHBCA rolling herd average for breed class average for milk, fat, and protein production, the average for all cows that completed a lactation (cows must have completed a 305-day lactation) during the previous 12 months - SCC milk somatic cell count     

草坪型多年生黑麦草生殖特性及种子产量构成的研究

草坪型多年生黑麦草开花持续期为 33d ,一般情况下穗轴中部的小穗先开花 ,以后逐渐向顶部和基部发展 ;一个花序上的小花开花大部分集中在前 6d ,大约占 89 3% ;多年生黑麦草花后 2 6～ 2 7d ,小穗干重最大 ,其含水量为 41 1 5 % ,种子不易落粒 ,为种子适宜收获期。在种子生产方面 ,构成因子 (株穗数 ,小穗数 )与影响因子 (株高 ,叶重 )共同对草坪型多年生黑麦草的种子产量起作用     

Growth, population composition and reproduction of Bream Abramis brama (L.) in Lake Volvi, Macedonia, Greece

Abstract– Growth, population composition and reproduction of bream were studied in Lake Volvi from 1989 to 1991. Females had a higher growth in length (L_∞=507 mm, k=0.094) than males (L_∞=452 mm, k=0.102). Growth can be characterized as medium, due to low food sources (zooplankton and chironimids). Large specimens are scarce because of high fishing mortality and low growth rate. All males greater than three years old, longer than 135 mm and all females greater than four years old and longer than 150 mm were sexually mature. These values of age and size of first maturity are the lowest that have been reported for this species. The size of the spawning egg is independent of the body size.     

Habitat characteristics at bluegill spawning colonies in a South Dakota glacial lake

Abstract –  Bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus ) primarily reproduce in spawning colonies. We assessed habitat characteristics at 15 bluegill spawning colonies in a South Dakota glacial lake. Nesting sites were visually identified and angling was used to verify the species of nesting fish. Habitat characteristics were measured at each nesting site and compared with those measured at 75 randomly selected sites. In Lake Cochrane, mean water depth of spawning colonies was 1.0 m. Of the 13 habitat characteristics measured, four (substrate type, substrate firmness, vegetation density and dissolved oxygen levels) were significantly different ( P  ≤ 0.05) between nesting and random sites. Every bluegill nest site contained gravel substrate, despite the availability of muck, sand and rock. Substrate firmness was indexed at 0-cm penetration and vegetation density was low at all nesting sites. Additionally, bluegills selected nesting locations with relatively moderate dissolved oxygen levels. Lake Cochrane bluegill nest sites consisted of shallow, gravel areas with short, low-density, live submergent Chara vegetation.     

观赏甘蓝的组织培养

采用MS培养基对观赏甘蓝白珊瑚、白鸥进行组织培养。利用子叶和下胚轴为外植体，从中找出适合于该品系的诱导和分化培养基，达到快速繁殖的目的。     

梅花鹿铜缺乏综合征的复制

为了证明梅花鹿铜缺乏综合征的发生与饲料铜含量的关系，以含铜３．３３×１０－６的日粮饲喂１３１只幼龄圈养梅花鹿，于２８个月后开始发生铜缺乏综合征，继续饲喂到３９个月时，其显症率达９．１６％。人工复制的梅花鹿铜缺乏综合征的临床症状与自然发生者相一致，主要为患鹿后躯运动失调，渐进性瘫痪；意识清楚，无癫痫、抽搐症状发生；被毛颜色变淡，眼睛周围出现白眼圈。ＲＢＣ为（７．５６±０．８３）×１０１２／Ｌ，Ｈｂ（１６３．３０±１２．９０）ｇ／Ｌ，血清铜蓝蛋白氧化酶（２５．７３±６．４５）ＩＵ／Ｌ，均显著低于对照组。血清铜（５．６２±０．８０）μｍｏｌ／Ｌ，毛铜（４．５５±１．２８）ｍｇ／ｋｇ，均显著低于对照组；血清铁（２８．４８±２．４７）μｍｏｌ／Ｌ，显著高于对照组。主要病理变化为脑、脊髓神经脱髓鞘；部分神经元变性坏死；血管壁肥厚，内膜粗糙，管腔变窄，脆性增加；肝、脾、淋巴结含铁血黄素沉着及骨质疏松。日粮中铜含量为７．３３×１０－６时，梅花鹿发育良好，体质健壮，生产性能优越，无铜缺乏综合征发生。表明这一铜含量可作为梅花鹿铜元素饲养标准的参考值。     

温度湿度及种球茎大小对花魔芋有性繁殖的影响

有性繁殖是促进魔芋种植业发展和品种改良的有效途径，引起了极大的兴趣。本文研究117个花魔芋（Amorphophallus konjac K. Coch)单株花粉成熟后连续5d的温度、湿度以及花芽种球茎对其有性繁殖的影响，结果表明：授粉期间的温度和湿度对其自花授粉结实影响大，结实株花粉成熟后连续5d的平均温度和湿度分别为24℃和64%，均显著高于不实株，高温高湿有利于散粉和花粉的萌发从而完成受精；花芽种球茎大小对有性繁殖也有影响，结实株平均种球茎重显著高于不实株，且与单株结实浆果数呈极显著的正相关（r=0.6096, N=29），因此，宜选用花芽球茎大的用于魔芋有性繁殖。     

龙牙楤木的根段繁殖试验研究

针对龙牙楤木繁殖困难的现况,研究了有效的龙牙楤木无性繁殖方法。试验发现,不同根段长度、不同扦插方式及不同药剂处理对根插出苗、成活有很大影响。结果表明:选择直径为1.0~2.0cm粗的根段,长度为15cm以上,使用108生根粉或杜根素药剂处理后,进行斜向扦插,成活率能达到70%以上,并成为独立的植株。