转基因作物环境安全性研究进展

随着转基因作物在全球范围内的广泛应用,转基因作物的环境安全性问题日益受到重视,科研工作者们对此开展了大量的研究工作。本文对近年来这方面的研究成果进行了综述,主要内容包括:1)转基因作物的杂草化问题,这里面又包含两层含义,一是转基因作物自身的杂草化问题,多数研究表明转基因并没有提高作物的生存竞争能力,在没有选择压力的自然条件下,即使转入了抗病抗逆基因,转基因植株的生存竞争能力也没有增加,因此杂草化的可能性很小;二是转基因作物通过基因漂移使得同种或近缘野生种或得某种抗性而成为更加难以防除的“超级杂草”,由于不同植物种间杂交能力不同,外源基因转移并稳定遗传的几率受到多种因素的影响,不同作物的风险性也不同,因此必须经过长期的监测才能得出科学的结论;2)转基因作物对作物遗传多样性、物种多样性及生态系统多样性的影响:多数观点认为转基因作物会通过基因漂移,外来基因在农家品种或野生种中固定及其竞争优势导致遗传多样性减少乃至丧失,也有观点认为,从长远看,转基因作物将会增加作物的生产力,从而少用农田,少用农药,有助于保护生物多样性;转基因作物对物种多样性的影响正反两方面的报道均有,有待进一步的研究,尤其是研究分析方法亟待规范;转基因作物对生态系统多样性的影响仍在研究争论之中,尚无定论。     

转Xa23基因水稻的白叶枯病抗性及其遗传分析

在分离克隆抗白叶枯病基因Xa23研究中获得大量转基因水稻材料。为了系统研究转Xa23基因水稻的抗病稳定性和遗传模式, 本文通过逐株进行抗白叶枯病接种鉴定、PCR和Southern blot分子检测, 对一批转Xa23基因水稻植株进行了T₀代到T₂代的跟踪分析。结果表明, Xa23基因的整合和表达, 使感病受体品种牡丹江8号获得抗病性。由于Xa23基因插入受体基因组的位点不同, 同是单拷贝插入的转基因T₀代抗病植株, 其抗病程度有明显差异。T₀代植株的抗病程度, 可以准确、稳定地遗传到T₁代和T₂代。单拷贝转基因植株分离群体的抗感植株分离比接近3∶1, 表明转Xa23基因遵循孟德尔单基因遗传模式。已获得2个纯合的单拷贝转基因抗病株系, 它们的抗病程度稍有差别, 将用于外源基因插入位置效应分析和杂交稻抗病育种。     

Tracking change in a human‐dominated landscape: developing conservation guidelines using freshwater fish

• 1. To conserve biodiversity in a human‐dominated landscape, a science‐based inventory and monitoring plan is needed that quantifies existing resources, isolates drivers that maintain natural communities, determines harmful stressors, and links ecological drivers and human stressors. A tactical approach is proposed for conservation planning using freshwater fish at the Cape Cod National Seashore.
• 2. Freshwater fish are well studied and occur across environmental gradients. The lentic systems at the national park are relatively pristine yet are enveloped by a region of high population density. Using fish community data, three steps were taken for tracking anthropogenic impacts in a human dominated landscape. First, fish and potential drivers were sampled intensively along a gradient to determine which fish metrics reflect natural communities and which abiotic and biotic factors structure them. Second, emerging and existing regional human threats were identified. Third, these human threats were linked to the potential drivers that maintain natural communities to identify the most informative metrics to monitor and track change.
• 3. Fish communities, water quality, habitat, and food resources were sampled concurrently in 18 ponds in 1999 and 2000. Three common fish species explained 98% of variation in numbers across systems. Based on ecological relationships, pH, depth, vegetation, prey, and community complexity were determined to maintain biodiversity of freshwater fish communities.
• 4. The primary human threats here included: development‐related, land‐use changes; non‐point source pollution; eutrophication from septic systems; and introduced species that are a byproduct of high human visitation. These are common threats in many rapidly urbanized areas and are likely to have relevance to many sites.
• 5. To track the impact of emerging threats to freshwater ponds related to increased human population, monitoring changes in water quality, vegetated habitat, fish diversity, and trophic interactions are recommended.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Apparent digestibility coefficient of protein and amino acids of acid, biological and enzymatic silage for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Using the fish silage to partially replace proteic feedstuff in aquafeeds is an alternative to mitigate sanitary and environmental problems caused by the lack of adequate destination for fisheries residues. It would also lower feed costs, consequently improving fish culture profitability. However, using fish silages in aquafeeds depends on determination of its apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC). This work aimed to determining the ADC of crude protein and amino acids of acid silage (AS), biological silage (BS) and enzymatic silage (ES) for juvenile Nile tilapia (94.5 ± 12.7 g). The ADC_CP was: 92.0%, 89.1% and 93.7% for AS, BS and SE respectively. The average ADC of amino acids was: 91.8%, 90.8% and 94.6% for AS, BS and ES respectively. Results encourage the use of AS, BS and ES to partially replace protein sources in balanced diets for neotropical fish.     

Determination of apparent digestibility coefficient in fish by stable carbon isotopes

Estimation of the apparent digestibility coefficient ADC(%) of C₃ and C₄ plants in experimental diets for fingerlings of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum, Cuvier, 1818) was calculated by applying chromic oxide (Cr₂O₃) external marker methodology and by a proposed mathematical expression based on the isotopic composition (δ¹³C). A total of 240 tambaqui fingerlings each weighing ±48.2 g and measuring ±9.8 cm were maintained in eight 500‐L aquariums specially designed for faeces collection. The ADC(%) of the C₃ and C₄ diets did not differ significantly between the two methods, producing results of 75.6%; 76.2% and 74.4%; 72.8%, respectively. The ADC(%) results obtained by isotopic method presented less variation than by chromic oxide. The proposed mathematical expression for calculating the ADC(%) based on δ¹³C values offers an alternative methodology, which can reduce errors and diminish the effort required to collect biological material. However, it is important to note that this method is limited to analysis of diets or food items with distinct isotopic signals.     

Blood and haemoglobin meal as protein sources in diets for gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata): effects on growth, nutritive efficiency and fillet sensory differences

Two parallel experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of partial substitution of fish meal by two different animal protein sources, blood meal (B) and haemoglobin meal (H) at 0, 50 and 100 g kg⁻¹ of level inclusion in diets for gilthead sea bream, considering a long feeding period for juveniles (Trial 1) and a short feeding period (Trial 2) for on-growing fish. In Trial 1, 33 g juveniles were fed for 242 days and the fish fed with 5% and 10% of haemoglobin dietary inclusion obtained less growth, although feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio and muscle composition were similar in all diets. In Trial 2, 179 g initial weight fish were fed for 164 days and growth of fish fed H10 showed the lowest growth, although nutrient efficiency and muscle composition were not affected significantly. The results of these experiments demonstrated that blood meal can substitute fish meal (up to 10%) with no effect on performance, but may lead to sensory differences compared with fish fed diet 0, while the inclusion of 5% blood meal had no effect on growth or sensory characteristics. Fish fed 10% haemoglobin inclusion had the poorest growth values.     

Allometric and ontogenetic patterns related to feeding of a neotropical fish, Satanoperca pappaterra (Perciformes, Cichlidae)

Abstract –  This study aims to analyse whether Satanoperca pappaterra changes its feeding habit throughout ontogenetic development, and whether morphological ontogenetic patterns are related to its feeding habit and food capture. We collected 258 individuals in the Cuiabá river basin (Brazil) for analyses. There was a weak relationship between diet and body size, as evidenced by size class and multivariate analyses, and niche breadth did not vary strongly during ontogenetic development. Eight morphometric variables were measured in each individual. We found an isometric relationship for mouth height and width, and for head length. We found positive allometry for snout length and body height in relation to body length, whereas this relationship for intestine length and eye diameter showed negative allometry. These results suggest that morphology and consequently diet vary weakly during ontogenetic development of S. pappaterra .     

Spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in the Northern Baltic Sea area

Freshwater fish species and Baltic salmon (Salmo salar) are important to small-scale fisheries in Finland and Sweden. The formerly local markets for these species have expanded as trade has been opened up to international competition. In this study we use cointegration analysis to test the spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in Finland and between Finland and Sweden. The analysed fish species are salmon, perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), European whitefish (Goregonus lavaretus) and pike (Exos lucius), and the data covers ex-vessel prices from 1993 or 1995 to 2004. We found that the regional prices in Finland were cointegrated. This indicates that the prices are determined on a single market in Finland. Moreover, the study suggests that Finnish and Swedish markets in Baltic salmon, whitefish, pikeperch and perch were partially integrated, while integration of pike markets could not be found. The political implication is that an essential part of the local small-scale fisheries’ operational environment is determined outside the national borders.     

Reproductive seasonality in a swamp-locked African cichlid

Abstract –  This study quantified the seasonal pattern of reproduction in a swamp-dwelling population of the African cichlid Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor victoriae. In the hypoxic waters of the Lwamunda Swamp, Uganda, P. multicolor was reproductively active throughout the year, even during the peak of the dry seasons. However, the degree of activity was seasonal, with rainfall providing a predictor of the percentage of ripe, mature females. There was no correlation between aquatic oxygen availability dissolved oxygen (DO) and either adjusted mean gonad mass or percentage of mature females, suggesting that DO is not limiting reproductive activity in this system. Reproductively mature females were larger during drier periods and may maximise their lifetime reproductive success by producing young throughout the year; but with a lower brooding efficiency. A comparison with Welcomme's (1969) study of a river-swamp system feeding Lake Victoria suggests that reproductive patterning is variable among populations of P. multicolor and may reflect adaptive response to chronically hypoxic conditions in the Lwamunda Swamp.