Responses in carcass lean pH at 24 hours post-mortem in lines of Large White pigs selected for growth rate on a fixed ration over a set time

A restricted maximum likelihood analysis applied to an animal model showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in pH value of the longissimus dorsi measured at 24 h post-mortem (pH24) between high and low lines of Large White pigs selected over 4 years for post-weaning growth rate on restricted feeding. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between pH24 and production and carcass traits were estimated using all performance testing records combined with the pH24 measurements (5.05–7.02) on slaughtered animals. The estimate of heritability for pH24 was moderate (0.29 ± 0.18). Genetic correlations between pH24 and production or carcass composition traits, except for ultrasonic backfat (UBF), were not significantly different from zero. UBF had a moderate, positive genetic correlation with pH24 (0.24 ± 0.33). These estimates of genetic correlations affirmed that selection for increased growth rate on restricted feeding is likely to result in limited changes in pH24 and pork quality since the selection does not put a high emphasis on reduced fatness.     

Landscape features influence genetic structure of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) currently live in metapopulations in the parts of their range where plague, caused by the bacterium Yesinia pestis, has invaded. Prairie dogs are highly susceptible to the pathogen, with most animals within towns dying during Y. pestis outbreaks. A review of population genetic studies of prairie dogs demonstrates considerable differentiation between prairie dog towns. Despite declines and fluctuations in size of prairie dog populations, they continue to harbor considerable genetic variation. This results from continual dispersal and gene flow, likely along low-lying drainages that connect towns. When combined with estimates of population size, the landscape genetic approach described here will provide precise estimates of dispersal and gene flow, in addition to evaluation of long-term stability of prairie dog metapopulations.     

Effect of road density on abundance of white-footed mice

While several studies have demonstrated that roads can act as barriers to small mammal movement, the relationship between road density and small mammal abundance has not yet been investigated. In southeastern Ontario, Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mice) suffer high over-winter mortality rates, resulting in small springtime populations and frequent local extinctions. Peromyscus leucopus movement is known to be inhibited by roads, which should result in lower rates of immigration into and recolonization of habitats in landscapes with high road density. We tested two predictions: (1) Forest sites situated in landscapes with high road densities have a higher chance of P. leucopus being absent during the early spring than forest sites situated in landscapes with low road densities and (2) P. leucopus populations during the summer are smaller in forest sites situated in landscapes with high road densities than in landscapes with low road densities. We sampled P. leucopus in focal patches within nineteen landscapes (7 rural, low-road-density landscapes; 7 rural, high-road-density landscapes; 5 urban landscapes). There was no significant relationship between road density and the presence/absence of P. leucopus during the early spring. We found a significant positive effect of road density on P. leucopus relative abundance during the summer, even when we excluded the urban landscapes and based the analysis on only the 14 rural landscapes. Our results suggest that any negative effect of roads on P. leucopus populations, created by their inhibition to moving across roads, is far outweighed by some positive effect of roads on P. leucopus abundance. We suggest that the two most likely explanations are that roads are positively correlated with an important as-yet-undetermined component of habitat quality, or that roads positively affect P. leucopus by negatively affecting their predators.     

AFLP analysis of Russian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria tenuissima</Emphasis> populations from wheat kernels and other hosts

Alternaria tenuissima is a common pathogen on a number of plants described in several geographic regions of the world. Genetic variation within and between Russian Far East, North West and Caucasus populations of A. tenuissima from wheat was examined. In addition, genetic differences between isolates from various hosts were estimated. In total, 101 isolates of A. tenuissima were studied using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) with four primer combinations. Wright’s fixation index (F _st), gene flow (N _m) and gene diversity (H _s) were calculated. AFLP banding patterns indicated significant genetic distance and at the same time a low level of gene flow between the Far East and the two other groups of isolates originating from the European part of country. The degree of similarity between the North West and Caucasus populations was very high, as was the migration rate. Isolates analysed by UPGMA-based cluster analysis were grouped according to location of origin but irrespective of plant host. Based on the F _st value, the group of isolates originating from wheat and barley were not found to differ significantly from each other.     

Density estimates of rural dog populations and an assessment of marking methods during a rabies vaccination campaign in the Philippines

We estimated the population density of dogs by distance sampling and assessed the potential utility of two marking methods for capture-mark-recapture applications following a mass canine rabies-vaccination campaign in Sorsogon Province, the Republic of the Philippines. Thirty villages selected to assess vaccine coverage and for dog surveys were visited 1 to 11 days after the vaccinating team. Measurements of the distance of dogs or groups of dogs from transect lines were obtained in 1088 instances (N = 1278 dogs; mean group SIZE = 1.2). Various functions modelling the probability of detection were fitted to a truncated distribution of distances of dogs from transect lines. A hazard rate model provided the best fit and an overall estimate of dog-population density of 468/km² (95% confidence interval, 359 to 611). At vaccination, most dogs were marked with either a paint stick or a black plastic collar. Overall, 34.8% of 2167 and 28.5% of 2115 dogs could be accurately identified as wearing a collar or showing a paint mark; 49.1% of the dogs had either mark. Increasing time interval between vaccination-team visit and dog survey and increasing distance from transect line were inversely associated with the probability of observing a paint mark. Probability of observing a collar was positively associated with increasing estimated density of the dog population in a given village and with animals not associated with a house. The data indicate that distance sampling is a relatively simple and adaptable method for estimating dog-population density and is not prone to problems associated with meeting some model assumptions inherent to mark-recapture estimators.     

144份甜玉米群体的遗传多样性分析

利用SSR技术对来源于144份甜玉米群体的40个位点进行了分析,共检测出343个等位变异,每对引物检测出4~17个等位变异,平均8.58个。40个位点的多态性信息量PIC值变化范围在0.46~0.90,平均0.76/位点。标记索引指数MI变化范围在2.30~15.19,平均6.80/位点。在33个位点共检测到稀有等位变异70个,在15个位点共检测到特有等位变异16个。在144份材料中,117份材料有稀有等位变异,其中1份材料有8个稀有等位变异;14份材料有特有等位变异,2份材料有2个特有等位变异。聚类分析可初步将144份甜玉米群体划为7个类群,其中最大的Ⅰ群包括89份,第Ⅱ群包括35份。从研究结果得出群体材料的利用价值,对新的群体的合成及杂优模式的建立进行了探讨,为育种者提供新的思路和方法。     

杉木幼林抚育技术的综合评价和决策

本文在全面分析不同抚育技术对杉木生长、群体结构、林地植被物种多样性、生物量、水土流失和抚育成本的影响基础上，运用灰色局势决策理论对不同抚育技术进行多目标决策，结果表明：块状抚育和全垦抚育可提高杉木的保存率，并促进杉木幼林的生长；抚育技术对杉木群体树高和地径结构有一定的影响，尤其是对地径结构；全垦抚育的成本最大，不抚育最小，块状抚育居中；块状抚育有利于形成多层次的林分结构和林地植被物种多样性的提高。综合评价结果表明块状抚育是南方林区较好的杉木幼林抚育方式，它既能有效地减少林地植被对杉木的竞争，保持杉木的正常生长，又能降低抚育成本和保持地力及物种多样性。这对今后指导杉木幼林抚育具有重要的实践意义。     

野生金头闭壳龟的资源现状调查

笔者于2001-2004年对金头闭壳龟(Cuoraaurocapitata)的野生种群的分布、数量及相关生态学进行了专项调查。结果表明,金头闭壳龟目前仅分布于青弋江源头和上游即北纬30°-30°52′的少数支流中,具体为安徽省泾县的古坝、蔡村和孤峰三地的山涧溪流以及黟县红星乡的清溪河流域。野外种群数量十分稀少,目前已不足400只。金头闭壳龟主要栖息在水质清澈、两侧植被茂密或一侧山脚多石缝的山涧溪流中。经对曾经发现过金头闭壳龟典型地带的各种生态指标的测量表明,泾县古坝乡沈村上沈村段的古坝河段的以及蔡村乡的东园至爱民段的丁溪河段,相比而言仍不失为金头闭壳龟较为理想的栖息地。     

内蒙古贺兰山马鹿的种群数量及种群结构

为了掌握内蒙古贺兰山国家级自然保护区内马鹿(Cervus elaphus)的种群数量和种群结构,维护内蒙古贺兰山的生态平衡。于2017年11—12月,2018年4—6月、11—12月,2019年4—6月,在内蒙古贺兰山国家级自然保护区内,利用样线法对保护区内的马鹿进行调查,采用Distance R进行数据分析,估测种群数量和种群密度,并对种群结构进行探讨。研究发现,马鹿在2018年冬季种群数量最高约为2452(1678—3578)只,种群密度为3.705(2.539—5.048)只/km²,遇见率为1.943只/km。遇见率年际间变化不明显(F=0.12,P=0.986);混合群出现的次数最高,雄性群出现的次数最低,不同集群类型在不同季节的差异极显著(P<0.001);群大小在不同季节的差异不显著(P=0.132);雌雄比在不同季节中没有太大变化。     

基于线性规划模型的农业种植业结构优化研究

以土地资源、农作物需水量、肥料、乡村劳动力资源、农业机械总动力等作为农业种植业规划的约束条件,建立基于线性规划的农业种植业结构优化数学模型。以山东枣庄市为例,提出农业种植业结构优化方案,该优化方案具有实用性和合理性。