Profile of a fishery collapse: why mariculture failed to save the large yellow croaker

The large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), endemic to East Asia was once one of the three top commercial marine fishes of China PR. Heavily exploited since the 1950s, wild stocks were so severely depleted by the 1980s that most individuals subsequently sold originated from hatcheries. After peaking at about 200 000 tonnes in the mid‐1970s, catches of the croaker in China PR declined by over 90% within just 2 decades; according to most decline criteria this would categorize the croaker as “threatened” and management measures, including restocking, were developed. The extensive government‐sponsored mariculture program introduced to address food supply and overfishing in the 1980s, particularly of the croaker, was one of the earliest for marine finfish, not only in China PR, a nation with a rich and highly successful history in aquaculture, but globally. In this first, in‐depth, profile of a key fishery and early mariculture development, we integrate ecological and biological information with the fishing, management, mariculture and economic history to trace the collapse of wild stocks and assess why management and mariculture did not result in wild stock recovery. Evidence strongly suggests that a combination of heavy exploitation of spawning and over‐wintering aggregations, poor management and overfishing pressure were major factors in stock declines, with contributions from pollution, habitat degradation and marine ecosystem shift. Although the croaker proved a highly successful mariculture candidate, with approximately 70 000 tonnes produced in 2005, the highest of any marine fish cultured in China PR, mariculture and restocking have failed to restore croaker stocks and may have, inadvertently, led to biodiversity losses. The detailed history of the croaker is a sobering reminder that successful mariculture, albeit important for food production and livelihoods, is not necessarily a solution to overfishing, and moreover, may have compromised fishery recovery by competing for funds, attention, space, and maybe genetic resources.     

Activity patterns of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) in the staging area of the Pascagoula River during fall outmigration

Environmental cues that are associated with individual movement of threatened Gulf Sturgeon from upriver areas to nearshore and offshore winter feeding areas have been described throughout much of their range in the Gulf of Mexico. In this study, we focus on small‐scale movement of Gulf Sturgeon between summer ‘holding’ areas and the fall staging area in the Pascagoula River system (Mississippi, USA). We evaluated a set of logistic regression models using Akaike's Information Criterion and found that relative changes in barometric pressure, time of day, and water temperature were cues for small‐scale Gulf Sturgeon movements during fall outmigration. Numerous environmental cues appear to drive the activity of Gulf Sturgeon in staging areas, indicating the complexity of abiotic factors affecting the observed staging patterns during emigration. The identification of the environmental drivers that are associated with Gulf Sturgeon movement is particularly important if these known saline transition zones change spatially annually with variable rainfall or due to water withdrawals and are used by Gulf Sturgeon making osmotic adjustments while moving downriver.     

Onto the sense of smell in macaws,amazons and toucans: can they use volatile cues of fruits to make foraging decisions?

Over the past decades, empirical evidence has been accumulated indicating that olfactory information plays a fundamental role in bird life history. Nonetheless, many aspects of avian olfaction remain poorly understood. Our purpose was to broaden the knowledge about the importance of the sense of smell in some neglected bird groups: psittaciformes and ramphastids, and to compare how the response varied between the species. Because of the lack of information about the use of chemical cues for locating food in fruit-eating species, we also aimed to delve into this question. We conducted a 3-choice (water/vinegar/papaya and banana juice) scent test in 5 Costa Rican native species: scarlet macaw (Ara macao), red-lored amazon (Amazona autumnalis), yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata), keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), and yellow-throated toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus). Results revealed that macaws and toucans allocated significantly more time to interacting with the fruit scent container, indicating that these species can perceive the volatile chemicals emitted by ripe fruits and that they can use this information to make foraging decisions. However, amazons did not dedicate more time to interact with the fruit treatment. Our research provides the first evidence of the ability to exploit chemical volatile cues in macaws and toucans.     

Integrating small mammal community variables into aircraft–wildlife collision management plans at Namibian airports

Understanding ecosystems within and around airports can help to determine the causes and possible mitigation measures for collisions between aircraft and wildlife. Small mammal communities are an important component of the semi‐arid savanna ecosystems of Namibia, its productivity and its ecosystem integrity. They are also a major direct attractant for raptors at airports. The present study compared the abundance and diversity of small mammals between Namibia's 2 main airport properties (Hosea Kutako International Airport and Eros Airport), and among areas of land used for various purposes surrounding the airports. A total of 2150 small mammals (3 orders, 11 species) were captured over 4 trapping seasons. Small mammal abundance was significantly higher at the end of the growing season than during the non‐growing season. The grass mowing regimen in current management plans at the airports resulted in a significant reduction of small mammal abundance at Hosea Kutako during the non‐growing season only, thus indicating that annual mowing is effective but insufficient to reduce the overall abundance of mammal prey species for raptors. Small mammal numbers were significantly higher at Hosea Kutako Airport compared to the cattle and game farming land surrounding the airport, while no differences in small mammal densities or diversity were found for areas with different land uses at and surrounding Eros. The study suggests that the fence around Hosea Kutako provides a refuge for small mammals, resulting in higher densities. It also indicates that different surrounding land use practices result in altered ecosystem function and productivity, an important consideration when identifying wildlife attractants at airports.     

莲花山自然保护区的鸟类资源现状及保护对策

据调查，甘肃莲花山自然保护区有鸟类133种，隶属于14目、33科、89属，含国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类5种，Ⅱ级保护鸟类19种。在调查的基础上，提出了今后保护建议。     

贵州茂兰国家级自然保护区鸟类调查

在1990年至2002年期间，共在茂兰自然保护区内发现鸟类205种，占贵州省鸟类种数的50％，分别隶属于16目46科128属，其中繁殖鸟158种，占77．2％，繁殖鸟中东洋界种类115种，占繁殖鸟的72.8％；古北界种类15种，仅占9．5％；广布种有28种，占17．7％。雀形目鸟类128种，占总种数的62％。属贵州省鸟类种数最丰富的地区之一。     

中国东部沿海地区猛禽迁徒规律研究

1985－1987年在猛禽迁徒中途主要停歇地的山东省青岛市浮山、长岛县大黑山岛和辽宁省大连市老铁山，利用环志、染色标记和观察等方法，对其主要种类迁徒规律的生物学特性进行了研究，结果表明：猛禽南迁途径环志研究区的时间为8月下旬至12月中旬。迁徒高峰在9月中旬至10月底，通过环志鸟回收分析表明，猛禽的越冬区域为长江中下游及期 以南地带，并延伸到东南沿海。首次揭示了东北松嫩平原为途径经老铁山地区部分苍鹰的繁殖区域。秋季途径老铁山地区，飞越渤海海峡向南迁飞的部分松雀鹰，春归线则可能沿渤海海湾内侧几东北繁殖区迁飞。     

Changes of soil properties in the colonies of the common cormorant,Phalacrocorax carbo

The edaphic environment in the colonies of the common cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) was investigated to detect the effects of cormorant's defecation on plants through the soil. Some properties of the soil down to 50 cm depth in the cormorant's colonies in Chikubu Island and Isaki Cape (Lake Biwa, Shiga Pref., Japan), were compared against those of the soil on the outside of the colonies in 1992. On the inside of the colonies, soil acidification over the whole soil layer, which has been considered to accelerate the accumulation of toxic ions such as Al³⁺, and increase in moisture content at the depth of 5 and 15 cm, which would inhibit the growth of roots, were recognized. Thus, plants in the colonies of the common cormorant were likely to suffer various negative effects through changes in soil environments mainly due to continual supply of faeces onto the ground.     

秦皇岛市沿海地区候鸟及迁徙情况初步观察

作者利用2a时间,对秦皇岛市鸟类资源进行了较为系统的调查。共发现鸟类359种,其中候鸟306种,国家级保护鸟60种。初步总结出鹤类迁飞时间,对银鸥的迁徒路线有新的发现。     

Antibiosis and antixenosis to Rhopalosiphum padi among triticale accessions

Tests for antibiosis and antixenosis resistance to Rhopalosiphum padi L., the bird cherry-oat aphid, were conducted among four wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and eight triticale (XTriticosecale Wittmack) accessions. Tests for antibiosis included measuring R. padi-population growth over 13 days, number of days to reproduction of individual R. padi, and number of aphid progeny produced in the first 7 days of adulthood. Antixenosis was measured in no-choice nymphiposition tests and in choice tests of host selection by winged R. padi. Three of seven triticale accessions limited R. padi populations relative to control accessions. Lower R. padi-population growth on N1185 and Okto Derzhavina could be explained partially by increased developmental times. Lower R. padi-population growth on triticale accessions N1185, N1186 and Okto Derzhavina could be explained at least partially by fewer aphid progeny on these accessions. Developmental time of R. padi on N1185 and Okto Derzhavina was greater than that on Stniism 3 triticale, identified previously as resistant to R. padi. There were less R. padi progeny on N1185 than on Stniism 3, and comparable numbers of R. padi progeny among N1186, Okto Derzhavina, and Stniism 3. None of the accessions limited nymphiposition by R. padi. Choice tests revealed heterogeneity in host selection by R. padi but an overall trend that triticale accessions Okto Derzhavina, N1185, N1186 and Stniism 3 were less preferred hosts than Arapahoe wheat. Relatively strong resistance in these triticale accessions warrant consideration of their future use in breeding programs for cereal-aphid resistance.