Cohort‐specific variation in juvenile coho salmon habitat use

In this study, we examined summer and fall freshwater rearing habitat use by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the quickly urbanising Big Lake drainage in south‐central Alaska. Habitat use was assessed by regressing fish count data against habitat survey information across thirty study sites using generalised linear mixed models. Habitat associations were examined by age‐0 and age‐1+ cohorts separately, providing an opportunity to compare habitat use across different juvenile coho salmon life stages during freshwater rearing. Regression results indicated that the age‐0 cohorts were strongly associated with shallow, wide stream reaches with in‐stream vegetation, whereas age‐1+ cohorts were associated with deeper stream reaches. Furthermore, associations between fork length and habitat characteristics suggest cohort‐specific habitat use patterns are distinct from those attributable to fish size. Habitat use information generated from this study is being used to guide optimal fish passage restoration planning in the Big Lake drainage. Evidence for habitat use partitioning by age cohort during freshwater juvenile rearing indicates that pooling age cohorts into a single “juvenile” stage for the purposes of watershed management may mask important habitat use dynamics.     

Detection efficiency and habitat use to inform inventory and monitoring efforts: juvenile coho salmon in the Knik River basin,Alaska

Imperfect detection associated with sampling gear presents challenges for wildlife inventory and monitoring efforts. We examined occupancy dynamics and habitat use of juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, in shallow lake environments over a summer and early fall season in the Knik River area of south central Alaska using models which control for and estimate sampling gear detection efficiency. In addition, we present statements for the probability that observed absences at a survey site or from a survey area (a collection of sites) are true absences given some amount of sampling effort and analysts' beliefs about site occupancy and sampling gear detection efficiency which can be used to guide inventory and monitoring efforts for juvenile salmon or other wildlife and plant species. Occupancy modelling results demonstrate that minnow traps were effective at sampling juvenile coho in shallow lake environments, with a mean probability of detection across the study period of 0.68 (i.e., probability of detecting the presence of juvenile coho given that they are present at a trap site; SE = 0.03). Juvenile coho salmon migrated into shallow water lakes in late summer and early fall, presumably to seek out overwinter habitat. N‐mixture modelling examination of habitat use demonstrated that once in shallow lake environments, juvenile coho were widely distributed across a range of microhabitats, with some evidence for preference for shallower depths and warmer water temperatures.     

Fragment Bb of bovine complement factor B: stimulatory effect on the microbicidal activity of bovine monocytes.

We have previously shown that the Bb fragment of bovine complement factor B activates bovine monocytes and neutrophils. The activation was demonstrated by the enhanced uptake of 3H-deoxyglucose. To investigate the potential effect of fragment Bb on the microbicidal activity of bovine monocytes, a direct method was used. This method involves an initial ingestion period at 37 degrees C followed by repeated washing. The decrease in the total number of viable intracellular Staphylococcus aureus during the reincubation of the bacteria with bovine monocytes determines the intracellular killing. Maximal intracellular killing was seen when the monocytes containing the ingested S. aureus was incubated with fresh bovine serum (mean +/- SEM = 73.4 +/- 1.4%). On incubation of the monocytes, containing the ingested bacteria with heat-inactivated bovine serum, 32.5 +/- 0.7% of the intracellular bacteria were killed. When affinity-purified bovine factor Bb was added to the heat-inactivated serum, the intracellular killing capacity was almost restored (65.8 +/- 1.5%). When monocytes were incubated with medium alone, they killed 22.4% of the intracellular microorganisms. When fragment Bb (25 micrograms/mL) was added to the medium, the intracellular killing of S. aureus doubled (46 +/- 1.29%). We conclude that the Bb fragment of bovine complement factor B stimulates bovine monocytes in their microbicidal activity.     

Breeding for yield and quality in durum wheat

Three populations of an intervarietal durum wheat cross IWP5308/PDW208, F₅, F₅BIP₁ (population derived after intermating in F₂) and F₅BIP₂ (population derived after intermating in BIPF₁), were evaluated under three different agronomic environments for mean performance and stability of genotypes for grain yield, yield components and protein content. Though the biparental progenies indicated a higher mean performance, they did not differ significantly from progenies of the pedigree method for almost all characters. The biparental progenies, however, produced a higher number of stable genotypes for grain yield per plant, grains per ear and protein content. The F₅ population had a higher number of stable genotypes for 1000 grain weight and number of tillers per plant. The BIP progenies also had a higher number of genotypes with above average mean performance, and many were significantly higher than the checks WH896 and WH542, compared with F₅ progenies. Hence, in spite of high G x E interactions, the use of cycles of biparental mating and selection of top yielding lines on the basis of yield components can enable selection of stable genotypes with high protein content. Number of tillers per plant and 1000 grain weight were the yield component characters which made maximum contribution to phenotypic stability of the genotypes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Estimation of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficient in wheat under semi-arid environment in India

Abstract

The comparison of six standard reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimate models was carried out with measured lysimeter evapotranspiration (ETc) in wheat crop in a semi-arid environment at Rahuri, India. The globally accepted reference evapotranspiration model of FAO 56 Penman Monteith underestimated the references ETo by 19.2% (420.5 mm) over lysimeter ET (520.7 mm). Out of the remaining five models, the Hargreaves model ranked first and was overestimated by 6.5% followed by the Blaney Criddle model (underestimated by ?5.6%). The references ETo by pan evaporation model underestimated the reference ETo to the extent of ?28.8%. The influence of statistical indicators like RMSE, MBE which was computed by considering Lysimeter ETc as standard, was quite low in the Hargreaves model compared to the rest of the models and hence, the Hargreaves method is quite acceptable for ETo estimates as this method requires much less climatic parameters (temperature and extraterrestrial radiation) than Penman Monteith (FAO56) and Modified Penman of FAO 24 as these models require aerodynamic and radiation terms, besides additional physical terms in former models of ETo estimates. The seasonal crop coefficients were 1.24, 1.13, 0.94, 0.85, 1.06 and 1.40 in Penman Monteith, Modified Penman, Hargreaves, Radiation balance, Blaney Criddle and Pan Evaporation models, respectively.     

Distribution and allelic expressivity of genes for hybrid necrosis in some elite winter and spring wheat ecotypes

The distribution and allelic expressivity of hybrid necrosis genes (Ne ₁ and Ne ₂) were studied in 21 winter (mostly exotic) and 43 spring type elite wheat genotypes, by crossing them with two known testers, C 306 (Ne ₁-carrier) and HD 2380 (Ne ₂-carrier).Ne ₁ gene was present in one north-west Himalayan winter wheat landrace, Shoure Local, but absent in the other winter as well as spring wheats. Ne ₂ gene was prevalent to a much lower extent in the exotic winter wheat germplasm (31.57%) as compared to the recently developed Indian and Mexican spring wheat semidwarfs (69.80%). This may suggest that breeders have tried to preclude hybrid necrosis by selecting for non-carrier genotypes in the development of exotic winter wheats in contrast to the situation in spring wheats. Based on the degree of expression of hybrid necrosis genes in the F₁ hybrids, the carrier genotypes were characterized with respect to the allelic strength of the hybrid necrosis genes. The 27 non-carrier genotypes of the two ecotypes identified in the present study have a greater potential use in future hybridization programmes so as to overcome the problem of hybrid necrosis. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.