Threats to at-risk salmonids of the Canadian Rocky Mountain region

Trout and charr, members of the salmonid family, have high conservation value but are also susceptible to anthropogenic threats in part due to the specificity of their habitat requirements. Understanding historical and future threats facing these species is necessary to promote their recovery. Of freshwater trout and charr in the Canadian Rocky Mountain region, westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus; a charr species) and Athabasca rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are of conservation concern. And indeed, range contractions and declining populations are evident throughout much of their ranges. Range contraction was most evident in the southern Alberta designatable unit (DU) of westslope cutthroat trout. Diminished populations were also evident in the downstream watersheds of the Alberta bull trout range, and throughout the Athabasca rainbow trout range. We assessed historical and future threats to evaluate the relative importance of individual threats to each DU and compare their impact among species. Individual threats fall into the broad categories of angling, non-native species and genes, habitat loss and alteration, and climate change. Severity of each threat varies by DU and reflects the interaction between species’ biology and the location of the DU. Severity of threats facing each DU has changed over time, reflecting extirpation of native populations, changes in management and industry best practices, expansion of non-native species and progressing climate change. The overall threat impact for each DU indicates a high probability of substantial and continuing declines and calls for immediate action.     

Beaver dams,streamflow complexity,and the distribution of a rare minnow,Lepidomeda copei

Freshwater fishes are threatened globally, and often too little is known about threatened species to effectively guide their conservation. Habitat complexity is linked to fish species diversity and persistence, and degraded streams often lack habitat complexity. Beaver Castor spp., in turn, have been used to restore streams and increase habitat complexity. The northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei is a rare, small‐bodied, drift‐feeding minnow that has anecdotally been observed to use complex habitats associated with beaver dams in the western United States. To investigate this anecdote, we conducted fish and habitat surveys, the latter focusing on quantifying habitat complexity, in a sub‐basin of the Upper Snake River Basin in the USA. Complementary generalised linear model and path analyses revealed that northern leatherside chub occurred more often at sites with complex streamflows, and streamflows were more complex when beaver dams were present and pools were deeper. Northern leatherside chubs were also more likely to occur when temperatures were warmer, aquatic macrophytes were abundant and stream channels were narrow and deep. The linkage between chubs, complex streamflows and beaver dams needs to be evaluated more broadly to completely understand its role in the rangewide status of the species. However, it does suggests that increased use of beaver reintroductions and dam analogues for stream restoration could be a boon for the northern leatherside chub, but such efforts should be monitored to determine their effectiveness to help adapt beaver‐based restoration approaches to best benefit the species.     

The pathology of disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection in dogs

Disseminated Aspergillus terreus infection was diagnosed in ten previously healthy adult dogs--nine German shepherds and one dalmatian. The disease was characterized by the presence of multiple granulomas and infarcts in a wide range of organs. The kidney, spleen, and skeletal system were most commonly and severely affected. Fungal hyphae were demonstrated in large numbers within granulomas and thrombi, and A. terreus was readily isolated by culture. This disseminated mycosis appears unique; in this series of cases there was no apparent predisposing factor, portal of entry, or primary focus for dissemination of the infection.     

Analysis and pharmacokinetics of cimaterol in growing Holstein steers.

Pharmacokinetic parameters for the beta 2-adrenergic agonist, cimaterol (CIM), were determined in growing Holstein steers. Compartmental analysis was used after measurement of CIM in body fluids by affinity chromatography and HPLC using UV detection. Recoveries from spiked plasma and urine standards were 70 +/- 1.2% and 68 +/- 1.1%, respectively. The minimum detection level in plasma was 1 ng/mL and the average CV was 5.1% for concentrations that ranged from 1 to 30 ng/mL. Four steers (276 +/- 24 kg) received 15 mg of CIM by bolus intravenous injection. Plasma CIM levels declined in a biphasic manner with half-lives of 2.5 min for the distribution phase and 54 min for the elimination phase. A two-compartment open model was used to describe the disappearance of CIM and the following pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained: central compartment volume (Vc) = .76 L/kg, apparent volume of distribution (Vd) = 4.1 L/kg, and transfer rate constants from the central to peripheral compartment (k12) = .177/min, from the peripheral to central compartment (k21) = .054/min and elimination from the central compartment (kel) = .074/min. After 8 h, total urinary CIM accounted for only 18.3% of the administered dose. Results suggest that circulating concentrations of CIM in growing steers are influenced by its accumulation in an unidentified peripheral pool and its conversion into unknown metabolite(s) before elimination.     

Inheritance of myotonic discharges in American quarter horses and the relationship to hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.

Electromyography (EMG) was used to detect myotonic discharges in Quarter Horse breeding stock and to follow the results of mating horses with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HPP). The studies were performed on two brood mare farms. A total of six breeding stock showed myotonic discharges and 15 were nonmyotonic. Myotonic discharges were seen in five of six horses belonging to the blood line previously implicated as being predisposed to HPP. Two of these horses had shown clinical signs of HPP. Only one of 15 breeding horses unrelated to the HPP predisposed blood line showed myotonic discharges. When both parents were non-myotonic on EMG than the F1 generation (n = 6) were also nonmyotonic. When a stallion with HPP and myotonic discharges was mated to eight nonmyotonic mares over a six year period half the animals of the F1 generation (n = 25) showed myotonic discharges. When both parents showed myotonic discharges four F1 offspring were myotonic and two were nonmyotonic on EMG testing. There was no evidence of sex linkage. The results are consistent with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and myotonic discharges on EMG may be different manifestations of the same underlying defect.