Effects of predator-induced visual and olfactory cues on 0+ perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) foraging behaviour

Abstract –  Foraging juvenile fish with relatively high food demands are usually vulnerable to various aquatic and avian predators. To compromise between foraging and antipredator activity, they need exact and reliable information about current predation risk. Among direct predator-induced cues, visual and olfactory signals are considered to be most important. Food intake rates and prey-size selectivity of laboratory-reared, naive young-of-the-year (YOY) perch, Perca fluviatilis , were studied in experiments with Daphnia magna of two size classes: 2.8 and 1.3 mm as prey and northern pike, Esox lucius , as predator. Neither total intake rate nor prey-size selectivity was modified by predator kairomones alone (water from an aquarium with a pike was pumped into the test aquaria) under daylight conditions. Visual presentation of pike reduced total food intake by perch. This effect was significantly more pronounced (synergistic) when visual and olfactory cues were presented simultaneously to foraging perch. Moreover, the combination of cues caused a significant shift in prey-size selection, expressed as a reduced proportion of large prey in the diet. Our observations demonstrate that predator-induced olfactory cues alone are less important modifiers of the feeding behaviour of naive YOY perch than visual cues under daylight conditions. However, pike odour acts as a modulatory stimulus enhancing the effects of visual cues, which trigger an innate response in perch.     

基于COI基因构建西北太平洋常见鱼类DNA条形码参考数据库

西北太平洋以其独特的地理位置和复杂的海洋环境,孕育了极为丰富的渔业资源,成为全球海洋生物多样性保护和渔业资源管理的热点区域。为了更有效地进行鱼类种类识别和多样性的调查,本研究建立了西北太平洋常见鱼类DNA条形码本地数据库。基于线粒体COI基因,对2023年6-8月在西北太平洋海域所采集的307份样品进行扩增和测序,共获得7目13科20属25种鱼类的COI基因序列。77.96%的COI序列在公共数据库中都能比对到高相似度序列。种间平均遗传距离为0.233,种内平均遗传距离为0.003,种间遗传距离是种内遗传距离的77.67倍,且能够形成明显的条形码间隙,不存在物种区分困难的现象。基于COI基因序列构建的系统发育树显示,同一属的鱼类首先聚为一支,随后与同一科的鱼类聚为一支,最后,同目不同科的鱼类聚为一支。综上所述,COI基因具有物种特异性,能够有效的区分西北太平洋常见鱼类物种,本数据库的初步建立,有利于后期利用环境DNA技术进行西北太平洋鱼类多样性的监测和调查,为西北太平洋海域生物多样性保护、资源管理和种群动态监测提供了技术支持。     

绿鳍马面鲀鱼皮组织结构观察

采用冰冻切片、组织学染色及扫描电镜的方法对绿鳍马面鲀(Thamnaconus septentrionalis)鱼皮组织结构进行研究。结果显示,绿鳍马面鲀鱼皮由表皮层、鳞片层、真皮层和皮下组织层构成,并据此绘制绿鳍马面鲀鱼皮组织结构模式图。表皮层由上皮细胞和基底细胞组成,其厚度为(26.81±7.48) μm;鳞片层由锥状骨质凸起和基板组成,基板厚度为(22.49±5.19) μm,基板上不均匀地分布2~4行直径大小不一、顶端弯曲程度不同、高度为(257.13±10.41) μm的锥状骨质凸起;真皮层厚度为中部>头部>尾部,平均厚度为(176.97±21.11) μm,主要由胶原纤维构成;皮下组织层主要由胶原纤维和非纤维间质构成。本研究可为开发利用绿鳍马面鲀鱼皮资源提供基础资料。     

Utilization of Sake lees as Broiler Feedstuff and its Effects on Growth Performance and Intestinal Immunity

Increasing food loss and waste (FLW) is a global problem, and efforts are being made to use waste food as potential livestock feed material. The amount of self-supplied feed is lower in Japan than in other countries, and the government recommends FLW use for animal feed. Sake (Japanese rice wine) is a traditional alcoholic beverage. During the sake manufacturing process, large amounts of squeezed solids or “lees” (sake lees) are generated. Sake lees are nutritious and functional, but are prone to spoilage. In this study, we investigated whether sake lees should be mixed with animal feed immediately or after drying. To assess the usefulness of sake lees as a poultry feed ingredient and determine the effect of sake lees on intestinal immunity, we performed a feeding trial with three treatments: a raw sake lees (RSL) diet, dried sake lees (DSL) diet, and control diet. Three-week-old broilers were fed these diets (n=8 per group) for two weeks. We then calculated feed efficiency and performed RT-qPCR to assess the effects of diet on intestinal immunity. The growth performance in the RSL diet group was equivalent to that in the control diet group. The DSL diet became difficult for broilers to eat, resulting in decreased growth performance. In the ileum of RSL-diet broilers, the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and avian β-defensin (AvBD)12 were significantly increased compared to those of control diet broilers (p<0.05), and a significant correlation was observed between the two genes (p<0.05). Our results indicated that sake lees should not be dried and should be mixed immediately with feed, and this sake lees when fed to chicken activates the intestinal immunity. However, sake lees have a lower fat content than corn, and it is thus important to combine sake lees with high-energy feed.     

Challenges facing arthropod biological control: identifying traits for genetic improvement of predators in protected crops

Biological control is an efficient pest control method but there are still limitations that are hindering its wider adoption. Genetic improvement of biological control agents (BCAs) can help to overcome these constraints, but the choice of key attributes for better performance that need to be selected is still an open question. Several characteristics have been suggested but the harsh reality is that selective breeding of BCAs has received a lot of attention but resulted in very little progress. Identifying the appropriate traits to be prioritized may be the first step to reverse this situation. In our opinion, the best way is to look at the factors limiting the performance of key BCAs, especially generalist predators (pesticide compatibility, prey‐density dependence, non‐suitable crops, and extreme environmental conditions), and according to these challenges, to choose the attributes that would allow BCAs to overcome those limitations. The benefits of selection for higher resistance to toxins, whether artificially applied (pesticides) or plant produced (plant defenses); increased fitness when feeding on non‐prey food (supplemented or plant‐derived); and better adaptation to extreme temperature and humidity are discussed. In conclusion, genetic improvement of BCAs can bring about new opportunities to biocontrol industry and users to enhance biocontrol resilience. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

Tissue-specific antioxidative and neurotoxic responses to diazinon in Oreochromis niloticus

The purpose of this study was to evaluate oxidative stress and neurotoxic potential of organophosphorus (OP) insecticide diazinon in the sentinel freshwater fish, Oreochromis niloticus. Antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein levels were measured spectrophotometrically in gill, kidney, alimentary tract, and muscle tissues of fish treated with sub-lethal diazinon concentrations for 1, 7, 15, and 30 days. Dose-dependent inhibitions of AChE were observed in all the experimental fish. On the contrary of alimentary tract, MDA levels were elevated in kidney and muscle and gill was not affected. AChE and MDA levels intercorrelated in kidney and muscle tissues. Diazinon had increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in all the tissues, while kidney was the most affected tissue. Tissue-specific alterations were observed on catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities; however, the activities were not changed in gill and muscle tissues for GPx and in gill, muscle, and kidney tissues for CAT. Protein levels decreased in kidney, muscle, and alimentary tract, while increased in gill and alimentary tract in 15 days. With respect to these results, diazinon has oxidative and neurotoxic potentials in O. niloticus. Observed changes with diazinon treatment were generally tissue-specific and dose-dependent.     

西汉时期西北地区农业开发的自然灾害背景

西汉时期是中国历史上西北开发的关键时期,尤其是汉武帝一朝,西北开发功勋卓著。在西汉时期大规模开发西北的决策过程中,政治、经济、军事等方面的因素发挥了重要的影响作用,但是自然灾害对西北开发的影响作用也不容忽视。西汉时期严峻的灾害形势对关中和山东农区造成了重大破坏作用,国家粮食安全岌岌可危。出于化解灾害风险的现实需要,西汉王朝不得不以战争的手段解决北部匈奴问题,依靠农业生产扩大西北地区耕地面积,移民实边。经过两百年的刻苦经营,西汉时期终于奠定了西北农业生产的基本格局,关中、河套、河西、河湟主要农业生产区全面形成,中国传统农业阶段第一个人口高峰出现并维持了一千多年之久。     

永丰县木本粮食植物资源

介绍永丰县山林中木本粮食植物资源。     

滆湖鱼类群落时空分布及其与环境因子的关系

为掌握滆湖鱼类群落现状及动态,于2017—2018年在该湖设置16个采样点,使用多网目刺网和地笼对鱼类群落进行了周年季度采样,同时测定各采样点的水温(WT)、水深(WD)、透明度(SD)、pH值、叶绿素a(Chl.a)、总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)等环境因子,定量分析了鱼类群落结构特征、时空分布格局及其与环境因子的关系....