Variability in the performance of juvenile Chinook salmon is explained primarily by when and where they resided in estuarine habitats

Estuarine habitats provide rearing opportunities for the juvenile life stage of anadromous fishes. Because survival is positively correlated with juvenile performance, these estuarine habitats play an important role in population abundance and productivity. To provide information for the recovery of several depressed stocks of Chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin, we sought to identify the factors that explain variability in performance. Using otolith‐derived estimates of juvenile somatic growth rate as an index of recent performance, we observed a negative nonlinear relationship between growth rate and day of year, and a decreasing and increasing trend of growth rate over the 8 years of this study and distance from the river mouth respectively. Using a generalised linear modelling approach, we found that variability in juvenile somatic growth rate was best explained by where and when individuals were collected, their body size, contaminant loads, stock of origin, and whether a fish was hatchery produced or unmarked. Lastly, we argue that a considerable improvement to the growth rate of juveniles in estuarine habitats is physiologically possible. The results of this 8‐year study provide a baseline of the performance of juvenile Chinook salmon to evaluate habitat restoration programs and to compare against future anthropogenic conditions.     

Validation of the otoliths for age determination in Barbus sclateri (Günth.)

Abstract – Otoliths were used to explore the timing of annulus formation in Barbus sclateri. Lapillus exhibited opaque and translucent zones whose combination was formed once a year. Opaque zones appeared formed from July and January, and the translucent ones from February to June. We describe a procedure to assess age by using the number of annulii, the condition of the otolith's edge and the capture date. The use of otoliths for age determination in this cyprinid endemic to the Iberian Peninsula provides a useful alternative to the traditional methods of scale reading. ^Note     

Effectiveness of four methods for tagging juveniles of farm-reared gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, L.

This study tested different tags for each size of farm-reared gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L. juveniles, used in enhancement programmes. The following tags were tested: dye mark, fingerling tag, opercular tag, anchor tag A (filament diameter of 1.20 mm) and anchor tag B (0.85 mm). Tag/mark retention, wounds produced by the tag, ease of application, ease of detection and cost were examined. Epidermal dye marks had poor retention and detection rates. Of the tags tested, retention was greater for the anchor tag A (80–100%) after 7 months; anchor tag B showed a retention rate of only 20% after 3 months. The fingerling tag had a retention rate of 27.5% after 12 months. The opercular tag had a retention rate of 44% after 20 days but fractured the opercular bone in many cases. Tag incisions and wounds persisted in some fish for the duration of the experiment.     

Establishing climate–growth relationships for yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) in the northeast Pacific using a dendrochronological approach

We applied dendrochronology (tree‐ring) methods to develop multidecadal growth chronologies from the increment widths of yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) otoliths. Chronologies were developed for the central California coast, a site just north of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and at Bowie Seamount west of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. At each site, synchronous growth patterns were matched among otoliths via the process of cross‐dating, ensuring that the correct calendar year was assigned to all increments. Each time series of growth‐increment measurements was divided by the values predicted by a best‐fit negative exponential function, thereby removing age‐related trends. These detrended time series were averaged into a master chronology for each site, and chronologies were correlated with monthly averages of sea surface temperatures, upwelling, the Northern Oscillation Index, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The two northern growth chronologies positively correlated with indices of warm ocean conditions, especially from the prior summer through the spring of the current year. During the same period, the California chronology positively correlated with indices of cool ocean conditions, indicating an opposing productivity regime for yelloweye rockfish between the California Current and the Gulf of Alaska. Overall, this study demonstrates how tree‐ring techniques can be applied to quickly develop annually resolved chronologies and establish climate–growth relationships across various temporal and spatial scales.     

利用SSR技术鉴定西瓜甜瓜种子纯度

利用SSR分子标记技术对西瓜‘W1806’与甜瓜‘M1805’各3个批次及其亲本间的多态性进行引物筛选和种子的纯度鉴定。结果表明,在28对西瓜的SSR引物中,有5对引物在西瓜‘W1806’的F1代与亲本之间有很好的多态性。其中BVWS00839引物特异性好,条带清晰,父母本条带间隔明显,即作为3个批次的西瓜纯度鉴定的引物,其鉴定纯度分别为99.47%、98.96%和97.92%;在18对甜瓜的SSR引物中,只有1对CMBR052引物在F1代扩出的条带为典型的双亲互补型条带,故用该引物对甜瓜进行纯度鉴定,其纯度分别为97.90%、96.80%和97.40%。与田间鉴定结果的吻合率都在98%以上。这2个材料的吻合率说明SSR分子标记技术对西瓜和甜瓜纯度鉴定结果都是可靠的。     

强健性斑纹限性蚕种质材料创新及其杂交组合性状比较

以保存的斑纹限性蚕资源材料为母本,以932、湘晖、7532、夏芳、秋白为父本进行杂交,并连续3次回交和系统选择,育成了主要经济性状接近或超过其雄性亲本的皮斑限性蚕品种限1、限3、限6、限8,斑纹限性蚕品种蜀63、限17、限16。根据其雄性亲本的杂交组合形式组配成杂交组合限1.限3×限6.限8、限17×限16、蜀63×限16,经过室内饲养鉴定,3个组合的健康性、茧丝质成绩均达到或超过雄性亲本杂交组合水平,限1.限3×限6.限8万蚕收茧量与两广二号相同,万蚕茧层量提高了2.89%,蜀63×限16万蚕收茧量、万蚕茧层量、万蚕产丝量分别比夏芳×秋白提高4.94%、8.30%、3.42%,限17×限16万蚕收茧量、万蚕茧层量分别比夏芳×秋白提高0.21%、3.36%,达到了育种材料创新的预期目标。     

东南太平洋公海智利竹(荚)鱼年龄与生长研究

智利竹筴鱼是一种重要的中上层经济鱼类,对其生活史关键过程的认识还相当有限。根据2006年5-8月在智利公海采集的智利竹筴鱼样本,利用其中963尾智利竹筴鱼耳石对其年龄进行了鉴定,估算了智利竹筴鱼叉长体重关系以及von Bertalanffy生长方程参数,并分析了智利竹筴鱼耳石重量(OW)与年龄的关系。研究结果表明,样本最大年龄9龄,最小年龄2龄,样本年龄组成以4龄为主(71.5%)。智利竹筴鱼叉长体重方程参数a、b分别为0.000 03和2.801 9,von Bertalanffy生长方程参数L∞为738.4 mm,k为0.107,t0为-1.08。耳石重量与年龄呈显著线性关系(r=0.74,P<0.001),表明耳石重量可用于智利竹筴鱼年龄鉴定。     

西北印度洋丝尾红钻鱼耳石生长形态学的初步研究

根据2005年10月至2006年1月在印度洋公海撒雅德玛哈浅滩(Saya de Malha Bank)进行底层渔业资源调查期间,随机采集的208尾丝尾红钻鱼Etelis coruscans(叉长383~866 mm)样本,进行了耳石质量(WO)及其耳石长(长轴,OTL)、耳石宽(短轴,OW)、背长(ODL)、背高(DH)、背喙长(DRL)和腹喙长(VRL)等形态指标参数的测定,初步研究了该种群耳石形态指标的生长特征。结果表明:丝尾红钻鱼左右矢耳石的长度和质量均无显著性差异或一致性偏差(P0.05),耳石呈缺刻卵圆形,凸面有沟裂,凹面核心区表面平坦;背部和腹部边缘有不规则的齿轮缺刻;腹喙比背喙长且粗壮;耳石长轴(OTL)为9.85~20.76 mm,短轴(OW)为5.03~10.88 mm;叉长540 mm时,耳石形态长度指标(OTL、ODL、VRL)相对尺寸变化较大,而宽度指标(OW、DH)相对尺寸变化较小;叉长540 mm时,耳石形态长度指标(OTL、ODL)相对尺寸变化趋势不稳定,而宽度指标相对尺寸变化趋势平缓;整个生长过程中,耳石短轴生长比其长轴生长稳定,短轴与耳石质量的回归关系最高,并且与鱼体叉长的关系基本符合正相关关系。因此,丝尾红钻鱼的耳石短轴更适合用于耳石形态生长与耳石质量及鱼体生长关系的研究。