Comparative effect of advanced soy products or corn protein concentrate with porcine meal on growth,body composition,and distal intestine histology of Florida pompano,Trachinotus carolinus

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of diets containing advanced soy products (enzyme‐treated soy and fermented soy) or corn protein concentrate (CPC) in combination with porcine meal (PM) to completely replace poultry byproduct meal (PBM) on growth performance, body composition, and distal intestine histology of Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus. Four experimental diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isolipidic, to contain 400 g/kg crude protein and 80 g/kg lipid. A reference diet (PBM diet [PBMD]) contained 150 g/kg PBM and 495 g/kg soybean meal (SBM), and three test diets were formulated replacing PBM with 15 g/kg of CPC (CPC diet [CPCD]) or replacing all SBM and PBM with 535 g/kg fermented soy (fermented soybean meal diet [FSBMD]) or 451.3 g/kg enzyme‐treated soy (enzyme‐treated soybean meal diet [ESBMD]). All three test diets were supplemented with 38 g/kg of PM. Diets were fed based on a percentage of bodyweight adjusted after sampling the fish every 2 weeks to triplicate groups of Florida pompano juveniles (mean weight 8.06 ± 0.22 g). After 8 weeks of feeding, fish fed CPCD and ESBMD performed equally well in terms of final body weight, thermal growth coefficient, and percentage weight gain in comparison to fish fed PBMD. In all cases, feeding FSBMD resulted in poor feed conversion and lower feed intake compared to other treatments. Protein retention efficiency, whole‐body proximate composition, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and zinc contents were not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. The results obtained in the present histological study showed no significant differences in the thickness of serous layer, muscular layer, and submucosal layer of the intestine among treatments. Fish fed CPCD showed a significant widening of the lamina propria with an increase of cellular infiltration and higher presence of goblet cells compared to other dietary treatment. Based on these results, 451 g/kg ESBM or combination of 150 g/kg of CPC and 495 g/kg SBM supplemented with 38 g/kg PM can be utilized to develop a practical diet for juvenile Florida pompano without impacting growth, nutritive parameters, and several distal intestine health parameters.     

Economic performance and comparative riskiness of different management practices for control of botrytis fruit rot in florida strawberry

Florida strawberry farmers usually rely on weekly calendar fungicide applications to prevent yield loss from Botrytis fruit rot (BFR). The Strawberry Advisory System (SAS), which helps optimize the timing of fungicide applications, is an additional tool in the farmers' arsenal of disease control options. This study uses data from two-year production trials in Florida combined with historical strawberry prices to measure the economic performance of the Calendar and SAS-based BFR management practices under output price risk and producers' risk preferences. We use Monte Carlo simulation to model the effect of the variability in weekly output prices on farm returns. Results reveal that the traditional calendar-based system is not the least risky BFR management option as growers expected to be. SAS-based options such as SAS-Switch and SAS-Luna would be preferred by both risk-neutral and risk-averse producers and are recommended under high disease pressure conditions.     

Impacts of lost fishing gear on coral reef sessile invertebrates in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

The Florida Keys coral reef ecosystem supports multimillion-dollar commercial and recreational fisheries. The ecological effects caused by fishing gear that is lost when cut or broken after snagging on the bottom is a growing concern to managers and scientists. Few data exist, however, to assess the impacts of lost fishing gear to benthic organisms and habitat structure. In this study, 63 offshore coral reef and hard-bottom sites were surveyed during 2001 to quantify the impacts of lost fishing gear to coral reef sessile invertebrates. Lost hook-and-line fishing gear accounted for 87% of all debris (N=298 incidences) encountered and was responsible for 84% of the 321 documented impacts to sponges and benthic cnidarians, predominantly consisting of tissue abrasion causing partial individual or colony mortality. Branching gorgonians (Octocorallia) were the most frequently affected (56%), followed by milleporid hydrocorals (19%) and sponges (13%). Factors affecting the impacts of lost fishing gear include sessile invertebrate density, the density of lost fishing gear, and gear length. While lost hook-and-line fishing gear is ubiquitous in the Florida Keys, less than 0.2% of the available milleporid hydrocorals, stony corals, and gorgonians in the habitats studied are adversely affected in terms of colony abrasions and partial mortality.     

Invasive black spiny‐tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) on Gasparilla Island,Florida, USA

The native range of Ctenosaura similis extends from southern Mexico through Panama. From an initial introduction of 3 animals in 1979, the species now numbers in the thousands on Gasparilla Island in southwest Florida. In response to complaints of property damage from residents and threats to native species, local officials and the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services began a removal program in 2008. Through 2011, trappers removed 9467 ctenosaurs. The number removed declined from 32 iguanas/day in 2008 to 1.9 iguanas/day in 2011 despite no easing of the control effort. We necropsied 2757 ctenosaurs to document aspects of their natural history. Females outnumbered males overall, although the largest size class (>300 mm snout–vent length) included 32 males and just 2 females. Reproduction was seasonal. We found oviducal eggs in females from early Apr to early Jun, approximately 2 months later than C. similis in its native range. We trapped hatchlings from late Jul to early Oct coincident with the summer rainy season. Clutch size increased with female body size, with 62 being the largest clutch size recorded. In general, the biology of the invasive population on Gasparilla Island resembles native C. similis populations in Central America, except for the lack of large individuals. We suggest that shorter day length and colder temperatures create environmental conditions that are suboptimal for individual growth compared to those in the native range.     

A comparison of Riley encased methodology and traditional techniques for planting red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle)

The effectiveness of encasement and traditional techniques for planting red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) in moderate to high wave energy environments was assessed. The three encasement types were the halflength PVC pipes, fulllength PVC pipes, and bamboo pipes. Plantings were conducted in August, 1997 at two locations in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Sebastian and Rocky Point. Furthermore, plantings were conducted in November, 1997 using fulllength encasements and conventional planting. Results indicate that seedlings planted within fulllength PVC encasements had the highest survivorship and growth because of their protection from waves and currents. Failure of seedlings within bamboo encasements seemed to be caused by insufficient light exposure. When comparing the two locations, a significantly greater growth was observed at the Sebastian location than at the Rocky Point location for the planting conducted in November, but not for those planted in August. No significant difference was observed in seedling survival when comparing those planted in August and November. However, there was a significantly greater growth in mangroves planted in August. With the exception of width of surf zone, there was no significant difference in the selected environmental parameters between the two locations.     

Florida panther dispersal and conservation

We studied dispersal in 27 radio-collared Florida panthers Puma concolor coryi in southern Florida from 1986 to 2000. Male dispersal was longer (mean=68.4 km) than that of females (mean=20.3 km), tended to be circular, frustrated, and of insufficient length to ameliorate inbreeding. Females were philopatric and established home ranges that were less than one home range width away from their natal ranges. All females were successful in establishing territories, whereas males were successful 63% of the time. Dispersing panthers avoided moving toward the southeast and into an area of limited forest cover. Independence and the initiation of dispersal occurred at about 14 months of age and lasted for an average of 7.0-9.6 months for females and males, respectively. On average, Florida panthers disperse shorter distances than are typical for western populations of Puma concolor. A recent increase in long distance male dispersal events may be related to an increase in reproduction and population density resulting from the introduction of female cougars P. c. stanleyana into south Florida. Although the population exhibits the behavioral ability to colonize nearby vacant range, females have yet to do so. Successful dispersal to these areas could be facilitated by habitat restoration and translocation of females.     

The spatial distribution of diversity between disparate taxa: Spatial correspondence between mammals and ants across South Florida,USA

Gap Analysis takes a proactive landscape-level approach to conserving native species by identifying nodes of high biological diversity. It uses vertebrate species richness as an index of overall biological diversity. However, it remains unknown whether or not the spatial distribution of vertebrate diversity corresponds with the diversity of other taxa. We tested whether landscape-level diversity patterns corresponded between a vertebrate and an invertebrate taxon, mammals and ants, across the southern half of the Florida peninsula, USA. Composite digital maps with a 30-m spatial resolution were produced for each taxon. Spatial correspondence between the taxa was determined by normalizing and then subtracting the composite maps. There were large areas of spatial correspondence – indicating that richness between mammals and ants was similar over much of southern Florida. However, spatial correspondence occurred where the richness of both taxa was low or moderate, and areas with the highest species richness (highest 20%) for each taxon, the explicit focus of Gap Analyses, corresponded over only 8752 ha. Gap Analysis provides a much needed assessment of landscape-level diversity patterns and proactive reserve design, but it must be explicit that the results are applicable for vertebrate diversity, which does not necessarily correspond with diversity patterns of other taxa. The two taxa investigated differ by orders of magnitude in the scale that they perceive their environment, and it is likely that diversity hotspots vary as the scale of investigation – and the taxa mapped – vary.     

Soil nitrate-nitrogen in forested versus non-forested ecosystems in a mixed-use watershed

In tracking nutrients that enter the Gulf of Mexico via the Suwannee Basin, a disproportionate amount of the nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) has been shown to originate in the Santa Fe River Watershed (SFRW). This study investigated soil NO₃-N distributions across the range of land-use and soil order combinations that exist in the SFRW with a focus on comparing NO₃-N levels in forested versus non-forested land-uses. The SFRW consists of 52% forested land-uses (i.e. pine plantation, forest regeneration, upland forest, and forested wetland), 47% non-forested land-uses (i.e. agriculture, rangeland, and urban), and 1% water. Soil samples were collected from four depth intervals (0-30, 30-60, 60-120, 120-180 cm) at 101 to 141 sites with a stratified-random design in six sampling events (Sept. 2003, Jan. 2004, May 2004, Jan. 2005, May 2005, and Sept. 2005). No samples were collected in Sept. 2004 due to flooding associated with two hurricanes. Nitrate-nitrogen was significantly lower in forested than non-forested land-uses across all sampling events, depth intervals, and for profile average data. Within the non-forested land-use category, NO₃-N levels were highest in row crop agriculture and improved pasture sites. In terms of soil order, NO₃-N values were generally highest in Ultisols and Spodosols, but soil order explained less of the variation in the NO₃-N data than did land-use or sampling date. Nitrate-N concentrations were considerably altered by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne which passed over the SFRW in late summer of 2004. In the post-hurricane sampling events, NO₃-N was significantly lower in both forested and non-forested sites. A year later, however, NO₃-N concentrations in forested sites remained quite low, while concentrations in non-forested sites had begun to increase.