The epidemiology of the metacercariae of Diplostomum baeri and D. spathaceum in perch (Perca fluviatilis) from the warm water effluent of a nuclear power station

Thermal effects on the dynamics of infection with metacercariae of Diplostomum baeri and D. spathaceum were monitored between May and September, in a year-class of perch Perca fluviatilis, in an artificial lake receiving warm water discharges from a nuclear power station and in an unheated reference site, for a two year period. In the heated area the prevalence of infection of the retinal form, D. baeri, was always 100%, whereas in the unheated site there was an increase from 93% in May to 100% in June 1986. The relative density of D. baeri was found to increase gradually during the first summer in both areas, although the accumulation rate of metacercariae was significantly increased in the heated area. In August of the first year the relative density of D. baeri peaked in the heated area, whereas it continued to increase in the unheated control. However, in September of the following year, the relative densities were at the same level in both thermal regimes. A concomitant decline in the degree of overdispersion of metacercariae within the host population was observed in the heated area as the population density of metacercariae decreased, whereas the index of dispersion remained at the same level throughout the study in the unheated area. However, it was not possible to sample perch in the unheated area between October 1986 and May 1987 and changes in the parasite population could have occurred during this period. The prevalence and relative density of D. spathaceum, the lens form, was on the contrary low, especially in the unheated site where it was recorded only occasionally. The infection of D. baeri exhibited a convex pattern in both thermal regimens, although the peak infection was noticed earlier in the heated area. Regulation of the parasite infrapopulation may have been achieved by the combined effects of a decreased transmission rate of cercariae with increasing age of the host, the mortality of metacercariae as a natural termination of the life span and to selective predation of heavily infected hosts. However, regardless of an increased accumulation rate of metacercariae in the heated area, the relative densities of D. baeri became equal in both thermal regimes at the end of the study. The mortality rate of metacercariae in the heated area was therefore presumably increased as compared with the unheated reference site.     

Reproduction of Micropogonias funieri in a shallow temperate coastal lagoon in the southern Atlantic

The white croaker Micropogonias furnieri , in the coastal Rocha Lagoon, spawned during 5 months, in late spring and summer. It was eurythermic (gonad growth at 12·5 to 25·5° C, spawning at 20 to 27° C) and mesoxic (living at 5·2 to 9·1 mg l^-1). The spawning occurred in brackish (8–18 salinity), basic ( c . 8 pH) and oxygenated ( c . 8·0 mg l^-1) waters. The temperature appeared to be an important environmental factor affecting the timing of reproduction. The size at first maturity (19–20 cm) was 11–12 cm lower than the reported for the Río de la Plata spawning area (Uruguay). Juveniles were observed throughout most of the year suggesting that the lagoon is also a nursery area. In Brazil, M. furnieri spawns in marine areas while in Uruguay it spawns in estuaries. This is the first time that a coastal lagoon of the subtropical and temperate western coast of the South Atlantic Ocean has been shown to be a spawning area of a marine species.     

Seasonal maturity development of Baltic cod in different spawning areas: importance of the Arkona Sea for the summer spawning stock

We investigated the seasonal maturity development of cod in four areas of the Baltic Sea. Two different spawning peaks were identified and found to be consistent over the period 1992–2005. In the Kiel Bight and Mecklenburg Bight (ICES SD 22) a spawning peak was observed from March to April (spring spawning). In the areas of the Arkona Sea (ICES SD 24) and Bornholm Sea (ICES SD 25) the spawning peak occurred during summer. In the Bornholm Sea, the main spawning activities began in June and ended in September, with a spawning peak in June–August (summer spawning). In the Arkona Sea, which is a transition area between the Mecklenburg Bight and the central Baltic Sea, spawning began in March and lasted until July, with a spawning peak in June–July (summer spawning). Seasonal maturity development and proportions of spawning cod in June in the Arkona Sea were similar to that of the Bornholm Sea. In addition, the proportion of spawning cod in the Arkona Sea was positively correlated with the size of the spawning stock in the Bornholm Sea. Our results provide evidence of a spatial expansion of spawning activities of the summer spawning stock from the eastern Baltic Sea into the Arkona Sea. Therefore, the Arkona Sea should be considered as one of the spawning habitats of the summer spawning stock of Baltic cod.     

Factors influencing the thermosensitivity of two rodent tumors.

When SCCVII or KHT tumors (150 mm3) growing in the dorsum of the hind feet of mice were heated in a water bath at 44 degrees C for 60 min, the local control rate was 75 or 5%, respectively. To investigate factors responsible for the differential thermosensitivity between SCCVII and KHT tumors, the intratumor temperature distributions during heating and the thermosensitivities of the tumor cells were studied. Significant temperature heterogeneity was observed in heated tumors. The thermal dose distribution during heating for the sensitive SCCVII tumors was found to be more homogeneous than that for the resistant KHT tumors. For cells grown and heated in culture, SCCVII and KHT cells had similar thermosensitivities. However, when heated in vivo, both SCCVII and KHT cells were more sensitive than their counterparts grown in culture and SCCVII cells were more sensitive than KHT cells. If cells dispersed from the tumors were cultured in medium for 6 h and then heated, both types of cells became as resistant as cells grown in culture. One possible reason for tumor cells to be more sensitive to heating in vivo than in vitro, the temperature of unheated tumors, was examined. It was found that the temperature in the same region in unheated tumors varied temporally by several degrees with an average temperature of 31-32 degrees C. We found no evidence that the temperature during tumor growth could greatly influence the thermosensitivity of the tumor cells. Our findings indicate that a more homogeneous distribution of temperature in the tumor during heating and higher in vivo thermosensitivity of the tumor cells are characteristics of the more heat-sensitive tumor.     

Comparative X- and Q-band EPR study of radiation-induced radicals in tooth enamel

Human tooth enamel blocks and powders that were either unheated or heated prior to X irradiation at room temperature were investigated by means of Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). It was found that the EPR spectra of unheated human tooth enamel consist mainly of two different anisotropic signals, as was suggested previously from an X-band study of analogous samples. In the present study, the two radical contributions could be differentiated convincingly by comparing the anisotropic Q-band spectra of heated and unheated enamel blocks. One type of is probably located in the bulk of the apatitic microcrystallites that constitute the enamel, and it appears in both heated and unheated samples. The other type is presumably located in an intercrystallite position and appears mainly in the unheated samples. Clear differences between g values in the Q-band spectra of heated and unheated enamel suggest that the radicals in the bulk exhibit larger g anisotropy than those in intercrystallite positions. Isotropic signals and contributions that may be from and radicals have also been detected. However, the present work focuses mainly on the signals and discusses potential and/or real difficulties that may be encountered in applications of EPR dosimetry using calcified tissues.     

A comparison of the maturation and growth of female flathead sole in the central Gulf of Alaska and south‐eastern Bering Sea

Female flathead sole Hippoglossoides elassodon maturity appears not to be area dependent since the total length ( L _T) at which 50% were mature ( L _T50) was similar for the central Gulf of Alaska (333 mm) and south‐eastern Bering Sea (320 mm) areas. Likewise the age at which 50% were mature ( A ₅₀) was similar in the south‐eastern Bering Sea (9·7 years) and central Gulf of Alaska (8·7 years). The timing of female flathead sole spawning may also be similar between areas. Batch or serial spawning was indicated for flathead sole. Female flathead sole grew at a similar rate in both the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. In contrast, males grew faster in the Bering Sea than in the Gulf of Alaska. Males grew more slowly than females in both areas after 5 years of age, and reached a smaller maximum L _T. The growth of both sexes was similar during 1993 and 1996 in the Gulf of Alaska.     

Temperature effects on spawning and egg development in Eurasian perch

Spawning, egg strand development and embryo survival was studied during 1995–1996 in perch Perca fluviatilis exposed to heated effluent from two coastal nuclear power plants on the Baltic. Spawning was earlier and more prolonged in the heated areas. Although the fertilization rate was high, most egg strands sampled in the heated areas did not develop to hatching. The egg strands disintegrated within a few days of spawning, and egg mortality was very high. All samples collected from reference areas developed up to hatching. Exposure to high temperatures during the final maturation of the gonad influenced the follicular mechanism producing the jelly membrane which constitutes the matrix of the egg strand. Effects were observed in fish in open effluent areas as well as in an enclosed research basin. These results suggest that there is a conflict between optimal reproduction and temperature preference in temperate area fish. Fish are attracted to cooling water effluent, at the expense of reduced reproductive performance.     

Behavioural thermoregulation and homing by spring chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), in the Yakima River

Temperature-sensitive radio transmitters were employed to study the patterns of behavioural thermoregulation, habitat preference and movement of 19 adult spring chinook salmon, Oncurhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), in the Yakima River. During the 4 months prior to spawning, fish maintained an average internal temperature 2.5°C below ambient river temperature. This represented a 12 to 20% decrease in basal metabolic demand or a saving of 17.3 to 29.9 calkg⁻¹ h⁻¹. Fish were most commonly associated with islands, pools, and rock out-croppings along stream banks. Homing behaviour appeared to be modified to optimize temperature regimes and energy conservation. As the time of spawning approached, fish left thermal refuges and migrated to spawning grounds upstream and downstream of refuge areas. Although spring chinook salmon residing within cool-water refuges may be capable of mitigating sub-lethal temperature effects, cool-water areas need to be abundant and available to the fish. The availability of suitable thermal refuges and appropriate holding habitat within mainstem rivers may affect long-term population survival.     

Interannual differences in growth and hatch date distributions of age-0 year walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma (Pallas) sampled from the Shumagin Islands region of the Gulf of Alaska, 1985 – 2001

Daily increments of age-0 year walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma otoliths from 1985 to 2001 were examined for interannual variability in growth and hatch dates. Fish were collected in summer and autumn surveys near the Shumagin Islands in the western Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Hatch date distributions of these fish were compared with hatch dates of larvae from spawning aggregations located in Shelikof Strait and the Shumagin Islands based on their spawning times. The hatch date distributions of age-0 year fish captured from the Shumagin Islands area were similar to those observed for larvae from the Shelikof Strait spawning group. Age-0 year fish whose hatch dates corresponded to the Shumagin Islands spawning, which occurred earlier in January and February, were not found. Sea surface temperature was associated with variability in hatch date distribution and growth.     

The correlation between heat-shock protein accumulation and persistence and chilling tolerance in tomato fruit.

Heating tomato fruit (Lycoperiscon esculentum) for 48 h at 38 degrees C prevented chilling injury from developing after 21 d at 2 degrees C, whereas unheated fruit developed high levels of injury. Although the overall protein pattern as seen by Coomassie blue staining was similar from heated and unheated fruit, some high- and many low-molecular-mass proteins were observed in the heated fruit that were absent or present in reduced amounts in unheated fruit. When fruit wer injected with [35S]methionine at harvest and then heated, they accumulated high levels of specific radiolabeled proteins that could still be detected after 21 d at 2 degrees C. If the fruit were held at 20 degrees C after heating, the label in the proteins declined rapidly and these fruit were also sensitive to chilling injury. Hsp70 antibody reacted more strongly with proteins from heated and chilled fruit than with proteins from chilled fruit. Hsp18.1 antibody reacted strongly with proteins from heated fruit but not with those from unheated fruit. A 23-kD protein, highly labeled in heated fruit but not in unheated fruit, had its amino terminus sequenced. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing a relationship between the persistence of heat-shock proteins and chilling tolerance in a plant tissue.     

The role of mobile consumers in lake nutrient cycles: a brief review

Spawning habitats of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardinella Sardinella aurita were investigated in the Gulf of Gabès by means of two surveys carried out during the summer of 2005 and 2009. The spatial patterns of early developmental stages were analyzed through Lloyd’s patchiness index, single quotient analyses, and principal component analyses. The results showed that Gulf of Gabès is an important area for anchovy and sardinella spawning. Within this area, anchovy and sardinella showed preference for the warmest waters to spawn. The main spawning areas for anchovy were located in the inner parts of the Gulf, and a secondary spawning area was observed offshore. Contrastingly, the main spawning ground of sardinella was found in the center of the Gulf. In both years, early larvae of anchovy showed a greater degree of aggregation than that of sardinella. The developmental stages of both species showed low spatial overlap, indicating that the spawning habitats of these species are spatially differentiated in the Gulf of Gabès.     

Aspects of energetics of adult walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma (Pallas), from Alaska

Body energy partitioning was examined for field-caught, adult walleye pollock; additional laboratory studies were conducted on fish held under controlled temperature conditions at Seward, Alaska.
Average consumption for pollock feeding daily was 0.5% of body weight (3100 cal) at 5°C, resulting in an average growth of 0.12% body weight day⁻¹. These results suggest that large pollock grow at similar rates and have similar food conversion efficiencies to those of Atlantic cod held at similar temperatures.
Resting metabolic rates measured on adult fish were combined with similar data from juveniles to calculate a regression of specific metabolic rate against wet weight: y = 173x⁻⁰²⁶. Maintenance rations amounted to 4.8 cal g⁻¹ day⁻¹ at 5°C, very close to the 0.28% value for juveniles. Estimation of metabolic rate using maintenance ration data resulted in values that were 55% higher than those obtained from oxygen consumption data for unfed fish. Weight loss during starvation was 0.18% of body weight day⁻¹ at 5°C, corresponding roughly to a starvation metabolic rate 50% lower than the resting metabolic rate we report.
We estimate that an adult pollock will lose about 37% of its prespawning body weight and about 46% of its body energy during spawning. These losses result, primarily, from changes in the weight of gonad, liver and somatic tissues as opposed to changes in specific energy content of those tissues.     

The effect of recovery conditions on the apparent heat resistance of Bacillus cereus spores

The effect of recovery media and incubation temperature on the apparent heat resistance of three ATCC strains (4342, 7004 and 9818) of Bacillus cereus spores were studied. Nutrient Agar (NA), Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA), Plate Count Agar (PCA) and Milk Agar (MA) as the media and temperatures in the range of 15–40°C were used to recover heated spores. Higher counts of heat injured spores were obtained on PCA and NA. The optimum subculture temperature was about 5°C below the optimum temperature for unheated spores. No significant differences in heat resistance were observed with the different recovery conditions except for strains 4342 and 9818 when MA was used as plating medium.
Large differences in D -values were found among the strains ( D ₁₀₀=0·28 min for 7004; D ₁₀₀=0·99 min for 4342; D ₁₀₀= 4·57 min for 9818). The 7004 strain showed a sub-population with a greater heat resistance. The z values obtained for the three strains studied under the different recovery conditions were similar (7·64°C 0·25).     

Influence of disseminated neoplasia, trematode infections and gametogenesis on surfacing and mortality in the cockle Cerastoderma edule

Cerastoderma edule is a widely distributed bivalve mollusc, commercially exploited throughout Europe and is also an important food source for birds and crustaceans. Recently, mass surfacing and mortalities of cockles have been observed and reported at sites in Ireland and elsewhere, particularly in the summer months. One such site is Flaxfort Strand, Courtmacsherry Bay, County Cork, Ireland, an important feeding area used by many seabirds during the summer months. For the past few years large numbers of surfaced cockles have been observed at the site in a moribund condition. Samples of cockles from this area were collected over the summer months and their health status assessed. Cockles that had surfaced (moribund) and those still buried in the sediment were quantified and screened: sex, gonadal maturity and size class of cockles were also determined. Disseminated neoplasia and trematodes were observed in screened cockles. The most significant finding during the study was that mortalities and surfacing of cockles was related to a greater incidence of disseminated neoplasia. No neoplasia was observed in the smallest and largest size classes. There was a significantly higher prevalence of neoplasia in moribund cockles than in buried cockles, whereas in both groups a similar concentration of trematode metacercariae was observed in the screened tissues. Also, most of the cockles that had surfaced were either in the process of spawning or were spent. Overall a much larger percentage of moribund cockles exhibited both trematode infections plus neoplasia compared with buried cockles. A combination of the presence of neoplasia and trematodes, along with stress related to spawning, may immunocompromise the cockless, causing the animals to surface and become moribund.     

Spawning aggregations of Lutjanus cyanopterus(Cuvier) on the Belize Barrier Reef over a 6 year period

Cubera snapper Lutjanus cyanopterus aggregated to spawn at Gladden Spit, a salient sub‐surface reef promontory seaward of the emergent reef and near the continental shelf edge of Belize. Their spawning aggregations typically formed 2 days before to 12 days after full moon from March to September 1998–2003 within a 45 000 m² reef area. Peak abundance of 4000 to 10 000 individuals was observed between April and July each year, while actual spawning was most frequently observed in May. Spawning was observed consistently from 40 min before to 10 min after sunset within a confined area ≤1000 m². Data suggested that cubera snapper consistently formed seasonal spawning aggregations in relation to location, photoperiod, water temperature and lunar cycle, and that spawning was cued by time of day but not tides. The cubera snapper aggregation site was included within the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve, a conditional no‐take fishing zone.     

Maturation, spawning and growth of rock soles off Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska

Northern rock sole Lepidopsetta polyxystra females from the Kodiak Island area, Alaska, reached 50% maturity at 328 mm L _T and an average age of 7 years. In contrast, southern rock sole Lepidopsetta bilineata females reached 50% maturity at 347 mm L _T and an average age of 9 years. Spawning started in midwinter for northern rock sole and peaked during the spring, while spawning for southern rock sole occurred during the summer. The bottom depth for spawning northern rock sole ranged from 43 to 61 m and averaged 45 m; spawning depth for southern rock sole ranged from 35 to 120m and averaged 78m. Both species appeared to develop a single stock of oocytes and to ovulate them in a single spawning. Northern rock sole females grew faster overall ( K =0.24) than southern rock sole females ( K =0.12) but reached a smaller maximum length ( L _∞=430 mm) than southern rock sole ( L _∞=520mm). Males of both species grew more slowly than females after 5 years of age and reached a smaller maximum length.     

Modeling and predicting potential spawning habitat of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) based on satellite environmental information

Anchovy and round sardinella are two important small pelagic species in the Mediterranean that spawn during the summer period. This is a first attempt to model and predict the two species’ potential spawning habitats in this area. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were constructed based on satellite environmental variables and presence/absence egg data, available from ichthyoplankton surveys conducted in the North Aegean Sea during early summer (June 2003–2006). These models were subsequently used to predict the probability of anchovy and round sardinella spawning in the Greek Seas as well as the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea during the same month of the year. The interaction of bottom depth and chlorophyll explained most of the deviance in the presence/absence GAMs of both species, indicating spawning over continental shelf areas with increased surface chlorophyll values. Round sardinella spawned closer to coast than anchovy. Predicted potential spawning areas for anchovy and round sardinella in unsampled areas of the Greek Seas and the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea were in good agreement with existing information on the distribution and extent of the spawning grounds, especially for anchovy. Modeling the species’ reproductive activity in relation to easily accessible environmental information and applying the models in a predictive way could be an initial, low-cost step to designate potential spawning fish habitats. Guest editor: V. D. Valavanis Essential Fish Habitat Mapping in the Mediterranean     

Shifts in thermoregulatory patterns with pregnancy in the poikilothermic mammal—The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber)

1. 1. The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a poikilothermic mammal. During gestation metabolic shifts that differ from both mammalian and reptilian thermoregulatory patterns occurred.

2. 2. Body temperature was directly dependent on ambient temperature. At low ambient temperatures the temperature differential (T_b − T_a) was approximately 3°C, whereas at higher ambient temperatures the temperature differential diminished.

3. 3. In early pregnancy (prior to week 3) oxygen consumption at low ambient temperatures was greater than that of non-reproductive animals. A maximal metabolic rate (3.2 ± 1.0 ml O₂ . g⁻¹ . h⁻¹) occurred at an ambient temperature of 27°C. Thereafter the endothermic pattern of metabolism with increasing ambient temperatures was evident. Oxygen consumption decreased with increasing ambient temperature to minimal rates of 1.2 ± 0.1 ml O₂ . g⁻¹ . h⁻¹ over the ambient temperature range of 31–34°C.

4. 4. Oxygen consumption in late pregnancy (1.8 ± 0.1 ml O₂ . g⁻¹ . h⁻¹) was not correlated with ambient temperature over the entire ambient temperature range measured (24–36°C).

5. 5. Differences in thermoregulation in early and late pregnancy may be attributed to different rates of heat loss as a consequence of (a) changes in surface area and body mass or (b) vascular changes. Furthermore the thermoregulatory changes in late pregnancy may indicate that maximal overall metabolic capacity had been reached, for peak resting metabolism (expressed per animal rather than per gram body mass) in early pregnancy was similar to observed metabolism in late pregnancy.

6. 6. The dissociation of metabolism from both ambient temperature and body temperature in late pregnancy could confer an energetic advantage to this arid dwelling underground inhabitant; for it may enable the breeding female to partition a greater portion of available energy into reproduction.

Reproductive migration of brown trout in a small Norwegian river studied by telemetry

The movement of 34 large (39–73 cm standard length) brown trout Salmo trutta was monitored using radio telemetry for up to 74 days in Brumunda, a small Norwegian river (mean annual discharge 3·3 m³ s⁻¹) flowing into the large Lake Mjøsa. The maximum range of movement in the river was 20 km. No clear relationships existed between individual movement and water discharge, temperature and barometric pressure. Brown trout migrated at all levels of water discharge. At low discharge (<2 m³ s⁻¹) movements were nocturnal. A weir 5·3 km from the outlet restricted ascending brown trout at low ( c . 6° C), but not at high ( c . 8° C) water temperatures. Spawning occurred in September to October and tagged individuals spent 2–51 days at the spawning sites. Mean migration speed from tagging to when the fish reached the spawning area, and from when they left the spawning areas and reached the lake was 1·0 and 2·3 km day⁻¹, respectively. All tagged brown trout that survived spawning returned to the lake after spawning.     

Movement and home range in relation to dominance; a telemetry study on brown trout Salmo trutta

By combining behavioural observations on adult resident brown trout Salmo trutta in the laboratory with radio telemetry studies in a natural stream, information on movement and space use in relation to social status was obtained. Dominant individuals moved longer distances and also tended to have larger home ranges than subordinates during the summer. In general, home ranges were larger during daytime than at night. Fish were not strictly territorial since the average overlap in interquartile range was 36% during the summer. During the spawning period, the brown trout moved to specific spawning areas resulting in an increased overlap (89%) in space use. Subordinate individuals now tended to increase both home range and interquartile range and were also less frequently observed in spawning areas relative to dominants.