Children’s Attitudes toward Cats on St. Kitts,West Indies

Little is known of the attitudes of Caribbean people toward freeroaming and pet cats, so we conducted a questionnaire survey of primaryschool children aged 5 to 13 years (n = 417, 206 girls and 209 boys, while two questionnaires did not indicate gender) in 23 schools around St. Kitts. Over 50% reported they owned or had owned a cat, and ownership was associated with feelings of happiness and comfort. Children reported 511 reasons for liking cats compared with 433 reasons for disliking them. They liked cats mainly for behavioral reasons (58%), such as cats being playful and providing companionship, and aesthetic reasons (47%), such as cats being colorful and beautiful. Children only infrequently reported liking cats for practical reasons (14%), such as removing vermin. Eighty-four percent of cat owners reported purchasing special food for their cats, and 96% provided water. Over 60% of non-cat owners provided water for free-roaming cats. Most school children (43%) thought there were too many cats on St. Kitts, while only 28% thought this was not the case. The children principally owned cats because they loved animals (43%) and cats controlled vermin (28%). Seventy-two percent of children thought there were too many rodents on St. Kitts. Most children (61%) were aware that cats were associated with human diseases but were principally afraid of cats because of the possibility of being bitten or scratched (54%). In summary, our study shows that primary-school children on St. Kitts mostly have positive attitudes toward free-roaming cats and are concerned for cats’ wellbeing. Although important in their own right, children’s attitudes often reflect those of their families and so our findings could facilitate decisionmaking on cat welfare issues in the region.     

Poliomyelitis antibodies in sera from the Netherlands,Curaçao,Suriname, St. Eustatius and Netherlands New-Guinea

Summary Poliomyelitis antibodies were determined in 4155 sera from the Netherlands, Cura?ao, Suriname, St. Eustatius and New-Guinea. The results showed that in the Netherlands the serological pattern for poliomyelitis was different from that in the tropical areas Cura?ao, Suriname, St. Eustatius and New-Guinea, which points to infection with poliomyelitis virus at an earlier age in these latter parts of the world. Aided by a grant from the National Health Research Council and from the Princess Beatrix Polio Fund. With technical assistance of Mr.P. Laman, Mrs. O. J. A. Meyburg-Calmeyer, MissC. Westenbroek and MissA. De Haan.     

Surface–sediment diatom assemblages of the urban ponds of St. Petersburg,Russia

The diatom assemblages of the surface sediments have been studied in 53 urban ponds and lakes of St. Petersburg for the first time. In total, 350 species and infraspecific taxa have been registered; the species of Achnanthidium, Cocconeis, Cyclostephanos, Cyclotella, Gomphonema, Lemnicola, Navicula, Nitzschia, and Stephanodiscus genera were the most common. The wide distribution of small centric planktonic taxa, Cyclostephanos dubius, C. invisitatus, Cyclotella pseudostelligera, Stephanodiscus hantzschii, and S. minutulus, is preconditioned by the depletion of dissolved silica, which is a result of the high phosphorus load. The high abundance of macrophytes in the shallowest sites favors the dominance of epiphytic Fragilaria, Staurosira, and Staurosirella taxa. Bottom-living diatoms in the shallow eutrophic and hypereutrophic urban ponds are light-limited; this is a result of either macrophytes or phytoplankton development. Alkaliphilous and alkalibiontic species prevail among the pH-indicative species, while eutraphentic and hypereutraphentic diatoms, as well as those thriving in a wide range of trophic conditions, dominate over other trophic groups. The β- and α-mesosaprobic species are the most common saprobity-indicative taxa.     

Factors influencing aboveground production of Scirpus marshes in the St. Lawrence estuary,Québec,Canada

Aboveground production of macrophytes in tidal marshes was studied for 3 years at Montmagny and Cap St. Ignace on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River in Québec, Canada. Year-to-year variation of production of the dominant species, Scirpus americanus Pers., was observed and related to variation in weather during the growing season. With the exception of Zizania aquatica L., relative production of the macrophytes for different parts of the marshes remained constant in successive years. A multiple regression procedure was used to establish the relationship between production and a series of independent variables including biotic (goose use and plant competition) and abiotic factors (submersion, substrate hardness, soil texture and sedimentation). A lower percentage of organic matter in the soil and a firm substrate were associated with a greater production of S. americanus. Accretion of sediments was positively correlated with the production of S. americanus and Sagittaria spp., whereas the percentage of time of submersion was negatively related with production of Sagittaria spp., Eleocharis spp. and Scirpus torreyi Olney. Competitive interference was apparent between S. americanus and S. torreyi and between Eleocharis spp. and Zizania spp. No measured abiotic characteristic of the marsh explained the variation of Zizania production.     

“That land of flowers,swamps and alligators”: S. B. Buckley’s 1843 trip up the St. Johns River,Florida

In 1843 S. B. Buckley (1809–1884) traveled up the St. Johns River, Florida in search of plants, shells, and possibly other natural history objects. Buckley encountered many difficulties in interior Florida and his trip did not live up to his original expectations. It was unfortunate that the took years to distribute his plant specimens, since few botanists or naturalists had preceded him into that poorly explored region.     

Downstream variations of phytoplankton in the St.Lawrence River (Québec, Canada)

Longitudinal variations of phytoplankton biomass and composition were assessed in a 250 km-long section of the St.Lawrence River, which alternately runs through narrow (< 2 km) river cross sections and wide (up to 10 km) fluvial lakes. In the main river stem, concentrations of suspended matter and total phosphorus increased with distance downstream, whereas light penetration decreased. Seasonal changes in plankton composition and biomass were more important than those resulting from differences in water mass (tributary) of origin. Sampling at three cross river sections and in two fluvial lakes showed a progressive downstream decrease in phytoplankton biomass and changes in size structure and taxonomic composition. River plankton was primarily composed of small (< 10 µm equivalent spherical diameter), truly planktonic cells belonging to Cryptophyceae and diatoms, with Chlorophyceae in summer. Plankton sampled in summer among rooted macrophytes in fluvial lakes exhibited a higher biomass of resuspended periphytic algae than in the main river stem, which contributed slightly to downstream phytoplankton biomass.Successive river cross sections always shared about 50% of their taxa, indicating a rapid downstream transport of algae within the main water mass. However, the proportion of species common to all cross sections was highest during the spring freshet, and lowest during summer low discharge, likely resulting from the development of a distinct flora in fluvial lakes during summer. Conversely, about 30% of the identified taxa were exclusive to a cross section and were replaced by others occurring downstream. Overall, phytoplankton composition along the St.Lawrence River is primarily controlled by advective forces, which result in a homogeneous flora in the main river stem, with a local contribution of resuspended periphyton from fluvial lakes.     

Rhodnius amazonicus Almeida, Santos & Sposina, 1973, bona species, close to R. pictipes Stål, 1872 (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae)

The discovery of two atypical specimens of Rhodnius pictipes St?l, 1872 in French Guiana and the examination of the female holotype of R. amazonicus Almeida, Santos & Sposina, 1973, the only specimen of this species so far known, lead us to propose the rehabilitation of R. amazonicus synonymized with R. pictipes. The male is described for the first time and the female redescribed. Both external characters and genitalia distinguish R. amazonicus from R. pictipes. R. amazonicus shows affinities not only with pictipes but also with R. stali Lent, Jurberg & Galv?o, 1993 and R. paraensis Sherlock, Guitton & Miles, 1977. A key is provided for these four species forming, in all likelihood, a natural group, i.e. the "pictipes group".     

Ionenabhängige Keimungsaktivierung der Sporangiosporen vonPhycomyces blakesleeanus undP. nitens,demonstriert an verschiedenen Stämmen

Zusammenfassung Es wurde der Einfluß der Kationen Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ und NH ₄ ⁺ in Verbindung mit dem Anion Acetat auf die Keimungsrate einigerPhycomyces-Stämme (P. blakesleeanus 1+, 2-, 11+ und 18- Sammlung Halbsguth; 188+ und 189-Sammlung Baarn;P. nitens 304+ und 305-Sammlung Baarn) hin untersucht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, daß den Kationen eine wesentliche Rolle im Aktivierungsprozeß zukommt. Förderlich wirkten sich vor allem K⁺ und Ca²⁺ Ionen aus. NH ₄ ⁺ wies keine sichtbar fördernde Wirkung auf, und dem Na^- Ion kann eine hemmende Wirkung im besonderen für dieP. blakesleeanus-Stämme 2-, 188+, 189- zugeschrieben werden. Eine vergleichbar empfindliche Reaktion zeigteP. nitens gegenüber Ca²⁺-Ionen, jedoch nur, wenn höhere Konzentrationen verwendet wurden. Allgemein waren dieP. nitens-Stämme 304+, 305- in ihrer Aktivierbarkeit nicht in dem Maße von den einzelnen Kationen abhängig wie dieP. blakesleeanus-Stämme.Ferner wurde die Wirkung der Wärmeaktivierung auf die Sporenkeimung geprüft. Die günstigste Dauer der Wärmeaktivierung bei 50°C lag für dieP. blakesleeanus-Stämme bei 5 min; dieP. nitens-Stämme vertrugen noch eine Zeit von 40 min (50°C) ohne erkennbare Schädigung.Die Aktivierbarkeit der Sporangiosporen in Abhängigkeit vom Aktivierungsagens (Acetat bzw. Wärme) zeigte deutliche Unterschiede zwischen denP. blakesleeanus- undP. nitens-Stämmen.

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Activating of germination dependent on lons of sporangiospores ofPhycomyces blakesleeanus andP. nitens, demonstrated on various strains

The influence of cations Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and NH ₄ ⁺ in connection with anion acetate on the rate of germination was studied for severalPhycomyces strains (P. blakesleeanus 1+, 2-, 11+, 18- collection Halbsguth; 188+, 189- collection Baarn;P. nitens 304+ and 305- collection Baarn). Cations played an important role during the activating process; NH ₄ ⁺ did not further the effect. The Na⁺ ion inhibited. The inhibition was marked onP. blakesleeanus strains 2-, 188+ and 189-. A comparable sensitive reaction ofP. nitens was apparent towards Ca²⁺ ions, when higher concentrations were used. Generally activations ofP. nitens strains 304+ or 305- were not influenced by the different cations as much as were theP. blakesleeanus strains.Furthermore the effect of heat activation on spore germination was tested. The most favourable time period for heat activation at 50°C was 5 min for theP. blakesleeanus strains, while theP. nitens strains tolerated a period of 40 min at 50°C without any detectable damage (90% germinated spores).The ability ofPhycomyces sporangiospores to be activated showed differences between theP. blakesleeanus andP. nitens strains depending on the activating agent (heat or acetate).

     

Exploratory multiscale analysis of the fish assemblages and habitats of the lower St. Lawrence River,Québec,Canada

This work presents a multiscale analysis of the fish diversity of the lower St. Lawrence River which flows from the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. A database of about 14,000 fish sampling stations from the lower St. Lawrence is linked to five different habitat maps of the study area: hydrographical units, water masses, depth, sediment type and wetland type. We hypothesize that species turnover (beta diversity) will be significant among these habitat maps. For each map, we calculate a UPGMA dendrogram based on the Jaccard coefficient of similarity in species occurrences as a first assemblage–habitat model. A randomization test is then used to identify the significant dendrograms from which we infer fish assemblages. We then show that many species are actually selecting or avoiding habitats. Finally, species selecting particular habitats are described by some selected ecological traits that are expected to occur frequently in those habitats. We found assemblages for the hydrographical units but not for the water masses. The fluvial section is selected by many stenohaline and some euryhaline species, while the freshwater estuary and the brackish estuary are only selected by euryhaline species. In the fluvial section at the hydrographical unit scale, many species associated with lentic habitats are limnophilic and more vegetation-dependent while many species selecting lotic habitats are rheophilic insectivorous species. Significant assemblages are defined for depth, sediment type and wetland type. Taken together, we found strong empirical evidence of a diverse actively selecting littoral assemblage of small, low mobility fishes opposing a channel assemblage of larger, more mobile fishes.