The bold and the shy: individual differences in rainbow trout

Boldness and shyness were investigated as 'personality' traits in hatchery-reared rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss . Bold fish spent more time in an open area and were more active than shy fish and these behaviours could be used as indicators of boldness and shyness. These differences were related to learning ability in a simple conditioning task. Bold fish learned the task more quickly than shy fish.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) across its native range: testing biogeographical hypotheses and their relevance to conservation

North-western North America has been repeatedly glaciated over most of the past two million years, with the most recent glaciation occurring between 60 000 and 10 000 years ago. Intraspecific genetic variation in many species has been shaped by where they survived glaciation and what postglacial recolonization routes were used. In this study, molecular techniques were used to investigate biogeographical, taxonomic and conservation issues in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation was assessed using a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, focusing mainly on the previously understudied northern extent of the species' range. Two phylogenetically distinct mitochondrial lineages were found that differed from each other by up to 1.8% in sequence. Although the geographical distributions of the two clades overlap extensively, diversity and distributional analyses strongly suggest that trout survived glaciation in both coastal and inland refugia followed by postglacial gene flow and secondary contact. Postglacial dispersal into British Columbia most likely occurred from the Queen Charlotte Islands and the Columbia River. Although trout most likely also survived glaciation along the coast of Washington, Oregon and California, as well as near the Bering Strait, evidence suggests that dispersal into British Columbia from these areas was limited. Sequence analysis of mitochondrial haplotypes revealed higher diversity in California than in the northern part of the species' range, indicating an ancient presence of the species in the south. Phylogeographic divergence probably predates adaptive variation in the species as suggested by evidence for parallel evolution of life history types across the range of O. mykiss.     

Projected population persistence of eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) using a stage-structured life-history model and population viability analysis

The population of eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) in the Blue River, Indiana has undergone a dramatic decline over the last decade. Recruitment in these declining populations has been negligible, and populations are now composed almost entirely of older age classes (upwards of 20 years old). Given this dramatic decline, it is imperative to assess the impacts of these demographic patterns on population growth and long-term stability. Therefore, we developed a stage-structured, life-history model to examine the effects of varying levels of egg, juvenile, and adult survivorship on abundance, recruitment, and long-term population projections. We performed a sensitivity analysis of the model and determine which life-history parameters have the greatest potential to increase/stabilise hellbender population growth. Finally, we conducted a population viability analysis to determine the probability of extinction associated with varying management strategies. For eastern hellbender populations in Indiana, adults (especially females) are the most important component of long-term population viability. Sensitivity and elasticity analyses of the Lefkovitch matrix revealed that survival of adult and egg/larvae life-history stages are the most important for focused management efforts. Indeed, adults had the highest elasticity and reproductive value in the matrix model. Increasing survival by as little as 20% corresponded to the turning point at which the population ceased to decline and increased abundance (28% survival of egg/larvae). The importance of the transition from subadult to adult (transitional matrix element) was identified as an additional factor in maintaining abundance based on the relatively long period spent in this life-history stage (seven years for females). A population viability analysis was conducted to assess the likelihood and projected time frame of extinction for this population under no management (～25 years to complete extirpation; probability of extinction = 1) and if management efforts such as captive rearing and headstarting are undertaken (probability of extinction <0.2 at 25–30% survival of egg/larvae). Adult females had the greatest effect in reducing growth rate and population abundance when removed in exploitation simulations (91.3% versus 51.8% reduction in population growth rate), indicating translocation efforts should be designed to maintain females in the breeding pool. These models indicated that conservation management strategies aimed at ensuring the presence of adult females while concomitantly ameliorating survival at early life stages (population augmentation, translocations, introduction of artificial nest structures) are needed to stabilise the Indiana population of eastern hellbenders. This stage-structured model is the first to model eastern hellbenders and has broad implications for use across the geographic range where populations of eastern hellbenders are monitored and vital rates can be estimated.     

Landscape-level correlates of mallard duckling survival: Implications for conservation programs

Despite recent work, uncertainty remains concerning how abiotic and biotic factors affect duckling survival. Additionally, upland habitat characteristics may affect duckling survival rates but this potential relationship has largely been ignored. We evaluated several unresolved hypotheses about causes of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duckling survival variation, with an emphasis on assessing effects of managed and remnant natural upland habitats. During 1993–2000, 617 radio-marked females provided information about brood habitat use and duckling survival on 27 sites in prairie Canada. We contrasted a priori and exploratory models that incorporated effects of upland, wetland, weather, female, and brood-related variables on duckling survival rates. Survival was highest for ducklings when a greater proportion of their surrounding landscape (i.e., within a 500-m radius buffer around the brood) was comprised of wetlands characterized by a central expanse of open water and a peripheral ring of flooded emergent vegetation. Cold and wet weather in the first week of life resulted in lower duckling survival. In a post hoc analysis, duckling survival (of older ducklings) was negatively related to increasing proportions of managed hayland. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

虹鳟对时间和地点的学习记忆(英文)

为确定虹鳟(Oncorhynchus mykiss)是否能将日投放两次食物的不同时间和地点联系起来,在30天内,于09:00-10:00将食饵投放在水族箱一侧,于15:00-16:00将食饵投放在水族箱另一侧.在第21天和28天,不放食饵以确定虹鳟对时间-地点的学习记忆.结果表明,虹鳟将不同时间和地点联系起来以获取食物,并且在水族箱两个投放食饵之处均表现出预取食活动,提示该物种具有控制时间-地点学习任务的内在机制.     

Characterization of tetranucleotide microsatellites for Rio Grande cutthroat trout and rainbow trout,and their cross‐amplification in other cutthroat trout subspecies

We describe the isolation and characterization of 12 tetranucleotide microsatellites for Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and subsequently investigate their performance in Colorado River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus), greenback cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii stomias) and Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri). All 12 loci are polymorphic in all subspecies of O. clarkii examined.     

Individual-learning ability predicts social-foraging strategy in house sparrows

Social foragers can use either a ‘producer’ strategy, which involves searching for food, or a ‘scrounger’ strategy, which involves joining others'' food discoveries. While producers rely on personal information and past experience, we may ask whether the tendency to forage as a producer is related to being a better learner. To answer this question, we hand-raised house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings that upon independence were given an individual-learning task that required them to associate colour signal and food presence. Following the testing phase, all fledglings were released into a shared aviary, and their social-foraging tendencies were measured. We found a significant positive correlation between individual''s performance in the individual-learning task and subsequent tendency to use searching (producing) behaviour. Individual-learning score was negatively correlated with initial fear of the test apparatus and with body weight. However, the correlation between individual learning and searching remained significant after controlling for these variables. Since it was measured before the birds entered a social group, individual-learning ability could not be the outcome of being a producer. However, the two traits may be initially associated, or individual learning could facilitate producing behaviour. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that associates individual-learning abilities with social-foraging strategies in animal groups.     

Characterization of a new BAC library for rainbow trout: evidence for multi-locus duplication

A 10X rainbow trout bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library was constructed to aid in the physical and genetic mapping efforts of the rainbow trout genome. The library was derived from the Swanson clonal line (YY male) and consists of 184,704 clones with an average insert size of 137,500 bp (PFGE) or 118,700 bp (DNA fingerprinting). The clones were gridded onto 10 large nylon membranes to produce high-density arrays for screening the library by hybridization. The library was probed with 11 cDNAs from the NCCCWA EST project chosen because of interest in their homology to known gene sequences, seven known genes, and a Y-specific sex marker. Putative positive clones identified by hybridization were re-arrayed and gridded for secondary confirmation. FPC analysis of HindIII and EcoRV DNA fingerprinting was used to estimate the level of redundancy in the library, to construct BAC contigs and to detect duplicated loci in the semi-duplicated rainbow trout genome. A good correlation (R2 = 0.7) was found between the number of hits per probe and the number of contigs that were assembled from the positive BACs. The average number of BACs per contig was 9.6, which is in good agreement with 10X genome coverage of the library. Two-thirds of the loci screened were predicted to be duplicated as the positive BACs for those genes were assembled into two or three different contigs, which suggests that most of the rainbow trout genome is duplicated.     

Adding preferred color to a conventional reward method improves the memory of zebrafish in the T-maze behavior model

Zebrafish have become a useful model for studying behavior and cognitive functions. Recent studies have shown that zebrafish have natural color preference and the ability to form associative memories with visual perception. It is well known that visual perception enhances memory recall in humans, and we suggest that a similar phenomenon occurs in zebrafish. This study proposes that adding a visual perception component to a conventional reward method would enhance memory recall in zebrafish. We found that zebrafish showed greater preference for red cellophane over yellow in the training session but could not remember the preferred place in the memory test. However, the test memory recall was greater when the zebrafish were exposed to the red cellophane with a food reward during the training session, when compared with the use of food reward only. Furthermore, the red cellophane with food reward group showed more predictable memory recall than the food reward only group. These results propose that visual perception can increase memory recall by enhancing the consolidation processes. We suggest that color-cued learning with food reward is a more discriminative method than food reward alone for examining the cognitive changes in the zebrafish.

Abbreviations: WM: working memory; LTM: long-term memory     

Flight Toward a Learned Odor and Factors Inducing Landing of Female Brachymeria intermedia (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), a Parasitoid of the Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

Through a single oviposition experience in the presence of vanilla odor, female Brachymeria intermedia were conditioned to fly toward a source of vanilla odor in a wind tunnel. Conditioning was an associative process, and wasps were able to fly toward odor sources at much lower doses than the dose used in conditioning. Furthermore, upon approaching vanilla-scented paper rolls hung on a vertical cylinder, conditioned wasps landed on them readily, whereas few wasps landed on real pupae. However, more wasps reached pupae or pupal cases than white paper rolls. Visual and olfactory cues appeared to mediate the foraging behavior of wasps in conflicting ways. Therefore, the extent to which olfactory learning mediates foraging success in this species remains unresolved.     

Poststress levels of lysozyme and cortisol in adult rainbow trout: heritabilities and genetic correlations

Lysozyme response in stressed rainbow trout was compared with measurements of poststress cortisol activity. Estimates of heritability of lysozyme and cortisol were both moderate-to-high and both traits displayed positive genetic correlations in pair-wise comparisons of stress exposures. Genetic correlations between lysozyme and cortisol in stressed rainbow trout tended to be negative, although insignificant. Neither lysozyme, nor cortisol exhibited significant correlations with serum haemolytic activity. It is concluded that the data do not confirm earlier suggestions that lysozyme should be superior to cortisol in consistency of stress response in rainbow trout.     

Fatty‐Acid Profile of Total and Polar Lipids in Cultured Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Raised in Freshwater and Seawater (Croatia) Determined by Transmethylation Method

Fatty acids from total lipids and polar lipids in cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) raised in seawater (SW) and freshwater (FW) were identified and quantified from the muscle samples in January, April, and July. The highest total lipid and polar lipid amounts were found in April. July contents of total lipids were low, but percent of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was high in SW and FW environment (particularly n‐3 PUFAs). Variety of 17 fatty acids was identified by GC‐FID after transmethylation. The predominant fatty acids in rainbow trout from SW and FW were: docosahexaenoic acid among n‐3 PUFAs, palmitic acid among saturated fatty acids (SFAs), and oleic acid among monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Appreciably higher n‐3/n‐6 ratio was found in total lipids in April (6.40, FW fish) and in polar lipids in July (18.76; SW fish). High n‐3/n‐6 ratio in total lipids and polar lipids of rainbow trout from SW and FW, besides beneficial n‐3/n‐6 ratio in the commercial fish food, could be characteristic for the local environmental conditions (Croatia).     

Primary and secondary indices of stress in the progeny of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) selected for high and low responsiveness to stress

A series of pooled gamete matings was carried out employing eggs and milt from mature male and female rainbow trout selected for a consistently high- or low-responsiveness to stress, as indicated by post-stress plasma cortisol elevation. Development of the progeny was closely monitored and the responsiveness to stress of the progeny of high-responding parents and the progeny of low-responding parents was assessed by two methods. For a period of 14 months, at approximately monthly intervals, the plasma cortisol elevation evoked by a standardized confinement stress was determined in fish from each group, and secondly, on one occasion, the time-course of the plasma cortisol response to a 24-h period of confinement was monitored. Progeny of high-responding parents snowed a significantly greater cortisol response to stress than the progeny of low-responding parents during both testing procedures. However, when the effect of a 14-day confinement stress was examined, high-responding progeny showed a more rapid recovery of plasma cortisol levels, while levels in the low-responding progeny, although initially lower, showed a more sustained elevation. To assess the possible functional implications of these observations, circulating lymphocyte numbers, an immunologically important cortisol-sensitive component of the blood cell complement, were determined. The duration of the lymphocytopenia observed following the onset of confinement was found to be related to the initial, not the sustained, cortisol response. These data suggest that manipulation of the sensitivity to stress of fish is feasible by selective breeding, but that careful.choice of the indices employed to identify traits considered desirable is necessary.     

Genetic adaptation to captivity in species conservation programs

As wild environments are often inhospitable, many species have to be captive-bred to save them from extinction. In captivity, species adapt genetically to the captive environment and these genetic adaptations are overwhelmingly deleterious when populations are returned to wild environments. I review empirical evidence on (i) the genetic basis of adaptive changes in captivity, (ii) factors affecting the extent of genetic adaptation to captivity, and (iii) means for minimizing its deleterious impacts. Genetic adaptation to captivity is primarily due to rare alleles that in the wild were deleterious and partially recessive. The extent of adaptation to captivity depends upon selection intensity, genetic diversity, effective population size and number of generation in captivity, as predicted by quantitative genetic theory. Minimizing generations in captivity provides a highly effective means for minimizing genetic adaptation to captivity, but is not a practical option for most animal species. Population fragmentation and crossing replicate captive populations provide practical means for minimizing the deleterious effects of genetic adaptation to captivity upon populations reintroduced into the wild. Surprisingly, equalization of family sizes reduces the rate of genetic adaptation, but not the deleterious impacts upon reintroduced populations. Genetic adaptation to captivity is expected to have major effects on reintroduction success for species that have spent many generations in captivity. This issue deserves a much higher priority than it is currently receiving.     

Uptake of 3-O-methyl-D-[U-14C]glucose into brain of rainbow trout: possible effects of melatonin

The influx of glucose into the brain and plasma glucose disappearance were estimated in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) intravenously injected (1 ml · kg⁻¹ body weight) with a single dose (15 μCi · kg⁻¹ body weight) of 3-O-methyl-D-[U-¹⁴C]glucose ([U-¹⁴C]-3-OMG) at different times (2–160 min), and after intravenous injection at 15 min of increased doses (10–60 μCi · kg⁻¹ body weight) of [U-¹⁴C]-3-OMG. Brain and plasma radiotracer concentrations were measured, and several kinetic parameters were calculated. The apparent brain glucose influx showed a maximum after 15–20 min of injection then decreased to a plateau after 80 min. Brain distribution space of 3-OMG increased from 2 min to 20 min reaching equilibrium from that time onwards at a value of 0.14 ml · g⁻¹. The unidirectional clearance of glucose from blood to brain (k₁) and the fractional clearance of glucose from brain to blood (k₂) were estimated to be 0.093 ml · min⁻¹ · g⁻¹, and 0.867 min⁻¹, respectively. A linear increase was observed in brain and plasma radiotracer concentrations when increased doses of [U-¹⁴C]-3-OMG were used. All these findings support a facilitative transport of glucose through the blood-brain barrier of rainbow trout with characteristics similar to those observed in mammals. The injection of different doses of melatonin (0.25–1.0 mg · kg⁻¹) significantly increased brain glucose influx suggesting a possible role for melatonin in the regulation of glucose transport into the brain. Accepted: 26 January 2000     

The importance of palpation in food selection by a polyphagous grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

The behavioral responses of final-instar nymphs of Schistocerca americanato a variety of acceptable and unacceptable plants were recorded. Palpation occurred on all plants and the palps are involved in both acceptance and rejection. On most unacceptable plants, rejection was at first dependent on biting the leaf, but subsequently on Lantana, Machaeranthera, Moms,and Physalis,rejection often occurred after palpation of the surface alone. This is consistent with the suggestion that associative learning occurs. This response did not wane even when the insects had been without food for over 2 h. There was also some evidence of an innate response to the surface characteristics of Physalis.The features of the surfaces that produced these responses were not determined.     

大鲵保护生物学及其研究进展

大鲵（Andrias davidianus)为我国特有的珍稀两栖动物,已列入国家二级保护动物名录,并列入CITES公约附录Ⅰ中。自20世纪50年代起,由于过度收购、非法捕杀和栖息地丧失等原因,大鲵种群数量下降极为严重,湖南、安徽等地的大鲵产量在20世纪50年代至70年代下降超过80％,分布区也极度萎缩,形成了12块岛屿状区域,目前分布于以我国中部山区的长江流域为主的17个省区。部分已建立的大鲵保护区经费短缺,人员不足,管理不力,状况不容乐观。非法捕捉和栖息地丧失仍是威胁大鲵生存的主要因素,保护管理力度还需进一步加强。     

Interindividual variations in feeding and growth in rainbow trout during restricted feeding and in a subsequent period of compensatory growth

Compensatory growth responses of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were studied by examining food intake and growth of individual fish held within groups that were switched between regimes that involved full and restricted feeding. Restricted feeding led to marked interindividual variability in food intake, probably as a result of the establishment of feeding hierarchies. This disparity in food acquisition was reflected in highly heterogeneous growth amongst the fish fed low rations. When fish were transferred from restricted to full rations, they became hyperphagic and displayed high rates of growth. Growth compensation was most marked amongst those fish which had shown the poorest growth during the period of feed restriction. These results suggest that the feeding hierarchies established under feed restriction did not persist, but were rapidly broken down when food became increasingly available, enabling the previously suppressed fish to gain access to food and to display rapid growth.