Feeding behaviour of underyearling hybrids of the grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella♀ and the bighead, Hypophthalmicthys nobilis♂ on selected species of aquatic plants

Underyearling hybrids of the cross Ctenopharyngodon idella ♀ (grass carp) and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis ♂ (bighead), averaging 104.8 mm total length were stocked for two weeks in cement tanks holding 605 1 of water with various combinations of submersed or floating aquatic plants. The submersed species most preferred were Ceratophyllum demersum, Chara sp. and Najas guadalupensis. Hydrilla verticillata, Hygrophila polysperma, Myriophyllum pinnatum and Utricularia foliosa were fed on from a minor to moderate extent. No feeding damage was observed on Egeria densa and Potamogeton illinoensis. Azolla caroliniana, Lemna sp. and Wolffia columbiana were readily consumed while Salvinia rotundifolia was not preferred when in combination with these floating plant species. Feeding damage to the submersed roots of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes was minor during a 30 day period. Hybrid fingerlings readily fed on mosquito larvae and small leeches when offered to them in an aquarium on one occasion.     

Effects of temperature, body size and feeding on rates of metabolism in young‐of‐the‐year haddock

The mean rate of oxygen consumption (routine respiration rate, R _R, mg O₂ fish⁻¹ h⁻¹), measured for individual or small groups of haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus (3–12 cm standard length, L _S) maintained for 5 days within flow‐through respiratory chambers at four different temperatures, increased with increasing dry mass ( M _D). The relationship between R _R and M _D was allometric ( R _R = α  M ^b ) with b values of 0·631, 0·606, 0·655 and 0·650 at 5·0, 8·0, 12·0 and 15·0° C, respectively. The effect of temperature ( T ) and M _D on mean R _R was described by     indicating a Q ₁₀ of 2·27 between 5 and 15° C. Juvenile haddock routine metabolic scope, calculated as the ratio of the mean of highest and lowest deciles of R _R measured in each chamber, significantly decreased with temperature such that the routine scope at 15° C was half that at 5° C. The cost of feeding ( R _SDA) was c . 3% of consumed food energy, a value half that found for larger gadoid juveniles and adults.     

Seasonal differences in routine oxygen consumption rates of the bonnethead shark

Routine oxygen consumption rates of bonnethead sharks, Sphyrna tiburo , increased from 141·3±29·7 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ during autumn to 218·6±64·2 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ during spring, and 329·7±38·3 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ during summer. The rate of routine oxygen consumption increased over the entire seasonal temperature range (20–30° C) at a Q ₁₀=2·34.     

Pathogenicity of live bacteria and extracellular products of motile Aeromonas isolated from eels

The pathogenic activities in vitro and in vivo of live bacteria and extracellular products (ECP) of 24 motile Aeromonas strains were investigated. Most Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei isolates were pathogenic for eels (LD₅₀ 10^5·4-10^7·6 cfu fish^-1) but no Aer. sobria , Aer. caviae and Aer. allosaccharophila caused mortality in eels at doses of > 10^8·4 cfu fish^-1. Of these Aeromonas strains, Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei in particular produced elastases and haemolysins against fish erythrocytes. ECP from Aer. hydrophila and Aer. jandaei caused degenerative changes in fish cell lines and were strongly toxic for eels (LD⁵⁰ 1·0–3·2 μg (g fish)^-1) reproducing the symptoms associated with natural disease. ECP from non-pathogenic species were inactive on fish cell lines as well as being poorly lethal for eels (LD⁵⁰ > 9·2 μg (g fish)^-1). All these biological activities of Aeromonas ECP were lost after heat treatment. These findings indicate differences between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Aeromonas species with respect to the expression of virulence factors, and show that elastases, haemolysins and exotoxins play a leading role in the pathogenicity of motile Aeromonas for eels.     

Photosynthetic characteristics of the submerged macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum

The photosynthetic and growth characteristics of Ceratophyllum demersum L. were investigated under laboratory conditions which simulated those encountered in the plants' normal environment. The carbon fixation rate of C. demersum measured with ¹⁴C at light and carbon saturation at pH 8.0 was 4.48 mg C (g ash-free dry weight)⁻¹ h⁻¹. It was lower at pH 6.5 than at pH 8.0. The light use efficiencies in quiescent plants and actively growing plants were 6.3 and 8.7 × 10⁻⁹ kg CO₂ J⁻¹, respectively, with corresponding maximum photosynthetic rates of 2.67 and 4.36 mg C (g ash-free dry weight)⁻¹ h⁻¹. Photorespiration in actively growing plants consumed 24% of the carbon fixed. Incubation with DCMU demonstrated that about one-third was refixed. The optimum temperature for carbon fixation was 25°C. The C₃-photosynthetic pathway was the main operational route as indicated by the early photosynthetic products (largely C₃-acids) and the absence of Krantz anatomy and the chlorophyll a:b ratio (2.7). The maximum relative growth rates ranged from 0.025 to 0.041 g ash-free dry weight (g ash-free dry weight)⁻¹ day⁻¹ in the field (Lake Vechten, 1 to 3 m depth classes).     

The effect of temperature and fish size on growth and feed efficiency ratio of juvenile spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor

The growth properties of juvenile spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor reared at 4, 6, 8 and 12° C, and a group reared under 'temperature steps', (T‐step) i.e . with temperature reduced successively from 12 to 9 and 6° C were investigated. Growth rate and feed efficiency ration was significantly influenced by temperature and fish size. Overall growth rate was highest at 6° C (0·68% day⁻¹) and lowest at 12° C (0·48% day⁻¹), while the 4 and 8° C, and the T‐step groups had similar overall growth rates, i.e . 0·59, 0·62 and 0·51% day⁻¹ respectively. Optimal temperature for growth ( T _{opt G} ) and feed efficiency ratio (T_{opt FCE}) decreased as fish size increased, indicating an ontogenetic reduction in T _{opt G} and T _{opt FCE}. The results suggest a T _{opt G} of juvenile spotted wolffish in the size range 135–380 g, dropping from 7·9° C for 130–135 g to 6·6° C for 360–380 g juveniles. The T _{opt FCE} dropped from 7·4° C for 120–150 g to 6·5° C for 300–380 g juveniles. A wider parabolic regression curve between growth, feed efficiency ratio and temperature as fish size increased, may indicate increased temperature tolerance with size. Individual growth rates varied greatly at all time periods within the experimental temperatures, but at the same time significant size rank correlations were maintained and this may indicate stable size hierarchies in juvenile spotted wolffish.     

Aquarium studies on the selectivity of 16 aquatic plants as food by fingerling hybrids of the cross between Ctenopharyngodon idella ♂ and Cyprinus carpio ♀

Fish hybrids of the cross Ctenopharyngodon idella ♂ (grass carp) and Cyprinus carpio ♀ (Israeli carp), averaging 124 mm total length and 20 g in weight were stocked in aquaria along with 16 different aquatic plants to determine which plants they would eat. Observations showed that one group of plants was highly utilized (Azolla caroliniana, Lemna spp., Cladophora sp., Spirogyra sp., Nymphaea odorata); another group was moderately utilized (Pistia stratiotes, Ruppia maritima, Najas flexilis, Limnobium spongia, Potamogeton pecti-natus). Two other groups were only poorly utilized (Ceratophyllum demersum, Eichhornia crassipes, Elodea sp.) , or not utilized (Cabomba caroliniana, Sigittaria sp., Myriophyllum pinnatum).     

The effect of temperature fluctuations on oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of underyearling Lake Inari Arctic charr

Underyearling Lake Inari Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus were acclimated to 11·0) C for 3 weeks, and then one group was maintained at 11·0) C and others were exposed to 14·4) Cconst, 17·7) C_const or a diel fluctuating temperature of 14·3° C ± 1° C (14·3° C_fluc). Routine rates of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion were measured over 10 days before the temperature change and over 31 days following the change. Measurements were made on fish that were feeding and growing. The temperature increase produced an immediate increase in oxygen consumption. There was then a decline over the next few days, suggesting that thermal acclimation was rapid. For groups exposed to constant temperature there was an increase in oxygen consumption ( M _accl, mg kg⁻¹ h⁻¹) with increasing temperature ( T ), the relationship being approximated by an exponential model: M _accl= 46·53e0·^{086 T} . At 14·3° C_fluc oxygen consumption declined during the 3–4 days following the temperature shift, but remained higher than at 14·4° C_const. This indicates that small temperature fluctuations have some additional influences that increase metabolic rate. Ammonia excretion rates showed diel variations. Excretion was lower at 11° C_const than at other temperatures, and increases in temperature had a significant effect on ammonia excretion rate. Fluctuating (14·3° C_fluc) temperature did not influence ammonia excretion relative to constant temperature (14·4° C_const).     

Effect of Iysozyme concentration, heating at 90°C, and then incubation at chilled temperatures on growth from spores of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum

The heat treatment necessary to inactivate spores of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum in refrigerated, processed foods may be influenced by the occurrence of lysozyme in these foods. Spores of six strains of non-proteolytic Cl. botulinum were inoculated into tubes of an anaerobic meat medium, to give 10⁶ spores per tube. Hen egg white lysozyme (0–50 μg ml^-1) was added, and the tubes were given a heat treatment equivalent to 19·8 min at 90°C, cooled, and incubated at 8°, 12°, 16° and 25°C for up to 93 d. In the absence of added lysozyme, neither growth nor toxin formation were observed. A 6–D inactivation was therefore achieved. In tubes to which lysozyme (5–50 μg ml^-1) had been added prior to heating, growth and toxin formation were observed. With lysozyme added at 50 μg ml^-1, growth was first observed after 68 d at 8°C, 31 d at 12°C, 24 d at 16°C, and 9 d at 25°C. Thus, in these circumstances, a heat treatment equivalent to 19·8 min at 90°C was not sufficient, on its own, to give a 6–D inactivation. A combination of the heat treatment, maintenance at less than 12°C, and a shelf-life not more than 4 weeks reduced the risk of growth of non-proteolytic Cl. botulinum by a factor of 10⁶.     

Xylanolytic activity of commercial juice-processing enzyme preparations

Of 22 commercial juice-processing enzyme preparations investigated, Clarex ML was found to exhibit the highest xylanase activity. The xylanase from Clarex ML was most active at 50–60°C and pH 5·0–5·5. The K _m and V _max values of the enzyme with oat-spelt xylan as the substrate were 8·6 mg ml⁻¹ and 42 μmol xylose l⁻¹ min⁻¹, respectively. Xylobiose was the main product of enzymatic hydrolysis of xylan.     

Growth, diet and metabolism of common wolf–fish in the North Sea, a fast–growing population

The von Bertalanffy growth parameters for common wolf–fish Anarhichas lupus in the North Sea were: male: L ∞=111·2 cm, t ₀=–0·43 and K =0·12; and female: L ∞=115·1 cm, t ₀=–0·39 and K =0·11, making this the fastest growing stock reported. Resting metabolic rates (RMR±S.E.) and maximum metabolic rates (MMR±S.E.) for six adult common wolf–fish (mean weight, 1·39 kg) at 5° C were 12·18±1·6 mg O₂ kg^–1 h^–1 and 70·65±7·63 mg O₂ kg^–1 h^–1 respectively, and at 10° C were 25·43±1·31 mg O₂ kg^–1 h^–1 and 113·84±16·26 mg O₂ kg^–1 h^–1. Absolute metabolic scope was 53% greater at 10° C than at 5° C. The diet was dominated by Decapoda (39% overall by relative occurrence), Bivalvia (20%) and Gastropoda (12%). Sea urchins, typically of low energy value, occupied only 7% of the diet. The fast growth probably resulted from summer temperatures approximating to the optimum for food processing and growth, but may have been influenced by diet, and reduced competition following high fishing intensity.     

Growth and physiological changes during metamorphosis of Senegal sole reared in the laboratory

The metamorphosis of Solea senegalensis was studied in larvae reared at 20° C and fed four different feeding regimes. A, Artemia (4 nauplii ml⁻¹); B, Artemia (2 nauplii ml⁻¹); C, mixed diet (2 nauplii ml⁻¹ and 3 mg ml⁻¹ microencapsulated diet); and D, microencapsulated diet (3·7 mg ml⁻¹). Rotifers were also supplied in all cases during the first days of feeding. These feeding regimes supported different growth rates during the pre-metamorphosis period (regime A, G=0·376 day⁻¹; regime B, G=0·253 day⁻¹; regime C, G=0·254 day⁻¹; regime D, G=0·162 day⁻¹). Larvae started metamorphosis 9 days after hatching (DAH) when fed the regime A, 13 DAH with regime B, 11 DAH with regime C and 15 DAH with regime D. A minimum 5·6–5·9 mm L_T was required under all feeding regimes to initiate the metamorphosis. Eye translocation was completed when the larvae reached 8·6–8·7 mm L_T (regimes A, B and C), but only 7·3 mm L_T with regime D. 4·4–6·2 days were required to complete eye migration under the regimes A, B and C, and 18·3 days under the regime D. This transformation is concomitant with changes in body reserves, and with the pattern of some digestive enzymes.     

An in situ estimate of daily food consumption and alimentary canal evacuation rates of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

Daily food consumption and alimentary canal evacuation rates for common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., were estimated at 4-week intervals from April to October 1979. Both the rate of food evacuation and its relationship to temperature were described by an exponential function. Gut evacuation rates ranged from 6.0% of gut contents per hour at 9°C to 32.7% h⁻¹ at 26.5°C. Temperature accounted for 72–91% of the variation in gut evacuation rate among months. Daily food consumption varied from a low of 3.87 mg g⁻¹ of fish wet wt per day in April at 14°C (0.39% of wet body wt) to a high of 40.75 mg g⁻¹ (4.08%) in August at 26.5°C. Although a greater quantity of food appeared to be consumed during the morning in spring and early summer and a greater amount in the evening after July, there was not a statistically significant time of day for peak feeding activity. The field method described here seemed to provide reasonable estimates of food consumption compared with other field and laboratory studies.     

Gastric evacuation rates and daily ration of piscivorous coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch Walbaum

Effects of temperature and meal size on gastric evacuation rates of juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch , consuming sockeye salmon, O. nerka , fry were examined and used in the estimation of daily meal, daily ration and number of fry consumed by coho in Chignik Lake, Alaska. Evacuation of fry by coho was best described by a negative exponential model (average R² = 0.93). A square root model also provided a good fit (average R² = 0·93), but the y-intercepts deviated more from the expected value than did the y-intercepts of the exponential model. The effect of temperature ( T , 5–13° C) and meal size (MS, 0·166–0·367 g) on the exponential evacuation rate (r_e, h^-1) could be described as
In the lake, coho fed continuously during the 24-h period in early June 1986 and 1987. Estimates of daily meal and ration of coho calculated by the Eggers method and the geometric mean of prey weight ranged from 0·224 to 0·435 g (2.1–4.4% body wt) depending on location and year. The Elliott & Persson method provided similar estimates of food consumption, whereas estimates based on the Pennington method and square root evacuation of prey differed from the exponential models. Sockeye fry represented 93% of the total prey weight. The average number of sockeye fry consumed per coho per 24 h, based on the arithmetic mean of prey weight, was 3·0–3·9 fry.     

Glucosyltransferase activity of commercial juice-processing enzyme preparations

Of various commercial enzyme preparations examined, Cytolase M102 was found to contain the highest glucosyltransferase activity (55 U ml⁻¹). It rapidly converted maltose to panose (Glcα1 → 6Glcα1 → 4Glc) with a V _max value of 5·8 mmol l⁻¹ min⁻¹ at 50°C in 0·05 mol l⁻¹ sodium acetate buffer (pH 4·4). The K _m value of the enzyme for maltose was 750 mmol l⁻¹. Yields of panose and glucose after 45 min of reaction, for example, were 47·2% and 52·8%, respectively, on the basis of the amount of maltose consumed.     

盐碱池塘水生大型植物的研究

于1998 年4 月至1998 年9 月对高青盐碱池塘的水生大型植物种类组成、生产力及其影响因子进行了野外调查和试验研究。结果表明高青盐碱池塘共有水生植物12 种。常见的优势种有沉水植物:菹草、角果藻、金鱼藻;挺水植物:芦苇、荆三棱、莲和香蒲;漂浮植物:浮萍, 以及大型藻类布氏轮藻。种类少而优势种突出是盐碱池塘大型植物的显著特点。有水草池塘与无或少水草池塘相比, 透明度大、pH 值高、浮游植物生物量和叶绿素a 含量低、营养盐含量也低。在表层光照度7200lx、水温28~30℃的条件下, 菹草、角果藻和轮藻的毛产量分别为1.70、1.56 和1.50mgO₂·L^-1·h^-1·g^-1。除光照、水温、pH 等因素外, 含盐量和碱度对大型植物的初级生产力具有重要影响, 菹草和角果藻的生产力最高时的含盐量均为3g·L^-1, 前者适宜的碱度为6.69 mmol·L^-1, 而后者则为3.82 mmol·L^-1。菹草、角果藻、金鱼藻和浮萍对NH₄-N 的吸收速率相近, 而对PO₄-P 的吸收速率则角果藻 > 菹草 > 浮萍 > 金鱼藻。文后对盐水水体大型植物特点、菹草生产力及其影响因素、如何防止养鱼池大型植物危害及大型植物与浮游植物的关系进行了讨论。     

Short-term thermal acclimation induces adaptive changes in the inner mitochondrial membranes of fish skeletal muscle

In the oxidative muscles (musculi laterales superficiales) of crucian carp Carassius carassius acclimated for 6 weeks to either 5 or 25° C, the volume density and the surface density of fibres per tissue did not differ significantly between the control and experimental groups. The correlation ratio (μ²) for these values was below 50, 39·3 and 43·9 respectively. After acclimation to 5° C, the surface density of outer mitochondrial membrane per fibre increased significantly from 0·93 to 1·23m² cm⁻³ in the summer population but dropped from 0·94 to 0·67 m² cm⁻³ in the winter population. The surface density of outer mitochondrial membrane per mitochondrion increased from 3·24 to 4·52 m² cm⁻³ in summer fish. After acclimation to 25° C, the surface density of inner mitochondrial membranes per muscle fibre decreased from 4·04 to 1·79 m² cm⁻³ in summer fish and from 3·86 to 1·07 m² cm⁻³ in winter fish. The surface density of inner mitochondrial membranes per mitochondrion increased from 14·17 to 15·60 m²cm⁻³ in summer fish but dropped from 13·91 to 10·67 m² cm⁻³ in winter fish. Correlation matrices demonstrate a negative correlation of the surface density of outer mitochondrial membrane per mitochondrion with the volume density of mitochondria per fibre and temperature, suggesting cold-induced proliferation of small mitochondria. It was concluded that short-term cold acclimation increased surface area of the inner mitochondrial membranes in summer fish.     

The use of the bacteriocin, nisin, as a preservative in ricotta-type cheeses to control the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes

The efficacy of nisin to control the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in ricotta-type cheeses over long storage (70 d) at 6–8°C was determined. Cheeses were prepared from unpasteurized milk by direct acidification with acetic acid (final pH 5·9) and/or calcium chloride addition during heat treatment. Nisin was added in the commercial form of Nisaplin^® pre-production to the milk. Each batch of cheese was inoculated with 10²–10³ cfu g⁻¹ of a five-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes before storage. Shelf-life analysis demonstrated that incorporation of nisin at a level of 2·5 mg l⁻¹ could effectively inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes for a period of 8 weeks or more (dependent on cheese type). Cheese made without the addition of nisin contained unsafe levels of the organism within 1–2 weeks of incubation. Measurement of initial and residual nisin indicated a high level of retention over the 10-week incubation period at 6–8°C, with only 10–32% nisin loss.     

Oxygen consumption, ammonia excretion and protein use in response to thermal changes in juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

Experiments were designed to examine the effects of various temperature challenges on oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates and protein utilization in juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar . Fish acclimated to 15° C were acutely and abruptly exposed to either 20 or 25° C for a period of 3 h. To simulate a more environmentally relevant temperature challenge, a third group of fish was exposed to a gradual increase in temperature from 15 to 20° C over a period of 3 h ( c. 1·7° C h⁻¹). Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates were monitored before, during and after the temperature shift. From the ammonia excretion and oxygen consumption rates, protein utilization rates were calculated. Acute temperature changes (15–20° C or 15–25° C) caused large and immediate increases in the oxygen consumption rates. When the temperature was gradually changed ( i.e. 1·7° C h⁻¹), however, the rates of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion were only marginally altered. When fish were exposed to warmer temperatures ( i.e. 15–20° C or 15–25° C) protein use generally remained at pre-exposure (15° C) levels. A rapid transfer back to 15° C (20–15° C or 25–15° C) generally increased protein use in S. salar . These results indicate that both the magnitude and the rate of temperature change are important in describing the physiological response in juvenile salmonids.     

Factors affecting the production of hydrogen sulphide by Lactobacillus sake L13 growing on vacuum-packaged beef

Lactobacillus sake L13 produced hydrogen sulphide during growth at 0°C on vacuum-packaged beef of normal pH (5·6–5·8) when the packaging films used had oxygen permeabilities as high as 200 ml/m²/24 h/atm (measured at 25°C and 98% relative humidity. No hydrogen sulphide was detected when the film permeability was 300 ml/m²/24 h/atm. Sulphmyoglobin was formed whenever hydrogen sulphide was present except when the film permeability was very low (1 ml of oxygen/m²/24 h/atm). Lactobacillus sake L13 also produced hydrogen sulphide when grown on beef under anaerobic conditions at 5°C. When meat pH was high (6·4–6·6) hydrogen sulphide was first detected after incubation for 9 d. When 250 μg of glucose was added to each g of high pH meat, or when meat pH was normal (5·6–5·8), hydrogen sulphide was first detected after incubation for 18 d. The spoilage of beef by hydrogen sulphide-producing lactobacilli is more rapid when the pH of the meat is high because high-pH meat contains less glucose. Sulphmyoglobin formation and greening can be prevented by the use of packaging films of very low oxygen permeability.