Carry-over effect of captive breeding reduces reproductive fitness of wild-born descendants in the wild

Supplementation of wild populations with captive-bred organisms is a common practice for conservation of threatened wild populations. Yet it is largely unknown whether such programmes actually help population size recovery. While a negative genetic effect of captive breeding that decreases fitness of captive-bred organisms has been detected, there is no direct evidence for a carry-over effect of captive breeding in their wild-born descendants, which would drag down the fitness of the wild population in subsequent generations. In this study, we use genetic parentage assignments to reconstruct a pedigree and estimate reproductive fitness of the wild-born descendants of captive-bred parents in a supplemented population of steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The estimated fitness varied among years, but overall relative reproductive fitness was only 37 per cent in wild-born fish from two captive-bred parents and 87 per cent in those from one captive-bred and one wild parent (relative to those from two wild parents). Our results suggest a significant carry-over effect of captive breeding, which has negative influence on the size of the wild population in the generation after supplementation. In this population, the population fitness could have been 8 per cent higher if there was no carry-over effect during the study period.     

The contribution of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) to the biological control of Netofa reservoirs

When silver carp were introduced into the Netofa reservoirs at an initial density of 300–4500 fish per hectare in order to control phytoplankton and zooplankton, there was a significant reduction of algae, zooplankton, and suspended organic matter; the silver carp prevents the growth of blue-green algae.Annual yield ranged from 600 to 1500 kg per hectare. The growth of individual fish after 6 to 8 years was 6 to 15 kg per fish.Introducing silver carp to reservoirs as a means of biological control creates a balanced ecological system in which the interspecific competition is minimal and the environmental improvements are considerable.Silver carp and bottom-feeding fish create a positive synergism in the water-body by filtering phytoplankton and zooplankton from the water, excreting a major part of it to the bottom and enriching it with organic matter suitable for zoobenthos.     

长江中下游四个湖泊鱼类与渔业研究

选择长江中下游的牛山湖、东汤逊湖、龙感湖和黄湖作为研究地点,调查了这些湖泊鱼类区系组成、鱼种放养量、渔获物组成、渔产量和渔产值,现已查明牛山湖鱼类有64种,东汤逊湖53种,黄湖76种,龙感湖80种。这些湖泊的鱼类区系组成相似,鲤科鱼类最多,占总种数的60.4%-65.6%。牛山湖主要放养草鱼,东汤逊湖主要放养鲢和鳙,黄湖除鱼类外重点放养河蟹。这三个湖泊年均鱼种放养量分别为9.5kg/hm2、36.8kg/hm2、8.1kg/hm2;年均鱼产量分别为128kg/hm2、126kg/hm2、88kg/hm2;年均每公顷渔产值分别为623元、680元、1202元。龙感湖为非放养型湖泊,年均鱼产量为64kg/hm2,其中鲫、红鳍原泊和小杂鱼占有较高的比例;年均每公顷渔产值183元。文中分析了各湖泊鱼产量构成特征,讨论了未来湖泊渔业可持续发展的对策,为合理利用鱼类资源,发展可持续渔业提供重要依据。       

用鲢鳙直接控制微囊藻水华的围隔试验和湖泊实践

为了控制水体富营养化所形成的水华,国外经典的生物操纵论者提倡放养食鱼性鱼类以控制食浮游生物的鱼类,藉此壮大浮游动物种群,然后借助浮游动物遏制藻类.按照这条思路,以浮游生物为食的鲢和鳙应该是清除的对象.本文作者认为我国湖泊中危害性最大的是微囊藻水华,而浮游动物根本不能摄食这种水华,不如直接利用鲢鳙进行控制,因而1989-1992年间在武汉的东湖进行了三次原位围隔试验,2000年再度重复了一次围隔试验,结果证明,迄今在东湖中已消失18年的微囊藻水华,重新出现在不养鱼的围隔里.在养入一定密度的鲢或/和鳙的围隔中,就没有水华出现.已经出现水华的围隔,放入适当密度的鲢或/和鳙后,在短期内水华又复消失;而放入草鱼的围隔,则水华始终持续,不受影响.说明鲢和鳙能有效地遏制微囊藻水华.鲢、鳙遏制水华的有效放养密度(亦即有效生物量)为46-50g·m^-3.东湖湖泊中鲢、鳙的生物量,直到1985年才达到这个水平,所以1985年湖里反常地没有出现水华.往后的年份,东湖的鱼产量越来越高,也就是湖里鲢、鳙的生物量越来越大,所以迄今没有微囊藻卷土重来的机会.东湖的水质和其他非生物条件仍适于蓝藻水华的发生与发展,如果东湖鲢、鳙的产量下降到阈值以下,亦即降到1985年以前1000t水平,那么微囊藻及其它蓝藻水华的重来将是不可避免的.经典的生物操纵论学说和措施不能解决微囊藻水华猖獗的问题.相反,用滤食浮游生物的鲢和鳙直接遏制微囊藻却是有实验根据并已被渔业生产实践证明行之有效的.     

Impact of Juvenile Stocking Size on the Major Carp Production in a Minor Reservoir,Bibinagar, India

The present study deals with the impact of juvenile stocking sizes of the major carp on production in a minor reservoir, Bibinagar, Nalgonda, India. Reservoir surface area equaled over 23.8 ha and water from the reservoir was used for irrigation and fisheries. Four experiments were conducted for 4 years from 2000–2001 to 2003–2004. The experiments were planned in such a way that every year juvenile stocking size was held constant and subsequent fish production analyzed. During the first year’s experiment (2000–2001) a stocking size of 25–30 mm (fry) was maintained. Similarly 50–55 (advanced fry), 75–80 mm (fingerling) and 100–105 mm (advanced fingerling) were stocked during 2001–2002, 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 respectively. Uniform yearly stocking densities (2000/ha) were established in each experiment in the month of July and fish were harvested in June of the subsequent year. Major carp production was enhanced with larger stocking size. Yearly productions equaled 144.00, 231.48, 632.91 and 1005.03 kg/ha/year with the above stocking sizes. Variation in stocking sizes had significant (P<0.05) effects on fish production. The number of fish per kg production decreased gradually with increases in stocking size with an average value of 3.97. Reservoir production of catla was the most abundant species, followed by rohu, common carp, mrigal and grass carp. These results show that stocking size has a great impact on fish production and the stocking of advanced fingerlings will provide maximum carp production in minor reservoirs in India.     

姚江鱼类种群生态特点和鱼产力估量

本文根据1976-1977年的调查研究,讨论姚江鱼类种群生态特点,并参照对杭州青山水库的一些调查及中国科学院水生生物研究所对武昌东湖的研究,估量姚江的鱼产力,旨在为拟定增产措施提供科学根据。       

Microsatellite markers polymorphism in the breeding nutria (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Myocastor coypus</Emphasis>) population in Poland

The aim of the research was to establish a microsatellite panel to determine the genetic diversity within the breeding nutria population in Poland. In the study, 92 animals representing six color forms were used. Ten fluorescently labeled microsatellite markers were investigated by multicolored capillary electrophoresis. All the microsatellites were polymorphic. The average heterozygosity observed among the population was 41%. The mean number of alleles per locus was 9.2. The average heterozygosity observed in the whole population was lower than expected. This implies that the nutria population deviates from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Low M values (from 0.078 to 0.545) of the Garza–Williamson index reveal a reduction of genetic variation in the investigated population and suggest that the breeding nutria population is remnant.     

黑土长期施肥及养分循环再利用的作物产量及土壤肥力质量变化Ⅰ.作物产量

在一丰P黑土(Olsen P25.8mg·kg^-1)上进行13年中长期田间试验的结果表明,氮肥平均增产率为275%,年增产粮食(大豆、玉米、小麦混合)724kg·hm^-2,1kgN增产粮食9.4kg;磷肥前期增产不明显,13年平均增产率为7%,年增产粮食241kg·hm^-2,1kgP增产粮食12.7kg.每年施用循环回田猪圈肥(以处理区收获产品的80%喂猪、垫圈经堆制而成),粮食平均年增产量在不施化肥、施N、施NP基础上,分别为268、258、255kg·hm^-2,相应的增产率为9.8%、7.6%和7.0%.试验期间循环回田猪圈肥的增产效果有逐渐增长趋势,表明存在着猪圈肥残效的叠加效应.     

Impact of moderate silver carp biomass gradient on zooplankton communities in a eutrophic reservoir. Consequences for the use of silver carp in biomanipulation.

We examined the impacts of moderate gradient silver carp biomass (five levels from 0 to 36 g.m-3, i.e. about 0-792 kg.ha-1) on zooplankton communities of the eutrophic Villerest reservoir (France). During our mesocosm experiment changes in zooplankton assemblages were dependent on silver carp biomass. In the fishless and low fish biomass treatments, zooplankton abundance increased through time, owing to a peak in cladoceran density, but decreased (mainly cladocerans) at highest fish biomass. Copepods and rotifers were less affected at the highest fish biomass and dominated zooplankton communities. We highlighted that the presence of high silver carp biomass could lead to changes in phytoplankton assemblage via the impact on herbivorous zooplankton. Since silver carp efficiently graze on particles > 20 microns, the suppression of herbivorous cladocerans could result in an increase in small size algae (< 20 microns) abundance since these species would be released from grazers as well as competitors (large algae grazed by silver carp) and nutrients levels would be enhanced by fish internal loading. Our results showed that the use of low silver carp biomass (< 200 kg.ha-1) would allow us to minimize these negative effects.     

Effects of benthivorous bream (Abramis brama) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) on sediment resuspension and concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a

1. The effect of benthivorous bream and carp on sediment resuspension and the concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a were studied in sixteen experimental ponds (mean depth 1m, mean area 0.1 ha, sandy clay/clay sediment), stocked with bream or carp at densities varying from 0 to 500 kg ha^?1. Planktivorous perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) were added to some ponds to suppress zooplankton. 2. Suspended sediment concentrations increased linearly with biomass of benthivorous fish. Bream caused an increase of 46 g sediment m^?2 day^?1 per 100kg bream ha^?1 and a reduction of 0.38m^?1 in reciprocal Secchi disc depth, corresponding to an increase in the extinction coefficient of 0.34m^?1. 3. No relationship was found between size of fish and amount of resuspension, but the effect of bream was twice as great as that of carp. Benthivorous feeding was reduced in May because alternative food (zooplankton) was available. 4. Assuming a linear relationship, chlorophyll a level increased by 9.0 μgI^?1, total P by 0.03mgl^?1 and Kjeldahl-N by 0.48mgl^?1 per 100kg bream ha^?1. Silicate, chlorophyll a, total P and total N were all positively correlated with fish biomass, but orthophosphate showed no correlation.     

Culture-based fisheries in minor perennial reservoirs in Sri Lanka: variability in production, stocked species and yield implications

Sri Lanka is blessed with a large number of irrigation reservoirs. Depending on their hydrological regimes they are broadly categorized into perennial and seasonal reservoirs, and are secondarily used for inland fisheries. The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Sri Lanka initiated a programme to introduce culture‐based fisheries in minor perennial reservoirs (< 250 ha) whereby 15 minor perennial reservoirs situated in eight administrative districts were selected for introduction of culture‐based fisheries in its initial year of implementation. These reservoirs were stocked with fish fingerlings of catla Catla catla, rohu Labeo rohita, common carp Cyprinus carpio, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and post‐larvae of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Stocking commenced in 2004; stocking data from 2004, 2005 and 2006 are considered in this study. Stocking densities varied from 217 to 870 ha^?1 year^?1, with an average density of 425 ha^?1 year^?1. Fish catch statistics for 2005, 2006 and 2007 were considered; high variability in fish yield among reservoirs as well as in some reservoirs between the years were observed. Mean annual fish yield from all 15 reservoirs increased from 57.3 to 208.1 kg ha^?1 year^?1 after the introduction of culture‐based fisheries. Overall fish production in all 15 reservoirs increased by 263%, ranging from 42.8 to 1344%. Overall contributions of Nile tilapia, catla, rohu, common carp and freshwater prawn to fish harvest were 47.4, 27.2, 16.9, 4.3 and 0.7%, respectively. Biomass gain per fingerling stocked with respect to catla, rohu, common carp and freshwater prawn are 0.51, 0.42, 0.26 and 0.04 kg, respectively, indicating attractive monetary gains through stocking of these species. Results indicate the viability of culture‐based fisheries in minor perennial reservoirs. Possible reasons for high variability in fish yield and areas for follow‐up studies are discussed.     

Consumption of crucian carp (Carassius carassius L., 1758) by restocked pike (Esox lucius L., 1758) in a lake with frequent winter hypoxia

To assess the effects of stocked pike (Esox lucius L.) on crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.) biomasses, the annual consumption of pike was estimated and compared with removal fishery catches. The studied lake, Lake Savijärvi, is a small (40 ha), shallow and eutrophicated lake in southern Finland with frequent algal blooms during summers and fish kills during winters. Until the 1980s, the fish fauna consisted of pike, perch (Perca fluviatilis L.), roach [Rutilus rutilus (L.)], crucian carp, and tench (Tinca tinca L.). Since 2003, when crucian carp were abundant in the extreme and with only a few roach and tench individuals, the lake has been biomanipulated by removal seining. To enhance the effects of seining, piscivorous pike were restocked in the spring of 2008. During the 3‐year study, the catch of crucian carp decreased from 243 to 136 kg while the catch of pike increased from 0.1 to 5.7 kg per seining hectare due to their spawning in the lake as of 2009. The total crucian carp consumption by captured pike was 588 kg during the 2008–2010 study period. When applying the number of pike estimated with the mark‐recapture method, consumption estimate increased to 917 kg, or 22.9 kg per lake hectare in 2010. Thus, pike consumption of crucian carp was about 17% of the removal catch in 2010.     

Consequences of the size structure of fish populations for their effects on a generalist avian predator

Size-structured interspecific interactions can shift between predation and competition, depending on ontogenetic changes in size relationships. I examined the effects of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), an omnivorous fish, on the reproductive success of the red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena), an avian gape-limited predator, along a fish size gradient created by stocking distinct age-cohorts in seminatural ponds. Young-of-the-year (0+) carp were an essential food source for young grebes. Only adult birds were able to consume 1-year-old (1+) fish, while 2-year-old (2+) fish attained a size refuge from grebes. Amphibian larvae were the principal alternative prey to fish, followed by macroinvertebrates, but the abundance of both dramatically decreased along the carp size gradient. Fledging success was 2.8 times greater in ponds with 0+ versus 1+ carp; in ponds with 1+ carp, chicks received on average 2.6–3 times less prey biomass from their parents, and over 1/3 of broods suffered total failure. Breeding birds avoided settling on 2+ ponds. These results show that changes in prey fish size structure can account for shifts from positive trophic effects on the avian predator to a negative impact on the predator’s alternative resources. However, competition did not fully explain the decrease in grebe food resources in the presence of large fish, as carp and grebes overlapped little in diet. In experimental cages, 1+ carp totally eliminated young larvae of amphibians palatable to fish. In field conditions, breeding adults of palatable taxa avoided ponds with 1+ and older carp. Non-trophic interactions such as habitat selection by amphibians or macroinvertebrates to avoid large fish may provide an indirect mechanism strengthening the adverse bottom-up effects of fish on birds.     

A comparison of the pond culture of carp, Cyprinus carpio L., in Britain and mainland Europe

In recent years the requirement for carp in the U.K. has escalated, mainly due to the restocking market. This demand cannot be met from mainland Europe because of import restrictions and home production has increased. Freshwater coarse fish farming has been historically unimportant in Britain and few scientific data exist for pond culture under British conditions. In general, continental guidelines are followed but the growing-on ponds are smaller. The climate and the nature of the sites have often resulted in unreliable spawning. First year survival and growth tends to be poorer but growth rates in the second year are comparable. Carp for restocking ( c. 300 g) can be reared in 2 years and carp for the table ( c. 1000 g) can sometimes be produced in 3 years. Levels of production, however, compare favourably with more traditional carp culture, up to 480 kg ha⁻¹ per year using extensive cultivation and up to 2200 kg ha⁻¹ per year with intensive rearing and pelleted foods. The sites in Britain for which data exist have, however, been eutrophic in contrast to the more mesotrophic sites on the mainland. This apparent difference in base, line productivity may explain the relatively good production performance so far in Britain.     

珠江东塔产卵场鳙繁殖的生态水文需求

鳙(Aristichthys nobilis(Richardson)),我国著名的四大家鱼之一,是一种重要的大型淡水经济鱼类。然而近年来由于各种原因,我国鳙种群数量急剧下降。依据2006—2013年珠江中下游长时间序列仔鱼数据和日平均流量数据,分析了研究水域鳙的繁殖生态,包括仔鱼出现的时间分布特征和早期资源周年变化规律,同时采用交互小波光谱分析方法 (cross wavelet analysis),分析了径流量与鳙仔鱼多度的关系。发现珠江水系鳙早期资源发生主要在5至8月,2006—2011年早期补充资源量逐渐减少,2012—2013年间呈明显著增加;鳙早期资源年度出现的时间呈缩减趋势,其中最大繁殖量出现的时间逐年提前。交互小波光谱分析结果表明:径流量的改变与鳙仔鱼的多度显著正相关,当径流量大于5×103m3/s,且持续2d以上,是珠江水系鳙大量繁殖的基础,将对受梯级水坝控制的鳙产卵场的繁殖生态水文保障具有指导意义。     

Fish stocking creates an ecological trap for an avian predator via effects on prey availability

In anthropogenic landscapes animals may be lured into low‐quality habitats where they survive or reproduce poorly (‘ecological traps’). I investigated breeding habitat selection in relation to intra‐seasonal changes in food availability and reproductive output in red‐necked grebes Podiceps grisegena, a size‐limited predator, of common carp Cyprinus carpio ponds. Carp farms constitute highly heterogeneous habitat mosaics due to separate stocking of different age/size fish. Pond features significant for grebe settling decisions, i.e. hydroperiod and emergent vegetation cover, had no obvious effects on prey abundance for chicks and on fledging success. Breeding grebes avoided ponds containing fish too large for them to ingest but exhibited little preference between ponds with medium‐sized one‐year‐old carp that could be exploited by pre‐laying birds, and ponds designated for young‐of‐the‐year carp, where only invertebrates and amphibians were available as prey in early spring. Red‐necked grebes settling on ponds with medium‐sized fish failed to predict future shifts in interactions with carp stocks; carp exceeded the prey‐size threshold of chicks and adversely affected their non‐fish prey levels. The resulting food shortage led to severe egg‐to‐fledging mortality rates compared to fishless ponds or those containing young‐of‐the‐year fish. This study shows that waterbirds vulnerable to competition from fish can risk maladaptive habitat selection due to unrecognised spatial and temporal variation in food resources caused by fish stocking practices. Ecological traps created by perturbations to trophic interactions may be common but difficult to detect because altered dynamics of trophic resources can affect wildlife indirectly. As with other types of ecological traps, manipulation of habitat features identified as attractive cues for settling animals, but not related to critical food resources, may help to reduce perceptual pitfalls. For example, wetland management to mitigate trap effects driven by commercially stocked fish should preserve abundant emergent vegetation in habitats with weak fish impact and extend their hydroperiod.     

Effects of a rapidly increasing population of common carp on vegetative cover and waterfowl in a recently restored Midwestern shallow lake

Although the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), an invasive benthic fish from Eurasia, has long been strongly implicated in the disappearance of vegetative cover and reduced waterfowl abundance in North American shallow lakes, the details of this relationship are obscure. This study documented ecological changes in a recently restored shallow lake (Hennepin and Hopper Lakes, IL, USA) at a time that it was experiencing a large increase in its carp population. We estimated the abundance and biomass of carp 7 years after this lake had been restored and then back-calculated carp population size across time while examining changes in the lake’s plant and waterfowl communities. We found that the biomass of carp remained below ~30 kg/ha for 5 years following restoration, but then increased to ~100 kg/ha in the sixth year following a strong recruitment event. Although a carp biomass of <30 kg/ha had no discernible effects on vegetative cover (which exceeded 90%) or waterfowl (which exceeded 150,000 individuals during fall censuses), the increase to 100 kg/ha was associated with a ~50% decrease in both vegetative cover and waterfowl. A further increase in carp biomass to over 250 kg/ha during the seventh year coincided with a decrease in the vegetative cover to 17% of the lake’s surface and a decline in waterfowl use to ~10% of its original value. These data suggest that the common carp is extremely damaging to the ecological integrity of shallow lakes when its density exceeds ~100 kg/ha. Since the biomass of carp in Midwestern shallow lakes commonly exceeds this value by 3–4 times, it seems likely that carp are responsible for the large-scale habitat deterioration described in many of these ecosystems. Handling editor: J. Cambray     

Size-structured effects of common carp on reproduction of pond-breeding amphibians

The role of fish in driving amphibian communities has been widely recognized. However, little is known about size-structured interactions between amphibian and fish populations. This study compared the taxonomic occurrence and densities of larval amphibians between unstocked ponds and ponds stocked with different age cohorts of common carp Cyprinus carpio differing in average body size. The average total densities of early and late breeding anurans known to be vulnerable to fish were by 1–2 orders of magnitude greater in the presence of young-of-the-year carp than that of older cohorts. The probabilities of occurrence of the most common taxa did not differ between ponds stocked with young-of-the-year fish and ponds free of carp, but were significantly larger in those ponds than in ponds stocked with large-size cohorts. No significant differences between pond categories were found for densities of unpalatable Bufo bufo larvae. In aquatic systems harbouring size-structured fish populations, a fish age/size gradient may explain differential habitat suitability for breeding amphibians better than the fish presence/absence dichotomy. When dominated by young cohorts incapable of predation or of adverse habitat alteration, fish-abundant waters are suitable for amphibian reproduction. Conversely, even a ‘non-predatory’ fish, after attaining large body size, may exert a detrimental impact on amphibian breeding success. These findings may be particularly important for amphibian conservation at pond fisheries characterized by spatial separation of age/size distributed stocks.     

葛洲坝水利枢纽兴建后对青、草、鲢、鳙繁殖生态效应的研究

本文分析了葛洲坝枢纽截流后,大坝上、下游草、青、鲢、鳙的繁殖条件,产卵场位置,产卵规模,鱼卵、鱼苗成色以及4种鱼的群体组成等。指出除原宜昌产卵场发生变化外,其余产卵场基本存在,并在上游新发现了几处产卵场。讨论了大坝对4种鱼的影响程度和上游存在草鱼地方性群体,论证了4种鱼不必过坝产卵的理由。       

3×3完全双列杂交F1不同阶段生长特点的分析

为了了解鲤杂交F1不同组合、不同阶段生长性状的变化情况,研究以建鲤、黄河鲤和黑龙江野鲤3个鲤品种双列杂交F1为试验材料,通过组合、组合内性别间、性别、不同时期体重、体增重以及协方差分量的分析,来确定完全双列杂交F1生长性状的变化特点,以及在此过程中起重要作用的影响因素。结果表明:不同时期各个组合体重不同,不同时期组合内性别间体重差异不同;不同时期不同性别间体重差异不同;不同协方差分量,同一组合PIT标记17个月时的体重的最小二乘估计值不同,同一个协方差分量,9个组合中极值估计值出现的组合也不同;除PIT标记17个月后的体厚作为协方差分量外,性别之间体重没有差异,其余分量均是雌鱼体重显著高于雄鱼体重。这些说明选取合适的协方差分量对组合的选择和育种的结果有重要影响。