First U.K. recording in the wild of the bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis

Five specimens of bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis were captured from a lake in eastern England in January 2006, their first confirmed recording in the wild in the U.K. They varied in fork lengths from 746 to 796 mm and mass from 10·0 to 13·5 kg. All the fish were age 9 years and were slow growing compared to populations elsewhere in their expanded range.     

Multiplex microsatellite PCR panels and their application in genetic analyses of bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (H. molitrix)

In this study, three multiplex PCR panels involving twelve microsatellite loci were developed for cross-species amplification in bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (H. molitrix). The panels were verified using population genetic analyses, and species and simulated hybrid discriminations based on the genotype data of all individuals from two populations for each species. The number of alleles (Na), the observed and expected heterozygosity (Ho and He), and the polymorphic information content (PIC) of twelve loci were ranged from 5 to 20, 0.189 to 0.956, 0.177 to 901, and 0.169 to 0.887, respectively. Overall, almost all the microsatellite loci were detected as highly polymorphic across the two species. The populations of same species showed close genetic distances and similar genetic structures. Significant genetic differentiations were only detected between populations from different species, with a higher variation between species (21.17%) compared with that between populations within species (0.18%). In the species and simulated hybrid discrimination analyses, the individuals from different species were separated distinctly, and the simulated hybrids could almost be separated with the true individuals. In brief, the results indicated the high efficiency of the microsatellite multiplex panels developed in this study, which provide a practicable tool for further genetic analyses of H. nobilis and H. molitrix.     

An anatomical assessment of branch abscission and branch-base hydraulic architecture in the endangered Wollemia nobilis

Background and Aims: The branch-base xylem structure of the endangered Wollemia nobiliswas anatomically investigated. Wollemia nobilis is probablythe only extant tree species that produces only first-orderbranches and where all branches are cleanly abscised. An investigationwas carried out to see if these unusual features might influencebranch-base xylem structure and water supply to the foliage. Methods: The xylem was sectioned at various distances along the branchbases of 6-year-old saplings. Huber values and relative theoreticalhydraulic conductivities were calculated for various regionsof the branch base. Key Results: The most proximal branch base featured a pronounced xylem constriction.The constriction had only 14–31 % (average 21 %)of the cross-sectional area and 20–42 % (average28 %) of the theoretical hydraulic conductivity of themore distal branch xylem. Wollemia nobilis had extremely lowHuber values for a conifer. Conclusions: The branch-base xylem constriction would appear to facilitatebranch abscission, while the associated Huber values show thatW. nobilis supplies a relatively large leaf area through a relativelysmall diameter ‘pipe’. It is tempting to suggestthat the pronounced decline of W. nobilis in the Tertiary isrelated to its unusual branch-base structure but physiologicalstudies of whole plant conductance are still needed.     

Trait plasticity,not values,best corresponds with woodland plant success in novel and manipulated habitats

Aims The clustering of plants with similar leaf traits along environmental gradients may arise from adaptation as well as acclimation to heterogeneous habitat conditions. Determining the forces that shape plant leaf traits requires both linking variation in trait morphology with abiotic gradients and linking that trait variation with plant performance under varying abiotic conditions. Across the spectrum of plant types, shade-tolerant evergreen herbs are relatively low in trait plasticity, compared to deciduous and sun-adapted species. These plants employ stress-tolerant strategies for survival, which coincide with relatively static trait morphologies, slow growth and hence a lower ability to adjust to changing environmental conditions.Methods We investigate how the survival of two ecologically similar understory evergreen species, Asarum arifolium and Hepatica nobilis, corresponds with variation in six commonly measured functional traits (leaf area, specific leaf area, plant height, leaf number, leaf length and shoot mass) along natural and experimental abiotic gradients. We examine temporal (the period 2007–9) and spatial (100 km) variations in these traits after (i) translocating 576 plants across a span from the southern Appalachian Mountains in NC, USA, to the Piedmont, GA, USA, which includes north- and south-facing slope habitats and (ii) the experimental manipulation of diffuse light and soil moisture.Important findings We find that when translocated into a novel habitats, with novel environmental conditions that often are more extreme than the source habitat, both species appear capable of considerable morphological acclimation and generally converge to similar trait values. Hepatica nobilis does not exhibit mean trait values particularly different from those of A. arifolium, but it demonstrates much greater phenotypic plasticity. These results indicate that relatively conservative plant species nonetheless acclimate and survive across heterogeneous environmental conditions.     

中华鲟养殖池背角无齿蚌和鲢鳙鱼生态修复效果比较

2009年5月31日-6月20日在广东省大沙河水库利用微型生态系统比较不同放养密度的褶纹冠蚌(Cristaria plicata)和背角无齿蚌(Anodonta woodiana)对水体氮、磷及浮游植物的影响,探讨两种蚌在控制南亚热带水库富营养化水体藻类水华上的可行性。实验结果表明,在褶纹冠蚌和背角无齿蚌处理组中,总氮、总磷和叶绿素a浓度显著增加,而铵氮的浓度显著下降;褶纹冠蚌和背角无齿蚌导致了浮游植物群落组成结构的改变和数量的增加,实验过程中绿藻所占的比例迅速上升。两种蚌之间没有显著的差异,只是在不同的作用强度下,时间上的响应不同。综合实验结果,褶纹冠蚌和背角无齿蚌难以有效地运用于我国华南地区水库的水质改善与富营养化控制。     

鲢、鳙在天然条件下的摄食强度 (Ⅰ) 鲢、鳙鱼种在夏季的摄食强度

测定鲢(Hypophthalmichthy molitrix)、鳙(Aristichthys nobilis)鱼种在天然条件下肠管饱满度指数与水温及溶解氧的关系,在实验条件下鱼的排空率。根据修正后的Bajkov公式(D=C24·A/n)估计鱼的日摄食量。两种鱼在天然条件下具昼夜摄食节律,它们的摄食高峰在下午16—19时,低谷在清晨4—7时。鲢日粮为其体重12.81—23.08%;鳙为8.91—14.63%。它们的摄食强度随溶解氧的升高而加强,反之则下降。     

五大连池鳙的生长分析

为了分析五大连池鳙(Aristichthys nobilis)的生长情况,于2013和2014年在五大连池三池及二池随机采集223尾鳙样本,采用鳞片鉴定其年龄,退算体长、体重。同时采用von Bertalanffy生长方程分析了五大连池鳙体长、体重的生长规律。结果显示,鳙渔获物的平均体长、体重分别为54.61 cm和3 280.53 g,由3+~8+共6个年龄组组成,以5+龄个体为主,占总数的50.67%。五大连池鳙体长(L,cm)、体重(W,g)之间关系式为W=0.0289 L2.901(n=223,R=0.974)。体长、体重von Bertalanffy生长方程分别为:Lt=97.619[1﹣e﹣0.140(ti﹣0.004)]和Wt=17113.260[1﹣e~(﹣0.140(ti﹣0.004))]2.901。鳙体长生长速度曲线无拐点,随着年龄的增加生长速度逐渐降低。体重的生长速度曲线具有拐点,拐点年龄为7.61龄,所对应的体长和体重分别为63.94 cm和5 012.82 g。采用生长特征指数?对比分析五大连池与其他水域鳙的生长,结果显示五大连池鳙的生长较为缓慢,栖息环境的水温、饵料生物密度是影响五大连池鳙生长的重要因素。有效提高鳙生长速度的关键措施在于降低放养密度。     

鳙幼鱼在下行过程中应对加速流的行为响应研究

以具有下行洄游需求的鳙(Aristichthys noblis)幼鱼为研究对象, 在自行设计制造加速流的装置中进行下行实验, 结果发现: 在实验设置的3个入口流速下(入口流速分别为: 0.018、0.034和0.053 m/s), 鳙幼鱼的通过率均为100%。在下行通过孔口的方式上, 以尾部先通过为主(即顶流通过), 尤其是在流速较高的时候, 头部先通过比例仅为6.25%。在通过总时间(从实验开始至通过孔口的时间)上, 鳙幼鱼在低流速条件下显著小于在中流速条件下(P<0.05), 而在高流速条件下与中低两个流速条件下均无显著性差异(P>0.1)。在通过时间(从实验鱼最后一次进入加速区域, 至通过孔口的时间)上, 鳙幼鱼在三种流速条件下没有显著差异性(P>0.1)。研究表明, 加速流会对鳙幼鱼下行的时间和方式产生影响。研究旨在为鱼类资源保护, 帮助鱼类安全高效过坝提供基础数据, 同时也为研究鱼类在下行过程中应对加速流的行为研究提供一种研究方法。     

两种鲤科经济鱼类水声目标强度的实验测定与应用评估

鱼类目标强度(Target Strength,TS)及其与鱼体长度的关系是渔业声学技术研究和应用的核心内容之一。本文以我国广泛分布的鲤科经济鱼类鲤(Cyprinus carpio)和鳙(Aristichthys nobilis)为研究对象,选择湖北省宜昌市隔河岩水库的一处僻静库湾作为实验地点,于2017年5月1—20日采用绳系实验法和Simrad EY60型(频率120 kHz)分裂波束回声探测仪,在环境干扰小的实验网箱里逐一测量单体实验鱼游动状态下的目标强度,由此构建2种鱼的目标强度与个体大小关系式。用于实验的鲤和鳙均为26尾,其全长分别为19.9—29.6 cm和49.2—74.2 cm,体重分别为175—461 g和1200—4700 g,实验所测TS值分别为–59.35—–45.20 dB和–34.22—–17.49 dB。回归得到实验鱼目标强度(TS,dB)与全长(TL,cm)关系式(1)鲤: TS = 29.84×lgTL – 95.23(R^2 = 0.74,P<0.01),(2)鳙: TS = 35.88×lgTL – 90.33 (R^2 = 0.83,P<0.01)。同时选择一个小型封闭水体(盐龙湖)“赶、拦、刺、张”联合渔法捕捞之前的鱼探仪调查数据作为分析实例,通过本文鳙TS-TL关系式估算全湖鱼类资源总量为89360 kg,折合40.1 g/m^2,捕捞产量(73610 kg)与之较为接近,在一定程度上反映了实验目标强度测定及其与体长关系式的合理性,有助于丰富我国内陆水域鱼类资源水声学评估技术的基础参数。