The influence of age on the use of potential enrichment objects and synchronisation of behaviour of pigs

This experiment aimed to identify how a pig's age affected the extent and synchrony of use of different environmental enrichment materials, and how this use changed over time. Ten diverse novel objects were each presented to three replicate litters of 3 weeks of age (sucklers) and three replicate groups of three animals of 5 (weaners) weeks and 13 (growers) weeks of age. Video recordings were made of the pigs’ behaviour over a period of 5 days and subsequently analysed for activity, inactivity and object directed behaviour of three animals per group on days 1 and 5. The observed performance of any given behaviour, when at least one other member of the group was also performing that behaviour, was compared with the probability that such concurrence occurred by chance and these results were used to calculate the degree of synchronisation. Gender had no effect on the duration of object use or approach latency. Growers displayed a shorter latency to approach the objects initially compared to sucklers and weaners (mean seconds; 2153 versus 2660 versus 980 for sucklers, weaners and growers, respectively, S.E.D. 542, p = 0.007). Sucklers used the objects to a much lesser extent than either the weaners or growers (mean duration object interaction (s); 129 versus 1253 versus 1412 for sucklers, weaners and growers, respectively, S.E.D. 93, p < 0.001). Overall object use decreased between days 1 and 5 (mean duration object interaction (s); 1326 versus 536 for days 1 and 5, respectively, S.E.D. 76, p < 0.001). All of the age groups synchronised their behaviour to a much greater extent than expected by chance. The sucklers showed a higher degree of synchrony of activity (K; 0.890 versus 0.776 versus 0.682 for sucklers, weaners and growers respectively, S.E.D. 0.013, p < 0.001) and inactivity (K; 0.963 versus 0.905 versus 0.909 respectively, S.E.D. 0.007, p < 0.001), but lower degree of synchrony for object directed behaviour (K; 0.149 versus 0.375 versus 0.370 respectively, S.E.D. 0.025, p < 0.001), than the weaners and growers. The degree of synchronisation of object directed behaviour decreased over the 5-day period, irrespective of age (K; 0.382 versus 0.214 for days 1 and 5 respectively, S.E.D. 0.020, p < 0.001). Significant correlations (r = 0.678–0.879) were found between the degree of synchrony and extent of object interaction only for the sucklers. Since pigs showed behavioural synchronisation, object availability should be considered when providing desirable enrichment in order to avoid excessive competition in larger commercial groups.     

南亚热带森林不同林型功能性状分布格局及其驱动机制

植物功能性状能反映植物对环境变化的响应,研究植物功能性状的分布格局有助于揭示群落的构建过程及其内在作用机制。该研究以鼎湖山南亚热带山地常绿阔叶林和沟谷雨林为研究对象,采集并测量了样地中木本植物的12种不同的功能性状,分别以5 m×5 m、10 m×10 m、20 m×20 m的样方为尺度单元,通过计算平均成对性状距离指数来探讨群落中功能性状的分布格局及其驱动机制。结果表明,两个林型的群落中12个功能性状均存在不同程度变异,但功能性状在群落间的差异不显著(P>0.05)。两个林型的群落中功能性状空间分布格局均具有尺度依赖性,但不同尺度的驱动机制有差异,随着空间尺度的增大,山地常绿阔叶林的功能性状空间分布格局主要驱动机制由环境过滤转为扩散限制;沟谷雨林的由环境过滤和相似性限制转为扩散限制,两个林型在20m×20m空间尺度上都是扩散限制。生态位分化和扩散限制综合作用于鼎湖山南亚热带山地常绿阔叶林和沟谷雨林的群落功能性状分布格局的产生及其群落构建过程,二者的贡献作用会随空间尺度发生变化。坡度是影响山地常绿阔叶林功能性状分布格局的最关键地形因子,海拔是影响沟谷雨林的最关键地形因子。     

Density-dependent responses of fawn cohort body mass in two contrasting roe deer populations

We investigated the influence of population density on juvenile body mass in two contrasting roe deer populations, in Sweden (Bogesund) and France (Chizé), in which density was monitored for ≥15 years. We investigated the effect of population density and climatic conditions on cohort performance. We predicted that: (1) body mass of growing fawns should be sensitive to environmental changes, showing marked between-year variation (i.e., cohort effects), (2) fawns in the less productive (weakly seasonal, weakly predictable summer weather) habitat of Chizé should show stronger density-dependent responses due to more severe food competition during summer than fawns in the more productive (markedly seasonal, moderately predictable summer weather) habitat of Bogesund, and (3) fawns at Bogesund should be heavier both in absolute terms and relative to their size than their conspecifics in Chizé due to a higher degree of fat accumulation in northern environments. In both study sites we found marked cohort variation and clear effects of density, with body mass varying by as much as 29% over years. While neither summer nor winter climate influenced fawn body mass at Bogesund, fawns tended to be lighter after summers with high temperatures at Chizé. In addition, fawns were heavier after acorn mast years experienced in utero at Bogesund. As expected, the strength of the density-dependent response of fawn body mass was greater at Chizé than at Bogesund. For a given density, male fawns were consistently heavier than females in both sites. Lastly, both sexes at Bogesund had higher absolute body mass and were larger for a given body size than in Chizé. Our results clearly demonstrate that absolute density is a poor predictor of roe deer performance and supports the view that habitat quality has an overwhelming importance for determining fawn body mass in roe deer populations.     

Dynamic changes in nahAc gene copy numbers during degradation of naphthalene in PAH-contaminated soils

Many bacteria that degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contain the nahAc gene that encodes a component of multimeric naphthalene dioxygenases. Because the nahAc gene is highly conserved, this gene serves as a potential biomarker for PAH degradation activity. The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between the rate of naphthalene degradation and the copy number of the nahAc gene in soils using conventional and real-time PCR. Four sets of degenerate primers for real-time PCR were designed based on the nahAc DNA sequences of 33 bacterial species. Before addition of naphthalene, copy numbers of the nahAc gene were below the detection limits of the assay at 5×10³ copy numbers per gram of soil, but increased by over a thousand fold to 10⁷ copies after 6 days of exposure to naphthalene vapors (approximately 30 ppm soil water concentration). Two unreported naphthalene dioxygenase homologs were found in the naphthalene-spiked soil by cloning and sequencing of the PCR products from the nahAc primers. Results of these experiments demonstrate the highly dynamic changes that occur in soil microbial communities after exposure to naphthalene and suggest that there is a direct relationship between gene copy numbers and degradation rates for naphthalene in PAH-contaminated soils.     

双酚A对雄性小鼠生殖毒性的影响

目的观察环境雌激素双酚A（BPA）对雄性小鼠生殖功能的损害作用。方法采用小鼠腹腔注射双酚A,染毒成年小鼠5d,饲养30d。观察小鼠精子畸形率、测定血清中一氧化氮（NO）的含量、一氧化氮合酶（NOS）的活性。以雌二醇（E2）作为阳性对照物。结果BPA染毒组小鼠的精子畸形率较对照组高,睾丸和附睾的脏器系数均低于对照组,血清NO含量、NOS活性均高于对照组。结论一定剂量的BPA对小鼠的精子有致畸作用,并可使血清NO含量、NOS活性增高。     

喀斯特峰丛洼地桂牧一号杂交象草对不同追施氮肥水平的响应

利用田间试验,研究了桂牧一号杂交象草对不同氮肥水平的响应.结果表明:3个追施氮肥处理株高、分蘖数、干草产量、粗蛋白含量和可溶性糖含量均高于对照处理;高氮追肥处理株高显著高于对照处理,中氮追肥处理分蘖数和干草产量显著高于对照处理,3个追施氮肥处理粗蛋白和可溶性糖年产量显著高于对照处理;追施氮肥有利于促进桂牧一号杂交象草的生长和营养物质的积累;高氮追肥处理的年净收入低于对照处理;中氮追肥处理为最佳经济施肥量,其年净收入显著高于对照处理.     

Distribution and factors influencing on structure of reef fish communities in Nha Trang Bay Marine Protected Area, South-Central Vietnam

Visual censuses of coral reef fishes in Nha Trang Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA) were conducted during September–October 2005. Nha Trang Bay MPA is relatively rich in reef fishes compared to other areas in Vietnam and the Pacific Ocean outside the ‘Coral Triangle,’ consistent with its biogeographic location in the western South China Sea. A total of 266 species of 40 families of coral reef fishes formed five distinct assemblages. Spatial variations in distribution and structure of the assemblages were associated with eight significant biological and physical variables which were cover of living hard corals, encrusting corals, branching corals, Acropora, Millepora, Montipora, depth and distance from the coast of the mainland. The six factors in front are likely related to provision of shelter and nutrition, while the distance factor is likely to represent a gradient in disturbance and impacts from various mainland sources including sedimentation and pollution discharge from nearby rivers. Local species richness ranged from 35 to 70 species 500 m⁻² (mean: 51 ± 2 SE) for reef flat stations and from 23 to 68 species 500 m⁻² (mean: 48 ± 4 SE) for reef slope stations. Total species richness at each site averaged 76 species (±4 SE), ranging from 56 to 110 species, dominated by wrasses, damselfishes, butterflyfishes, parrotfishes, surgeonfishes, groupers and goatfishes. Density of total fishes at each station ranged from 348 to 1,444 individuals 500 m⁻² (mean: 722 ± 302 SE) for the reef flat stations and from 252 to 929 individuals 500 m⁻² (mean: 536 ± 215.7 SE) for the reef slope stations. Overall mean density at each site averaged 628.9 (±238.4 SE) individuals 500 m⁻². The highly protected sites supported higher mean density of fishes per site (ranged: 904.5–1,213 individuals 500 m⁻² for Hon Mun and 1,167.5 individuals 500 m⁻² for Hon Cau) compared to other sites (<800 individuals 500 m⁻²). Of the families included in the census, densities were dominated throughout the MPA by damselfishes and wrasses. Many target species, particularly groupers, snappers and emperors, were rare or absent and the low abundance of big fishes was consistent with over-harvesting. Similarly a low density of butterfly fishes and angelfishes is likely related to the supply for marine aquaria in Vietnam and overseas. This study provides an important baseline against which the success of present and future MPA management initiatives may be assessed.     

Effect of culture parameters on the production of the edible mushroom <Emphasis Type="Italic">Grifola frondosa</Emphasis> (maitake) in tropical weathers

Hitherto, little effort has been directed to improve culture conditions for commercial development of maitake (Grifola frondosa), an edible and medicinal fungus, due to the short history of cultivation, particularly in tropical weathers. The purpose of this research was analyzing the environmental factors required for successful basidiome development on synthetic substrates in Colombia. We evaluated different cereal grains (corn, barley, sorghum and rice) for spawn production; and industrial by-products (such as coffee spent-ground and oak-sawdust) as substrates for mushroom production. Exploiting these residues for G. frondosa solid culturing would primarily provide edible mushroom and simultaneously help in resolving their disposal problem. The use of corn grains as substrate for spawn production results an important factor for reducing crop cycle time. A cold shock to 10°C was requisite for basidiome formation. Coffee spent-ground was a good substrate for mycelial growth, but not for mushroom production. When using oak sawdust plus corn bran as substrate, we obtained consistent yields with combined high biological efficiency (BE) (35.3%), best quality mushrooms, and a crop cycle of 12–14 weeks. The results achieved in this investigation contribute to expand the knowledge on this fungus, and compare favorably with previous works in the northern hemisphere with respect to BE, mushroom quality and crop cycle time.     

Leaf litter fungi in a Central Amazonian forest: the influence of rainfall,soil and topography on the distribution of fruiting bodies

Fungi are important components of tropical ecosystems, especially in the recycling of nutrients. However, there is little information on how fungal diversity is structured at scales suitable to plan their conservation. We tested if the distribution of fruiting bodies of litter fungi was random in the landscape (over 25 km²) in a tropical evergreen forest in Central Amazonia. We used linear regressions to evaluate the influence of rainfall, soil characteristics and topography on morphospecies richness and composition. Fungi were collected twice in thirty 0.25 × 250 m plots. Short-term rainfall was represented by the cumulative rainfall in the three days before each plot was surveyed. Plots were classified in two groups based on cumulative rainfall. Clay content in soil and rainfall influenced morphospecies richness, but responses to edaphic factors depended on rainfall. Wetter periods apparently decreased limiting moisture conditions in higher areas, allowing fungal activity and fruiting body production. Morphospecies composition was influenced by clay content, but influence on fungi was probably indirect as clay content was correlated with altitude, plant community and nitrogen availability. Our results suggest that the species of litter fungi are not randomly distributed in the landscape. Furthermore, they indicate that it is viable to conduct mesoscale evaluations of fungal diversity, if the temporal and spatial variation and their interaction are taken into account.     

Analysis of molecular markers in three different tomato cultivars exposed to ozone stress

Three differentially expressed cDNAs have been isolated from ozone treated tomato seedlings. Their level of expression after ozone exposure has been analysed in three tomato cultivars with different sensitivity to ozone (Nikita, Alisa Craig and Valenciano). These comparative analyses have been extended to a number of genes involved in antioxidative, wounding or pathogenesis responses, showing several differences among cultivars that could be related with their different sensitivity to ozone. Gene response to ozone was affected not only by the period and dose of ozone exposure (short time or chronic), but also by growth conditions (controlled growth chamber or field). Comparison of gene expression patterns puts on evidence the needing of validation in field of experiments performed with plants grown under controlled conditions. Our results suggest that changes in genes expression, observed after ozone treatment in field, are affected by additional factors related to environmental clues.