The distribution of macroinvertebrates and fishes in Tasmanian estuaries

The distributions of 390 taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates collected in forty-eight estuaries and 101 fish species collected in seventy-five Tasmanian estuaries were related to geographical and environmental variables. Distribution patterns for the two taxonomic groups were largely congruent at both between and within-estuary scales. Faunal composition and the number of species collected at a site were primarily related to site salinity, the biomass of seagrass and tidal range. At the broader estuary scale, the distributions of macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages were primarily correlated with the presence of an entrance bar. Species richness varied with geographical location for both macrofauna and fishes, with highest numbers of species occurring in the Furneaux Group, north-eastern Tasmania and south-eastern Tasmania. These patterns primarily reflected differences in estuary type between regions rather than concentrations of locally endemic species. Although the majority of species collected during the study were marine vagrants, they constituted a very low proportion of total animal densities within estuaries. Only four species considered exotic to Tasmania were identifed. Nearly all species recorded from Tasmanian estuaries occurred widely within the state and have also been recorded in south-eastern Australia. Only 1% of estuarine fish species and < 5% of invertebrate species were considered endemic to the state. The generally wide ranges of species around Tasmania were complicated by (i) the absence of most species from the west coast (ii) a small (< 10%) component of species that occurred only in the north-east and Furneaux Group (eastern Bass Strait), and (iii) a few species (< 5%) restricted to other regions. The low number of species recorded from estuaries along the western Tasmanian coast reflected extremely low faunal biomass in that area. This depression in biomass on the west coast was attributed to unusually low concentrations of dissolved nutrients in rivers and dark tannin-stained waters which greatly restricted algal photosynthesis and primary production.     

Swamp-riverine tropical fish population: a comparative study of two spatially isolated freshwater ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia

Twenty-four fish species were collected during a study from October 1996 of the swamp-riverine fish populations of two spatially isolated Malaysian freshwater swamp ecosystems. Twenty one species were collected from the Beriah Kanan River, which is located in northern Peninsular Malaysia, compared to only 10 species obtained from the Ulu Sedili River in the south. At both sites, the species Rasbora einthovenii and Hemirhamphodon pogognathu appeared to be the most dominant species, whereas Rasbora pauciperforata and Nemacheilus selangoricus were very rarely caught and Beriah Kanan and Ulu Sedili River, respectively. An analysis of the physico-chemical data showed that although pH, conductivity and ammonium levels were fairly similar at both sites, orthophosphate, hardness and total suspended solids were relatively higher for Ulu Sedili River.     

Predator avoidance in mummichog larvae from a polluted habitat

Previous work has shown that adult mummichogs ( Fundulus heteroclitus ) from a polluted site (Piles Creek, PC, New Jersey) were more vulnerable to predation by blue crabs than fish from a more pristine site (Tuckerton, TK, New Jersey). The present study was conducted to compare the spontaneous activity, swimming performance and predator avoidance of fish of the two populations at early life stages. When raised in synthetic salt water, both newly hatched and 1–month-old mummichog larvae from TK had greater spontaneous activity, swimming performance, and stamina than those from PC. In comparison to TK, PC larvae were less vulnerable to predation by yearling mummichogs at 1 week old, but were more vulnerable at 1 month old. Variation in behaviour and swimming ability of TK and PC larvae accounted for the differences in vulnerability to predation. TK larvae employed greater swimming and irregular movement, which was more successful for survival of older larger larvae. In contrast, PC larvae hid, often remaining motionless, which was advantageous for survival of young smaller larvae. Contaminants had been assumed responsible for the behavioural differences in the PC population. However, since differences were seen in larvae raised in synthetic salt water, it is possible that maternally transferred neurotoxicants (possibly delayed effects) and/or inherent factors also play a role.     

Characterization of morphology and physiological actions of scale osteoclasts in the rainbow trout

The morphology of scale osteoclasts in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss was characterized by light and scanning electron microscopy, and the effects of oestradiol-17β-treatment and sexual maturation on scale osteoclast morphology were investigated. The cells associated with resorption cavities could be distinguished morphologically as two types: symmetrical, compact cells lacking or having only a few cell processes, termed type 1 cells, and asymmetrical cells covered with folds and having several cell processes, termed type 2 cells. In adult sexually maturing fish, where scale resorption was high, type 1 cells were predominant. In juveniles and spawned adults where scale resorption was assumed to be relatively low, mostly type 2 cells were present. Oestradiol 17-β-treatment of juvenile rainbow trout increased the osteoclast activity, but did not affect the osteoclast morphology. Using light microscopy, the majority of the cells observed in, and closely associated with, the resorption cavities were mononucleated in both maturing and spawned fish. Occasionally, bi- and multinucleated osteoclasts were observed in the maturing, but not in the spawned fish. Light microscopic enzyme-histochemistry showed that the majority of the mononucleated cells, as well as the bi- and multinucleated ones, were tartrate resistant acid phosphatase positive in both groups of fish, thus implying that both type 1 and type 2 cells were osteoclasts. It is thus apparent that scale resorption in rainbow trout is carried out by two morphologically distinct osteoclast populations, representing different stages of osteoclast activity and/or different stages of osteoclast differentiation.     

The effects of food-web management on fish assemblage dynamics in a north temperate lake

There was an intensive trawl fishery in the Enonselkä basin in Lake Vesijärvi (southern Finland) in 1989–1993 and thereafter the fishing intensity declined. The fish assemblage dynamics were studied both during the years of intensive trawling and for 3 years afterwards. Roach Rutilus rutilus dominated the fish assemblage before the mass removal. The intensive trawling effectively diminished the roach stock and the present fishing intensity has been sufficient to prevent its recovery. There were significant decreasing trends in the gillnet cpue (catch per unit effort) of bream Abramis brama (L.) and bleak Alburnus alburnus (L.) while increasing trend was observed in cpue of ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.) and vendace Coregonus albula (L.). Perch Perca fluviatilis L. and pikeperch Stizostedion lucioperca (L.) showed variations in cpue but no trends existed. The proportion of cyprinids decreased while that of percids and coregonids increased in the catches. The changes in the fish assemblage were induced by the intensive fishing and by the concomitant decline in the ecosystem productivity.     

线粒体的热机效率原理及其在运动疲劳中的应用

基于呼吸链电子漏现象提出了用热机效率原理描述线粒体合成ＡＴＰ 的工作效率, 指出呼吸链漏电不仅使线粒体合成ＡＴＰ 的效率降低, 而且导致线粒体生成有害的活性氧自由基, 引起线粒体损伤。通过检测游泳耗竭小鼠心肌线粒体生成过氧化氢速率的增高和线粒体呼吸对氰化钾敏感性的下降,证明了耗竭运动引起呼吸链电子漏水平明显增高。随电子漏增加而出现的活性氧的损伤表现在线粒体脂质过氧化程度增加,呼吸链四个酶复合物的活性均有不同程度降低,以及呼吸控制率的下降等等。文章讨论了呼吸链电子漏和电子漏引起的活性氧生成对线粒体合成ＡＴＰ 效率的影响。     

光照对鱼类生理活动影响的研究进展

在自然界,光的变化具有稳定性和规律性,它的变动能触发动物的一些生理机制［１］。关于光对鱼类生理活动影响的研究,国内的报道极少,而国外的研究相对多一些。近年来,虽然在这方面的工作取得了一些进展,但从整体上看,还仅仅处在初步探索阶段。本文根据国内外的研究报道,综述了光照对鱼类繁殖、代谢和内分泌活动的影响。１　光照周期对鱼类繁殖的影响光是影响动物繁殖的一个重要生态因子。许多热带鱼类全年繁殖,因为热带地区的昼长基本上是稳定的［２］。大量的实验室工作也证明,光照对动物繁殖的影响不仅因种而异,而且还因动物的…     

力竭性游泳对大鼠胃组织丙二醛,游离巯基和ATP含量的影响

目的：探讨力竭性游泳造成胃肠功能紊乱的机理。方法：３２只ＳＤ雄性大鼠随机分为４组,即对照组（Ｃ）;运动后即刻组（ＥＸ１）;运动后３０ｍｉｎ组（ＥＸ２）;运动后６０ｍｉｎ组（ＥＸ３）,测定力竭性游泳后不同时相胃组织中ＭＤＡ,游离巯基和ＡＴＰ含量。结果：运动后即刻三项指标没有发生显著变化,但在运动３０ｍｉｎ和６０ｍｉｎ组中ＭＤＡ含量显著增加,而游离巯基和ＡＴＰ含量在这两个时相中显著下降,同时,解剖学观察也证实,力竭性游泳后３０ｍｉｎ和６０ｍｉｎ胃组织损伤严重。结论：运动源性自由基对胃组织有严重损伤,是造成运动性胃肠功能紊乱的重要因素。     

饲料中添加乌贼肝粉和鱼浆蛋白对中华鳖抗氧化能力的影响

本实验研究了饲料中添加乌贼肝粉和鱼浆蛋白对中华鳖抗氧化能力的影响。设计了3个实验组,对照组（白鱼粉组）、乌贼肝粉组和鱼浆蛋白组。3种实验饲料的营养成分相近,主要区别是乌贼肝粉组和鱼浆蛋白组的饲料中分别用乌贼肝粉和鱼浆蛋白取代了对照组饲料中5%的白鱼粉。用3种饲料分别养殖中华鳖（Pelodiscus sinensis）稚鳖8周,测定了稚鳖血清和肝组织的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性、丙二醛含量（MDA）、总抗氧化能力（T-AOC）以及血清碱性磷酸酶（AKP）和溶菌酶（LZM）的活性。结果发现,乌贼肝粉组稚鳖血清和肝MDA含量显著低于对照组,T-AOC高于对照组;鱼浆蛋白组稚鳖血清和肝MDA含量、血清T-AOC与对照组没有显著差异,但肝T-AOC显著低于对照组。实验结果表明,饲料中添加5%的乌贼肝粉能提高稚鳖的抗氧化能力。     

切鳍标记对唐鱼游泳能力的影响

本研究通过测定完全切除背鳍、臀鳍、尾鳍或双侧胸鳍后唐鱼（Tanichthys albonubes）临界游泳速度来评价切鳍标记对游泳能力的影响。研究结果表明,在速度增量（ΔU）为36 mm/s,持续时间（Δt）分别为5 min、10 min、15 min、20 min、25 min、30 min的条件下,唐鱼临界游泳速度会随着持续时间的延长而降低。鳍组织完整的唐鱼〔体长（24 ± 1）mm〕,在不同持续时间（Δt）条件下,其绝对临界游泳速度（Uacrit）为（251.98 ± 11.04）mm/s ~（333.78±12.44）mm/s;同等条件下,切除唐鱼的背鳍或臀鳍均不会对唐鱼的绝对临界游泳速度造成显著影响（P＞0.05）,但切除唐鱼的尾鳍或胸鳍后其临界游泳速度与对照组相比极显著降低（P＜0.01）,其中切除尾鳍后绝对临界游泳速度平均下降47.20%,切除胸鳍后平均下降22.98%,两者间存在极显著的差异（P＜0.01）(图2)。研究表明背鳍切除可作为野外唐鱼短期标记-重捕的手段之一。