Diagnostic Genetic Marker That Differentiates Eastern Fox Squirrels From Eastern Gray Squirrels

Abstract The Delmarva fox squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus) has been listed as endangered by the United States Department of Interior since 1967. A high-priority task for the recovery of this taxon is to determine its current geographic distribution. Toward this end, we have identified a microsatellite locus that unambiguously differentiates Delmarva fox squirrels from eastern gray squirrels (S. carolinensis), which frequently co-occur with Delmarva fox squirrels. Analysis of this marker in noninvasively collected hair samples will allow unequivocal identification of localities occupied by Delmarva fox squirrels with a minimum investment of funds, time, and effort because handling individuals will be unnecessary. This protocol will expedite site review in connection with the Endangered Species Act consultation process.     

不同防治措施对刚竹毒蛾种群变动的影响

应用灰色关联度（the gray sequence）分析不同防治措施对刚竹毒蛾（Pantana phytlostachysae Chao）种群变动的影响。分析结果表明：生物防治标准地种群变动与对照区相似,虫口较低;化学防治后标准地虫口较对照区为高,种群变动与对照区差异较大。第1代和第3代中各防治区与对照区种群变动最接近的均是白僵菌粉炮,其次是敌敌畏烟剂和油烟剂。第2代则是白僵菌粉炮〉油烟剂〉敌敌畏烟剂。进一步说明不同防治措施在不同环境条件下,干扰自然生态系统的程度不同。     

Phocanema decipiens: Molting in seals

Infective larvae of the anisakine nematode Phocanema decipiens from the muscle of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were fed to harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and gray seals (Halichoerus grypus). During maturation in the stomach of seal hosts, P. decipiens molted twice; these molts are the third and fourth of its life cycle. The third molt occurred between the second and fifth days of infection. The third stage, i.e., infective larva entering the third molt, had a cuticular tooth ventral to the mouth; the fourth stage larva emerging from the third molt had three bilobed lips with dentigerous ridges. The fourth molt occurred between the 5th and 15th days in seals. A female nematode emerging from the fourth molt possesses a vulva and a vagina; a male possesses caudal alae, pre- and postanal papillae. Significant morphometric changes in nematodes were associated with both molts. Females and males of P. decipiens reached maturity after 15 to 25 days in seals. Ova were detected in the feces of the seal hosts as early as the 16th day.     

Migration timing and distance from shore of southbound eastern Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) off Ensenada,Baja California,Mexico

Eastern Pacific gray whales were monitored off Ensenada, Mexico, during the southbound migration. The objectives were to determine southbound migration timing and width of the migration corridor during three seasons (2003–2006). Migration timing was determined by fitting a generalized additive model to the shore counts for each season and estimating the 10, 50, and 90 percentiles of the fitted curves. To estimate abundance from shore‐based counts, a probability density function for the shore based distances was estimated by a product of a gamma distribution fit to the boat survey distance data for 2006/2007 and a half‐normal detection function using combined data of the three seasons. The parameters of the gamma distribution were corrected to account for less boat survey effort carried out 20–40 km than 0–20 km from shore. The onset of the migration off Ensenada was in late December/early January and ended around 13 February. The median date was 23–26 January for the first and third season and a week early for the second season. Boat surveys indicated a wide (20 km) migration corridor but most gray whales traveled within 9.9 km from shore. The estimated total number of whales during watch hours was 2,298 (95% CI = 1,536–4,447).     

ESTIMATION OF AGE-SPECIFIC PROBABILITIES OF FIRST RETURN AND ANNUAL SURVIVAL RATES FOR THE MALE GRAY SEAL (HALICHOERUS GRYPUS) ON SABLE ISLAND FROM CAPTURE-RECAPTURE DATA

We used a longitudinal capture-recapture study to estimate the age-specific probabilities of first return to the breeding colony and annual survival rates for male gray seals ( Halichoerus grypus ), based on resightings of seals branded as young on Sable Island. We estimated that the average age of first returns for seals born in 1969–1970 to be 9.1 (SE 0.4) yr; for seals born in 1973–1974 it is estimated to be 9.8 (SE 0.2) yr. The estimated annual survival rate of these males was estimated to be 0.976 (SE 0.003).     

Marine Telemetry and the Conservation and Management of Risk to Seal Species in Canada and Australia

Marine telemetry expands the knowledge of the biology of marine species at risk: their life cycles, activities, interactions, habitats, and threats. Four seal species in Canada and Australia are faced with distinctive and divergent management problems. This article examines their conservation status, legal protection, and the role that telemetry has played, or could play, in providing previously unavailable information to help meet conservation goals. The value of telemetry data to minimize fisheries mortality of one species has been demonstrated in Australia. Despite there being significant telemetry data for the other species, policy and management have not yet responded.     

Anxiogenic effects of substance P and its 7–11 C terminal, but not the 1–7 N terminal, injected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray

The dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG) is one of the main output regions of the brainstem for the expression of defense reaction. Recent findings implicating neurokinins in the expression of fear or anxiety-like behaviors, have stimulated interest in the participation of these neuropeptides in the generation of aversive states in the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter. Analyses of traditional measures of the behavior of rats submitted to the elevated plus-maze test in this laboratory have shown that microinjections of substance P (SP) into the DPAG produce anxiogenic-like effects. The present study employs an ethological analysis of the behavior of animals in this test to investigate the involvement of substance P (SP) and its C- and N- fragments (7–11 and 1–7) in the expression of the different aspects of fear upon injection into the DPAG. To this end, rats were implanted with a cannula in the DPAG and injected one week later with 35 and 70 pmol of either substance P, or C- or N- SP fragments and tested immediately afterwards in the elevated plus-maze. The results show that SP and its C terminal fragment, produced increases in scanning, stretched attend posture, head dipping and flat–back approach, whereas the fragment N terminal produced only an increase in rearing. Therefore, the effects of SP and its C terminal fragment were associated to risk assessment behavior, whereas those of N terminal fragment were related to vertical exploratory activity. The results indicate that SP produces anxiogenic effects through activation of neural substrates of aversion in the DPAG and that this effect is probably related to its C terminal fragment.     

猕猴桃采后真菌病害生物防治研究进展

猕猴桃果实易受多种病原真菌的侵染,采后易发生软腐病、灰霉病、青霉病等严重危害果实品质的真菌性病害。传统的有效防治方法主要为采前使用化学杀菌剂,但其易污染环境并可能危害人类健康。目前,已有一系列生物防治方法被研究并报道,这些方法可有效防控猕猴桃采后真菌病害：第一类为天然抑菌物质,包括植物提取物和其他天然物质;第二类为拮抗微生物,包括生防酵母、生防细菌、生防木霉,生防菌也能与物理及化学方法协同发挥作用。本文概述了各类生物防治方法在猕猴桃采后真菌病害绿色防控方面的研究进展及生防机理,并提出了目前存在的问题,最后展望了这一领域今后的研究方向。