Natural habitat and population control mechanism of Crassula helmsii (Australian Swamp Stonecrop) in Australia

The plant Crassula helmsii (Kirk) Cochayne, was likely to become widely distributed and to dominate many damp and wet areas of nature reserves, recreational waters and agricultural drainage of Britain. The aim of this report was to study Australian Swamp Stonecrop in its natural habitat where it is in balance with its environment. This contrasts with its rapid and widespread distribution in the U.K. where its growth interferes with the use of fisheries and amenity lakes but also reduces the value of nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest by suppressing native flora. It was proposed to observe its growth at a variety of sites over its natural distribution and to include some environmental factors, e.g. water-level, water-chemistry (nutrients, acidity and alkalinity), frost-tolerance, salinity, with the help of portable sensors, locally-available services or data. 8 weeks of travel in Australia allowed time to study the plant in its natural habitat including the coastal areas of the southern half of the continent i.e . Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and southern Queensland. The overall objective was to determine the environmental range by visits to selected sites of Crassula helmsii over its geographic range.

Recent progress in the identification and determination of freshwater phytoplankton in the natural environment

The biomass of the phytoplankton and its composition is one of the most important factors in water quality control. Determination of the phytoplankton assemblage is usually done by microscopic analysis (Utermöhl's method). Quantitative estimations of the biovolume, by cell counting and cell size measurements, are time-consuming and normally are not done in routine water quality control. Several alternatives have been tried: computer-based image analysis, spectral fluorescence signatures, flow cytometry and pigment fingerprinting aided by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The latter method is based on the fact that each major algal group of taxa contains a specific carotenoid which can be used for identification and relative quantification of the taxa in the total assemblage. This article gives a brief comparative introduction to the different techniques available and presents some recent results obtained by HPLC-based pigment fingerprinting, applied to three lakes of different trophic status. The results show that this technique yields reliable results from different lake types and is a powerful tool for studying the distribution pattern of the phytoplankton community in relation to water depth. However, some restrictions should be taken into account for the interpretation of routine data.

Natural mortality rate, annual fecundity, and maturity at length for Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) from the northeastern Pacific Ocean

Mortality, fecundity, and size at maturity are important life history traits, and their interactions determine the evolution of life history strategies (Roff, 1992; Stearns, 1992; Charnov, 2002). These same traits are also important for population dynamics models (Hunter et al., 1992; Clark, 1999). It is increasingly important to accurately determine Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) life history traits and to correctly assess the status of its stocks because low recruitment or low biomass estimates have led to catch restrictions in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (Ianelli et al.1), the Northeastern Arctic (Ådlandsvik et al., 2004), and the Northwest Atlantic (Bowering and Nedreaas, 2000).

The relationships between fish assemblages and the amount of bottom horizontal beam exposed at California oil platforms: fish habitat preferences at man-made platforms and (by inference) at natural reefs

Between 1995 and 2002, we surveyed fish assemblages at seven oil platforms off southern and central California using the manned research submersible Delta. At each platform, there is a large horizontal beam situated at or near the sea floor. In some instances, shells and sediment have buried this beam and in other instances it is partially or completely exposed. We found that fish species responded in various ways to the amount of exposure of the beam. A few species, such as blackeye goby (Rhinogobiops nicholsii), greenstriped rockfish (Sebastes elongatus), and pink seaperch (Zalembius rosaceus) tended to avoid the beam. However, many species that typically associate with natural rocky outcrops, such as bocaccio (S. paucispinis), cowcod (S. levis), copper (S. caurinus), greenblotched (S. rosenblatti), pinkrose (S. simulator) and vermilion (S. miniatus) rockfishes, were found most often where the beam was exposed. In particular, a group of species (e.g., bocaccio, cowcod, blue (Sebastes mystinus), and vermilion rockfishes) called here the “sheltering habitat” guild, lived primarily where the beam was exposed and formed a crevice. This work demonstrates that the presence of sheltering sites is important in determining the species composition of man-made reefs and, likely, natural reefs. This research also indicates that adding structures that form sheltering sites in and around decommissioned platforms will likely lead to higher densities of many species typical of hard and complex structure.

Do oil and gas platforms off California reduce recruitment of bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis) to natural habitat? An analysis based on trajectories derived from high-frequency radar

To investigate the possibility that oil and gas platforms may reduce recruitment of rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) to natural habitat, we simulated drift pathways termed “trajectories” in our model) from an existing oil platform to nearshore habitat using current measurements from high-frequency (HF) radars. The trajectories originated at Platform Irene, located west of Point Conception, California, during two recruiting seasons for bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis): May through August, 1999 and 2002. Given that pelagic juvenile bocaccio dwell near the surface, the trajectories estimate transport to habitat. We assumed that appropriate shallow water juvenile habitat exists inshore of the 50-m isobath. Results from 1999 indicated that 10% of the trajectories represent transport to habitat, whereas 76% represent transport across the offshore boundary. For 2002, 24% represent transport to habitat, and 69% represent transport across the offshore boundary. Remaining trajectories (14% and 7% for 1999 and 2002, respectively) exited the coverage area either northward or southward along isobaths. Deployments of actual drifters (with 1-m drogues) from a previous multiyear study provided measurements originating near Platform Irene from May through August. All but a few of the drifters moved offshore, as was also shown with the HF radar-derived trajectories. These results indicate that most juvenile bocaccio settling on the platform would otherwise have been transported offshore and perished in the absence of a platform. However, these results do not account for the swimming behavior of juvenile bocaccio, about which little is known.

An approach to estimate the natural mortality rate in fish stocks

A simple approach is introduced to estimate the natural mortality rate (M) of fish stocks. The approach is based on the age at maximum cohort biomass, or critical length (L*) concept. The ratio of the critical length to the asymptotic length ( = L*/L8) is relatively constant in 141 fish stocks at 0.62 (CV = 21.4 per cent) and the relationship M = 3K(1- )/ is derived and could be used to estimate M, where K is the growth coefficient of the von Bertalanffy growth function. Average values of are given for the various Families of fish in order to estimate M based on closely related species.

A reassessment of equations for predicting natural mortality in Mediterranean teleosts

This brief article presents new empirical models for prediction of natural mortality (M) from growth parameters (L and K, W and K) in Mediterranean teleosts, based on 56 data sets presented in an earlier paper in the January 1993 issue of Naga, the ICLARM Quarterly in which models were presented that included temperature as a predictor variable, although its effect was nonsignificant and its partial slope had the "wrong" sign.

Empirical equations for the estimation of natural mortality in Mediterranean teleosts

Empirical relationships were established linking estimates of the instantaneous rate of natural mortality (M), the von Bertalanffy growth parameters, L sub( infinity ) (or W sub( infinity )) and K, and annual mean water temperature in 56 stocks of Mediterranean teleosts fish. It is suggested that these relationships generate for these fish more reliable estimates of M than the widely-used model of Pauly (1980, J. Cons. CIEM 33(3):175-192), which was based on 175 fish stocks, but included only five stocks from the Mediterranean.

Comparison of two approaches for estimating natural mortality based on longevity

Vetter (1988) noted that her review of the estimation of the instantaneous natural mortality rate (M) was initiated by a discussion among colleagues that identified M as the single most impor ta nt but least well-estimated parameter in fishery models. A lthough much has been accomplished in the inter vening years, M remains one of the most difficult parameters to estimate in fishery stock assessments. A number of novel approaches using tagging and telemetry data provide promise for making reliable direct estimates of M for a given stock (Hearn et al., 1998 ; Frusher and Hoenig, 2001; Hightower et al., 2001; Latour et al., 2003; Pollock et al., 2004). However, such methods are often impracticable and fishery scientists must approximate M by using estimates made for other stocks of the same or similar species or by predicting M from features of the species’ life history (Beverton and Holt, 1959; Beverton, 1963; Alverson and Carney, 1975; Pauly, 1980; Hoenig, 1983; Peterson and Wroblewski, 1984; Roff, 1984; Gunderson and Dygert, 1988; Chen and Watanabe, 1989; Charnov, 1993; Jensen, 1996; Lorenzen, 1996).

Strengthening impact evaluation in natural resource management

The workshop on Strengthening Evaluation in Natural Resource Management Research is part of an ACIAR-funded Small Research and Development Activity (SRA) on Assessing the Impacts of Natural Resource Management and Policy Research in Development Programs, with WorldFish and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) as partners. The SRA objectives included a review of literature to identify challenges in assessing the impact of NRMR programs and to propose a framework that addresses them. An exploratory workshop was held in February 2012 to initiate collective action within the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) to identify and address their impact challenges and led to the creation of the NRMR impact community of practice (COP). This follow-up workshop brought together members of the COP and partners in the SRA to discuss and reach agreement on how to progress on our collective goals of building new and appropriate approaches for NRMR IE and how to put these approaches into action through our research programs. This report is a documentation of the workshop process and outputs.

Peces y aves del Paraguay natural ilustrado 1967. Manuscrito preparado bajo la dirección de Mariano N. Castex, 511 pp.

Este documento reproduce parte de la magnífica e importante obra del P. Francisco José Sánchez Labrador realizada durante su estadía en América desde su arribo en 1734 hasta la expulsión de la orden en 1767. Esta versión digital corresponde al libro editado por la Compañía General Fabril Editora S. A. en 1968 y cuyo manuscrito fuera preparado bajo la dirección del Dr. Mariano N. Castex (imagen).