A comparative study on the hatching of common carp eggs in hapa and hatchery (model CIFE D-80)

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) eggs were incubated to study the efficiency of hatching in hapa and hatchery. During incubation the recorded temperature was 21-28 degree C and 20-31 degree C, dissolved oxygen 6-9 ppm. and 3-5 ppm., total alkalinity 180-250 ppm. and 28-62 ppm. respectively in the hatchery (model C.I.F.E. D-80) and hapa. CO sub(2) was totally absent in the hatchery, but recorded 3-10 ppm. in the hapa. The flow of water was maintained at 1.25 l/minute/jar in the hatchery. Under the above environmental conditions the eggs hatched in 42-51 hrs. in the hatchery and 61-81 hrs. in the hapa from egg to spawn thereby establishing the hatchery to be a better hatching system for carp eggs.

Coastal community hazard mitigation and community rating system of NFIP

Storm force flooding continues to be a major concern in the hurricane season and causes considerable loss to the coastal communities. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provides recovery resources for the flood disaster and dissuades uneconomic uses from locating in flood hazard area. In order to motivate flood insurance purchase and promote increased flood hazard mitigation, the Community Rating System (CRS) that is a part of NFIP, credits 18 community floodplain management activities. However, CRS has been marked by a lack of active participation since its inception limiting its potential effectiveness. As of January 2008, 1080 communities, representing only 5% of all the NFIP communities have enrolled in CRS. Little empirical evidence exists to shed light on what factors influence the establishment of local hazard mitigation projects. To fill this gap, we propose to analyze flood hazard mitigation projects in 37 North Carolina coastal counties between 2002 and 2008. Specifically, we will examine the influence of physical, risk, and socioeconomic factors on coastal community hazard mitigation decisions as reflected in the CRS score. Ultimately, our project will forge a better understanding of community decision making, as related to natural hazards. (PDF contains 4 pages)

Behavior ecology of the Humboldt squid, Dosidicus gigas: insights from an animal-borne video and data logging system

Dosidicus gigas is a large pelagic cephalopod of the eastern Pacific that has recently undergone an unexpected, significant range expansion up the coast of North America. The impact that such a range expansion is expected to have on local fisheries and marine ecosystems has motivated a thorough study of this top predator, a squid whose lifestyle has been quite mysterious until recently. Unfortunately, Dosidicus spends daylight hours at depths prohibitive to making observations without significant artificial interference. Observations of this squid‟s natural behaviors have thus far been considerably limited by the bright illumination and loud noises of remotely-operated-vehicles, or else the presence of humans from boats or with SCUBA. However, recent technological innovations have allowed for observations to take place in the absence of humans, or significant human intrusion, through the use of animal-borne devices such as National Geographic‟s CRITTERCAM. Utilizing the advanced video recording and data logging technology of this device, this study seeks to characterize unknown components of Dosidicus gigas behavior at depth. Data from two successful CRITTERCAM deployments reveal an assortment of new observations concerning Dosidicus lifestyle. Tri-axial accelerometers enable a confident description of Dosidicus orientation during ascents, descents, and depth maintenance behavior - previously not possible with simple depth tags. Video documentation of intraspecific interactions between Dosidicus permits the identification of ten chromatic components, a previously undescribed basal chromatic behavior, and multiple distinct body postures. And finally, based on visualizations of spermatophore release by D. gigas and repetitive behavior patterns between squid pairs, this thesis proposes the existence of a new mating behavior in Dosidicus. This study intends to provide the first glimpse into the natural behavior of Dosidicus, establishing the groundwork for a comprehensive ethogram to be supported with data from future CRITTERCAM deployments. Cataloguing these behaviors will be useful in accounting for Dosidicus‟ current range expansion in the northeast Pacific, as well as to inform public interest in the impacts this expansion will have on local fisheries and marine ecosystems.

Culture feasibility of african catfish (Clarias gariepinus Lin.) fry in glass tank and synthetic hapa system using supplemental diets

An experiment was carried out with 1 0 days old Clarias gariepinus fry over a period of 42 days to determine the effects of different feeds on growth and survival of African catfish fry in glass tanks. The experiment was designed into four treatments each having three replications. Thus treatment 1 (T1) was named as Tank Tubifex (TT) and treatment 2 (T2) as Tank Sabinco (TS), treatment 3 as Pond Tubifex (PT), and treatment 4 (T4) as Pond Sabinco (PS). Live Tubifex (protein levels 64.48%) was supplied to treatments 1 and 3 and rest of the treatments were supplied Sabinco starter-1 (protein levels 40.13%). The highest and the lowest growth in total length and weight were 12.90cm, 18.77g and 6.17cm, 4.04g recorded from the treatments 3 and 2, respectively. Growth of catfish fry under treatment 3 in terms of both length and weight were significantly higher (P<0.01) than those of the other treatments. However treatment 2 showed the significantly lowest (P<0.01) growth performance among the various treatments. The highest survival rate (92%) was also obtained with treatment 3. Tubifex proved to be the best larval feed in respect of growth and survival rate.

Plankton identified in stomach contents of Oreochromis niloticus (Pisces, Cichlidae) and the water system of Lakes Edward, George, and Kazinga channel - Uganda

The samples were collected from Lake Edward at Rwenshama, Kisenyi and Katwe, and from Lake George at Mahyoro, Kashaka and Kasenyi and in Kazinga Channel at Katunguru. The organisms identified from the water samples obtained irrespective of station or depth were mainly the phytoplankton (diatoms, blue-green algae and green algae). Of the phytoplankton, blue green-algae were the most abundant both in quantity and number of species especially in L. George. In order of importance were Microcystis spp, Planktolyngbya spp and Anabaenopsis spp were the dominant blue greens. Diatoms and green algae were present but less abundant. The estimated proportions of different types of phytoplankton identified in O. niloticus stomach contents indicate that bluegreen algae were the most abundant followed by the diatoms and green algae.