Measures for describing the size distribution of sediments

Numerous measures are used in the literature to describe the grain-size distribution of sediments. Consideration of these measures indicates that parameters computed from quartiles may not be as significant as those based on more rigorous statistical concepts. In addition, the lack of standardization of descriptive measures has resulted in limited application of the findings from one locality to another. The use of five parameters that serve as approximate graphic analogies to the moment measures commonly employed in statistics is recommended. The parameters are computed from five percentile diameters obtained from the cumulative size-frequency curve of a sediment. They include the mean (or median) diameter, standard deviation, kurtosis, and two measures of skewness, the second measure being sensitive to skew properties of the "tails" of the sediment distribution. If the five descriptive measures are listed for a sediment, it is possible to compute the five percentile diameters on which they are based (phi 5 , phi 16 , phi 50 , phi 84 , and phi 95 ), and hence five significant points on the cumulative carve of the sediment. This increases the value of the data listed for a sediment in a report, and in many cases eliminates the necessity of including the complete mechanical analysis of the sediment. The degree of correlation of the graphic parameters to the corresponding moment measures decreases as the distribution becomes more skew. However, for a fairly wide range of distributions, the first three moment measures can be ascertained from the graphic parameters with about the same degree of accuracy as is obtained by computing rough moment measures.

Genetic structure and low-genetic diversity suggesting the necessity for conservation of the Chinese Longsnout catfish, Leiocassis longirostris (Pisces : Bagriidae)

Genetic variation and phylogenetic relationship of Leiocassis longirostris populations from the Yangtze River were investigated at mitochondrial DNA level. The samples were collected from the upstream and mid-downstream of the Yangtze River. Three mitochondrial DNA fragments, ND5/6, cytochrome b (Cyt b) and control region (D-loop), were amplified and then digested by 10 restriction endonucleases. Twenty-three D-loop fragments randomly selected were sequenced. Digestion patterns of ND5/6 by AluI and HaeIII, D-loop by HinfI and RsaI, and Cyt b by HaeIII were polymorphic. Ten and eighteen haplotypes were obtained from RFLP data and sequence data, respectively. The individuals from upstream and mid-downstream of the Yangtze River were apparently divided into two groups. The average genetic distance was 0.008 and 0.010 according to the two data. Low diversities and decreasing abundance indicated that Leiocassis longirostris may be in severe danger and reasonable measures of fishery management should be taken.

Yellow perch strain evaluation I: Genetic variance of six broodstock populations

As a prelude to strain selection for domestication and future marker assisted selection, genetic variation revealed by microsatellite DNA was evaluated in yellow perch, Perca flavescens, from four wild North American populations collected in 2003-2004 (Maine, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania,), and two captive populations (Michigan and Ohio). For the loci examined, levels of heterozygosity ranged from H-e=0.04 to 0.88, genetic differentiation was highly significant among all population pairs, and effective migration ranged from low (N(e)m=0.3) to high (N(e)m=4.5). Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was regularly observed indicating significant departures from random mating. Instantaneous measures of inbreeding within these populations ranged from near zero to moderate (median F=0.16) and overall inbreeding levels averaged F-IS=0.18. Estimates of genetic diversity, Phi(ST), and genetic distance were highest between Michigan and all other broodstock groups and lowest between New York and Ohio. Genetic differentiation among groups did not correlate with geographic distance. Overall, the patterns of variation exhibited by the captive (Michigan and Ohio) populations were similar to patterns exhibited by the other wild populations, indicating that spawning and management practices to date have not significantly reduced levels of genetic variation. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.