Age, growth, and mortality of the Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) from the southeastern Everglades

Mayan cichlids (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) were collected monthly from March 1996 to October 1997 with hook-and-line gear at Taylor River, Florida, an area within the Crocodile Sanctuary of Everglades National Park, where human activities such as fishing are prohibited. Fish were aged by examining thin-sectioned otoliths, and past size-at-age information was generated by using back-calculation techniques. Marginal increment analysis showed that opaque growth zones were annuli deposited between January and May. The size of age-1 fish was estimated to be 33–66 mm standard length (mean=45.5 mm) and was supported by monthly length-frequency data of young-of-year fish collected with drop traps over a seven-year period. Mayan cichlids up to seven years old were observed. Male cichlids grew slower but achieved a larger size than females. Growth was asymptotic and was modeled by the von Bertalanffy growth equation Lt=263.6(1–exp[–0.166(t–0.001)]) for males (r2=0.82, n=581) and Lt=215.6 (1–exp[–0.197(t–0.058)]) for females (r2= 0.77, n=639). Separate estimates of total annual mortality were relatively consistent (0.44–0.60) and indicated moderate mortality at higher age classes, even in the absence of fishing mortality. Our data indicated that Mayan cichlids grow slower and live longer in Florida than previously reported from native Mexican habitats. Because the growth of Mayan cichlids in Florida periodically slowed and thus produced visible annuli, it may be possible to age introduced populations of other subtropical and tropical cichlids in a similar way.

Age and growth of the smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis) in the northwest Atlantic Ocean

The northwest Atlantic population of smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis) ranges from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to South Carolina. Although M. canis is seasonally abundant in this region, very little is known about important aspects of its biology, such as growth and reproductive rates. In the early 1990s, commercial fishery landings of smooth dogfish dramatically increased on the east coast of the United States. This study investigated growth rates of the east coast M. canis population through analysis of growth patterns in vertebral centra. Marginal increment analysis, estimates of precision, and patterns in seasonal growth supported the use of vertebrae to age these sharks. Growth bands in vertebral samples were used to estimate ages for 894 smooth dogfish. Age-length data were used to determine von Bertalanffy growth parameters for this population: K = 0.292/yr, L∞ = 123.57 cm, and t0 = –1.94 years for females, and K = 0.440/yr, L∞ = 105.17 cm, and t0 = –1.52 years for males. Males matured at two or three years of age and females matured between four and seven years of age. The oldest age estimate for male and female samples was ten and sixteen years, respectively.

Effect of dietary protein level on the growth of Deccan mahseer fry Tor khudree Sykes

Four feeds having different protein levels were separately tested on Tor khudree fry having an average length of 23.5 mm and weight 55 mg. The best average growth of 15.66 mg and 0.456 mm/day was obtained with Feed IV which comprised rice bran, ground nut oil cake, Acetes, wheat flour and mineral mix at the ratio of 1:1:1:0.7143:0.01428. These constitute 35.29% of proteins. The Feed II which comprised R.B + G.O.C. + prawn shell + wheat flour and mineral mix at a ratio of 1:1:1:0.7143:0.01428 contained 32.61% crude proteins. It provided a growth rate of 14.83 mg and 0.440 mm per day. The conversion rates were 38.258 and 37.776 for feeds IV and II respectively. Since Feed II is cheaper than Feed IV and provides almost equal growth rate, it can be used in the nurseries for intensive rearing of T. khudree fry.

辽河三角洲植被结构、功能及其驱动机制

辽河三角洲优越的植被生态系统维系着多种生态功能，使该地区成为全国著名的商品粮基地、造纸原料基地和旅游基地。但是，气候变化和人为干扰使得辽河三角洲的植被结构发生了显著变化，影响到植被功能的发挥。 为了应对气候变化和人为干扰对辽河三角洲植被造成的不利影响，本论文围绕植被结构和生产功能，从空间和时间方面，重点阐述了辽河三角洲植被的结构及其驱动机制；辽河三角洲植被生产功能及其驱动机制。 采用的研究方法包括遥感解译、样带调查和全面调查。通过遥感解译方法获取各植被类型的面积、分布及其变化信息，以研究植被的空间分布格局及其变化。通过样带调查方法，获取植被类型、土壤和水文等信息，并结合规范对应分析和偏相关分析等，研究植被空间分布格局的驱动机制。通过全面调查方法，获取植被净第一性生产力、粮食产量、土壤和水文等信息，并结合地理信息系统(GIS)的插值分析和相关分析等，研究植被生产功能的空间分布格局及其驱动机制。主要结论如下： 1. 植被组成和空间格局：辽河三角洲植被主要由自然湿地植被、人工湿地植被、自然旱地植被、人工旱地植被四大植被类型组成。其中，面积最大的3种植被是玉米、水稻和芦苇。四大植被类型以双台子河口为中心，基本上呈现半环状分布格局。 2. 植被空间格局变化：1988～2006年辽河三角洲植被空间格局发生了显著变化，主要植被类型分布趋于集中，形成了一些较大的斑块，而不是离散和破碎。从面积上看，水稻是面积增加最多的植被类型；玉米是面积减少最多的植被类型。从变化速率看，水稻、玉米和芦苇的变化幅度都较大，分别为33.2%、-16.1%和-23.2% 。 3. 植被空间格局形成机制：辽河三角洲植被分布格局不是由气候因子决定的，而是由土壤因子决定。土壤可溶性盐是决定植被分布格局最重要的环境因子，其次是土壤含水量。 4. 植被生产功能：辽河三角洲植被具有极高的生产力。其中，玉米、水稻和芦苇3种主要植被的地上净第一性生产力分别为30,485、18,248和17,440 kg/(ha•a)。玉米和水稻单位面积粮食产量也非常高，分别为14,813和10,365 kg/(ha•a)。 5. 植被生产功能年际变化：辽河三角洲植被生产力存在明显的年际波动。1992～2005 年间玉米和水稻粮食产量呈现显著的年际波动；1949～1990 年间芦苇产量不仅存在较明显的年际波动，而且呈现非常显著的增加趋势。 6. 植被生产功能年际变化的驱动机制：气候因子是玉米和水稻粮食产量年际变化的主要驱动因子，气候因子对玉米和水稻粮食产量的影响远远大于人为因子（农业人口、施肥量、灌溉面积）的影响。气候因子和人为因子对芦苇产量年际变化的影响都非常显著。在气候因子中，年日照数是驱动玉米产量年际波动的主导气候因子；年降水量是驱动水稻产量年际波动的主导气候因子；年蒸发量是驱动芦苇产量年际波动的主导气候因子。 7. 植被生产功能空间格局：植被地上净第一性生产力存在显著的空间差异，表现为一种环形空间分布格局，三角洲中部较低，四周地区较高。这种空间分布格局表明，在辽河三角洲，植被地上净第一性生产力最高的不是湿地植被，而是周围旱地植被。 8. 植被生产功能空间格局的形成机制：土壤含水量和海拔是驱动辽河三角洲植被生产力空间格局的主要因子；土壤盐度、土壤pH和土壤容重对植被生产力的空间格局影响不大。土壤营养元素(氮、磷、钾) 对植被生产力的空间格局几乎没有影响。

Developing a framework for mapping industrial emergence

The industrial landscape is becoming increasingly complex and dynamic, with innovative technologies stimulating the emergence of new industries and business models. This paper presents a preliminary framework for mapping industrial emergence, based on roadmapping principles, in order to understand the nature and characteristics of such phenomena. The focus at this stage is on historical examples of industrial emergence, with the preliminary framework based on observations from 20 'quick scan' maps, one of which is used to illustrate the framework. The learning from these historical cases, combined with further industrial consultation and literature review, will be used to develop practical methods for strategy and policy application. The paper concludes by summarising key learning points and further work needed to achieve these outcomes. © 2009 PICMET.

Numerical back-analysis of energy pile test at Lambeth College, London

Energy Piles present an efficient solution for long-term carbon emission reduction and sustainable construction. However, they have received only partial acceptance by the industry, because of concerns regarding the impact of cyclic thermal changes on the serviceability of energy pile foundations. This paper investigates the applicability of the hybrid load transfer approach to load-settlement analysis of single piles behavior during thermal energy exchange processes. Back-analysis results in terms of the thermal and mechanical response of energy piles show good agreement with field test results from Lambeth College in London. © ASCE 2011.

The Influence of Age and Sex on the Cell Counts of Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Subpopulations in Chinese Rhesus Macaques

Non-human primates such as Chinese rhesus macaques are the favorable models for preclinical study of potential therapeutic drugs, vaccines and mechanisms of human diseases. Little is known about the normal levels of leukocyte subpopulations of Chinese rhe

Effects of fish and prawn culture on physico-chemical parameters of water and rice yield in rice fields

An experiment was conducted with five treatments i.e. rice combined with fish having regular urea fertilization (T1), rice combined with prawn having regular urea fertilization (T2), rice combined with fish with supplementary feeding (T3), rice combined with prawn with supplementary feeding (T4) and without fish and prawn (T5) was kept as control. The dissolved oxygen values obtained in treatments with fish both in morning and afternoon were lower than the values of prawn containing treatments and control. The values of nitrate-N, ammonia-N, phosphate-P and chlorophyll-a were higher in fish containing treatments than the prawn containing treatments and control. Between the two fish containing treatments the higher gross (539.44 kg/ha) and net (440.14 kg/ha) yield were obtained in T3 with supplementary feeding and the lower gross (424.88 kg/ha) and net (314.32 kg/ha) yield were recorded in T1 without supplementary feeding. Again, between two prawn containing treatments the higher gross (108.69 kg/ha) and net (81.92 kg/ha) yield were obtained in T4 with supplementary feeding and lower gross (64.32 kg/ha) and net (30.98 kg/ha) yield were recorded in T2 without supplementary feeding. The highest yield of rice grain (3.45 mt/ha) and straw (6.37 mt/ha) were obtained in T1 with fish having urea fertilization without feeding.

中国兽类一新纪录———爪哇穿山甲

记述了来自中国云南的爪哇穿山甲Manis javanica , 即中国兽类新纪录, 标本收藏在中国科学院昆明动物