Brevetoxin in two planktivorous fishes after exposure to Karenia brevis: implications for food-web transfer to bottlenose dolphins

Brevetoxin uptake was analyzed in 2 common planktivorous fish that are likely foodweb vectors for dolphin mortality events associated with brevetoxin-producing red tides. Fish were exposed to brevetoxin-producing Karenia brevis for 10 h under conditions previously reported to produce optimal uptake of toxin in blood after oral exposure. Striped mullet Mugil cephalus were exposed to a low dose of brevetoxin, and uptake and depuration by specific organs were evaluated over a 2 mo period. Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus specimens were used to characterize a higher brevetoxin dose uptake into whole body components and evaluate depuration over 1 mo. We found a high uptake of toxin by menhaden, with a body to water ratio of 57 after a 10 h exposure and a slow elimination with a half life (t1/2) of 24 d. Elimination occurred rapidly from the intestine (t1/2 < 1 wk) and muscle (t1/2 ≈ 1 wk) compartments and redistributed to liver which continued to accumulate body stores of toxin for 4 wk. The accumulation and elimination characteristics of the vectoring capacity of these 2 fish species are interpreted in relation to data from the Florida Panhandle dolphin mortality event of 2004. We show that due to slow elimination rate of brevetoxin in planktivorous fish, brevetoxin-related dolphin mortality events may occur without evidence of a concurrent harmful algal bloom event.

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) strandings in South Carolina, 1992-1996

From 1992 to 1996, 153 bottlenose dolphin stranded in South Carolina, accounting for 73% of all marine mammal strandings during this period. The objectives of our study were to evaluate data from these strandings to deter-mine 1) annual trends in strandings, 2) seasonal and spatial distribution trends, 3) life history parameters such as sex ratio and age classes, 3) seasonal trends in reproduction, and 4) the extent to which humans have played a role in causing these strandings (human inter-actions). The results showed that 49% of the bottlenose dolphin strandings occurred between April and July; the greatest number of strandings occurred in July (n=22). There was a significant seasonal increase in the distribution of bottlenose dolphin strandings in the northern portion of the state from November to March. Bottlenose dolphin neonates stranded in every month of the year, except March and October, and represented 19.6% of the total number of strandings with known length (n=138). Fifty-five percent (n=15) of bottlenose dolphin neonatal strandings occurred between May and July. Bottlenose dolphins determined to have died as the result of human interaction accounted for 23.1% of the total number of bottlenose dolphin strandings (excluding those for which a determination could not be made).Incidents of bottlenose dolphin entanglements in nets accounted for 16 of these cases.

我国主要森林生态系统碳循环研究

作者广泛收集了近二十年来我国森林生物量生产力、土壤剖面有机质含量、凋落物现存量、年凋落量、凋落物分解等方面的研究资料，以及国内外土壤呼吸的相关资料，把森林作为一个自然的生态系统，从生物自身循环的角度系统地研究了我国森林在全球变化中的地位和作用提供了基础数据。主要得到以下几个方面的研究结果： 1、基于上述资料，采用林业部规划院1989-1993年的最新统计的我国不同森林类型的面积（不包括经济林和竹林，台湾省未计入），估算了我国森林生态系统总碳贮量。森林生态系统有机碳库包括植被、土壤和凋落物层三个分室，我国主要森林生态系统的碳贮量为281.16 * 10~8吨，其中植被碳库为62.00 * 10~8吨，占总碳库的22.2%;土壤碳库为210.23 * 10~8吨，占总碳库的74.6%;凋落物层的碳贮量为8.92 * 10~8吨，占总量的3.2%。我国森林生态系统碳贮量由大到小的顺序是：落叶阔叶林、暖性针叶林、常绿和常绿落叶阔叶林、云冷杉林、落叶松林、硬叶常绿阔叶林、温性针叶林、针叶和针阔混交林、阔叶红松林、热带林、樟子松林，前5类森林碳贮量占总贮量的87%，是我国森林主要的碳库。 2、分析了我国森林生态系统各个分室的碳密度特点。我国森林生态系统的平均碳密度是258.83t/ha，基本趋势是随纬度的增加而增加。其中植被的平均碳密度是57.07t/ha，随纬度的增加而减小;土壤碳密度约是植被碳密度3.4倍，其区域特点与植被碳密度呈相反趋势，随纬度升高而增加，作者根据所选117个样本建立了土壤有机碳密度与水热因子的模拟方程;凋落物层平均碳密度是8.21t/ha，随水热因子的改善而减小。这些结果为研制森林生态系统仿真模型提供了基础。 3、分析了我国森林生态系统的主要碳平衡通量，对中国森林生态系统的碳源与碳汇作初步评价，为减缓我国二氧化碳排放提供理论基础。结果表明我国森林生态系统在与大气的气体交换中表现为碳汇，年通量为4.80 * 10~8吨C/年。基本规律是随纬度的升高，即从热带向寒带，碳汇功能下降，这取决于系统碳收支的各个通量之间的动态平衡;阔叶林的固碳能力大于针叶林。 4、初步评价了我国森林生态系统在碳循环中的作用。我国生物物质燃烧、化石燃料燃烧、人口呼吸每所释放的总碳量为9.87 * 10~8吨/年，而我国森林生态系统可以吸收其中的48.7%。

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.