Production and conservation of nutrient-rich small fish (SIS) in ponds and wetlands for nutrition security and livelihoods in South Asia: Proceedings of a World Bank/SAFANSI funded regional workshop on small fish and nutrition, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1st - 2nd March 2014

Small indigenous fish species (SIS) are an important source of essential macro- and micronutrients that can play an important role in the elimination of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the populations of many South and Southeast Asian countries. Of the 260 freshwater fish species in Bangladesh, more than 140 are classified as SIS and are an integral part of the rural Bangladeshi diet. As many SIS are eaten whole, with organs and bones, they contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, and iron and zinc. Some SIS, such as mola, are also rich in vitamin A. SIS are often cooked with vegetables and a little oil, so they contribute to the food diversity of the rural poor.SIS are recognized as a major animal-source food group, contributing to improved food and nutrition security and livelihoods of the people of South and Southeast Asia. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together policy makers, extension agents, researchers, non-governmental and development organizations to share knowledge about small fish, their contribution to better nutrition, production technologies, and strategies for wider dissemination of pond culture and wetland based-production and conservation technologies. The workshop is expected to generate ideas for further research and development of sustainable technologies for production, management and conservation of SIS for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh as well as the South and Southeast Asian region.

Recent advances in our knowledge of the biology and conservation of mahseers

Mahseers (Tor khudree), at one time considered to be of single species, are now represented by 6 valid species distributed all over India. Studies on their food habits, ecology of spawning grounds, eggs, larval development and especially methods of artificial propagation have advanced in recent years. Transport of eggs of Tor khudree by air in moist cotton has been possible for easy distribution. Breeding of T. khudree not only by hypophysation, but even without it in small ponds by manipulation of flow of water, exercise and feed has also been possible. Fry and fingerlings of T. khudree are being distributed to many of the states in the country to help conserve the species.

Illegal fishing of inland water bodies of Nigeria: Kainji experience

It is a common knowledge that illegal fishing which includes use of wrong gears, explosives, excessive exploitation of choice stocks, enhancement and stocking of water body and pollution has devastating effects on the critical biomass of fish biodiversity and livelihood activities associated with fishing. Efforts worldwide to arrest these menace are significant because it has been found that illegal fishing has made fishing non sustainable, resulted in poor fishermen catches, and exacerbated the use of illegal gears in an effort to a must catch. Conflict between fisher folk and policies has continued to generate different strategies in the control of illegal fishing. Some of these strategies at regional and National levels include creation and implementation of fisheries laws, fishing edicts, code of conduct for responsible fisheries, policing of inland water bodies, capacity building and capability through training of fishermen, creating necessary awareness, arrest and punishment of offenders. There are also other initiative on conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems which have interrelation with illegal fishing. This paper examines efforts in promoting and boosting the fisheries of Lake Kainji, through creating necessary awareness, campaign visits, radio programmes, gear control, reward systems, integration and diversification of livelihood activities, community based management and policing. It further analyses what is working, problems, and prospect of fisheries laws, the need to integrate factors of political policies, other global initiative on water management for people and nature. Recommendations on strategies including protection of fishing grounds, establishment of catch data base, integration of other intervention as alternative source of income to enhance livelihood, reduce fishing pressure, and capacity building of fisher folks, development of rules and regulations that is community based are highlighted.

Seasonal change in the structure of fig-wasp community and its implication for conservation

Figs (Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Agaonidae) constitute a famous reciprocal mutualism in which figs provide some female flowers for the development of fig wasp offspring while the fig wasps pollinate Fig flowers. However, figs also host many no

Habitat degradation and conservation status assessment of gallinaceous birds in the Trans-Himalayas, China

The greatest concentration of Chinese Galliformes occurs in the Trans-Himalayas. We selected 4 northwestern Yunnan counties (Lijiang, Shangri-la, Deqin, and Weixi) in the Trans-Himalayas to assess the conservation status of 9 gallinaceous forest birds. We

Degradation of tropical forest in Hainan, China, 1991-2008: Conservation implications for Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)

The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the most endangered primates in the world, confined to mature natural forest in Hainan Island, China. We assessed changes in habitat condition on the island between 1991 and 2008, using vegetation maps generated by remote-sensing images. We defined forest suitable for gibbons based on composition, tree size and canopy cover. During the 17-year period, the area of suitable gibbon forest decreased by 540 km(2) (35%) across the whole island, and by 6.3 km(2) (7%) in the locality of the sole remaining gibbon population at Bawangling National Nature Reserve. The forest patches large enough (>1 km(2)) to support a gibbon group decreased from 754 km(2) to 316 km(2) in total area, and from 92 to 64 in number. Suitable natural forest was mainly replaced by plantations below 760 m, or degraded by logging, grazing and planting of pines above 760 m. Meanwhile, forests in former confirmed gibbon areas became more fragmented: mean area of patches decreased by 53%. We mapped the patches of natural forest in good condition which could potentially support gibbons. We recommend a freeze on further expansion of plantations between core patches at Bawangling, Jiaxi-Houmiling and Yinggeling Nature Reserves in accordance with forest protection regulations; establishment of nature reserves in currently unprotected natural forest patches elsewhere in line with the local government's nature reserve expansion policy; and active natural-forest restoration between remaining fragments at Bawangling. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The period gene: High conservation of the region coding for Thr-Gly dipeptides in the Drosophila nasuta species subgroup

In this study, the region corresponding to the Thr-Gly region of the period (per) gene in the Drosophila nasuta subgroup of species was sequenced. The results showed, that this region was highly conserved in the D. nasuta subgroup. There were only nine variable sites found in this 300-bp-long region, all located in two small regions highly variable among Drosophila species. No length variation was observed either within this subgroup or in the Yunnan (YN) population of D. albomicans. The deduced amino acid sequences were identical for all 14 taxa in the D. nasuta subgroup, and a stretch of alternating Thr-Gly pairs was not observed in this subgroup. A phylogenetic tree was constructed. The clustering of some species was in general agreement with previous works, but it also raised some question on the phylogenetic relationship between the nasuta species. The data did not implicate the Thr-Gly region playing a role in behavioral isolation in this subgroup of Drosophila.

Genetic diversity and conservation of endangered animal species

The loss of biodiversity resulting from extinctions is receiving increasing attention. Over several thousands of animal species have been evaluated and recognized as endangered species. Inbreeding depression has been demonstrated in many wild animal speci