Comportamento de pares fêmea-filhote de baleias-franca-austral, Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) no litoral centro-sul de Santa Catarina

O litoral centro-sul do estado de Santa Catarina representa a mais importante área de concentração reprodutiva das baleias-franca-austral, Eubalaena australis, no Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo é caracterizar o padrão comportamental dos pares fêmea-filhote que migram para essas áreas ao longo de 10 temporadas reprodutivas (2003 a 2012). Observações realizadas em pontos fixos foram conduzidas de Julho a Novembro, entre 2003 e 2012, de seis a sete vezes por semana, entre as 6:00h e 17:00h. Os dados foram coletados com auxilio de binóculos Pentax 12x55 mm, bússola, relógio digital, e registrados em fichas de campo padronizadas. Os estados comportamentais (natação, descanso e ativo) foram registrados em intervalos de cinco minutos e a frequência de eventos registrada em cada intervalo de cinco minutos. Natação foi o estado comportamental que prevaleceu tanto para fêmeas e filhotes, seguido de descanso e ativo para as fêmeas e seguido de ativo e descanso para os filhotes. A natação e o descanso são importantes para as fêmeas pois exigem menos energia, já que precisam usá-la para atividades das quais a sobrevivência da espécie depende, como parir, amamentar e cuidar dos filhotes. Para os filhotes, o comportamento ativo é mais importante para o seu desenvolvimento motor e preparação para o processo migratório. Os eventos mais expressados por ambos fêmea e filhote foram exposições indefinidas, estas sendo duas vezes maior para os filhotes. Os filhotes apresentaram comportamentos aéreos em taxas maiores do que as fêmeas, o que denota a importância de tais comportamentos no auxílio ao desenvolvimento da coordenação e na aptidão motora e no fortalecimento da musculatura, melhorando a resistência para a migração. A taxa de ocorrência de eventos aéreos para as fêmeas foi geralmente mais baixa, provavelmente na tentativa de desencorajar os comportamentos ativos realizados pelos filhotes. Esses resultados reforçam a importância da área de estudo como área reprodutiva para a espécie. O número de baleias-franca está crescendo na área, bem como o potencial conflito com atividades humanas. Entender os padrões comportamentais dos pares fêmea-filhote de baleias-franca-austral no litoral de Santa Catarina podem servir como valiosas ferramentas para a elaboração de planos de manejo, contribuindo para a conservação da espécie no litoral brasileiro

芦苇Phragmites communis Trin. 耐盐变异体的生物学鉴定和快速繁殖以及在海水生态养殖中的应用示范

本文以芦苇野生亲本和耐盐变异体为材料，比较了两者在形态、生理生化以及分子生物学特性上的差异，对耐盐变异体抗盐能力提高的机理作了初步的探讨。为了适应推广芦苇耐盐变异体的需要，进行了耐盐变异体快速繁殖的研究，建立了两种诱导丛生芽的技术系统。对耐盐变异体芦苇在滩涂上的利用作了有益的尝试。结果总结如下： 1．通过对芦苇野生亲本和耐盐变异体的基因组DNA用随机引物扩增分析，发现两者的基因组DNA在序列上存在着一定的差异，并克隆测序了几个对变异体而言是特异的标记序列。 2．生化分析发现，在盐胁迫下，两者在可溶性蛋白上存在着差异，芦苇耐盐变异体在胁迫下分别在20～30 kD和43～66．2 kD之间各有一条特异的蛋白带表达。而且变异体盐胁迫下在同工酶的表达上也与野生亲本有着显著的区别。 3．生理测定发现，芦苇耐盐变异体在200 mmol/L NaCl盐胁迫下光合作用要比野生亲本强，叶绿素测定的结果与此相吻合，在此浓度的胁迫下，变异体叶绿素含量受影响较小，而野生亲本的叶绿素含量明显降低。对两者胁迫前后的离子含量测定发现，虽然K+含量最多，但是植株内离子含量变化最大且增加最多的离子是Na+，而且变异体内Na~+增加的量比野生亲本高得多。另一个变化较大的是游离脯氨酸的含量，其变化情况类似于Na~+，在胁迫后脯氨酸含量增加明显，而且变异体内的增加量比野生亲本高。对变异体进一步的胁迫反应证实了Na+和脯氨酸含量变化与胁迫反应的密切联系。推测它们的这些变化与变异体抗盐能力提高密切相关。 4．将芦苇耐盐变异体的种子苗切去种壳和种子根，以此作为外植体，通过筛选大量的激素组合，最终建立了两种快繁技术系统（MP－A和MP－B）进行丛生芽诱导。两个系统都包含预处理和诱导两个主要步骤，其中预处理培养基激素组合是相同的（NAA 2～5 mg/L + 2,4-D 0.05 ～ 0.1 mg + BA 1mg/L）,而诱导处理的培养基激素组合不同，分别为：MP－A的诱导处理的激素组合是将预处理的激素组合中的2，4－D去除即可;MP－B诱导处理的激素组合为1mg/L NAA + 0.05 ～0.1mg/L 2,4-D + 2～5mg/L BA. 两个系统都获得显著的丛生芽诱导效果。 5．在滩涂水产养殖中引入芦苇种植、发现耐盐芦苇能有效地降低水体污染和病害，实验了两种模式的种养殖方式：围隔模式和混合模式，初步结果表明混合模式效果较好。这一初中初步验证了芦苇对海水养殖的价值，对开发滩涂具有很大的意义，具有创新性。

Late Pleistocene divergence and subsequent population expansion of two closely related fish species, Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) and Australian anchovy (Engraulis australis)

Climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene ice ages produced great changes in species' geographical distribution and abundance, which could be expected to have genetic consequences. Living in the temperate upwelling zones of the northwestern Pacific, Ja

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LASAEA AUSTRALIS, VULSELLA SPONGIARUM, PINNA BICOLOR AND DONACILLA CUNEATA (MOLLUSCA; BIVALVIA) FROM PRINCESS ROYAL HARBOUR, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Monthly samples of L. australis, V. spongiartum, P. bicolor and D. cuneata were collected over a period of 12 months from Princess Royal Harbour, Western Australia. Preliminary information on densities and biomass is given. Gonad histology points to seasonal reproductive cycles with autumn spawning in P. bicolor and D. cuneata and irregular spawning in V. spongiantm and L. australis. However, L. australis did show two peaks of larval brooding in the study period. Length-frequency data are discussed in the light of the proposed reproductive patterns for the four species. Allometric relationships between length and both height and width for all species are described and their value to each species assessed. Populations of L. australis from different habitats show significant differences in shell shape.

Distribución, tamaño y estructura de las poblaciones de lobos marinos (Arctocephalus australis y Otaria byronia) en el litoral peruano, en noviembre 1996 y marzo 1997

Presenta los resultados del Censo Nacional de Lobos Marinos, realizado entre diciembre de 1996 y febrero de 1997 por el IMARPE, el cual tuvo por objetivo principal estimar el tamaño de las poblaciones de A. australis y O. byronia y determinar su distribución en el litoral peruano.

Effect of earthworm Eisenia fetida and wetland plants on nitrification and denitrification potentials in vertical flow constructed wetland.

The response of nitrification potentials, denitrification potentials, and N removal efficiency to the introduction of earthworms and wetland plants in a vertical flow constructed wetland system was investigated. Addition of earthworms increased nitrification and denitrification potentials of substrate in non-vegetated constructed wetland by 236% and 8%, respectively; it increased nitrification and denitrification potentials in rhizosphere in vegetated constructed wetland (Phragmites austrail, Typha augustifolia and Canna indica), 105% and 5%, 187% and 12%, and 268% and 15% respectively. Denitrification potentials in rhizosphere of three wetland plants were not significantly different, but nitrification potentials in rhizosphere followed the order of C. indica > T. augustifolia > P. australis when addition of earthworms into constructed wetland. Addition of earthworms to the vegetated constructed significantly increased the total number of bacteria and fungi of substrates (P < 0.05). The total number of bacteria was significantly correlated with nitrification potentials (r = 913, P < 0.01) and denitrification potentials (r = 840, P < 0.01), respectively. The N concentration of stems and leaves of C. indica were significantly higher in the constructed wetland with earthworms (P < 0.05). Earthworms had greater impact on nitrification potentials than denitrification potentials. The removal efficiency of N was improved via stimulated nitrification potentials by earthworms and higher N uptake by wetland plants.

Influence of earthworm Eisenia fetida on removal efficiency of N and P in vertical flow constructed wetland.

This study investigates biomass, density, photosynthetic activity, and accumulation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in three wetland plants (Canna indica, Typha augustifolia, and Phragmites austrail) in response to the introduction of the earthworm Eisenia fetida into a constructed wetland. The removal efficiency of N and P in constructed wetlands were also investigated. Results showed that the photosynthetic rate (P n), transpiration rate (T r), and stomatal conductance (S cond) of C. indica and P. austrail were (p < 0.05) significantly higher when earthworms were present. The addition of E. fetida increased the N uptake value by above-ground of C. indica, T. augustifolia, and P. australis by 185, 216, and 108 %, respectively; and its P uptake value increased by 300, 355, and 211 %, respectively. Earthworms could enhance photosynthetic activity, density, and biomass of wetland plants in constructed wetland, resulting in the higher N and P uptake. The addition of E. fetida into constructed wetland increased the removal efficiency of TN and TP by 10 and 7 %, respectively. The addition of earthworms into vertical flow constructed wetland increased the removal efficiency of TN and TP, which was related to higher photosynthetic activity and N and P uptake. The addition of earthworms into vertical flow constructed wetland and plant harvests could be the significantly sustainable N and P removal strategy

Influence of UV radiation on chlorophyll, and antioxidant enzymes of wetland plants in different types of constructed wetland

A surface- and vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland were designed to study the response of chlorophyll and antioxidant enzymes to elevated UV radiation in three types of wetland plants (Canna indica, Phragmites austrail, and Typha augustifolia). Results showed that (1) chlorophyll content of C. indica, P. austrail, and T. augustifolia in the constructed wetland was significantly lower where UV radiation was increased by 10 and 20 % above ambient solar level than in treatment with ambient solar UV radiation (p < 0.05). (2) The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, guaiacol peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities of wetland plants increased with elevated UV radiation intensity. (3) The increased rate of MDA, SOD, POD, and CAT activities of C. indica, P. australis, and T. angustifolia by elevated UV radiation of 10 % was higher in vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland than in surface-flow-constructed wetland. The sensitivity of MDA, SOD, POD, and CAT activities of C. indica, P. austrail, and T. augustifolia to the elevated UV radiation was lower in surface-flow-constructed wetland than in the vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland, which was related to a reduction in UV radiation intensity through the dissolved organic carbon and suspended matter in the water. C. indica had the highest SOD and POD activities, which implied it is more sensitive to enhanced UV radiation. Therefore, different wetland plants had different antioxidant enzymes by elevated UV radiation, which were more sensitive in vertical subsurface-flow-constructed wetland than in surface-flow-constructed wetland.

Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on Guatteria australis (Annonaceae)

Guatteria is the largest genus of Annonaceae, comprising ca. 300 species. The genus presents taxonomic problems, and the number of species has been overestimated. Taxonomic revision, description, comments and illustration of G. australis are presented here. As a result, 41 names have been placed in synonymy under G. australis, and three lectotypes are newly designated.

Evidence of a genetic bottleneck in an El Nino affected population of South American fur seals, Arctocephalus australis

The South American fur seal, Arctocephalus australis, was one of the earliest otariid seals to be exploited by humans: at least 6000 years ago on the Atlantic coast and 4000 on the Pacific coast of South America. More than 750,000 fur seals were killed in Uruguay until 1991. However, a climatological phenomenon-the severe 1997-1998 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-was responsible for the decline of 72% Of the Peruvian fur seal population due to starvation as a consequence of warming of sea-surface temperatures and primary productivity reduction. Currently, there is no precise information on global population size or on the species` conservation status. The present study includes the first bottleneck test for the Pacific and Atlantic populations of A. australis based on the analysis of seven microsatellite loci. Genetic bottleneck compromises the evolutionary potential of a population to respond to environmental changes. The perspective becomes even more alarming due to current global warming models that predict stronger and more frequent ENSO events in the future. Our analysis found moderate support for deviation from neutrality-equilibrium for the Pacific population of fur seals and none for the Atlantic population. This difference among population reflects different demographic histories, and is consistent with a greater reduction in population size in the Pacific. Such an event could be a result of the synergic effects of recurrent ENSO events and the anthropogenic impact (sealing and prey overfishing) on this population.

First molecular estimate of sex-ratio of southern right whale calves, Eubalaena australis, for Brazilian waters

The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) was one of the most intensively hunted whales between the 17th and 20th centuries in the southern hemisphere. Recent estimates indicate that today there are around 7000 whales, representing 5 to 10% Of its original population. On the other hand, recent studies estimated that the population that migrates to the Brazilian coast grew by 14% from 1987 to 2003. However, there is no information about sex-ratio for adults or for calves in this region, which is an important parameter for understanding the biology of the species. We present here the first estimate Of calves` sex-ratio of southern right whales found along the southern Brazilian coast, one of the most important wintering grounds for the species. Sex was molecularly indentified for 21 biopsies collected from calves between 1998 and 2002, along the coast of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina States, in southern Brazil. The sex-ratio was two females for one male, however, it was not statistically different (chi(2) test, alpha = 0.05; df = 1) from the expected ratio of 1:1. This result is in accordance with the sex-ratio estimated for the species of all ages using external morphology (and behaviour in formation), (is well as for most species of baleen whales.