Use of diet and body condition assessments as intermediate indicators of translocation success in the Critically Endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)

1. Intermediate metrics of translocation success are useful for long-lived, slow to mature species where survival and reproduction happen over decades.
2. With fewer than 150 individuals in the wild, the Critically Endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is one of the most threatened species on Earth. This study presents the first analysis of diet and body condition of wild Philippine crocodiles and headstarted (i.e. captive-reared) individuals released into the wild over the last decade, and uses these results to show how diet and body condition can be pertinent intermediate metrics of translocation success.
3. Analyses of stomach contents revealed 17 different aquatic and terrestrial invertebrate and vertebrate prey species. Interestingly, 70% of Philippine crocodiles showed snails to be the predominent prey type, followed by fish (36.7%), birds (33.3%) and reptiles (33.3%). More than 50% of crocodiles consumed the invasive golden apple snail, a leading agricultural pest. Regardless of crocodile history (wild vs. headstarted) or size class (juvenile vs. adult), no evidence was found for dietary differences in percentage occurrence, percentage composition or prey diversity.
4. Body condition was significantly higher in wild compared with headstarted individuals when analysed together in a pooled group, although neither group differed significantly from the standardized expectation, and headstarted individuals were not significantly different when body condition was derived independently for the two groups.
5. This study provides a working example of how assessing the convergence of diet and body condition between translocated and wild individuals can provide complementary monitoring parameters to demonstrate post-release establishment of translocated crocodylians. The congruent dietary composition and comparable body condition observed in this study suggest that headstarted crocodiles adapt well following release.
6. Crocodylus mindorensis survives in an agricultural landscape and is likely to play an ecologically important role by exploiting invasive species, reinforcing the importance of this species to local communities.

     

Spawning, early development and first feeding in the gobiid fish Priolepis nocturna

The reproductive behavior, embryonic development and early larvae of Priolepis nocturna are described. Three pairs of P. nocturna began spawning 41 days after acquisition and maintained a 5–10 day spawning cycle lasting beyond several months. Spawning was initiated by the female who signaled her readiness to spawn by displaying to the male. Egg clutch size averaged 1578 ± 51.23 eggs and ranged from 268 to 3121. Egg length averaged 0.82 ± 0.01 mm total length (TL) and ranged from 0.75 to 0.90 mm. Egg width averaged 0.51 ± 0.51 mm total width (TW) and ranged from 0.49 to 0.52 mm. Fertilized eggs were ovoid in shape and attached to the ceiling of provided shelters via adhesive filaments at the proximal end. Hatching rates averaged 97.3 ± 0.51% and ranged from 91.9 to 99.8%. Larvae measuring 1.89 ± 0.04 mm TL hatched 121 ± 0.5 h post fertilization and did not rotate position prior to hatching. Skeletal elements of the chondrocranium were simplistic and dominated by the hyoid, hyomandibulosymplectic cartilage, ethmoid and Meckel's cartilage in first feeding larvae. No elements were added to the cranial architecture by 5 days post hatch (DPH) when larvae measured 2.05 ± 0.04 mm TL. First feeding larvae consumed only dinoflagellates and tintinnids suggesting that feeding was constrained by a poorly developed feeding mechanism. Embryology and larval development are described to 5 DPH.     

Ionomic Profiling of Rice Genotypes and Identification of Varieties with Elemental Covariation Effects

Ionomic profiles are primarily influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Identifying ionomic responses to varietal effects is necessary to understand the ionomic variations among species or subspecies and to potentially understand genetic effects on ionomic profiles. We cultivated 120 rice (Oryza sativa) varieties to seedling stage in identical hydroponic conditions and determined the concentrations of 26 elements (including 3 anions) in the shoots and roots of rice. Although the subspecies effects were limited by the genus Oryza pre-framework and its elemental chemical properties, we found significant differences in ionomic variations in most elements among the aus, indica and japonica subspecies. Principal component analysis of the correlations indicated that variations in the root-to-shoot ionomic transport mechanisms were the main causes of ionomic differences among the subspecies. Furthermore, the correlations were primarily associated with the screening of varieties for elemental covariation effects that can facilitate breeding biofortified rice varieties with safe concentrations of otherwise toxic elements. The japonica subspecies exhibited the strongest elemental correlations and elemental covariation effects, therefore, they showed greater advantages for biofortification than the indica and aus subspecies, whereas indica and aus subspecies were likely safer in metal(loid) polluted soils. We also found that geographical and historical distribution significantly defined the ionomic profiles. Overall, the results of this study provided a reference for further association studies to improve the nutritional status and minimize toxicity risks in rice production.     

Insights into an undescribed high-elevation lake (6,170 m a.s.l.) on Volcán Llullaillaco: A physical and microbiological view

1. High elevation lakes are extreme ecosystems and serve as sentinels of various global changes.
2. An expedition to Volcán Llullaillaco in 1996 discovered an unstudied high-elevation lake (6,170 m a.s.l.) that probably was formed as a result of the past eruptive events or climatic processes such as glacial retreat in the lake basin.
3. This article describes an initial physical characterization of the lake and its microbial communities derived from two sampling expeditions in 2013 and 2016.
4. The microbial community in the lake, with an area between 1.2 and 1.4 ha and a depth of 6.8 m, was dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Haloarchaea. In addition, 26 bacterial isolates were identified within the genera Subtercola, Xylophilus, Rhodanobacter, Mesorhizobium and Pseudomonas.
5. Lago Llullaillaco is one of the highest recorded lakes in the world, and this study highlights the unique microbial diversity of this aquatic ecosystem and the importance of its preservation to understand the complex biological processes under polyextreme conditions.

     

Taxonomic and functional macroinvertebrate diversity of high-altitude ponds in the Macun Cirque,Switzerland

1. Global environmental change is threatening freshwater biodiversity with ecological impacts predicted to be particularly severe in high-altitude regions. Despite this, an ecological understanding of high-altitude pond networks remains patchy, with only limited knowledge of the environmental and spatial predictors of taxonomic and functional diversity. Moreover, previous studies of pond ecosystems have focused primarily on taxonomic richness and largely overlooked functional diversity.
2. This study examined the influence of local environmental and spatial factors on taxonomic and functional α and β diversity (including the turnover and nestedness-resultant components) of 17 high-altitude (~2,500 m above sea level) pond macroinvertebrate communities, in the Macun Cirque, Switzerland.
3. Spatial processes (pond connectivity) were important drivers for taxonomic α diversity, while local environmental variables (pond permanence and surface area) were important determinants of functional α diversity. Species turnover was the most important component of β diversity for taxonomic composition, and functional composition demonstrated a nested spatial pattern.
4. Variation in taxonomic and functional composition (and the turnover and nestedness components of β diversity) were determined by local environmental variables despite the limited environmental gradients within the pond network. No significant effects of spatial variables on community composition were recorded for either facet of diversity, indicating that compositional variation was determined at a local scale. Water temperature, depth and pond permanence were consistently the most important measured drivers of diversity.
5. Given the importance of both spatial and environmental variables in structuring taxonomic and functional diversity, landscape-scale conservation and management activities that aim to improve or protect high-altitude freshwater biodiversity should focus on maintaining connectivity among ponds and environmental heterogeneity, particularly pond surface area, water depth, and hydroperiod. Understanding the mechanisms driving taxonomic and functional diversity will be critically important for the management and conservation of macroinvertebrate communities in high-altitude pond networks in the face of climatic warming.

     

Monitoring Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin occurrences in a highly urbanized estuary for informing conservation and management

1. The estuaries within the Pearl River Delta are sites for large-scale urban development and offshore construction. These projects have conservation stakeholders calling for more protection for the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins whose habitat overlaps with current and proposed construction sites.
2. Efforts to improve impact assessments are hindered by the lack of baseline data and comprehensive understanding of how often the dolphins are present in areas near or within locations targeted for further development. The Modaomen Estuary within the Pearl River Delta is a good example of this, with little consideration for the dolphins as no data on their diurnal and seasonal occurrences within the estuary exist.
3. A passive acoustic monitoring system was deployed over a calendar year from October 2016 to September 2017 to monitor the presence of humpback dolphins in the Modaomen Estuary.
4. Results indicated that the estuary is an important area for humpback dolphins, with regular diel rhythms and seasonality in detection rates. For example, higher detections were seen during the wet season than during the dry season. However, there was no significant difference in detection rates between the flood and ebb tides, or between high and low tidal phases.
5. Since the Modaomen Estuary is targeted for further development in the near future, these data provide the rationale for resource management and consent processes to consider potential impacts on the dolphins, as well as to aid marine spatial planning and conservation measures.

     

Seasonal spatial distribution of juvenile lake sturgeon in Muskegon Lake,Michigan, USA

We examined seasonal spatial distribution and diel movements of juvenile lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in Muskegon Lake, Michigan (a protected, drowned river mouth lake that links the Muskegon River to Lake Michigan). We surgically implanted ultrasonic tags in 20 juveniles (age 1–7) captured in gill nets to track their locations during August–December 2008/2009 and September 2010–October 2011. Most juveniles were observed ≤1.5 km from the mouth of the Muskegon River in Muskegon Lake at a mean depth of 7.5 m (SE = 1.3 m) during summer. In fall, juveniles moved away from the river mouth to the deepest part of Muskegon Lake and were observed at a mean depth of 15.8 m (SE = 1.3 m) during winter. The shift in spatial distribution coincided with fall turnover (i.e., loss of thermal stratification) and with changes in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in the hypolimnion. During summer, DO concentrations in the hypolimnion were typically <4 mg·l^?1 in the deepest part of Muskegon Lake and DO concentrations at locations of tagged lake sturgeon were >7 mg·l^?1 in 94% of instances. Tracking in 2009 revealed no significant change in depth distribution or movement over the diel cycle. We only observed two tagged juveniles immigrating to Lake Michigan, suggesting that juveniles use Muskegon Lake for multiple years. Our results suggest that: (i) Muskegon Lake serves as an important nursery habitat for juvenile lake sturgeon that hatched in the Muskegon River before they enter Lake Michigan and (ii) seasonal changes in DO concentration in the hypolimnion likely affect the spatial distribution of juveniles in Muskegon Lake.     

Kinetics and postmucosal effects on urinary recovery of 5 intravenously administered sugars in healthy cats

The objective of this study was to describe the kinetics of urinary recovery and to evaluate the effects of postmucosal factors on urinary recovery of 5 intravenously administered saccharides. Ten cats received an isotonic sugar solution containing lactulose, rhamnose, xylose, methylglucose, and sucrose intravenously. These sugars were selected because of their prior use for intestinal permeability and mucosal function testing in humans and dogs. Urethral catheterization with a closed collection system was used for collection of cumulative urine samples prior to and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 h after administration of the sugar solution. High-pressure anion exchange liquid chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection was used to measure the concentrations of each sugar in the urine and calculate urinary recovery. Twenty-four hour cumulative urinary recovery for each sugar from the cats, was lower than expected compared to dogs and humans. All 5 sugars had the highest percentage of urinary recovery during the first 2 h after administration. Mean sugar elimination rate constants and half-lives ranged from 0.268/h for methylglucose to 0.415/h for lactulose and 1.67 h for lactulose to 2.59 h for methylglucose, respectively. Metabolism and incomplete urine collection are possible reasons for lower cumulative urinary recoveries of these 5 sugars in cats compared with dogs. Although these 5 sugars are not ideal marker molecules, they may still be useful for intestinal permeability and mucosal function testing in cats.