Getting cosy in freshwater: Assumed to be brackish pike are not so brackish after all

Pike (Esox lucius) occupy coastal streams and rivers of the Baltic Sea, where they attain large sizes (>5 kg). These large sizes are perhaps due to the fact that they can tolerate relatively high salinities and can thus forage in the nearby more productive brackish environments. In an attempt to quantify the extent to which pike utilise brackish environments, and to provide some insight into the underlying causes for brackish water migrations, we tagged 30 pike from a western Baltic river with acoustic transmitters and were able to track 21 individuals for 1 year. Based on experienced from local anglers, this population was assumed to be brackish in nature, where individuals underwent freshwater migrations to spawn. Our findings however suggest that the smallest and most active individuals make short exits into brackish waters and do so on rare occasions. Our results further indicate that neither sex nor size is related to activity level. We suggest that these patterns reflect two distinct behaviours—active and passive—and that large pike can be supported by the food availability in the river, without the need to venture into coastal zones, thus defying the conventional view that Baltic pike are all brackish in nature.     

Turbidity‐induced changes in emergent effects of multiple predators with different foraging strategies

Abstract – In natural systems, prey frequently interact with multiple predators and the outcome often cannot be predicted by summing the effects of individual predator species. Multiple predator interactions can create emergent effects for prey, but how those change across environmental gradients is poorly understood. Turbidity is an environmental factor in aquatic systems that may influence multiple predator effects on prey. Interactions between a cruising predator (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides) and an ambush predator (muskellunge Esox masquinongy) and their combination foraging on a shared prey (bluegill Lepomis macrochirus) were examined across a turbidity gradient. Turbidity modified multiple predator effects on prey. In clear water, combined predators consumed in total more prey than expected from individual predator treatments, suggesting risk enhancement for prey. In moderately turbid water, the predators consumed fewer prey together than expected, suggesting a risk reduction for prey. At high turbidity, there were no apparent emergent effects; however, the cruising predator consumed more prey than the ambush predator, suggesting an advantage for this predator. Understanding multiple predator traits across a gradient of turbidity increases our understanding of how complex natural systems function.     

β-1,3-葡聚糖及其羧甲基衍生物对海湾扇贝免疫功能的影响

2003年3月和2004年4月，新疆某养殖场和西安灞桥区某养殖场的白斑狗鱼（Esox lucius Linnaeus）相继爆发“败血症”。从具有明显症状的濒死病鱼体表病灶和内脏组织分离得到12株优势菌株，经人工感染试验表明：其中10株分离菌为致病菌。对分离菌株进行形态、培养特征、生理生化试验鉴定，认为该病原菌为杀鲑气单胞菌史氏亚种（Aeromonas salmonida subsp．smith）。血清学试验表明各分离菌株具有相同的保护性抗原。组织病理学研究表明：患病狗鱼病灶肌纤维明显肿胀断裂，肌纤维束之间出现间隙；肝胰组织严重坏死，细胞核溶解消失，细胞浆崩解；肾小管绝大部分均已坏死，细胞破裂，胞浆呈红色团块状流失于管腔。脾脏细胞大量坏死，髓质内含铁血黄素沉积。代表菌株EL0304-1药敏试验结果为：对供试24种抗菌药物中的磺胺二甲嘧啶钠、磺胺二甲嚯唑钠等不敏感；庆大霉素、卡那霉素等中度敏感；对氧氟沙星、培氟沙星、新霉素等高度敏感。     

Changing of fat content and fatty acid profile of reared pike (Esox lucius) fed two different diets

Fat content and fatty acid profile of two pike yearling groups grown on two different diets were compared. The groups originated from culture on artificial feed. One group (cultured pike fed first pellet then prey‐fish (PF)) was fed with natural food, live prey‐fish, while the other one (cultured pike fed exclusively pellet (PP)) by trout feed through a 3‐month experimental period. Growth of pike was lower with PP than with PF. The trout feed resulted in an increase of the fat content of fillet and the formation of abdominal fat depots. Feeding of natural food decreased the fat content. The proportion of the saturated fatty acids in fillet was higher in the (PF) group. The n‐6 fatty acids (arachidonic C20:4n‐6 and docosatetraenic C22:4n‐6 acids) were lowest in PP‐fed pike. Regarding total n‐3 fatty acids ratio there was no significant difference between the groups, but the level of α‐linolenic (C:18:3n‐3) acid showed significant difference among groups.     

Effect of brown trout body size on post-stocking survival and pike predation

Abstract –  A total of 40 (20 age-3 + 20 age-4) radio-tagged hatchery-reared brown trout ( Salmo trutta L.) and 40 wild radio-tagged northern pike ( Esox lucius L.) were released into a regulated river. Age-3 brown trout were predicted and observed to be highly vulnerable to predation by pike (50% mortality), whereas age-4 brown trout were predicted and observed to enjoy an almost absolute size refuge from predation (5% mortality). Almost half of the fish from both age groups similarly emigrated and survived from the river within 3 days of the release. However, there was a considerable difference in survival between age groups for fish that remained in the river for a longer period. Of these, all except one age-3 brown trout were eaten by pike, whereas all but one age-4 fish survived predation.     

新疆额尔齐斯河流域白斑狗鱼的染色体核型分析

采用PHA和秋水仙素胸腔体内注射法,以头肾组织为材料,低渗-空气干燥法制片,对取自新疆额尔齐斯河流域白斑狗鱼的染色体核型进行了分析。经对5尾白斑狗鱼的45个中期分裂相进行显微分析和测量,结果显示:白斑狗鱼的25对染色体均为端部着丝粒染色体,其核型公式为2n=50 t,NF=50。白斑狗鱼染色体大小的绝对值为0.96~1.36μm,平均长度为1.20μm。25对染色体相对长度大小依次递减,大小差异较显著,平均值为5.68。目前,对新疆额尔齐斯白斑狗鱼的染色体组型研究尚未见报道。     

Extinction of a weakly armoured threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) population in Prator Lake, Alaska

Abstract –  Threespine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) samples from Prator Lake in southcentral Alaska consist of the relatively rare form of weakly armoured individuals with few lateral plates and no pelvic spines. Prator Lake has been sampled for threespine stickleback since 1983. Exotic northern pike ( Esox lucius ) were first observed in this lake in 1996. The appearance of pike corresponds with a dramatic decrease in stickleback numbers and apparent local extinction. The stickleback population may have been vulnerable to an exotic predator because Prator Lake lacks native piscivorous fishes, and this population had extreme armour reduction.     

东北地区白斑狗鱼人工繁殖技术的研究

在长春地区进行了白斑狗鱼的人工繁殖,并对白斑狗鱼胚胎发育及卵黄囊期仔鱼的发育情况进行了研究.结果表明,白斑狗鱼卵呈圆球形,金黄色,多油球,卵径为1.9～2.2 mm.白斑狗鱼受精卵在水温10～14℃下经188 h孵化出膜,有效积温为2244℃·h;在水温12～14℃下卵黄囊期需10 d,有效积温为120 ～ 140℃·h.受精率达73.3％,孵化率为48.5％.     

养殖密度和温度对白斑狗鱼在设施养殖中生长的影响

研究了养殖密度和温度对白斑狗鱼稚鱼在设施养殖中生长的影响。经过30d的养殖试验发现养殖密度和温度对白斑狗鱼稚鱼在设施养殖中的摄食和生长都有显著影响。日增重、特定增长率、生长效率、摄食效率随密度的增大而减小,净增重24ind·m-3和16ind·m-3密度组最高;随着温度的升高,日增重、特定增长率、生长效率均呈现先升高后下降的趋势,其中24℃组生长最快,摄食效率则随温度的升高而增大。特定生长率与密度之间存在显著直线回归关系,其回归方程为SGR=7.30-0.122SD(r2=0.9927);养殖温度和特定增长率之间存在显著二次函数关系,其回归方程为SGR=-0.047T2 2.169T-19.56(r2=0.8342),当温度为23.1℃时,白斑狗鱼的特定增长率最大为5.544,表明白斑狗鱼最适生长水温应在23～24℃。白斑狗鱼尽管是凶猛性鱼类,但只要控制好一定的养殖密度和水温,进行设施养殖是可行的。     

Movement patterns of adult pike (Esox lucius L.) in a Belgian lowland river

Northern pike, Esox lucius, needs different habitats to survive and reproduce and thus depends on the availability and accessibility of these habitats. To efficiently manage pike, information is needed on its spatial and temporal patterns of migration. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of adult pike migration and which environmental variables influenced migration. From December 2010, we followed 15 pike for 1 year by use of radio telemetry in the River Yser, a typical lowland river characterised by anthropogenic impacts such as artificial embankments. Pike migrated most in February and March, which could indicate they frequented spawning habitat in this period. Four environmental variables significantly affected pike migration, ranging from the location where pike were observed (strongest effect), over water temperature and flow to diel water temperature change (weakest effect). The relation between migration and the location where pike were observed could demonstrate that pike preferred specific regions in the river. Increasing water temperature triggered migration for both sexes, and males started migrating at lower temperatures than females, which suggests that males start migrating earlier. This was the only substantial difference observed between male and female pike migration. The results suggest that migration was inhibited by high flow, as no migration was observed at high flow. River managers can use this information to efficiently manage their pike populations, for example, by removing or temporarily opening hydraulic structures like valves, weirs and sluices. This may facilitate access to suitable habitats at moments pike needs these habitats to fulfil its life cycle.