Honors Project--Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 45-48)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Cornell university, 1912. / "Literature cited":p. 538-541. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

No description available.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing sectors in the world. Over the past few years, aquaculture research has focused on improving rearing protocols and standards for the culture of aquatic organisms. Probiotics are gaining increasing interest as an alternative to antibiotics to improve animal health and welfare. The effects of probiotics on the physiological and biochemical development of the digestive tract of commercially raised Argyrosomus japonicus (dusky kob) larvae were investigated. Two probiotic treatments were compared to a control where the standard rearing protocol was applied. The growth of the larvae and histological development of the digestive tract was studied. The specific enzyme activity of key digestive enzymes was determined. Amylase, trypsin, pepsin, alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase N and leucine-alanine peptidase were assayed. The mean growth of the control group of larvae differs from the CSIR and BactoSafe treatment groups (P = <0.001). There were no differences in the histological development between the control and two treatments. The histology did indicate a slight delay in development of the digestive tract when compared to previous studies on dusky kob. No significant differences were observed between the control and treatment groups for any of the enzyme assays. The effect of probiotics on the development of the digestive system of dusky kob larvae could not be definitively described as it was not determined to what extent the probiotics had established in the gut. What the study did conclude was that the enzyme assays need to be refined in order to determine the optimal reaction conditions required for the determination of specific enzyme activity in commercially raised dusky kob. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Akwakultuur is een van die vinnigste groeiende voedsel produserende sektore in die wêreld. Oor die laaste aantal jare het akwakultuur navorsing gefokus op die verbetering van grootmaak protokolle en standaarde vir die cultuur van akwatise organismes So het die belangstelling in pro-biotika, as alternatief tot antibiotika ten einde die gesondheid en welsyn van diere te verhoog, vermeerder. Die effekte van pro-biotika op die fisiologies en biochemiese ontwikkeling van die spysverteringskanaal van kommersieel geproduseer Argyrosomus japonicus larwes was ondersoek. Twee probiotiese behandelings is vergelyk met ʼn kontrole (standaard grootmaak protokol). Die groei van die larwes en die histologiese ontwikkeling van die spysverteringskanaal is ondersoek. Die spesifieke ensiem aktiwiteite van die sleutel verteringsensieme was ook bepaal. Amilase, tripsien, pepsien, alkaliese fosfatase, aminopeptidase N en leusien-alanien peptidase was ondersoek. Die gemiddelde groei van die kontrole groep was effe hoër as die van die ander twee behandelings. Daar was geen verskil in histologie van die groepe nie maar die tempo van ontwikkeling vir alle behandelinge blyk stadiger te wees as die wat in vorige studies vir A. japonicus rapporteer is. Geen betekenisvolle verskille is opgemerk tussen die kontrole en die behandelingsgroepe vir enige van die ensiem analises nie. Die invloed van die probiotika op die ontwikkeling van die spysverteringskanaal van die larwes kon nie onomwonde beskryf word nie aangesien die vestiging van die pro-biotika in die spysverteringkanaal nie omskryf is nie. Wat wel gevind was, is dat die analitiese tegnieke rakende die ensieme verfyn moet word ten einde die optimale reaksie omgewings te bepaal wat dit sal moontlik maak om spesifieke ensiemaktiwiteite in die kommersieel geproduseerde A. japonicus te bepaal.

The distribution, behaviours, and composition of dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) nursery groups off Kaikoura, New Zealand, were examined. Data were collected during January–May 2005 and December 2005–April 2006 by systematic boat based surveys, group focal follows and photo-identification techniques. A total of 99 nursery groups were encountered on survey. Nursery groups were encountered in shallow water (<20 m) significantly more often than in deeper water (>20 m). Other group types (large groups, mating groups, adult non-mating groups) were not found in shallow water significantly more often than in deeper water. By staying in the shallower water, nursery groups may be protected from aggressive conspecifics and predators. More boats, especially private recreational boats, were found in the shallower waters, indicating that nursery groups are at greater risk from encounters with boat motors or recreational fishing gear in such areas. Group focal follows of at least 30- minutes were conducted on 56 nursery groups. Calves engaged in significantly more high energy behaviours (displays and head first re-entries) than non-calves in nursery groups. These groups were predominantly resting and compactly organized (interanimal distance less than 1 adult body length). Nursery groups showed a high level of synchrony, with 44% of groups synchronizing their submergence and surfacings for most of the focal follow. Median group size was 14, with a minimum of 2 mother-calf pairs to a maximum of 50 mother-calf pairs. A total of 260 individuals were catalogued as members of nursery groups during the two field seasons. Of these, 112 individuals were seen in nursery groups on at least two different days. Some individuals photographed with young calves in nursery groups off Kaikoura were later photographed in Admiralty Bay, 275 km northwest of Kaikoura. Other individuals photographed together in nursery groups in 2005 were also together in nursery groups in 2006.

The sex of and genetic relatedness among interacting individuals are known to be biologically fundamental features that characterize the composition of animal groups. Current work continues to illuminate reasons for the variety of animal social patterns, including patterns in group membership. I investigated the composition of dusky dolphin groups relative to sex and relatedness at two locations in New Zealand. In Kaikoura, dusky dolphins are found year-round, foraging nocturnally on verticallymigrating prey and socializing in distinct group types (mating, nursery, and adult) during the day. By contrast, dusky dolphins use Admiralty Bay, where they feed diurnally on small schooling fishes, primarily in the winter. Molecular sexing revealed the sex of 107 dusky dolphins. The Kaikoura data support previous findings that small mating groups consist mostly of males and indicate that small adult groups can consist of either or both sexes. In Admiralty Bay, the percentage of female dolphins present during the study was estimated to be only 7.4%−22.2% (95% confidence interval, n=88). A randomization test further indicates that dusky dolphins in Admiralty Bay grouped preferentially with same-sex individuals. Nuclear and mitochondrial markers were used to investigate patterns of relatedness. Dusky dolphins sampled in Kaikoura (n=17) and Admiralty Bay (n=47) were genotyped at seven microsatellite loci, and genetic relatedness among all genotyped pairs was estimated. A randomization test indicates that dusky dolphins did not group preferentially by relatedness in Admiralty Bay. Grouping history for 13 genotyped samples was also known from a multi-year photographic record of individually distinctive dusky dolphins. No relationship was found between these longer-term grouping patterns and genetic relatedness. The d-loop region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was sequenced for 197 dusky dolphins. The pattern of grouping among dolphins with different haplotypes indicates that dusky dolphin groups are not strongly structured by maternal lineages. However, data from eight individual dusky dolphins hint that nursery groups in Kaikoura tend to consist of dolphins that share a maternal ancestor. This investigation raises many questions about the nature of dusky dolphin social organization and suggests promising avenues for finer-grained investigations into the causes and consequences of dusky dolphin group structure.

I examined fission-fusion sociality in dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), and investigated aspects of social convergence between dolphins and great apes. I used boat-based group focal follows and photo-identification to collect data in Admiralty Bay, New Zealand during 2005-2006. I used generalized estimating equations to examine relationships between party (group) size, rate of party fission-fusion, activity, and location; and relationships between leaping frequency and behavior. Using photo-identification images from 2001-2006, I analyzed the strength and temporal patterning of associations, short- and long-term association patterns, preferred/avoided associations, and behaviorally-specific preferred associations. To analyze social convergence between dolphins and great apes, I compared female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops spp.) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) social strategies through literature review. I conducted 171 group focal follows, totaling 157 observation hours. Mean party size was 7.0±6.0 individuals. Party size changed every 5±.47.6 min on average. The most frequent activity was resting (37%), followed by traveling (29%), foraging (18%), and socializing (15%). Foraging was positively related to party size and rate of fission-fusion. Near mussel farms, foraging increased, traveling decreased, and rate of party fusion increased. "Clean" leaps were the most frequent leap type (84%) and were positively related to party size and foraging. Noisy and coordinated leaps were positively related to party size; noisy leaps were negatively related to foraging. Associations during 2001-2006 (N = 228 individuals) were nonrandom for 125 days; associations within one field season were nonrandom for 60 days. Individuals formed preferred/avoided associations during most years. The strongest associations occurred during foraging and socializing; the weakest associations occurred during traveling. Individuals formed preferred associations during foraging, resting, and socializing. Review of female bottlenose dolphin and chimpanzee sociality revealed that: 1) females form weaker bonds and are less social than males, 2) females associate mostly with other females, 3) mothers are often alone with their offspring, 4) mothers (vs. non-mothers) and non-cycling (vs. cycling) females associate less with males, and 5) non-cycling (vs. cycling) females occur in smaller parties. Female dolphins may be more social than female chimpanzees due to decreased scramble competition, increased predation risk, and decreased cost of transport for dolphins vs. chimpanzees.

O presente projeto analisou o perfil dos ácidos graxos, embriogênese e ontogenia do sistema digestório das larvas da garoupa verdadeira Epinephelus marginatus durante os primeiros dias de desenvolvimento. Além disso, descrevemos como os embriões se dividem, eclodem e desenvolvem suas principais características, e como se desenvolve seu sistema digestório ao longo dos primeiros dias de desenvolvimento, e como utilizam os AG durante os primeiros 8 dias de desenvolvimento. Observamos que as larvas da garoupa apresentam desenvolvimento de suas estruturas digestórias relativamente lento, no entanto, estas são capazes de capturar, ingerir e digerir presas já a partir do 4º DAE. Os ovos da garoupa verdadeira são compostos por elevados percentuais de PUFA nos fosfolipídios e para o processo de eclosão utilizam preferencialmente os SFA dos fosfolipídios. Além disso, os PUFA da série n3 sobrepõe-se aos da série n6, principalmente o DHA, que apresentaram valores elevados em comparação com outras espécies marinhas tanto nos fosfolipídios quanto nos triglicérides nos três primeiros dias de desenvolvimento. As larvas apresentam uma elevada necessidade dos HUFAs DHA/EPA, e durante essa fase é importante a utilização de alimento vivo de tamanho reduzido (copépodes ou &ldquo;SS strain&rdquo; Brachionus rotundiformes) enriquecidos com valores da relação entre DHA/EPA acima de 2,0. Com isso, todo o conhecimento gerado durante esses dias de desenvolvimento já permitem a aplicação deste conhecimento no processo de embriogênese e larvicultura da garoupa verdadeira contribuindo para alavancar sua domesticação e produção em cativeiro e elaborar futuramente um programa de repovoamento desta espécie contribuindo para sua conservação. / This project analyzed the fatty acids profile, embryogenesis and ontogeny of the digestive system of dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus larvae during the first days of development. Furthermore, we described how the embryos are divided, hatch and develop its main features, and how develops its digestive system during the first days of development, and how they use the FA during the first 8 days of development. We observed that the grouper larvae present relative slow development of their digestive structures, however, the larvae are able to capture, ingest and digest preys already from 4º DAE. The dusky grouper eggs are composed by high percentages of PUFA in phospholipids and for the hatching process it uses preferably the SFA of phospholipids. Additionally, the n3 series PUFAs overlaps the n6 series, especially DHA, which exhibited high values compared to other marine species both on phospholipids as in the triglycerides during the first three days of development. The larvae exhibit a high requirement of HUFAs DHA/EPA, and during this phase is important to use live food of small size (copepods or &ldquo;SS strain&rdquo; Brachionus rotundiformes) enriched with the ratio of DHA/EPA levels above 2.0. Thus, all the knowledge generated during these days of development allow us the application of this knowledge in the embryogenesis and hatchery process of the dusky grouper contributing to leverage its domestication and production in captivity and eventually draw up a restocking program of this species contributing to their conservation.

Submitted by Marlene Santos (marlene.bc.ufg@gmail.com) on 2014-09-03T18:52:11Z No. of bitstreams: 2 TESE_COMPLETA.pdf: 6269691 bytes, checksum: db8e0a15aa940e41131be31c88eeb227 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-03T18:52:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 TESE_COMPLETA.pdf: 6269691 bytes, checksum: db8e0a15aa940e41131be31c88eeb227 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-25 / The city of Quirinópolis, which is located in the Southwest part of Goiás State, in the Basin of Paranaíba River, is consisted by smoothed reliefs containing residual tabular hills whose altitudes range from 370 to 880m. The “Serra da Confusão do Rio Preto”, located in the center part of the city, is representative on the local landscape. In the highest parts of this hill there are many erosive foci, which are of a huge size, especially of gullies type and mainly near of its south edge, where it is developed a big dissected recess containing several headwaters drainage. Two gullies were selected for detailed studies because they are in the same geomorphological situation of a concave edge of a residual relief, however, related to different systems of soil, one on a pedological cover represented by a Red Dusky Soil, Plinthosol petroferric and Gley soil and one on PSAMENT and Histosols . The study aimed to identify the source, the constraints and the evolution of the processes that caused the emergence and evolution of gullies to devise proposals for stabilization and / or appropriate control. Five interviews were carried out with former residents of the hill about the origin and evolution of the selected gullies. Subsequently, thematic maps were produced in the physical environment of use and occupation of the research area and as a source, satellite images Landsat TM (60 m resolution) 1980 and Landsat TM5 (30 m resolution) and SRTM images in 2008, to observe the evolution of land uses and gullies throughout this period. The operational capabilities of the software used were: Envi 4.3, Arc Map - ArcGIS 9.2, Spring 5.0 and CorelDRAW X3 version 13. Then, the entries were drawn erosive events according to the methodology of the IPT. Later on, they were described the horizons of exposed soil on the slopes of gullies in toposequence, with the use of rappelling. The physico-hydric soil characteristics were obtained from field tests of resistance to penetration with an impact penetrometer, saturated hydraulic conductivity using the Guelph permeameter, followed by the characterization of the physical attributes (water content, texture, density particles and soil total porosity, macro and micro) and chemical (pH, OM, Fe, P, K, Ca, Mg, H + Al, Al, CEC and V). Analyses were performed by ANOVA and Tukey test at 5% of probability for the comparison of means. The results showed that the gully of “Córrego do Andre” is developing on old scar erosive, as evidenced by the identification of horizons and / or different soil layers between the right and left slope erosion that probably were deposited by successive cuts and fills. Its evolution is driven by surface flows concentrated on cattle trails that surround it, associated with concentrated flows that spill over the terraces and reach their borders, as well as through the exfiltration of subsurface water in contact horizons Bw Bc or with C underlying the slopes strongly inclined. The Ting gully soils with lower clay in its upper reaches, has low penetration resistance (compaction) and high hydraulic conductivity, so the progression is linked to performance continues the erosion mechanisms represented by the internal pipings. The superficial runoff contributes little to the progression of this erosion. / O município de Quirinópolis, localizado no Sudoeste do Estado de Goiás, na bacia hidrográfica do rio Paranaíba, cujas altitudes variam de 370 m a 880 m é constituído de relevos suavizados, contendo morros tabulares residuais. A Serra da Confusão do rio Preto, situada no centro norte do município, é representativa da paisagem local. Nas partes mais altas dessa serra, ocorrem muitos focos erosivos de grande porte do tipo ravinas e voçorocas, sobretudo nas proximidades de sua borda sul, onde se desenvolve uma grande reentrância dissecada contendo várias cabeceiras de drenagem. Duas voçorocas foram selecionadas para estudos detalhados por estarem na mesma situação geomorfológica de borda concavizada de relevo residual, no entanto, relacionadas a diferentes sistemas de solos, uma sobre cobertura pedológica representada pelo Latossolo Vermelho, Plintossolo Pétrico e Gleissolo e outra sobre Neossolo Quartzarênico e Organossolo. O trabalho teve como objetivos identificar a origem, os condicionantes e a evolução dos processos que causaram o surgimento e a evolução dessas voçorocas, visando elaborar propostas de estabilização e/ou controle adequadas. Foram realizadas cinco entrevistas com antigos moradores da serra sobre a origem e evolução das voçorocas selecionadas. Posteriormente, foram elaborados mapas temáticos do meio físico e de uso e ocupação do solo da área de pesquisa tendo como fonte imagens do satélite Landsat TM (resolução de 60 m) 1980 e, Landsat TM5 (resolução de 30 m) 2008 e imagens SRTM, para observar a evolução dos usos do solo e dos focos erosivos ao longo desse período. Os recursos operacionais utilizados foram os softwares: Envi 4.3, Arc Map – ArcGis 9.2, o Spring 5.0 e o CorelDRAW X3 versão 13. Em seguida, foram elaborados cadastros das ocorrências erosivas de acordo com a metodologia do IPT. Posteriormente foram descritos os horizontes dos solos expostos nos taludes das voçorocas em toposseqüência, com a utilização de rapel. As características físico-hídricas dos solos foram obtidas por meio de ensaios em campo de resistência à penetração com o penetrômetro de impacto, de condutividade hidráulica saturada com o uso do permeâmetro de Guelph, sucedidos pela caracterização dos atributos físicos (umidade gravimétrica, textura, densidade de partículas e do solo, porosidade total, macro e microporosidade) e químicos (pH, MO, Fe, P, K, Ca, Mg, H+Al, Al, CTC e V). Foram realizadas análises de variância e teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade para a comparação de médias. Os resultados mostraram que a voçoroca Córrego do André está se desenvolvendo sobre antiga cicatriz erosiva, evidenciada por meio da identificação de horizontes e/ou camadas pedológicas distintas entre os taludes direito e esquerdo da erosão que provavelmente foram depositados através de cortes e preenchimentos sucessivos. A sua evolução é comandada pelos fluxos superficiais concentrados em trilhas de gado que a circundam, associados aos fluxos concentrados que transbordam os terraços e atingem as suas bordas, bem como, em função da exfiltração da água subsuperficial no contato dos horizontes Bw ou Bc com o C subjacente nos taludes fortemente inclinados. A voçoroca Tingá com solos de textura mais arenosa, no seu trecho superior, possui baixa resistência à penetração (compactação) e elevada condutividade hidráulica saturada, por isso, sua progressão está associada à atuação continua dos mecanismos erosivos internos representados pelos pipings. O escoamento superficial pouco contribui para a progressão dessa erosão.

This study presents evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear loci that there is genetic divergence among and within geographic populations of Lagenorhynchus obscurus. The effect of seasonal variation on the genetic structure within New Zealand was examined with mitochondrial DNA control region sequences from 4 localities. Analysis of nested haplotype clades indicated genetic fragmentation and at least 1 historical population expansion within New Zealand. AMOVA and Fst values from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences suggested significant divergence between New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Peru. Dispersal via the west-wind drift was not supported by patterns of population structure among regions. Alternatively, these data support reciprocal exchange among all four regions with 100% posterior probability for a root of origin in the Indian/Atlantic Oceans. The degree of divergence between Peru and other regions indicates the isolation of Peruvian stock is temporally correlated with the constriction of Drake’s passage in the Plio-Pleistocene. There is evidence that the Plio-Pliestocene paleoceanography of the Indian and Southern Atlantic Oceans influenced phylogeography with shifts of temperate sea surface temperatures northward ~5º of latitude, disrupting the dispersal corridor between New Zealand and Atlantic populations. A preference for temperate waters along continental shelves is proposed as an explanation for lack of contemporary genetic exchange among regions. This study supports the polyphyly of the genus Lagenorhynchus. North Atlantic species form a monophyletic Lagenorhynchus. In the Southern Hemisphere, L. australis/L. cruciger and L. obliquidens/L. obscurus do not form a monophyletic group. I discuss the taxonomic implications and propose taxonomic revision of the genus based on these results. Measures of character interaction indicate that combined evidence from nuclear and mitochondrial genes provide better phylogenetic resolution among delphinid lineages than any data partition independently, despite some indications of conflict among mitochondrial and nuclear data.