Carnivorous Species Research Articles

In Pursuit of Fish-Free Feeds: A Multi-Species Evaluation

The future growth and sustainability of fed aquaculture, and especially that for carnivorous species, will be highly dependent upon the industry stepping away from its reliance upon forage fishes as major feed ingredients. With this goal in mind, the F3 Feed Innovation Network—a consortium of researchers; businesses, including feed manufacturers and ingredient providers; NGOs; and others—energizes industry to adopt novel and promising aquafeed ingredients and formulations. All evaluated formulae are open-source and freely available on the F3 website. Moreover, the F3 diets can be readily retailored to suit user demands and/or local conditions (i.e., ingredient availability/restrictions). This presentation summarizes completed F3 trials undertaken with five species of cultured and candidate fishes. With reference to eight studies, findings are compared against conventional fishmeal (FM)/fish oil (FO)-based feeds. The described research documents the response of test animals to aquafeeds containing traditional FM/FO alternatives (e.g., soybean meal and poultry by-product meal) as well as innovative ingredients (e.g., microalgae and single-cell proteins). Depending on the species examined, account is given to the overall growth performance, health aspects, and product quality. The F3 trials demonstrate the feasibility of the complete removal of FM/FO from the diets of the tested animals.

Tributyrin supplementation in fish and crustacean nutrition: A review

AbstractShort‐chain fatty acids, including butyrate and its derived forms, have been used as dietary supplements to reverse or ameliorate the potential negative effects of plant‐derived ingredients in aquaculture diets, and have a multitude of well‐demonstrated physiological and health enhancing effects in mammals and livestock. Tributyrin, a butyric acid derivate, has been assessed as a supplement in the diets of farmed animals, with promising results in several species. In fish and crustaceans, the dietary inclusion of tributyrin is more recent and has been less studied but results suggest that it may be highly advantageous for aquatic animals. This is particularly important for carnivorous species, whose diets need to be optimised towards the reduction of the fishmeal content to enhance the environmental and economical sustainability of the sector. The present work characterises tributyrin and presents the main results of its use as a dietary source of butyric acid in feeds for aquatic species. The main focus is given to aquaculture species and how tributyrin, as a feed supplement, can contribute to optimising plant‐based aquafeeds.

Capture of mammal excreta by Nepenthes is an effective heterotrophic nutrition strategy.

While isotopic enrichment of nitrogen (15N) and carbon (13C) is often used to determine whether carnivorous plant species capture and assimilate nutrients from supplemental sources such as invertebrate prey or mammal excreta (heterotrophic nutrition), little is known about how successful the different strategies deployed by carnivorous plants are at obtaining supplemental nutrition. The collection of mammalian faeces by Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plants) is the result of a highly specialized biological mutualism that results in heterotrophic nitrogen gain; however, it remains unknown how effective this strategy is in comparison to Nepenthes species not known to collect mammalian faeces. We examined how isotopic enrichment varied in the diverse genus Nepenthes, among species producing pitchers for invertebrate capture and species exhibiting mutualisms for the collection of mammal excreta. Enrichment factors were calculated from δ15N and δ13C values from eight Nepenthes species and naturally occurring hybrids along with co-occurring reference (non-carnivorous) plants from three mountain massifs in Borneo: Mount Kinabalu, Mount Tambuyukon and Mount Trus Madi. All Nepenthes examined, except N. edwardsiana, were significantly enriched in 15N compared to co-occurring non-carnivorous plants, and 15N enrichment was more than two-fold higher in species with adaptations for the collection of mammal excreta compared with other Nepenthes. The collection of mammal faeces clearly represents a highly effective strategy for heterotrophic nitrogen gain in Nepenthes. Species with adaptations for capturing mammal excreta occur exclusively at high elevation (i.e. are typically summit-occurring) where previous studies suggest invertebrate prey are less abundant and less frequently captured. As such, we propose this strategy may maximize nutritional return by specializing towards ensuring the collection and retention of few but higher-value N sources in environments where invertebrate prey may be scarce.

Duplication, Loss, and Evolutionary Features of Specific UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase Genes in Carnivora (Mammalia, Laurasiatheria).

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are one of the most important enzymes for xenobiotic metabolism or detoxification. Through duplication and loss of genes, mammals evolved the species-specific variety of UGT isoforms. Among mammals, Carnivora is one of the orders that includes various carnivorous species, yet there is huge variation of food habitat. Recently, lower activity of UGT1A and 2B were shown in Felidae and pinnipeds, suggesting evolutional loss of these isoforms. However, comprehensive analysis for genetic or evolutional features are still missing. This study was conducted to reveal evolutional history of UGTs in Carnivoran species. We found specific gene expansion of UGT1As in Canidae, brown bear and black bear. We also found similar genetic duplication in UGT2Bs in Canidae, and some Mustelidae and Ursidae. In addition, we discovered contraction or complete loss of UGT1A7-12 in phocids, some otariids, felids, and some Mustelids. These studies indicate that even closely related species have completely different evolution of UGTs and further imply the difficulty of extrapolation of the pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetic result of experimental animals into wildlife carnivorans.

The impacts of linear infrastructure on terrestrial vertebrate populations: A trait-based approach.

While linear infrastructures, such as roads and power lines, are vital to human development, they may also have negative impacts on wildlife populations up to several kilometres into the surrounding environment (infrastructure-effect zones, IEZs). However, species-specific IEZs are not available for the vast majority of species, hampering global assessments of infrastructure impacts on wildlife. Here, we synthesized 253 studies worldwide to quantify the magnitude and spatial extent of infrastructure impacts on the abundance of 792 vertebrate species. We also identified the extent to which species traits, infrastructure type and habitat modulate IEZs for vertebrate species. Our results reveal contrasting responses across taxa based on the local context and species traits. Carnivorous mammals were generally more abundant in the proximity of infrastructure. In turn, medium- to large-sized non-carnivorous mammals (>1kg) were less abundant near infrastructure across habitats, while their smaller counterparts were more abundant close to infrastructure in open habitats. Bird abundance was reduced near infrastructure with larger IEZs for non-carnivorous than for carnivorous species. Furthermore, birds experienced larger IEZs in closed (carnivores: ≈130 m, non-carnivores: >1km) compared to open habitats (carnivores: ≈70 m, non-carnivores: ≈470 m). Reptiles were more abundant near infrastructure in closed habitats but not in open habitats where abundances were reduced within an IEZ of ≈90 m. Finally, IEZs were relatively small in amphibians (<30 m). These results indicate that infrastructure impact assessments should differentiate IEZs across species and local contexts in order to capture the variety of responses to infrastructure. Our trait-based synthetic approach can be applied in large-scale assessments of the impacts of current and future infrastructure developments across multiple species, including those for which infrastructure responses are not known from empirical data.

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in carnivorous waterbird and fish species from Lake Hawassa, Ethiopia

Agricultural, vector-control and industrial activities around Lake Hawassa pose a risk of organochlorine contamination of the lake biota. To assess organochlorine contamination, we measured levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 3 species of carnivorous waterbird and 3 species of fish. A total of 50 samples of fish and bird species sampled from Lake Hawassa in 2019. We investigated factors influencing accumulation of OCPs and PCBs. Reproductive risk associated with tissue levels of 4,4’-dichloro-diphenyl-dichloro-ethylene (p,p’-DDE) is also estimated. Results show that dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) is the dominant contaminant found in both bird and fish species. p,p’-DDE is the dominant DDT metabolite in both bird and fish species. Geometric mean of p,p’-DDE varied from 49.8–375.3 and 2.2–7.7 ng g−1 ww in birds and fish, respectively. Average p,p’-DDE level in birds is 33.3 times higher than in fish. p,p’-DDE constitutes 93.4–95.2% of total DDTs in bird species. Degree of exposure, chemical stability, and resistance to environmental and biological degradation could explain higher levels of p,p’-DDE both in bird and fish species. There is significant variation in p,p’-DDE levels among bird and fish species owing to differences in feeding habits, foraging habitat, and lipid content. An increase in DDT levels with increasing size is observed in both bird and fish species. A significant positive association between log-transformed p,p’-DDE, and stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ15N) values is found. There is no reproductive health risk in bird species as a result of the current levels of p,p’-DDE.Article HighlightsDDT is the dominant contaminant found in both bird and fish speciesThere is interspecies variation in accumulation of p,p’-DDE among fish and bird speciesp,p’-DDE is biomagnified through food chain involving both bird and fish species

Patterns of vertebrate biodiversity in a tropical dry and mangrove forest matrix

Introduction: Tropical dry forests and mangroves, two of the world’s most endangered ecosystems, each host a different set of environmental conditions which may support unique assemblages of species. However, few studies have looked at the unique vertebrate biodiversity in regions where both habitats occur side-by-side. Objective: To assess the vertebrate diversity and patterns of habitat usage in a mangrove and tropical dry forest matrix in an unprotected region of Northwestern Costa Rica. Methods: The study was conducted in a 7 km2 matrix of mangrove and tropical dry forests between Cabuyal and Zapotillal bays in Northwestern Costa Rica, South of Santa Rosa National Park. From September 2017 to March 2018, we used 13 automatic camera traps over 1 498 trap days to capture species utilizing the region and assess their patterns of habitat usage both spatially and temporally. Results: Seventy vertebrate species from 42 families in 27 orders were detected, including several globally threatened species. Over half of all species were detected in only one habitat, particularly amongst avian (78 %) and mammalian (42 %) species. Tropical dry forests hosted the greatest number of unique species and supported a greater percentage of herbivores than mangrove or edge habitats, which were dominated by carnivorous and omnivorous species. Mean detections per camera trap of all species increased significantly from the coldest and wettest month (Oct) to the hottest and driest months (Jan &amp; Feb) in tropical dry forests. Sample-based rarefaction analysis revealed that survey length was sufficient to sample the tropical dry forest and edge habitats, though mangroves require further sampling. Conclusions: Taxa found to utilize different forest types may utilize each for different stages of their life cycle, moving between areas as environmental conditions change throughout the year. General patterns of global biodiversity favoring carnivore and omnivore usage of mangrove forests was confirmed in our study.

Optimization of Propagation of the Polish Strain of Aldrovanda vesiculosa in Tissue Culture.

Simple SummaryAldrovanda vesiculosa is a carnivorous aquatic plant. It floats in shallow water, where it preys on small organisms. Due to human activity and climate change, it is endangered all over the world, and without human intervention it may soon disappear. The article describes a method of in vitro propagation of A. vesiculosa making it possible to produce many plants, which can then be used to establish new populations of this rare and unique species or to strengthen existing ones.Aldrovanda vesiculosa is a rare and critically endangered carnivorous plant species. Its populations have declined worldwide, so there is a need to protect the species from extinction. The research was conducted to establish an effective method of in vitro propagation of the species in order to obtain plants for reintroduction in the wild. The procedures included disinfection, multiplication, and acclimatization of plants. Contamination-free in vitro cultures were established using shoots and turions, which were disinfected with 0.25% sodium hypochlorite. The shoots were first defoliated. The explants regenerated better in liquid 1/5 MS medium than in solidified one. The optimum medium for the multiplication phase contained MS macro- and microelements diluted to 1/10. Plants cultivated in that medium were of good quality, long, and branched. The advantageous effect of medium was also confirmed by the content of photosynthetic pigments in the plant material. The content of chlorophyll a was highest in plants cultivated in 1/5 or 1/10 MS medium. The plants obtained were acclimatized to ex vitro conditions and reintroduced in the wild.

Nutritional Evaluation of Black Soldier Fly Frass as an Ingredient in Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus L.) Diets.

Simple SummaryCarnivorous fish species, such as the Florida pompano, currently require expensive and unsustainable feed in order to be raised in an aquaculture setting. A waste product of the black soldier fly, frass has the potential to be an alternative carbohydrate source for these fish. This study aims to assess the potential of frass to mimic the growth, body, composition, and intestinal microbiome of pompano that can be achieved through commercial feed. Three diets with varying frass levels as well as a control diet were developed. The frass was found to increase the visceral somatic index and lower the hepatosomatic index. The frass did not alter the body composition or improve the growth performance, leading to a lower specific growth rate and higher feed conversion rate. The microbiome analysis showed the highest diversity of the gut flora in the control diet, while the frass diets showed signs of community imbalance. This may have been due to the decreased starch in the frass, which is usually metabolized by those microbial communities. Overall, frass diets are not ideal for carnivorous fish diets, but have could have potential for feed replacement in herbivore and detritivore fish species.The aquaculture industry is in need of sustainable fish feed to reduce the use of expensive and environmentally invasive wild-caught fish currently fed to many carnivorous species. The black soldier fly (BSF) has become a popular sustainable alternative protein source; however, the nutritional waste byproduct of BSF, frass, has not been extensively studied as a feed replacement in carnivorous species. This study evaluates the potential of BSF frass on the growth, body composition, and intestinal microbiome of the Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus. Four experimental diets were formulated containing different levels of frass, replacing plant-based carbohydrate sources. As a result of this study, the frass did not improve the growth performance, resulting in a lower specific growth rate and higher feed conversion rate. While the frass diets did not alter the body composition, the visceral somatic index (VSI) significantly increased compared to the control diet and the hepatosomatic index (HIS) was lowered. The microbiome analysis showed high variation among the diets, with the control diet having the most distinct consortia, which may have been driven by the increased levels of starch compared to frass diets. This study indicates that BSF frass may not be a suitable feed replacement for carnivorous pompano; however, frass could still potentially be a replacement feed for herbivore or detritivore fish and should be further studied.

Do You Believe Your (Social Media) Data? A Personal Story on Location Data Biases, Errors, and Plausibility as Well as Their Visualization.

We present a case study on a journey about a personal data collection of carnivorous plant species habitats, and the resulting scientific exploration of location data biases, data errors, location hiding, and data plausibility. While initially driven by personal interest, our work led to the analysis and development of various means for visualizing threats to insight from geo-tagged social media data. In the course of this endeavor we analyzed local and global geographic distributions and their inaccuracies. We also contribute Motion Plausibility Profiles-a new means for visualizing how believable a specific contributor's location data is or if it was likely manipulated. We then compared our own repurposed social media dataset with data from a dedicated citizen science project. Compared to biases and errors in the literature on traditional citizen science data, with our visualizations we could also identify some new types or show new aspects for known ones. Moreover, we demonstrate several types of errors and biases for repurposed social media data. Please note that people with color impairments may consider our alternative paper version.

A review of Trichinella species infection in wild animals in Romania

Nematodes of the genus Trichinella are important zoonotic parasites present throughout Romania. This study aimed to assess the status of Trichinella species in wild animals in Romania over the past 30 years. A literature review of original studies concerning the only two species (out of the four in Europe) of Trichinella (T. spiralis and T. britovi) confirmed in wildlife from Romania was conducted and corroborated with the results of our original research concerning the topic. This review article has shown that, in Romania, European minks were infected with T. spiralis, while wolves, European wild cats, Eurasian lynx, golden jackals, stone marten, and European badgers were infected with T. britovi, respectively. Both Trichinella species have been identified in foxes, bears, wild boars, and ermines, but mixed infections have been found only in European polecats. Trichinella infection is still significantly present in Romania, infecting several wild omnivorous and carnivorous species in an equal manner, with different prevalence rates over the years. Regarding the spatial distribution of T. spiralis and T. britovi in Romania, both species can be found all over the country, but in wild animals, T. britovi is the most prevalent.

The Effects of Dietary Cottonseed Oil on Growth Performance of Juvenile Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus L.) and Hybrid Striped Bass (Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis S.)

Various cottonseed products containing higher levels of protein and lipid than traditional cottonseed meal have been evaluated in recent years with several carnivorous marine fish species. In previous studies in this laboratory, distinct differences in the acceptability of diets containing those cottonseed products were noted for red drum and hybrid striped bass. Therefore, the present study consisted of two concurrent feeding trials in which the effects of increasing levels of dietary cottonseed oil were evaluated with both juvenile red drum and hybrid striped bass. Three experimental diets were formulated to contain either 0, 2, or 4% of cottonseed oil in place of menhaden fish oil. All diets were formulated to contain approximately 9% lipid, with that of the basal diet (0% cottonseed lipid) primarily contributed by menhaden fishmeal and menhaden oil. In concurrent trials, each diet was fed twice a day to triplicate groups of juvenile red drum and hybrid striped bass initially averaging 1.86 g/fish and 1.41 g/fish, respectively, for 6 weeks. Results of the feeding trial showed that there were no significant differences among red drum fed the different dietary treatments based on growth parameters (weight gain and feed efficiency) or whole-body proximate composition. On the contrary, hybrid striped bass showed significant ( P ≤ 0.05 ) differences in responses to the dietary treatments with weight gain decreasing as the inclusion levels of cottonseed oil increased while their hepatosomatic index significantly increased. Thus, results of this study showed distinctly different responses of red drum and hybrid striped bass to increasing levels of dietary cottonseed oil, with hybrid striped bass being much more sensitive than red drum in terms of reduced weight gain and altered body condition which appeared to be related to reduce diet palatability from cottonseed oil.

Ethogram of Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas) Behaviours and Associated Social Vocalisations

The ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) is a carnivorous species of bat endemic to northern Australia that roosts in colonies of up to 1,500 individuals. The ghost bat produces a number of social vocalisations, but little is known about the species' behaviour and what role social vocalisations play in interactions between conspecifics. The aim of this study was to construct an ethogram of ghost bat behaviours and to determine the associations between behaviours and social vocalisations. To achieve our aims, we filmed the behaviour of a captive ghost bat colony (one male, five females) using four trail cameras installed within the enclosure over a six-week period, coinciding with the estimated mating season. Video recordings were examined by eye, and solitary and social behaviours were catalogued into distinct behavioural units (e.g. hang-alert, chew, wing-groom, etc.) along with social context and associated social vocalisations, if applicable. To assess the associations between behavioural interactions and social vocalisation types, we combined each of the catalogued social behavioural units into six behavioural classes (eating, grooming, mating, huddling, flying, and fighting) and used generalised linear models to determine which social behavioural classes significantly predicted the production of each vocalisation. There was a strong association between flight behaviour by a member of the colony and the production of the ‘Chirp-trill’ vocalisation by the male member of the colony, suggesting a territorial or mate attraction function. There was also a strong association between fighting behaviour and the production of the ‘Squabble’, ‘Rasp’ and ‘Grumble’ vocalisations, with the Squabble and Rasp likely representing levels of agonistic vocalisations produced by aggressive bats during altercations. The Grumble, on the other hand, was produced by the target of the aggressor and so may function as an appeasement call. The ethogram with its associated social vocalisations provides a formal basis for future behavioural studies in this species and can serve as a template for such studies in other echolocating bats. Our study revealed an unexpected degree of complexity in the behaviour and associated vocalisations in this species and highlights the need for studies of this kind in other bats.

Corn-starch based formulated diet has growth and feed utilization efficiency advantages over trash fish diet for juvenile golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus

Until now, trash fish/low valued fish continues to be widely used in marine cage culture of pompano and many other carnivorous species in China and other Asian countries. This study is the first attempt to compare the performance of juvenile golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus fed trash fish or starch-based formulated diets. Three isonitrogenous (41 %) and isolipidic (11 %) diets containing 16, 22 or 28 % corn starch were prepared. Juvenile pompano (mean initial weight: 28.0 ± 0.3 g) were fed either formulated diets or trash fish on a equivalent dry-matter basis for 8 weeks. The survival rates were significantly higher in fish fed starch diets than fish fed trash fish (P < 0.05). Specific growth rate (SGR) of fish fed the 22 % and 28 % starch diets was significantly higher than fish fed 16 % starch diet and trash fish. Feed intake (FI) of fish fed trash fish was significantly higher than those fed formulated diets; however, feed efficiency (FE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of fish fed the formulated diets were higher than those fed trash fish, with the 22 % starch dietary group having a significantly higher FE value than fish fed trash fish. The whole-body energy retention (ER) of fish fed the diet containing 22 % starch had the highest ER, significantly higher than those fed 16 % starch and trash fish. The moisture in whole-body tissues of fish fed trash fish was significantly higher than the formulated dietary groups. On the other hand, whole-body protein and lipid contents of fish fed the 22 % starch diet was significantly higher than the other dietary treatments. The whole-body lipid level of fish fed trash fish was significantly lower than the other dietary groups. The body condition indices were significantly higher for fish fed formulated diets compared to those fed trash fish. The viscerosomatic index (VSI) was decreased with increasing dietary starch levels. Hexokinase (HK) activity significantly increased with increasing dietary starch levels, whereas pyruvate kinase (PK) activity had an opposite trend. The liver and muscle glycogen contents were generally increased with increasing dietary starch levels. In addition, the intestinal microbial communities of fish fed the formulated diets and trash fish was distinctly different. The results shown that formulated diet had advantages in performance and feed utilization efficiency over trash fish. Corn starch can be used as a suitable dietary carbohydrate. Evaluated on growth and FE, the optimal dietary corn starch level for T. ovatus is 22–24 % of diet.

Functional and ecomorphological evolution of orbit shape in mesozoic archosaurs is driven by body size and diet

The orbit is one of several skull openings in the archosauromorph skull. Intuitively, it could be assumed that orbit shape would closely approximate the shape and size of the eyeball resulting in a predominantly circular morphology. However, a quantification of orbit shape across Archosauromorpha using a geometric morphometric approach demonstrates a large morphological diversity despite the fact that the majority of species retained a circular orbit. This morphological diversity is nearly exclusively driven by large (skull length > 1000 mm) and carnivorous species in all studied archosauromorph groups, but particularly prominently in theropod dinosaurs. While circular orbit shapes are retained in most herbivores and smaller species, as well as in juveniles and early ontogenetic stages, large carnivores adopted elliptical and keyhole-shaped orbits. Biomechanical modelling using finite element analysis reveals that these morphologies are beneficial in mitigating and dissipating feeding-induced stresses without additional reinforcement of the bony structure of the skull.

Prebiotics modify host metabolism in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed with a total plant-based diet: Potential implications for microbiome-mediated diet optimization

The use of plant-based ingredients in aquafeeds is increasing because marine sources of protein and oil are unsustainable. However, plant-based ingredients cause certain metabolic complications in carnivorous species such as rainbow trout. Here, we examined whether prebiotics have the potential to affect the metabolism of juvenile trout (Average weight: 25.88 ± 0.91 g) via microbially derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), inulin or mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) were used at 1% or 2% in a 12-week feeding experiment. We measured changes in the intestinal microbiome, SCFA levels and metabolic responses in the intestine, liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. In the intestine, gene expression and SCFA production did not change significantly with prebiotics, although the MOS fed groups were clustered differently. Prebiotics had a significant effect on the intestinal abundance of Bacillus, Lactobacillus and Weissella in a dose dependent manner, although the microbial diversity (alpha and beta) did not change significantly after feeding prebiotics. Two operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the genus Mycoplasma dominated all samples with an average relative abundance of >95% per group. Intestinal microvillar structures were significantly improved in length in the inulin-fed groups.Systemically, overall hepatic gene expression was significantly different from control with inulin-fed groups showing upregulation of several metabolic and the fatty acid receptor genes. MOS fed groups showed a dose-dependent but contrasting response in liver and muscle. In addition, a significant effect of prebiotic and the interaction between the 2 factors (prebiotic and dose) on final weight and SGR respectively, was observed. The relative abundance of OTUs belonging to Lactobacillus and Bacillus correlated with hepatic gene expression and final weight of the fish.Inulin and MOS appear to differentially affect host metabolism, mainly in the liver and muscle. Differential abundance of Lactobacillus and Bacillus in the prebiotic-fed groups and their correlations with hepatic gene expression could indicate a prebiotic-microbiome-host axis, although this was not conclusively shown through the levels of SCFAs. In combination with a total plant-based diet, inulin could be a promising prebiotic for trout but need to be further investigated. These findings could implicate in microbiome-mediated dietary optimization of rainbow trout.

The Importance of Collecting and Archiving Data on Domestic and Cultivated Organisms

At least 29% of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems have been significantly modified by human activity (Ellis 2011). Total livestock biomass is 15 times greater than that of wild mammals (Bar-On et al. 2018). Crops such as maize, soybean, rice, and wheat cover 23% of available agricultural land (Ritchie and Roser 2013). Even where land is not farmed, it is often converted to highly modified habitats such as urban ecosystems. Within the matrix of anthropogenic ecosystems spread around the world are many wild species (i.e., free-living, non-domesticated or feral). Some native species persist from the original ecosystems, while others colonize anthropogenic ecosystems including alien invasive species. Thus, wild flora and fauna in many areas are part of ecosystems that are dominated by, and often characterised by, the domestic and cultivated organisms that exist in them. Examples include large herbivores raised for milk and meat production, and omnivorous and carnivorous species such as both domestic and feral dogs and cats. Moreover, crops are typically grown in monoculture plots including tree plots in commercial forestry, and an enormous array of cultivated plants are grown in gardens, parks, and along streets in urban areas. Tellingly, in many ecosystems the domestic bee is the primary pollinator and domestic cats are the main predator. Domestic and cultivated organisms are not isolated from wild organisms and indeed they interact in many ways, including predation, parasitism, and herbivory, competition for biotic and abiotic resources, and pathogen transmission. If we are to understand modern ecosystems, clearly we cannot ignore the domesticated and cultivated components of ecosystems. So where are the observational data on these species? iNaturalist reluctantly tolerates them but does not publish them to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), eBird actively discourages recording them, and GBIF doesn’t encourage their submission either. Some information can be gleaned from land cover maps and remote sensing, but without knowing the specific species present in the land use category it is hard to build a holistic picture of an ecosystem. Data on domesticated and cultivated organisms have many uses, including horizon scanning and risk assessment for invasive species, understanding the impacts of invasive species, predicting the spread of disease, the spillover of disease to and from wild and domestic organisms, and many others (Groom et al. 2021). Evidently there are important components of ecosystems largely missing from our public databases. As data on biodiversity becomes more intergrated, such as implementing Digital Extended Specimens (Webster et al. 2021), it will become increasingly important to access data from all aspects of an ecosystem, included those that are domestic and cultivated. In this talk we will expand on why we should be mobilising such data. They can be published without ruining the integrity of data on wild organisms, so why don’t we embrace and use these fundamentally important, but much ignored, data?

Immunocytochemical Analysis of the Wall Ingrowths in the Digestive Gland Transfer Cells in Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. (Droseraceae).

Carnivorous plants are unique due to their ability to attract small animals or protozoa, retain them in specialized traps, digest them, and absorb nutrients from the dissolved prey material; however, to this end, these plants need a special secretion-digestive system (glands). A common trait of the digestive glands of carnivorous plants is the presence of transfer cells. Using the aquatic carnivorous species Aldrovanda vesiculosa, we showed carnivorous plants as a model for studies of wall ingrowths/transfer cells. We addressed the following questions: Is the cell wall ingrowth composition the same between carnivorous plant glands and other plant system models? Is there a difference in the cell wall ingrowth composition between various types of gland cells (glandular versus endodermoid cells)? Fluorescence microscopy and immunogold electron microscopy were employed to localize carbohydrate epitopes associated with major cell wall polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The cell wall ingrowths were enriched with arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) localized with the JIM8, JIM13, and JIM14 epitopes. Both methylesterified and de-esterified homogalacturonans (HGs) were absent or weakly present in the wall ingrowths in transfer cells (stalk cells and head cells of the gland). Both the cell walls and the cell wall ingrowths in the transfer cells were rich in hemicelluloses: xyloglucan (LM15) and galactoxyloglucan (LM25). There were differences in the composition between the cell wall ingrowths and the primary cell walls in A. vesiculosa secretory gland cells in the case of the absence or inaccessibility of pectins (JIM5, LM19, JIM7, LM5, LM6 epitopes); thus, the wall ingrowths are specific cell wall microdomains. Even in the same organ (gland), transfer cells may differ in the composition of the cell wall ingrowths (glandular versus endodermoid cells). We found both similarities and differences in the composition of the cell wall ingrowths between the A. vesiculosa transfer cells and transfer cells of other plant species.

Three New Carnivorous sponge species (Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) from the Seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge.

Deep-sea sponges are an imperative component of benthos. They accumulate the suspended organic matter by filtering large quantities of water and, with their intricate structures, provide the most suitable habitats for various associated organisms. We describe three new cadorhizid sponges from the Central Indian Ridge (CIR), Indian Ocean. The sponges are part of the benthic sledge collection conducted onboard the MGS Sagar in the CIR region. A detailed taxonomic description of two novel species, Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) indiyansis sp. nov., and Asbestopluma (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. are provided based on the morphological and molecular (mtCOI and 28S) markers. In addition, another new carnivorous species Chondrocladia sagari sp. nov. is described based on the morphological and mtCOI marker. The systematic and descriptions of new species are discussed based on the structural and phylogenetic analysis. Our study shows that the cladorhizid fauna of the seamounts from the CIR are unique and represent regionally endemic benthic habitats.

On the Compatibility of Fish Meal Replacements in Aquafeeds for Rainbow Trout. A Combined Metabolomic, Proteomic and Histological Study.

The sustainable development of modern aquaculture must rely on a significant reduction of the fish meal (FM) used in aquafeed formulations. However, FM substitution with alternative ingredients in diets for carnivorous fish species often showed reduced nutrient absorption, significantly perturbed metabolisms, and histological changes at both hepatic and intestinal levels. In the present study, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were fed three different experimental aquafeeds. A control diet with higher FM content (27.3%) than two test formulations in which FM was substituted with two more sustainable and promising alternatives: insect meal (Hermetia illucens larvae = 10.1%, FM = 11.6%) and poultry by-products meal (PBM = 14.8%; FM = 11.7%). Combined metabolomics and proteomics analyses of fish liver, together with histological examination of liver and intestine demonstrated that a well-balanced formulation of nutrients in the three diets allowed high metabolic compatibility of either substitution, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the impact of novel raw materials for the fish feed industry. Results show that the main metabolic pathways of nutrient absorption and catabolism were essentially unaltered by alternative feed ingredients, and also histological alterations were negligible. It is demonstrated that the substitution of FM with sustainable alternatives does not have a negative impact on fish metabolism, as long as the nutritional requirements of rainbow trout are fulfilled.