Feeding Areas Research Articles

Climatização em área de alimentação de vacas Girolando: Interferências nas variáveis ambientais e produtivas

ABSTRACT High-production cows require facilities providing comfortable environments to enhance production efficiency and sustain milk quality. This study evaluated the impact of climatizing the feeding area post-morning and afternoon milking on environmental variables, thermal comfort indices, and the yield and quality of milk in lactating Girolando cows. The experiment followed a 4 × 4 Latin square design with four treatments across four experimental periods, using four cows per treatment. The post-milking climate control treatments included: shading; shading + ventilation; shading + ventilation + shower; and an evaporative adiabatic cooling system. The evaporative adiabatic cooling system proved most effective in maintaining thermal conditions near the comfort level for dairy cows, as indicated by lower thermal comfort indices. This system also enhanced morning and overall milk production. However, the climate control systems did not significantly affect the contents of protein, fat, or lactose in the milk.

Photo‐identification and satellite telemetry connect southern right whales from South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur) with multiple feeding and calving grounds in the southwest Atlantic

AbstractThe sub‐Antarctic waters of South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur, SG/IG) are a regularly visited feeding ground for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis, SRW) in the southwest Atlantic. Satellite telemetry and photo‐identification records were compared to better understand the role of SG/IG in the SRW migratory network. We present the first insights from SRW satellite‐tracked from the SG/IG feeding ground, habitat use patterns in the Scotia Arc, and movements to Antarctic habitats. Photo‐identification comparisons to calving and feeding areas across the South Atlantic and a review of sightings of cetaceans reported from Bird Island (west of SG/IG) since 1979 illuminate long‐term habitat use patterns in SG/IG. We present the first recorded migratory movement between SG/IG and multiple countries: Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Photo‐identification (1) linked SG/IG to a female SRW with a long‐term sighting history in Brazil, and (2) provided the first match between SG/IG and the western Antarctic Peninsula, suggesting the latter could extend the feeding area for southwest Atlantic SRW. Satellite tracking and opportunistic sightings suggest that shelf and coastal waters west of SG/IG represent an important multi‐season SRW feeding habitat and add to our overall understanding of habitats and ranges occupied by recovering southwest Atlantic SRW.

ОСВІТЛЕННЯ У КВАРТИРАХ ПРИСТОСОВАНИХ ДЛЯ ГАРМОНІЙНОГО СПІВІСНУВАННЯ ЛЮДЕЙ ТА ТВАРИН

Interior lighting in pet-friendly apartments is a multifaceted and important aspect of creating a harmonious living environment for both humans and their companions. Research will include the importance of lighting in pet-friendly interiors, delving into design features, technologies and benefits that promote the well-being of both pets and their owners. Research sheds light on the art and science of pet-focused lighting, from providing comfort and safety to improving overall quality of life. We begin by recognizing the deep connection between people and their pets. Lighting in pet-friendly apartments serves not only practical purposes, but also helps create an environment that nurtures this unique bond. Natural lighting is a cornerstone of pet-friendly interiors. We investigate the benefits of using sufficient natural light, including its positive effects on animal behavior, circadian rhythms and general well-being. Different pets have different lighting needs. Whether it's providing adequate UVB light for reptiles or creating cozy nooks for feline sunbathing, we explore lighting settings for different animal species. Lighting is adapted to specific areas of pet activity, such as feeding, play and rest areas. We discuss how task lighting and LED lights adapt to different tasks and activities related to pets. Lighting is key to keeping pets safe. We examine how the right lighting can prevent accidents, such as tripping over pets in low-light conditions. We investigate the effects of lighting color on both pets and their owners. The psychology of color is studied, it is emphasized how lighting can affect mood and behavior. Intelligent lighting systems are increasingly being integrated into pet-friendly apartments. Consider the convenience of remote control, scheduling, and motion-activated lighting for pets and owners. Lighting is an integral part of the overall well-being and health of pets. We discuss how natural light conditions and well-planned artificial lighting can positively affect the physical and emotional health of animals. It is important to take care of the safety of pets and lighting. We outline measures to protect pets from electrical hazards and prevent damage to lighting fixtures caused by curious animals. The Future of Pet Lighting: We conclude with a look at the future of pet-centric lighting, including innovations in smart pet monitoring systems and advanced lighting technologies that will further enrich the lives of pets and their owners. In summary, this abstract highlights the key role of lighting in pet-friendly apartment interiors. By taking into account the special needs of pets, taking advantage of natural light and implementing smart lighting solutions, we can create living spaces that prioritize the well-being, safety and happiness of both the occupants and their beloved companion animals.

Variation of natural characteristics of Tanjero Basin in Sulaymaniyah Governorate using GIS

Objective: The research aims to clarify the natural factors of the Tanjero River Basin. The Tanjero River Basin is located within the complex region in terms of topography in northeastern Iraq, eastern Iraqi Kurdistan region, and southwest of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. It is bordered on the eastern side by the Shahrazur Plain, the Sourin Mountains, and the Kweiza and Azmar Heights. On the western side, it is bordered by the Bernan mountain range, and on the northern side it is adjacent to the starting point of the Doula Rut Heights and Birah Mah Karun Mountain, and it is surrounded from the south by Darbandikhan Lake administratively. Methodology: The current research relied on the descriptive and analytical approach in describing the phenomenon and analyzing it spatially, and the systematic approach in revealing the geographical factors causing the variation in water volume in the Tanjero River Basin and diagnosing the factors affecting it positively or negatively. Results: By presenting the problem, reviewing the data, as well as linking it to the results, it becomes clear to us the clear influence of natural factors on the variation and diversity in the natural characteristics of the Tanjiro Basin in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, and this proves the validity of the study’s hypothesis. Conclusion: The results show that the hydro-climatic budget in the Tanjiro Valley Basin is represented by the Khanaqin and Sulaymaniyah stations, which express the hydro-climatic characteristics in the Tanjiro Valley Basin, as the results of the water budget appear. According to table (1), the basin region is witnessing a water surplus because the effective amounts of rainfall exceed the amounts of evaporation and transpiration in the months “October, December, January, and February.” This surplus is within the Sulaymaniyah station, which represents the feeding area of the Tanjiro Basin. In the north, it was recorded the highest in January at (39.8) mm, while Khanaqin station witnesses a water deficit for all months and does not record any water surplus in its monthly characteristics, which represents the southern region of the basin’s extension range, and for this reason the water flow was described as the northern region in Sulaymaniyah is the recharge area and the southern area with a climate similar to Khanaqin station is the water drainage area of the basin.

Seascape ecology in the vicinity of a Blake Ridge cold seep

Systematic surveys of the distribution of epibenthic megafaunal species relative to one another and to environmental variables in the deep sea can lead to inferences and testable hypotheses regarding factors that influence their distributions. Here we use a seascape approach to provide insight into the character and spatial extent of the influence of a chemosynthetic seep on the distribution of epibenthic megafauna and the nature of transition zones (ecotones). Faunal distributions were determined from georeferenced images of the seabed collected during a systematic survey (~ 400 m x 400 m) by the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Sentry in the vicinity of a newly discovered methane bubble plume on the Blake Ridge Diapir. The survey area was found to include both seep and non-seep habitats. The sphere of influence of seep productivity on the surrounding benthic megafaunal assemblage was limited—on the order of 10’s of meters—based on ecotone analysis. Small but detectable redox anomalies in the water column (5 m above bottom) in the study area occurred on a similar horizontal scale. Distributions of background megafaunal taxa were non-random for many morphotypes and included both positive and negative associations between morphotypes and the seep habitat. Subtle variations in depth (<6 m) correlated with distributions of seep-associated vesicomyid clams, which occupy shallow depressions in the seabed. The seep habitat itself, comprising a patchy mosaic of megafaunal sub-communities (e.g., clam bed, mussel bed, background soft-sediment bathyal taxa) and transition zones, was at least as diverse as the surrounding non-seep habitat and contributes seep endemic morphotypes to regional biodiversity. While seep productivity may support prey fields for deep-diving beaked whales, any relationship between the seeps and whale feeding areas remains intriguing speculation. Like many other regions of the deep sea, Blake Ridge South has accumulated marine litter, including litter likely originating from scientific endeavors. The suite of observations and analyses deployed here underscore the importance of seep habitats in enriching regional biodiversity, provide a glimpse of the non-random complexity of species distributions from a seascape perspective, and establish ecological baselines against which future studies may measure natural and anthropogenic changes in the seascape.

Recording group and area-specific activity of fattening pigs by using Passive Infrared Detectors on farm

Animal activity in pigs can be a direct indicator of animal welfare. Passive infrared detectors (PID) provide one method of measuring animal activity on the pen level as a cost-effective and easy-to-use sensor technique. The study aimed to test PIDs on different commercial farms with fattening pigs. On each farm, a focus pen was selected and group activity, and activity in the feeding and exploration area was measured by using three PIDs. For data evaluation, three continuous 24h time periods were selected for each farm. Additionally, animal behavior was recorded by video cameras for visual scan sampling. To compare the PID outcome with the recorded behaviors, an ethogram was used to categorize active and inactive behaviors. Using scan sampling, the validation of the PID data was based on still frames at 10 min intervals. In addition, barn climate such as temperature, relative humidity, and ammonia concentration were measured. The analysis of seven farms showed a strong correlation between PID data and visual assessment for group activity from 0.67 - 0.91 (p < 0.001; n = 432). For the activity in the feeding area, medium to strong correlations between 0.44 - 0.65 (p < 0.001; n = 327) could be found. The PID data for the exploration area reached correlations with a smaller effect strength. Based on the activity data measured by PIDs, a typical diurnal rhythm for pigs could be found for all farms. Moreover, the PID data indicated different activity patterns depending on, e.g., feeding times and sex group composition. The results demonstrated that PIDs can also be used in different housing conditions for measuring animal activity. In combination with barn climate data, the PIDs can provide useful information for the farmer and also characterize farm-specific management.

Bunching behaviour in housed dairy cows at higher ambient temperatures

Bunching behavior in cattle may occur for several reasons including enabling social interactions, a response to stress or danger, or due to shared interest in resources such as feeding or watering areas. There is evidence in pasture grazed cattle that bunching may occur more frequently at higher ambient temperatures, possibly due to sharing of fly-load or to seek shade from the direct sun under heat stress conditions. Here we demonstrate how bunching behavior is associated with higher ambient temperatures in a barn-housed UK dairy herd. A real-time local positioning system was used, as part of a precision livestock farming (PLF) approach, to track the spatial position and activity of a commercial dairy herd (∼100 cows) in a freestall barn continuously at high temporal resolution for 4 mo between August and November 2014. Bunching was determined using 4 different spatial measures determined on an hourly basis: herd full and core range size, mean herd intercow distance (ICD), and mean herd nearest-neighbor distance (NND). For hourly mean ambient temperatures above 20°C, the herd showed higher bunching behavior with increasing ambient temperature (i.e., reduced full and core range size, ICD, and NND). Aggregated space-use intensity was found to positively correlate with localized variations in temperature across the barn (as measured by animal-mounted sensors), but the level of correlation decreased at higher ambient barn temperatures. Bunching behavior may increase localized temperatures experienced by individuals and hence may be a maladaptive behavioral response in housed dairy cattle, which are known to suffer heat stress at higher temperatures. Our study is the first to use high-resolution positional data to provide evidence of associations between bunching behavior and higher ambient temperatures for a barn-housed dairy herd in a temperate region (UK). Further studies are needed to explore the exact mechanisms for this response to inform both welfare and production management.

Migratory destinations of endangered humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae (Cetartiodactyla: Balaenopteridae), from El Salvador

Introduction: The study of many aspects of cetacean ecology is made possible by identifying individuals through space and time. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) can be easily identified by photographing their ventral tail flukes’ unique shape and pigmentation patterns. The small and endangered distinct population segment (DPS) of Central America humpback whales visit El Salvador seasonally each winter; however, dedicated research has been extremely limited there. Before 2018, only 11 individual whales had been photo-identified, and the migratory destinations of Salvadoran humpback whales were unknown. In recent years, photo-identification efforts have increased, and today there are 92 individually identified humpback whales from El Salvador.
 Objective: To identify the main high-latitude feeding areas of Salvadoran humpback whales.
 Methods: Using the online matching platform Happywhale, Salvadoran whales were matched via automated image recognition to a global humpback whale fluke photo-identification catalog of 66 043 individuals.
 Results: In total, 80 (87.0 %) of the whales photographed in El Salvador were matched to individuals seen in North Pacific feeding areas. Sighting histories of Salvadoran whales resighted in feeding areas ranged from two to 29 years (average = 12.1, SD = 5.8). While we note that survey effort was likely very different between regions, the main feeding area of Salvadoran humpback whales on Happywhale was Central California (n = 70, 76.1 %). Of these whales, 21 (22.8 %) had also been sighted in Southern California, while just three (3.3 %) individual whales were registered only in Southern California. Additionally, two whales (2.2 %) were sighted in Southern British Columbia, Canada, and one whale was matched to a humpback whale from Southeast Alaska. This whale (of unknown sex) has a sighting history of 27 years but no prior documentation in a breeding area and is the first published sighting of a Southeast Alaskan humpback whale in the breeding area of the endangered Central America DPS.
 Conclusions: Our study shows that while Salvadoran humpback whales were matched to various feeding areas in the Eastern North Pacific, their primary migratory destinations are in Southern and Central California.

Numerical and Physical Modeling of Liquid Steel Asymmetric Behavior during Non-Isothermal Conditions in a Two-Strand Slab Tundish-"Butterfly Effect".

This paper presents the results of studies on the occurrence of transient disturbances in the hydrodynamic system of a tundish feeding area and their effect on the casting process. In addition, the effect of changes in the level of superheating of the molten steel fed to the tundish on the evolution of the hydrodynamic system was analyzed. The studies were conducted with the use of a physical model of the tundish and a numerical model, representing the industrial conditions of the process of the continuous casting of steel. When a tundish is fed through a modified ladle shroud that slows down the momentum of the stream, this creates favorable conditions for the emergence of asymmetrical flow within the working tundish volume. The higher the degree of molten steel reheating in the ladle furnace, the stronger the evolution of the hydrodynamic structures in the tundish during the casting process.

Wild Mountain reindeer Rangifer tarandus tarandus winter foraging: snow-free areas a key resource for feeding

AbstractIn a landscape with patchily distributed forage resources, an animal’s distribution may reflect the distribution of the resources if the population is forage-limited in time or space. This may be particularly explicit in climatically extreme and seasonally variable environments, notably alpine and polar environments during winter. Sustainable management considers the amount of available alpine ground lichen in winter as a predictor of carrying capacity for the last remaining populations of wild European Mountain reindeer Rangifer tarandus tarandus in alpine environments in South Norway. Ground lichen growth is constrained to elevated, wind-blown, snow-free ridges. However, wild Mountain reindeer also persist in areas providing little lichen resources. Our alternative functional hypothesis is that the critical resource is the amount of snow-free feeding areas during winter, which provide direct access to forage, likely to be energy-profitable regardless of the type of vegetation. We sampled animal-borne videos from wild Mountain reindeer during maximum accumulation of snow in late winter/spring, in three contrasting areas providing variable amounts of ground lichen and alternative vegetation resources. Direct observations of reindeer foraging via videos document an active selection and strong preference for feeding on snow-free patches, regardless of type of vegetation. Active ‘cratering’ in snow was not observed. In contrast, walking behaviours occurred much more frequently across snow-covered areas. Remote sensing data and analyses corroborated these observations. In the sustainable management of wild Mountain reindeer amounts of vegetated snow-free areas is an important functional predictor of winter carrying capacity.

Study of agrobiological indicators and technological properties of technical grape varieties selected by the Anapa experimental station

Relevance. In modern Russia, there is a need to produce high-quality domestic wines from zoned varieties with high adaptability and biological value. For their production, it is necessary to carefully select the grape assortment, including varieties of modern domestic selection. Many new technical varieties are poorly studied and require a detailed biochemical assessment. The study of these problematic issues, including domestic varietal winemaking, is relevant and of great interest for the Black Sea zone and Russia as a whole.Methods. The objects of research were the best technical grape varieties selected by the Anapa experimental Station. Selection programs and methods, including those developed with the participation of the center’s staff, were used in the work. The mass concentrations of sugars in the wort were determined according to GOST 27198-87, titrated acidity according to GOST 32114-2013. The mass concentration of phenolic substances in the wort was determined using methods developed by the Magarach Research Institute. For statistical processing of the experimental data obtained, variance analysis was used in the Microsoft Office Excel 2003 program. The formation of grape plants of the studied varieties is the «Spiral cordon AZOS-1», the feeding area is 7 m2, the distance in the row between the plants is 2 m, and in the aisles — 3.5 m. The method of cultivation is according to GOST 31783-2012.Results. The studied varieties, such as: Worthy, Cabernet AZOS, Krasnostop AZOS, Ruby AZOS and others have high rates of fruiting and fruitfulness. Practically all of them annually have a high percentage of budding eyes (89.2–100%) and the number of inflorescences — on average 61.7–66.1 pcs. And also, high sugar accumulation compared to the control Cabernet Sauvignon, which is statistically provable and their excess was 0.1–4.2 g / 100 cm3. According to the number of phenolic compounds contained in the wort, the varieties Krasnostop AZOS, Ruby AZOS and Saturn are in the lead.

Оценка кормового поведения радужной форели (Oncorhynchus mykiss) при внесении в корма комплексной кормовой добавки с включением компонентов, повышающих его поедаемость

The potential to enhance the nutritional appeal of standard formulated feeds for rainbow trout by incorporating an additive with attractant and/or stimulant properties is demonstrated in the study. To assess the feeding behavior of the fish the evaluation algorithm was developed using a specialized setup with two feeding points, along with automatic video recording of the outcomes. The components within the feed additive (89% rapeseed oil, 4% hemp oil, 5% lycopene, and 2% cinnamyl aldehyde) not only aid in improving its palatability but can also have a positive influence on the fatty acid composition of the feeds. It was revealed that the feed additive (at quantities of 0.3% and 0.5%) significantly augmented the attractiveness of the feeds resulting in an increased number of fish congregating in the feeding area and an elevated consumption rate. The computation of the index of relative attractiveness allowed to identify a noteworthy disparity between the experimental and control feeds. The data obtained from the study can recommend the investigated comprehensive feed additive for enhancing the digestibility of standard fish feeds.

Boom-bust cycles in gray whales associated with dynamic and changing Arctic conditions.

Climate change is affecting a wide range of global systems, with polar ecosystems experiencing the most rapid change. Although climate impacts affect lower-trophic-level and short-lived species most directly, it is less clear how long-lived and mobile species will respond to rapid polar warming because they may have the short-term ability to accommodate ecological disruptions while adapting to new conditions. We found that the population dynamics of an iconic and highly mobile polar-associated species are tightly coupled to Arctic prey availability and access to feeding areas. When low prey biomass coincided with high ice cover, gray whales experienced major mortality events, each reducing the population by 15 to 25%. This suggests that even mobile, long-lived species are sensitive to dynamic and changing conditions as the Arctic warms.

Разработка элементов технологии возделывания малораспространненных видов многолетних луков на Среднем Урале

Abstract. In experiments conducted in 2021–2022. on the basis of the educational and experimental farm of the Ural State Agrarian University, studies were carried out on the influence of the feeding area and planting dates on the productivity and biochemical composition of perennial onions. The territory of the Middle Urals is located in a difficult climatic zone, with severe winters and warm summers. The weather in this area can change very quickly, and therefore, for cultivation in the Middle Urals, plants should be selected that will easily endure the vagaries of the weather, including green crops. These characteristics correspond to perennial onions, which are able to produce high yields of green leaves even in risky farming. Good resistance to pathogens, less susceptibility to pests compared to onions, as well as a wide variety of species that differ in external characteristics and taste make perennial onions excellent plants for obtaining valuable vitamin greens. The purpose of the study: to study the biological characteristics of perennial onions, as well as to find out the effect of the feeding area on their yield and biochemical composition. Methods. In the experiments, the following factors affecting the yield of perennial onions were investigated: leaf length, number of leaves per plant, the appearance of flower stalks, individual plant productivity. Results. In the course of the study, it was found that the highest yield is observed in all types of onions when grown with a distance in a row of 5 cm, the highest individual productivity was shown by batun onion plants when grown in a row with a distance between plants of 15 cm and slime onion with a distance between plants in a row of 25. In addition, there was a deterioration in the biochemical composition of the leaves of all the studied types of onions when planting in 2022 compared to 2021 and an increase in the concentration, electrical conductivity and acidity of cell sap in 2022 compared to 2021. Scientific novelty. Ledebur onion is the least studied of the onion species presented in the study, but it has good commercial and nutritional properties. Previously, this type of onion was not studied in the Middle Urals as a vegetable plant.

Marked differences in foraging area use and susceptibility to predation between two closely-related tropical seabirds.

Ecological theory predicts that closely-related species must occupy different niches to coexist. How marine top predators achieve this during breeding, when they often gather in large multi-species colonies and are constrained to central-place foraging, has been mostly studied in productive temperate and polar oceans with abundant resources, but less so in poorer, tropical waters. Here, we track the foraging movements of two closely-related sympatric seabirds-the white-tailed and red-tailed tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus and P. rubricauda-breeding on Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, to investigate potential mechanisms of niche segregation and shed light on their contrasting population trends. Combining data from GPS, immersion, depth and accelerometry loggers, we show that the two species have similar behaviour at sea, but are completely segregated spatially, with red-tailed tropicbirds flying further to feed and using different feeding areas than white-tailed tropicbirds. Using nest-based camera traps, we show that low breeding success of both species-which likely drives observed population declines-is caused by high nest predation. However, the two species are targeted by different predators, with native avian predators mainly targeting red-tailed tropicbird nests, and invasive rats raiding white-tailed tropicbird nests when they leave their eggs unattended. Our findings provide new insight into the foraging ecology of tropicbirds and have important conservation implications. The extensive range and spatial segregation highlight the importance of considering large-scale protection of waters around tropical seabird colonies, while the high level of nest predation provides evidence in support of rat eradication and investigating potential nest protection from native avian predators.

INFLUENCE OF PLANTING SCHEMES ON THE PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF POTATOES IN THE REPUBLIC OF KHAKASIA

. The influence of potato planting patterns on yield and quality was revealed in the steppe zone of the Republic of Khakassia on dark chestnut soils. In addition, varieties of Siberian selection of different maturity groups were studied as an object of study: Krasnoyarsk early - early ripening, Tanai - medium before, and Nakra - mid-ripening. The experiments were laid in 2020 - 2022 on light sandy, loamy dark chestnut soils with a humus content of 2.8% at a slightly alkaline pH. The technology recommended for the steppe zone of Khakassia was used for cultivation. Potato planting schemes were selected for cultivation for food and seed purposes. During the years of research, the average monthly air temperatures during the growing season were close to the long-term averages. The amount of precipitation was close to the norm. However, there were also significant excesses (July 2020 - 268%) and half the bars (July 2021). A decrease in the feeding area increased the height of plants due to a lack of light, with a significant reduction in the parameter of the average leaf area to 12.6%. Due to the optimal feeding area choice, the yield increase was from 1.9 to 3.2 t/ha. The variation in the yield between the planting patterns of varieties of different ripeness groups ranged from 22.7 to 30.5%. Statistical calculations showed that the yield value depends on the array by 21.6%, by 28.5% - from the planting pattern and by 22.8% - from the conditions of the growing season. With the decreased distance between plants in a row, dry matter and starch content increased, and the amount of vitamin C in tubers increased. However, the accumulation of nitrates by tubers in all variants of the experiment and all varieties did not exceed 126 mg/kg at the maximum allowable concentration of 250 mg/kg.

Evaluating the efficacy of using GPS satellite transmitters to assess movement of bigheaded carp in a riverine system

Abstract We have evaluated the feasibility of using GPS satellite transmitters on invasive bigheaded carp species, silver carp and bighead carp, that could determine patterns of movement, identify potential feeding and spawning areas, and inform a comprehensive monitoring and commercial removal program in the Illinois River Waterway system in the United States. Despite a wealth of information on bigheaded carp movement from acoustic and radio telemetry, a finer‐scale approach to understand habitat use and daily surfacing trends in movement would strengthen management efforts. Custom Fastloc™‐GPS data‐logging transmitters (with radio telemetry capability) manufactured by Sirtrack™ were tethered to adult bigheaded carp in field experiments. Sixteen field‐deployed transmitters were recovered and yielded 490 individual GPS waypoints when transmitters were attached to fish. We observed movement rates within the Dresden Island Reach of the Illinois River Waterway of approximately 16 river km, and movement in and out of backwater habitats and the warm‐water discharge of a nuclear generating station. We have demonstrated the use of this technology to monitor bigheaded carp and will use the information gained from this study to inform future work with remotely accessed, real‐time, Argos satellite linked prototypes. Fine‐scale accuracies, fast acquisition speeds and the ability to gather real‐time data make this a promising tool and is one the first uses of GPS technology to track fish movement in a riverine system. Continued exploration to improve tag retention efficiency will enhance its utility for continued invasive carp management.

Examining environmental conditions that influence long-term Antarctic blue whale migration patterns in the Southern Hemisphere using an 18-year passive acoustic dataset

Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) are difficult to study due to the low numbers and cryptic behaviour. The largest subspecies of blue whale migrates from Antarctic feeding areas to temperate and tropical breeding grounds every year. Their use of these remote areas makes it difficult to detect them using visual survey methods. However, blue whales are vocal animals and sing throughout the year especially during their annual migration. By using passive acoustic monitoring, we can study the long-term migration patterns of Antarctic blue whales across the Southern Hemisphere. Using an 18-year passive acoustic dataset from the CTBTO, we examined the migration patterns of Antarctic blue whales across four different locations spread across all three major ocean basins. We modelled blue whale acoustic detections with environmental variables including El Niño Southern Oscillation, the Southern Annular Mode, and yearly Antarctic sea-ice extent. We also examined krill abundance estimates from Krill Base in our models. We found that the whale call detections at the four sites were correlated with different variables. The variables were also correlated with various degrees of lag. Our study provides evidence that these whales vary their migration patterns from year-to-year with respect to changing oceanic, and climatic conditions.

Determining the Effect of Different Ecological Conditions on the Maturation of Rabbitfish (Siganus guttatus)

A study aimed at the rabbitfish Siganus guttatus (Bloch, 1787), the reproductive ability of one economically important marine and brackish fish in Giang lagoon systems and marine Asia. The future expectations of mariculture development were decided in Vietnam. The region had enough fingerlings for intensive culture and polyculture to contribute to environmental conservation and sustainability. There were 3 experiments in 3 different ecosystems for fish culture and maturity by feeding a commercial feed and finding suitable areas for the maturing period. The results showed that the growing fish kept in cages on the lagoon had the best growth and rate maturity, much higher than fish in cages of shrimp ponds and plastic bottom ponds, as showed a much bigger size of body, 610 g/head for females and 542 g/head for males, while other culture more 500/head, especially after 3 months of feeding, more than 20% matured for females, they reached more 50% at 6 months feeding. The length at first sexual maturity was 28.87 to 31.20 cm and 27.47 to 29.20 cm for females and males, respectively. The potential ova diameter is from 405 to 483 µm, P < 0.05; the benefit for spawning, gonads maturity stages, with GSI (gonadal-somatic index), 3.03 to 4.53 were opportunities for the spawning season, ova diameter and fecundity and the gonadal-somatic index were differed significantly (P < 0.05) males and females. This result showed the maximum (peak), and all fish can mature and get to spawning. In conclusion, different ecosystems impacted maturity and spawning during the moon season.

Effects of Surface Water on Artificial Recharge of Coastal Aquifers by GIS Zoning Maps: A Case Study in Ghaemshahr, Iran

Background: The study aimed to assess surface water resources for potential use during non-irrigation seasons to boost groundwater aquifers. This method also helps reduce aquifer depletion, mitigate land subsidence, and enhance groundwater quality. Methods: In this study, artificial feeding methods were used to determine the appropriate location for the Ghaemshahr plain. Water resources were tested in terms of quantity and quality through field and laboratory studies. Based on the findings, geographic information system (GIS) mapping was utilized to create maps and select the best location and feeding method. Results: The most important source of nutrition for recharging the aquifer in terms of quantity and quality was the Talar River. The study area’s conditions like aquifer thickness, permeability, topographic slope, and land use were analyzed using GIS and thematic maps. The results indicated that by using these methods, it is possible to store 5 million cubic meters of surface water in the aquifer for 6 months. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using surface waters in the area for artificial feeding, employing the pond method1. Additionally, it is recommended to dig measuring wells to monitor the water level rise at the bottom of the pond 1. It also suggests the use of simulation software like PMVIN, Mod flow, and GMS to optimize the artificial replenishment process and select the most suitable approach from the defined scenarios before taking any actions.