Hand Collection Research Articles

Survey of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in southwestern Iran, with new records

Twenty-nine locations in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province in southwestern Iran were sampled for spiders (Araneae) in 2016–17 using different sampling methods (hand collection, pitfall traps, and aspirators). A total of 196 identifiable specimens were collected which represented 49 species belonging to 38 genera and 15 families. Six species, namely Cheiracanthium elegans Thorell, 1875 (Cheiracanthiidae), Cryptodrassus helvolus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (Gnaphosidae), Enoplognatha macrochelis Levy & Amitai, 1981 (Theridiidae), Xysticus xerodermus Strand, 1913 (Thomisidae), Zelotes babunaensis (Drensky, 1929) and Z. potanini Schenkel, 1963 (both Gnaphosidae) had not been previously reported from Iran. Also, an additional number of 35 species represent new records for the province.

DIVERSITAS SEMUT (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) PADA LAHAN GAMBUT DI DESA KUALA DUA KABUPATEN KUBU RAYA

Secondary peatlands located in Kuala Dua Village, Kubu Raya Regency have various types of insects, one of which dominates is ants. Ants are members of the Order of Hymenoptera which have high diversity and complexity as social animals. Ants play a role in spreading seeds, other insect predators, spore spreaders, decomposers, ecological controllers. Information about the diversity of ants in Kubu Raya Regency is still very limited, especially those on peat land in Kuala Dua Village, Kubu Raya District, therefore research on ant diversity needs to be done with the aim to record the diversity of ants on these peatlands. Laying down the observation path is done intentionally (Purposive sampling). The method used is hand collecting and leaf litter sifting. The results shows that seven genera and four subfamily were obtained. Subfamily found is Formicinae, Ponerinae, Myrmicinae, and Dolichoderinae. The Subfamily Formicinae consists of the genus Camponotus, Colobobsis, Polyrhachis, Anoplolepis. The Ponerinae subfamily consists of the genus Leptogenys. Subfamily Myrmicinae consists of the genus Pheidole. The Dolichoderinae subfamily consists of the genus Ecphorella. The diversity index value on line 1 (1.30) is classified as medium category, line 2 (0.80) is classified as low category and line 3 (0.34) is classified as low category. The abundance index on line 1 (0.80) is classified as high category, line 2 (0.73) is classified as low category, line 3 (0.50) is classified as low category. The similarity index of ant species on line 1 and line 2 are (25%) which classified as low category. Line 1 and 3 are (57.14%) classified as medium category. The similarity index of ant species on line 2 and 3 (40%) were also classified as medium category.Keywords: ants, diversity, Kubu Raya District, peat land.

Choosing sampling methods for Chilopoda, Diplopoda and Isopoda (Oniscidea): A case study for ferruginous landscapes in Brazilian Amazonia

The edaphic fauna plays an important role in the organic matter dynamics of the soil. Millipeds (Diplopoda), centipeds (Chilopoda) and isopods (Isopoda) are among the main components of the soil fauna. Vegetation structure represents one of the main factors influencing composition and diversity of these species that inhabit leaf litter and soil, what is particularly important in the Amazon Forest, where there are several singular vegetation types. Savannah and forest areas stand out in ferruginous hills, which represents one of the most poorly known and highly threatened ecosystems in the Amazon. However, sampling the edaphic fauna in high diversity sites represents a challenging task. Studies have shown that sampling method may influence observed patterns of diversity. From this perspective, the present study aimed to (i) investigate whether assemblages of Chilopoda, Diplopoda and Isopoda differ between vegetation types in the Amazon, (ii) indicate how biological parameters behave in such communities, (iii) identify which method or combination of methods is better suited to sample species richness and (iv) quantify the efficiency of each method regarding time of work and cost. Sampling was conducted by means of hand collection, leaf litter collection, hay-bait traps and soil sampling in four patches, two in the savannah (also called canga) and two in the forest. Richness was higher in forest habitats for Chilopoda and Diplopoda, while for Isopoda there was no significant difference. Species composition also differed between vegetation types for Chilopoda and Isopoda, but not for Diplopoda. Beta diversity between vegetation types was mainly determined by nestedness and balancing, while turnover was the main beta diversity component responsible for differences among methods. Soil sampling and hand collection added more species to the samples, therefore, this combination was the most efficient to access diversity. Our results support the hypothesis that differences in the soil cover promoted by distinct vegetation types influence the species diversity and composition of edaphic fauna. The differences were mainly determined by nestedness and balancing, indicating that the fauna sampled in the canga represents a subset of those present in the surrounding forest. In this sense, even in ecosystems with distinct vegetation types, the combination of soil and surface sampling methods is recommended. Lastly, the present study proposes a set of decision rules and a key to select the most appropriate method to sample the studied taxonomic groups.

Detection of freshwater mussels (Sinanodonta spp.) in artificial ponds through environmental DNA: a comparison with traditional hand collection methods

Populations of most freshwater mussels (Unionidae) are declining worldwide; these includes Sinanodonta spp., which inhabit artificial ponds in Japan. The detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) would be a rapid and efficient method for monitoring the distribution of Sinanodonta populations. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to compare the results of real-time PCR-based eDNA detection to those of hand collection in 24 ponds in Japan. Sinanodonta eDNA was detected in most of the study ponds where Sinanodonta spp. were found by hand collection, and there was a positive correlation between the eDNA detection rate and the number of Sinanodonta specimens collected by hand. These findings demonstrate that eDNA detection is a valuable alternative method of evaluating the distribution of Sinanodonta spp., and that this method has a similar detection sensitivity to that of hand collection. The eDNA method can be used to monitor freshwater mussels at broad scales and prohibitive depths where hand collection is difficult.

KEANEKARAGAMAN SEMUT (Famili Formicidae) PADA LAHAN GAMBUT DI LINGKUNGAN GEDUNG BARU FAKULTAS KEHUTANAN UNIVERSITAS TANJUNGPURA PONTIANAK

Ants have an important role in an ecosystem such as seed spreaders, pollinators, decomposers, and soil growers. Ants can live on peatlands that have acidic pH. The new building of the Faculty of Forestry is an area of peatland where there is one of the fauna, namely ants. The ants in the environment of the Faculty of Forestry’s new biulding are unknown. The research aims to record the types of ants found on peatland in the environment of the new building of the Faculty of Forestry, Tanjungpura University. Takingthe samples of ants was done with sifting hand collecting and leaf litter sifting methods. This study found 4 subfamilies and 7 genera of ants. The subfamilies found were Subfamily Formicinae consisting of the genera Anoplolepis, Camponotus, Echinopla, and Polyrhachis, Subfamily Ponerinae consisting of Genus Diacamma; Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae consisting of genus Tetraponera; and Subfamily Myrmicinae consisting of the Crematogaster Genus. Diversity index has a value of H ̅ = 1.44 which indicates that the research location has moderate diversity. The overall index of species richness has a DMg value = 5.58 indicating the wealth of ant species is in the high category. Evenness index with a value of 0.73, evenness of ant species is quite even. Keywords: Diversity of ants, Faculty of Forestry, Family Formicidae, Peatlands

Object recognition using Hausdorff distance for multimedia applications

The need for reliable and efficient systems for recognition of object from image is increasing day by day. A partial list of applications that may use such system includes searching and reading in hand written documents, recognizing digit on papers and others. In the existing work, Euclidean distance is used for recognizing object, but some of object it doesn’t work well. The major aim of the work is to introduce new object recognition. So the proposed work recognizing object using a shape context and Hausdorff distance is introduced. The process analyses the layout of the image into digits. In the first step, the shape context is computed for two point set and Hungarian algorithm is used to find the correspondence between two point set. The process evaluates the similarity of the two point set using Hausdorff distance. Finally, the error rate is calculated by considering the affine cost and shape context cost. The algorithm tested using the MNIST, COIL data sets and a private collection of hand written digits and encouraging results were obtained. The error rate is reduced to 0.72%.

Voluntary hedging disclosure and corporate governance

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the implications of governance quality on a firm’s information environment in the context of voluntary changes in hedging disclosures made by oil and gas companies. Design/methodology/approach The research utilizes a Factiva-guided search to hand-collect public disclosures related to changes in hedging policies along with the hand collection of financial derivatives positions and operational hedging contracts data using 10-K filings. The paper addresses self-selection bias, which typically plagues voluntary disclosure studies, by implementing a Heckman (1979) two-step model to estimate the decision process, make changes in their hedge program and, conditional on making changes to their hedging activities, provide disclosure. Findings Oil and gas firms with relatively poor governance are more likely to voluntarily disclose hedging changes and do so more frequently (substitution hypothesis). There is evidence that poorly governed firms in the presence of large shareholders (i.e. high institutional ownership) are more likely to provide transparency of hedging policy changes. Originality/value This is the first study to combine hand-collected changes in hedging voluntary disclosures and hand-collected derivative position data to investigate the interaction of corporate governance and voluntary disclosure. The sample allows for analysis between three sub-samples: companies that do not make changes in hedging and do not hedge, firms that make changes in their hedging policies but do not disclose the changes during a given year and companies that change their hedging activities and provide voluntary disclosure. This unique setting helps to alleviate concerns of self-selection bias associated with voluntary disclosure.

Scottish cycling pavement assessment using hand–arm vibration exposure

A defective pavement surface discourages cyclists from selecting certain routes, and vibration exposure is a noticeable consequence of reduced path surface quality. Current asset management practice includes walkover surveys and cyclists reporting defects directly to the local authority. This research proposes the use of an instrumented probe bicycle to collect data for the assessment of pavement condition and rider comfort. Furthermore, the collection of hand–arm vibration exposure data is proposed as a means of assessing pavement surface condition and suitability. Hand–arm vibration exposure has been measured in compliance with BS EN ISO 5349-1:2001. Root-mean-square vibration total values, vibration dose value and exposure values (15, 30 and 60 min) are provided for 13·682 km of pavement surface in Edinburgh, Scotland. The vibration exposure values are compared to those recommended by EU Directive 2002/44/EC. Power spectral analysis is also performed to determine the power transferred to the cyclist’s hands and arms. The collated vibration data may be used as a means of assessing pavement surface condition. Such data may prove beneficial for local authority asset management associated with resurfacing or repair works.

Results From a Pilot Randomized Trial of Antenatal Breast Milk Expression Among Healthy, First-Time Mothers

To examine the relationship between antenatal milk expression (AME) and breastfeeding outcomes in a sample of first-time mothers in the United States. Limited research, mostly among diabetic women outside the United States, has indicated that hand expression, collection, and storage of breast milk during pregnancy (i.e., AME) is a safe, potentially effective intervention to improve short-term breastfeeding exclusivity. This was a pilot randomized, controlled trial of a structured AME intervention versus an education control. Participants were recruited from a single hospital-based midwife practice in the northeastern United States. We recruited and randomized 45 low-risk, nulliparous women who were at 34–36 6/7 weeks of gestation to the AME intervention or weekly breastfeeding handouts beginning at 37 weeks. The AME intervention involved technique demonstration from a lactation consultant, reinforcement at weekly visits, and daily home practice for 10 min. Follow-up data were collected during the postpartum hospitalization, at 1–2-weeks postpartum and at 3–4 months postpartum, on breastfeeding self-efficacy (Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-SF, BSES-SF; higher score indicative of greater self-efficacy), perceived insufficient milk volume (H & H Lactation Scale; higher score indicative of greater confidence in breast milk sufficiency), proportion of breast milk feeds, formula use, and maternal qualitative experiences with AME. Between-group differences in quantitative outcomes were examined with chi-square and independent-sample t tests. At baseline, AME participants were more likely to be employed (p = .03) and had slightly higher BSES-SF scores than controls (Ms = 53.2 vs. 47.1, respectively, p = .04). There were no other between-group differences in demographics or pregnancy–birth characteristics. AME participants scored slightly higher on the BSES-SF at 3 months compared with the control group (Ms = 65.0 vs. 59.3, respectively, p = .04), with trends toward higher scores on the BSES-SF and H & H Lactation Scale in the intervention group at all time points. There were no between-group differences in formula use or proportion of breast milk feeds. Women reported that AME increased their commitment and confidence to breastfeed. AME is a feasible intervention that may increase breastfeeding confidence among first-time mothers. Additional research with a powered sample is indicated.

Owl Pellets, a Useful Method to Study Epigean Tenebrionid Beetles in Arid Lands.

Owl pellets, regurgitates formed by the undigested parts of owls' prey, have been used since the 1960s to estimate relative species abundances and community diversity of small mammals in the field. Although insects are important food sources for raptors, the usefulness of owl pellets as a collecting method for entomological studies remains practically unexplored. Many terrestrial arthropods have fragile bodies that degrade during the raptor's digestive process; however, darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) resist this process. These organisms are abundant and rich in species, and play significant roles in food and nutrient soil cycles in arid regions. Moreover, darkling beetles are well known and represent up to 52% of prey abundances in Bubo magellanicus (Lesson), one of the most common owls in arid Patagonia. The aim of this work is to evaluate the suitability of B. magellanicus pellets as a research tool for studies of tenebrionid beetle biodiversity assessments in arid Patagonia. Thus, we compare tenebrionid relative species abundances, species richness, and their species assemblage estimated from the diet of B. magellanicus with those identified simultaneously by conventional trapping (pitfall trapping and hand collecting) using multivariate techniques and the Fisher's exact test. Mitragenius araneiformis Curtis, Patagonogenius quadricollis Fairmaire, and Emmallodera crenaticostata crenaticostata Blanchard were the most abundant tenebrionid species. Relative abundances of almost all species, the estimation of species richness, and tenebrionid assemblage from both collecting methodologies were similar. Therefore, we propose the owl pellet analysis as a useful sampling tool for rapid estimations of the tenebrionid assemblage structure in arid Patagonia.

Ant Community Evolution According to Aging in Brazilian Cocoa Tree Plantations

Agriculture is frequently held accountable for the depletion of biotic diversity, although a few agroforestry systems support the conservation of a number of organisms. Cocoa farming is noteworthy as an example of an agricultural activity that benefits or maintains species richness. However, the mechanism by which the biodiversity persists throughout the entire process of plant development remains obscure. In Southeastern Bahia, Brazil, cacao tree plantations support the conservation of a large amount of organisms native to the Atlantic Forest, between them the ants. This study aims at recording the relationship between cocoa tree development and ant community structure. The experiment was carried out in a series of six cocoa tree plantations aged one, three, four, eight, fifteen and 33 years, distributed across the experimental grounds of the Cocoa Research Center at Ilhéus. 1,500 ant samples were collected using the sampling techniques: hand collection, honey and sardine baits, entomological blanket and “pitfall”. Highest values for diversity and richness were reported in the 15-years-old cocoa plantation. No significant correlations between diversity, richness or plant age were reported. Considering the faunistic composition, a statistical similarity was observed between the plantations close in age to one another. Plant aging did not exert any influence on the diversity gradient and richness in the succession process of the ant community. In young plantations, there are low differences between the ants found on the ground and the ones found on the young cocoa trees. In older plantations, the ant community divides in two distinct assemblages on the ground and on the trees. The variations observed in the ant community along the plant development were likely caused by the structural organization of the dominant species mosaic.

Harvest method does not affect survival and condition during gonad enhancement of an overabundant sea urchin

AEI Aquaculture Environment Interactions Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections AEI 11:143-148 (2019) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00305 Harvest method does not affect survival and condition during gonad enhancement of an overabundant sea urchin F. Warren-Myers1,2,*, S. E. Swearer2, D. S. Francis3, G. M. Turchini3, T. Dempster1 1Sustainable Aquaculture Laboratory - Temperate and Tropical (SALTT), School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia 2National Centre for Coasts and Climate (NCCC) and School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia 3School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia *Corresponding author: fletcher.warren@unimelb.edu.au ABSTRACT: Interest in sea urchin roe enhancement aquaculture is growing due to an increased global demand for high-quality roe that is suitable for export to international markets. Yet, fine-tuning of efficient collection methods and improved growing techniques are still key bottlenecks to industry success. Urchins suitable for roe enhancement are generally collected from rocky barrens where they occur in high densities. Few studies have investigated the efficiency of methods used to collect urchins from barrens or the associated short- and long-term handling effects due to collection methods. Here, we tested 2 methods to collect the purple sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma, a species that is highly abundant in barrens in temperate waters and which is a viable candidate for roe enhancement aquaculture. We assessed short- and long-term survival, external urchin condition and final gonad indices after 12 wk of roe enhancement. Divers using a 3-pronged hook and catch bag collected urchins 1.9 times faster (392 urchins h-1) than careful hand collection (207 urchins h-1). Collection method did not significantly influence mortality rate, external health or gonad indices after 12 wk of roe enhancement. Our results show that H. erythrogramma in barrens is robust to rapid mechanical collection by divers, which increases its suitability as a candidate capture-based aquaculture species. KEY WORDS: Urchin barrens · Gonad index · Collection rate · Urchin condition · Heliocidaris erythrogramma Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Warren-Myers F, Swearer SE, Francis DS, Turchini GM, Dempster T (2019) Harvest method does not affect survival and condition during gonad enhancement of an overabundant sea urchin. Aquacult Environ Interact 11:143-148. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00305Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AEI Vol. 11. Online publication date: April 11, 2019 Print ISSN: 1869-215X; Online ISSN: 1869-7534 Copyright © 2019 Inter-Research.

Ecology of Nerodia sipeodon (Common Watersnake) in North Fork Creek, Ohio County, West Virginia. Elijah Henderson, Dan Meyer and Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University, Dept. of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, West Liberty, WV

The ecology of Nerodia sipeodon (Common Water Snake) was studied concurrently with ecology of Regina septemvittata(Queen Snake) in North Fork of Short Creek, Ohio County, West Virginia. Snakes were captured via hand collection or aquatic funnel traps. All captured animals were measured, weighed, pit-tagged, and underwent gastric lavage when food boluses were present. Snake activity peaked in the spring, followed by a mid-summer brumation period. Activity reoccurred in mid-August through the fall. Trap captures outnumbered hand captures, though most juvenile animals were collected by hand. Frequently encountered food species included Black Nose Dace, Creek Chubs, and Long Nose Dace. Daily activity peaked in the morning hours, was reduced during the heat of the day, and began again in earnest during the late afternoon and early evening hours. Though concerted effort was undertaken to collect them, zero gravid females were collected with this study. Neonates appeared in the population beginning in late August. The most frequently encountered behavior was basking, followed by various defensive behaviors allied with capture. To date, close to 50 individual snakes have been PIT tagged and released at the study stream. Future efforts will focus on the use of radio telemetry, as well as the capture of gravid females.

A Comprehensive Analysis on Abundance, Distribution, and Bionomics of Potential Malaria Vectors in Mannar District of Sri Lanka.

Background A detailed knowledge of the distribution of the malaria vectors in Mannar district of Sri Lanka has not been studied after 1927. Past records indicated the presence of only seven species of anophelines, namely, An. culicifacies, An. subpictus, An. barbirostris, An. peditaeniatus, An. nigerrimus, An. Jamesii, and An. maculatus. There have been many changes in terms of distribution of Anopheles in the district over time. Methods Entomological surveillance was conducted on a monthly basis, comprising indoor hand collection, window trap collection, cattle-baited net collection, cattle-baited hut collection, and larval survey from June 2010 to June 2012 in 12 study areas under three entomological sentinel sites. The relationship between seven abiotic variables of the breeding habitats was measured. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to determine the associations between climatic variables and anopheline densities. Results A total of 74,181 mosquitoes belonging to 14 Anopheles species were recorded. An. subpictus was the most predominant species from all techniques representing 92% (n=68,268) of the total anopheline collection. However, Anopheles culicifacies was not recorded from any site during the study period. Larval surveys identified 12 breeding habitat categories including waste water collections, lagoon water collections, and drains which were not recorded as breeding habitats by previous studies. The mean dissolved oxygen level of waste water collections was 3.45±0.15 mg/l. The mean salinity and conductivity of lagoon water collections were 21105±1344 mg/l and 34734±1974 μs/cm, respectively. Conclusion The present study provides the updated knowledge on anopheline distribution and vector bionomics. Therefore, documentation of the current knowledge would be useful for learners and health authorities to design appropriate vector control measures in the prevention of reintroduction of malaria.

Ant community patterns in highly fragmented Chaco forests of central Argentina

AbstractThe Chaco is the largest dry forest biome in South America and one of the regions most threatened by agricultural intensification. As a consequence, in several areas Chaco forests persist as forest remnants of different sizes embedded in an agricultural matrix. Ants are social insects that have key roles in ecosystem functioning, and the effects of this ongoing land use change process on ant communities are little known for this region. In the present study, we assessed the consequences of land use replacement by monocultures and forest fragmentation on ant communities. Particularly, we assessed whether patch size, patch isolation and edge effect affect species richness and composition of ground‐dwelling ants in fragmented landscapes of Chaco forests. We collected ants by combining hand collecting and pitfall traps in 17 forest fragments and the surrounding matrix from two sites in Córdoba, Argentina. Patch size and patch isolation had no effect on ant richness; however, patch isolation and, to a lesser extent, patch size altered ant species composition. The ant community was not affected by edge but it was negatively affected by the crop matrix, which reduced richness and altered species composition. These results indicate that monoculture matrices severely affect ant communities in the Chaco forests, and that the effects of other indicators of habitat fragmentation (patch size and edge effect) are subtler and less relevant. In the present context of land use change, even small fragments could have an important value for the conservation of ant diversity.

Finding rockpool fishes: a quantitative comparison of non-invasive and invasive methods for assessing abundance, species richness and assemblage structure

Rocky intertidal shores are diverse ecosystems that have been extensively studied, yet there is a surprising lack of knowledge on the methods best suited to quantifying species abundance, diversity and assemblages. We compared visual census, unbaited remote underwater video (mini-RUV), baited remote underwater video (mini-BRUV) and draining/collection methods, with the goal of quantifying the effectiveness of non-invasive methods over more typical invasive methods for quantifying rockpool fish assemblages. In addition, we assessed the optimal set time of video deployment for mini-RUV and mini-BRUV. Fieldwork was undertaken from May–June 2016 using 20 rockpools at seven locations on the SE coast of NSW, Australia. Following standardisation of methods, visual census detected the lowest abundance of fishes whereas hand collection detected the highest out of any method. Increasing sampling time of mini-RUV and mini-BRUV from 10 to 25 min improved their effectiveness, with mini-BRUV detecting comparable abundances to invasive hand collection. The methods did not differ with respect to species richness however. Further, 25 min of mini-BRUV yielded greater detection of common species than hand collection. All together, these results suggest that mini-BRUV is the best method if the goal is to provide accurate estimates of overall abundance, richness and assemblages with minimal disturbance to rockpools, with a preferred set time of 25 min (and at least 15 min). The ability to conduct rapid and non-invasive species surveys of natural rockpool fish communities is an important conservation and management tool given that these habitats can be home to a variety of commercially important and rare species.

Species richness and diversity of spiders in the semiarid habitats of North India

A total of 1140 spiders belonging to 31 species, 11 families and 26 genera were recorded from Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Ludhiana and Kapurthala (Punjab) in north India. Araneidae (20%) was the most predominant family followed by Tetragnathidae (17%), Salticidae (14%), Eresidae (11%), Lycosidae (10%), Selenopidae (10%), Hersilidae (7%), Oxyopidae (7%), Sparassidae (2%) and Thomisidae (2%). Standardization of collection techniques and assessment of species richness during the pre and post monsoon period were accomplished. Observations revealed that the best fit method for collection was in the following order: visual searching (44%)>hand collection (33%)> pit fall (7%) >beating (7%) transect (6%)> sweep net (3%). Species richness was computed using Shannon (H1) (3.03), Simpson (λ) (0.0624) and Dominance (0.938) indices, which shows good diversity. This study is in continuity with surveys done from the semiarid habitats, and it revealed that diversity increased to 65 species from north India with the present study.

L’apothicairerie de l’hôpital de Lunéville. Qu’en savons-nous et qu’en reste-t-il ?

The apothecary of Lunéville hospital. What do we know about it and what remains currently of it ? – The hospital was founded at the beginning of the XVIIIth century by Leopold, duke of Lorraine, and it received a great number of pharmaceutical vessels, undoubtedly by duke Stanislas in the middle of this century. All of them were selected as historical monuments in year 1966 and sold to the museum of the town in 1969. But all of them were destroyed during an important fire in the early days of year 2003. Is seems that no historical, artistical and scientifical study of them was never done. Although we know some inventories, these documents suffer of a lack of knowledges on drugs stored in these vessels and also of a lack of accurate photographs. The new museum is currently working on a removal of collections and some pharmaceutical vessels have already been bought ou deposited. Some exhibitions are also organized. On the other hand, museums and private collections contain some pots issued from the local factoreries at the same period of XVIIIth century. We have then some good ideas on the disappeared apothecary. However, only the discovery of unknown archivs would allow to render an exact knowledge of this important collection of pharmaceutical vessels of the century of Lumières in Lorraine.

Análisis de macroinvertebrados bentónicos e índices biológicos para evaluar la calidad del agua del río Sardinas, Chocó Andino ecuatoriano

Se realizó un análisis de la entomofauna acuática del río Sardinas, en las épocas lluviosa y seca de 2018, usando macroinvertebrados como bioindicadores ambientales, los mismos que fueron recolectados con red Surber y colecta manual, en cinco puntos a lo largo del río. En el laboratorio fueron clasificados e identificados a niveles de clase, orden y familia y se analizó su riqueza (S) y abundancia (N), así como la calidad ambiental aplicando los índices BMWP/Col y EPT. Se recolectaron un total de 526 individuos pertenecientes a 15 órdenes y 44 familias. 35 en época lluviosa y 31 en época seca. La familia más abundante en lluvias fue Leptophlebiidae, 34 especímenes (12,8%); en la estación seca, la más representativa fue Chironomidae con 45 individuos (17,2%). En la estación lluviosa el punto 2 tuvo mayor riqueza S16 y en la estación seca P1, S18. Los puntos P3 – P5 presentaron organismos indicadores de aguas de mediana calidad (BMWP/Col=69-94 y un EPT promedio 47,05%). En este estudio se determinó el estado ecológico del área de estudio a partir de los índices BMWP/Col y EPT, en asociación a los taxa recolectados y los cálculos de (S), (N) y abundancia relativa (%).

Dredging-induced shell damages to hard clam (Meretrix meretrix): a Malaysian case study

The hard clam (Meretrix meretrix) is a popular edible shellfish in South and Southeast Asia, being heavily exploited by hand dredging in Marudu Bay, Malaysia. The current study was performed to evaluate the shell damages caused by this artisanal dredging gear. Samplings were conducted in triplicates at two sites using both hand dredging and hand collecting (control) sampling methods. The shell length and total weight, damage areas and breakage patterns of each clam were recorded. A questionnaire survey was conducted with local bivalve harvesters to gather information on the fishing pressure in Marudu Bay. Results revealed that the efficiency (fishing yield) of hand dredging gear was three times higher than hand collecting. However, hand dredging gear causes lethal shell damages to small hard clams (<3cm in shell length). Hard clam harvesting is the main occupation of most fishermen in Kg. Popok, but most of them do not comply with the minimum harvesting size established by the fishery department. Moreover, most of the stakeholders are not aware of the negative impacts of hand dredging to the sustainability of the hard clam fishery in Marudu Bay. Therefore, organizing more awareness programs combined with introducing community-based fishery management are highly recommended to promote the sustainability of this artisanal fishery.