Establishing Zebrafish as a Novel Exercise Model: Swimming Economy, Swimming-Enhanced Growth and Muscle Growth Marker Gene Expression

Zebrafish has been largely accepted as a vertebrate multidisciplinary model but its usefulness as a model for exercise physiology has been hampered by the scarce knowledge on its swimming economy, optimal swimming speeds and cost of transport. Therefore, we have performed individual and group-wise swimming experiments to quantify swimming economy and to demonstrate the exercise effects on growth in adult zebrafish

Delineation of fluvial sediment architecture of subalpine riverine systems using noninvasive hydrogeophysical methods

River management and restoration measures are of increasing importance for integrated water resources management (IWRM) as well as for ecosystem services. However, often river management mainly considers engineering and construction aspects only and the hydrogeological settings as the properties and functions of ancient fluvial systems are neglected which often do not lead to the desired outcome. Knowledge of the distribution of sediment units could contribute to a more efficient restoration. In this study, we present two noninvasive approaches for delineation of fluvial sediment architecture that can form a basis for the restoration, particularly in areas where site disturbance is not permitted. We investigate the floodplain of a heavily modified low-mountain river in Switzerland using different hydrogeophysical methods. In the first approach, we use data from electromagnetic induction (EMI) with four different integral depths (0.75–6 m) and gamma-spectrometry as well as the elevation data as input for a K-means cluster algorithm. The generated cluster map of the surface combines the main characteristics from multilayered input data and delineates areas of varying soil properties. The resulting map provides an indication of areas with different sedimentary units. In the second approach, we develop a new iterative method for the generation of a geological structure model (GSM) by means of various EMI forward models. We vary the geological input parameters based on the measured data until the predicted EMI maps match the measured EMI values. Subsequently, we use the best matched input data for the GSM generation. The derived GSM provides a 3D delineation of possible ancient stream courses. A comparison with an independent ground penetrating radar (GPR) profile confirmed the delineations on the cluster map as well as the vertical changes of the GSM qualitatively. Thus, each of the approaches had the capacity for detecting sedimentary units with distinct hydraulic properties as an indication of former stream courses. The developed methodology presents a promising tool for the characterization of test sites with no additional subsurface information

Climate change impacts on freshwater fishes: a Patagonian perspective

The fish fauna of Patagonian lakes comprises a small, unique group of native species and several exotic ones. The consequences of environmental changes for Patagonian fish populations vary according to the physiology of the species considered. Several previously predicted facts such as extirpations, extinctions, and translocations have occurred and human actions such as transport, introduction, and stocking of exotic species suggest a more complex future. We discuss the historical biogeography of Patagonian freshwater ichthyofauna to help us better understand their present adaptations and physiological ecology. We also address potential interactions between climate change and processes such as migration, species introductions, and invasions. There is still much to learn from Patagonian fishes to comprehend how these species will endure environmental changes.Fil: Becker, Leandro Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto Andino Patagónico de Tecnologías Biológicas y Geoambientales. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto Andino Patagónico de Tecnologías Biológicas y Geoambientales.; ArgentinaFil: Crichigno, Sonia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto Andino Patagónico de Tecnologías Biológicas y Geoambientales. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto Andino Patagónico de Tecnologías Biológicas y Geoambientales.; ArgentinaFil: Cussac, Victor Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto Andino Patagónico de Tecnologías Biológicas y Geoambientales. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto Andino Patagónico de Tecnologías Biológicas y Geoambientales.; Argentin