Estimates of cetacean abundance in European Atlantic waters in summer

This report summarises design-based estimates of abundance for those cetacean species for which sufficient data were obtained during SCANS-III: harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, white-sided dolphin, common dolphin, striped dolphin, pilot whale, all beaked whale species combined, sperm whale, minke whale and fin whale

Data on the distribution and feeding of fin whales off the Galician coasts

One ofthe aims of a next CODA (Cetacean Offshore Distribution and Abundance in the European Atlantic)-IEO survey, is to investigate the presence of fin whales and their prey off the Galician coast. As a preparation it was considered useful to look at the available historical information regarding fin whale presence off GaIicia. Some observations about fin whaIe feeding are aIso presented here. The catch statistics for 1952 - 1985 were analysed for pattems of seasonal distribution. Information about the geographic distribution of fin whaIes was obtained from positions in the catch statistics, from sightings made by the whaling boats and from severaI sighting surveys. These positions were represented in charts with bathymetric profiles to visualise the distribution of whales in relation with the sea bottom topography. The prey species found in the stomachs of 17 individuaIs caught during the 1983 season were identified and their degree of digestion and semi-quantitative abundance evaIuated. Throughout the historie series more than 70 % ofthe catches occur between July and September. Some temporal distributional pattems can be described along the time series and in relation with annual values ofNAO and Gulf Stream indices. Positions of catches and sightings data were plotted by months and compared to show the seasonal distribution and reIative movements of fin whaIes. Only 3 of the 17 stomachs were empty. The prey most commonly found (85.7 % of the stomachs with food) was the euphausiid Meganycthiphanes norvegica. One whale has only the gadoid fish Micromesistius poutassou and another whale a mixture of both items. The degree of digestion and the amount of food in the stomachs suggest a moming feeding periodo The position and dates of the catches of these specimens could also indicate areas where euphausiids and fish were locally abundant in that particular year

Serological survey of Australian native reptiles for exposure to ranavirus

Ranaviruses have been isolated from many ectothermic vertebrates, and serological surveys of both amphibians and reptiles have shown the presence of ranaviral antibodies in a proportion of these populations. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure serum antibodies against ranavirus in Australian reptiles. The ELISA was validated with serum from challenge trials with Bohle iridovirus (BIV) in 6 reptilian species. A preliminary serosurvey of northern Queensland riparian reptile fauna (saw-shelled turtles Myuchelys latisternum, Krefft's river turtles Emydura macquarii krefftii, freshwater crocodiles Crocodylus johnstoni, as well as the snakes Boiga irregularis, Dendrelaphis punctulatus, Tropidonophis mairii, Morelia spilota, Liasis childreni and L. fuscus) revealed evidence of past exposure to Bohle iridoviral antigens in part of the population at several locations sampled. Furthermore, in Krefft's river turtles and freshwater crocodiles, a statistically significant trend was apparent for larger reptiles to be more likely to have BIV-reactive sera than smaller individuals. The use of adult tortoise populations as sentinels can assist in monitoring the presence of BIV in northern Australian freshwater streams, and thereby the potential dangers to native fauna from this agent

Adultrap® trap optimized for collecting vector mosquito eggs, larvae and adults

ABSTRACT The productivity of the Adultrap® trap was compared to that of modified adultrap traps. Two structural changes were tested, a cover was placed at the entrance of the trap at two different heights. A comparison was also made with traps containing hydrogel to replace the water in the reservoir. The positivity rates of all the trap types were calculated and compared. The hydrogel models were more productive because they collected eggs, larvae, and adults. The trap that removed the protective screen and replaced the water with the hydrogel was 18.5 times larger than the original trap (p = 0.001). There was an increase in the productivity for the total collection of mosquitoes. The collection of eggs, larvae, and adults can contribute to the construction of more robust infestation indices. In addition, it allows for the collection of live specimens and the development of studies

Curvatura Da Superfície E Seu Efeito Na Variabilidade Espacial Dos Atributos Do Solo, Pinheiral - Rj/br

Understanding the spatial variability of soil chemical and physical attributes is important for improving management practices and soil conservation. In turn, the spatial variability of soil properties results from variation in morphological relief characteristics. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of landform curvature on the spatial variability of soil chemical and physical attributes in the Mar de Morros region (Pinheiral-Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil). Two adjacent landforms were selected with convex and concave curvature and sampled in a regularly spaced grid of 10 meters. A total of 56 soil samples (0-5 cm depth) from the two landforms were collected and analyzed for physical and chemical attributes. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and geostatistics. All chemical attributes showed random patterns of spatial variability in both landforms. The concave landform had higher values of pH and potassium and lower values of aluminum than the convex landform. In contrast, silt content showed spatial dependence in both the concave and convex landforms. Bulk density and clay showed spatial dependence in the convex landform. Bulk density and silt content increased from the shoulder to the footslope of both landforms. The results show that, for this study area, landform curvature has more influence on the spatial dependence of soil physical attributes than of soil chemical properties. © 2016, Federal University of Lavras. All rights reserved.22443143

Informe de campaña PELACUS 0411

El Instituto Español de Oceanografía inició sus campañas acústicas de primavera para evaluar los recursos pesqueros en la plataforma norte y nordeste de la Península Ibérica en 1986. La serie anual de campañas ha sufrido variaciones metodológicas a lo largo de los años y un cambio en su enfoque. Durante los primeros años de la serie (hasta el 1996) el objetivo principal de las campañas (SARACUS, PELACUS) fue la determinación de la abundancia y distribución del stock de sardina que se realizaba mediante prospección acústica combinada con la información proveniente de arrastres pelágicos. El objetivo principal de los cambios que se han producido en la campaña en los últimos años ha sido el permitir su evolución hacia una plataforma de seguimiento del ecosistema pelágico de la plataforma norte y noroeste peninsular. Con esta evolución, se intenta dar respuesta a la necesidad planteada por la UE y otros organismos internacionales de obtener los datos e información necesarios para alimentar los modelos de ecosistema, concebidos como parte clave del Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) y posibilitar la monitorización integrada que pueda dar respuesta a los requerimientos de la Directiva Marco de la Estrategia Marina (2008/56/CE).PELACUS 0411 es la vigésimo octava campaña de la serie histórica cuya extensión permite el llevar a cabo estudios retrospectivos sobre las posibles causas de la variabilidad temporal en las propiedades físicas y biológicas y en los procesos observados en el ecosistema pelágico. Al mismo tiempo, constituye una fuente de datos importante para la calibración y validación de los modelos físicos, acoplados (físico-biológicos) y de hábitat y la recopilación de información necesaria para el cálculo de indicadores que permitan determinar el Buen Estado Medioambiental (GES en inglés) de las aguas de la plataforma del norte y noreste de la Península Ibérica dentro de los requerimientos de la Estrategia Marina. Las campañas PELACUS se engloban en el proyecto ECOPEL II: Estudio del ecosistema pelágico, la distribución de las especies y sus relaciones con el medio ambiente, cuyo objetivo principal es el estudio de la dinámica y funcionamiento del ecosistema pelágico de la plataforma Ibero Atlántica.UE- DCF Programa Nacional de Datos Básicos- Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Control tunning approach and digital filter application for competitive line follower robot

This research describes the development of a control strategy to optimize a competitive line follower robot for standard races. The innovative approach stems from the WolfBotz team at CEFET/RJ, presenting a thorough exploration of mathematical foundations, hardware design, control analysis, and how to implement this system in a microcontroller. This research complements a previous work that shows all the regulations used in Brazilian competitions and describes the controllers used in the system, such as angular and linear control. This research emphasizes all the changes between the two versions of Line Follower robots. The emphasis on mathematical foundations and integrating digital signal processing techniques like digital filters set the stage for robust sensor data interpretation. The tuning and optimization of dual controllers for track stability and linear velocity regulation represent a significant innovation, augmenting the robot’s overall performance.The authors would like to thank CEFET/RJ and the Brazilian research agencies CAPES, CNPq, and FAPERJ for supporting this work. Besides, the authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CeDRI (UIDB/05757/2020 and UIDP/05757/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The trophic relationships of several commercial finfish species from the southwest Atlantic.

This study aims to quantify the trophic relationships of seven commercially valuable predatory fish species (Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi, southern hake Merluccius australis, Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides, southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis australis, red cod Salilota australis, kingclip Genypterus blacodes and hoki Macruronus magellanicus) over a two-year period. A total of 1590 stomachs from these species was collected from the high seas of the southwest Atlantic and in the waters around the Falkland Islands. The percentage similarity index shows that all species except southern hake occupy very similar trophic positions, with a high percentage dietary overlap. Despite this, niche breadths were relatively narrow, with the majority of feeding occurring on locally abundant prey items (notothiniid fish and the squids Illex argentinus and Loligo gahi). In the two species for which sample size was largest, Argentine hake and kingclip, geographical differences in diet were found, which may be related to regional variation in prey abundance. The results are discussed in relation to the seasonal migrations of predators and prey and the hydroclimate regime