Validation and quantification of extractable age pigments for determining the age of Antarctic krill (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphausia superba</Emphasis>)

Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, hatched from eggs and maintained for four years, were sampled periodically for age-pigment analysis. Extractable pigments from the eye and eyestalk ganglia were quantified using fluorescence intensity and standardised against protein. Three peak fluorescence intensities were detected at wavelengths of excitation 280 nm, emission 625 nm (pigment 1); excitation 355 nm, emission 510 nm (pigment 2); and excitation 463 nm, emission 620 nm (pigment 3). There was a positive correlation between the quantity of pigments 1 and 3 and the age of Antarctic krill. A model was developed to predict age from pigment 3 and to compare it with other age proxies (carapace length and eyeball diameter). The quantity of pigment 3 was the best predictor of age. The pigment method can discriminate between similar sized krill aged 12 and 36 months. Age pigments provide an improved tool for age estimation in Antarctic krill, particularly if used in conjunction with other demographic information.     

Differences in flaA gene sequences,swimming motility,and biofilm forming ability between clinical and environmental isolates of Aeromonas species

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The flagellin A gene (flaA) sequences, swimming motility, and biofilm forming ability were investigated in order to reveal the genetic and functional...     

Aerosol Properties Over Japan Determined by Sun/Sky Photometry

The field-experiment campaigns of the Asian Atmospheric Particulate Environment Change Studies (APEX-E1 in December 2000, -E2 in spring 2001, and -E3 in spring 2003) aimed at understanding Asian aerosols. Our sun/sky photometric measurements of atmospheric light have joined these campaigns by using multispectral photometers (CE-318-1 and -2, Cimel Electronique; and POM-100P, Prede) at Noto, Shirahama, and Fukue-jima, Japan. This paper focuses on aerosol retrieval during the APEX-E3 campaign. Aerosol optical thickness, Ångström exponent, single-scattering albedo and the refractive index derived from these ground-based measurements can be classified into three categories of aerosols: (1) an oceanic type of typical background aerosols over Japan, (2) an anthropogenic type, and (3) a soil-dust type. The data from APEX experiments demonstrate that aerosols over Japan exhibit complicated spatial and temporal features involving mixtures of compounds.     

Effect of colour on male orientation to female pheromone in the black chafer Holotrichia loochooana loochooana

Summary. Under field conditions significantly more black chafer, Holotrichia loochooana loochooana (Sawada) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) males landed on black and gray sources than white ones containing 10 mg of female pheromone, anthranilic acid. When a broader spectrum of colours was tested the frequency of male landing was intensively proportional to as the lightness of the colour of the lures. These findings demonstrated that mate location by H. l. loochooana males is dependent on both olfactory and visual stimuli of the source. In contrast, female aggregation was not affected by colour.     

The seasonal effects of manure management and feeding strategies on hydrogen sulphide emissions from stored dairy manure

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The influence of temperature and storage time on hydrogen sulphide (H2S) emissions from two different dairy manures was investigated over four...     

Anthranilic acid: a free amino‐acid pheromone in the black chafer, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holotrichia loochooana loochooana</Emphasis>

Summary. Ether extract of the abdominal gland of female black chafers Holotrichia loochooana loochooana (Sawada) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) induced a series of pre-mating behaviors that included short-distance orientation, mounting and abdominal bending toward females in the laboratory. When the extract was chromatographed on a silica gel column, the activity was eluted with 50% ether in hexane and ether fractions. GC-MS analyses revealed that both the active fractions contained anthranilic acid (2-aminobenzoic acid) as a major compound. When partitioned to basic, acidic and amphoteric fractions, pheromonal activity was observed with the latter two fractions and anthranilic acid was detected in these fractions by HPLC analyses. The amount of anthranilic acid in the female extract was estimated to be ca. 1.3 μg/female. Authentic anthranilic acid induced pre-mating behavior in males of at levels equal to that elicited by the compound in the extract. It also attracted male beetles to the traps in the field. Received 29 October 2002; accepted 9 January 2003. R1D=" Correspondence to:Hiroe Yasui, e-mail:yasui@affrc.go.jp     

Volatile attractant phytochemicals for a population of white-spotted longicorn beetles Anoplophora malasiaca (Thomson) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) fed on willow differ from attractants for a population fed on citrus

Male white-spotted longicorn beetles Anoplophora malasiaca raised on willow Salix schwerinii were preferentially attracted to the odour of wounded S. schwerinii branches when released near a female model in the laboratory. This attractiveness rapidly decreased within 2 h after wounding. Solid phase microextraction and subsequent gas chromatography analyses of volatiles from the wounded branches detected three highly volatile monoterpenes: 1,8-cineole, nerol and geraniol. Among the monoterpene compounds, nerol showed a significant attractiveness to the male beetles raised on Salix. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, which have been identified as attractants for a beetle population raised on citrus, were detected only in trace amounts in S. schwerinii branches. These results suggest that beetles raised on these two hosts use different odour cues for mate location.     

Risk evaluation with waste scenario: lead emissions in solder waste treatment

In this work, an estimate of the elevation of airborne lead concentrations via the lead solder contained in domestic electricity installations and an investigation into the effects of human exposure were conducted using a simulation method. The elevation of airborne lead concentrations due to incineration was calculated to be 0.001 µg/m³ maximum. The simulation results of the calculations indicated that blood lead concentrations could reach as high as 10⁻⁵ µg/dl. These concentrations could primarily be attributed to the inhalation of airborne lead particles. In addition, we discuss the influences of lead solder disposal on the ecosystem via soil and water.