Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Các tác động môi trường quy mô lớn có thể ảnh hưởng đến các khu bảo tồn thiên nhiên xa xôi. Các giáng sinh axit, sự tiếp xúc với các hợp chất lưu huỳnh và nitơ, cùng với sự tiếp xúc và tự do hóa các kim loại nặng có thể ảnh hưởng đến các quá trình tuần hoàn của các nguyên tố vi lượng. Chẳng hạn, độ tan của selen (Se) phụ thuộc vào pH. Sự axit hóa của đất làm giảm hàm lượng selen trong cây và do đó cũng là của các loài ăn cỏ. Sau đó, Se bị các kim loại nặng giữ chặt, dẫn đến các dạng không hòa tan trong đất, tạo ra nhu cầu Se cao hơn trong động vật và được sử dụng như một chất chống độc cho thủy ngân và cadmium. Việc bón phân trong các khu rừng và đồng cỏ chủ yếu là do sự tiếp xúc với các hợp chất lưu huỳnh và nitơ. Các chất dinh dưỡng thực vật này dẫn đến việc giảm nồng độ Se trong thực vật và sự gia tăng các bệnh thiếu hụt Se. Các bệnh thiếu hụt Se ở động vật nhai lại hoang dã rất khó phát hiện, vì các trường hợp lâm sàng hiếm khi được tìm thấy. Thiếu hụt dưới lâm sàng, thường phổ biến và không được phát hiện, có thể có tầm quan trọng lớn hơn. Việc bổ sung Se cho động vật hoang dã đã chứng minh rằng thiếu hụt dưới lâm sàng ảnh hưởng đến khả năng sống sót của bê. Do đó, những thay đổi có thể xảy ra trong cung cấp nguyên tố vi lượng cũng cần được xem xét ở các khu bảo tồn thiên nhiên và có thể được điều chỉnh bằng cách bón phân cụ thể.

Haematological and serum biochemistry values were determined for 13 adult, free-living American mink, Neovison vison, in southern England live trapped as part of a longer term research project. Serum samples were tested for the presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, Aleutian disease virus (ADV) and canine distemper virus (CDV). Animals were examined to assess ectoparasite burden; faecal samples were examined for the presence of gut parasites and bacteria (identified via culture). Post-mortem examinations were carried out on four individuals shot during on-going control operations. Haematological and serum biochemistry values for most individuals were similar to published values for captive mink. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios were high in two animals (possibly due to trap-associated stress). Three individuals had high levels of creatinine, urea and the liver enzymes, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatise and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Six of 12 mink tested positive for antibodies to T. gondii and 8 of 12 tested positive for antibodies to ADV; none tested positive for antibodies to CDV. No significant bacteria or parasites were detected in faecal samples. Post-mortem examinations in three cases showed no significant lesions but the fourth animal had Skrjabingylus nasicola nematodes in the nasal passages, lung lesions suggestive of adiaspiromycosis, cholangiohepatitis possibly indicative of Pseudamphistomum truncatum infection and tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with renal calculi.

The greater one-horned rhino has a wide range of historical distribution across the northern Indian subcontinent and now being confined to restricted patches in India and Nepal. Development of effective conservation strategy for rhino requires a clear understanding of the extant and spatial distribution of genetic diversity. In the present study, we employed nine microsatellite markers to analyze 238 noninvasively sampled individual rhinos from five protected areas in India, in order to assess genetic diversity and population genetic structure in the wild. We observed a moderate to high level of genetic diversity with allelic richness (Ar) ranging from 2.589 (±0.88) to 3.635 (±0.93) and expected heterozygosity (He) ranging from 0.352 (±0.20) to 0.59 (±0.13) in the area. Significant level of genetic differentiation was observed between the Protected Areas of Assam and West Bengal, especially, Gorumara National Park showing a unique genetic signature (F ST ≥ 0.25; p < 0.001, with all other protected areas). Given the degree of population genetic structure observed, prolonged separation of these protected areas is unwanted as this could lead to further loss of genetic diversity, consequently, affecting long-term viability of the species. The results presented here will be crucial in designing in situ conservation and management strategies of the species.

The use of habitats by wild animals is commonly assumed to be decreasing due to human activities, such as tourism or the installation and use of wind-energy plants. These anthropogenic interferences may subject animals to chronic stress. To be able to objectively characterise the effects on animal populations or on individual animals, the collection of data that might be suitable to monitor such chronic stress is required. In this study of hunted red deer, we report data that are related to adrenal activity and are not affected by the acute stress induced by hunting. Adrenal glands and samples from ileal digesta were collected from 75 hunted deer from seven different habitats in the German Rhineland. The adrenal glands were evaluated histomorphometrically; in the digesta, the concentration of cortisol metabolites, i.e. of 11,17-dioxoandrostanes (11,17-DOA), was measured. Digesta were also examined for parasites. Animals were grouped according to age, sex, habitat, and hunting method. Animals were infected with gastrointestinal helminths and lungworms; examination for liver flukes was negative. Significant differences were not established among the different groups for any of the recorded parameters. For sex, a tendency (P=0.11) towards higher DOA levels was observed in female deer when compared to male deer. The variability of the parameters together with the lack of identifiable influences of hunting indicates that chronic stress might indeed have been a relevant factor. However, none of the parameters analysed can presently be validly used to evaluate habitat quality for red deer since physiological stressors cannot be differentiated.

Das Schloß Berleburg im ehemaligen Fürstentum Sayn-Wittgenstein im Kreis Siegen-Wittgenstein in Nordrhein-Westfalen beherbergt eine Sammlung von 23 starken und anomalen Rehgehörnen ohne Herkunftsbezeichnung auf geschnitzten Köpfen (Abb. 4–6). Im Inventar für Schloß Berleburg von 1741 wird die Sammlung noch nicht erwähnt, wohl aber in dem Inventarverzeichnis über die Gewehrkammer von 1754. Form und Dimensionen der starken Gehörne sprechen überwiegend für Ostrehe (Sibirier), die Anomalien dagegen für den Typ des Westrehes. Verglichen wird die Sammlung mit 11 in Schloß Mespelbrunn im Spessart (Graf Ingelheim) aufbewahrten Rehgehörnen aus der Zeit von 1757 bis 1841, 8 starken Gehörnen und 3 Anomalien (Abb. 11 u. 12). Für die zum Teil sehr hohen Gehörne kann vom Typ her, obwohl Merkmale des Ostrehes vorhanden sind oder sogar dominieren, die Herkunft aus dem Spessart nicht ausgeschlossen werden. Dadurch wird auch die Herkunft der älteren starken Gehörne in Berleburg aus dem Gebiet der ehemaligen Grafschaft Sayn-Wittgenstein nicht unbedingt widerlegt. Zwei Gehörne des Sibiriertyps, angeblich nach vorhandenen Aufzeichnungen 1745 im Arnsberger Wald (Abb. 9) und 1812 im Harz (Abb. 8) erlegt, führen weiterhin zur Diskussion der Frage, ob im späten Mittelalter noch Großrehe des Osttyps in Deutschland vorhanden waren, oder ob grundsätzlich bei derart starken Trophäen davon ausgegangen werden muß, daß es sich um Handelsstücke aus Rußland oder Sibirien handelt.

We developed 12 microsatellite markers for the endangered Boeseman’s rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani). Twenty-eight individuals from the type locality at Ayamaru Lake were examined, and all loci were polymorphic with a number of alleles per locus varying from 3 to 18. Average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.681 and 0.678, respectively. Cross-species amplification was successfully obtained for 21 Melanotaenia species, with a number of alleles per locus ranging between 1 and 20. Average observed and expected heterozygosities varied between 0.105 and 0.708 and 0.118–0.755, respectively. Only 21 inbreeding coefficient (Fis) values presented a significant homozygote excess among the 264 locus-by-locus calculated values. Tests for genotyping errors revealed that four of these 21 significant Fis values could be explained by the presence of null alleles. These new microsatellite markers appear highly reliable for further conservation purposes or population genetic studies of the many rainbowfish endangered species.