A review of animal welfare implications of the Canadian commercial seal hunt – a response to critique of paper MP13 172

Canada's commercial seal hunt warrants close examination in that it is the largest kill of marine mammals on earth, it exists for commercial reasons, it targets deep diving seals with unique physical adaptations, and it is conducted in a particularly remote and uncontrolled environment amidst unstable sea ice and extreme weather conditions. For these reasons, commercial sealing in Canada has been the subject of regular veterinary scrutiny for more than five decades. In that time, despite repeated recommendations and some changes to the regulations, considerable evidence continues to be presented during each new season of poor welfare outcomes for seals.To add to the discussion we (Butterworth and Richardson) (2013) [1] reviewed multiple studies on commercial sealing, government reports, trade journal articles and recommendation reports, in an attempt to answer the question of why, despite the efforts of veterinary advisors and government to improve the situation, seals continue to die in inhumane ways. In examining the available evidence, the environment in which commercial sealing occurs, and the physical adaptations of seals, the authors concluded that generally accepted principles of humane slaughter cannot be implemented effectively and consistently in the context of commercial sealing.     

Placental transfer of arsenic to fetus of Dall’s porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli)

Concentrations of total arsenic and individual arsenic compounds were determined in liver, muscle, kidney and blubber of mother and fetus of Dall’s porpoises collected from off Sanriku, Japan, in the year 2000 to characterize the placental transfer of arsenic to fetus in cetaceans. Arsenic was detected in all the tissues of Dall’s porpoises. Total arsenic concentrations in liver, kidney, muscle and blubber were 0.76, 0.69, 0.35 and 0.55 μg/g wet wt, respectively, for mother and 0.28, 0.23, 0.26 and 0.07 μg/g wet wt, respectively, for fetus. In all the tissues, concentrations of total arsenic in mother Dall’s porpoise were higher than in fetus. Arsenic speciation revealed that arsenobetaine was the major arsenic compound in liver, kidney and muscle of both mother and fetus. The percentage of arsenobetaine to total arsenic ranged from 76.0 to 91.0% in the tissues. Dimethylarsinic acid, arsenocholine, methylarsonic acid and an unidentified arsenic compound were also detected in tissues of both mother and fetus as minor constituents, whereas tetramethylarsonium ion was not detected in tissues of the fetus. These results suggest that arsenobetaine, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenocholine and methylarsonic acid are transferable from mother to fetus in Dall’s porpoises. To our knowledge, this is the first report on placental transfer of arsenic compounds to fetus in marine mammals.     

新疆库木库里盆地新生代沉积序列与青藏高原第四纪晚期隆起的新证据

新疆库木库里盆地发育有巨厚的渐新统一更新统陆相沉积序列，记录了青藏高原西部自渐新世以来的隆起过程和幅度，盆地主夷平面形成于中中新世以后，上新世以前，该盆地中新世山旺生物群及上新世Cyprideis介形类动物群的发现显示了青藏高原中新世夷平作用这后的再次隆升并对中国自然环境变化产生了重大影响，导致中国西部生物组合由中新世晚期类似于现代江南山地的种类转变成为上新世以适应咸水环境为优势的组合，形成了西部内陆强蒸发的干旱环境，生物分异度大幅度降低，特别是库木里盆地晚更新世晚期乳动物化石的发现和含化石层的研究及区域对比，表明20－30ka以来高原存在一次幅度超逾百米的快速隆升。     

第四纪期间中国南北两大动物区系之间的过渡地带动物群

中国第四纪期间的哺乳动物，可划分为南、北两大动物群，在两大动物群之间，存在过渡地带动物群。过渡地带的动物群，晚更新世的有河南新蔡、安徽五河戚咀及江苏武进；中更新世地点有安徽和县、巢县银山、河南南召及江苏南京汤山；早更新世地点有安徽巢县银山下部堆积、陕西蓝田公王岭及汉中盆地的勉县。裴文中（１９５７）首先提出淮河过渡区的存在，周明镇等认为不存在。事实上过渡地带的南、北混生动物群是存在的，过渡地带的范围大小及地点是随着地史的变迁而不断的变化。四不象鹿是过渡地带生活的一种特殊动物，而众多的古人类化石在过渡地带发现，也是这一地区的一个特色。     

Predispersal reproductive ecology of an arid land crucifer,Moricandia moricandioides: effect of mammal herbivory on seed production

In this paper the effect of herbivory on the seed production ofMoricandia moricandioides(Cruciferae), an annual species living in arid habitats of south-eastern Spain, is analysed. Firstly, the flowering and fruiting phenology and the composition and structure of the pollinator guild is described, in order to compare the overall effect of mutualistic speciesvs. that of antagonistic species onM. moricandioidesseed production. The loss of female reproductive success due to each herbivore species attacking the plant is then quantified, in an attempt to differentiate the effects on plant seed production of each herbivorous species. The results indicate that only antagonistic organisms interacting withM. moricandioidesinfluenced the female fitness of this plant species. In fact, pollinator abundance or activity did not correlate with the number of seeds dispersed by the plants. In addition, of all the herbivore species, only sheep activity significantly influenced seed production ofM. moricandioidesindividuals, the effect of the remaining crucivorous herbivores being cancelled by the stronger herbivory of sheep. The results of this study suggest that herbivory by sheep, in addition to decreasing the seed production ofM. moricandioides, could be an important determinant of the current distribution pattern of this crucifer species on the ramblas of the Baza basin.     

元谋盆地的新第三纪地层

元谋北部芝麻地段新发现的动物化石层位相当于小河组下部的湖相地层,据之将小河组分为上下两部分,并进一步探讨元谋盆地含古猿动物化石层的地质时代。     

Acoustically estimated size distribution of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) off the east coast of New Zealand

ABSTRACT

The length-frequency distribution of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) was studied on the east coast of NZ using passive acoustic recorders moored offshore of Kaikoura, Cape Palliser and Castlepoint. Sperm whale’s echolocation signals are unique among odontocete species. Their clicks are composed by multiple pulses resulting from the sound transmission within the whale head. The total length of the whales can be estimated by measuring the time delay between these pulses. A total of 997 length measurements were obtained from click trains using cepstral analysis (mean?=?14.6?m; min?=?9.6?m; max?=?18.3?m; std?=?1?m). The size-frequency distributions at all three locations were similar, although animals smaller than 12?m were not present offshore of Kaikoura. Animals of various sizes appeared to be present all year round, with no apparent seasonality in the occurrence of any size class.     

Comparative review of marine mammal guidance implemented during naval exercises

This article reviews the types and effectiveness of marine mammal mitigation measures used during some naval activities worldwide. The three main standard methods used to mitigate the potential impacts of naval sonar sound on marine mammals are (1) time/area planning (of exercises/active sonar use) to avoid marine mammals; (2) implementation of operational procedures (e.g. ‘soft start’ - where sound levels are gradually increased over time); and (3) monitoring of animals for the purpose of maintaining an ‘exclusion zone’ around the sound source. Suggestions towards a minimum worldwide mitigation standard are made.     

保德阶层型剖面磁性地层学研究

古地磁测量表明 ,中国新近系保德阶界线层型 ,山西保德冀家沟剖面记录了 12个正极性段与 11个负极性段。上部黄土显示了正极性与负极性 ,记录了松山负反极性带的一部分 ;红色黏土与砂砾岩层记录了 Cande95古地磁极性年表中的 C2 An.1n,C2 An.2 n,C2 An.3n,C3n.1n,C3n.2 n,C3n.3n,C3n.4 n,C3An.1n,C3An.2 n,C3Bn,C4 n.1n,C4 n.2 n及其间负极性带。剖面红色黏土的地质年龄为 8.0 Ma— 3.0 Ma,包括了榆社期的早期和保德期的中、晚期。冀家沟保德阶剖面含有二层哺乳动物化石层 ,上化石层以含丰富的鹿科化石为特点 ,相当于含 4 9地点动物群的层位 ,年龄约 5 .5 0 Ma;下化石层相当于含 30地点动物群层位 ,古地磁年龄应当在 6 .5 Ma— 7.0 Ma之间。     

中国海洋生物研究70年

随着中国“海洋强国”战略的提出,加快建设海洋类学科的发展成为历史必然,海洋生物是海洋不可分割的一部分,海洋环境和生物相互依存,相互作用,海洋生物研究重要性日益凸显。为纪念中国科学家在海洋生物领域的突出贡献,本文回顾了建国以来中国海洋生物相关的重要研究进展,梳理了中国科学家在海洋生物领域的突出贡献,系统总结并讨论了未来研究方向,抛砖引玉,希望籍此助推中国海洋生物研究的新高潮。