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To investigate biomarkers representing the physiological and biochemical responses of the brackish-water clam Corbicula japonica, we conducted a full factorial-design experiment to test different water-temperature levels (20 °C and 25 °C), salinity levels (5 and 20 psu), and food-availability levels (0.5 and 2.0 mg suspended solids (SS)·ind−1·d−1). Increase in water temperature significantly decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and oxyradical-absorbance capacity (ORAC), leading to lipid peroxidation (i.e., oxidative damage). Salinity activated or inhibited these biochemical markers. Food availability supported a detoxification mechanism against oxidative stress. Principal-components and cluster analyses revealed that a total of eight experimental conditions fell into three groups related to water temperature and/or salinity. The shift from Group I (20 °C water temperature) to Group II (25 °C water temperature and 5-psu salinity) demonstrated that the condition index, SOD, CAT, and ORAC had significantly decreased. With the further shift to Group III (25 °C water temperature and 20-psu salinity), we found a prominent increase in ORAC, which led to oxidative damage but no mortality. We conclude that future habitat changes driven by global warming should be closely watched, particularly given that local anthropogenic disturbances further add to natural ones.

Highlights: • Effects of microplastics on Mytilus spp. were assessed over the course of 42 weeks. • Effects were seen even at the lowest MP concentration (15 particles/individual/week). • At the highest PS dose, clearance rates decreased significantly only after 36 weeks. • SOD and MDA concentrations declined as a consequence of exposure to microplastics. Abstract: Microplastics have been found in all compartments of the environment, and numerous life forms are known to take up the anthropogenic particles. Marine filter feeders are particularly susceptible to ingest suspended microplastics, but long-term studies on the potential effects of this uptake are scarce. We exposed juvenile Mytilus spp. to environmentally realistic doses of irregularly shaped polyvinylchloride (PVC) particles (15, 1500, 15,000, 150,000, 1,500,000 particles/individual/week calibrated in the size range 11–60 μm) and regularly shaped polystyrene (PS) beads (15, 1500, 15,000 particles/individual/week, 40 μm) over 42 weeks. During this period, we monitored physiological traits such as clearance rate, byssus production, growth rate, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, and the condition index (CI). Negative effects of the tested microplastics on mussel performance emerged late in the experiment and were rather weak. Interestingly, even after having received the lowest particle dose of PS, SOD activity in the gill was significantly lower in mussels exposed to microplastics compared to a group of conspecifics that were kept in clean water. However, growth and CI, which are both closely related to the fitness of the mussels, were not found to be impaired at the end of the exposure phase. This is the so far longest laboratory microplastic exposure study on mussels and we worked with particle doses that reflect todays pollution levels. The small effect sizes we observed for the response variables assessed suggest that these specific microplastics pose only a minor threat to blue mussel populations.

This study reports the reproductive cycle, condition index, size at first maturity, growth and the morphometric relationships of the common cockle Cerastoderma edule in Ria de Aveiro (NW Portugal), fundamental knowledge in fisheries management planning and ecosystem conservation. The reproductive cycle was monitored for a period of two years, from January 2013 to December 2014. Spawning extended from June to October, with a peak in the summer months (July to September). The condition index showed a seasonal pattern which appear related to food availability and gametogenic cycle. Sexual maturity was attained at a shell length of 18.6 mm during the first year of life, which stands below the minimum landing size currently in force (25 mm). The von Bertalanffy growth equation was based on size-at-age data obtained from the microscopic analysis of growth rings in sectioned shells: Lt = 40.7[1-e −0.74(t-0.30)]. The morphometric relationships between shell dimensions (length, height and width) were studied in order to understand the effects of ontogenetic changes in cockles` shell morphology, an information that is useful to improve the selectivity of the fishing gears and the size-sorting devices. Some management strategies for the Ria de Aveiro cockle fishery were proposed.

Elemental (CHN) and proximate biochemical compositions of body tissues are useful tools among the ecological indices most commonly used in evaluation of the energetic status of animal populations. Gnaiger and Bitterlich (1984) supplied procedures for the interconversion between both these measurements based on stoichiometric relationships, that were further tested using gut contents and body tissue samples of freshwater fishes. Despite a lack of validation studies, the reported conversion factors have been broadly applied in the field of body composition analysis of marine invertebrates, especially bivalve mollusks. The aim of this study was to test the applicability of those conversion equivalents in analysis of the body tissues of two congeneric clam species (Ruditapes decussatus and Ruditapes philippinarum). To this end, proximate biochemical composition, as analyzed by fractionated extraction of tissues samples and quantification using spectrophotometric methods, was converted to elemental composition, and the resulting figures were compared with those of direct CHN analysis. The results of this comparison indicate good agreement within the ranges reported, provided that ninhydrin positive substances (NPS) are incorporated in the biochemical composition analyses. The magnitude of the nonprotein N component in bivalve tissues appears to complicate the reverse computation of biochemical components from elemental composition because no accurate estimation of proteins from N contents might be possible. Additionally, a specific correction of residual water in dried samples of bivalve tissues for CHN analysis should be applied. The absence of broad differences found between species reflects the morphological, evolutionary and functional proximity between them, whereas tissue differences display the differential role that each organ plays in the organism, although other sources of variability such as diet and sex should be addressed in future research. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AGL2013-49144-C3-1-R). K. Arranz was funded by a predoctoral research grant from Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU). SGIker technical and human support (UPV/EHU, MICINN, GV/EJ, ESF) is gratefully acknowledged.

The use of a multi-biomarker approach with three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) through an active biomonitoring strategy appears to be a promising tool in water quality assessment. The present work proposes to assess the efficiency of these tools in the discrimination of some sites in a large scale on the Meuse basin in Europe. The study was part of an EU program which aims to assess water quality in the Meuse across the French-Belgian border. Sticklebacks were caged 21 days upstream and downstream from the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Namur (Belgium), Charleville-Mezieres (France), Bouillon (Belgium) and Avesnes-sur-Helpe (France). First, the state of a variety of physiological functions was assessed using a battery of biomarkers that represented innate immunity (leucocyte mortality and distribution, phagocytosis activity, respiratory burst), antioxidant system (GPx, CAT, SOD and total GSH content), oxidative damages to the membrane lipids (TBARS), biotransformation enzymes (EROD, GST), synaptic transmission (AChE) and reproduction system (spiggin and vitellogenin concentration). The impacts of the effluents were first analysed for each biomarker using a mixed model ANOVA followed by post-hoc analyses. Secondly, the global river contamination was assessed using a principal component analysis (PCA) followed by a hierarchical agglomerative clustering (HAC). The results highlighted a small number of effects of WWTP effluents on the physiological parameters in caged sticklebacks. Despite a significant effect of the “localisation” factor (upstream/downstream) in the mixed ANOVA for several biomarkers, post-hoc analyses revealed few differences between upstream and downstream of the WWTPs. Only a significant decrease of innate immune responses was observed downstream from the WWTPs of Avesnes-sur-Helpe and Namur. Other biomarker responses were not impacted by WWTP effluents. However, the multivariate analyses (PCA and HAC) of the biomarker responses helped to clearly discriminate the different study sites from the reference but also amongst themselves. Thus, a reduction of general condition (condition index and HSI) was observed in all groups of caged sticklebacks, associated with a weaker AChE activity in comparison with the reference population. A strong oxidative stress was highlighted in fish caged in the Meuse river at Charleville-Mezieres whereas sticklebacks caged in the Meuse river at Namur exhibited weaker innate immune responses than others. Conversely, sticklebacks caged in the Helpe-Majeure river at Avesnes-sur-Helpe exhibited higher immune responses. Furthermore, weak defence capacities were recorded in fish caged in the Semois river at Bouillon. This experiment was the first to propose an active biomonitoring approach using three-spined stickleback to assess such varied environments. Low mortality and encouraging results in site discrimination support the use of this tool to assess the quality of a large number of water bodies.

It has been known with time that no single transmission mechanism is enough to understand the monetary policy stance of that country. The objective of this paper is combine two transmission channel, interest rate and exchange rate so as to construct monetary condition index (MCI) for the gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, so as to forecast its impact on CPI and GDP and to suggest policymakers regarding the monetary policy of the gulf countries. For this purpose, the paper applies Principal Component Analysis and Vector Auto-Regression method to construct MCI and to analyze its impulse response on CPI and GDP. This paper concludes that MCI can be used as an indicator to predict CPI and GDP of Bahrain and Qatar in long run and as an indicator to predict the GDP of Oman in medium and long run but it cannot be used as an indicator to predict CPI and GDP of Kuwait and KSA. Furthermore, this paper also concludes that strong monetary policy is needed to strengthen their economic condition. Keywords: Monetary condition index, Monetary policy, Economic condition, CPI, GDP

An experimental design for culturing Macrobrachium rosenbergii in four experimental ponds of size 25 m2 was taken up in Koraput district of Odisha, India. The ponds were filled with water and Macrobrachium rosenbergii PL20 were released in the ponds with stocking density @ 4 m−2. Ponds 1 and 2 were fed with Conventional Feed (fish meal) and ponds 3 and 4 were fed with Formulated Feed (Soybean + Cynodon dactylon + Ulva lactuca). Water quality parameters like surface water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, transparency, nitrate, phosphate and silicate, chlorophyll a and organic carbon were monitored for 195 days. Significant variation (p < 0.05) in the water quality parameters were observed during the culture period between ponds respectively. Growth parameters like daily growth rate (DGR), specific growth rate (SGR) and condition index (CI) were monitored simultaneously which showed a discrete growth during the first 90 days and then a stable growth form. Length and weight relationship of prawns were calculated for all the culture ponds which showed highly positive relationship (p < 0.01) proving unique contribution of feed towards the growth of prawns. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) values (Ranging from 2.74 ± .05 to 2.95 ± 0.04) also proved the greater acceptance of feed towards the growth of prawns. Biochemical analysis of the feed and prawn (protein, carbohydrate, lipid and astaxanthin) also proved the feed efficiency towards growth and coloration of prawn. Benefit cost analysis (BCA) computed for conventional feed (1.23) and formulated feed (1.62) yielded 637 kg ha−1 and 865 kg ha−1 respectively.

9 pages, 7 figures, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.141, Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were exposed over 21 days to polyethylene (PE) particles (0.01 mg ml; 50–570 μm) isolated from toothpaste. PE was deployed in the Outer Oslofjord (Norway) for 21 days, before exposing the mussels to both virgin (PE-V) and weathered PE (PE-W) particles. The mussels ingested both types of particles, but significantly more weathered particles were ingested than virgin (p =.0317), based on PE dosed by weight (mg ml) but not when considering particle number (PE-V: 1.18 ± 0.16 particles ml; PE-W 1.86 ± 0.66 particles ml). PE particle ingestion resulted in structural changes to the gills and digestive gland, as well as necrosis in other tissues such as the mantle. No differences were found regarding the degree of tissue alteration between PE-virgin and PE-weathered exposures. This current study illustrates the importance of using weathered particles in microplastic exposure studies to reflect the behaviour of plastic particles after entering the marine environment. The observed tissue alterations demonstrate the potential adverse effects to mussels exposed to microplastic particles, This work was supported by the Norwegian Research Council (NFR; Project No. 225203)

There has been a significant increase in the literature regarding the effects of warming and acidification on the marine ecosystem. To our knowledge, there is very little information on the potential effects of both combined stressors on marine grazer-seaweed interactions. Here, we evaluated, for the first time several phenotypic responses (e.g periwinkle survival, condition index, consumption rates, seaweed photosynthetic activity and oxidative stress) of the temperate periwinkle Littorina obtusata (grazer) and the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (prey) to such climate change-related variables, for 15 days. Increased temperature (22 °C, pH 8.0) elicited a significant lethal effect on the periwinkle within a short-term period (mortality rate > 90%). Acidification condition (18 °C, pH 7.6) was the one that showed lower mortality rates (≈20%), reflected by lower impact on periwinkle fitness and consumption rates. Under a scenario of increased temperature and lowered pH the antioxidant defences of L. obtusata seemed to be supressed increasing the risk of peroxidative damage. The seaweed evidenced signs of cellular damage under such conditions. These results suggest that: i) lower pH per se seems to benefit the interaction between grazer and seaweed while, ii) a combined scenario of increased temperature and lowered pH may be negative for the interaction, due to the unbalance between periwinkle mortality rates and consumption rates. But most importantly, since grazing often plays an important role on structuring natural communities, such predator-prey disturbances can elicit cascading effects on the remaining community structure and functioning of the temperate rocky-shore ecosystems.

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has proven to be typically employed to assess terrestrial vegetation conditions. However, one limitation of NDVI for drought monitoring is the apparent time lag between rainfall deficit and NDVI response. To better understand this relationship, time series NDVI (2000–2010) during the growing season in Sichuan Province and Chongqing City were analyzed. The vegetation condition index (VCI) was used to construct a new drought index, time-integrated vegetation condition index (TIVCI), and was then compared with meteorological drought indices-standardized precipitation index (SPI), a multiple-time scale meteorological-drought index based on precipitation, to examine the sensitivity on droughts. Our research findings indicate the followings: (1) farmland NDVI sensitivity to precipitation in study area has a time lag of 16–24 d, and it maximally responds to the temperature with a lag of about 16 d. (2) We applied the approach to Sichuan Province and Chongqing City for extreme drought monitoring in 2006 and 2003, and the results show that the monitoring results from TIVCI are closer to the published China agricultural statistical data than VCI. Compared to VCI, the best results from TIVCI3 were found with the relative errors of −4.5 and 6.36% in 2006 for drought affected area and drought disaster area respectively, and 5.11 and −5.95% in 2003. (3) Compared to VCI, TIVCI has better correlation with the SPI, which indicates the lag and cumulative effects of precipitation on vegetation. Our finding proved that TIVCI is an effective indicator of drought detection when the time lag effects between NDVI and climate factors are taken into consideration.

To assess the potential for rearing in smooth scallops (Flexopecten glaber) from the North Western Adriatic Sea, various biological traits were studied in both fished and reared individuals. Condition and gonadosomatic indices, gonadic cycle, biochemical components and histopathological conditions were investigated in adults from commercial fishing. Throughout two consecutive years, juvenile scallops were collected by means of artificial collectors and maintained in an experimental rearing facility. Growth, onset of sexual maturity, size/age at first maturity were investigated in reared individuals. In fished scallops, spawning and resting periods occurred mostly between July and September and from October to December, respectively. Gonadosomatic index and condition index increased from January to June and decreased from July to October; these main variations corresponded to gametogenesis and spawning, respectively. In both somatic and gonadic tissues, proteins were the major biochemical component (about 80%), with no evident seasonal variation. In somatic tissues, total carbohydrates were always higher than lipids; in gonads, lipids exceeded total carbohydrates for most of the year, peaking at maximum values when only mature or spawning animals were found. Observation and quantification of abnormal features of gonadic tissues, like oocyte atresia, haemocytic infiltration, neoplasia, and presence of parasites, suggest the overall good health conditions of scallops in the study area, no serious threat due to diseases being evident. In reared scallops, sexual maturity was attained within the first year, thus indicating F. glaber as a fairly early maturation species compared with other scallop species. The first maturity event occurred in about 330 days from the immersion of the collectors, at mean shell height values ranging from 22.4 to 25.1 mm, well below the minimum landing size (40 mm) established by the EU for queen scallop fishery in Atlantic waters. Appreciable growth rates and a relatively short grow-out period, precociousness in maturation, high availability of wild spat, easily and inexpensively collected, absence of diseases and other mortality factors are promising elements to introduce the cultivation of F. glaber in the North Western Adriatic coastal waters. Statement of relevance To assess the potential for rearing in smooth scallops (F. glaber) from the North Western Adriatic Sea, various biological traits in both fished and reared individuals were studied for the first time. The overall results indicate this species as a potential candidate to diversify Italian marine bivalve aquaculture.

Parasites are typically aggregated within their host populations. The most heavily infected hosts are frequently\ud cited as targets for optimal disease control. Yet a heavily infected individual is not necessarily\ud highly infective and does not automatically contribute a higher proportion of infective parasitic stages\ud than a host with fewer parasites. Here, Pseudamphistomum truncatum (Opisthorchiida) parasitic infection\ud within the definitive otter host (Lutra lutra) is used as a model system. The hypothesis tested is that variation\ud in parasite abundance, aggregation and egg production (fecundity, as a proxy of host infectivity)\ud can be explained by abiotic (season and region) or biotic (host age, sex and body condition) factors. Parasite\ud abundance was affected most strongly by the biotic factors of age and body condition, such that\ud adults and otters with a higher condition index had heavier infections than sub-adults or those with a\ud lower condition index, whilst there were no significant differences in parasite abundance among the seasons,\ud regions (ecological regions defined by river catchment boundaries) or host sexes. Conversely, parasite\ud aggregation was affected most strongly by the abiotic factors of season and region, which were\ud supported by four different measures of parasite aggregation (the corrected moment estimate k, Taylor’s\ud Power Law, the Index of Discrepancy D, and Boulinier’s J). Pseudamphistomum truncatum was highly\ud aggregated within otters, with aggregation stronger in the Midlands (England) and Wales than in the\ud southwestern region of the United Kingdom. Overall, more parasites were found in fewer hosts during\ud the summer, which coincides with the summer peak in parasite fecundity. Combined, these data suggest\ud that (i) few otters carry the majority of P. truncatum parasites and that there are more infective stages\ud (eggs) produced during summer; and (ii) abiotic factors are most influential when describing parasite\ud aggregation whilst biotic factors have a greater role in defining parasite abundance. Together, parasite\ud abundance, aggregation and fecundity can help predict which hosts make the largest contribution to\ud the spread of infectious diseases.

10 páginas, 5 figuras, 5 tablas, We compared the seasonal variations in Condition Index (CI) and proximate composition of the mantle and the digestive gland of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) cultivated at outer and inner regions of a raft polygon. The results are discussed in the context of the energy balance. The proximate composition and CI varied with the seasonal fluctuations in seston composition and the reproductive cycle described for the Galician Rías. Seston's nutritional quality peaked during the spring bloom and descended during winter downwelling. Proteins were first depleted in the gland during autumn, while the mantle maintained high levels until summer. Similarly, lipids were highest in the mantle during winter and decreased following the spring spawning, suggesting transference of reserves from the gland to the mantle to support gametogenesis. In contrast, glycogen was stored in the mantle during the summer and exhausted during winter, when food % POM was lowest. This opposite pattern suggested that glycogen was probably converted to lipids during gamete development. The variations in CI significantly correlated with the accumulation and expenditure of reserves. Mussels harvested in autumn had the highest CI and biochemical reserves, while minimum CI was in winter, when mussels had a low energy balance. Resuspension events in autumn–winter significantly diluted the particulate organic matter suspended at the innermost raft (38.91% POM) compared with the outer raft (60.52% POM). This was reflected in short-term reductions in CI, proteins' and lipids' reserves in innermost mussels. These temporal increases in turbidity did not seem to significantly affect bivalves' proximate composition and meat yield over a longer time scale, This study was sponsored by the project Ecological Sustainability of Suspended Mussel Aquaculture (ESSMA) (ACI2008-0780) and the PROINSA-CSIC contract project (CSIC 0704101100001)

Physiological responses can be used as effective parameters to identify environmentally stressful conditions. In this study, physiology changes such as oxygen consumption, clearance rate, survival in air, condition index and energy reserves were measured on natural populations of cockles collected from different sites at Ria de Aveiro, Portugal. At those sites, sediment samples were collected for Hg concentration analysis. Cockles were used for the evaluation of both the Hg concentration and physiological response. Mercury was detected in the cockle tissue and in the sediment collected from the sampling points both nearby and distant from the main mercury contamination source. The energy content was negatively correlated with both Hg concentration in cockle tissues and survival in air. Nonetheless, the energy content was positively correlated with the condition index, and there was a positive correlation between the survival in air test and the tissue mercury concentration. A PCA-factor analysis explained 86.8% of the total variance. The principal factor (62.7%) consisted of the air survival, the Hg in soft tissues (positive) and the condition index (negative). The second factor (24.1%) consisted of a negative correlation between the oxygen consumption and the clearance rate. Due to their sensitivity to environmental conditions, the physiological responses of cockles can be used to assess the ecological status of aquatic environments. More effort should be invested in investigating the effects of environmental perturbations on cockle health once they are a good reporter organism.

9 páginas, 7 figuras, 6 tablas, Proximate composition and energy content in Trisopterus luscus have been studied to address energy allocation strategy. Energy reserves in pouting females are mainly associated with lipids stored in the liver. Water content appeared to be a useful index in order to obtain very accurate predictions of energy density, particularly for ovaries and liver. Condition indices, HSI and K, are suitable to analyze nutritional status of fish, since they reflect changes in energy content and proximate composition in the different tissues studied. The seasonality of energy reserves was detected and is closely related to the sexual cycle, indicating that females pouting display a period of energy storage, mainly through lipid deposition in the liver. Therefore, T. luscus should be considered a capital rather than an income breeder, as the energy for reproduction comes essentially from stored energy., This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under the project VEM2003-20081-C02-02

The Ria Formosa lagoon is an ecosystem whose water quality reflects the anthropogenic influence upon the surrounding areas. In this lagoon, the clam Ruditapes decussatus has a great economical importance and has been widely used as a biomonitor. A multibiomarker approach (δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, metallothionein, lipid peroxidation, acetylcholinesterase, alkali-labile phosphates, DNA damage) was applied to assess the environmental quality of this ecosystem and the accumulation of contaminants and their potential adverse effects on clams. Clams were sampled in different shellfish beds in the period between July 2007 and December 2008 and abiotic parameters (temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen of seawater and organic matter in the sediment), condition index, metals (Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb), TBTs and PAHs concentrations were measured in clam tissues. Data was integrated using Principal Component Analyses and biomarker indices: IBR (Integrated Biomarker Response) and HSI (Health Status Index). This multibiomarker approach enabled discrimination of a time and space trend between sites with different degrees of anthropogenic contamination, identifying one of them (site 2) as the most stressful and summer months as the most critical period for clams due to an increase of environmental stress (anthropogenic pressure along with extreme environmental conditions, e.g. temperature, dissolved oxygen, organic matter in the sediments, etc). The selected biomarkers provided an integrated response to assess the environmental quality of the system, proving to be a useful approach when complex mixtures of contaminants occur.

12 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables, Nutritional condition of anchovy Engraulis anchoita larvae from Northern Argentinean sea was assessed and compared in three areas characterized by dissimilar oceanographic features (estuarine, mixed and shelf waters). Morphometrical, histological and biochemical (RNA/DNA) indexes were used and larvae were compared through different developmental stages. Multivariate analyses performed on normalized morphometric variables showed that larvae from mixed waters where characterized by higher body depths; variables that indicate a better nutritional condition. Mean histological condition index obtained for larvae at intermediate developmental stages was significantly lower in estuarine waters than those estimated with samples from mixed or shelf waters. Anchovy larvae from the mixed water area showed a higher slope in the log RNA versus log DNA relationship than larvae from the other areas, which indicates that the former were in better condition. Also, standardized RNA/DNA index (RNA/DNAs) resulted slightly better in mixed waters than in shelf area, for larvae at intermediate developmental stages, but due to the high variability of RNA/DNA ratio, no significant differences were found between areas. Finally, using literature equations relating RNA/DNAs, temperature and growth, growth rate and growth performance were estimated. Mean growth performance did not differ between areas and was temperature independent. In conclusion, larval condition was relatively high at all stations, but our results suggested that it was slightly better in frontal areas characterized by water masses with intermediate salinities. We also provide evidence that anchovy larvae might not be food limited in any of the studied areas, This work was supported by the INIDEP and the CONICET. M.V. Diaz acknowledges MAEC-AECI Fellowship support that allowed transportation to Barcelona in order to analyse RNA/DNA contents. This is INIDEP contribution no. 1638

The first step in the establishment of a hostebiting fly relationship is host location. While a number of studies highlight the role of host emitted products as important cues affecting host location by biting flies, the role of host temperature is far from clear. We investigated the role of different nest microclimatic variables affecting the interaction between pied flycatchers and two biting flies: black flies and biting midges. Biting midge abundances increased with temperature inside the nest, supporting the potential importance of nest temperature as a cue used by insects to localize their hosts. The possibility that biting fly infestations were associated to ecological conditions in the vicinity of the nests is also discussed. Furthermore, we found a negative association between nestling weight (including tarsus length as a covariate in the analyses) and the interaction between the abundance of biting midges and the presence/ absence of black flies in nests. The potential negative effect of these ectoparasites on nestling weight (condition index) and potential differences in the bird phenotypic/genetic quality associated with nest site choice and parasite infestations are considered

11 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables.-- Available online Nov 9, 2007., This study evaluates the reproductive potential and condition of the red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) population inhabiting the waters around the Balearic Islands (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea), between 1991 and 2004. Red shrimp is one of the most valuable exploited demersal fishery resources in the western Mediterranean. To assess the condition of this species, we use two indices based on weight and length data, one including the gonad weight and another excluding it. Different biological parameters of the population dynamics and reproductive biology, such as sex-ratio, maturity, gonadosomatic index and presence of the spermatophore in females have also been analysed. A negative relationship was found between the gonadosomatic index and the condition of red shrimp, indicating that energy reserves are transferred from the body to the gonad during the reproductive period. The condition of adults reached minimum values during the maturation and spawning period after mating, when the gonadosomatic index, the spermatophore presence in females and the proportion of females in the population were highest. The relationship between the condition of adults during the months prior to spawning and the number of recruits in the following year was significant and positive. This relationship was stronger when only male condition was considered, suggesting that males have an important role on the reproductive potential of this species. Overall, our results suggest that condition of red shrimp, particularly males, is an important aspect for the reproductive and recruitment success of this species. The observed decreasing trend in male condition over years may raise concern on the future reproductive potential of that population., The authors thank the IDEA project coordinators for their invitation to contribute this manuscript to the study of environmental effects on red shrimp of the Balearic Islands.

18 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables.-- Available online Nov 9, 2007.-- Issue title: "The Wrapping Up of the IDEA Project: - International workshop on environment, demersal resources and fisheries"., This study evaluates the link between the recruitment process of European hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) of the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean) and the environmental and physiological conditions. Spatio-temporal variation of abundance and condition of fish were evaluated at two locations each with different oceanographic conditions, one in the north (Sóller, SO) and another in the south (Cabrera, CA) of Mallorca Island. Environmental variables explored were hydrography, sediment characteristics, phytoplankton pigment concentration (ppc) and the trophic resources of hake. Individuals were divided in three life stages: recruits, post-recruits and young adults. Hepatosomatic index (HSI), relative condition index (Kn), gonadosomatic index (GSI) and fullness index (FI) were analysed for the three life stages. Recruitment starts in February with the incorporation of smaller hakes, and it can be followed through spring and early summer with a peak in April. However, some spatial heterogeneity in the recruitment process has been found between north and south of the Island. The main pulse of recruitment occurred at a different time in the two areas. Spatial heterogeneity was also consistent with the condition of hake recruits, with higher values of Kn and HSI at SO than at CA. Maximum values of Kn were found in February at SO and in April at CA, coinciding with the start of the different recruitment pulses to the fishing grounds. Post-recruits and young adults also showed higher condition at SO than at CA. The arrival in spring of the Western Winter Intermediate Waters (WIW) drives the spatial-temporal variation in abundance and condition of hake. Ppc was highly correlated with recruit abundance with a time lag of two months, while for post-recruits the time lag was three months. The observed differences in the condition of hake between areas could be a consequence of the fact that the waters to the north of Mallorca are comparatively more under the seasonal influence of WIW which is formed in more productive areas. Thus, this study characterises the short temporal and spatial variability in the hake recruitment process off the Balearic Islands, both in terms of abundance and fish condition. This pattern is explained on the basis of the mesoscale environmental variability observed between north and south of Mallorca and the ecological adaptive strategy of recruiting in the optimal environmental season., This work was supported by a FPI grant N° BES-2003-2588 from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science granted to M.H., and by the project REN2002-04535-C01/02.

Two methods were used to estimate the reproductive output of female Pacific oysters reared in Normandy: histology with image analysis and ELISA (Enzyme-Linked lmmunoSorbent Assay) which allowed the quantification of egg protein. Condition indices, gonad area and gametogenetic stages of the oysters were determined in the entire population (males and females) between May and October 2005. All investigations were performed in 3 age classes: oysters in their first, second or third years (corresponding to spat, half-grown and market-sized oysters, respectively). Both quantitative histology and ELISA provided similar results in terms of reproductive effort (illustrated by the gonado-somatic index, GSI) except during the GSI drop, corresponding to spawning, which was less marked with the ELISA method. Growth depended on oyster age, the sex ratio was well balanced and the reproductive cycle was synchronized in all age classes. In the 3 age classes, most of the oysters were ripe and ready to spawn on August 8, and ten days after the post-spawning stage was observed in 40% of spat oysters and 70% of half-grown and market-sized bivalves. The major difference between age classes was observed in the reproductive investment, with spat having a lower reproductive output. For example, in males and females, the gonad area reached 78-79% in the median animal section at full maturity (August 8) in half-grown and marketable oysters while it attained only 59% in spat. At the same time, GSI in females was, respectively in spat and the 2 oldest age classes, 33% (quantitative histology)-36% (ELISA) and 55% (quantitative histology)-60% (ELISA). The mean assessed gonad weight and fecundities increased with the age of the oysters: 1.3 g and 12 million eggs, 7.8 g and 135 million eggs, and 11.5 g and 146 million eggs in spat, half-grown and market-sized oysters, respectively. Marked differences thus appear between 2 and 3-year-old oysters and spat. As early as their first reproductive cycle, the young oysters not only showed the reproductive features of the species in Normandy, but also a pronounced lower reproductive effort. This lower energy demand could explain their higher survival rate. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

10 páginas, 5 figuras, 2 tablas, Composition of free amino acids (FAA) in juveniles of Mytilus galloprovincialis was analysed along a large geographical coastline area in Galicia (NW Spain). Individuals were sampled in February 2003, three months after the Prestige oil spill. Pollution values at sampling time were reported as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations in soft tissues of individuals and varied between the highest amount observed in Carrumeiro mussels (502 ng/g dw) and the lowest in Pindo mussels (196 ng/g dw), both locations being close to each other in the centre of the geographical area under study. Pollution values in the other populations varied within the range of 241–347 ng/g dw. Total free amino acids (TFAA) were highest in Aguiño–Pindo–Carrumeiro juveniles at the centre of the Coastline area studied (420–462 μmol/g dw) as compared to the other populations at North and South of Galicia (312–347 μmol/g dw). TFAA results were based on the variability observed in protein free amino acids (PFAA μmol/g dw) among populations (214–249 μmol/g dw for Aguiño–Pindo–Carrumeiro mussels and 98–149 μmol/g dw for the other populations) whereas non-protein free amino acids (NPFAA) taurine and ornithine did not show any significant spatial pattern of variation. Glycine and alanine represented the most abundant PFAA (16–29% and 2.7–11.9% of TPFAA, respectively) and significant correlations between PFAA and both the protein content of soft tissues (r=−0.82) and the condition index of juveniles (r=0.86) were observed. No significant relationships were detected, however, between pollution values in soft tissues as PAHs and FAA profiles with the exception of alanine concentrations as percentage of TFAA (r=0.88; P, This study was supported by the contract-project PROINSA, Code CSIC 2004448, Galicia PGDIT03RMA13E. JMFB acknowledges funding by the Program Ramón y Cajal 2003 from Ministry of Education and Sciences (Spain).

A study was made of seasonal and spatial variability of metallothionein (MT) concentrations, determined spectrophotometrically in the soluble fraction of the digestive gland of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected between 1999 and 2001 from several coastal and estuarine locations along the central Eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia). The seasonal influence on the MT and metal concentrations (higher values in winter– spring season, than in summer– autumn season) is more pronounced than the local site-specific influence. Furthermore, within each season a significant site-specific dependence on the MT and trace metal variations can be detected. An inverse relationship of mussel condition index (CI) and temperature with MT and trace metals levels indicates the influence of food abundance and mussel annual reproductive cycle. Substantially higher concentrations of both MT and Cd were recorded in mussels inhabiting estuarine locations, possibly indicating a markedly higher Cd bioavailability at these locations. The positive correlations obtained between MT and Cd in all seasons except autumn support an argument for application of digestive gland MT as a biomarker of Cd exposure, providing evidence for assessing the most appropriate season for mussel sampling.

8 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, An analysis of the condition (Fulton’s K) of cod (Gadus morhua) off Greenland during autumn in the period 1982–1998 is presented. The paper addresses the interannual variations in condition and attempts to relate these to variations in water temperature. No size, age, sex, maturity nor geographical differences were observed. Condition of cod was positively related to water temperature. Mean condition factor calculated from total weights for the entire period was 0.89. Hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic indices are also presented for year 1998. Overall, the condition of cod off Greenland was among the lowest observed in natural populations of this species