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Protocol for whole-mount preparation, clearing, and visualization of the adult zebrafish spinal cord structures
Publication . Rebocho da Costa, Mariana; Ribeiro, Ana; Quitéria, Raquel; Silva, Dalila; Saúde, Leonor
The vascular repair, a pivotal element of the spinal cord (SC) injury response, has been notably neglected in zebrafish research. Here, we detail the extraction and dissection of whole-mount zebrafish SCs and the optimized whole-mount immunofluorescence staining and clearing protocols for the visualization of SC structures, such as the vascular network. Additional downstream applications of these samples, from gelatin embedding to cryosectioning and tissue staining, can be done after clearing reversion and are also described in this work.
From species detection to population size indexing: the use of sign surveys for monitoring a rare and otherwise elusive small mammal
Publication . Peralta, Dinora; Vaz‑Freire, Teresa; Ferreira, Clara; Mendes, Tiago; Mira, António; Santos, Sara; Alves, Paulo C.; Lambin, Xavier; Beja, Pedro; Paupério, Joana; Pita, Ricardo
Monitoring the occupancy and abundance of wildlife populations is key to evaluate their conservation status and trends.
However, estimating these parameters often involves time and resource-intensive techniques, which are logistically challeng-
ing or even unfeasible for rare and elusive species that occur patchily and in small numbers. Hence, surveys based on field
identification of signs (e.g. faeces, footprints) have long been considered a cost-effective alternative in wildlife monitoring,
provided they produce reliable detectability and meaningful indices of population abundance. We tested the use of sign sur-
veys for monitoring rare and otherwise elusive small mammals, focusing on the Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae) in Portugal.
We asked how sampling intensity affects true positive detection of the species, and whether sign abundance is related to
population size. We surveyed Cabrera voles’ latrines in 20 habitat patches known to be occupied, and estimated ‘true’ popula-
tion size at each patch using DNA-based capture-recapture techniques. We found that a searching rate of ca. 3 min/250m2 of
habitat based on adaptive guided transects was sufficient to provide true positive detection probabilities > 0.85. Sign-based
abundance indices were at best moderately correlated with estimates of ‘true’ population size, and even so only for search-
ing rates > 12 min/250m 2 . Our study suggests that surveys based on field identification of signs should provide a reliable
option to estimate occupancy of Cabrera voles, and possibly for other rare or elusive small mammals, but cautions should
be exercised when using this approach to infer population size. In case of practical constraints to the use of more accurate
methods, a considerable sampling intensity is needed to reliably index Cabrera voles’ abundance from sign surveys.
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Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Programa de financiamento
DL 57/2016
Número da atribuição
DL57/2016/CP1334/CP1644/CT0001