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Show Wednesday, June 3, 1374 "sCOlUTW Page 13 WILDLIFE REPORT HISTOPATIIWIIAT? When a fish grows slowly, becomes diseased, or fails to reproduce properly, the cause is basically a malfunction of a cell. The Division of Wildlife Resources Fisheries Experiment Statical in Logan is actively involved in determining what the malfunction is, and, more im- its portantly, cause. Histopathology the study of diseased tissues is the last resort for arresting diseases in Utahs fish, says Ron Goede, fisheries and pathologist nutritionist, and supervisor at the station. According to Goede, various nutritional or disease conditions may attack only specific tissues and cells. Usually, technicians must wait for the development of obvious physical symptoms, such as nervousness, irregular swimming, blindness, slow growth or death. Even then, the chances for correct diagnosis are poor. Study of the cells themselves, however, makes possible a great step forward in understanding just what is happening to produce the observed symptoms. The tedious process for tissues preparing for examination under a microscope is, for the pathologist, much like the fisherman pulling in his seine, for both eagerly await their catch to leap into focus to be examined. When tissues are removed from a fish they must be taken care of immediately, because the individual cells begin to die at once. The pathologist wants to know whether any of the cells were already dead when the tissue was in the fish. As all will be dead in a short time, natural the degeneration process must be stopped. This is accomplished by placing the tissue in one of several different solutions to fix- the condition of the cells. The solution causes a reaction in the cell much like the change which takes place in a boiled egg. The living cells then appear alive in contrast to those, if any, which were dead when the tissue was removed. In order to examine the tissue on a microscope, it is necessary to slice off a very thin piecea piece so thin that light will pass directly through it and into the microscope. The first step is to make the tissue rigid so it can be sliced uniformly. This is done by infiltrating the tissue with melted paraffin and allowing it to harden. The process requires removal of all water from the tissue, since water and paraffin do not mix. The tissue is placed in baths of alcohol or some other solution of increasing strength which gradually replaces the water. By the end of the process, the tissues are in melted paraffin where they are allowed to solidify into small blocks. A machine called an Autotechnicon at the station does this process automatically. A device called a microtome cuts the blocks into incredibly thin slices which are measured in microns. For example, a piece of tissue as thick as the space between two words on this page would be cut into about 700 - . ) f . ' Each section is floated on a bath of warm water which slightly melts the paraffin and allows any wrinkles or bumps in the tissue to flatten. A glass slide is placed under the section, and it is removed from the water. A previously applied sticky substance holds the section firmly to the slide. To make the section easier to examine, cells are stained to increase the contrast of their various parts. Hie most commonly used staining procedure is one which the nucleus is stained a light blue and the other cell parts are stained bright pink. ' Finally, a drop of clear mounting medium is placed on the section, and a thin glass coverslip over that completes the As soon as the preparation. mounting medium hardens, the section is ready for examination--o- r, as Goede terms it, the detective work. Goede pointed out that if we have a population of fish with a disease, it is necessary to sacrifice some of the sick ones to make a proper diagnosis. This way, the rest of the population can be saved. The Divisions Logan Station is one of only six in the United States that conducts research to determine causes malfunction in fish cells. CARRYING CAPACITY: DEFINITION A (Editors Note: This is the second in a series of articles writ- ten by Division of Wildlife Resources Upland Game Supervisor Darrell Nish denoting problems facing Utahs pheasants. A short history of the popular game bird in the Beehive State, and the loss of habitat it faces are detailed this week.) d The pheasant has been a resident of Utah for so long it is considered by many to be a native. Early records indicate that the Hon. M.H. Walker brought the first pheasants into Utah about 1890 and released them on his farm at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Subsequent inring-necke- troductions, natural dispersal and an intensive game farm resulted in the program establishment of pheasants in all suitable habitat within the state by the early 1940s. Releases from game farms continued until the early 1950s when research indicated that stocking game birds in areas already occupied by wild was a populations poor management practice and resulted in a waste of more than s of the birds three-fourth- THEM FAWNS LEAVE THE WILD IN The deer lashed out with its razor sharp hooves and lunged at its keeper, slashing him with its antlers. To add insult to injury, the young buck also ate shrubs and vegetables and became a nuisance in the neighborhood where had everyone once welcomed it with cries of, Oh, isnt it precious, and What a pretty little thing and gentle as a lamb, etc. That story is repeated every year. Fawns, cute and cuddly as they may be, do not make good pets. What happens to those cuddly creatures? They grow up. They are of the wild and have the ways of the wild. The breeding season, know n as the rut forces a behavioral change in the animals which no amount of human care can overcome. Also, deers need for food must be satisfied. They are not above eating the neighbors garden plants, trees, grass and shrubs. g So, when the persons who pick up those helpless fawns are fed up with the problems they cause, the Division of Wildlife Resources is called to pick up the animals. Other times, fawns-arbrought directly from the wild to the Division. Either way, it is a somber story for animals that, if left alone, would have been raised by their mothers. well-meanin- e The Division asks those people who come upon fawn this spring to do both themsleves and the animals a big favor-le- ave them alone. Fra, even though fawns appear to be abandoned, their mothers are generally nearby. Just as important to consider is g is the fact that illegal. fawn-nappin- ' released. This placed a high price tag on stocked roosters returned to the hunters bag. It became obvious that pheasant habitat was like a bucket; it will hold so much and no more. This phenomenon is termed carrying capacity by biologists. Subsequent experience and research, both in Utah and the many other pheasant states, has clearly shown that this carrying capacity is subject to wide After hours of laborious research and meticulous calculations, your guess is as good as mine. CAPRICORN (Dec. 19) You look at the world through d glasses. Try not to spill so much wine on 22-Ja- n. rose-colore- them. (Jan. AQUARIUS 20-Fe- member that the song of love is not always a happy tune. So if you feel flat, look sharp and something of note will happen. LEO (July 22) You are in concert with the latest economic developments. You suffer from inflation of the ego. 23-Au- g. 18) b. Remember, people get paid for new ideas. Perhaps you could buy some. PISCES (Feb. 20) Seek a higher position in life, sit up. VIRGO (Aug. 22) Life for you is an uphill battle and you started at the top of the 23-Se- pt. hill. 19-M- ARIES (Mar. 19) You will clear all the hurdles of life only to trip over the finish line. 21-A- pr. LIBRA (Sept. 22) Some to tend people keep - things bottled up. Your problem is that you continually empty bottles. 23-O- ct. SCORPIO (Oct. 21) You are a person on the move. You better keep moving if you dont want to get caught. 23-No- TAURUS (Apr. 20) The future is cloudy and the present is a perpetual thunderstorm. 20-M- ay GEMINI (May 20) A new romance is in the air. She lands at Salt Lake International. 21-Ju- ne CANCER (June 21-Ju- 22) Re-- ly v. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 21) You should gain some weight and have your mate lose some. When traveling together you look like the number 10. 22-De- If You Have Let Us In On It! A News Tip 649-959- 2 k&mmmsssmmmwmmmm A' Main Street 649-805- 1 variation both within and between years. Because of this, pheasant populations fluctuate widely, not only from one season of the year to another, but from year to year. It would require pages to fully explain fully all of the factors which combine to determine carrying capacity at any given time. In a nutshell it can be said that pheasants require food, cover and a place with right conditions for reproduction to be abundant. Utah sportsmen are fully aware that in recent years pheasant numbers have declined. During the same period some have also observed a marked reduction in the amount of food, cover and the all important nesting areas. In other words,, the bucket has gotten smaller. A multitude of changes in our environment, ranging from more efficient farming to urban sprawl, are responsible decreased habitat and for con- sequently decreased pheasants. One of the biggest problems faced by the Division of Wildlife Resources and the sportsmen of Utah is curtailing this downward trend and hopefully reversing it to some degree. This can be done only through improved habitat VVV" HOTEL RESTAURANT . j' ' i Crab Legs. . Aod an endless & -- Salad Bar DINNER SERVED : S SALOON for the priest in Steak, Lobster and increased carrying capacity." No other alternative will work; i c. ' 0 6-- 11 pm - |