Prof. (Emeritus) Gad Degani

Prof. (Emeritus) Gad Degani
Research Group Leader
Phone
97246953544

Biology and Physiology of Fish and Amphibians
This field involves research into species of fish and amphibians that are less well known. The areas of research are: reproduction growth and nutrition in nature and behavior. In addition, certain aspects of environmental physiology of species of fish and amphibians are under examination: the objects of this aspect of research is the study of metabolism, and the influence of temperature on growth, the physiological adaptation of amphibians to their environment, in water economy and the control of body fluids under the influence of different environmental conditions of moisture and temperature, especially salinity tolerance and osmoregulation. These are studies in the fields of comparative and environmental physiology.

Nutrition of Fish and Amphibians
This research can be divided into a number of areas. A portion deals with the natural food of animals. Another portion involves efforts to improve the formulation of artificial food for fish (a) through learning the chemical body composition of fish, and from this determining the percentages of its required ingredients; (b) through examining the value of protein in fish food; (c) examining the value of fats,); (d) examining the value of carbohydrates. At present, work in nutrition concentrates on the development of the formulation of food for tropical fish.

The Influence of Hormones on the Growth and Reproduction of Fish (molecular endocrinology)
Current work concerns the steroids and other hormones of fish, and their influence on various processes in fish, in particular growth, body composition, food requirements and enzymatic processes . Particularly worth mentioning is the breakthrough in which Prof. Degani has shown that growth hormones and insulin can be absorbed into the body of the fish through oral administration: up to that time it was thought that whole proteins could not be absorbed into the bloodstream via the gills or the digestive system. Further work on the reproductive system has shown that other proteinous hormones can be administered in the same way, e.g., gonadotropin. Present research work concerns hormonal control of reproduction.

Animals in the Ecological System and Environmental Behavior
Dr Degani's work on the ecology of water systems concentrates mainly on the interrelationship between various animals and their aquatic ecosystems, especially environmental influences such as water quality and food, the prime factors in animal interaction. There is an additional interest in behavioral models of animals in nature, aiming to establish how the animal adapts itself to its environment through its behavior

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Education
Ph.D. 1979, Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University
M.Sc. 1976, Department of Biology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa

Academic and research experience
Since 2008-2013: Chairperson, M.Sc. Program, Department of Biotechnology, Tel Hai College
Since 1998: Professor, Tel-Hai College Faculty of Sciences and Technology
Since 1997: Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University
Since 1986-2011: Scientific Director, MIGAL - Galilee Technology Center
1999 – 2003: Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Tel-Hai College
1987 – 1999: Academic Director of Agriculture, Tel-Hai College
1994: Visiting Professor, University of Maryland
1993: Adjunct Professor, East Carolina University, NC
1991: Visiting Scientist, City University of New York, Brooklyn College
1990-2000 Head of Golan Research institute
1983 – 1984: Visiting Scientist, East Carolina University, NC, USA
1981 – 1982: Research Associate, Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
Since 1979: Lecturer, Tel-Hai College Faculty of Sciences and Technology and researcher at MIGAL - Galilee Technological Center.

 

Books
Degani, G. & Gallagher, M.L. (1995). Growth and Nutrition of Eels. Israel: Laser Pages Publishing.

Degani, G. (1996). The Salamander at the Southern Limit of its Distribution. Israel: Laser Pages Publishing. 1996 Salamandra Israel PDF.pdf

Degani, G. (2001). Blue Gourami (Truchogaster Trichopterus) Model for Labyrinth Fish. Israel: Laser Pages Publishing. 2001 Blue Gourami Book PDF.pdf

Degani, G. & Yom-Din, G. (2005). Research on New Fish Species for Aquaculture in Northern Israel. Haifa, Israel: Ayalon Offset Ltd. 2005 New Fish North Israel Book  PDF.pdf

Degani, G. 2019. The Fire Salamandra (Salamandra infraimmaculata) and the Banded Newt (Triturus vittatus) Along the Southern Border of Their. Published by Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-61896-693-3. 2019 THE FIRE SALAMANDRA E-book.pdf

Degani, G. (2022). Interaction of Sexual Behavior and Hormone Gene Expression in the Labyrinthici Fish Blue Gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus) during Reproduction. 2022 Link to the book.

Scientific Publications

Cannibalism among Salamandra salamandra (L.) larvae

G. Degani
Israel Journal of Zoology 1993 Volume 39 Issue 2 Pages 125-129
1993

Relationship between current velocity, depth and the invertebrate community in a stable river system

G. Degani; G. N. Herbst; R. Ortal; H. J. Bromley; D. Levanon; Y. Netzer; N. Harari; H. Glazman
Hydrobiologia 1993 Volume 263 Issue 3 Pages 163-172
1993

GCMS-identified steroids and steroid glucoronides in gonads and holding water of Trichogaster trichopterus (Anabantidae, Pallas 1770)

D. Becker; N. Galili; G. Degani
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1992 Volume 103 Issue 1 Pages 15-19
1992

Vitellogenesis level and the induction of maturation in the ovary of the blue gourami Trichogaster trichopterus (Anabantidae, Pallas 1770)

G. Degani; R. Boker
Journal of Experimental Zoology 1992 Volume 263 Pages 330-337
1992

Growth of juvenile Trichogaster leerii (Bleeker, 1852) on diets with different protein levels

G. Degani; N. Gur
Aquaculture Research 1992 Volume 23 Pages 161-166
1992

Effect of insulin in the diet on the growth of European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.)

G. Degani; M. Abraham
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 1992 Volume 10 Issue 3 Pages 223-227
1992

High genetic homogeneity of Salamandra salamandra (L.) in Israel

M. Veith; G. Degani; A. Seitz
Zoologischer Anzeiger 1992 Volume 229 Pages 63-72
1992

Effects of 17? estradiol and grouping on sex determination of European eels

G. Degani; D. Kushnirov
the Progressive Fish-Culturist 1992 Volume 54 Pages 88-91
1992

Sensitivity to maturation inducing steroids and gonadotropin in the oocytes of Blue gourami Trichogaster trichopterus, (Anabantidae, Pallas, 1770)

G. Degani; R. Boker
General and Comparative Endocrinology 1992 Volume 85 Pages 430 439
1992

Faunal relationships to abiotic factors along the River Dan in northern Israel

G. Degani; G. N. Herbst; R. Ortal; H. J. Bromley; D. Levanon; H. Glazman; Y. Regev
Hydrobiologia 1992 Volume 246 Issue 1 Pages 69-82
1992

Sensitivity to maturation-inducing steroids and gonadotropin in the oocytes of blue gourami Trichogaster trichopterus (Anabantidae, Pallas, 1770)

G. Degani; R. Boker
General and Comparative Endocrinology 1992 Volume 85 Issue 3 Pages 430-439
1992

The effect of diet, population density and temperature on the growth of larvae and juveniles of Trichogaster trichopterus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

G. Degani
Journal of Aquaculture in the Tropics 1991 Volume 6 Pages 135-141
1991

The relationship between growth of carp (Cyprinus carpio), tilapia (Oreochromis aurea) and silver carp (Ctenophryngon idella Val. D.) and water quality in northern Israel

G. Degani; D. Levanon
Aquaculture and Fisheries Managment 1991 Volume 6 Pages 16-21
1991

Digestive capabilities of three commensal fish species: carp, Cyprinus carpio L., tilapia, Oreochromis aureus×O. niloticus, and African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)

G. Degani; A. Revach
Aquaculture Research 1991 Volume 22 Pages 397-403
1991

Electrophoretic variation in some cichlid species in Israel

G. Degani; Y. Levcovitch
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1991 Volume 99 Issue 2 Pages 463-467
1991

Growth performance of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) under controlled photocycle and shelter availability

D. Kushnirov; G. Degani
Aquacultural Engineering 1991 Volume 10 Issue 3 Pages 219-226
1991

Effect of different diets and water quality on the growth of the larvae of trichogaster trichoptern (B&S 1801)

G. Degani
Aquacultural Engineering 1990 Volume 9 Issue 5 Pages 367-375
1990

Electrophoretic variations of isozyme systems in the muscle and liver of Anabantidae fish

G. Degani; M. Veith
The Israeli Journal of Aquaculture 1990 Volume 42 Pages 67-76
1990

The effects of human chorionic gonadotropin on steroid changes in Trichogaster trichopterus (B and S 1801)

G. Degani
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Physiology 1990 Volume 96 Issue 4 Pages 525-528
1990

Physical and chemical factors in the Dan River and their relationship to algae colonization rates

G. Degani; G.N. Herbst; T Berman; Y. Netzer; R. Ortal
Fourth International Conference: Environment Quality and Ecosystem Stability 1989 Volume IVB Pages 359-368
1989

The effect of different protein levels and temperatures on feed utilization, growth and body composition of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)

G. Degani; Y. Ben-Zvi; D. Levanon
Aquaculture 1989 Volume 76 Issue 03-??? Pages 293-301
1989

The effect of temperature, light, fish size and container size on breeding of Trichogaster trichopterus

G. Degani
Israeli Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh 1989 Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 67-73
1989

The influence of body size and temperature on oxygen consumption of the European eel Anguilla anguilla at different temperatures

G. Degani; M.L. Gallagher; A. Meltzer
Journal of Fish Biology 1989 Volume 34 Pages 19-24
1989

Body composition of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) of different ages

G. Degani
Israel Journal of Aquaculture 1988 Volume 40 Pages 118-121
1988

Relationship between body size and growth of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), (Burcher, 1922) fed practical diet

G. Degani; Y. Ben-Zvi; D. Levanon
Indian Journal of Fisheries 1988 Volume 35 Pages 207-210
1988