To see or not to see: does previewing a future opponent affect the contest behavior of green swordtail males (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Xiphophorus helleri</Emphasis>)?

Animals assess the fighting ability of conspecifics either by engaging in aggressive interactions or observing contests between others. However, whether individuals assess physical prowess outside the context of aggressive interactions remains unknown. We examined whether male green swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) extract information about the fighting ability of solitary individuals via observation and whether acquiring such information elicits behavioral modifications. Contests preceded by mutual visual assessment were significantly shorter than fights where only one or neither of the two individuals was informed in advance. Focal animals initiated aggressive behavior more often against larger opponents only after previewing their adversary, indicating that swordtails can extract information about relative body size from watching solitary conspecifics. When a fighting disadvantage is perceived, observers adopt tactics that increase their probability of winning the contest.     

1983～1998年间加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚海岸大蓝鹭（Ardea herodias）卵内多氯二苯并-p-二恶英(PCDDs)和二苯并呋喃(PCDFs)的时空趋势监测

从1983~1998年，沿加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚海岸，我们监测了21处大蓝鹭(Ardea herodias)结巢处卵内多氯二苯并-p-二恶英 (PCDDs)、二苯并呋喃(PCDFs) 和多氯联苯 (PCBs)的污染情况。20世纪90年代早期，主要的同类物如1,2,3,7,8-PnCDD、 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD、2,3,7,8-TCDD、2,3,7,8-TCDF、1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD 和2,3,4,7,8-PnCDF在纸浆厂分子氯漂白技术被新的漂白技术替代以及氯基酚类木材保存剂和抗木材变色剂的使用被严格地限制之后有显著下降。被捕食的鱼与大蓝鹭卵内污染物水平之间的强正线性回归说明，每天在本地摄食的食物是大蓝鹭暴露于污染物的一个重要路径。从1985年到1991年，在某些栖居地的大蓝鹭卵内所测到的毒当量浓度(TEQs)足以在小鹭体内产生胚胎毒性。尽管PCDD/Fs有所减少，但估计整个80年代有些城市中苍鹭栖居地的毒当量浓度由于多氯联苯的作用而居高不下。     

Differing Modes of Biotic Connectivity within Freshwater Ecosystem Mosaics

We describe a collection of aquatic and wetland habitats in an inland landscape, and their occurrence within a terrestrial matrix, as a “freshwater ecosystem mosaic” (FEM). Aquatic and wetland habitats in any FEM can vary widely, from permanently ponded lakes, to ephemerally ponded wetlands, to groundwater‐fed springs, to flowing rivers and streams. The terrestrial matrix can also vary, including in its influence on flows of energy, materials, and organisms among ecosystems. Biota occurring in a specific region are adapted to the unique opportunities and challenges presented by spatial and temporal patterns of habitat types inherent to each FEM. To persist in any given landscape, most species move to recolonize habitats and maintain mixtures of genetic materials. Species also connect habitats through time if they possess needed morphological, physiological, or behavioral traits to persist in a habitat through periods of unfavorable environmental conditions. By examining key spatial and temporal patterns underlying FEMs, and species‐specific adaptations to these patterns, a better understanding of the structural and functional connectivity of a landscape can be obtained. Fully including aquatic, wetland, and terrestrial habitats in FEMs facilitates adoption of the next generation of individual‐based models that integrate the principles of population, community, and ecosystem ecology.     

Energetics of mixing for the filling box and the emptying-filling box

The mixing efficiency of a plume in a filling box and an emptying-filling box is calculated for both transient and steady states. The mixing efficiency of a plume in a filling box in an asymptotic state is 1/2, independent of the details of this state or how the plume is modelled. The mixing efficiency of a plume in an emptying-filling box in steady state is \(1 - \xi \), where \(\xi = h/H\), the depth of the ambient layer h normalised by the height of the box H. A deeper mixed layer therefore corresponds to a higher mixing efficiency. These results shed light on the interpretation of mixing efficiencies of open and closed systems.

     

Contribution of cooperative sector recycling to greenhouse gas emissions reduction: A case study of Ribeirão Pires,Brazil

Solid waste, including municipal waste and its management, is a major challenge for most cities and among the key contributors to climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through recovery and recycling of resources from the municipal solid waste stream. In São Paulo, Brazil, recycling cooperatives play a crucial role in providing recycling services including collection, separation, cleaning, stocking, and sale of recyclable resources. The present research attempts to measure the greenhouse gas emission reductions achieved by the recycling cooperative Cooperpires, as well as highlight its socioeconomic benefits. Methods include participant observation, structured interviews, questionnaire application, and greenhouse gas accounting of recycling using a Clean Development Mechanism methodology. The results show that recycling cooperatives can achieve important energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and suggest there is an opportunity for Cooperpires and other similar recycling groups to participate in the carbon credit market. Based on these findings, the authors created a simple greenhouse gas accounting calculator for recyclers to estimate their emissions reductions.     

Combining theory and wisdom in pragmatic,scenario-based decision support for sustainable development

Researchers have increasingly acknowledged the relative strength of ‘hybrid’ approaches to scenario analysis for exploring the futures of coupled human-nature systems. In this paper, we explain, demonstrate, and provisionally evaluate the usefulness of a simple analytical framework, based on five categories of capital assets, as part of a protocol for overcoming the conversion problem in hybrid scenario analysis. Based on a preliminary application of the framework to a case study in South Africa, we suggest that the five capitals framework has the potential to improve expedience and counter the bias against ‘soft’ drivers in hybrid approaches to scenario analysis. However, in light of the methodological trade-off between rigour and expedience, we suggest that future research needs to compare the available protocols for hybrid scenario analysis by weighing up the relative gain in scenario quality versus the relative cost of scenario construction.