Lowering body temperature induces embryonic diapause during prolonged egg retention in the lizard, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calotes versicolor</Emphasis>

The lizard Calotes versicolor delays oviposition of oviductal eggs for as long as 6 months or more under unfavourable conditions. During this period of prolonged egg retention, the growth of oviductal embryos is arrested at stage 34. The present study shows for the first time among reptiles that the "embryonic diapause" is manifested by the gravid females by lowering their body temperature ( T(b)) by 3-5 degrees C during the period of egg retention by mechanism(s) presently unknown.     

The functionality of female reciprocal calls in the Iberian midwife toad (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alytes cisternasii</Emphasis>): female-female acoustic competition?

Female midwife toads (genus Alytes) emit highly variable reciprocal calls of unclear function prior to and during courtship. In some species, female-female competition, expressed as physical fighting, has been reported. Males of Majorcan midwife toads (Alytes muletensis) show phonotactic response to female calls, and females of Iberian midwife toads (Alytes cisternasii) respond differently according to the male call characteristics. In this study, I test the hypothesis of female-female acoustic competition as an additional function of female reciprocal calls. Playback tests indicate that female calls are not clearly involved in female acoustic competition in the Iberian midwife toad, therefore female calls could be directed at males rather than towards competitive females.     

Yellowjackets (Vespula pensylvanica) thermoregulate in response to changes in protein concentration

Social insects can modulate body temperature to increase foraging efficiency; however, little is known about how the relative value of protein resources affects forager body temperature. Such regulation may be important given that colony growth is often limited by protein availability. In this paper, we present what are, to our knowledge, the first data for social insects showing that thoracic temperatures (T (th)) of foragers increase with the protein content of food resources. In an introduced population of western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica), we measured T (th) of foragers collecting high-quality protein (100% canned chicken) and low-quality protein (50% canned chicken, 50% indigestible alpha-cellulose by volume) at different ambient air temperatures (T (a)). Wasps foraging on 100% chicken consistently exhibited higher T (th) compared to wasps foraging on 50% chicken. After correcting for T (a), the mean T (th) for wasps collecting 100% chicken were 1.98 degrees C higher than those of individuals collecting 50% chicken. We suggest that this mechanism may increase foraging efficiency in this and other social wasp species.     

Roost type influences torpor use by Australian owlet-nightjars

Australian owlet-nightjars (Aegotheles cristatus; ～50?g) are one of only a few avian species that roost in cavities year-round and regularly enter torpor. Cavity roosts act as thermal buffers, and roost type likely affects energy expenditure of small birds. We used radiotelemetry to locate diurnal winter roost sites of owlet-nightjars in central Australia and to measure body (T (b)) and skin (T (skin)) temperature. We also recorded ambient temperature inside (T (IN)) and outside roosts. Individual owlet-nightjars used one to seven different roosts (tracking time 3-10?weeks), selecting either rock crevices (four birds) or tree hollows (four birds), or switching between the two roost types (seven birds). Rock crevices (T (IN) +9°C to +33°C) were warmer and thermally more stable than tree hollows (T (IN) -4.0°C to +37°C). Torpor, often expressed by a reduction of T (skin)/T (b) by >10°C for 3-4?h at dawn, was influenced by roost selection; torpor use in tree hollows was almost twice that in rock crevices. Despite the potential energy savings accrued from roosting in well-insulated cavities, owlet-nightjars roosted in tree hollows more often (65% bird days, n?=?398) than in rock crevices (35% bird days, n?=?211). Lower costs of arousal from torpor via passive rewarming and basking and decreased risk of predation are two possible explanations for the preference to roost in tree hollows. We provide the first evidence for the influence of cavity roost selection on torpor use in a free-ranging bird and show that roost selection and thermal biology are strongly interrelated in determining energy expenditure.     

The extreme heat wave in Athens in July 1987 from the point of view of human biometeorology

At the end of July 1987 a heat wave came over Greece and had as a consequence an increase in the mortality to double the normal values. Predicted mean vote (PMV), physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), and for comparison discomfort index (DI) as thermal indices as well as core temperature, mean skin temperature, and skin wetness as body parameters are calculated for that period based on meteorological data of the Meteorological Institute of the National Observatory in the centre of Athens and of the suburban station New Philadelphia of the Hellenic National Weather Service. The results for the thermal indices and the body parameters indicate a very high thermal stress on people. In addition, the air quality stress index (AQSI) has been used for characterizing air quality conditions in Athens during the heat wave. The results Combined with the thermal effects of the heat wave the stress on humans due to environmental conditions has been very injurious to health.     

Sequential assessment of prey through the use of multiple sensory cues by an eavesdropping bat

Predators are often confronted with a broad diversity of potential prey. They rely on cues associated with prey quality and palatability to optimize their hunting success and to avoid consuming toxic prey. Here, we investigate a predator’s ability to assess prey cues during capture, handling, and consumption when confronted with conflicting information about prey quality. We used advertisement calls of a preferred prey item (the túngara frog) to attract fringe-lipped bats, Trachops cirrhosus, then offered palatable, poisonous, and chemically manipulated anurans as prey. Advertisement calls elicited an attack response, but as bats approached, they used additional sensory cues in a sequential manner to update their information about prey size and palatability. While both palatable and poisonous small anurans were readily captured, large poisonous toads were approached but not contacted suggesting the use of echolocation for assessment of prey size at close range. Once prey was captured, bats used chemical cues to make final, post-capture decisions about whether to consume the prey. Bats dropped small, poisonous toads as well as palatable frogs coated in toad toxins either immediately or shortly after capture. Our study suggests that echolocation and chemical cues obtained at close range supplement information obtained from acoustic cues at long range. Updating information about prey quality minimizes the occurrence of costly errors and may be advantageous in tracking temporal and spatial fluctuations of prey and exploiting novel food sources. These findings emphasize the sequential, complex nature of prey assessment that may allow exploratory and flexible hunting behaviors.     

Indoor climate and thermal comfort in high-rise public housing in an equatorial climate: A field-study in Singapore

Urban residential development in Singapore has been focussed on clusters of high-rise public housing known locally as ‘new towns’. Indoor climatic conditions were assessed in a sample of 214 flats in the new towns. Also a sample of 583 occupants were interviewed about their experiences of thermal comfort. Separate body-environment heat-balances were estimated for each respondent and these data were input to the PMV (ISO 7730) mathematical model of thermal comfort. The operative temperature actually preferred by the respondents was about 1°C cooler than the mean value of 29.6°C recorded in their flats. However, their empirically derived temperature preference was about 2°C warmer than the value predicted by the PMV model and ISO standard. Processes of physiological acclimatization and perceptual habituation are put forward as possible explanations for the discrepancy between temperate climate comfort theory and actual human response in the tropics. The implications for energy conservation in tropical cities are also discussed.     

Reinvestigation of the Henry’s law constant for hydrogen peroxide with temperature and acidity variation

Hydrogen peroxide is not only an important oxidant in itself;it also serves as both sink and temporary reservoir for other important oxidants including HOx(OH and HO2) radicals and O3 in the atmosphere.Its partitioning between gas and aqueous phases in the atmosphere,usually described by its Henry's law constant(KH),significantly influences its role in atmospheric processes.Large discrepancies between the KH values reported in previous work,however,have created uncertainty for atmospheric modelers.Based on our newly developed online instrumentation,we have re-determined the temperature and acidity dependence of KH for hydrogen peroxide at an air pressure of(0.960 ± 0.013) atm(1 atm = 1.01325 × 105 Pa).The results indicated that the temperature dependence of KH for hydrogen peroxide fits to the Van't Hoff equation form,expressed as lnKH = a/T-b,and a =-ΔH/R,where KH is in M/atm(M is mol/L),T is in degrees Kelvin,R is the ideal gas constant,and ΔH is the standard heat of solution.For acidity dependence,results demonstrated that the KH value of hydrogen peroxide appeared to have no obvious dependence on decreasing pH level(from pH 7 to pH 1).Combining the dependence of both temperature and acidity,the obtained a and b were 7024 ± 138 and 11.97 ± 0.48,respectively,ΔH was(58.40 ± 1.15) kJ/(K·mol),and the uncertainties represent σ.Our determined KH values for hydrogen peroxide will therefore be of great use in atmospheric models.     

Tail loss and thermoregulation in the common lizard<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Zootoca vivipara</Emphasis>

Tail autotomy in lizards is an adaptive strategy that has evolved to reduce the risk of predation. Since tail loss reduces body mass and moving ability—which in turn are expected to influence thermal balance—there is potential for a trade-off between tail autotomy and thermoregulation. To test this hypothesis, we studied a common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) population at high latitude, inhabiting a high-cost thermal environment. Z. vivipara is a small, non-territorial lizard known as a very accurate thermoregulator. We made two predictions: (1) the reduced body weight due to tail loss results in faster heating rate (a benefit), and (2) the reduction in locomotor ability after tail loss induces a shift to the use of thermally poorer microhabitats (a cost), thus decreasing the field body temperatures of active lizards. We did not find any effect of tail loss on heating rate in laboratory experiments conducted under different thermal conditions. Likewise, no significant relationship between tail condition and field body temperatures, or between tail condition and thermal microhabitat use, were detected. Thus, our results suggest that tail autotomy does not influence the accuracy of thermoregulation in small-bodied lizards.Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at     

Life in extreme environments: survival strategy of the endolithic desert lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta

Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is an endolithic lichen that inhabits caliche plates exposed on the surface of the Sonoran Desert. Caliche surface temperatures are regularly in excess of 60 degrees C during the summer and approach 0 degrees C in the winter. Incident light intensities are high, with photosynthetically active radiation levels typically to 2,600 micromol/m(2) s(-1) during the summer. A cross-section of rock inhabited by V. rubrocincta shows an anatomical zonation comprising an upper micrite layer, a photobiont layer containing clusters of algal cells, and a pseudomedulla embedded in the caliche. Hyphae of the pseudomedulla become less numerous with depth below the rock surface. Stable carbon and oxygen isotopic data for the caliche and micrite fall into two sloping, well-separated arrays on a delta(13)C-delta(18)O plot. The delta(13)C(PDB) of the micrite ranges from 2.1 to 8.1 and delta(18)O(SMOW) from 25.4 to 28.9, whereas delta(13)C(PDB) of the caliche ranges from -4.7 to 0.7 and delta(18)O(SMOW) from 23.7 to 29.2. The isotopic data of the micrite can be explained by preferential fixing of (12)C into the alga, leaving local (13)C enrichment and evaporative enrichment of (18)O in the water. The (14)C dates of the micrite range from recent to 884 years b.p., indicating that "dead" carbon from the caliche is not a significant source for the lichen-precipitated micrite. The endolithic growth is an adaptation to the environmental extremes of exposed rock surfaces in the hot desert. The micrite layer is highly reflective and reduces light intensity to the algae below and acts as an efficient sunscreen that blocks harmful UV radiation. The micrite also acts as a cap to the lichen and helps trap moisture. The lichen survives by the combined effects of biodeterioration and biomineralization. Biodeterioration of the caliche concomitant with biomineralization of a protective surface coating of micrite results in the distinctive anatomy of V. rubrocincta.     

CaO对烟气中砷的形态和分布的影响

采用热力平衡分析方法研究了在一个大气压下，1300K-400K温度范围里痕量元素砷在煤燃烧过程的形态及分布以及添加剂CaO对砷的形态和分布的影响．为探讨规律，研究的系统只考虑煤中的主量元素和砷．分析结果表明，在煤燃烧和气化的高温区域里，大部分的砷元素蒸发以一氧化砷的形式存在于气相中，随着温度的降低，一氧化砷将发生化学反应生成固相As2O5和As2S2．CaO可以大大地增强砷元素的沉积趋势，烟气中CaO的含量越大，砷酸钙作为稳定相的温度范围越宽。     

电镀污泥焚烧过程中的热分析以及重金属的迁移规律

选取一种典型的含重金属危险废弃物电镀污泥,研究了电镀污泥的热特性以及不同重金属元素———铅(Pb)、镉(Cd)、铜(Cu)、锌(Zn)、镍(Ni)和锰(Mn)在焚烧产物中的迁移和排放特征.热重分析结果表明,干电镀污泥热重的升温过程中主要有几个失重高峰:100℃,150℃和600℃,其中100℃和150℃主要是电镀污泥中的挥发酚的析出,以及一些有机物质的热解和焚烧,而600℃主要是碳酸盐分解的结果;从能谱分析可知电镀污泥主要由O,S,Al,Ca,Cr,Fe等元素,还有一些次要元素如Mg,Cu,Zn,P,Cl,C组成.升温过程中,非金属元素C和Cl有较为明显的下降,Cr,Fe,Mg在900℃以内变化不大.从迁移规律实验可知,重金属Mn、Pb、Ni和Cu在焚烧过程中随着温度升高含量逐渐降低,其中又以Ni的含量下降最为明显,而Cd则正好相反有明显的富集效应.     

Greenhouse gases fluxes and soil thermal properties in a pasture in central Missouri

Fluctuations of greenhouse gases emissions and soil properties occur at short spatial and temporal scales, however, results are often reported for larger scales studies. We monitored CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes and soil temperature (T), thermal conductivity (K), resistivity (R) and thermal di usivity (D) from 2004 to 2006 in a pasture. Soil air samples for determination of CO2, CH4 and N2O concentrations were collected from static and vented chambers and analyzed within two hours of collection with a gas chromatograph. T, K, R and D were measured in-situ using a KD2 probe. Soil samples were also taken for measurements of soil chemical and physical properties. The pasture acted as a sink in 2004, a source in 2005 and again a sink of CH4 in 2006. CO2 and CH4 were highest, but N2O as well as T, K and D were lowest in 2004. Only K was correlated with CO2 in 2004 while T correlated with both N2O (r = 0.76, p = 0.0001) and CO2 (r = 0.88, p = 0.0001) in 2005. In 2006, all gases fluxes were significantly correlated with T, K and R when the data for the entire year were considered. However, an in-depth examination of the data revealed the existence of month-to-month shifts, lack of correlation and di ering spatial structures. These results stress the need for further studies on the relationship between soil properties and gases fluxes. K and R o er a promise as potential controlling factors for greenhouse gases fluxes in this pasture.     

苦草光合作用日变化对水质的影响

通过静态模拟试验研究晴天时苦草(Vallisneria asiatica)的光合作用日变化对水质的影响. 分别采用水下饱和脉冲荧光仪(Diving-PAM)和多参数水质监测仪(YSI)在线监测苦草叶绿素荧光参数与水质,并定时采样测定水中营养盐的浓度. 结果表明,苦草叶片光合作用的相对电子传递速率(rETR)日变化与叶片表面的光合有效辐射(PAR)和温度同步,呈单峰曲线;光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)实际量子产量(Y)的日变化呈“W”型;水体的pH和ρ(DO)的日变化与苦草光合作用趋势一致,也呈单峰曲线,而电导率和浊度与光合作用没有相关性;水体中ρ(TN)一直保持稳定,ρ(TP)在23:00时出现峰值.苦草的光合作用能引起水体pH,ρ(DO)和ρ(TP)的改变;且pH和ρ(DO)对底泥磷释放的影响可能是一个动态平衡的过程.      

中全新世全球极端温度响应:基于MPI-ESM-P模拟试验

中全新世是北半球轨道时间尺度距今最近的温暖期,是当前全球变暖的历史相似型之一,研究该阶段极端温度的变化有助于理解典型温暖期极端温度的响应和机制。利用MPI-ESM-P海气耦合模式中全新世暖期试验与工业革命前试验数据,分析中全新世暖期全球极端温度的响应。结果表明:由于北半球夏季轨道日射量的增加,与工业革命前相比,中全新世平均温度在极地海洋以及夏季北半球中高纬度陆地地区升高,其余区域温度降低;平均温度升高的区域,极端高温与极端低温也将上升,暖事件频率增加;陆地区域日最高温相关指标比日最低温相关指标的变化幅度更大;相对于极端高温事件的响应,极地海洋地区极端低温事件的响应更为显著,冷事件频率显著减少,全年高于0℃的天数显著增加。     

Diel flight behaviour and dispersal patterns of aquatic Coleoptera and Heteroptera species with special emphasis on the importance of seasons

Dispersal flight is the most important and almost the only way for primary aquatic insects to find new water habitats. During a 30-week-long project, we monitored the flight dispersal behaviour of aquatic beetles and bugs with using highly and horizontally polarizing agricultural black plastic sheets laid onto the ground. Based on the flight data of more than 45,000 individuals and 92 species, we explored and described eight different diel flight activity patterns. We found that seven of eight dispersal patterns are consistent with the previous knowledge, while three conspicuous mass dispersal periods can be identified as in the mid morning and/or around noon and/or at nightfall. As an exception, we found a ‘daytime’ pattern occurred exclusively in spring, in which mass dispersal can be seen from mid morning to late afternoon. In contrast to previous studies, we emphasize here that the seasonality has to be considered in evaluation of the diurnal flight activity. According to the seasons, a ‘three code sign’ was proposed to indicate the diel dispersal flight behaviour of a species for a year. Most of the species utilize different diel activity patterns in different seasons. In spring, the daytime pattern was the preferred type, but in summer and autumn, the evening types were the most popular patterns. We stated that the seasonal change of air temperature has a crucial role in that a pattern could be manifested in a given season or not and brings a need to change the diel dispersal pattern among seasons.     

岩溶地下水补给的地表河流溶解无机碳昼夜变化与钙沉降

溶解无机碳昼夜动态变化对河流水体碳通量的估算有重要影响。本文选择由地下水补给且富含水生植物的典型河流,开展高分辨率水文地球化学监测和高频率水样取样工作,分析了水化学的昼夜动态变化特征,钙与无机碳昼夜循环产生的生物地球化学控制机理,估算了钙与无机碳昼夜通量。结果表明,白天pH、SIC上升,产生钙沉降和水体无机碳(主要为HCO-3)含量的下降,夜间得到地下水的补给,Ca2+和HCO-3浓度回升。监测期间,官村地下河出口地表河流钙与溶解有机碳的流失或沉降量分别为69.04kg/d和168.68kg/d,即51.14g/(m·d)和124.95g/(m·d),分别占输入量的6.2%和4.7%。受水生植物光合作用和钙化作用控制,沿流程发生无机碳向有机碳转化,是真正意义上的自然碳汇。     

我国典型核电厂址海域中广域性鱼类的热耐受性研究

开展温排水对受纳水体中海洋生物的热耐受性研究,是温排水环境影响评价及其排放控制标准建立和完善的必要环节和重要依据。本文以红沿河、石岛湾、三门和台山4个典型核电厂址邻近海域作为研究区域,选取典型核电厂址海域内共有的广域性鱼类（即矛尾鰕虎鱼（chaeturichthys stigmatias））,通过受控实验研究目标鱼类的高起始致死温度及不同季节中温升速率对其耐温能力即最高临界温度的影响。试验结果表明:温升速率对不同厂址海域捕获的矛尾鰕虎鱼在不同季节的最大临界温度（critical temperature maximum,CTM）的影响规律不同;CTM和24 h高起始致死温度（upper incipient lethal temperature,UILT₅₀）与试验起始温度成正比;同一物种CTM的主要影响因素除了温升速率、试验起始温度,还有物种个体大小、生长发育阶段等其他关键因素;相同条件下矛尾鰕虎鱼的CTM均高于其24 hUILT₅₀。     

河口区域反硝化作用研究进展

反硝化作用是河口区域去除NO-3的重要途径.其产物之一N2O是一种温室效应很强的温室气体.本文综述了河口区域反硝化作用在N元素生物地球化学循环过程中的重要作用,概述了不同测定反硝化速率的方法,并提出了各种方法的优缺点.总结了反硝化作用的影响因素:O2浓度,NO3-,有机质,温度,生物等.在这些因素的影响下,反硝化存在着区域性,季节性以及昼夜性差异.最后,提出了目前研究中存在的不足及发展方向.     

高锰酸盐指数测定过程中的几个重要环节

总结出在高锰酸盐指数测定过程中应注意标准溶液配制、实验用水、加热反应的温度、加热反应的时间、高锰酸钾溶液、(1+5)H2SO4溶液的配制、空白值处理、实验器具选择、终点确定等环节,给出了解决方法与经验.