The first report of gynandromorphy in termites (Isoptera; Kalotermitidae; <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neotermes koshunensis</Emphasis>)

This is the first report of gynandromorphy in Isoptera. An Asian dry-wood termite, Neotermes koshunensis (Shiraki) [Kalotermitidae], possessing both male and female phenotypic characteristics, was found on Okinawa Island, Japan. This deformed individual showed morphological and anatomical hermaphroditism in the abdomen. The right side of the seventh sternite was the female form and contained an ovary, while the left side was the male form and contained a testis. Genotypic analysis revealed that this individual was a genotypic bilateral chimera. These results suggested that the termite was a bilateral gynandromorph with a male left side and a female right side. As reported previously in other insects, double fertilization (by two sperms, one with an X and one with a Y chromosome) of a binucleate egg is the most likely mechanism that generated this genotypic bilateral chimera. N. koshunensis has the ability to reproduce through parthenogenesis, in which the secondary polar body is likely to be used for nuclear phase recovery. If the second polar body in this mechanism has high fertility and healthy embryogenic potential, like an egg nucleus, some of gynandromorphs might be produced by a side effect of parthenogenetic ability.     

Leaching of nitrogen in Swedish agriculture — a historical perspective

There is a need to examine long-term changes in nitrogen leaching from arable soils. The purpose of this study was to analyse variations in specific leaching rates (kg ha⁻¹ per year) and gross load (Mg per year) of N from arable land to watercourses in Sweden from a historical perspective. The start of the study was set to 1865 because information on crop distribution, yield and livestock has been compiled yearly since then. The SOIL/SOILN model was used to calculate nitrogen leaching. Calculations were done for cereals, grass and bare fallow for three different soil types in nine agricultural regions covering a range of climatic conditions. Results indicate that both specific leaching rates and gross load of nitrogen in the middle of 19th century were approximately the same as they are today for the whole of south and central Sweden. Three main explanations for this were (1) large areas of bare fallow typical for the farming practice at the time; (2) enhanced mineralisation from newly cultivated land; and (3) low yield . From 1865, i.e. the start of the calculations, N leaching rates decreased and were at their lowest around 1930. During the same period, gross load was also at its lowest despite the fact that the acreage of arable land was at its most extensive. After 1930, average leaching increased by 60% and gross load by 30%, both reaching a peak in the mid-1970s to be followed by a declining trend. The greatest increase in leaching was in regions where the increase in animal density was largest and these regions were also those where the natural conditions for leaching such as mild winters and coarse-textured soils were found. Extensive draining projects occurred during the period of investigation, in particular an intensive exploitation of lakes and wetlands. This caused a substantial drop in nitrogen retention and the probable increase in net load to the sea might thus have been more affected by this decrease in retention than the actual increase in gross load.     

周期换向电絮凝法用于处理含铬废水研究

以铁作为极板,采用周期换向电絮凝法处理含铬废水,考察了初始pH值,电流密度,处理时间,初始质量浓度及周期换向时间等因素的影响.结果表明,在初始pH值为8.0~9.0,电流密度为16.37A/m2,处理时间为3.0min,初始浓度为40mg/l时,总铬和六价铬的去除效果理想,去除率均在99.5%以上;10~15min的换向周期在一定程度上解决了极板钝化问题,可降低10%~20%的能耗.实验结果表明周期换向电絮凝法处理含铬废水效果好,且可降低能耗.     

Cannibalistic feeding of larval Trichogramma carverae parasitoids in moth eggs

Wasps of the genus Trichogramma parasitise the eggs of Lepidoptera. They may deposit one or many eggs in each host. Survival is high at low density but reaches a plateau as density increases. To reveal the mechanism by which excess larvae die we chose a lepidopteran host that has flattened, transparent eggs and used video microscopy to record novel feeding behaviours and interactions of larval Trichogramma carverae (Oatman and Pinto) at different densities. Single larvae show a rapid food ingestion phase, followed by a period of extensive saliva release. Ultimately the host egg is completely consumed. The larva then extracts excess moisture from the egg, providing a dry environment for pupation. When multiple larvae are present, the initial scramble for food results in the larvae consuming all of the egg contents early in development. All larvae survive if there is sufficient food for all to reach a threshold developmental stage. If not, physical proximity results in attack and consumption of others, continuing until the surviving larvae reach the threshold stage beyond which attacks seem to be no longer effective. The number of larvae remaining at the end of rapid ingestion dictates how many will survive to emerge as adults. Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Pollen foraging: learning a complex motor skill by bumblebees (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus terrestris</Emphasis>)

To investigate how bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) learn the complex motor skills involved in pollen foraging, we observed naïve workers foraging on arrays of nectarless poppy flowers (Papaver rhoeas) in a greenhouse. Foraging skills were quantified by measuring the pollen load collected during each foraging bout and relating this to the number of flowers visited and bout duration on two consecutive days. The pollen standing crop (PSC) in each flower decreased drastically from 0530 to 0900 hours. Therefore, we related foraging performance to the changing levels of pollen available (per flower) and found that collection rate increased over the course of four consecutive foraging bouts (comprising between 277 and 354 individual flower visits), suggesting that learning to forage for pollen represents a substantial time investment for individual foragers. The pollen collection rate and size of pollen loads collected at the start of day 2 were markedly lower than at the end of day 1, suggesting that components of pollen foraging behaviour could be subject to imperfect overnight retention. Our results suggest that learning the necessary motor skills to collect pollen effectively from morphologically simple flowers takes three times as many visits as learning how to handle the most morphologically complex flowers to extract nectar, potentially explaining why bees are more specialised in their choice of pollen flowers.     

Parental conflict and blue egg coloration in a seabird

When both parents provide offspring care, equal sharing of costly parental duties may enhance reproductive success. This is crucial for longlived species, where increased parental effort in current reproduction profoundly affects future reproduction. Indication of reproductive value or willingness to invest in reproduction may promote matching responses by mates, thus reducing the conflict over care. In birds with biparental care, blue-green eggshell color may function as a signal of reproductive value that affects parental effort, as predicted by the signaling hypothesis of blue-green eggshell coloration. However, this hypothesis has not been explored during incubation, when the potential stimulus of egg color is present, and has been little studied in longlived birds. We experimentally studied if egg color affected incubation patterns in the blue-footed booby, a longlived species with biparental care and blue eggs. We exchanged fresh eggs between nests of the same laying date and recorded parental incubation effort on the following 4 days. Although egg color did not affect male effort, original eggshell color was correlated with pair matching in incubation. Exchanged eggshell color did not affect incubation patterns. This suggests that biliverdin-based egg coloration reflects female quality features that are associated with pair incubation effort or that blue-footed boobies mate assortatively high-quality pairs incubating more colorful clutches. An intriguing possibility is that egg coloration facilitates an equal sharing of incubation, the signal being functional only during a short period close to laying. Results also suggest that indication of reproductive value reduces the conflict over care.     

Identifying a breeding habitat of a critically endangered fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acheilognathus typus</Emphasis>, in a natural river in Japan

Freshwater biodiversity has been severely threatened in recent years, and to conserve endangered species, their distribution and breeding habitats need to be clarified. However, identifying breeding sites in a large area is generally difficult. Here, by combining the emerging environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis with subsequent traditional collection surveys, we successfully identified a breeding habitat for the critically endangered freshwater fish Acheilognathus typus in the mainstream of Omono River in Akita Prefecture, Japan, which is one of the original habitats of this species. Based on DNA cytochrome B sequences of A. typus and closely related species, we developed species-specific primers and a probe that were used in real-time PCR for detecting A. typus eDNA. After verifying the specificity and applicability of the primers and probe on water samples from known artificial habitats, eDNA analysis was applied to water samples collected at 99 sites along Omono River. Two of the samples were positive for A. typus eDNA, and thus, small fixed nets and bottle traps were set out to capture adult fish and verify egg deposition in bivalves (the preferred breeding substrate for A. typus) in the corresponding regions. Mature female and male individuals and bivalves containing laid eggs were collected at one of the eDNA-positive sites. This was the first record of adult A. typus in Omono River in 11 years. This study highlights the value of eDNA analysis to guide conventional monitoring surveys and shows that combining both methods can provide important information on breeding sites that is essential for species’ conservation.     

微电解法处理阴离子表面活性剂废水的研究

利用微电解反应器对阴离子表面活性剂（ＬＡＳ）溶液、洗浴废水和采油废水进行了实验研究，考察了电压、停留时间、ｐＨ值和电导率对处理效果的影响，并对处理机理进行了初步探讨。实验表明：ＬＡＳ废水的最佳处理电压在２０Ｖ以下，停留时间６０～９０ｍｉｎ，ＣＯＤｃｒ、ＬＡＳ的去除率在６５％以上，处理电耗受原水电导率影响很大。     

积融雪控制下土壤大气间汞交换通量特征

位于松花江上游流域的夹皮沟金矿曾是我国采金量最大的矿区,广泛使用的混汞法提金工艺导致了严重的区域环境介质汞污染.为研究稳定性季节积雪及融雪控制过程土壤(雪)大气间汞交换通量特征,选择区域内典型"山-谷"地形结构单元,沿坡面等距进行布点,使用动态通量箱法测定了各采样点土壤(雪)大气间汞交换通量,使用塞曼效应汞分析仪(LUMEX Zeeman RA915+)测定了各采样点近地面(0～150 cm)垂直方向上大气汞浓度分布,分析了同步气象因子、积融雪控制下地表性质和近地面大气汞的垂直分布各因素对土壤(雪)大气间汞交换通量特征的影响.结果表明,冬季积雪和融雪期间,大气中汞均有沿山坡向谷底汇集的趋势,在积雪冷源性下垫面所致逆温层结控制下,汞交换通量表现为明显的由大气向土壤(雪)的沉降过程.融雪期间雪融后地表土壤大气间汞交换通量表现为释放与沉降过程交替,仍然积雪地表大气间汞交换通量沉降水平明显弱于积雪期.分析土壤(雪)大气间汞交换通量与其影响因素间关系发现,积雪期土壤(雪)大气间汞交换通量与大气汞浓度和大气温度间均具有显著的负线性相关关系;融雪期土壤(雪)大气间汞交换通量与大气汞浓度间具有明显的负线性相关关系,与大气温度间具有正线性相关关系;雪融后裸露土壤大气间汞交换通量与地温间呈现一定的正线性相关关系.     

敞口地炉内燃烧煤泥饼时氟的逸出规律及控制

利用特制精确控温敞口炉,模拟重病区居民燃烧煤泥饼时氟的排放及控制,分析了停留时间、燃烧温度对氟排放的影响,探讨了CaCO₃添加量及燃烧温度与固氟率的关系.结果表明:随着煤泥饼在炉内停留时间的延长,氟的逸出率逐渐增大,1 h后氟的排放达到平衡;氟逸出率随温度升高而增加,900 ℃时逸出率平均为80%,与病区实际燃烧排氟量相吻合;煤泥饼中添加CaCO₃能有效控制燃烧氟排放,固氟率随CaCO₃添加量的增加而增大,w(CaCO₃)为10%时达到最佳固氟效果;500～800 ℃内固氟率随温度升高而增加,800 ℃时固氟率最高,平均为44.2%,温度继续升高则固氟率下降,900 ℃时为25.0%.      

入库河流输入对密云水库磷滞留过程的影响分析

上游河流输入是密云水库磷最主要的来源,目前多数研究集中在对输入负荷的估算上,但分析其对库区总磷负荷影响的研究并不多见.本文估算了2002—2011年间总磷的出、入库质量负荷,并分析了其对库区磷滞留量、滞留率和内源释放的影响.结果表明,密云水库TP入库浓度和负荷都呈现逐年降低趋势,并主要受流量的影响.出库和库区内TP负荷基本稳定,而滞留量的变化趋势与河流入库输入一致.库区TP年均滞留率达到61.4%.与许多研究结果不同的是,因密云水库大集水面积、高水位和低流量的库区特征,总磷滞留率受水力负荷和水力滞留时间的影响不大,主要决定于河流入库负荷.另外,入库负荷的降低也可能促进底泥磷的释放.因此,控制上游TP负荷输入是降低库区TP滞留量最根本的措施,但因底泥释放补给,在短时间内库区内磷含量不会出现明显降低.     

聚合氯化铝及聚合氯化铝铁处理微污染地表水效果

选用两种无机高分子混凝剂聚合氯化铝(PAC)和聚合氯化铝铁(PAFC),与传统混凝剂Al2(SO4)3处理微污染地表水。以浊度和CODMn去除率为主要指标,考察投药量和pH对混凝效果的影响。通过考察沉淀时间对浊度去除效果的影响,结合实验现象,讨论三种混凝剂生成矾花的大小和沉降性能。结果发现,PAC和PAFC在5mg/L的投药量下可以取得较好的混凝效果,出水符合GB 5749-2006《生活饮用水卫生标准》。三种混凝剂的最佳pH为6,PAFC受pH影响较小,当pH为5～8时可取得较好的CODMn去除效果。PAFC生成的矾花体积较大,沉降性能较好,在实际应用中可缩短沉淀池的水力停留时间。     

Does contrast between eggshell ground and spot coloration affect egg rejection?

Obligate avian brood parasitic species impose the costs of incubating foreign eggs and raising young upon their unrelated hosts. The most common host defence is the rejection of parasitic eggs from the nest. Both egg colours and spot patterns influence egg rejection decisions in many host species, yet no studies have explicitly examined the role of variation in spot coloration. We studied the American robin Turdus migratorius, a blue-green unspotted egg-laying host of the brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater, a brood parasite that lays non-mimetic spotted eggs. We examined host responses to model eggs with variable spot coloration against a constant robin-mimetic ground colour to identify patterns of rejection associated with perceived contrast between spot and ground colours. By using avian visual modelling, we found that robins were more likely to reject eggs whose spots had greater chromatic (hue) but not achromatic (brightness) contrast. Therefore, egg rejection decision rules in the American robin may depend on the colour contrast between parasite eggshell spot and host ground coloration. Our study also suggests that egg recognition in relation to spot coloration, like ground colour recognition, is tuned to the natural variation of avian eggshell spot colours but not to unnatural spot colours.     

Modeling soil conservation, water conservation and their tradeoffs:A case study in Beijing

Natural ecosystems provide society with important goods and services. With the rapid increase in human populations and excessive utilization of natural resources, humans frequently enhance the production of some services at the expense of the others. Although the need for tradeoffs between conservation and development is urgent, the lack of efficient methods to assess such tradeoffs has impeded progress. Three land use strategy scenarios (development scenario, plan trend scenario and conservation scenario) were created to forecast potential changes in ecosystem services from 2007 to 2050 in Beijing, China. GIS-based techniques were used to map spatial and temporal distribution and changes in ecosystem services for each scenario. The provision of ecosystem services differed spatially, with significant changes being associated with different scenarios. Scenario analysis of water yield (as average annual yield) and soil retention (as retention rate per unit area) for the period 2007 to 2050 indicated that the highest values for these parameters were predicted for the forest habitat under all three scenarios. Annual yield/retention of forest, shrub, and grassland ranked the highest in the conservation scenario. Total water yield and soil retention increased in the conservation scenario and declined dramatically in the other two scenarios, especially the development scenario. The conservation scenario was the optimal land use strategy, resulting in the highest soil retention and water yield. Our study suggests that the evaluation and visualization of ecosystem services can effectively assist in understanding the tradeoffs between conservation and development. Results of this study have implications for planning and monitoring future management of natural capital and ecosystem services, which can be integrated into land use decision-making.     

ASBR处理高浓度悬浮固体废物的工艺特性

在水力停留时间(HRT)分别为20、10、7.5、5d的条件下,进行了中温、高温厌氧序批式反应器(ASBR)处理热水解污泥的试验,在此基础上总结了ASBR处理高浓度悬浮固体废物的工艺特性.ASBR可以有效积累悬浮固体从而保持较高的固体浓度,但ASBR存在一“临界点”,即最大积累悬浮固体的能力,超过此临界点,反应器运行不稳.在稳态运行条件下,ASBR能保持较高固体停留时间(SRT)和微生物平均细胞停留时间(MCRT),在处理热水解污泥时,SRT和MCRT分别是水力停留时间(HRT)的2.53～3.73倍、2.03～3.14倍.因此,与传统的连续流搅拌反应器(CSTR)相比,ASBR的处理效率提高7.13%～34.68%.     

Body size phenotypes are heritable and mediate fecundity but not fitness in the lepidopteran frugivore Cydia pomonella

The inheritance and functional roles of quantitative traits are central concerns of evolutionary ecology. We report two sets of experiments that investigated the heritability and reproductive consequences of body size phenotypes in a globally distributed lepidopteran frugivore, Cydia pomonella (L.). In our first set of experiments, we tested the hypotheses that (1) body size is heritable and (2) parental body size mediates egg production and offspring survival. Midparent–offspring regression analyses revealed that body mass is highly heritable for females and moderately heritable for males. The contribution of fathers to estimates of additive genetic variance was slightly greater than for mothers. Egg production increased with mean parental size, but offspring survival rates were equivalent. Based on this result, we tested two additional hypotheses in a second set of experiments: (3) male size moderates female egg production and egg fertility and (4) egg production, egg fertility, and offspring survival rate are influenced by female mating opportunities. Females paired with large males produced more eggs and a higher proportion of fertile eggs than females paired with small males. Females with multiple mating opportunities produced more fertile eggs than females paired with a single male. However, egg production and offspring survival rates were unaffected by the number of mating opportunities. Our experiments demonstrate that body mass is heritable in C. pomonella and that size phenotypes may mediate fecundity but not fitness. We conclude that male size can influence egg production and fertility, but female mate choice also plays a role in determining egg fertility.     

Within-year differences in reproductive investment in laboratory zebra finches (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Taeniopygia guttata</Emphasis>), an opportunistically breeding bird

Reproduction in opportunistically breeding bird species has traditionally been considered non-seasonal with individuals taking advantage of favourable environmental conditions as they arise. However, some studies imply that this opportunistic breeding may be superimposed on an underlying seasonality, which has effects on the readiness to breed when conditions are favourable. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is the classic opportunistic breeder and widely used as such in studies. In a series of laboratory-based breeding experiments, we found evidence to suggest that there are seasonal differences in maternal reproductive investment in the zebra finch even when photoperiod, temperature, relative humidity and diet were held constant. Females showed highly significant seasonal differences in clutch size and egg mass with laying order. Clutch size showed a spring/summer peak typical of multi-brooded species in the wild. There was also a significant increase in egg mass with laying order in all seasons except winter. This variation in breeding parameters with season may allow females to adjust investment depending on the potential fitness returns from a given reproductive attempt. These findings also raise a warning about interpreting results of multiple zebra finch breeding experiments that have been carried out in different seasons.     

The Detection Rate of Enteric Viruses and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium difficile</Emphasis> in a Waste Water Treatment Plant Effluent

Waste water treatment plant (WWTP) is considered as an important source of surface water contamination by enteric pathogens. In this study, we describe the occurrence of enteric viruses (group A rotaviruses, noroviruses, astroviruses, sapoviruses, hepatitis A virus, and hepatitis E virus) and Clostridium difficile in the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant during a 1-year period. Enteric viruses were simultaneously and efficiently concentrated in a single step using methacrylate monolithic chromatographic support. Rotaviruses, noroviruses (genogroup I and II), and sapoviruses were detected in all 12 concentrated samples, whereas astroviruses were not detected in August and September and hepatitis A and E viruses were not detected at all. Clostridium difficile was detected in all samples and altogether 121 strains were isolated and grouped into 32 different ribotypes of which 014/020 and 010 were most prevalent. Pathogens detected in WWTP effluent partially reflect the epidemiological situation of enteric viruses and C. difficile in human population and open the discussion on implementation of possible techniques for virus and bacteria removal from WWTP effluent prior to release into the surface water system.     

Removal of PCDD/Fs and PCBs from sediment by oxygen free pyrolysis

Few studies have dealt on the evaluation of volatilization and decomposition reactions of dioxins from sediment by oxygen free pyrolysis. In this study, the performance of pyrolysis on the removal of dioxins from sediment was investigated. Dioxin concentrations of the raw sediment and the solid residues after pyrolysis were analyzed at different conditions. Results showed a removal efficiency of 99.9999% for total dioxins at 800℃ and retention time of 30 min. All the polychlorinated dibenzo-furans （PCDFs） have been removed and were not formed in the solid residues at the retention time range of 30-90 min at 800℃. Close to 100% removal of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins （PCDDs） was also achieved. Only trace PCDDs were detected in the solid yields at a retention time of 60 min. The highest removal efficiency of polychlorinated biphenyls （PCBs） was more than 99.9994% at a retention time of 30 min. During cooling period following pyrolysis, however, the concentration of total dioxins in solid residues increased 130 times as compared to that of the raw sediment under air atmosphere. This confirmed that some complex reactions do occur to form PCDD/Fs and PCBs from 800 to 400℃ in the presence of oxygen. Oxygen-free atmosphere therefore can prevent formation of dioxin during thermal process thus generating clean solid residues.