Pre- and post-hatch trophic egg production in the subsocial burrower bug, Canthophorus niveimarginatus (Heteroptera: Cydnidae)

In recent years, three terrestrial bugs, Adomerus triguttulus and Sehirus cinctus (Cydnidae) and the closely related Parastrachia japonensis (Parastrachiidae), have been the focus of several fascinating studies because of the remarkable, extensive parental care they were found to display. This care includes egg and nymph guarding, production of trophic eggs, unfertilized, low cost eggs that are used as food by newly hatched nymphs, and progressive provisioning of the host seed. In this study, we have investigated yet a third related Asian cydnid, Canthophorus niveimarginatus, with regard to the possible occurrence of some or all of these complex traits in order to assess how widespread these maternal investment patterns are in this group of insects and to better understand the implications of their manifestations from an evolutionary context. Manipulative experiments were carried out in the lab to determine whether females provision nests. Observational and egg removal studies were carried out to determine whether trophic eggs are produced, and, if they are, their possible impact on nymphal success. The findings revealed that C. niveimarginatus does, in fact, progressively provision young, and this species also displays all of the other behaviors associated with extended parental care in subsocial insects. Moreover, unlike the other two related species, which place trophic eggs on the surface of the original egg mass, C. niveimarginatus produces both pre- and post-hatch trophic eggs. Nymphs deprived of access to post-hatch trophic eggs had significantly lower body weight and survival rate than those that fed on them. To our knowledge, this is the first time the production of both pre- and post-hatch trophic eggs has been demonstrated in insects outside the Hymenoptera. In this paper, we qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrate the provisioning behavior and patterns of trophic egg production in C. niveimarginatus. When and how trophic eggs are produced and delivered to young should have important correlations with the ecological and life history constraints under which a species has evolved. Thus, we also discuss the possible ecological and life history factors that favor the evolution of post-hatch trophic eggs.     

Choosy males from the underground: male mating preferences in surface- and cave-dwelling Atlantic mollies (Poecilia mexicana)

Atlantic mollies (Poecilia mexicana) inhabit a variety of surface habitats, but they also occur in a sulfur cave in southern Mexico. We examined male mate choice relative to female body size in the cave population and in the most closely related surface-dwelling population from a nearby river. Males from both populations were either light- or dark-reared and could choose between two differently sized females either on the basis of visual cues in light or on the basis of solely nonvisual cues in darkness. Sexual preferences were estimated from the degree of association. Cave molly males always showed a preference for the larger female, both in light and in darkness. Among the surface males, only light-reared males showed a preference in the visual cues test, but not in darkness. In a control experiment, we demonstrated that male association preferences directly translate into actual mating preferences. Apparently, using visual cues for mate choice is the ancestral state in this system, and using nonvisual cues has evolved as a novel trait in the cave population. We discuss the evolution of nonvisual male mate choice in the context of changed environmental conditions, namely the absence of light, hypoxia, and toxic hydrogen sulfide in the cave.     

集成模块系统同步硝化反硝化处理低碳氮比污水的试验

以模拟低C/N比污水为研究对象,采用集成模块式污水处理装置与技术,在反应器主反应区实现了同步硝化反硝化(SND),研究了在不同DO、HRT、C/N比、pH值下污水氨氮、总氮的去除,研究结果表明,DO=1.2~1.4mg/L,总HRT=20h(主反应区HRT=8h),原水C/N=5:1,pH=7.5时,NH3--N可以从15mg/L降至2.5mg/L,总氮可以从20mg/L降至4mg/L,去除率可以达到83%和80%;主反应区SND动力学模型求解得出集成模块式污水处理SND动力学方程及反硝化过程中硝酸盐氮饱和常数 =1.55mg/L,远高于普通活性污泥反硝化过程中的饱和常数0.06~0.2mg/L.集成模块式污水处理技术能高效去除低C/N比污水中的总氮,且具有运行稳定和抗冲击等优点.为中小城镇生活污水深度脱氮提供了技术支持和理论基础.     

Canopy compass in nocturnal homing of the subsocial shield bug, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parastrachia japonensis</Emphasis> (Heteroptera: Parastrachiidae)

In contrast to an open environment where a specific celestial cue is predominantly used, visual contrast of canopies against the sky through the gap, known as canopy cues, is known to play a major role for visually guided insect navigators in woodland habitats. In this paper, we investigated whether a subsocial shield bug, Parastrachia japonensis, could gauge direction using canopy cues on a moonless night. The results show that they could perform the round trip foraging behaviour even in an experimental arena with only an artificial round gap opened in the ceiling of the arena and adjust their homing direction for a new azimuth when the gap was rotated. Thus, P. japonensis can use slightly brighter canopy cues as a compass reference but not complex landmarks during nocturnal homing behaviour.     

F/M比在活性污泥污水处理工艺中的概念扩展和相关关系的建立

在活性污泥污水处理工艺中原有的进水F M比 (即fi)概念的基础上 ,首次引入了出水F M比 (即fe)、进出水F M比减少量 (即 -Δf)和复合半饱和常数Kfs等概念 ,由此建立了F M比 (包括fi、fe 和 -Δf)与曝气池主要运行参数及性能指标之间的相关定性定量关系 ,以及fe 随时间变化的动态定量关系 .采用真实的污水厂的数据 ,对相关关系的合理性进行了验证 ,并用灵敏度分析证明了fe 较优地反映了曝气池运行状况     

Males do not see only red: UV wavelengths and male territorial aggression in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Animal colour signals serve important functions in intraspecific interactions, including species recognition, mate choice and agonistic behaviour. An increasing interest concerns ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths, for instance studies on the effect of UV in mating decisions. More recently, some studies also established that UV signals affect intrasexual interactions. We studied the role of UV during aggressive encounters between male three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a species in which UV has an effect on female and male mate choice and shoaling behaviour. To that aim, we compared the aggressive response of a territorial male to male intruders, either seen in UV-including (UV+) or UV-lacking (UV-) conditions. Our prediction was that, if UV wavelengths are used in male-male competition, a territorial male should show less competitive behaviour towards an intruder representing a lower threat, i.e. the one presented without UV light. Male sticklebacks showed significantly lower levels of aggression towards male opponents lacking an UV component to their coloration than male opponents possessing this colour component. Discrimination was not influenced by a difference in brightness between the UV+ and UV- stimuli. Finally, we present some reflectance-spectrophotometrical data of two skin regions (cheek and abdomen) of the experimental males and analysed relationships between colorimetric variables, body variables and behaviour. Our study emphasises that UV visual cues are of importance in different communicational tasks in the three-spined stickleback.     

Natural and artificial landscape change in a Dutch estuary: partially monitored with low budget method (a study in the fourth dimension)

This study includes ome aspects of the shift in the Dutch attitude in relation to water during the past millennia from defense to attack to keeping the balance(“co-evolution“).It has a special focus on the freshwater tidal part,which embraces the largest of the world:Rotterdam ,as well as the largest national park of the Northerlands.It reports especially about a young mans endeavor in half a c century real time monitoring of some land (scape) units with simple means.