Selective olfactory attention of a specialised predator to intraspecific chemical signals of its prey

Prey-specialised predators have evolved specific cognitive adaptations that increase their prey searching efficiency. In particular, when the prey is social, selection probably favours the use of prey intraspecific chemical signals by predatory arthropods. Using a specialised ant-eating zodariid spider, Zodarion rubidum, which is known to prey on several ant species and possesses capture and venom adaptations more effective on Formicinae ants, we tested its ability to recognise chemical cues produced by several ant species. Using an olfactometer, we tested the response of Z. rubidum towards air with chemical cues from six different ant species: Camponotus ligniperda, Lasius platythorax and Formica rufibarbis (all Formicinae); and Messor structor, Myrmica scabrinodis and Tetramorium caespitum (all Myrmicinae). Z. rubidum was attracted to air carrying chemical cues only from F. rufibarbis and L. platythorax. Then, we identified that the spiders were attracted to airborne cues coming from the F. rufibarbis gaster and Dufour's gland, in particular. Finally, we found that among several synthetic blends, the decyl acetate and undecane mixture produced significant attraction of spiders. These chemicals are produced only by three Formicine genera. Furthermore, we investigated the role of these chemical cues in the communication of F. rufibarbis and found that this blend reduces their movement. This study demonstrates the chemical cognitive capacity of Z. rubidum to locate its ant prey using chemical signals produced by the ants. The innate capacity of Z. rubidum to olfactory detect different ant species is narrow, as it includes only two ant genera, confirming trophic specialisation at lower than subfamily level. The olfactory cue detected by Zodarion spiders is probably a component of the recruitment or trail pheromone.     

The role of tending ants in host plant selection and egg parasitism of two facultative myrmecophilous butterflies

Ovipositing adult females of myrmecophilous lycaenids are expected to select plants based on ant presence in order to maximize the survivorship of immature stages. Usually, larvae feed ants with honey-like solutions and, in turn, ants ward off parasitoids. Nonetheless, a rarely investigated approach is whether ant partners can also extend their protective behavior towards lycaenids eggs. Here, we investigated the ant-related oviposition pattern of Allosmaitia strophius and Rekoa marius; then, we compared egg parasitism according to the presence of ants. Lycaenid oviposition and egg parasitism (in percent) were experimentally compared in ant-present and ant-excluded treatments. The study plant, Heteropterys byrsonimifolia, is an extrafloral nectaried shrub which supports several ant species. We sampled 280 eggs, of which 39.65 % belonged to A. strophius and 60.35 % to R. marius. Both lycaenids eggs were significantly more abundant on branches with ants, especially those with Camponotus crassus and Camponotus blandus, two ant species known to attend to lycaenids. A. strophius and R. marius parasitism was 4.5- and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, in ant-present treatments, but the results were not statistically significant. Our study shows that ant-mediated host plant selection in lycaenids might be much more widespread than previously thought, and not restricted to obligate myrmecophilous species. Tending ants may be inefficient bodyguards of lycaenid eggs, because unlike larvae which release sugared liquids, eggs do not offer obvious rewards to ants. Ants can ward off parasitoids of larvae, as observed elsewhere, but our findings show that positive ant–lycaenid interactions are conditional and depend on immature ontogeny.     

Chemical compositions of PM2.5 aerosol during haze periods in the mountainous city of Yong'an, China

Haze phenomena were found to have an increasing tendency in recent years in Yong'an, a mountainous industrial city located in the center part of Fujian Province, China. Atmospheric fine particles (PM_2.5) in the urban area during haze periods in three seasons (spring, autumn and winter) from 2007 to 2008 were collected, and the mass concentrations and chemical compositions (seventeen elements, water soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) and carbonaceous species) of PM_2.5 were determined. PM_2.5 mass concentrations did not show a distinct difference among the three seasons. The carbonaceous species organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) constituted up to 19.2%-30.4% of the PM_2.5 mass during sampling periods, while WSIIs made up 25.3%-52.5% of the PM_2.5 mass. The major ions in PM_2.5 were SO₄^2-, NO₃^- and NH₄⁺, while the major elements were Si, K, Pb, Zn, Ca and Al. The experimental results (from data based on three haze periods with a 10-day sampling length for each period) showed that the crustal element species was the most abundant component of PM_2.5 in spring, and the secondary ions species (SO₄^2-, NO₃^-, NH₄⁺, etc.) was the most abundant component in PM_2.5 in autumn and winter. This indicated that dust was the primary pollution source for PM_2.5 in spring and combustion and traffic emissions could be the main pollution sources for PM_2.5 in autumn and winter. Generally, coal combustion and traffic emissions were considered to be the most prominent pollution sources for this city on haze days.     

Highly modular pattern in ant-plant interactions involving specialized and non-specialized myrmecophytes

Because Tachia guianensis (Gentianaceae) is a “non-specialized myrmecophyte” associated with 37 ant species, we aimed to determine if its presence alters the ant guild associated with sympatric “specialized myrmecophytes” (i.e., plants sheltering a few ant species in hollow structures). The study was conducted in a hilly zone of a neotropical rainforest where two specialized myrmecophytes grow at the bottom of the slopes, another at mid-slope, and a fourth on the hilltops. Tachia guianensis, which occurred everywhere, had its own guild of associated ant species. A network analysis showed that its connections with the four other myrmecophytes were rare and weak, the whole resulting in a highly modular pattern of interactions with one module (i.e., subnetwork) per myrmecophyte. Three ant species parasitized three out of the four specialized myrmecophytes (low nestedness noted), but were not or barely associated with T. guianensis that therefore did not influence the parasitism of specialized myrmecophytes.     

Non-specific association between filamentous bacteria and fungus-growing ants

Fungus-growing ants and their fungal cultivar form a highly evolved mutualism that is negatively affected by the specialized parasitic fungus Escovopsis. Filamentous Pseudonocardia bacteria occurring on the cuticle of attine ants have been proposed to form a mutualistic interaction with these ants in which they are vertically transmitted (i.e. from parent to offspring colonies). Given a strictly vertical transmission of Pseudonocardia, the evolutionary theory predicts a reduced genetic variability of symbionts among ant lineages. The aim of this study was to verify whether actinomycetes, which occur on Acromyrmex octospinosus leaf-cutting ants, meet this expectation by comparing their genotypic variability with restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Multiple actinomycete strains could be isolated from both individual ant workers and colonies (one to seven strains per colony). The colony specificity of actinomycete communities was high: Only 15% of all strains were isolated from more than one colony, and just 5% were present in both populations investigated. Partial sequencing of 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid of two of the isolated strains assigned both of them to the genus Streptomyces. Actinomycetes could also be isolated from workers of the two non-attine ant species Myrmica rugulosa and Lasius flavus. Sixty-two percent of the strains derived from attine ants and 80% of the strains isolated from non-attine ants inhibited the growth of Escovopsis. Our data suggest that the association between attine ants and their actinomycete symbionts is less specific then previously thought. Soil-dwelling actinomycetes may have been dynamically recruited from the environment (horizontal transmission), probably reflecting an adaptation to a diverse community of microbial pathogens.     

Economic use of renewable resources,LCA, cleaner batch processes and minimising emissions and wastewater

This editorial introduces and provides an overview of this Special Issue dedicated to papers from the 7th conference Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction – PRES 2004. It contains 10 selected papers. The first three papers address important features of cleaner production – renewable resources, CO₂ emissions and Life Cycle Assessment. The second group of papers addresses cleaner production approaches to batch processed. The third set of papers studies reduction of emissions from industrial production including SO_x and NO_x. The last paper focuses upon minimisation of wastewater from industrial production.     

A review of myrmecophily in ant nest beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Paussinae): linking early observations with recent findings

Myrmecophily provides various examples of how social structures can be overcome to exploit vast and well-protected resources. Ant nest beetles (Paussinae) are particularly well suited for ecological and evolutionary considerations in the context of association with ants because life habits within the subfamily range from free-living and predatory in basal taxa to obligatory myrmecophily in derived Paussini. Adult Paussini are accepted in the ant society, although parasitising the colony by preying on ant brood. Host species mainly belong to the ant families Myrmicinae and Formicinae, but at least several paussine genera are not host-specific. Morphological adaptations, such as special glands and associated tufts of hair (trichomes), characterise Paussini as typical myrmecophiles and lead to two different strategical types of body shape: while certain Paussini rely on the protective type with less exposed extremities, other genera access ant colonies using glandular secretions and trichomes (symphile type). We compare these adaptations with other taxonomic groups of insects by joining contemporary research and early sources and discuss the possibility of an attracting or appeasing effect of the secretion. Species that are ignored by their host ants might use chemical mimicry instead. Furthermore, vibrational signals may contribute to ant–beetle communication, and chemical signals have proven to play a role in host finding. The powerful defense chemistry of paussines as “bombardier beetles” is not used in contact with host ants. We attempt to trace the evolution of myrmecophily in paussines by reviewing important aspects of the association between paussine beetles and ants, i.e. morphological and potential chemical adaptations, life cycle, host specificity, alimentation, parasitism and sound production.

A temporary social parasite of tropical plant-ants improves the fitness of a myrmecophyte

Myrmecophytes offer plant-ants a nesting place in exchange for protection from their enemies, particularly defoliators. These obligate ant–plant mutualisms are common model systems for studying factors that allow horizontally transmitted mutualisms to persist since parasites of ant–myrmecophyte mutualisms exploit the rewards provided by host plants whilst providing no protection in return. In pioneer formations in French Guiana, Azteca alfari and Azteca ovaticeps are known to be mutualists of myrmecophytic Cecropia (Cecropia ants). Here, we show that Azteca andreae, whose colonies build carton nests on myrmecophytic Cecropia, is not a parasite of Azteca–Cecropia mutualisms nor is it a temporary social parasite of A. alfari; it is, however, a temporary social parasite of A. ovaticeps. Contrarily to the two mutualistic Azteca species that are only occasional predators feeding mostly on hemipteran honeydew and food bodies provided by the host trees, A. andreae workers, which also attend hemipterans, do not exploit the food bodies. Rather, they employ an effective hunting technique where the leaf margins are fringed with ambushing workers, waiting for insects to alight. As a result, the host trees’ fitness is not affected as A. andreae colonies protect their foliage better than do mutualistic Azteca species resulting in greater fruit production. Yet, contrarily to mutualistic Azteca, when host tree development does not keep pace with colony growth, A. andreae workers forage on surrounding plants; the colonies can even move to a non-Cecropia tree.     

Wintertime measurements of aerosol acidity and trace elements in Wuhan,a city in central China

A 2-week intensive ambient aerosol study was conducted in December 1988 in Wuhan (Hubei Province), a city of nearly 2 million located on the Yangtze River in central China (P.R.C.). This is an industrial region where soft coal burning is widespread, and emission controls for vehicles and industrial facilities are minimal. The sampling site was located in one of the civic centers where residential and commercial density is highest. An Andersen dichotomous sampler was operated with Teflon membrane filters to collect fine (d_p < 2.5 μmad) and coarse (2.5 ⩽ d_p < 10 μmad) particles for total mass and element determinations. An annular denuder system (ADS) was used to collect fine fraction aerosols for analyses of ionic species including strong acidity (H⁺).The study was conducted between 18 and 30 December, which was rainless, consistently cool (3–10°C) and overcast, but without fog or acute stagnation. Fine particulate mass (PM, as μ m⁻³) averaged 139 (range 54–207); coarse PM averaged 86 (range 29–179). Trace element concentrations were also high. Crustal elements (Si, Al, Ca and Fe) were found primarily in the coarse fraction, while elements associated with combustion (S, K, Cl, Zn and Se) were enriched in the fine fraction. The concentrations of arsenic and selenium were evidence of a large source of coal burning, while vanadium levels (associated with fuel oil use) were not especially enriched.Despite the seemingly high PM loadings, ionic concentrations were not especially high. The average composition of soluble fine aerosol species (in neq m⁻³) were SO₄²⁻: 520 (range 180–980), NO₃⁻: 225 (range 50–470), Cl⁻: 215 (range 20–640), and NH₄⁺: 760 (range 280–1660). A deficit in accountable FP components (total mass compared to the total of ionic plus element masses) as well as the black appearance of collected materials indicate an abundance of carbonaceous aerosol, as high as 100 μ m⁻³. (total mass compared to the total of ionic plus element masses) as well as the black appearance of collected materials indicate an abundance of carbonaceous aerosol, as high as 100 μ m⁻³Aerosol acidity was negligible during most monitoring periods, H⁺: 14 (range 0–50 neq m⁻³, equivalent to 0–2.5 μm m⁻³ as H₂SO₄). Sulfur dioxide, measured by the West-Gaeke method for part of the study, concentrations were low. Although not directly measured, the aerosol measurments suggested that gaseous HCl (from refuse incineration) and NH₃ (animal wastes) concentrations might have been high. Higher aerosol acidity might be expected if HCl sources were more prominent and not neutralized by local ammonia or other base components.     

杭州湾潮滩湿地3种优势植物碳氮磷储量特征研究

潮滩植物在碳氮磷生物地球化学循环中发挥着重要的作用.为探明杭州湾潮滩湿地植物碳氮磷储量特征,对植物生物量、碳氮磷含量及储量的季节动态进行了分析.结果表明,3种优势植物芦苇(Phragmites australis)、互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)和海三棱藨草(Scirpus mariqueter)地上生物量呈典型的单峰值曲线.地上部有机碳含量全年变化幅度相对较小,氮磷含量随植物生长而明显下降.植物碳氮磷储量与植物生物量显著正相关.海三棱藨草碳氮磷储量显著低于芦苇和互花米草,芦苇地上部总氮储量显著高于互花米草,但总磷储量则相反,有机碳储量两种植物差异不显著.芦苇、互花米草和海三棱藨草年固碳能力分别是中国陆地植被平均固碳能力的380%、376%和55.5%,以及全球植被平均固碳能力的463%、458%和67.7%.从净化氮磷功能上考虑,7月可认为是本研究区域3种植物的最佳收割时间,且以收获互花米草对水体富营养化的限制性因子磷的去处效果最佳.因此,潮滩植物具有较好的储碳固碳能力和氮磷净化效应.     

Social spiders of the genus Anelosimus occur in wetter, more productive environments than non-social species

Latitude, rainfall, and productivity have been shown to influence social organisation and level of sociality in arthropods on large geographic scales. Social spiders form permanent group-living societies where they cooperate in brood care, web maintenance, and foraging. Sociality has evolved independently in a number of unrelated spider genera and may reflect convergent evolutionary responses to common environmental drivers. The genus Anelosimus contains a third of approximately 25 described permanently social spider species, eight to nine species that all occur in the Americas. To test for environmental correlates of sociality in Anelosimus across the Americas, we used logistic regression to detect effects of annual rainfall, productivity, and precipitation seasonality on the relative likelihood of occurrence of social and non-social Anelosimus spiders. Our analyses show that social species tend to occur at higher annual rainfall and productivity than non-social species, supporting the hypothesised effects of these environmental variables on the geographical distribution of social species. We did not find support for the hypothesis that permanently social species occur in areas with low precipitation seasonality. High annual precipitation and, to less extent, high productivity favour the occurrence of permanently group-living Anelosimus spiders relative to subsocial and solitary species. These results are partially consistent with previous findings for the Old World spider genus Stegodyphus, where a link between high habitat productivity and sociality was also found. Unlike Anelosimus, however, Stegodyphus typically occur in dry habitats negating a general importance of high precipitation for sociality. Sociality in spiders thus seems to be strongly linked to productivity, probably reflecting the need for relatively high availability of large prey to sustain social colonies.     

安太堡露天矿复垦地不同人工植被恢复下的土壤酶活性和肥力比较

人工重建植被是露天矿复垦地植被恢复,提高土壤质量的主要途径之一.选择适宜的人工植被对快速恢复土壤质量具有重要意义.本文主要研究了安太堡露天矿复垦地油松-刺槐-柠条混交林、沙棘-刺槐-柠条-沙枣混交林和苜蓿地的土壤养分含量及酶活性,综合评价了这3种不同植被类型对土壤肥力恢复效果.结果表明,随着植被恢复的进行,土壤养分含量均有增加,油松-刺槐-柠条混交林的土壤养分含量显著高于其它样地.从以养分含量和酶活性权重计算的土壤综合肥力指标值(IFI)可知,油松-刺槐-柠条混交林IFI值最高.综合来看,对土壤重建效果最好的为油松-刺槐-柠条混交林,其次是沙棘-刺槐-柠条-沙枣混交林,再次为苜蓿.     

A new fossil thryonomyid from the Late Miocene of the United Arab Emirates and the origin of African cane rats

Cane rats (Thryonomyidae) are represented today by two species inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa. Their fossil record is predominately African, but includes several Miocene species from Arabia and continental Asia that represent dispersal events from Africa. For example, Paraulacodus indicus, known from the Miocene of Pakistan, is closely related to living Thryonomys. Here we describe a new thryonomyid, Protohummus dango, gen. et sp. nov., from the late Miocene Baynunah Formation of the United Arab Emirates. The new thryonomyid is less derived than “Thryonomys” asakomae from the latest Miocene of Ethiopia and clarifies the origin of crown Thryonomys and the evolutionary transition from Paraulacodus. A phylogenetic analysis shows Protohummus dango to be morphologically intermediate between Paraulacodus spp. and extinct and living Thryonomys spp. The morphological grade and phylogenetic position of Protohummus dango further supports previous biochronological estimates of the age of the Baynunah Formation (ca. 6–8 Ma).     

Geographic variations in seed dispersal by ants: are plant and seed traits decisive?

The effect of local ant species on the dispersal success of a myrmecochorous plant, Helleborus foetidus, was analyzed in two populations of the Iberian Peninsula (Caurel and Cazorla, respectively). The contribution of the various local ant species to dispersal was very unequal. While 5 and 19 ant taxa visited the plants of Caurel and Cazorla, respectively, most removal activity (67 and 80%) was performed by two species only (Formica lugubris and Camponotus cruentatus, respectively). Visits by dispersers were also unequally distributed between neighboring plants. While some plants were always visited during the period of seed release, others were never visited. A regression model indicated that this pattern might be explained by two plant traits: ants preferred to visit plants that released more seeds and whose elaiosomes were richer in oleic acid. Although it has long been known that this compound triggers removal by ants, it is the first demonstration that quantitative variations in elaiosome traits contribute to variation in dispersal success. Finally, other variables being equal, morphological traits (seed size, elaiosome size, and elaiosome/seed size ratio) did not affect ant behavior. Although myrmecochory has long been considered a diffuse interaction, our results support the idea that, at local scale, a limited number of ant species may be decisive to its evolution.     

酸性矿山废水天然中和形成的富铁沉淀及其环境属性

采集了云南王家滩铁矿的酸性矿山排水及其与溪流中和后的溪水与沉积物, 运用谱学及电子显微分析等方法,对采集样品的化学及矿物学等方面的特征进行了分析. 结果表明, 王家滩铁矿的酸性矿山排水在与未污染溪水中和时, 酸度和电导率均显著降低, 但元素的浓度变化不很一致, 沿水流方向,除Fe3+、SO2-4、 Ca2+等少数元素, 大多数元素的浓度都未发生明显的降低. 中和成因沉淀物具有富铁的特征,矿物组成以水铁矿为主, 此外在下游沉积物中还见有少量针铁矿及纤铁矾. 其中上游中和区水铁矿以2线水铁矿为主, 下游以6线水铁矿为主. 而各处沉积均具有明显的分层特征,且均为外层以2线水铁矿为主, 内层以6线水铁矿及针铁矿为主. 以水铁矿为主要矿物的中和沉积物对各种有毒有害元素具有较强的吸持作用. 对这些结果的进一步分析表明, 在成因上,pH值和SO2-4的浓度共同控制了水铁矿的形成;在重(类)金属吸持方面,水铁矿的迁移及相应的对AMD中重(类)金属的自净化作用受中和区域的水动力条件影响较大.     

响应面法优化MAP沉淀去除回收尿液中磷的研究

基于模拟尿液的组成特点,利用Box-Behnken Design实验及响应面法对磷酸铵镁(MAP)沉淀去除回收尿液磷过程中反应pH值、Mg²⁺与PO₄^3-物质的量比(Mg/P比)及Ca²⁺与PO₄^3-物质的量比(Ca/P比)3个重要影响因素(分别表示为X₁、X₂、X₃)及各因素之间的交互式影响进行考察,并利用SEM、FTIR、ICP和XRD表征手段分析结晶沉淀组成和晶形特征.实验结果表明,回归方程中X₁、X₂、X₃、X₁X₃、X₂X₃、X₁²、X²₂、X₃²对磷去除率影响显著;当反应pH值和Mg/P比范围分别在8.5~9.5和1.0~1.2之间时,磷去除率响应值能达到99%.产物表征结果表明,模拟尿液中K⁺和Na⁺对结晶干扰较小;当Ca²⁺的浓度相对较低(Ca/P比小于0.25)时,沉淀中MAP的纯度高于85%,晶体形状大部分为斜方形;当Ca²⁺的浓度相对较高(Ca/P比大于0.25)时,沉淀中的MAP下降明显,晶体形状开始不规则,杂质增多;当模拟尿液中Ca/P比为0.5时,MAP纯度仅有约70%.     

大气湿沉降对长江口水域营养盐的贡献

为研究我国长江口大气湿沉降对近海水域营养盐的贡献,2004年6月～2005年5月于长江口水域崇明岛收集31个大气湿沉降样品,采用分光光度法测定溶解性NH4 、NO3-、NO2-、PO)034-和SiO23-.结果表明,大气湿沉降中营养盐月平均浓度变化较大,NH4 和NO3-浓度较高.营养盐湿沉降通量具有明显的季节性,总无机氮(TIN)、PO34-和SiO32-的湿沉降通量分别为52.02、0.17、0.10 mmoll(m2·a).NH4 是TIN的主要贡献者,占TIN的70.9%.由于大气湿沉降中营养盐的浓度和组成比例与长江口表层海水有显著的差别,可使海水表层的营养盐结构、盐度、pH等发生改变,从而影响到浮游植物生长和种群结构,甚至会引发赤潮.     

Ionic composition of submicron particles (PM1.0) during the long-lasting haze period in January 2013 in Wuhan, central China

In January 2013, a long-lasting severe haze episode occurred in Northern and Central China; at its maximum, it covered a land area of approximately 1.4 million km². In Wuhan, the largest city in Central China, this event was the most severe haze episode in the 21st century. Aerosol samples of submicron particles (PM_1.0) were collected during the long-lasting haze episode at an urban site and a suburban site in Wuhan to investigate the ion characteristics of PM_1.0 in this area. The mass concentrations of PM_1.0 and its water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) were almost at the same levels at two sites, which indicates that PM_1.0 pollution occurs on a regional scale in Wuhan. WSIIs (Na⁺, NH₄⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl^-, NO₃^- and SO₄^2-) were the dominant chemical species and constituted up to 48.4% and 47.4% of PM_1.0 at WD and TH, respectively. The concentrations of PM_1.0 and WSIIs on haze days were approximately two times higher than on normal days. The ion balance calculations indicate that the particles were more acidic on haze days than on normal days. The results of the back trajectory analysis imply that the high concentrations of PM_1.0 and its water-soluble inorganic ions may be caused by stagnant weather conditions in Wuhan.     

北京大气气溶胶部分无机组分及相关气体的浓度变化

利用SJAC-MOBIC在2000-05～2000-09的3个采样时段测量了北京大气中的气溶胶SO₄^2-、NO₃^-、NO₂^-、Cl^-及相关气体组分,得出了这些污染组分的逐时变化.结果表明气溶胶Cl^-、NO₂^-、NO₃^-及气体HCl、HNO₂和HNO₃有明显的变化规律,SO₂和气溶胶SO₄^2-的变化取决于SO₂的排放,SO₄^2-的峰值一般比SO₂的峰值晚2h左右.