Aluminum position in Rb-feldspar as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Al/Si configurations in some natural and synthetic Rb-feldspars have been examined carefully by EMPA and XPS analyses. Our results indicate that a small amount of H₂O and excess Si and Al are incorporated in hydrothermally synthesized Rb-feldspar. The quantities of excess Al are 0.056 atoms per formula unit and are negatively correlated with those of the Rb, suggesting the presence of excess Al occupying non-tetrahedral sites in feldspar structures. This leads to incorporation of Al(Al₃Si)O₈ endmember into Rb-feldspars, estimated as one appropriate endmember indication for unusual chemistry of feldspars. In addition, Si2p, Al2p and O1s XPS signals of Rb-feldspars shift drastically toward the higher energy side than those of any natural feldspars. These provide conclusive evidence not only for existence of perceptible excess Si and Al, but also for Al at both extra-framework and tetrahedral sites in feldspar structures.     

Aphid soldier differentiation: density acts on both embryos and newborn nymphs

The mechanism of caste differentiation in a social aphid Tuberaphis styraci, which has a sterile soldier caste in the 2nd instar, was investigated using an artificial diet rearing system. High aphid density induced soldier production. Combinatorial prenatal and postnatal density treatments revealed that (1) either prenatal high density or postnatal high density is sufficient for soldier induction; (2) thus, embryos in the maternal body and newborn 1st instar nymphs are both responsive to high density; (3) the combination of prenatal high density and postnatal high density enhances soldier differentiation in a synergistic manner; and (4) the final determination of soldier differentiation occurs postnatally, probably at a late 1st instar stage. This study first throws light on the developmental aspects of caste differentiation in a social aphid.     

Food offering in jackdaws (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Corvus monedula</Emphasis>)

Food sharing among unrelated same-sex individuals has received considerable interest from primatologists and evolutionary biologists because of its apparent altruistic nature and implications for the evolution of complex social cognition. In contrast to primates, food sharing in birds has received relatively little attention. Here we describe three types of food sharing in jackdaws, with the initiative for the transfer either with the receiver or the giver. The latter situation is of particular interest because the food transfer takes place through active giving. Compared to primates, jackdaws show high rates of food sharing. Finally we discuss the implications of food sharing in jackdaws, and in birds in general.     

Parasitoids and competitors influence colony-level responses in the red imported fire ant,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Solenopsis invicta</Emphasis>

Social insect colonies respond to challenges set by a variable environment by reallocating work among colony members. In many social insects, such colony-level task allocation strategies are achieved through individual decisions that produce a self-organized adapting group. We investigated colony responses to parasitoids and native ant competitors in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). Parasitoid flies affected fire ants by decreasing the proportion of workers engaged in foraging. Competitors also altered colony-level behaviours by reducing the proportion of foraging ants and by increasing the proportion of roaming majors, whose role is colony defence. Interestingly, the presence of both parasitism and competition almost always had similar effects on task allocation in comparison to each of the biotic factors on its own. Thus, our study uniquely demonstrates that the interactive effect of both parasitism and competition is not necessarily additive, implying that these biotic factors alter colony behaviour in distinct ways. More generally, our work demonstrates the importance of studying the dynamics of species interactions in a broader context.     

福建龙岩中甲锡多金属矿床构造控矿特征

中甲锡多金属矿床是受政和一大埔断裂带的低序级构造所控制的矿床。控矿构造研究表明，锡矿化及矿体主要受NE－NNE、NW向断裂、裂隙以及接触带构造的复合控制，构造变形以服性—脆韧性为主，构造控矿型式多样并决定矿（化）体的空间定位方式，形成高中温热液型、破碎蚀变岩型、斑宕型锡多金属矿床，成为中甲锡多金属矿床的重要成矿地质条件之一。     

In-nest environment modulates nestmate recognition in the ant<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Camponotus fellah</Emphasis>

Multiple behavioral and chemical studies indicate that ant nestmate recognition cues are low-volatile substances, in particular hydrocarbons (HCs) located on the cuticular surface. We tested the hypothesis that in the ant Camponotus fellah, nest environment, in particular nest volatile odors, can modulate nestmate-recognition-mediated aggression. Workers were individually confined within their own nest in small cages having either a single mesh (SM = limited physical contact permitted) or a double mesh (DM = exposed to nest volatiles only) screen. Individual workers completely isolated outside their nest (CI) served as control. When reintroduced into a group of 50 nestmates, the CI workers were attacked as alien ants after only 2 weeks of separation, whereas the SM workers were treated as nestmates even after 2 months of separation. Aggression towards DM ants depended on the period of isolation. Only DM workers isolated for over 2 months were aggressed by their nestmates, which did not significantly differ from the CI nestmates. Cuticular HC analyses revealed that the profile of the non-isolated ants (NI) was clearly distinct from that of CI, SM and DM ants. Profile differences matched the aggressive response in the case of CI ants but were uncorrelated in the case of SM or DM ants. This suggests that keeping the ants within the nest environment affected nestmate recognition in additional ways than merely altering their HC profile. Nest environment thus appears to affect label–template mismatch by modulating aggressive behavior, as well as the direction at which cuticular HCs diverged during the separation period.     

上海江湾机场植物群落多样性研究

以市区内江湾机场失去管理后出现的自然植被为研究对象，通过群落学调查研究，分析了群落的种类组成以及结构特征，阐明了群落的恢复过程和潜力。结果表明，江湾机场的植被可划分为4个外貌类型，16个群落类型。自然植被表现为以草本群落为主、辅以少量木本植物群落为特征的分布格局。非地带性因素主导着植被发生和演替，很难达到上海以亚热带常绿阔叶林为主的地带性植被类型。     

Application of the ‘Climafor’ Approach to Estimate Baseline Carbon Emissions of a Forest Conservation Project in the Selva Lacandona,Chiapas, Mexico

We present a methodology for testing and applying a regional baseline for carbon (C) emissions from land-use change, using a spatial modelling approach (hereafter called the Climafor approach). The methodology is based on an analysis of causal factors of previous land-use change (Castillo et al. 2005). Carbon risk matrices constructed from the spatial correlation analysis between observed deforestation and driving factors (Castillo et al. 2005), are used to estimate future carbonemissions within acceptable limits for a forest conservation project. The performance of two risk matrices were tested by estimating carbon emissions between 1975 and 1996 from randomly selected sample plots of sizes varying from 1,600 to 10,000 ha and comparing the results of the observed emissions from these sample plots with the model estimations. Expected emissions from continued land-use change was estimated for the community applying the risk matrices to the current land cover. The methodology provides an objective means of constructing baseline scenarios including confidence intervals, using the sum of variances of the various data sources, such as measured carbon densities, classification errors, errors in the risk matrices, and differences between the model prediction and observed emissions of sample plots due to sample size. The procedures applied in this study also give an indication of the impact of the variance in the various data sources on the size of the confidence intervals, which allows project developers to decide what data sources are essential to improve his baseline. The modelling approach to estimate the deforestation pattern is based on readily available cartographic and census data, whereas data on carbon densities are required to assess the potential for forest conservation projects to offset carbon emissions.