Symmetry, male dominance and female mate preferences in the Iberian rock lizard, Lacerta monticola

Female preference for dominant males is widespread and it is generally assumed that success in male-male competition reflects high quality. However, male dominance is not always attractive to females. Alternatively, relatively symmetric individuals may experience fitness advantages, but it remains to be determined whether males with more symmetrical secondary sexual traits experience advantages in both intra- and intersexual selection. We analysed the factors that determine dominance status in males of the lizard Lacerta monticola, and their relationship to female mate preference, estimated by the attractiveness of males' scents to females. Sexually dimorphic traits of this lizard (head size and femoral pores) appear to be advanced by different selection pressures. Males with relatively higher heads, which give them advantage in intrasexual contests, were more dominant. However, head size was unimportant to females, which preferred to be in areas marked by relatively heavier males, but also by males more symmetric in their counts of left and right femoral pores. Chemicals arising from the femoral pores and other glands might honestly indicate quality (i.e. related to the symmetry levels) of a male to females and may result from intersexual selection. Females may use this information because the only benefit of mate choice to female lizards may be genetic quality. Chemical signals may be more reliable and have a greater importance in sexual selection processes of lizards than has previously been considered.     

英国伦敦油库大爆炸事件

2005年12月11日是一个普通的周日,伦敦及周边地区沉浸在周末的慵懒之中,一场罕见的灾难发生了.早上6时许,巨大的声响把城市从睡梦中惊醒,惊慌的人们刚开始还以为发生了地震.随着巨响腾空而起的黑烟,将人们的视线牵引到了赫莫尔汉普斯特德镇.在伦敦西北40公里的这座小镇上,有英国第五大油库--邦斯菲尔德油库,该油库负责向英格兰东南部大部分地区提供汽油和燃料用油,莫非是这座油库发生了爆炸,人们的猜测不幸被言中.     

IVP活性炭脱硫性能的研究

采用IVP活性炭吸附法治理污水场隔油池散发的多组分含H2 S废气。研究表明 ,复杂的废气组分并未影响到该活性炭对H2 S的吸附性能 ,且由于处理的废气湿度较高 ,使吸附性能有了较大的提高     

Preface

正Air pollution as well as climate change and their possible effects on the environment,ecosystems and human health,are pressing challenges.Nowadays,it is clear that sustainable societal development cannot remain solely wealth-oriented,but must take into account the present and future environmental issues.However,this approach is possible only if scientifically sound knowledge in all environmental areas becomes available to our societies and decision makers,which requires a firm     

南京青奥期间污染减排对空气质量影响研究

为评估污染减排对南京青奥期间空气质量影响,利用排放系数法估算减排量,利用敏感系数分析管控措施有效性.结果表明:经过8月份的强力减排,SO2、NO2、PM2.5、PM10、CO与VOCs减排量分别为3438、4402、3177、7249、15890与4052 t,减排比例分别为-29%、-25%、-45%、-65%、-26%、-22%;环境空气中SO2、NO2、PM2.5、PM10、CO与O3浓度环比7月分别下降了-18.8%、-15.0%、-37.0%、-35.4%、-7.1%与-50.4%;敏感系数排序为:O3>PM2.5>SO2>NO2>PM10>CO,除了O3外,其余污染物浓度下降比例小于减排比例,说明要取得一定空气质量改善,需要付出更多的减排努力.     

Biodegradation of nicosulfuron by the bacterium Serratia marcescens N80

By enrichment culturing of the sludge collected from the industrial wastewater treatment pond, we isolated a highly efficient nicosulfuron degrading bacterium Serratia marcescens N80. In liquid medium, Serratia marcescens N80 grows using nicosulfuron as the sole nitrogen source, and the optimal temperature, pH values, and inoculation for degradation are 30–35°C, 6.0–7.0, and 3.0% (v/v), respectively. With the initial concentration of 10 mg L^?1, the degradation rate is 93.6% in 96 hours; as the initial concentrations are higher than 10 mg L^?1, the biodegradation rates decrease as the nicosulfuron concentrations increase; when the concentration is 400 mg L^?1, the degradation rate is only 53.1%. Degradation follows the pesticide degradation kinetic equation at concentrations between 5 mg L^?1 and 50 mg L^?1. Identification of the metabolites by the liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) indicates that the degradation of nicosulfuron is achieved by breaking the sulfonylurea bridge. The strain N80 also degraded some other sulfonylurea herbicides, including ethametsulfuron, tribenuron-methyl, metsulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl,and rimsulfuron.     

Anatomical and ultrastructural studies of chemical defence in the sponge Dysidea fragilis

The marine sponge Dysidea fragilis from El Mar Menor, a hypersaline coastal lagoon (Murcia, Spain), contains the furanosesquiterpenoid ent-furodysinin as the major secondary metabolite. D. fragilis emits a defensive white fluid when it is disturbed. Electron micrographs of this fluid revealed intact vesiculated cells together with other amorphous material. Dissociated cells are more rounded in shape but maintain the same ultrastructural features as cells observed in ultra-thin sections of the whole sponge. The defensive secretion is composed mainly of sponge cells with abundant light vesicles. Sometimes these light vesicles appear to open into the intercellular space; this correlates with surface blebs on these cells observed under scanning electron microscopy. The intracellular location of ent-furodysinin was confirmed by Erlich staining. In laboratory assays, we examined the role of ent-furodysinin as a feeding deterrent to generalist fish predators. It was isolated from D. fragilis and incorporated into a carrageenan-based artificial diet. The addition of ent-furodysinin to the artificial diet reduced feeding by the fish Thalassoma pavo. Similarly, fish did not feed on artificial diet above which defensive secretion of D. fragilis had been ejected with a small syringe. Received: 4 June 1997 / Accepted: 28 January 1998     

Birds and air traffic safety on Zagreb airport (Croatia)

One of the objectives of the new State of Croatia, as a Mediterranean country oriented towards tourism, is safety of its air traffic. The frequency of use of Zagreb airport is currently 688 flights, or about 20000 passengers a week. In 1996, research was carried out at the airport concerning air traffic safety with respect to the presence of birds on the airfield. Biological methods, in which birds were chased away by means of trained birds of prey, were used. For the Zagreb airport experiment nine birds involving three different species: Falco peregrinus, Accipiter gentilis and Falco cherrug were utilised. The results showed that the air traffic safety on Zagreb airport with regard to possible bird-plane strikes improved.Other bird clearing methods, applied over the 1987–1996 period also reduced bird-plane interferences but were noted to be less effective. With the biological, bird of prey method, 100% temporary clearance was achieved. Habitat modification, which involved removal from the airport vicinity of all factors attractive to the birds, only removed 20–30% of the birds, but this was of a more permanent nature. Use of fire-arms achieved a 80–90% temporary bird clearance. A combination of all three methods would appear to be most effective and measures for further monitoring for safe air traffic movement at Zagreb airport are proposed.