Male scent-marking pheromone of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus ardens ardens</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera; Apidae) attracts both conspecific queens and males

To explore the role of the volatiles emitted from male labial gland (LG) of the bumblebee Bombus ardens ardens, we investigated the responses of virgin queens and males to volatiles using a gas chromatography–electroantennographic detector (GC–EAD) system and Y-tube olfactometer. GC–EAD analysis revealed that citronellol, the main compound detected in the male LG, caused clear electrophysiological responses in the antennae of B. a. ardens virgin queens and males although two minor compounds elicited antennal responses when applied in a high concentration. Behavioral tests using a Y-tube olfactometer showed that queens and males were significantly attracted to both LG extracts and citronellol more than to the solvent alone. This is the first study to demonstrate that citronellol as a major compound of male scent-marking pheromone in B. a. ardens functions as a sex attractant for queens. The results also suggest that this compound has another function as a trail marker used by males.     

Seasonality and microhabitat selection in a forest-dwelling salamander

Many small terrestrial vertebrates exhibit limited spatial movement and are considerably exposed to changes in local environmental variables. Among such vertebrates, amphibians at present experience a dramatic decline due to their limited resilience to environmental change. Since the local survival and abundance of amphibians is intrinsically related to the availability of shelters, conservation plans need to take microhabitat requirements into account. In order to gain insight into the terrestrial ecology of the spectacled salamander Salamandrina perspicillata and to identify appropriate forest management strategies, we investigated the salamander’s seasonal variability in habitat use of trees as shelters in relation to tree features (size, buttresses, basal holes) and environmental variables in a beech forest in Italy. We used the occupancy approach to assess tree suitability on a non-conventional spatial scale. Our approach provides fine-grained parameters of microhabitat suitability and elucidates many aspects of the salamander’s terrestrial ecology. Occupancy changed with the annual life cycle and was higher in autumn than in spring, when females were found closer to the stream in the study area. Salamanders showed a seasonal pattern regarding the trees they occupied and a clear preference for trees with a larger diameter and more burrows. With respect to forest management, we suggest maintaining a suitable number of trees with a trunk diameter exceeding 30 cm. A practice of selective logging along the banks of streams could help maintain an adequate quantity of the appropriate microhabitat. Furthermore, in areas with a presence of salamanders, a good forest management plan requires leaving an adequate buffer zone around streams, which should be wider in autumn than in spring.     

Postnatal nutrition influences male attractiveness and promotes plasticity in male mating preferences

Poor early-life nutrition could reduce adult reproductive success by negatively affecting traits linked to sexual attractiveness such as song complexity. If so, this might favor strategic mate choice, allowing males with less complex songs to tailor their mating tactics to maximize the reproductive benefits. However, this possibility has been ignored in theoretical and empirical studies. By manipulating the micronutrient content of the diet (e.g., low or high) during the postnatal period of male zebra finches, we show for the first time (1) that males reared on a poor (low) micronutrient diet had less complex songs as adults; (2) that these males, in contrast to the high micronutrient diet group, were more selective in their mating strategies, discriminating against those females most likely to reduce their clutch size when paired with males having less complex songs; and (3) that by following different mating strategies, males reared on the contrasting diets obtained similar reproductive benefits. These results suggest that early-life dietary conditions can induce multiple and long-lasting effects on male and female reproductive traits. Moreover, the results seem to reflect a previously unreported case of adaptive plasticity in mate choice in response to a nutritionally mediated reduction in sexual attractiveness.     

2013-2015年上海市霾污染事件潜在源区贡献分析

统计分析2013-2015年上海市每个月不同空气质量等级天数比重,根据HYSPLIT（Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory）后向轨迹模型对3年内的12月份影响上海地区的污染气团进行了综合聚类分析和逐年聚类分析.在综合12次严重霾事件的后向轨迹基础上,结合上海实时公布的PM_2.5小时浓度资料,对潜在源贡献因子PSCF（Potential Source Contribution Function）和浓度权重轨迹CWT（Concentration-weighted Trajectory）进行分析与比较,研究重霾期间影响上海PM_2.5质量浓度的潜在源区及不同源区对PM_2.5质量浓度的贡献差异.结果显示,上海市3年期间12月份霾颗粒物外来源主要输送渠道为西北路径和北方路径,源自于西北方向的气团比重占总气团的50.4%,北方向的气团几乎都经过海洋后进入上海地区.影响上海地区PM_2.5质量浓度的潜在源区主要分布在安徽、江苏和山东地区,此外江西北部、浙江北部、河北南部及山西少部分地区也对重霾事件中的污染物颗粒有一定程度的贡献.     

昆虫飞行之谜

世界上有成千上万种昆虫,大多数都会飞。然而,长期以来人们对昆虫的飞行都困惑不解。比方说,一只普通的家蝇侧面朝上向天花板飞去,蓦地落到天花板上。它是怎样控制得如此娴熟完成这样高难度的颠倒“着陆”动作的呢?再比如,蜻蜓的飞行又是怎样达到每小时90多公里的高速的?还有,有些     

金属矿山安全管理与信息化技术

信息化技术与传统产业的紧密结合,可实现传统产业快速发展.信息化技术对矿山安全也发挥了重要的作用.详细论述了金属非金属矿山的安全生产现状,矿山安全灾害种类和矿山安全信息化技术,指出信息化技术的应用是解决矿山安全问题的一个重要途径.     

含锌废水处理技术的研究进展

综述了传统的物理化学法和生物法处理含锌废水的原理,系统阐述了其研究进展.微生物固定技术是一种新兴而有效的生物处理技术,尤其是硫酸盐还原菌固定化技术,将厌氧活性污泥包埋,构建稳定高效的微生物体系,以加强其抗毒性和处理效率.因此,在含锌废水处理方面具有很大的发展潜力,有望得到广泛应用.     

植物的非传统稳定同位素前处理及测定技术研究进展

一直以来植物都是多领域的研究重点,随着非传统稳定同位素的不断发展,植物非传统稳定同位素研究日益增加。但因植物样品中有机物含量高,同位素分馏复杂,样品前处理及测定中存在诸多难题。本文对植物样品非传统稳定同位素工作中常用的前处理方法和测定技术进行了总结。综述了直接萃取法、湿法消解和高温灰化法的原理、操作和优缺点;以K、Ca、Mg、Fe、B等典型非传统稳定同位素为例介绍了非传统稳定同位素常用测定技术,旨在为植物样品的非传统稳定同位素测定进行梳理,最后对其应用方向和测试方法的发展方向进行了展望。     

电动单梁起重机吊具冲顶引发起升电机坠落事故分析

针对一起电动单梁起重机吊具冲顶并引发起升电机坠落的起重作业事故,分析了事故起重机电气控制系统和现场紧急处置中存在的问题,指出了导致事故发生的直接原因和主要原因;并从完善起重机电气控制系统本质安全性和加强起重机械使用安全管理的角度提出了相应建议和意见,对预防类似事故的发生具有借鉴作用.