Torpor at high ambient temperature in a neotropical didelphid,the grey short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica)

The grey short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica, has been an established research animal for more than five decades, but relatively, little is known about its thermophysiology. Here we studied core body temperature (T _b) and metabolic rate (MR) of female adult M. domestica housed in the laboratory at an ambient temperature (T _a) of 26 °C. In expanding previous reports, the average recorded core T _b of M. domestica was 34.3 °C. The T _b of an individual M. domestica can drop below 30 °C (minimal T _b: 28.6 °C) accompanied by a reduction in MR of up to 52 % even while having ad libitum access to food. These findings demonstrate for the first time the presence of spontaneous torpor in M. domestica. Metabolic suppression at relatively high T _a and T _b furthermore broadens our perspective on the use of torpor as a metabolic strategy not just restricted to cold climates.     

The relationship between agricultural intensification and biological control: experimental tests across Europe

Agricultural intensification can affect biodiversity and related ecosystem services such as biological control, but large-scale experimental evidence is missing. We examined aphid pest populations in cereal fields under experimentally reduced densities of (1) ground-dwelling predators (-G), (2) vegetation-dwelling predators and parasitoids (-V), (3) a combination of (1) and (2) (-G-V), compared with open-fields (control), in contrasting landscapes with low vs. high levels of agricultural intensification (AI), and in five European regions. Aphid populations were 28%, 97%, and 199% higher in -G, -V, and -G-V treatments, respectively, compared to the open fields, indicating synergistic effects of both natural-enemy groups. Enhanced parasitoid: host and predator: prey ratios were related to reduced aphid population density and population growth. The relative importance of parasitoids and vegetation-dwelling predators greatly differed among European regions, and agricultural intensification affected biological control and aphid density only in some regions. This shows a changing role of species group identity in diverse enemy communities and a need to consider region-specific landscape management.     

An evaluation of selected chemical,biochemical, and biological parameters of soil enriched with vermicompost

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this study was to assess the changes in chemical and microbial properties and enzymatic activity of soil enriched with vermicompost derived...     

建筑环境的生命周期分析

生命周期思想是解决环境与社会问题的一种整体性方法.这种方法是可持续建筑概念的关键.LCA(生命周期分析,或者生命周期评价)是将生命周期思想应用于建筑和建造业的一种重要工具.LCA可以提供有关物质和能源流动的重要信息.由于它很难应用于建筑物本身,所以关注的焦点越业越集中在对建筑环境实施更全面的分析上.通过LCA获得的知识最好是作为综合设计方法的一部分进行应用.在大多数项目中,如果不把LCA与数量调查或者能源模拟等其他手段结合起来就无法获得完整的LCA.将LCA应用于政策制定和需要优先考虑的问题依地区和经济条件而有所不同.     

Veränderung von Biokonzentration und Wirkung vom PSM in Anwesenheit von Huminstoffen

Humic substances, in aqueous bodies primarily fulvic acids, may demonstrate an inhibitory as well as an activating influence on organisms. We present evidence with bacteria-containing algal cultures and with cultures of the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans. Structural elements of the fulvic acids which may be responsible for such effects are not yet known. Furthermore, the presence of fulvic acids may lead to increases in bioconcentration of xenobiotics. Increase in the toxicity of xenobiotics in the presence of humic substances have also been described. We present studies applying lethal as well as sublethal toxicity endpoints.     

Using crowd-sourced photos to assess seasonal patterns of visitor use in mountain-protected areas

Managing protected areas effectively requires information about patterns of visitor use, but these data are often limited. We explore how geotagged photos on Flickr, a popular photo-sharing social-media site, can generate hotspot maps and distribution models of temporal and spatial patterns of use in two mountain-protected areas of high conservation value. In Aconcagua Provincial Park (Argentina), two routes to the summit of Aconcagua were used in summer, but most visitors stayed close to the main road, using formal and informal walking trails and the Visitor Centre, while in winter, there was very limited visitation. In Kosciuszko National Park (Australia), alpine walking trails were popular in summer, but in winter, most visitors stayed in the lower altitude ski resorts and ski trails. Results demonstrate the usefulness of social-media data alone as well as a complement for visitor monitoring, providing spatial and temporal information for site-specific and park-level management of visitors and potential impacts in conservation areas.     

Analysis of the combustion and pyrolysis of dried sewage sludge by TGA and MS

In this study, the combustion and pyrolysis processes of three sewage sludge were investigated. The sewage sludge came from three wastewater treatment plants.Proximate and ultimate analyses were performed. The thermal behaviour of studied sewage sludge was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). The samples were heated from ambient temperature to 800 °C at a constant rate 10 °C/min in air (combustion process) and argon flows (pyrolysis process). The thermal profiles presented in form of TG/DTG curves were comparable for studied sludges. All TG/DTG curves were divided into three stages. The main decomposition of sewage sludge during the combustion process took place in the range 180–580 °C with c.a. 70% mass loss. The pyrolysis process occurred in lower temperature but with less mass loss. The evolved gaseous products (H₂, CH₄, CO₂, H₂O) from the decomposition of sewage sludge were identified on-line.     

Sex-specific conditional mating preferences in a cichlid fish: implications for sexual conflict

Conditional mating strategies enable individuals to modulate their mating behaviour depending on ‘individual status’ to maximise fitness. Theory predicts that variation in individual quality can lead to differences in mating preferences. However, empirical evidence is scarce particular in terms of variation in male and female strategies. Here, we experimentally investigated quality-dependent variation in mating preferences concerning reliable quality indicators in Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a colourful cichlid fish with mutual mate choice and ornamentation. Males as well as females were artificially manipulated in phenotypic quality by different feeding regimes. Ornamentation was connected to individual quality in both sexes. Males and females showed conditional mating strategies in different directions. Males showed prudent choice by preferring females of similar quality. In contrast to males, low-quality females preferred highly ornamented males, whereas high-quality females showed neither preferences for high- nor for low-quality males. The results suggest that individuals aim for specific benefits depending on individual quality. Furthermore, the conflicting conditional mating preferences of males and females might lead to sexual conflict, implicating a highly dynamical mating system that evolves even in absence of environmental changes.