Factors influencing length of maternal care in brown bears (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ursus arctos</Emphasis>) and its effect on offspring

Length of maternal care, i.e. the interval between successfully raised litters, is the most important factor explaining the variation in reproductive rate among brown-bear (Ursus arctos) populations. In this paper, we examine the variation in length of maternal care in radio-marked brown bears and its effect on their offspring in northern Sweden. Young stayed with their mothers for 1.4–1.5 or 2.4–2.5 (in one case 3.5) years and were weaned with body masses varying from 17 to 69 kg. The probability of yearling litters staying with their mother for a 2nd year increased with decreasing yearling body mass, and was higher for litters with two offspring than for litters with one or three to four offspring. Staying with their mothers for a 2nd year had a positive effect on mass gain in yearlings and this effect was more pronounced in litters with two than three to four offspring. Body mass of 2-year-olds was not related to age of weaning, suggesting that keeping offspring for an additional year mainly compensated for low yearling body mass. If large offspring body mass positively affects later offspring survival and reproduction, mothers may be able to optimize the length of maternal care according to the litter size and the size of their yearlings.Communicated by F. Trillmich     

Modelling the influence of demographic parameters on group structure in social species with dispersal asymmetry and group fission

Female philopatry characterizes many mammal populations subdivided into social groups. Fission of these social groups is a relatively discrete event in the life of groups or of individuals, leading to the distribution of females among several newly formed groups. Fission is an important event because it can be a way for females to disperse. Group fissions have rarely been observed and their modalities generally remain poorly known, the best-documented species being primates. Most group fissions occur along lines of maternal relatedness, but the death of a matriarch may disrupt the cohesion within a matriline, inducing separation of sisters, accompanied by their descendants, when a group splits. Our model shows that the numbers and sizes of matrilines within groups depend on the precise demographic parameters and age structure of a population and not only on its rate of increase. For comparable population-growth periods, high survival rates of adult females induce an increase in the sizes of matrilines, whereas high survival rates of immature individuals induce an increase in the numbers of matrilines. Following fission, groups of a given size included, in the first case, only a few large matrilines, whereas in the second case, they consisted mainly of many small matrilines. The present study constitutes a preliminary stage, before modelling consequences of demographic structure of groups or populations on their genetic structure.     

Diel and seasonal changes in the distribution of fish on a southeast Brazil sandy beach

The effect of diel and seasonal changes in the distribution of fishes on a subtropical sandy beach on the southeastern coast of Brazil were studied. Seine netting was carried out on both seasonal and diel scales between July 1998 and June 1999. A total of 46 fish species was recorded, six being numerically dominant: Anchoa tricolor, Gerres aprion, Harengula clupeola, Atherinella brasiliensis, Mugil liza and Diapterus rhombeus. Seasonal changes in abundance of dominant species were detected. Species dominant in winter were Anchoa tricolor, H. clupeola and Atherinella brasiliensis; in spring, Anchoa tricolor and G. aprion; in summer G. aprion and D. rhombeus; and in autumn M. liza and H. clupeola. Overall, diel patterns did not reveal any significant trends; however, if we consider each season separately, an increase in A. tricolor abundance was recorded during the day in winter/spring, being replaced at night by H. clupeola in winter, and by G. aprion in spring. Increases in number of individuals and biomass at sunset, and decreases during the night were recorded. The winter/spring inshore/offshore movements at diel scale performed by the three most abundant species demonstrate that diel fluctuation acts more at a species-specific level than at a structural one; in summer there was no evidence of diel movements due to a heavy influx of G. aprion and D. rhombeus, which use the area throughout day and night, increasing overall abundance. Seasonal movements seems to be related to ontogenetic change in species, while diel movements in the fish assemblage seem to be more related to physiological requirements, such feeding activity of each particular species, than to physico-chemical conditions.Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe     

铁催化聚丙烯腈脱氮的研究

应用热天平研究了载铁聚丙烯腈的脱氮碳化行为，负载铁对ＰＡＮ的稳定化和脱氮碳化均具有显著的催化作用，并在５８０－７６０℃范围内明显增加了Ｎ２形成速率。ＸＰＳ和ＸＲＤ对碳化过程中铁和氮化学形态变化的研究结果表明，铁催化反应机理可能是负载铁与吡啶氮作用形成中间体铁氮化物，后者进而分解释放出Ｎ２。     

广州市菜园土和蔬菜中镉含量水平及污染评价

探讨了广州市各区、市菜园土和蔬菜中的重金属Cd污染状况,测定了95份土壤样品以及292份蔬菜样品中的镉含量,并对广州市各区市菜园土中Cd污染程度进行了评价。研究结果表明,不同种类的蔬菜中,叶菜类对重金属Cd的吸收和富集较高,瓜豆类较低。蔬菜中重金属Cd的含量受土壤中Cd含量的影响。与国内其它城市相比,广州市蔬菜地土壤中的Cd平均含量处于较高水平;蔬菜则以海珠、番禺两区Cd含量相对较高,高于其它城市的含量水平。     

不同利用方式下黄壤旱坡地磷素状况及环境影响分析

通过对贵州黄壤进行采样以及采用无界径流小区法收集地表径流,探索不同利用方式下黄壤旱坡地磷素水平及其地表径流磷浓度的差异。结果表明,不同利用方式下黄壤旱坡地中全磷和有效磷(Olsen-P)含量的大小顺序为连作烟地>烤烟-玉米轮作地>连作玉米地>林地;CaCl_2浸提磷(土壤易解吸磷)和Na0H浸提磷(藻类可利用的土壤总磷)与土壤全磷和有效磷有显著的相关性;土壤富磷化的同时,其磷素的流失风险明显地提高。连作烟地地表径流总磷(TP)和磷酸根态磷(Ortho-P)浓度明显大于连作玉米地.而林地地表径流TP浓度明显小于旱地;黄壤旱坡地地表径流中TP和Ortho-P与土壤有效磷之间存在极显著的相关性(r为0.957、0.875),因而连作烟地磷素的环境影响潜能明显高于其它旱地以及林地。     

矿物包裹复合肥的缓释性研究

采用埋土试验法和微区试验方法,对矿物包裹复合肥料的缓释性进行了研究。结果表明,矿物包裹复合肥料的养分释放明显向后期延伸,矿物包裹复合肥料的肥效期可达120 d以上,比复混合肥料的肥效期至少延长80 d,有利于植物均衡吸收养分,其氮的利用效率比等养分复合肥高出38个百分点;其磷的利用效率比等养分复合肥高出11.5个百分点。     

二氯苯在土壤中的迁移行为和生物降解

主要从挥发、吸附与解吸、渗滤三个方面介绍了二氯苯在土壤中的迁移行为以及生物降解过程。探讨了二氯苯的物化性质、三种同分异构体的构型、土壤特性、外界环境条件等因素对二氯苯迁移行为的影响,以及迁移行为与生物降解的相互关系;同时介绍了可降解二氯苯的微生物种类、二氯苯好氧生物降解机理、共代谢现象,以及实验室研究方法。这些研究对于受二氯苯污染的土壤的修复具有理论指导意义。     

Bioleaching of spent Ni-Cd batteries and phylogenetic analysis of an acidophilic strain in acidified sludge

Biohydrometallurgy is a novel method to recycle discarded batteries, in which sewage sludge is used as microorganisms and culture due to the presence of indigenous Thiobacilli. A two-step continuous flow leaching system consisting of an acidifying reactor and a leaching reactor was introduced to achieve the bioleaching of spent nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries. The acid supernatant produced in the acidifying reactor by the microorganisms with ferrous ions as the substrate was conducted into the leaching reactor to dissolve electrode materials. The efficiency of a batch treatment of batteries was examined. The results showed that the complete dissolution of two AA-sized Ni-Cd batteries with 0.6 L/d acid supernatant took about 30, 20, and 35 days for Ni, Cd, and Co, respectively. But the dissolution ability of the three metals was different. Cd and Co can be leached mostly for pH below 4.0 while the complete dissolution of Ni can be achieved for pH below 2.5. Meanwhile, a strain (named Thiooxidans. WL) accounting for the reduction of pH in the acidified sludge was isolated and sequenced. It was identified to be 100% similar to Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain Tf-49 based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The relevant phylogenetic tree constructed indicates that the strain should be classified into genus Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.