Genetic caste polymorphism and the evolution of polyandry in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atta</Emphasis> leaf-cutting ants

Multiple mating by females with different males (polyandry) is difficult to explain in many taxa because it carries significant costs to females, yet benefits are often hard to identify. Polyandry is a derived trait in social insects, the evolutionary origins of which remain unclear. One of several leading hypotheses for its evolution is that it improves division of labour by increasing intra-colonial genetic diversity. Division of labour is a key player in the ecological success of social insects, and in many successful species of ants is based on morphologically distinct castes of workers, each with their own task specialisations. Atta leaf-cutting ants exhibit one of the most extreme and complicated forms of morphologically specialised worker castes and have been reported to be polyandrous but with relatively low mating frequencies (~2.5 on average). Here, we show for the first time that there is a significant genetic influence on worker size in Atta colombica leaf-cutting ants. We also provide the first estimate of the mating frequency of Atta cephalotes (four matings) and, by analysing much higher within-colony sample sizes, find that Atta are more polyandrous than previously thought (approximately six to seven matings). The results show that high polyandry and a genetic influence on worker caste are present in both genera of leaf-cutting ants and add weight to the hypothesis that division of labour is a potential driver of the evolution of polyandry in this clade of ants.     

焉耆盆地土壤重金属的污染及潜在生态风险评价

通过采集干旱区典型绿洲-焉耆盆地表层土壤样品,测试其中10种重金属的含量,采用多元统计分析、污染指数法及潜在生态风险指数法研究土壤中重金属的赋存特征、来源及其污染状况和潜在的生态风险.结果表明:焉耆盆地土壤中10种重金属的平均值和最大值均未超过土壤环境质量二级标准,但重金属Zn、Pb、Cu、Ni、As和Cr的最大值超过新疆土壤背景值,超标率分别为8%、7%、11%、9.2%、12%和8.1%. 统计分析表明焉耆盆地土壤中10种重金属的平均含量顺序为: Mn>Zn>Cr>Ni>Cu>Co>Pb>As>Cd>Hg. 研究表明焉耆盆地土壤中重金属Zn、Pb、Hg、Cu之间具有较高的相关性, 主要来源于人为污染;重金属Mn、Co、Cd、Cr、Ni、As之间具有较高的相关性,主要来源于自然地质背景;污染指数评价表明焉耆盆地土壤中10种重金属均未出现污染状况,处于较低的生态风险,但土壤中重金属Pb、Zn、Hg的含量在部分地区相对较高的现象应引起重视.     

Optimizing biomass pathways to bioenergy and biochar application in electricity generation,biodiesel production,and biohydrogen production

The current energy crisis, depletion of fossil fuels, and global climate change have made it imperative to find alternative sources of energy that are both economically sustainable and environmentally friendly. Here we review various pathways for converting biomass into bioenergy and biochar and their applications in producing electricity, biodiesel, and biohydrogen. Biomass can be converted into biofuels using different methods, including biochemical and thermochemical conversion methods. Determining which approach is best relies on the type of biomass involved, the desired final product, and whether or not it is economically sustainable. Biochemical conversion methods are currently the most widely used for producing biofuels from biomass, accounting for approximately 80% of all biofuels produced worldwide. Ethanol and biodiesel are the most prevalent biofuels produced via biochemical conversion processes. Thermochemical conversion is less used than biochemical conversion, accounting for approximately 20% of biofuels produced worldwide. Bio-oil and syngas, commonly manufactured from wood chips, agricultural waste, and municipal solid waste, are the major biofuels produced by thermochemical conversion. Biofuels produced from biomass have the potential to displace up to 27% of the world's transportation fuel by 2050, which could result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by up to 3.7 billion metric tons per year. Biochar from biomass can yield high biodiesel, ranging from 32.8% to 97.75%, and can also serve as an anode, cathode, and catalyst in microbial fuel cells with a maximum power density of 4346 mW/m². Biochar also plays a role in catalytic methane decomposition and dry methane reforming, with hydrogen conversion rates ranging from 13.4% to 95.7%. Biochar can also increase hydrogen yield by up to 220.3%.

     

The role of environmental and fisheries multi-controls in white seabream (Diplodus sargus) artisanal fisheries in Portuguese coast

Evaluating the effects of fishing and environmental factors on fish populations are fundamental tenets of fisheries science. In this study, we assess associations between environmental variables (sea surface temperature; North Atlantic Oscillation index; upwelling; wind magnitude; westerly winds; northerly winds; river discharge) and fishing variables (fishing effort) in Diplodus sagus catch rates accounting for regional analyses (northwest coast; southwest coast and Algarve—Algarve south coast). Different time series models for data fitting (multi-model approach) were used. The models were lagged, according to species fishing recruitment age based on the hypothesis that fisheries catches depend on larvae recruitment and survivorship. D. sargus catch rates across areas were unrelated to fishing effort but correlated to environmental variables, with seasonal events explaining much of the variability in trends. On the northwestern coast, the catch rates were mainly set by sea surface temperature (SST) and wind magnitude; however, southwestern coast catch rates were set by NAO winter. On the south coast, only one statistical model (SST, upwelling and westerly winds) associated spring conditions with D. sargus catch rates. The multi-model approach revealed autumn, winter and spring seasonal effects to be related with northwest, southwest and Algarve coastal catch rates, respectively, indicating a possible coastal longitudinal gradient related with given periods of spawning and larval availability. The metadata analysis yielded different results from the regional analyses. In summary, marine resource management should take regional environment characteristics and variability into account when determining sustainable catch rates in given areas for species with high habitat site fidelity.     

乌鲁木齐市大气可吸入颗粒物中多环芳烃的污染特征及来源解析

在乌鲁木齐市南、北设置2个采样点,从2011年3-12月采集可吸入颗粒物(PM2.5、PM2.5-10)样品,分析了美国环境保护署优控的13种多环芳烃(PAHs)的浓度,采用比值法、主成分分析法和多元线性回归法对乌鲁木齐市大气PM2.5、PM2.5-10中PAHs的来源进行了分析。结果表明,科学院站PM2.5中13种PAHs的总质量浓度平均值为247.2ng/m3,变动范围为1.14~2 113.33ng/m3;新大站PAHs的总质量浓度平均值为240.84ng/m3,变动范围为4.96~1 359.41ng/m3。而科学院站PM2.5-10中13种PAHs的总质量浓度平均值为57.78ng/m3,变动范围为1.18~519.87ng/m3;新大站的总质量浓度平均值为49.18ng/m3,变动范围为1.38~412.52ng/m3。比值法分析结果表明,所采集样品的2/3来自煤和生物质的燃烧排放;主成分分析法和多元线性回归分析法结果表明,采暖期汽油和煤源对PM2.5中总PAHs的贡献率为46%,而非采暖期混合源的贡献率高达85%。采暖期汽油和柴油源对PM2.5-10中总PAHs的贡献率为66%,而非采暖期混合源的贡献率为78%。     

Determining floodplain sedimentation rates using Cs in a low fallout environment dominated by channel- and cultivation-derived sediment inputs, central Queensland, Australia

Fallout ¹³⁷Cs has been widely used to determine floodplain sedimentation rates in temperate environments, particularly in the northern hemisphere. Its application in low fallout, tropical environments in the southern hemisphere has been limited. In this study we assess the utility of ¹³⁷Cs for determining rates of floodplain sedimentation in a dry-tropical catchment in central Queensland, Australia. Floodplain and reference site cores were analysed in two centimetre increments, depth profiles were produced and total ¹³⁷Cs inventories calculated from the detailed profile data. Information on the rates of ¹³⁷Cs migration through local soils was obtained from the reference site soil cores. This data was used in an advection–diffusion model to account of ¹³⁷Cs mobility in floodplain sediment cores. This allowed sedimentation rates to be determined without the first year of detection for ¹³⁷Cs being known and without having to assume that ¹³⁷Cs remains immobile following deposition. Caesium-137 depth profiles in this environment are demonstrated to be an effective way of determining floodplain sedimentation rates. The total ¹³⁷Cs inventory approach was found to be less successful, with only one of the three sites analysed being in unequivocal agreement with the depth profile results. The input of sediment from catchment sources that have little, or no, ¹³⁷Cs attached results in true depositional sites having total inventories that are not significantly different from those of undisturbed reference sites.     

干旱区土壤盐渍化及其对生态环境的损害评估——以新疆沙雅县为例

沙雅县是我国重要的棉粮基地之一,但长期以来土壤盐渍化与次生盐渍化一直是制约农业发展的关键因素之一.介绍了新疆干旱区沙雅县土壤盐渍化的状况,分析了引起土壤盐渍化的因素,并进行了土壤盐渍化对生态环境损害的经济评估.沙雅县的盐渍化土壤主要分布在渭干河-库车河三角洲绿洲,其中以托依堡乡、英买里乡和红旗乡最为严重.盐渍化土壤类型主要为典型盐土、草甸盐土、盐化潮土和残余盐土.导致盐渍化的因素有气候、地形、水文地质、母质和母岩等自然因素,以及灌溉方式和耕作制度等人为因素.提出了该县盐渍地改良的措施.     

Song-type sharing in song sparrows: implications for repertoire function and song learning

One hypothesis for the function of song repertoires is that males learn multiple song types so that they may share songs with neighbors, allowing them to match during territorial interactions. In at least one song sparrow population, in Washington, territorial males share a high proportion of song types with their neighbors and use these shared songs in matching. We recorded song sparrows in Pennsylvania and quantified sharing of whole songs and song segments. We found that song sharing is an order of magnitude less common in the Pennsylvania population. We found sharing of song segments to be significantly more common than the sharing of whole songs in three of the five fields we examined, while we found no significant differences between whole and partial song sharing in the remaining two fields. Finally, we found no evidence that sharing is greater between birds in the same field compared to birds in different fields. Taken with the data from Washington song sparrows, these results provide evidence for intraspecific geographic variation in the organization of song repertoires, and suggest that song sharing has not been a strong selective force in the evolution of song repertoires in song sparrows as a species. Furthermore, Washington and Pennsylvania song sparrows differ in how they learn song, in that Washington birds copy whole songs, while Pennsylvania birds appear to copy and recombine song segments, as has been found in laboratory studies of song learning. Thus both song learning and the function of song repertoires differ between populations of song sparrows. Such intraspecific geographic variation offers a unique opportunity to explore the ecological and historical factors which have influenced the evolution of song. Received: 30 June 1997 / Accepted after revision: 8 March 1998