Insights into the role of age and social interactions on the sexual attractiveness of queens in an eusocial bee, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melipona flavolineata</Emphasis> (Apidae,Meliponini)

The attraction of sexual partners is a vital necessity among insects, and it involves conflict of interests and complex communication systems among male and female. In this study, we investigated the developing of sexual attractiveness in virgin queens (i.e., gynes) of Melipona flavolineata, an eusocial stingless bee. We followed the development of sexual attractiveness in 64 gynes, belonging to seven age classes (0, 3, 6, 9, 15, 18 days post-emergence), and we also evaluated the effect of different social interactions (such as competition between queens and interactions with workers) on the development of attractiveness in other 60 gynes. We used the number of males that tried to mate with a focal gyne as a representative variable of its sexual attractiveness. During the essays, each gyne was individually presented to 10 sexually mature males, and during 3 min, we counted the number of males that everted their genitalia in response to the presence of a gyne. Here, we show that M. flavolineata gynes are capable to (i) maintain their sexual attractiveness for long periods through adult life, (ii) they need a minimum social interaction to trigger the development of sexual attractiveness, and (iii) that gynes express this trait only within a social context. We conclude that the effective occurrence of matings is conditional on potential social interactions that gynes experienced before taking the nuptial flight, when they are still in the nest. These findings bring insights into the factors determining reproductive success in social insects.     

Organochlorinated contaminants in decapod crustaceans from the coasts of Brittany and Normandy (France)

The contamination and distribution of organochlorinated compounds were considered in three crustacean species (edible crab, Cancer pagurus; spider crab, Maja brachydactyla; velvet swimming crab, Necora puber) from five sites along the coasts of Brittany and Normandy (Western and North-Western France). PCBs (16 single congeners), pp'-DDE and HCB were measured in hepatopancreas, gonads and muscle: in all, 175 samples were analysed. The spider crab was the only species found in the five sampling sites, thus enabling comparison between areas. Specimens from Antifer were much more contaminated (summation operator 16 PCBs in hepatopancreas=2000-4000 ng g(-1) dry weight) than those from other sites (50-1000 ng g(-1) d.w.). Among all the three species, the spider crab appeared more contaminated by PCBs than the edible crab, by a factor 2-3, probably in relation with specific differences in their life cycle. There was no difference due to the gender of the species. Within the different analysed tissues, contamination levels increased from muscle to gonads and hepatopancreas in relation with the fat content. A very similar PCB composition was observed in all samples, PCB fingerprints being characterised by the relative importance of the more persistent PCB congeners: CB153, 138, 180, 187, and 118. Finally, these results were compared to recent food regulations first of maximum marker PCB intake and secondly of maximum dioxin-like PCB intake. By considering the muscle, all samples were far below the regulatory limits; for hepatopancreas and gonads, however, some samples were unfit for human consumption.     

丹江口水库表层沉积物不同形态氮的赋存特征及其生物有效性

为了揭示丹江口水库沉积物氮空间分布特征及其生物有效性,采用连续分级提取法研究了表层沉积物中可交换态氮(Exchangeable nitrogen,EN)、酸解态氮(Acid hydrolysable nitrogen,HN)及残渣态氮(Residue nitrogen,RN)的赋存特征,同时结合生物可利用态氮的含量,探讨了各形态氮对生物可利用态氮的贡献。结果表明,丹江口水库沉积物中总氮(Total nitrogen,TN)在425~5796 mg/kg之间,平均为1 319.32 mg/kg,其中EN、HN和RN的平均值相对比例为2.15∶1.95∶1,且各形态氮含量的空间分布呈入库河流大于库区开阔区域的特征,尤其在丹江、老灌河以及犟河-堵河入库口的含量较大。潜在矿化氮(Potential mineralized nitrogen,PMN)含量在40.20~1 468.95 mg/kg之间,平均为275.06 mg/kg,其中EN对丹江口水库沉积物PMN的贡献较大,比例在19.85%~90.80%之间,平均为63.47%。各形态氮在不同的水环境条件下发生迁移转化,保持着水-沉积物界面氮的动态平衡。     

电化学氧化法处理垃圾渗滤液纳滤浓缩液

实验利用电化学氧化法处理垃圾渗滤液纳滤浓缩液,以提高废水的可生化性。研究考察了水力停留时间、进水流量、循环流量、电流强度和原水氯离子浓度对有机物去除的影响。研究结果表明,电化学氧化法的最佳运行条件如下:水力停留时间为3 h,进水流量为1 m3/h,循环流量为15 m3/h,电流强度为420 A。在上述条件下,原水COD浓度从3 100mg/L降到1 311.3 mg/L,去除率达到57.7%,BOD/COD值由0.03提升至0.31。氯离子对电解有促进作用,但原水氯离子浓度超过5 000 mg/L,不需要外加工业盐。     

循环序批式活性污泥反应器的调试及运行

介绍了循环序批式活性污泥反应器的工艺流程及设计参数、调试和运行情况,分析探讨了系统运行中出现的一些问题。稳定运行期间的检测结果表明,反应器对COD和NH3-N具有较好的去除效果,平均去除率分别达到86.2%和92.1%,但对TP的去除率有待提高。     

鲢鱼放养控制北京城市河湖水华试验研究

介绍了利用鲢鱼控制北京城市河湖水华的试验研究,通过不同放养密度(0、17、51和103 g/m3)的现场围隔试验,对鲢鱼放养对水体水质和浮游生物的影响进行了分析.研究结果表明,鲢鱼放养使有鱼围隔中浮游生物量极低,从而使浮游植物基本不受浮游动物影响,而直接受鱼类影响;同时,中等密度(51 g/m3)的鲢鱼放养使水华蓝藻和微小藻的生长均得到了有效抑制,使藻类生物量最低.     

高效降解微囊藻毒素食酸戴尔福特菌USTB-04的培养与活性研究

主要针对筛选的高效降解微囊藻毒素(microcystins,MCs)的食酸戴尔福特菌USTB-04(Delftia acidovorans,DA菌)的培养方法进行了研究.结果表明,以葡萄糖、甘油和乙醇作为惟一碳源时,与氯化铵和尿素相比,酵母粉是支持DA菌生长的较好氮源.在以酵母粉作为惟一氮源时,与甘油和乙醇相比,葡萄糖是提高DA菌生长速度的较好碳源.进一步研究显示,以葡萄糖和酵母粉作为碳源和氮源时,可以支持DA菌的快速稳定生长,但在以甘油和酵母粉作为碳源和氮源时.培养出的DA菌降解MCs的比活性最高.此研究在培养高细胞浓度DA菌作为生物催化剂用于饮用水源中的MCs去除方面具有重要意义.     

Large-scale utilization of desulfurization ash and fly ash for unfired production of high-strength road-base stones

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This paper utilizes desulfurization ash (DA), fly ash (FA) and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) to prepare unfired high-strength road-base stones by...