Assessment of Metal Contamination in Doñana National Park (Spain) using Crayfish (Procamburus Clarkii)

Water quality assessment in the Aznalcollar area was attempted using multivariate methods based on heavy metal concentrations in red swamp crayfish (Procamburus clarkii). Trace levels of four heavy metals, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), were detected in crayfish from eleven different stations. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted a gradient of contamination between the sampling stations. Cluster analysis (CA) distinguished three groups of stations. Discriminant analysis also differentiated three groups. The group centroids of the first discriminant function were used to devise an index that varies according to the source of the crayfish. These standardized values are proposed for use as a water quality index. The ability of this index to successfully predict environmental quality was proved with random samples.     

Environmental and sustainability indicators and the concept of situational indicators. A systems approach

Through a systems approach indicators are shown to have the nature of variables, adopting different values or states, while other associated terms allude to special meanings assigned to specific values of the indicators. Practical implications are discussed. The concept of situational indicators of sustainability is introduced, representing a non-numerical function of both “pressures” or “driving forces” and “state” variables. A cost-effective multi-tiered approach to situational indicators is proposed. The concept of situational indicators is shown to be a particular case of indicators of systems behavior. A general systems formulation of the problem of sustainability highlights the importance of indicators of systems behavior and the central role of models in their definition.     

Non-random nectar unloading interactions between foragers and their receivers in the honeybee hive

Nectar acquisition in the honeybee Apis mellifera is a partitioned task in which foragers gather nectar and bring it to the hive, where nest mates unload via trophallaxis (i.e. mouth-to-mouth transfer) the collected food for further storage. Because forager mates exploit different feeding places simultaneously, this study addresses the question of whether nectar unloading interactions between foragers and hive-bees are established randomly, as it is commonly assumed. Two groups of foragers were trained to exploit a different scented food source for 5 days. We recorded their trophallaxes with hive-mates, marking the latter ones according to the forager group they were unloading. We found non-random probabilities for the occurrence of trophallaxes between experimental foragers and hive-bees, instead, we found that trophallactic interactions were more likely to involve groups of individuals which had formerly interacted orally. We propose that olfactory cues present in the transferred nectar promoted the observed bias, and we discuss this bias in the context of the organization of nectar acquisition: a partitioned task carried out in a decentralized insect society.     

黄河口及邻近海域溶解态无机磷、有机磷、总磷的分布研究

于2003年8月下旬对黄河口及邻近海域进行了十船连续同步27h采样调查,分析了调查区域的溶解态无机磷、有机磷、总磷的平面分布、断面分布、时间分布特征.结果表明,在调查区域内,溶解态无机磷浓度很低,而溶解态有机磷浓度较高(占溶解态总磷的85%以上),是溶解态总磷的主要组成部分.各形态磷的平面分布、断面分布均呈现出由河口向邻近海域降低的趋势,溶解态总磷、溶解态有机磷梯度变化较溶解态无机磷更为明显;潮汐对河口浅水区的各形态磷浓度影响较大,对邻近调查海域的影响不明显.     

Can Forest-protection carbon projects improve rural livelihoods? Analysis of the Noel Kempff Mercado climate action project,Bolivia

We studied the Noel KempffMercado Climate Action Project (NKMCAP),Bolivia, to assess whether forestprotection carbon (C) projects cansignificantly benefit local people. Wehypothesized that forest protection canonly securely deliver C if significantstakeholders are meaningfully andtransparently involved, traditional orcustomary rights are recognized and theirloss compensated for, and there are directlinkages between conservation anddevelopment objective. Our researchfocused on 53 members of the communities ofFlorida, Porvenir and Piso Firme and 36secondary stakeholders. In each of thevillages we held half-day meetings withcommunity leaders, complemented bysemi-structured one-hour interviews with 5,10, and 7 families, representing 20%, 10%and 8% of each community. The long-termimpact of the NKMCAP on the localcommunities may well be positive. However,in the short run, certain sections of thelocal communities are financially poorer. Forest protection projects clearly have thepotential to sequester C, protectbiodiversity and simultaneously contributeto sustainable rural development, but ifthey really are to improve rurallivelihoods, they must be designed andimplemented carefully and participatively.     

二十年来渤海生态环境参数的演化和相互关系

通过系统分析近２０ａ来渤海中部海域３ａ（１９８２－１９８３，１９９２－１９９３，１９９８－１９９９年）１０航次的生态环境特征参数的变化，描述了变化趋势，初步讨论了各种特征参数之间的相互关系。研究发现，近２０ａ来，渤海中部营养盐的浓度和结构（Ｎ／Ｐ和Ｓｉ／Ｎ）均发生显著变化，表现为：硝酸盐、亚硝酸盐、总无机氮持续增加，活性磷和硅显著降低，Ｎ／Ｐ值升高，Ｓｉ／Ｎ值下降。Ｎ／Ｐ值３ａ的五月和十月平均值分     

Diffusions-Plattenmethode zur Feststellung der fungistatischen Wirksamkeit der Antibiotika

The Science of Nature -