Relationship between abundance of rodents and damage to agricultural crops

Developing a relationship between pest abundance and damage to crops is essential for the calculation of economic injury levels (EIL) leading to informed management decisions. The crop modelling framework, APSIM, was used to simulate the impact of mouse damage on yield loss on wheat where a long-term dataset on the density of mice was available (1983–2003). The model was calibrated using results from field trials where wheat plants were hand clipped to imitate mouse damage. The grazing effect of mice was estimated using the population density, daily intake per mouse and the proportion of wheat grain and plant tissue in the diet to determine yield loss. The mean yield loss caused by mice was 12.4% (±5.4S.E.; range −0.5 to 96%). There were 7/21 years when yield loss was >5%. A damage/abundance relationship was constructed and a sigmoidal curve explained 97% of variation when accounting for different trajectories of mouse densities from sowing to harvest. The majority of damage occurred around emergence of the crop when mouse densities were >100 mice ha⁻¹. This is the first time that field data on mouse density and a crop simulation model have been combined to estimate yield loss. The model examines the efficacy of baiting and how to estimate EILs. Because the broadscale application of zinc phosphide is cheap and effective, the EIL is very low (<1% yield loss). The APSIM model is highly flexible and could be used for other vertebrate pests in a range of crops or pastures to develop density/damage relationships and to assist with management.     

Cells of the connective tissue differentiate and migrate into pollen sacs

In angiosperms, archesporial cells in the anther primordium undergo meiosis to form haploid pollen, the sole occupants of anther sacs. Anther sacs are held together by a matrix of parenchyma cells, the connective tissue. Cells of the connective tissue are not known to differentiate. We report the differentiation of parenchyma cells in the connective tissue of two Gordonia species into pollen-like structures (described as pseudopollen), which migrate into the anther sacs before dehiscence. Pollen and pseudopollen were distinguishable by morphology and staining. Pollen were tricolpate to spherical while pseudopollen were less rigid and transparent with a ribbed surface. Both types were different in size, shape, staining and surface architecture. The ratio of the number of pseudopollen to pollen was 1:3. During ontogeny in the connective tissue, neither cell division nor tetrad formation was observed and hence pseudopollen were presumed to be diploid. Only normal pollen germinated on a germination medium. Fixed preparations in time seemed to indicate that pseudopollen migrate from the connective tissue into the anther sac.     

Mechanics and Morphology of Silk Drawn from Anesthetized Spiders

 CO₂ and N₂ anesthetized Nephila spiders produced dragline silk with mechanical properties that differed from control silk as a function of time under anesthesia. Silk from CO₂ spiders had a significantly lower breaking strain and breaking energy, significantly higher initial modulus, and marginally lower breaking stress. At the onset of anesthesia the silk diameter became highly variable. During deep anesthesia silk either became thinner or retained cross-section but fibrillated. Received: 26 August 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 22 December 1999     

中国PM_(2.5)污染状况和污染特征的研究

近１０ 余年来在中国的城市地区和清洁地区进行了ＰＭ２－５ 的采集和分析，其中包括ＰＭ２－５ 的质量浓度、离子和元素成分、酸度和酸化缓冲能力以及来源解析，研究结果表明，中国大部分地区ＰＭ２－５ 的污染较重，不论是质量浓度，还是各种主要成分浓度，在ＴＳＰ 和ＰＭ１０ 中都占有很高的比重，而ＰＭ２－５ 的酸度也远远高于ＴＳＰ 和ＰＭ１０ ，特别是近年来ＰＭ２－５ 污染还有相对加剧的趋势。     

室内培养底栖端足类日本大螯蜚饵料研究

本文在实验条件下探讨了５种饵料对海洋底栖端足类日本大螯蜚的培养效果。实验指标为存活率，生长速度，日增长率和发育状况。结果表明，青岛大扁藻与新月菱形藻１：１混合液的培养效果最佳，合成饲料是较好的补充饵料，螺旋藻粉不宜作为日本大螯蜚的培养饵料。动物性饵料培养效果不如植物性饵料，但对日本大螯蜚的早期快速成长具有一定的促进作用。