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.     

Landmark memories are more robust when acquired at the nest site than en route: experiments in desert ants

Foraging desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, encounter different sequences of visual landmarks while navigating by path integration. This paper explores the question whether the storage of landmark information depends on the context in which the landmarks are learned during an ant's foraging journey. Two experimental set-ups were designed in which the ants experienced an artificial landmark panorama that was placed either around the nest entrance (nest marks) or along the vector route leading straight towards the feeder (route marks). The two training paradigms resulted in pronounced differences in the storage characteristics of the acquired landmark information: memory traces of nest marks were much more robust against extinction and/or suppression than those of route marks. In functional terms, this result is in accord with the observation that desert ants encounter new route marks during every foraging run but always pass the same landmarks when approaching the nest entrance.     

Inter and intra-population variation in shoaling and boldness in the zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>)

Population differences in anti-predator behaviour have been demonstrated in several species, although less is known about the genetic basis of these traits. To determine the extent of genetic differences in boldness (defined as exploration of a novel object) and shoaling within and between zebrafish (Danio rerio) populations, and to examine the genetic basis of shoaling behaviour in general, we carried out a study that involved laboratory-raised fish derived from four wild-caught populations. Controlling for differences in rearing environment, significant inter-population differences were found in boldness but not shoaling. A larger shoaling experiment was also performed using one of the populations as the basis of a North Carolina type II breeding design (174 fish in total) to estimate heritability of shoaling tendency. A narrow-sense heritability estimate of 0.40 was obtained, with no apparent dominance effects.     

Hybridization between wheat (Triticum aestivum) and the wild species Aegilops geniculata and A. biuncialis under experimental field conditions

Hybridization between Aegilops geniculata, A. biuncialis and bread wheat Triticum aestivum has been evaluated during two seasons under simulated field conditions to estimate the field hybridization rate under Central Spain conditions. The mean frequencies of hybridization between A. biuncialis and A. geniculata with wheat were 0.34% and 0.31%, respectively. Data from 10 hybrid plants for each combination showed that hybrids can be partially fertile by backcrossing with wheat parent, with percent averages of 3.17 grains/spikelets for A. biuncialis × wheat hybrids and 2.87 grains/spikelets for A. geniculata × wheat hybrids. Self-pollination, although at very low rates, was also possible in hybrids. The potential risks associated with natural hybridization in the context of transgenic wheat cultivation are discussed.     

低空分层降水和云水同步采集系统的开发和应用

笔者自行开发并研制了低空（ ＜ １ ｋｍ） 分层降水和云水采集系统，该系统成功地应用于福建省厦门市和贵州省贵阳市酸性降水来源和成因的研究中，取得了显著的成果，为探讨酸性降水来源和成因提供了有效的技术手段和支持。该系统可以在一定程度上代替航空测量，目前国内外的类似研究中没有使用该系统进行样品采集的先例，因此该系统的开发填补了国内外相关研究领域的空白     

Mitigation of the Impact of Tropical Cyclones in Northern Australia through Community Capacity Enhancement

Community mitigation of hazard impact requires hazard knowledge and preparedness on the part of the members of diverse and complex communities. Longitudinal research in the tropical cyclone prone north of Australia has gathered extensive datasets on community awareness, preparedness and knowledge, in order to contribute to education campaigns and mitigation strategies. Data have been used to identify issues of vulnerability to cyclones and capacity to deal with the hazard. This has been developed as a community vulnerability and capacity model that may be applied to diverse communities in order to assess levels of capability to mitigate and deal with the cyclone hazard. The model is presented here in a simplified form as its development is evolving and ongoing.     

景观及视觉影响评价初探

介绍了国内外开展景观与视觉影响评价的情况和意义 ,提出了景观与视觉影响评价的基本概念、步骤、内容和方法 ,介绍了一种较为简便、实用的用于景观与视觉影响评价的定量方法。提出了进行这项工作的难点问题及设想建议。     

双桥山群的沉积环境和变形历史再探讨--以大背坞地区为例

在对大背坞地区双桥山群变质岩中“斑点构造”研究的基础上发现了同生碎屑-一种发育于沉积岩中反映动荡沉积环境的典型沉积构造，为进一步证实双桥山群属于半深海-深海的浊流相沉积环境特点提供重要依据，通过详细的构造变形分析，确认双桥山群主要经历了区域紧闭褶皱和韧性剪切两期构造变形，运用平衡剖面方法和应变测量估算双桥山群褶皱变形的地壳缩短量为71.6%，双桥山群地层层内压扁变形压缩率为23.1%～45.3%，在对大背钨韧性剪切带进行系统研究后，建立了一套浅变质碎屑中进变质韧性剪切带的识别标志，进而对该区韧性剪切带进行 划分和厘定，同时依据韧性剪切带中同生碎屑和同构造变斑晶的应变测量结果（Kxz值），估算出大背坞韧性剪切带剪应变（γ）为1.01～2.13、最大剪位移量为0.6～0.8km。结合区域构造演化分析，认为双桥山群褶皱变形形成于晋宁期，韧性剪切变形发生于燕山期，前者是扬子地块基底岩系形成时期，后者是鹅湖花岗岩侵位和隆升过程中引发的花岗岩外围地区变质岩的以垂向剪切运动为特征的韧性剪切变形作用。     

Analysis of the Henze precipitate from the blood cells of the ascidian<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Phallusia mammillata</Emphasis>

The Henze precipitate, a peculiar blue-green microparticulate obtained by lysis of the blood cells of the ascidian Phallusia mammillata (Protochordata), was investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microanalysis. The precipitate was collected from the Henze solution, an unstable red-brown product obtained by treating blood with distilled water, whose degradation yields a characteristic blue-green product. The microparticulates measured 50–100 µm in diameter and appeared irregular in shape. SEM examination showed smooth, roughly round boundaries. The microparticulate surface examined with AFM appeared as an irregular matrix formed by 70–320-nm-wide mammillate composites, including and embedding small (500–800 nm wide) crystal-like multilayered formations. X- ray analysis showed that the elements present in these same precipitates were mainly C, Si, Al and O. The microparticulate composition appeared close to those of natural waxes or lacquers, embedding amorphous silicates and/or other Si–Al components. The unusual occurrence of Si in ascidian blood and its role are discussed.