The functionality of female reciprocal calls in the Iberian midwife toad (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alytes cisternasii</Emphasis>): female-female acoustic competition?

Female midwife toads (genus Alytes) emit highly variable reciprocal calls of unclear function prior to and during courtship. In some species, female-female competition, expressed as physical fighting, has been reported. Males of Majorcan midwife toads (Alytes muletensis) show phonotactic response to female calls, and females of Iberian midwife toads (Alytes cisternasii) respond differently according to the male call characteristics. In this study, I test the hypothesis of female-female acoustic competition as an additional function of female reciprocal calls. Playback tests indicate that female calls are not clearly involved in female acoustic competition in the Iberian midwife toad, therefore female calls could be directed at males rather than towards competitive females.     

The spatial and temporal distribution of total ozone over China

In this paper the grid data of total ozone mapping spectrograph (TOMS) installed on Nimbus-7 satellite (1978 to 1994) was used and the spatial and temporal distribution of total ozone over China was analyzed. The research indicates that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau destroyed the latitudinal distribution of total ozone of China and the low value closed center emerged over Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Long time change trends of seasonal total ozone of Qinghai-Tibet plateau are provided. It shows that the most obvious decrease of total ozone occurs in winter (Jan.), then in summer (Jul.), the relevant slow change occurs in autumn (Oct.) and spring (Apr.).     

Adsorptive removal of phosphate by the bimetallic hydroxide nanocomposites embedded in pomegranate peel

This study aimed to fabricate new and effective material for the efficiency of phosphate adsorption. Two types of adsorbent materials, the zirconium hydroxides embedded in pomegranate peel (Zr/Peel) and zirconium-lanthanum hydroxides embedded in pomegranate peel (Zr–La/Peel) were developed. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were evaluated to give insight into the physicochemical properties of these adsorbents. Zr–La/Peel exceeded the adsorption efficiency of Zr/Peel adsorbents in batch adsorption experiments at the same pH level. The peel as a host can strive to have a strong “shielding effect” to increase the steadiness of the entrenched Zr and La elements. La and Zr are hydroxide metals that emit many hydrogen ions during the hydrolysis reaction, which contribute to protonation and electrostatic attraction. The highest adsorption capacity of La–Zr/Peel for phosphate was calculated to be 40.21 mg/g, and pseudo second-order equation is very well fitted for kinetic adsorption. Phosphate adsorption efficiency was reduced by an increase of pH. With the background of coexisting Cl^?, little effect on adsorption efficiency was observed, while adsorption capacities were reduced by almost 20–30% with the coexistence of ${{\text{SO}}_4}^{2?}$, ${{\text{NO}}_3}^{?}$ and humic acid (HA).     

煤矸石制非烧结砖的可行性研究

从实验室试验和工业性试验出发， 煤矸石制非烧结砖的可行性。研究结果表明，用煤矸石和适量固化剂制成的非绕结砖经过２８ｄ自然养护后，其质量和放射性均符合国家有关标准。利用煤矸石非烧砖无 技术上还是经济上都是可行和有利的。     

现代测绘技术在解决矿区资源与环境问题中的应用探讨

以“３Ｓ”技术及其集成为代表的现代测绘技术在解决我国矿区存在的资源浪费及环境污染问题中具有重要的应用,本文对此进行了探讨。     

过程模拟法在清洁生产研究中的应用

以醋酸清洁生产为例，介绍了过程模拟法在清洁生产研究中的应用。利用现代过程模拟技术，可在较小人力、物力投入的前提下，获得更多的系统信息，有利于清洁生产工艺的确定及操作参数的优化。     

亚铵制浆黑液非无菌操作连续发酵生产酵母

从土壤中筛选出能在亚铵黑液中生长的毕赤酵母菌株（Ｐｉｃｈｉａ ｓｐ．Ｎｏ．１）经耐毒驯化后，可接种于酸析脱木素和汽提脱毒后的亚铵黑液中，在非无菌操作条件下连续发酵生产酵母菌体，该菌生产迅速，连续培养衡释率达０．２６ｈ＾－１，总糖的酵母得率为０．４８ｇ／ｇ（ＴＳ），ＣＯＤ去除２３％，菌体易絮凝，可自然沉降分离。     

环境模型的统计评价

系统地探讨了评价模型的统计指标,并在BOD反应动力学模型中使用,取得了较好的效果。     

Gamergates in the myrmicine genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metapone</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera:Formicidae)

Gamergates (i.e. mated reproductive workers) are mostly known from ant species within the Ponerinae. We report here the discovery of gamergates in two species of the subfamily Myrmicinae. Until now, mated reproductive females in colonies of myrmicine species have been considered morphologically distinct from the worker caste. However, in two species of the myrmicine Metapone (Metapone madagascarica and a newly discovered, not yet described Metapone species) all workers have six ovarioles and a spermatheca; and some of them are mated. There are no morphological differences between mated and non-mated workers. Field observations and laboratory studies indicate that colonies of the Metapone species can reproduce with gamergates only.     

Vocal acrobatics in a Chinese frog, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amolops tormotus</Emphasis>

Although amphibians are highly vocal, they generally emit only a limited number of acoustic communication signals. We report here the extraordinarily rich vocal repertoire of Amolops tormotus, a ranid species in China. These frogs produce countless vocalizations, some of which share features of birdsong or primate calls, e.g., ultrasonic frequency components, multiple upward and downward FM sweeps, and sudden onset and offset of selective harmonic components within a call note. Frame-by-frame video analysis of the frog's calling behavior suggests the presence of two pairs of vocal sacs that may contribute to the remarkable call-note complexity in this species. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer LINK server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-002-0335-x.