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.     

Assay of some volatile compounds in human exhalation

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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.     

Inventory of emissions from major air pollutant categories in Turkey

In this study, an inventory of air pollutant emission estimates from major air polluting sources in Turkey for period between 1985 and 2005 with 5-year intervals were estimated. Inventory covers anthropogenic sources of five major air pollutants of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and non-methane volatile organic compounds. Their break-down with respect to main activity sectors were shown and their distribution by the largest industrial source categories were worked out as annual estimates. This inventory and its analysis point to serious environmental implications of air pollutants and a need to develop a policy plan for reducing these emissions.     

湖泊水污染治理的流域生态保护对策分析

对太源、滇池、巢湖水质富营养化和流域经济结构，污染源分布。生态状况作了工介绍“三湖”流域生态保护的进展及制定“九五”行动计划等举措，高度评价了生态保护工作的重要性。     

应用蚕豆根尖微核技术检测淮河水质的研究

本文报道利用蚕豆很尖激核技术研究淮河水的污染情况及致灾变性。结果表明，多数月份该水能诱导蚕豆很尖做校率的明显增高，对综合评价水质提供生物学指标。     

土壤与沉积物中水溶性有机物释放动力学研究

模拟研究了沉积物与草甸沼泽土中水溶性天然有机物从固相向水相释放的动力学过程，探讨了流速、温度和ｐＨ条件对土壤物中水溶性有机物释放速度的影响。研究结果表明，上述过程可以用滞膜模型（单膜）加以描述，释放为典型的一级动力学过程，且草甸沼泽土中水溶性有机物的释放较沉积物快。     

Practical environmental monitoring of major construction projects

Independent teams undertook environmental monitoring of particular concentrations of major construction projects forming part of Hong Kong’s U.S. $20 billion airport infrastructure programme located in dense urban areas. The team combination of environmental specialists with experienced civil engineers enabled pragmatic mitigation measures to be developed and accepted by the construction personnel with the result that potentially significant adverse impacts were averted. The authors discuss the mechanism and success of this innovative approach.     

一种新型烟气除尘脱硫脱氮一体化装置

提出了一种新型高效烟气除尘脱硫脱氮一体化装置,该装置将三种先进的技术有机结合,取得了相得益彰的效果:采用独特溢流装置的自激式除尘器进行除尘和脱硫脱氮,采用球面筛板塔进行二次除尘和脱硫脱氮,采用结构新颖的汽水分离器进行进一步除尘和脱硫脱氮。该装置不仅实现烟气的高效脱硫脱氮,而且可实现有用细微粉尘即稀有金属的回收。此类装置还可应用于矿山、化工和建材等领域中的湿法除尘。