Prey selection by larval weakfish (Cynoscion regalis): the effects of prey size,speed, and abundance

We examined feeding by larval weakfish, Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider), in laboratory experiments conducted during the 1991 spawning season. under natural conditions weakfish larval development is ca. 3 wk, and we ran separate experiments with larvae of five different ages (5, 8, 11, 14, and 17 d post-hatching). We used two different size classes of rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) and brine shrimp nauplii (Artemia sp.) as prey organisms. Contrary to results of previous research, weakfish larvae did not select prey based on size alone. When prey abundance was above 100 itemsl^-1 weakfish, larvae always chose large rotifers (length = 216 m) over small rotifers (length = 160 m). At 11 d post-hatching, larvae switched their diet from large rotifers to small brine shrimp nauplii (length = 449 m); however, when fed small rotifers and small brine shrimp nauplii the change in diet occurred at 14 d post-hatching. This pattern of selectivity was maintained in each larval age class. Early-stage larvae (5 and 8 d post-hatching) did not feed selectively when prey abundance was less than 100 itemsl^-1. Late-stage larvae (17 d post-hatching) fed selectively at abundances ranging from 10 to 10000 items^-1. Lwimming speeds of prey items, which ranged from 1 to 6 mms^-1, had no consistent effect on prey selection. These results suggest that weakfish larvae are able to feed selectively, that selectivity changes as larvae age, and that selectivity is also influenced by prey abundance.     

Seasonal changes in an intertidal community affected by sewage pollution

Seasonal changes in structure of a rocky intertidal community affected by sewage pollution at Quequén (Argentina) were studied over a period of 2 years. Most species showed a decrease in cover values in the polluted area. On the other hand, a small proportion of organisms favoured by organic enrichment predominated around the outfall during the period of study. Community structure was not significantly altered by frosts or windstorms. Desiccation is identified as the main physical stress. A combination of late spring high temperatures with extreme midday low-tides caused by northerly winds was responsible for heavy losses in dominant algae. Major seasonal changes in community structure were primarily due to variations in area covered by the chlorophyte Ulva lactuca, and crusts of blue-green algae and diatoms in the vicinity of the outfall. Highest diversity values were attained during either late winter or spring, due to increased abundances of several seasonal algae. Abundance of the dominant organism, the bivalve Brachidontes rodriguezi, remained stable, showing only slight, non-seasonal, changes. Since the absence of B. rodriguezi is an indication of heavy pollution, temporal stability of this species suggests that the intensity of sewage discharges did not vary over the period of study.     

Persistent organochlorine residues in soils from tropical and sub-tropical Asian countries

Soil samples from paddy fields, uplands, and urban areas (gardens and roadsides) collected from Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan were analysed to determine the residual levels of persistent organochlorine compounds such as DDTs, HCHs, and PCBs. DDT concentration in soil samples from Vietnam were found to be highest, with a mean value of 110 ng g(-1), and were followed by those in Taiwanese soils with a mean value of 20 ng g(-1). HCH concentrations were highest in soil samples from Vietnam (a mean value of 4.8 ng g(-1)) and were followed by those from Taiwan (a mean value of 1.4 ng g(-1)). Concentrations of PCBs were found to be highest in Taiwanese soil samples, with a mean of 95 ng g(-1). Interestingly, relatively high concentrations of PCBs in rural cultivated-soil samples from Vietnam were recorded with a mean value of 25 ng g(-1), probably suggesting PCB release from different kinds of weapons used during the Second Indochina war. The lowest concentrations of DDTs, HCHs, and PCBs were obtained in soil samples from Thailand, with mean values of 8.3 ng g(-1), 0.4 ng g(-1), and 2.7 ng g(-1), respectively.     

Strahlenbelastung

Forty test subjects who, either during or after the reactor accident of Chernobyl (26th April 1986), stayed at a building site at Shlobin 150 km away, were examined for spontaneously occurring as well as mitomycin C-induced Sister Chromatid Exchanges (SCE). The building site staff, who underwent a whole-body radionuclide count upon their return to Austria (June through September 1986), were used for the cytogenetic tests. The demonstration of the SCE was made from whole-blood cultures by the fluorescence/Giemse technique. At last 20 Metaphases of the 2nd mitotic cycle were evaluated per person. The radiation doses of the test subjects were calculated by adding the external exposure determined on the building site, the estimated thyroid dose through I-131, and the measured incorporation of Cs-134 and Cs-137. The subjects were divided into two groups for statistical analysis: One was a more exposed group (proven stay at Shlobin between 26th April and 31st May 1986, mostly working in the open air) and the other a less exposed group for comparison (staying at Shlobin from 1st Juni 1986 and working mainly indoors). Results. A variance analysis according toKruskal andWalis showed an only partially significant increase of spontaneous SCE in lymphocytes of the higher exposed group (m=7,7 exposed group, m=7,0 control group). Mitomycin C-induced SCE were significantly reduced in the exposed group (m=31,6 exposed group, m=39,3 control group).     

Emergency centers in Israel: A small community organizes to cope with war related crises*

This paper focuses on community-wide emergencies caused by war-related events in Lebanon at the beginning of June 1982. Mobilization for the "Peace for Galilee" campaign began on Friday, 4th June. Overnight, families were disrupted, husbands and sons were in danger, and within 24 hours there were notifications of casualities and deaths. Families in crisis became a widespread phenomenon. In Herzlia, as in many other communities, a new service - the Emergency Center - emerged under the auspices of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Municipality. The authors describe this process of getting organized, the populations served, how the Center was staffed, the role of citizen volunteers, and the types of interventions used to help vulnerable families as well as soldiers home on leave. Stress is placed on the unique type of short-term co-operation achieved between social workers of the local Department of Social Welfare, the staff of the Department of Community Services (especially its Volunteer Bureau), the local liason officer of the Israel Defence Force, the municipal government, and public-spirited volunteers. Mention is made of conditions which made possible the activation of such a service within hours, of the Center's capacity to serve all segments of the population, and of how it was deactivated within a few weeks when the emergency ended. On the basis of lessons learned from this experience, the paper ends with a number of specific recommendations. The authors hope that such innovative forms of crisis-intervention will become part of the helping technology widely available at the community level in future years.     

Congestion and participation in outdoor recreation: A household production function approach

This paper examines the effects of congestion on recreational behavior within a household production model of consumer behavior. We assume that congestion affects the household's ability to produce constant quality recreational service flows and derive a reduced-form model for participation decisions in remote and developed camping. Empirical estimates of the effects of a congestion measure on the conditional probability of participation as well as on the level of participation are estimated for each activity by the type of trip using information from the 1972 National Recreation Survey. The findings suggest that congestion was most likely to affect the decision to participate and not the level once that decision had been made. While differences in these effects were observed across the activities studied, it is not clear how they should be interpreted since our congestion measure was a proxy variable likely to perform better for remote camping than developed camping.     

NATURAL GAS PROSPECTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND THE ROLE OF LNG TRANSPORTATION

Natural gas may provide a major contribution to the world energy supply during the next few decades. The developing countries command about 50 per cent of the world proved natural gas reserves, with gas accounting for only 6 per cent of commercial primary energy production. The challenging task of expanding gas production and utilization in the developing countries, especially through effective use of gas associated with petroleum deposits and transportation of gas in liquefied form (LNG), will require long-term technical co-operation policy commitments with regard to investment, manpower and the transfer of technology. The article is intended to analyse the basic factors involved in these problems. Au cours des prochaines décennies, le gaz naturel peut constituer un apport considérable à l'approvisionnement énergétique mondial. Les pays en développement détiennent approximativement 50 pour cent des réserves mondiales prouvées de gaz naturel, le gaz représentant seulement 6 pour cent de la production d'énergie primaire commerciale. Le défi lancé par la production et l'utilisation croissantes de gaz dans les pays en développement, particulièrement par l'utilisation efficace du gaz lié aux gisements de pétrole et le transport du gaz liquéfié (GNL), requiert des engagements à long terme en matière de politique de coopération technique dans le domaine des investissements, de la main-d'oeuvre et du transfert de technologie. Cet article a pour but d'analyser les facteurs fondamentaux à prendre en considération lorsqu'on traite de ces problèmes. El gas natural podría representar una gran contribucíon a la oferta mundial de energía dentro de las próximas décadas. Los países en desarrollo poseen cerca del 50 porciento de la reserva provada mundial de gas y solamente el 6 porciento de la producción primaria de energía comercial proviene del gas. La tarea de expandir la producción y utilización de gas en los países en desarrollo, especialmente ia utilización efectiva en forma líquida (LNG) de gas asociado al petróleo, requiere de compromisos de cooperación técnica a largo plazo en lo referente a inversiones, recursos humanos y transferencia de tecnología. Este artículo intenta analizar los factores básicos pertinentes a dicha tarea.