How many gamergates is an ant queen worth?

Ant reproductives exhibit different morphological adaptations linked to dispersal and fertility. By reviewing the literature on taxa where workers can reproduce sexually (i.e. become gamergates) we show that (1) species with a single gamergate generally have lost the winged queen caste, whereas only half of the species with several gamergates have, and (2) single-gamergate species have smaller colonies than multiple-gamergate species. Comparison with "classical" ants without gamergates, where having one vs having several winged queens are two distinct syndromes, suggests that having one vs having several gamergates are not. Gamergate number does not affect the success of colony fission, but retention of the queen caste permits the option of independent foundation.     

Nested patterns in hyporheic meta-communities: the role of body morphology and penetrability of sediment

Nestedness has been regarded as a common pattern of species distribution especially in terrestrial systems and vertebrate faunas. However, a significantly lower degree of nestedness has been reported for aquatic invertebrates. We analyzed the vertical distribution patterns of taxa in the upper 70 cm of the hyporheic zone. This biotope is abundantly inhabited by epigean fauna, which is morphologically pre-adapted to life within the limited space of sediment interstices. We tested the hypotheses that in the vertical profile of the hyporheic zone sediment acts as a physical barrier (filter), allowing only the morphologically pre-adapted and adapted (i.e., smaller, narrower, more flexible) taxa to penetrate to deeper layers. We demonstrated that this mechanism can promote a strongly nested and colonization-driven pattern at higher taxa levels. The sediment filter (1) constricted the body width: 0.50 mm appeared to be the upper limit for successful sediment colonization at the study site, and (2) favored elongated taxa against small sized taxa. We tested also the assumption that distribution of fine sediment affects the accessibility of hyporheic zone for fauna (“filter density”) and thereby influences nestedness. However, we found that nestedness could be sufficiently explained by the depth itself. Our study offers a possible explanation of depth patterns in hyporeic meta-communities as a result of morphological characteristics promoting nestedness at higher taxa level.     

不同粒径的大气细颗粒物对A549细胞的毒性研究

研究了不同粒径的大气细颗粒物对人肺癌上皮细胞A549的生物学效应,探讨了大气中细颗粒物粒径与细胞毒性的关系。采集杭州市大气中不同粒径的细颗粒物,制备成不同粒径的颗粒物总悬浮液,将A549细胞暴露于该制备液24 h后,测定细胞活力(MTT法)和培养液上清液中的LDH含量;并选择最佳浓度为后续暴露剂量,测定ROS生成量,评价不同粒径大气细颗粒物对细胞损伤效应。此外,还采用RTPCR测定凋亡基因P50、BAX、BCL-2表达情况。不同粒径的细颗粒物均显著抑制A549细胞活力,LDH显著增多,并存在剂量-效应关系;最佳染毒质量浓度为10μg/m L;ROS的生成量和各个凋亡基因的mRNA表达量均高于对照组。大气中不同粒径的细颗粒物均能对A549细胞产生毒性,并且随粒径增加,颗粒物对细胞的毒性呈降低趋势。     

球接管容器气体爆炸尺寸效应的试验研究与数值分析

为了解尺寸对球形容器连接管道甲烷-空气混合物爆炸的影响规律,利用Fluent软件,采用κ-ε湍流模型、涡耗散模型(简称EDC模型)、壁面热耗散、热辐射模型及SIMPLE算法,建立了球形容器连接管道内甲烷-空气混合物爆炸的数值模型,对容器与管道内甲烷-空气预混气体爆炸的尺寸效应进行了数值模拟。结果表明:随管道内径增大,球形容器内最大爆炸压力逐渐增大,管道末端最大爆炸压力变化无明显规律;而随管道长度增加,球形容器内最大爆炸压力逐渐减小;改变管道内径,较大体积球形容器内最大爆炸压力均大于较小体积球形容器内最大爆炸压力,最大爆炸压力上升速率的规律则相反,容器体积对管道末端最大爆炸压力的影响无明显规律。     

Mass spectral chemical fingerprints reveal the molecular dependence of exhaust particulate matters on engine speeds

Particulate matters(PMs) emitted by automobile exhaust contribute to a significant fraction of the global PMs. Extractive atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry(EAPCI-MS) was developed to explore the molecular dependence of PMs collected from exhaust gases produced at different vehicle engine speeds. The mass spectral fingerprints of the organic compounds embedded in differentially sized PMs(e.g., 0.22–0.45, 0.45–1.00, 1.00–2.00, 2.00–3.00, 3.00–5.00, and 5.00–10.00 μm) generated at different engine speeds(e.g., 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 r/min) were chemically profiled in the mass range of mass to charge ratio(m/z) 50–800. Organic compounds,including alcohols, aldehydes, and esters, were detected in all the PMs tested, with varied concentration levels for each individual PM sample. At relatively low engine speeds(≤ 1500 r/min), the total amount of organic species embedded in PMs of 0.22–1.00 μm was greater than in PMs of other sizes, while more organic species were found in PMs of5.00–10.00 μm at high engine speeds(≥ 3000 r/min), indicating that the organic compounds distributed in different sizes of PMs strongly correlated with the engine speed. The experimental data showed that the EAPCI-MS technique enables molecular characterization of PMs in exhaust, revealing the chemical dependence of PMs on the engine speeds(i.e., the combustion conditions) of automobiles.     

民用燃煤排放分级颗粒物中碳组分排放因子

中国是全球碳质气溶胶最重要的贡献者之一,民用燃煤排放占有很大的比重.排放因子的不确定性直接影响碳气溶胶排放清单的准确性.本研究基于室内模拟燃烧实验和稀释通道采样系统,采用FA-3型9级撞击采样器采集了3种蜂窝煤(考虑明烧和闷烧)和包括烟煤与褐煤在内的4种块煤燃烧排放的九级粒径颗粒物,采用热光法分析了不同粒径颗粒物中有机碳(OC)和元素碳(EC)的含量,计算得到排放因子.结果表明:(1)对于蜂窝煤的明烧与闷烧,PM2.1中OC排放因子分别为0.07g·kg~(-1)和0.10 g·kg~(-1),EC的排放因子为0.002 g·kg~(-1)和0.001 g·kg~(-1);闷烧排放的有机碳颗粒物高于明烧;元素碳排放因子低于明烧.块煤排放PM2.1中OC与EC排放因子分别是1.4 g·kg~(-1)和0.02 g·kg~(-1),高出蜂窝煤排放一个数量级.(2)粒径分析结果表明,民用煤燃烧排放的颗粒物及其载带的碳组分集中在细颗粒物上,碳组分的质量中值粒径均小于2.5μm,总碳(OC+EC)的排放因子粒径分布表明蜂窝煤燃烧排放的碳组分富集于≤0.43μm粒径段,块煤富集于0.43~0.65μm粒径段.     

青藏高原东部黄土粒度分布的端元模型研究

为了探讨青藏高原东部黄土粒度指标蕴含的物源和沉积信息,运用参数化端元分析模型对青藏高原东部地区采集的大量表土和马兰黄土样品粒度数据进行了分解。结果得到五个Gen.Weibull分布端元,分别是:(1)众数粒径为1~2μm和7~9μm的远源端元,可能由高空西风搬运而来;(2)众数粒径为35~45μm和60~80μm中远源端元,可能主要由高原季风搬运而来;(3)众数粒径为180~560μm的砂粒组分端元,可能主要为近源和局地来源。因此研究区黄土为多物源、多搬运动力下的风成沉积物。进一步比较端元间的众数粒径、标准偏差以及含量占比的差异,揭示了沉积区的地理位置、地形地貌等环境因素差异对黄土沉积有重要影响。此外,研究区与邻近的黄土高原西缘黄土粒度端元的特征差异指示了青藏高原东部黄土在搬运动力、物质来源及其贡献方面与西部黄土高原明显不同。     

前处理方法对马兰黄土粒度测量影响的实验研究

采用9种不同的前处理方法对延安新区马兰黄土样品进行了粒度分析,以探讨不同前处理方法对马兰黄土粒度测量结果的影响。结果表明,除去有机物、碳酸盐或加分散剂后,马兰黄土的粒度分布发生明显变化,表现为中值粒径和平均粒径显著减小,粒度分布曲线向细粒方向偏移;马兰黄土中含有一定量的有机质,会影响粒度测量结果。因而,在粒度测量前处理时,需要加双氧水去除有机质;在使用盐酸进行前处理时,可能与矿物发生反应,使得所测粒径变大,且使细颗粒含量减少。综合考虑除去有机物、碳酸盐和加分散剂,前处理方法 7使样品中值粒径、平均粒径和细粒含量变化最为显著。因此,对马兰黄土进行粒度分析时,建议使用方法 7,即给样品加入15 m L浓度为10%的H_2O_2溶液(除去有机质)煮沸使其充分反应,冷却后给烧杯注满蒸馏水,静置24 h,抽去蒸馏水,加入15 m L浓度为4%的(Na PO_3)_6(分散剂)溶液后测量。     

Daring females,devoted males,and reversed sexual size dimorphism in the sand-dwelling spider <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allocosa brasiliensis</Emphasis> (Araneae,Lycosidae)

Sexual selection theory predicts that a higher investment in offspring will turn females into the selective sex, while males will compete for accessing and courting them. However, there are exceptions to the rule. When males present a high reproductive investment, sex roles can reverse from typical patterns, turning males into the choosy sex, while females locate males and initiate courtship. In many spiders, males are smaller than females, wandering in search of sedentary females and maximizing the number of copulations. In the present study, we present findings on the sand-dwelling wolf spider, Allocosa brasiliensis, evidencing a reversal in typical courtship roles reported for the first time in spiders. Males were bigger than females. Females located males and initiated courtship. Copulation always occurred in male burrows and took place mainly in long burrows. Males donated their burrows to the females after copulation, closing the entrance before leaving with female cooperation from inside. Males would provide females with a secure place for ovipositing, being exposed to predation and diminishing their future mating possibilities until constructing a new burrow. The cost of vacating the burrow and losing the refuge in an unpredictable habitat, such as sand dunes, would explain the courtship roles reversal in this spider species. Results turn A. brasiliensis as a promising model for discussing the determinants of sex roles and the pressures that drive their evolution and maintenance. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: ) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Thresholds in Songbird Occurrence in Relation to Landscape Structure

Abstract:  Theory predicts the occurrence of threshold levels of habitat in landscapes, below which ecological processes change abruptly. Simulation models indicate that below critical thresholds, fragmentation of habitat influences patch occupancy by decreasing colonization rates and increasing rates of local extinction. Uncovering such putative relationships is important for understanding the demography of species and in developing sound conservation strategies. Using segmented logistic regression, we tested for thresholds in occurrence of 15 bird species as a function of the amount of suitable habitat at multiple scales (150–2000-m radii). Suitable habitat was defined quantitatively based on previously derived, spatially explicit distribution models for each species. The occurrence of 10 out of 15 species was influenced by the amount of habitat at a landscape scale (≥500-m radius). Of these species all but one were best predicted by threshold models. Six out of nine species exhibited asymptotic thresholds; the effects of habitat loss intensified at low amounts of habitat in a landscape. Landscape thresholds ranged from 8.6% habitat to 28.7% (     = 18.5 ± 2.6%[95% CI]). For two species landscape thresholds coincided with sensitivity to fragmentation; both species were more likely to occur in large patches, but only when the amount of habitat in a landscape was low. This supports the fragmentation threshold hypothesis. Nevertheless, the occurrence of most species appeared to be unaffected by fragmentation, regardless of the amount of habitat present at landscape extents. The thresholds we identified may be useful to managers in establishing conservation targets. Our results indicate that findings of landscape-scale studies conducted in regions with relatively high proportions of habitat and low fragmentation may not be applicable in regions with low habitat proportions and high fragmentation.