Towards an ecological solution to the folivore paradox: patch depletion as an indicator of within-group scramble competition in red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus tephrosceles)

A number of socioecological models assume that within-group food competition is either weak or absent among folivorous primates. This assumption is made because their food resources are presumed to be superabundant and evenly dispersed. However, recent evidence increasingly suggests that folivore group size is food-limited, that the primates prefer patchily distributed high-quality foods, and display some of the expected responses to within-group scramble competition. To investigate this apparent contradiction between theoretical models and recent empirical data, we examined the foraging behaviour of red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus tephrosceles) in Kibale National Park, Uganda. We found that red colobus monkeys foraged in a manner that suggests they deplete patches of preferred foods: intake rate slowed significantly during patch occupancy while movement rate, an index of foraging effort, increased. Furthermore, patch occupancy was related to the size of the feeding group and the size of the patch. These results suggest that within-group scramble competition occurs, may limit folivore group size, and should be considered in models of folivore behavioural ecology.     

Official and folk flood warning systems: An assessment

Recent floods in West Bengal, India, focused public attention on the inadequacies of the flood warning system. This study examines some socioeconomic constraints on the communication of flood warning messages. It then looks at perceptions of, and responses by, villagers in a flood-prone region of West Bengal to official and folk flood warnings.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

HIPS阻燃复合材料三元潜在火灾危险性评价

将高抗冲聚苯乙烯树脂颗粒(纳米/微米级)、十溴二苯乙烷颗粒、三氧化二锑、弹性体、分散剂和偶联剂通过一步熔融共混工艺先行制备UL94 V-0级阻燃母粒,再将其与HIPS本体树脂按不同比例混合制得阻燃复合材料,并利用极限氧指数(LOI)、垂直燃烧(UL94)及ISO 5660锥形量热计三项测试表征制得样品的燃烧和火灾性能,从中提炼和分析LOI、垂直燃烧等级和最大热释放速率(Pk HRR)等三元关键指标相关性,给出了定性定量相结合的潜在火灾危险性分级范围。结果表明:UL94燃烧等级和Pk HRR相关性体现为当Pk HRR≤330.0 k W/m~2时,试样UL94等级均为V-0级;UL94燃烧等级和LOI相关性体现为随UL94燃烧等级从V-0降到HB时,试样LOI从27.0降到17.0;Pk HRR与LOI相关性体现为Pk HRR与LOI呈粗略反向线性相关性;UL94燃烧等级、Pk HRR和LOI三元相关性体现为当LOI22.0、Pk HRR为399.0~665.0 k W/m~2时,材料UL94燃烧等级介于HB~V-2。     

Effects of disinfection efficiency on microbial communities and corrosion processes in drinking water distribution systems simulated with actual running conditions

The effects of disinfection efficiency on microbial communities and the corrosion of cast iron pipes in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) were studied. Two annular reactors (ARs) that simulated actual running conditions with UV/Cl₂ disinfection and chlorination alone were used. High chlorine consumption and corrosion rate were found in the AR with UV/Cl₂. According to functional genes and pyrosequencing tests, a high percentage of iron recycling bacteria was detected within the biofilm of the AR with Cl₂ at early running stage, whereas siderophore-producing bacteria were dominant in the biofilm of the AR with UV/Cl_2. At the early running stage, the sequential use of UV light and an initial high chlorine dosage suppressed the biomass and iron-recycling bacteria in both bulk water and biofilms, thereby forming less protective scales against further corrosion, which enhanced chlorine consumption. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the bacterial communities in the ARs shaped from within rather than being imported by influents. These results indicate that the initial high disinfection efficiency within the distribution system had not contributed to the accumulation of iron-recycling bacteria at the early running stages. This study offer certain implications for controlling corrosion and water quality in DWDSs.     

黔北优势植物对槽谷型喀斯特生境的适应策略:基于功能性状与生态化学计量相关联的证据

以黔北槽谷型喀斯特地区三种优势植物化香(Platycarya strobilacea)、马尾松(Pinus massoniana)和烟管荚蒾(Viburnum utile)为研究对象,测定其叶片、枝条和根系的功能性状与C、N、P、Ca、Mg元素含量,分析植物不同器官间功能性状和生态化学计量学的特征与关联,探讨优势物种对槽谷喀斯特环境的适应策略。结果表明:(1)叶片干物质含量在物种间无显著差异,比叶面积、枝干物质含量、枝密度、粗根密度和中根密度在种间差异显著,比叶面积种间变异最大(32. 13%),而叶干物质含量种间变异最小(12. 76%)。(2)比叶面积与叶干物质含量、粗根和中根密度呈显著负相关,叶干物质含量、枝干物质含量、枝密度、粗根密度和中根密度两两正相关。(3)植物C含量在叶片、枝条和根系中的分配较为均匀,N、P、Mg含量均表现为叶片枝条根系,C/N、C/P表现为根系枝条叶片;叶片N/P范围为10. 89～27. 39,平均值为17. 75。(4)在相应器官内,N与P元素和N/P显著正相关,C与Ca、Mg元素显著负相关,Ca与Mg显著正相关,叶片Ca与叶片P显著负相关。(5)比叶面积与叶片N、P、Mg含量显著正相关,与叶片C含量显著负相关;粗根和中根组织密度与根Ca含量极显著正相关。这说明黔北槽谷喀斯特地区的优势植物在功能性状上产生分化,减少生态位重叠,以降低资源竞争。为适应干旱贫瘠环境,植物一方面形成低比叶面积、高干物质含量和高组织密度的功能性状组合,另一方面改变器官间的元素分配,增加枝条和根系的投资。     

Effects of O3/Cl2 disinfection on corrosion and opportunistic pathogens growth in drinking water distribution systems

The effects of O_3/Cl_2 disinfection on corrosion and the growth of opportunistic pathogens in drinking water distribution systems were studied using annular reactors(ARs).The corrosion process and most probable number(MPN) analysis indicated that the higher content of iron-oxidizing bacteria and iron-reducing bacteria in biofilms of the AR treated with O_3/Cl_2 induced higher Fe_3O_4 formation in corrosion scales.These corrosion scales became more stable than the ones that formed in the AR treated with Cl_2 alone.O_3/Cl_2 disinfection inhibited corrosion and iron release efficiently by changing the content of corrosion-related bacteria.Moreover,ozone disinfection inactivated or damaged the opportunistic pathogens due to its strong oxidizing properties.The damaged bacteria resulting from initial ozone treatment were inactivated by the subsequent chlorine disinfection.Compared with the AR treated with Cl_2 alone,the opportunistic pathogens M.avium and L.pneumophila were not detectable in effluents of the AR treated with O_3/Cl_2,and decreased to(4.60 ± 0.14) and(3.09 ± 0.12) log10(gene copies/g corrosion scales) in biofilms,respectively.The amoeba counts were also lower in the AR treated with O_3/Cl_2.Therefore,O_3/C_l2 disinfection can effectively control opportunistic pathogens in effluents and biofilms of an AR used as a model for a drinking water distribution system.     

生物滞留对城市地表径流磷的去除途径

根据武汉城市地表径流水文变化以及磷污染特征,通过1 a模拟运行监测,研究了生物滞留种植植物(狼尾草)、设置饱和带对城市地表径流溶解性磷(PO3-4-P)去除的影响及去除途径.结果表明,生物滞留采用75%河砂与25%当地黄棕壤混合基质,对地表径流PO3-4-P的平均去除率可达到90%以上.生物滞留种植狼尾草可显著降低出水PO3-4-P浓度.生物滞留设置饱和带可进一步提高对PO3-4-P的去除,不影响出水TP浓度.生物滞留通过基质吸附去除地表径流中的磷,表现为0~22.5 cm基质剖面中植物有效磷的增加,约占试验期间进水磷负荷的50%.从生物滞留系统磷输入(进水)与输出(出水与植物地上部分)角度分析,种植狼尾草一个生长周期地上部分吸收的磷可占进水磷负荷57.1%~76.1%,定期收割植物地上部分可作为城市地表径流磷可持续管理的主要途径.     

纳米零价铁强化微生物电催化-厌氧膜生物组合反应器抗膜污染能力及其调控机制

膜污染是厌氧膜生物反应器（anaerobic membrane bioreactor,AnMBR）产业化应用面临的最大挑战.本研究构建新型微生物电催化（bio-electrochemical systems,BES）-AnMBR组合反应器,以探究纳米零价铁（nano-zero-valent iron,nZVI）投加对BES-AnMBR组合系统膜污染削减和甲烷产生等性能的影响.结果表明,BES-AnMBR组合系统运行稳定,COD去除率一直维持在95%左右.nZVI投加量（以VS计）为0.1 g ·g^-1时,运行性能最佳,跨膜压差（transmembrane pressure,TMP）较对照组降低28.1%,膜通量亦有轻微增加;甲烷产量为81.3 mL ·g^-1（以COD_removed计）,较对照组提高了12.1%.胞外聚合物（extracellular polymeric substance,EPS）变化和膜阻过滤分析表明,nZVI可以加强EPS分解,促进膜表面无机和有机富铁结垢层形成,改善膜污染分布特征,从而显著缓解膜污染.本研究将丰富传统AnMBR的基础理论,为污泥处理与资源化利用提供了新视角.     

Book Reviews

Nabeel Hamdi (ed.), Educating for Real: The Training of Professionals For Development Practice
Olav Slaymaker (ed.), Geomorphic Hazards
Gérard Prunier, The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genicide
Robert Chambers, Whose Reality Counts Putting the First Last     

Comparative performance of generalized additive models and multivariate adaptive regression splines for statistical modelling of species distributions

Two statistical modelling techniques, generalized additive models (GAM) and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), were used to analyse relationships between the distributions of 15 freshwater fish species and their environment. GAM and MARS models were fitted individually for each species, and a MARS multiresponse model was fitted in which the distributions of all species were analysed simultaneously. Model performance was evaluated using changes in deviance in the fitted models and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calculated using a bootstrap assessment procedure that simulates predictive performance for independent data. Results indicate little difference between the performance of GAM and MARS models, even when MARS models included interaction terms between predictor variables. Results from MARS models are much more easily incorporated into other analyses than those from GAM models. The strong performance of a MARS multiresponse model, particularly for species of low prevalence, suggests that it may have distinct advantages for the analysis of large datasets. Its identification of a parsimonious set of environmental correlates of community composition, coupled with its ability to robustly model species distributions in relation to those variables, can be seen as converging strongly with the purposes of traditional ordination techniques.