Strategic exploitation in a socially parasitic bee: a benefit in waiting?

Social parasitism has evolved at least ten times in the allodapine bees but studies that explore the parasite’s integration and exploitation of host colonies are lacking. Using colony content and dissection data, we examine how Inquilina schwarzi affects the social organisation of its host Exoneura robusta. Our samples include three critical periods in the host life cycle: initial formation of dominance hierarchies in late autumn, commencement of oviposition by host queens in late winter, and development of secondary reproductives in late spring. I. schwarzi preferentially parasitises larger host colonies in autumn, but during autumn and winter, the parasite appears to be socially invisible, living in the nest without disrupting the normal functioning of these colonies. Inquilines begin egg laying much later than their hosts, and by late spring, they have disrupted host reproductive hierarchies, leading to lower skew in ovarian sizes of their host nestmates. Living invisibly within the host nest for the first 6 months and waiting until well after host reproduction has begun before disrupting their social organisation appear to be unique among social insects. Such a change in strategy may be facilitated by the different social systems found in allodapine bees, with the social parasites possibly disrupting the reproductive hierarchies during spring to prevent or reduce the normal dispersal of some host females from their natal nests.     

Age- and state-dependent reproductive effort in male mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus

In mammalian polygynous mating systems, male reproductive effort consists mainly of male–male competition and courting of females, which entail substantial somatic costs. Males are thus expected to adjust their reproductive effort according to their age and condition. In this study, we examined how activity budgets of male mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), a polygynous ungulate, varied with age in a marked population over two periods: (1) summers 1995–2006 and (2) ruts 2004–2006. We then assessed if the proportions of time spent in male–male competition and courtship behaviors were influenced by age-specific body mass and social rank during the rut. Males spent most of their time foraging and resting during summer, and rested more and foraged less with increasing age. During the rut, pronounced shifts in activity budgets occurred as juveniles (1–2 years) increased time spent foraging, whereas adults (≥3 years) increased standing and time spent in social interactions at the expense of foraging. At old age, reproductive effort either stabilized or decreased slightly, providing weak support for the ‘mating strategy–effort’ hypothesis, predicting that courtship behaviors should peak in prime-aged males. Age-specific body mass did not affect time spent in male–male competition, but was positively related with time spent in courtship behaviors, providing support for the ‘individual quality’ hypothesis, predicting that males with more resources at the start of the rut should spend more time in mating-related activities. Age-specific social rank did not affect reproductive effort. Surviving to prime age while increasing mass each year should thus allow male ungulates to gain greater ability to court estrus females.     

Are naked and common mole-rats eusocial and if so, why?

Eusociality in mammals is defined in the present paper by the following criteria: reproductive altruism (which involves reproductive division of labor and cooperative alloparental brood care), overlap of adult generations, and permanent (lifelong) philopatry. We argue that additional criteria such as the existence of castes, colony size, reproductive skew, and social cohesion are not pertinent to the definition of eusociality in mammals. According to our definition of mammalian eusociality, several rodent species of the African family Bathyergidae can be considered eusocial, including the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), Damaraland mole-rat (Cryptomys damarensis), and several additional, if not all, species in the genus Cryptomys. Furthermore, some species of social voles (like Microtus ochrogaster) may also fulfill criteria of mammalian eusociality. Understanding the evolution of eusociality in mole-rats requires answers to two primary questions: (1) What are the preconditions for the development of their eusocial systems? (2) Why do offspring remain in the natal group rather than dispersing and reproducing? Eusociality in mammals is by definition a special case of monogamy (more specifically: monogyny one female breeding), involving prolonged pair bonding for more than one breeding period. We argue that eusociality in mole-rats evolved from a monogamous mating system where cooperative brood care was already established. A tendency for group living is considered to be an ancestral (plesiomorph) trait among African bathyergid mole-rats, linking them to other hystricognath rodents. A solitary lifestyle seen in some genera, such as Bathyergus, Georychus, and Heliophobius, is assumed to be a derived trait that arose independently in different lineages of bathyergids, possibly as a consequence of selective constraints associated with the subterranean environment. In proximate terms, in eusocial mole-rats either puberty is assumed to be developmentally delayed so that under natural conditions most animals die before dispersal is triggered (e.g., in the case of Heterocephalus) or dispersal is induced only by an incidental encounter with an unfamiliar, yet adequate sexual partner (e.g., in the case of Cryptomys). Ultimately, a combination of strategies involving either dispersal and/or philopatry can be beneficial, especially in a highly unpredictable environment. If genetic relatedness among siblings is high (e.g., a coefficient of relatedness of 0.5 or more), then philopatry would not invoke an appreciable loss of fitness, especially if the cost of dispersing is higher than staying within the natal group. High genetic relatedness is more likely in a monogamous mating system or a highly inbred population. In this paper, we argue that the preconditions for eusociality in bathyergid mole-rats were a monogamous mating system and high genetic relatedness among individuals. We argue against the aridity food-distribution hypothesis (AFDH) that suggests a causal relationship between cooperative foraging for patchily distributed resources and the origin of eusociality. The AFDH may explain group size dynamics of social mole-rats as a function of the distribution and availability of resources but it is inadequate to explain the formation of eusocial societies of mole-rats, especially with respect to providing preconditions conducive for the emergence of eusociality.     

Seminal fluid enhances sperm viability in the leafcutter ant Atta colombica

The seminal fluid that accompanies sperm in ejaculates has been shown or suggested to affect sperm competition and paternity success of insects by preventing female remating, inducing oviposition, and forming mating plugs. In Atta leafcutter ants, queens have multiple mates but never remate later in life, although they may live and produce fertilized eggs for several decades. The mating biology and life history of these ants therefore suggests that the major function of seminal fluid is to maximize sperm viability during copulation, sperm transfer, and initial sperm storage. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the viability of testis sperm and ejaculated sperm (mixed with seminal fluid) and found a significant positive effect of seminal fluid on sperm viability. We further quantified this positive effect by adding accessory gland secretion (a major component of seminal fluid) in a dilution series, to show that minute quantities of accessory gland secretion achieve significant increases in sperm viability. Sperm stored by queens for 1 year benefited in a similar way from being exposed to accessory gland compounds after dissection in control saline solution. Our results provide the first empirical evidence that seminal fluid is important for the production of viable ejaculates and that the accessory glands of Atta males—despite their small size—are functional and produce a very potent secretion.     

Integrated coastal management: the challenge of transdisciplinarity

The Euroconference on Coastal Management Research held in San-Feliu de Guixols, Spain, in December 1997 brought together scientists from a great variety of disciplines in the natural and social sciences, in a search for modes of transdisciplinary cooperation in the context of integrated coastal management. During the conference the participants discussed which interactions among disciplines are required for different coastal issues. Discussion groups each focused on a particular type of coastal environment, characterized by a particular type and degree of development. The group discussions were inspired by background papers which were prepared for this purpose by invited speakers. A selection of these background papers were redrafted on the basis of the conference outcome, and are published in this issue of theJournal of Coastal Conservation. The reports of the discussion groups are published in a conference proceedings booklet issued by EMAPS (1998), the European Polar and Marine Sciences Secretariat. A synthesis of ideas on the challenge of transdisciplinarity, expressed during the discussion group sessions, is presented in this introduction. The statements reflect opinions or suggestions which received broad support from the participants; they should not be taken as proven knowledge.     

秸秆-污泥复合基活性炭的制备及其对1,2,4-酸氧体的吸附特性

以污水处理厂剩余污泥与芦苇秸秆为原料,采用化学活化和高温热解的方法制备了秸秆-污泥复合基活性炭,研究了其各项性质及对1,2-重氮氧基萘-4-磺酸(1,2,4-酸氧体)的吸附性能.结果显示,当污泥与秸秆的质量比为4∶1时,经0.5 mol·L-1的KOH活化并且600 ℃高温炭化后,复合基活性炭的比表面积和含碳量分别为558.1 m2·g-1和58.9%,比污泥基活性炭提高了9.2%和4.6%,掺杂秸秆能有效提高污泥制备活性炭的比表面积和含碳量;扫描电镜观察显示,复合基活性炭表面呈多孔状.热分析研究发现复合基活性炭前躯体的高温热解过程主要伴随低温区域的脱水以及高温区域的造孔,其800 ℃热解时的烧失率为43%;N2吸附脱附曲线表明添加秸秆有利于增加活性炭微孔及中孔数量;在25 ℃下对酸氧体的吸附等温线结果显示,经秸秆掺杂的复合基活性炭其吸附性能明显提高,最大吸附量为56.4 mg·g-1,而同等条件下污泥基活性炭的最大吸附量仅为20.4 mg·g-1,表明复合基活性炭对该染料具有较好的吸附性能.从而本研究也为更好地实现污泥的资源化利用提供了一条有效途径.     

A molecular genetic analysis of social structure, dispersal, and interpack relationships of the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus )

The African wild dog is a highly social, pack-living predator of the African woodland and savannah. The archetypal wild dog pack consists of a single dominant breeding pair, their offspring, and non-breeding adults who are either offspring or siblings of one of the breeding pair. Non-breeding adults cooperate in hunting, provisioning and the protection of young. From these observations follows the prediction that the genetic structure of wild dogs packs should resemble that of a multigenerational family, with all same-sexed adults and offspring within a pack related as sibs or half-sibs. Additionally, a higher kinship between females from neighboring packs should be evident if females tend to have small dispersal distances relative to males. We test these predictions through analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences and 14 microsatellite loci in nine wild dog packs from Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa. We show that as predicted, African wild dog packs generally consist of an unrelated alpha male and female, subdominant close relatives, and offspring of the breeding pair. Sub-dominant wild dogs occasionally reproduce but their offspring rarely survive to 1 year of age. Relatedness influences the timing and location of dispersal events as dispersal events frequently coincide with a change in pack dominance hierarchy and dispersers often move to areas with a high proportion of close relatives. Received: 22 February 1996 / Accepted after revision: 16 November 1996     

Flash flood mitigation: recommendations for research and applications

Abstract

New technologies promise reduced flash flood losses. However, real-time observations with vast multi-sensor networks, more precise mapping capabilities using remote sensing and GIS, quicker hydrological and meteorological models, and increasing forecast lead times have not reduced losses. In November, 1999, 35 researchers from nine countries met in Ravello, Italy at a NATO sponsored Advanced Study Institute, to discuss these issues and to develop a research agenda that incorporates the various components required to cope with flash floods. The key recommendations from the Institute were: (1) greater emphasis on increasing understanding of the social processes involved in flash flood warning, particularly in the response phases, and (2) the need to reduce vulnerability in sustainable ways compatible with long-term economic and social goals. The relationship between hydrometeorology and social science is seen as critical to advancing our abilities to cope with flash floods.     

弹性滑移支座力学性能的试验研究

介绍了弹性滑移支座的原理、构造和特点;通过对其在不同工况下的性能试验,研究了竖向荷载、位移幅值以及加载频率对弹性滑移支座力学性能的影响,并给出了试验值与理论计算值之间的对比。研究结果表明:弹性滑移支座具有良好的工作性能,滞回曲线饱满,耗能能力强;竖向荷载和加载频率对弹性滑移支座的力学性能有一定的影响,而位移幅值对其影响较小;弹性滑移支座的恢复力模型,可以用考虑速度的指数摩擦力模型来描述,并且模拟得较为准确。     

震后火作用下多层钢框架基于火灾荷载密度的易损性分析∗

与地震易损性相比 ,结构震后火的易损性研究尚未深入 。 以三层三跨平面钢框架为研究对象 ,采用 ABAQUS 进行建模,选取火灾荷载密度作为火灾强度指标,同时将耐火极限作为破坏状态指标,采取拉丁超立方法生成了 50 个结构样本,对钢框架进行震后火作用下耐火极限分析和易损性分析,并给出了不同损伤程度的四种破坏状态。研究结果表明：震后火作用下钢框架失效概率随火灾荷载密度的升高而增加;当火灾荷载密度达到最大值时,大震下钢框架发生轻微破坏、中等破坏和严重破坏的概率较高,出现倒塌破坏的概率相对较低;对比三水准地震设防烈度下火灾易损性曲线,随着地震烈度的升高,钢框架发生严重破坏和倒塌破坏的概率也随之增大。