Does risk of intraspecific interactions induce shifts in prey-size preference in aquatic predators?

Interactions between foragers may seriously affect individual foraging efficiency. In a laboratory study of handling time, prey value and prey-size preference in northern pike and signal crayfish, we show that risk of intraspecific interactions between predators does not affect handling time or value of prey. However, the presence of agonistic intraspecific interactors shifts prey-size preference in these predators. Neither northern pike nor signal crayfish foraging alone show a prey-size preference, while pike foraging among conspecifics prefer small prey, and crayfish foraging in groups prefer large prey. We ascribe the different outcomes in prey preference to differences in susceptibility to interactions: northern pike under risk avoid large prey to avoid long handling times and the associated risk of interactions, while signal crayfish foraging among conspecifics may defend themselves and their prey during handling, and thus select prey to maximise investment. In addition, the value of pike prey (roach) is low for very small prey, maximises for small prey, and then decreases monotonically for larger prey, while crayfish prey (pond snail) value is low for very small prey, has a maximum at small prey, but does not decrease as much for larger prey. Therefore, a large and easily detected snail prey provides a crayfish with as much value as a small prey. We conclude that interaction risk and predator density affect prey-size preference differently in these aquatic predators, and therefore has different potential effects on prey-size structure and population and community dynamics. Received: 4 October 1999 / Revised: 20 March 2000 / Accepted: 27 May 2000     

The Subjective Rating Scales for Measurement of Mental Workload—Thurstonian Scaling

Subjective rating scales for measuring work demands and individual capabilities to cope with work requirements were developed using the Thurstonian procedure. The scales measure six dimensions of mental workload: mental difficulties, feeling of responsibility, awareness of risk, interpersonal conflicts, monotony, and time pressure. Individual scale results make it possible to assess the level of mental workload understood as a relation between the subjective rating of work demands and individual capabilities in each of the six dimensions. Two versions of scales were prepared: classic and modified ones. To assess the level of reliability of the particular scales, 481 participants were examined twice at a 1-month interval. A procedure to prepare scales for the measurement of other dimensions of mental workload is also presented.     

17β-雌二醇在水体中的分布水平及去除方法研究现状

17β-雌二醇(E2)是一种常见的天然雌激素,普遍存在于各类水体环境,在水环境分布水平已经达到干扰鱼类内分泌系统的水平,被认为是作用最强烈、最具潜在影响的环境内分泌干扰物之一。文章重点介绍了17β-雌二醇在水体环境中的分布水平及去除方法,指出由于传统的污水处理工艺和净水工艺无法将其完全去除,增加深度处理工序已经迫在眉睫。针对E2的特点,现有水处理工艺宜增加能够生成强氧化剂.OH的工序。     

喷灌和沟灌方式对农田土壤NH3挥发的影响

研究了2016和2017年传统灌溉（沟灌）和节水灌溉（喷灌）方式氨（NH₃）挥发的季节年际动态变化特征及其影响因素.采用通气法进行原位监测,分析了土壤温度、体积含水量、铵态氮（NH₄⁺-N）、硝态氮（NO₃^--N）以及气温降水等因素对NH₃挥发的影响.结果表明,NH₃挥发速率的峰值出现在施用氮肥后1~2周,喷灌有效降低NH₃挥发峰值,喷灌和沟灌的NH₃挥发速率峰值在2016年分别为2.67kg/（hm²·d）和11.11kg/（hm²·d）,2017年分别为2.42kg/（hm²·d）和11.73kg/（hm²·d）;马铃薯生长季NH₃挥发存在明显的季节变化,挥发高峰主要发生在7~8月,追肥期高于基肥期.2016~2017年农田土壤NH₃累积挥发量均表现为喷灌<沟灌,与沟灌相比,喷灌分别减少58.15%和43.55%.NH₃挥发速率与土壤温度呈显著正相关（P<0.05）,与体积含水量、NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N浓度呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）.     

Effect of preparation methods on the performance of CuFe-SSZ-13 catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3

CuFe-SSZ-13 catalyst showed excellent performance in the selective catalytic reduction of NO_x with NH₃ (NH₃-SCR) for diesel engine exhaust purification. To investigate the effect of preparation methods on NH₃-SCR performance, Fe was loaded into one-pot synthesized Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts through solid-state ion-exchange (SSIE), homogeneous deposition precipitation (HDP) and liquid ion-exchange (IE), respectively. Three CuFe-SSZ-13 catalysts showed similar SO₂ resistance, which was better than that of Cu-SSZ-13. The improvement was attributed to the protection of Fe species. Hydrothermal stability of three CuFe-SSZ-13 catalysts was significantly different, which was attributed to the state of active species caused by different preparation methods. Compared with the other two catalysts, more active species existed inside the zeolite pores of CuFe-SSZ-13_SSIE. During hydrothermal aging, the aggregation of these active species in the pores caused the collapse of catalyst structure, ultimately leading to the deactivation of CuFe-SSZ-13_SSIE. In contrast, Fe species was dispersed better on the surface over CuFe-SSZ-13_IE, enhancing the hydrothermal stability of catalysts. Consequently, Fe loading effectively improved the resistance of SO₂ and H₂O over Cu-SSZ-13. For CuFe-SSZ-13, large amounts of active species located inside the zeolite pores are not beneficial for the hydrothermal stability.     

An Assessment of the Valuation Methods Used to Calculate the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW), Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), and Sustainable Net Benefit Index (SNBI)

For some time now, ecological economists have been putting forward a ‘threshold hypothesis’ – the notion that when macroeconomic systems expand beyond a certain size, the additional cost of growth exceeds the flow of additional benefits. In order to support their belief, ecological economists have developed a number of similar indexes to measure and compare the benefits and costs of growth (e.g., the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare and the Genuine Progress Indicator). In virtually every instance where an index of this type has been calculated for a particular country, the movement of the index appears to reinforce the existence of the threshold hypothesis. Of late, a number of observers have expressed concerns about whether these alternative indexes reflect concrete reality or the prejudices of ecological economists. In view of these concerns, this paper closely examines the valuation methods used in the calculation the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare, the Genuine Progress Indicator, and the Sustainable Net Benefit Index. It is argued that a consistent and more robust set of valuation techniques is required in order for these alternative indexes to gain broad acceptability.*Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Estimation of the maximal population frequency of “alien” biotypes taking into account a priori data

A method is described for calculating the probability that the percentage of alien biotypes is higher than a specified threshold (e.g., 5%) in a population in which a certain number of alien biotypes has been found preliminarily. The method is based on the Bayesian approach; it assumes that the researcher has preliminary (a priori) information on the frequency of these biotypes. This a priori information makes it possible to estimate the aforementioned probability more accurately than is possible with the use of the standard binomial estimation. The method is illustrated by the results of the estimation of cultivar purity in batches of stock and foundation seeds of spring barley with the use of protein markers.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 106–109.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Zhivotovsky, Pomortsev, Lyalina, Kalabushkin, Pukhalskii.     

应急预案编制基本操作程序及方法

应急预案编制涉及行业领域专业技术、应急管理知识、工作进度和质量管控等多方面内容,是一项专业性、系统性很强的工作。为向公众普及有关工作程序和方法,笔者结合实际工作经验提炼出应急预案编制工作的核心思想,引入项目管理的思路,提出一种面向对象、以实践应用为导向的工作模式。本文有详细的步骤展示,提供相应的文本样式,并对常见工作方法、技巧和失误进行归纳分析。研究结果提供一种可行的思路参考,对于应急预案编制设计、评审等人员具有一定参考和科普传播价值。     

Measuring implicit psychological constructs in organizational behavior: An example using psychological capital

Implicit psychological constructs are effective predictors of behavioral outcomes but are rarely used in organizational settings because of real or imagined problems with measurement validity and administration. To address these concerns, we present a means of assessing implicit constructs quickly and easily by using psychological capital as an example. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.