Self-organization of circadian rhythms in groups of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.)

Workers in social groups of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) synchronize their individual free-running circadian rhythms to an overall group rhythm. By monitoring the activity of bees by recording the oxygen consumption and intragroup temperature, it is shown that the rhythm coordination is in part achieved by temperature fluctuations as an intragroup Zeitgeber. Trophallaxis was shown to have only a minor (if any) effect on circadian rhythm synchronization. A model incorporating a feed back loop between temperature and activity can plausibly explain the observed synchronization of individual rhythms in social groups as a self-organization phenomenon. Correspondence to: R.F.A. Moritz     

A test of the producer-scrounger foraging game in captive flocks of spice finches,Loncbura punctulata

Group foraging allows the co-existence of a strategy (producer) that involves searching for food, and its alternative (scrounger) exploiting the food of the producer. The use of producer and scrounger strategies has been modelled as an alternative-option scramble which assumes strong negative frequency-dependence of the scrounger's pay-offs. We tested this assumption in a flock feeding situation by manipulating the proportion of scroungers in flocks of spice finches, Lonchura punctulata. In a first experiment we found that: (1) the food intake of scroungers, and to a lesser extent producers, was negatively affected by an increase in the proportion of scroungers; (2) the food intake of producers and scroungers was equal when the proportion of scroungers was small, suggesting that producers, who exploited 35.4% of their patches by scrounging were opportunistically adjusting their use of the strategies until the pay-offs equalized. In a second experiment we tested whether finches could vary their use of the two strategies in response to changes in foraging conditions brought about by an increase in the cost of producing. As predicted by the game, finches reduced their use of the producer strategy and increased their use of the scrounger strategy when the cost of producing increased. These results suggest that spice finches can alter their allocation to each foraging alternative by experience and that the producer-scrounger game is a realistic model for predicting group foraging decisions. Correspondence to: L.-A. Giraldeau     

Diet quality affects an attractive white plumage pattern in dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis)

Sexually selected traits that act as signals of quality often display some degree of condition dependence. In birds, condition dependence of ornamental plumage is often mediated by production costs related to acquisition or allocation of dietary resources. White plumage ornaments, however, have often been assumed to be inexpensive because their production requires neither pigment nor specialized feather structure. In male dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), the size of a white patch on the tail contributes to attractiveness and mating success. Using captive males, we examined the effects of diet quality on the size and brightness of the tail-white patch. After removing four tail feathers to induce replacement, we maintained subjects on a subsistence (low-protein) or enriched (high-protein) diet while induced feathers grew. Birds that received an enriched diet grew their feathers more quickly and grew larger, brighter white patches. Feather growth rate was positively correlated with the increase in the size of the tail-white patch, a relationship that was stronger in the subsistence diet group. However, within diet treatments, faster-grown feathers were slightly duller. Taken together, these results suggest that variation in diet quality may lead to condition-dependent expression of tail white and that condition dependence may be stronger in more stressful environments. We suggest a mechanism by which increased feather growth rate may lead to an increase in the size of the tail-white patch and discuss potential trade-offs between signal size and brightness.     

Cave molly females (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae, Teleostei) like well-fed males

We examined the preference of Atlantic molly females (Poecilia mexicana) to associate with a well-fed or a starved male in simultaneous choice tests. Females from three different populations were tested in three treatments: (1) the females could choose on the basis of multiple cues from the males (visual plus non-visual); (2) only non-visual cues could be perceived in darkness, (3) only visual cues were presented. The three tested populations differ clearly in their ecology: one population occurs in a typical river habitat, the second one in a milky sulfur creek outside a cave, and the third population occurs in a cave habitat (cave molly). In the river-dwelling population, females never showed a preference. In the population from the sulfur creek, females preferred to associate with the well-nourished male when visual cues from the males were available. Only cave molly females exhibited a strong preference for well-nourished males in all treatments. A morphological comparison demonstrated that wild-caught males from river habitats are typically in a good nutritional state. In the sulfur creek, males showed signs of starvation. Cave molly males were in an even worse nutritional state. In the cave population, saturated males probably indicate high fitness, thereby driving the evolution of the preference for good male nutritional state.Communicated by K. Lindström     

高温突跃法处理城市污泥的研究

利用电弧等离子体技术产生高温突跃，处理上海市曹杨污水处理厂的脱水污泥，从中快速制得可燃气体，其主要成份是CO。产物气体可以直接点火燃烧，火焰温度达800℃左右。试验结果表明，污泥含水量在43％左右时，CO产率较高。     

A study on emission of phthalate esters from plastic materials using a passive flux sampler

Phthalate esters are used as plasticizer in many plastics, and several studies have shown their toxicity. Phthalate esters are gradually emitted over time, and so it is conceivable that they pose a significant health risk. This study aims to investigate the temperature dependence of the emissions of various phthalate esters and to estimate the health risks of these emissions at various temperatures. A passive-type sampler was developed to measure the flux of phthalate esters from the surface of plastic materials. With this sampler, we examined three widely used plastic materials: synthetic leather, wallpaper and vinyl flooring. The observed maximum emissions of diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) from these materials at 20°C were 0.89, 0.77, and 14 μg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. Emissions at 80°C were 2.8, 4.5×10², and 1.5×10³ μg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. The results showed this temperature dependence is determined primarily by the type of phthalate ester and less so by the type of material. The estimation from the results of temperature dependence indicated the concentration of DEHP in a vehicle left out in the sunshine during the day can exceed the recommended levels of Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.     

石墨炉原子吸收法测定自来水中总铬升温参数的探讨

对石墨炉原子吸收测定自来水中总铬的方法进行优化。通过对石墨炉升温程序条件进行优化,找出其最佳参数值,其方法的线性关系良好,相关系数为0.999以上,回收率在96.7%~99.5%之间。该法操作简便,灵敏度和准确度高,线性好,便于推广,适合自来水中总铬的测定。     

带肋薄壁钢管混凝土T形柱温度场试验与数值分析

为研究高温下带肋薄壁钢管混凝土T形截面柱温度场的分布规律,采用电热炉进行了温度场试验,进而采用ABAQUS有限元软件建立模型,与试验结果比较,验证模型的可靠性,在此基础上,分析了标准火灾下构件温度分布规律,构件从受火面到构件截面中部,温度逐渐降低,混凝土温度较钢管和钢筋温度明显滞后,且四个阳角温度高于两个阴角温度。在工程常用范围内,分析了受火时间、截面尺寸和加劲肋间距对构件温度场分布的影响,结果表明:随着构件截面尺寸的增大截面温度呈明显降低趋势,随着受火时间的增加钢管温度和混凝土温度呈不同态势增长,而钢筋加劲肋间距变化对温度场影响较小。     

Process analysis of characteristics of the boundary layer during a heavy haze pollution episode in an inland megacity, China

Ground observation data from 8 meteorological stations in Xi'an, air mass concentration data from 13 environmental quality monitoring sites in Xi'an, as well as radiosonde observation and wind profile radar data, were used in this study. Thereby, the process, causes and boundary layer meteorological characteristics of a heavy haze episode occurring from 16 to 25 December 2013 in Xi'an were analyzed. Principal component analysis showed that this haze pollution was mainly caused by the high-intensity emission and formation of gaseous pollutants (NO₂, CO and SO₂) and atmospheric particles (PM_2.5 (fine particles) and PM₁₀ (respirable suspended particle). The second cause was the relative humidity and continuous low temperature. The third cause was the allocation of the surface pressure field. The presence of a near-surface temperature inversion at the boundary layer formed favorable stratification conditions for the formation and maintenance of heavy haze pollution. The persistent thick haze layer weakened the solar radiation. Meanwhile, a warming effect in the urban canopy layer and in the transition zone from the urban friction sublayer to the urban canopy was indicated. All these conditions facilitated the maintenance and reinforcement of temperature inversion. The stable atmospheric stratification finally acted on the wind field in the boundary layer, and further weakened the exchange capacity of vertical turbulence. The superposition of a wind field with the horizontal gentle wind induced the typical air stagnation and finally caused the deterioration of air quality during this haze event.     

铜川市空气质量变化及重度污染的气象条件

利用2014年铜川市空气质量指数(AQI)、常规气象资料和NECP/NCAR再分析资料,分析2014年铜川市AQI与首要污染物的时间分布,并探讨典型重污染时段的气象条件。结果表明:夏季AQI小于全年均值,首要污染物以臭氧为主,秋冬AQI较高,首要污染物以PM为主。2月的环流条件不利于污染物的扩散,500 hpa位势高度与AQI的变2.5化存在一定相关性,高空条件是2月持续污染的一个重要原因。春节和元宵节期间AQI均达到重度污染等级,对此间出现的连续性空气重度污染的气象条件分析得出,在高空稳定的平直纬向西风,配合地面的弱低压这一天气形势下,相对稳定的大气层结和持续较强逆温使得污染物难以扩散进而堆积,是持续数日重度污染的重要原因。