The role of images of conspecifics as visual cues in the development and behavior of larval anurans

Tadpoles can alter their behavior, morphology, and life history in response to habitat change. Although chemical signals from conspecifics or predators play an important role in tadpole habitat assessment, little is known about the role of visual cues and the extent to which tadpoles rely on their vision for intraspecific social assessment. The aim of our experiments was to determine whether larval anurans use visual images of other tadpoles as indicators of density and to analyze how, and to what extent, images of conspecifics alone affect tadpole development, growth, and behavior. To assess this, we raised both Rana sylvatica and Bufo americanus tadpoles in aquaria with either quarter- or half-mirrored walls. Both physically increased density and increased density simulated with mirrors decreased tadpole growth and developmental rates, and increased activity in Rana tadpoles. Bufo tadpoles did not significantly alter their growth and development in response to visually increased density. Only true, i.e., physically, increased density had an effect on growth and activity in Bufo tadpoles. Our data show that images of conspecifics are used as visual cues by Rana tadpoles and can induce phenotypically plastic changes in several traits. This response to visual cues is taxon-specific. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Onsets of schooling behavior and social transmission in chub mackerel Scomber japonicus

Grouping behavior has various types of antipredator functions. Some of these functions require social transmission of information, such as the many-eyes effect, whereas others do not, such as the dilution and confusion effects. Functions of grouping behavior would enhance with social transmission among group members. We investigated and compared the onsets of schooling behavior and social transmission of information in chub mackerel Scomber japonicus. Onset of schooling behavior was observed in rearing tanks by calculating the degree of parallel swimming. Onset of social transmission was examined by using visual cues from conspecifics. A group of five individuals was put in each of three experimental chambers from which they could see a group of conspecifics in the neighboring chamber. A weak electric stimulus was given to one of these chambers, and information transfer among individuals was observed. We found that social transmission by visual cues started on 30 days posthatching (25.1 mm in standard length), which was 2 weeks after the onset of schooling behavior. The late onset of social transmission relative to schooling behavior might be attributed to different predation pressure with development, or by underdevelopment of optic tectum, as the volume of the optic tectum did not increase just after the onset of schooling behavior.     

Researching Visual Environmental Communication

In 2008, we published a journal paper arguing that while scholarly work on media representations of environmental issues had made substantial progress in textual analysis, there had been much less work on visual representations. This special edition has a number of aims in this respect. It seeks to mark out where there has been progress since 2008, and the papers in this collection represent some of the fresh and exciting high quality scholarly work now emerging on an expanding number of topics and using different methods. We argue that we need to think more openly about what we mean by “the visual.” We begin by placing research into visual representations of the environment into the wider trajectory of visual studies research. We then proceed to review key trends in visual environmental communication research and to delineate core dimensions, contexts and sites of visual analysis.     

青藏铁路景观视觉管理系统研究

铁路建设需要设置取(弃)土场、砂石料点、施工营地等工程场地,这些工程场地如果设计不合理,必将对沿线景观造成破坏,进而对视觉产生强烈的冲击。该文参考美国林务局的“视觉管理系统(VisualManagementSystem,VMS)”和美国土地管理局的“视觉管理(VisualResourcesMana-gement,VRM)”,利用遥感(RS)和地理信息系统(GIS)技术,结合新建青藏铁路沿线景观特点和工程场地的位置、面积、所处的坡度、相对于铁路的距离、沿铁路方向的长度以及相对于本底景观的对比度,建立了新建青藏铁路沿线的景观视觉管理系统,定量分析和评价了铁路建设工程可能对高原景观带来的冲击,并为修改和重新设计工程场地提出了指导性建议。     

某危险废物填埋场地下水污染预测及控制模拟

以某危险废物填埋场为研究对象,在收集其水文地质资料基础上,运用Visual Modflow建立填埋场地下水水流和溶质运移耦合模型,对填埋场防渗层发生渗漏后,渗滤液中Cr6+在地下水中的运移过程以及地面硬化、防渗墙和排水沟3种污染控制措施对污染羽阻隔效果进行模拟预测.结果表明,Cr6+随地下水流方向运移形成污染羽,10 a后污染羽到达水塘边界,运移距离约为1 450 m,但随后10～20 a之间污染羽扩散范围没有明显扩大;地表硬化后,20 a内污染羽未扩散至水塘边界;防渗墙设置到上层含水层底部时,监测井Cr6+浓度高于未设置防渗墙时浓度,设置到下层含水层底部时,Cr6+浓度与设置于上层含水层时监测结果相反;排水沟日排水量达到2 642 m3时能有效控制污染羽扩散,20 a后污染羽尚未污染监测井;地表硬化与排水沟组合控制污染物扩散,效果最佳,同时排水沟日排水量可减少为1 878 m3.因此,当填埋场发生渗漏时,建议采用设置排水沟与周边地表硬化组合的地下水污染控制措施.     

基于Web的热带气旋灾害信息管理系统的设计与应用

用基于Web的页面显示、业务逻辑、数据访问的B/S三层结构,在Microsoft SQL Server2000和Microsoft Visual Studio2005环境下设计开发了热带气旋灾害数据库信息管理系统。对不同类型的数据,采用多对多的数据映射关系,并以不同的方式进行不同的数据管理。为了将没有统一数据格式的热带气旋灾害信息源数据,能够正确地导入到SQL Server数据库中,编写了专门的C++程序对数据格式化,实现数据格式的BNF定义,同时,在系统的设计中,融入灾害评价方法模型供用户选择使用,并采取多项行之有效的措施以防止SQL注入式攻击。     

Two methods to define and compute visual buffer strips in a forested environment

Several approaches can be used to define and construct visual buffer strips around proposed new facility sites in a forested environment. A visual buffer strip of a given value, defines a region around an object within which the probability of an unblocked view of all or portions of it by an observer are less than the buffer strip probability value. Two primary approaches are used to define visual buffer strips that take into account the size of the vegetative elements and their individual effects on visibility. Several variations and combinations of the approaches are possible. One approach defines a visual buffer strip based on the average probability of a clear view of points along the object by an observer; the other approach is based on the visibility of the feature as a whole. The computation and construction of visual buffer strips based on these two concepts are presented. Comparisons of the two approaches for specific feature shapes are also described.     

Visual Foxpro7.0程序在环境监测数据处理中的应用

在Windows 9X操作平台上 ,用VisualFoxpro 7.0程序解决了环境监测中回归直线统计检验和显著性差异分析等复杂计算 ,使计算过程窗口化和简单化 ,具有操作简便和计算结果准确的特点     

噪声对不同人格类型被试者视觉功能的不同影响

采用龚耀先修订的“艾克森人格问卷”中的调查方法,将华东师范大学的３６名大学生分为外向稳定、内向稳定、外向不稳定、内向不稳定等４个人格类型组,通过噪声暴露试验,研究其对不同人格类型式者视觉功能的影响。结果表明,噪声对内向不稳定定型被试乾的视觉影响最大,对外向稳定型影响最小;噪声对视深、视长和视野的影响程序也不相同,４种人格类型被试者在视深知觉和视野上均存在显著性差异,在视长智觉上未见任何显著性差异;     

Size assessment via a visual signal in snapping shrimp

Snapping shrimp are highly aggressive decapod crustaceans, with large, asymmetric chelae. Body size determines the outcome of both inter- and intrasexual interactions. Both the body and chela sizes of mated pairs are correlated, but the body size correlation is significantly stronger. In competitive interactions between individuals of the same sex, larger individuals usually win. Because the size of the major chela is a function of body size in both males and females, chela size could be used to assess body size early in interactions, before engaging in more high risk behaviors. To determine whether the major chela is used in size assessment, I presented shrimp with isolated chelae. Male snapping shrimp responded aggressively to isolated chelae when they were fixed open in a display posture, and the degree of aggressive response depended on the relative size of the chela. These data provide direct experimental evidence for the use of a visual signal in size assessment. Females, in contrast, responded aggressively to both the open and closed chela, and their responses did not depend on relative size. This sex difference in response may be due to differences in the value of certain resources, such as shelters, to males and females: females may be more willing to respond aggressively regardless of the apparent size of their opponent, in order to acquire more reliable information regarding size, motivation or fighting ability. Received: 30 December 1994/Accepted after revision: 14 August 1995