The influence of potential reproductive rate and variation in mate quality on male and female choosiness in the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus

Recent models of choosiness in mate choice have identified two particularly important factors: the potential reproductive rate (PRR) of the choosing sex relative to that of the chosen sex, and the variation in quality of potential mates. This experimental study tested how these factors affected choosiness in male and female sand gobies, Pomatoschistus minutus. We manipulated relative PRR by means of water temperature, and mate quality by means of body length. The choosing male or female was offered a choice between two mates with either a small or a large difference in body length representing a small or a large variation in mate quality. Choosiness was measured as (1) preference for the larger mate, and (2) as whether or not spawning occurred with the smaller mate, while the larger mate was visible but screened off. We found that females preferred large males, and that their level of choosiness was affected by variation in male quality, but not by their own relative PRR. Males, on the other hand, seemed unselective in all treatments and were in general more likely than females to spawn with their provided partner. This suggests that in the sand goby, variation in male mate quality has a greater influence than relative PRR on facultative changes in female choosiness. However, a general difference in PRR between males and females may be one important factor explaining the observed sex difference in choosiness. Received: 17 April 2000 / Revised: 24 June 2000 / Accepted: 17 July 2000     

Nestling provisioning in polygynous great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus): do males bring larger prey to compensate for fewer nest visits?

Most studies of social polygyny in birds have examined male provisioning on the basis of the number of feeding visits. This may be misleading if males compensate for infrequent visits by bringing larger prey at each visit. We investigated nestling provisioning in the socially polygynous great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, in south Central Sweden in 1996–1997. We collected data on rate of feeding visits, prey size and the amount of biomass delivered by males and females. Males had lower rates of feeding visits and provided smaller prey to nestlings in secondary than in monogamous and primary nests. Secondary females had higher rates of feeding visits and brought larger prey than monogamous and primary females. These results confirm that secondary females face a potential cost of polygyny through a lower rate of male feeding, and that this cost was reinforced by the significantly lower male provisioning rate (biomass h^–1) at secondary nests. Secondary females compensated for the lack of male assistance by increasing their rate of feeding and bringing larger prey. As a result, offspring in nests of secondary females received as much food as did those in nests of primary females. Prey load size increased with the parent’s proportion of feeding visits, suggesting that parents use different feeding strategies depending on their amount of responsibility for nestling provisioning. We suggest that parents which take the main responsibility for nestling feeding have to forage further away from the nest, and based on optimal-foraging theory, they should then on average bring larger prey to their nest. Received: 4 April 1999 / Received in revised form: 12 October 1999 / Accepted: 23 October 1999     

Application of a “closed-can” technique for measuring radon exhalation from mine samples of Punjab, Pakistan

Using the closed-can technique, radon exhalation rate measurements have been carried out for shale and coal samples collected from various mines located in the Chakwal and Makarwal areas of Pakistan. For the two areas, the measured average values of the exhalation rates from shale are 1.45±0.13 and 0.67±0.25 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹ and for coal are 1.0±0.03 and 0.65±0.32 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. These values are much lower than the measured exhalation rates from alum-shale-based Nordic concrete which has values in the 50–200 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹ range. The lower values of the measured exhalation rates from the shale and coal deposits in the Chakwal and Makarwal areas are indicative of their lower uranium contents and mine workers in these areas do not face any abnormal health hazard due to radon since the exhalation rates have been found to be on the low side.     

碱片—离子色谱法测定大气中硫酸盐化速率方法探讨

实验证实碱片－离子色谱测定大气中硫酸盐化速率方法操作简便快速，准确可靠，最低检出浓度可达０．１ｍｇ／Ｌ，可替代碱片－重量法测定。     

江苏省2011年环境γ辐射剂量率测量比对

为了保证辐射监测数据的准确,江苏省辐射环境监测管理站组织了2011年全省环境γ辐射剂量率测量比对。结果表明,22台仪器测量结果满意,1台仪器测量数据可疑,所有仪器均未出现不满意或离群结果。测量比对有效地发现了测量存在的问题,保证监测工作结果的准确性。     

大气SO2与硫酸盐化速率相关斜率的探讨

利用ＳＯ２和硫酸盐化速率相关斜率，推算了有实际意义的总物质移动系数值，并确定了其允许范围，这为各地今后更地建立了硫酸盐化速率和大气ＳＯ２相关性提供技术依据。     

有机物降解产气率模型研究

根据重庆市生活垃圾的组成特点,自配垃圾试样进行有机物降解实验,根据实验期间试样的质量变化,结合降解反应方程式,计算试样的产气量,并建立产气率模型.实验结果表明,试样质量随时间逐渐降低,呈指数型衰减规律.试样在实验初期产气率增加较快,达到产气高峰后逐渐降低.用建立的产气率模型进行计算,计算结果与实测数据比较接近,说明该产...     

考虑应变速率影响的混凝土重力坝非线性地震响应分析

通过引入应变速率、损伤变量以及刚度退化指标等参数,建立了应变率相关的混凝土弹塑性损伤模型。运用该模型对某重力坝厂房坝段分别就率相关及率无关两种情况进行了三维非线性地震响应时程分析。深入研究了混凝土应变速率等相关特性对结构动力响应的影响。结果表明,应变速率对混凝土的力学性能有一定的影响,随着应变速率的增加,坝体结构的变形减小,主拉应力有所提高,应变能有所减小以及开裂损伤有一定的降低。所得结论对混凝土重力坝的震害研究有一定的参考价值。     

铺地榕对不同土壤磷营养水平的生理生态学响应

磷矿废弃地的形成在破坏植被和景观的同时,还导致水土流失和水体富营养化等不良环境影响.本文通过控制实验研究了铺地榕Ficus tikoua对不同土壤磷营养水平的生理生态学响应,以求在揭示植物对高磷条件生态响应的机理上,为磷矿弃地的生态恢复筛选适宜的先锋物种.结果显示,在磷处理质量浓度为0～360 mg·L~(-1)范围内,铺地榕的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、叶绿素质量分数、可溶性糖和根系生长的相关参数随着磷处理质量浓度的增加而增加,其后则显示出逐渐减少的趋势.植物的光饱和曲线和二氧化碳饱和曲线显示,该物种的光饱和点和二氧化碳饱和点分别为800 μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)和1 000 μmol·mol~(-1),表明该物种具有较强的光合性能,且是一种喜阳植物.该物种各器官对磷的吸收能力依次为根>茎>叶,实验中植物体的磷质量分数最高达到植物干物质量的1.13%左右.综合分析表明,铺地榕对土壤磷营养的适应范围较广,吸收固定能力强,是一种潜在的可用于磷矿废弃地治理的先锋物种.     

濒危植物疏花水柏枝种子萌发的生态学特性

疏花水柏枝Myricaria laxiflora分布于我国三峡从宜昌至重庆段长江干流的消落带,分布区十分狭小.三峡工程兴建后,疏花水柏枝将失去绝大部分的生境而成为濒危物种.通过设置一系列控制实验测试了土壤水质量分数,温度和土壤类型对疏花水柏枝种子萌发的生态学的影响.实验结果表明,土壤水质量分数、温度和土壤类型对种子萌发率都有显著影响.其中种子萌发率随土壤水质量分数增加而增大,土壤水质量分数达到饱和程度时萌发率达到最大值;高温条件下的种子萌发率高于低温,种子萌发率在21～27℃达到最大值;种子在河沙基质上萌发好于在沙土基质上.结合分布区萌发季节的环境条件分析,土壤水质量分数是限制该物种分布于消落带的关键作用因子.据此就该物种的种群保护与重建提出了一些建议.