Paternal age and offspring growth: separating the intrinsic quality of young from rearing effects

Younger individuals are often less successful in reproduction than older ones. This might be because of improving breeding skills with age or because the genetic quality of young or early maternal effects on them vary with parental age. However, no attempt has been made to experimentally separate these processes in vertebrates. We conducted a cross-fostering experiment in collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) in three breeding seasons to disentangle origin- and rearing-related effects of paternal age on chick growth, while controlling for date-specific environmental conditions as well as differences in clutch and brood size. The age of the male at the nest of origin, but not that of the rearing male, had a year-dependent effect on nestling body mass and tarsus length. In two seasons, young of subadult males grew slower in the early linear phase of growth than young of adult males. There was no compensatory growth in the final asymptotic phase, so both body mass and tarsus length before fledging reflected the differential early development. In the remaining year, the age of the male at the nest of origin had no significant effect on chick growth. The environment-dependent origin effect we detected was unexplained by incubation times, hatching asynchrony, chick masses at swapping or previously described age-dependent egg quality patterns. Our results therefore suggest a genotype × environment interaction on the relative development of offspring sired by subadult and adult males. Our results also raise the possibility that female birds may gain genetic benefits by mating with older males. Further studies should identify general patterns of male age-dependent female mate choice and offspring quality in different environmental conditions.     

造纸制浆废液减水剂研究

针对不同原料、不同制浆蒸煮方法产生的四种废液 ,通过简短的工艺回收、改性制得以木质素磺酸盐为主要成分的复合型减水剂。对其减水等性能进行了研究。其结果表明 ,掺量 2‰～ 5‰时净浆流动度为 10 9～ 174毫米 ,掺量 2‰～ 3‰时砂浆减水率为 15 .3%～ 16 .7% ,砂浆 3天、7天减水抗压强度比均大于 115 %。     

机掘工作面有效通风及其评价指标研究

就评价机掘工作面的有效通风提出了空气年龄、空气品质、换气效率、排污效率等概念,并分析给出了其指标的计算模型。有效通风指标不仅与空气年龄有关,而且与掘进工作面通风气流组织、污染物浓度及分布特性有关。提高机掘工作面空气品质,除了要提高换气排污效率外,还应有效地组织掘进工作面的通风气流     

木麻黄沿海防护林土壤呼吸动态及其关键影响因子

以中国亚热带木麻黄沿海防护林为研究对象,利用LI-8100土壤呼吸自动观测系统,对木麻黄人工林生态系统的土壤呼吸特征进行了监测.结果表明,不同林龄木麻黄林地土壤呼吸日动态均呈双峰变化曲线,8:00~10:00和14:00~16:00出现峰值,最小值出现在20:00~22:00;季节动态均呈单峰曲线,最大值出现在6~7月份,最小值则出现在12~1月份.土壤温度和水分对土壤呼吸的季节变化存在显著影响,并有明显的交互作用,进行单因素方差分析发现,土壤呼吸季节变化与5cm土温存在着较好的指数相关关系(P成林>幼林;随着林龄的增大,土壤呼吸对土壤温度和土壤水分的敏感性增强.     

可溶性微生物产物的产生及影响因素分析

对可溶性微生物产物(SMP)的产生和性质进行了概述,指出SMP是影响生化出水水质的重要因素;建立了完全混合反应器中SMP浓度的计算公式。基质降解量(△S)、污泥龄(@)、污泥产率因数(y)和衰减速率系数(b)是影响SMP浓度的4个重要因素,SMP浓度同污泥浓度、水力停留时间无关。分析表明,对应某污泥龄,反应器中SMP浓度可达到最低,控制污泥龄可以达到降低出水中SMP浓度的目的。     

循环式活性污泥法中好氧选择区的运行条件研究

研究了循环式活性污泥法好氧生物选择区的停留时间和整个系统中泥龄、污泥负荷、曝气时间等运行参数对选择区内微生物吸附性能的影响。结果表明 ,选择器停留时间 3 0 min,系统泥龄 9～ 15 d,曝气 2 h,污泥有机负荷为 0 .3 g CODCr/(g ML SS·d)左右时 ,选择器中微生物的吸附性能最优 ,可去除进水中 90以上的 CODCr。     

Determining the age of cyclomorphic rodents: Functional-ontogenetic determination,ecological aspects

Functional-ontogenetic determination of age-dependent dental changes (ADCs) in voles has been demonstrated. The relationship between ADCs and the functional state of animals has been analyzed. A scheme and a table for determining individual chronological and biological ages in the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Sch.) are proposed, which markedly improve the accuracy of results. Cases of rodent maturation and breeding in winter are considered.     

湘中丘陵区不同经营目标毛竹林年龄结构、生物量分配与碳贮量格局

经营模式对毛竹林生物量、碳贮量具有重要影响。研究了湘中丘陵区毛竹笋用林(Ⅰ)、笋材兼用林 (Ⅱ)和材用林(Ⅲ) 3种不同经营目标下的竹林年龄结构、生物量分配及碳贮量格局。结果表明：应减少1～2 a、增加5～6 a生竹的留养比例,控制达到1～2 a、3～4 a、5～6 a各占1/3左右的立竹年龄结构。不同层次生物量表现为乔木层＞凋落物层＞林下植被层,毛竹笋用林经营有利于增加乔木层生物量。乔木层生物量及所占比例分别为5183～5566 t/hm2、8895%～9293%,林下植被层生物量及所占比例分别为154～258 t/hm2、258%～443%,凋落物层生物量及所占比例分别为269～386 t/hm2、449%～662%。毛竹林总碳贮量排队顺序为Ⅱ（14263 t/hm2）＞Ⅰ（13389 t/hm2）＞Ⅲ（13004 t/hm2）,笋材兼用林有利于提高竹林碳贮能力。不同层次碳贮量排列顺序总体均表现为土壤层＞乔木层＞凋落物层＞林下植被层。湘中丘陵区毛竹林生物量、碳贮量较低,应提高集约经营水平     

Timing of phosphate application affects arsenic phytoextraction by Pteris vittata L. of different ages

The effects of timing in phosphate application on plant growth and arsenic removal by arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. of different ages were evaluated. The hydroponic experiment consisted of three plant ages (A45d, A90d and A180d) and three P feeding regimens (P200+0, P134+66 and P66+134) growing for 45 d in 0.2-strength Hoagland-Arnon solution containing 145 microg L(-1) As. While all plants received 200 microM P, P was added in two phases: during acclimation and after arsenic exposure. High initial P-supply (P200+0) favored frond biomass production and plant P uptake, while split-P application (P134+66 and P66+134) favored plant root production. Single P addition favored arsenic accumulation in the roots while split-P addition increased frond arsenic accumulation. Young ferns (A45d) in treatment P134+66 were the most efficient in arsenic removal, reducing arsenic concentration to below 10 microg L(-1) in 35 d. The results indicated that the use of young ferns, coupled with feeding of low initial P or split-P application, increased the efficiency of arsenic removal by P. vittata.     

Sex ratio and oviposition responses to host age and the fitness consequences to mother and offspring in the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius

In the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius more offspring and a greater proportion of daughters were oviposited in, and emerged from 0-day-old versus 3-day-old hosts. Offspring that developed on the younger hosts (1) were larger at adulthood, (2) developed more quickly, (3) had higher survivorship to adulthood, and (4) were more often able to chew their way out of the host. Sons and daughters did not differ in how host age affected their size, development rate, or survivorship. The greater proportion of daughters from the younger hosts may be adaptive, as described by the host quality model (a variant of the Trivers and Willard hypothesis). It is adaptive if greater size or more rapid development has a more positive effect on a daughter’s than a son’s fitness and the positive effect is large enough to compensate for sons being trapped disproportionately to daughters in the older hosts. Despite greater success at drilling the younger hosts, mothers did not try to drill them sooner or more often. Having previously oviposited on the older rather than the younger hosts had no detrimental effect on the mother’s subsequent longevity or offspring production. Received: 8 March 2000 / Revised: 9 June 2000 / Accepted: 24 June 2000