Deleterious effects of cypermethrin on rat liver and kidney: Protective role of sesame oil

The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in the toxicity of various pesticides. Our study was designed to investigate the induction of oxidative stress by cypermethrin; a Type II pyrethroid in rat liver and kidney. In addition, the protective role of sesame oil against the toxicity of cypermethrin was investigated. Animals were divided into four equal groups; the first group used as control while groups 2, 3 and 4 were treated with sesame oil (5 mL/kg b.w), cypermethrin (12 mg/kg b.w) and the combination of both sesame oil (5 mL/kg b.w) plus cypermethrin (12 mg/kg b.w), respectively. Rats were daily administered with their respective doses for 30 days by gavage. Repeated oral administration of cypermethrin was found to reduce the level of glutathione (GSH) and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes. While, the level of TBARS was elevated indicating the presence of oxidative stress. The activities of LDH, AST and ALT were decreased in the liver extract while increased in the plasma of the cypermethrin-treated group. Also, the levels of urea and creatinine were significantly increased after treatment with cypermethrin. Liver and kidney injury was confirmed by the histological changes. In conclusion, the administration of sesame oil provided significant protection against cypermethrin-induced oxidative stress, biochemical changes, histopathological damage and genomic DNA fragmentation.     

A Behaviorally Explicit Demographic Model Integrating Habitat Selection and Population Dynamics in California Sea Lions

Abstract: Although there has been a call for the integration of behavioral ecology and conservation biology, there are few tools currently available to achieve this integration. Explicitly including information about behavioral strategies in population viability analyses may enhance the ability of conservation biologists to understand and estimate patterns of extinction risk. Nevertheless, most behavioral‐based PVA approaches require detailed individual‐based data that are rarely available for imperiled species. We present a mechanistic approach that incorporates spatial and demographic consequences of behavioral strategies into population models used for conservation. We developed a stage‐structured matrix model that includes the costs and benefits of movement associated with 2 habitat‐selection strategies (philopatry and direct assessment). Using a life table for California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), we explored the sensitivity of model predictions to the inclusion of these behavioral parameters. Including behavioral information dramatically changed predicted population sizes, model dynamics, and the expected distribution of individuals among sites. Estimated population sizes projected in 100 years diverged up to 1 order of magnitude among scenarios that assumed different movement behavior. Scenarios also exhibited different model dynamics that ranged from stable equilibria to cycles or extinction. These results suggest that inclusion of behavioral data in viability models may improve estimates of extinction risk for imperiled species. Our approach provides a simple method for incorporating spatial and demographic consequences of behavioral strategies into population models and may be easily extended to other species and behaviors to understand the mechanisms of population dynamics for imperiled populations.     

Effects of Population Size on Singing Behavior of a Rare Duetting Songbird

Although the genetic and ecological effects of population declines in endangered species have been well studied, little is known of the social consequences. Changes in signaling behavior may result in disrupted communication and affect both reproductive and conflict‐resolution activities. The North Island Kōkako (Callaeas wilsoni) is an endangered, duetting (i.e., alternating, coordinated singing by mated pairs) songbird endemic to New Zealand temperate rain forests. Scattered populations (approximately 1500 individuals in 13 surviving and 11 translocated populations) in isolated conservation areas of different sizes have been rescued from extirpation and are currently recovering. We examined key song attributes of the Kōkako to assess whether population size or growth rate are related to song complexity, the reduction of which may compromise effective communication. We analyzed song repertoire size and phrase‐type sharing (i.e., Jaccard index of similarity), vocal performance (singing rates, song switching rates, and diversity of phrase types), and song syntactical characteristics (i.e., unpredictability in sequences of phrase types) in surviving and translocated populations (populations of approximately 19–250 territorial individuals). Population size was positively correlated with a population's song repertoire, song diversity, and switching of song phrase types and negatively correlated with shared phrase types and variation in syntactical structure of songs. Population growth rate correlated positively with pair repertoire size, population repertoire size, and singing rates during song bouts. As for solo‐singing species in fragmented landscapes, songs in the fragmented populations of Kōkako appear to be undergoing microevolution as occurs in island colonization events. Our results suggest that vocal changes in small populations could affect population establishment and growth, particularly in multiple‐source translocations. We believe measurement of vocal behavior could be used as a supplement to periodic population censuses to allow more frequent monitoring of population size. Efectos de la Conducta de Canto sobre el Tamaño Poblacional de una Ave Canora Rara     

炼油厂行为安全体系实施和维护

本文是以价值为中心基于小组的行为安全体系在炼油厂实施的案例跟踪调查研究。员工安全小组定义了炼油厂安全价值和并制定了用于指导体系设计和实施的相关原则。行为安全体系包括:(a)安全评估;(b)安全相关价值和相关实践的说明;(c)程序设计和执行概观;(d)安全观察培训;(e)反馈、认可和庆典;(f)程序维护。20年来的数据统计及分析,印证行为安全体系对记录在案、工时损失等安全事件及相关直接成本具有长期效应。行为安全体系实施的8年中,记录在案安全事件降低81%,工时损失的案例减少了79%,年工人赔偿成本下降97%。本文纳入对炼油厂副总裁的采访内容,主要是为读者展示行为安全体系对炼油厂安全文化的影响。     

Estimating the population size with a behavioral response in capture-recapture experiment

A new estimating procedure is suggested to estimate the population size in a capture-recapture experiment. The capture intensities for first-capture and recapture are allowed to be different and time dependent but they are assumed to be proportional. It is shown that the information on the proportionality constant is crucial to the estimation of the population size. Sensitivity analysis with a misspecification of the proportionality constant is conducted. The method has also been extended to the case with an unknown proportionality. A real example is given.     

农业巨灾影响下农民风险态度的行为经济学分析

通过借鉴行为经济学前景理论分析框架,构建了判定农业巨灾风险下农民风险态度的抽象模型。分析表明,面对农业巨灾风险,由于外界环境的不确定和信息不对称等因素的影响,农民对农业巨灾风险的认知能力不足,有限理性的实现程度偏低。同时,受非贝叶斯法则、代表性法则、锚定效应、从众行为和框架效应等的外界偏差性行为显著干扰的情况下,农民非理性选择很大程度上会主导个体的行为,农民极易出现风险偏好的倾向。     

Hierarchical Correlates of Bird Assemblage Structure on Northeastern U.S.A. Lakes

We investigated the factorsstructuring lake shore bird assemblages of thenortheastern U.S.A. using data collected from 158 lakesbetween 1992 and 1994. The assemblage data wereaggregated and standardized to produce assemblagecompositions consisting of proportions of individualsemploying different foraging, dietary, and migratorystrategies. The assemblage data were then re-expressedusing compositional analysis techniques and subjectedto regression tree analysis to identify environmentalcorrelates over a range of scales. Regionally, humandensity in the watershed was the most importantpredictor for the foraging, dietary, and migratorycompositions. A combination of anthropogenic andnon-anthropogenic factors likely contributed to thesebroad-scale associations because land use was largelyconfounded with climate and geomorphology. Morelocally, associations with lake shoreresidential-urban development were identified as beingimportant for the foraging and dietary compositions,as were associations with lake shore wetlands, butonly contingent there being little human developmentpresent locally and regionally. Assemblages wereassociated with increasing local and regional humandevelopment such that: hawking, aerial foraging, andground gleaning individuals increased relative tohover-and-gleaners, foliage gleaners, and barkgleaners; omnivores increased relative toinsectivores; and residents increased relative toneotropical migrants. The observed changes in birdcommunity structure were consistent with declines inforest interior species relative to edge species inresponse to forest fragmentation and suggest thatanthropogenic factors have played a prominent role instructuring lake shore bird assemblages of this region.     

基于景观格局视角的土地整治对农地细碎化影响评价研究

以江西省宜丰县土地整治项目区为例,选择斑块类型、景观类型、廊道特征3类景观格局指数,从景观格局视角定量评价土地整治对农地细碎化的影响。研究表明:(1)水田的斑块密度由8.916 1个/hm~2下降至8.423 4个/hm~2,平均斑块面积由0.075 1 hm~2提升至0.076 9 hm~2,边缘密度由1 203.431 8降低至1 127.134 7,面积加权的平均形状因子由1.238 6下降至1.216 3,最大斑块指数由0.17%上升至0.18%,景观格局指数均得到不同程度改善;但旱地除面积加权的平均形状因子以外,其他指标均表明旱地趋于细碎化。(2)土地整治导致项目区破碎化程度加剧,斑块数量由3 530个提升至4 175个,平均斑块面积由0.070 6 hm~2增加至0.059 7 hm~2,面积加权平均形状因子由1.672 3增加至1.816 0,最大斑块指数由2.06%降低至2.01%。(3)土地整治优化了农村道理和沟渠布局,廊道特征指数均有不同程度改善。但农村道路和沟渠的修建割裂了斑块,是导致项目区破碎化程度加剧的主要原因。因此,在土地整治规划设计中需要注重旱地、农村道路、沟渠的景观格局设计,达到有效治理农地细碎化和提高土地整治景观生态效益的目的。     

水环境中重金属铜暴露下青鳉鱼的行为响应

本研究采用生物行为传感器监测青鳉鱼重金属铜暴露下的行为数据,分析不同暴露浓度(20、10、5、1和0.1 TU)下青鳉鱼的行为响应。20、10、5、1和0.1 TU的暴露浓度下青鳉鱼对重金属污染的行为反应模式符合环境胁迫阈值模型,且不同浓度梯度重金属对青鳉鱼产生不同的行为毒性效应。通过本研究,利用重金属作用下青鳉鱼的行为变化来研究重金属环境胁迫导致的生物行为响应机制,从而得到重金属暴露下生物行为的实时变化过程和趋势,可对水环境生态系统质量进行综合评价。     

马拉硫磷急性暴露对斑马鱼的行为毒性研究

以斑马鱼为受试生物,通过水质毒性生物监测仪记录行为轨迹,研究了亚致死浓度的马拉硫磷急性暴露下斑马鱼游动行为和群体分布等多项行为参数的变化。结果表明:斑马鱼对环境变化响应快速,游动速度短时间内急剧增大,之后下降再调整稳定至一定范围,变化趋势符合环境压力模型。游泳高度不断增大,暴露1 h后斑马鱼几乎全部集中到水箱上部,与暴露前水平差异显著。通讯行为参数平均距离和分散度在暴露后短时间内减小之后恢复到暴露前水平。通过解析斑马鱼的行为变化可以实现水体有机磷农药突发污染的早期预警。