Systemic retention of ingested cantharidin by frogs

Summary Frogs(Rana pipiens) fed on blister beetles (Meloidae) or cantharidin, retain cantharidin systemically. After cessation of feeding, they void the compound relatively quickly. Systemic cantharidin does not protect frogs against ectoparasitic feeding by leeches(Hirudo medicinalis) or predation by snakes(Nerodia sipedon). As suggested by our data, and from reports in the early literature, ingestion of cantharidin-containing frogs can pose a health threat to humans.Paper no. 95 of the seriesDefense Mechanisms of Arthropods; no. 94 is LaMunyon & Eisner, Psyche (in press)     

广东省水资源问题及可持续利用对策

论述了广东省的水资源状况和水资源利用中存在的主要问题，提出了水资源可持续利用的对策。认为水质性缺水、水利工程老化失修、水资源浪费严重、管理体制不健全是水资源利用中存在的主要问题；应加强水污染的防治，健全防洪防旱体系，建立健全水资源统一管理运作饥制，提高全民节水观念，发展节水农业，走兴林治水之路，使水资源可持续利用。     

Estrus cycle asynchrony in wild female chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii

Although estrous synchrony has been reported in a number of mammalian species, most often among primates, methodological and analytical problems make it difficult to interpret these results. We developed a novel estrous synchrony index and employed a randomization procedure to analyze long-term observations of female chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) estrous cycles at the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. Our results revealed that female chimpanzees at Mahale avoid synchronizing their estrous periods with each other. We also found that birthrates decreased as the breeding sex ratio increased. We suggest that estrous asynchrony decreases female–female competition for mates. Asynchrony may also reduce the potential for male sexual coercion by nonpreferred mating partners.     

Managing mangroves in Bangladesh: A strategy analysis

Bangladesh, favoured by a tropical climate, houses the world’s largest stretch of mangroves forests (Sundarbans Reserved Forest) and plantations. Around half of the forests of the country occur in the coastal zone. People extract various goods and services from the mangroves. Nevertheless the mangrove forests are depleting. Although the extent of the Sundarbans forest has not changed much, its decline is of a qualitative nature. Mangrove plantations are increasing in area but they are losing growing stock. To arrest this, Bangladesh has adopted several strategies. The ‘Sustainable Ecosystem Management’ strategy has now been adopted instead of the ‘Sustained Yield Principle’. Biodiversity conservation and enhancement has been taken as a key management goal. A zoning system is being developed for both production and protection purposes. The government facilitates alternative income for the local people by generating activities for the communities which are dependent on the forest. Different non-governmental organizations collaborate with the government in reducing the local people’s dependence on the forest. Coastal plantations are erected to protect people from cyclones and to make the land more suitable for habitation. Through this greening of the coastal belt tree plantation is encouraged in coastal villages. Coastal embankments are being planted and leased to poor settlers in exchange for routine maintenance of the embankments. Plantations on newly accreted mud flats help in stabilizing the land, which can later on be settled by victims of erosion elsewhere. These adopted management measures do not only contribute to forestry resource management but also to the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of the coastal communities. These efforts are at present being integrated into an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project.     

编码输入法在PCB分配参数预测中的应用

根据Free-Wilson法中化合物结构表达的思想，采用两种简单的编码输入方法对58个多氯联苯(PCB)的结构进行表征，并基于模型简单性原则对多元线性回归(MLR)与误差反向传递(BP)人工神经网络、模拟退火(SA)人工神经网络和遗传算法(GA)人工神经网络PCB分配参数预测模型的预测能力进行了比较，试验证实，粗略考虑PCB结构对称性的简单编码输入规则可以简化PCB分配参数预测模型的数字形式，所获得的MLR模型具备广泛的应用前景。     

The predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis manipulates imprinting among offspring through egg placement

A crucial question with respect to imprinting is how animals ensure that kin imprint on kin but not on non-kin. Imprinting takes place in a sensitive ontogenetic phase, usually in an early period of life or when offspring are produced, at which time the recipient imprints on the first referents met. In the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis, imprinting among immature individuals happens in the larval stage immediately after hatching. I tested the hypothesis that adult P. persimilis females manipulate offspring imprinting by influencing the likelihood of encounters among recipients and referents via egg placement and egg aggregation. I conducted two experiments, one of which addressed imprinting and cannibalism, and the other addressed egg placement and egg aggregation. The imprinting experiment suggests that larvae imprint on any conspecific individual met in a sensitive ontogenetic phase and later on treat this individual as kin, irrespective of relatedness. After molting to protonymphs, imprinted individuals preferentially cannibalized unfamiliar to familiar larvae. Irrespective of familiarity, kin were cannibalized earlier than non-kin, suggesting the involvement of self-referent phenotype matching. The egg-placement experiment provides evidence that females adjust the aggregation level of their own eggs according to the degree of relatedness to present eggs from a previously ovipositing female. Both experiments in concert suggest that egg placement is a maternal strategy influencing imprinting among immature individuals. Apart from avoiding kin cannibalism, egg placement and imprinting by larvae may have relevance to other behaviors influenced by kin recognition, such as mate choice, prey-patch choice and dispersal.Communicated by L. Simmons     

城市热岛效应研究进展

作为现代城市气候主要特征之一的城市热岛效应有日渐严重的趋势。文章综述了城市热岛的生态环境效应、热岛的主要形成机制、时空分布特征等研究状况和发展趋势；基于当前城市热岛研究的现状，提出了未来城市热岛效应研究的方向及缓解城市热岛效应的有关对策。     

三峡工程淹没区文物古迹科学保护方案的探讨

对于三峡工程没区文物群落的保护,不只限于其文物价值的研究,文物的保存环境及现状的评估更是采取科学保护方案的先决条件。从地面石抽文物的原位测试技术和地下文物的考古勘探技术两方面以实例和详细的数据,介绍了在三峡工程没区文物保护工程前 的科学     

中国九十年代城市环境污染控制战略(下)

80年代是我国城市社会经济发展最快的时期,城市化水平由1981年的14.3％提高到1990年的21％,城市规模结构趋向合理,形成了以大城市为中心,中等城市为骨干和小城市为纽带的城市结构。但应该清醒的是,我国绝大部分城市的经济发展水平与工业     

水污染·水资源·对策

本文详细论述了中国和世界的水资源状况，并论述了中国的水资源短缺状况、中国用水的优劣势，以及如何解决中国水资源短缺的措施和基本战略。