Persistence of individually distinctive display patterns in fatigued side-blotched lizards ( Uta stansburiana)

Iguanian lizards perform conspicuous species-typical push-up displays, which are used in territory advertisement, threat, and courtship contexts. Subtle individually distinctive differences in push-up characteristics have been suggested to play a role in the recognition of social partners. However, if the structure of push-ups is responsive to changing physiological states then their capacity to promote recognition may be limited. The current study evaluated whether the push-ups performed while in an experimentally imposed state of fatigue by male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana), retain the individually distinctive characteristics apparent in rested lizards. We found repeatable among-individual differences in the duration and the relative height of push-up components. Repeatability values did not change consistently between the rested and fatigued conditions, nor when both conditions were pooled, indicating that these push-up characteristics do not change with fatigue. Similarly, discriminant functions that were generated using push-ups from one state assigned push-ups performed in an alternate state to the correct individuals. Furthermore, when analyzed independently of individual identity, the values of display parameters examined in the current study did not change significantly between states, and discriminant function analysis could not reliably classify push-ups to the correct state. Taken together the results show that individually distinctive push-up characteristics are robust to effects of fatigue, consistent with their suggested role in social recognition. In the future, video playback experiments can test whether lizards utilize the signature-like characteristics of push-ups to discriminate among individuals.Communicated by T. Czeschlik     

Interpopulational differences in chemical composition and chemosensory recognition of femoral gland secretions of male lizards Podarcis hispanica: implications for sexual isolation in a species complex

Summary. Molecular studies suggest that the Iberian wall lizard, Podarcis hispanica, forms a species complex with several monophyletic types. In Central Spain two of these types are spatially not isolated and may interact. Sex pheromones are important for species recognition and, thus, differences between lizards’ types in chemicals used in intraspecific communication could lead to reproductive isolation. Analyses by GC-MS showed that the femoral gland secretions of adult males of different types were different. Males of one type had twelve exclusive compounds, and proportions of some shared compounds differed. This presumably would reflect selection for the persistency and efficiency of chemical signals in different environments; less volatile compounds and with a higher chemical stability being favoured in the type of lizards inhabiting more humid climatic conditions. Differential tongue-flick rates to scents from femoral secretions indicated that males were able to detect and discriminate between males of different types based on chemical cues alone. In contrast, females detected but did not seem able to discriminate between scents of the two types of males. Thus, multiple factors might be simultaneously acting either against or in favor of speciation, leading, on the one hand, to genetic differences between types, but, on the other hand, probably precluding an effective reproductive isolation in areas where both types of lizards may interact.     

Food influence on colonial recognition and chemical signature between nestmates in the fungus-growing ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus</Emphasis>

Summary. Neotropical Fungus-growing leaf-cutting ants (tribe Attini) live in obligatory symbiosis with a fungus, which they grow on fresh leaves harvested by workers. Colonial recognition is likely based on chemical cues provided by cuticular hydrocarbons that have been found to be partly influenced by environmental odor sources. The diet breadth of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus enabled us to test the impact of different plant diets on colonial recognition. The intermediary of the fungus in the ants feeding habit adds a special angle to the question. From a queenright (QR) mother colony of A. s. subterraneus we formed several groups of queenless (QL) workers with fungus (approx. 700 ants). The QR colony and two of the QL-groups were fed with the same diet of fresh bramble leaves. Two other QL-groups were fed with privet leaves and two with rose flowers. After 4 months, QR workers were significantly more aggressive towards the QL-group fed with rose flowers or privet leaves than towards workers of the QL-groups fed with fresh bramble leaves. Rose-fed QL workers were aggressive towards privet-fed QL workers and vice versa, but never towards workers of their counterpart group that fed on the same diet. These results suggest that the absence of the queen or the separation time between groups played a minor role in shaping nestmate recognition cues as compared to the diet. The behavioral studies were supplemented by chemical analyses of cuticles, postpharyngeal glands (PPG) and plant-food extracts revealing profiles variations that were correlated with the dietary changes. However, although the plant extract contained several hydrocarbons there was no congruency between the plant profile and the respective diet-group ants. These results support the hypothesis that the diet influences indirectly the chemical profiles and consequently the recognition cues in A. s. subterraneus.     

Hibernation clustering and its consequences for associative nest foundation in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Polistes dominulus</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera Vespidae)

Various studies indicate that cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) act as cues for nestmate recognition in paper wasps and other social insects. A recent study showed that associative nest foundation in Polistes dominulus is mainly performed by foundresses coming from the same locality. In the present study, we induced future foundresses of P. dominulus collected in two different localities to hibernate in the laboratory in aggregates of individuals from the same or different localities. After 2 months of hibernation, foundresses from different localities but from the same experimental cluster did not show any preference to associate, at the time of nest foundation, with individuals coming from the same original locality. The cuticular chemical profiles of individuals from the mixed hibernation clusters were quite similar and significantly different from those of individuals which hibernated with other foundresses from the same locality. These findings suggest that, in this species, mechanisms other than nestmate chemical recognition play a major role in the spring association of gynes during the foundation of a new nest.Communicated by R.F.A. Moritz     

基于K-means聚类的沙尘天气快速识别技术研究

依据沙尘天气判定条件分析2018年春季（2—4月）陕西省西安市环境空气质量小时监测数据，共识别9 d受沙尘影响。研究基于K-means聚类沙尘天气分析方法，分析沙尘天气监测数据特征，并对沙尘识别聚类模型进行优化研究，识别的沙尘影响天气与传统方法一致。分析表明，聚类方法可用于沙尘天气监测数据的识别，与传统方法相比较，基于K-means聚类方法能够快速、准确识别沙尘影响天气。     

大气质量综合评价的变权识别模型及其应用

根据属性识别理论 ,建立大气质量综合评价的变权识别模型 ,利用污染贡献率确定权重系数。与其它评价模型相比 ,变权识别模型还具有排序功能 ,实例分析表明该模型是有效的     

基于模糊识别的建筑物火灾危险性评价方法

笔者以传统的经典统计和模糊统计为基础 ,依据建筑物火灾危险性的影响因素 ,应用模糊识别理论及系统安全方法 ,建立了建筑物火灾危险性的评价指标体系 ;并应用集值统计方法对各项指标权重进行了处理。该方法改变了过去统计给出一个固定值的做法 ,而给出一个区间值 ,解决了对专家给出的指标“大约是多少”这一概念的定量化。为了验证了评价模型的准确性 ,将该理论应用到某购物商场火灾危险性评价中 ,取得了满意效果 ,为建筑物防火设计以及安全管理提供了可行的依据。     

An absence of aggression between non-nestmates in the bull ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myrmecia nigriceps</Emphasis>

The ability of social insects to discriminate against non-nestmates is vital for maintaining colony integrity, and in most social insect species, individuals act aggressively towards non-nestmates that intrude into their nest. Our experimental field data revealed that intra-colony aggression in the primitive bulldog ant Myrmecia nigriceps is negligible; our series of bioassays revealed no significant difference in the occurrence of aggression in trials involving workers from the same, a close (less than 300 m) or a far (more than 1.5 km) nest. Further, non-nestmate intruders were able to enter the nest in 60% of our trials; a similar level was observed in trials involving nestmates. These results suggest that workers of M. nigriceps are either unable to recognize alien conspecifics or that the costs of ignoring workers from foreign colonies are sufficiently low to favor low levels of inter-colony aggression in this species.     

Decision rules for egg recognition are related to functional roles and chemical cues in the queenless ant Dinoponera quadriceps

The capacity to distinguish colony members from strangers is a key component in social life. In social insects, this extends to the brood and involves discrimination of queen eggs. Chemical substances communicate colony affiliation for both adults and brood; thus, in theory, all colony members should be able to recognize fellow nestmates. In this study, we investigate the ability of Dinoponera quadriceps workers to discriminate nestmate and non-nestmate eggs based on cuticular hydrocarbon composition. We analyzed whether cuticular hydrocarbons present on the eggs provide cues of discrimination. The results show that egg recognition in D. quadriceps is related to both age and the functional role of workers. Brood care workers were able to distinguish nestmate from non-nestmate eggs, while callow and forager workers were unable to do so. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

考虑颜色特征最优组合的CART决策树火灾图像识别方法*

针对火灾图像识别过程中颜色特征数量多、特征间相关性复杂、难以在多维特征融合过程中有效融合图像颜色特征等问题,提出1种考虑颜色特征最优组合的CART决策树火灾图像识别方法。首先,在Lab、RGB、HSV 3种色彩模式下基于图像颜色特征提取火灾图像特征序列;其次,分别在3种色彩模式下基于精细决策树与特征随机排列组合方法提取颜色特征中最优组合特征;最后,将提取的火灾图像最优组合特征序列作为CART决策树输入进行模型训练,并通过测试样本以及其他机器学习方法进行模型泛化能力的分析。研究结果表明:本文方法寻找出识别火灾图像的最优颜色特征组合为“Kb1+Var1+Kg+Kb2+Var2+Kh+Ks+Kv”;CART决策树方法对于火灾图像识别的测试准确度可达84.5%,其分类效果明显优于其他决策树类与集成树类方法;9折为最佳交叉验证折数,其测试准确度可达86.47%,与5折交叉验证相比明显提升14.77%。研究结果可为火灾图像识别提供方法基础。