Melanin-based colorations signal strategies to cope with poor and rich environments

One hypothesis for the maintenance of genetic variation states that alternative genotypes are adapted to different environmental conditions (i.e., genotype-by-environment interaction G×E) that vary in space and time. Although G×E has been demonstrated for morphological traits, little evidence has been given whether these G×E are associated with traits used as signal in mate choice. In three wild bird species, we investigated whether the degree of melanin-based coloration, a heritable trait, covaries with nestling growth rate in rich and poor environments. Variation in the degree of reddish-brown phaeomelanism is pronounced in the barn owl (Tyto alba) and tawny owl (Strix aluco), and variation in black eumelanism in the barn owl and Alpine swift (Apus melba). Melanin-based coloration has been shown to be a criterion in mate choice in the barn owl. We cross-fostered hatchlings to test whether nestlings sired by parents displaying melanin-based colorations to different extent exhibit alternative growth trajectories when raised by foster parents in poor (experimentally enlarged broods) and rich (experimentally reduced broods) environments. With respect to phaeomelanism, barn owl and tawny owl offspring sired by redder parents grew more rapidly in body mass only in experimentally reduced broods. With respect to eumelanism, Alpine swift offspring of darker fathers grew their wings more rapidly only in experimentally enlarged broods, a difference that was not detected in reduced broods. These interactions between parental melanism and offspring growth rate indicate that individuals display substantial plasticity in response to the rearing environment which is associated with the degree of melanism: at least with respect to nestling growth, phaeomelanic and eumelanic individuals are best adapted to rich and poor environments, respectively. It now remains to be investigated why eumelanism and phaeomelanism have a different signaling function and what the lifelong consequences of these melanism-dependent allocation strategies are. This is important to fully appraise the role played by environmental heterogeneity in maintaining variation in the degree of melanin-based coloration.     

西双版纳胶-茶群落中茶树的光合特性及其影响因子

胶-茶群落在西双版纳地区有大面积分布,研究该群落中茶树的光合特性及其影响因子,可以为胶茶间作和茶树种植的实践提供理论依据.在自然条件下使用Li-6400便携式光合系统测定了西双版纳低(570 m)、高(870 m)两个不同海拔高度的胶-茶群落中茶树连体叶片的光合日进程,并对比研究了群落和纯林中茶树叶片的光响应.结果表明,两个群落中茶树叶片的最大净光合速率、暗呼吸速率、光补偿点和光饱和点均显著低于茶树纯林.两个群落中茶树的净光合速率日进程曲线均为"单峰"型,高海拔茶树的光量子通量密度、净光合速率、蒸腾速率和气孔导度均显著高于低海拔茶树的.相关性分析表明,光量子通量密度是引起群落中茶树光合差异的主要因素.群落林下光照的增强提高了茶树的净光合积累.在高海拔地区采用以茶树为主的胶茶种植结构将促进经济效益的提高.图3表3参24     

Driver Injury Risk Variability in Finite Element Reconstructions of Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) Frontal Motor Vehicle Crashes

Objective: A 3-phase real-world motor vehicle crash (MVC) reconstruction method was developed to analyze injury variability as a function of precrash occupant position for 2 full-frontal Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) cases.

Method: Phase I: A finite element (FE) simplified vehicle model (SVM) was developed and tuned to mimic the frontal crash characteristics of the CIREN case vehicle (Camry or Cobalt) using frontal New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash test data. Phase II: The Toyota HUman Model for Safety (THUMS) v4.01 was positioned in 120 precrash configurations per case within the SVM. Five occupant positioning variables were varied using a Latin hypercube design of experiments: seat track position, seat back angle, D-ring height, steering column angle, and steering column telescoping position. An additional baseline simulation was performed that aimed to match the precrash occupant position documented in CIREN for each case. Phase III: FE simulations were then performed using kinematic boundary conditions from each vehicle's event data recorder (EDR). HIC15, combined thoracic index (CTI), femur forces, and strain-based injury metrics in the lung and lumbar vertebrae were evaluated to predict injury.

Results: Tuning the SVM to specific vehicle models resulted in close matches between simulated and test injury metric data, allowing the tuned SVM to be used in each case reconstruction with EDR-derived boundary conditions. Simulations with the most rearward seats and reclined seat backs had the greatest HIC15, head injury risk, CTI, and chest injury risk. Calculated injury risks for the head, chest, and femur closely correlated to the CIREN occupant injury patterns. CTI in the Camry case yielded a 54% probability of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ chest injury in the baseline case simulation and ranged from 34 to 88% (mean = 61%) risk in the least and most dangerous occupant positions. The greater than 50% probability was consistent with the case occupant's AIS 2 hemomediastinum. Stress-based metrics were used to predict injury to the lower leg of the Camry case occupant. The regional-level injury metrics evaluated for the Cobalt case occupant indicated a low risk of injury; however, strain-based injury metrics better predicted pulmonary contusion. Approximately 49% of the Cobalt occupant's left lung was contused, though the baseline simulation predicted 40.5% of the lung to be injured.

Conclusions: A method to compute injury metrics and risks as functions of precrash occupant position was developed and applied to 2 CIREN MVC FE reconstructions. The reconstruction process allows for quantification of the sensitivity and uncertainty of the injury risk predictions based on occupant position to further understand important factors that lead to more severe MVC injuries.     

中亚与我国西北地区环境蠕变问题的分析

讨论了中亚和我国西北地区环境蠕变问题,分析了环境蠕变与人类活动,环境蠕变与气候变化的关系.结果表明,在近年全球增暖的背景下,由于人类过度开采和利用水资源,引起了环境进一步恶化;气候变暖加速了环境恶化的进程.干旱、半干旱地区,生态脆弱,当人类活动超过自然承载力时,小的气候波动也可能引起大的环境变化.     

淀山湖沉积物中重金属元素分布特征及其季节变化

分别于夏冬两季采集淀山湖表层柱状沉积物样品,分析了沉积物样品中Cd、Pb、Cu、Cr、Fe和Mn的总量分布特征,用Tess-ier连续提取法,系统地对沉积物中重金属元素的形态分布进行了研究,并初步探讨了重金属元素分布特征的季节变化的原因。结果表明:沉积物中Pb的总量存在季节变化;沉积物中Cd、Cu、Cr和Fe主要存在于残渣态中,但Pb的铁锰氧化物结合态与Cu的有机质-硫化物结合态均为各自的优势结合态;Mn主要以可交换态、铁锰氧化物结合态及残渣态存在;Cd、Pb、Cu、Cr、Fe和Mn各形态含量均存在季节变化,其总量及各形态含量的变化与温度、pH、Eh等有关。     

南京城市边缘带化工园区土壤重金属污染评价

为揭示城市边缘带强烈人为活动对土壤环境质量的影响,以南京化工园附近20km^2区域为研究区,网格化精确布点,采集表层土壤样品共计54个,并对其重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Cd、Hg、As含量进行了测定分析.结果表明,研究区表层土壤中除Hg外的其它6种重金属含量均未超过国家二级标准;Hg是本区表层土壤重金属污染的主要因子.另外,应用地统计学的克里格方法对研究区内表层土壤污染的空间变异特征进行了分析,并讨论了研究区域的潜在污染源及其污染途径.结果表明,研究区内局部土壤重金属污染主要由蔬菜土壤高强度利用及农化产品投入所致,同时不排除污染水灌溉的影响.     

上海城市土地利用转变类型及其空间关联分析

基于多时段TM遥感影像资料,通过地图代数和空间关联分析、相邻度分析等空间分析手段的综合应用,论文对上海地区近10年来城市土地利用变化类型、形成过程和相关空间机制进行了研究,结果表明:①近10年来上海城市土地利用扩展经历了“单核扩展”模式为主(1987～1990年)到“单核扩展”、“多核扩展”与“点-轴”扩展模式并存(1990～1995年),直至“多核扩展”及“点-轴”等复杂扩展模式为主(1995～2000年)的变化过程,导致上海中心城区和郊县城镇规模急剧扩张,交通干道沿线区域城市化过程明显增强,并形成整个上海地区城市化网络结构;②面积贡献率较大、转变频率较低的城市土地利用变化类型,与其他类型之间具有较高的关联度和空间亲和性,构成中心城区或卫星城、郊区城镇的扩展核心;③面积贡献率较低的类型,其转变频率较高,分布零散,构成扩展核的外围部分,这些城市周边地区存在一定程度紊乱、不合理的土地利用、开发活动;④城市化过程的内在空间机制与土地利用类型的面积和转变频率有密切关系。在更精细的尺度上依据转变频率划分的类别在一定程度上能更好体现城市土地利用变化类型的空间分异,及其作为宏观驱动机制的社会经济因子所具有的空间差异性。     

嘉兴市不同天气条件下大气污染物和气溶胶化学组分的分布特征

为研究不同天气条件下大气污染物(PM_(2.5)、PM_(1.0)、SO_2、NO_2、O_3和CO)和气溶胶化学组分的污染特征,分别使用SHARP-5030监测仪、热电EMS系统、气溶胶化学成分在线监测仪(ACSM)和宽范围颗粒粒径谱仪(WPS)对嘉兴市2015年5月1~31日PM、污染气体、PM_(1.0)中化学组分和10 nm~10μm气溶胶数浓度进行了观测分析.结果表明,观测期间嘉兴市PM_(2.5)、PM_(1.0)、SO_2、NO_2、O_3和CO的平均浓度分别为52.8和37.2μg·m~(-3)、10.3μg·m~(-3)、38.1μg·m~(-3)、92.1μg·m~(-3)和1.2 mg·m~(-3).PM_(1.0)中OA、SO_2-4、NO-3、NH_4~+和Cl-的平均浓度为2.18、1.24、0.87、0.63和0.08μg·m~(-3).数浓度主要集中在爱根核模态(20~100 nm),浓度为12 411.2 cm~(-3),其次是核模态(10~20 nm),浓度为4 946.6 cm~(-3).不同天气过程中PM和污染气体的浓度分布和日变化特征不同.不同天气条件下PM_(1.0)中化学组分分布不同.雨天和晴天PM_(1.0)中化学组分浓度从大到小顺序均为OASO_2-4NO-3NH_4~+Cl-,新粒子天PM_(1.0)中化学组分浓度的顺序为OANO-3SO_2-4NH_4~+Cl-.新粒子天OA和NO-3分别是晴天的1.61和1.42倍,说明OA和NO-3是影响新粒子生成事件的主要化学成分.不同天气条件下不同模态气溶胶的日变化特征不同.     

Trends in airborne particulates in Stuttgart, Germany: 1972-2005

Since 1972, at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany, airborne particulate matter (PM12 and then PM10) was continuously collected on filters and analyzed for environmentally relevant elements by X-ray fluorescence analysis. The resulting long-term time series are suitable for the investigation of trends and of seasonal variation. For the period 1972-2005, monthly and annual concentration mean values of 13 elements (Br, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Pb, S, Ti, V, and Zn) in the air are presented. Trend curves were fitted and the mean yearly variation of the concentration for these elements was calculated and represented graphically. All trend curves show a diminution of the air pollution during this period, but to different extents. Mean trends in percent per year were calculated for each element both for the entire investigation period and for three data subsets of 10-11 years. Possible explanations are discussed in detail.     

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