Patterns of host switching in the fish ectoparasite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Argulus coregoni</Emphasis>

Mating is essential for sexually reproducing species to pass on their genes. For sexual parasites, this implies a need to switch the host in the search for a mate when potential partners are not available on the same host, although host switching includes risks like starvation and predation. Studies of mate-searching behavior predict that commonly only one sex searches for mating partners while the other remains stationary. In the present work, we experimentally infected rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with the fish ectoparasite Argulus coregoni and determined whether the sex, age and the presence of mating partners influenced the host switching activity. Our results show that increased host switching by A. coregoni occurred only after the parasite reached the adult stage and a difference between the sexes was also recorded. Host switching by mature males was enhanced when no mating partners were present on the same host, whereas females remained mainly stationary on their host regardless of male presence or absence. Our data therefore support the hypothesis that there is a strategic difference in reproductive behavior between males and females; males invest energy in mate searching while females are rather stationary and invest into body size and hence increased fecundity. Our data also showed that leaving the host to find a mate is potentially costly in terms of predation since a substantial number of free-swimming parasites were eaten by fish.     

Correlated changes in breeding status and polyunsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons: the chemical basis of nestmate recognition in the burying beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicrophorus vespilloides</Emphasis>?

Nestmate recognition in eusocial insects has received a lot of attention in the last decades. Recognition in subsocial species, in contrast, has been ignored almost completely and consequently, and little is known about proximate mechanisms of recognition in subsocial systems. We studied one subsocial species, the biparental brood caring burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, an interesting model organism for studies of recognition because of its ability to discriminate between breeding partners and conspecific competitors. Recognition appears to be based on a chemical cue closely linked to the breeding status of individuals. Breeding and non-breeding beetles consistently differ in their relative proportions of polyunsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons. To investigate the function of these polyenes in the burying beetles’ recognition system, we quantified their concentration on the cuticle during the early state of a breeding attempt and tested the response of breeding beetles in corresponding behavioural experiments. We observed a rapid increase in the proportion of polyunsaturated hydrocarbons of both males and females after they were provided with a carcass suitable for reproduction. Furthermore, we found that the relative amount of polyenes on an individual’s surface was closely correlated with its chance of being accepted as breeding partner. Our results support the idea that polyunsaturated hydrocarbons are involved in breeding partner recognition in N. vespilloides, functioning as a signal that conveys information about the individual’s breeding status. Breeding females have greater amount of polyenes than breeding males, and females ingest more carrion during the first days on the carcass, which supports our hypothesis that precursors for the respective polyenes are derived from ingested carrion.     

Experimental support for the use of egg uniformity in parasite egg discrimination by cuckoo hosts

Common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) parasitism drastically reduces the reproductive success of their hosts and selects for host discrimination of cuckoo eggs. In a second stage of anti-parasite adaptation, once cuckoos can lay eggs that mimic those of their hosts, a high uniformity of host egg appearance within a clutch may favour cuckoo egg discrimination. Comparative evidence provides indirect support for this hypothesis although experimental support is currently lacking. Here, we studied the effect of experimentally decreased uniformity of host egg appearance on cuckoo egg discrimination by great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) hosts in a population in which long-term cuckoo parasitism has led to high levels of cuckoo–host egg mimesis. We manipulated host clutch uniformity by adding extra spots to fresh host eggs just after they were laid. Rejection of non-mimetic experimental eggs added to these nests was compared with those in control nests in which uniformity was not altered. Previously, by over-painting real spots in a control group of nests, we showed a negligible effect of our paints on hosts’ perception of their eggs. We show that for the great reed warbler, non-mimetic experimental eggs were relatively more tolerated in experimental nests, i.e. with lower uniformity (40%) than in control nests (5%). This is the first experimental study, to our knowledge, which demonstrates a reduced discrimination of foreign eggs as a consequence of an increase of egg phenotypes variation perception in a cuckoo host.     

天车通过式集烟罩在45t转炉烟尘治理中的应用

在此提出了天车通过式捕集工艺方法。并在45t转炉的烟气治理上得到成功应用,为解决45t以下中小转炉的问题开辟了新的途径。     

Survey of mercury,cadmium and lead content of household batteries

The objective of this work was to provide updated information on the development of the potential impact of heavy metal containing batteries on municipal waste and battery recycling processes following transposition of the new EU Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC. A representative sample of 146 different types of commercially available dry and button cells as well as lithium-ion accumulators for mobile phones were analysed for their mercury (Hg)-, cadmium (Cd)- and lead (Pb)-contents. The methods used for preparing the cells and analysing the heavy metals Hg, Cd, and Pb were either developed during a former study or newly developed. Several batteries contained higher mass fractions of mercury or cadmium than the EU limits. Only half of the batteries with mercury and/or lead fractions above the marking thresholds were labelled. Alkaline–manganese mono-cells and Li-ion accumulators, on average, contained the lowest heavy metal concentrations, while zinc–carbon batteries, on average, contained the highest levels.     

通信信号调制识别技术研究

针对通信信号调制方式识别问题,提出了采用高阶累积量与信号瞬时特征相结合提取通信信号特征参数的方法,并讨论了利用获得的特征参数进行模拟、数字通信信号调制方式识别的方法和过程。实验结果表明,该方法对通信信号调制方式有很好的识别效果。     

Non-biodegradable landfill leachate treatment by combined process of agitation,coagulation, SBR and filtration

This study describes the complete treatment of non-biodegradable landfill leachate by combined treatment processes. The processes consist of agitation as a novel stripping method used to overcome the ammonia toxicity regarding aerobic microorganisms. The NH₃-N removal ratio was 93.9% obtained at pH 11.5 and a gradient velocity (G) 150 s^?1 within a five-hour agitation time. By poly ferric sulphate (PFS) coagulation followed the agitation process; chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD₅) were removed at 70.6% and 49.4%, respectively at an optimum dose of 1200 mg L^?1 at pH 5.0. The biodegradable ratio BOD₅/COD was improved from 0.18 to 0.31 during pretreatment step by agitation and PFS coagulation. Thereafter, the effluent was diluted with sewage at a different ratio before it was subjected to sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treatment. Up to 93.3% BOD₅, 95.5% COD and 98.1% NH₃-N removal were achieved by SBR operated under anoxic–aerobic–anoxic conditions. The filtration process was carried out using sand and carbon as a dual filter media as polishing process. The final effluent concentration of COD, BOD₅, suspended solid (SS), NH₃-N and total organic carbon (TOC) were 72.4 mg L^?1, 22.8 mg L^?1, 24.2 mg L^?1, 18.4 mg L^?1 and 50.8 mg L^?1 respectively, which met the discharge standard. The results indicated that a combined process of agitation-coagulation-SBR and filtration effectively eliminated pollutant loading from landfill leachate.     

Combining culturomic sources to uncover trends in popularity and seasonal interest in plants

Culturomic tools enable the exploration of trends in human–nature interactions, although they entail inherent biases and necessitate careful validation. Furthermore, people may engage with nature across different culturomic data sets differently. We evaluated people's digital interest and engagement with plant species based on Wikipedia and Google data and explored the conservation implications of these temporal interest patterns. As a case study, we explored the digital footprints of the most popular plant species in Israel. We analyzed 4 years of daily page views from Hebrew Wikipedia and 10 years of daily Google search volume in Israel. We modeled popularity of plant species in these 2 data sets based on a suite of plant attributes. We further explored the seasonal trends of people's interest in each species. We found differences in how people interacted digitally with plants in Wikipedia and Google. Overall, in Google, searches for species that have utility to humans were more common, whereas in Wikipedia, plants that serve as cultural emblems received more attention. Furthermore, in Google, popular species attracted more attention over time, opposite to the trend in Wikipedia. In Google, interest in species with short bloom duration exhibited more pronounced seasonal patterns, whereas in Wikipedia, seasonality of interest increased as bloom duration increased. Together, our results suggest that people's digital interactions with nature may be inherently different depending on the sources explored, which may affect use of this information for conservation. Although culturomics holds much promise, better understanding of its underpinnings is important when translating insights into conservation actions.     

基于场理论的沪苏浙皖地区旅游空间差异研究

区域旅游供给场是一种重要的旅游场类型,场叠加、场结构与场核的作用效应是区域旅游供给场研究的核心内容。在对区域旅游供给场相关概念进行定义与空间解析的基础上,以游客密度作为旅游场强变量,运用GIS技术对由沪苏浙皖这一区域的空间差异进行了模拟和分析,研究结果表明:(1)随着旅游业的发展,区域旅游场的场域分异更为显著,但游客密度的集中程度在下降;(2)区域旅游场内存在较明显的"三阶梯"等级结构特征,且在考察末期,第一阶梯和第二阶梯场域范围不断扩大,尤以第二阶梯的扩大最为明显;(3)由场核向外围随着距离的增加,旅游场强呈现出显著的衰减特征,各次级场域的场核间也存在明显的场强波动地带;(4)区域旅游场极化、扩散作用并存,上海这一区域型场核在极化作用的同时在东西方向上对区域旅游场的扩散作用明显,但其扩散作用强度仍有待提高。     

长江沿岸中心城市土地扩张时空演化特征——以宁汉渝3市为例

基于国家新型城镇化与"T"字型发展战略理论内涵,选取长江沿岸上、中、下游中心城市重庆、武汉和南京为实证研究对象,以1980、1990、2000、2010年4期遥感影像资料为基础数据源,通过RS、GIS和景观生态结合分析,分别对其城市扩张强度、城市扩张类型和城市建设用地扩张弹性进行对比分析,并采用景观指数进行了进一步分析和验证,从而系统分析了近30 a来3个城市建设用地扩张的时空特征与内在机理。结果表明:(1)30 a来,南京、武汉和重庆3市城市扩张强度均呈明显上升趋势,总体呈现南京市>武汉市>重庆市,但2000年是一个分水岭,之后重庆市城市扩张增速赶超武汉市,南京市反而增速最低;(2)对城市扩张类型分析表明,南京市始终以边缘式增长为主;武汉市在2000年之前以飞地式扩张主导,2000年之后呈现边缘式增长;重庆市以边缘式增长为主,但2000年之后飞地式增长迅速;(3)从城市建设用地扩张弹性分析表明,1980~2010年南京市土地扩张相比城市人口开始减缓,而武汉市和重庆市在2000年以后城市扩张速度远远超过城市人口增长速度;(4)景观指数验证分析结果显示,遥感分析、地理信息分析和景观生态分析的结合能够很好反映城市建设用地的扩张过程及演化特征。