Bird song and parasites

Bird song is a typical sexual trait that may have evolved at least partly to reflect health and vigor. However, the role of pathogens in modulating acoustic communication systems in birds is still less than clear as studies testing the relationship between parasites and song have provided inconsistent results both within and among species. It is often neglected that avian song is complex trait consisting of numerous and variable features with potentially different biological backgrounds. By using meta-analytic approaches to the available intraspecific evidence I demonstrate that different roles are applicable to song traits with different signal design, which could explain, to some extent, the inconsistency of results. I found that condition-dependent, performance-related traits are more closely related to immediate health status, whereas condition-independent features are more likely to be associated with intrinsically determined parasite resistance. Hence, parasitism may mediate the evolution of different acoustic features. Considering the signal function of songs, a communication system depends on the reaction of the receivers, but little is known about how mate choice and male–male competition are affected by parasite-mediated song production. This review of the literature thus suggests that receivers of songs may benefit by responding to these acoustic signals of health through the acquisition of resistance genes, paternal care of superior assistance, success in territory disputes, and the avoidance of directly transmitted parasites.     

Female encounter rate and the calling behavior and mating propensity of male Requena verticalis (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Mating effort, the energy exerted in finding and persuading a member of the opposite sex to mate, may be influenced by how frequently potential mates are encountered. Specifically, males that frequently encounter females may reduce calling effort and be less eager to mate than males that infrequently encounter females. An experiment was set up to test this hypothesis, using the tettigoniid Requena verticalis. We examined the song structure, calling activity and mating propensity of individual males exposed to one of five different encounter rates with virgin females. Song structure and calling effort were significantly altered by an encounter with a female. After an encounter, males significantly increased chirp rate and decreased variability in interchirp interval. Encounters also stimulated a male to call and to continue to call for up to two hours. The elapsed time since mating affected mating propensity but not calling activity. Mating propensity asymptotically increased to reach a maximum by day 17 since last mating. However, neither the frequency of encounters, nor the number of previous encounters experienced by a male, influenced calling activity or the propensity of a male to mate. The significance of changes in song structure and calling activity following an encounter, and of increasing male mating propensity over time, are discussed. Correspondence to: G.R. Allen     

Calling characteristics of parasitized and unparasitized populations of the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus

Summary Examination of three populations of the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus revealed the presence of an acoustically-orienting parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea (Tachinidae), in the population of crickets that has been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands. The cricket is native to Australia and the Pacific, and the fly is native to North America but has also been introduced to Hawaii. Up to 27% of males and 7% of females in Hawaii were infested with fly larvae. Song structure in the parasitized Hawaiian population was distinct from that of the other two groups, with the Hawaiian crickets showing several reduced song parameters. In addition, onset and cessation of calling at dusk and dawn were more abrupt in the Hawaiian population. These results are consistent with selective pressure from the phonotactic flies to decrease risky calling. Silent males were present in all three populations, suggesting that these noncallers may not represent a unique adaptation to the parasitoid. Correspondence to: M. Zuk     

聚磷氯化铝铁溶液形态转化及电动特性

采用[Al+Fe]-Ferron逐时络合比色法研究了典型聚磷氯化铝铁溶液的形态转化,结果表明,聚磷氯化铝铁的形态转化主要由P(/Al+Fe)、OH(/Al+Fe)和nAl/nFe等因素决定,聚磷氯化铝铁的形态转化特征是优势形态之间的转变。通过对模拟悬浊水样的絮凝实验,对其除浊性能进行了考察,通过测定zeta电位对其水解物的电动特性进行了研究,结果表明,聚磷氯化铝铁水解聚合产物的电动特性与P(/Al+Fe)、OH(/Al+Fe)和nAl/nFe的变化密切相关,聚磷氯化铝铁是通过电中和、吸附架桥和沉淀网捕作用起混凝作用的,三种作用的综合能力越强,其混凝效果就越好。     

Drifting towards the surface: a shift in newborn pipefish's vertical distribution when exposed to the synthetic steroid ethinylestradiol

Endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) effects during early life have the potential to modulate population structure, either directly through increased mortality or by causing inappropriate aggregation events, thus affecting the number of young that will reach adulthood. An alteration in the dispersal and recruitment patterns can also impair the connectivity among geographically distant populations. However, the detection of EDC-induced effects occurring after egg hatch, when newborns increase their chances of contacting with environmentally dispersed contaminants, is not a simple process as effects might be masked by the large natural mortality rates that usually occur during fish early life.Since there is a lack of information regarding the impact of EDCs on fish early life dispersal patterns, particularly on vertical migrations patterns, the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of EE₂ on the vertical distribution of newborn fish was assessed through an ex situ exposure experiment. Syngnathus abaster newborns were exposed to EE₂ (nominal concentrations of 8, 12 and 36 ng L⁻¹) and the dynamics of their vertical distribution was monitored for up to 40 d. No significant differences in overall mortality were observed between treatments or in the dynamics of the registered death curves. Nevertheless, an alteration in the distribution patterns was observed. The commonly benthic newborn tended to shift their vertical distribution towards the surface, in a dose-dependent manner. Curiously, a follow up of the exposed pipefish confirmed that EE₂ effects were also noticeable upon sexual maturity, namely by the alteration of several primary and secondary sexual characters. The observation that vertical distributional patterns, at least in pipefish, are clearly altered at environmentally relevant EE₂ concentrations indicates that EDC’s impact in fish larvae behaviour should be considered when addressing the effects of contaminants, given the obvious implications on population connectivity, stability and persistence.     

公共场所BTEX的污染特征、源解析及健康风险

分析评价了杭州市商场、超市、影院、车站候车室等公共场所室内空气中BTEX的污染特征、来源及健康风险.结果表明,公共场所中BTEX的总平均浓度为30.68～217.74 μg·m-3,商场的污染最重,车站候车室的污染最轻;甲苯与BTEX总浓度之间具有较好的线性关系,可作为公共场所BTEX污染的代表物;候车室BTEX污染主要受室外污染源的影响,而在其它公共场所中,室内污染源占主导地位,鞋用胶粘剂是商场BTEX的主要污染来源;商场空气中苯对男性和女性工作人员的致癌风险分别为5.38×10-6和5.57×10-6,超过了美国EPA制定的人体致癌风险值(1×10-6).     

油田土壤微生物群落碳代谢与理化因子关系研究

基于对我国主要油田区的土壤理化性质等场地信息调查,应用Biolog和统计学方法分析理化因子与土壤微生物群落碳代谢特性的关系,揭示了不同区域油田土壤理化因子对微生物群落代谢的综合影响作用.结果表明:油田区土壤理化特性呈现地理性分布特性;总氮、总磷、速效磷、有效态铜、锌等环境因子与微生物群落的多样性正相关;可溶盐含量、pH值、总氮、总有机碳等对样点间微生物群落碳代谢的差异性贡献最大.对各油田碳代谢影响因子比较表明,不同区域的油田区土壤中影响微生物群落代谢特性的主要因子各不相同,同一理化因子在不同油田区对微生物群落碳代谢的影响程度不同.这种代谢特性与理化因子关系的区域性差异可能是土壤物化性质地理性分布以及微生物群落结构区域性差异共同作用的结果.     

括苍山淡竹森林公园旅游资源特征及开发设想

淡竹森林公园地处括苍山脉中部,保存有括苍山脉最好、最完整的常绿阔叶林,是浙中和浙东沿海区域原生性最强的原始次生森林。在系统调查的基础上,分析得出淡竹森林公园旅游资源的6大特点——风景资源品味较高,天然常绿阔叶林景观较典型,水体景观多姿多彩,山体和岩体景观奇妙,森林环境优异,山区风情较淳厚;提出了淡竹森林公园旅游开发的5条基本思路,即依法开发、保护为先,体现特色与周边景区互补相结合,突出重点与循序发展相结合,旅游产品应以自然性休闲型为主导,塑造主题旅游形象,强化宣传促销。     

堆石料双轴试验数值模拟研究

颗粒形状对堆石料的力学特性有着明显的影响。采用二维颗粒流程序建立5种不同形状特征的颗粒簇,开展了不同围压下堆石料的双轴试验的数值模拟研究,分析了不同形状特征对堆石料的破碎特性及其宏观力学性质的影响。分析过程中考虑堆石料的颗粒破碎特征,对布拉斯谢克形状系数s进行修正,提出了考虑颗粒形状特征的修正系数s′。研究结果表明:堆石料的破碎率随着修正后的形状系数s′值的增加而减少,其规律接近于反比例函数线;数值模拟过程中,5种试样随着轴向应变的增加呈先剪胀后剪缩的趋势,且越圆润的颗粒峰值体应变越大;材料的峰值强度随着s值的增大而增大。     

硫酸铁氧化物的表征及其对重金属吸附作用的研究

根据酸性矿山废水污染河流的特征，着重研究了硫酸铁溶液中和沉淀生成的无定形氧化铁颗粒的表面特性及其对重金属离子的吸附作用，并以硝酸铁溶液中和沉淀生成的无定形氧化铁颗粒作对比，同时应用表面络合反应关系求取了该颗粒的表面络合反应的基本特征参数，最后采用简化的表面络合模式计算了该氧化铁颗粒表面与重金属离子，如Ｃｕ＾２＋，Ｃｄ＾２＋和Ｐｂ＾２＋结合的表面络合形成条件稳定常数。