Seasonal variation in male-female competition,cooperation and selfish hoarding in a monogamous songbird

Both cooperation and conflict between the sexes are commonplace in monogamous mating systems. However, little is known about how cooperation and competition varies seasonally in monogamous species that maintain permanent territories. We presented territorial pairs of male and female New Zealand robins (Petroica australis) with a large supply of insect prey at monthly intervals for 2 years. Behavioural observations after food presentation were then made to quantify seasonal and sexual differences in aggressive interactions over prey, prey acquisition rates, mate provisioning, offspring provisioning, selfish food hoarding and cache retrieval. Data were used to evaluate sex-specific behavioural strategies of mediating competition for food. Results showed that males aggressively excluded females from experimental food sources year-round. Females only accessed food sources when males left them unattended. Consequently, females acquired fewer prey than males. After controlling for differences in prey acquisition, both sexes consumed similar amounts of prey in the non-breeding season. Even though males aggressively excluded females from accessing food sources directly, males fed large amounts of prey to females during the breeding season. Both sexes provisioned young at similar rates. Males cached less prey than females in the breeding season but more prey than females in the non-breeding season. Females showed similar caching intensities year-round. Although males tried to defend their hoards, females frequently retrieved male-made caches. Overall, results showed that although New Zealand robins cooperate to raise offspring during the breeding season, conflict between the sexes occurs year-round. Males and females display different behavioural strategies to gain access to experimental food sources, which appear to lessen male–female competition for food and evenly distribute food resources between the sexes.     

Dominance status influences female reproductive strategy in a territorial African rodent <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhabdomys pumilio</Emphasis>

Dominance status influences the fitness of many mammals. Using African striped mice Rhabdomys pumilio, we tested whether (1) dominant females have greater reproductive success than subordinate females, (2) dominant females influence the reproductive output of subordinate females when they are housed in close proximity, (3) reproductive output of a female changes in response to the dominance status of her neighbours, and (4) whether prolonged association between individuals influences the variance in reproductive success between dominants and subordinates (i.e. the ‘dear enemy’ phenomenon). The size and mass of litters of dominants increased significantly when housed adjacent to subordinates than when housed apart. The litter size and mass of subordinates remained unchanged, although subordinates spent significantly more time with their pups when housed close to dominants than when housed apart; time spent with pups by dominants remained unchanged. Moreover, females modified their reproductive output and behaviour in relation to the dominance status of their neighbours. Following prolonged association, dominants still had greater reproductive success, but now, the time spent with pups decreased in subordinates. We suggest that dominants adopt a strategy to increase the reproductive value of their litter, whereas subordinates adopt a pup defence strategy. These strategies are flexible and are influenced by the dominance status and period of association between neighbours, so that females could maximize their fitness in response to varying social conditions.     

不同氮输入梯度下草甸沼泽土反硝化损失和N2O排放

在实验室培养条件下,设计N0,N1,N2,N3 4种氮输入梯度,净氮输入量分别为0,1,2 和5 mg/g,采用乙炔抑制技术,研究草甸沼泽土反硝化损失和N₂O排放. 结果表明:培养期间(23 d)N1,N2和N3梯度的N₂O排放速率平均值分别为12.55,7.59和4.04 μg/(kg·h),反硝化损失速率平均值分别为11.52,9.87和3.10 μg/(kg·h),二者均明显高于对照(N0)〔0.09和0.10 μg/(kg·h)〕;但高氮输入(N2和N3梯度)会对N₂O排放速率和反硝化损失速率产生一定的抑制作用,且随着梯度增大而加强,差异达到显著水平(P<0.05). 24 h时土壤有机碳矿化速率随氮输入梯度升高而增大,表明氮输入初期能对土壤有机碳矿化产生激发效应;但在整个培养期,有机碳矿化速率却随氮输入增加而降低,表明只有适当的氮输入才能促进土壤有机碳矿化,过量氮输入反而会对其产生抑制作用.      

“Friendships” between new mothers and adult males: adaptive benefits and determinants in wild baboons (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Papio cynocephalus</Emphasis>)

Close associations between adult males and lactating females and their dependent infants are not commonly described in non-monogamous mammals. However, such associations [sometimes called “friendships” (Smuts 1985)] are regularly observed in several primate species in which females mate with multiple males during the fertile period. The absence of mating exclusivity among “friends” suggests that males should invest little in infant care, raising questions about the adaptive significance of friendship bonds. Using data from genetic paternity analyses, patterns of behavior, and long-term demographic and reproductive records, we evaluated the extent to which friendships in four multi-male, multi-female yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus) groups in Amboseli, Kenya represent joint parental care of offspring or male mating effort. We found evidence that mothers and infants benefited directly from friendships; friendships provided mother–infant dyads protection from harassment from other adult and immature females. In addition, nearly half of all male friends were the genetic fathers of offspring and had been observed mating with mothers during the days of most likely conception for those offspring. In contrast, nearly all friends who were not fathers were also not observed to consort with the mother during the days of most likely conception, suggesting that friendships between mothers and non-fathers did not result from paternity confusion. Finally, we found no evidence that prior friendship increased a male’s chances of mating with a female in future reproductive cycles. Our results suggest that, for many male–female pairs at Amboseli, friendships represented a form of biparental care of offspring. Males in the remaining friendship dyads may be trading protection of infants in exchange for some resources or services not yet identified. Our study is the first to find evidence that female primates gain social benefits from their early associations with adult males. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

氮输入对沼泽湿地植物生长和氮吸收的影响

氮是湿地植物生长必不可少的营养元素之一,但当外源氮输入超出植物生长需要时,氮素将抑制植物生长。不同植物对氮输入的响应不同,同一植物不同器官对氮输入的响应也不一致。为了探讨氮输入对湿地植物生长和氮吸收的影响机制,本文选取滇西北典型湖泊湿地纳帕海湖滨挺水植物茭草（Zizania caduciflora）和水葱（Scirpus validus）为对象,通过控制实验,研究了3个不同氮输入水平[0 g·m-2·a-1（对照,CK）、20 g·m-2·a-1（N20）、40 g·m-2·a-1（N40）]对茭草和水葱生物量积累、根冠比、氮吸收的影响。结果表明：培养期内,茭草地上生物量始终表现为N40〉N20〉CK,即氮输入促进茭草地上生物量积累;而水葱地上生物量随培养时间不同而发生变化,培养早期N20处理促进水葱地上生物量积累,N40处理抑制水葱地上生物量积累。茭草地下生物量表现为N40〉CK〉N20,即氮输入不足抑制茭草地下生物量积累,足够氮输入促进茭草地下生物量积累;水葱地下生物量表现为CK〉N20〉N40,即氮输入抑制水葱地下生物量积累。植物地上部分和地下部分生长对氮输入的响应也不一致,导致植物根冠比发生变化,茭草根冠比表现为N20     

工程项目施工安全保证的投入效率分析

利用ALARP原则构建工程项目施工风险可容忍区域,对处于不可容忍区域的安全事故,采取安全投入措施使之进入可容忍区域;对处于可容忍区域的安全事故,进行安全投入效益分析,以确定最佳安全投入额。采用事故树分析法探究事故与事故发生原因之间的内在逻辑关系,并探讨安全投入与事故发生概率的函数关系。在此基础上,构建安全投入优化分配模型,结合历史统计数据,利用Lingo软件对模型进行计算求解。     

起飞质量数据输入错误的安全风险分析

为了提高民用航空安全水平,降低起飞质量数据输入错误的风险概率,针对近年来因起飞质量数据输入错误引发的不安全事件,重点探讨分析起飞质量和飞机性能之间的关系。输入错误的起飞质量数据不仅会对飞机性能造成影响,还会严重威胁飞行安全;当输入的起飞质量数据比实际重量少时,可能会造成飞机提前失速、机动能力下降以及影响飞机起飞滑跑距离等。为避免类似不安全事件的发生,给出了预防起飞质量数据输入错误的建议和对策。     

太湖竺山湾甲烷扩散通量及其驱动机制

选取竺山湾为研究区域,同时选取受人为活动影响较小的湖心区作为对比区域,基于2011年11月至2013年8月逐月连续观测,探讨外源输入及富营养化对CH4扩散通量的影响及其驱动机制,结果表明,竺山湾水-气界面CH4扩散通量显著(P＜0.01)高于湖心区CH4扩散通量,其平均通量分别为(0.193±0.049)mmol/(m...     

On the amount of counterpart assistance to be provided after natural disasters: from the perspective of indirect economic loss assessment

China’s counterpart assistance policy is of vital importance in providing guidance for emergency management and post-disaster reconstruction. However, the amount of assistance that partner provinces should provide as well as the criteria that partners should abide by in offering counterpart assistance remain a main challenge. The goal of this research is to fill this gap by proposing a new framework consisting of an interregional input–output (IRIO) model and a resilience index. Subsequently, the indirect economic loss is obtained by utilizing the index system of provincial economic resilience assessments, with measures of indirect economic loss developed from the IRIO. Furthermore, to examine the internal validity and systematic error, the reliability of the adopted models, the calculation methods, and the index systems are investigated. To assess the external validity of the proposed measures and resilience index of the framework, data from the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake are applied for estimating parameter values of the framework, and a follow-up investigation was conducted for examining the fairness and enhanced effectiveness of the new counterpart assistance criteria. In summary, this paper attempts to present some new ideas about the analysis of economic motivations of mutual aid and the improvement of the counterpart assistance policy.     

中国区域土壤表观氮磷平衡清单及政策建议

利用OECD表观氮平衡模型框架,建立了中国表观氮磷平衡核算的框架、方法和数据库.模型结果表明,2003年中国土壤表观氮磷盈余总量分别为640×10⁴　t和98×10⁴　t,氮磷盈余强度分别为16.56 kg/hm²和2.53 kg/hm².由于中国氮磷平衡区域分布严重不平衡,面临着氮磷盈余管理和氮磷缺损管理的双重压力.化肥和畜禽粪便是中国土壤氮磷投入最主要的来源,因此是中国氮磷盈余管理最佳切入点.由于各地氮磷投入结构各异,在氮磷盈余严重的中东部地区,不宜采用“一刀切”的政策,而应针对不同地区氮磷输入的特点进行氮磷盈余管理.