Assessment of locomotion behavioral defects induced by acute toxicity from heavy metal exposure in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Locomotion behaviors are susceptible to disruption by a broad spectrum of chemicals and environmental stresses. However, no systematic testing of locomotion behavior defects induced by metal exposure has been conducted in the model organism of nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, the acute toxicity from heavy metal exposure on the locomotion behaviors was analyzed in nematodes. Endpoints of head thrash, body bend, forward turn, backward turn, and Omega/U turn were chosen to evaluate the locomotio...     

Assessing conservation opportunity on private land: socio-economic, behavioral, and spatial dimensions

This study presents a method for assessing conservation opportunity on private land based on landholders' socio-economic, behavioral, and farm characteristics. These characteristics include age, gender, education, level of off-farm income, farm size, proportion of remnant native vegetation on-farm, and ecological value of native vegetation on-farm. A sample of landholders who own greater than 2 ha of land in the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin region were sent a mail-based survey about their values and preferences for environmental management (N = 659, 52% response). Cross-tabulations and ANOVA statistical analysis techniques were used to compare the socio-economic attributes across three landholder classes: disengaged, moderately engaged, and highly engaged in native vegetation planting. Results indicate that highly engaged landholders were more likely to be female, formally educated, hobby farmers who managed small parcels of land and have high off-farm incomes, whereas disengaged landholders held significantly stronger farming connections (more farming experience, family have lived on the farm for more generations). Spatial analysis revealed area-specific differences in conservation opportunity and conservation priority. In some areas, properties of high ecological value were managed by highly engaged landholders, but nearby properties of high value were managed by moderately engaged or disengaged landholders. Environmental managers therefore cannot assume areas of high conservation priority will be areas of high conservation opportunity. At the regional scale, the potential for revegetation seems most promising within the moderately engaged landholder group considering the vast amount of land managed by this group in areas of high ecological value, particularly within the less represented Mallee and Coorong and Rangelands sub-regions. We suggest that incentive schemes which purchase conservation need to be targeted at disengaged landholders; mentoring schemes led by commercial farmers highly engaged in native vegetation planting should be directed at moderately engaged landholders, and; awards programs which acknowledge conservation successes should be targeted at highly engaged landholders.     

Analysis of behavioral changes of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in response to formaldehyde using Self-organizing map and a hidden Markov model

Two computational methods were applied to classification of movement patterns of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to elucidate Markov processes in behavioral changes before and after treatment of formaldehyde (0.1 mg/L) in semi-natural conditions. The complex data of the movement tracks were initially classified by the Self-organizing map (SOM) to present different behavioral states of test individuals. Transition probabilities between behavioral states were further evaluated to fit Markov processes by using the hidden Markov model (HMM). Emission transition probability was also obtained from the observed variables (i.e., speed) for training with the HMM. Experimental transition and emission probability matrices were successfully estimated with the HMM for recognizing sequences of behavioral states with accuracy rates in acceptable ranges at central and boundary zones before (77.3-81.2%) and after (70.1-76.5%) treatment. A heuristic algorithm and a Markov model were efficiently combined to analyze movement patterns and could be a means of in situ behavioral monitoring tool.     

海洋溢油污染的生态与健康危害

随着溢油事故的频繁发生,海洋溢油污染备受关注.本文在阐述国内外海洋溢油污染现状的基础上,针对溢油污染对人类健康的影响进行了初步分析,并针对海洋环境中溢油的环境行为以及对海洋生态系统、沿岸滩涂生态系统的毒性效应进行了概述.最后,对海洋溢油污染研究的发展趋势进行了展望.     

具有危险源性质的复杂系统安全行为演化研究

为解决具有危险源性质的复杂社会技术系统安全行为演化动力机制问题,针对系统生命周期长、影响因素多的特点,以日本福岛核泄漏事故为例,创建扩展型功能共振模型,用于描述系统内安全事故影响因素的作用过程。而后将系统相关主体分为实施方、业主方和第三方共3类,运用演化博弈方法深入研究发现,三方所承担的安全执行成本、安全处罚成本及事故成本之间的数量关系变化是系统安全行为演化发展的动力,3类成本失衡引发的监管机制失效是导致此次核泄漏事故的根源,并据此提出保持政府独立性和权威性、限制业主行为、建立项目责任主体终生追溯机制和采用立体处罚方式的建议。     

基于计划行为理论的矿工违章行为研究

矿工违章行为是诱发煤矿重大事故的关键因素之一,以计划行为理论(TPB)为构架,加入过去行为和风险倾向2个变量,提出矿工违章行为影响因素之间的假设关系。通过问卷调查并运用结构方程模型(SEM)探讨违章行为影响因素之间的关系。结果表明:行为态度、主观规范、行为控制认知、风险倾向这4个变量对违章行为均有显著影响,主观规范和过去行为通过行为态度这一中介变量又间接地影响违章行为。实证研究结果表明,TPB模型在解释矿工违章行为问题上的适用性。     

企业员工不安全行为影响因素量表的初步开发

本文通过大量资料的搜集,概括出了影响员工不安全行为的众多因素,并根据他们的可控性进行了分类.在此理论研究的基础上,用调查问卷的方法,构建了企业员工不安全行为的影响因素量表,并通过spss16.0软件包对其进行因素分析,检验量表的效度和信度,最终形成了四个企业员工不安全行为影响因素正式量表.其中包括:企业员工不安全行为个人安全素质影响因素量表、企业员工不安全行为领导影响因素量表、企业员工不安全行为组织影响因素量表和企业员工不安全行为工作内容和环境影响因素量表.此外,本文还对中交天航第五经理部的施工人员进行了实证研究,用spss16.0软件包对搜集到的数据进行分析,包括:各量表中包含的题项的内部分析、四个量表中所有题项的整体分析和每个量表中的群体差异性分析,并在以上分析的基础上,最终得出了该企业对员工不安全行为影响因素的管理现状.     

布哈河流域不同时间尺度下土壤侵蚀对气候变化的响应特征

全球气候变暖极大地影响了地表侵蚀过程,但影响机制尚无统一定论.河流悬浮物是示踪地表侵蚀的常用手段.本文通过分析青海湖流域最大河流布哈河2008?—?2015年的日径流量、悬浮物浓度、气温及降雨数据,讨论了该流域在日、月以及季节尺度下土壤侵蚀对气候变化的响应特征.结果表明:降雨是半干旱布哈河流域土壤侵蚀的主要控制因素,气温通过影响冻融作用控制侵蚀行为.此外,该流域的土壤侵蚀具有明显的季节性差异,大部分的侵蚀发生在雨季.最重要的是,冻融作用导致春季解冻期/雨季前期产生额外的沉积物累积,表现为在相同流量下,沉积物输出明显高于雨季后期.上述结果对深刻认识全球变暖背景下侵蚀的响应机制具有重要的作用.     

养殖户气候适应性行为对提高养殖业生产效率的影响

气候变化给当前中国农业生产转型带来严峻挑战,从效率视角分析农户适应气候变化行为具有重要意义。本文探讨养殖户气候适应性行为与养殖业生产效率之间的逻辑关系,并基于中国五省的微观调查数据,采用倾向得分匹配方法与选择纠偏随机前沿生产函数模型（Selectivity-corrected Stochastic Production Frontier model）相结合的实证思路,分析养殖户气候适应性行为对养殖业生产效率的影响。研究表明：（1）养殖户气候适应性行为能够提高养殖业生产效率,纠正可观测因素与不可观测因素造成的选择性偏差后,适应组养殖户平均养殖业生产效率为0.618,未适应组养殖户的平均养殖业生产效率为0.551。（2）若未考虑选择性偏差,养殖户适应性行为对养殖业生产效率的影响将会错估。研究成果可为推进政府制定农户适应气候变化政策与推动农业生产转型提供有力支持。