Roads,Interrupted Dispersal,and Genetic Diversity in Timber Rattlesnakes

Abstract: Anthropogenic habitat modification often creates barriers to animal movement, transforming formerly contiguous habitat into a patchwork of habitat islands with low connectivity. Roadways are a feature of most landscapes that can act as barriers or filters to migration among local populations. Even small and recently constructed roads can have a significant impact on population genetic structure of some species, but not others. We developed a research approach that combines fine‐scale molecular genetics with behavioral and ecological data to understand the impacts of roads on population structure and connectivity. We used microsatellite markers to characterize genetic variation within and among populations of timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) occupying communal hibernacula (dens) in regions bisected by roadways. We examined the impact of roads on seasonal migration, genetic diversity, and gene flow among populations. Snakes in hibernacula isolated by roads had significantly lower genetic diversity and higher genetic differentiation than snakes in hibernacula in contiguous habitat. Genetic‐assignment analyses revealed that interruption to seasonal migration was the mechanism underlying these patterns. Our results underscore the sizeable impact of roads on this species, despite their relatively recent construction at our study sites (7 to 10 generations of rattlesnakes), the utility of population genetics for studies of road ecology, and the need for mitigating effects of roads.     

喀斯特地区丛枝菌根真菌多样性研究进展

丛枝菌根真菌（Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi,AM真菌）在喀斯特地区生态修复中具有潜在的可利用性,关于喀斯特地区AM真菌多样性以及生态功能的研究已成为近年来的热点问题。本文归纳了喀斯特地区分离出的AM真菌名录,旨在为喀斯特高效生态修复菌种筛选提供支撑材料。综述了喀斯特地区土壤石灰性、营养物质匮乏、空间异质性强,植被逆向演替、植物种类多样等特点对喀斯特地区AM真菌多样性的影响规律,总结了AM真菌对于喀斯特地区土壤结构、营养元素循环、植物抗旱性、植物个体养分吸收、植被演替方面的生理生态功能及作用机理,以期为喀斯特地区AM真菌适生性研究、AM真菌潜在生态功能有效利用、AM真菌-植物共生体系筛选与培育等环节做出指引,为菌根技术在喀斯特生态修复中的应用提供理论基础。未来的研究应进一步深入探究AM真菌多样性影响机制,探讨AM真菌与植物适生性之间的关系,以及加强AM真菌-植物共生体系筛选与培育。     

钉螺的水力输送

血吸虫病是中国和其它许多国家的一种地方性流行病,钉螺是血吸虫唯一的中国宿主,钉螺运移是血吸虫病蔓延的主要原因。研究钉螺在河道中的输移规律,对控制血吸虫病流行十分重要。野外观测和实验研究表明、钉螺输移、尤其是大量钉螺的远距离输移,是借助于水流完成的,河流中钉螺的水力输送主要是以悬移质和移质的形式,以及被漂的挟带。     

STREAM TYPES IN THE DES MOINES RIVER BASIN1

Stream tributaries in the Des Moines River basin have been classified according to the glacial terrain through which they flow. Three stream types were categorized as follows: (1) streams that flow entirely on Wisconsin drift, (2) streams that flow entirely on Kansan drift, and (3) streams that have their headwaters located on new drift but have their lower reaches flowing on older drift. Selected channel and valley characteristics were measured and used to verify the stream type classification. Five variables were chosen for use in a multiple linear discriminatory analysis, which is a statistical technique developed for the purpose of classifying observations into one of several categories which have been predetermined. The streams in each group were verified with the exception of three anomalies based on the probability associated with the largest linear discriminant function. The rationale for the three anomalous streams is not easily determined. But, they are considered to be associated with pre-glacial drainage or at least pre-Wisconsin age drainage. Otherwise, the analysis shows that the major channels and valleys in the Des Moines River basin tend to reflect the glaciated upland surface.     

A HYBRID OPTIMIZATION APPROACH TO THE ESTIMATION OF DISTRIBUTED PARAMETERS IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL CONFINED AQUIFERS1

ABSTRACT: In using non-linear optimization techniques for estimation of parameters in a distributed ground water model, the initial values of the parameters and prior information about them play important roles. In this paper, the genetic algorithm (GA) is combined with the truncated-Newton search technique to estimate groundwater parameters for a confined steady-state ground water model. Use of prior information about the parameters is shown to be important in estimating correct or near-correct values of parameters on a regional scale. The amount of prior information needed for an accurate solution is estimated by evaluation of the sensitivity of the performance function to the parameters. For the example presented here, it is experimentally demonstrated that only one piece of prior information of the least sensitive parameter is sufficient to arrive at the global or near-global optimum solution. For hydraulic head data with measurement errors, the error in the estimation of parameters increases as the standard deviation of the errors increases. Results from our experiments show that, in general, the accuracy of the estimated parameters depends on the level of noise in the hydraulic head data and the initial values used in the truncated-Newton search technique.     

可适应环境温度变化的GaAs霍尔传感器及其放大器的温漂补偿方法

研究了ＧａＡｓ霍尔传感器及其放大器的温漂的相关因素，提出了整体补偿思想，经实验验证，其最大相对误差小于０．１％。     

Cleaner production for continuous digester processes based on hybrid Pareto genetic algorithm

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＷｉｔｈｏｂｓｏｌｅｔｅｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙ ,ｅｑｕｉｐｍｅｎｔ,ａｎｄｍａｎａｇｅｍｅｎｔ,Ｃｈｉｎａ′ｓｐｕｌｐａｎｄｐａｐｅｒｉｎｄｕｓｔｒｙｉｓｒｅｃｏｇｎｉｚｅｄａｓｂｅｉｎｇｏｎｅｏｆｔｈｅｍｏｓｔｈｉｇｈｌｙｐｏｌｌｕｔｉｎｇｓｅｃｔｏｒｓ.Ｉｔｓｐｌａｎｔｓｄｉｓｃｈａｒｇｅｄｏｖｅｒ3ｍｉｌｌｉｏｎｔ ａｏｆＣＯＤｉｎ 1 995,ａｃｃｏｕｎｔｉｎｇｆｏｒ 41 .8%ｏｆｔｈｅｏｖｅｒａｌｌｉｎｄｕｓｔｒｙｐｏｌｌｕｔｉｏｎｌｏａｄｏｆＣｈｉｎａ(Ｒｅｎ ,1 998) .Ｉｎｔ…     

Two Concepts of Dignity for Humans and Non-Human Organisms in the Context of Genetic Engineering

The 1992 incorporation of an article by referendum in the SwissConstitution mandating that the federal government issue regulations onthe use of genetic material that take into account the dignity ofnonhuman organism raises philosophical questions about how we shouldunderstand what is meant by ``the dignity of nonhuman animals,' andabout what sort of moral demands arise from recognizing this dignitywith respect to their genetic engineering. The first step in determiningwhat is meant is to clarify the difference between dignity when appliedto humans and when applied to nonhumans. Several conceptions of humandignity should be rejected in favor of a fourth conception: the rightnot to be degraded. This right implies that those who have it have thecognitive capacities that are prerequisite for self-respect. In the caseof nonhuman organisms that lack this capacity, respecting their dignityrequires the recognition that their inherent value, which is tied totheir abilities to pursue their own good, be respected. This value isnot absolute, as it is in the case of humans, so it does not prohibitbreeding manipulations that make organisms more useful to humans. But itdoes restrict morally how sentient animals can be used. In regard togenetic engineering, this conception requires that animals be allowedthe uninhibited development of species specific functions, a positionshared by Holland and Attfield, as opposed to the Original Purposeconception proposed by Fox and the Integrity of the Genetic Make-upposition proposed by Rolston. The inherent value conception of dignity,as here defended, is what is meant in the Swiss Constitution article.