Toward accurate and precise estimates of lion density

Reliable estimates of animal density are fundamental to understanding ecological processes and population dynamics. Furthermore, their accuracy is vital to conservation because wildlife authorities rely on estimates to make decisions. However, it is notoriously difficult to accurately estimate density for wide‐ranging carnivores that occur at low densities. In recent years, significant progress has been made in density estimation of Asian carnivores, but the methods have not been widely adapted to African carnivores, such as lions (Panthera leo). Although abundance indices for lions may produce poor inferences, they continue to be used to estimate density and inform management and policy. We used sighting data from a 3‐month survey and adapted a Bayesian spatially explicit capture‐recapture (SECR) model to estimate spatial lion density in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and surrounding conservancies in Kenya. Our unstructured spatial capture‐recapture sampling design incorporated search effort to explicitly estimate detection probability and density on a fine spatial scale, making our approach robust in the context of varying detection probabilities. Overall posterior mean lion density was estimated to be 17.08 (posterior SD 1.310) lions >1 year old/100 km², and the sex ratio was estimated at 2.2 females to 1 male. Our modeling framework and narrow posterior SD demonstrate that SECR methods can produce statistically rigorous and precise estimates of population parameters, and we argue that they should be favored over less reliable abundance indices. Furthermore, our approach is flexible enough to incorporate different data types, which enables robust population estimates over relatively short survey periods in a variety of systems. Trend analyses are essential to guide conservation decisions but are frequently based on surveys of differing reliability. We therefore call for a unified framework to assess lion numbers in key populations to improve management and policy decisions.     

Experience,but not distance,influences the recruitment precision in the stingless bee <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scaptotrigona mexicana</Emphasis>

Recruitment precision, i.e. the proportion of recruits that reach an advertised food source, is a crucial adaptation of social bees to their environment. Studies with honeybees showed that recruitment precision is not a fixed feature, but it may be enhanced by factors like experience and distance. However, little is known regarding the recruitment precision of stingless bees. Hence, in this study, we examined the effects of experience and spatial distance on the precision of the food communication system of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana. We conducted the experiments by training bees to a three-dimensional artificial patch at several distances from the colony. We recorded the choices of individual recruited foragers, either being newcomers (foragers without experience with the advertised food source) or experienced (foragers that had previously visited the feeder). We found that the average precision of newcomers (95.6 ± 2.61%) was significantly higher than that of experienced bees (80.2 ± 1.12%). While this might seem counter-intuitive on first sight, this “loss” of precision can be explained by the tendency of experienced recruits to explore nearby areas to find new rewarding food sources after they had initially learned the exact location of the food source. Increasing the distance from the colony had no significant effect on the precision of the foraging bees. Thus, our data show that experience, but not the distance of the food source, affected the patch precision of S. mexicana foragers.     

含硫油品储罐腐蚀产物自燃性的研究

通过模拟储油罐中硫铁化物的生成方式, 分析和研究了H2S气体在无氧条件下,与不同相对湿度的Fe2O3、Fe3O4和Fe(OH)3反应所生成的硫铁化物的自燃性.不同相对湿度的试样经6 h硫化后,其自燃性明显不同.以Fe2O3试样为例,相对湿度为0的硫化产物氧化升温最高为256 ℃,平均升温速率为10.8 ℃/min; 相对湿度为5%、10%和15%的硫化产物,氧化升温最高温度分别为474 ℃、408 ℃和388 ℃,平均升温速率分别为20.5 ℃/min、18.3 ℃/min和13.5 ℃/min.实验结果表明, 不同相对湿度、不同物质的硫化产物,其自燃性有显著差异,样品的相对湿度对硫化产物的自燃性有重要影响.对各种干燥样品的硫化产物进行电镜分析发现,由不同物质硫化所生成的硫化产物结构不同,致使其自燃性有较大差异.硫铁化物氧化反应放热是引发油罐着火的主要因素.     

地球自转及天体作用力对精密离心机的影响

目的研究地球自转产生的科里奥利力及天体作用力对高精度精密离心机的影响规律。方法考虑精密离心机实际存在的各种失准角,采用齐次变换方法推导由地球自转在加速度计输入轴上产生的科里奥利加速度数学表达式;建立天体作用力对精密离心机上加速度计影响的数学关系式。结果科氏加速度对精密离心机的影响量级为10-5m/s2;月球和太阳作用力的最大影响量级之和为10-6m/s2。结论对于10-6量级精度的精密离心机,必须补偿科氏加速度的影响;月球和太阳作用力的影响可以忽略不计。     

提高快速法测定C OD准确度及精密度的方法

介绍了用快速法测定COD分析中提高准确度及精密度的方法。     

土壤溶解性有机质荧光特征及其与铜的络合能力

选取4种不同类型土壤和腐熟鸡粪,透析提取溶解性有机质(DOM),通过凝胶色谱、三维荧光光谱测定并分析了DOM的相对分子质量(M_r)分布、化学结构特征及其与铜的结合能力.结果表明,鸡粪DOM相对分子质量积分面积远高于其他样品,表现出其具有较高的有机物含量,泥炭土次之.暗棕壤、褐土和黑土较低,仅为鸡粪积分面积的4.5%~5%.鸡粪在中分子量段积分面积约占总物质的34.1%,低分子量段和高分子量段分别约占41.7%和24.2%.荧光光谱分析表明,各样品均出现类蛋白荧光峰(E_x/E_m=240~270/300~350 nm),在中、高分子量段(M_r500)暗棕壤存在的荧光峰消失.泥炭土出现了较为独特的可见光区类富里酸荧光峰(E_x/E_m=325/420 nm),该荧光峰和黑土的荧光峰在中、高分子量段(M_r500)都产生了红移现象.鸡粪分别出现了和黑土类似的紫外区类富里酸荧光峰,以及和泥炭土类似的可见光区类富里酸荧光峰,以及一类独特的类蛋白荧光峰(E_x/E_m=280/350 nm),但这种类蛋白荧光峰在中分子量段(500M_r12 000)消失.分析表明泥炭土与Cu的络合常数(lg K)为4.13,其他3种土壤与Cu的络合常数较小且差别不大,集中在2.10~3.10之间.鸡粪与Cu的结合能力最大,络合常数达到6.66.     

南京市不同季节大气亚微米颗粒物化学组分在线观测研究

本研究利用Aerodyne气溶胶化学组分监测仪在典型冬季重污染(12月)和夏季(8月)时期分别对南京城市大气非难熔性亚微米细颗粒物(NR-PM1)进行连续在线观测.结果表明,NR-PM1的组分平均贡献为(8月,12月):有机物(51.8%,44%)、硝酸盐(12.8%,23%)、硫酸盐(20.9%,13%)、铵盐(14%,16.8%)、氯化物(0.5%,3.2%).硝酸盐和硫酸盐在8月和12月呈现不同的日变化,如硝酸盐在12月白天呈现增加趋势,表明白天光化学作用对硝酸盐形成起主导作用;12月高浓度的硫酸盐在较高相对湿度的夜间被观测到,而8月在午后出现峰值,这表明在12月和8月硫酸盐的形成可能分别被液相生成和气相光化学作用驱动.8月臭氧污染期间,硝酸盐通过非均相反应在夜间快速形成,日出后,SO_2-4和氧化态有机气溶胶(OOA)同时增加表明二次气溶胶的形成;12月霾污染期间,二次无机组分和具有较高氧化度的OOA逐渐增加.     

土壤中7种重金属和砷测定的精密度控制指标研究

通过对浙江省近700组实际土壤样品进行分析,研究了土壤中铜、铅、锌、铬、镍、镉、砷、汞7种重金属和砷测定的精密度控制指标(实验室内相对偏差和实验室间相对偏差),并与行业标准分析方法和文献进行了比较,旨在为环境监测质量控制与质量保证工作提供参考。经统计分析,建议实验室内相对偏差控制指标如下:铜,≤15%;铅,≤15%;锌,≤15%;铬,≤15%;镍,≤15%;镉,≤20%;砷,≤15%;汞,≤50%。建议实验室间相对偏差控制指标如下:铜,≤25%;铅,≤25%;锌,≤20%;铬,≤20%;镍,≤25%;镉,≤35%;砷,≤25%;汞,≤55%。     

微波消解-分光光度法测定COD的研究

通过试验研究,提出了测定COD的新方法——微波消解-分光光度法。该方法准确度、精密度符合分析要求,与国标中回流法的测定结果没有显著差异。而且采用该方法测定COD可克服回流法、微波消解-滴定法及HACH-COD测定法的操作复杂、耗时长等缺点。