Potential mechanisms for the communication of height and distance by a stingless bee, Melipona panamica

This study investigates the recruitment communication mechanisms of a stingless bee, Melipona panamica, whose foragers can evidently communicate the three-dimensional location of a good food source. To determine if the bees communicate location information inside or outside the nest, we conducted removal experiments by training marked foragers to one of two identical feeders and then separating these experienced foragers from potential recruits as they left the nest. The feeders were positioned to test the communication of each dimension. The results show that recruits do not simply follow experienced foragers to the food source. Height and distance are communicated within the nest, while direction is communicated outside the nest. We then examined the pulsed sounds produced by recruiting foragers. While unloading food, recruiting foragers produced several short pulses and one or more very long pulses. On average, the longest unloading pulse per performance was 31–50% longer (P ≤ 0.018) for bees foraging on the forest floor than for bees foraging at the top of the forest canopy (40 m high). While dancing, recruiting foragers produced sound pulses whose duration was positively correlated with the distance to the food source (P < 0.001). Dancing recruiters also produced several short sound pulses followed by one or more long pulses. The longest dance pulse per performance was 291 ± 194 ms for a feeder 25 m from the nest and 1858 ± 923 ms for a feeder 360 m away from the nest. The mechanism of directional communication remains a mystery. However, the direction removal experiment demonstrates that newcomers cannot use forager-deposited scent marks for long-distance orientation (>100 m from the nest). Received: 25 September 1997 / Accepted after revision: 31 May 1998     

Time allocation strategies in insect parasitoids: from ultimate predictions to proximate behavioral mechanisms

As most parasitoids are time limited, they usually die before they have laid all their eggs. In such cases, optimal foraging theory predicts that female parasitoids will adopt behavioral reproductive strategies enabling them to maximize progeny production per unit of time. One key situation in which parasitoid females must optimize their time budget is related to the fact that most of their hosts are distributed in discrete patches in the environment. In this review, I first present the results of basic theoretical models predicting female wasp search duration on a patch of hosts. I then compile and analyze all studies investigating the effect of different factors on parasitoid patch time allocation and patch-leaving decision rules. Different patch-leaving mechanisms that were proposed to explain the results obtained are discussed, along with statistical methods that should be used to estimate them from experimental data. Finally, ideas for future research are presented.     

含氟有机化合物的生态迁移及转化

含氟有机化合物的众多特性使得其在各方面得到越来越广泛的应用,同时也成为了一种较普遍的环境污染物。本文列举了含氟有机化合物的应用类型及相应的应用特点;指明其污染途径和毒性特征;从含氟有机物的分子结构特征、降解茵的类型、外部因素三方面阐明了其生物降解特性;总结了酶作用于碳氟键使得含氟有机物发生降解的四种作用;并介绍了含氟有机污染物的生物处理和生态修复的一般方法。     

大别山革命老区旅游地“乡土—生态”系统韧性演化规律及影响机制

探讨旅游地“乡土—生态”系统演化,为理解人地关系地域系统结构与功能演变提供了新思路。通过构建“乡土—生态”系统韧性评价体系,解析2005—2019年大别山革命老区旅游地“乡土—生态”系统韧性的演化阶段、过程、路径及机制。结果显示：（1）研究区旅游地“乡土—生态”系统经历了利用、保存、释放、重组适应性循环过程,分别对应旅游地迅速发展期（2005—2009年）、发展成熟期（2010—2012年）、发展过渡期（2013—2016年）和再发展初期（2017—2019年）。（2）在适应性循环过程中研究区县域的数量结构经历了以“较低水平韧性为主→高水平韧性为主”的转变,县域“乡土—生态”系统韧性水平呈波动上升趋势。（3）2005—2019年研究区旅游地“乡土—生态”系统韧性演化的驱动因子由经济层面转向社会文化层面。在内外源因素的作用下,旅游地“乡土—生态”系统韧性通过乡土资源禀赋（向心凝聚力）、经济发展基础（核心推动力）、社会保障功能（重要支撑力）和自然环境本底（基础约束力）的四维驱动,以人的行为为媒介在相互作用和掣肘中演进,当韧性指数超过阈值时其内核组织将打破原有边界、自我调适实现“路径突破”,进入下一阶段适应性循环,以此促进旅游地的可持续发展。     

A proposal for a diet-based local PCDD/F deposition limit

This study proposes a method to estimate the maximal tolerable value for the atmospheric deposition of dioxins (PCDD/Fs) to soil. The case study for the application of this methodology is an Alpine valley where a steel production plant is present. In order to estimate the limit value for the PCDD/F deposition, consolidated food chain models were applied, but were adapted to be run backwards with respect to their original formulation, by starting from the diet of people living in the region and from the PCDD/F Tolerable Daily Intake value proposed by the World Health Organization. For this case study, the estimated limit value was 2.30 pg WHO-TEQ m⁻² d⁻¹ when only local diary products were taken into account and 1.91 pg WHO-TEQ m⁻² d⁻¹ when also the role of local cereals and vegetables was considered. The average PCDD/F deposition measured in the same region during a monitoring campaign was lower than the above limit values (1.40 pg WHO-TEQ m⁻² d⁻¹). Indications on how to consider the contribution of meat and fish are provided too. The approach proposed in this paper represents a useful tool to assess the acceptable overall deposition for a specific region.     

Study on machinability of a stellite alloy with uncoated and coated carbide tools in turning

Stellite alloys, which have been widely used in the aerospace, automotive and chemical industries, are hard-to-cut cobalt-based materials. This study investigates the machinability of stellite 12 alloys with uncoated carbide cutting tool grades YG610 (K01-K10) and YT726 (K05-K10/M20) and SANDVIK coated carbide tool SNMG150612-SM1105 under dry cutting conditions. Both wear mechanisms and failure modes of the uncoated and coated tools were investigated with turning experiments. The results show that the coated tool SM1105 remarkably outperforms the uncoated tools; and the cutting tool YG610 generally outperforms YT726 under all cutting conditions. Built-up edge was found with YG610 in some cutting conditions and with SM1105 at cutting speed of 16 m/min. Tool surface burning marks were observed on YT726 at relatively higher cutting speeds. Wear develops slowly with coated tools SM1105 until VB reaches 0.2 mm at most conditions (except at v = 43 m/min, f = 0.25 mm/r). Excessive tool flank typically resulted in tool breakage at the cutting edge for uncoated tools. Abrasive and adhesive wear of cutting tools were observed at low cutting speeds while diffusion and chemical wear occurred at higher cutting speeds.     

饮用水水源及水厂内分泌干扰物污染分析

对国内的饮用水水源地内分泌干扰物污染现状进行总结,发现我国饮用水水源地很多地区都存在着内分泌干扰物的污染,由于地域的不同,污染物的种类存在差异,但有机氯农药和多氯联苯类化合物的污染尤为严重。同时对水源地内分泌干扰物的种类、来源及生物学效应进行综述,并对内分泌干扰物的毒性作用机制进行了归纳,发现不同来源的内分泌干扰物,毒性作用机制不同,且一种内分泌干扰物可能同时存在多种作用机制。     

GEIA-STD-0009《系统设计、研制和制造可靠性大纲标准》分析

研究了GEIA-STD-0009《系统设计、研制和制造可靠性大纲标准》的制定背景,分析了该标准的制定过程,主要介绍了该标准4个可靠性目标及信息流,简述了每个目标的6个组成部分,详细阐述了13项规范性可靠性活动.     

浮萍塘中氮归趋模式模拟分析

通过模拟分析浮萍塘中氮的循环迁移过程,考察了N主要迁移途径对各形态氮的去除贡献,并确定了水环境季节变化对氮循环过程影响.模拟结果显示:浮萍塘中氮的去除主要通过硝化/反硝化作用实现,而有机氮沉降以及氨氮挥发作用对TN去除贡献仅为2.1%.浮萍塘中氨氮和硝态氮的变化主要受硝化和反硝化作用影响;有机氮主要受藻类腐败以及氨化作用影响;底泥中氮的变化主要由有机氮沉降和底泥中氮氨化过程控制.此外,浮萍塘能有效去除水体中藻类,并维持藻类的较低含量;浮萍主要通过促进硝化/反硝化速率来提高系统对TN的去除能力.     

Determination of heterogeneous reaction mechanisms: A key milestone in dust explosion modelling

Reaction kinetics is fundamental for modelling the thermal oxidation of a solid phase, in processes such as dust explosions, combustion or gasification. The methodology followed in this study consists in i) the experimental identification of the reaction mechanisms involved in the explosion of organic powders, ii) the proposal of simplified mechanisms of pyrolysis and oxidation, iii) the implementation of the model to assess the explosion severity of organic dusts. Flash pyrolysis and combustion experiments were carried out on starch (22 μm) and cellulose (53 μm) at temperatures ranging from 973 K to 1173 K. The gases generated were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography. In this paper, a semi-global pyrolysis model was developed for reactive systems with low Damköhler number. It is in good agreement with the experimental data and shows that both carbon monoxide and hydrogen are mainly generated during the pyrolysis of the solid, the generation of the latter compound being greatly promoted at high temperature. A simplified combustion model was also proposed by adding two oxidation reactions of the pyrolysis products. In parallel, flame propagation tests were performed in a semi open tube in order to assess the burning velocity of such compounds. The laminar burning velocity of cellulose was determined to be 21 cm s⁻¹. Finally, this model will be integrated to a predictive model of dust explosions and its validation will be based on experimental data obtained using the 20 L explosion sphere. The explosion severity of cellulose was determined and will be used to develop and adjust the predictive model.