Diversity pattern and spatial scale: a study of a tropical rain forest of Malaysia

Scale is emerging as one of the critical problems in ecology because our perception of most ecological variables and processes depends upon the scale at which the variables are measured. A conclusion obtained at one scale may not be valid at another scale without sufficient knowledge of the scaling effect, which is also a source of misinterpretation for many ecological problems, such as the design of reserves in conservation biology.This paper attempts to study empirically how scaling may affect the spatial patterns of diversity (tree density, richness and Shannon diversity) that we may perceive in tropical forests, using as a test-case a 50 ha forest plot in Malaysia. The effect of scale on measurements of diversity patterns, the occurrence of rare species, the fractal dimension of diversity patterns, the spatial structure and the nearest-neighbour autocorrelation of diversity are addressed. The response of a variable to scale depends on the way it is measured and the way it is distributed in space.We conclude that, in general, the effect of scaling on measures of biological diversity is non-linear; heterogeneity increases with the size of the sampling units, and fine-scale information is lost at a broad scale. Our results should lead to a better understanding of how ecological variables and processes change over scale.     

Manipulation of nest-box density affects extra-pair paternity in a population of blue tits (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Parus caeruleus</Emphasis>)

We tested the effect of manipulation of breeding density on the occurrence of extra-pair paternity in a blue tit (Parus caeruleus) population during two consecutive years. In a homogeneous oak forest, nest-box manipulation provided a high density plot (plot A, 1.10 and 1.32 pairs/ha) and a low density plot (plot B, 0.43 and 0.46 pairs/ha). Microsatellite analysis on 91 broods revealed a higher proportion of extra-pair paternity in broods in plot A (mean of 17.2%) than in plot B (mean of 11.4%). A correlative approach showed that the proportion of extra-pair young in broods was affected by the number of breeding neighbours within 100 m around the nest-box, by the distance to the nearest breeding neighbour and by an additional plot effect. However, the nearest neighbours accounted for only 39.3% of extra-pair paternities and distance to extra-pair fathers was significantly higher than the nearest neighbour distance in both plots. This implies that the effect of density on the occurrence of extra-pair paternities is associated with active female choice to enhance the brood fitness. Although there were more extra-pair young in broods when density was high, the number of extra-pair fathers did not increase and stayed close to one. We suggest that density increases the cost of mate guarding by males, thereby increasing the possibility for females to solicit extra-pair paternities to the cuckolding male they have chosen. Finally, we discuss why correlatives approaches do not always show evidence for an effect of breeding density on extra-pair paternity occurrence.Communicated by M. Soler     

A Concentric Analysis of the Impact of Urbanization on the Threatened European Tree Frog in an Agricultural Landscape

Abstract:  Pond-breeding amphibians are affected by site-specific factors and regional and landscape-scale patterns of land use. Recent anthropogenic landscape modifications (drainage, agriculture intensification, larger road networks, and increased traffic) affect species by reducing the suitable habitat area and fragmenting remaining populations. Using a robust concentric approach based on permutation tests, we evaluated the impact of recent landscape changes on the presence of the endangered European tree frog ( Hyla arborea ) in wetlands. We analyzed the frequency of 1 traffic and 14 land-use indices at 20 circular ranges (from 100-m up to 2-km radii) around 76 ponds identified in western Switzerland. Urban areas and road surfaces had a strong adverse effect on tree frog presence even at relatively great distances (from 100 m up to 1 km). When traffic measurements were considered instead of road surfaces, the effect increased, suggesting a negative impact due to a vehicle-induced effect. Altogether, our results indicate that urbanization and traffic must be taken into account when pond creation is an option in conservation management plans, as is the case for the European tree frog in western Switzerland. We conclude that our easy-to-use and robust concentric method of analysis can successfully assist managers in identifying potential sites for pond creation, where probability of the presence of tree frogs is maximized.     

The Effect of Fragment Shape and Species' Sensitivity to Habitat Edges on Animal Population Size

Abstract:  Habitat fragmentation causes extinction of local animal populations by decreasing the amount of viable "core" habitat area and increasing edge effects. It is widely accepted that larger fragments make better nature reserves because core-dwelling species have a larger amount of suitable habitat. Nevertheless, fragments in real landscapes have complex, irregular shapes. We modeled the population sizes of species that have a representative range of preferences for or aversions to habitat edges at five spatial scales (within 10, 32, 100, 320, and 1000 m of an edge) in a nation-wide analysis of forest remnants in New Zealand. We hypothesized that the irregular shapes of fragments in real landscapes should generate statistically significant correlations between population density and fragment area, purely as a "geometric" effect of varying species responses to the distribution of edge habitat. Irregularly shaped fragments consistently reduced the population size of core-dwelling species by 10–100%, depending on the scale over which species responded to habitat edges. Moreover, core populations within individual fragments were spatially discontinuous, containing multiple, disjunct populations that inhabited small spatial areas and had reduced population size. The geometric effect was highly nonlinear and depended on the range of fragment sizes sampled and the scale at which species responded to habitat edges. Fragment shape played a strong role in determining population size in fragmented landscapes; thus, habitat restoration efforts may be more effective if they focus on connecting disjunct cores rather than isolated fragments.     

气态有机物组成对生物过滤及菌体密度的影响

以堆肥-火山灰为填料的生物过滤器连续处理含甲苯、乙酸乙酯和异丙醇的气体,观测生物过滤效果和填料的菌系状态变化.结果表明:在甲苯和乙酸乙酯共存的条件下,生物过滤器优先去除乙酸乙酯;当进气中同时存在甲苯、乙酸乙酯和异丙醇时,优先去除乙酸乙酯和异丙醇.填料中各种微生物的菌体密度与过滤去除的有机物组成和浓度有关.霉菌和酵母菌竞争利用乙酸乙酯和异丙醇的能力较强,放线菌和细菌对甲苯的竞争利用能力较强.进气中高浓度的有机物会使填料中的菌体密度增大.在处理甲苯、乙酸乙酯和异丙醇的生物过滤器的各段填料中,菌体密度按细菌、霉菌、酵母菌、放线菌的顺序而降低. 图 1表 3参 17     

Analysis of lead in soils adjacent to an interstate highway in Tampa,Florida

In order to assess the amount and distribution of lead pollution in soils adjacent to a major interstate highway serving the city of Tampa, Florida, a total of 224 samples were collected from 32 transects perpendicular to the roadway. The lead content was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The highest levels of lead were found at distances of 81, 243, and 729 cm from the road. The results show that there is a weak negative correlation between soil lead and the distance from the roadside, as well as with traffic density. The weakness of the relationship is a result of confounding variables such as turbulence and other microclimatic factors, downslope movement of soils overtime, and human action such as construction and highway landscaping. Nevertheless, over one-third of the samples collected in the study area contain more than 500 g g^–1 lead, levels considered to be hazardous by the United States Centers for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency.     

高镍杂铜低温生产电解铜粉试验

用杂铜电解生产铜粉时，电解液的温度一般可控制在２０￣６０℃。本文介绍了在３０℃较低温度和６００￣１２００Ａ／ｍ＾２的较低电流密度下，用杂铜电解生产铜粉的试验过程。试验结果表明：低温和低铜离子浓度对生产细粒铜粉有利，而料低电流密度在保证铜粉粒度的情况下，对节约电能有利。     

不同阴极电子受体从生物燃料电池中发电的比较研究

以活性炭阳极双室生物燃料电池为基础,使用葡萄糖(COD为2000mg·L-1)作为底物,比较了铁氰化钾、过氧化氢、重铬酸钾和高锰酸钾分别作为生物燃料电池阴极电子受体时电池的开路电压和功率输出.结果表明,铁氰化钾、过氧化氢和重铬酸钾对应的开路电位分别为0.72V、0.33V和1.13V,均低于高锰酸钾的1.4lV.铁氰化钾和重铬酸钾对应的最大功率密度分别为4788mW·m-3和10951m W·m-3,相比之下高锰酸钾对应的最大功率达到了21912 mW·m-3.除过氧化氢外,3种氧化剂对应的电池内阻没有区别,均在2200Ω左右.当高锰酸钾浓度为200mg·L-1、pH为2.0时,开路电位高达1.44V,阴极电位达到1.38V,pH对电池电压输出的影响比高锰酸钾浓度更为显著.将高锰酸钾用于生物燃料电池从有机废水中发电不但可以极大提高系统的功率输出,还具有十分显著的经济和环境效益.     

Cloning and expression of α-amylase in E. coli: genesis of a superior biocatalyst for substrate-specific MFC

One of the most practical approaches for establishing a successful microbial fuel cell (MFC) is to fasten the oxidation rate of the substrate by the microorganisms to get quick paced electron transfer between microbes and electrode. A genetically modified Escherichiacoli, overexpressing α-amylase, is constructed and applied as biocatalyst in MFC using starch as substrate. The results are compared with nonrecombinant, native E.coli. The results show better performance for the MFC containing the recombinant strain demonstrated by higher power density (PD), lower resistance, and significant electrochemical activity. Maximum PD has been recorded as 279.04 mW m^?2 compared to 120.33 Mw m^?2 for the MFC operated with nonrecombinant E.coli. The impedance results also suggest the effectiveness of the recombinant strain by lowering the internal resistance by more than half order as compared to the nonrecombinant one. These results affirm that the engineered strain can be used as a superior biocatalyst in contrast to the native strain and by using the technique of genetic alteration; gene of interest can be inserted based on the substrate to be treated. So, this work gives a useful insight for accomplishing successful MFC operation with the use of bacterial stains engineered at the molecular level.     

2005—2015年中国及境内典型城市群甲醛柱浓度时空变化及影响因子分析

基于2005—2015年OMI反演的甲醛柱浓度月均数据,对中国及境内典型城市群甲醛柱浓度时空变化及影响因子进行了分析.结果发现,甲醛柱浓度高值区集中在京津冀中南部、山东西部、河南北部、江浙沪、珠三角、湖北东部、湖南东部、广西、四川与重庆交界.2005—2015年中国甲醛柱浓度总体呈上升趋势,其中,京津冀地区增长趋势最明显,江浙沪地区呈略微下降趋势.中国、京津冀及江浙沪地区夏季甲醛柱浓度明显高于其余3个季节,呈明显的周期性变化;2005—2015年中国4个季节甲醛柱浓度均呈增加趋势,京津冀地区除夏季外其余3个季节也呈增加趋势,江浙沪和珠三角地区各季节甲醛柱浓度变化趋势不一致.近11年,中国、京津冀和江浙沪地区7月甲醛柱浓度最高,珠三角地区9月甲醛柱浓度最高.京津冀和江浙沪地区甲醛柱浓度月最高值和月最低值之间的差异大于珠三角地区.中国、京津冀、江浙沪和珠三角地区近11年秸秆焚烧与相应甲醛柱浓度呈明显正相关,相关系数为0.84~1.00,表明秸秆焚烧是影响近11年甲醛柱浓度变化的重要因子.尽管有些区域季节温度与相应甲醛柱浓度呈负相关,但温度总体也是影响中国及这3个典型城市群甲醛柱浓度变化的另一个重要因子,京津冀地区尤其明显.月平均温度与相应甲醛柱浓度的相关系数为0.52~0.85.人口、民用汽车保有量和国内生产总值与中国、京津冀、江浙沪和珠三角地区相应甲醛柱浓度相关系数均低于0.60.影响因子分析结果暗示控制秸秆焚烧和减少温室效应是降低我国甲醛柱浓度的重要途径.