Urban growth management in Jeddah

The towns and cities of Saudi Arabia have been subjected to sustained growth pressures since the transformation of the country's economy following the discovery of oil in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom. The rapid growth which has been experienced has created major problems for the central and local government agencies responsible for planning and managing urban growth. The experience of Jeddah, one of the major cities in Saudi Arabia, is described and the problems of planning and managing its growth are analysed. Weaknesses relating to the structure of the planning system are identified, as are major difficulties in relation to the quality and quantity of professional staff. Recent attempts to improve the operation of the planning system are described and evaluated.     

超补偿理论及其在虫害控制中的意义

本文较为系统地阐述了作物对虫害损伤的超补偿理论,表明超补偿广泛存在于各种作物中,并对超补偿所需条件、基本原因以及与害虫控制的关系作进一步讨论。     

Multicriteria evaluation of simulated logging scenarios in a tropical rain forest

Forest growth models are useful tools for investigating the long-term impacts of logging. In this paper, the results of the rain forest growth model FORMIND were assessed by a multicriteria decision analysis. The main processes covered by FORMIND include tree growth, mortality, regeneration and competition. Tree growth is calculated based on a carbon balance approach. Trees compete for light and space; dying large trees fall down and create gaps in the forest. Sixty-four different logging scenarios for an initially undisturbed forest stand at Deramakot (Malaysia) were simulated. The scenarios differ regarding the logging cycle, logging method, cutting limit and logging intensity. We characterise the impacts with four criteria describing the yield, canopy opening and changes in species composition. Multicriteria decision analysis was used for the first time to evaluate the scenarios and identify the efficient ones. Our results plainly show that reduced-impact logging scenarios are more 'efficient' than the others, since in these scenarios forest damage is minimised without significantly reducing yield. Nevertheless, there is a trade-off between yield and achieving a desired ecological state of logged forest; the ecological state of the logged forests can only be improved by reducing yields and enlarging the logging cycles. Our study also demonstrates that high cutting limits or low logging intensities cannot compensate for the high level of damage caused by conventional logging techniques.     

Technetium: A toxic waste product of the nuclear fuel cycle: Effects on soybean growth and development

Technetium-99 (⁹⁹Tc) is formed in significant amounts (6.2% fission yield) during fission in both nuclear reactors and nuclear bombs. The effects of technetium on soybeans (Glycine max) were studied in relation to (a) cytochemical events in the apical meristems of germinating seedlings; (b) growth responses to 0, 0.04, 0.2, 1.0, 5.0, and 20.0 ppm Tc; (c) growth responses to varying levels of Tc after a prior 5-day germination on Tc-free media, and (d) response to Tc in the presence of added manganese.By 20 days, reductions in growth were evident at all levels of Tc except 0.04 ppm (Experiment 2). Root growth was most severely affected, and seedling abnormality at 20 ppm was fivefold greater than that of the controls. The effect of 20 ppm Tc was evident at 10 days when the accumulated absorption dose was approximately 25 rads. The first evidence of damage at this dose was a delay in the initiation of the first trifoliate leaf. The shoot meristem size was 1.2-fold smaller than that of the control; however, there was no cytological evidence of radiation-induced damage. Observation of mitotic figures did not reveal any chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, or chromosome bridges. The lowest level of Tc showing toxicity was 0.2 ppm which resulted in a 31% reduction in growth at 20 days. The accumulated dose was 0.5 rad (0.025 rad/day) and thus it seems unlikely that the rapid inhibition of growth and development is due to radiological toxicity. It is quite probable that the growth effects are due to chemical toxicity possibly due to nutrient competition and/or substitution in uptake or metabolism. However, extremely low doses of radiation have been shown to delay the onset of DNA synthesis (possibly by membrane effects) inTradescantia and until the actual mechanism of Tc inhibition is determined a radiation effect cannot be totally ruled out.This research was partially supported by ERDA Contract EY-76-S-02-4139     

Growth and alkaline phosphatase activity of Chattonella marina and Heterosigma akashiwo in response to phosphorus limitation

The growth and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) of two raphidophyceae species Chattonella marina and Heterosigma akashiwo were investigated in response to P-limitation and subsequent addition of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP, NaH₂PO₄) and two dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) compounds: guanosine 5-monophosphate (GMP) and triethyl phosphate (TEP). APAlevels increased greatly after P-starvation as the decrease of the cellular phosphorus quotes (Q_p). C. marina responded to P-limitation quickly and strongly, with 10-fold increase in APA within 24 hr after P-starvation. The larger difference between maximal and minimal Q_p values in C. marina indicated its high capacity in P storage. APA of H. akashiwo wasmaximally enlarged about 2.5 times at 48 hr of P-starvation. After the addition of nutrients, cell numbers of C. marina increased in all treatments including the P-free culture, demonstrating the higher endurance of C. marina to P-limitation. However, those of H. akashiwo increased only in DIP and GMP cultures. APA increased only after the addition of the monophosphate ester GMP. The results suggest that quick responses of C. marina to P-limitation, high capacity in P storage as well as endurance for P-depletion provide this species an ecological advantage in phytoplankton community competition under DIP-limited conditions.     

Growth and Foliar Nitrogen Status of Four Plant Species Exposed to Atmospheric Ammonia

A chamber study was conducted to evaluate the growth response and leaf nitrogen (N) status of four plant species exposed to continuous ammonia (NH₃) for 12 weeks (wk). This was intended to evaluate appropriate plant species that could be used to trap discharged NH₃ from the exhaust fans in poultry feeding operations before moving off-site. Two hundred and forty bare-root plants of four species (Juniperus virginiana (red cedar), Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis (thornless honey locust), Populus sp. (hybrid poplar), and Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) were transplanted into 4- or 8-L polyethylene pots and grown in four environmentally controlled chambers. Plants placed in two of the four chambers received continuous exposure to anhydrous NH₃ at 4 to 5 ppm while plants in another two chambers received no NH₃. In each of the four chambers, 2 to 4 plants per species received no fertilizer while the rest of the plants were fertilized with a 100 ppm solution containing 21% N, 7% phosphorus, and 7% potassium. The results showed that honey locust was the fastest-growing species. The superior growth of honey locust among all species was also supported by its total biomass, root, and root dry matter (DM) weights. For all species there was a trend for plants exposed to NH₃ to have greater leaf DM than their non-exposed counterparts at 6 (43.0 vs. 30.8%; P = 0.09) and 12 wk (47.9 vs. 36.6%; P = 0.07), and significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) leaf N content at 6 (6.44 vs. 3.67%) and 12 wk (7.05 vs. 3.51%) when exposed to NH₃. Numerically greater leaf DM due to NH₃ exposure was also consistently measured in poplar at both sampling periods. Hybrid poplar, as well as honey locust and reed canary grass, deposited 1.5 to 2-fold greater N in their leaves than red cedar tissues as a result of NH₃ exposure compared to non-exposed plants. Regardless of the effect of NH₃ on foliar color and damage score of the plants, the increase of foliar N content (g 100 g^?1 of fresh foliage weight) after NH₃ exposure at 6 and 12 wk was 0.45 and 0.87 for grass,1.25 and 1.34 for locust, and 2.67 and 6.09 for poplar. However, only honey locust likely benefited from ambient NH₃ as indicated by its consistent leaf color quality and lower damage score, compared with other species that were adversely affected by atmospheric NH₃.     

英国联合利华公司的兼并策略研究

当前,国内外市场正掀起公司整合、兼并的浪潮,针对英国联合利华公司的战略动机和兼并对公司的潜在影响。运用竞争态势分析（SWOT）方法．从六个方面分析了联合利华公司两个成功案例。结合管理模式和国家文化的差异。关注社会文化与“战略性文化适应”。对联合利华最近5年来的成长战略和Best Foods公司战略核心要素进行了分析。评价了联合利华的战略发展和将来的战略发展方向。指出联合利华品牌减少战略体现出核心竞争,加强个人护理产品的生产．保持持续发展和竞争优势．以期达到相当的经济规模．是值得借鉴的成功经验。     

Influence of super-absorbent polymer on the growth rate of gas hydrate

The growth rate of hydrate and morphology of methane hydrate formation were studied in a visual pressure cell at 5.5 MPa. The gas hydrate formation was carried out (coal mine methane (CMM) + tetrahydrofuran (THF) + sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) + H₂O) with and without SAP. Experimental data on the hydrate growth rate and induction time were obtained for three different CMM samples. The influence of SAP on hydrate growth rate was determined. Results showed that after the addition of SAP, with the methane concentration increased in CMM, the induction time was reduced by 9 min, 10 min and 3 min, and the growth rate was shortened by 0.56 × 10⁻⁶/m³ min⁻¹, 0.53 × 10⁻⁶/m³ min⁻¹ and 1.42 × 10⁻⁶/m³ min⁻¹, respectively. This study could be useful for the recovery of methane from CMM by forming hydrate in the chemical and mining industry.     

Growth accounting in a fishery

Since 1950, the real value of fish catches in Norway has about doubled, while the number of fishermen has declined by about 85 percent. This has made it possible to maintain fishermen's incomes roughly on par with other occupational groups in Norway. It is investigated to what extent this increase in labor productivity is due to accumulation of capital, increasingly abundant fish stocks, or technological progress. Since the capital stock in recent years is not much greater in real terms than in the early 1960s, it is tempting to ascribe most of the increase in labor productivity to technical progress. This, however, would leave out the role of fish stocks; if stocks have increased over this period, this would explain some of what otherwise appears as a technical progress. Using data on labor, capital, fish catches, and fish stock abundance 1961–2004 the development of total factor productivity is examined. Ignoring changes in fish stocks, total factor productivity is estimated to have increased by 0.8 percent per year. Accounting for changes in fish stocks raises this to 1.7–4.3 percent per year, depending on the importance assigned to stocks as factors of production.     

The role of images of conspecifics as visual cues in the development and behavior of larval anurans

Tadpoles can alter their behavior, morphology, and life history in response to habitat change. Although chemical signals from conspecifics or predators play an important role in tadpole habitat assessment, little is known about the role of visual cues and the extent to which tadpoles rely on their vision for intraspecific social assessment. The aim of our experiments was to determine whether larval anurans use visual images of other tadpoles as indicators of density and to analyze how, and to what extent, images of conspecifics alone affect tadpole development, growth, and behavior. To assess this, we raised both Rana sylvatica and Bufo americanus tadpoles in aquaria with either quarter- or half-mirrored walls. Both physically increased density and increased density simulated with mirrors decreased tadpole growth and developmental rates, and increased activity in Rana tadpoles. Bufo tadpoles did not significantly alter their growth and development in response to visually increased density. Only true, i.e., physically, increased density had an effect on growth and activity in Bufo tadpoles. Our data show that images of conspecifics are used as visual cues by Rana tadpoles and can induce phenotypically plastic changes in several traits. This response to visual cues is taxon-specific. An erratum to this article can be found at