Effectiveness of Scat‐Detection Dogs in Determining Species Presence in a Tropical Savanna Landscape

Abstract: Most protected areas are too small to sustain populations of wide‐ranging mammals; thus, identification and conservation of high‐quality habitat for those animals outside parks is often a high priority, particularly for regions where extensive land conversion is occurring. This is the case in the vicinity of Emas National Park, a small protected area in the Brazilian Cerrado. Over the last 40 years the native vegetation surrounding the park has been converted to agriculture, but the region still supports virtually all of the animals native to the area. We determined the effectiveness of scat‐detection dogs in detecting presence of five species of mammals threatened with extinction by habitat loss: maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), puma (Puma concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), and giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus). The probability of scat detection varied among the five species and among survey quadrats of different size, but was consistent across team, season, and year. The probability of occurrence, determined from the presence of scat, in a randomly selected site within the study area ranged from 0.14 for jaguars, which occur primarily in the forested areas of the park, to 0.91 for maned wolves, the most widely distributed species in our study area. Most occurrences of giant armadillos in the park were in open grasslands, but in the agricultural matrix they tended to occur in riparian woodlands. At least one target species occurred in every survey quadrat, and giant armadillos, jaguars, and maned wolves were more likely to be present in quadrats located inside than outside the park. The effort required for detection of scats was highest for the two felids. We were able to detect the presence for each of five wide‐ranging species inside and outside the park and to assign occurrence probabilities to specific survey sites. Thus, scat dogs provide an effective survey tool for rare species even when accurate detection likelihoods are required. We believe the way we used scat‐detection dogs to determine the presence of species can be applied to the detection of other mammalian species in other ecosystems.     

川东北低山丘陵区细颗粒物主要相关因素和季节变化分析——以南充主城区为例

基于中国空气质量在线监测分析平台和全球天气精准预报网的大气质量和气象数据,以四川盆地东北低山丘陵区典型城市南充市主城区为例,检验了细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))浓度的概率密度分布,发现其接近对数正态分布,由相关分析确定了PM_(2.5)浓度的主要相关因素为CO、NO_2(相关系数r分别为0.76、0.55,P0.01),再通过对2014年1月—2016年6月的日数据的逐步回归筛选出最优的回归指标和模拟方程(决定系数R_(adj)~2为0.68,P0.05),2016年7月—2017年6月的数据验证表明模拟效果较好(拟合优度为0.64,相对误差15.48%);最后根据时序插值、浓度和IAQI(PM_(2.5))的时段均值发现PM_(2.5)浓度在年际上有降低趋势;在季节上由高到低依次为冬季、春季、秋季、夏季;PM_(2.5)浓度在1月和6月分别呈现出年内的峰值和谷值,5、10月出现了阶段性峰值,尤其是5月;IAQI(PM_(2.5))的季节变化与浓度变化规律相似;且PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)比值的均值为0.67,表明现阶段南充市主城区大气污染物中细颗粒物占有较大比重。     

基于改进RPS的共因失效模型及在安全仪表系统中的应用研究

基于安全仪表系统共因失效机理的定性分析,在单一冲击下的RPS模型基础上,以泊松分布作为冲击的先验分布,建立了多冲击下考虑共因失效的安全仪表系统可靠性模型;采用基于专家经验和估计的方法,对模型参数进行估计;并通过定量分析确定出影响系统共因失效的最大冲击因子,为降低系统共因失效对可靠性的影响提供辅助决策支持。将改进的多冲击RPS模型的可靠性分析结果与β模型和PDS模型进行比较,验证了该模型的工程准确性。     

桔柑隧道进口段塌方原因分析与处理措施

通过对桔柑隧道进口浅埋段塌方前掌子面的状态与前期施工工序的追溯,详细分析了隧道塌方前出现的各种征兆,并对其塌方机理进行了分析与计算,提出了较为有效的解决初喷混凝土在涌水量较大的情况下与岩壁的结合问题,以及如何选择隧道开挖方式、对大断面铁路隧道穿越浅埋段的处理方案,并最终成功穿越该段,为类似工程提供了借鉴。     

基于均匀分布的滑坡数值模拟参数取值概率研究--以甘肃黑方台黄土滑坡为例

针对数值模拟参数选取主观性强、量化难度大的问题,在高精度无人机地形数据的基础上,通过对11起滑坡案例进行了407组参数反演实验,对结果准确度定量评价后,得到基于Massflow数值软件关键参数λ0的分布范围,进而运用小样本极大似然估计理论,分析区间边界长度对反演精度的影响,最终提出基于均匀分布的参数取值概率模型,并选用案例验证该模型的准确性。结果表明:地形约束会导致反演过程中所需的内聚力减小,反演获得的11组最优λ0的极差和方差分别为0.29、0.01,在置信度为95%下,极大似然法得到区间边界估计长度仅为0.0998,表明参数λ收敛性较好;反演过程中质心滑动距离ψ准确度优于堆积面积重叠率η,在λ0±0.05的范围,参数估计区间内任意值对模拟误差影响较小,评价指标ψ、η与λ0对应案例的相对误差不超过15%;所选案例验证了在置信度为95%下,以反演得到的最优参数区间边界中点构建概率分布函数的可行性和准确性,研究方法可为单体滑坡数值模拟风险评价提供理论支撑。     

重大基坑坍塌事故虚拟仿真系统研究

为预防基坑坍塌事故发生、进行重大事故警示教育,以杭州地铁湘湖站北2基坑坍塌事故为素材,研究构建重大基坑坍塌事故虚拟仿真培训系统。对案例事故涉及的设计、施工、环境三大因素的技术问题进行总结,研究了事故链各致险因素及对推动事故发生所起作用,完成仿真系统平台设计和开发工作。系统应用多种制作技术创建工程场景模型,展示深基坑工程复杂的施工工序和空间关系,再现基坑坍塌事故发生发展过程和贴近实际的灾难场景。研究结果表明:仿真系统成果可丰富地下工程教学、施工现场安全教育和安全监察培训的内容和形式。     

Optimization of capture–recapture monitoring of elusive species illustrated with a threatened grasshopper

Information on population sizes and trends of threatened species is essential for their conservation, but obtaining reliable estimates can be challenging. We devised a method to improve the precision of estimates of population size obtained from capture–recapture studies for species with low capture and recapture probabilities and short seasonal activity, illustrated with population data of an elusive grasshopper (Prionotropis rhodanica). We used data from 5 capture–recapture studies to identify methodological and environmental factors affecting capture and recapture probabilities and estimates of population size. In a simulation, we used the population size and capture and recapture probability estimates obtained from the field studies to identify the minimum number of sampling occasions needed to obtain unbiased and robust estimates of population size. Based on these results we optimized the capture–recapture design, implemented it in 2 additional studies, and compared their precision with those of the nonoptimized studies. Additionally, we simulated scenarios based on thresholds of population size in criteria C and D of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List to investigate whether estimates of population size for elusive species can reliably inform red-list assessments. Identifying parameters that affect capture and recapture probabilities (for the grasshopper time since emergence of first adults) and optimizing field protocols based on this information reduced study effort (−6% to −27% sampling occasions) and provided more precise estimates of population size (reduced coefficient of variation) compared with nonoptimized studies. Estimates of population size from the scenarios based on the IUCN thresholds were mostly unbiased and robust (only the combination of very small populations and little study effort produced unreliable estimates), suggesting capture–recapture can be considered reliable for informing red-list assessments. Although capture–recapture remains difficult and costly for elusive species, our optimization procedure can help determine efficient protocols to increase data quality and minimize monitoring effort.     

基于改进的SPAR-H化工实验室人因可靠性分析

近年来化工实验室事故屡禁不止,其中人的不安全行为是导致事故发生的主要原因.为评估实验人员可靠性,进一步管控化工实验室人的不安全行为,基于标准化工厂人因可靠性分析(SPAR-H)方法,结合化工实验室人因失误的特点,确定了更加适用于化工实验室的人因可靠性分析方法.首先依据"S-O-P"认知模型对人因失误类型进行划分;然后基...     

Can we gain precision by sampling with probabilities proportional to size in surveying recent landscape changes in the Netherlands?

Seventy-two squares of 100 ha were selected by stratified random sampling with probabilities proportional to size (pps) to survey landscape changes in the period 1996–2003. The area of the plots times the urbanization pressure was used as a size measure. The central question of this study is whether the sampling with probabilities proportional to size leads to gain in precision compared to equal probability sampling. On average 1.03 isolated buildings per 100 ha have been built, while 0.90 buildings per 100 ha have been removed, leading to a net change of 0.13 building per 100 ha. The area with unspoiled natural relief has been reduced by 2.3 ha per 100 ha, and the length of linear relicts by 137 m per 100 ha. On average 74 m of linear green elements have been planted per 100 ha, while 106 m have been removed, leading to a net change of −31 m per 100 ha. For the state variables ‘unspoiled natural relief', ‘ linear relicts', ‘removed linear green elements', and ‘new – removed linear green elements' there is a gain in precision due to the pps-sampling. For the remaining state variables there is no gain or even a loss of precision (`new buildings', ‘removed buildings', ‘new – removed buildings', ‘new linear green elements'). Therefore, if many state variables must be monitored or when interest is not only in the change but also in the current totals, we recommend to keep things simple, and to select plots with equal probability.     

基于TVR的腐蚀油气管道失效概率及安全寿命研究

为避免因腐蚀导致油气管道失效,针对因管道特性和腐蚀尺寸的不确定性使得管道剩余强度成为概率模型的特点,建立了腐蚀管道强度损失随机模型;借助可靠性理论,通过分析管道腐蚀进程的时变性特点,将管道系统由损伤积累和抗力衰减导致的剩余强度随机化;提出基于穿越率的腐蚀油气管道失效评定及安全寿命预测方法。研究结果表明:腐蚀速率和运行压力对管道失效概率及安全寿命影响显著,管道尺寸影响适中,而相关系数和拉伸强度影响较小;若腐蚀速率Va=0.2 mm/a,VL=10 mm/a或局部腐蚀缺陷半径达到管道壁厚的0.5倍时,建议作为重点风险段监测并检修。所建方法是对腐蚀油气管道运营监控和风险评估的有益补充。