Fractal dimension estimates of a fragmented landscape: sources of variability

Although often seen as a scale-independent measure, we show that the fractal dimension of the forest cover of the Cazaville Region changes with spatial scale. Sources of variability in the estimation of fractal dimensions are multiple. First, the measured phenomenon does not always show the properties of a pure fractal for all scales, but rather exhibits local self-similarity within certain scale ranges. Moreover, some sampling components such as area of sampling unit, the use of a transect in the estimation of the variability of a plane, the location, and the orientation of a transect all affect, to different degrees, the estimation of the fractal dimension. This paper assesses the relative importance of these components in the estimation of the fractal dimension of the spatial distribution of woodlots in a fragmented landscape. Results show that different sources of variability should be considered when comparing fractal dimensions from different studies or regions.     

Does matrix resistance influence Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris L. 1758) distribution in an urban landscape?

In determining isolation effects in fragmented populations, the landscape matrix is not often considered. Usually simple distance measures are used to quantify degree of isolation. We tested the effect of the matrix on the presence of red squirrels in 354 wooded patches in the Brussels Region, by comparing several isolation measures. These were 1) distance to the nearest source patch, 2) the Hanski-measure (a combination of distance to and size of all possible sources), 3) effective distances calculated from different least cost models using the ArcView grid extension ‘Cost Distance’ (a combination of distance and resistance of the landscape, with different resistances for different landscape types) and 4) some combinations of the Hanski-measure and the effective distances. Size and quality of the target patches were always included in the tests of the predictive power of different isolation measures on squirrel presence/absence. All variables examined (patch size, quality and isolation) significantly influenced squirrel presence. Models using the effective distances gave the best results. Models including the Hanski-measure improved significantly when Euclidean distance was replaced by effective distance, showing that parameterisation of matrix resistance added significant additional explanatory power when modelling squirrel presence. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A leakiness index for assessing landscape function using remote sensing

The cover, number, size, shape, spatial arrangement and orientation of vegetation patches are attributes that have been used to indicate how well landscapes function to retain, not ‘leak’, vital system resources such as rainwater and soil. We derived and tested a directional leakiness index (DLI) for this resource retention function. We used simulated landscape maps where resource flows over map surfaces were directional and where landscape patch attributes were known. Although DLI was most strongly related to patch cover, it also logically related to patch number, size, shape, arrangement and orientation. If the direction of resource flow is multi-directional, a variant of DLI, the multi-directional leakiness index (MDLI) can be used. The utility of DLI and MDLI was demonstrated by applying these indices to three Australian savanna landscapes differing in their remotely sensed vegetation patch attributes. These leakiness indices clearly positioned these three landscapes along a function-dysfunction continuum, where dysfunctional landscapes are leaky (poorly retain resources). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

种块大小对生姜生长及产量的影响

本试验条件下,生姜出苗期随种块的增大而提早。幼苗期,较大种块处理的植株长势较旺,但茎叶旺盛生长期后,过大或过小的种块处理都不利于生姜的生长和产量的提高。生姜产量以75 g左右的种块处理为最高,达3 572.4 kg·(667 m2)-1,而100、50、25 g种块处理的生姜产量分别为3 250.2、3 077.9、2 600.1 kg·(667 m2)-1。     

Osmolarity,cell volume and proliferation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

AIM: To investigate the relationship between osmolarity, cell volume and cell proliferation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. METHODS: MTT method was applied to detect the proliferation ability of the poorly-differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell (CNE-2Z) under various osmolarity conditions. The flow cytometry was used to analyse cell cycle distribution. Cell volume was obtained by the image analysis of living cells and cell viability was determined by the trypan blue assay. RESULTS: Cultivation of cells under the hypertonic conditions of 370 and 440 mOsmol/L increased cell volume by 8.7% and 27.8% and facilitated cell proliferation by 22.2% and 33.9%, respectively. However, hypotonic incubation of cells with osmolarity of 160 and 230 mOsmol/L decreased cell volume by 12.8% and 4.1% and inhibited cell proliferation by 34.0% and 15.6%, respectively. Cell volume was positively correlated with cell proliferation rate. Long-term cultivation of cells under anisotonic conditions did not significantly alter cell cycle distribution, but hypotonic cultivation decreased cell viability. CONCLUSION: Proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells was closely correlated with the osmolarity of culture medium and cell volume. Hypotonic cultivation may inhibit cell proliferation by decreasing cell volume to facilitate cell death mechanisms.     

秦巴山区养羊户适度经营规模的研究

通过对秦巴山区陕西省西乡县15个典型陕南白山羊养殖专业户的资金投入、羊群结构、草地资源、经济效益等情况的调查，分析了养羊户的资源利用和生产经营状况，确定了与山羊生产密切相关的12个变量，即种公羊数、基础母羊数、后备母羊数、育肥羊数、羊舍面积、草地补种及施肥费用、医杂费、氨化或青贮饲料量、补饲精料量、工作日、投资额，并确定了各变量的参数值，以利润最大为目标函数，然后运用线性规划模型，计算出不同投资、不同人力及草地资源等条件下的适度经营规模。结果表明，养羊户的投资额是决定适度规模的主要因素。根据投资和羊群基础母羊数量设计的三种典型经营条件下，基础母羊全部留种的经营方式可获最大投资收益率(140．1％)；基础母羊数量达到20只以上，自繁种公羊的经营方式的最大投资收益率为74．0％；资金有限，人工授精配种的经营方式的投资收益率最低，为73．1％。     

Evaluation of sampling methods and assessment of the sample size to estimate the weed seedbank in soil, taking into account spatial variability

As field sampling is time consuming, it is necessary to develop efficient sampling techniques to obtain accurate estimates of the weed seedbank in soil. The relative efficiency between sampling schemes depends on the spatial variability in weed seed density across agricultural fields. Spatial variability of the weed seed density was characterized by theoretical correlograms. A systematic sampling (square grill) scheme was considered and it was found that, taking into account spatial variability, this sampling scheme was more efficient than simple random sampling. As a result, the sample size can be reduced in comparison with that given in previous studies, where spatial correlation was ignored. The reduction depends on the correlation structure defined as a function of the ratio, τ, between the nugget effect and the sill of the variogram. The maximum reduction of the sample size, without loss of either precision or confidence level corresponds to the case where there is no nugget effect, τ = 0. The opposite extreme case, where the reduction is nil, corresponds to the case of a pure nugget effect τ = 1. The abaci based on given expressions are provided to determine the sample size in species whose spatial pattern can be fitted either to a Poisson or to a negative binomial distribution.     

美系杜洛克种猪体尺、体重测定与体型评定研究

统计分析了2001年引进的新美系杜洛克种猪及繁殖后代在6月龄、12月龄、24月龄和36月龄四个阶段的体尺、体重数据，结合品种特征、体型外貌总结研究出杜洛克种猪的百分制评分及等级标准。     

野生金头闭壳龟的资源现状调查

笔者于2001-2004年对金头闭壳龟(Cuoraaurocapitata)的野生种群的分布、数量及相关生态学进行了专项调查。结果表明,金头闭壳龟目前仅分布于青弋江源头和上游即北纬30°-30°52′的少数支流中,具体为安徽省泾县的古坝、蔡村和孤峰三地的山涧溪流以及黟县红星乡的清溪河流域。野外种群数量十分稀少,目前已不足400只。金头闭壳龟主要栖息在水质清澈、两侧植被茂密或一侧山脚多石缝的山涧溪流中。经对曾经发现过金头闭壳龟典型地带的各种生态指标的测量表明,泾县古坝乡沈村上沈村段的古坝河段的以及蔡村乡的东园至爱民段的丁溪河段,相比而言仍不失为金头闭壳龟较为理想的栖息地。     

牛体尺影响因素及其应用

牛体尺指标在一定程度上可以评价品种优劣及生产性能的高低。本文对影响牛体尺的因素做一综述,并从体尺与估测体重、屠宰性能、种公牛繁殖性能、奶牛产奶性能4个方面概述牛体尺应用情况,以期为今后生产中评估牛的肉用经济价值、群遗传选育、改善群体繁殖性能和提高生产性能提供一定的借鉴和指导。