The Technical and Performance Characteristics of a Low-Cost,Simply Constructed,Black Light Moth Trap

The universal mercury vapor black light trap is an effective device used for collecting moth specimens in a wide variety of habitats; yet, they can present challenges for researchers. The mercury vapor trap is often powered by a heavy automotive battery making it difficult to conduct extensive surveys in remote regions. The mercury vapor trap also carries a considerable financial cost per trap unit, making trapping challenging with low research budgets. Here, we describe the development and trapping properties of a lighter, simply constructed, and less expensive trap. The LED funnel trap consists of a funnel, soda bottles with plastic vanes, and is powered by rechargeable 9-V batteries. Two strips of low-wavelength LEDs are used as attractants. We tested the trapping parameters of this trap design compared to a standard mercury vapor trap over 10 trap nights in a suburban woodlot in the summer of 2015. The mercury vapor trap caught significantly more moth individuals than the LED trap (average of 78 vs 40 moths per trap night; P < 0.05), and significantly more species than the LED trap (23 vs 15 per trap night; P < 0.05); the mercury vapor trap caught a total of 104 macromoth species over the duration of the study, compared to a total of 87 by the LED trap. Despite the lower yields, the low cost of the LED trap (<$30 ea.) makes it superior to the mercury vapor trap in cost-acquisition per moth species and per moth individual trapped. The LED trap may be a viable alternative to the standard mercury vapor trap, facilitating insect trapping in more diverse settings.     

光稳定性拟除虫菊酯的应用研究 Ⅲ.拟除虫菊酯—杀虫脒合剂棉虫防治应用领域的研究——(1)杀灭菊酯—杀虫脒合剂对棉蚜的增效作用研究初报

根据拟除菊酯—杀虫脒合剂对棉铃虫等多种夜蛾科幼虫具有增效作用特性(7,14),我们通过室内触杀毒力试验和两个棉区一、二年田间药效试验,初步发现杀灭菊酯—杀虫脒盐酸盐(1:5—10)合剂对棉蚜也具有明显的增效效果。通过合剂的应用,杀灭菊酯高效控制棉蚜的经济施药剂量可较大幅度降低,这对促进棉花生产、降低进成本具有现实意义。现初步报导于下。     

蓟马对紫花苜蓿危害的空间分布特征

昆虫空间分布格局是其种群的一种客观属性,对于同一种群,其格局类型是固有的.蓟马为一种体型较小的昆虫,取食时移动性强,易逃逸,所以用危害特征的空间分布来代替其本身的空间分布更具有稳定性和实用性.采用不同尺度研究探讨蓟马对紫花苜蓿危害的空间分布特征.研究表明在现蕾期危害空间分布为聚集分布,危害斑块尺度是40 cm×30 cm～50 cm×30 cm的椭圆型,长轴方向是东西向.因此在这一物候期选择抗蓟马材料时,取样应该按南北方向,尺度距离大于40～50 cm,更具有代表性,在开花期危害空间分布为均匀分布,但是取样尺度也应大于40～50 cm,更具有代表性,而且在开花期取样要比现蕾期取样更好一些,会减少取样误差.     

Comparison of Methods for Amylose Screening Among Amylose‐Extender (ae) Maize Starches from Exotic Backgrounds

Breeding for high‐amylose corn requires a rapid analytical method for determining starch amylose so that generating wet chemistry values does not pose a major limitation in the volume of materials that can be screened. Two methods for determining apparent amylose content (AAC) were examined and compared with an iodine‐binding method involving the solubilization of isolated starch in a sodium hydroxide solution (method 1). These methods included one based on near‐infrared transmittance spectroscopy (NIRT) (method 2) and another iodine‐binding method involving the solubilizing of starch from ground whole corn with a DMSO‐iodine solution (method 3). These methods were chosen because, aside from initial set up costs, they are relatively rapid and inexpensive to perform. The materials evaluated consisted of various exotic corn populations including plant introductions and experimental materials generated from the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) project. Crosses were made between these materials and a Corn Belt dent hybrid (OH43 × H99) converted with the amylose‐extender (ae) allele. Grain from F2 ears, presumed to be homozygous for the ae allele based on visual selection of mutant kernels on F1 ears from which they were planted, were then evaluated to identify possible modifiers of ae conditioning high starch AAC. From a total of 1,006 F2 ears, a core set consisting of 155 samples was established and only these were subjected to starch AAC analysis, using all three methods to compare the methods. Method 2 showed poor correlation to method 1 (r = 0.88), however, NIRT did appear to discriminate between samples converted to ae vs. those with a normal or possibly segregating endosperm type. Method 3 showed a slightly better correlation with method 1 (r = 0.92) and appeared to more fully discriminate among samples with AAC values >65% from those at ≈55%. Results from this study suggest that NIRT may be useful when a quick screening method is needed to discriminate mutant from nonmutant genotypes within grain samples of exotic germplasm especially when visual identification is difficult. In addition, method 3 could be used to replace the more time‐consuming method 1 when trying to identify high AAC levels among ae genotypes, even though some inconsistency was observed between the two methods. Finally, this study revealed that exotic germplasm may be an important source of new modifiers to the ae allele because values as high as 70% AAC were identified.     

Ancient diets, ecology, and extinction of 5-million-year-Old horses from florida

Six sympatric species of 5-million-year-old (late Hemphillian) horses from Florida existed during a time of major global change and extinction in terrestrial ecosystems. Traditionally, these horses were interpreted to have fed on abrasive grasses because of their high-crowned teeth. However, carbon isotopic and tooth microwear data indicate that these horses were not all C4 grazers but also included mixed feeders and C3 browsers. The late Hemphillian Florida sister species of the modern genus Equus was principally a browser, unlike the grazing diet of modern equids. Late Hemphillian horse extinctions in Florida involved two grazing and one browsing species.     

High Nitrite Levels off Northern Peru: A Signal of Instability in the Marine Denitrification Rate

During February and March 1985, nitrite levels along the northern (approximately 7 degrees to 10 degrees S) Peruvian coast were unusually high. These accumulations occurred in oxygen-deficient waters, suggesting intensified denitrification. In a shallow offshore nitrite maximum, concentrations were as high as 23 micromoles per liter (a record high). Causes for the unusual conditions may include a cold anomaly that followed the 1982-83 El Ni?o. The removal of combined nitrogen (approximately 3 to 10 trillion grams of nitrogen per year) within zones of new or enhanced denitrification observed between 7 degrees to 16 degrees S suggests a significant increase in oceanic denitrification.     

Carbonate Rocks: Cleaning with Suspensions of Hydrogen-Ion Exchange Resin

The surface of carbonate rocks may be cleaned by etching or polishing or both, with hydrogen-ion exchange resin. This treatment reveals details in texture and fossil morphology so clearly that thin sections may be often dispensed with. Of four cleaning methods, (i) allowing resin to settle around the sample, (ii) stirring with a magnetic stirrer, (iii) agitating with an ultrasonic generator, and (iv) directing a jet stream at the sample, the first method was best for large specimens and the second method was best for well cuttings and chips.