Evidence for long‐term spatial displacement of breeding and pupping harbour seals by shellfish aquaculture over three decades

• 1. Shellfish mariculture is increasing worldwide and often occurs adjacent to marine mammal breeding and feeding habitat. To better understand breeding pinniped vulnerability to potential shellfish mariculture disturbance and displacement effects in a US National Park, potential mechanisms were explored that may affect the proportion of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) selecting high quality haul‐out sites near shellfish aquaculture within a large colony, and overall seal utilization of that colony in relation to other regional colonies.
• 2. Seal haul‐out sites isolated from the mainland (no predator access) had higher pup:adult ratios, indicating they are generally more important for pupping. Short‐term human disturbance did not have a significant effect on spatial use, but rather spatial use was pre‐determined by general sandbar isolation. Using multiple competing hypothesis and an information‐theoretic approach, it was found that within the estuary, after removing effects of El Niño, the proportion of seals (total seals and pups only) hauled out near mariculture sites was 8 ± 2% lower during years of higher oyster harvest. Annual oyster harvest was used as a measure of aquaculture activity that could result in direct disturbance or indirect displacement of harbour seals.
• 3. At the regional scale, oyster harvest, seal counts at a nearby colony, and loss of a major haul‐out site within the estuary, best explained pup and total seal use compared with the region. Regional population size, short‐term human disturbance rate, and other factors were not important. Concurrent with higher oyster harvest, the proportion of regional seals using the estuary declined by 7 ± 2% for seal pups (–65 ± 18 total pups), and 5 ± 2% for total counts ( ? 192 ± 58 total seals). These findings (both within the estuary and at the regional scale) were essentially identical whether modelling oyster harvest as either a continuous or categorical (low/high) variable and when using either frequentist or Bayesian statistical analyses.
• 4. Marine reserves set aside for wildlife may be less effective when the highest quality breeding and pupping sites are adjacent to regular aquaculture activities. These effects may not be detectable until additional natural variation lowers the quality of nearby habitats. Published in 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

     

Status and distribution of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus on the Cabo Blanco peninsula (Western Sahara-Mauritania) in 1993–1994

The current geographical distribution of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus colony inhabiting the Cabo Blanco peninsula (Western Sahara-Mauritania) is described. Its distribution range has apparently not changed since surveys conducted in 1984–1988. Sightings of adults on the Tarf el Guerguerat coast, 20 km north of the known breeding caves, suggests the existence of other possible breeding groups further north. Two caves used by the seals are described for the first time. A review of historical trends in cave occupation by seals made it possible (1) to locate the so-called ‘maternity cave’, last reported in 1949; and (2) to establish that the colony, since its discovery, has occupied at least eight caves, five of which have collapsed. An index of population size based on counts of individuals of identified morphological types indicates that, during 1993–1994, the colony was composed of c.113–165 individuals (excluding pups), a larger number than previously assumed. Counting of seals at times of maximum haul-out is proposed as a tool to monitor population trends, although it is considered unreliable for estimating absolute numbers.     

水轮机应用蜂窝密封的吸水和减振模拟试验

为减少混流式水轮机止漏环中流体产生的自激振动,根据止漏环各种密封结构,简化并提出密封模型,并根据模型搭建了试验台.采取直接测量转轴振动的方法,对比了简化后的密封模型与蜂窝密封在调整转子偏心程度的情况下振动幅值、波形图和频谱图的差别,以及增加转子质量不平衡块后两种密封振动幅值的变化.结果表明,蜂窝密封比普通的迷宫密封更能够抑制由于偏心和不平衡引起的振动.在最小密封间隙的上下游安置吸水装置,对比其振动情况,上游吸水可有效地降低转子振动.     

水泵试验台快速夹紧机构的研制

水泵试验时，泵与管道的联接一般用法兰及螺栓联接，费时长，劳动强度大，自动化水平低。采用无螺栓联接、液压驱动的快速夹紧机构，能节约换件时间、减轻劳动强度、提高自动化水平。用灰铁制造运动副，使机构稳定性高，耐磨损。运动副用燕尾槽形式，运动间隙可调，磨损能够得到补偿。测压管与被夹紧件处于自由状态，密封面能紧密贴合，使密封可靠。该机构噪音小，占用空间少，生产率高。     

机械密封实验台流体温度控制系统

为了方便地控制机械密封实验台流体的温度,运用单片机作为主控机,设计了一套流体温度控制系统。主要介绍了机械密封流体温度控制的基本原理,并建立了机械密封流体温度控制的数学模型。系统软件的设计采用C语言,通过C51编译器将C程序转化为汇编语言程序。对该控制系统进行了仿真。设计结果表明,该方案是可行的并适用于其他温度控制系统,为机械密封实验台的设计提供了参考。     

论建筑防水材料

建筑防水材料分为沥青卷材类及高聚物改性沥青卷材类和高分子卷材类三种。防水工程是建筑物的一个重要分部工程，层面防水技术是保证建筑工程结构免受水蚀，内部空间不受水害的一门科学技术。     

提高减速箱中橡胶油封-金属转轴密封性能的方法

减速箱橡胶油封漏油是一个尚未解决的一个棘手问题 .从摩擦学的角度分析 ,漏油的原因主要是油封与转轴接触部位不符合摩擦学的要求 ,造成此处的摩擦系数过高 ,油封磨损过快 .介绍了几种降低橡胶油封与转轴之间摩擦系数的方法     

PV聚氨酯密封胶在高寒地区水泥混凝土路面的应用

详细地介绍了PV聚氨酯密封胶在高寒地区水泥混凝土路面接缝养护上的应用情况，阐述了PV聚氨酯密封胶的施工工艺和施工方法，对接缝料的配比试验和施工工艺提出了相应的技术要求。同时，分析了使用该材料的经济效益，肯定了在高寒地区的可用性和可推广性。     

自动折叠喷洒臂的设计及运动学特性

为了解决当前卷盘式喷灌机所配套的喷灌车自动化水平较低的问题,设计了一种基于电动缸驱动的自动折叠喷洒臂,并在喷洒臂之间连接处设计了一种当喷洒臂完全展开时能够实现自密封的端面密封铰链.基于喷洒臂完全折叠时收拢于车架两侧,完全伸展时铰链左右铰合密封等特征建立各杆件参数约束方程,确定了喷洒臂的各杆件尺寸.通过矢量方程法对喷洒臂进行运动学分析,以电动杆推杆的转角、位移、速度、加速度为输入量,各杆件的角位移、角速度、角加速度为输出量,通过Simulink搭建喷洒臂的运动仿真框图并进行分析.结果表明:完全折叠时,喷管1与水平方向呈90°夹角;伸展过程中,各喷管运动平稳,且始终保持在水平直线方向;完全展开时,3个喷管转动90°,且各喷管铰接处完全闭合不发生水泄漏现象,说明设计具有一定的合理性.     

低温储粮在浅圆仓中的应用及探讨

综合利用冬季粮食入库时的自然低温，采用粮面覆盖密闭等手段控制粮堆温度和仓内温度，可使粮食在低温状态下安全储藏，且成本低廉。