A model of seasonal foliage dynamics of the subtropical mangrove species Rhizophora stylosa Griff.growing at the northern limit of its distribution

Background： Progress of forest production in response to the environment requires a quantitative understanding of leaf area development. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the dynamics of seasonal crown foliage in order to understand the productivity of mangroves, which play an important role in the subtropical and tropical coastlines of the world. Method： Crown foliage dynamics of the mangrove Rhizophora styloso were studies to reveal patterns of leaf recruitment, survival and seasonal leaf area growth. Results： Flushing of leaves occurred throughout the year, but both flushing and leaf area growth pattern of leaves varied with season. Maximum flushing occurred in summer, but leaf areas did not differ significantly with season. The half-expansion period is longer, and the intrinsic rate of increase was lower in winter. Summer flushed leaves grew faster at their initial stage and reached their maximum area over a shorter period of time. The difference in temperature and air vapor pressure deficit （VPD） between summer and winter contributed to the present dynamics of foliage patterns. The mean leaf longevity was estimated to be 13.1 month. The crown foliage area was almost stable throughout the year. Conclusions： Homeostatic control of the crown foliage area may be accompanied by the existence of ecophysiological mechanisms in R. stylosa. Integrating crown foliage dynamics into forest models represents an important step towards incorporating physiological mechanisms into the models for predicting growth responses to environmental changes and for understanding the complex responses of tree growth and litter production.     

可变边界条件下的Venlo温室温度场三维非稳态模拟

以外界温度、太阳辐射、风速风向作为随时间变化的边界条件,基于CFD方法建立了Venlo温室自然通风三维非稳态数学模型。结果显示,模拟值与实测值均方根误差RMSE为0.688℃,最大相对误差为8.9%,平均相对误差为2.8%,所建立CFD模型可以准确地描述室内温度场的时空变化。从整个模拟周期上看,温室内温度和室外温度变化趋势一致,室内温度和室外温度平均温差3.09℃;当室外风速从0.81 m/s跃变至1.2 m/s,风向由西南偏南变为西时,温室西侧迎风口局部气流速度出现了先增大后减小的变化模式,温室东侧上部气流速度明显增加,除温室迎风口附近区域外大部分作物区域气流速度维持在0~0.1 m/s的范围内,温室通风入口处x=1.5 m截面和作物冠层y=1.4 m截面平均温度在180 s内分别下降了1.87℃和0.92℃,室外风速风向对温室自然通风降温效果影响显著。     

单栋塑料温室内多因子综合CFD稳态模拟分析

为分析单栋塑料温室内的综合环境:气流场、温度场、湿度场、CO2浓度场,建立了包括温室内外空间、室内作物和土壤层等的温室环境几何模型。将温室内的湿空气看作水蒸气、CO2和干空气的混合气体,在分析温室中太阳辐射、作物与环境的质热交换,动量及质能传递过程的基础上,对单栋塑料温室内的环境因子进行了稳态模拟。温室内热辐射传递过程采用蒙特卡罗法模拟方法;将室内作物简化为连续固体换热模型,采用剪应力输运模型(SST)表述温室内的空气紊流。结果显示:温室通风对温度、湿度和CO2分布的影响很大,温室内部上风向温度低,湿度小,同时CO2浓度也不高;温室下风向作物冠层的环境未达到优化状态;模型的预测值低于实测值,但变化规律相似,温度、湿度、CO2含量的预测相对误差分别低于8%、6%和7%。     

山药切片红外干燥温度神经网络预测

在不同单位辐射功率和辐射距离下对山药切片进行了红外辐射干燥温度试验。基于温度试验数据,通过Matlab神经网络工具箱,采用最速梯度下降法和L-M算法对这些数据分别进行了训练,将训练好的BP神经网络对山药切片进行温度预测。结果表明:L-M算法优于传统的最速梯度下降法,提高了BP神经网络的收敛速度和泛化能力,预测误差较小,适用性较强,可较好地预测红外干燥过程中山药切片的温度变化。     

Effects of Using Live Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) as the only Source of Food for the Culture of Cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

The life cycle of cuttlefish fed ad libitum exclusively on live grass shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) was studied during 5 consecutive generations. Different culture temperatures promoted different (P < 0.05) exponential growth for each life cycle, being summer generations shorter than those of winter. Higher temperatures promoted higher IGR’s and mortality, while lower temperatures promoted increased life span, reproduction stages, total fecundity and total egg biomass. Increased generations also seemed to increase fertility. A “hybrid” generation promoted the best results in terms of hatchling weight, individual fecundity and fertility. Mean egg weight was related to female size and embryonic development took longer at lower temperatures. Brood stock sex ratios seemed to be temperature related. All of these culture aspects were also compared between themselves in order to establish future brood stock methodologies. Grass shrimp proved to be a good diet for the culture of cuttlefish throughout the life cycle. The use of only one species reduces costs and labor associated to cuttlefish culture.     

Effects of temperature, salinity and pH on larval growth, survival and development of the sea cucumber Holothuria spinifera Theel

For large-scale seed production of sea cucumbers through a hatchery system, it is imperative to know the effects of environmental parameters on larval rearing. Auricularia larvae (48 h post-fertilization) were obtained from induced spawning of Holothuria spinifera and used in experiments to ascertain the effects of temperature, salinity and pH on the growth and survivorship of the larvae. The larvae were reared for 12 days at temperatures of 20, 25, 28 and 32 °C; salinities of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ppt; and pH of 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 7.8, 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0. The highest survivorship and growth rate and fastest development of auricularia indicated that water temperature of 28–32 °C, salinity of 35 ppt and pH of 7.8 were the most suitable conditions for rearing larvae of H. spinifera.     

Abnormalities in the juvenile stage of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) reared at different temperatures: types, prevalence and effect on growth

Osteological malformations are always considered an important problem in intensive aquaculture. This work studies the effect of rearing temperature on malformations in sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. To this end, two batches of the species were subjected to the following incubation/cultivation temperatures: 15 °C/natural and 19/19 °C, from fertilization until 190 days after hatching. The different malformations were studied in 1643 juveniles at 190 days and classified by categories. The Chi-square statistic was calculated to verify the relationship between the presence of anomalies and the application of different temperatures. The percentage of anomalies observed in individuals reared at a high temperature (19/19 °C) was 66.44%. In both temperature systems, opercular malformations were those which caused a greater delay in growth. The results found indicated that temperature played a very important role in the development of deformations, which may be of interest from the viewpoint of aquaculture.     

The impact of temperature on nitrification rate in fixed film biofilters

The impact of temperature on nitrification rate was evaluated in this study through experimental tests, mathematical modeling and sensitivity analysis. The results show that the impact of temperature on fixed film nitrification rate is less significant than that predicted by the van't Hoff–Arrhenius equation. In a fixed film biofilter, the impact of temperature on nitrification rate due to DO (dissolved oxygen) limitation is different from that due to TAN (total ammonia nitrogen) limitation. Sensitivity analysis indicated that a temperature increment at 20 °C resulted in nitrification rate increase of 1.108% per °C and 4.275% per °C under DO and TAN limited conditions, respectively. Diffusion mass transport plays an important role in fixed film nitrification processes. Consequently, the effect of temperature on nitrification rate due to bacterial growth rate change in fixed film processes is greatly reduced compared with that of suspended growth processes. When oxygen is limited, the decrease in saturation DO concentration as temperature increases results in a negative temperature impact upon the nitrification rate.     

Reproductive biology,early ontogeny,and effect of temperature on development in wolffish: comparison with salmon

Peculiarities of reproduction, early ontogeny, methods of egg incubation, and influence of temperature on development are compared in wolffish (Anarhichas lupus L.) and in salmonids, mainly Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Reproductive indices of females are similar in both species, but differ in males due to the small production of sperm in wolffish, a difference explained by internal fertilization in the latter species. The rate of embryonal development until the beginning of differentiation of fin fold at the same temperature is similar in both species, but the period from activation to hatching is more than twice as long in wolffish as in Atlantic salmon. Wolffish hatch at a more advanced stage with a small remnant of yolk sac and begin to feed shortly thereafter. As in Atlantic salmon, eggs and larvae of wolffish have a wide range of temperature resistance except before and after hatching. Based on the difference of life cycles in wolffish and salmon, technologies for their artificial breeding are compared.     

Development of wolffish eggs at different temperature regimes

Embryonic development of common wolffish (Anarhichas lupus L.) was studied at constant temperatures 5.0, 7.0, 9.0, 11.0, 13.0 and 15.0°C. Duration of development from egg activation to several morphological stages including 50% hatching was determined. At 5.0–11.0°C, the survival rate of eggs to hatching ranged from 51 to 88% with a tendency to increase at 5.0 and 7.0°C. Morphological anomalies, bacterial contamination and large mortalities were observed in eggs incubated at 13.0 and 15.0°C. The period of hatching lasted from 10 to 50 d in different egg groups. Embryo length and yolk sac volume at identical morphological stages of development showed only slight relation to temperature. At lower temperatures newly hatched larvae were longer and at more advanced stages of ontogeny. Normal numbers of fin rays in larvae (mean values 74 for dorsal fin and 46 for anal fin) were observed at 5.0 and 7.0°C and in most larvae at 9.0°C. At 11.0 and 13.0°C, many rays were absent, with mean values for dorsal fin 60 and 39 respectively and for anal fin 28 and 4 respectively. The approximate upper limit for normal development of fin rays appeared to be 9.0 °C.