Flight activity promotes reproductive processes in the fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda

The fall armyworm(FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), has invaded many countries in Africa and Asia since 2016, posing a major threat to world food security. Long-distance migration and strong reproductive ability form the biological basis of its rapid population expansion, but the relationship between the flight and reproduction of FAW has not been studied in depth. Here, an empirical assessment of this relationship in an invasive FAW population in China found that 1–3-day-old adults which had undergone 10-h tethered flights had a significantly shorter pre-oviposition period and greater oviposition synchronization, but did not show any differences in fecundity, oviposition period, mating percentage or other reproductive variables. Further studies on moths after 1.25–15-h tethered flights indicated that the reproductive process of adults could be fully triggered by flight activity longer than 2.5 h. Dissection of the reproductive organs also showed that tethered flight promoted ovarian and testicular development of FAW. These results show that appropriate moth flight activity significantly speeds up the reproductive process of FAW, which increases our knowledge on its migratory biology in relation to regional outbreaks.     

Multi-Compartmental Modeling of Nitrogen Translocation in Sorghums Differing in Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Some cultivars of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] are more efficient than others in using nitrogen (N) from the soil to produce grain. A study was conducted to test the hypothesis, that the processes involved in the translocation of N differed between two sorghum lines, China 17, a N-efficient genotype, and Tx623, a less efficient genotype, during their ontogenetic development. Both cultivars were grown in the field and periodically sampled to determine the amount of N in above-ground parts of the plants, i.e. stalk, leaves, and grain. Compartmental modeling, which is based on sets of differential equations that describe the flow of material through compartments, was used as the basis for analysis of the rates and rate constants of N which had moved among parts of the plant. Compartmental models are relatively simple, systematic mathematical representations that can be used to aid in understanding how different plant parts influence plant-N dynamics. China 17's rate constants between upper parts of the stalk and between the upper stalk and grain were larger in the earlier part of the season and became smaller toward the end than Tx623 meaning that China 17 was more capable of moving N to the upper parts of the plant earlier in the season than was Tx623. However, no differences in rate constants were detected for stalk to leaves and within leaves rate constants, meaning that the N-movement processes in the leaves were essentially the same between the two genotypes. The model also detected pseudo-compartments associated with the upper leaves in both genotypes which indicated that there are several processes or other rate-controlling factors associated with N flow in the leaves. A multi-compartmental model, based on rather simple assumptions and which only required N for each plant part over time, was used to describe N translocation between plant parts for two different sorghum genotypes. The model was able to detect fundamental differences between the genotypes in terms of N translocation processes, however more work is needed to understand the physiological processes underlying the results.     

Discussion on the Characteristics of Smoke Movement and Smoke Control Methods in a Shaft of High-Rise Building

Characteristics of smoke movement and smoke control in a shaft is a serious issue that closely related to the fire safety of high-rise building. This paper talks about the studies on the characteristics of smoke movement in a shaft of high-rise building from three aspects: the factors which influence smoke movement in a shaft, the distribution of smoke parameters and the upward velocity of smoke flow. Smoke control methods which are commonly used and the problems in engineering practice are summarized. Some methods thoughts are given to improve the efficiency of smoke control.     

地面灌溉水流运动数值模拟研究述评

对近10多年来地面灌溉水流运动数值模拟方面的国内外研究进展进行了归类整理,并就目前研究中存在的不足和未来急待深入研究的问题进行了探讨,认为在今后的研究中应把地面灌溉入渗参数和糙率的确定问题,不同地区和作物条件下合理的田块尺寸与灌水要素的优化组合研究及经济合理的田间土地平整度及平地模式的研究,长畦分段灌、阶式水平畦灌、覆膜灌溉条件下的水流运动和合理灌水技术指标的研究,浑水灌溉和土壤气阻对地面灌溉水流运动的影响机理研究等作为重点内容。     

A field study using different technologies to detect calving at a large-scale hungarian dairy farm

The objective of this study was to investigate three different calving detection systems in order to assess and compare their efficiency. The study was conducted at a large-scale dairy farm involving 54 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and heifers. Animals were fitted with multiple devices: a rumination measuring device (Ruminact^® (RA)), an intravaginal thermometer (Vel’Phone^® (VP)) and a tail movement sensor (Moocall^® (MC)) 5 to 7 days before expected calving and were removed after parturition. RA detects rumination time (RT) and calculates it in 2-hr intervals. VP detects a decrease in vaginal temperature that might indicate calving within 48 hr and the drop in temperature resulting from the expulsion of the device at calving (EXP message). MC detected increased tail movements and if they persisted for one hour, 1HA message was sent. If they continued during the subsequent hour, then 2HA message was sent. Messages sent by MC within 4 hr before calving (C4) were selected retrospectively as true positives for the prediction of calving, using the significant changes in RT as a baseline. All other messages were categorized as false positive. The mean value of RT decreased in a non-significant manner between interval −22 and −4 before calving. Significant decrease of RT was detectable between the two intervals of −4 and −2 before calving (24.7 ± 18.6 min/2 hr and 14.0 ± 13.0 min/2 hr, respectively). There was no significant difference between RT of primiparous and multiparous animals. EXP messages were accurate (positive predictive value 100%) indicators of the onset of calving. We received on average 12.7 ± 15.2 messages/animal (11.0 ± 10.1 and 16.6 ± 22.2 for cows and heifers, respectively). Positive predictive value was 12.6%. The number of false-positive messages was significantly higher in heifers. All three automatic systems could be used in a large-scale farm environment.     

Residency and small-scale movement behaviour of three endemic sparid fishes in their shallow rocky subtidal nursery habitat,South Africa

The residency and small-scale movements of early juveniles (<175 mm fork length) of three sparid fish species were examined in the shallow subtidal zone along a 500 m stretch of rocky coastline near Schoenmakerskop (Eastern Cape Province, South Africa). A total of 12 blacktail (Diplodus capensis), 12 zebra (Diplodus hottentotus) and six white musselcracker (Sparodon durbanensis) were tagged using visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags. Underwater observations in four shallow rocky subtidal gullies and adjacent areas were made using snorkeling gear on a total of 37 days spanning 13 field trips over spring low tide periods between January and August 2006. The VIE tagging method was well suited to individually tag small juvenile fish with minimum disturbance. In general, the degree of residency of juveniles in the shallow rocky subtidal zone was species specific and dependent on the size of individuals. Juvenile zebra displayed the highest degree of residency followed by white musselcracker and blacktail, with re-sightings recorded on 53%, 40% and 10% of observation days, respectively. The high degree of residency by early juvenile sparids renders them vulnerable to localized coastal perturbations and climate change.     

播种方式对膜下滴灌棉田土壤水盐分布及出苗的影响

分析了不同播种方式下土壤水盐运移特征及其对棉花出苗率的影响。结果表明,播种方式影响土壤水分剖面分布,土壤含水率整体上随土层深度增加而增大,且浅层(0~20cm)土壤含水率差异明显,表现为"干播湿出""滴水出苗""双膜覆盖""常规播种"。土壤溶液电导率随土层深度的增加而减小,浅层土壤溶液电导率差异尤为明显,"干播湿出"、"滴水出苗"和"双膜覆盖"模式下土壤溶液电导率比"常规播种"方式分别减小25.09%、62.92%和93.26%。不同播种方式下棉花出苗率差异明显,表现为"双膜覆盖""滴水出苗""干播湿出""常规种植"。浅层土壤溶液电导率与棉花出苗率显著线性负相关,棉花出苗的耐盐阈值为2.93mS/cm。     

滴头间距对双点源交汇入渗影响的模拟研究

【目的】研究滴头间距对双点源滴灌土壤水分入渗的影响。【方法】应用HYDRUS 3D软件,在滴头间距分别为10,20,30和40 cm时,对湿润峰交汇时间、交汇面土壤含水量、湿润峰运移速率和湿润体的形状变化进行模拟研究,并进行试验验证。【结果】湿润峰交汇时间随着滴头间距的增大呈指数级增加,湿润峰运移速率与滴头间距之间呈幂函数关系;随着滴头间距的增加,湿润体形状依次从1个近似半球体向近似半药囊形、半花生壳形及2个分离的近似半球体转变,湿润体内高含水量区域也从2个逐渐转化为1个。以土壤剖面含水量、湿润峰运移距离及总入渗量为指标进行验证试验,结果表明,土壤含水量、湿润峰运移距离及总入渗量的模拟值与实测值均具有较好的一致性。【结论】滴头间距对双点源滴灌土壤水分入渗影响显著,土壤水分三维数值模拟模型能较准确地反映双点源入渗条件下粘壤土的水分运动规律。     

地下滴灌土壤水分运动数值模拟

基于土壤水动力学原理,建立了针对地下滴灌(SDI)具体条件下土壤水分运动的数学模型。对建立的特定模型进行了ADI交替隐式差分求解。模拟计算结果得到了室内试验的验证。