Comparative ecologies of domestic and naturalised rainbow trout in northern Lake Huron

Northern Lake Huron (Ontario, Canada) supports the largest concentration of freshwater salmonid cage culture farms in Canada and receives inputs of domestic‐strain rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) through escapement. We assessed the potential effects of these domestic fish on the naturalised rainbow trout of this ecosystem by comparing their respective ecologies. Mature adults were sampled from spawning tributaries, primarily in spring, and to a lesser extent in fall. Fish of domestic origin comprised ~80% of rainbow trout sampled from sites near cage culture facilities but <20% of rainbow trout sampled from more distant sites. Domestic adults in spawning condition (gametes free‐flowing) were present in the spawning tributaries in both spring and fall sampling seasons, whereas naturalised fish in spawning condition were only observed in the spring. Domestic adults were younger and smaller (in length), appeared to have shorter lifespan and had a higher male to female ratio compared with their naturalised counterparts. Growth rates (change in length with age) of naturalised and domestic females in the wild were similar, but domestic males grew more slowly than naturalised males. Domestic females also produced smaller eggs than naturalised females. Food web positions (inferred from δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) of domestic and naturalised fish were very similar but varied more strongly with body size in the former. Domestic‐strain rainbow trout of cage culture origin can survive, grow and attempt to spawn in northern Lake Huron and have the potential to compete for food, mates and spawning habitat with naturalised rainbow trout.     

试析费孝通西部大开发的人文生态思想

著名社会学家费孝通先生为了西部的发展开展了广泛的社会调查,研究了当地少数民族的历史和现状。他发现有关西部开发主要集中在物质文明和经济利益层面,忽略了文化艺术。在费孝通看来,西部的贫困与生态失衡之间有着密切的关系,他指出生态平衡是西部大开发的根本,民族共同繁荣是西部大开发的重点,人文资源是西部大开发的宝库。因此,他提出要保护、开发和利用西部的人文资源,认为只有将人文和地理结合起来考察西部的开发,才是我国经济发展逐步发育成熟的表现,只有这样才符合邓小平关于我国现代化建设＂两个大局＂战略思想,符合我国全面推进社会主义现代化建设的战略部署     

Detecting interactive effects of N fertilization and heat stress on maize productivity by remote sensing techniques

The objective of this study was to compare the performance of two different remotely sensed techniques in detecting the effects of terminal heat stress and N fertilization on final maize aerial biomass (AB) and grain yield (GY). The study was conducted under field conditions for two consecutive growing seasons. Six N treatments combining three doses [0, 100, 200 Kg N ha⁻¹] and two timings [at V4 and at 15 days before silking] were applied. Within each N treatment three heat treatments were applied (pre-flowering, post-flowering and the control treatment at ambient air temperature). Remote sensing measurements were taken with a multispectral band camera to measure the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a digital Red/Green/Blue (RGB) camera to measure the normalized green red difference index (NGRDI). Both indices failed to predict the GY of pre-flowering heat-treated plants due to grain set establishment problems that could not be detected by vegetation indices which are designed to capture differences in green canopy area. In contrast, both the NGRDI and the NDVI correlated positively with GY and AB in the control heat treatment and to a lesser extent in the post-flowering heat treatment. Under the control heat treatment, the NGRDI exhibited higher correlations with AB and GY than the NDVI across the N fertilization treatments. Since the NGRDI is formulated based only on the reflectance in the visible regions (VIS) of the spectrum (Green and Red) without dependence on the near infrared regions (NIR), it performs better than the NDVI. This is because it overcame the reported saturation patterns at high leaf area index and was more efficient at capturing even small differences in leaf colour (chlorophyll content) due to the different applied N treatments. Also, the NGRDI seemed to be a more seasonally independent parameter than the NDVI, which is more affected by temporal variability within the field, and thus the NGRDI predicted AB and GY better than the NDVI when combining the data of the two growing seasons.     

加强图书馆联合参考咨询系统的建设,促进文献资源的开发利用

本文简述了文献传递服务发展的基本过程,概括了联合参考咨询网服务模式与内容,对现阶段UCDRS存在的问题进行分析与探讨,提出了解决问题的方法及优化措施,积极整合各类图书馆信息资源和服务力量,促进公益性联合参考咨询系统的发展。     

Some behavioural and ecological factors affecting distribution,biomass and production of juvenile Atlantic salmon

Observations were made in an experimental stream tank (total area 14.7 m²) on juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L (parr), relating experimental observations to field observations, including the reported diurnal fasting behaviour of juvenile salmon at water temperatures <10 °C. Densities in the tank ranged from five to twenty parr, at water temperatures ranging from 4.6 °C to 15.8 °C. The wide channel of the stream tank, with mean water velocity of 18.8 cm·s^?1, was the preferred section, where territorial behaviour was observed. Biomass was regulated in the wide channel by territorial mosaics or by dominance hierarchies. Dominance hierarchies were reflected in coloration of the fish. Dominant salmon were generally in the wide channel. Densities of salmon parr (of mean fork length 10.2 cm) in the channel ranged from 0.84 m^?2 to 1.73 m^?2, with an average biomass of 14.2 g·m^?2. Growth was least at the 5.9 °C temperature treatment. In experiments at temperatures below 10 °C, feeding, dominance hierarchy and territorial behaviour were observed in daylight hours, contrary to the published literature. Interactions with other species may affect behaviour. Some observations were made on a closely related species, brown trout (Salmo trutta L.), a commonly cohabiting species in many systems. Trout displaced salmon from their preferred locations in the tank and were more aggressive than the salmon, reducing agonistic behaviour by the salmon. The commonest agonistic act shown by salmon was ‘charge’ and that by the trout was ‘approach’. Some field observations affecting behaviour and production are discussed.     

Public perceptions and attitudes toward green infrastructure on buildings: The case of the metropolitan area of Athens,Greece

As the impact of green space shrinkage in urban centers becomes obvious, local and regional authorities must adopt environmental planning policies that can help create new green areas to ensure a good quality of life for citizens, along with the rehabilitation of the natural environment. One approach is the promotion of green infrastructure on buildings, including multi-dwelling apartment buildings. In order to effectively promote green infrastructure on buildings, it is essential to comprehend public attitudes toward green infrastructure, so that suitable and effective strategies can be implemented by policy makers. In this study, eight hundred respondents were asked to provide their views on green infrastructure on buildings, on construction that should take place on blocks of apartments in order to accommodate green infrastructure and on the related benefits that may arise from creating green spaces on buildings. A structured questionnaire and stratified sampling were used for the interviews, which were conducted with apartment owners in two regional units of Athens. The results showed that most citizens are willing to proceed with the installation of a green roof, trellis or vertical garden, in order to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the building they live in. Most of the respondents are not familiar with the energy savings that may occur from the installation of a green roof, vertical trellis or garden and wish for a subsidy from the state in order to implement green building solutions. To conclude, the participants in our study are not environmentally aware, since they are not interested in energy conservation but only about the aesthetics of their building; furthermore, they expect to receive financial support from the state in order to make any changes to their home.     

Biology,impact, and management of Echinochloa colona (L.) Link

Echinochloa colona (L.) Link. is one of the most problematic weeds across the world. It is an annual C₄ summer grass, native to tropical and subtropical Asia, emerged as a serious and persistent threat in 35 cropping systems in more than 60 countries. E. colona is reported as an important associated weed species in transplanted and direct-seeded rice. Diverse ecotypes, high seed production, short seed dormancy, rapid growth, competitive potential, allelopathic interaction, and resistance against several herbicides makes it a more adaptable and persistent challenge in various agro-ecosystems. Development of resistance to recommended or higher doses of numerous herbicides, including ametryn, atrazine, bispyribac-sodium, clefoxidym, cyhalofop-butyl, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, glyphosate, metribuzin, propanil, and triazine, is a serious concern for the farming and scientific community. Crop infestation with resistant E. colona biotypes may ultimately increase the weed control cost. Unfortunately, investigations on seed dormancy release, genetic diversity, allelopathic interference, and competitive ability of this weed are inadequate in accomplishing its appropriate control in different environments. Therefore, a comprehensive review is presented here to gather the existing information, to pin point key findings, and to highlight the research gaps in the biology, interference, and management of E. colona. Different management options have been discussed in relation with eco-biology of this noxious weed. The potential research endeavours have also been highlighted in order to provide an insight of its existing scenario and to facilitate the future management strategies.     

Effect of mulch on initial coverage of four groundcover species for low input landscaping in a Mediterranean climate

Groundcovers play a very important role in the creation of urban green spaces. They provide many agronomic and environmental benefits while simplifying the urban landscape management.In the areas with a Mediterranean-type climate, the development of low-input landscapes, with the ability to maintain their functions and aesthetical appeal, is pivotal. The aim of this study was to identify groundcover species that could be suited to the local environmental conditions and to evaluate the effect of different mulching systems on plant growth and weed suppression.Digital image analysis was used to measure the green cover percentage of four species (Hedera helix L., Hypericum calycinum L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Vinca minor L.) grown on two different types of mulch (EcoCover^® and wood-chips) and on bare soil. Changes in plant coverage, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and weed biomass were recorded over a two year period.The prostrate R. officinalis established rapidly and reached more than 80% of coverage within 3 months after planting. Also, it was not affected by weed competition. Non-native H. calycinum also exhibited a quick spread, but it was unsuitable for low-input Mediterranean landscapes because it died during late summer from fungal disease. H. helix and V. minor were also adversely affected by pathogens and, due to their slow initial growth and low percent cover in the second year, they did not control weeds during the study. With the exception of R. officinalis, mulching materials did not significantly improve the establishment and cover ability of the tested species, but had significant effects on weed suppression. Digital image analysis and spectral reflectance proved to be reliable and objective techniques to assess groundcover performance.     

被动式电子标签在监测高原鼢鼠种群生态变化中的应用

地下啮齿动物种群生态学研究经常需要对动物个体进行标记,而传统的剪耳、剪趾标记法会造成动物伤害、影响动物行为等,与动物福利相悖。利用PIT标签于2014年秋季在祁连山东段标记高原鼢鼠30只,研究高原鼢鼠种群密度及越冬后体重、体长和尾长变化。结果表明,样地内高原鼢鼠估算种群密度为44只/hm2;越冬后高原鼢鼠平均体重为222.07g,显著高于越冬前平均体重193.74g,平均体长为19.4cm,显著高于越冬前平均体长18cm;雌性与雄性的体重增长率无显著性差异(P0.05)。被动式电子标签同时可适用于地下啮齿动物的种群生态学研究,是地下啮齿动物种群生态学研究中的一项新型技术手段。     

相变材料在绿色储粮中的应用探讨

相变材料能够储存或释放显热,在熔化或凝固过程中虽然温度不变但吸收的潜热却相当大。根据相变材料可以吸收环境热能并在需要时向环境发出热能的特征,研究相变材料在粮食仓储中的应用,减小外界环境对粮仓温度的影响,达到恒温绿色生态储粮的目的。