Assessing the potential impacts of alternative landscape designs on amphibian population dynamics

An individual-based, spatially explicit population model was used to predict the consequences of future land-use alternatives for populations of four amphibian species in two central Iowa (midwest USA) agricultural watersheds. The model included both breeding and upland habitat and incorporated effects of climatic variation and demographic stochasticity. Data requirements of the model include life history characteristics, dispersal behavior, habitat affinities, as well as land use and landcover in geographic information systems databases. Future scenarios were ranked according to change in breeder abundance, saturation, and distribution, compared to baseline conditions. Sensitivity of simulation results to changes in model parameters was also examined. Simulated results suggest that while all four species modeled are likely to persist under present and future scenario conditions, two may be more at risk from future landscape change. Although the study species are all widespread generalists regarded as having a low conservation priority, they depend on wetlands and ponds, increasingly endangered habitats in agricultural landscapes. Broader conservation strategies in the region would ensure that these currently common organisms do not become the endangered species of the future.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Biological and Physical Constraints on Maize Production in the Humid Forest and Western Highlands of Cameroon

The aim was to identify biological and physical factors responsible for reducing maize yield in Cameroon. Two surveys were conducted in 137 fields in two agroecological zones in 1995–1997. In the Humid Forest (HF), Bipolaris maydis, Stenocarpella macrospora, Puccinia polysora, Rhizoctonia solani and soil fertility were factors that reduced maize production in 1995 and 1996. In the Western Highlands (WHL), Cercospora zeae-maydis, and the interaction between soil fertility and maize variety were the most important constraints to maize production in 1996. In 1997, C. zeae-maydis, S. macrospora, physiological spot and stem borer damage (Busseola fusca) were negatively related to ear weight. The combination of these biological factors (diseases and insects), and the physical parameter of soil fertility were responsible for reducing maize yield in these selected benchmarks of Cameroon. Maximum potential yield reductions were estimated at 68% due to B. maydis and 46% due to S. macrospora, respectively, in the HF in 1995. In 1996, maximum potential yield reductions in the HF were estimated at 34%, 41% and 30% due to S. macrospora, P. polysora and R. solani, respectively. In the WHL, C. zeae-maydis had the potential to cause a yield reduction of 79% in 1996. In the WHL in 1997, the interaction between C. zeae-maydis and B. fusca, stem diseases and the physiological spot caused potential reductions of 52%, 34% and 39%, respectively.     

The Complete Nucleotide Sequence of a Japanese Isolate of White clover mosaic virus Strain RC

The complete nucleotide sequence was determined for genomic RNA of White clover mosaic virus (WClMV-RC) isolated from red clover (Trifolium pratense) in Japan, It is 5843 nucleotides in length, excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' terminus. Similar to other potexviruses, it contains five open reading frames (ORFs 1 through 5), which putatively encode an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) (147 kDa), a triple gene block (TGB) (26 kDa/13 kDa/7 kDa), and a coat protein (CP) (22 kDa), respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of the WClMV-RC CP was identical to that of WClMV-O, one of two New Zealand isolates, but only 85% identical to that of WClMV-M, the other New Zealand isolate, because of heterogeneity in the C-termini of CP amino acid sequences. The implication of this CP heterogeneity is discussed. Received 30 August 2001/ Accepted in revised form 11 January 2002     

Pathogenicity and Virulence of the Two Dutch VCGs of Verticillium dahliae to Woody Ornamentals

Two experiments were performed in two consecutive years to test whether isolates of different vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) differ in their ability to cause disease in woody ornamentals, to study the host specificity of the isolates and to get an insight into disease development in woody hosts. A range of woody ornamental plant species, including Acer campestre, Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Catalpa bignonioides, Cotinus coggygria, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosa canina, Syringa vulgaris and Tilia cordata, were root-dip inoculated with six isolates of Verticillium dahliae, belonging to the two VCGs that occur in the Netherlands (VCG NL-1 and VCG NL-2). Isolates belonging to each VCG caused severe symptoms of verticillium wilt in most plant species tested. Disease progress differed between plant species, but was generally the same for the two VCGs. No overall differences in virulence were observed between the two VCGs for external wilt symptoms, number of dead plants, or shoot length. No significant VCG × plant species interactions were present for these characteristics. However, isolates of VCG NL-1 caused more vascular discolouration than did isolates of VCG NL-2. Isolates within VCGs often differed considerably in their virulence to certain hosts, as shown by highly significant isolate × plant species interactions. Isolates were more virulent on their original host. These findings imply that VCG identification does not contribute to disease prediction for a range of woody hosts.     

Comparison of viral RNA populations of pathogenically distinct isolates of Citrus tristeza virus : application to monitoring cross-protection

The population of sequence variants of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) isolates of different geographic origins and pathogenicity properties was characterized by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of cDNA of the genes p18, p13, p20 and p23. The mild isolates analysed here usually yielded a SSCP profile with two DNA bands, suggestive of a predominant sequence variant, whereas the SSCP profile of the most virulent isolates contained more than two DNA bands, indicating that their viral populations are likely to be more complex. The set of SSCP profiles of the four genes allowed identification of individual isolates, but no profile characteristic of a geographic area or a biogroup was found. Sweet orange plants singly inoculated with a mild or with a severe isolate yielded the SSCP profile characteristic of each isolate, whereas the SSCP profile of plants successively inoculated with both isolates was a composite of the two individual profiles. The SSCP profile of plants singly inoculated remained constant, but the profile of doubly inoculated plants varied with time. Plants in which the SSCP profile of the severe isolate became predominant showed stem pitting, and those in which the predominant profile corresponded to the mild isolate remained symptomless. The results indicate that SSCP analysis can be used to study changes in RNA populations of doubly inoculated plants and to monitor cross-protection between mild and severe isolates.     

黑河干流中游地区耗水量变化的历史分析

黑河流域水资源极其匮乏 ,加之地区上的配置不均衡和中游地区水土资源的过度开发导致了黑河下游严重生态环境问题 ,已影响到我国北方广大地区生态环境质量 ,受到国家的高度重视和全社会的广泛关注。黑河水资源开发利用主要集中在中游地区 ,该区是全国重要的商品粮、蔬菜和经济作物生产基地之一 ,耗水量占流域耗水量的 85 %以上 ,是黑河的主要耗水区和径流利用区。本文利用黑河上游控制站莺落峡站和中游控制站正义峡站水文资料 ,分析了黑河中游耗水量的变化 ,结果表明 :2 0世纪 80年代以前黑河中游耗水量在 4.2 0× 10 8m3 左右 ,比较稳定 ;进入 2 0世纪 80年代以来耗水量明显增加 ,80年代耗水量比 40年代末期至 70年代增加了 2 .0× 10 8～ 2 .5×10 8m3 左右 ;90年代耗水量又比 80年代增加了 1.6 0× 10 8m3 左右。 80年代以来流域耗水量呈明显增加的趋势 ,这是以人类活动影响为主的结果     

渭河阶地全新世土壤粒度成分高分辨率研究

通过对渭河阶地全新世土壤的野外考察和粒度成分的高分辨率分析研究，揭示了该区域褐色土的成壤作用过程与季风气候变化的关系。研究表明渭河第二级阶地褐色土形成在全新世气候最适宜期（8500－3100a B.P.），从8500a B.P.开始该土壤开始发育，老官台文化兴起。从3100a B.P.开始的气候干旱化和沙尘暴堆积形成了黄土L。层。西周时期对应于该干旱期的初期。     

城市绿地系统对经济发展提升作用的机制——与大连市实证研究

城市绿地系统具有生态、经济、社会等多重属性 ,在城市复合系统中占有特殊的位置 ,对城市经济发展亦具有直接、间接的提升作用 :( 1 )改善城市环境质量 ,创造环境优势 ,促进城市地价及布局其间的各种经济成分增值 ;集聚外来资金和高新产业发展 ,带动整个城市产业结构优化升级。( 2 )绿地建设作为城市经济产业的有机组成部分 ,形成环境经济产业链 ,拉动其相关经济产业的发展 ,促进经济增长。 ( 3 )提高城市知名度 ,促进城市旅游业发展 ,集聚高素质人才 ,促进城市经济发展 ,本文以北方海滨城市大连为例 ,在定性分析绿地经济提升作用机制的基础上 ,建立计量经济模型 ,定量分析城市绿地系统的经济提升作用     

苯磺隆·甲磺隆·氯磺隆混合物的液相色谱分析

本文以甲醇 水 冰乙酸为流动相，采用C18不锈钢柱，检测波长240nm，对苯磺隆、甲磺隆、氯磺隆混合物进行反相高效液相色谱定量分析。该方法的标准差别分别为0.081、0.013和0.013，变异系数为0.886%、0.268%和0.256%，回收率为99.39%、99.29%和99.28%，线性相关系数为苯磺隆r=0.9994、甲磺隆r=0.9992、氯磺隆r=0.9991，线性方程为苯磺隆y=1360088.17x 1389384、甲磺隆y=972186.69X-21262.8、氯磺隆y=789773.50X 86258.8。     

东北西部沙地近20年地下水变化动态及其成因分析

本文以奈曼旗为例，分析研究了我国东北西部沙地1979-1997年地下水位时空变化规律及其与降水量和沙漠化的关系。结果表明：（1）沙地多年平均地下水位为2.19m，其中农区为2.85m，牧区1.16m;(2)地下水位是1981-1983年最低为2.49-2.56m,1991-1992年最高为1.90-1.92m，1997年为2.22m，高于1979年的2.41m；（3）该区季节最高水位主要发生于春季（3-5月），发生频率占50.1% ,最低水位主要发生于冬季（12-2月），发生频率为41.2%，平均4月最高为2.07m，10月最低为2.23m;(4)地下水位的年际变化动态和降水量密切相关，但有滞后1-2年的现象；（5）地下水位空间分布上的差异与土地沙漠化及土地利用方式密切相关，沙漠化土地主要用于放牧，由于人为利用少和蒸散少，有利于地下水抬升；（6）由于耕地面积占总土地面积比例低，水浇地和粮食产量的增加尚未对地下水位造成严重影响。