Net depth response of a depth-controllable (towed) gillnet for fish sampling

SUMMARY: Flume-tank experiments were performed to examine the depth response of a new type of depth-controlled gillnet. Variations of net depth were investigated as the warp was paid out and wound up for different changes of warp length, main sinker weights, and winch speeds. In most experiments, when the warp finished paying out, the net continued to descend and then ascended slightly to an equilibrium depth (overshoot phenomenon). The overshoot distance was nearly constant when the warp was wound up and increased linearly with increasing winch speed when the warp was paid out. An increase in winch speed reduced net settling time, which converged on a constant value for both paying out and winding up.     

Sectioned pelvic fin ray ageing of muskellunge Esox masquinongy from a Virginia river: comparisons among readers, with cleithrum estimates, and with tag–recapture growth data

Abstract  The potential utility of pelvic fin rays as ageing structures was evaluated for southern US muskellunge Esox masquinongy Mitchill populations by comparing age estimates among three readers and against cleithrum estimates, and by comparing observed length changes of tagged fish with changes predicted from growth equations based on pelvic fin ray age estimates. Mean coefficient of variation in age estimates among all readers and between the two readers with prior ageing experience was 17.8% and 5.6%, respectively. Exact and within 1-year agreement rates between pelvic fin rays and cleithra were 76% and 100%, respectively. Mean (± 2 SE) estimated absolute error between observed and predicted length changes for 13 tagged muskellunge was 30 ± 14 mm. This evaluation indicated that pelvic fin rays may prove to be a useful, non-lethal method for ageing muskellunge in southern US waters. Validation studies are still needed to ensure that growth rings form consistently throughout fish's life span.     

非平行直纹面的电解磨削

为解决整体叶轮扭曲叶片型面的精加工难题,本文进行了五轴联动数控展成电解磨削的基础研究.在分析平行直纹展成电解磨削整体叶轮扭曲叶片的过切误差、得到过切误差计算公式的基础上,提出用圆锥磨轮和组合式五轴联动数控方案来消除过切误差的方法.文中还介绍了数控展成电解磨床的结构与运动、经济型多轴数控系统及其联动控制方法,并建立了电解磨削非平行直纹展成曲面的数学模型,开发了五轴联动数控展成电解磨削自动数控编程系统,对航空发动机整体叶轮的叶片型面进行电解磨削.结果表明,加工效率比手工修磨、抛光提高了12倍以上.     

沙尘暴应急监测方法研究

在沙尘暴应急监测方法研究中,通过对总悬浮颗粒物采样仪器及各种采样参数的研究确定和降尘采样器的研制,制定出沙尘暴应急监测方法。     

森林资源二类续档误差及原因分析

针对当前森林资源数据二类续档存在的问题,在对永安市大坑采育场大坑工区进行小班实地调查的基础上,以2003年初二类调查小班主要调查因子数据与1996年二类调查续档至2002年底数据进行对比,分析其误差及产生原因,并提出相关建议。     

An investigation of uncertainty in field habitat mapping and the implications for detecting land cover change

Land cover data for landscape ecological studies are frequently obtained by field survey. In the United Kingdom, temporally separated field surveys have been used to identify the locations and magnitudes of recent changes in land cover. However, such map data contain errors which may seriously hinder the identification of land cover change and the extent and locations of rare landscape features. This paper investigates the extent of the differences between two sets of maps derived from field surveys within the Northumberland National Park in 1991 and 1992. The method used in each survey was the Phase 1 approach of the Nature Conservancy Council of Great Britain. Differences between maps were greatest for the land cover types with the smallest areas. Overall spatial correspondence between maps was found to be only 44.4%. A maximum of 14.4% of the total area surveyed was found to have undergone genuine land cover change. The remaining discrepancies, equivalent to 41.2% of the total survey area, were attributed primarily to differences of land cover interpretation between surveyors (classification error). Differences in boundary locations (positional error) were also noted, but were found to be a relatively minor source of error. The implications for the detection of land cover change and habitat mapping are discussed.     

当归茎线虫病田间分布型及抽样技术研究

为提高当归茎线虫病(Ditylenchus destructor)田间抽样的准确度,用7种聚集指标判断了当归茎线虫病的田间分布型.结果表明,当归茎线虫病在田间呈聚集分布,其中奈曼分布(核心分布)的适合率为100%,嵌纹分布(负二项分布)的适合率为77.8%.理论抽样数量约820株.4种抽样方法差异均不显著,在保证抽样数量合理的情况下,4种方法均可采用.     

Evaluation of sampling methods and assessment of the sample size to estimate the weed seedbank in soil, taking into account spatial variability

As field sampling is time consuming, it is necessary to develop efficient sampling techniques to obtain accurate estimates of the weed seedbank in soil. The relative efficiency between sampling schemes depends on the spatial variability in weed seed density across agricultural fields. Spatial variability of the weed seed density was characterized by theoretical correlograms. A systematic sampling (square grill) scheme was considered and it was found that, taking into account spatial variability, this sampling scheme was more efficient than simple random sampling. As a result, the sample size can be reduced in comparison with that given in previous studies, where spatial correlation was ignored. The reduction depends on the correlation structure defined as a function of the ratio, τ, between the nugget effect and the sill of the variogram. The maximum reduction of the sample size, without loss of either precision or confidence level corresponds to the case where there is no nugget effect, τ = 0. The opposite extreme case, where the reduction is nil, corresponds to the case of a pure nugget effect τ = 1. The abaci based on given expressions are provided to determine the sample size in species whose spatial pattern can be fitted either to a Poisson or to a negative binomial distribution.     

Heritability and genetic correlations between rumination time and production traits in Holstein dairy cows during different lactation phases

So far, rumination has been used as a proxy for monitoring dairy cow health at farm level. However, investigating its genetic aspects as well as its correlation with other important productive traits may turn this management tool into a new informative selection criterion. However, scientific evidences on genetic correlation among rumination time (RT) and milk production and milk composition are still scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the heritability of RT across three lactation phases and its genetic correlation with milk production, milk composition and somatic cell count (SCC). Results of our study showed that heritability for RT was 0.34 and was constant across lactation. The mean genetic correlations between RT and milk production and composition traits were 0.07 (milk production), ?0.07 (protein yield), ?0.31 (fat yield), and ?0.32 (fat/protein ratio). The mean genetic correlation between RT and the SCC was 0.05.