Sacred sites as habitats of culturally important plant species in an Indian megacity

Cultural ecosystem services related to urban green spaces contribute significantly to liveable cities. While previous studies highlight the intersection of cultural ecosystem services with societal values, spiritual or religious values associated with urban nature have received less attention. In India, as in other parts of the world, sacred sites are known for their biological richness, but analyses from urban sacred sites are largely missing. Based on a stratified random sampling approach, we analysed the cultivated and wild plant species assemblages of 69 sacred sites in the megacity of Bengaluru, India, in relation to biological and cultural features, and parameters related to the urban matrix and type of sacred sites (temple vs. katte). Unlike other urban studies, we found a dominance of native species in the cultivated and spontaneous species pools (121 species in total), with Ficus religiosa and Azadirachta indica as most frequently planted species. Culturally relevant species prevailed in the species pool (89%), with overlaps between religious (36%), medicinal (50%) and ornamental (62%) plants; only 11% of species were weeds. Urban matrix parameters (age of development, housing density) and size and type of sacred sites were related to differences in species assemblages. We identified key species for different classes of age and housing density, and for types of sacred sites. Our study demonstrates that urban sacred sites have an important potential in harbouring both native and culturally significant species that can support urban livelihoods in developing countries by a range of cultural and provisioning ecosystem services, including medicinal uses. As such sites are conserved by communities for spiritual or cultural beliefs, local biodiversity can be enhanced, e.g. by adapting management practices through community participation. This would strengthen the important contribution of sacred sites within the green infrastructure of rapidly growing megacities.     

Validation of the otoliths for age determination in Barbus sclateri (Günth.)

Abstract – Otoliths were used to explore the timing of annulus formation in Barbus sclateri. Lapillus exhibited opaque and translucent zones whose combination was formed once a year. Opaque zones appeared formed from July and January, and the translucent ones from February to June. We describe a procedure to assess age by using the number of annulii, the condition of the otolith's edge and the capture date. The use of otoliths for age determination in this cyprinid endemic to the Iberian Peninsula provides a useful alternative to the traditional methods of scale reading. ^Note     

番荔枝品种选育和栽培生理研究进展

概述了热带果树番荔枝（Ａｎｎｏｎａ ｓｐｐ．）在选种育种和栽培生理方面的研究进展，包括种质资源，实生树和砧木选种，杂交育种，人工授粉，产期调节以及温度、水分、矿质元素等生态因子对番荔枝生长发育的影响，并就国内番荔枝研究的发展方向进行了探讨。     

全乳固体微波滤纸快速测定方法的研究

将微波加热干燥技术和滤纸水分蒸发强化技术应用于全乳固体的快速测定．比较了该方法与GB5409-85减重法的差异和对乳中热敏物质乳糖稳定性的影响及测定结果的差异。经t检验得出了两种方法对乳糖的含量变化的差异不显著，全乳固体含量的测定结果相同，将测定时间由240min缩短至37min，可以满足生产对全乳固体快速测定的时间要求。     

薄层扫描法测定人工诱生牛黄中主要成分的含量

应用岛津CS-910型薄层扫描仪测定了5份人工诱生牛黄和3份天然牛黄中胆酸(CA)、去氧胆酸(DCA)和胆红素(BR)的含量。CA和DCA用荧光扫描,λ_(ex)470nm和λ_(em)550nm;BR用可见光扫描,λ_S402nm和λ_R650nm。测定结果表明,前者中CA和DCA的含量高于后者;BR的含量则前者低于后者。     

汽提污水中有机物的GC／MS分析

应用了ＧＣ／ＭＳ方法分析炼油厂汽提污水中的有机物，其结果可作为实用除油技术的依据。     

长距离输油气管道的工作压力

工作压力是油气管道设计中的一个重要部分,它对管道的技术经济条件影响很大,如何确定它非常重要.列出世界上一些陆上油气管道的主要技术参数,进一步阐明了油气管道工作压力的特点,即输油管道工作压力决定着管道的建设投资;一般情况下,输油管道的工作压力不宜太高;输气管道的最佳工作压力与管道建设投资及输气经营费用有关;一般情况下,最佳工作压力趋向高值.     

Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey)

Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of 18 (13–14 kg body weight) and three (145–226 kg body weight) Mekong giant catfish (MGC) (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey) reared in earthen ponds in Chiang Mai and from the Mekong River in Chiang Rai, Thailand, respectively, were investigated. The hormonal profiles were determined from blood samples of the fish by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay during May to August in 2000. The highest testosterone levels of 0.06 ng mL^?1 in both sexes and the highest oestradiol of 47.8 and 14.23 pg mL^?1 in females and males, respectively, were observed in May. The gonadosomatic index was found to be 0.07 for males and 0.38 for females from ponds in comparison with 2.27 for males and 8.29 for females from the Mekong River. Higher development stages of spermatocytes and oocytes of the cultured fish in May than in February and November were demonstrated. No mature germ cells were obtained from either the males or females, indicating no sexual maturity. The average age of fish was determined from the annual rings of the cross‐section of the pectoral fins by a stereomicroscope. The average age of fish in earthen pond determined from the annual ring was 8 years, which agreed with the actual culture records, while those from the Mekong River were 21 years. This information will be beneficial for the breeding programmes and conservation of the MGC.     

Patterns of silver eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) sex ratio in a catchment

Abstract –  Changes in the numbers and size-class structure of European silver eels, Anguilla anguilla , in the River Frémur (France) were examined over a 9-year period after installation of downstream eel passes. The number of silver eels migrating downstream peaked in 1999, then decreased strongly and steadily after 2000, reaching relatively low levels. At the same time, a gradual shift in the silver eel sex ratio from a dominance of males (size from 270 to 442 mm, age from 3 to 6 years) to females (size from 366 to 1112 mm, age from 4 to 9 years) was recorded. Possible explanations for the escapement patterns observed are environmental sex determination and the installation of eel passes on the main hydraulic engineering structures in 1992 and 1996.