The ecological reference framework for Québec: a useful tool for forest sites evaluation

Quebec ecologists have divised, for more than 25 years, an integrated landform-soil—vegetation approach to landscape typology and mapping. Basic concepts and principles of this approach are briefly described and illustrated. In spite of the huge areas already mapped, attempts to integrate such an information in the forestry practice have thus far proven inconclusive.     

浅谈病理学实验教学中多种教学手段的运用体会

病理学是一门直观性很强的形态学学科,在医学教育和临床医疗中都发挥着重要作用。传统的病理实验教学模式大多为验证性实验教学,教学形式单调,不利于学生对各种知识点的理解及纵向和横向知识的融合。笔者所在的病理教研室尝试综合利用多媒体辅助教学、数字切片和显微数码互动系统改变传统的病理学实验教学模式,旨在提高病理实验教学的效果和质量。     

An evaluation framework based on sustainability-related indicators for the comparison of conceptual approaches for ecological networks

Ecological networks (EN) are designed to maintain biodiversity and ecological processes by protecting habitats and their linkages. By considering the functional role of the landscape, EN can support the integration of ecological sustainability with human activities. Although all EN share the same general objectives, there are many different approaches for determining the spatial configuration of their components. The choice of an approach for the design of an EN has a major impact on the spatial configuration, ecological value, and ease of implementation of the resulting network. We applied different approaches to construct EN for the Saint-François River watershed (8700 km²) in southern Quebec, Canada. The approaches were based on single-species, multi-species, and landscape modeling categories. All of the resulting EN were evaluated using ecological, economic, and social spatial thematic indicators (TI) relevant to sustainable landscape management. This allowed us to quantitatively assess the impact of each approach and to establish their relative performance within a common framework. Our results showed that the conceptual approach for EN has a direct influence on their spatial configuration and performance. Single-species-, multi-species- and landscape-based categories produced very different EN. These results emphasize the importance of the selection of focal species and/or key environments for the design of EN. Our results also highlight the importance of adequately defining the desired objectives and expected functions of an EN, knowing that the results of the conceptual approach will be modified depending on the environment. Results are discussed in relation to the objectives sought by the implementation of the EN, spatial scale, and land use. Our evaluation framework is a useful tool for mitigating uncertainties associated with EN by facilitating the integration of stakeholders’ priorities and landscape management objectives.     

Sampling techniques and the use of Tang's procedure in insect population dynamics studies

Some calculations were performed usingTang 's method as an aid in planning experiments for studying the population dynamics of the Jeffrey pine beetle. The population dynamics studies were aimed at detecting the importance of specific effects, e. g., tree diameter, tree height. TheTang procedure is a method of estimating the sample size required to detect effects of a given magnitude with analysis of variance tests. Using this procedure some sample calculations were performed which indicated the sample size needed, and the efficacy of different strategies of improving the results, e. g., increasing the number of trees sampled versus increasing the area of the tree sampled. The statistical parameters used in the calculations were estimated from some preliminary sampling data. Use of this procedure is recommended in insect population studies as a method of optimally planning experiments, and as a method of making precise conclusions about the significance of specific effects.     

Land use for animal production in global change studies: Defining and characterizing a framework

Land use for animal production influences the earth system in a variety of ways, including local‐scale modification to biodiversity, soils, and nutrient cycling; regional changes in albedo and hydrology; and global‐scale changes in greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations. Pasture is furthermore the single most extensive form of land cover, currently comprising about 22–26% of the earth's ice‐free land surface. Despite the importance and variable expressions of animal production, distinctions among different systems are effectively absent from studies of land use and land cover change. This deficiency is improving; however, livestock production system classifications are rarely applied in this context, and the most popular global land cover inventories still present only a single, usually poorly defined category of “pasture” or “rangeland” with no characterization of land use. There is a marked lack of bottom‐up, evidence‐based methodology, creating a pressing need to incorporate cross‐disciplinary evidence of past and present animal production systems into global change studies. Here, we present a framework, modified from existing livestock production systems, that is rooted in sociocultural, socioeconomic, and ecological contexts. The framework defines and characterizes the range of land usage pertaining to animal production, and is suitable for application in land use inventories and scenarios, land cover modeling, and studies on sustainable land use in the past, present, and future.     

The use of understory species as indicators of landform ecosystem type in heavily disturbed forest: an evaluation in the Haut-Saint-Laurent,Quebec

An ecological study of the Municipalité Régionale de Comté (MRC) du Haut-Saint-Laurent area, a highly disturbed landscape located south-west of Montréal (Québec), was carried out. The aim of this study was to establish links between indicator species of ecosystems and geomorphological features in a heavily disturbed background. Analysis to obtain the ecological groups are based on the links of herbaceous plants and shrubs. This approach is defined as a sociological one where grouping is based only on the species' affinity. In order to obtain ecological groups, similarity measures using the chi-square coefficient were calculated on the relative cover values of the 150 retained species from 452 plots. An intermediate linkage cluster analysis was then performed on the similarity matrix thus created. By this procedure, 56 ecological groups were obtained. These groups were then characterized according to abiotic variables, especially the geomorphological data, by the use of binary discriminant analysis. Results indicate that 39 of these 56 groups were significantly associated specifically with one of 10 morphogenic features, while 13 of these 56 groups were associated with 2 or 3 features. The ecological groups which were associated with one specific geomorphological process showed a strong link to one texture and one specific drainage class. On the other hand, the groups which were associated with several features were linked with one drainage class, usually imperfect, and a certain topographic situation. However, ecological groups showing a strong association to more than one feature can be of cartographic use, provided soil texture is analysed to determine the origin of the deposit. Finally, the type of deposit becomes non determinant on vegetation where drainage and topographic variables indicate poorly or very poorly drained sites. Non-significant groups should be used as indicators of drainage and topographical conditions but not as indicators of geomorphological deposits. The ecological groups not associated with morphogenic features demonstrated mostly a heliophilic character. Thus, the ubiquitous character of ecological groups is not exclusive to species taking advantage of disturbances.     

An evaluation of methods for modelling species distributions

Aim Various statistical techniques have been used to model species probabilities of occurrence in response to environmental conditions. This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of methods and investigates whether errors in model predictions are associated to specific kinds of geographical and environmental distributions of species. Location Portugal, Western Europe. Methods Probabilities of occurrence for 44 species of amphibians and reptiles in Portugal were modelled using seven modelling techniques: Gower metric, Ecological Niche Factor Analysis, classification trees, neural networks, generalized linear models, generalized additive models and spatial interpolators. Generalized linear and additive models were constructed with and without a term accounting for spatial autocorrelation. Model performance was measured using two methods: sensitivity and Kappa index. Species were grouped according to their spatial (area of occupancy and extent of occurrence) and environmental (marginality and tolerance) distributions. Two‐way comparison tests were performed to detect significant interactions between models and species groups. Results Interaction between model and species groups was significant for both sensitivity and Kappa index. This indicates that model performance varied for species with different geographical and environmental distributions. Artificial neural networks performed generally better, immediately followed by generalized additive models including a covariate term for spatial autocorrelation. Non‐parametric methods were preferred to parametric approaches, especially when modelling distributions of species with a greater area of occupancy, a larger extent of occurrence, lower marginality and higher tolerance. Main conclusions This is a first attempt to relate performance of modelling techniques with species spatial and environmental distributions. Results indicate a strong relationship between model performance and the kinds of species distributions being modelled. Some methods performed generally better, but no method was superior in all circumstances. A suggestion is made that choice of the appropriate method should be contingent on the goals and kinds of distributions being modelled.     

以过程为导向的评价教学法在局部解剖学实验教学中的应用

目的探讨以过程为导向的评价教学法在局部解剖学实验教学中的应用效果。方法以2015级临床医学本科生为研究对象,采取课前预习、课上指导、课后交流及问卷调查等方法,评价其教学效果。结果 70.97%的学生课前认真全面预习, 90.32%的学生在实验操作过程中思考如何运用解剖学知识去解决临床问题。74.19%的学生认为实验PPT制作和交流汇报完全能反映自身掌握知识的情况。结论以过程为导向的评价教学法可以激发学生的学习兴趣,培养学生的综合运用能力。     

Differential use of sensory information in sexual behavior as a function of gender

Olfactory information is critical to mammalian sexual behavior. Based on parental investment theory the relative importance of olfaction compared with vision, touch, and hearing should be different for human males and females. In particular, because of its link to immunological profile and offspring viability, odor should be a more important determinant of sexual choice and arousal for females than for males. To test this hypothesis a questionnaire was developed and administered to 332 adults (166 males, 166 females). Subjects used a 1–7 scale to indicate how much they agreed with a series of statements concerning the importance of olfactory, visual, auditory, and tactile information for their sexual responsivity. The data reveal that males rated visual and olfactory information as being equally important for selecting a lover, while females considered olfactory information to be the single most important variable in mate choice. Additionally, when considering sexual activity, females singled out body odor from all other sensory experiences as most able to negatively affect desire, while males regarded odors as much more neutral stimuli for sexual arousal. The present results support recent findings in mice and humans concerning the relation of female preferences in body odor and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) compatibility and can be explained by an evolutionary analysis of sex differences in reproductive strategies. This work represents the first direct examination of the role of different forms of sensory information in human sexual behavior.     

金针虫调查方法及评价

金针虫是一类重要的地下害虫,其种群数量调查是植物保护工作中的难点之一。文章概述金针虫种群数量调查的3种主要方法:土方抽样、诱饵诱捕及成虫性信息素诱捕。就其调查原理、特点及研究现状进行了介绍,并对各方法的不足及应用前景做了简要分析。     

The Sustainable Process Index a new dimension in ecological evaluation

The Sustainable Process Index (SPI) is a measure developed to evaluate the viability of processes under sustainable economic conditions. Its advantages are its universal applicability, its scientific basis, the possibility of adoption in process analyses and syntheses, the high sensitivity for sustainable qualities, and the capability of aggregation to one measure. It has proved to be useful in industrial strategic planning. The concept of the SPI is based on the assumption that in a truly sustainable society the basis of economy is the sustainable flow of solar exergy. The conversion of the solar exergy to services needs area. Thus, area becomes the limiting factor of a sustainable economy. The SPI evaluates the areas needed to provide the raw materials and energy demands and to accommodate by-product flows from a process in a sustainable way. It relates these areas to the area available to a citizen in a given geographical (from regional to global) context. The data necessary to calculate the SPI are usually known at an early stage in process development. The result of the computation is the ratio between the area needed to supply a citizen with a given service and the area needed to supply a citizen with all possible services. Thus, it is a measure of the expense of this service in an economy oriented towards sustainability.     

Preliminary evaluation of several disinfection/sterilization techniques for use with microdialysis probes

This study evaluated the suitability of some disinfection and sterilization methods for use with microdialysis probes. Disinfection or sterilization should minimize the tissue inflammatory reaction and improve the long-term health of rats on study and ensure the quality of data obtained by microdialysis sampling. Furthermore, the treatment should not negatively impact probe integrity or sampling performance. The techniques chosen for evaluation included two disinfection methods (70% ethanol and a commercial contact lens solution) and two sterilization methods (hydrogen peroxide plasma, and e-beam radiation). Linear microdialysis probes treated by these processes were compared to untreated probes removed from the manufacturer's packaging as if sterile (the control group). The probes were aseptically implanted in the livers of rats and monitored for 72 hours. The parameters chosen to evaluate probe performance were relative sample mass recovery and the relative in vivo extraction efficiency of the probe for caffeine. Post mortem bacterial counts and histopathology examination of liver tissue were also conducted. The probes remained intact and functional for the entire study period. The methods tested did not acutely alter the probes although hydrogen peroxide plasma and contact lens solution groups showed reduced extraction efficiencies. Minimal tissue damage was observed surrounding the probes and acute inflammatory reaction was mild to moderate. Low numbers of bacterial colonies from the implantation sites indicates that the health of animals in this study was not impaired. This was also true for the control group (untreated probe).     

浅谈生物学实验教学改革策略

生物学实验教学具有重要地位和意义,针对当前实验教学存在问题,应从理念和实践两个层面采取有效策略来改革生物实验教学。如践行生物新课程实验标准,变验证性实验为探究性实验,着力培养学生创造性思维,重视实验课软硬件的建设与提升等。