Land snail species richness and diversity in Idanre hills,Ondo State,Nigeria

The land snail community of Idanre hills was studied using a combination of direct search and leaf litter‐sieving techniques. In total, 36 species and 2192 individuals in nine molluscan families were collected from 19 plots of 400 m² each. Species richness varied from 8 to 23 and the number of individuals from 21 to 566 per plot. Species richness was dominated by the carnivorous Streptaxidae, while numerical abundance was dominated by the Subulinidae, Streptaxidae and Urocyclidae, contributing to more than 95% of the total number of individuals. The single most abundant species was the urocyclid Trochozonites talcosus, contributing to almost 20% of the total number of individuals. The species richness and high abundance of land snails make Idanre hills a unique site for molluscan conservation in Nigeria.     

水体热分层对万峰湖水环境的影响

2009年9月(秋季)和2010年1月(冬季)对南盘江流域峡谷型水库--万峰湖的水温和水化学(DO、pH、总磷)进行监测,结果表明:万峰湖水体在秋、冬季节均存在明显分层,秋季.水体分为3层,0～10 m为混匀层,10～50 m为斜温层,50 m以下为滞水层,这种温度分层阻止了水的对流混合,引起显著的水化学分层,形成底部厌氧层.冬季,水温下降,在水下50 m左右分层,表层随深度增加水温下降,下层为滞水层,水温较为均匀.相关性分析表明,万峰湖在2009年9月(秋季)和2010年1月(冬季)水温和DO、pH、总磷之间均为极显著相关,水化学分层与温度分层同步.     

Effect of spatial and temporal heterogeneity on granivory in the Monte Desert,Argentina

Abstract An important aspect of arid regions is the spatial heterogeneity resulting from differences among plant communities. There are process differences among different vegetation patches increasing variability in the functioning of the ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to estimate granivory, by studying variation of seed removal rates among patches at the local scale and variation according to seed type. We carried out experiments during four seasons in three plant communities in the Monte Desert, Argentina: ‘peladal’, mesquite forest and creosotebush. Seed trays were offered to ants, birds and rodents. Two types of commercial seeds (sunflower and millet) were used. We found that seed removal rate was significantly different among plant communities, among taxa (birds, ants and murid rodents), and among seasons, and that removal rate was higher for sunflower. Seed removal rates by murid rodents were higher than by birds or ants, and occasionally as high as those found in other deserts. The heterogeneity of seed removal patterns at the local level was as strong as that found between continents. Further studies may show similar local heterogeneity in other deserts of the world.     

The temporal and spatial occurrence of Tetrastemma fozensis (Hoplonemertini) in intertidal bivalves

The bivalve Scrobicularia plana, which iscommonly found on tidal flats in northwestern Europe,has disappeared from many locations during the pasttwo decades. Its local disappearance has beensuspected to be a result of pollution, but otherfactors such as parasites have also been discussed. The occurrence of Tetrastemma fozensis, a smallhoplonemertine inhabiting the mantle cavity of S. plana,was examined in bivalves from six differentestuaries in northern Spain. The bivalves are easilycollected, and the nemertines leave the bivalves whenplaced in a small jar with seawater for 72 h. Regularexaminations at 6–10 wk intervals of S. planafrom the estuary of Plencia revealed that thepercentage of bivalves containing nemertines T. fozensisdecreased during the summer months, but wasabove 70% during the rest of the year. In mostestuaries about 40–60% of the bivalves containednemertines, but in March 1994, 100% of the bivalvesfrom the estuary of Hendaye were hosts for nemertines.Nemertines were not found in S. plana from thehighly polluted estuary of Bilbao in either March orSeptember 1994. The number of nemertines withinindividual bivalves was positively correlated with thesize of the bivalves in locations where the percentageof bivalves containing nemertines was above 75%. Inone estuary where the nemertines disappeared almostcompletely from the bivalves between March 1994 andSeptember 1994, parasitic copepods appeared withinsome bivalves in September 1994. The ecology of thenemertine T. fozensis still remains largelyunknown, but we suspect that the nemertines may bebeneficial for their hosts.     

Effect of environment on the functional state of adolescents

Adolescents of both sexes 14–15 years of age residing under different environmental conditions have been examined. The group exposed to atmospheric pollution with sulfur-containing substances from a pulp-and-paper mill, as compared with the control (residing in a relatively “clean” area), is characterized by lower tolerance to hypoxemia, reserves of the cardiorespiratory system, core body temperature, level of physical health, concentrations of nitrogen oxide metabolites in the blood, and antioxidant vitamin supply. In addition, this group shows a tendency towards hypertension and worsening of hemodynamic regulation.     

基于空间统计特征的城市热环境时空演化

利用遥感反演和GIS空间分析等工具,提出了一种基于空间统计特征的城市热岛范围界定方法,并应用该方法分析了1984-2010年杭州市城市热环境的时空演化规律.结果表明:1984-2010年间,杭州市的城市热岛面积增加了8.66倍;杭州城市热岛的空间形态日趋复杂,空间分布由单中心的聚集状态逐渐向多中心的扩散状态发展;杭州城市热环境呈现出由区域低温均衡向区域高温均衡发展的态势.城市热岛的动态变化检测表明,城市扩张是杭州城市热岛发育的主要原因.本文所提方法考虑了城市地表温度的空间相关关系,反映了城市地表温度的全局统计特征,提供的信息更多,也更为客观和准确.通过该方法的推广,有助于解决当前城市热岛研究中研究样本之间缺乏通用性和可比性的问题.     

The seasonal variation and distribution of phytoplankton in the River Oshun, Nigeria

The seasonal variation in abundance of the phytopiankton groups in the river Oshun before and immediately after the closure of the Asejire dam is described. The river was dominated by the Bacillariophyceae throughout the period before impoundment but soon after, the Volcocaceae and the Dinophyceae became preponderant at the lake although the diatoms remained dominant at the source. Also, the period of maximum abundance of the diatoms occurred 8 weeks before the other phytoplankton groups attained their maxima in the river. Correlation coefficient values enumerated by computer revealed the controlling effect of the discharge, transparency and nitrate nitrogen on phytoplankton development in the Oshun.     

Influence of spatial and temporal variations on organic pollutant biodegradation rates in an estuarine environment.

The influence of spatial and temporal environmental variations on rates of organic pollutant biodegradation were assessed by using heterotrophic uptake kinetics. These studies were conducted at three sites, representing the gradient from freshwater to estuarine to marine systems. Of the compounds tested, total uptake Vmax rates decreased in the order of nitrilotriacetic acid, m-cresol, chlorobenzene, and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. In general, the freshwater site exhibited the highest uptake rates, with somewhat lower rates at the estuarine site. Rates at the marine site were much lower than at the other sites, except during the winter. Metabolic rates at both the freshwater and estuarine areas were significantly decreased during periods of low water temperature. Rates at the marine site were relatively uniform throughout the year. Linear regression analysis was used to compare m-cresol biodegradation rates to characteristics of the microbial community, which included direct microscopic counts, CFU counts, and cellular incorporation of amino acids. The observed rates did not consistently correlate well with any of the measured characteristics of the microbial community.     

Certain responses in erythrocyte potassium,zinc, iron and copper in lactating buffaloes with seasonal changes in thermal environment

Fifteen normal lactating, freshly calved Murrah buffaloes kept under similar conditions of management were used for study of the variations in erythrocyte K⁺ and trace minerals (Zn, Fe and Cu). There were highly significant differences (P<0.01) between seasons with respect to RBC K⁺, Zn, Fe and Cu. The concentration of RBC K⁺ was lowest in the winter season when the reproductive efficiency was highest. RBC Fe and Cu changed significantly with the change in haemoglobin, whereas RBC zinc did not show any specific trend.     

Effect of thermal radiation of forest fire on the environment

Thermal radiation of forest fires of different kinds was studied. Areas have been established where thermal radiation affects the forest stands and firemen.     

冷季型草坪杂草的季节性发生与演替

对西安地区冷季型草坪杂草的种类、发生时期进行普查,对杂草的发生与季节性演替规律进行了讨论与分析,发现阔叶杂草优势种有酢酱草、蛇莓、紫菀、深绿蒿等,单子叶杂草优势种有狗牙根、马唐、莎草等,并提出了以多度等级确定危害成度及防治建议。     

Effect of temperature on spatial and temporal aspects of growth in the primary maize root

In the range 16 to 29°C, increases in temperature caused large (two-to threefold) increases in growth velocity, growth strain rate, and biomass deposition rate in primary roots of maize, Zea mays L. Temperature had small effects on root diameter, fresh weight density, and dry weight density, and negligible effects on length of the growth zone and growth strain at particular positions.     

内蒙古杭锦旗生态环境时空变化的遥感监测与评价

随着生态环境问题的日益突出和全球化,人们越来越注重环境保护,而且遥感技术在生态环境监测和评价中发挥着重要作用。本研究基于1992、2000、2008和2017年的Landsat影像数据,构建遥感生态指数(RSEI),对内蒙古杭锦旗的生态环境质量进行监测和评价,以期为该区生态环境保护提供理论依据。结果表明: 1992—2017年,杭锦旗的生态环境质量总体较差,其RSEI等级以差和较差为主;RSEI均值从0.31(1992年)上升到0.37(2008年),再下降至0.30(2017年),期间生态等级变化均以变化1个等级为主。在空间分布上,杭锦旗生态环境质量较差的区域主要分布在中西部的荒漠平原区,生态质量较好的区域主要分布在黄河沿岸和东南部,生态质量等级变化波动较大的区域主要分布在沙漠边缘、黄河沿岸和东部的丘陵沟壑区。研究期间,杭锦旗各生态等级的重心转移幅度较大,时空波动较明显。总之,杭锦旗生态环境脆弱、不稳定,生态建设对生态环境的改善有一定促进作用,同时也要合理地配置资源和利用土地。     

Post-translational modifications of aquaporin 0 (AQP0) in the normal human lens: spatial and temporal occurrence

Because of the lack of protein turnover in fiber cells of the ocular lens, Aquaporin 0 (AQP0), the most abundant membrane protein in the lens, undergoes extensive post-translational modification with fiber cell age. To map the distribution of modified forms of AQP0 within the lens, normal human lenses ranging in age from 34 to 38 were concentrically dissected into several cortical and nuclear sections. Membrane proteins still embedded in the membranes were digested with trypsin, and the resulting C-terminal peptides of AQP0 were analyzed by HPLC tandem mass spectrometry, permitting the identification of modifications and estimation of their abundance. Consistent with earlier reports, the major phosphorylation site was Ser 235, and the major sites of backbone cleavage occurred at residues 246 and 259. New findings suggest that cleavage at these sites may be a result of nonenzymatic truncation at asparagine residues. In addition, this approach revealed previously undetected sites of truncation at residues 249, 260, 261, and 262; phosphorylation at Ser 231 and to a lower extent at Ser 229; and racemization/isomerization of l-Asp 243 to d-Asp and d-iso-Asp. The spatial distribution of C-terminally modified AQP0 within the lens indicated an increase in truncation and racemization/isomerization with fiber cell age, whereas the level of Ser 235 phosphorylation increased from the outer to inner cortex but decreased in the nucleus. Furthermore, the remarkably similar pattern and distribution of truncation products from lenses from three donors suggest specific temporal mechanisms for the modification of AQP0.     

Regional,temporal, and seasonal variations in births and deaths: the effects of famines

A knowledge of the seasonal variation in births and deaths during normal years is important for analyses of the effects of wars, famines, epidemics or similar privations on these two variables. In studies of seasonality, multiple trigonometric regression models are more flexible than the simple sine curve. The seasonal variation in mortality in Iceland, 1856-1990, shows a strong secular decrease, and a connection between this and the epidemiological transition is considered. As a consequence of the severe famine in Finland in 1867-68, the mortality for the whole year 1868 was almost four times as high as during normal years, and the seasonality of the mortality was even more accentuated. The birth rate in Finland during 1868 was about 70 percent of that during normal years and showed an aberrant seasonality, with a strong trough from October 1868 to February 1869 (fewer conceptions between January and May 1868, when the food shortage was severe).