基于微波遥感技术探测森林地表土壤含水率

森林地表土壤含水率是森林生态系统中的重要参数,使用微波遥感技术快速准确地估算区域尺度上的森林地表土壤含水率,对于森林生态系统研究具有重要的现实意义.本文利用TDR-300土壤含水率速测仪测得黑龙江大兴安岭地区塔河林业局盘古林场内120块样地的森林地表土壤含水率作为因变量,利用C波段全极化SAR数据的极化分解参数作为自变量,构造多元线性回归统计模型和BP神经网络模型,定量估测森林地表土壤含水率,通过模型反演获得区域尺度上森林地表土壤含水率的空间分布.结果表明: 多元线性回归统计模型的精度为86.0%,均方差根误差(RMSE)为3.0%;BP神经网络模型的精度为89.4%,RMSE为2.7%.说明利用BP神经网络模型定量估测森林地表土壤含水率优于多元线性回归模型,将全极化SAR数据通过BP神经网络模型进行仿真,最终得到研究区域的森林地表土壤含水率空间分布图.     

林地面积比例梯度下景观组成和构型对生物多样性的影响

以黄河中下游郑州地区为研究区域,根据林地面积比例高低,把确定的260块景观区域划分为林地面积比例高(50%)、中等(50%—30%)、低(30%—10%)和非常低(10%)共4个不同类型;采用概率连接度指数(PC)表征林地栖息地可用性程度。利用R软件里的广义线性模型(GLM),分析了10、50、100、250、500、1000、2000 m和3000 m物种不同扩散能力下,反映林地景观组成和构型特征的林地面积比例(PA),以及林地面积比例(PA)与林地斑块数量(NP)、林地平均斑块大小(PS)、林地斑块隔离度(PI)组合作用对栖息地可用性的影响。结果表明:在林地面积比例高的区域,林地面积比例是决定栖息地可用性程度的重要影响因素;在林地面积比例中等的区域,除林地面积比例外,林地斑块隔离度和平均斑块大小是主要影响因素;在林地面积比例低和较低时,依据物种扩散能力的不同,需要考虑平均斑块大小和林地斑块数量的影响。景观中不同林地面积比例情况下,生物保护措施和管理要依据林地面积比例、林地斑块数量、林地平均斑块大小、以及林地斑块隔离度。     

室内外评价在黄淮海夏玉米区释放玉米螟赤眼蜂防治亚洲玉米螟的可行性

为了评价在黄淮海夏玉米区释放米蛾卵繁育的玉米螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma ostriniae防治亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis的可行性,本试验在室内组建了玉米螟赤眼蜂在亚洲玉米螟卵上的实验种群生命表的基础上,在河南省鹤壁市滑县测定了玉米螟赤眼蜂对亚洲玉米螟的防治效果,筛选出了具有较好防治效果的释放密度和释放方法。结果显示,米蛾卵繁育的玉米螟赤眼蜂在亚洲玉米螟卵上的净生殖力R0为9.8240,单雌平均产雌率R0'为12.6256,2013年在河南省鹤壁市滑县释放玉米螟赤眼蜂能使亚洲玉米螟虫口密度减退73.91%,释放密度为2.25×105头/hm2。2014年在鹤壁市淇滨区钜桥镇采用传统的人工挂卡和新型的无人机释放玉米螟赤眼蜂,亚洲玉米螟虫口密度减退54.55%-68.16%。结果表明,在黄淮海夏玉米区释放米蛾卵繁育的玉米螟赤眼蜂防治玉米螟是可行的。     

Mosaicism in a new Eocene pufferfish highlights rapid morphological innovation near the origin of crown tetraodontiforms

Tetraodontiformes (pufferfishes and kin) is a taxonomically and structurally diverse, widely‐distributed clade of acanthomorphs, whose members often serve as models for genomics and, increasingly, macroevolutionary studies. Morphologically disparate Palaeogene fossils suggest considerable early experimentation, but these flattened specimens often preserve limited information. We present a three‐dimensionally preserved beaked tetraodontiform from the early Eocene (c. 53 Ma) London Clay Formation, UK. Approximately coeval with the oldest crown tetraodontiforms, ?Ctenoplectus williamsi gen. et sp. nov. presents an unprecedented combination of characters, pairing a fused beak‐like dentition with prominent dorsal‐fin spines that insert atop transversely‐expanded pterygiophores roofing the skull. Bayesian total‐evidence tip‐dating analysis indicates that ?Ctenoplectus represents the sister lineage of Triodontidae and highlights considerable levels of homoplasy in early tetraodontiform evolution. According to our dataset, rates of morphological character evolution were elevated at the origin of crown Tetraodontiformes, especially within gymnodonts, but declined after the principal body plans were established. Such ‘early burst’ patterns are regarded as a hallmark of adaptive radiations, but are typically associated with diversification at smaller spatiotemporal scales. However, denser sampling of Neogene and Recent taxa is needed to confirm this pattern.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of single-walled carbon nanotubes inside liquid crystals

Molecular dynamic simulations of systems of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in liquid crystalline solvents were performed, in order to investigate the effect of the molecular structure and phase of the liquid crystal (LC) on the interactions between the CNTs. Three different LC molecules (5CB, 8CB and 5CF) were considered in our study. Our results with 5CB and 8CB suggest that increasing the chain length of the hydrophobic part of the LC molecule by three carbon atoms is insufficient to decrease the tendency for the CNTs to aggregate in the LCs. Additionally, varying the phase of the LC is also insufficient to decrease the aggregation tendency of the CNTs. However, simulations with 5CF (which has fluorine atoms in the head group of the LC molecule) suggest that this LC solvent can decrease the tendency of the CNTs to aggregate. This study is relevant to assist experimentalists with the development of high-quality dispersions of large concentrations of CNTs in the LCs.     

The influence of stomach distention on feeding in the nudibranch mollusk Melibe leonina

Although research on satiation has revealed much about the effect of sensory inputs on motivational state, we have yet to fully understand exactly how satiating signals influence the neural circuits underlying specific behaviors. One organism that is well suited for addressing this question is the nudibranch Melibe leonina, because its feeding activity is easily quantified, it has translucent skin that makes the stomach easy to observe, and it has large, identifiable neurons that are very suitable for subsequent analysis of the neural correlates of satiation. In this study our goal was to document the time course of satiation in Melibe, and determine if stomach distention contributes to satiation. When exposed to brine shrimp (Artemia), Melibe immediately commenced stereotypic oral hood movements to capture prey, and continued to do so for approximately five hours. Individuals eventually stopped, despite the continued presence of food, and the slowing and eventual termination of oral hood closures was correlated with distension of the stomach caused by the ingested Artemia. We obtained further evidence that stomach distension is one of the underlying causes of satiation by injecting artificial non-nutritive food into the stomach, and by cutting open part of the stomach wall to prevent it from filling and distending. The first treatment caused satiation to occur more rapidly, while the second treatment delayed satiation. Both results demonstrate that in Melibe stomach distention has a major impact on the motivation to feed. These findings provide the framework for subsequent studies designed to determine precisely how stomach distention influences feeding circuits.