HABITAT USE AND PREFERENCES OF INDO-PACIFIC HUMPBACK DOLPHINS SOUSA CHINENSIS IN ALGOA BAY, SOUTH AFRICA

This paper examines environmental and behavioral determinants of the habitat use and preferences of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins inhabiting the Algoa Bay region on the south Eastern Cape coast of South Africa. In order to quantify the habitat use and preference, two indices were used, the Coefficient of Area Use (AU) and the Activity Index (AI). The dolphins inhabit a narrow strip of shallow, inshore waters of Algoa Bay and remain mostly within 400 m of the shore, in water less than 15 m deep, with no apparent preference for clear or turbid water. Water depth is probably the main factor limiting their inshore distribution, and the 25-m isobath seems to represent the critical depth. Within this confined, inshore distribution, dolphin activities concentrate in the vicinity of rocky reefs-their primary feeding grounds. Dolphin dependence on these shallow-water habitats is evident throughout the year and, consequently, the inshore shallow reefs are identified as the "key habitat" which is of primary importance for humpback dolphins in Eastern Cape waters. The dolphins' dependence on this restricted type of habitat within an already restricted inshore distribution makes them particularly vulnerable to alteration or loss of this habitat.     

应用AFLP与RFLP标记研究水稻磷吸收与利用率的数量性状位点

To identify genetic factors underlying phosphorus (P) uptake and use efficiency under low-P stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.), 84 selected genotypes (recombinant inbred lines) and their parents (which differed in tolerance for low-P stress) “IR20” and IR55178-3B-9-3, were cultured in liquid medium supplemented with adequate and low P levels in a greenhouse. Plants were sampled after 6 weeks in culture for measurements of plant dry weight, P concentration, P uptake and P use efficiency under both P sufficient and stress conditions. A total of 179 molecular markers, including 26 RFLPs and 153 AFLPs, mapped on all 12 chromosomes of rice based on the 84 selected genotypes were used to detect the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying tolerance for low-P stress. Three QTLs were detected on chromosomes 6, 7 and 12, respectively, for relative plant dry weight (RPDW) and relative P uptake (RPUP). One of the QTLs flanked by RG9 and RG241 on chromosome 12 had a major effect which explained about 50% of the variations in the two parameters across the population. The results coincided with the QTLs for low-P stress based on relative tillering ability from the same population from a cross between Nipponbare and Kasalath under soil condition. The identical major QTL for P uptake and plant growth under low-P stress in both liquid medium and soil strongly suggests that the ability of P uptake mainly controls rice tolerance for low-P stress.     

黄土高原小流域景观多样性动态分析

以纸坊沟为例,在地理信息系统支持下获得计算景观多样性的有关参数,运用斑块大小及数量、平均分维数、多样性指数、优势度、均匀度、破碎度和聚集度等指标,对黄土高原小流域40年来景观多样性动态变化进行了分析．结果表明,40年来,在以人类活动干预和植被内源演替为主要驱动力的共同作用下,该流域斑块总数增加,旱地基质逐渐被林地、草地等其它景观基质所取代,景观格局趋于破碎,景观类型多样性和均匀度增加,且后20年景观多样性的变化幅度远远大于前20年的变化幅度．目前流域已经由1958年以旱地为基质的高度均质化的景观生态系统转化为与当地地带性景观相适应的以草地和林地为基质的高度异质化的景观生态系统,生态系统结构、功能已具有较强的稳定性．     

Improved growth and water use efficiency of cherry saplings under reduced light intensity

Cherry (Prunus avium L.) saplings were grown under natural sunlight (controls) or moderate shading (up to 30%, depending on the incident light intensity and the hour of the day). Reduced light intensity increased the dry mass of each of the plant components studied. Consequently, the total dry mass of shaded plants was significantly greater than that of controls at the end of the growing season. However, the diurnal trend in the level of photosynthesis (per unit of leaf area) of shaded plants was similar to the controls in August, but lower in September. As the growing season proceeded, reduced photosynthetic rates, thinner mesophyll and larger specific leaf area in the shaded plants indicated that leaf development had adapted to shaded conditions throughout the growing season. It is suggested that increased growth of shaded plants was caused by a higher initial relative growth rate and a greater whole-plant photosynthesis. Shading consistently reduced transpiration over the season, therefore improving water use efficiency of shaded leaves. Our results suggest that a moderate reduction in light intensity can be a useful method for improving growth and saving water in hot and dry environments.     

Relation of water transport to leaf gas exchange properties in three mangrove species

Mangrove species more tolerant to salinity may function with less efficient water transport, which may be related to more conservative water use. To test the hypothesis, we investigate the gas exchange and hydraulic properties of three mangrove species: Rhizophora mangle L., Laguncularia racemosa Gaert and Avicennia germinans (L.)L. Experiments were performed with adult plants growing naturally in the field under a salinity of 35‰. Gas exchange parameters showed that A. germinans had significantly higher photosynthetic rates, and lower stomatal conductance and transpiration rates, compared to the other two mangroves. In concert with this, instantaneous water use efficiency was significantly high in A. germinans, intermediate in L. racemosa and lowest in R. mangle. The hydraulic parameters of the three mangrove species were in the lowest end of the range reported for tropical trees. However, the three mangrove species exhibited measurable differences in hydraulic parameters related to the control of water requirements for maintenance of carbon gain. L. racemosa and A. germinans showed less efficient water transport at shoot level but were the more efficient species in water use at the leaf level in comparison to R. mangle. Received: 7 April 1999 / Accepted: 25 July 1999     

入侵种银胶菊和三叶鬼针草与本地种气体交换特性的比较

以菊科入侵植物银胶菊(Parthenium hysterophorus)和三叶鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)以及与其共生的菊科本地植物小蓟(Cirsium setosum)为对象,比较了3种植物气体交换参数和叶片特性的差异。结果表明,银胶菊和三叶鬼针草的净光合速率(net photosynthetic rate,P_n)、叶绿素含量、比叶面积(specific leaf area,SLA)、叶片单位质量P含量(leaf P content per unit mass,P_(mass))、光合能量利用效率(photosynthetic energy use efficiency,PEUE)和光合氮利用效率(photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency,PNUE)均显著高于小蓟。植物叶片P_n与水分利用效率(water use efficiency,WUE)、叶片P_(mass)、SLA呈极显著正相关,植物叶片单位质量N含量(leaf P content per unit mass,N_(mass))与叶片SLA、单位质量建成成本(leaf construction cost per unit mass,CC_(mass))、叶绿素含量呈极显著正相关。与本地植物相比,较高的气体交换参数和叶片生化指标有可能是银胶菊和三叶鬼针草成功入侵的原因之一。     

氮高效玉米主要性状的遗传分析

采用两个氮高效玉米杂交组合的P1、P2、F1、F2、B1、B2世代,随机区组试验设计,对氮高效玉米主要性状的遗传力进行了研究。研究结果表明,不同氮水平下氮高效玉米各性状的遗传力是不同的。低氮处理中,广义遗传力介于0.78～0.46之间,狭义遗传力介于0.68～0.23之间;高氮处理中,广义遗传力介于0.76～0.49之间,狭义遗传力介于0.67～0.25之间。低氮条件下,氮高效玉米主要性状中抽丝期穗位叶叶绿素含量、氮效率、穗重和穗位叶叶面积,高氮条件下,抽丝期生物量、穗重、抽丝期穗位叶叶绿素含量和成熟期生物量等性状的遗传力较高,可分别在低氮、高氮条件下,对其进行早代选择。     

2015年至2019年辽宁省某医院血培养病原菌分布及耐药分析

分析2015年至2019年辽宁省人民医院血培养分离菌的科室分布及耐药情况,为临床提供数据参考.利用Whonet5.6软件对2015年至2019年辽宁省人民医院血培养临床数据进行分析.血培养阳性率为12.3％,共分离病原菌1266株,其中革兰阴性菌546株、革兰阳性菌649株、真菌71株;革兰阴性菌主要为大肠埃希菌(Es...     

Validating Landsat-based landscape metrics with fine-grained land cover data

ContextModerate-grained data may not always represent landscape structure in adequate detail which could cause misleading results. Certain metrics have been shown to be predictable with changes in scale; however, no studies have verified such predictions using independent fine-grained data.ObjectivesOur objective was to use independently derived land cover datasets to assess relationships between metrics based on fine- and moderate-grained data for a range of analysis extents. We focus on metrics that previous literature has shown to have predictable relationships across scales.MethodsThe study area was located in eastern Connecticut. We compared a 1 m land cover dataset to a 30 m resampled dataset, derived from the 1 m data, as well as two Landsat-based datasets. We examined 11 metrics which included cover areas and patch metrics. Metrics were analyzed using analysis extents ranging from 100 to 1400 m in radius.ResultsThe resampled data had very strong linear relationships to the 1 m data, from which it was derived, for all metrics regardless of the analysis extent size. Landsat-based data had strong correlations for most cover area metrics but had little or no correlation for patch metrics. Increasing analysis areas improved correlations.ConclusionsRelationships between coarse- and fine-grained data tend to be much weaker when comparing independent land cover datasets. Thus, trends across scales that are found by resampling land cover are likely to be unsuitable for predicting the effects of finer-scale elements in the landscape. Nevertheless, coarser data shows promise in predicting fine-grained for cover area metrics provided the analysis area used is sufficiently large.     

Integrating the spatial proximity effect into the assessment of changes in ecosystem services for biodiversity conservation

The assessment of the value of ecosystem services is a valuable tool for biodiversity conservation that can facilitate better environmental policy decision-making and land management, and can help land managers develop interventions to compensate for biodiversity loss at the patch level. Previous studies have suggested that it is appropriate to assess the value of biodiversity for conservation planning by considering both the condition of the landscape and the spatial configuration of adjacent land uses that can be reflected as a proximity effect. This research examines the influence of spatial proximity on biodiversity conservation from the ecosystem service perspective based on the assumption that the variation in the proximity effect caused by land cover change has positive or negative impacts on ecological services. Three factors related to the spatial characteristics of the landscape were considered in this approach: the relative artificiality of the land cover types, the distance decay effect of patches and the impact of one land cover type on others. The proximity effect change (PE_C) parameter reflected the relationship between the spatial proximity effect and biodiversity conservation. The results of a quantitative and spatial comparative analysis of the proposed method and the conventional method in Yingkou for the periods of 2000–2005 and 2005–2010 showed that the former can account for the temporal and spatial changes in ecosystem services for biodiversity conservation that were caused by patch-level changes as well as the interaction between the altered and adjacent patches from a spatial perspective. The metric can also identify the most critical areas for biodiversity protection and inform the efficient allocation of limited land resources for nature conservation to maximize the benefit to biodiversity by guiding the process of land-use change, particularly urbanization and agriculture. Future studies should focus on the other important factors that are applicable to the assessment of the value of biodiversity conservation in socio-ecological systems, where society and nature are mutually capable of fulfilling their roles.