Reply to the first systematic response by the Global Footprint Network to criticism: A real debate finally?

We respond to a reaction of the Global Footprint Network/GFN on our 8-point criticism of the ecological footprint. We also refer to, and comment on, an associated debate in this journal between Giampietro and Saltelli, 2014a, Giampietro and Saltelli, 2014b, on the one hand, and Goldfinger et al. (2014), on the other. We conclude that criticism on the footprint is accumulating and coherent across the various studies and disciplines and among the different authors. This was the first time that Wackernagel/GFN systematically responded to our criticisms. Hence, our response contains several original elements and the resulting exchange can be seen to add value to the existing literature. It ultimately allows readers to better make up their mind about the different viewpoints on the ecological footprint.     

Ordination and classification of operational geographic units in Southwest Sweden

The vascular plant distributions of Dalsland and northern Bohuslän (Southwest Sweden) were subjected to multivariate analyses in order to delimit geographically coherent floristic zones. 271 squares of 5×5 km were the Operational Geographic Units; the data matrix comprises presence/absence species records for each OGU. Different ordination and classification methods were tested and detailed results are presented for detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), UPGMA and ordination space partitioning (OSP). A weighting procedure, neighbour-weighting, which gives pseudo-frequency scores along the nominal scale 0–9 depending on the species' distribution patterns, is introduced. The superior method for delimiting geographically coherent floristic zones was judged to be ordination space partitioning, using DCA and neighbour-weighted species scores.Abbreviations DCA Detrended Correspondence Analysis - OGU Operational Geographical Unit - OSP Ordination Space Partitioning - UPGMA Unweighted Pair-Group Method using Arithmetic Averages     

红池坝地区草地红三叶草的空间分布型

植物种群的空间分布型是生物在特定的条件下形成的,它反映了植物种群个体的散布状态以及对环境的适应性和生境对植物影响的生态反映的生态学关系,是一条可以了解凭种类组成研究演替的研究途径 森下正明(Morisita,1959)提出了扩散指数Io(Morisita's index);美国的Lloyd,(1967)提出了平均拥挤度(Mean crowding,m)这个颇有兴趣     

Fungal colonization of synthetic substrates for use in space craft

Summary Materials being used or considered for use in space flight were examined for their susceptibility to fungal colonization. The materials included soft goods (clothing) and insulation and fabrication products such as Velcro^® attachments and elastic cord binders. Materials were exposed for at least 28 days in a highhumidity chamber colonized with over 50 species of fungi, including those species recommended for determining recalcitrance of materials to fungal biodegradation. At least nine of 25 products demonstrated extensive microscopic colonization by fungi, mostly byAcremonium obclavatum. Challenge procedures that rely on observations with the unaided eye, or 40×magnification of growth by a restricted number of fungal species with a cellulosic substrate as a positive control, are insufficient for determining the resistance of synthetic substrates to fungal colonization.     

长白山站的研究数据库管理系统

长白山站的研究数据库管理系统翟永华,赵士洞（中国科学院沈阳应用生态研究所１１００１５）Ｄａｔｅ－ＢａｓｅＭａｎａｇｅｍｅｎｔＳｙｓｔｅｍｉｎＣｈａｎｇｂａｉｓｈａｎＦｏｒｅｓｔＥｃｏｓｙｓｔｅｍＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈＳｔａｔｉｏｎ．￥ＺｈａｉＹｏｎｇｈｕａ...     

迎接廿一世纪——记中国无锡第十一届国际植物园协会大会

第十一届国际植物园协会（IABG）大会于1993年9月7日在中国无锡开幕,经苏州、杭州,于9月12日在上海闭幕。9月6日部分与会代表参加了在南京举行的“中国南京国际植物园俱乐部”奠基仪式及江苏省重点实验室南京中山植物园“植物迁地保存实验室”扩建部分开放使用等一系列庆祝活动。参加大会的有来自23个国家和地区的199名代表。大会收到论文74篇,其中板报42篇,大会报告13篇。本次会议的主要议题为“植物园与国家发展”。经过大会报告和交流,明确了世界植物园在继续发挥其保护物种和保护环境的功能之外,必须进一步密切植物园与国家发展的关系。全面发展植物园的十项功能,不仅可以增加植物园对社会的贡献,也有利于提高植物园自身的活力和生存能力。大会选出了以主席岩（木规）邦男,副主席李蔼娃、贺善安、安德列也夫,秘书长艾斯特万为领导核心的新一届理事会。世界植物园两大组织国际植物园协会（IABG）和国际植物园保护组织（BGCI）在无锡签署的合作备忘录标志着国际植物园运动进入了一个新的历史时期。理事会的第一次会议于9月11日在由杭州开往上海的火车上举行。讨论了整顿组织、会员登记、出版IABG通讯及与BGCI合作开展活动等问题。会议确认1994年将在印尼召开IABG-AD第二次会议。第十二届IABG大会将于1     

Comparison of European and US biological indicators for ethylene oxide sterilization

Summary Biological indicators (BIs) are used to monitor ethylene oxide (EO) gas sterilization processes for medical devices. Several European and United States BIs for EO sterilization were evaluated for resistance according to both United States Pharmacopeia (USP) XXI and United Kingdom's (UK) tests for D-values. US BIs areB. subtilis var. niger spores on paper strips or disc carriers while European BIs use aluminum strips, quartz sand, or cotton yarn. Numerous BIs per run and runs per lot, as well as 2–3 different lots of BIs from each manufacturer, were examined. Both British and US BIs met their respective label claims for rates of inactivation when tested against British and USP EO test parameters, respectively. However, Danish BIs, on cotton yarn or quartz sand, were not inactivated following USP specifications during the exposure dwell times tested (600 mg L^–1 EO, 54°C, 60% RH, 0–110 min). The Danish BIs will require further testing in order for us to determine if theirB. subtilis spores are unusually resistant to EO or if the spore carrier substrates protect the spores from the sterilizing gas. In conclusion, the British and American BIs for EO sterilization are equivalent in resistance despite differences in carrier substrate, recovery conditions, calculation methods for D-values, and the labeled sterilization conditions for use.     

Evaluation of the role ofMicrovelia douglasi atrolineata (Bergroth) (Heteroptera: Veliidae) as predator of the brown planthopperNilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

The biology of the veliid bug M. d. atrolineata, its predatory behavior, and the effects of plural hunting were studied to evaluate its role as a predator of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens in the Philippines. The probability of planthoppers falling onto the water surface and provision of habitat continuity was measured by a sticky trap placed at the base of rice hills in a greenhouse and in paddy fields. The developmental period of immature stages combined was 21 days. If given prey, females laid 25 eggs on the average during an adult life span of 18 days. Starved adults could survive for only 3–5 days. The functional response to prey density was sigmoid, and the maximum number of prey killed was 7 per day. Prey feeding was completed in 12–36 min. The percentage of successful prey attacks averaged 5–8%, decreasing with higher (and larger) developmental. stages of prey, but adult prey were found the soonest. Plural hunting increased the probability of capturing prey by as much as 2.5 times that by individual hunting. Late-instar nymphs, which may be more active, fell from rice hills in a greenhouse more than early-instar nymphs, and the number falling increased with density. In the field the percentage of planthoppers falling to the water in 1 day varied considerably, from 1% for nymphs in one field to 67% for adults in another field. On the basis of work described above and given the high density of veliid predators in flooded paddy fields of tropical Asia, M. d. atrolineata is considered one of the most important natural enemies of the brown planthopper.     

Vitamin K-dependent carboxylase: Evidence for a semiquinone radical intermediate

Nanosecond laser flash photolysis has been used to produce and identify the vitamin K semiquinone (radical) from vitamin K dihydroquinone and to observe its formation and decay in the presence of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase (epoxidase). The activity of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase is not decreased by exposure to the laser. Absorbance of the semiquinone is proportional to enzyme concentration and is stimulated by a synthetic substrate, PheLeuGluGluIle. Stabilization of the semiquinone is observed in the presence of the enzyme. The semiquinone is rapidly destroyed in the presence of inhibitors of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase and vitamin K epoxidase.     

Optimizing conditions for cryopreservation of an insect cell line

A cell line (UM-BGE-2) derived from embryos of the cockroach Blattella germanica was frozen to ?196 °C under a variety of conditions and cell viability was assayed after warming. It was found that cell viability was affected by the cooling rate, the warming rate, the controlled cooling endpoint temperature, and the type and concentration of cryoprotectant. The best survival for cells suspended in Grace's tissue culture medium containing 1 M Me₂SO was obtained when cells were cooled at 1 °C/ min to at least ?90 °C before being placed in liquid nitrogen and warmed at more than 900 °C/min. Cultures initiated from these frozen cells produce typical growth curves and appear normal after several passages.