漠河地区养殖的北极狐冬季被毛性状与保温性能的关系

被毛是哺乳动物最主要的特征之一,其保温功能对动物适应寒冷环境意义重大。为了探讨北极狐(Alopex lagopus)在被毛性状上如何适应寒冷的气候条件,对大兴安岭漠河地区人工养殖北极狐的背中部直针毛、上层绒毛、下层绒毛的长度、毛根细度、毛干细度以及毛密度、单个毛束内的毛数量、毛束密度、复合毛囊最大横切面积、1mm2内复合毛囊最大横切面总面积等14个性状因子进行测量分析。结果表明,北极狐绒毛分为上下两层,下层绒毛的长度、毛根细度和毛干细度均小于上层绒毛,上层绒毛长度与直针毛接近,直针毛长度与上层绒毛、下层绒毛长度均不存在显著相关性;毛密度与毛束密度极度正相关(P0.01),但与毛根细度、毛干细度、单个毛束内的毛数量和1mm2内复合毛囊最大横切面总面积不存在显著相关性,且与复合毛囊最大横切面积的相关性较小;复合毛囊最大横切面积受毛根细度、单个毛束内的毛数量和毛束密度的影响较小。北极狐不是通过降低毛细度的方式来增加毛密度以加强保温功能,而是通过改变被毛在皮肤内的分布格局来增加毛密度,以及将有髓质的绒毛分为上下两层来改变被毛空间结构这两种策略提高被毛内静止空气的量以加强保温功能,进而适应高纬度地区的寒冷环境。     

黑龙江省黄鼬冬季毛被分层结构及保温功能

为了解黄鼬毛被的保温机制,选取黑龙江省通河林区黄鼬东北亚种(Mustela sibirica manchurica)冬季皮张,通过观测雄性5个部位和雌性4个部位毛被的分层结构,并结合热物性测试比对,发现了毛被的各层结构具有不同的保温隔热功能且存在部位差异。结果表明:1)毛被由外及里表现出4层结构,各层毛被厚度分别为:(12.7±3.0)mm、(6.0±1.8)mm、(5.5±2.2)mm和(1.4±0.5)mm。2)4层毛被的颜色、结构及保温机制依次为:最外层毛被棕黄色或金黄色,仅由2种类型被毛构成,耐磨损能力较强,保护下层毛被,阻挡冷空气侵入并降低毛被的热量散失;第二层毛被淡黄色,此层开始均由4种类型被毛构成,毛干细度较小,被毛间形成细小空隙,滞留大量静止空气,增强保温功能;第三层毛被灰色或灰白色,4种类型被毛的毛干更细,绒针毛和绒毛弯曲程度更大,使被毛间滞留静止空气的能力更强、更稳定,保温能力更强;最内层毛被为白色,为近毛根处,4种类型被毛均较直,便于热量传递。3)4层毛被的对整体的贡献率分别为:16.11%、27.40%、44.40%和12.09%。4)背面毛被较腹面的颜色深,厚度大,保温能力强;沿吻端至尾基的体轴方向毛被厚度增加,保温性增强。5)雄性毛被较雌性的厚度大,保温能力强。以上,反映了黄鼬冬季多部位毛被由表及里不同的空间布局及各层毛呈现的不同的形态结构,从整体上兼顾保护、保温、散热等多种功能,以适应当地的寒冷环境。     

上海佛甲草模块式屋顶绿化夏季昼夜节能效应研究

利用屋顶绿化隔热,对降低夏季空调耗能尤为重要。目前中国还缺少针对其日照环境差异下夏季昼夜热效应的全面考察研究。借助建筑日照分析将试验屋顶划分为4个日照区间,利用HOBO小气象站测取环境温度数据、热电偶昼夜连续测取不同日照区间多点温度数据,综合分析上海佛甲草模块式屋顶绿化的昼夜隔热效果。研究结果表明：试验屋顶绿化在夏季白天的隔热效果明显,最大屋面降温值可达28℃以上,日照越强隔热效果越明显;夜间的散热效果不及裸屋面;且存在最高温度时滞效应。其对建筑节能的昼夜综合效应,需要结合建筑屋顶构造自身的保温隔热性能、屋面日照条件以及建筑的昼夜使用节律做进一步的深入研究,以期达到屋顶绿化经济价值与节能效益的最大化。     

Hidden keys to survival: the type,density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers

Antarctic penguins survive some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Emperor penguins breed on the sea ice where temperatures drop below −40°C and forage in −1.8°C waters. Their ability to maintain 38°C body temperature in these conditions is due in large part to their feathered coat. Penguins have been reported to have the highest contour feather density of any bird, and both filoplumes and plumules (downy feathers) are reported absent in penguins. In studies modelling the heat transfer properties and the potential biomimetic applications of penguin plumage design, the insulative properties of penguin plumage have been attributed to the single afterfeather attached to contour feathers. This attribution of the afterfeather as the sole insulation component has been repeated in subsequent studies. Our results demonstrate the presence of both plumules and filoplumes in the penguin body plumage. The downy plumules are four times denser than afterfeathers and play a key, previously overlooked role in penguin survival. Our study also does not support the report that emperor penguins have the highest contour feather density.     

Skin temperature increase caused by a mobile phone: a methodological infrared camera study

Mobile phone users often complain about burning sensations or a heating of the ear region. The increase in temperature may be due to thermal insulation by the phone, heating of the mobile phone resulting from its electrical power dissipation, and radio frequency (RF) exposure. The main objective of this study was to use infrared (IR) camera techniques to find how much each of these factors contributes to the increase in skin temperature resulting from the use of one GSM 900 phone. One subject, a healthy male, took part in the study. He was holding the phone in a normal position when the phone was switched off, when it was switched on but with the antenna replaced by a 50 Omega load to eliminate the RF exposure, and when it was transmitting RF fields. The output power could be fixed, and the minimal and the maximal power levels of the phone were used. The study was designed as a double blind experiment. The changes in temperature after 15 and 30 min of mobile phone use were calculated on the exposed side of the head relative to the unexposed side. The insulation and the electrical power dissipation led to statistically significant rises in the skin temperature, while the RF exposure did not.     

Latitudinal variation in blue tit and great tit nest characteristics indicates environmental adjustment

Aim The laying of eggs and the building of a nest structure to accommodate them are two of the defining characteristics of members of the class Aves. Nest structures vary considerably across avian taxa and for many species the structure of the completed nest can have important consequences both for parents and their offspring. While nest characteristics are expected to vary adaptively in response to environmental conditions, large‐scale spatial variation in nest characteristics has been largely overlooked. Here, we examine the effects of latitudinal variation in spring temperatures on nest characteristics, including insulatory properties, and reproductive success of blue tits, Cyanistes caeruleus, and great tits, Parus major. Location Great Britain. Methods Nests and reproductive data were collected from seven study sites, spread over 5° of latitude. The nest insulatory properties were then determined before the nests were separated into nest base material and cup lining material. Results As spring temperatures increased with decreasing latitude, the mass of the nest base material did not vary in either species, while the mass of the cup lining material and nest insulatory properties decreased in both species. This suggests that in response to increasing temperatures the breeding female reduces the mass of the cup lining material, thereby maintaining an appropriate microclimate for incubating and brooding. The mean first egg date of both species advanced with decreasing latitude and increasing spring temperatures, although clutch size and brood size at hatching and fledging did not vary. Main conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that the nest‐construction behaviour of birds varies in response to large‐scale spatial variation in ambient temperatures. Therefore, nest composition reliably indicates environmental conditions and we suggest that studies of nest structure may be sentinels for the early signs of rapid climate change.     

Thermal resistance parameters of the air environment at various altitudes

 The thermal properties of atmospheric air surrounding the human body at various altitudes are characterized with a system of parameters. This system comprises resistance of the air to convective heat transfer h _c ^–1, °C (W/m²)⁻¹ and to water vapour transfer h _D ^–1, s/m. The concept of ’evaporative resistance’h _e ^–1, hPa (W/m²)⁻¹) following the similarity of the processes is introduced. In obtaining the altitude dependencies of investigated paramters, a respective heat transfer equation expressing the rate of heat exchange at the boundary body surface – ambient air is applied. The use of the body thermal state of the established altitude dependencies is discussed. The concept of ’thermal stability’ related to the evaporative resistance parameter h _e ^–1 is introduced. This parameter is assumed as: (1) an indicator of the human body thermal stability and (2) distributor and predictor of environmental influence on the body thermal state. Received: 5 January 1996 / Accepted 5 November 1996