Group Size and Composition of Black．and．White Snub．nosedMonkey(rhinopithecus)Estimated by Faecesof Sleeping Sites at Baima Snow Mountain

介绍了应用过夜地粪便来估计白马雪山黑白仰鼻猴群大小和组成的一种方法。该物种以单雄多雌单 元和全雄组的形式在树上过夜。粪粒根据其大小可分为3种类型：成年雄性的(最大)、成年雌性的(中等大小)和 未成年个体的(最小)。2000一2001年，搜集了滇西北白马雪山国家级自然保护区北部南任村(99。04 7E，28。34 7N) 附近黑白仰鼻猴群每个季节2个过夜地的粪粒。根据2001年11月猴群通过开阔地的数据来确定猴群组成。每个 季节，由于单雄多雌单元的成年个体数与其粪粒数正相关，所以二者回归直线的斜率可以看作是每个个体每晚 的平均排便量。由于该物种的栖息地主要为高山峡谷，而且能见度较低，因此，利用过夜地粪便比以前通过猴群 活动痕迹来估计猴群大小和组成相对准确、可靠。从估计成年雌性个体数的角度看，利用粪粒来估计种群大约有 9．4％的偏差。导致偏差的可能原因有杂草和灌丛对粪粒准确计数的影响、个体排粪率的差异以及成年雄性最小 粪粒与成年雌性最大粪粒的混淆等。该方法适应于栖息地和主要食物与本文研究种群相似的其他种群。

A passive acoustic monitoring method applied to observation and group size estimation of finless porpoises

The present study aimed at determining the detection capabilities of an acoustic observation system to recognize porpoises under local riverine conditions and compare the results with sighting observations. Arrays of three to five acoustic data loggers were stationed across the main channel of the Tian-e-zhou Oxbow of China's Yangtze River at intervals of 100-150 m to record sonar. signals of free-ranging finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides). Acoustic observations, concurrent with visual observations, were conducted at two occasions on 20-22 October 2003 and 17-19 October 2004. During a total of 42 h of observation, 316 finless porpoises were sighted and 7041 sonar signals were recorded by loggers. The acoustic data loggers recorded ultrasonic signals of porpoises clearly, and detected the presence of porpoises with a correct detection level of 77.6% and a false alarm level of 5.8% within an effective distance of 150 m. Results indicated that the stationed passive acoustic observation method was effective in detecting the presence of porpoises and showed potential in estimating the group size. A positive linear correlation between the number of recorded signals and the group size of sighted porpoises was indicated, although it is faced with some uncertainty and requires further investigation. (C) 2005 Acoustical Society of America.

INFLUENCE OF ESTER GROUP-SIZE IN PMAS ON BETA-PHASE CRYSTALLIZATION OF PVF2 IN HIGHLY ORIENTED FILMS OF PVF2/PMAS BLENDS

Influence of ester group size in polymethacrylates (PMAs) , including PMMA, PEMA and PBMA, on beta phase crystallization of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVF2) in highly oriented films of PVF2/PMAs=80/20 blends has been investigated by FTIR and TEM. The melt-drawn films of pure PVF2 consist of highly oriented lamellae, in which the alpha phase is predominant. Adding a given amount of PMAs (20 wt%) into PVF2 results in formation of fibrillar crystals and increase of relative amount of the beta phase. The influence extent is in order of PMMA > PEMA > PBMA, regarding the ester group size in the PMAs.

Group size effects on foraging and vigilance in migratory Tibetan antelope

Large group sizes have been hypothesized to decrease predation risk and increase food competition. We investigated group size effects on vigilance and foraging behaviour during the migratory period in female Tibetan antelope Pantholops hodgsoni, in the Kekexili Nature Reserve of Qinghai Province, China. During June to August, adult female antelope and yearling females gather in large migratory groups and cross the Qinghai-Tibet highway to calving grounds within the Nature Reserve and return to Qumalai county after calving. Large groups of antelope aggregate in the migratory corridor where they compete for limited food resources and attract the attention of mammalian and avian predators and scavengers. We restricted our sampling to groups of less than 30 antelopes and thus limit our inference accordingly. Focal-animal sampling was used to record the behaviour of the free-ranging antelope except for those with lambs. Tibetan antelope spent more time foraging in larger groups but frequency of foraging bouts was not affected by group size. Conversely, the time spent vigilant and frequency of vigilance bouts decreased with increased group size. We suggest that these results are best explained by competition for food and risk of predation. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Responses to seasonal changes in nutrient quality and patchiness of food in a multigroup community of Tibetan macaques at Mt. Emei

Provisioning along pedestrian trails by tourists much increased the nutrient quality and patchiness of food (NqPF)for Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt Emei in spring and summer. In the habitat at a temperate-subtropical transition zone, the mncaque's NqPF could be ordered in a decreasing rank from spring summer to autumn to winter With the aid of a radio-tracking system, I collected ranging data on a multigroup community in three 70-day periods representing the different seasons in 1991-92, Rank-order correlation on the data show that with the decline of NqPF; the groups tended to increase days away from the trail, their effective range size (ERS) their exclusive area (EA) and the number of days spent in the EA, and reduced their group/community density and the ratio of the overlapped range to the seasonal range (ROR). In icy/snowy winter; the macaques searched for mature leaves slowly and carefully in the largest seasonal range with a considerable portion that was nor used in other seasons. Of the responses, the ROR decreased with the reduction in group/community density; and the ERS was the function of both group size (+) and intergroup rank (-) when favorite food was highly clumped. All above responses were clearly bound to maximize foraging effectiveness and minimize energy expenditure, and their integration in term of changes in time and space leads to better understanding macaque ecological adaptability. Based on this study and previous work on behavioral and physiological factors, I suggest a unifying theory of intergroup interactions. Ir! addition, as the rate of behavioral interactions,was also related to the group density, I Waser's (1976) gas model probably applies to behavioral, as well as spatial, data on intergroup interactions.

Comparison of stationary acoustic monitoring and visual observation of finless porpoises

The detection performance regarding stationary acoustic monitoring of Yangtze finless porpoises Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis was compared to visual observations. Three stereo acoustic data loggers (A-tag) were placed at different locations near the confluence of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River, China. The presence and number of porpoises were determined acoustically and visually during each 1-min time bin. On average, porpoises were acoustically detected 81.7 +/- 9.7% of the entire effective observation time, while the presence of animals was confirmed visually 12.7 +/- 11.0% of the entire time. Acoustic monitoring indicated areas of high and low porpoise densities that were consistent with visual observations. The direction of porpoise movement was monitored using stereo beams, which agreed with visual observations at all monitoring locations. Acoustic and visual methods could determine group sizes up to five and ten individuals, respectively. While the acoustic monitoring method had the advantage of high detection probability, it tended to underestimate group size due to the limited resolution of sound source bearing angles. The stationary acoustic monitoring method proved to be a practical and useful alternative to visual observations, especially in areas of low porpoise density for long-term monitoring.

Identification of one intron loss and phylogenetic evolution of Dfak gene in the Drosophila melanogaster species group

Intron loss and its evolutionary significance have been noted in Drosophila. The current study provides another example of intron loss within a single-copy Dfak gene in Drosophila. By using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we amplified about 1.3 kb fragment spanning intron 5-10, located in the position of Tyr kinase (TyK) domain of Dfak gene from Drosophila melanogaster species group, and observed size difference among the amplified DNA fragments from different species. Further sequencing analysis revealed that D. melanogaster and D. simulans deleted an about 60 bp of DNA fragment relative to other 7 Drosophila species, such as D. elegans, D. ficusphila, D. biarmipes, D. takahashii, D. jambulina, D. prostipennis and D. pseudoobscura, and the deleted fragment located precisely in the position of one intron. The data suggested that intron loss might have occurred in the Dfak gene evolutionary process of D. melanogaster and D. simulans of Drosophila melanogaster species group. In addition, the constructed phylogenetic tree based on the Dfak TyK domains clearly revealed the evolutionary relationships between subgroups of Drosophila melanogaster species group, and the intron loss identified from D. melanogaster and D. simulans provides a unique diagnostic tool for taxonomic classification of the melanogaster subgroup from other group of genus Drosophila.

Chemical trends of defect formation in Si quantum dots: The case of group-III and group-V dopants

Using first-principles methods, we have systematically calculated the defect formation energies and transition energy levels of group-III and group-V impurities doped in H passivated Si quantum dots (QDs) as functions of the QD size. The general chemical trends found in the QDs are similar to that found in bulk Si. We show that defect formation energy and transition energy level increase when the size of the QD decreases; thus, doping in small Si QDs becomes more difficult. B-Si has the lowest acceptor transition energy level, and it is more stable near the surface than at the center of the H passivated Si QD. On the other hand, P-Si has the smallest donor ionization energy, and it prefers to stay at the interior of the H passivated Si QD. We explained the general chemical trends and the dependence on the QD size in terms of the atomic chemical potentials and quantum confinement effects.

SOI optical switch matrix integrated with spot size converter (SSC) and total internal reflection (TIR) mirrors

SOI (Silicon on Insulator) based photonic devices has attracted more and more attention in the recent years. Integration of SOI optical switch matrix with isolating grooves, total internal reflection (TIR) mirrors and spot size converter (SSC) was studied. A folding re-arrangeable non-blocking 4x4 optical switch matrix and a blocking 16x16 matrix with TIR mirrors and SSC were fabricated on SOI wafer. The performaces, including extinction ratio and the crosstalk, are better than before. The insertion loss and the polarization dependent loss (PDL) at 1.55 mu m increase slightly with longer device length, more bend and intersecting waveguides. The insertion losses decrease 2 similar to 3 dB when anti-reflection films are added in the ends of the devices. The rise and fall times of the devices are 2.1 mu s and 2.3 mu s, respectively.

SOI-based thermo-optic waveguide switch matrix with spot size converters

A SOI-based thermo-optic waveguide switch matrix worked at 1.55 mu m, integrated with spot size converters is designed and fabricated for the first time. The insertion loss and polarization dependent loss are less than 13dB and 2dB, respectively. The extinction ratio is larger than 19dB. The response time is less than 5 mu s and the power consumption of the switch cell is about 200mW.

Wurtzite-to-tetragonal structure phase transformation and size effect in ZnO nanorods

The deformation of [0001]-oriented ZnO nanorods with hexagonal cross sections under uniaxial tensile loading is analyzed through molecular statistical thermodynamics (MST) simulations. The focus is on the size dependence of mechanical behavior in ZnO nanorods with diameters ranging from 1.95 to 17.5 nm. An irreversible phase transformation from the wurtzite (P6(3)mc space group) structure to a tetragonal structure (P4(2)/mnm space group) occurs during the tensile loading process. Young's modulus before the transformation demonstrates a size dependence consistent with what is observed in experiments. A stronger size dependence of response is seen after the transformation and is attributed to the polycrystalline nature of the transformed structure. A comparison of the MST and molecular dynamics (MD) methods shows that MST is 60 times faster than MD and yields results consistent with the results of MD.

Design of polymeric stabilizers for size-controlled synthesis of monodisperse gold nanoparticles in water

A new methodology is described for the one-step aqueous preparation of highly monodisperse gold nanoparticles with diameters below 5 nm using thioether- and thiol-functionalized polymer ligands. The particle size and size distribution was controlled by subtle variation of the polymer structure. It was shown that poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) were the most effective stabilizing polymers in the group studied and that relatively low molar mass ligands (similar to 2500 g/mol) gave rise to the narrowest particle size distributions. Particle uniformity and colloidal stability to changes in ionic strength and pH were strongly affected by the hydrophobicity of the ligand end group. "Multidentate" thiol-terminated ligands were produced by employing dithiols and tetrathiols as chain-transfer agents, and these ligands gave rise to particles with unprecedented control over particle size and enhanced colloidal stability. It was found throughout that dynamic light scattering (DLS) is a very useful corroboratory technique for characterization of these gold nanoparticles in addition to optical spectroscopy and TEM.

Size dependence of biomass spectra and abundance spectra: the optimal distributions

Based on the hypothesis of self-optimization, we derive four models of biomass spectra and abundance spectra in communities with size-dependent metabolic rates. In Models 1 and 2, the maximum diversity of population abundance in different size classes subject to the constraints of constant mean body mass and constant mean respiration rate is assumed to be the strategy for ecosystems to organize their size structure. In Models 3 and 4, the organizing strategy is defined as the maximum diversity of biomass in different size classes without constraints on mean body mass and subject to the constant mean specific respiration rate of all individuals, i.e. the average specific respiration rate over all individuals of a community or group, which characterizes the mean rate of energy consumption in a community. Models 1 and 2 generate peaked distributions of biomass spectral density whereas Model 3 generates a fiat distribution. In Model 4, the distributions of biomass spectral density and of abundance spectral density depend on the Lagrangian multipler (lambda (2)). When lambda (2) tends to zero or equals zero, the distributions of biomass spectral density and of abundance spectral density correspond to those from Model 3. When lambda (2) has a large negative value, the biomass spectrum is similar to the empirical fiat biomass spectrum organized in logarithmic size intervals. When lambda (2) > 0, the biomass spectral density increases with body mass and the distribution of abundance spectral density is an unimodal curve. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

C, N and P regeneration by a detritivorous fish, Liza haematocheila T. & S.: effects of temperature, diet and body size

Detritus, as a nutrients reservoir, affects the trophic structure and dynamics of communities and supports a greater diversity of species and longer food chains. Detritivorous fish is an important organism to regenerate the nutrients from sediments. Despite the numerous studies on the nutrients cycle in fish, only a few attempts have been made to quantify the regenerating ability. In the present study, we chose the common detritivorous fish redeye mullet as the research object. Redeye mullet is also a common poly-culture fish in China. Diet, including a commercial diet mostly used in aquaculture and a home-made diet with contents close to detritus, was used and considered as a fixed factor. Temperature was also considered as a fixed factor as much research has shown that temperature has significant effects on fish metabolism. Moreover, body size was regarded as a covariate under analysis of covariance. Three key nutrients, namely carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, were used to measure the nutrient-regenerating ability of redeye mullet under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the nutrient regeneration in percent of the consumption decreased with increasing temperature. Carbon and nitrogen regeneration of redeye mullet fed on commercial diet was lower than those of the home-made diet group, while the opposite was found for phosphorus. In each group, the amount of regenerated nutrients increased linearly with body size. Fed on the home-made diet, 5-g fish at 25 degrees C can regenerate 210.822 mg C, 37.533 mg N and 0.727 mg P per day.

Effects of diet and body size on phosphorus utilization of Liza haematocheila T. & S.

A 21-d laboratory experiment was conducted to study, the phosphorus (P) utilization of two different diets by redlip mullet Liza haematocheila T. & S. Sand-filtered water in salinity 30 and temperature 25 degrees C was used. Twenty-nine fish individuals were divided into three groups: 11 to group 1 (G1) fed on diet 1, 11 to group 2 (G2) fed on diet 2, and 7 to contrast group. Diet 1 was a commercial feed, more valuable in nutrition than diet 2 that similar to natural detritus. The results show the intake phosphorus (IP) of G1 was significantly higher than that of G2, and both increased linearly with body size at a certain amount of diet. The retention phosphorus (RP) in fish of G1 was lower than G2. The relationship between retention phosphorus and body size was positive and stronger in G2. Significant difference in faecal phosphorus (FP) was found between G1 and G2. Body size significantly impacted the excretion phosphorus (EP) in G1 but G2. The loss of intake phosphor-us in G1 was 10.83-20.27 mg per g fish weight gain, higher than that in G2 for 6.63-9.56. Of the phosphor-us, about 10% was allocated into growth, 50% in faeces, and the rest lost in excretion. The main part of phosphorus was lost in faeces but excretion. The phosphorus budget of the fish could be described as 100IP = 7.40RP + 47.39FP + 36.63EP (Diet 1) or 100IP = 11.93RP + 56.64FP + 21.76EP (Diet 2).