Orography in a contour dynamics model of large-scale atmospheric flow

The influence of orography on the structure of stationary planetary Rossby waves is studied in the context of a contour dynamics model of the large-scale atmospheric flow. Orography of infinitesimal and finite amplitude is studied using analytical and numerical techniques. Three different types of orography are considered: idealized orography in the form of a global wave, idealized orography in the form of a local table mountain, and the earth's orography. The study confirms the importance of resonances, both in the infinitesimal orography and in the finite orography cases. With finite orography the stationary waves organize themselves into a one-dimensional set of solutions, which due to the resonances, is piecewise connected. It is pointed out that these stationary waves could be relevant for atmospheric regimes.

Recent advances in capillary electrophoresis methods for food analysis

This review article addresses recent advances in the analysis of foods and food components by capillary electrophoresis (CE). CE has found application to a number of important areas of food analysis, including quantitative chemical analysis of food additives, biochemical analysis of protein composition, and others. The speed, resolution and simplicity of CE, combined with low operating costs, make the technique an attractive option for the development of improved methods of food analysis for the new millennium.

The development and application of capillary electrophoresis methods for food analysis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) offers the analyst a number of key advantages for the analysis of the components of foods. CE offers better resolution than, say, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and is more adept at the simultaneous separation of a number of components of different chemistries within a single matrix. In addition, CE requires less rigorous sample cleanup procedures than HPLC, while offering the same degree of automation. However, despite these advantages, CE remains under-utilized by food analysts. Therefore, this review consolidates and discusses the currently reported applications of CE that are relevant to the analysis of foods. Some discussion is also devoted to the development of these reported methods and to the advantages/disadvantages compared with the more usual methods for each particular analysis. It is the aim of this review to give practicing food analysts an overview of the current scope of CE.

Climate vs. soil factors in local adaptation of two common plant species

Evolutionary theory suggests that divergent natural selection in heterogeneous environments can result in locally adapted plant genotypes. To understand local adaptation it is important to study the ecological factors responsible for divergent selection. At a continental scale, variation in climate can be important while at a local scale soil properties could also play a role. We designed an experiment aimed to disentangle the role of climate and ( abiotic and biotic) soil properties in local adaptation of two common plant species. A grass (Holcus lanatus) and a legume ( Lotus corniculatus), as well as their local soils, were reciprocally transplanted between three sites across an Atlantic-Continental gradient in Europe and grown in common gardens in either their home soil or foreign soils. Growth and reproductive traits were measured over two growing seasons. In both species, we found significant environmental and genetic effects on most of the growth and reproductive traits and a significant interaction between the two environmental effects of soil and climate. The grass species showed significant home site advantage in most of the fitness components, which indicated adaptation to climate. We found no indication that the grass was adapted to local soil conditions. The legume showed a significant home soil advantage for number of fruits only and thus a weak indication of adaptation to soil and no adaptation to climate. Our results show that the importance of climate and soil factors as drivers of local adaptation is species-dependent. This could be related to differences in interactions between plant species and soil biota.

Phylogeny and the hierarchical organization of plant diversity

R. H. Whittaker's idea that plant diversity can be divided into a hierarchy of spatial components from alpha at the within-habitat scale through beta for the turnover of species between habitats to gamma along regional gradients implies the underlying existence of alpha, beta, and gamma niches. We explore the hypothesis that the evolution of a, (3, and gamma niches is also hierarchical, with traits that define the a niche being labile, while those defining a and 7 niches are conservative. At the a level we find support for the hypothesis in the lack of close significant phylogenetic relationship between meadow species that have similar a niches. In a second test, a niche overlap based on a variety of traits is compared between congeners and noncongeners in several communities; here, too, there is no evidence of a correlation between a niche and phylogeny. To test whether beta and gamma niches evolve conservatively, we reconstructed the evolution of relevant traits on evolutionary trees for 14 different clades. Tests against null models revealed a number of instances, including some in island radiations, in which habitat (beta niche) and elevational maximum (an aspect of the gamma niche) showed evolutionary conservatism.

Status and distribution of the Grey-headed Fish-Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) in the Prek Toal Core Area of Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia

The regional population of the Grey-headed Fish-Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) in Southeast Asia is thought to be in recent decline and its conservation status Linder threat. We undertook a systematic survey in a flooded swamp forest at the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia and recorded 32 pairs of eagles in an area of approximately 80 km(2). Three species of water snakes were identified as eagle prey items, previously unrecorded for this species. We suggest that this eagle population has significant regional importance and discuss potential anthropogenic threats to population stability, such as water snake harvesting and construction Of upstream hydropower dams.

Seeds of change: The value of using Rhinanthus minor in grassland restoration

Question: What is the value of using Rhinanthus minor in grassland restoration and can restrictions on its establishment be overcome? Location: England (United Kingdom). Methods: Two experiments were established to determine the efficacy of inoculating R. minor on a suite of four agriculturally improved grasslands and the efficacy of using R. minor in grassland restoration. In Experiment 1, the effect of herbicide gap creation on the establishment and persistence of R. minor in grasslands ranging in productivity was investigated with respect to sward management. In Exp. 2, R. minor was sown at 1000 seeds/m(2) in conjunction with a standard meadow mix over a randomized plot design into Lolium perenne grassland of moderate productivity. The treatment of scarification was investigated as a treatment to promote R. minor. Results: Gap size had a significant role in the establishment and performance of R. minor, especially the 30 cm diameter gaps (Exp. 1). However, R. minor failed to establish long-term persistent populations in all of the agriculturally improved grasslands. In Exp. 2, establishment of R. minor was increased by scarification and its presence was associated with a significant increase in Shannon diversity and the number of sown and unsown species. Values of grass above-ground biomass were significantly lower in plots sown with R. minor, but values of total above-ground biomass (including R. minor) and forb biomass (not including R. minor) were not affected. Conclusions: The value of introducing R. minor into species-poor grassland to increase diversity has been demonstrated, but successful establishment was dependent on grassland type. The scope for using R. minor in grassland restoration schemes is therefore conditional, although establishment can be enhanced through disturbance such as sward scarification.

The impact of Rhinanthus minor in newly established meadows on a productive site

Question: What is the impact of the presence of Rhinanthus minor on forb abundance in newly established swards? Location: Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK (53 degrees 55' N, 1 degrees 22(1) W). Method: A standard meadow mix containing six forbs and six grasses was sown on an ex-arable field and immediately over-sown using a randomised plot design with three densities of Rhinanthus minor (0, 600, and 1000 seeds per m(2)). Above-ground biomass was analysed over a period of three years, while detailed assessments of sward composition were performed during the first two years. Results: Values of grass biomass were reduced in the presence of Rhinanthus, especially at the higher sowing density. The ratio of grass: forb biomass was also lower in association with Rhinanthus, but only at the higher sowing density. The presence of Rhinanthus, had no effect on species number or diversity, which decreased between years regardless of treatment. Conclusions: Although not tested in a multi-site experiment, the benefit of introducing Rhinanthus into newly established swards to promote for abundance was determined. The efficacy of Rhinanthus presence is likely to depend on whether species not susceptible to the effects of parasitism are present.

Effects of UV-blocking films on the dispersal behavior of Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera : Aphelinidae)

The parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) has been used successfully for the control of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). The development of UV-blocking plastic films has added a new component to future integrated pest management systems by disrupting insect pest infestation when UV light is excluded. Because both T. vaporariorum and E. formosa are reported to have similar spectral efficiency, there was a need to identify the impact of UV-blocking films on the dispersal behavior of both the pest and the natural enemy. In field studies, using choice-chamber experiments, E. formosa showed some preference to disperse into compartments where less UV light was blocked. However, further studies indicated that the effect was primarily attributable to the different light diffusion properties of the films tested. Thus, unlike its whitefly host, when the UV-absorbing properties of the films were similar, but the light diffusion properties differed, E.formosa adults preferred to disperse into compartments clad with films that had high light diffusion properties. When the plastic films differed most in their UV-absorbing capacity and had no light-diffusion capability, the initial dispersal of E. formosa between treatments was similar, although a small preference toward the environment with UV light was observed over time. When parasitoid dispersal was measured 3 h after release, more parasitoids were found on plants, suggesting that the parasitoids would search plants for whitefly hosts, even in a UV-blocked light environment. The potential for the integration of UV-blocking films with E. formosa in an advanced whitefly management system is discussed.

The uses of Atuna racemosa Raf. (Chrysobalanaceae) in Samoa

An ethnobotanical study was made of the uses of Atuna racemosa subsp. racemosa (Chrysobalanaceae) in Samoa. The main use is of the cotyledons to extract an anti-inflammatory massage oil and a putty to caulk boats. Minor uses as a medicinal and of the wood are reported and a survey of herbarium material shows that the fruit of Atuna is widely used throughout the Pacific region.

Molybdenum eta(3)-allyl dicarbonyl complexes as a new class of precursors for highly reactive epoxidation catalysts with tert-butyl hydroperoxide

New Mo(II) diimine derivatives of [Mo(q (3)allyl)X(CO)(2)(CH3CN)(2)] (allyl = C3H5 and C5H5O; X = Cl, Br) were prepared, and [MO(eta(3)-C3H5)Cl(CO)(2)(BIAN)] (BIAN = 1,4-(4-chloro)phenyl-2,3-naphthalene-diazabutadiene) (7) was structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This complex adopted an equatorial-axial arrangement of the bidentate ligand (axial isomer), in contrast with the precursors, found as the equatorial isomer in the solid and fluxional in solution. The new complexes of the type [Mo(eta(3)-allyl)X(CO)(2)(N-N)l (N-N is a bidentate chelating dinitrogen ligand) were tested for the catalytic epoxidation of cyclooctene using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. All catalytic systems were 100% selective toward epoxide formation. While their turnover frequencies paralleled those of related Mo(eta) carbonyl compounds or Mo(VI) compounds bearing similar N-donor ligands, they exhibited similar olefin conversions in consecutive catalytic runs. The acetonitrile precursors were generally more active than the diimine complexes, and the chloro derivatives more active than the bromo ones. Combined vibrational and NMR spectroscopy and computational studies (DFT) were used to investigate the nature of the molybdenum species formed in the catalytic system with [Mo(eta(3)-C3H5)Cl(CO)(2){1,4-(2,6-dimethyl)phenyl-2.3-dimethyldiazabuta diene}] (4) and to propose that the resulting species may be dimeric bearing oxide bridges.

Some transition metal complexes derived from mono- and di-ethynyl perfluorobenzenes

Transition metal alkynyl complexes containing perfluoroaryl groups have been prepared directly from trimethylsilyl-protected mono- and di-ethynyl perfluoroarenes by simple desilylation/metallation reaction sequences. Reactions between Me3SiC CC6F5 and RuCl(dppe)Cp'[Cp' = Cp, Cp*] in the presence of KF in MeOH give the monoruthenium complexes Ru(C CC6F5)(dppe)Cp'[Cp' = Cp (2); Cp* (3)], which are related to the known compound Ru(C CC6F5)(PPh3)(2)Cp (1). Treatment of Me3SiC CC6F5 with Pt-2(mu-dppm)(2)Cl-2 in the presence of NaOMe in MeOH gave the bis(alkynyl) complex Pt-2(mu-dppm)(2)(C CC6F5)(2) (4). The Pd(0)/Cu(I)-catalysed reactions between Au(C CC6F5)(PPh3) and Mo( CBr)(CO)(2) Tp* [Tp* = hydridotris(3.5-dimethylpyrazoyl)borate], Co-3(mu(3)-CBr)(mu-dppm)(CO)(7) or IC CFc [Fc = (eta(5)-C5H4)FeCp] afford Mo( CC CC6F5)(CO)(2)Tp* (5), Co-3(mu 3-CC CC6F5)(mu-dppm)(CO)(7) (6) and FcC CC CC6F5 (7), respectively. The diruthenium complexes 1,4-{Cp'(PP)RuC C}(2)C6F4 [(PP)Cp'=(PPh3)(2)Cp (8); (dppe)Cp (9); (dppe)Cp* (10)] are prepared from 1,4-(Me3SiC C)(2)C6F4 in a manner similar to that described for the monoruthenium complexes 1-3. The non-fluorinated complexes 1,4-{Cp'(PP)RuC C}(2)C6H4 [(PP)Cp' = (PPh3)(2)Cp (11); ( dppe) Cp (12); ( dppe) Cp* (13)], prepared for comparison, are obtained from 1,4-(Me3SiC C)(2)C6H4. Spectro-electrochemical studies of the ruthenium aryl and arylene alkynyl complexes 2-3 and 8-13, together with DFT-based computational studies on suitable model systems, indicate that perfluorination of the aromatic ring has little effect on the electronic structures of these compounds, and that the frontier orbitals have appreciable diethynylphenylene character. Molecular structure determinations are reported for the fluoroaromatic complexes 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10.

The synthesis and characterisation of four new antimony sulphides incorporating transition-metal complexes

Four new antimony sulphides, [T(dien)(2)]Sb6S10 center dot xH(2)O [T = Ni (1), Co (2) x approximate to 0.45], [Co(en)(3)]SbsSI(3) (3) and [Ni(en)(3)]Sb12S19 (4), have been synthesised under solvothermal conditions. In compounds (1) - (3), Sb12S228- secondary building units are connected to form layered structures. In (1) and (2), Sb-6 S-2- layers containing Sb16S16 heterorings are separated by [T(dien]2](2+) cations, whilst in (3), Sb8 S2- layers 10 13 contain [Co(en)3]2+ cations within large Sb22S22 pores. Compound (4) adopts a three-dimensional structure in which [Ni(en)3 12 cations lie within ca. 5 A wide channels. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.