Population dynamics of Lucilia eximia (Dipt., Calliphoridae)

The theoretical dynamics of experimental populations of Lucilia eximia was investigated as an attempt to understand its population biology. Specifically the population dynamics of L. eximia was analysed by means of a mathematical model that incorporates fecundity and survival as density-dependent demographic parameters in discrete time. The sensitivity of these parameters to changes in the magnitude was also investigated. The mathematical model applied to experimental populations of L. eximia predicts a theoretical one-point equilibrium for immatures. The population dynamics of L. eximia is compared to the dynamics of Chrysomya species and Cochliomyia macellaria.

Multifractal characterization of saprolite particle-size distributions after topsoil removal

Multifractal analysis is now increasingly used to characterize soil properties as it may provide more information than a single fractal model. During the building of a large reservoir on the Parana River (Brazil), a highly weathered soil profile was excavated to a depth between 5 and 8 m. Excavation resulted in an abandoned area with saprolite materials and, in this area, an experimental field was established to assess the effectiveness of different soil rehabilitation treatments. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks. The aim of this work was to characterize particle-size distributions of the saprolite material and use the information obtained to assess between-block variability. Particle-size distributions of the experimental plots were characterized by multifractal techniques. Ninety-six soil samples were analyzed routinely for particle-size distribution by laser diffractometry in a range of scales, varying from 0.390 to 2000 mu m. Six different textural classes (USDA) were identified with a clay content ranging from 16.9% to 58.4%. Multifractal models described reasonably well the scaling properties of particle-size distributions of the saprolite material. This material exhibits a high entropy dimension, D-1. Parameters derived from the left side (q > 0) of the f(alpha) spectra, D-1, the correlation dimension (D-2) and the range (alpha(0)-alpha(q+)), as well as the total width of the spectra (alpha(max) - alpha(min)) all showed dependence on the clay content. Sand, silt and clay contents were significantly different among treatments as a consequence of soil intrinsic variability. The D, and the Holder exponent of order zero, alpha(0), were not significantly different between treatments; in contrast, D-2 and several fractal attributes describing the width of the f(alpha) spectra were significantly different between treatments. The only parameter showing significant differences between sampling depths was (alpha(0) - alpha(q+)). Scale independent fractal attributes may be useful for characterizing intrinsic particle-size distribution variability. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population dynamics of Leptopharsa heveae (Hemiptera: Tingidae) and Erythmelus tingitiphagus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in rubber tree plants

The tingid Leptopharsa heveae, known as the lace bug, occurs in large populations in rubber tree plantations, limiting the production of latex due to losses of photosynthetic area and weakening of the infested trees. The alternative for the use of insecticides would be the release of biological control agents, but little is known about the natural enemies of L. heveae. The parasitoid Erythmelus tingitiphagus parasitizes eggs of the lace bug in rubber tree plantations. The knowledge of the population dynamics and the peak of occurrence of economically important insect species and their natural enemies are indispensable requirements for the establishment of efficient and rational control strategies. The objective of this work was to study the population dynamics of L. heveae and E. tingitiphagus in rubber tree plantations in the county of Itiquira, MT, Brazil. Mature folioles were collected weekly from the lower stratum of the canopy of the tree clones RRIM 600, PR 255, GT 1, PB 235 and PB 217, from August/2005 to February/2006. The parasitoid was observed during the whole study period. The population peaks of the populations of the L. heveae and E. tingitiphagus in the study area occurred at the end of October and beginning of November. This result demonstrates that measures for the control of L. heveae and population increase of E. tingitiphagus must be adopted before the peak population of this pest in cultivated rubber plantations.

Passive and active dispersers respond similarly to environmental and spatial processes: an example from metacommunity dynamics of tree hole invertebrates

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

REPRODUCTIVE DYNAMICS of THE MAIN SPECIES of FISH IN THE MUNICIPAL RESERVOIR of SAO JOSE do RIO PRETO

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Escape of particles in a time-dependent potential well

We investigate the escape of an ensemble of noninteracting particles inside an infinite potential box that contains a time-dependent potential well. The dynamics of each particle is described by a two-dimensional nonlinear area-preserving mapping for the variables energy and time, leading to a mixed phase space. The chaotic sea in the phase space surrounds periodic islands and is limited by a set of invariant spanning curves. When a hole is introduced in the energy axis, the histogram of frequency for the escape of particles, which we observe to be scaling invariant, grows rapidly until it reaches a maximum and then decreases toward zero at sufficiently long times. A plot of the survival probability of a particle in the dynamics as function of time is observed to be exponential for short times, reaching a crossover time and turning to a slower-decay regime, due to sticky regions observed in the phase space.

Exact dynamics of single-qubit-gate fidelities under the measurement-based quantum computation scheme

Measurement-based quantum computation is an efficient model to perform universal computation. Nevertheless, theoretical questions have been raised, mainly with respect to realistic noise conditions. In order to shed some light on this issue, we evaluate the exact dynamics of some single-qubit-gate fidelities using the measurement-based quantum computation scheme when the qubits which are used as a resource interact with a common dephasing environment. We report a necessary condition for the fidelity dynamics of a general pure N-qubit state, interacting with this type of error channel, to present an oscillatory behavior, and we show that for the initial canonical cluster state, the fidelity oscillates as a function of time. This state fidelity oscillatory behavior brings significant variations to the values of the computational results of a generic gate acting on that state depending on the instants we choose to apply our set of projective measurements. As we shall see, considering some specific gates that are frequently found in the literature, the fast application of the set of projective measurements does not necessarily imply high gate fidelity, and likewise the slow application thereof does not necessarily imply low gate fidelity. Our condition for the occurrence of the fidelity oscillatory behavior shows that the oscillation presented by the cluster state is due exclusively to its initial geometry. Other states that can be used as resources for measurement-based quantum computation can present the same initial geometrical condition. Therefore, it is very important for the present scheme to know when the fidelity of a particular resource state will oscillate in time and, if this is the case, what are the best times to perform the measurements.

Emergence of the Pointer Basis through the Dynamics of Correlations

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Lattice dynamics of noble metals on effective three-body interaction

Quite recently we modified the original model of Sarkar et al. for cubic metals in extending the ion-ion interaction, ion-electron interaction and the introduction of crystal equilibrium condition. We applied our scheme to alkali metals. We studied here the lattice dynamics of noble metals on our approach by calculating phonon dispersion relations along the three principal symmetry directions, [ξ00], [ξξ00] and [ξξξ] and the (θ-T) curves of three noble metals: copper, silver and gold. We obtained reasonable agreement with the experimental findings.

Theoretical Dynamics of Experimental Populations of Introduced and Native Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Equilibrium dynamics in experimental populations of Chrysomya megacephala (F.) and C. putoria (Wiedemann), which have recently invaded the Americas, and the native species Cochliomyia macellaria (F.), were investigated using nonlinear difference equations. A theoretical analysis of the mathematical model using bifurcation theory established the combination of demographic parameters responsible for producing shifts in blowfly population dynamics from stable equilibria to bounded cycles and aperiodic behavior. Mathematical modeling shows that the populations of the 2 introduced Chrysomya species will form stable oscillations with numbers fluctuating 3-4 times in successive generations. However, in the native species C. macellaria, the dynamics is characterized by damping oscillations in population size, leading to a stable population level.

The Role of the Korteweg-de Vries Hierarchy in the N-Soliton Dynamics of the Shallow Water Wave Equation

We apply a multiple-time version of the reductive perturbation method to study long waves as governed by the shallow water wave model equation. As a consequence of the requirement of a secularity-free perturbation theory, we show that the well known N-soliton dynamics of the shallow water wave equation, in the particular case of α = 2β, can be reduced to the N-soliton solution that satisfies simultaneously all equations of the Korteweg-de Vries hierarchy.

The spatial dynamics of native and introduced blowflies (Dipt., Calliphoridae)

The spatial dynamics of three blowfly species was investigated using a spatially extended model of density-dependent population growth and the results indicate an overall stabilizing effect. Introduction of diffusive dispersal induced a quantitative effect of damping variation in population size on the route to a one-fixed point equilibrium in the native species, Cochliomyia macellaria. On the other hand, diffusive dispersal caused qualitative shifts in the dynamics of two invading species, Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya putoria. In both species diffusive dispersal can produce a qualitative shift from a two-point limit cycle to a one fixed-point dynamics. Quantitatively, dispersal also has the effect of damping oscillations in population size in the invading species.

Thermally activated dynamics of the tilts of the CuO6 octahedra, hopping of interstitial O, and possible instability towards the LTT phase in La2CuO4+δ

The anelastic spectrum (dynamic Young's modulus and elastic energy absorption) of La2CuO4+δ has been measured between 1 and 700 K with 0<δ<0.02. The spectrum of stoichiometric La2CuO4 in the low-temperature orthorhombic (LTO) phase is dominated by two intense relaxation processes which cause softenings of 16% around 150 K and 9% below 30 K at f∼1 kHz. The relaxation at 150 K is attributed to the presence of a fraction of the CuO6 octahedra which are able to change their tilted configuration by thermal activation between orientations which are nearly energetically equivalent, possibly within the twin boundaries. The relaxation below 30 K is governed by tunneling, and involves a considerable fraction of the lattice atoms. It is proposed that the double-well potentials for the low-temperature relaxation are created by the tendency of the LTO phase to form low-temperature tetragonal (LTT) domains, which however are not stabilized like when La is partially substituted with Ba. On doping with excess O, the relaxation rates of these processes are initially enhanced by hole doping, while their intensities are depressed by lattice disorder; an explanation of this behavior is provided. Excess O also causes two additional relaxation processes. The one appearing at lower values of δ is attributed to the hopping of single interstitial O2- ions, with a hopping rate equal to τ-1=2×10-14exp(-5600/T) s. The second process is slower and can be due to O pairs or other complexes containing excess O.

Lattice dynamics of metallic glass Ca70Mg30 on the model of Bhatia and Singh

The lattice dynamical studies of the metallic glass Ca70Mg30 by Bhatia and Singh on their model contained two shortcomings, firstly the electron-ion interaction matrix was wrong and secondly, the numerical value of the bulk modulus of the electron gas was accepted arbitrarily. By modifying the electron-ion dynamical matrix and determining all the model parameters from the experimental data, we made a fresh study of the lattice dynamics of Ca70Mg30 and compared it to the earlier studies of Bhatia and Singh and also with experimental phonons.

Dynamics of some fictitious satellites of Venus and Mars

The dynamics of some fictitious satellites of Venus and Mars are studied considering only solar perturbation and the oblateness of the planet, as disturbing forces. Several numerical integrations of the averaged system, taking different values of the obliquity of ecliptic (a), show the existence of strong chaotic motion, provided that the semi major axis is near a critical value. As a consequence, large increase of eccentricities occur and the satellites may collide with the planet or cross possible internal orbits. Even starting from almost circular and equatorial orbits, most satellites can easily reach prohibitive values. The extension of the chaotic zone depends clearly on the value ε, so that, previous regular regions may become chaotic, provided ε increases sufficiently. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.