Fish recolonization in temperate Australian rockpools: a quantitative experimental approach

Understanding recolonization processes of intertidal fish assemblages is integral for predicting the consequences of significant natural or anthropogenic impacts on the intertidal zone. Recolonization of experimentally defaunated intertidal rockpools by fishes at Bass Point, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, was assessed quantitatively by using one long-term and two short-term studies. Rockpools of similar size and position at four sites within the intertidal zone were repeatedly defaunated of their fish fauna after one week, one month, and three months during two shortterm studies in spring and autumn (5 months each), and every six months for the long-term study (12 months). Fish assemblages were highly resilient to experimental perturbations—recolonizing to initial fish assemblage structure within 1−3 months. This recolonization was primarily due to subadults (30−40 mm TL) and adults (>40 mm TL) moving in from adjacent rockpools and presumably to abundant species competing for access to vacant habitat. The main recolonizers were those species found in highest numbers in initial samples, such as Bathygobius cocosensis, Enneapterygius rufopileus, and Girella elevata. Defaunation did not affect the size composition of fishes, except during autumn and winter when juveniles (<30 mm TL) recruited to rockpools. It appears that Bass Point rockpool fish assemblages are largely controlled by postrecruitment density-dependent mechanisms that indicate that recolonization may be driven by deterministic mechanisms.

古田山亚热带常绿阔叶林密度制约普遍性研究

密度制约是否为自然森林维持物种共存的普遍性机制，生态学家对此一直就有争议。目前密度制约的普遍性研究主要集中于热带森林，而针对亚热带森林的研究还比较少见。本文以浙江古田山24 公顷亚热带常绿阔叶林固定监测样地第一次调查数据为基础，主要采用点格局分析的双变量函数g(r)，研究了密度制约是否作用于样地内大部分木本植物，目的在于探讨密度制约在亚热带常绿阔叶林内物种多样性维持中的作用。 检验密度制约效应的常用方法是: 假定在种内竞争、种内个体之间的病虫害传播等条件下，种群的聚集程度是否随年龄的增加而下降。但是生境的异质性也可能导致种群聚集程度的下降。所以在密度制约的普遍性检验之前，首先分析了生境异质性是否影响树木的分布，然后分析种群分布格局，探讨除了生境异质性以外其它影响种群分布的驱动因子，同时为分析密度制约的发生做解释。结果发现生境异质性影响古田山树木的分布。用完全随机零模型不排除异质性，被检验的64个物种几乎在0-30m所有的尺度上都表现聚集。用异质性泊松分布零模型排除异质性，59个被检验物种中58个表现聚集。排不排除异质性，同种聚集都在整个样地中占主要地位，而且随着远离目标个体同种个体的密度逐渐下降，植株主要聚集在同种邻体的周围。结合下面的关联性分析，更新植株主要集中在成年个体周围，说明除了生境异质性效应促进树木聚集分布以外，以繁殖体为中心的局部扩散是大部分物种同种聚集的主要原因。 环境异质性影响树木分布，干扰密度制约的检验。然而，排除生境异质性的影响，也不能肯定密度制约是否是群落物种多样性普遍性的维持机制。用随机标签零模型案例-对照设计，小径级生长阶段的树木格局作为案例，成年树作为对照代表生境异质性的作用，通过小径级树木格局与成年树格局相比，排除生境异质性的干扰，64个被检验物种中50种(78.1%)表现了密度制约稀疏效应。结果表明密度制约稀疏机制调节了样地大部分物种，是古田山亚热带森林群落物种多样性维持的重要机制。同时，密度制约稀疏效应主要发生在局部尺度上，与同种短距离聚集结果一致。另外，密度制约稀疏效应更易于影响丰富种(24公顷样地内个体数>1000)的种群结构。 Janzen-Connell假说的距离制约模型认为繁殖体制约后代更新成功，导致成年树个体间距增大，并得到众多的野外观察证明。然而，在大尺度的森林样地研究中，没有发现这个效应广泛存在。本研究采用独立性零模型分析了不同生活史阶段在空间上的关联性，特别是成年树和幼树、小树的关联性，反过来推演是否成年树对后代的距离制约驱动了种群分布的空间动态。综合分析古田山64个物种的不同径级阶段的空间关联性，同时参照Condit 等(1992，1994)的研究结果：成年树对后代的距离制约效应在小于5m的尺度上发生强烈。有20个物种（31.3%）的更新体聚集密度最高点在离成年树≥5m的距离上，加上21个物种的更新体与成年树的关联性成相互排斥和随机分布，64个被检验的物种中有41(64.1%)个物种表现了Janzen-Connell 假说的繁殖体对后代的距离制约效应。同时，54(84.4%)个物种的小树成为新的成年树，出现在成年体周围小于5m的距离内的比例最高。结果表明这个效应提高成年树的间距是有限的，然而，它仍然调节了样地内大部分物种的分布格局，促进了物种共存。 同种密度制约调节建成树木（胸径≥1cm）的空间结构得到很好的研究。然而最近的研究表明：病菌不仅在同种个体之间传播，同时也在近缘物种之间传播。因此，只包括同种个体的密度制约模型可能大大低估了密度制约效应的作用。本研究分析了古田山24 公顷内159 个物种。运用平均谱系多样性指数(APd) 和最近分类谱系多样性指数(NTPd)检验随着目标个体径级的增加系统发育结构变化的趋势。研究发现，在15、20、30m 的尺度上，APd 指数都随着生长阶段的增加而显著提高，在10、15、20、30m 的尺度上，NTPd 随着生长阶段的增加而显著提高；在5m 的尺度上，谱系多样性与生长阶段不存在显著关联性，这些结果表明谱系多样性制约与取样尺度相关。在DBH >30 cm 生长阶段， APd 下降，NTPd 上升，说明谱系多样性制约加大老树之间的谱系距离，但是由于类似的生境偏好，又倾向于聚集在类似的生境。 本研究的结果表明同种和近缘种的密度制约是亚热带常绿阔叶林生物多样性群落水平上重要的维持机制，为Janzen-Connell 假说提供了支持；同时，生境异质性和局部扩散能在维持森林物种多样性中发挥重要作用。

Introducing tilapia (GIFT) with shrimp (Penaues monodon) in brackishwater rice-shrimp system: impact on water quality and production

Mixed rearing of tilapia (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia, GIFT) with shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in brackishwater rice-shrimp system was assessed for its impact on dry season's shrimp production. The experiment was conducted in pre-selected farmer's field located at Paikgacha Upazila of Khulna district and designed with three different densities (treatment) of GIFT, viz, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5/m² with a constant stocking density of shrimp at 3/m². Each treatment had three replications. There had a set of control treatment where GIFT was not stocked. Results of the experiment revealed that tilapia did not exert any significant effect (p>0.05) on the water quality variables, even on survival rate of shrimp (p>0.05) under farm level condition in rice-shrimp rotational system, but a density dependent negative effect (P<0.05) on the growth of shrimp led apparently lower production rate of shrimp. Though tilapia provided the major augment of total production (p<0.05) in the respective treatments than in monoculture of shrimp, but not that of the economic return. However, economic loss due to sudden shrimp crop failure might be partially minimized by the tilapia crop.

High-temperature electron-hole liquid and dynamics of Fermi excitons in a In0.65Al0.35As/Al0.4Ga0.6As quantum dot array

State-filling effects of the exciton in a In0.65Al0.35As/Al0.4Ga0.6As quantum dot array are observed by quantum dot array photolumineseence at a sample temperature of 77 K. The exciton emission at low excitation density is dominated by the radiative recombination of the states in the s shell and at high excitation density the emission mainly results from the radiative recombination of the exciton state in the p shell. The spectral interval between the states in the s and p shells is about 30-40 mcV. The time resolved photoluminescence shows that the decay time of exciton states in the p shell is longer than that of exciton states in the s shell, and the emission intensity of the exciton state in the p shell is superlinearly dependent on excitation density. Furthermore, electron-hole liquid in the quantum dot array is observed at 77 K, which is a much higher temperature than that in bulk. The emission peak of the. recombination, of electron-hole liquid has an about 200 meV redshift from the exciton fluorescence. Two excitation density-dependent emission peaks at 1.56 and 1.59 eV are observed, respectively, which result from quantum confinement effects in QDs. The emission intensity of electron-hole liquid is directly proportional to the cubic of excitation densities and its decay time decreases significantly at the high excitation density.

Effect of pentaquark Theta(+) on the equation of state of nuclear matter

Assuming Theta(+) interacts with nucleon or Theta(+) by exchanging isoscalar mesons sigma and omega, the equation of state of {p, n, Theta(+)} and possible metastable state are studied in the framwork of the density dependent relativistic hadron field theory(DDRH). The ratio of the proton isospin to the neutron isospin with different baryon densities and the effect of the Theta(+) component on the binding energy per baryon of the system are also discussed. It is shown that when the binding energy per baryon of the system takes the maximal value, Theta(+) might be bound in the nuclear matter.

Improved BCS-type pairing for the relativistic mean-field theory

A density-dependent delta interaction (DDDI) is proposed in the formalism of BCS-type pairing correlations for exotic nuclei whose Fermi surfaces are close to the threshold of the unbound state. It provides the possibility to pick up those states whose wave functions are concentrated in the nuclear region by making the pairing matrix elements state dependent. On this basis, the energy level distributions, occupations, and ground-state properties are self-consistently studied in the RMF theory with deformation. Calculations are performed for the Sr isotopic chain. A good description of the total energy per nucleon, deformations, two-neutron separation energies and isotope shift from the proton drip line to the neutron drip line is found. Especially, by comparing the single-particle structure from the DDDI pairing interaction with that from the constant pairing interaction for a very neutron-rich nucleus it is demonstrated that the DDDI pairing method improves the treatment of the pairing in the continuum.

Systematic study of properties of Hs nuclei

The ground-state properties of Hs nuclei are studied in the framework of the relativistic meanfield theory. We find that the more relatively stable isotopes are located on the proton abundant side of the isotopic chain. The last stable nucleus near the proton drip line is probably the (255)Hs nucleus. The alpha-decay half-lives of Hs nuclei are predicted, and together with the evaluation of the spontaneous-fission half-lives it is shown that the nuclei, which are possibly stable against spontaneous fission are (263-274)Hs. This is in coincidence with the larger binding energies per nucleon. If (271-274)Hs can be synthesized and identified, only those nuclei from the upper Z = 118 isotopic chain, which are lighter than the nucleus (294)118, and those nuclei in the corresponding alpha-decay chain lead to Hs nuclei. The most stable unknown Hs nucleus is (268)Hs. The density-dependent delta interaction pairing is used to improve the BCS pairing correction, which results in more reasonable single-particle energy level distributions and nucleon occupation probabilities. It is shown that the properties of nuclei in the superheavy region can be described with this interaction.

Effects of Pairing Correlations on Formation of Proton Halo in C-9

Properties for the ground state of C-9 are studied in the relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov theory with the NLSH, NLLN and TM2 effective interactions. Pairing correlations are taken into account by a density-dependent delta-force with the pairing strength for protons determined by fitting either to the experimental binding energy or to the odd-even mass difference from the five-point formula. The effects of pairing correlations on the formation of proton halo in the ground state of C-9 are examined. The halo structure is shown to be formed by the partially occupied valence proton levels p(3/2) and p(1/2).

THE COMPATIBILITY AND CRYSTALLIZATION OF THE MIXTURES OF POLY (TETRAHYDROFURAN-b-METHYL METHACRYLATE) DIBLOCK COPOLYMER WITH POLYVINYL CHLORIDE HOMOPOLYMER

The compatibility and crystallization behaviour of the mixtures of poly (tetrahydrofuran-methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer (PTHF-b-PMMA) with polyvinyl chloride has been studied. We found that the compatibility of these blends, in which there is special interaction between the homopolymer and the PMMA block of the copolymer, is much better than that of the AB/A type blends; and that the crystallization rate and crystallinity of PTHF microdomain changed greatly due to the swollen by PVC homopolymer. In this paper, these changes in cryatallization are well explained according to the theories of block copolymer blends and the density gradient model presented by JIANG Ming.

Feeding resumption, morphological changes and mortality during starvation in Japanese flounder larvae

Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus larvae established first feeding 3 days after hatching (DAH) at c. 17degreesC. Non-fed fish reached irreversible starvation at age 5 DAH. Non-fed fish showed similar feeding rate and feeding intensity as the fed fish when they were provided with prey before 5 DAH, after which the starved larvae did not feed even when prey became available. None of the six morphological measurements examined (total length, body height, eye height, head height, gut height and myotome height) showed significant differences between the non-fed and fed larvae until 5 DAH. Normal development continued only in the fed group, and the non-fed larvae showed reverse growth or body collapse after 5 DAH. Owing to the shrinkage and collapse at the top of head due to starvation, head height could be a sensitive indicator of starvation in Japanese flounder larvae. In the fed treatments, high mortality occurred from first feeding (3 DAH) to irreversible starvation (5 DAH), accounting for about two-thirds to three-quarters of the overall mortality (46-52%) throughout the experiments. This mortality was not prey density or larval density dependent. Mortality during the same period in the non-fed larvae accounted for about a third of the overall mortality (100%). (C) 2002 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Population dynamics and responses to management of plateau pikas Ochotona curzoniae

1. Plateau pikas Ochotona curzoniae are considered a pest species on the Tibetan Plateau because they compete with livestock for forage and their burrowing could contribute to soil erosion. The effectiveness of pest control programmes in Tibet has not been measured, and it is not known whether changes in livestock management have exacerbated problems with plateau pikas or compromised their control. This study measured the impact of control programmes and livestock management for forage conservation on populations of plateau pikas in alpine meadow in Naqu District, central Tibet, during 2004 and 2005.2. Current techniques for controlling plateau pikas in spring cause large reductions in abundance, but high density-dependent rates of increase result in no differences between treated and untreated populations by the following autumn. Rates of increase from spring to autumn are not influenced by standing plant biomass or concurrent grazing by yaks Bos grunniens and Tibetan sheep Ovis aries.3. In autumn there was significantly lower biomass outside fenced areas with year-round livestock grazing compared with inside fenced areas with equivalent or higher numbers of plateau pikas but predominantly winter grazing by livestock. Inside fenced areas, control of plateau pikas in spring produced no detectable effect on standing plant biomass at the end of the following summer compared with uncontrolled populations of plateau pikas.4. Regardless of their initial density, populations of plateau pikas declined rapidly over winter outside fenced areas where there was very low standing plant biomass in autumn. However, inside fenced areas with higher plant biomass in autumn, low-density populations of plateau pikas declined more slowly than high-density populations.5. Synthesis and applications. Current control programmes have limited effect because populations of plateau pikas can recover in one breeding season. There was no apparent increase in forage production in areas where plateau pikas were controlled. However, plateau pikas appear to benefit from changes in grazing management, with low-density populations declining less over winter inside fenced areas than elsewhere. It was not evident that control programmes are warranted or that they will improve the livelihoods of Tibetan herders.

Internal structure of copper(II)-phthalocyanine thin films on SiO2/Si substrates investigated by grazing incidence x-ray reflectometry

Jenkins, Tudor; Brieva, A.C.; Jones, D.G.; Evans, D.A., (2006) 'Internal structure of copper(II)-phthalocyanine thin films on SiO2/Si substrates investigated by grazing incidence x-ray reflectometry', Journal of Applied Physics 99 pp.73504 RAE2008

A craniometric study of population dynamics and social organisation in the European upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic

The purpose of this study is to explore aspects of social organisation during the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods using craniometric data. Different hypotheses were tested using geometric morphometrics, alongside traditional craniometric data. The clustering of individuals from the same site, as well as a correspondence to an isolation-by-distance model—particular in the Mesolithic samples—points to population structure within these groups. Moreover, discontinuities in cranial traits between the early Upper Palaeolithic and later periods could suggest that the Last Glacial Maximum had a disruptive effect on populations in Europe. Differences in social organisation can often result from cultural norms regarding post-marital residence. Such differences can be tested by comparing cranial data to that of geographic information. Greater variation in male cranial traits relative to females, after controlling for location, suggests that the overall pattern of residence during the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic was one of matrilocality. It has been suggested that coastal occupation was density dependent and these populations show a greater degree of sedentism than their inland counterparts. Moreover, it has been proposed that coastal areas were not continuously occupied until the Late Pleistocene due to spatial restrictions that would adversely affect reproductive opportunities. This study corroborates the pattern seen in cranial traits corresponded with that of a more sedentary population. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that coastal populations are more sedentary than inland populations during these periods. This study adds new information regarding the social dynamics of prehistoric populations in Europe and sheds light on some of the conditions that may have paved the way for the transition to agriculture