Influence of host plant structure and microclimate on the abundance and behaviour of Tephritid fly

Microclimate and host plant architecture significantly influence the abundance and behavior of insects. However, most research in this field has focused at the invertebrate assemblage level, with few studies at the single-species level. Using wild Solanum mauritianum plants, we evaluated the influence of plant structure (number of leaves and branches and height of plant) and microclimate (temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity) on the abundance and behavior of a single insect species, the monophagous tephritid fly Bactrocera cacuminata (Hering). Abundance and oviposition behavior were signficantly influenced by the host structure (density of foliage) and associated microclimate. Resting behavior of both sexes was influenced positively by foliage density, while temperature positively influenced the numbers of resting females. The number of ovipositing females was positively influenced by temperature and negatively by relative humidity. Feeding behavior was rare on the host plant, as was mating. The relatively low explanatory power of the measured variables suggests that, in addition to host plant architecture and associated microclimate, other cues (e.g., olfactory or visual) could affect visitation and use of the larval host plant by adult fruit flies. For 12 plants observed at dusk (the time of fly mating), mating pairs were observed on only one tree. Principal component analyses of the plant and microclimate factors associated with these plants revealed that the plant on which mating was observed had specific characteristics (intermediate light intensity, greater height, and greater quantity of fruit) that may have influenced its selection as a mating site.

Raman spectroscopic study of vivianites of different origins

Raman spectroscopy has been used to study a selection of vivianites from different origins. A band is identified at around 3480 cm-1 whose intensity is sample dependent. The band is attributed to the stretching vibration of Fe3+ OH units which are formed through the autooxidation of the vivianite minerals either by self-oxidation or by photocatalytic oxidation according to the reaction: (Fe2+)3(PO4)2·8H2O + 1/2O2 (Fe2+)3– x(Fe3+)x(PO4)2(OH)x·(8–x)H2O in which some of the water of crystallization is converted to hydroxyl anions. Complexity of the OH stretching region through the overlap of broad bands is reflected in the water HOH deformation modes at 1660 cm–1. Using the infrared bands at 3281, 3105 and 3025 cm–1, hydrogen bond distances of 2.734(5), 2.675(2) and 2.655(2) Å are calculated. Vivianites are characterised by an intense band at 950 cm–1 assigned to the PO4 symmetric stretching vibration. Low Raman intensity bands are observed at ~1077, ~1050, 1015 and ~ 985 cm–1 assigned to the phosphate PO4 antisymmetric stretching vibrations. Multiple antisymmetric stretching vibrations are due to the reduced tetrahedral symmetry. This loss of degeneracy is also reflected in the bending modes. Two bands are observed at ~ 423 and ~ 456 cm–1 assigned to the2bending modes. For the vivianites four bands are observed at ~ 584, ~ 571, ~ 545 and ~ 525 cm–1 assigned to the 4modes of vivianite.

Raman spectroscopy of kaolinites using different excitation wavelengths

The Raman spectra of both low- and high-defect kaolinites in the hydroxyl stretching and low-wavenumber region were obtained with excitation at three visible wavelengths of 633, 514 and 442 nm and a UV wavelength of 325 nm. The UV-excited spectra were comparable to those excited by the visible wavelengths. The Raman spectra show hydroxyl stretching bands at 3621 cm-1 attributed to the inner hydroxyl, at 3692 and 3684 cm-1 attributed to the longitudinal and transverse optic modes of the inner surface hydroxyls and at 3668 and 3653 cm-1 assigned to the out-of phase vibrations of the inner surface hydroxyls. Two bands were observed in the spectral profile at 3695 cm-1 for the high-defect kaolinite at 3698 and 3691 cm-1 and were assigned to TO/LO splitting. An increase in relative intensity of the transverse optic mode is observed with decrease in laser wavelength. The intensity of the out-of-phase vibrations at 3668 and 3653 cm-1 of the inner surface hydroxyls shows a linear relationship with the longitudinal and transverse optic modes. In the low-wavenumber region excellent correlation was found between the experimentally determined and the calculated band positions.

A Low Cost Controller Board for Teaching Robotics

This paper presents the Smarty Board; a new micro-controller board designed specifically for the robotics teaching needs of Australian schools. The primary motivation for this work was the lack of commercially available and cheap controller boards that would have all their components including interfaces on a single board. Having a single board simplifies the construction of programmable robots that can be used as platforms for teaching and learning robotics. Reducing the cost of the board as much as possible was one of the main design objectives. The target user groups for this device are the secondary and tertiary students, and hobbyists. Previous studies have shown that equipment cost is one of the major obstacles for teaching robotics in Australia. The new controller board was demonstrated at high-school seminars. In these demonstrations the new controller board was used for controlling two robots that we built. These robots are available as kits. Given the strong demand from high-school teachers, new kits will be developed for the next robotic Olympiad to be held in Australia in 2006.