Pattern of benthic biomass size spectra from shallow waters in the East China Seas

Benthic biomass size spectra (BSS) and normalized biomass size spectra were constructed, and benthic secondary production was estimated by a size spectrum equation in the shallow waters in the East China Sea, ranging latitudinally from 40A degrees N to 29A degrees N. The BSS patterns were bimodal, two biomass peaks corresponding to meiofauna and macrofauna, respectively, separated by a trough of low biomass at 8-256 mu g individual dry weight which varied in position with median sediment particle size. The BSS also displayed bimodality within meiofauna size ranges, which in most stations was due to the relative proportions of nematodes and other meiofauna taxa. Re-analysis of data from sites in the UK, South Africa, and Antarctic showed a similar bimodality in the adult species body size distribution within the meiofauna size range. Macrofaunal production estimated by the size spectrum equation was very similar to the results of Brey90 empirical equation. However, these production values were much lower than those calculated by Brey01. Different individual dry-to-wet conversion ratios, temperature deviation, and macrofauna taxonomic composition might be responsible for the between-model differences. The macrofaunal P/B ratios calculated by this equation ranged from 0.3 to 3.4 which were in accordance with values from Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. Meiofaunal production estimates will need further empirical support.

The Tamaricetea arceuthoidis: a new class for the continental riparian thickets of the Middle East, Central Asia and the subarid regions of the Lower Volga valley

The new class, the Tamaricetea arceuthoidis, is described covering riparian and intermittent shrubby vegetation of the Irano-Turanian Region in the southwestern and Central Asia and the Lower Volga valley. The dominating species are species of the genus Tamarix that refer high water table in arid and semi-arid habitats with high to moderate salinity. This new class is an ecological analogon of the Nerio-Tamaricetea occurring in the Mediterranean Basin.

The emotional structure of the advertising message in radio

Radio advertising is suffering from a remarkable crisis of creativity as it has yet not found its role in a radio model based on voice locution and information genres. This article suggests the need for implementing a peripheral or heuristic strategy to attract and hold listeners’ attention. Within this framework, the narration and scene representation are proposed as suitable persuasion techniques. The objective is to design a useful conceptual tool for an efficient creative conception of narration at the service of certain commercial strategy. First, the concept of narrative persuasion is grounded according to the possibilities of the sound code. Second, the keys of scene representation and commercial strategy (brand, product, advantage, benefit and target) within the sound message are presented. And third, these keys are articulated in a model. This model is pre-tested by means of analyzing eight different case-radio ads.