The Yangtze River dolphin or baiji (Lipotes vexillifer): population status and conservation issues in the Yangtze River, China

1. Baiji were sighted 17 times during three recent simultaneous multi-vessel surveys in the Yangtze River, China (November 4-10, 1997; December 4-9, 1998; October 31-November 5, 1999). There were 11 sightings in 1997 (consisting of 17 animals), five in 1998 (seven animals), and two in 1999 (four animals). It was concluded that 13 individuals Could be considered as a minimum number of the baiji currently in the Yangtze River. 2. An annual rate of population decrease was roughly estimated as 10%. From the body sizes observed, the proportions of old, adult and immature individuals were approximately estimated at 57, 26, and 17% respectively. 3. Baiji showed a significant attraction to confluences and sand bars with large eddies. The present distribution range of the baiji is less than 1400 km in length in the Yangtze main river. Distances between the two nearest groups of baiji appear to be increasing. 4. Two typical sightings are described, in which surfacing and movements of baiji were recorded. Baiji were often found swimming together with finless porpoise. In the surveys they occurred in the same group in 63% of occurrences. Interactions between baiji and finless porpoise are described and discussed. 5. Human activities are the main threats to the baiji. Illegal electrical fishing accounted for 40% of known mortalities during the 1990s. Engineering explosions for maintaining navigation channels have become another main cause of baiji deaths. The last hope of saving the species may be to translocate the remaining baiji into a semi-captive reserve. known as the 'Baiji Semi-natural Reserve'. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

Seasonal population dynamics of parasitic copepods, Sinergasilus spp. on farmed fish in China

Seasonal population dynamics of parasitic copepods in the genus Sinergasilus on fanned silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, farmed bighead carp Aristichthys nobilis, and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus were investigated in China. Changes in prevalence and abundance were seasonal with higher levels observed in summer. Reproduction of the copepods occurs from spring to early autumn as indicated by the higher ratio of gravid copepods. The frequency distribution of Sinergasilus polycolpus and S. major in their host populations can be fitted well with negative binomial distribution. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Observation of the third subband population in modulation-doped InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructure

The population of the third (n = 3) two-dimensional electron subband of InGaAs/InAlAs modulation-doped structures has been observed by means of Fourier transform photoluminescence (PL). Three well resolved PL peaks centred at 0.737, 0.908, and 0.980eV are observed, which are attributed to the transitions from the lowest three electron subbands to the n = 1 heavy-hole subband. The subband separations clearly exhibiting the features of the stepped quantum well with triangle and square potentials are consistent with numerical calculation. Thanks to the presence of Fermi cutoff, the population ratio of these three subbands can be estimated. Temperature- and excitation-dependent luminescences are also analyzed.

The third subband population in modulation-doped InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructures

We have observed the population of the third (n=3) two-dimensional electron subband of InGaAs/ InAlAs modulation-doped structures with very dense sheet carrier density by means of Fourier transform photoluminescence (PL). Three well-resolved PL peaks centered at 0.737, 0.908, and 0.980 eV are observed, which are attributed to the recombination transitions from the lowest three electron subbands to the n=1 heavy-hole subband. The subband separations clearly exhibit the features of the stepped quantum well with triangle and square potential, consistent with numerical calculation. Thanks to the presence of the Fermi cutoff, the population ratio of these three subbands can be estimated. Temperature and excitation intensity dependence of the quantum well luminescence intensity is also analyzed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.

THERMAL POPULATION IN ASYMMETRIC DOUBLE WELLS COUPLED BY HOLE MIXING TUNNELING

The thermal population in photocarrier systems coupled by hole mixing tunneling is studied by an analysis of the high energy tails in cw photoluminescence spectra of asymmetric coupled double wells. Photocarriers in wide well are heated due to hole transfer from the narrow well through resonant tunneling as well as by photon heating. The influences of the excitation intensity and lattice temperature on the tunneling transfer and thermal population are discussed.