Effect of plant architecture on the structure of epiphytic macro invertebrate communities in a Chinese lake

We examined the effect of different plant architecture types on epiphytic macroinvertebrates of a shallow macrophyte-dominated lake in China. Macroinvertebrates were sampled from four dominant submersed macrophytes in the lake - two dissected plants (Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Ceratophyllum demersum L.) and two undissected plants (Potamogeton maackianus A. Benn. and Vallisneria spiralis L.). Macro invertebrate richness showed significant differences among four submersed macrophyte habitats, and higher density per g of dry plant were associated with dissected plants than undissected plants. The average abundance in dissected plants was as three-six times as in undissected plants. The biodiversity of epiphytic macroinvertebrates was higher in dissected plants than undissected plants. Our results suggest that dissected plants provide different habitat for macroinvertebrates than dissected plant, and this concurs with the hypothesis that the former could support more epiphytic macroinvertebrates than the latter.

Using epilithic diatom communities to assess ecological condition of Xiangxi River system

Assessment method for ecological condition of Xiangxi River system was studied by using 13 candidate metrics of epilithic diatom which can reflect conditions in pH, salinity, nitrogen uptake metabolism, oxygen requirements, saprobity, trophic state, morphological character and pollution tolerant capability etc. By one-way ANOVA, the metrics of relative abundance of acidobiontic algae (ACID), freshwater algae (FRESH), high oxygen requirement (HIGH-O), eutraphentic state (EUTRA) and mobile taxa ( MOBILE) were suitable for distinguishing sites in different conditions. Then, the river diatom index (RDI) composed of these five metrics was used to evaluate ecological condition of the river. The results showed that the healthiest sites were in the Guanmenshan Natural Reserve ( with the mean RDI of 79.73). The sites located in tributary of Jiuchong River also owned excellent state (mean RDI of 78.25). Mean RDI of another tributary - Gufu River and the main river were 70.85 and 68.45 respectively, and the unhealthiest tributary was Gaolan River (with mean RDI of 65.64). The mean RDI for all the 51 sites was 71.40. The competence of RDI was discussed with comparison of evaluation results of DAIpo and TDI, it can be concluded that multimetrics is more competent in assessment task.

Monitoring organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in Baiyangdian Lake using microbial communities

We used polyurethane foam units (PFUs) to collect persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from four sites in Baiyangdian Lake in July 2003. Following extraction from the PFUs, relative concentrations of seven organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and ten polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined by gas chromatography. OCPs and PCBs were detected in the microbial communities from all the four sampling stations. In terms of the total concentration of POPs (OCPs+ PCBs), two river estuary stations had more POP (18.45 mu g/L and 9.77 mu g/L) than the two mid-lake stations (4.75 mu g/L and 5.21 mu g/L), indicating that Baiyangdian Lake was significantly impacted by inflow from the Fu River and Baigou River.

Distribution of the macroinvertebrate communities in the Xiangxi River system and relationships with environmental factors

Surveys of macroinvertebrates were carried out in the Xiangxi River system during July of 2001. Among the 121 taxa collected, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Diptera dominated (41.7, 26.0, and 24.5% of the total relative abundance, respectively). Two-way indictor species analysis and detrended correspondence analysis divided the 49 sites into four groups based on species composition and relative abundance. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that elevation, SiO2, pH, conductivity, hardness, and NO2-N were significant environmental factors affecting the distribution of macroinvertebrates.

Development of a biotic index using the correlation of protozoan communities with chemical water quality

A method of comparing data on protozoan communities with chemical parameters is presented. Using data from an extensive survey of the River Hanjiang in China, each species of protozoa has been given a species pollution value (SPV) related to its occurrence in waters with different degrees of pollution. A comprehensive chemical index is calculated for each site based on water quality standards for eight chemical parameters. The index is calculated from the relationship between the observed levels of each chemical at a site, compared with the limits of the drinking water quality standards of the People's Republic of China. From the distribution of each species at sites with differing chemical index values, a SPV is calculated. The SPV for each species is obtained by summing the logarithmic value of 10 times the chemical pollution divided by the number of chemical parameters, then divided by the stations where the species occurs. The community pollution value (CPV), which is the average SPVs of all protozoa at a site, is used to evaluate water quality. The CPV has been shown to have a close correlation with the degree of water pollution. It is not necessary for all the protozoa in a sample to have SPVs listed in this paper, provided at least 56% of the protozoa in a sample have an SPV value, the CPV will be applicable.

Small fish communities in two regions of the Liangzi Lake, China, with or without submersed macrophytes

Small fish communities were compared between the vegetated and vegetation-free regions of the Liangzi Lake, a shallow lake along the middle reach of the Yangtze River, China. Fish were sampled using 10 x 10 m(2) block nets and poisoning. Three samples were taken from either the near shore area or lake centre of each region. A total of 19 fish species were collected; all species occurred in the vegetated region but only 12 occurred in the vegetation-free region. The dominant small fish were Carassius auratus auratus in the vegetated region and Ctenogobius giurinus in the vegetation-free region. Diversity, density and biomass of small fishes were significantly higher in the vegetated region than in the vegetation-free region in both near shore and lake centre areas. In the vegetated region, density and biomass of small fishes was significantly higher, while species diversity significantly lower in the near shore area than in the lake centre. In the vegetation-free region, density of small fishes was significantly higher in the near shore area than in the lake centre area, but species diversity or biomass was unaffected by location.

Diversity of intestinal helminth communities of carp from six lakes in the flood plain of the Yangtze river, China

The infra- and component communities of intestinal helminths of carp Cyprinus carpio were investigated in six lakes in the flood plain of the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Eight species of helminth parasites were recorded. The intestinal helminth communities were species rich in Niushan and Tonghu lakes where the digenean Asymphylodora japonica was the dominant species, whereas in Qinggang and Yanglan lakes a species-poor helminth community had only one species, Khawia sinensis. The degree of similarity within localities was highest in Qinggang and Yanglan lakes, and was high between communities where K. sinensis was the dominant species. The rich composition of these helminth communities may be because China is the heartland for carp while the poor helminth composition of those in Qinggang and Yanglan lakes may reflect the poor fauna there. It is suggested that species compositions of intestinal helminth communities of carp may be diversified in lakes in the hood plain of the Yangtze River. (C) 1999 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Room temperature photoluminescence of tensile-strained Ge/Si0.13Ge0.87 quantum wells grown on silicon-based germanium virtual substrate

We report a room temperature study of the direct band gap photoluminescence of tensile-strained Ge/Si0.13Ge0.87 multiple quantum wells grown on Si-based germanium virtual substrates by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition. Blueshifts of the luminescence peak energy from the Ge quantum wells in comparison with the Ge virtual substrate are in good agreement with the theoretical prediction when we attribute the luminescence from the quantum well to the c Gamma 1-HH1 direct band transition. The reduction in direct band gap in the tensile strained Ge epilayer and the quantum confinement effect in the Ge/Si0.13Ge0.87 quantum wells are directly demonstrated by room temperature photoluminescence.

co-creativepen toolkit: a pen-based 3d toolkit for children cooperatly designing virtual environment

Co-CreativePen Toolkit is a pen-based 3D toolkit for children cooperatly designing virtual environment. This toolkit is used to construct different applications involved with distributedpen-based 3D interaction. In this toolkit,sketch method is encapsulated as kinds of interaction techniques. Children can use pen to construct 3D and IBR objects, to navigate in the virtual world, to select and manipulate virtual objects, and to communicate with other children. Children can use pen to select other children in the virtual world, and use pen to write message to children selected The distributed architecture of Co-CreativePen Toolkit is based on the CORBA. A common scene graph is managed in the server with several copies of this graph are managed in every client.Every changes of the scene graph in client will cause the change in the server and other client.

construction of feature-matching perception in virtual assembly

An important characteristic of virtual assembly is interaction. Traditional di-rect manipulation in virtual assembly relies on dynamic collision detection, which is very time-consuming and even impossible in desktop virtual assembly environment. Feature-matching isa critical process in harmonious virtual assembly, and is the premise of assembly constraint sens-ing. This paper puts forward an active object-based feature-matching perception mechanism and afeature-matching interactive computing process, both of which make the direct manipulation in vir-tual assembly break away from collision detection. They also help to enhance virtual environmentunderstandability of user intention and promote interaction performance. Experimental resultsshow that this perception mechanism can ensure that users achieve real-time direct manipulationin desktop virtual environment.