Molecular systematics of medusae in the genus Craspedacusta (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Limnomedusae) in China with the reference to the identity of species

The objective of this study was to illustrate the phylogenetic relationship of the species in the genus Craspedacusta in China. The medusae samples were collected at 28 localities in China representing seven described species with their entire ITS region (the contiguous sequences of ITS-1, 5.8S and ITS-2 rDNA) rDNA sequences cloned. Among the 28 samples, the range of sequence variation in the complete ITS and 5.8S region was between 0 and 36.2%. Three main clades were revealed by both maximum likelihood and neighbour-joining trees, with sequence difference of 0-0.9, 0-3.7 and 0.1-1.5% in the three clades. The nesting of C. xinyangensis representatives within C. sowerbii, C. brevinema within C. sinensis and C. sichuanensis within C. kiatingi is strongly supported, with interspecific sequence divergence of 0-0.9, 0.1-1.4 and 0.0-0.4%, respectively. Thus, it is suggested that C. xinyangensis should be the synonym of C. sowerbii, C. sichuanensis the synonym of C. kiatingi and C. brevinema the synonym of C. sinensis. However, the taxonomic status of C. ziguiensis is still uncertain. According to the tree topology, C. kiatingi was closer to C. sowerbii than to C. sinensis. Craspedacusta sinensis was the most genetically distinct from distance matrix values, and located at the base of the phylogenetic trees, so it can be speculated that the C. sinensis may be the ancestral form in the genus Craspedacusta.

Validation of a method of estimating age, modelling growth, and describing the age composition of Coilia mystus from the Yangtze Estuary, China

A collection of 577 Coilia mystus was made during April 2006 and 2007 from China's Yangtze Estuary to estimate the age structure and growth patterns of the population. Examination of sectioned sagittal otoliths revealed a periodic straight/curved growth pattern. The straight zone was from April to November, and the curved zone from October to May, indicating annual periodicity. Annual periodicity was also verified by margin zone analysis. The shift from a curved-zone to the next straight-zone stanza was defined as an annulus. The fish from which the otoliths were taken were 0-5 years old. The von Bertalanffy growth function was fitted to standard length (LS)-at-age data as L-S = 215.16 (1 - e(-0.53(t+0.30))) (n = 577, r(2) = 0.81, p < 0.05). The mature females included five age classes, ages 1 and 2 accounting for 74.3% of the population. The mature males included fish aged 1 and 2, those at age 1 accounting for 86.4% of the population. Mean length was smaller, and annual growth less, for mature males than for females of comparable age. The study demonstrated that the Yangtze population of C. mystus consists of more age classes than previously thought and that the age structure of the population needs to be considered in management decisions.

Post-impoundment biomass and composition of phytoplankton in the Yangtze River

Damming, and thus alteration of stream flow, promotes higher phytoplankton populations and encourages algal blooms (density > 10(6) cells L-1) in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Phytoplankton composition and biomass were studied in the Yangtze River from March 2004 to May 2005. 107 taxa were identified. Diatoms were the dominant group, followed by Chlorophyta and Cyanobacteria. In the Yangtze River, algal abundance varied from 3.13 x 10(3) to 3.83 x 10(6) cells L-1, and algal biomass was in the range of 0.06 to 659 mg C m(-3). Levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and silica did not show consistent longitudinal changes along the river and were not correlated with phytoplankton parameters. Phytoplankton abundance was negatively correlated with main channel discharge (Spearman r = -1.000, P < 0.01). Phytoplankton abundance and biomass in the Yangtze River are mainly determined by the hydrological conditions rather than by nutrient concentrations.

Applications of factor-criteria system reconstruction analysis in the reproduction research on grass carp, black carp, silver carp and bighead in the Yangtze River

The natural reproduction of grass carp, black carp, silver carp, and bighead will be affected adversely by the Three Gorges Project in the Yangtze River. One of the methods to save the fish is to regulate the water levels, keeping them suited for the species to spawn. Nine factors associated with the scale of larvae-flood of the four species are classified into five levels, and the ranges of these factors producing larvae-floods are given by using the "factor-criteria system reconstruction analysis" method. Moderate beginning water levels and flow, with high daily increases in the rate of water level and flow, and a long duration of water level rising are important for the production of a large larvae-flood.

Effects of Fracture Seepage on the Stability of Landslide during Reservoir Water Level Fluctuation

The hydraulic conductivity function of fractures is a key scientific question to describe and reveal the process and the role of water seepage reasonably. In this paper, the generation technology of random fracture network and the latest numerical computation method for equivalent permeability tensor of fracture network are applied to analyze the landslide located at Wangjiayuanzi in Wanzhou District of Chongqing by simulating the changes of the seepage field caused by the running of the Three Gorges Reservoir. The influences of the fracture seepage on the seepage field and stability of the landslide were discussed with emphasis. The results show that the fractures existing in the soil increase the permeability coefficient of the landslide body and reduce the delay time of the underground water level in the landslide which fluctuates relative to the water level of reservoir，that causes the safe coefficient of the slope changes more gently than that of the same slope without fractures. It means, if only water level fluctuating condition is concerned, the fractures existing in the soil plays a positive role to the stability of slopes.

Model analysis of dissolved inorganic phosphorus exports from the Yangtze river to the estuary

In this paper, we estimate the inputs of phosphorus (P) to the Yangtze River Basin and exports of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) from the river to the estuary for the period 1970-2003, by using the global NEWS-DIP model. Modeled DIP yields range from 2.5 kg P km(-2) yr(-1) in 1970 to 4.6 kg P km(-2) yr(-1) in 1985, and then dramatically increase to 14.1 kg P km(-2) yr(-1) in 2003. No significant difference between the modeled and measured values at the level of P = 0.05 is observed. The study also demonstrates variable source contributions of P to the modeled DIP during the period 1970-2003. Point sewage P input accounted for approximately 100% in the period 1970-1985 and substantially decreased to 24.8% in 2003. Chemical fertilizer contributed 25.4% of DIP yields in 1986 and increased continuously to 50.3% in 2003, while a stable trend in manure P contribution averaging 22.9% of DIP yields was shown in the same period. The study concludes that P inputs to the Yangtze River Basin and the river DIP export to the estuary have substantially increased during the study period consequence to human pressure.

三峡库区巴东组泥灰岩溶蚀作用与岩体力学性质弱化研究

Abstract The karsrt erosion engineering geology became a highlight problem in recent years, in particularly, the karst erosion of marlite of Badong formation made the rock mechanics weaken in Three Gorges Reservoir area, which reduces the safety of slope. During the immigrant construction, many high slopes have been formed, whose instabilities problems pose serious threats to the safety of the people and properties. The accidents of the slope failure take place now and then. By testing, it has been found that the karst erosion pattern and dissolution rate of marlite are not weaker than that of the pure limestone. Furthermore, owning to the weathering and unloading, the karst erosion of the marlite will reach certain depth of the slope, which is named infiltrated karst erosion. The karst erosion made the rock mass quality of slope or foundation worse in a large scale. The karst erosion geological disasters, taken place or not, has become the main restrictive factors to the social stability and economic development. Thus the karst erosion process and mechanism of marlite of Badong formation are studied as the main content of this dissertation. The weakening characteristic of rock mass mechanics parameters are studied along with the rock mass structure deformation and failure processes in the course of the karst erosion. At first, the conditions and influencing factors of the karst erosion are analyzed in the investigative region, on the basis of different karst erosion phenomenon of the marlite and different failure modes of slope. Then via indoor the karst erosion tests, it is analyzed that the karst erosion will change the rock mass composition and its structure. Through test, the different karst erosion phenomena between micro and macro have been observed, and the karst erosion mechanism of the marlite has been summarized. Damage theory is introduced to explain the feature of dissolution pore and the law of crack propagation in the marlite. By microscope and the references data, it can be concluded that the karst erosion process can be divided into rock minerals damage and rock structural damage. And the percent of karst erosion volume is named damage factor, which can be used to describe the quantify karst erosion degree of marlite. Through test, the rock mechanical properties in the different period of karst erosion are studied. Based on the damage mechanics theory and the test result, the relation between the karst erosion degree of marlite and weakening degree of mechanical properties is summarized. By numerical simulations, the karst erosive rock mass mechanics is verified. The conclusion is drawn as below: to the rock mass of marlite, the karst erosion damage made mechanics parameters variation, the deformation modulus, cohesion, and inter friction angle reduce as the negative exponent with the increasing of the karst erosion volume, however, the Poisson ratio increases as the positive exponent with the karst erosion volume increasing. It should be noticed that the deduced formulations are limited to the test data and certain conditions. It is suitable to the rock mass parametric weakening process after the karst erosion of marlite in Three Gorges Reservoir area. Based on the failure types of marlite slope in the field, the karst erosion and weathering process of rock mass are analyzed. And the evolution law of deformation and failure of the marlite mass is studied. The main failure feature of the marlite slope is the karst erosive structure subsidence mode in Three Gorges Reservoir area. The karst erosive structure subsidence mode is explained as follows: the rock mass undergoes the synthetic influence, such as weathering, unloading, corrosion, and so on, many pores and cavities have been formed in the rock mass interior, the rock mass quality is worsen and the rock mass structure is changed, and then the inherent structure of rock mass is collapsed under its gravity, therefore, the failure mode of compaction and subsidence take place. Finally, two examples are used to verify the rock mass parameters in Three Gorges Reservoir area, and the relationship between the marlite slope stability and the time of karst erosion is proposed.

降雨条件下碎石土滑坡稳定性研究

Debris Landslide is one of the types of landslides with the widest distribution, largest quantity, and the closest relationship with engineering construction. It is also one of the most important types of landslides that can cause disaster. This kind of landslide often occurs in the loose slopes which are made up of loose congeries formed by earth filling, residual soil, slope wash, dilapidation, landslide or full weathered material of hard rock. Rainfall is always the chief inducing factor of debris Landslide. Therefore, to research stability of debris Landslide during rainfall not only has important theoretical significance for understanding developing law and deformation and failure mechanism of debris landslide, but also has important practical significance for investigating, appraising, forecasting, preventing and controlling debris landslides. This thesis systematically summarized the relationships between rainfall and landslide, the method to survey water table in the landslides, the deformation and failure mechanism of debris landslide, and the progress in the stability analysis of landslides based on the analyses of data collected widely at home and abroad. The problems in the study of the stability of debris landslide during rainfall was reviewed and discussed. Due to the complicated geological conditions and the random rainfall conditions, the research on the landslides' stability must be based on engineering geological qualitative analysis. Through the collection of the data about the Panxi region and the Three Gorges Reservoir region, the author systematically summarized the engineering geological conditions, hydro-geological condition, distribution characteristics of stress field in the slope, physical and mechanical properties and hydro-mechanical properties of debris. In the viewpoint of dynamics of soil water and hydromechanics, physical process of rainfall to supply groundwater of debris landslides can be divided into two phases, i.e. non-saturated steady infiltrating phase and saturated unsteady supplying phase. The former can be described by mathematical model of surface water infiltration while the latter can be described by equivalent continuous medium model of groundwater seepage. With regard to specific hydrological geology system, we can obtain the dynamic variation law of water content, water table, landslide stability of rock and soil mass, along with quantity and duration of rainfall after the boundary condition on hydrological geology has been ascertained. This is a new way to study the response law of groundwater in the landslides during rainfall. After wet face of rock and soil mass connects with ground water table, the raising of water table will occur due to the supply of rainfall. Then interaction between ground water and rock and soil mass will occur, such as the action of physics, water, chemistry and mechanics, which caused the decrease of shearing strength of sliding zone. According to the action of groundwater on rock and soil mass, a concise mechanical model of debris landslide’s deformation was established during rainfall. The static equilibrium condition of landslide mass system was achieved according to the concise mechanical model, and then the typical deformation and failure process and failure mode of debris landslide during rainfall were discussed. In this thesis, the former limiting equilibrium slice method was modified and improved based on shearing strength theory of , a stability analysis program of debris landslide was established and developed taking account of the saturated-unsaturated seepage, by introducing the shearing strength theory of unsaturated soil mass made by (1978). The program has reasonable data storage and simple interface and is easy to operate, and can be perfectly used to carry out sensitivity analysis of influencing factors of landslides' stability, integrated with the program of Office Excel. The design of drainage engineering are always bases on empirical methods and is short of effective quantitative analysis and appraise, therefore, the conception of critical water table of debris landslide was put forward. For debris landslides with different kinds of slide face in the engineering practice, a program to search the critical water table of debris landslide was developed based on native groundwater table. And groundwater table in the slope should be declined below the critical water table in the drainage works, so the program can be directly used to guide drainage works in the debris landslide. Taking the slope deformation body in the back of former factory building of Muli Shawan hydroelectric power station as an example, a systematic and detailed research on debris landslides' stability during rainfall was researched systematically, the relationship among quantity of rainfall, water table and stability of slope was established, the debris landslides' stability in process of rainfall from dynamic viewpoint was analyzed and researched.

岩体力学参数及稳定性能量判据研究

There are two major problems that have been concerned all the times, which are the mechanics characters of joint rock mass and the criterion for stability of engineering rock. Aim at the two problems, several works were conducted as follow: (1) Firstly, the mechanics characters of rock mass was studied by means of the Distinct Element Code. Subsequently, it was studied that the sensibility of joint surface roughness, strength of joint wall, joint stiffness ( i.e. tangential and normal stiffness) on the rock mass strength. (2) Based on the experimental rock mass classification methods of RMR and GSI, the program of “Parameters Calculation of the Rock Mass ” was developed. It has realized the rapid choice of rock mass parameters. (3) The concept of Representive Element Volume was induced based on the study of dimensional effect of rock mass. The Representive Element Volume of the horizontal and vertical pillar (ab. Two Pillars ) in the 2nd zone of Jinchuan mine were gained by the Geology Statistic Method and the Distinct Element Code. And then, the strength and deformatiom parameters of rock mass of the Two Pillars were obtained through numerical experiment. (4) From the confining depressure after thriaxial compression test of rock sample, it was concluded that the failure of rock is caused mainly by the lateral deformation and energy release happened during the confining depressure processure. The criterion of plastic energy catastrophe of rock engineering failure was proposed and validated. Subsquently, the stability of the horizontal pillar and Qianjiangping landslide in Three Gorges was judged by means of above-mentioned method. (5) Based on the fact there is a phenomenon of increasing energy concentration while the rock mass was compressed, rock information entropy (i.e. energy distribution entropy) was proposed. And it was revealed that there was change of energy distribution entropy while the rock mass was compressed to failure.

边坡工程的极限分析上限法

Theory of limit analysis include upper bound theorem and lower bound theorem. To deal with slope stability analysis by limit analysis is to approximate the real solution from upper limit and lower limit. The most used method of limit analysis is upper bound theorem, therefore it is often applied to slope engineering in many cases. Although upper bound approach of limit analysis can keep away from vague constitutive relation and complex stress analyses, it also can obtain rigorous result. Assuming the critical surface is circular slip surface, two kinematically admissible velocity fields for perpendicular slice method and radial slice method can be established according to the limit analysis of upper bound theorem. By means of virtual work rate equation and strength reduction method, the upper-bound solution of limit analysis for homogeneous soil slope can be obtained. A log-spiral rotational failure mechanism for homogeneous slope is discussed from two different conditions which represent the position of shear crack passing the toe and below the toe. In the dissertition, the author also establishes a rotational failure mechanics with combination of different logarithmic spiral arcs. Furthermore, the calculation formula of upper bound solution for inhomogeneous soil slope stability problem can be deduced based on the upper bound approach of rigid elements. Through calculating the external work rate caused by soil nail, anti-slide pile, geotechnological grid and retaining wall, the upper bound solution of safety factor of soil nail structure slope, slip resistance of anti-slide pile, critical height of reinforced soil slope and active earth pressure of retaining wall can be obtained by upper bound limit analysis method. Taking accumulated body slope as subject investigated, with study on the limit analysis method to calculate slope safety factor, the kinematically admissible velocity fields of perpendicular slice method for slope with broken slip surface is proposed. Through calculating not only the energy dissipation rate produced in the broken slip surfaces and the vertical velocity discontinuity, but also the work rate produced by self-weight and external load, the upper bound solution of slope with broken slip surface is deduced. As a case study, the slope stability of the Sanmashan landslide in the area of the Three Gorges reservoir is analyzed. Based on the theory of limit analysis, the upper bound solution for rock slope with planar failure surface is obtained. By means of virtual work-rate equation, energy dissipation caused by dislocation of thin-layer and terrane can be calculated; furthermore, the formulas of safety factor for upper bound approach of limit analysis can be deduced. In the end, a new computational model of stability analysis for anchored rock slope is presented after taking into consideration the supporting effect of rock-bolts, the action of seismic force and fissure water pressure. By using the model, not only the external woke-rate done by self-weight, seismic force, fissure water pressure and anchorage force but also the internal energy dissipation produced in the slip surface and structural planes can be totally calculated. According to the condition of virtual work rate equation in limit state, the formula of safety factor for upper bound limit analysis can be deduced.

三峡库区堆积层斜坡稳定性分级与应用研究

Considering the lacking of standard for the classification of Accumulative slopes so far, research working was conducted based on the results of geological investigation, data analysis and experiment carried out in Wanzhou. By mean of statistical method and grey system, the author studied in detail inflationary factors to Accumulative slopes. In order to study the mechanism of Rock-Soil Aggregate (RSA), numerical testing method was used. Coordinates in the two and three dimensional space and its corresponding rock fragments in the sample were generated randomly by VB and Particle flow code. After being built the models of RSA with different rock content, uniaxial and triaxial numerical simulation tests were carried out respectively. In order to study the effect of rainfall in Accumulative slopes, in situ infiltration testing had been conducted on site in Wanzhou, Three Gorges Area. Relationship between the infiltration rate and amount of precipitation has been obtained. Eleven factors are considered in the classification of Accumulative slopes in this paper.(1)On the basis of four basic factors and four inducing factors, sum-and-difference method for the classification system has been built. (2)After weight of factors being determined by analytic hierarchy process and membership function of Accumulative slopes stability being built in virtue of fuzzy mathematics, AHP-FM model of Accumulative slopes stability has been completed. In the end of this paper, having been applied on stability of Accumulative slopes in Three Gorge area and compared with result by limit equilibrium, classification system has good effect.

三峡库区滑坡的时空分布、成因及其预报模式

Landslides are widely distributed along the main stream banks of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Especially with the acceleration of the human economic activities in the recent 30 years, the occurrence of landslide hazards in the local area trends to be more serious. Because of the special geological, topographic and climatic conditions of the Three Gorges areas, many Paleo-landslides are found along the gentle slope terrain of the population relocation sites. Under the natural condition, the Paleo-landslides usually keep stable. The Paleo-landslides might revive while they are influenced under the strong rainfall, water storage and migration engineering disturbance. Therefore, the prediction and prevention of landslide hazards have become the important problem involving with the safety of migration engineering of the Three Gorges Reservoir area.The past research on the landslides of the Three Gorges area is mainly concentrated on the stability analysis of individual landslide, and importance was little attached to the knowledge on the geological environment background of the formation of regional landslides. So, the relationship between distribution and evolution of landslides and globe dynamic processes was very scarce in the past research. With further study, it becomes difficult to explain the reasons for the magnitude and frequency of major geological hazards in terms of single endogenic or exogenic processes. It is possible to resolve the causes of major landslides in the Three Gorges area through the systematic research of regional tectonics and river evolution history.In present paper, based on the view of coupling of earth's endogenic and exogenic processes, the author researches the temporal and spacial distribution and formation evolution of major landslides(Volume^lOOX 104m3) in the Three Gorges Reservoir area through integration of first-hand sources statistics, .geological evolution history, isotope dating and numerical simulation method etc. And considering the main formation factors of landslides (topography, geology and rainfall condition), the author discusses the occurrence probability and prediction model of rainfall induced landslides.The distribution and magnitude of Paleo-landslides in the Three Gorges area is mainly controlled by lithology, geological structure, bank slope shape and geostress field etc. The major Paleo-landslides are concentrated on the periods 2.7-15.0 X 104aB.R, which conrresponds to the warm and wettest Paleoclimate stages. In the same time, the Three Gorges area experiences with the quickest crust uplift phase since 15.0X 104aB.P. It is indicated that the dynamic factor of polyphase major Paleo-landslides is the coupling processes of neotectonic movement and Quaternary climate changes. Based on the numerical simulation results of the formation evolution of Baota landslide, the quick crust uplift makes the deep river incision and the geostress relief causes the rock body of banks flexible. Under the strong rainfall condition, the pore-water pressure resulted from rain penetration and high flood level can have the shear strength of weak structural plane decrease to a great degree. Therefore, the bank slope is easy to slide at the slope bottom where shear stress concentrates. Finally, it forms the composite draught-traction type landslide of dip stratified rocks.The susceptibility idea for the rainfall induced landslide is put forward in this paper and the degree of susceptibility is graded in terms of the topography and geological conditions of landslides. Base on the integration with geological environment factors and rainfall condition, the author gives a new probabilistic prediction model for rainfall induced landslides. As an example from Chongqing City of the Three Gorges area, selecting the 5 factors of topography, lithology combination, slope shape, rock structure and hydrogeology and 21 kinds of status as prediction variables, the susceptibility zonation is carried out by information methods. The prediction criterion of landslides is established by two factors: the maximum 24 hour rainfall and the antecedent effective precipitation of 15 days. The new prediction model is possible to actualize the real-time regional landslide prediction and improve accuracy of landslide forecast.

Urban microclimates and urban heat island in Chongqing, China

Chongqing is the largest directly-controlled municipality in China, which is now undergoing a rapid urbanization. The urbanization rate increased from 35.6% in 2000 to 48.3% in 2007, and it is estimated to reach at least 70% by 2020. The question remains open: What are the consequences of such rapid urbanization in Chongqing in terms of urban microclimate? Furthermore, Chongqing is located within the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) region and the upper Yangtze River, where the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) project started in 1993 and was completed in 2010. As one of the biggest construction projects in the world with a rising water level of 175m and water storage capacity of about 39.3 billion m3, it would be interesting to investigate how such a gigantic project impacts the surrounding micro-environment, especially in Chongqing. Different research approaches are adopted in the study. Our literature review indicates present studies on the urban climate in Chongqing are mainly confined within the historical trend analysis of several weather stations operated by the Chongqing government, little is known about the spatial distribution of urban air temperature and how the local land cover influences the air temperature, especially when there are rivers running through the Chongqing urban area. To contribute to the present knowledge, a series of field measurement campaigns and numerical simulations were carried out. Two complementary types of field measurements are included: fixed weather stations and mobile transverse measurement. Numerical simulations using a house-developed program are able to predict the urban air temperature in Chongqing.

Scat contents of the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus in the New England gorges, north-eastern New South Wales

In 1313 scats of the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus, collected over 5 years from the gorge country of north-eastern New South Wales, the most frequent and abundant items were derived from mammals and a restricted set of insect orders. These quolls also ate river-associated items: waterbirds, eels, crayfish, aquatic molluscs and even frogs. Macropods contributed most of the mammal items, with possums, gliders and rodents also being common. Some food, particularly from macropods and lagomorphs, had been scavenged (as shown by fly larvae). The most frequent invertebrates were three orders of generally large insects Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Orthoptera, which were most frequent in summer and almost absent in winter scats. Monthly mean numbers of rodent and small dasyurid items per scat were inversely related to these large insects in scats. The numbers of reptile items were inversely related to the numbers of mammal (especially arboreal and small terrestrial mammal) items per scat, thus types of items interacted in their occurrences in monthly scat samples. Frequencies of most vertebrate items showed no seasonal, but much year-to-year, variation. This quoll population ate four main types of items, each requiring different skills to obtain: they hunted arboreal marsupials (possibly up trees), terrestrial small mammals and reptiles (on the ground), and seasonally available large insects (on trees or the ground), and scavenged carcases, mostly of large mammals but also birds and fishes (wherever they could find them).

Effect of colostrum feeding method and presence of dam on the sleep, rest and sucking behaviour of newborn calves

"In rats, sucking milk reduces anxiety and promotes non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and in calves it induces resting but the effect on sleep is unknown. Here, we investigated how calves' sleep was affected by colostrum feeding methods. Forty-one calves were blocked by birth date and randomly allotted within blocks to the experimental treatments. Calves were housed for four days either with their dam (DAM) or individually with warm colostrum feeding (2 L four times a day) from either a teat bucket (TEAT) or an open bucket (BUCKET). DAM calves suckled their dam freely. Calves' sleeping and sucking behaviour was filmed continuously for 48 h at the ages of two and three days. Behavioural sleep (BS) was defined as calves resting at least 30 s with their head still and raised (non-rapid eye movement) or with their head against their body or the ground (rapid eye movement, REM). Latency from the end of colostrum feeding to the start of BS was recorded. We compared behaviour of TEAT calves with that of DAM and BUCKET calves using mixed models. Milk meal duration was significantly longer for TEAT calves than for BUCKET calves (mean +/- S.E.M.; 8.3 +/- 0.6 min vs. 5.2 +/- 0.6 min), but equal to that of DAM calves. We found no effect of feeding method on the duration of daily BS (12 h 59 min I h 38 min) but we found a tendency for the daily amount of NREM sleep; BUCKET calves had less NREM sleep per day than TEAT calves (6 h 18 min vs. 7 h 48 min, S.E.M. = 45 min) and also longer latencies from milk ingestion to BS (21.9 +/- 2.0 min vs. 16.2 +/- 2.0 min). DAM calves slept longer bouts than TEAT calves (10.8 +/- 1.0 min vs. 8.3 +/- 1.0 min) and less often (78 +/- 4 vs. 92 +/- 4). Sucking colostrum from a teat bucket compared with drinking from an open"