Intraspecific variation and interspecific differences in sex pheromones of sibling species inCtenopseustis obliquana complex

The specific status ofCtenopseustis obliquana pheromone-types I, II, and III has been more fully examined. Females of types I and III produce a mixture of (Z)-8- and (Z)-5-tetradecenyl acetates (Z8-14:Ac, Z5-14: Ac). The previously reported different ratios of these two components in females of the two types (type I=8020, III=9010) have been reinvestigated. The median ratios of each type differed significantly, although there was some overlap in the ranges of these ratios. A field cage trial showed that males of type III are attracted to females of type I, so the observed differences may be ascribed to intraspecific variation. In contrast to females of types I or III, females of type II produce Z5-14Ac but no Z8-14Ac. The electroantennogram (EAG) profile of antennae of type II males shows a maximum response to Z5-14Ac, while the EAG profiles of types I and III show a strong response to Z8-14Ac. In wind tunnel tests using mixtures of these two compounds, type II males prefer blends consisting of all or mostly Z5-14: Ac, while type I males showed a preference to a mix of 70% Z8-14Ac plus 30% Z5-14Ac. We found that type I males are attracted to type I females when offered a choice between type I and type II females in a field cage test and that type II males similarly prefer type II females. Males of types I and II have specialist cells for Z8-14Ac and Z5-14Ac but differ with respect to relative densities of these cells and to further cell types responsive to other alkenyl acetates. Type IIC. obliquana is considered therefore a sibling species of types I and III. In addition, the amount of Z5-14Ac produced by type II females varied geographically. Females from the North Island produced significantly less (median=1.2 ng) Z5-14Ac than females from the South Island (median=2.2 ng). Type II populations in the North Island morphologically resembled sympatric type I, rather than type II from the South Island and are designated as type II (North Island). Type II (North Island) populations have so far been found only at Rukuhia (near Hamilton) and from Kerikeri. In contrast, type II populations are sympatric with type III populations over much of the South Island. In a field cage trial, males of types II and II (North Island) were attracted to females of both II and II (North Island). We tentatively ascribe the differences between type II and type II (North Island) to intraspecific variation.     

2000—2014年辽宁省植被动态演变特征分析

基于MODIS － NDVI 数据,辅以线性回归法与分段线性回归法,并借助ArcGIS 软件,对辽宁 省2000—2014 年植被覆盖的动态演变过程进行分析。结果表明: ( 1) 时间上,辽宁省植被NDVI 在年 际尺度上呈现出明显的增大趋势,2005 年出现突变,多年平均NDVI 值为0. 496; 春季、夏季、秋季 以及植被生长季NDVI 突变年份分别为2006 年、2005 年、2009 年和2004 年,秋季波动变化的突变点 明显滞后; 植被生长最旺盛的季节为夏季,且集中于8 月。( 2) 空间上,辽宁省植被覆盖具有明显的 地域性差异,呈现出东部高、中西部低的分布特征; 辽宁省植被覆盖优良区与辽东山地的界限基本吻 合,植被覆盖贫乏区主要集中在朝阳市和阜新市的东北部地区。( 3) 辽宁省植被覆盖程度呈山地阴坡 高于阳坡的形态,并且植被覆盖程度最好的坡向为北偏西方向。( 4) 2000—2014 年辽宁省植被覆盖度 整体以维持现状和轻微改善为主,保持不变的区域集中于中东部地区,辽阳市与沈阳市一带有轻微退 化现象,辽西北地区改善情况较为明显。     

50年来辽宁省不同等级舒适日数演变及空间区划分析

根据1964—2015年辽宁省23个气象站点的逐日平均气温、相对湿度及平均风速资料,采用人体舒适度指数法计算人体舒适度指数,在季尺度上分析辽宁省不同等级舒适日数演变情况及典型旅游城市最佳旅游期;运用旋转经验正交函数分解法(REOF),分析人体舒适度指数季尺度空间变化特征,并应用ArcGIS软件进行舒适区域划分。结果表明:①辽宁省多年平均冷不舒适日数呈降低趋势,舒适日数呈增加趋势,热不舒适日数也呈微弱增加趋势;舒适程度夏季＞秋季＞春季＞冬季;②除冬季外5座典型旅游城市均适宜旅游,夏季为最佳旅游期;其中,沈阳、本溪更适宜春季旅游,大连更适宜秋季旅游。③辽宁省四季舒适度变化情况可大致划分为辽西、辽中、辽东三个区域,具体划分情况随季节有相应变化,总体舒适度由辽宁东部向西部逐渐递减。     

Posture variation among office workers when using different information and communication technologies at work and away from work

Office workers perform tasks using different information and communication technologies (ICT) involving various postures. Adequate variation in postures and muscle activity is generally believed to protect against musculoskeletal complaints, but insufficient information exists regarding the effect on postural variation of using different ICT. Thus, this study among office workers aimed to determine and compare postures and postural variation associated with using distinct types of ICT. Upper arm, head and trunk postures of 24 office workers were measured with the Physiometer® over a whole day in their natural work and away-from-work environments. Postural variation was quantified using two indices: APDF_(90-10) and EVA_(sd). Various ICT had different postural means and variation. Paper-based tasks had more non-neutral, yet also more variable postures. Electronics-based tasks had more neutral postures, with less postural variability. Tasks simultaneously using paper- and electronics-based ICT had least neutral and least variable postures. Tasks without ICT usually had the most posture variability. Interspersing tasks involving different ICT could increase overall exposure variation among office workers and may thus contribute to musculoskeletal risk reduction.     

Effect of qualitative and quantitative variation in allelochemicals on a generalist insect: Iridoid glycosides and the southern armyworm

The behavioral and physiological effects of plant allelochemicals have been difficult to demonstrate; it is not often clear whether the compounds are deterrent, toxic, or both. In this study, we compared the qualitative and quantitative effects of several iridoid glycosides on a generalist lepidopteran herbivore,Spodoptera eridania (Noctuidae). Larval growth and survivorship and larval preference or avoidance were measured on artificial diets containing different iridoid glycosides at different concentrations. We also tested the toxicity/deterrence of these compounds. We found that iridoid glycosides retarded larval growth significantly at relatively low concentrations and that they were usually avoided in preference tests. The toxicity/ deterrence test did not always reflect the results of these other tests. The merits of using a variety of methods for determining deterrence and/or toxicity of plant allelochemicals are discussed.     

Variation among and within mountain birch trees in foliage phenols,carbohydrates, and amino acids,and in growth ofEpirrita autumnata larvae

Leaf quality of the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp.tortuosa) for herbivores was studied at several hierarchical levels: among trees, among ramets within trees, among branches within ramets, and among short shoots within branches. The experimental units at each level were chosen randomly. The indices of leaf quality were the growth rate of the larvae of a geometrid,Epirrita autumnata, and certain biochemical traits of the leaves (total phenolics and individual phenolic compounds, total carbohydrates and individual sugars, free and protein-bound amino acids). We also discuss relationships between larval growth rate and biochemical foliage traits. Larval growth rates during two successive years correlated positively at the level of tree, the ramet, and the branch, indicating that the relationships in leaf quality remained constant between seasons both among and within trees. The distribution of variation at different hierarchical levels depended on the trait in question. In the case of larval growth rate, ramets and short shoots accounted for most of the explained variation. In the case of biochemical compounds, trees accounted for most of the variance in the content of total phenolics and individual low-molecular-weight phenolics. In the content of carbohydrates (total carbohydrates, starch, fructose, glucose, and sucrose) and amino acids, variation among branches was generally larger than variation among trees. Variation among ramets was low for most compounds. No single leaf trait played a paramount role in larval growth. Secondary compounds, represented by phenolic compounds, or primary metabolites, particularly sugars, may both be important in determining the suitability of birch leaves for larvae. If phenols are causally more important, genet-specific analyses of foliage chemistry are needed. If sugars are of primary importance, within-genet sampling and analysis of foliage chemistry are necessary.     

A spatio‐temporal water quality assessment of the Beas and Sutlej Rivers at the Harike Wetland: A Ramsar site in Punjab,India

Lakes play a vital role in regulating water storage, flow of river water, and ultimately maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Spatial and temporal variations in physicochemical parameters of water in Harike Wetland, a Ramsar site in the northwestern state of Punjab, India, were studied. This study was conducted on a monthly basis from January to December 2015. The water quality was studied at ten locations from sites 1 to 10 upstream, central and downstream from Harike Lake for ten physicochemical parameters, including temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen concentration biological oxygen demand, nitrate and phosphate concentrations and salinity. The findings of this study revealed that, except for temperature and pH, all parameters exhibited relatively higher values for the Sutlej River, compared with the Beas River, with sampling sites 5 to site 7 exhibiting intermediate results. The mean seasonal temperature variations ranged from 16.9 to 26.6 °C, the pH from 7.7 to 8.2, electrical conductivity from 223 to 303 μS cm^?1 and TDS concentration from 148.7 to 180.4 ppm. Correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relations between the variables. The electrical conductivity exhibited a high positive correlation with salinity and biological oxygen demand, whereas it correlated negatively with the dissolved oxygen concentration. Box and whisker plots were also plotted for the study results to better examine the data distribution.     

Spatial and Temporal Distinction of Microelemental Signatures of Missouri River Tributaries

The microchemical composition of a fish's calcified structure, such as an otolith, fin ray, or scale, is a ‘biological tag’ that reflects the use of different habitats throughout its life history. Hard‐part microchemistry has the potential to address many fish conservation, management, and behavior questions. In order to use hard‐part microchemistry to address fisheries research questions, elemental signatures of water must be distinct at the spatial scale of interest and ideally temporally stable. The goal of this study was to assess whether spatial differences existed in the concentrations of five elements [barium (¹³⁷Ba), magnesium (²⁴Mg), manganese (⁵⁵Mn), sodium (²³Na), and strontium (⁸⁸Sr)] between and within eight Missouri River tributaries and whether those signatures were temporally stable. All elemental concentrations were converted to molar ratios (mmol mol^?1) using calcium (⁴³Ca) concentrations as the base. Canonical correspondence analysis showed distinct differences in Mg:Ca, Na:Ca, and Sr:Ca concentrations between the eight tributaries. Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel tests showed that sites within a tributary were distinguished using Mg:Ca and Na:Ca concentrations. However, only Mg:Ca concentrations were temporally stable. Results from this study demonstrate the potential for using hard‐part microchemistry to address various questions at multiple spatial scales in the Missouri River riverscape but also highlight the importance of evaluating water microelemental signatures prior or simultaneous to any hard‐part microchemistry study. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.