Pine wilt disease caused by pine wood nema-todes is a deadly disease of the genus Pinus requiring strong quarantine measures.Since its discovery,it has been widely distributed throughout the world.China is one of the ...Pine wilt disease caused by pine wood nema-todes is a deadly disease of the genus Pinus requiring strong quarantine measures.Since its discovery,it has been widely distributed throughout the world.China is one of the coun-tries with a severe rate of infections due to its abundant pine resources.In this study,nematode-trapping fungi were collected from pine trees in Ninghai City,Zhejiang Prov-ince,which is the key area of pine wilt control in Febru-ary,May,September,October and November.The results showed that nematode-trapping fungi of pine are abundant,especially the number and species detected in each month and are quite different;species of fungi in July,Septem-ber and November were more numerous and had higher separation rates.The dominant species in November was Arthrobotrys oligospora followed by Arthrobotrys cladodes;July and September it was A.cladodes.In each part of the tree,A.cladodes was the most widely distributed with a high separation rate.Therefore,it is the dominant fungal species in the area.Arboreal Bursaphelenchus xylophilus-trapping fungi are dependent on pine wood nematodes,and none were isolated from healthy pine trees.More arboreal B.xylophilus-trapping fungi were found under the bark than in the xylem.There is a close relationship between arboreal B.xylophilus-trapping fungi and pine wood nematodes.How to make use of these resources to reduce the damage of pine wood nematode fusarium is the focus of future research.展开更多
This paper considers a stage-structured three species model with intra-guild predation and disturbing pulse. Sufficient conditions which guarantee the global attractivity of boundary periodic solution and permanence o...This paper considers a stage-structured three species model with intra-guild predation and disturbing pulse. Sufficient conditions which guarantee the global attractivity of boundary periodic solution and permanence of the system are obtained. Our results show that the pulse and time delay bring great effect on the dynamical behaviors of the model.展开更多
Sloshing experiment is crucial to determine the reaction performance of regeneration columns on an offshore floating platform.A novel type of column motion simulating device and a Marine Predator Algorithm-based Slidi...Sloshing experiment is crucial to determine the reaction performance of regeneration columns on an offshore floating platform.A novel type of column motion simulating device and a Marine Predator Algorithm-based Sliding Mode Controller(MPA-SMC)are proposed for such sloshing experiments.The simulator consists of a Stewart platform and a steel framework.The Stewart platform is located at the column's center of gravity(CoG)and supported by the steel framework.The platform's hydraulic servo system is controlled by a sliding mode controller with parameters optimized by MPA to improve robustness and precision.A numerical sloshing experiment is conducted using the proposed device and controller.The results show that the novel motion simulator has lower torque during the column sloshes,and the proposed controller performs better than a well-tuned PID controller in terms of target tracking precision and anti-interference capability.展开更多
Large scale harvest of Korean pine （Pinus koraiensis） seeds as a food product in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest of northeastern China poses a serious threat to the sustainability and restoration of this endan...Large scale harvest of Korean pine （Pinus koraiensis） seeds as a food product in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest of northeastern China poses a serious threat to the sustainability and restoration of this endangered regional ecosystem. Seed collection over past decades greatly reduced the seed bank and subsequent seedling and sapling re- cruitment, and impacting a wide array of granivorous animals that rely on the pine seeds. We surveyed Korean pine seeds, including solid seeds （SS）, insect consumed seeds （ICS） and other （animal） consumed （OCS） kernels, of the seed bank （forest floor and the top 10 cm of mineral soil）, the seedlings and saplings from 1 m： sample plots in five forest types in Liangshui Nature Reserve （LNR） of the southern Xiao Xing＇an Moun- tains in northeastern China to provide accurate information for assessing the Korean pine regeneration potential. The average number of pine seeds in the seed bank were 11.2 seeds/m2, 9.1 seeds/m2, 4.6 seeds/m2, 1.1 seeds/m2, and 0.2 seeds/m2 in Korean pine-basswood forest, mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest, mixed conifer-hardwood forest, white birch forests, and oak forests, respectively. In the first three forest types, percentages of SS （potentially viable seeds） were 11.2%, 3.5% and 27.8%, respectively. The percentages of ICS （not viable seeds） were consistent at around 35%. The higher but variable percentages of OCS （not viable seeds） indicated high seed predation in these forests. Com- pared with other studies, we recorded higher percentages of seed damage, probably due to our survey approach and the increased depth of seed bank sampled in our study. Depletion of pine seeds in the seed bank greatly reduced seedling and sapling recruitment. Densities of pine seed- lings varied from about 180 trees/ha in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest to about 5,400 trees/ha in the mixed conifer-hardwood forests and showed a high degree of spatial variation. Saplings were rare in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest, but ranged in the thousands in other forests. Large scale pine seed harvest has seriously threatened the sustainability of the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest ecosystem. Scaling down the seed harvest or supplemental planting of pine saplings are urgently needed to maintain the health of the existing Korean pine forests and to restore this endangered ecosystem.展开更多
In recent decades,the consequences of habitat fragmentation have been of growing concern,because it is particularly important to understand how fragmentation may affect biodiversity,an ecological service.We tested two...In recent decades,the consequences of habitat fragmentation have been of growing concern,because it is particularly important to understand how fragmentation may affect biodiversity,an ecological service.We tested two hypotheses：（1） that natural fragment size in agricultural landscapes indirectly affects the herbivore through effects on natural predator populations;and（2） predator activity into the crop reduces along the distance from the natural fragment edge.From 2008 and 2009,we conducted our study in seven forest remnants and in surrounding coffee plantations（fragments ranged from 6 to 105 ha,mean 49.28 ± 36.60 ha） in Southern Minas Gerais,Brazil.Birds were sampled by point counts,and insect predation was evaluated by using an artificial insect model（Koh and Menge 2006）.Our results suggest that although there were many potential predators（e.g.,wasps,ants,birds,and mammals）,birds were the most important taxon unit.The covariance analysis supported the hypothesis that patch size affected the number of larvae predation by overall taxi,but there was no support for a distance effect.These findings suggest that natural enemies’ ecological service（mainly from birds） declined with remnant reduction,which has implications not only for human welfare,but also in strengthening the economic justifications for conserving the remaining natural habitats and biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.展开更多
The Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri is an uncommon songbird endemic to East Asia. Suitable nest- site selection can minimize nest loss, especially for open- cup and ground nesting passerines. We located and mon- ito...The Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri is an uncommon songbird endemic to East Asia. Suitable nest- site selection can minimize nest loss, especially for open- cup and ground nesting passerines. We located and mon- itored 66 Marsh Grassbird nests during 2004-2006 in Zhalong National Nature Reserve, northeast China, to identify characteristics of preferred nest sites. Marsh Grassbird nested mainly at sites with dense vegetation cover, high undergrowth and dry standing reed stalks, as well as small shallow ponds or rivers. Nests were more successful when they were placed higher above ground in patches with greater litter thickness. Predation and flooding were the leading causes of nest failure, accounting for at least 33 and 25 % of 24 nests lost, respectively. We ad- vocate retention of some unharvested reed patches and implementation of irrigation strategies that avoid increas- ing water levels during the breeding period （May-July） of Marsh Grassbirds.展开更多
Background Direct seeding is potentially a more cost-effective alternative to conventional tree planting for restoring tropical forest ecosystems.However,seed loss,due to removal and damage by animals,can substantiall...Background Direct seeding is potentially a more cost-effective alternative to conventional tree planting for restoring tropical forest ecosystems.However,seed loss,due to removal and damage by animals,can substantially reduce seedling establishment.Therefore,this study examined the impact of seed predation on seedling establishment of five tree species,native to upland evergreen forests of northern Thailand:Hovenia dulcis,Alangium kurzii,Prunus cerasoides,Choerospondias axillaris and Horsfieldia amygdalina.We tested the hypothesis that excluding animals would significantly reduce seed removal,and increase both germination and seedling survival.The objective was to calculate a composite index of the relative suitability of the species studied for direct seeding.Methods Seeds were placed on the ground in a deforested site and subjected to five predator-exclusion treatments:wire cage,insecticide,cage+insecticide,open cage and no exclusion(control).Results Seed loss was highest for H.amygdalina(the largest seed tested).Across species,wire cages significantly reduced seed loss by 12.4%compared with controls(P<0.001)suggesting that vertebrates were the major seed predators.Seed germination ranged from 0 to 77%among the species tested.Based on relative species-performance scores(combining measures of survival and seedling growth),P.cerasoides was the most suitable species for direct seeding,followed by A.kurzii and C.axillaris,whilst H.dulcis and H.amygdalina were unsuitable.H.dulcis had small seeds with low seed germination,whereas H.amygdalina was subjected to high seed removal.Conclusion Exclusion of seed predators and the selection of suitable species may substantially increase the success of direct seeding,as a technique for restoring upland evergreen forest ecosystems.Testing more species for their suitability is needed,to provide more diverse options for forest restoration.展开更多
Chemical ecology of the spruce bark beetle lps typographus （L.） was reviewed. The outbreak of 1.typographus in central Europe triggered extensive research on chemical ecology, Males initiate host location and produc...Chemical ecology of the spruce bark beetle lps typographus （L.） was reviewed. The outbreak of 1.typographus in central Europe triggered extensive research on chemical ecology, Males initiate host location and produce semiochemicals which attract both males and females, A successful mass attack must first overcome the resistance of the host tree. Pioneer I. typographus evolved to use the resin flow of host trees as kairomones in host location, and synthesized semiochemicals initially to detoxify the resin. If small bark beetle populations infest healthy trees, mass attack is prevented by host resistance, Nine monoterpene alcohols were found in male hind-guts, including cis-verbenol （cV） and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol （MB） which are regarded as primary aggregation pheromones, and a low proportion of lpsdienol （ld） which increases attractiveness of cV and MB, Verbenone （Vn） and Ipsenol （le） are anti-aggregation pheromones, that play important roles in adjusting attack density and insect density under the bark. Non-host volatiles are repellent to L typographus, so that beetles do not waste energy boring into non-host trees. The relationship between host resistance, pheromone compounds and behavior, non-host volatiles, bioassays and mass trapping are reviewed, Results of field bioassays stressed that traps baited with specific pheromones could be used as a reasonable protection measure.展开更多
Wireless Sensor Networks(WSNs)play an indispensable role in the lives of human beings in the fields of environment monitoring,manufacturing,education,agriculture etc.,However,the batteries in the sensor node under dep...Wireless Sensor Networks(WSNs)play an indispensable role in the lives of human beings in the fields of environment monitoring,manufacturing,education,agriculture etc.,However,the batteries in the sensor node under deployment in an unattended or remote area cannot be replaced because of their wireless existence.In this context,several researchers have contributed diversified number of cluster-based routing schemes that concentrate on the objective of extending node survival time.However,there still exists a room for improvement in Cluster Head(CH)selection based on the integration of critical parameters.The meta-heuristic methods that concentrate on guaranteeing both CH selection and data transmission for improving optimal network performance are predominant.In this paper,a hybrid Marine Predators Optimization and Improved Particle Swarm Optimizationbased Optimal Cluster Routing(MPO-IPSO-OCR)is proposed for ensuring both efficient CH selection and data transmission.The robust characteristic of MPOA is used in optimized CH selection,while improved PSO is used for determining the optimized route to ensure sink mobility.In specific,a strategy of position update is included in the improved PSO for enhancing the global searching efficiency of MPOA.The high-speed ratio,unit speed rate and low speed rate strategy inherited by MPOA facilitate better exploitation by preventing solution from being struck into local optimality point.The simulation investigation and statistical results confirm that the proposed MPOIPSO-OCR is capable of improving the energy stability by 21.28%,prolonging network lifetime by 18.62%and offering maximum throughput by 16.79%when compared to the benchmarked cluster-based routing schemes.展开更多
The bifurcation solution of the nonnegative steady state of a reaction diffusion system was investigated. The combination of the sturm type eigenvalue and the theorem of bifurcation was used to study the local coex...The bifurcation solution of the nonnegative steady state of a reaction diffusion system was investigated. The combination of the sturm type eigenvalue and the theorem of bifurcation was used to study the local coexistence solutions, and obtain the stability of bifurcation solutions. The system model describes predator prey interaction in an unstirred chemostat.展开更多
基金The work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central University(No.2572020DY11).
文摘Pine wilt disease caused by pine wood nema-todes is a deadly disease of the genus Pinus requiring strong quarantine measures.Since its discovery,it has been widely distributed throughout the world.China is one of the coun-tries with a severe rate of infections due to its abundant pine resources.In this study,nematode-trapping fungi were collected from pine trees in Ninghai City,Zhejiang Prov-ince,which is the key area of pine wilt control in Febru-ary,May,September,October and November.The results showed that nematode-trapping fungi of pine are abundant,especially the number and species detected in each month and are quite different;species of fungi in July,Septem-ber and November were more numerous and had higher separation rates.The dominant species in November was Arthrobotrys oligospora followed by Arthrobotrys cladodes;July and September it was A.cladodes.In each part of the tree,A.cladodes was the most widely distributed with a high separation rate.Therefore,it is the dominant fungal species in the area.Arboreal Bursaphelenchus xylophilus-trapping fungi are dependent on pine wood nematodes,and none were isolated from healthy pine trees.More arboreal B.xylophilus-trapping fungi were found under the bark than in the xylem.There is a close relationship between arboreal B.xylophilus-trapping fungi and pine wood nematodes.How to make use of these resources to reduce the damage of pine wood nematode fusarium is the focus of future research.
基金Foundation item： Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China（10771179）
文摘This paper considers a stage-structured three species model with intra-guild predation and disturbing pulse. Sufficient conditions which guarantee the global attractivity of boundary periodic solution and permanence of the system are obtained. Our results show that the pulse and time delay bring great effect on the dynamical behaviors of the model.
文摘Sloshing experiment is crucial to determine the reaction performance of regeneration columns on an offshore floating platform.A novel type of column motion simulating device and a Marine Predator Algorithm-based Sliding Mode Controller(MPA-SMC)are proposed for such sloshing experiments.The simulator consists of a Stewart platform and a steel framework.The Stewart platform is located at the column's center of gravity(CoG)and supported by the steel framework.The platform's hydraulic servo system is controlled by a sliding mode controller with parameters optimized by MPA to improve robustness and precision.A numerical sloshing experiment is conducted using the proposed device and controller.The results show that the novel motion simulator has lower torque during the column sloshes,and the proposed controller performs better than a well-tuned PID controller in terms of target tracking precision and anti-interference capability.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) grant (grants 30830024,30770330)
文摘Large scale harvest of Korean pine （Pinus koraiensis） seeds as a food product in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest of northeastern China poses a serious threat to the sustainability and restoration of this endangered regional ecosystem. Seed collection over past decades greatly reduced the seed bank and subsequent seedling and sapling re- cruitment, and impacting a wide array of granivorous animals that rely on the pine seeds. We surveyed Korean pine seeds, including solid seeds （SS）, insect consumed seeds （ICS） and other （animal） consumed （OCS） kernels, of the seed bank （forest floor and the top 10 cm of mineral soil）, the seedlings and saplings from 1 m： sample plots in five forest types in Liangshui Nature Reserve （LNR） of the southern Xiao Xing＇an Moun- tains in northeastern China to provide accurate information for assessing the Korean pine regeneration potential. The average number of pine seeds in the seed bank were 11.2 seeds/m2, 9.1 seeds/m2, 4.6 seeds/m2, 1.1 seeds/m2, and 0.2 seeds/m2 in Korean pine-basswood forest, mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest, mixed conifer-hardwood forest, white birch forests, and oak forests, respectively. In the first three forest types, percentages of SS （potentially viable seeds） were 11.2%, 3.5% and 27.8%, respectively. The percentages of ICS （not viable seeds） were consistent at around 35%. The higher but variable percentages of OCS （not viable seeds） indicated high seed predation in these forests. Com- pared with other studies, we recorded higher percentages of seed damage, probably due to our survey approach and the increased depth of seed bank sampled in our study. Depletion of pine seeds in the seed bank greatly reduced seedling and sapling recruitment. Densities of pine seed- lings varied from about 180 trees/ha in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest to about 5,400 trees/ha in the mixed conifer-hardwood forests and showed a high degree of spatial variation. Saplings were rare in the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest, but ranged in the thousands in other forests. Large scale pine seed harvest has seriously threatened the sustainability of the mixed Korean pine-hardwood forest ecosystem. Scaling down the seed harvest or supplemental planting of pine saplings are urgently needed to maintain the health of the existing Korean pine forests and to restore this endangered ecosystem.
基金supported from Fundacao de Amparo a`Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais FAPEMIG-VALE S/A(Process#RDP-00104-10)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPq)(Process#472250/2010)
文摘In recent decades,the consequences of habitat fragmentation have been of growing concern,because it is particularly important to understand how fragmentation may affect biodiversity,an ecological service.We tested two hypotheses：（1） that natural fragment size in agricultural landscapes indirectly affects the herbivore through effects on natural predator populations;and（2） predator activity into the crop reduces along the distance from the natural fragment edge.From 2008 and 2009,we conducted our study in seven forest remnants and in surrounding coffee plantations（fragments ranged from 6 to 105 ha,mean 49.28 ± 36.60 ha） in Southern Minas Gerais,Brazil.Birds were sampled by point counts,and insect predation was evaluated by using an artificial insect model（Koh and Menge 2006）.Our results suggest that although there were many potential predators（e.g.,wasps,ants,birds,and mammals）,birds were the most important taxon unit.The covariance analysis supported the hypothesis that patch size affected the number of larvae predation by overall taxi,but there was no support for a distance effect.These findings suggest that natural enemies’ ecological service（mainly from birds） declined with remnant reduction,which has implications not only for human welfare,but also in strengthening the economic justifications for conserving the remaining natural habitats and biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.3037022141310302+1 种基金41001026)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China(Grant No.DL12CA09)
文摘The Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri is an uncommon songbird endemic to East Asia. Suitable nest- site selection can minimize nest loss, especially for open- cup and ground nesting passerines. We located and mon- itored 66 Marsh Grassbird nests during 2004-2006 in Zhalong National Nature Reserve, northeast China, to identify characteristics of preferred nest sites. Marsh Grassbird nested mainly at sites with dense vegetation cover, high undergrowth and dry standing reed stalks, as well as small shallow ponds or rivers. Nests were more successful when they were placed higher above ground in patches with greater litter thickness. Predation and flooding were the leading causes of nest failure, accounting for at least 33 and 25 % of 24 nests lost, respectively. We ad- vocate retention of some unharvested reed patches and implementation of irrigation strategies that avoid increas- ing water levels during the breeding period （May-July） of Marsh Grassbirds.
基金This study was funded by the Thailand Research Fund(TRF Grant Number:MRG5980177),the Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talents Project(Royal Thai Government Scholarship).Chiang Mai University partially supported this research,including the inputs of Stephen Elliott.
文摘Background Direct seeding is potentially a more cost-effective alternative to conventional tree planting for restoring tropical forest ecosystems.However,seed loss,due to removal and damage by animals,can substantially reduce seedling establishment.Therefore,this study examined the impact of seed predation on seedling establishment of five tree species,native to upland evergreen forests of northern Thailand:Hovenia dulcis,Alangium kurzii,Prunus cerasoides,Choerospondias axillaris and Horsfieldia amygdalina.We tested the hypothesis that excluding animals would significantly reduce seed removal,and increase both germination and seedling survival.The objective was to calculate a composite index of the relative suitability of the species studied for direct seeding.Methods Seeds were placed on the ground in a deforested site and subjected to five predator-exclusion treatments:wire cage,insecticide,cage+insecticide,open cage and no exclusion(control).Results Seed loss was highest for H.amygdalina(the largest seed tested).Across species,wire cages significantly reduced seed loss by 12.4%compared with controls(P<0.001)suggesting that vertebrates were the major seed predators.Seed germination ranged from 0 to 77%among the species tested.Based on relative species-performance scores(combining measures of survival and seedling growth),P.cerasoides was the most suitable species for direct seeding,followed by A.kurzii and C.axillaris,whilst H.dulcis and H.amygdalina were unsuitable.H.dulcis had small seeds with low seed germination,whereas H.amygdalina was subjected to high seed removal.Conclusion Exclusion of seed predators and the selection of suitable species may substantially increase the success of direct seeding,as a technique for restoring upland evergreen forest ecosystems.Testing more species for their suitability is needed,to provide more diverse options for forest restoration.
文摘Chemical ecology of the spruce bark beetle lps typographus （L.） was reviewed. The outbreak of 1.typographus in central Europe triggered extensive research on chemical ecology, Males initiate host location and produce semiochemicals which attract both males and females, A successful mass attack must first overcome the resistance of the host tree. Pioneer I. typographus evolved to use the resin flow of host trees as kairomones in host location, and synthesized semiochemicals initially to detoxify the resin. If small bark beetle populations infest healthy trees, mass attack is prevented by host resistance, Nine monoterpene alcohols were found in male hind-guts, including cis-verbenol （cV） and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol （MB） which are regarded as primary aggregation pheromones, and a low proportion of lpsdienol （ld） which increases attractiveness of cV and MB, Verbenone （Vn） and Ipsenol （le） are anti-aggregation pheromones, that play important roles in adjusting attack density and insect density under the bark. Non-host volatiles are repellent to L typographus, so that beetles do not waste energy boring into non-host trees. The relationship between host resistance, pheromone compounds and behavior, non-host volatiles, bioassays and mass trapping are reviewed, Results of field bioassays stressed that traps baited with specific pheromones could be used as a reasonable protection measure.
文摘Wireless Sensor Networks(WSNs)play an indispensable role in the lives of human beings in the fields of environment monitoring,manufacturing,education,agriculture etc.,However,the batteries in the sensor node under deployment in an unattended or remote area cannot be replaced because of their wireless existence.In this context,several researchers have contributed diversified number of cluster-based routing schemes that concentrate on the objective of extending node survival time.However,there still exists a room for improvement in Cluster Head(CH)selection based on the integration of critical parameters.The meta-heuristic methods that concentrate on guaranteeing both CH selection and data transmission for improving optimal network performance are predominant.In this paper,a hybrid Marine Predators Optimization and Improved Particle Swarm Optimizationbased Optimal Cluster Routing(MPO-IPSO-OCR)is proposed for ensuring both efficient CH selection and data transmission.The robust characteristic of MPOA is used in optimized CH selection,while improved PSO is used for determining the optimized route to ensure sink mobility.In specific,a strategy of position update is included in the improved PSO for enhancing the global searching efficiency of MPOA.The high-speed ratio,unit speed rate and low speed rate strategy inherited by MPOA facilitate better exploitation by preventing solution from being struck into local optimality point.The simulation investigation and statistical results confirm that the proposed MPOIPSO-OCR is capable of improving the energy stability by 21.28%,prolonging network lifetime by 18.62%and offering maximum throughput by 16.79%when compared to the benchmarked cluster-based routing schemes.
文摘The bifurcation solution of the nonnegative steady state of a reaction diffusion system was investigated. The combination of the sturm type eigenvalue and the theorem of bifurcation was used to study the local coexistence solutions, and obtain the stability of bifurcation solutions. The system model describes predator prey interaction in an unstirred chemostat.
