A new species and the phylogeny of the South American genus Gromphas Brullé, 1837 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Phanaeini)

Gromphas jardim Cupello & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov. is described from Bolivia and Central Brazil and is endemic to the biogeographic province of Rondônia. It resembles Gromphas amazonica and Gromphas inermis, but is distinguished primarily by the pattern of pronotal granulation and the form of the apical tubercle of male protibiae, which is modified in a tapered spur. Based on 31 morphological characters, a phylogenetic analysis returned a single most parsimonious tree where Gromphas is monophyletic and has the following internal topology: ((G. aeruginosa + G. lemoinei) (G. dichroa (G. inermis (G. amazonica + G. jardim)))).     

Predatory behaviour in Deltochilum: convergent evolution or a primitive character within a clade?

We present data on predatory behaviour in Deltochilum cupreicolle viridescens, which belongs to the subgenus Aganhyboma, and we contrast it with the behaviour of a species from the subgenus Deltohyboma. By this comparison we can investigate whether the predatory behaviour in Deltochilum could have appeared independently in these two subgenera, or if the behaviour is so similar that it suggests a single origin in a possible ancestor exclusive to those two groups. These laboratory studies on the behaviour of Deltochilum c. viridescens individuals on diplopods are described and divided into the following stages: (1) approach and recognition of the diplopod; (2) attack and death of the prey; (3) on-site feeding; (4) transport of the diplopod. The results found here strengthen the hypothesis of a primitive and highly specialized behaviour within a possible clade formed by the predatory species of Diplopoda.     

糖化型淀粉酶对猪粪沼气发酵的影响

在发酵容积为1 000mL的猪粪沼气发酵过程中,分别添加20 000、40 000和60 000单位的糖化型淀粉酶,结果沼气产气量分别比对照提高了6.32%、9.23%和8.31%,因此,在猪粪发酵适合的糖化型淀粉酶添加量为每毫升发酵液40个酶活单位。     

好氧堆肥阶段对蚯蚓堆肥的影响

好氧堆肥和蚯蚓堆肥相结合处理有机废弃物能够获得更好的堆肥产品。不同好氧堆肥阶段堆肥产品质量和性质差别很大,这必然将影响蚯蚓堆肥产品稳定性和质量。对此,将好氧堆肥与蚯蚓堆肥相结合,以能够指示堆肥产品质量和腐熟度的碳氮比(C/N)、胡敏酸比富里酸(HA/FA)和胡敏酸的E4/E6三个指标构建新的指标体系,对蚯蚓堆肥产品质量进行评价。并且在此指标体系基础上,得出将好氧堆肥高温期阶段作为蚯蚓堆肥的前期处理可以获得更加稳定和高品质的蚯蚓堆肥产品。     

Seed dispersal by megaherbivores: do Asian elephants disperse Mallotus philippinensis,a main food tree in northern India and Nepal?

Megaherbivores play an important role in dispersing forest trees. In lowland Nepal, we tested experimentally whether Asian elephants contributed to the spreading of Mallotus philippinensis in sal forest by ingesting seeds of this species. Seventy-seven dung samples and 200 ripe seeds were sown in plots. No germination was recorded in the dung plots, whereas > 90% of the seeds in the control plots germinated. In sal forest, the abundance of all age classes of Mallotus was higher along elephant tracks than along random transects, but differences were small and not statistically significant. The results did not support the elephant dispersal hypothesis. Instead, we conclude that the spreading of Mallotus and concurrent declining of sal might be the result of shifting ecological successions, triggered by more flooding and a more erratic rainfall pattern combined with less frequent forest fires, all of which are assumed to favour Mallotus and hamper regeneration of Shorea robusta.     

谈电影《大象》的后现代影像特征

当代美国独立电影以其不同于主流好莱坞模式的风格,在国际电影节屡获大奖,其艺术水准达到相当的高度。《大象》在2003年的戛纳国际电影节上荣获了最佳电影和最佳导演两项大奖,取得巨大成功。本文通过对影片影像特征的剖析,寻找其获得成功的后现代叙事风格及特点。     

液化型淀粉酶对猪粪沼气发酵的影响

在发酵容积为500mL的猪粪批量沼气发酵过程中,分别添加40、80和120单位的液化型淀粉酶,结果沼气产气量分别比对照提高了13．17％、16．29％和0％．因此,在猪粪发酵适合的液化型淀粉酶添加量为每400毫升发酵液80个酶活单位。     

化学通讯介导对中缅树鼩个体识别的影响

为了探究尿液、粪便及胸腺分泌物对中缅树鼩个体识别的影响,通过Y-迷宫对中缅树鼩尿液、粪便和胸腺分泌物三种气味源的选择频次进行了统计分析。结果表明:用三种气味源与对照作为刺激源时,中缅树鼩均显著选择尿液和胸腺分泌物(P0.05);在习惯性实验中中缅树鼩对同性尿液和胸腺分泌物的选择频次持续下降,对陌生个体尿液和胸腺分泌物的选择频次显著增加(P0.05);尿液、胸腺分泌物在雌雄中缅树鼩个体识别的影响表现出明显差异,中缅树鼩对尿液和胸腺分泌物的选择频次均显著多于对照组(P0.01),而且雄性胸腺分泌物较雌性更受关注(P0.05),但雌性尿液比雄性更受关注(P0.05)。以上所有结果说明,中缅树鼩的尿液和胸腺分泌物中包含个体信息并用以识别个体,这两种气味源中所包含的化学信号对中缅树鼩个体间的交流极为重要,而粪便可能仅为单纯的排泄生理。     

Diel separation of Afrotropical dung beetle guilds—avoiding competition and neglecting resources (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

Dung beetle guilds of different competitive level coexist at high abundances in the forest–savanna mosaic of Ivory Coast. A total of 25?875 specimens was recorded from 90 samples of fresh buffalo dung exposed for 4-h periods over the day in the Parc National de la Comoé. Redundancy analyses show different patterns of the guild structure determined by time of day, and positive correlations of guild abundance with temperature. The competitively superior telecoprids (rollers) have their abundance peak at midday when the high temperatures presumably enable them to perform their energetically costly rolling behaviour at greater speed. The competitively intermediate paracoprids (tunnellers) and the competitively inferior endocoprids (dwellers) have their peak around dusk when: (1) the superior competitors are not active, and (2) they can easily synchronize their flight activity using light intensity changes. During the two peaks of flight activity of the dung beetles, their abundance at the resource is very high, causing obvious competition. On the other hand, the resource is hardly used between 22:00?h and 10:00?h. This is probably due to physiological constraints (high optimum temperature required for the diurnal species and dependence on light intensity patterns as a flight trigger of the nocturnal species, respectively). Shifting flight activity to these periods of low competition does not occur, resulting in a unequal level of competition over the day, thus periods of considerable competition within dung beetle assemblages alternate with vacant temporal refuges.