Breeding in the gray-headed tody-flycatcher (Aves: Tyrannidae) with comments on geographical variation in reproductive traits within the genus Todirostrum

The gray-headed tody-flycatcher Todirostrum poliocephalum is a passerine endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We describe the nest and nesting behaviour of this species and investigate geographical variation in breeding traits in the genus using data from the literature, museum collections, and citizen science projects. We located 21 nests of the gray-headed tody-flycatcher, 13 of which we monitored. Nest height above the ground averaged 3.3 ± 3.4 m (n = 21). Nests were built over a 16.8 ± 5.6-day period (n = 6) by both adults. Clutch sizes ranged from two to three eggs, with a mean of 2.9 ± 0.3 eggs (n = 10). Eggs measured 16.6 ± 0.5 × 12.0 ± 0.5 mm (n = 23) and weighed 1.1 ± 0.1 g (n = 19). Mean incubation period was 17 days (n = 3) and mean nestling period was 15.5 days (n = 2). Apparent reproductive success was 30.8%, with predation being the primary cause of nest failure (46.1%). Mayfield’s reproductive success was 25.9%, and daily survival rates for eggs and nestlings were 0.957 and 0.971, respectively. Clutch sizes increased with latitude, but temperature and precipitation seasonality had very low importance in explaining clutch size variation.     

Deep-sea asellote isopods (Crustacea,Eumalacostraca) of the north-west Atlantic: the family Haploniscidae

The deep-sea asellote isopod species belonging to the family Haploniscidae were studied from three study sites off the North Carolina coast and one off Bermuda. The following five new species, belonging to the new genus Chandraniscus, are described: C. kussakini from Alpha-A off Bermuda (1300 m), C. eastwardae, C. costlowi and C. chardyi from the Carolina lower slope site Beta and C. negoescuae at site Sigma on the Carolina continental rise (4910 m). Three new species of Haploniscus are described: H. kensleyi from the Carolina upper continental slope at Alpha-B, H. gnanamuthi from site Alpha-A off Bermuda, H. harrietae from site Beta. A new species Chauliodoniscus wilsoni from site Sigma is also described. Three new species of the genus Hydroniscus, found in this alpha-taxonomic study, include H. buzwilsoni and H. malyutinae from site Beta and H. watlingi from both Beta and Sigma. Two new species of the genus Antennuloniscus, A. menziesi and A. lincolni, are described from site Beta over the Carolina lower continental slope.     

Interannual and interdecadal variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation spatial shift

The spatial shift of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is analyzed by using the Twentieth Century Reanalysis version 2 dataset and identifying NAO action centers directly on winter mean sealevel pressure (SLP) anomaly maps. The spatial shift of the NAO is characterized by four NAO spatial shift indices: the zonal and meridional shifts of the NAO southern and northern action centers. It is found that the zonal and meridional shift trends of the NAO action centers move along a path of southwest-northwest direction. Spectral analysis shows that the four NAO spatial shift indices have periodicity of 2-6 years and the NAO index has periodicity of 2-3 years in terms of high-frequency variations. On a decadal time scale, the NAO spatial shift indices are closely (positively) related to the NAO index, which is in agreement with previous studies of the relationship between the NAO index and the spatial shift of the NAO pattern. However, there is no relationship between the NAO index and the meridional shift of the northern action center on an interannual time scale. The significant relationship between the NAO index and the interannual variability of NAO spatial shift indices is very likely to be associated with synopticscale Rossby wave breaking, which generates surface pressure anomalies and thus affects the phase and pattern of the NAO. The correlations of winter westerly winds over 90°W-0° and the NAO index and the NAO spatial shift indices have a ’+ - + -’ structure from the Equator to the North Pole. Although there is close correlation between the NAO spatial shift indices and the strength of the zonal winds in the North Atlantic region, the effect of the zonal winds on the NAO spatial shift differs at different latitudes. Hence, the role of the zonal winds is probably a result of the NAO spatial shifts.     

西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼钓捕试验

2008年1月-2009年3月西南大西洋公海滑柔鱼资源探捕调查期间,对阿根廷滑柔鱼钓捕技术进行了研究。结果表明:3种不同类型的钓钩钓捕效率有所不同,在渔况一般时,白天韩产软质钓钩的上钩率比国产钓钩高25.22%,而在夜间,国产钓钩的上钩率比韩产软质钓钩高46.26%;韩产硬质钓钩的上钩率在白天和夜间均高于国产钓钩,尤其在夜间,硬质钓钩的上钩率比国产钓钩高40.00%以上;在上钩率较高时,3种钓钩的上钩率差别不明显。6种不同颜色国产钓钩的上钩率有所不同,放钓水深较浅时,深色钓钩的上钩率均高于浅色钓钩,而放钓水深较深时,浅色钓钩的上钩率多高于深色钓钩。在鱼况一般或较差时,菱形卷扬机钓捕效率高于圆形卷扬机,而在产量较高的3-5月份渔汛期间,上钩率较高时,两种卷扬机钓捕效率相差不大。不同位置钓机的钓捕效率有所不同,其中船中位置最高。     

南大西洋被动陆缘沉积物厚度特征与分段对比

基于美国国家海洋和大气管理局(NOAA)发布的最新全球沉积物厚度数据, 综合利用被动陆缘盆地、洋底高原和转换断层等地质信息, 识别南大西洋七大沉积中心。南大西洋沉积物厚度整体上呈西厚东薄、北厚南薄的趋势, 按陆缘及盆地特征, 将大西洋两岸盆地从北到南划分为4段: 赤道段、中段、南段和福克兰段,其中被动陆缘盆地主要分布在前3段。赤道段盆地主要受转换断层控制, 发育三叠系蒸发岩; 中段盆地发育阿普第阶盐沉积, 是油气勘探的重点区域; 南段受火山活动的影响, 以发育向海倾斜反射体为主要特征。     

一种新型锚泊机器人研究

近年来,为了提高船舶的安全性和稳定性,锚泊机器人成为了海洋领域的研究热点。鉴于大西洋蛏的诸多优良性能,将以其为仿生对象来构建集掘进、锚定和自主脱附功能于一体的锚泊机器人本体。首先,阐述了锚泊机器人的国内外相关研究现状;其次,对仿大西洋蛏的锚泊机器人的机械设计进行原理性说明;最后,将重点介绍锚泊机器人的控制系统。实验结果表明,该控制系统能够使锚泊机器人完成掘进、锚定及自主脱附,并形成较大的锚定比。     

青藏高原对北大西洋深水形成影响机制的季节差异

利用耦合地球系统模式(CESM1.0),通过对比有青藏高原的控制试验和无青藏高原的敏感性试验,定性地分析青藏高原对不同季节北大西洋深水(NADW)形成的影响机制.研究结果表明,青藏高原对NADW形成的影响机制因季节而异.移除青藏高原后,NADW形成将会减弱,冷季(北半球10月—次年3月)NADW形成的显著减弱是由海洋表...     

Comparison of zooplankton community structure between impacted and non-impacted areas of Paranaguá Bay Estuarine Complex,south Brazil

We analysed the seasonal distribution of the zooplankton community in an anthropogenically impacted area (Paranaguá Bay) and a non-impacted area (Laranjeiras Bay) of the Paranaguá Bay Estuarine Complex. Large phytoplankton (> 50 μm) and zooplankton were collected every two months, between August 2003 and June 2004. The phytoplankton community was numerically dominated by diatoms (78%) and dinoflagellates (19%). Zooplankton abundance varied between 670 and 100,716 individuals m^–3, with a dominance of copepods, mainly the calanoids Acartia lilljeborgii, Acartia tonsa and Pseudodiaptomus acutus. A clear seasonal pattern was observed: copepods were significantly more abundant during the rainy than in the dry season. Significant differences in abundance between the two bays were detected only for cirripede larvae, which were more abundant in Paranaguá Bay. This lack of difference between the two areas was probably a consequence of the water circulation along the estuary, which may have diluted and dispersed the pollutants from Paranaguá Bay to other areas of the estuary.     

Foraging patterns and artificial fragrance choices of male orchid bees in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

ABSTRACT

With the aim of increasing our knowledge concerning fragrance choices by male euglossine bees (Apidae, Euglossini), we investigated: (i) possible foraging patterns and choices of artificial fragrances explored by the most frequent species attracted to scent baits during the same season across consecutive years, sampled invariably in a same study area; (ii) the foraging patterns of populations of orchid bees surveyed in two similar forest habitats (Atlantic rainforest remnants) located 24 km apart, on Superagui Island (SI) and on a private reserve (RNSM), in southern Brazil. Although in both areas males attracted to scent baits were collected with insect nets and odour traps during the warm-wet season, the number of samplings were different in both study sites, totalling 15 samplings on RNSM and five on RNSM. In both areas four euglossine species were the most abundant: Euglossa annectans, E. stellfeldi, E. iopoecila and E. roderici. Overall, we can draw three main conclusions. Firstly, there were conspicuous patterns in regard to the set of fragrances visited by the four most abundant euglossine species over the three consecutive years of surveys on SI, with some shifts in fragrance choices found only for E. annectans and E. stellfeldi. Second, the most attractive fragrances used distinctively by each species were very similar in both study areas, indicating a local intraspecific similarity in the use of some main fragrances. Third, E. annectans showed a clear tendency to occupy a broader niche, which probably resulted in the highest percentages of niche overlap.