Sea surface temperature records of core ZY2 from the central mud area in the South Yellow Sea during last 6200 years and related effect of the Yellow Sea Warm Current

Sea surface temperature (SST) records in the South Yellow Sea during the last 6200 years are reconstructed by the unsaturation index of long-chain alkenones (K 37 U ’) in sediment core ZY2 from the central mud area.The SST records varied between 14.1 and 16.5°C (15.6°C on average),with 3 phases:(1) A high SST phase at 6.2-5.9 cal ka BP;(2) A low and intensely fluctuating SST phase at 5.9-2.3 cal ka BP;and (3) A high and stable SST phase since 2.3 cal ka BP.Variation of the SST records is similar to intensity of the Kuroshio Current (KC),and corresponds well in time to global cold climate events.However,the amplitude of the SST response to cooling events was significantly different in different phases.The SST response to global cooling event was weak while the KC was strong;and the SST response was strong while the KC was weak.The difference in amplitude of the SST response is possibly caused by the modulation effect of the Yellow Sea Warm Current which acts as a shelf branch of the KC and a compensating current induced by the East Asia winter monsoon.The warm waters brought by the Yellow Sea Warm Current cushion the SST decrease induced by climate cooling,and both the Kuroshio and East Asian winter monsoon play important roles in the modulation mechanism.The SST records display a periodicity of 1482 years.The same period was found in the KC records,indicating that variation of the SST records in the central South Yellow Sea is strongly affected by KC intensity.The same period was also found in Greenland ice cores and North Atlantic and Arabian Sea sediment cores,showing a regional response of marine environmental variability in the East China Seas to that in the global oceans.     

Responses of soil respiration in non-growing seasons to environmental factors in a maize agroecosystem,Northeast China

Based on continuous three-year measurements (from 2004 to 2007) of eddy covariance and related environmental factors, envi-ronmental controls on variation in soil respiration (R_s) during non-growing season were explored in a maize agroecosystem in Northeast China. Our results indicated that during non-growing seasons, daily Rs was 1.08–4.08 g CO2 m^–2 d^–1, and the lowest occurred in late November. The average R_s of non-growing season was 456.06 ± 20.01 g CO2 m^–2, accounting for 11% of the gross primary production (GPP) of the growing season. Additionally, at monthly scale, the lowest value of R_s appeared in January or February. From the beginning to the end of non-growing season, daily R_s tended to decrease first, and then increase to the highest. There was a significant quadratic curve relationship between Rs and soil temperature at 10 cm depth when soil temperature was more than 0°C (P<0.001), with the explaining ratio of 38%–70%. When soil water content was more than 0.1 m³ m^–3, soil moisture at 10 cm depth was significantly parabolically correlated with R_s (P<0.001), explaining the rate of 18%–60%. Based on all the data of soil temperature of more than 0°C, a better model for R_s was established by coupling soil temperature and moisture, which could explain the rate of up to 53%–79%. Meanwhile, the standard error of regression estimation between the values of prediction and observation for R_s could reach 2.7%–11.8%. R_s in non-growing season can account for 22.4% of R_s in growing season, indicating that it plays a critical role in assessing the carbon budget in maize agroecosystem, Northeast China.     

半连续式厨余和牛粪混合厌氧消化

在中温35℃下，通过半连续运行方式，对牛粪、厨余的单独消化以及厨余和牛粪的混合消化进行了对比研究。试验结果表明，由于混合消化提供了较佳的水解酸化pH值范围，提高了缓冲能力，改善了碳氮比，因此其产气性能明显好于单独消化。其中，厨余和牛粪中的挥发性固体（VS）质量比为3∶1时混合消化效果最佳，甲烷产率为0.23L/(gVS),分别是牛粪和厨余单独消化时的38和16倍,VS去除率高达71.9%。这说明，混合消化是提高厌氧消化性能的有效途径之一。     

黄麻纤维增强环境友好型摩擦材料的摩擦性能及其可拓评价

设计并制备了含生物质黄麻纤维和榛子壳粉的新型环境友好型摩擦材料。用CHASE摩擦试验机测定了材料的摩擦性能,用可拓方法对摩擦试验结果进行了评价。摩擦试验结果表明,当鼓温低于黄麻纤维的分解温度时,黄麻纤维具有降低和稳定摩擦系数的作用;当鼓温接近于黄麻纤维的分解温度时,摩擦材料出现热衰退。为了保证摩擦材料在高温的摩擦性能,黄麻纤维的含量不应过高。黄麻纤维的加入可以降低摩擦材料的磨损率。可拓评价结果表明,当黄麻纤维体积分数为9.0%时具有最大的关联度,综合摩擦性能最好。     

Cross-modal signaling in giant pandas

For solitary species that aggregate to breed, signals, such as sound or odor, transmitted across the landscape can play an important role in mate choice and coordinating breeding activity. Recent work on vocalizations of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), bleats and chirps that are emitted during periods of reproductive activity, has revealed that auditory communication in this species is more complicated and developed than once believed. However, playback experiments using these calls have recorded only a few behaviors over short observation times and the influence of these calls on the signaling behavior of receivers remains unknown. Here, we present results from a pilot study in which we played the bleats of male and female giant pandas in estrus to captive animals and measured vocal and chemical signaling response behavior. We found an increase in scent marking behavior, but not vocalizations, in males and females following the playback of calls made by members of the opposite sex in estrus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to detect a chemical communication response, which was marking, to an auditory signal in giant pandas. Our findings reveal a previously unknown relationship between acoustic and chemical signals in this high profile species and suggest that these two forms of signaling may be interdependent in the social lives of giant pandas.     

芳纶浆粕增强制动摩擦材料摩擦性能的可拓评价

研究了芳纶浆粕含量和摩擦温度对制动摩擦材料摩擦性能的影响,并应用可拓评价方法对芳纶浆粕增强制动摩擦材料的摩擦系数和磨损率进行了可拓评价。结果表明,5种制动摩擦材料都具有较好耐磨性,且芳纶的加入进一步改善了摩擦材料的耐磨性;5个试样按照计算所得综合关联度的优劣排序为:T-3.4,T-0,T-14.6,T-5.6,和T-9.0(数字代表芳纶浆粕在配方中的体积分数),且芳纶浆粕体积分数为3.4%时该摩擦材料的摩擦系数和磨损率的综合效果最好。     

Male panda （Ailuropoda melanoleuca） urine contains kinship information

Chemical communication plays an important role in kin selection and mate choice in mammals. The covariance of odor-genes of rodents has been documented and kinship odor has been proposed and termed, yet little is known of the relationship between genetic relatedness and chemical composition of kinship odors. Giant pandas （Ailuropoda melanoleuca） rely substantially on chemical communication to mediate their social interactions. To examine the relationship between genetic relatedness and compounds in the urine/anogenital gland secretions, we compared the similarities between genetic relatedness and the chemical profiles of anogenital gland secretions and urine via lineage construction and GC-MS （gas chromatography and mass spectrometry）. We found that information about kinship odors was present only in the urine of male adults in the mating season but absent in the non-mating season. Adult females and all sub-adults did not have such kinship odors in either mating or non-mating season. Therefore, kinship odor in the panda was contingent on age, sex, and season. This is the first report about the condition-dependent expression of kinship odor, which may have a significant implication in the practice of panda conservation in relation to chemical communication and sexual selection.