61,649 research outputs found
Home, dirty home: lesser kestrels prefer to breed in previously used nest sites
No full textPopulations of cavity nesting species are typically limited by the availability of suitable nesting sites. However, the factors driving the choice of a suitable nest sites are poorly investigated. For instance, individuals may prefer breeding in previously unused nest sites, that may host less parasites, or in previously used nest sites, which may provide cues of successful breeding attempt. We performed a simple nestbox choice experiment to assess whether breeding individuals prefer dirty and already used nestboxes vs. newly deployed ones. The study was carried out in Matera, which hosts the larger Italian colony of lesser kestrel. All nestboxes used for this experiment were provided within the framework of LIFE project.
Before lesser kestrel arrival we crated 40 nestbox dyads, pairing 40 used nest box with 40 new ones with nestbox entrances positioned side by side in order to force the choice. To disentangle the effect of nest substrate from the appearance of the nestbox we randomly exchanged entrance panels (old and new) and nest substrate (organic material from previous nesting attempts vs. sand and gravel). We than assessed which nestbox belonging to each dyads was first occupied. At the end of the egg laying period, 38 of 40 dyads had at least one nestbox occupied. Among these, in 36 cases birds selected the nestboxes with the old substrate. The adjoining nestboxes with new substrate was occupied by a second pair just in 4 case. The experiment suggests a strong preference of lesser kestrel for nest sites already used during previous breeding seasons: despite their possible higher parasitic load, used breeding sites may provide cues of previous breeding attempt. Under a management point of view, this result suggests that conservation actions based on installation of nestboxes can benefit from the translocation of substrates from used nestbox to newly deployed ones
Reconstructing the exhumation history of the Lesser Himalaya, Northern, India, from a multi-technique provenance study of the foreland basin Siwalik Group.
No full textThis research presents the first multitechnique provenance study of the Siwalik Group in the Himalayan foreland basin in India, using the Jawalamukhi section, magnetostratigraphically dated at 13–5 Ma. Combined with provenance data from a Dharamsala Formation sedimentary section (21–13 Ma) located close by, it forms the longest temporally continuous record of Himalayan erosion in the Indian foreland basin. Sandstone petrography and heavy mineral analysis, conglomerate clast composition, Ar‐Ar dating of detrital white micas, and Sm‐Nd analyses on siltstones, conglomerate matrix and conglomerate clasts was undertaken to determine (1) shifts in source region through time and (2) changes in detrital lag times related to exhumation rates in the hinterland, together interpreted in the light of thrusting events. We interpret the data to show a slow down in exhumation rate of the Higher Himalaya by 16–17 Ma, after which time the locus of thrusting propagated south of the Main Central Thrust, and erosion of the low grade Haimanta Formation to the south became significant. The nonmetamorphosed Inner Lesser Himalaya breached its Haimanta cover by 9 Ma with the metamorphosed Inner Lesser Himalaya (Lesser Himalayan Crystalline Series) exhuming to surface by 6 Ma. This event caused sufficient disruption to established drainage patterns that all Higher Himalayan material was diverted from this location at this time
Vertical variation in flight activity of the lesser short-tailed bat in podocarp and beech forests, Central North Island, New Zealand
No full textDesigning robust monitoring programmes for cryptic species is particularly difficult. Not detecting a species does not necessarily mean that it is absent from the sampling area. A conclusion of absence made in error can lead to misguided inferences about distribution, colonisation and local extinction estimates, which in turn affects where and how conservation actions are undertaken. It is therefore important to investigate monitoring techniques that reduce the non-detection rate of cryptic species. As habitat complexity plays an important role in the activity of bats within a forest, it was hypothesised that the amount of vegetative ‘clutter’ present at different heights within two different forest types affected the flight activity of lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata). This could affect detection of the species within different forest structures. To compare bat activity at three heights – top (22.0–25.0 m), middle (10.0–12.0 m) and bottom (1.5–2.0 m) – within a podocarp and a beech forest we used automatic bat monitors during January to March 2005. The number of bat passes was recorded at each height at two study areas within each forest and compared between forest types. The forest structure was described using the Recce method and vegetative cover estimated within the three height tiers sampled for bat activity. Within both forest types, the middle-level bat detectors logged the greatest amount of activity. However, differences between the forest types were most pronounced closer to the ground, where a high amount of activity was detected within the beech forest, and very little within the podocarp forest. This suggests that flight activity of lesser short-tailed bats may be affected by the level of vegetative clutter found at different heights within a forest. When designing monitoring programmes for lesser short-tailed bats, it is recommended that consideration be given to the forest structure and how this may affect detection of bat activity
Influence of photoperiod and temperature on locomotion and development of the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae)
No full textThe present study is concerned with the role of photoperiod and temperature in the life history of the lesser cornstalk borer. The two principal areas of investigation are adult locomotor behavioral patterns and diapause. Both male and female adult lesser cornstalk borers are nocturnal in their locomotor behavioral habits. However, this nocturnal movement differs with sex. Female lesser cornstalk borers are more active in the early scotophase, while males are more active at mid-scotophase. After mating the locomotor behavioral patterns of female lesser cornstalk borers changes. Prior to copulation females exhibit 72% of their activity in the first half of the scotophase, whereas, after mating, 86% of the nocturnal activity occurs in this same time period. The nocturnal locomotor activity of the lesser cornstalk borer is regulated by an endogenous circadian rhythm which is synchronized by the lights-off stimulus of a 24 hour photoperiod. When held in constant darkness the activity peak continuously advances toward the lights-off stimulus and maintains a 22 hour cycle. Rearing the lesser cornstalk borer under numerous temperatures and photoperiods does not induce a diapause state. All life stages are insensitive to thermal and photoperiodic variations which stimulate the onset of winter. Only low temperatures cause any extension of developmental stages. This is irrespective of photoperiodic changes
Upper crustal structure of an active volcano from refraction/reflection tomography, Montserrat, Lesser Antilles
No full textTo better understand the volcanic phenomena acting on Montserrat, the SEA-CALIPSO seis-mic experiment (Seismic Experiment with Airgun-source – Caribbean Andesitic Lava Island Precision Seismo-geodetic Observatory) was conducted in 2007 December with the aim of imaging the upper crust and the magmatic system feeding the active Soufri ?ere Hills Volcano. The 3-D survey covered an area of about 50
× 40 km and involved the deployment of 247 land stations and ocean-bottom seismometers (OBSs). A subset of the data, recorded by four OBSs and four land stations on a southeast to northwest line, has been analysed, and traveltimes have been inverted to obtain a 2-D seismic velocity model through the island. Inverted phases include crustal and sediment P waves and wide-angle reflections. The resulting velocity model reveals the presence of a high velocity body (3.5–5.5 km s?1 ) beneath the island, with highest velocities beneath the Soufri ?ere and Centre Hills, cor responding primarily to the cores of these volcanic edifices, built of a pile of andesite lava domes and subsequent intrusions. In the off-shore region, velocities in the surficial sediment layer vary from 1.5 to 3.0 km s?1 , consistent with a mainly calcareous and volcaniclastic composition. A wide-angle reflector is observed at a depth of ?1200 m below the seabed, and appears to deepen beneath the island. The upper crust beneath this reflector has velocities of 4.0–6.0 km s?1 and is infer red to cor respond to plutonic and hypabyssal rocks and sedimentary material of the old arc. The high velocity region beneath the island, extends into the crust to a depth of at least 5 km, and is believed to be caused by an intrusive complex, possibly of intermediate composition. A low velocity zone, as would be expected in the presence of an active magma chamber, was not observed perhaps due to the limited resolution beneath ?5 km depth. Our results so far provide the first wide-angle seismic constraints on the upper crustal structure of the island to a depth of 10 km, and will help understanding the processes that drive volcanism at Montserrat and other island arc volcanoes
Pheromonal trapping methods for the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.), in warehouses
No full textTypescript (photocopy).Tests were performed in warehouses to develop optimal trapping methods for the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.), using dominicalure as the attractant and to study their efficiency for estimating infestation magnitude. Food packets were also useful in assessing the relative abundance of R. dominica in warehouses, but problems were found in their use. In studying the adult insect infestation of bagged grain, probe traps were effective for detecting R. dominica and the catch was directly and highly related to the insect population density inside the bags. The sampling spear was less efficient than the probe trap. Probe traps with 50 (mu)l of dominicalure 1 in a rubber band were superior to control traps, which capture insect numbers equal to traps baited with dominicalure 2. For aerial trapping, dominicalure was a powerful attractant both inside a warehouse and outdoors. No differences in attractiveness was found among dominicalure 1, dominicalure 2, and mixtures tested. Color of traps had no attraction by itself nor as a complement to the attractiveness of dominicalure-baited traps. The Lindgren funnel trap was the best design of the eight traps tested. The most effective pheromone dispenser type of the four tested was a 0.4 ml polyethylene test tube. Traps with 50 (mu)l of dominicalure 1 in a test tube were attractive for 30 days under summer conditions. The lowest pheromone dose tested, 50 (mu)l of dominicalure 1 in one test tube, was as effective as doses of 100, 150, and 200 (mu)l of substance in 2, 3, and 4 test tubes, respectively. More R. dominica adults were caught when the pheromone-baited traps were placed along walls and close to the ground than at the middle of the room or at greater heights, respectively. R. dominica behaved as a crepuscular insect during the summer and fall, with peaks of flight activity around sunrise and sunset. The peak at sunset was notably large. At night, flight was normally minimum, but it increased when warehouse lights were on. This species required relatively high temperatures to fly. Temperatures for 0, 50, and 100% of probability of flight occurrence were 19.6, 24.5 and 29.4(DEGREES)C, respectively. Dominicalure-baited Lindgren funnel traps estimated accurately the aerial density of the lesser grain borer determined by the periodicity in flight
Differential Acquisition of m-Sequences using Recursive Soft Sequential Estimation
No full textIn this contribution a novel sequential estimation method is proposed for the acquisition of -sequences. This sequential estimation method exploits the principle of iterative soft-in-soft-out (SISO) decoding for enhancing the acquisition performance, and that of differential pre-processing for the sake of achieving an enhanced acquisition performance, when communicating over various communication environments. Hence the advocated acquisition arrangement is referred to as the Differential Recursive Soft Sequential Estimation (DRSSE) acquisition scheme. The DRSSE acquisition scheme exhibits a low complexity, which is similar to that of an -sequence generator, while achieving an acquisition time that is linearly dependent on the number of stages in the -sequence generator. A low acquisition time is achieved with the advent of the property that the proposed DRSSE scheme is capable of determining the real-time reliabilities associated with the decision concerning a set of, say , consecutive chips. This set of consecutive chips constitutes the sufficient initial condition for enabling the local -sequence generator to produce a synchronized local despreading -sequence replica. Owing to these attractive characteristics, the DRSSE acquisition scheme constitutes a promising initial synchronization scheme for acquisition of long -sequences, when communicating over various propagation environments
∑_(l+m=k,l,m≥0) ((α+l-1)¦l) ((β+m-1)¦m)=((α+β+k-1)¦k) and its application to negative binomial distribution
No full textWe prove here the following equation: ∑_(l+m=k,l,m≥0) ((α+l-1)¦l) ((β+m-1)¦m)=((α+β+k-1)¦k) and give its application to prove the reproductive property of the negative binomial distribution.
These finite sum equation involving binomial coefficients and proof of the reproductive property are not known as far as the author knows.論文(Article)departmental bulletin pape
De Maiestate / Praeside M. Jacobo Thomasio, Moralis Philosoph. P. P., publice disputabit Johannes Dunte, R. L. Author & Respon: ad diem 9. Septembr. H L. Q. C.
No full textDE MAIESTATE / PRAESIDE M. JACOBO THOMASIO, MORALIS PHILOSOPH. P. P., PUBLICE DISPUTABIT JOHANNES DUNTE, R. L. AUTHOR & RESPON: AD DIEM 9. SEPTEMBR. H L. Q. C.
De Maiestate / Praeside M. Jacobo Thomasio, Moralis Philosoph. P. P., publice disputabit Johannes Dunte, R. L. Author & Respon: ad diem 9. Septembr. H L. Q. C. (1)
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Erratum to: Effect of moderate red wine intake on cardiac prognosis after recent acute myocardial infarction of subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Diabetic Medicine, (2006), 23, 9, (974-981), 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.01886.x)
No full textIn an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola.In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola
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