Limpets as prey: Lipophrys pholis choice for size

Patellid limpets are key species on rocky shores, structuring intertidal assemblages through their grazing. Their role as prey for fish is, however, often overlooked in studies of intertidal ecosystem functioning. The shanny Lipophrys pholis is a common predator of limpets on rocky shores in Northern Europe and, in this study, we examined the characteristics of its predation on limpets based on prey size. The limpet size range that adult L. pholis (10–12.5 cm) can eat was examined in the laboratory using Patella depressa in 0.2 cm classes, varying between 0.5 cm and 3.0 cm in maximum shell length. There was a limpet size refuge above 1.8 cm, while all smaller sizes were readily consumed by the shanny. The predator attacking behaviour was also examined and found to vary with prey size. Limpets up to 0.8 cm were crushed by the jaw‐constricting force and eaten whole, whereas larger prey were prised from the substratum and the body subsequently separated from the shell. To examine whether there was a L. pholis preference for P. depressa size, a two‐stage laboratory experiment was done using two size classes defined as small (0.7–0.8 cm maximum shell length) and large (1.5–1.6 cm maximum shell length). In the first stage, the predator was given each limpet size class separately. In the second stage, the fish was given a choice between the two classes. Lipophrys pholis was shown to have a preference for the large size class (1.5–1.6 cm). The average number of limpets consumed by the shanny was examined for the duration of one high‐tide typical of the central region of Portugal (≈ 4 h). On average, approximately five limpets (up to an eight limpet maximum) were consumed. The present study shows that L. pholis has a feeding preference based on limpet size, which suggests that the limpet population structure and intra‐ and inter‐specific interactions may be influenced by the shanny predation.     

Composition and heterogeneity of the microbial community in a coastal microbial mat as revealed by the analysis of pigments and phospholipid-derived fatty acids

The beaches of the North Sea barrier island Schiermonnikoog (The Netherlands) are covered by microbial mats. Five types of microbial mats were distinguished based on a variety of characteristics, located along a transect perpendicular to the coast. Biomass abundance and composition of the microbial community were analyzed in these mats using pigments and phospholipid-derived fatty acids (PLFA) as biomarkers. Biomass per gram sediment increased more than six-fold from the mats at the low water mark to mats found at the edge of the dunes. Microscopic analysis revealed that the increase in biomass was accompanied by a change in species composition. Pigment- and PLFA composition reflected the changes in species composition. The PLFA data could be used to estimate the relative group abundance using the matrix factorization program CHEMTAX., whereas the pigment data were found not to be suitable for this purpose.     

Telecommunications and the Large City-Small City Divide: Evidence from Indiana Cities*

Urban systems are increasingly dominated by large cities that house a disproportionate share of telecommunications infrastructure. This paper investigates whether telecommunications is defining a technological divide between large and smaller cities. The paper provides a conceptual basis for large-city dominance and presents the results of surveys that investigate the use of telecommunications in medium and small Indiana cities. The survey data indicate that telecommunications is used by the set of Indiana cities, but is less prevalent among the set of smallest cities. Chi-square tests, however, suggest that city size does not adequately explain these variations in use.     

Physicochemical characteristics and levels of microbial activity in some florida peat swamps

Although microorganisms are certainly present in swamp and marsh peats, their geochemical role has not been demonstrated, in spite of their importance in determining the input to coalification processes. In order to obtain information on the gross level of microbial activity in the natural habitats, a broad-spectrum test for a type of enzyme important in the respiration of all organisms has been applied to cores of peat from a number of different environments in the Florida Everglades. In most cases, the respiratory activity in the upper layer is comparable to that in a fertile mineral soil, and this level of activity is found also at greater depths in several cores. In addition, some properties of the peat that tend to define their character as habitats for microorganisms were determined. pH values close to neutrality were observed at all sites. Chlorinity and total ionic strength naturally were high in the coastal swamps; seasonal variations in profiles in the brackish areas somewhat away from the coast suggested that some bulk flow of water through the peat into the porous limestone bedrock occurs in the rainy season. Eh profiles, regarded as empirical characterizations of environments, did differ considerably between saline and fresh water peats, though on a graphite indicator electrode were more positive than might have been expected in systems in which sulfate reduction was active. However, in these non-equilibrium systems, the potential recorded apparently depends on the nature of the electrode material used.     

Brazilian health regions and scales: A geographical perspective

Abstract:  This paper offers a geographical perspective on the way in which health regions have been defined and established in São Paulo as part of overall Brazilian health policy. To accomplish this, I first situate the Brazilian case in the international debate over the regionalization of health services. Second, I examine health regionalization in the case of São Paulo and show how the process is dynamic and complex, involving geographical scales that go well beyond the administrative boundaries of Brazilian municipalities.     

Study of the erosion rates in the upper Maracujá Basin (Quadrilátero Ferrífero/MG,Brazil) by the in situ produced cosmogenic 10Be method

The present work quantifies the erosive processes in the two main substrates (schists–phyllites and granites–gneisses) of the upper Maracujá Basin in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero/MG, Brazil, a region of semi‐humid tropical climate. Two measuring methods of concentration were used: (i) in situ produced ¹⁰Be in quartz veins (surface erosion rates) and (ii) ¹⁰Be in fluvial sediments (basin erosion rates). The results confirm that (i) erosion tends to be more aggressive close to the headwaters than in the lower parts of the basin and (ii) the region is now affected by dissection. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pitfalls in Nonlinear Inversion

— We discuss and illustrate graphically with simple 2-D problems, four common pitfalls in geophysical nonlinear inversion. The first one establishes that the Lagrange multiplier, used to incorporate a priori information in the geophysical inverse problem, should be the largest value still compatible with a reasonable data fitting. This procedure should be used only when the interpreter is sure about the importance of the a priori information used to stabilize the inverse problem relative to the geophysical observations. Because this is rarely the case, the user should use the smallest Lagrange multiplier still producing stable solutions. The second pitfall is an attempt to automatically estimate the Lagrange multiplier by decreasing it along the iterative process used to solve the nonlinear optimization problem. Consequently, at the last iteration, the Lagrange multiplier may be so small that the problem may become ill-posed and any computed solution in this case is meaningless. The third pitfall is related to the incorporation of a priori information by a technique known as “Jumping.” This formulation, from the viewpoint of the class of Acceptable Gradient Methods, is incomplete and may lead to a premature halt in the iteration, and, consequently, to solutions far from the true one. Finally, the fourth pitfall is an inadequate convergence criterion which stops the iteration when the data misfit drops just below the noise level, irrespective of the fact that the functional to be minimized may not have attained its minimum. This means that the a priori information has not been completely incorporated, so that this stopping criterion partially neutralizes the effect of the stabilizing functional, and opens the possibility of obtaining unstable, meaningless estimates.     

Ondes de surface

Résumé Le but de ce mémoire est de démontrer quelques nouvelles propriétés générales d'une classe de fonctions (les ondes de surface) très importante par son rôle en physique et en géophysique.On commence par la démontration d'un théoréme fondamental qui établit l'identité de l'ensemble des ondes de surface et de l'ensemble des fonctions pour lesquelles, à tout instantt ₀ et en tout pointA ₀ de leur domaine d'existence, on peut écrire une proportionnalité entre intervalles de temps (situés, en général asymétriquement, de part et d'autre det ₀) et rayons des domaines circulaires centrés enA ₀, telle que les moyennes temporelles et spatiales correspondantes soient égales. Ce théorème permet d'écrire, en termes finis, la solution des équations aux dérivées partielles de toute onde de surface.On applique ensuite les résultats généraux: 1° à la variation diurne de la pression lce qui permet de voir que ce phénomène peut être considéré comme une onde de surface et donne la loi fondamentale en cos³ ( latitude) pour l'amplitude de l'onde semidiurne progressive]; 2° aux ondes de variation de la pression synoptique. Pour ces ondes de variation on établit les relations qui existent entre leurs paramètres caractéristiques et on détermine finalement leur configuration théorique.

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Summary The aim of this paper is to give the proof of some new general properties of a class of functions (the surface waves) which is very important in physics and geophysics.We first give the proof of a fundamental theorem establishing the identity of the set of all surface waves and the set of functions for which, at any momentt ₀ and at any pointA ₀ of their domain, there exists a proportionality between time intervals comprisingt ₀ (asymmetrically, in the general case) and the radius of the circular domains centered onA ₀, such that the corresponding temporal and spatial means are equal. This theorem allows to write in finite terms the solution of the partial differential equations of any surface wave.The general results are then applied: 1° to the diurnal pressure variation, showing that this phenomenon can be considered as a surface wave and giving the fundamental law cos³ ( latitude) for the amplitude of the progressive or travelling 12-hourly wave; 2° to the waves of the synoptic pressure variations. For these waves the relations between their characteristic parameters is first established and finally their theoretical spatial configuration or pattern is deduced.

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Communication faite le 23 Avril 1957 à la Cinquième Assemblée de la «Società Italiana di Geofisica e Meteorologia» (Genova, 23–25 Avril 1957).     

Relations entre le creusement et le comblement des perturbations et leur déplacement

Résumé On commence par définir le creusement et le comblement d'une fonctionp(, t) du tempst et des points (, ) d'une surface régulière fermée en se donnant, sur cette surface, un vecteur vitesse d'advection ou de transfert tangent à . Le creusement (ou le comblement) est la variation dep sur les particules fictives se déplaçant constamment et partout à la vitesse , A chaque vecteur et pour un mêmep(, ,t) correspond naturellement une fonction creusementC (, ,t) admissible a priori; mais une condition analytique très générale (l'intégrale du creusement sur toute la surface fermée du champ est nulle à chaque instant), à laquelle satisfont les fonctions de perturbation sur les surfaces géopotentielles, permet de restreindre beaucoup la généralité des vecteurs d'advection admissibles a priori et conduit à des vecteurs de la forme: , oùT est un scalaire régulier, () une fonction régulière de la latitude , le vecteur unitaire des verticales ascendantes etR/2 une constante. Ces vecteurs sont donc une généralisation naturelle des vitesses géostrophiques attachées à tout scalaire régulier. Dans le cas oùp(, ,t) est la perturbation de la pression sur la surface du géoïde, le vecteur d'advection par rapport auquel on doit définir le creusement est précisément une vitesse géostrophique: on a alors ()=sin etT un certain champ bien défini de température moyenne.On déduit ensuite une formule générale de géométrie et de cinématique différentielles reliant la vitesse de déplacement d'un centre ou d'un col d'un champp(, ,t) à son champ de creusementC (, ,t) et au vecteur d'advection correspondant. Cette formule peut être transformée et prend la forme d'une relation générale entre le creusement (ou le comblement) d'un centre ou d'un col et la vitesse de son déplacement, sans que le vecteur d'advection intervienne explicitement. On analyse alors les conséquences de ces formules dans les cas suivants: 1^o) perturbations circulaires dans le voisinage du centre; 2^o) perturbations ayant, dans le voisinage du centre, un axe de symétrie normal ou tangent à la vitesse du centre; 3^o) évolution normale des cyclones tropicaux.Finalement, on examine les relations qui existent entre le creusement ou le comblement d'un champ, le vecteur d'advection et la configuration des iso-lignes du champ dans le voisinage d'un centre.Ces considérations permettent d'expliquer plusieurs propriétés bien connues du comportement des perturbations dans différentes régions.

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Summary The deepening and filling (development) of a functionp(, ,t) of the timet and the points (, ) of a regular closed surface is first of all defined, in respect to a given advection or transfer velocity field tangent to , as the variation ofp on any fictitious particle moving constantly and everywhere with the velocity . For a givenp(, ,t) and to any there corresponds a well defined development fieldC (, ,t). All theseC fields are a priori admissible, but a very general analytical condition of the perturbation fields in synoptic meteorology (the integral of the development fieldC (, ,t) on any geopotential surface vanishes at any moment), leads to an important restriction to advection vectors of the form: , whereT is any regular scalar, () any regular function of latitude, the unit vector of the ascending verticals andR/2 a constant. These vectors are a natural generalisation of the geostrophic velocities attached to any regular scalar. Whenp(, ,t) is the pressure perturbation at sea level, its development must be defined in respect to a geostrophic advection vector belonging to the above defined class of vectors with ()=sin andT a well defined mean temperature field.A general formula of the differential geometry and kinematics ofp(, ,t) is then derived, giving the velocity of any centre and col of ap(, ,t) as a function of the advection vector and the corresponding development fieldC (, ,t). This formula can be transformed and takes the form of a general relation between the deepening (and filling) of a centre (or a col) of ap(, ,t) and its displament velocity, the advection vector appearing no more explicitly. A detailed analysis of the consequences of these formulae is then given for the following cases: 1^o) circular perturbations in the vicinity of a centre; 2^o) perturbations having, in the vicinity of a centre, an axis of symmetry normal or tangent to the velocity of the centre; 3^o) normal evolution of the tropical cyclones.Finally, the relations between the developmentC (, ,t) of a fieldp(, ,t), the advection velocity vector and the configuration of the iso-lines in the vicinity of a centre are analysed.These theoretical results give a rational explanation of several well known properties of the behaviour of the perturbations in different geographical regions.

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Communication à la 2ème Assemblée de la «Società Italiana di Geofisica e Meteorologia» (Gênes, 23–25 Avril 1954).     

Recherches complémentaires sur le bases du calculateur météorologique «Temp»

Résumé La formule de base, traduisant une propriété analytique d'une classe très générale de fonctions, est un corollaire du théorème fondamental démontré dans un mémoire précédent, d'après lequel, étant donnés une fonction continue,p(, ,t) des points (, ) d'une surface régulière fermée et du temps et le champ d'un vecteur vitesse de transfert ou d'advection tangent à et ayant des lignes de flux fermées et régulières, il existe un opérateur spatial, linéaire, non singulierA tel que la fonctionA(p+Const.) soit purement advective par rapport a (sans creusement ni comblement). Ce théorème peut être exprimé par l'équation , où est un opérateur spatial, linéaire et non singulier, fonction deA.La détermination de peut être faite, soit en comparant deux formes différentes de la solution générale de l'équation en , soit en utilisant un raisonnement a priori très simple. On arrive ainsi au résultat pour un certain scalaireu(, ).Dans le cas oùp(, ,t) est la perturbation de la pression sur la surface du géoïde l'équation résulte aussi, comme nous l'avons montré dans le mémoire précédent, de notre théorie hydrodynamique des perturbations. On montre ici que la même équation peut encore être déduite de l'équation de continuité associée à la condition d'équilibre quasi statique selon la verticale.Comme applications de la formule de base (solution générale de l'équation enM), on étudie les problèmes suivants: 1^o creusement et comblement en général; 2^o creusement et comblement des centres et des cols; 3^o mouvement des centres et des cols; 4^o instabilité d'un champ moyen; 5^o propriétés spatiales des champsp(, ,t) et des vecteurs d'advection analytiques.Après une discussion des erreurs de la prévision d'un champp(, ,t) par la formule de base, du fait des erreurs des observations et du fonctionnement du calculateur, on examine quelques particularités du transfert ou advection d'un champf ₀(, ) par le vecteur . Enfin, le dernier chapitre du mémoire donne des éclaircissements complémentaires sur la structure du calculateur électronique «Temp» (qui effectue automatiquement les opérations mathématiques de la formule de base) et expose l'état actuel de sa construction.

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Summary The basic formula, expressing an analytical property of a very general class of functions, is a corollary of the fundamental theorem, proved in a previous paper, according to which, given a functionp(, ,t) of the points (, ) of a closed regular surface and of the time, and a transfer or advection velocity vector tangent to and having regular closed streamlines, there is a spatial, linear, non singular operatorA such thatA(p+const.) is a purely advective function in respect to (no deepening). This theorem can be expressed by the equation where is a spatial, linear, non singular operator depending onA.The determination of can be attained, either by the comparison of two different forms of the general solution of the -equation, or by a simple a priori reasonning. The conclusion is thus reached that for a certain scalaru(, ).Whenp(, ,t) is the pressure perturbation at sea level, it was shown, in the preceding paper, that the equation can also be derived from our hydrodynamical perturbation theory. We now show that for this particular case, the same equation is also a consequence of the equation of continuity together with the condition of quasi statical vertical equilibrium.The following problems are then analysed by means of the basic formula: 1^o deepening and filling in general; 2^o deepening and filling of the centres and cols; 3^o motion of the centres and cols; 4^o instability of a mean field; 5^o spatial properties of the analytical fields and advection vectors .The errors in the forecast of a field,p(, ,t) by means of the basic formula, due to the observational and computational errors, are discussed, and some peculiarities of the transfer or advection of a fieldf ₀(, ) by are examined. Finally, complementary points are disclosed on the structure of the electronic computer «Temp» which performs automatically the mathematical operations of the basic formula, and a brief report is given of the present state of its construction.