Predators of juvenile blue crabs outside of refuge habitats in lower Chesapeake Bay

Blue crabsCallinectes sapidus in lower Chesapeake Bay are subject to high rates of predation during the late summer of their first year of growth as they migrate out of vegetated nursery habitats. Predators, potentially contributing to this pattern, were identified in video-recorded field observations of tethered juvenile crabs (20–25 mm carapace width). Predators were also tested in large laboratory tanks containing similarly-sized untethered crabs as prey. Seven different predators attacked tethered crabs in the field. Only two predators, larger blue crabs and northern puffers,Sphoeroides maculatus, consistently succeeded in preying on crabs in both field and laboratory settings. These results confirm the importance of cannibalism on juvenile blue crabs and identify puffers as a potentially overlooked source of predation pressure.     

Change detection in Sal forest in Dehradun Forest Division using remote sensing and geographical information system

The review of study site have revealed the change in vegetation cover of Sal Dense to Sal Medium and Sal Open in 6 forest Mosaics owing to biotic and abiotic conditions prevailing in the specific areas. Analysis carried out using thematic map derived from aerial photograph of 1976 and satellite data of IRS 1C LISS III False Colour Composite (FCC) of March 1999 revealed the cause for change in forest density classes. Deforestation, encroachment and agriculture have been identified as the underlying causes, which have affected some specific locations to a marked extent. There has been a progressive and remarkable change among vegetation classes from 1976 to 1999. It is evident from forest type and density map that Sal density has significantly reduced from Sal Dense 65.61 % in 1976 to Sal Dense 11.12% in the year 1999 followed by Sal Open 11.18 % and Sal Medium 18.24 %. The overall change has been estimated to be 42.11% of the total forested area.     

Estimation of recent glacial variations in baspa basin using remote sensing technique

The Himalayas has one of the largest concentrations of glaciers outside the Polar Regions. Various reports suggest that significant number of mountain glaciers is shrinking due to climatic variations. Monitoring of these glaciers is important to assess future availability of water resources in the Himalayan region. However, Himalayan glaciers are normally difficult to monitor due to the rugged, mountainous terrain. Therefore, images of Indian Remote Sensing Satellite were used to monitor glaciers in the Baspa basin. Investigations have shown the presence of 30 glaciers in the basin, with areal extent of 167 km2. Out of these, 19 glaciers, with areal extent of 140 km² were selected to estimate retreat. Investigation suggests that almost all glaciers are retreating in the study basin and overall 19% deglaciation has been observed from 1962 to 2001. In general, altitude distribution appears to have significant influence on glacial retreat. Glaciers located around 5000 m altitude range are showing 24% loss as compared to 14% by glaciers located in altitude range higher than 5400 m. In addition, mean altitude of glacier terminus is shifted upward by 88 m, i.e. from 4482 to 4570 m in last 39 years. The glacial volumes were estimated using regression relationship between area and depth. The investigations have suggested that 19.10 km³ of glacial water stored in the 19 glaciers in 1962, has been reduced to 14.71 km³ in 2001, respectively, an overall loss of 23 percent in a period between 1962 and 2001. These investigations suggest that all glaciers in the Baspa Basin are reducing and in long term, such reducing trend can create scarcity of water in the region.     

青藏高原上中尺度对流系统(MCSs)的个例分析及其比较

对1995年7月25—28日高原上连续数日出现MCSs的现象进行了红外云图特征及其演变、大尺度环境背景场和对流有效位能的分析。可以发现，所有这些MCSs有着相似的日变化演变过程；它们的初始对流在中午由于日射加热开始活跃，之后迅速发展，这些MCSs在后下午形成，在傍晚达到最强，之后逐渐减弱。其中26日MCS最为强大，它是在单一的强大的近于圆形的高原反气旋高压背景下受强的低层热力强迫和条件不稳定的驱动而发生的。这些发生条件都与高原本身的热力作用紧密相关，所以它的发生发展主要与高原特有的较为纯粹的热力因子相联系。28日MCS是另一个很强的MCS，它明显地受到中纬度西风槽的斜压区的影响，这二个很强的MCS有着不同的发展机制和显著不同的表现特征。     

GPS折射角资料的变分同化试验

越来越多的新型观测资料为数值天气预报水平的进一步提高提供了许多新的机会。在各种新型的观测资料中,GPS(全球定位卫星系统)折射角资料无疑是非常重要的。GPS折射角资料具有分辨率高、全天候探测、覆盖全球等优点,实现对GPS折射角资料的变分同化,将具有非常重要的意义。文中介绍了如何获得及同化GPS折射角资料的原理。对GPS折射角资料的变分同化可以分为两种:间接同化和直接同化,文中对这两种方法都作了具体介绍。在变分同化的最小化过程中,计算效率无疑是最重要的,而优化步长的计算又直接关系到算法效率的成败。根据最小化算法的特点,通过数学推导,得出一种适合于各种最小化算法的计算优化步长的自适应方法。最后,还利用1995年10月11日的GPS折射角资料进行了数值试验,结果表明了变分同化方法和计算优化步长方法的有效性。     

The Northward Shift of Climatic Belts in China During the Last 50 Years and the Corresponding Seasonal Responses

Along the meridian of 105°E, the Chinese region are divided into two parts, east and west. The results show that in the east part of China the temperate extratropical belt, the warm extratropical belt,and the northern subtropical belt shift northward significantly, whereas the middle subtropical belt and the southern subtropical belt have less or no change. As for the northern subtropical belt, the maximal northward shift can reach 3.7 degrees of latitude. As for the warm extratropical belt, along the meridian of 120°-125°E, the maximal northward shift can reach 3-4 degrees. In the west part of China, each climatic belt changes little. Only in the Xinjiang area are the significant northward shifts. Correspondingly, it is found that in the last 50 years the traditional seasons have changed. For Beijing, Hailar, and Lanzhou, in general, summer becomes longer and winter shorter over the last 50 years. Summer begins early and ends late with respect to early 1950s. Contrary to the summer, winter begins la     

前驱地震波的试验研究及波谱分析

研究了含预置裂纹的有机玻璃试样在加载实验过程中，大破裂之前出现的长周期、小振幅低频事件，并与大地震前可能出现的同类现象（即前驱地震波）进行了对比研究，根据波形记录和频谱分析得出：前驱地震波是地壳介质的长周期波动，是一种客观存在的前兆特征，具有短临前兆意义。     

冀鲁豫交界区地下流体模糊熵值的变化与地震的关系

采用概率化预处理方法，把冀鲁豫交界区地下流体多种观测项目的观测值转化为概率值时间序列，然后计算其模糊从属函数。在此基础上计算该区地下流体构成的信息源系统的模糊熵值，分析了模糊熵值变化与1983年山东菏泽Ms 5.9地震和1985年河北任县Ms5.0地震的关系。结果显示，在这两次中强地震前分别有明显的减熵异常过程，并且一次比一次明显，中强地震都发生在低熵值处，震后恢复到高熵值的变化过程。这可能反映了地下流体构成的信息源系统在地震孕育和发生过程中的减熵有序变化。通过研究认为，该区模糊熵值减到0.907为发震前兆异常警戒线，并且离中强地震发生的时间越近，减熵过程越大；震级越大，减熵过程越明显，减熵时间越长。