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.     

三江源生态环境监测研究

青海省生态环境监测系统主要由遍布全省各典型生态系统区的生态环境监测站网、卫星遥感信息接收处理系统，信息收集、处理、模拟、评价系统，综合信息服务与反馈等部分组成。建立环境监测系统的目的是对青海省的生态环境进行系统监测和评估，及时为各级政府、有关部门和公众提供准确、全面的生态环境监测信息，为生态环境保护和建设提供科学依据。青海省生态环境监测系统于2003年5月1日开始业务运行，目前尚处于起步阶段。     

杭州市区春节期间空气质量变化特点

分析近3年春节期间的空气质量资料，结果表明，杭州市区环境空气中PM10、SO2、NO2浓度较高，烟花爆竹燃放期间3种污染物出现高峰值，这与烟花爆竹燃放有关，PM25／PM10的比值高于年均值。     

农田生态系统大气硫沉降通量的观测研究

1998年 11月～ 1999年 10月间在中国科学院红壤站 (江西鹰潭 )农田小气候站进行了大气二氧化硫 (SO2 )、硫酸盐粒子 (SO2 -4)浓度采样和雨水样本收集 ,利用阻力模式和全年逐时气象资料计算 SO2 和 SO2 -4的干沉降速度 ,估算干沉降通量 ,利用降水资料和雨水中硫酸根离子浓度估计大气硫的湿沉降 ,从而定量研究大气硫沉降输入农田生态系统的通量 ,结果表明 :农田下垫面上 SO2 和 SO2 -4干沉降速度的年平均值分别是 0 .373± 0 .170 cm· s-1(月均值 0 .16 1～ 0 .5 45 cm·s-1)、0 .198± 0 .12 3cm· s-1(月均值 0 .15 2～ 0 .2 6 9cm· s-1)。农田下垫面硫年总沉降量为 10 .3g· m-2 ,其中干沉降占总沉降的 83.3%。硫的干沉降又以 SO2 的干沉降为主 ,占年干沉降总量的 92 .2 %。大气硫沉降输入占农田生态系统输入总量的 90 %以上 ,是农田生态系统获取硫素的一个重要途径     

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.     

Remote sensing and gis applications in the identification of aquaculture hotspots at village level

Interpretation of IRS LISS II and LISS III imagery has revealed the various landforms as well as land use/land cover features in a part of the Godavari delta coastal belt. A comparative analysis of geomorphological vs. land use/land cover maps suggested that the landforms exert a certain degree of control over human land use activities even in this monotonously plain area. Further, an analysis of the sequential imagery pertaining to 1992 and 2001 aimed at detecting the land use/land cover change has indicated that the aquaculture has phenomenally increased by 9,293.5 ha during the 9-year period. At the same time, the cropland which occupied about 29,104 ha in 1992 has been reduced to 19,153.9 ha by 2001 mainly due to the encroachment of aquaculture. Village level data on temporal variation in land use/land cover extracted through GIS analysis revealed that in 14 out of the total 39 villages in the area, the conversion of cropland into aquaculture ponds was more than 30% with the highest conversion rate of 89.8% in Gondi village. These fourteen villages, which are designated as ‘aquaculture hotspots’ are grouped into 4 priority classes based on the intensity of conversion.     

陕西省2002年气候影响评价

通过对自动观测站与人工观测站各气象要素资料的对比分析，找出自动站观测资料与人工观测资料之间的差异，为自动站沿续观测资料的使用提供依据。     

中-吉-乌铁路(中国段)设计洪水的研究

根据中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)沿线近10个水文观测站40多年(建站一2000年)最大洪峰流量资料，对中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)最大洪峰流量设计值进行系统的研究。应用统计学导出的P—Ⅲ分布，预测了中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)最大洪峰流量不同概率设计值。这对于中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)工程设计和施工及未来铁路养护等具有重要的科学意义和工程价值。