Inconstancy in predator/prey ratios in Quaternary large mammal communities of Italy, with an appraisal of mechanisms

Constancy in predator/prey ratio (PPR) is a controversial issue in ecological research. Published reports support both constancy and inconstancy of the ratio in animal communities. Only a few studies, however, specifically address its course through time. Here we study the course of predator/prey ratio in communities of large Plio-Pleistocene mammals in Italy. After controlling for taphonomic biases, we find strong support for PPR inconstancy through time. Extinction, dispersal events, and differences in body size trends between predators and their prey were found to affect the ratio, which was distributed almost bimodally. We suggest that this stepwise dynamic in PPR indicates changes in ecosystem functioning. Prey richness was controlled by predation when PPR was high and by resources when PPR was low.     

Distinct brief major events in the Karoo large igneous province clarified by new Ar/Ar ages on the Lesotho basalts

Recent mineral separate ages obtained on the Karoo large igneous province (southern Africa) suggest that the province was built by several distinct magmatic pulses over a rather long period on the order of 5–6 Ma concerning the main erupted volume [Jourdan, F., Féraud, G., Bertrand, H., Kampunzu, A.B., Tshoso, G., Watkeys, M.K., Le Gall., B., 2005. The Karoo large igneous province: Brevity, origin, and relation with mass extinction questioned by new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age data, Geology 33, 745–748]. Although this apparently atypical province is dated in more detail compared to many other large igneous provinces, volumetrically important areas still lack sufficient high-quality data. The timing of the Karoo province is crucial as this event is correlated with the breakup activity of the Gondwana supercontinent. The Lesotho basalts represent a major lava sequence of the province, but have not yet been precisely dated by systematic analysis of mineral separates. We analyzed plagioclase separates from five lava flows encompassing the complete 1.4-km-thick Lesotho sequence from top to bottom using the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method. We obtained five plateau and mini-plateau ages statistically indistinguishable and ranging from 182.3 ± 1.6 to 181.0 ± 2.0 Ma (2σ). We derived an apparent maximum duration for this event of  0.8 Ma by neglecting correlated errors embedded in the age uncertainties.

A critical review of previous ages obtained on the Lesotho sequence [Duncan R.A., Hooper, P.R., Rehacek, J., Marsh, J.S., Duncan, A.R., 1997. The timing and duration of the Karoo igneous event, southern Gondwana. Journal of Geophysical Research 102, 18127–18138] shows that groundmass analyses are unreliable for high-resolution geochronology, due to alteration and ³⁹Ar recoil effects. Discrepancy between our ages and a previous plagioclase age at  184 Ma obtained by the later workers is tentatively attributed to the heterogeneity of the monitor used and/or cryptic excess ⁴⁰Ar. The current age database suggests that at least three temporally and spatially distinct brief major events (the Lesotho and southern Botswana lava piles and the Okavango dyke swarm) are so far recognized in the Karoo province. Identification of brief and volumetrically important Karoo magmatic events allows detecting the migration of the Karoo magmatism and potentially the stress regime that affected the southern African lithosphere at this time. A filtered compilation of 60 ages obtained with homogeneous intercalibrated standards suggests a shorter duration for the main pulses of the magmatism between 3 and 4.5 Ma, compared to a whole province duration of  10 Ma, between  182 and  172 Ma.     

Effects of large organic material on channel form and fluvial processes

Stream channel development in forested areas is profoundly influenced by large organic debris (logs, limbs and rootwads greater than 10 cm in diameter) in the channels. In low gradient meandering streams large organic debris enters the channel through bank erosion, mass wasting, blowdown, and collapse of trees due to ice loading. In small streams large organic debris may locally influence channel morphology and sediment transport processes because the stream may not have the competency to redistribute the debris. In larger streams flowing water may move large organic debris, concentrating it into distinct accumulations (debris jams). Organic debris may greatly affect channel form and process by: increasing or decreasing stability of stream banks; influencing development of midchannel bars and short braided reaches; and facilitating, with other favourable circumstances, development of meander cutoffs. In steep gradient mountain streams organic debris may enter the channel by all the processes mentioned for low gradient streams. In addition, considerable debris may also enter the channel by way of debris avalanches or debris torrents. In small to intermediate size mountain streams with steep valley walls and little or no floodplain or flat valley floor, the effects of large organic debris on the fluvial processes and channel form may be very significant. Debris jams may locally accelerate or retard channel bed and bank erosion and/or deposition; create sites for significant sediment storage; and produce a stepped channel profile, herein referred to as ‘organic stepping’, which provides for variable channel morphology and flow conditions. The effect of live or dead trees anchored by rootwads into the stream bank may not only greatly retard bank erosion but also influence channel width and the development of small scour holes along the channel beneath tree roots. Once trees fall into the stream, their influence on the channel form and process may be quite different than when they were defending the banks, and, depending on the size of the debris, size of the stream, and many other factors, their effects range from insignificant to very important.     

东北冷涡南落型强对流天气的潜势预报分析

通过2005-2008年4-6月Micaps资料,查找500 hPa东北有冷涡,500 hPa和700 hPa江苏境内为大片的西北气流,当天午后到夜里出现强对流天气的若干典型个例,借助Micaps系统通过对一些个例的物理量资料分析,得出它们共同的发生强对流天气的机理;同时还分析得出诊断该类对流天气的不太适合使用的物理量和较适合使用的物理量;并分析个例的大气探空层结曲线,得出它们的对流层结与其它类型的区别,并剖析它们的一日转变情况;同时用Q矢量锋生函数方法分析,发现低层强锋生区域与强对流天气区域有较好的对应关系,锋生函数正值中心区域常出现个别站龙卷或大范围冰雹.     

极化SAR目标相对最优极化研究

目标相对最优极化就是选取一种极化状态,使得研究目标和背景地物的接收功率对比达到最大。通过讨论了目标相对最优极化问题,提出了改进的模型和解算方法,利用实际数据对其模型和方法进行了实验,验证了其有效性和正确性。     

干涉雷达在DEM测量中的精度影响及处理方法

干涉合成孔径雷达 (INSAR)为数字高程模型 (DEM)测量提供了一种新的手段。它具有同时获取三维信息、测量范围广、空间和高程分辨率高等优点。文中首先扼要介绍了干涉雷达的原理 ,然后重点讨论几个影响测量精度的因素及其处理方法 ,如相关、运动补偿、配准、相位展开等。     

基于感兴趣区域在区域层面上决策的SAR图像变化检测的方法研究

在现有的变化检测方法中,针对差分图像的方法得到了广泛的应用,但现有该框架下的技术都在在像素层面上决策产生的变化检测结果,这易使结果中存在诸如有噪声般散落的杂点、连通区域内有孔洞及边缘不平滑等缺陷。为此,本文给出一种在区域层面上决策生成变化检测结果的技术,其核心为抽取并处理感兴趣区域,而关键在于获取合适的抽取感兴趣区域的标签和如何在区域层面上生成变化检测结果。为使抽取的感兴趣区域包含几乎所有的变化类信息,我们用平稳小波变换和模糊C-均值(Fuzzy C-Means, FCM)算法分两步获取抽取感兴趣区域的标签;为在区域层面上生成变化检测结果,我们依据标签搜索感兴趣区域内所有的连通区域,并把每个连通区域看作为一个数据点,再由阈值技术处理这些数据点生成最终的变化检测结果。对真实SAR图像数据集的变化检测结果表明,其主观效果和客观性能都优于其他相关技术的。     

基于一维综合孔径微波辐射计的海面温度反演研究

Due to the low spatial resolution of sea surface temperature(T_S) retrieval by real aperture microwave radiometers,in this study, an iterative retrieval method that minimizes the differences between brightness temperature(T_B)measured and modeled was used to retrieve sea surface temperature with a one-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer, temporarily named 1 D-SAMR. Regarding the configuration of the radiometer, an angular resolution of 0.43° was reached by theoretical calculation. Experiments on sea surface temperature retrieval were carried out with ideal parameters; the results show that the main factors affecting the retrieval accuracy of sea surface temperature are the accuracy of radiometer calibration and the precision of auxiliary geophysical parameters. In the case of no auxiliary parameter errors, the greatest error in retrieved sea surface temperature is obtained at low T_S scene(i.e., 0.710 6 K for the incidence angle of 35° under the radiometer calibration accuracy of0.5 K). While errors on auxiliary parameters are assumed to follow a Gaussian distribution, the greatest error on retrieved sea surface temperature was 1.330 5 K at an incidence angle of 65° in poorly known sea surface wind speed(W)(the error on W of 1.0 m/s) over high W scene, for the radiometer calibration accuracy of 0.5 K.     

A Case Study of Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar Signatures of Spatially Evolving Atmospheric Convection over the Western Atlantic Ocean

A case study of a particularly intense cold air outbreak over the northAtlantic Ocean extending from the northeast coast of the UnitedStates to the Gulf Stream is described. A RADARSAT satellite synthetic apertureradar (SAR) image of this outbreak dramatically illustrates the spatialevolution of convection. Nearly coincident images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Advanced Very HighResolution Radiometer are used to compare many interesting features.In addition, National Weather Service rawinsonde data, National Data Buoy Center buoy data, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Coastal Mixing and Optics mooring data arepresented. We use these data to help describe the spatial evolution of the atmospheric boundary-layer processes involved in this outbreak.Rows of cellular convective clouds begin to appear some distance offshore and then slowly increase in horizontal diameter and wavelength in the downwind direction, with a subsequent jump in cloud diameter downwind of the Gulf Stream North Wall (GSNW). The SAR image shows a similar evolution of sea-surface footprints of these boundary-layer features. This change in boundary-layer structure is attributed to corresponding changes in static stability. About 300 km south of the GSNW in the SAR image, an even larger jump in cell diameter appears and the cells becomenon-uniform with bright crescents and filled semi-circles on thedownwind sides of the cells. These are believed to be surface effectsof gust fronts induced by the mesoscale cellular convection and enhanced by the overall northwesterly flow.     

青河县引种大果沙棘气候条件分析

利用青河县历史气象资料,通过对比分析青河县与大果沙棘原引种区气候条件,指出青河县适宜种植大果沙棘。在归纳分析青河县种植大果沙棘有利和不利的气候条件基础上,提出了相应的气象服务措施。