Structure and thermal behavior of zirconium tungstate under heating

The morphology and properties of powders ZrW2O7(OH)[2]•2H[2]O and ZrW[2]O[8], obtained under the conditions of hydrothermal synthesis was studied. Using the high-temperature X-ray analysis, the mechanism of formation of zirconium tungstate was established. The influence of temperature on the structure and properties of materials was studied using shadow-casting method

Effect of Parathion-Methyl on Amazonian fish and freshwater invertebrates: a comparison of sensitivity with temperate data.

Parathion-methyl is an organophosphorous insecticide that is widely used in agricultural production sites in the Amazon. The use of this pesticide might pose a potential risk for the biodiversity and abundance of fish and invertebrate species inhabiting aquatic ecosystems adjacent to the agricultural fields. Due to a lack of toxicity data for Amazonian species, safe environmental concentrations used to predict the ecological risks of parathion-methyl in the Amazon are based on tests performed with temperate species, although it is unknown whether the sensitivity of temperate species is representative for those of Amazonian endemic species

Surface albedo from Landsat 5 images in areas of sugar cane and cerrado

Propôs-se, neste trabalho, estimar dados de albedo à superfície terrestre usando-se o sensor Thematic Mapper (TM) do satélite LANDSAT 5 e compará-lo com dados de duas estações agrometeorológicas localizadas em região de Cerrado e a outra em cultivo da cana-de-açúcar. A região de estudo está localizada no município de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, SP, Brasil. Para a realização do estudo obtiveram-se seis imagens orbitais do satélite Landsat 5 sensores TM, na órbita 220 e ponto 75, nas datas de 22/02, 11/04, 29/05, 01/08, 17/08 e 21/11, todas do ano de 2005, a que correspondem os dias juliano de 53, 101, 149, 213, 229 e 325, respectivamente. As correções geométricas para as imagens foram realizadas e geradas as cartas de albedo. O algoritmo SEBAL estimou satisfatoriamente os valores de albedo de superfícies sobre áreas de cerrado e de cana-de-açúcar, na região de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, SP, consistentes com observações realizadas do albedo à superfície.This study aimed to estimate albedo data from the land surface sensor using the images of Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite LANDSAT 5 and to compare it with data from two agrometeorological stations located in the region of Cerrado, and another in sugar cane cultivation. The study area is located in the municipality of Santa Rita do Passa Quatro - SP, Brazil. To carry out the study six orbital images were obtained from the satellite Landsat 5 TM sensors in the orbit 220 and in the section 75, for the dates of 22/02, 11/04, 29/05, 01/08, 17/08 and 21/11 (all in the year of 2005) which correspond to the days 53, 101, 149, 213, 229 and 325, respectively. The geometric correction for images was performed and the letters of albedo were generated. The algorithm SEBAL estimated, satisfactorily, the values of albedo on the surface areas of Cerrado and sugar cane in the region of Santa Rita do Passa Quatro - SP, consistent with observations made of the surface albedo

Молдавская идентичность в начале XXI в.: реалии и перспективы

Территория между Прутом и Днестром, названная позже Бессарабией, была присоединена к Российской империи в результате русско-турецкой войны 1806-1812 гг. согласно Бухарестскому мирному договору (16(28) мая 1812 г.)

Needs assessment to strengthen capacity in water and sanitation research in Africa:experiences of the African SNOWS consortium

Despite its contribution to global disease burden, diarrhoeal disease is still a relatively neglected area for research funding, especially in low-income country settings. The SNOWS consortium (Scientists Networked for Outcomes from Water and Sanitation) is funded by the Wellcome Trust under an initiative to build the necessary research skills in Africa. This paper focuses on the research training needs of the consortium as identified during the first three years of the project

Analysis of sexual phenotype and prezygotic fertility in natural populations of Fucus spiralis, F. vesiculosus (Fucaceae, Phaeophyceae) and their putative hybrids

In the genus Fucus, the character dioecy/hermaphroditism has undergone multiple state changes and hybridization is possible between taxa with contrasting mating systems, e.g. between the dioecious Fucus vesiculosus and the hermaphrodite F. spiralis. In the context of mating system evolution, we evaluated the potential consequences of hybridization by studying the variation in sexual phenotype and prezygotic fertility. Firstly, as a result of hybridization between the two sexual systems, gender variation may arise depending on the relative importance of genes with large versus small phenotypic effects. We thus qualitatively examined the extent of gender variation within and among individual hybrids in comparison with both parental species. Secondly, if hybridization breaks up co-adapted gene complexes, hybrid fertility may be reduced in comparison with both parental species. Therefore, we also quantified male and female prezygotic fertility in parental species and their hybrids in order to test for reduction in hybrid fitness. A total of 89 sexually mature individuals (20 F. spiralis, 40 F. vesiculosus, 10 hermaphrodite hybrids and 19 dioecious hybrids) were sampled in two geographically distant regions (France and Portugal) and six conceptacles per individual were observed. Within-individual variation was very restricted qualitatively – only one hybrid carried a conceptacle with a different sexual phenotype from the five others – as well as quantitatively. This suggests a simple genetic system for sex determination involving a few genes with major effects. In addition, analyses showed no significant decrease in hybrid fertility compared with parental species. Moreover, hybrids exhibited all sexual phenotypes, suggesting several generations of hybridization and backcrossing and, therefore, that hybrids are reproductively successful. Finally, the occurrence of sterile paraphyses in female and hermaphrodite individuals was interpreted as a relic of male function and suggests that, as in higher plants, evolution from hermaphroditism to dioecy may be the most parsimonious pathway

Local Adaptation Is Highest in Populations With Stable Long-Term Growth

Theory suggests that the drivers of demographic variation and local adaptation are shared and may feedback on one other. Despite some evidence for these links in controlled settings, the relationship between local adaptation and demography remains largely unexplored in natural conditions. Using 10 years of demographic data and two reciprocal transplant experiments, we tested predictions about the relationship between the magnitude of local adaptation and demographic variation (population growth rates and their elasticities to vital rates) across 10 populations of a well-studied annual plant. In both years, we found a strong unimodal relationship between mean home-away local adaptation and stochastic population growth rates. Other predicted links were either weakly or not supported by our data. Our results suggest that declining and rapidly growing populations exhibit reduced local adaptation, potentially due to maladaptation and relaxed selection, respectively

Fruit Production Per Plant in Long-Term Study of Population Dynamics of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana at 35 Populations in the Kern River Valley, California, USA from 2006 to 2017

The dataset (Data File Name: “Datafile_Fruit_Number_per_Plant.csv”) describes the fruit production per plant for up to 150 plants for each of the 35 populations followed in a long-term demographic study of Clarkia xantiana xantiana in Ker Co., CA. At each site, in each year, the number of fruits per plant was recorded on up to 150 plants per population. From 2006-2012, fruit number per plant was scored as the sum of undamaged fruits plus the “undamaged fruit equivalents” of damaged fruit. For example, if a plant had 2 damaged fruits, where half of each fruit was missing, the number of undamaged fruit equivalents was scored as 1, and added to the number of undamaged fruits. From 2013-2017, undamaged and damaged fruits were scored separately.Documentation of data collected on fruit production per plant in long-term study of population dynamics of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana at 35 populations in the Kern River Valley, California, USA from 2006 to 2017.National Science Foundatio

Site Characteristics and Climate in Long-Term Study of Population Dynamics of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana at 35 Sites in the Kern River Valley, California, USA from 2006 to 2017

Site locations and environmental variables of 35 populations of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana where plant density and fruit production have been measured in a long term demographic study. The datafile (Data File Name: Datafile_Site_Environment.csv) details the full names of the sites, locality information, lat/long locations, slope, elevation, soil parent material, and radiation factors. The README file describes all of the column names in detail.Site locations and environmental variables of 35 populations of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana where plant density and fruit production have been measured in a long term demographic study.National Science Foundatio

Survivorship and Fecundity Data Collected in Long-Term Study of Demography of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana at 20 Populations in the Kern River Valley, California, USA from 2006 to 2017

The datafile (Data File Name: “Datafile_Survivorship_Fecundity.csv) contains data for long-tern study of the demography of Clarkia xantiana xantiana in Kern Co., CA for 20 populations from 2006 to 2017. The dataset includes data on survivorship and fecundity of plants in permanent plots that were followed from germination to fruiting. At each site, 30 permanent plots of 0.5 m2 were established in 2006 along 4-6 transects. Each year, the number of seedlings in each permanent plot was recorded in February, the number of surviving fruiting plants and the average number of fruits per plant in each plot with fruiting plants were recorded in June. In 2006, only a subset of permanent plots were monitored for seedling germination, and fruit number per fruiting plant was not recorded. From 2006-2012, fruit number per plant was scored as the sum of undamaged fruits plus the “undamaged fruit equivalents” of damaged fruit. For example, if a plant had 2 damaged fruits, where half of each fruit was missing, the number of undamaged fruit equivalents was scored as 1, and added to the number of undamaged fruits. From 2013-2017, undamaged and damaged fruits were scored separately.Survivorship and fecundity data collected in long-term study of demography of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana at 20 populations in the Kern River Valley, California, USA from 2006 to 2017.National Science Foundatio