Responses of Mammals to Rainforest Fragmentation in Tropical Queensland: a Review and Synthesis

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 603 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Laurance

Research during the past decade in the wet tropics region of Queensland has yielded important insights into the responses of rainforest mammals to habitat fragmentation. These findings are synthesised by assessing key processes in fragmented landscapes, such as nonrandom deforestation patterns, edge effects, dramatic shifts in predator assemblages, and the kinetics of local extinction. Studies aimed at identifying ecological traits that affect the vulnerability of mammal populations in fragmented forests are also reviewed. Collectively, these investigations suggest that the composition and dynamics of fragment biotas are strongly influenced by edge effects and by the matrix of modified habitats surrounding fragments. Some implications of these findings for the management of fragmented landscapes are considered.

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 913-924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignazio Blanco ◽  
Francesco A Bottino

The degradation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)/polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites at different percentages of reinforcement was studied in order to verify their thermal stability in respect to the pristine PS. Analyzed compounds were prepared by in situ polymerization of styrene, in the presence of POSSs and characterized by 1H-NMR. The temperature at 5% mass loss and the activation energy of degradation, determined through kinetics literature methods, were taken into consideration in order to assess both the resistance and the kinetics of degradation. The results obtained for the synthesized polymer and composites were discussed and compared with each other and with those obtained in the past for similar alkyl-POSS/PS nanocomposites. A good improvement of the thermal stability, in respect to neat polymer, was found and showed that the presence of cyclopentyl groups at the vertices of the POSS cage led to a good interaction with the matrix. It was also drawn up a thermal stability classification among the synthesized materials and those studied in the past according to the organic nature of the substituents on the inorganic cage of the composite reinforcement.


Author(s):  
N. V. Larcher ◽  
I. G. Solorzano

It is currently well established that, for an Al-Ag alloy quenched from the α phase and aged within the metastable solvus, the aging sequence is: supersaturated α → GP zones → γ’ → γ (Ag2Al). While GP zones and plate-shaped γ’ are metastable phases, continuously distributed in the matrix, formation of the equilibrium phase γ takes place at grain boundaries by discontinuous precipitation (DP). The crystal structure of both γ’ and γ is hep with the following orientation relationship with respect to the fee α matrix: {0001}γ′,γ // {111}α, <1120>γ′,γ, // <110>α.The mechanisms and kinetics of continuous matrix precipitation (CMP) in dilute Al-Ag alloys have been studied in considerable detail. The quantitative description of DP kinetics, however, has received less attention. The present contribution reports the microstructural evolution resulting from aging an Al-Ag alloy with Ag content higher than those previously reported in the literature, focusing the observations of γ' plate-shaped metastable precipitates.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Wenjun Song ◽  
Min Lei ◽  
Mingpan Wan ◽  
Chaowen Huang

In this study, the phase transformation behaviour of the carburised layer and the matrix of 23CrNi3Mo steel was comparatively investigated by constructing continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram, determining the volume fraction of retained austenite (RA) and plotting dilatometric curves. The results indicated that Austenite formation start temperature (Ac1) and Austenite formation finish temperature (Ac3) of the carburised layer decreased compared to the matrix, and the critical cooling rate (0.05 °C/s) of martensite transformation is significantly lower than that (0.8 °C/s) of the matrix. The main products of phase transformation in both the carburised layer and the matrix were martensite and bainite microstructures. Moreover, an increase in carbon content resulted in the formation of lamellar martensite in the carburised layer, whereas the martensite in the matrix was still lath. Furthermore, the volume fraction of RA in the carburised layer was higher than that in the matrix. Moreover, the bainite transformation kinetics of the 23CrNi3Mo steel matrix during the continuous cooling process indicated that the mian mechanism of bainite transformation of the 23CrNi3Mo steel matrix is two-dimensional growth and one-dimensional growth.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Jin ◽  
Nerea Bilbao ◽  
Yang Lv ◽  
Xiao-Ye Wang ◽  
Soltani Paniz ◽  
...  

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), quasi-one-dimensional strips of graphene, exhibit a nonzero bandgap due to quantum confinement and edge effects. In the past decade, different types of GNRs with atomically precise structures...


2017 ◽  
Vol 375 ◽  
pp. 29-39
Author(s):  
Boris A. Tarasov ◽  
Stepan N. Nikitin ◽  
Dmitry P. Shornikov ◽  
Maria S. Tarasova ◽  
Igor I. Konovalov

Paper presents the results of the growth rate of the interaction layer of uranium-molybdenum dispersed fuel in aluminum matrix and influence of silicon alloying on it. The growth process of amorphous interaction layer depends on the radiation diffusion which is proportional to the fission rate in the power of 1⁄4. The alloying of the matrix by silicon does not lead to a change in the mechanism and kinetics of the interaction layer growth, but only slows it down.


1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Myers ◽  
C. C. Koch

There is controversy in the literature regarding the existence of the metastable γ′ phase with an ordered Ll2 structure in rapidly solidified Fe–Ni–Al–C alloys. In this study, the quench rate–metastable structure dependence was examined in the Fe–20Ni–8Al–2C (weight percent) alloy. The effect of silicon on the kinetics of phase formation was studied by adding two weight percent silicon to a base alloy of Fe–20Ni–8Al–2C. Samples were rapidly solidified in an arc hammer apparatus and examined by transmission electron microscopy. In the Fe–20Ni–8Al–2C alloy, the nonequilibrium γ′ and γ phases were found in foils 65 to 100 μm thick. At higher quench rates, i.e., thinner samples, the matrix was observed to be disordered fcc γ with K-carbide precipitates. Samples containing silicon were found to have a matrix composed of γ′ and γ structures when the foils were thicker than 40 μm. At higher quench rates, the matrix was disordered fcc γ with K-carbide precipitates. The nonequilibrium γ′ and γ structures are present in samples with or without silicon, but are observed at higher cooling rates with the addition of silicon. This sensitivity to cooling rate and composition in resulting metastable structures may explain the differences reported in the literature for these rapidly solidified materials.


1994 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin J. Yates ◽  
Richard J. Hobbs ◽  
Richard W. Bell

Woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus salmonophloia occur both in the fragmented landscapes of the Western Australian wheatbelt and in the adjacent unfragmented goldfields area. We examined the responses of the unfragmented woodlands to landscape-scale disturbances caused by fire, floods, windstorms and drought. Sites known to have experienced disturbances of these types over the past 50 years all had cohorts of sapling-stage E. salmonophloia and other dominant Eucalyptus species. Sites disturbed either by fire, flood or storm during 1991-92 displayed adult tree mortality and extensive seedling establishment, although rates of establishment and survival varied between sites. No regeneration was observed at equivalent undisturbed sites. These results indicate that landscape-scale disturbances of several types are important drivers of the dynamics of these semi-arid woodlands. Lack of regeneration of fragmented woodlands in the wheatbelt is likely to be due to changed disturbance regimes coupled with altered physical and biotic conditions within remnants. We argue that it may be difficult to identify processes which are important for the long-term persistence of natural ecosystems in fragmented landscapes without reference to equivalent unfragmented areas.


From a study of the u. v., visible, near i. r. and e. s. r. spectra induced by γ -irradiation at 77°K in glassy MTHF and in glassy MTHF containing various additives and from a study of controlled temperature increases on these spectra, the following conclusions are drawn. (1) The primary products of the radiolysis are electrons ( e - ) and positive ions ( MTHF + ) which undergo a rapid ion-molecule reaction to give O CH 3 radicals ( R ⋅). (2) e - can either be trapped in the glassy MTHF matrix or can be captured by either napththalene, ferric chloride, carbon tetrachloride, nitrous oxide or trans -stilbene if these substances are present. (3) The e - T are bleachable by light or heat and disappear independently of the radicals R⋅ without either augmentation of R⋅ or the production of any new radical species. (4) e - T and R⋅ disappear thermally and independently by second-order reactions, the rate constants being K e - + e - (M -1 S -1 ) = 10 12⋅4±1⋅1 exp ─ [0⋅85 ± 0⋅10 kcal/mole/ R ( T ─ 75)] and K R˙ + R˙ (M -1 S -1 ) = 10 13⋅3±1⋅4 exp ─ [1⋅20 ± 0⋅15 kcal/mole/ R ( T ─ 75)]. These rate expressions suggest that both reactions are diffusion controlled at low temperatures in the glassy phase. (5) The kinetics of the thermal bleaching of e - T indicate that the electrons migrate distances of about 150 Å from their parent positive ions before being trapped in the matrix. (6) The effect of FeCl 3 in reducing the formation of e - T at 77°K and its lack of effect on the thermal bleaching of e - T suggests that the reaction e - + FeCl 3 → FeCl 2 + Cl - only occurs before the electron is thermalized.


Author(s):  
Mikhail Afanasiev

 The research focuses on the development of localized specialization and economic diversification theories. Our task is forecasting of the emergence of new strong sectors in the region. On the basis of probabilistic and statistical modeling the model which allows estimating the probability of appearing a new strong sector in the region taking into account characteristics of economic structure is constructed. The possibility of building such a model is based on the assumption that the emergence and development of sectors is largely determined by the evolution of past economic activity. The model uses the indicators of embedding structures of the strong sectors in the regional economies is introduced by the authors. These indicators are based on the probabilistic interpretation and properties of the elements of the matrix, by which economic complexity is estimated following the traditional approach. The probability of originating a strong sector in the structure for each region is estimated. Based on sorting the sectors according to the value of these probabilities and assessments of their potential contribution to socio-economic development expert assessment of the feasibility of developing a new strong sector in the region can be made. The results show that sectors’ introduction and generation in the regional economy is largely due to the evolution of the past economic activity.    


2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine K. Harding ◽  
Shirin Gomez

In this study we examined the potential for positive edge effects on folivorous arboreal marsupials inhabiting upland rainforest in the Wet Tropics region of far north Queensland, Australia. We predicted that the folivores should have increased densities at edges relative to interior forest 90 m from the edge owing to the following causal factors, either separately or in combination: (a) increased foliar biomass, measured as vertical foliage density; and/or (b) increased abundance of preferred food trees. To test these hypotheses, we conducted surveys of the lemuroid ringtail possum (Hemibelideus lemuroides), the green ringtail possum (Pseudochirops archeri), the Herbert River ringtail possum (Pseudochirulus herbertensis) and the coppery brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula johnstonii) at two remnant rainforest sites with ‘hard’ edges such as roads or pasture. Because arboreal species are often difficult to survey accurately within forests, we utilised pellet counts as an index of the population and compared this to the common survey technique of night spotlighting. Our results indicated that pellet counts, combined over all species, were positively and strongly correlated with spotlighting results. Using pellet counts as a relative index of arboreal folivore populations, we found that edge transects contained a higher abundance of all species combined than did interior transects. Further, total foliage density in the 10–30-m vertical transect was found to be significantly correlated with total pellet counts at edge transects. Total preferred tree species was not significantly different between edge and interior transects. From these results we propose that foliage density, as a surrogate for biomass, is a possible mechanism explaining the higher abundance of arboreal marsupials at the edges of these two highland rainforest sites in north Queensland.


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