scholarly journals Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Settlements of Red Wood Ants in the Baikal Region

2019 ◽  
pp. 385-397
Author(s):  
Igor A. Antonov ◽  
Roman K. Fedorov ◽  
Innokentiy A. Bashalkhanov
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Baikal Region ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
Settlement Density ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Dynamics And Control ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
And Control ◽  
Mountain Taiga

Outbreaks of defoliating insects constantly emerge and spread in the heavily forested Baikal region. Biological control is the approach of choice in pest management, and red wood ants are used to control defoliating insects at their outbreak sites. The purpose of the present paper is to choose the forest plots with complexes of red wood ant nests in the Baikal region and to estimate the level of protection of these plots from defoliating insects using hybrid geoinformation system (GIS). The Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory SB RAS geoportal (http://geos.icc.ru) is the hybrid GIS. During fieldwork, 101 nests of F. aquilonia Yarr. and 20 nests of F. lugubris Zett. were found. One hundred and two nests (88 F. aquilonia nests and 14 F. lugubris nests) formed nest complexes and were located on 18 forest plots. Two parameters were used to estimate protection level of forest plots from defoliating insects: the average number of nests per 1 hectare (settlement density) and the total area of dome bases of all anthills located on 1 hectare (power of the nest complex). The research revealed that only four forest plots (“Uzury”, “Khalgay”, “Onguren_2”, and “Onguren_3”), situated in the mountain taiga pine landscape, were protected from defoliating insects (settlement density ≥5 nests/ha and power of nest complex >6 m2/ha). Besides, the complex of nests in the “Onguren_2” forest plot can be a source for capture of filial nests. The “Arshan_2” forest plot, situated in the mountain taiga dark coniferous landscape of reduced development, had the lowest density of settlements of ants (less than two nests per hectare). The state-of-the-art hybrid GIS is a tool that can be used to quickly and efficiently discover and analyze the spatial distribution of settlements of red wood ants

scholarly journals Nests of red wood ants (Formica rufa-group) are positively associated with tectonic faults: a double-blind test

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Del Toro ◽  
Gabriele Berberich ◽  
Relena R. Ribbons ◽  
Martin B. Berberich ◽  
Nathan J. Sanders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Tectonic Faults ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Sampling Biases

AbstractEcological studies aim to better understand the distribution and abundances of organisms. Yet ecological works often are subjected to unintentional biases thus an improved framework for hypothesis testing should be used. Double-blind ecological studies are rare but necessary to minimize sampling biases and omission errors and improve the reliability of research. We used a double-blind design to evaluate associations between nests of red wood ants(Formica rufa,RWA) and the distribution of tectonic faults. We randomly sampled two regions in western Denmark to map the spatial distribution of RWA nests. We then calculated nest proximity to the nearest active tectonic faults. Red wood ant nests were eight times more likely to be found within 60 meters of known tectonic faults than were random points in the same region but without nests. This pattern paralleled the directionality of the fault system, with NNE-SSW faults having the strongest associations with RWA nests. The nest locations were collected without knowledge of the spatial distribution of active faults thus we are confident that the results are neither biased nor artefactual. This example highlights the benefits of double-blind designs in reducing sampling biases, testing controversial hypotheses, and increasing the reliability of the conclusions of research.

scholarly journals Nests of red wood ants (Formica rufa-group) are positively associated with tectonic faults: a double-blind test

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Del Toro ◽  
Gabriele M. Berberich ◽  
Relena R. Ribbons ◽  
Martin B. Berberich ◽  
Nathan J. Sanders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Ecological Studies ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Tectonic Faults ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Sampling Biases

Ecological studies often are subjected to unintentional biases, suggesting that improved research designs for hypothesis testing should be used. Double-blind ecological studies are rare but necessary to minimize sampling biases and omission errors, and improve the reliability of research. We used a double-blind design to evaluate associations between nests of red wood ants (Formica rufa, RWA) and the distribution of tectonic faults. We randomly sampled two regions in western Denmark to map the spatial distribution of RWA nests. We then calculated nest proximity to the nearest active tectonic faults. Red wood ant nests were eight times more likely to be found within 60 m of known tectonic faults than were random points in the same region but without nests. This pattern paralleled the directionality of the fault system, with NNE–SSW faults having the strongest associations with RWA nests. The nest locations were collected without knowledge of the spatial distribution of active faults thus we are confident that the results are neither biased nor artefactual. This example highlights the benefits of double-blind designs in reducing sampling biases, testing controversial hypotheses, and increasing the reliability of the conclusions of research.

PROJECT ON ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSYTEM

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Shivam Dwivedi ◽  
Prof. Vikas Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Steering System ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Variable Pressure ◽  
Passenger Cars ◽  
Control Techniques ◽  
Steering Mechanism ◽  
Dynamics And Control ◽  
Active Research ◽  
Electronic Steering ◽  
And Control

As the four-wheel steering (4WS) system has great potentials, many researchers' attention was attracted to this technique and active research was made. As a result, passenger cars equipped with 4WS systems were put on the market a few years ago. This report tries to identify the essential elements of the 4WS technology in terms of vehicle dynamics and control techniques. Based on the findings of this investigation, the report gives a mechanism of electronically controlling the steering system depending on the variable pressure applied on it. This enhances the controlling and smoothens the operation of steering mechanism.

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