The island rule,a general pattern of dwarfism in large species to gigantism in small species on islands relative to mainland,is typically seen as a macroevolutionary phenomenon.However,whether the ecological processes...The island rule,a general pattern of dwarfism in large species to gigantism in small species on islands relative to mainland,is typically seen as a macroevolutionary phenomenon.However,whether the ecological processes associated with abiotic and biotic factors generate a pattern of plant size variation similar to the island rule remains unknown.We measured plant height for 29,623 individuals of 50 common woody plant species across 43 islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago(8500 years old and yet to undergo major evolutionary adaptation)and the adjacent mainlands in China.We found pronounced variations in plant height,similar to those of the island rule.Interestingly,islands with low resource availability,such as low soil organic matter content and low precipitation,had a high degree of dwarfism;islands experiencing high environmental stress,such as high soil pH,had a high degree of dwarfism;and islands experiencing less planteplant competition had a high degree of gigantism.The magnitude of plant dwarfism was higher on small and remote islands than on larger and nearer islands.These results highlight the importance of ecological processes associated with abiotic and biotic conditions in shaping the island rule-like patterns of plant size variation.Since our studied archipelago is too young to undergo major evolution,ecological processes likely played a prominent role in generating the observed pattern,challenging the notion that the evolutionary process is the dominant factor underlying the island rule.Future studies on the island rule need to perform experiments to disentangle evolutionary from ecological mechanisms.展开更多
Microplastics are a widely distributed pollutant that threatens the growth and health of marine organisms.Compared to the mainland,island ecosystems with unique characteristics are fragile and sensitive to natural and...Microplastics are a widely distributed pollutant that threatens the growth and health of marine organisms.Compared to the mainland,island ecosystems with unique characteristics are fragile and sensitive to natural and human interference.We investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics in the soils of Wuzhizhou Island,Hainan,China,and its surrounding nearshore sediments affected by human activities.Results show that the microplastic abundance in soil was 1116.67 items/kg;the particles were fragmented in size of less than 2 mm,the main polymer types were polypropylene(PP),polyethylene(PE),and polybutylene(PB),in transparent,gray,green,or white.The microplastic abundances in nearshore sediments of Wuzhizhou Island and the surrounding Haitang Bay were 274.67 and 755.17 items/kg,respectively;the particles were mainly fibrous,less than 1 mm in size,the main polymer types were rayon and polyethylene terephthalate(PET),mostly transparent.The abundance of microplastics showed a decreasing trend from shore to sea.Microplastics in the supratidal and intertidal zones differed in mainly the abundance and size.The microplastics in land soil were from tourism activities and infrastructure while the those in nearshore sediments came from not only tourism but also domestic sewage and fishing activities.The ecological risk of microplastics in the terrestrial soils of Wuzhizhou Island was higher than that in its surrounding nearshore sediments.These findings help to gain a deeper understanding of microplastic pollution in the island subjected to intensive human activities,and provide a scientific basis for subsequent in-situ toxicology research on microplastics and plastic pollution control.展开更多
Tropical coral islands represent one of the extremely stressful ecosystems,characterized by high salinity,seasonal drought,heat,strong ultraviolet radiation,and infertile soil,which constraint species occurrence,limit...Tropical coral islands represent one of the extremely stressful ecosystems,characterized by high salinity,seasonal drought,heat,strong ultraviolet radiation,and infertile soil,which constraint species occurrence,limit plant growth and development,and reduce species richness comparing to tropical continental islands with mesophytic habitats(Li et al.,2024;Ren et al.,2017;Tu et al.,2022,2024).Coupled with global climate changes,these adverse conditions have been being exacerbated,leading to extensive degradation of ecosystems throughout the tropical coral islands(Li et al.,2021).Native insular plant resources provide enormous potentials in island greening and ecological restoration,since they have colonized and become well adapted to the specialized habitat on tropical coral islands,evolving a series of functional traits and molecular strategies to accommodate the abiotic stresses.Thus,understanding the genomic make-up of these plants will help uncover molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to tropical coral islands.However,contrary to the numerous genomic studies done for other extreme habitats,such as deserts(Hu et al.,2021;Ma et al.,2013),alpine regions(Zhang et al.,2023),intertidal habitats(Feng et al.,2021;Hu et al.,2020;Natarajan et al.,2021),and karst caves(Feng et al.,2020),molecular adaptation of plants on the tropical coral islands remains to be elucidated.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on semen quality parameters in Teressa goat buck.Methods:A total of 25 semen samples from six bucks were selected for the study.Spermatozoa of 150&#...Objective:To investigate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on semen quality parameters in Teressa goat buck.Methods:A total of 25 semen samples from six bucks were selected for the study.Spermatozoa of 150×10^(6) were incubated in 0,300,500 and 700μg of leaf extract as groupⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ,respectively.Liquid stored semen samples were analysed for motility,viability,total sperm abnormalities,plasma membrane,acrosomal and nuclear integrities,seminal plasma intracellular enzymes[aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)]and total antioxidant capacity(TAC)and spermatozoa malondialdehyde(MDA)and cholesterol efflux in comparison with the control group(groupⅠ)for up to 72 h.Results:Moringa oleifera leaf extract(500μg/150×10^(6) spermatozoa)-treated semen had significantly higher motility,viability,plasma membrane,acrosomal and nuclear integrities,and TAC(P<0.05),and had significantly lower total sperm abnormalities,AST,ALT,LDH,MDA production and cholesterol efflux compared to those in other Moringa oleifera leaf extract treated(300 or 700μg/150×10^(6) spermatozoa)and control groups at different hours of liquid storage(P<0.05).Semen quality parameters and TAC showed an increasing trend and total sperm abnormalities,MDA production,leakage of intra-cellular enzymes and cholesterol efflux showed a decreasing trend from group Ⅰto group Ⅲand then an opposite trend from group Ⅲ to group Ⅳ at different hours of liquid storage.Conclusions:Moringa oleifera leaf extract 500μg/150×10^(6) spermatozoa can be used for liquid semen preservation in Teressa goat at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.展开更多
Reservoir islands formed by dam construction have the same history,clear boundaries,and large numbers that provide a natural platform for testing theories in ecology and biogeography.In this paper,we review studies of...Reservoir islands formed by dam construction have the same history,clear boundaries,and large numbers that provide a natural platform for testing theories in ecology and biogeography.In this paper,we review studies of multiple zoological taxa on reservoir islands of a large lake in eastern China(Thousand Island Lake).This lake,created in 1959,has 1078 artificial land-bridge islands of varying areas and isolation.Our review summarizes the decades-long studies in island biogeography and habitat fragmentation from this island system,grouped into three topics:species richness(“how many species are there”),community structure(“who are they”),and species interaction(“how they interact with each other”).Our findings support the predictions of the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography and extend this theory to predict community structure of island faunas by moving beyond assumptions of species equivalency.In addition,the extensive studies on ecological networks,including mutualistic,antagonistic,and parasitic interactions,reveal the negative impacts of habitat loss on the maintenance of such networks,even as increasing forest edge enhances the robustness of pollination networks.At the end of this review,we proposed several future research directions based on current studies that are simultaneously at the frontier of ecology and biogeography.展开更多
This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belo...This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belonging to 34 taxonomic families were found. Endemism has an important presence in the streams on both islands, especially regarding Trichoptera and Coleoptera. The overall status of freshwater macroinvertebrates is rather uncertain as recent data on these communities are scarce and focused on a limited number of sites. Overexploitation of aquifers and the diversion of natural water flows for irrigation have resulted in the drying up of numerous natural streams, inevitably endangering the fauna that inhabits them. A reduction in number and abundance of endemic and sensitive species was observed in the majority of the sampled streams resulting in a lower ecological rating. Therefore, it is proposed that the protection of streams of high conservation value is essential to conserve freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna native to the Canary Islands.展开更多
Seafloor extension and associated rifting in the North Atlantic Area, which started in Early Paleogene (from −62 Ma), resulted in a few micro-continents being isolated and submerged below sea levels. Published isotopi...Seafloor extension and associated rifting in the North Atlantic Area, which started in Early Paleogene (from −62 Ma), resulted in a few micro-continents being isolated and submerged below sea levels. Published isotopic data for sunken offshore continental materials (basement) in the North Atlantic area are quite sparse, but a few do exist for the Rockall Plateau, or more precisely the Rockall Bank. Isotopic data for Early Paleogene basaltic materials, covering basement rocks of the Rockall Plateau, have hitherto only been publicised for the NW margin of the Hatton bank. The Early Paleogene basaltic archipelago of the Faroe Islands, on which some isotopic data do exist, rests on an ancient sunken continental crust of unknown geochemical and isotopic compositions. The objective of this contribution is to assess potential lead isotopic relationships between the Rockall Plateau and the Faroese sub-basaltic basement, based on the sparse available isotopic data existing for the former and using available isotopic data for slightly contaminated Faroese basaltic rocks. The results reached in this contribution point to a likely association between the Faroese sub-basaltic basement and the basement of the Rockall Bank and hence the Rockall Plateau and potentially also between Faroese basaltic rocks and contemporaneous counterparts from the Hatton Bank.展开更多
Objective:To measure the seasonal effect on endocrinological profiles and sex behavioural profiles during rainy and dry summer seasons in male Andaman local goat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India.Methods:Ten adult ...Objective:To measure the seasonal effect on endocrinological profiles and sex behavioural profiles during rainy and dry summer seasons in male Andaman local goat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India.Methods:Ten adult male Andaman local goats were selected from the goat breeding farm,ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute,Port Blair,Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India.Endocrinological profiles such as follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),testosterone,thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),triiodothyronine(T3),thyroxine(T4),cortisol and prolactin were analysed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.Sex behavioural profiles such as libido score,mating ability score and sex behavioural score were measured during rainy and dry summer seasons in male Andaman local goat.Results:Endocrinological profiles as well as sex behavioural profiles differed significantly between rainy season and dry summer season(P<0.05).The levels of FSH,LH,testosterone,TSH,T3,and T4 were significantly higher in rainy season than in dry summer season whereas cortisol and prolactin were significantly higher in dry summer season than in rainy season(P<0.05).The ratio of T3:T4 was significantly higher in rainy season than in dry summer season.Similarly,libido score,mating ability score and sex behavioural score were significantly higher in rainy season than in dry summer season(P<0.05).Conclusions:Rainy season has significantly higher beneficial effects than summer season on reproduction and artificial breeding programmes in semi-intensive management of goat under the tropical humid island ecosystem in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.展开更多
China's legislation relating to islands categorizes the latter into inhabited and uninhabited ones.Between the two different types,only uninhabited islands can be acquired by those who aspire to be private island ...China's legislation relating to islands categorizes the latter into inhabited and uninhabited ones.Between the two different types,only uninhabited islands can be acquired by those who aspire to be private island owners.In an effort to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands in China,a succession of laws and regulations have been formulated,including the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Offshore Islands,and the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands,among others.As the only tropical province in China,Hainan province boasts a large number of uninhabited islands,many of which are desired by prospective island owners.In order to promote the development of uninhabited islands,the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands in Hainan Province had been promulgated.Based on a detailed introduction on the main contents of the Measures,it is found that the Measures has set an innovative example for its kind in terms of the real estate publicity system,the construction permit and acceptance systems,solutions to using the islands before the issue of Island Protection Law,and verification systems.Nevertheless,the actual implementation of the Measures still brings a host of challenges with it.These relate to aspects of the Measures such as supply regulation premised on regulatory equilibrium,spatial planning with"Multiple-plan Coordination",and coordination between regulations on sea areas and islands.This paper proposes to maximize efforts to refine and coordinate general planning,to innovate systems and procedures regarding the use of islands and to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands through protective development in line with international standards.展开更多
Despite it is widely accepted that intrapopulation variation is fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes,this level of information has only recently been included into network analysis of species/populatio...Despite it is widely accepted that intrapopulation variation is fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes,this level of information has only recently been included into network analysis of species/population interactions.When done,it has revealed non-random patterns in the distribution of trophic resources.Nestedness in resource use among individuals is the most recurrent observed pattern,often accompanied by an absence of modularity,but no previous studies examine bipartite modularity.We use network analysis to describe the diet composition of the Balearic endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi in 2 islets at population and individual levels,based on the occurrence of food items in fecal samples.Our objectives are to 1)compare niche structure at both levels,2)characterize niche partition using nestedness and modularity,and 3)assess how size,sex,season,and spatial location influence niche structure.At population-level niche width was wide,but narrow at the level of the individual.Both islet networks were nested,indicating similar ranking of the food preferences among individuals,but also modular,which was partially explained by seasonality.Sex and body size did not notably affect diet composition.Large niche overlap and therefore possibly relaxed competition were observed among females in one of the islets and during spring on both islets.Likewise,higher modularity in autumn suggests that higher competition could lead to specialization in both populations,because resources are usually scarce in this season.The absence of spatial location influence on niche might respond to fine-grained spatio-temporally distribution of food resources.Behavioral traits,not included in this study,could also influence resource partitioning.展开更多
Brinjal or eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is severely affected by bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanecearum in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Resistant varieties are most suitable option to reduce crop losses fro...Brinjal or eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is severely affected by bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanecearum in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Resistant varieties are most suitable option to reduce crop losses from bacterial wilt but knowledge of resistance mechanism and its inheritance is important to develop resistant varieties. Further, majority of germplasm from mainland India showed susceptible reaction under Andaman conditions. Thus, the present study was done during 2010-2012 to understand the genetic behaviour of bacterial wilt resistance in brinjal “CARI-B-1” (R) × “Pusa Purple Long” (S) in hot humid tropical climate of Andaman Islands. For this, the population from single F<sub>1</sub> fruit was advanced to F<sub>2</sub> and F<sub>3</sub> and recorded the reaction of segregating population in the sick plots. The results revealed that there is preponderance of recessive gene family wherein more than one gene acts in additive mode. Another cross between S. torvum (R) × Diglipur local collection (S) also showed the recessive gene action for resistance as observed in F<sub>2</sub> generation. Besides, the study also advocated that mechanisms of resistance, escape with early resistance and progressive escape have been found to be operating in individuals of segregating population.展开更多
An index of relative importance(IRI) was employed to screen for dominant fish in the waters surrounding the Taishan Islands, China, using data from four seasonal trawl surveys undertaken between 2012 and 2013. Niche b...An index of relative importance(IRI) was employed to screen for dominant fish in the waters surrounding the Taishan Islands, China, using data from four seasonal trawl surveys undertaken between 2012 and 2013. Niche breadth and niche overlap were measured using the Feinsinger and Morisita-Horn indices, respectively, and the characteristics and seasonal variations in the niches of dominant fish were assessed via non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS) and cluster analysis. A total of 80 fish species, including 16 dominant species, were recorded. Only A mblychaeturichthys hexanema was dominant in all seasons. According to niche breadth values and NMDS, the 16 dominant species were grouped into the following three types:(1) wide niche breadth species, including Cynoglossus macrolepidotus, A. hexanema, and Trypauchen vagina, among others;(2) medium niche breadth species, including Setipinna taty and Johnius belangerii; and(3) narrow niche breadth species, including A trobucca nibe and Coilia mystus. Most species with a wider niche breadth were demersal fish with a lower swimming capability and even distribution. The niche breadth of migrating fish was narrower than that of settled fish. At a given spatial scale, fish with stronger swimming capabilities had a narrower niche breadth. Niche overlap, which is associated with niche specialization, ranged from 0.000 to 0.886 and had an annual mean value of 0.314. In summer and autumn, niche overlap was relatively high within species of the Sciaenidae family and within species of the Gobiidae in autumn. Dif ferences in thermophily, feeding habits, food organism abundance/distribution and predator-prey relationships af fected the niche overlap of fish in this area. Cluster analysis revealed that species with the narrowest niche breadth and lowest niche overlap values usually displayed lower aggregation and greater distribution dif ferences compared with other species.展开更多
Coastal lagoon deposits provide evidence for the magnitude and frequency of past tropical cyclones prior to instrumental records and historical documentation.In the present study,we attempt to analyze the sedimentary ...Coastal lagoon deposits provide evidence for the magnitude and frequency of past tropical cyclones prior to instrumental records and historical documentation.In the present study,we attempt to analyze the sedimentary records containing typhoon information for the northern South China Sea region.For this purpose,sediment cores were collected from two coastal lagoons in the southeastern Hainan Island,and were analyzed in laboratory to derive the data sets about grain size,organic and inorganic carbon contents,and deposition rates.The grain size and organic-inorganic carbon data were used to formulate the proxies of typhoon events.The deposition rates,as calculated using the CRS 210 Pb method,are around 0.5 mm/a for both lagoons,on the basis of which an age model is established.Within the cores,sedimentary layers associated with 35 typhoon events have been identified.On such a basis,a 350 year history of local typhoon activities is reconstructed by incorporating the 210 Pb dating results,typhoon-induced sedimentation patterns and the historical documents.A comparison of the frequency of typhoon occurrence with the regional climate records indicates that the observed changes in tropical cyclone activity patterns,as revealed by the lagoon sedimentary records,may be related to El Ni？o,Pacific Decadal Oscillation（PDO）,North Atlantic Oscillation（NAO）,sunspot,and other potential climate drivers that affect the tropical cyclone variability.This study demonstrates that the sedimentary record of storms can be analyzed in combination with historical documents,to provide meaningful information on past storm activities and their long-term variability.展开更多
AIMTo determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Honiara, Solomon Islands. METHODSThis descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in s...AIMTo determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Honiara, Solomon Islands. METHODSThis descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in seven area health centers in Honiara. From March to June 2015, identification of eligible pregnant women in each site was conducted using systematic random sampling technique. A total of 243 pregnant women who gave written informed consent were enrolled. Standardized tool was used to record demographics, obstetric history and serology results. HBsAg and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were tested using point-of-care rapid diagnostic test. All HBsAg positive samples were verified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTSThe mean age of participants was 26 ± 6 years. The overall hepatitis HBsAg prevalence was 13.8% with higher rate (22%) reported in women between 30-34 years of age. Majority of HBsAg positive participants were Melanesians (29 out for 33). None of the pregnant women in the 15-19 years and ≥ 40 years tested positive for HBsAg. There was no statistically significant difference in HBsAg prevalence by age, ethnicity, education and residential location. The overall HBeAg seroprevalence was 36.7%. Women between 20-24 years of age had the highest rate of 54.5%. Low level of knowledge about hepatitis B vaccination was reputed. Overall, 54.6% of participants were not aware of their hepatitis B vaccination status and only 65.2% of mothers reported their child had been vaccinated. CONCLUSIONHepatitis B is a disease of public health importance in Solomon Islands and emphasize the need for integrated preventative interventions for its control.展开更多
Introduction:Diarrhoea remains the second most serious health problem among children below five years old in Solomon Islands and is one of the leading causes of infant mortality,which caused about one in every ten chi...Introduction:Diarrhoea remains the second most serious health problem among children below five years old in Solomon Islands and is one of the leading causes of infant mortality,which caused about one in every ten children dying before the age of five years.Globally,around 6 million children (＜5 years) suffer from diarrhoea each year.Because of lack of previous studies,this study aims to assess the predictors of knowledge and practice of caregivers towards diarrhoea among under-five children in Mataniko informal settlements in Honiara,Solomon Islands,2016.Methods:This quantitative study was conducted at three randomly selected settlements in Honiara,Solomon Islands from June to July 2016.This study was conducted among both male and female caregivers who had children under five years of age,were aged 18 and over,live in Solomon Islands and were willing to participate in the study.A validated structured questionnaire was used to collect the data based on a 2-week recall of diarrhoea episodes.To avoid double-counting,each surveyed household was geo-referenced using global positioning system (GPS).The collected data were entered and analysed using SPSS (version 23.0) and descriptive and analytical statistics.P＜0.05 was considered as statistically significant.This study was approved by relevant ethical committees.Results:A total of 205 caregivers with at least one child under-five years participated in the study.The mean ages of caregivers and the under-five children were (30.7+8.2) years and (2.6+1.5) years,respectively.Among 205 caregivers,94 of them had reported that their children (＜5 years) had suffered with at least one episode of diarrhoea within the last 2 weeks prior to the survey.This gave a prevalence rate of 45.9％.The caregiver's knowledge about the causes (99.0％) and prevention (98.0％) of under-five diarrhoea was extremely high.Nevertheless,less than half had regularly practiced essential hygiene habits.The factors which appeared to be significantly associated with under-five diarrhoea were irregular hand washing (odds ratio [OR] 2.07,95％ confidence interval [CI]:1.12-3.81,P=0.020),inappropriate methods of disposing of children's fecal waste (OR 1.88,95％ CIL 1.06-3.33,P=0.030),and using the river for bathing (OR 1.83,95％ CI:1.04-3.23,P=0.036),and laundry (OR 2.17,95％ CI:1.23-3.84,P=0.008).Conclusion:Diarrhoea is a major public health problem among children below five years in Mataniko informal settlements.To address these exposures,relevant programs and projects should be designed,especially in areas like family planning,household economic allocation and political commitment.Awareness and advocacy programs on birth spacing,food hygiene and potential health risks about the river should be ongoing at the community level.展开更多
An understanding of the sedimentary environment in relation to its controlling factors is of great importance in coastal geomorphology,ecology,tourism and aquaculture studies.We attempt to deal with this issue,using a...An understanding of the sedimentary environment in relation to its controlling factors is of great importance in coastal geomorphology,ecology,tourism and aquaculture studies.We attempt to deal with this issue,using a case study from the Xincun Lagoon,Hainan Island in southern China.For the study,surficial sediment samples were collected,together with hydrodynamic and bathymetric surveys,during August 2013.Numerical simulation was carried out to obtain high-spatial resolution tidal current data.The sediment samples were analyzed to derive mean grain size,sorting coefficient,skewness and kurtosis,together with the sand,silt and clay contents.The modern sedimentary environments were classified using system cluster and principal component analyses.Grain size analysis reveals that the sediments are characterized by extremely slightly sandy silty mud（ESSSM） and slightly silty sand（SSS）,which are distributed in the central lagoon and near-shore shallow water areas,respectively.Mean grain size varies from 0 to 8.0Ф,with an average of 4.6Ф.The silt content is the highest,i.e.,52% on average,with the average contents of sand and clay being 43% and 5%,respectively.There exists a significant correlation between mean size and water depth,suggesting that the surficial sediments become finer with increasing water depth.Cluster analyses reveals two groups of samples.The first group is characterized by mean grain size of more than 5.5Ф,whilst the second group has mean grain size of below 3.5Ф.Further,these groups also have different correlations between mean grain size and the other grain size parameters.In terms of the tidal current,the average values of the root mean square velocity（RMSV） are 7.5 cm/s and 6.9 cm/s on springs and neaps,respectively.For the RMSVs that are higher than 4 cm/s,a significant positive correlation is found between the content of the 63–125 μm fraction and the RMSV,suggesting that the RMSV determines the variability of the very fine sand fraction.Based on system cluster and principal component analyses（PCA）,the modern sedimentary environments are classified into three types according to the grain size parameters,RMSVs and water depth data.The results suggest the importance of grain size parameters and high-spatial resolution hydrodynamic data in differentiating the coastal sedimentary environments.展开更多
Knowledge of coastline changes and vulnerability is of great importance to local government departments that are responsible for the management and development of coastal zones.To study the nature of change and vulner...Knowledge of coastline changes and vulnerability is of great importance to local government departments that are responsible for the management and development of coastal zones.To study the nature of change and vulnerability along the coasts of the Hainan Island,we collected a large number of sediment samples through the last few years,and reconstructed the changes of the coastline by combining the data of sediment grain-size analysis and the nautical charts/TM RS imaginary.Contrary to being almost free from erosion（as expected from the findings that the coastlines are in a relatively stable state）,four major cities in Hainan（i.e.,Haikou,Wenchang,Sanya and Changjiang） turned out to be suffered from a moderate coastal vulnerability primarily because of the large populations that impose considerable pressure on the coastlines.Thus,the assessment methodology utilized in this study,including both anthropogenic and natural factors,serves as a useful tool to obtain a comprehensive understanding of coastline vulnerability for local government,in terms of coastal management and adaptation.展开更多
The variation in temperature on the island of Gran Canaria is studied using the method applied to the nearby island of Tenerife [1]. An upward warming trend of 0.09°C ± 0.05°C (α = 0.01) was seen from ...The variation in temperature on the island of Gran Canaria is studied using the method applied to the nearby island of Tenerife [1]. An upward warming trend of 0.09°C ± 0.05°C (α = 0.01) was seen from 1946 to date, which has accelerated since the seventies to 0.17°C ± 0.10°C (α = 0.01). The increase was higher at night (0.11°C ± 0.05°C) than by day (0.08°C ± 0.06°C), so the temperature range decreased slightly. These values are similar to those of Tenerife and the time series of anomalies for the two islands are highly correlated. On the coast the same relationship to the sea surface temperature was found as in Tenerife, but in the mid-altitude areas to windward, some differences were detected that are hypothetically attributable to the different relief of the two islands.展开更多
The analysis of animal movement patterns can provide important information on animals’ responses to habitat features. In this study, the movement paths of eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) were examined in four lan...The analysis of animal movement patterns can provide important information on animals’ responses to habitat features. In this study, the movement paths of eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) were examined in four landscapes, with different levels of habitat fragmentation, using either fluorescent powdering or spool-and-line tracking. Descriptions of the tree and ground vegetation communities were performed in the vicinity of the trail to obtain information on habitat use and habitat selection. Several key movement variables were calculated, including the total path length, net distance, fractal dimension, and radius of gyration. Despite statistically significant differences in some of the movement metrics between the four landscapes, the overall movement patterns were generically the same for all of chipmunk paths examined in this study. The data were compared to trends expected based on random or correlated random walks, as well as Lévy-walk models. The mean squared net displacement did not support the correlated random walk predictions, except at smaller spatial scales, but overall demonstrated Lévy-like super diffusive behaviour. Lévy-like patterns were also confirmed from the move-length distributions that demonstrated truncated-tail power-law behaviour. Although this would suggest invariance of the movement patterns at all spatial scales studied, fractal analysis revealed at least two transitions in movement patterns at scales of around 2 and 5 m. The transition point at 2 m was negatively correlated with the density of small trees, while the transition at ~5 m was positively correlated with the spatial distribution of large trees. As the habitat-preference data showed that small trees are among the least preferred habitat component, while large trees were among the most preferred habitat, chipmunks are likely to alter their movement behaviour to avoid small trees, and attracted towards large trees possibly to avoid predators. Overall, we determined three principal domains of movement: at smaller spatio-temporal scales, foraging activities dominate and the movement is highly correlated but also random;at intermediate spatial scales, chipmunks may be moving to avoid predators, using different environmental cues, and the movement is more directed (but still influenced by vegetation patterns at intermediate scales);at larger spatio-temporal scales, the movement is dominated by long-range/long-term memory and homing to burrows and other key habitat features, such as food caches, drives more directed movement. The fact that scale-dependent movement mechanisms could give rise to LW patterns is consistent with recent studies.展开更多
A new species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler,1828 is described herein based on six specimens from the Diaoluoshan Mountains,Hainan Island,Hainan Province,China.The new species,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.,is most simil...A new species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler,1828 is described herein based on six specimens from the Diaoluoshan Mountains,Hainan Island,Hainan Province,China.The new species,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.,is most similar to its continental sister species,Gonyosoma boulengeri(Mocquard,1897).Both taxa have a scaled protrusion on the anterior portion of the rostrum,distinct from other congeners.However,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.can be distinguished from G.boulengeri by two significant morphological characters:(1)black orbital stripe absent in adults(vs.present in G.boulengeri);and(2)two loreals(vs.one loreal in G.boulengeri).The new species is also genetically divergent and forms a unique clade from its sister species and all other congeners based on sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b(cyt b).展开更多
基金supported by the State Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32030068)the“Lump-sum System”Project of Chongqing Talent Plan(Grant No.cstc2022ycjh-bgzxm0204).
文摘The island rule,a general pattern of dwarfism in large species to gigantism in small species on islands relative to mainland,is typically seen as a macroevolutionary phenomenon.However,whether the ecological processes associated with abiotic and biotic factors generate a pattern of plant size variation similar to the island rule remains unknown.We measured plant height for 29,623 individuals of 50 common woody plant species across 43 islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago(8500 years old and yet to undergo major evolutionary adaptation)and the adjacent mainlands in China.We found pronounced variations in plant height,similar to those of the island rule.Interestingly,islands with low resource availability,such as low soil organic matter content and low precipitation,had a high degree of dwarfism;islands experiencing high environmental stress,such as high soil pH,had a high degree of dwarfism;and islands experiencing less planteplant competition had a high degree of gigantism.The magnitude of plant dwarfism was higher on small and remote islands than on larger and nearer islands.These results highlight the importance of ecological processes associated with abiotic and biotic conditions in shaping the island rule-like patterns of plant size variation.Since our studied archipelago is too young to undergo major evolution,ecological processes likely played a prominent role in generating the observed pattern,challenging the notion that the evolutionary process is the dominant factor underlying the island rule.Future studies on the island rule need to perform experiments to disentangle evolutionary from ecological mechanisms.
基金the Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.422MS082)the Hainan Provincial Joint Project of Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City(No.2021CXLH0009)+2 种基金the Funding Scheme for High-level Overseas Chinese Students’Return of Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China and ScienceOpen Project Program of Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University(No.2022RHDKFKT08)Technology Project of Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University(No.2022CXYZD002)。
文摘Microplastics are a widely distributed pollutant that threatens the growth and health of marine organisms.Compared to the mainland,island ecosystems with unique characteristics are fragile and sensitive to natural and human interference.We investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics in the soils of Wuzhizhou Island,Hainan,China,and its surrounding nearshore sediments affected by human activities.Results show that the microplastic abundance in soil was 1116.67 items/kg;the particles were fragmented in size of less than 2 mm,the main polymer types were polypropylene(PP),polyethylene(PE),and polybutylene(PB),in transparent,gray,green,or white.The microplastic abundances in nearshore sediments of Wuzhizhou Island and the surrounding Haitang Bay were 274.67 and 755.17 items/kg,respectively;the particles were mainly fibrous,less than 1 mm in size,the main polymer types were rayon and polyethylene terephthalate(PET),mostly transparent.The abundance of microplastics showed a decreasing trend from shore to sea.Microplastics in the supratidal and intertidal zones differed in mainly the abundance and size.The microplastics in land soil were from tourism activities and infrastructure while the those in nearshore sediments came from not only tourism but also domestic sewage and fishing activities.The ecological risk of microplastics in the terrestrial soils of Wuzhizhou Island was higher than that in its surrounding nearshore sediments.These findings help to gain a deeper understanding of microplastic pollution in the island subjected to intensive human activities,and provide a scientific basis for subsequent in-situ toxicology research on microplastics and plastic pollution control.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170232,32070222,32271613)the National Key R&D Programof China(Key Special Project for Marine Environmental Security and Sustainable Development of Coral Reefs 2021-400)+1 种基金Guangdong Science and Technology Program(2024B1212050007)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC3100405)。
文摘Tropical coral islands represent one of the extremely stressful ecosystems,characterized by high salinity,seasonal drought,heat,strong ultraviolet radiation,and infertile soil,which constraint species occurrence,limit plant growth and development,and reduce species richness comparing to tropical continental islands with mesophytic habitats(Li et al.,2024;Ren et al.,2017;Tu et al.,2022,2024).Coupled with global climate changes,these adverse conditions have been being exacerbated,leading to extensive degradation of ecosystems throughout the tropical coral islands(Li et al.,2021).Native insular plant resources provide enormous potentials in island greening and ecological restoration,since they have colonized and become well adapted to the specialized habitat on tropical coral islands,evolving a series of functional traits and molecular strategies to accommodate the abiotic stresses.Thus,understanding the genomic make-up of these plants will help uncover molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to tropical coral islands.However,contrary to the numerous genomic studies done for other extreme habitats,such as deserts(Hu et al.,2021;Ma et al.,2013),alpine regions(Zhang et al.,2023),intertidal habitats(Feng et al.,2021;Hu et al.,2020;Natarajan et al.,2021),and karst caves(Feng et al.,2020),molecular adaptation of plants on the tropical coral islands remains to be elucidated.
文摘Objective:To investigate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on semen quality parameters in Teressa goat buck.Methods:A total of 25 semen samples from six bucks were selected for the study.Spermatozoa of 150×10^(6) were incubated in 0,300,500 and 700μg of leaf extract as groupⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ,respectively.Liquid stored semen samples were analysed for motility,viability,total sperm abnormalities,plasma membrane,acrosomal and nuclear integrities,seminal plasma intracellular enzymes[aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)]and total antioxidant capacity(TAC)and spermatozoa malondialdehyde(MDA)and cholesterol efflux in comparison with the control group(groupⅠ)for up to 72 h.Results:Moringa oleifera leaf extract(500μg/150×10^(6) spermatozoa)-treated semen had significantly higher motility,viability,plasma membrane,acrosomal and nuclear integrities,and TAC(P<0.05),and had significantly lower total sperm abnormalities,AST,ALT,LDH,MDA production and cholesterol efflux compared to those in other Moringa oleifera leaf extract treated(300 or 700μg/150×10^(6) spermatozoa)and control groups at different hours of liquid storage(P<0.05).Semen quality parameters and TAC showed an increasing trend and total sperm abnormalities,MDA production,leakage of intra-cellular enzymes and cholesterol efflux showed a decreasing trend from group Ⅰto group Ⅲand then an opposite trend from group Ⅲ to group Ⅳ at different hours of liquid storage.Conclusions:Moringa oleifera leaf extract 500μg/150×10^(6) spermatozoa can be used for liquid semen preservation in Teressa goat at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(32030066,32071545,32371590,32301330,32001124,32101268,32101278)。
文摘Reservoir islands formed by dam construction have the same history,clear boundaries,and large numbers that provide a natural platform for testing theories in ecology and biogeography.In this paper,we review studies of multiple zoological taxa on reservoir islands of a large lake in eastern China(Thousand Island Lake).This lake,created in 1959,has 1078 artificial land-bridge islands of varying areas and isolation.Our review summarizes the decades-long studies in island biogeography and habitat fragmentation from this island system,grouped into three topics:species richness(“how many species are there”),community structure(“who are they”),and species interaction(“how they interact with each other”).Our findings support the predictions of the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography and extend this theory to predict community structure of island faunas by moving beyond assumptions of species equivalency.In addition,the extensive studies on ecological networks,including mutualistic,antagonistic,and parasitic interactions,reveal the negative impacts of habitat loss on the maintenance of such networks,even as increasing forest edge enhances the robustness of pollination networks.At the end of this review,we proposed several future research directions based on current studies that are simultaneously at the frontier of ecology and biogeography.
文摘This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belonging to 34 taxonomic families were found. Endemism has an important presence in the streams on both islands, especially regarding Trichoptera and Coleoptera. The overall status of freshwater macroinvertebrates is rather uncertain as recent data on these communities are scarce and focused on a limited number of sites. Overexploitation of aquifers and the diversion of natural water flows for irrigation have resulted in the drying up of numerous natural streams, inevitably endangering the fauna that inhabits them. A reduction in number and abundance of endemic and sensitive species was observed in the majority of the sampled streams resulting in a lower ecological rating. Therefore, it is proposed that the protection of streams of high conservation value is essential to conserve freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna native to the Canary Islands.
文摘Seafloor extension and associated rifting in the North Atlantic Area, which started in Early Paleogene (from −62 Ma), resulted in a few micro-continents being isolated and submerged below sea levels. Published isotopic data for sunken offshore continental materials (basement) in the North Atlantic area are quite sparse, but a few do exist for the Rockall Plateau, or more precisely the Rockall Bank. Isotopic data for Early Paleogene basaltic materials, covering basement rocks of the Rockall Plateau, have hitherto only been publicised for the NW margin of the Hatton bank. The Early Paleogene basaltic archipelago of the Faroe Islands, on which some isotopic data do exist, rests on an ancient sunken continental crust of unknown geochemical and isotopic compositions. The objective of this contribution is to assess potential lead isotopic relationships between the Rockall Plateau and the Faroese sub-basaltic basement, based on the sparse available isotopic data existing for the former and using available isotopic data for slightly contaminated Faroese basaltic rocks. The results reached in this contribution point to a likely association between the Faroese sub-basaltic basement and the basement of the Rockall Bank and hence the Rockall Plateau and potentially also between Faroese basaltic rocks and contemporaneous counterparts from the Hatton Bank.
基金This research was funded by a Grant from All India Coordinated Research Project on Goat Improvement(ICAR-AICRP on Goat Improvement),Indian Council of Agricultural Research,New Delhi,India with Grant number AICRP-Goat Improvement/ICAR-CIARI.
文摘Objective:To measure the seasonal effect on endocrinological profiles and sex behavioural profiles during rainy and dry summer seasons in male Andaman local goat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India.Methods:Ten adult male Andaman local goats were selected from the goat breeding farm,ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute,Port Blair,Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India.Endocrinological profiles such as follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),testosterone,thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),triiodothyronine(T3),thyroxine(T4),cortisol and prolactin were analysed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.Sex behavioural profiles such as libido score,mating ability score and sex behavioural score were measured during rainy and dry summer seasons in male Andaman local goat.Results:Endocrinological profiles as well as sex behavioural profiles differed significantly between rainy season and dry summer season(P<0.05).The levels of FSH,LH,testosterone,TSH,T3,and T4 were significantly higher in rainy season than in dry summer season whereas cortisol and prolactin were significantly higher in dry summer season than in rainy season(P<0.05).The ratio of T3:T4 was significantly higher in rainy season than in dry summer season.Similarly,libido score,mating ability score and sex behavioural score were significantly higher in rainy season than in dry summer season(P<0.05).Conclusions:Rainy season has significantly higher beneficial effects than summer season on reproduction and artificial breeding programmes in semi-intensive management of goat under the tropical humid island ecosystem in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
文摘China's legislation relating to islands categorizes the latter into inhabited and uninhabited ones.Between the two different types,only uninhabited islands can be acquired by those who aspire to be private island owners.In an effort to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands in China,a succession of laws and regulations have been formulated,including the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Offshore Islands,and the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands,among others.As the only tropical province in China,Hainan province boasts a large number of uninhabited islands,many of which are desired by prospective island owners.In order to promote the development of uninhabited islands,the Application and Approval Measures on the Development and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands in Hainan Province had been promulgated.Based on a detailed introduction on the main contents of the Measures,it is found that the Measures has set an innovative example for its kind in terms of the real estate publicity system,the construction permit and acceptance systems,solutions to using the islands before the issue of Island Protection Law,and verification systems.Nevertheless,the actual implementation of the Measures still brings a host of challenges with it.These relate to aspects of the Measures such as supply regulation premised on regulatory equilibrium,spatial planning with"Multiple-plan Coordination",and coordination between regulations on sea areas and islands.This paper proposes to maximize efforts to refine and coordinate general planning,to innovate systems and procedures regarding the use of islands and to promote the development and utilization of uninhabited islands through protective development in line with international standards.
基金This work is framed within projects CGL2017-88122-P and BFU 2009-09359 financed by the Spanish Government.
文摘Despite it is widely accepted that intrapopulation variation is fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes,this level of information has only recently been included into network analysis of species/population interactions.When done,it has revealed non-random patterns in the distribution of trophic resources.Nestedness in resource use among individuals is the most recurrent observed pattern,often accompanied by an absence of modularity,but no previous studies examine bipartite modularity.We use network analysis to describe the diet composition of the Balearic endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi in 2 islets at population and individual levels,based on the occurrence of food items in fecal samples.Our objectives are to 1)compare niche structure at both levels,2)characterize niche partition using nestedness and modularity,and 3)assess how size,sex,season,and spatial location influence niche structure.At population-level niche width was wide,but narrow at the level of the individual.Both islet networks were nested,indicating similar ranking of the food preferences among individuals,but also modular,which was partially explained by seasonality.Sex and body size did not notably affect diet composition.Large niche overlap and therefore possibly relaxed competition were observed among females in one of the islets and during spring on both islets.Likewise,higher modularity in autumn suggests that higher competition could lead to specialization in both populations,because resources are usually scarce in this season.The absence of spatial location influence on niche might respond to fine-grained spatio-temporally distribution of food resources.Behavioral traits,not included in this study,could also influence resource partitioning.
文摘Brinjal or eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is severely affected by bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanecearum in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Resistant varieties are most suitable option to reduce crop losses from bacterial wilt but knowledge of resistance mechanism and its inheritance is important to develop resistant varieties. Further, majority of germplasm from mainland India showed susceptible reaction under Andaman conditions. Thus, the present study was done during 2010-2012 to understand the genetic behaviour of bacterial wilt resistance in brinjal “CARI-B-1” (R) × “Pusa Purple Long” (S) in hot humid tropical climate of Andaman Islands. For this, the population from single F<sub>1</sub> fruit was advanced to F<sub>2</sub> and F<sub>3</sub> and recorded the reaction of segregating population in the sick plots. The results revealed that there is preponderance of recessive gene family wherein more than one gene acts in additive mode. Another cross between S. torvum (R) × Diglipur local collection (S) also showed the recessive gene action for resistance as observed in F<sub>2</sub> generation. Besides, the study also advocated that mechanisms of resistance, escape with early resistance and progressive escape have been found to be operating in individuals of segregating population.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41106073)the Technology R&D Program of Fujian Provincial Department of Ocean and Fisheries(No.2012013)
文摘An index of relative importance(IRI) was employed to screen for dominant fish in the waters surrounding the Taishan Islands, China, using data from four seasonal trawl surveys undertaken between 2012 and 2013. Niche breadth and niche overlap were measured using the Feinsinger and Morisita-Horn indices, respectively, and the characteristics and seasonal variations in the niches of dominant fish were assessed via non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS) and cluster analysis. A total of 80 fish species, including 16 dominant species, were recorded. Only A mblychaeturichthys hexanema was dominant in all seasons. According to niche breadth values and NMDS, the 16 dominant species were grouped into the following three types:(1) wide niche breadth species, including Cynoglossus macrolepidotus, A. hexanema, and Trypauchen vagina, among others;(2) medium niche breadth species, including Setipinna taty and Johnius belangerii; and(3) narrow niche breadth species, including A trobucca nibe and Coilia mystus. Most species with a wider niche breadth were demersal fish with a lower swimming capability and even distribution. The niche breadth of migrating fish was narrower than that of settled fish. At a given spatial scale, fish with stronger swimming capabilities had a narrower niche breadth. Niche overlap, which is associated with niche specialization, ranged from 0.000 to 0.886 and had an annual mean value of 0.314. In summer and autumn, niche overlap was relatively high within species of the Sciaenidae family and within species of the Gobiidae in autumn. Dif ferences in thermophily, feeding habits, food organism abundance/distribution and predator-prey relationships af fected the niche overlap of fish in this area. Cluster analysis revealed that species with the narrowest niche breadth and lowest niche overlap values usually displayed lower aggregation and greater distribution dif ferences compared with other species.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41530962
文摘Coastal lagoon deposits provide evidence for the magnitude and frequency of past tropical cyclones prior to instrumental records and historical documentation.In the present study,we attempt to analyze the sedimentary records containing typhoon information for the northern South China Sea region.For this purpose,sediment cores were collected from two coastal lagoons in the southeastern Hainan Island,and were analyzed in laboratory to derive the data sets about grain size,organic and inorganic carbon contents,and deposition rates.The grain size and organic-inorganic carbon data were used to formulate the proxies of typhoon events.The deposition rates,as calculated using the CRS 210 Pb method,are around 0.5 mm/a for both lagoons,on the basis of which an age model is established.Within the cores,sedimentary layers associated with 35 typhoon events have been identified.On such a basis,a 350 year history of local typhoon activities is reconstructed by incorporating the 210 Pb dating results,typhoon-induced sedimentation patterns and the historical documents.A comparison of the frequency of typhoon occurrence with the regional climate records indicates that the observed changes in tropical cyclone activity patterns,as revealed by the lagoon sedimentary records,may be related to El Ni？o,Pacific Decadal Oscillation（PDO）,North Atlantic Oscillation（NAO）,sunspot,and other potential climate drivers that affect the tropical cyclone variability.This study demonstrates that the sedimentary record of storms can be analyzed in combination with historical documents,to provide meaningful information on past storm activities and their long-term variability.
基金Supported by University Research Publication Committee(URPC),Fiji National University,No.ACT339Hepatitis B Free(HBF)Ltd,Australia,No.25 167 817 389
文摘AIMTo determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Honiara, Solomon Islands. METHODSThis descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in seven area health centers in Honiara. From March to June 2015, identification of eligible pregnant women in each site was conducted using systematic random sampling technique. A total of 243 pregnant women who gave written informed consent were enrolled. Standardized tool was used to record demographics, obstetric history and serology results. HBsAg and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were tested using point-of-care rapid diagnostic test. All HBsAg positive samples were verified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTSThe mean age of participants was 26 ± 6 years. The overall hepatitis HBsAg prevalence was 13.8% with higher rate (22%) reported in women between 30-34 years of age. Majority of HBsAg positive participants were Melanesians (29 out for 33). None of the pregnant women in the 15-19 years and ≥ 40 years tested positive for HBsAg. There was no statistically significant difference in HBsAg prevalence by age, ethnicity, education and residential location. The overall HBeAg seroprevalence was 36.7%. Women between 20-24 years of age had the highest rate of 54.5%. Low level of knowledge about hepatitis B vaccination was reputed. Overall, 54.6% of participants were not aware of their hepatitis B vaccination status and only 65.2% of mothers reported their child had been vaccinated. CONCLUSIONHepatitis B is a disease of public health importance in Solomon Islands and emphasize the need for integrated preventative interventions for its control.
文摘Introduction:Diarrhoea remains the second most serious health problem among children below five years old in Solomon Islands and is one of the leading causes of infant mortality,which caused about one in every ten children dying before the age of five years.Globally,around 6 million children (＜5 years) suffer from diarrhoea each year.Because of lack of previous studies,this study aims to assess the predictors of knowledge and practice of caregivers towards diarrhoea among under-five children in Mataniko informal settlements in Honiara,Solomon Islands,2016.Methods:This quantitative study was conducted at three randomly selected settlements in Honiara,Solomon Islands from June to July 2016.This study was conducted among both male and female caregivers who had children under five years of age,were aged 18 and over,live in Solomon Islands and were willing to participate in the study.A validated structured questionnaire was used to collect the data based on a 2-week recall of diarrhoea episodes.To avoid double-counting,each surveyed household was geo-referenced using global positioning system (GPS).The collected data were entered and analysed using SPSS (version 23.0) and descriptive and analytical statistics.P＜0.05 was considered as statistically significant.This study was approved by relevant ethical committees.Results:A total of 205 caregivers with at least one child under-five years participated in the study.The mean ages of caregivers and the under-five children were (30.7+8.2) years and (2.6+1.5) years,respectively.Among 205 caregivers,94 of them had reported that their children (＜5 years) had suffered with at least one episode of diarrhoea within the last 2 weeks prior to the survey.This gave a prevalence rate of 45.9％.The caregiver's knowledge about the causes (99.0％) and prevention (98.0％) of under-five diarrhoea was extremely high.Nevertheless,less than half had regularly practiced essential hygiene habits.The factors which appeared to be significantly associated with under-five diarrhoea were irregular hand washing (odds ratio [OR] 2.07,95％ confidence interval [CI]:1.12-3.81,P=0.020),inappropriate methods of disposing of children's fecal waste (OR 1.88,95％ CIL 1.06-3.33,P=0.030),and using the river for bathing (OR 1.83,95％ CI:1.04-3.23,P=0.036),and laundry (OR 2.17,95％ CI:1.23-3.84,P=0.008).Conclusion:Diarrhoea is a major public health problem among children below five years in Mataniko informal settlements.To address these exposures,relevant programs and projects should be designed,especially in areas like family planning,household economic allocation and political commitment.Awareness and advocacy programs on birth spacing,food hygiene and potential health risks about the river should be ongoing at the community level.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41530962
文摘An understanding of the sedimentary environment in relation to its controlling factors is of great importance in coastal geomorphology,ecology,tourism and aquaculture studies.We attempt to deal with this issue,using a case study from the Xincun Lagoon,Hainan Island in southern China.For the study,surficial sediment samples were collected,together with hydrodynamic and bathymetric surveys,during August 2013.Numerical simulation was carried out to obtain high-spatial resolution tidal current data.The sediment samples were analyzed to derive mean grain size,sorting coefficient,skewness and kurtosis,together with the sand,silt and clay contents.The modern sedimentary environments were classified using system cluster and principal component analyses.Grain size analysis reveals that the sediments are characterized by extremely slightly sandy silty mud（ESSSM） and slightly silty sand（SSS）,which are distributed in the central lagoon and near-shore shallow water areas,respectively.Mean grain size varies from 0 to 8.0Ф,with an average of 4.6Ф.The silt content is the highest,i.e.,52% on average,with the average contents of sand and clay being 43% and 5%,respectively.There exists a significant correlation between mean size and water depth,suggesting that the surficial sediments become finer with increasing water depth.Cluster analyses reveals two groups of samples.The first group is characterized by mean grain size of more than 5.5Ф,whilst the second group has mean grain size of below 3.5Ф.Further,these groups also have different correlations between mean grain size and the other grain size parameters.In terms of the tidal current,the average values of the root mean square velocity（RMSV） are 7.5 cm/s and 6.9 cm/s on springs and neaps,respectively.For the RMSVs that are higher than 4 cm/s,a significant positive correlation is found between the content of the 63–125 μm fraction and the RMSV,suggesting that the RMSV determines the variability of the very fine sand fraction.Based on system cluster and principal component analyses（PCA）,the modern sedimentary environments are classified into three types according to the grain size parameters,RMSVs and water depth data.The results suggest the importance of grain size parameters and high-spatial resolution hydrodynamic data in differentiating the coastal sedimentary environments.
基金The Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Ocean under contract No.201105001-2the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41625021China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under contract No.2015M580409
文摘Knowledge of coastline changes and vulnerability is of great importance to local government departments that are responsible for the management and development of coastal zones.To study the nature of change and vulnerability along the coasts of the Hainan Island,we collected a large number of sediment samples through the last few years,and reconstructed the changes of the coastline by combining the data of sediment grain-size analysis and the nautical charts/TM RS imaginary.Contrary to being almost free from erosion（as expected from the findings that the coastlines are in a relatively stable state）,four major cities in Hainan（i.e.,Haikou,Wenchang,Sanya and Changjiang） turned out to be suffered from a moderate coastal vulnerability primarily because of the large populations that impose considerable pressure on the coastlines.Thus,the assessment methodology utilized in this study,including both anthropogenic and natural factors,serves as a useful tool to obtain a comprehensive understanding of coastline vulnerability for local government,in terms of coastal management and adaptation.
文摘The variation in temperature on the island of Gran Canaria is studied using the method applied to the nearby island of Tenerife [1]. An upward warming trend of 0.09°C ± 0.05°C (α = 0.01) was seen from 1946 to date, which has accelerated since the seventies to 0.17°C ± 0.10°C (α = 0.01). The increase was higher at night (0.11°C ± 0.05°C) than by day (0.08°C ± 0.06°C), so the temperature range decreased slightly. These values are similar to those of Tenerife and the time series of anomalies for the two islands are highly correlated. On the coast the same relationship to the sea surface temperature was found as in Tenerife, but in the mid-altitude areas to windward, some differences were detected that are hypothetically attributable to the different relief of the two islands.
文摘The analysis of animal movement patterns can provide important information on animals’ responses to habitat features. In this study, the movement paths of eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) were examined in four landscapes, with different levels of habitat fragmentation, using either fluorescent powdering or spool-and-line tracking. Descriptions of the tree and ground vegetation communities were performed in the vicinity of the trail to obtain information on habitat use and habitat selection. Several key movement variables were calculated, including the total path length, net distance, fractal dimension, and radius of gyration. Despite statistically significant differences in some of the movement metrics between the four landscapes, the overall movement patterns were generically the same for all of chipmunk paths examined in this study. The data were compared to trends expected based on random or correlated random walks, as well as Lévy-walk models. The mean squared net displacement did not support the correlated random walk predictions, except at smaller spatial scales, but overall demonstrated Lévy-like super diffusive behaviour. Lévy-like patterns were also confirmed from the move-length distributions that demonstrated truncated-tail power-law behaviour. Although this would suggest invariance of the movement patterns at all spatial scales studied, fractal analysis revealed at least two transitions in movement patterns at scales of around 2 and 5 m. The transition point at 2 m was negatively correlated with the density of small trees, while the transition at ~5 m was positively correlated with the spatial distribution of large trees. As the habitat-preference data showed that small trees are among the least preferred habitat component, while large trees were among the most preferred habitat, chipmunks are likely to alter their movement behaviour to avoid small trees, and attracted towards large trees possibly to avoid predators. Overall, we determined three principal domains of movement: at smaller spatio-temporal scales, foraging activities dominate and the movement is highly correlated but also random;at intermediate spatial scales, chipmunks may be moving to avoid predators, using different environmental cues, and the movement is more directed (but still influenced by vegetation patterns at intermediate scales);at larger spatio-temporal scales, the movement is dominated by long-range/long-term memory and homing to burrows and other key habitat features, such as food caches, drives more directed movement. The fact that scale-dependent movement mechanisms could give rise to LW patterns is consistent with recent studies.
基金funded by the Postdoctoral Research Program of the Department of Human Resources and Social Security of Anhui Province(2020B422)Doctoral Research Starting Foundation of Anhui Normal University(752017)+1 种基金Open Foundation of Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands(HNSF-OP-202001)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31471968)。
文摘A new species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler,1828 is described herein based on six specimens from the Diaoluoshan Mountains,Hainan Island,Hainan Province,China.The new species,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.,is most similar to its continental sister species,Gonyosoma boulengeri(Mocquard,1897).Both taxa have a scaled protrusion on the anterior portion of the rostrum,distinct from other congeners.However,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.can be distinguished from G.boulengeri by two significant morphological characters:(1)black orbital stripe absent in adults(vs.present in G.boulengeri);and(2)two loreals(vs.one loreal in G.boulengeri).The new species is also genetically divergent and forms a unique clade from its sister species and all other congeners based on sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b(cyt b).
