Micro-manufacturing : research, technology outcomes and development issues

Besides continuing effort in developing MEMS-based manufacturing techniques, latest effort in Micro-manufacturing is also in Non-MEMS-based manufacturing. Research and technological development (RTD) in this field is encouraged by the increased demand on micro-components as well as promised development in the scaling down of the traditional macro-manufacturing processes for micro-length-scale manufacturing. This paper highlights some EU funded research activities in micro/nano-manufacturing, and gives examples of the latest development in micro-manufacturing methods/techniques, process chains, hybrid-processes, manufacturing equipment and supporting technologies/device, etc., which is followed by a summary of the achievements of the EU MASMICRO project. Finally, concluding remarks are given, which raise several issues concerning further development in micro-manufacturing

Dynamics of the Leaf-Litter Arthropod Fauna Following Fire in a Neotropical Woodland Savanna

Fire is an important agent of disturbance in tropical savannas, but relatively few studies have analyzed how soil-and-litter dwelling arthropods respond to fire disturbance despite the critical role these organisms play in nutrient cycling and other biogeochemical processes. Following the incursion of a fire into a woodland savanna ecological reserve in Central Brazil, we monitored the dynamics of litter-arthropod populations for nearly two years in one burned and one unburned area of the reserve. We also performed a reciprocal transplant experiment to determine the effects of fire and litter type on the dynamics of litter colonization by arthropods. Overall arthropod abundance, the abundance of individual taxa, the richness of taxonomic groups, and the species richness of individual taxa (Formiciade) were lower in the burned site. However, both the ordinal-level composition of the litter arthropod fauna and the species-level composition of the litter ant fauna were not dramatically different in the burned and unburned sites. There is evidence that seasonality of rainfall interacts with fire, as differences in arthropod abundance and diversity were more pronounced in the dry than in the wet season. For many taxa the differences in abundance between burned and unburned sites were maintained even when controlling for litter availability and quality. In contrast, differences in abundance for Collembola, Formicidae, and Thysanoptera were only detected in the unmanipulated samples, which had a lower amount of litter in the burned than in the unburned site throughout most of our study period. Together these results suggest that arthropod density declines in fire-disturbed areas as a result of direct mortality, diminished resources (i.e., reduced litter cover) and less favorable microclimate (i.e., increased litter desiccation due to reduction in tree cover). Although these effects were transitory, there is evidence that the increasingly prevalent fire return interval of only 1–2 years may jeopardize the long-term conservation of litter arthropod communities

Physiological Stress and Refuge Behavior by African Elephants

Physiological stress responses allow individuals to adapt to changes in their status or surroundings, but chronic exposure to stressors could have detrimental effects. Increased stress hormone secretion leads to short-term escape behavior; however, no studies have assessed the potential of longer-term escape behavior, when individuals are in a chronic physiological state. Such refuge behavior is likely to take two forms, where an individual or population restricts its space use patterns spatially (spatial refuge hypothesis), or alters its use of space temporally (temporal refuge hypothesis). We tested the spatial and temporal refuge hypotheses by comparing space use patterns among three African elephant populations maintaining different fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations. In support of the spatial refuge hypothesis, the elephant population that maintained elevated FGM concentrations (iSimangaliso) used 20% less of its reserve than did an elephant population with lower FGM concentrations (Pilanesberg) in a reserve of similar size, and 43% less than elephants in the smaller Phinda reserve. We found mixed support for the temporal refuge hypothesis; home range sizes in the iSimangaliso population did not differ by day compared to nighttime, but elephants used areas within their home ranges differently between day and night. Elephants in all three reserves generally selected forest and woodland habitats over grasslands, but elephants in iSimangaliso selected exotic forest plantations over native habitat types. Our findings suggest that chronic stress is associated with restricted space use and altered habitat preferences that resemble a facultative refuge behavioral response. Elephants can maintain elevated FGM levels for ≥6 years following translocation, during which they exhibit refuge behavior that is likely a result of human disturbance and habitat conditions. Wildlife managers planning to translocate animals, or to initiate other management activities that could result in chronic stress responses, should consider the potential for, and consequences of, refuge behavior

Research note: Calibrating a disc pastures meter to estimate grass fuel loads on the Zululand coastal plain

A disc meter was calibrated to estimate fuel load on the Zululand coastal plain. The regression model was valid for fuel load estimates within a disc height of 1-58cm. The mean calibrated disc height was 11.8cm. Estimated fuel load at mean disc height, with standard error (SE), was 4 593?113kg ha-1. Using this equation to estimate fuel load at the calibrated mean, the precision of the estimates varied depending on the number of disc readings. As sample size increased there was at first a rapid reduction in the SE and hence in the 95% confidence limits (CL) of the predicted fuel load. There was little reduction in the CL with increasing sample size for more than 100 observations. To achieve a CL?10% of 5 000kg ha-1, 100 samples are needed. With fuel loads of less than 4 000kg ha-l, more than 160 samples are required to achieve the same precision. Sampling with more than 100 readings is not, however, recommended owing to the poor reward (precision) per unit of sampling effortKeywords: coastal forest; disc meter; fire management; fuel load; grass; grasses; herbage mass; pastures; precision; regression model; sample size; south africa; standing crop; thornveld; zululandAfrican Journal of Range & Forage Science, 13(1): pp. 39-4

Sampling efficiency for species composition assessments using the wheel-point method in a semi-arid savanna

A pilot survey to determine the sampling efficiency of the wheel-point method, using the nearest plant method, to assess species composition (using replicate similarity related to sampling intensity, and total sampling time) was conducted on three plot sizes (20 x 20m, 30 x 30m, 40 x 40m) at two sites in a semi-arid savanna. Total sampling time included the time to demarcate a plot. A 40 x 40m plot had the highest precision and repeatability (number of point observations required to achieve a stated asymptotic value), and was followed by a 20 x 20m plot. These relationships were consistent across sites. A 40 x 40m plot recorded the highest sampling times due to the time required to demarcate a plot. A 20 x 20m plot was the most efficient. A model to assist in making decisions regarding a suitable plot and sample size, and for planning and budgeting of vegetation monitoring programs was developed. Future surveys should include a Monte-Carlo data simulation as an adjunct to data collection. Keywords: grass layer; plot size; point methods; replicate similarity; sample size African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2001, 18(2&3): 93-10