259 research outputs found
Laubheuschrecken und Grillen (Orthoptera: Ensifera) im Kakamega Forest Reserve, Kenia
Das primĂ€re Ziel des BIOTA Ost Teilprojektes E06 (HĂUSER et al. 2003) ist die Erforschung der Tag- und Nachtfalterfauna im Kakamega Forest Reserve, einem Schutzgebiet in Westkenia, ca. 50 km nördlich der am Viktoriasee gelegenen Provinzhauptstadt Kisumu (siehe auch KOKWARO 1988). WĂ€hrend der Feldarbeit wurden auĂer Lepidopteren auch zahlreiche Orthopteren erfasst, in erster Linie Ensifera und Caelifera. In den National Museums of Kenya (NMK) in Nairobi befindet sich zudem eine umfangreiche Sammlung kenianischer Orthopteren, die wĂ€hrend der Aufenthalte in Kenia eingesehen werden konnte. Die vorliegende Arbeit bietet einen vorlĂ€ufigen Ăberblick ĂŒber die Orthopterenfauna des Kakamega Forest Reserve und basiert im Wesentlichen auf diesen genannten Quellen. Es ist uns ein Anliegen, mit diesem knappen Ăberblick weitere Arbeiten und Studien ĂŒber diese interessante und ökologisch wichtige Insektengruppe im Untersuchungsgebiet anzuregen.In the BIOTA East Project E06 (BMBF project ID 01LC0025), 3 field trips to the Kakamega Forest Reserve were undertaken between September 2002 and January 2004. Among other Orthoptera representatives 122 specimens of Ensifera were recorded. Most of the specimens were collected manually, using a net, or recorded at light traps. The number of species occurring in Kenya is about 200 according to the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) collection, literature data (KEVAN 1950, KEVAN & KNIPPER 1961, OTTE et al. 1988), and OSF (OTTE & NASKRECKI 1997). According to the Orthoptera Species File, OSF (http://osf2x.orthoptera.org/osf2.2/OSF2X2Frameset.htm) the type locality of 94 species is located in Kenya. Both figures will most probably increase significantly in the future. From the Kakamega Forest region, 33 species in 7 families are reported to date, based on our own field collecting (122 specimens) and NMK data (about 60 specimens). The estimated minimal number of occurring species is 60
Electronic data recording tools and identifying species in the field
The âEuropean Distributed Institute of Taxonomyâ
(EDIT) is an initiative of 28 European, North American and Russian
institutions to build a network in âTaxonomy for Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Researchâ, with the objective to reduce the fragmentation
in taxonomy through institutional integration in Europe (www.etaxonomy.
eu). European Commission funding (FP6) for this âNetwork
of Excellenceâ has started in March 2006, and runs for 5 years. For
EDIT Work Package 7 (WP 7) âApplying Taxonomy to Conservationâ
the aim is to strengthen the input of taxonomic expertise in Europe for
biodiversity conservation, by organizing the participation of individual
taxonomists and experts in biodiversity inventory and monitoring
efforts in conservation areas (www.atbi.eu).
For biodiversity inventories and monitoring, the advantage of using
digital field recording tools is to simplify data recording as well as to
improve data quality. The use of electronic field tools and software
should be promoted to help minimizing error rates, in particular to avoid
mistakes from the beginning of the recording chain. Many errors may
be avoided by using authority lists, e.g. for countries, habitat-types
or taxa that can already be determined in the field. Automated georeferencing
and recording of date and time in standardized formats
already in the field will also avoid errors when importing or retyping
such data into a database. Relevant software should be usable for
tools such as mobile phones with GPS (Global Positioning System)
functionality up to water resistant PDAs - Personal Digital Assistant
(e.g. Magellan - Mobile Mapper; Trimble â Juno, Nomad).
Examples presented here for more efficient electronic data recording
in the field include the application of mobile recording devices with
customized forms, which are tested for field work in ATBI+M (All Taxa
Biodiversity Inventories + Monitoring; www.atbi.eu) sites operated
in the EDIT project. This is a general approach for recording georeferenced, individual species data using customized forms for
ESRI ArcPad applications. Species names can be selected from a
taxonomic authority list provided in a file in dBASE-format. Such files
can be easily created, modified, and exchanged to allow individual
researchers to use regional or otherwise customized species lists.
Fields and field formats correspond to ABCD standards so that
exports of recorded locality, event, and species data can be directly
integrated into a central database and applications for individual
ATBI+M websites (e.g. www.atbi.eu/mercantour-marittime/ or www.
atbi.eu/gemer/). The authority species lists may be customized for
a geographic area (e.g., a nature reserve) and/or a group of taxa
(e.g., larger birds). This allows each expert to choose the species
list needed for his/her research. Problems remain with observation
records which cannot be reliably determined in the field. Therefore
identification help should be made available on the PDA at least for
difficult taxa
Die Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - Struktur, Aufgaben und Ziele.
Die Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) wurde nach ĂŒber dreijĂ€hriger Vorarbeit des Megascience Forum der OECD im FrĂŒhjahr 2001 mit dem Ziel gegrĂŒndet, wissenschaftliche Daten und Informationen zur BiodiversitĂ€t ĂŒber des Internet frei verfĂŒgbar und zur besseren Nutzung zu verknĂŒpfen. Im Rahmen einer weltweiten Forschungskooperation wird GBIF von derzeit 47 Staaten und 29 internationalen Organisationen als Mitgliedern getragen, die sich alle zur freien Bereitstellung digitaler BiodiversitĂ€tsdaten nach gemeinsamen Standards ĂŒber eigene, dafĂŒr selbst einzurichtende Datenknoten verpflichtet haben. Das internationale Vorhaben wird durch einen Aufsichtsrat mit Vertretern aller Mitgliedsstaaten und âorganisationen geleitet, dessen Arbeit durch mehrere Komitees und AusschĂŒsse unterstĂŒtzt wird. Das seit 2002 in Kopenhagen, DĂ€nemark, angesiedelte GBIF-Sekretariat betreibt den Aufbau des internationalen GBIF Portals (www.gbif.net) und unterstĂŒtzt koordinierend die AktivitĂ€ten der einzelnen Mitglieder, die sich auf vier Programmbereiche erstrecken: Standardisierung und VerknĂŒpfung von Datenbanken (DADI), Digitalisierung von Daten zu Sammlungsobjekten (DIGIT), Katalog der bekannten Organismennamen (ECAT), sowie Ausbildung und Ăffentlichkeitsarbeit (OCB). FĂŒr die deutsche Beteiligung an GBIF wurden mit UnterstĂŒtzung der Bundesregierung (BMBF) sieben Datenknoten an verschiedenen Forschungsinstitutionen aufgebaut, deren ZustĂ€ndigkeit sich auf unterschiedliche Organismengruppen erstreckt: 1. Insekten (Wirbellose 1) am Staatlichen Museum fĂŒr Naturkunde Stuttgart; 2. terrestrische Wirbellose (Wirbellose 2) an der Zoologischen Staatssammlung MĂŒnchen; 3. marine Wirbellose (Wirbellose 3) am Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt/Main; 4. Wirbeltiere am Zoologischen Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn; 5. Pflanzen am Botanischen Garten und Botanischen Museum Berlin; 6. Pilze an der Botanischen Staatssammlung MĂŒnchen; 7. Mikroorganismen an der Deutschen Sammlung fĂŒr Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen in Braunschweig. Die aufgrund ihrer fachlich unterschiedlichen Ausrichtung innerhalb der einzelnen Knoten zur Erfassung von Sammlungsdaten verwendeten, verschiedenen Datenbankprogramme werden kurz angefĂŒhrt.StichwörterBiodiversity information, international cooperation, internet, database, collection data, GBIF node.After more than three years of preparatory work by the OECD Megascience Forum, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) was officially established in 2001 with the goal to make scientific biodiversity data freely available and more useful by linking databases through the internet. As a worldwide research endeavour, GBIF currently has 47 countries and 29 international organisations as its members, all of which have committed themselves to share freely biodiversity data according to common standards through their own data nodes. The organisation is controlled by a Governing Board consisting of representatives from all members, supported by several committees and advisory groups. The GBIF Secretariat has been established since 2002 in Copenhagen, Denmark, which develops the international GBIF portal and assists members by coordinating and supporting activities, which are focussed on four program areas: Data Access and Database Interoperability (DADI), Digitisation of Natural History Collection Data (DIGIT), Electronic Catalogue of Names of Known Organisms (ECAT), and Outreach and Capacity Building (OCB). - For the national contribution to GBIF, seven data nodes have been established at different research institutions in Germany with support from the Federal Government (BMBF), which are responsible for different groups of organisms: 1. Insects (Evertebrata 1) at the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart; 2. Terrestrial invertebrates (Evertebrata 2) at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Munich; 3. Marine invertebrates (Evertebrata 3) at Senckenberg Research Institute and Museum in Frankfurt; 4. Vertebrates at the Zoological Research Institute and Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn; 5. Plants (botany) at the Botanic Gardens and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem; 6. Fungi (mycology) at the Bavarian State Collection of Botany in Munich; 7. Microorganisms (Prokaryota) at the German National Resource Centre for Biological Material in Braunschweig. Different database systems currently in use at these differently oriented institutions for capturing specimen based information are briefly introduced.KeywordsBiodiversity information, international cooperation, internet, database, collection data, GBIF node
Monte Carlo Simulation Calculation of Critical Coupling Constant for Continuum \phi^4_2
We perform a Monte Carlo simulation calculation of the critical coupling
constant for the continuum {\lambda \over 4} \phi^4_2 theory. The critical
coupling constant we obtain is [{\lambda \over \mu^2}]_crit=10.24(3).Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, LaTe
Considerations and guidelines for import and export of ornithological samples from tropical countries
âBiodiversitĂ€tâ wird zunehmend als wichtige Ressource
erkannt. Schutz, Zugang und nachhaltige Nutzung der BiodiversitÀt
(genetische Ressourcen, Arten, Proben jeglicher
Couleur) werden inzwischen auf verschiedenen politischen
Ebenen verhandelt, was in international verbindlichen Rahmenwerken
verankert wird. VerstÀndnis von und Bewusstsein
ĂŒber Genehmigungen zum Import und Export biologischer
Proben ist von zunehmender Bedeutung fĂŒr Biologen,
um Forschungsprojekte legal und zeitnah durchfĂŒhren
zu können. Nichtsdestotrotz werden nach wie vor biologische
Proben fleiĂig im- und exportiert, oft genug auch unter
VernachlÀssigung der Genehmigungspflicht aufgrund lokaler,
nationaler und internationaler Ăbereinkommen, Gesetzen
und Verordnungen bzw. auch schlichtweg mit gesetzeswidrigem
Verhalten oder Verpackungen beim Transport.
Daraus entstehende Schwierigkeiten können ernsthafte Probleme
wÀhrend der Feldarbeit bedeuten, aber auch den
Export verzögern oder zum Verlust von Proben fĂŒhren.
Intensive rechtzeitige (Vorab-) Information bezĂŒglich gesetzlicher
Voraussetzungen zum Import, Export und Transport
biologischer Proben kann das Problempotenzial stark
vermindern oder ganz beseitigen. Wir haben vier wichtige
Faktoren identifiziert und fassen Informationen zu diesen
Bereichen zusammen, die bei Beachtung die Genehmigungen
und den Import in die EG vereinfachen können: (1) gute
persönliche (auf gegenseitigem Vertrauen beruhende) Kontakte
im Ursprungsland; (2) VerstÀndnis und Einhaltung von
allen relevanten Gesetzen und Verordnungen; (3) Zugang
zu Informationen bezĂŒglich Genehmigungen, Verordnungen
und Informationsverbreitung innerhalb der Forschergemeinschaft;
und (4) Zugang zu einheitlichen und aktuellen
Richtlinien zu Genehmigungen, Verordnungen und Gesetzen.
Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, in Zukunft die Forschung von
einigen zentralen Problemen im Im- und Export zu befreien
und Probleme und MissverstĂ€ndnisse zu reduzieren.âBiodiversityâ is increasingly perceived as an important resource. Conservation, access and sustainable use of biodiversity
(genetic resources, species, samples) are negotiated at political levels, resulting in an internationally binding legal framework.
Understanding and awareness of export and import permits for biological samples is increasingly important for biologists to
perform research projects legally and timely. Nevertheless, some biologists still export and import biological samples in disregard
of or non-compliant with national and international legislation, conventions, and regulations. Resulting difficulties may
not only cause serious problems during field work, but may also delay the export, import or exchange of samples. Comprehensive
a priori information regarding legal requirements helps to avoid or at least diminish potential problems. We identified
four major factors facilitating export/import permits: (1) good personal (mutually trusted) contacts in the country of origin,
(2) understanding and compliance with all relevant laws and regulations; (3) access to information regarding knowledge on
permits, regulations and laws including their circulation within the researcher communities and (4) access to consistent and
up to date regulations and guidelines. We provide information on key issues to assist research teams trying to reduce problems
and misunderstandings
The roles and contributions of Biodiversity Observation Networks (BONs) in better tracking progress to 2020 biodiversity targets: a European case study
The Aichi Biodiversity Targets of the United Nationsâ Strategic Plan for Biodiversity set ambitious goals for protecting biodiversity from further decline. Increased efforts are urgently needed to achieve these targets by 2020. The availability of comprehensive, sound and up-to-date biodiversity data is a key requirement to implement policies, strategies and actions to address biodiversity loss, monitor progress towards biodiversity targets, as well as to assess the current status and future trends of biodiversity. Key gaps, however, remain in our knowledge of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. These are mostly a result of barriers preventing existing data from being discoverable, accessible and digestible. In this paper, we describe what regional Biodiversity Observation Networks (BONs) can do to address these barriers using the European Biodiversity Observation Network (EU BON) as an example. We conclude that there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in how biodiversity data are collected, stored, shared and streamlined in order to tackle the many sustainable development challenges ahead. We need a shift towards an integrative biodiversity information framework, starting from collection to the final interpretation and packaging of data. This is a major objective of the EU BON project, towards which progress is being made
Reply
No abstract.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78300/1/20291_ftp.pd
Cluster Expansion Approach to the Effective Potential in -Theory
We apply a truncated set of dynamical equations of motion for connected
equal-time Green functions up to the 4-point level to the investigation of
spontaneous ground state symmetry breaking in quantum field
theory. Within our momentum space discretization we obtain a second order phase
transition as soon as the connected 3-point function is included. However, an
additional inclusion of the connected 4-point function still shows a
significant influence on the shape of the effective potential and the critical
coupling.Comment: 1 compressed uuencoded postscript file with 5 figures included, 21
page
The dusty SF history of high-z galaxies, modelling tools and future prospects
We summarize recent advances in the determination of the cosmic history of star formation and other properties of high-z galaxies, and the relevance of this information in our understanding of the formation of structures. We emphasize the importance of dust reprocessing in the high--z universe, as demonstrated in particular by IR and sub-mm data. This demand a panchromatic approach to observations and suitable modelling tools. We spend also some words on expectations from future instruments
Connected Green function approach to ground state symmetry breaking in -theory
Using the cluster expansions for n-point Green functions we derive a closed
set of dynamical equations of motion for connected equal-time Green functions
by neglecting all connected functions higher than order for the
-theory in dimensions. We apply the equations to the
investigation of spontaneous ground state symmetry breaking, i.e. to the
evaluation of the effective potential at temperature . Within our momentum
space discretization we obtain a second order phase transition (in agreement
with the Simon-Griffith theorem) and a critical coupling of
as compared to a first order phase transition and
from the Gaussian effective potential approach.Comment: 25 Revtex pages, 5 figures available via fpt from the directory
ugi-94-11 of [email protected] as one postscript file (there
was a bug in our calculations, all numerical results and figures have changed
significantly), ugi-94-1
- âŠ