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Towards a simplified taxonomy of Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (Brassicaceae)
Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. is a species with a cosmopolitan distribution which shows considerable
morphological variation. Numerous authors have recognised widely differing numbers of varieties, microspecies
or other infraspecific subdivisions (segregates) of this species. In an attempt to clarify this situation,
we grew British material of the species under controlled conditions through to the F) generation to remove
environmental variation, and assessed the plants on the basis of a range of morphological criteria, namely leaf
shape, capsule size and also length of time taken to flower. Analysis of these characteristics consistently
produced four basic groups, which had been previously described. Herbarium specimens could also nearly
always be assigned to one of these groups. Limited chromosome counts suggest that two of these groups are
diploid and two are tetraploid. We suggest this fourfold division into broad groups reflects the major genetic
separations within the species, but that there is also considerable phenotypic plasticity shown by C. bursapastoris
in response to factors such as shade or trampling. These four groups appear to differ in their
geographic.al distribution in Britain.
KEYWORDS: Shepherd's Purse, morphological variation, leaf characters, capsule characters, chromosom
The bearable lightness of being
How are philosophical questions about what kinds of things there are to be understood and how are they to be answered? This paper defends broadly Fregean answers to these questions. Ontological categories-such as object, property, and relation-are explained in terms of a prior logical categorization of expressions, as singular terms, predicates of varying degree and level, etc. Questions about what kinds of object, property, etc., there are are, on this approach, reduce to questions about truth and logical form: for example, the question whether there are numbers is the question whether there are true atomic statements in which expressions function as singular terms which, if they have reference at all, stand for numbers, and the question whether there are properties of a given type is a question about whether there are meaningful predicates of an appropriate degree and level. This approach is defended against the objection that it must be wrong because makes what there depend on us or our language. Some problems confronting the Fregean approach-including Frege's notorious paradox of the concept horse-are addressed. It is argued that the approach results in a modest and sober deflationary understanding of ontological commitments
Charles M. Breder, Jr.: Bahamas and Florida
Dr. Charles M. Breder, a well known ichthyologist, kept meticulous field diaries throughout his career. This publication is a transcription of field notes recorded during the Bacon Andros Expeditions, and trips to Florida, Ohio and Illinois during the 1930s. Breder's work in Andros included exploration of a "blue hole", inland ecosystems, and collection of marine and terrestrial specimens. Anecdotes include descriptions of camping on the beach, the "filly-mingoes" (flamingos) of Andros Island, the Marine
Studios of Jacksonville, FL, a trip to Havana, and the birth of seahorses. This publication is part of a series of transcriptions of Dr. Breder's diaries. (PDF contains 55 pages
The environment and host haloes of the brightest z~6 Lyman-break galaxies
By studying the large-scale structure of the bright high-redshift Lyman-break
galaxy (LBG) population it is possible to gain an insight into the role of
environment in galaxy formation physics in the early Universe. We measure the
clustering of a sample of bright (-22.7<M_UV<-21.125) LBGs at z~6 and use a
halo occupation distribution (HOD) model to measure their typical halo masses.
We find that the clustering amplitude and corresponding HOD fits suggests that
these sources are highly biased (b~8) objects in the densest regions of the
high-redshift Universe. Coupled with the observed rapid evolution of the number
density of these objects, our results suggest that the shape of high luminosity
end of the luminosity function is related to feedback processes or dust
obscuration in the early Universe - as opposed to a scenario where these
sources are predominantly rare instances of the much more numerous M_UV ~ -19
population of galaxies caught in a particularly vigorous period of star
formation. There is a slight tension between the number densities and
clustering measurements, which we interpret this as a signal that a refinement
of the model halo bias relation at high redshifts or the incorporation of
quasi-linear effects may be needed for future attempts at modelling the
clustering and number counts. Finally, the difference in number density between
the fields (UltraVISTA has a surface density ~1.8 times greater than UDS) is
shown to be consistent with the cosmic variance implied by the clustering
measurements.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, accepted MNRAS 23rd March 201
Spray nozzle designs for agricultural aviation applications
Techniques of generating monodisperse sprays and information concerning chemical liquids used in agricultural aviation are surveyed. The periodic dispersion of liquid jet, the spinning disk method, and ultrasonic atomization are the techniques discussed. Conceptually designed spray nozzles for generating monodisperse sprays are assessed. These are based on the classification of the drops using centrifugal force, on using two opposing liquid laden air jets, and on operating a spinning disk at an overloaded flow. Performance requirements for the designs are described and estimates of the operational characteristics are presented
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