495 research outputs found
The Catalan butterfly monitoring scheme has the capacity to detect effects of modifying agricultural practices
Impacts of agricultural management practices on the receiving environment are seldom suitably assessed because environmental monitoring is costly. In this regard, data generated by already existing environmental survey networks (ESNs) may have sufficient capacity to detect effects. Here, we study the capacity of the Catalan butterfly monitoring scheme (CBMS) to detect differences in butterfly abundance due to changes in agricultural practices. As a model, we compared butterfly abundance across two landscape types according to agricultural intensification. A 2 km diameter buffer area was centered on the CBMS transect, the control group were transects located in areas where intensive agriculture represented <20% of the area; a treated group was simulated by selecting transects located in areas where intensive agriculture occupied an area over 40%. The Welch tâtest (α = 0.05 and 80% power) was used to compare butterfly abundance per section across landscape types. The capacity of the tâtest to detect changes in mean butterfly abundance, of 12 butterfly indicators relevant to farmland, was calculated annually and for 5â, 10â, and 15âyr periods. Detection capacity of the tâtest depended mainly on butterfly data sample size and variability; difference in butterfly abundance was less important. The tâtest would be capable of detecting acceptably small population changes across years and sites. For instance, considering a 15âyr period, it would be possible to detect a change in abundance below 10% of the multispecies indicators (all butterfly species, open habitat species, mobile species, and grassland indicators) and two single species (Lasiommata megera and Lycaena phlaeas). When comparisons were carried out within each year, the tâtest would only be capable of detecting a change below 30% for all butterfly species, mobile species, and L. megera. However, detection capacity rapidly improved with the addition of further years, and with 5 yr of monitoring, all indicators but Thymelicus acteon had a detection capacity below 30%. We therefore conclude that, from a statistical point of view, the CBMS data âas isâ are sensitive enough for monitoring effects of changes in agricultural practices. It could be used, for instance, for the general surveillance of genetically modified crops.This work was partially supported by the Spanish Governmentâfunded project AGL2011â23996 and a FIâDGR scholarship to M. Lee from the Catalan Government
Nature of yrast excitations near N=40: Level structure of Ni-67
Excited states in Ni-67 were populated in deep-inelastic reactions of a Ni-64
beam at 430 MeV on a thick U-238 target. A level scheme built on the previously
known 13 micro-s isomer has been delineated up to an excitation energy of ~5.3
MeV and a tentative spin and parity of (21/2-). Shell model calculations have
been carried out using two effective interactions in the f5/2pg9/2 model space
with a Ni-56 core. Satisfactory agreement between experiment and theory is
achieved for the measured transition energies and branching ratios. The
calculations indicate that the yrast states are associated with rather complex
configurations, herewith demonstrating the relative weakness of the N=40
subshell gap and the importance of multi particle-hole excitations involving
the g9/2 neutron orbital.Comment: Accepted by Physical Review
The size of the proton - closing in on the radius puzzle
We analyze the recent electron-proton scattering data from Mainz using a
dispersive framework that respects the constraints from analyticity and
unitarity on the nucleon structure. We also perform a continued fraction
analysis of these data. We find a small electric proton charge radius, r_E^p =
0.84_{-0.01}^{+0.01} fm, consistent with the recent determination from muonic
hydrogen measurements and earlier dispersive analyses. We also extract the
proton magnetic radius, r_M^p = 0.86_{-0.03}^{+0.02} fm, consistent with
earlier determinations based on dispersion relations.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, fit improved, small modifications, section on
continued fractions modified, conclusions on the proton charge radius
unchanged, version accepted for publication in European Physical Journal
Hadron Polarizabilities and Form Factors
This is the summary of the working group on Hadron Polarizabilities and Form
Factors of the Chiral Dynamics Workshop in Mainz, September 1-5, 1997.Comment: 21 pages LaTeX2e, uses epsf, 9 fig
Coulomb excitation of Ni at safe energies
The value in Ni has been measured using Coulomb
excitation at safe energies. The Ni radioactive beam was
post-accelerated at the ISOLDE facility (CERN) to 2.9 MeV/u. The emitted
rays were detected by the MINIBALL detector array. A kinematic
particle reconstruction was performed in order to increase the measured c.m.
angular range of the excitation cross section. The obtained value of
2.8 10 efm is in good agreement with the value
measured at intermediate energy Coulomb excitation, confirming the low
transition probability.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Influence of spin-rotation measurements on partial-wave analyses of elastic pion-nucleon scattering
Recent measurements of spin-rotation parameters in elastic
scattering are in marked disagreement with predictions of the
Carnegie-MellonBerkeley and Karlsruhe-Helsinki analyses. Using the method of
Barrelet, we show how this discrepancy can be removed. We then show how this
Barrelet transformation alters the partial-wave amplitudes. The effect of
unitarity and analyticity constraints is also considered.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Postscript figures also available from
ftp://clsaid.phys.vt.edu/pub/said/pin/barrele
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