Seasonal variation of the diet of the Fennec fox, Vulpes zerda (Canidae, Carnivora), in Algeria

Les variations saisonnières du régime alimentaire du Fennec, Vulpes zerda, ont été étudiées à partir de crottes collectées à Ben Ahmed, région de Ghardaïa (Sahara septentrional algérien). De l’automne 2010 au printemps 2011, 130 crottes ont livré 726 proies animales appartenant à 17 ordres, 30 familles et 75 espèces. Les proies principales ont été les Insectes (554 individus), suivis par les Mammifères (142 individus) et les Arachnides (14 individus). Cependant, en biomasse les Mammifères ont été les proies dominantes (86,5 %) devant les Insectes (10,7 %) et les oiseaux (1,2 %). Un spectre semblable a été trouvé au cours des trois saisons étudiées, toutefois les fréquences des principaux groupes ont varié significativement. L’automne a été la saison de plus forte prédation sur les Mammifères, en hiver les Isoptères ont été les proies les plus nombreuses, au printemps ce furent les Orthoptères et les Arachnides. La prédation des Coléoptères, Squamates et Oiseaux a été stable au fil des saisons. Ces résultats confirment que le Fennec est un prédateur opportuniste.The seasonal diet of the Fennec fox, Vulpes zerda, has been investigated in Ben Ahmed, Ghardaïa region (northern Sahara, Algeria) using scat content analysis. In 130 scats collected from autumn 2010 to spring 2011 we identified 726 animal prey items belonging to 17 orders, 30 families and 75 species. The main preys were insects (554 individuals), followed by mammals (142 individuals) and arachnids (14 individuals). However, biomass was dominated by mammals, (86.5 %), followed by insects (10.7 %) and birds (1.2 %). Similar patterns were observed among the seasons, but the frequencies of the main contributing taxa were significantly different. Autumn was the season when mammals were the most consumed; in winter Isoptera were the most numerous preys; in spring Orthoptera and Arachnida were abundantly fed upon, whereas predation of Coleoptera, squamates and birds were similar along the seasons. These results confirm that the fennec fox is an opportunistic predator

Variations saisonnières du régime alimentaire du Fennec, Vulpes zerda (Canidae, Carnivora), en Algérie

Seasonal variation of the diet of the Fennec fox, Vulpes zerda (Canidae, Carnivora), in Algeria. The seasonal diet of the Fennec fox, Vulpes zerda, has been investigated in Ben Ahmed, Ghardaïa region (northern Sahara, Algeria) using scat content analysis. In 130 scats collected from autumn 2010 to spring 2011 we identified 726 animal prey items belonging to 17 orders, 30 families and 75 species. The main preys were insects (554 individuals), followed by mammals (142 individuals) and arachnids (14 individuals). However, biomass was dominated by mammals, (86.5 %), followed by insects (10.7 %) and birds (1.2 %). Similar patterns were observed among the seasons, but the frequencies of the main contributing taxa were significantly different. Autumn was the season when mammals were the most consumed ; in winter Isoptera were the most numerous preys ; in spring Orthoptera and Arachnida were abundantly fed upon, whereas predation of Coleoptera, squamates and birds were similar along the seasons. These results confirm that the fennec fox is an opportunistic predator.Les variations saisonnières du régime alimentaire du Fennec, Vulpes zerda, ont été étudiées à partir de crottes collectées à Ben Ahmed, région de Ghardaïa (Sahara septentrional algérien). De l’automne 2010 au printemps 2011, 130 crottes ont livré 726 proies animales appartenant à 17 ordres, 30 familles et 75 espèces. Les proies principales ont été les Insectes (554 individus), suivis par les Mammifères (142 individus) et les Arachnides (14 individus). Cependant, en biomasse les Mammifères ont été les proies dominantes (86,5 %) devant les Insectes (10,7 %) et les Oiseaux (1,2 %). Un spectre semblable a été trouvé au cours des trois saisons étudiées, toutefois les fréquences des principaux groupes ont varié significativement. L’automne a été la saison de plus forte prédation sur les Mammifères, en hiver les Isoptères ont été les proies les plus nombreuses, au printemps ce furent les Orthoptères et les Arachnides. La prédation des Coléoptères, Squamates et Oiseaux a été stable au fil des saisons. Ces résultats confirment que le Fennec est un prédateur opportuniste.Khechekhouche E., Brahmi Karima, Kerboub A., Slimani S., Bissati Samia, Doumandji Salaheddine, Aulagnier Stéphane. Variations saisonnières du régime alimentaire du Fennec, Vulpes zerda (Canidae, Carnivora), en Algérie. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 73, n°2, 2018. pp. 103-114

Comparison Between In-flight SEL Measurement and Ground Estimation Using Different Facilities

This paper describes a comparison between in-orbit single-event effects (SEE) rate measurement acquired by the CARMEN-3 experiment on-board the JASON-3 satellite (middle earth orbit, 1336 km, 66°) and an estimation using SEE rate calculation approaches from several facilities. A SRAM memory sensitive to single-event latchup (SEL) has been monitored in orbit, and the number of events per day was estimated using monoenergetic data coming from the Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut (protons) and Université Catholique de Louvain (heavy-ions) facilities as well as using mixed-field data coming from the Cern High energy AcceleRator Mixed field (CHARM) facility. A comparison of both estimations with respect to the in-flight measurement has been carried out

X-rays, γ-rays and Proton Beam Monitoring with Multimode Nitrogen-doped Optical Fiber

International audienceWe investigated the potential of a multimode (50 μ m core diameter) nitrogen doped silica-based optical fiber for X-rays, protons and γ-rays radiation detection and dosimetry. X-rays results confirm that this N-doped fiber presents a strong radioluminescence (RL) around 550 nm when exposed to radiation. The RL observed from a few cm long sample linearly depends on the dose rate at least in the 1 mGy/s to 50 Gy/s range. Low dose rate γ-ray tests demonstrate the radiation detection at dose rate as low as 40 μ Gy/s with a 2 m long fiber sample. This fiber is also associated with an optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) when exposed to a 1064 nm laser light post-irradiation. This OSL signature provides shortly after the irradiation a precise estimation of the accumulated dose at least in the 1 Gy to 10 kGy range. Under proton exposure, we benchmarked the performances of the N-doped fiber with the ones of a conventional Markus chamber used by the TRIUMF proton-therapy team. This comparison highlights the potential of the small-size N-doped fiber to partially overcome the known limitations of commercial fiber-based dosimeters for medical applications. The obtained results are very promising for the future design of more complex spatially-resolved beam monitoring systems

Direct Ionization Impact on Accelerator Mixed-Field Soft Error Rate

We investigate, through measurements and simulations, the possible direct ionization impact in the accelerator soft error rate, not considered in standard qualification approaches. Results show that, for a broad variety of state-of-the art commercial components considered in the 65 nm to 16 nm technological range, indirect ionization is still expected to dominate the overall soft-error rate in the accelerator mixed-field. However, the derived critical charges of the most sensitive parts, corresponding to ∼0.7 fC, are expected to be at the limit of rapid direct ionization dominance and soft-error increase.peerReviewe