bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In situ observation of phase transformation in an Fe–Zn system at high temperatures using an image plate
Authors: Kimura Masao , Imafuku Muneyuki , Kurosaki Masao , Fujii Siro 
Published: July 2004

A unique system has been developed for in situ observation of phase transformation at high temperatures. Changes in powder-diffraction patterns from a heated specimen can be measured continuously by scanning an image plate located behind a slit. A heating system has been designed for a sheet specimen (∼5 × 6 mm) using Joule heating, and it can heat the specimen up to 1100 K at a rate of up to 160 K s−1, where effects of thermal expansion are minimized by a mechanism releasing stress. This system was applied to Zn-coated (∼8 µm in thickness) steel. At temperatures higher than the melting point of Zn, different types of Fe–Zn intermetallics formed sequentially through rapid interdiffusion. Changes in phase and crystallographic structure were monitored with a time resolution of less than a few seconds. It has been found that an addition of a small amount of an element, such as P, into Fe changes the incubation time before the alloying reaction starts. This system has been shown to have the potential for application to in situ observation of other reactions at high temperatures.
Local structure study of dilute Er in III–V semiconductors by fluorescence EXAFS
Authors: Ofuchi H. , Kawamura D. , Tsuchiya J. , Matsubara N. , Tabuchi M. , Fujiwara Y. , Takeda Y. 
Published: July 2004

For understanding the luminescence of Er atoms in III–V semiconductors, OMVPE-grown InP doped with Er has been investigated by fluorescence EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) in order to study the local structure around Er atoms. The local structures around the Er atoms doped in InP, with doping as dilute as 3 × 1012 Er atoms in a 1.5 mm × 1.0 mm spot, were successfully measured by fluorescence EXAFS. The EXAFS analysis revealed that the Er atoms doped in InP above 853 K (which showed low luminescence) formed the rock-salt-structure ErP, while the Er atoms doped in InP below 823 K (which showed high luminescence) substituted on the In site of InP. The dependence of the local structure on growth temperature was observed for the samples doped with 3 × 1012 atoms and 1.2 × 1013 atoms of Er.
ID14 `Quadriga', a Beamline for Protein Crystallography at the ESRF
Authors: Wakatsuki S. , Belrhali H. , Mitchell E. P. , Burmeister W. P. , McSweeney S. M. , Kahn R. , Bourgeois D. , Yao M. , Tomizaki T. , Theveneau P. 
Published: July 2004

The ESRF undulator beamline ID14 `Quadriga' is dedicated to monochromatic macromolecular crystallography. Using two undulators with 23 mm and 42 mm periods and a minimum gap of 16 mm installed on a high-β section, it will provide high-brilliance X-ray beams at around 13.5 keV, as well as a wide tuneability between 6.8 and 40 keV. Based on the Troika concept, this beamline has four simultaneously operating experimental stations: three side stations, EH1, EH2 and EH3, using thin diamond crystals, and an end station, EH4, with a fast-scan double-crystal monochromator. Station EH3 has a κ-diffractometer, and an off-line Weissenberg camera with a large 80 × 80 cm active area combined with a 2048 × 2048 CCD detector. During data collection the image plates are placed and removed by a robot located inside the hutch using a cassette system. After data collection the image plates are scanned with an off-line drum scanner. Station EH4 is designed for MAD applications, including Xe K-edge anomalous experiments, and is equipped with a 2048 × 2048 CCD detector on a pseudo 2θ arm. A common graphical user interface and a database will be available to cover all aspects of data collection, including strategy optimization. First results on the performance of the optics elements and initial crystallographic results are presented.
A new water-cooled and doubly bent crystal monochromator for Compton scattering experiments
Authors: Kawata H. , Sato M. , Higashi Y. , Yamaoka H. 
Published: July 2004

The design and performance of a new water-cooled and doubly bent crystal monochromator for Compton scattering experiments are described. Its mechanical system is similar to that of a usual bent cylindrical X-ray mirror. A monolithic Si (111) crystal is mounted on a water-cooled and cylindrically polished copper crystal holder with liquid Ga–In alloy between them in order to obtain good thermal and mechanical contact. The sagittal bending radius of the holder, R

s
, is 508 mm. The holder is mounted on a mechanical bender making a meridian radius, R

m
, of 596 m. The performance of the monochromator, which has been installed at the Photon Factory Accumulator Ring beamline NE1, is as follows. The focused beam size, flux and energy resolution for 60 keV X-rays are 0.5 mm in height and 2.0 mm in width, 5 × 1012 photons s−1 and about 60 eV, respectively. The new monochromator gives one order higher brightness at the sample position and also better energy resolution than the previous monochromator. The overall momentum resolution for high-resolution Compton scattering experiments becomes 0.08 atomic units, and the background can be reduced by a third, because it is possible to insert a fine slit after the analyser crystal without losing any Compton scattering signal.
Dead-time correction of a multi-element SSD for fluorescent XAFS
Authors: Nomura Masaharu 
Published: July 2004

The correct evaluation of the live time of a detection system is found to be important for correcting the counting loss of a multi-element detection system for fluorescent XAFS experiments. Synchronous resetting of preamplifiers and the suspension of electronics during the reset period is an effective method. The dead time of the incoming count rate should also be corrected, since its non-linearity cannot be neglected. A 19-element solid-state detector system which can count up to 3.7 × 105 counts s−1 channel−1 with <270 eV FWHM for Mn Kα has been realized; the dead time was independent of the incoming photon energy.
Pulse-height measurements with a cooled avalanche-photodiode detector
Authors: Kishimoto Shunji 
Published: July 2004

A cooled avalanche-photodiode (APD) detector has been developed for X-ray diffraction experiments. Although an APD is normally used at room temperature and a high internal gain, the energy resolution can be improved by decreasing temperature and gain. The APD device was cooled to 253 K by a thermoelectric cooler. When the gain was M = 13, the energy resolution was 5% (FWHM) at 16.53 keV with a charge-sensitive preamplifier. By scanning the discriminator threshold level of a fast-counting system, energy spectra were obtained at M ≃ 50 and count rates of up to 4.7 × 107 s−1.
Optical design of the NSRL undulator beamline
Authors: Zhang Y. W. , Sheng L. S. , Zhang G. B. , Gao H. 
Published: July 2004

The optical design of the NSRL undulator beamline is presented. The NSRL undulator has 29 periods of 9.2 cm that produce a photon energy of 7.7–124 eV with the fundamental and third harmonics at a ring energy of 800 MeV. The beamline consists of a typical Kirkpatrick–Baez prefocusing mirror system, a modified spherical-grating monochromator (SGM) and a refocusing toroidal mirror. The monochromator has two including angles of 148 and 157° with two plane mirrors inserted into the entrance arm in order to cover the wide energy range with high grating diffraction efficiency. Calculation shows that the resolving power of the monochromator can be greater than 5000 with the slits fully opened and 20000 with a 20 µm opening of the slits. The spot at the sample is about 1.5 (H) mm × 0.5 (V) mm.
A new image-plate reader for various sizes and shapes
Authors: Takagi Yasuo , Kikuchi Toshiharu , Katayama Chuji 
Published: July 2004

A new image-plate reader which can read image plates (IPs) having various sizes and shapes has been developed. The machine consists of a rotating laser head to induce luminescence photons from IPs and a porous cylindrical holder made of a composite of cast iron and porous ceramic – so-called `breathnite'. Image plates can be fixed onto the inner surface of the cylindrical holder by evacuating the outer surface through a vacuum chamber with a mechanical pump. Image plates having various shapes and sizes up to 400 × 400 mm can be fixed without covering the open surface on the cylinder. In spite of such flexibility to various applications, the reader produces competitive performances compared with other commercial readers.
X-ray polarimetry with the microstrip gas chamber
Authors: Nishi Y. , Aoki S. , Ochi A. , Tanimori T. , Takahashi T. , Ueda Y. , Okada K. 
Published: July 2004

A two-dimensional microstrip gas chamber (MSGC) with a 5 cm × 5 cm detection area has been developed. It has 254 anodes and 255 back strips, both with 200 µm pitches. Using this MSGC, linear polarization of X-rays was successfully measured in the energy range 6–14 keV. In addition, the performance of the MSGC as an X-ray imaging polarimeter has been simulated using the EGS4 program (Electron Gamma Shower, Version 4) modified for this purpose. In this article, the results of both the polarization measurement and the simulation are reported.
Scaling possible adverse effects of marine wind farms on seabirds: developing and applying a vulnerability index
Authors: GARTHE STEFAN , HÜPPOP OMMO 
Published: July 2004

Summary

Marine wind farms have attracted substantial public interest. The construction of wind facilities offshore may become Europe's most extensive technical development in marine habitats. Due to political pressure to complete construction soon, assessments of possible wind farm locations, for example in the German sectors of the North Sea and Baltic Sea, have to be based on existing knowledge.
In this study, we developed a wind farm sensitivity index (WSI) for seabirds. We applied this index to the Exclusive Economic Zone and the national waters of Germany in the North Sea. We chose nine factors, derived from species’ attributes, to be included in the WSI: flight manoeuvrability; flight altitude; percentage of time flying; nocturnal flight activity; sensitivity towards disturbance by ship and helicopter traffic; flexibility in habitat use; biogeographical population size; adult survival rate; and European threat and conservation status. Each factor was scored on a 5‐point scale from 1 (low vulnerability of seabirds) to 5 (high vulnerability of seabirds). Five of these factors could be dealt with by real data but four could only be assessed by subjective considerations based on at‐sea experience; in the latter cases, suggestions of the first author were independently modulated by experts.
Species differed greatly in their sensitivity index (SSI). Black‐throated diver Gavia arctica and red‐throated diver Gavia stellata ranked highest (= most sensitive), followed by velvet scoter Melanitta fusca, sandwich tern Sterna sandvicensis and great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo. The lowest values were recorded for black‐legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, black‐headed gull Larus ridibundus and northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis.
A WSI score for areas of the North Sea and Baltic Sea was calculated from the species‐specific sensitivity index values. Coastal waters in the south‐eastern North Sea had values indicating greater vulnerability than waters further offshore throughout the whole year.
Derived from the frequency distribution of the WSI, we suggest a ‘level of concern’ and a ‘level of major concern’ that are visualized spatially and could act as a basis for the selection of marine wind farm locations.
Synthesis and applications. The wind farm sensitivity index might be useful in strategic environmental impact assessments (EIA). Results of small‐scale EIA from wind installations should be considered within a more global perspective, provided, for example, by large mapping projects and detailed behavioural studies. This is difficult in normal EIA, particularly in highly dynamic coastal/marine habitats, and the results of this study fill an important gap by providing information on the potential sensitivity of seabirds and the importance of locations of wind installations.
Clarifying the effect of toe clipping on frogs with Bayesian statistics
Authors: MCCARTHY MICHAEL A. , PARRIS KIRSTEN M. 
Published: July 2004

Summary

Toe clipping is commonly used in population ecology to identify individual amphibians, particularly frogs and toads. Toe clipping may influence the return rate of the marked animals, although results of previous studies have appeared to be contradictory.
We re‐analysed available data using Bayesian statistics to examine how the return rate of frogs may change with the number of toes removed.
Our re‐analysis indicated that toe clipping reduces the return rate by 4–11% for each toe removed after the first, assuming the effect is the same for all toes.
A second analysis allowed the effect of removing each toe to change linearly with the number removed. This indicated that when one toe had already been removed, the return rate was reduced by 3·5% (95% credibility interval of 0–7%) upon removal of a second. The reduction in return rate on removal of an additional toe was 30% (95% credibility interval of 20–39%) when seven toes had already been removed.
When considering the cumulative effect of toe clipping, the return rate of frogs with two toes removed was estimated to be 96% of those with one toe removed. This ratio decreased to 28% for frogs with eight toes removed.
Synthesis and applications. We found that the effect of toe clipping on the return rate of amphibians increases with the number of toes removed. Because this effect is reasonably consistent among studies, the estimated impact should be recognized in future work that uses toe clipping to estimate population sizes and survival rates. In addition, our study has important implications for the ethical treatment of animals, the continued use of toe clipping to mark species of conservation concern, and the removal of multiple toes from an individual frog or toad.
Response of African savanna ants to long‐term fire regimes
Authors: PARR CATHERINE L. , ROBERTSON HAMISH G. , BIGGS HARRY C. , CHOWN STEVEN L. 
Published: July 2004

Summary

Despite the fact that fire is considered an important disturbance in savannas across the world and is used widely as a management tool in conservation areas, little is known about the effects of burning on their insect communities.
This study made use of a 50‐year fire experiment to investigate the responses of ant assemblages to long‐term burning regimes. The effects of fire frequency, season and time since fire (fuel age) were tested on epigaeic ants across three savanna vegetation types (Mopane woodland, Acacia savanna and Terminalia woodland) in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
There was no significant effect of burning on mean ant species richness and abundance between treatments, although there were significant differences in ant assemblage composition between burned (treatment) and unburned (control) plots. The effects of season, frequency of burn and plot age on assemblage structure were weak and often not significant.
Epigaeic ant assemblages in this savanna system appeared to be highly resistant and resilient to burning. The response of ants to fire was linked to changes in habitat cover and structure: the effect of fire on vegetation and ants was less pronounced in lower rainfall areas, where differences in vegetation structure between burnt and unburnt plots were less pronounced than in higher rainfall areas.
Synthesis and applications. The effect of fire on ant assemblages in the mid‐ to northern Kruger National Park depends on whether a patch burns or not, rather than the specifics of the burning treatment. Thus, conservation managers can focus concerns regarding the subtleties of fire regimes on other taxa or areas of particular concern.
Influence of deferred grazing on vegetation dynamics and livestock productivity in an Andean pastoral system
Authors: BUTTOLPH LITA P. , COPPOCK D. LAYNE 
Published: July 2004

Summary

Management recommendations intended to reduce rangeland degradation and increase livestock productivity often assume equilibrium conditions wherein vegetation and herbivore dynamics are tightly coupled. Recent research in Africa, Asia and North America, however, suggests that the dynamics of some arid systems are driven more by precipitation, a non‐equilibrium factor. We examined the applicability of equilibrium and non‐equilibrium theory for key grazing resources within an Andean pastoral ecosystem.
Residents of Cosapa, Bolivia, recently fenced off portions of critical communal grazing areas called bofedal (wet meadow) and gramadal (dry meadow) as part of a livestock development project. Fenced exclosures were used to implement seasonally deferred grazing practices. We evaluated the effects of deferred grazing on peak standing crop (SC), above‐ground net primary production (ANPP) and plant species composition and diversity over a 4‐month growing season across 10 locations. Effects of exclosure access on the productivity of alpaca Llama pacos, llama L. glama and sheep Ovis aries were assessed through interviews with 32 herd owners.
One to three years of deferred grazing had no effect on SC or ANPP from bofedal or gramadal, but it did reduce plant species diversity for bofedal. Access to exclosures improved survival rates of young alpaca and birth rates for sheep. Llamas were typically denied access to exclosures, which negatively affected their productivity.
Our results suggest that both non‐equilibrium and equilibrium forces operate on bofedal. Stable and low rates of ANPP are largely shaped by the cold climate, a non‐equilibrium factor. Changes in plant species composition and livestock productivity, however, support equilibrium theory.
Synthesis and applications. Ecological models of rangeland dynamics often play a critical role in determining the direction of range management and pastoral development. On bofedal, we found that vegetation and herbivore dynamics are coupled to a large extent, consistent with predictions that equilibrium behaviour can occur for critical, mesic subsystems nested within arid landscapes. Seasonal grazing deferral on bofedal can thus yield benefits to livestock productivity. However, these benefits must be weighed against negative social consequences that can occur when communal resources are privatized.
Alleviating grazing damage by white‐fronted geese: an optimal foraging approach
Authors: AMANO TATSUYA , USHIYAMA KATSUMI , FUJITA GO , HIGUCHI HIROYOSHI 
Published: July 2004

Summary

Agricultural damage by wildlife is a serious constraint on the coexistence of humans and wildlife. Understanding the behavioural processes involved in such agricultural damage will inform management actions. In this study, a linear programming model based on optimal foraging theory was used to formulate management strategies designed to reduce wheat damage caused by white‐fronted geese Anser albifrons around Lake Miyajimanuma in Japan.
Geese feed on rice grains or wheat leaves. Their choice of food is constrained by their daily energy requirement, daily nitrogen requirement, digestive capacity and daily maximum foraging time. With these constraints, we predicted the proportion of geese that should forage on wheat leaves under energy‐maximizing, nitrogen‐maximizing and time‐minimizing strategies, and compared the results with the observed proportion.
Our predictions for the energy‐maximizing strategy successfully explained the variation in the observed proportion of geese foraging on wheat leaves. It appeared that nitrogen constraints drove the geese to forage on wheat in autumn, but energy considerations drove the geese to forage on wheat plus rice in late spring.
Based on these results, we predicted that by increasing the harvest remains of rice by 30%, a large reduction in wheat damage could be achieved both in autumn and in spring. Damage could be reduced further by supplying protein‐rich food, such as grass on fallow fields and on ridges of rice fields in autumn, and by leaving geese foraging in rice fields undisturbed.
Synthesis and applications. Optimal foraging models that consider foraging goals and constraints have considerable potential for identifying measures for minimizing agricultural damage problems caused by grazing bird species. Specifically, for geese grazing on wheat fields in Japan, we advocate increasing the availability of alternative protein‐rich foods, such as rice harvest remains and grass, and minimizing disturbance to geese foraging on rice fields.
Assessment of ecological effects due to forest harvesting: approaches and statistical issues
Authors: BENNETT L. T. , ADAMS M. A. 
Published: July 2004

SummaryTimber harvesting exemplifies many aspects of experimental manipulation in applied ecology. Evaluation of the research approaches used to assess ecological effects of harvesting thus has relevance to a diverse range of ecological questions that address large‐scale and human impacts on the environment.We measured the frequency of approaches, and also design and statistical issues, in assessments of harvesting effects on three response variables (tree regeneration, vertebrates and water) in two major native forests of south‐east Australia. Our evaluation was based on 124 documents that contain unique, field‐based research and that represent the complete written record (published and unpublished) of relevant research prior to mid‐2002.The dominant approach was contrasts between manipulated stands, nearly always involving mature and old‐growth stands as the reference or control. In studies of tree regeneration, focus on wood‐production objectives was apparent in the relatively frequent use of stocking standards, and in the use of between‐ and within‐stand contrasts without a control condition. Comparatively greater use of models in vertebrate and water studies suggested more frequent integration of generic principles and, in water studies, reflected strong collective knowledge based on the repeated use of BACI‐type designs (i.e. before–after, control–impact) or long‐term data sets.Statistical issues such as poor reporting of experimental designs and of sample statistics were common. Explicit hypotheses were rare, and there was no evidence of definition of critical effect sizes, use of power analysis or use of non‐classical statistical approaches (e.g. Bayesian inference).Lack of treatment replication was widespread in between‐stand contrasts and less frequent in within‐stand contrasts. Inappropriate interpretation of results from non‐replicated experimental designs remains an ongoing issue.Synthesis and applications. The amount of information obtainable from stand‐level manipulations of forest would substantially increase through greater attention to data quality and experimental protocols. Studies require broader experimental contexts, including their potential place in meta‐replication frameworks. Increasingly, constraints of large‐scale manipulations necessitate the integration of data and the acknowledgement of uncertainty in formalized systems (e.g. Bayesian methods and adaptive management frameworks). Our evaluation suggests the alternative is a perpetuation of short‐term, isolated studies that repeat errors and have limited potential to refine knowledge on the ecological effects of timber harvesting and other similarly scaled disturbances.