In the small country of Ecuador, all environmental risks of the production and consumption of fossil fuels can be observed by damages through oil exploration in the amazonite rainforest and two tank ship accidents clo...In the small country of Ecuador, all environmental risks of the production and consumption of fossil fuels can be observed by damages through oil exploration in the amazonite rainforest and two tank ship accidents close by Galapagos Islands causing death of 10,000 marine iguanas and other species. Now Ecuador plans to replace all environmentally dangerous diesel generators from all four inhabited Galapagos Islands by a hybrid system using 100% renewable energy for electricity production. Since 2010 a hybrid system of two Jatropha oil generators with an electrical power of 69 kW （kWel） and a photovoltaic plant with an electrical peak power of 21 kW （kWpeak） is successfully providing electricity from renewable energy for inhabitants and tourists of Floreana Island. After more than 15.000 engine operation hours of each engine there is no engine defect. For fuel supply, the so-called ＂Living Fence＂ concept collecting Jatropha seeds by farmers and families from already existing 6,000 km hedges on Ecuadorian mainland was chosen to comply with highest biofuel sustainability standards. The Jatropha oil is produced in a decentralized so-called CompacTropha oil mill container following the ambitious German fuel quality standard DIN51605. Since 2010 Floreana project successfully demonstrates that it is possible to replace diesel gen sets by generators fueled with pure Jatropha oil from decentralized sustainable production.展开更多
The conservation behavior framework is useful to identify key linkages between behavior and conservation practice. We apply this framework to a novel host-parasite system on the Galapagos Islands and ask if there have...The conservation behavior framework is useful to identify key linkages between behavior and conservation practice. We apply this framework to a novel host-parasite system on the Galapagos Islands and ask if there have been changes in parasite oviposition behavior and host mortality patterns across the first decade （2004-2013） of its known association. The Dipteran parasite Philornis downsi was first discovered in Darwin＇s finch nests in 1997 and is the biggest threat to the survival of Galapagos land birds. Host mortality has increased over the past decade. In Dipterans, pupation and pupae size are determined by access to host resources. Here, we test the hypothesis that P downsi flies are laying eggs in finch nests earlier in the nestling phase to maximize larval feeding time and therefore chance of pupation success before host death. The results show fewer 1st instar larvae later in the host nesting cycle in support of earlier egg laying behavior by female flies. Between 2004 and 2013, parasite intensity increased from -28 to -48 parasites per nest, host mortality increased from -50% to -90%, and host age at death decreased from -11 to -5 days. The earlier age at host death was correlated with fewer pupae （from -50% to -20%） and smaller pupae size （-10% decrease）. Changes in parasite behavior reveal new fitness costs to both the parasite and Darwin＇s finches. These findings un- derscore the need for urgent conservation action to save Darwin＇s finches from extinction due to a novel, lethal and introduced parasite [Current Zoology 60 （4）： 542-550, 2014].展开更多
文摘In the small country of Ecuador, all environmental risks of the production and consumption of fossil fuels can be observed by damages through oil exploration in the amazonite rainforest and two tank ship accidents close by Galapagos Islands causing death of 10,000 marine iguanas and other species. Now Ecuador plans to replace all environmentally dangerous diesel generators from all four inhabited Galapagos Islands by a hybrid system using 100% renewable energy for electricity production. Since 2010 a hybrid system of two Jatropha oil generators with an electrical power of 69 kW （kWel） and a photovoltaic plant with an electrical peak power of 21 kW （kWpeak） is successfully providing electricity from renewable energy for inhabitants and tourists of Floreana Island. After more than 15.000 engine operation hours of each engine there is no engine defect. For fuel supply, the so-called ＂Living Fence＂ concept collecting Jatropha seeds by farmers and families from already existing 6,000 km hedges on Ecuadorian mainland was chosen to comply with highest biofuel sustainability standards. The Jatropha oil is produced in a decentralized so-called CompacTropha oil mill container following the ambitious German fuel quality standard DIN51605. Since 2010 Floreana project successfully demonstrates that it is possible to replace diesel gen sets by generators fueled with pure Jatropha oil from decentralized sustainable production.
文摘The conservation behavior framework is useful to identify key linkages between behavior and conservation practice. We apply this framework to a novel host-parasite system on the Galapagos Islands and ask if there have been changes in parasite oviposition behavior and host mortality patterns across the first decade （2004-2013） of its known association. The Dipteran parasite Philornis downsi was first discovered in Darwin＇s finch nests in 1997 and is the biggest threat to the survival of Galapagos land birds. Host mortality has increased over the past decade. In Dipterans, pupation and pupae size are determined by access to host resources. Here, we test the hypothesis that P downsi flies are laying eggs in finch nests earlier in the nestling phase to maximize larval feeding time and therefore chance of pupation success before host death. The results show fewer 1st instar larvae later in the host nesting cycle in support of earlier egg laying behavior by female flies. Between 2004 and 2013, parasite intensity increased from -28 to -48 parasites per nest, host mortality increased from -50% to -90%, and host age at death decreased from -11 to -5 days. The earlier age at host death was correlated with fewer pupae （from -50% to -20%） and smaller pupae size （-10% decrease）. Changes in parasite behavior reveal new fitness costs to both the parasite and Darwin＇s finches. These findings un- derscore the need for urgent conservation action to save Darwin＇s finches from extinction due to a novel, lethal and introduced parasite [Current Zoology 60 （4）： 542-550, 2014].
