Fecal DNA metabarcoding reveals the dietary composition of wintering Red-crowned Cranes(Grus japonensis)

Understanding the diet of threatened wildlife is vital for species-specific conservation and habitat management measures.The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis)is a vulnerable bird distributed in Northeast Asia.Previous dietary studies of this bird focused mainly on its plant food composition based on field observations and microhistological identification.Herein,a total of 45 fecal samples were collected in November,December and January(15 fecal samples each month)from wintering cranes,and then subjected to a high throughput sequencing meta-barcoding approach to determine the primary plant(rbcL)and animal(COI)food items in their diet.A total of 230 operational taxonomic units(OTUs)of plant foods and 371 OTUs of animal foods were obtained.The main plant foods in the wintering period were Miscanthus,Zea,and Hordeum genera,which were similar to those in the breeding and the migration periods.Both agricultural and natural plants were detected,indicating a relatively broad dietary niche for this crane species.However,the main animal foods were representatives of Theridiidae,Megascolecidae,and Agelenidae,in sharp contrast to previous studies.The higher number of small terrestrial arthropods in animal foods might be due to the indirect intake of plants.The composition of both plant and animal foods in the diet showed the highest diversity in December,while it was homogeneous in January.The plant of Zea genus became the main source of nutrition in late winter,as supplementary feeding was performed in the reserve,which could help Red-crowned Cranes to get through the cold season.The results obtained in this work would contribute to the development of effective conservation strategies for the Red-crowned Crane.

ANALYSIS OF HABITAT PATTERN CHANGE OF RED-CROWNED CRANES IN THE LIAO HE DELTA USING SPATIAL DIVERSITY INDEX

Habitat pattern change of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in t he Liaohe Delta between 1988 and 1998 was analyzed with the help of Spatial Dive rsity Index based on remote sensing data and field investigation. The result sho wed that the influence from human activities on the wetland habitat of red-crow ned cranes was prominent with the development of oil and agricultural exploitati on, and the habitat pattern of red-crowned cranes had been obviously changed by the human disturbance during the ten years. The areas with high Spatial Diversi ty values (SD≥0.65) and that with mid-high values (0.5≤SD< 0.65), which const ituted the main part of suitable habitat of red-crowned cranes,had reduced to 9142ha and 5576ha respectively, with the shrinking of natural land cover, such a s reed and Suaeda community. The habitat pattern became more fragmented, which w as caused by roads and wells during oil exploration. It was indicated that the s uitability and quality of habitat for red-crowned cranes in the Liaohe Delta we re degraded in the last decade. The results also showed that diversity index cou ld reflect the habitat suitability of red-crowned cranes quantitatively and des cribe the spatial pattern of the habitat explicitly. This study will provide a s cientific basis for habitat protection of red-crowned cranes and other rare spe cies in wetlands.

Habitat suitability change of red-crowned crane in Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve

Habitat loss and fragmentation are mainly associated with population decrease of endangered species and biodiversity loss. The habitat suitability maps of red-crowned crane （Grusjaponensis） in 1992, 1999 and 2006 were produced by using Ecological Niche Suitability Model （ENSM） in Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve （118°33′-119°20′E longitude, 37°35′-38°12′N latitude）, Shandong Province, China. Based on the habitat suitability maps, the causation and change law of habitat loss and fragmentation of red-crowned crane were analyzed by selecting a series of landscape pattern indices. Results showed that due to scarcities of fresh water sources, habitat suitability of red-crowned crane in 1999 was inferior to that in 1992 and 2006 no matter whether human disturbances existed or not. Besides, human disturbance activities, especially road disturbances, increased rapidly during the period of 1992-2006. This worsened the habitat loss and frag- mentation of red-crowned crane, and led to degrading habitat suitability of red-crowned crane in 2006, compared with that in 1992. In conclusion, fresh water sources and human disturbance activities are the two main factors that drive the habitat suitability change of red-crowned crane.

ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT FEATURE OF BREEDING AREA AND ENDANGERED FACTORS OF RED-CROWNED CRANE IN CHINA

Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis), a kind of endangered large-scale wader, is one of valuable and rare birds in the world. It has been indexed in China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals (Aves), China Data Book of Major Protection Wild Animals, World Red Data Book of Birds, State Trade Protocol of Endangered Wild Plants and Animals Species. The paper studies the amount, distribution, habit, growth and habitat of Red-crowned Crane in China in detail, systematically analyses the ecological environment feature of Red-crowned Crane breeding area, including the vegetation feature, the vertical distribution law of absolute humidity and temperature, some carnivorous food and herbivorous food for Red-crowned Crane. At present, the ecological environment of breeding area has been destroyed seriously by human activity. The area of marshland is reduced rapidly. A large area of reeds has been disappeared. The survival of Red-crowned Crane is threatened greatly. So it′s necessary to maintain the biodiversity of breeding area in order to protect Red-crowned Crane. .

Suitable distance to observe Red-crowned Cranes:a note on the observer effect

In order to assess the effect of the observer distance on the behavior of Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis),we studied their time budgets with a gradient of observer distances in Yancheng,China from December 2008 to March 2009.Observer distance was classified into four levels,i.e.,＜ 200 m,200-300 m,300-400 m and ＞ 400 m.The results indicated that cranes increased their vigilance when the observer was less than 300 m away.A safe distance for the observer was often as far as or more than 300 m.Cranes increased scan frequency when observers were within 200 m,whereas they prolonged the duration of their scan when observers were between 200 m and 300 m away,indicating two distinct vigilant strategies,given the observer distance.We suggest an observer distance of at least 300 m,in order to minimize the observer effect.

THE GROUND CENSUSES ON RED-CROWNED CRANE IN KHANKA LAKES DISTRICT OF CHINA

Coordination of the aerial servey, the author carried ground census on the population size of Red-crowned crane(Grus japonensis) in Khanka Lakes District from 1984 to 1986. According to the census in spring of 1984, the total number of Red-crowned crane is 72 individuals and 20 nests. So that this ground census has recorded 59 individuals more than the aerial survey of 13 individuals, and the percentage of nesting individuals in this flock is 55.6%, which is obviously higher than 36.9% of the average ratio in China. After this, in fall of 1984 and in spring of 1985 and 1986, we repeated the same censuses three times in the same districts, the results indicated that the flock of the crane in Khanka Lakes District is stable basically, but some individuals interchange with opposite flock of USSR because of gcgraphical adjoin.So, we believe this flock in China and that flock in USSR belong to the same population and suggest two countries should act in concert to studing on this population in future. Meanwhile, the aerial servey cooperate with ground census, it is the best way for reducing missing crane and achieving to high precision of census. From this, total number of Red-crowned crane in China is 542 individuals (483+59 ind ividuals).

Sex Identification of Red-crowned Crane by the Polymerase Chain Reaction

Sex determining gene primers of Oriental White Stork were used to amplify sex-linked gene of the Red-crowned Crane′s W chromosome-specific by PCR for sex identification. The sexes of 7 couples of grown Red-crowned Cranes and 15 youngs were identified. Through DNA sequence analysis, the identity is 94.77% between Red-crowned Crane and Oriental White Stork. The results of this study suggest that the application of the polymerase chain reaction technique is practicable for determining sex in the Red-crowned Crane.

A growing captive population erodes the wild Red-crowned Cranes(Grus japonensis) in China

Background: The Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis) is an endangered bird species and while the wild population continues to decrease in China, the captive population has dramatically increased over the last two decades. We hypothesized that some of the captive Red-crowned Cranes originated from the wild and that a growing captive population is eroding the wild population in China.Methods: We surveyed the size of the population and determined the average annual growth rate, reproductive success rate and mortality rate of captive Red-crowned Cranes in 2013 in China. We assessed this erosion effect through mathematical models, in which the size of the captive Red-crowned Crane population was determined from the annual growth rate, the reproductive success rate and the rate of mortality.Results: We found there were a total of 1520 captive Red-crowned Cranes in 2013 in China, with an average annual gro-wth rate of 7.46%, a reproductive success rate of 9.17% and a mortality rate of 3.6%. We found that approximately 1027 supplementary Red-crowned Cranes per year and a total of 244, over the 14 year period from 1999 to 2013, were needed to account for the growing captive population in China.Conclusion: We conclude that the 244 birds probably came from the wild by taking eggs and capturing juveniles or adults and hence accepted the hypothesis. Perhaps more surprisingly, our annual estimate of the number of supplementary Red-crowned Cranes in captive populations is very conservative, with the erosion effect substantially underestimated, because the total number of captive Red-crowned Cranes in 2013 was underestimated, with the annual reproductive success rate in zoos overestimated. The existence of an erosion effect provides a new perspective for the interpretation of why the Red-crowned Crane population in the wild continues to decrease. In our opinion, it is important to understand the consequences of this erosion effect on the management and conservation of this endangered bird species in China.

Winter habitat selection of red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis)

This paper studied the winter habitat selection of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in Yancheng National Natural Reserve, Jiangsu Province. There were six types of habitat used by red-crowned cranes, i.e. salt-works, aquiculture ponds, reed lands, grassy tidal lands, salting wormwood lands and wheat fields. The wheat field was a new type of habitat used by red-crowned cranes. More than 70 percent of red-crowned cranes chose grassy tidal lands, salting wormwood lands, and reed lands as their most important habitats. In recent years, the distribution of red-crowned cranes moved southward gradually. Red-crowned cranes prefer artificial or semiartificial wetlands rather than original wetlands, successive distribution was broken into fragments.

Multi-scale analysis to uncover habitat use of red-crowned cranes： Implications for conservation

A multi-scale approach is essential to assess the factors that limit avian habitat use. Numerous studies have examined habitat use by the red-crowned crane, but integrated multi-scale habitat use information is lacking. We evaluated the effects of several habitat variables quantified across many spatial scales on crane use and abundance in two periods （2000 and 2009） at Yancheng National Nature Reserve, China. The natural wetlands decreased in area by 30,601 ha （-6.9%） from 2000 to 2009, pre- dominantly as a result of conversion to aquaculture ponds and farmland, and the remaining was under degradation due to expan- sion of the exotic smooth cordgrass. The cranes are focusing in on either larger patches or those that are in close proximity to each other in both years, but occupied patches had smaller size, less proximity and more regular boundaries in 2009. At landscape scales, the area percentage of common seepweed, reed ponds and paddy fields had a greater positive impact on crane presence than the area percentage of aquaculture ponds. The cranes were more abundant in patches that had a greater percent area of common seepweed and reed ponds, while the percent area of paddy fields was inversely related to crane abundance in 2009 due to changing agricultural practices. In 2009, cranes tended to use less fragmented plots in natural wetlands and more fragmented plots in anthropogenic paddy fields, which were largely associated with the huge loss and degradation of natural habitats between the two years. Management should focus on restoration of large patches of natural wetlands, and formation of a relatively stable area of large paddy field and reed pond to mitigate the loss of natural wetlands [Current Zoology 59 （5）： 604-617, 2013].

Potential natural exposure of endangered red-crowned crane(Grus japonensis) to mycotoxins aflatoxin B_1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, and ochratoxin A

A survey was conducted to determine whether mycotoxins were present in the foods consumed by red-crowned cranes（Grus japonensis） in the Yancheng Biosphere Reserve, China. Collected in the reserve＇s core, buffer, and experimental zones during overwintering periods of 2013 to 2015, a total of 113 food samples were analyzed for aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, and ochratoxin A using high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC）. The contamination incidences vary among different zones and the mycotoxins levels of different food samples also presented disparity. Average mycotoxin concentration from rice grain was greater than that from other food types. Among mycotoxin-positive samples, 59.3% were simultaneously contaminated with more than one toxin. This study demonstrated for the first time that red-crowned cranes were exposed to mycotoxins in the Yancheng Biosphere Reserve and suggested that artificial wetlands could not be considered good habitats for the birds in this reserve, especially rice fields.

Evaluation of Driver-Induced Human Errors in Smart Construction Tower Crane Operations Based on DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC

With the advent of Industry 4.0, smart construction sites have seen significant development in China. However, accidents involving digitized tower cranes continue to be a persistent issue. Among the contributing factors, human unsafe behavior stands out as a primary cause for these incidents. This study aims to assess the human reliability of tower crane operations on smart construction sites. To proactively enhance safety measures, the research employs text mining techniques (TF-IDF-Truncated SVD-Complement NB) to identify patterns of human errors among tower crane operators. Building upon the SHEL model, the study categorizes behavioral factors affecting human reliability in the man-machine interface, leading to the establishment of the Performance Shaping Factors (PSFs) system. Furthermore, the research constructs an error impact indicator system for the intelligent construction site tower crane operator interface. Using the DEMATEL method, it analyzes the significance of various factors influencing human errors in tower crane operations. Additionally, the ISM-MICMAC method is applied to unveil the hierarchical relationships and driving-dependent connections among these influencing factors. The findings indicate that personal state, operating procedures, and physical environment directly impact human errors, while personal capability, technological environment, and one fundamental organizational management factor contribute indirectly. .

Effects of diet shift on the gut microbiota of the critically endangered Siberian Crane

Wetlands worldwide have suffered from serious degradation and transformation,leading to waterbirds increasingly dependent on agricultural fields for feeding.Although gut microbiota is an essential component of host health,the impacts of agricultural feeding on gut microbial community and pathogen transmission remain poorly understood.To fill this knowledge gap,we used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the fecal bacterial community of the Siberian Crane(Grus leucogeranus),a Critically Endangered species,that recently has shifted its foraging from largely Vallisneria tubers in Poyang Lake natural wetlands to crops(i.e.,rice seeds and lotus rhizomes) in agricultural fields.We compared the bacterial communities between tuber foraging cranes and crop foraging cranes.Our results indicate that diet shift greatly modified the gut microbiota diversity,composition and function.Crop foraging cranes had higher microbiota diversity than tuber foraging cranes.The alteration in microbiota composition and function were correlated with change in food nutrition.Tuber(i.e.,high in fiber)foraging cranes were enriched in Clostridiaceae with fiber digestion ability,and crop(i.e.,high in carbohydrate)foraging cranes were enriched in bacterial taxa and functions related to carbohydrate metabolism.The flexibility of gut microbiota might enhance Siberian Cranes’ ability to adapt to novel diet and environment.However,many enriched families in crop foraging cranes were pathogenic bacteria,which might increase the susceptibility of cranes to pathogenic infection.Special caution should be taken to agricultural feeding waterbirds in Asia,where the widespread poultry-keeping in over-harvested rice fields might increase the transmission probability of pathogenetic bacteria among wild birds,domestic poultry and humans.

Impact of marsh changes on breeding cranes in Sanjiang Plain,northeastern China

In order to measure the impact of changes in the marsh on breeding Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis) and White-naped Cranes (G.vipio) in the Sanjiang Plain,we conducted a complete crane súrvey in each of the summers of 2007 and 2008,and obtained information on the changes in its marsh through interpretation of satellite images in 1986,1995,2000 and 2005.A comparison between the 1984 and 2008 census shows that:1) the number of Red-crowned Cranes remained stable at about 300 birds,while the number of White-naped Cranes increased markedly; 2) the estimates of nests of Red-crowned cranes are close to the numbers of 1984,while approximately 90％ of the nests of these two crane species were distributed over five national nature reserves (NNRs); 3) the two crane species became more concentrated in three regions,i.e.,the Fuyuan Delta,the middle reaches of the Naoli and Qixing rivers,and the Xingkai Lake wetlands,rather as formerly in six regions.The area of the marsh decreased by 45％ within the 20-year period from 1986 to 2005.The major loss of the marsh area was in the form of a conversion to paddy fields and dry land,which can be primarily attributed to direct human activity under various economic and policy drivers.The disappearance of cranes in the Dulu and Abuqin rivers was induced by large-scale agricultural development.The fragmentation into and isolation of small areas of the marsh became increasingly more serious,which resulted in unsuitable condtions for crane breeding in small patches of the marsh.The number of cranes declined from 1984-1995 but had recovered remarkably by 2008,which may be due to theestablishment of a system of nature reserves,in place since 2000.The land ownership of the reserve plays a key role in maintaining the integrity of the wetland ecosystem,especially in Sanjiang,Honghe,Naolihe and Qixinghe NNRs,which together accommodated approximately 80％ of the population of cranes.However,we did not discover any nests at all in the provincial and municipal reserves,which may be attributed to high human disturbances in these areas.In the end,we propose some recommendations on reserve management.

Rehabilitation of Overhead Crane in HPP

This paper presents a case study on the repair of a mechanical component of an overhead crane.The problem was initially identified through on-site inspection and analysis of the crane’s performance.The mechanical part was found damaged,leading to safety concerns and operational inefficiencies.The paper details the process of diagnosing the issue,developing a repair plan,and executing the repair work.The repair plan involved replacing the damaged component with a new one and conducting additional maintenance work to ensure optimal performance.The paper also discusses the outcomes of the repair work,which led to improved safety and increased efficiency of the overhead crane.The case study provides insights into the importance of regular maintenance and on-site inspections in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of mechanical systems.

融合Unity3D的缆索起重机安全运行数字孪生模型构建方法

为降低缆索起重机(下文简称为缆机)运行的安全风险,分析缆机运行流程,提取缆机安全运行知识语义,通过物联网技术获取实时数据,利用3DS Max软件构建大坝缆机运行初始场景,实现孪生模型三维可视化,将模型导入Unity3D引擎,使用高清渲染管线对模型进行渲染,改善视觉效果,编写C#脚本对缆机运行全过程进行安全模拟仿真。研究结果表明:应用本文所构建的缆机安全运行数字孪生模型监测隐患与故障,综合准确率达到96.7%,可有效实现缆机运行过程的安全监控、参数化控制以及可视化展示。研究结果可为缆机施工过程的安全控制提供技术支持。

超高层建筑工程内爬塔式起重机附着提升拆除关键技术

内爬塔式起重机是适用于超高层建筑的一种大型设备,本研究介绍了内爬塔结构系统构造及爬升流程,通过设置支撑梁承受结构重力和塔式起重机设计荷载、设置液压油缸和内爬框架进行顶升操作,完成内爬塔结构提升。以小塔拆大塔为塔式起重机拆除原则,设计了两次屋面吊拆除过程,保障拆除工期和屋面结构安全。建立了支撑梁和内爬框架的三维实体有限元计算模型,优化支撑梁系统设计,得到了支撑梁和内爬框架在满载支撑状态下的应力和位移计算结果。结果表明,支撑系统安全可靠。

矿用单轨吊气动道岔的结构设计与研究

我国煤炭现代化高速发展,生产规模也日益增大,所需设备的自动化、机械化程度也越来越高,但使用的辅助运输系统却十分落后。为了克服上述困扰,提出了一种带有气动道岔的单轨吊辅助运输设备,能够克服卡轨车运输条件的限制,使得多条巷道能够连通使用。这种设备在多弯道、多起伏的巷道中具有较高的灵活性和适应性,对于优化运输环境、提升运输效率、确保运输安全具有重大的实际价值。其结构设计包含道岔部分,其中道岔部分主要由道岔直轨、弯轨和气缸构成。首先通过SOLIDWORKS进行三维建模,再通过ANSYS WORKBENCH对轨道部分进行有限元静力学分析,可以直观的呈现出轨道受力变形情况。

铸造起重机主梁应力测试与疲劳寿命研究

以某钢厂一台在用进口铸造起重机为研究对象,对起重机性能指标质量检测、主梁主要受力板材的无损探伤检测、主梁跨中关键部位的应力测试以及根据应力测试所得应力谱对主梁疲劳寿命进行分析估算,对设备目前的安全状况作出评估。

武汉青山长江公路大桥宽幅钢箱梁悬臂拼装横向线形匹配技术

武汉青山长江公路大桥主桥为主跨938 m的双塔双索面全飘浮体系斜拉桥,主跨整体式钢箱梁高4.5 m、全宽48 m,采用500 t架梁吊机分节段悬臂拼装架设。钢箱梁悬臂拼装时,架梁吊机站位节段、待架节段由于荷载及约束不同,横截面变形呈现出不同的趋势,线形匹配难度大。为解决该问题,主跨钢箱梁悬臂拼装时选择上、下游分体式架梁吊机,减少架梁吊机自重;经比选选择横桥向27.7 m间距的架梁吊机站位,减小了架梁吊机荷载对横向线形匹配的影响;通过设置顶压装置(由顶压牛腿、支承底座组成),在架梁吊机站位节段、待架节段钢箱梁边腹板处施加1500 kN顶压力,配合少量马板,一次加载完成对接口竖向变形匹配调整。施工后,钢箱梁横向线形匹配精度均满足要求。