• Title/Summary/Keyword: The Nesting System

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Affordable method of video recording for ecologists and citizen-science participants

  • Yang, Eunjeong;Lee, Keesan;Ha, Jung-moon;Kim, Woojoo;Song, Ho-Kyung;Hwang, Injae;Lee, Sang-im;Jablonski, Piotr G.
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.42 no.2
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    • pp.85-89
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    • 2018
  • Observations and video documentation of interactions between animals living in dens, cavities, and other enclosed spaces are difficult, but they play an important role in field biology, ecology, and conservation. For example, bird parents visiting nests and feeding their nestlings may provide crucial information for testing of ecological hypotheses and may easily attract attention of participants of citizen-science ecological and conservation projects. Because of the nest concealment of cavity-nesting birds, their behaviors in the nest can only be studied by using video surveillance. Professional wildlife surveillance systems are extremely expensive. Here, we describe an inexpensive video setup that can be constructed with relatively little effort and is more affordable than any previously described system. We anticipate that the relatively low cost of about 250 USD for a battery-operated system is an important feature for citizen-science type of projects and for applications in heavily populated areas where the potential for theft and vandalism may be high. Based on our experiences, we provide methodological advice on practical aspects of using this system in the field for ecological research on birds. We highlight the low cost, easiness of construction, and potential availability to a large number of observers taking part in wildlife monitoring projects, and we offer technical help to participants of such research projects.

Coping with large litters: management effects on welfare and nursing capacity of the sow

  • Peltoniemi, Olli;Han, Taehee;Yun, Jinhyeon
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.63 no.2
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    • pp.199-210
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    • 2021
  • A number of management issues can be used as drivers for change in order to improve animal welfare and nursing capacity of the hyperprolific sow. Group housing of sows during gestation is a recommended practice from the perspective of animal welfare. Related health issues include reproductive health and the locomotor system. It appears that management of pregnant sows in groups is challenging for a producer and considerable skill is required. We explored the benefits and challenges of group housing, including feeding issues. Increasing litter size requires additional attention to the mammary gland and its ability to provide sufficient nursing for the growing litter. We discuss the fundamentals of mammary development and the specific challenges related to the hyperprolific sow. We also address challenges with the farrowing environment. It appears that the old-fashioned farrowing crate is not only outdated in terms of welfare from the public's perspective, but also fails to provide the environment that the sow needs to support her physiology of farrowing, nursing, and maternal behaviour. Studies from our group and others indicate that providing the sow with a loose housing system adequate in space and nesting material, along with reasonable chance for isolation, can be considered as fundamental for successful farrowing of the hyperprolific sow. It has also been shown that management strategies, such as split suckling and cross fostering, are necessary to ensure proper colostrum intake for all piglets born alive in a large litter. We thus conclude that welfare and nursing capacity of the sow can be improved by management. However, current megatrends such as the climate change may change sow management and force the industry to rethink goals of breeding and, for instance, breeding for better resilience may need to be included as goals for the future.

An XPDL-Based Workflow Control-Structure and Data-Sequence Analyzer

  • Kim, Kwanghoon Pio
    • KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.1702-1721
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    • 2019
  • A workflow process (or business process) management system helps to define, execute, monitor and manage workflow models deployed on a workflow-supported enterprise, and the system is compartmentalized into a modeling subsystem and an enacting subsystem, in general. The modeling subsystem's functionality is to discover and analyze workflow models via a theoretical modeling methodology like ICN, to graphically define them via a graphical representation notation like BPMN, and to systematically deploy those graphically defined models onto the enacting subsystem by transforming into their textual models represented by a standardized workflow process definition language like XPDL. Before deploying those defined workflow models, it is very important to inspect its syntactical correctness as well as its structural properness to minimize the loss of effectiveness and the depreciation of efficiency in managing the corresponding workflow models. In this paper, we are particularly interested in verifying very large-scale and massively parallel workflow models, and so we need a sophisticated analyzer to automatically analyze those specialized and complex styles of workflow models. One of the sophisticated analyzers devised in this paper is able to analyze not only the structural complexity but also the data-sequence complexity, especially. The structural complexity is based upon combinational usages of those control-structure constructs such as subprocesses, exclusive-OR, parallel-AND and iterative-LOOP primitives with preserving matched pairing and proper nesting properties, whereas the data-sequence complexity is based upon combinational usages of those relevant data repositories such as data definition sequences and data use sequences. Through the devised and implemented analyzer in this paper, we are able eventually to achieve the systematic verifications of the syntactical correctness as well as the effective validation of the structural properness on those complicate and large-scale styles of workflow models. As an experimental study, we apply the implemented analyzer to an exemplary large-scale and massively parallel workflow process model, the Large Bank Transaction Workflow Process Model, and show the structural complexity analysis results via a series of operational screens captured from the implemented analyzer.

Intelligent 3D packing using a grouping algorithm for automotive container engineering

  • Joung, Youn-Kyoung;Noh, Sang Do
    • Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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    • v.1 no.2
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    • pp.140-151
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    • 2014
  • Storing, and the loading and unloading of materials at production sites in the manufacturing sector for mass production is a critical problem that affects various aspects: the layout of the factory, line-side space, logistics, workers' work paths and ease of work, automatic procurement of components, and transfer and supply. Traditionally, the nesting problem has been an issue to improve the efficiency of raw materials; further, research into mainly 2D optimization has progressed. Also, recently, research into the expanded usage of 3D models to implement packing optimization has been actively carried out. Nevertheless, packing algorithms using 3D models are not widely used in practice, due to the large decrease in efficiency, owing to the complexity and excessive computational time. In this paper, the problem of efficiently loading and unloading freeform 3D objects into a given container has been solved, by considering the 3D form, ease of loading and unloading, and packing density. For this reason, a Group Packing Approach for workers has been developed, by using analyzed truck packing work patterns and Group Technology, which is to enhance the efficiency of storage in the manufacturing sector. Also, an algorithm for 3D packing has been developed, and implemented in a commercial 3D CAD modeling system. The 3D packing method consists of a grouping algorithm, a sequencing algorithm, an orientating algorithm, and a loading algorithm. These algorithms concern the respective aspects: the packing order, orientation decisions of parts, collision checking among parts and processing, position decisions of parts, efficiency verification, and loading and unloading simulation. Storage optimization and examination of the ease of loading and unloading are possible, and various kinds of engineering analysis, such as work performance analysis, are facilitated through the intelligent 3D packing method developed in this paper, by using the results of the 3D model.

Distribution and Strandings of Endangered Sea Turtles in Korean Waters (한국 연안의 멸종위기 바다거북의 분포 및 좌초 현황)

  • Moon, Dae-Yeon;Jung, Min-Min;An, Yong-Rock;Choi, Seok-Gwan;Oh, Bong-Se;Kim, Zang-Geun;Lee, Chu;Kim, Moon-Jin;Kim, Sam-Yeon
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.42 no.6
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    • pp.657-663
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    • 2009
  • This paper reports the strandings of sea turtles on Korean shores monitored for the first time in 2008. A total of 19 sea turtles, consisting of 12 greens and 7 loggerheads, were recorded as stranded from the east coast to the south including Jeju Island. Reported strandings reached a peak in July and dominant area was Jeju Island. The curved carapace length of loggerhead sea turtles ranged 65-84.2cm and that of green sea turtles ranged 39.2-90cm, indicating most of them were immature to sub-adult. Out of 19 turtles, 11 were found dead with unknown reasons. Possible causes of death may include drawning by fishing gear, swallowing of marine debris, boat collision, and diseases. An immature green sea turtle tagged with a satellite transmitter spent winter near Jeju Island where it was released, suggesting that the Island provide immature greens a feeding ground. Considering thousands of sea turtles crawl on Japanese shores for nesting every year, the number of sea turtles reported in Korean waters was relatively small. Therefore, it is suggested that an appropriate monitoring system be necessary to protect and conserve endangered sea turtle species in Korean waters.

A Study on the Characteristics of Paridae Nesting Material by Urban Green Area Type (도시녹지 유형별 박새과 둥지 재료 특성 연구)

  • Kim, Kyeong-Tae;Lee, Hyun-Jung;Kim, Whee-Moon;Kim, Seoung-Yeal;Song, Wonkyong
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.35 no.3
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    • pp.256-264
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    • 2021
  • Rapid urbanization around the world has negatively affected wildlife habitats, including birds. Wild birds settled in the city are adapting to the changed surroundings, and are typically known to make nests using materials that are easy to find around the city. This study was conducted for the purpose of analyzing the nesting materials on the Paridae using artificial bird nests installed in cities. In this study, the researchers established a total of 33 artificial bird nests in urban parks (22) and forests (11) in Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do. Then we collected 4 artificial bird nests in urban parks (18.19%) and 5 in urban forests (45.46%) to compare the characteristics of bird nest materials by the nest, species, and urban green area types. Eight nests, excluding a nest abandoned by a pair of Paridae, were used for the material analysis. The collected nests were dried, and classified into natural materials (vegetable materials, animal materials, moss, and soil) and artificial materials (cotton, paper pieces, plastics, vinyl, and synthetic fibers), and then each nest was weighed. The classification result shows that the portion of moss (50.65%) was the highest in all nests, followed by soil (21.43%), artificial material (13.95%), vegetable material (5.78%), animal material (4.57%), and others (3.59%) in that order. Artificial materials were used in all nests in urban green areas. Moreover, although the Paridae used about 5.16% more vegetable material than the Parus varius, it was not significant (t=2.17, p=0.07). Plant materials and soil were most preferred in urban forests, and moss, animal, and artificial materials were widely used in that order in urban parks. There was a significant difference in the use of vegetable materials between urban parks and urban forests (t=3.07, p<0.05*). In the habitats like urbanized and dry areas, where artificial materials are highly accessible, artificial materials replaced some roles of natural materials. This study is a basic study for the analysis of the types of materials used in artificial bird nests to understand the habitat system of urban ecosystems. It can be used as the basic data for ecological studies and conservation of the Paridae species.

Three-dimensional Numerical Prediction on the Evolution of Nocturnal Thermal High (Tropical Night) in a Basin

  • Choi, Hyo;Kim, Jeong-Woo
    • International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics Korean Journal of Geophysical Research
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.57-81
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    • 1997
  • Numerical prediction of nocturnal thermal high in summer of the 1995 near Taegu city located in a basin has been carried out by a non-hydrostatic numerical model over complex terrain through one-way double nesting technique in the Z following coordinate system. Under the prevailing westerly winds, vertical turbulent fluxes of momentum and heat over mountains for daytime hours are quite strong with a large magnitude of more than $120W/\textrm{m}^2$, but a small one of $5W/\textrm{m}^2$ at the surface of the basin. Convective boundary layer (CBL) is developed with a thickness of about 600m over the ground in the lee side of Mt. Hyungje, and extends to the edge of inland at the interface of land sea in the east. Sensible heat flux near the surface of the top of the mountain is $50W/\textrm{m}^2$, but its flux in the basin is almost zero. Convergence of sensible heat flux occurs from the ground surface toward the atmosphere in the lower layer, causing the layer over the mountain to be warmed up, but no convergance of the flux over the basin results from the significant mixing of air within the CBL. As horizontal transport of sensible heat flux from the top of the mountain toward over the basin results in the continuous accumulation of heat with time, enhancing air temperature at the surface of the basin, especially Taegu city to be higher than $39.3^{\circ}C$. Since latent heat fluxes are $270W/\textrm{m}^2$ near the top of the mountain and $300W/\textrm{m}^2$ along the slope of the mountain and the basin, evaporation of water vapor from the surface of the basin is much higher than one from the mountain and then, horizontal transport of latent heat flux is from the basin toward the mountain, showing relative humidity of 65 to 75% over the mountain to be much greater than 50% to 55% in the basin. At night, sensible heat fluxes have negative values of $-120W/\textrm{m}^2$ along the slope near the top of the mountain and $-50W/\textrm{m}^2$ at the surface of the basin, which indicate gain of heat from the lower atmosphere. Nighttime radiative cooling produces a shallow nocturnal surface inversion layer with a thickness of about 100m, which is much lower than common surface inversion layer, and lifts extremely heated air masses for daytime hours, namely, a warm pool of $34^{\circ}C$ to be isolated over the ground surface in the basin. As heat transfer from the warm pool in the lower atmosphere toward the ground of the basin occurs, the air near the surface of the basin does not much cool down, resulting in the persistence of high temperature at night, called nocturnal thermal high or tropical night. High relative humidity of 75% is found at the surface of the basin under the moderate wind, while slightly low relative humidity of 60% is along the eastern slope of the high mountain, due to adiabatic heating by the srong downslope wind. Air temperature near the surface of the basin with high moisture in the evening does not get lower than that during the day and the high temperature produces nocturnal warming situation.

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Agro-Climatic Indices Changes over the Korean Peninsula in CO2 Doubled Climate Induced by Atmosphere-Ocean-Land-Ice Coupled General Circulation Model (대기-해양-지면-해빙 접합 대순환 모형으로 모의된 이산화탄소 배증시 한반도 농업기후지수 변화 분석)

  • Ahn, Joong-Bae;Hong, Ja-Young;Shim, Kyo-Moon
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.11-22
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    • 2010
  • According to IPCC 4th Assessment Report, concentration of carbon dioxide has been increasing by 30% since Industrial Revolution. Most of IPCC $CO_2$ emission scenarios estimate that the concentration will reach up to double of its present level within 100-year if the current tendency continues. The global warming has resulted in the agro-climate change over the Korean Peninsula as well. Accordingly, it is necessary to understand the future agro-climate induced by the increase of greenhouse gases in terms of the agro-climatic indices in the Korean peninsula. In this study, the future climate is simulated by an atmosphere/ocean/land surface/sea ice coupled general circulation climate model, Pusan National University Coupled General Circulation Model(hereafter, PNU CGCM), and by a regional weather prediction model, Weather Research and Forecasting Model(hereafter, WRF) for the purpose of a dynamical downscaling. The changes of the vegetable period and the crop growth period, defined as the total number of days of a year exceeding daily mean temperature of 5 and 10, respectively, have been analyzed. Our results estimate that the beginning date of vegetable and crop growth periods get earlier by 3.7 and 17 days, respectively, in spring under the $CO_2$-doubled climate. In most of the Korean peninsula, the predicted frost days in spring decrease by 10 days. Climatic production index (CPI), which closely represent the productivity of rice, tends to increase in the double $CO_2$ climate. Thus, it is suggested that the future $CO_2$ doubled climate might be favorable for crops due to the decrease of frost days in spring, and increased temperature and insolation during the heading date as we expect from the increased CPI.

Studies on Ecological Environments and Indoor-rearing Conditions of the Common Grass Yellow Butterfly, Eurema hecabe (남방노랑나비(Eurema hecabe)의 생태환경 및 실내사육 조건에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Sang-Hyun;Kim, Se-Gwon;Nam, Gyoung-Pil;Son, Jai-Duk;Lee, Jin-Gu;Park, Young-Kyu;Choi, Young-Cheol;Lee, Young-Bo
    • Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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    • v.50 no.2
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    • pp.133-139
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    • 2012
  • The Aims of this study are to investigate ecological environments and indoor-rearing conditions of Eurema hecabe for artificial rearing. Two different nesting site, a open area nearby small river(A area; Daejin-ri, Gonyang-myeon, Sachun-si, Gyoungsangnam-do) and a foot of a hill area(B area; Noryang-ri, Seolcheon-myeon, Namhae-gun, Kyoungsangnam-do), selected for investigation of ecological habitat environment, and investigated two times per month, during six month, from June to November in 2010. In result, the number of butterflies, Eurema hecabe, at the hill area(B area) was 6 times more than the open area(A area). We observed the number of eggs, larvae and puapae in the B area more times compared to those in the A area. In the B area, Lespedeza cuneata was higher preference than the other host plant, Lespedeza pilosa and Albizia julibrissin. For development of indoor-rearing conditions, common grass yellow butterfly, Eurema hecabe, was reared in a room condition. As a result of oviposition preference experiment, 100-mated-female laid significantly higher number of eggs $104.9{\pm}19.6$ on Lespedeza cuneata plant, whereas the number of eggs was $12.7{\pm}4.5$ on Cassia obtusifolia plant. Moreover, the eggs hatched within $5.1{\pm}0.9$ days from the day of oviposition and procent of egg hatchability was 53.7% on host plant. The headwidth of each developmental larval stage were $0.36{\pm}0.02$(1st), $0.61{\pm}0.02$(2nd), $0.93{\pm}0.05$(3rd), $1.46{\pm}0.08$(4th), $2.25{\pm}0.11$(5th). The larval period was $12.1{\pm}0.9$ days under high temperature, long day condition($25^{\circ}C$, 16L : 8D), showing 81.0% pupal ratio. The pupal period was $6.9{\pm}0.7$ days, and the emergence rate was 79.6%. Based on above experiment, artificial rearing system of common grass yellow butterfly, Eurema hecabe was completed in indoor condition.