Bactericidal activity of traditional titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) photocatalyst is effective only upon irradiation by ultraviolet light, which restricts the potential applications of TiO 2 for use in our living environments. Recently carbon-containing TiO 2 was found to be photoactive at visible-light illumination that affords the potential to overcome this problem; although, the bactericidal activity of these photocatalysts is relatively lower than conventional disinfectants. Evidenced from scanning electron microscopy and confocal Raman spectral mapping analysis, we found the interaction with bacteria was significantly enhanced in these anatase/rutile mixed-phase carbon-containing TiO 2 . Bacteria-killing experiments indicate that a significantly higher proportion of all tested pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri and Acinetobacter baumannii, were eliminated by the new nanoparticle with higher bacterial interaction property. These findings suggest the created materials with high bacterial interaction ability might be a useful strategy to improve the antimicrobial activity of visible-light-activated TiO 2 .
Flycatching is relatively uncommon in insectivorous bats, yet members of the family Rhinolophidae constitute over one-half of the documented flycatching species. The Formosan woolly horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus formosae, is among the largest in size and relies primarily on flycatching for foraging. We assessed perch use of flycatching R. formosae in relation to vegetation structure in tropical monsoon forests in southern Taiwan. We located bats using acoustic detectors in forest interior and edge-open forest sites, and measured perch features, dispersion of the nearest trees, and vegetation structure within a 5-m radius of each perch. The same measurements were applied to randomly selected perches in both habitats where bats were not detected. We found no seasonal effects or differences between used and random perches in perch features, dispersion of neighboring trees, or vegetation structure surrounding the perches. Perches used at edge-open forest sites were farther from the perch tree trunk and neighboring trees, and surrounded by larger trees than in forest interiors. In contrast, perches in forest interiors were surrounded by higher shrub and reef layers and greater canopy, shrub, and reef layer cover, than those at edge-open forests. Overall, perches in forest interiors were in more cluttered settings, containing higher vegetation obstacles than edge-open habitats. In both habitats, vegetation obstacles generally increased in a curvilinear manner when moving horizontally and downward from the perch. However, in forest interiors perches used by bats had significantly lower vegetation obstacles horizontally and downwardly and were less cluttered than randomly selected perches. Overall, our results indicate that R. formosae in forest interiors selectively used perches associated with more open space that allows for more maneuverable sally flights and a longer detection range suitable for its exceptionally low constant frequency calls to explore less cluttered environments.
We investigated the composition, diversity, and patterns of spatial use of an anuran community following a wetland restoration project in a managed tropical monsoon forest in southern Taiwan. Anurans comprising eight species in seven genera and four families reached a mean density of 0.025+/-0.004 anurans m(-2) within a year. The three most important species in terms of frequency of occurrence and relative abundance all had an early appearance; only the most abundant Fejervarya limnocharis (62.2% of total accounts), however, remained present throughout the entire year. The distribution of anurans observed among habitat zones was non-random, with most records occurring in densely planted (42.8%) and running-water (23.9%) zones, and the fewest in a buffer zone adjacent to a paved road. Mean numbers of anurans were correlated with the mean percent vegetation cover among individually divided small pools. Microhyla ornate, M. heymonsi, Polypedates megacephalus, and F. limnocharis appeared to be more heterogeneous in their use of space than Buergeria japonicus. Species differed in their most frequently used habitat zones within the wetland site, with the pairs F. limnocharis and P. megacephalus, and M. ornate and Bufo melanostictus, exhibiting similar respective distributions among zones. Our study demonstrates the value of even a small, isolated wetland in contributing to and maintaining regional amphibian diversity. Patterns of spatial relationships of this anuran community have important implications for the conservation of local populations across species.
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