1. Studies of large carnivore populations and, particularly, reliable estimates ofpopulation density are necessary for effective conservation management. However, these animals are difficult to study, and direct methods of assessing population size and density are often expensive and time-consuming. 2. Indirect sampling, by counting spoor, could provide repeatable and inexpensive measures of so...

In the past, ecologists have been debating about the relative importance of density-dependent versus density-independent factors in determining population dynamics. Between 1989 and 1992, an experiment was conducted at the University of Reading for studying how both densityindependent and density-dependent factors affect greenbottle blowfly population dynamic structure. See Daniels (1994). Taki...

This paper presents an efficient meta-heuristic algorithm for optimization of double-layer scallop domes subjected to earthquake loading. The optimization is performed by a combination of harmony search (HS) and firefly algorithm (FA). This new algorithm is called harmony search firefly algorithm (HSFA). The optimization task is achieved by taking into account geometrical and material nonlinear...

according to the reports, industrial livestock activities have most pernicious and harmful impacts on water resources quality. livestock activities include cattle breeding, animals feeding, cleaning animals resting sites, the storage of livestock manure and even abandoned places for livestock keeping impose large negative effects on water quality. such impacts stems from high density or livesto...