4种短链全氟化合物替代物在城市污水处理厂的污染特征研究

全氟辛烷羧酸(perfluorooctanoic acid,PFOA)和全氟辛烷磺酸(perfluorooctyl sulfonate,PFOS)等长链全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)具有持久性、生物累积性和毒性,近年来发现一些短链PFCs具有相对较短的半衰期,可以成为PFOA和PFOS的替代品,这些物质包括C4和C6结构的PFCs,如全氟丁烷羧酸(perfluorobutanoic acid,PFBA)、全氟己烷羧酸(perfluorohexanoic acid,PFHx A)、全氟丁烷磺酸(perfluorobutyl sulfonate,PFBS)和全氟己烷磺酸(perfluorohexyl sulfonate,PFHx S)。为解析我国城市污水厂短链PFCs污染水平和地域分布特征,本研究调查了我国不同地区17座城市污水处理厂的进水、二沉出水和污泥中4种短链PFCs的分布和浓度水平。结果表明4种短链PFCs、PFOA和PFOS在17座污水厂进水中检出率均为100%(6种目标物单体浓度范围:0.19~274.72 ng·L-1);污泥中PFOS和PFOA检出率为100%(PFOS:2.08~72.31 ng·g-1,PFOA:1.03~24.81 ng·g-1),PFBA、PFHx A检出率为100%(0.60~3.33 ng·g-1),PFBS和PFHx S的检出率分别为42.11%和63.16%。在污水厂进水中,将PFOA和PFOS与其同类的短链PFCs浓度进行比较,发现短链PFCs分别相对于PFOA和PFOS的比例最高可达93.47%和94.57%。4种短链PFCs、PFOA和PFOS的地域分布差异明显,总浓度呈现出华东、华南地区高于西北、东北、华北地区的趋势,其中华东地区调查的污水处理厂浓度最高。污水厂4种短链替代物主要通过污水排放,不同污水厂的日排放总量(污泥和出水)为0.25~273.07 g·d-1,万吨水排放量范围为0.04~1.37 g。研究将为我国全氟化合物替代物污染和控制提供数据基础和科学依据。     

云南省会泽县农田土壤中全氟化合物污染特征研究

为探究云南省会泽县农田土壤中全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)的污染特征及其潜在来源,2015年6月采集云南省会泽县农田土壤42份,利用高效液相色谱-串联质谱仪(HPLC-MS/MS)分析了11种PFCs的含量水平。结果表明,云南省会泽县农田土壤中全氟己酸(perfluorohexanoic acid,PFHx A)、全氟庚酸(perfluoroheptanoic acid,PFHp A)和全氟己烷磺酸(perfluorohexane sulfonate,PFHx S)均未检出,其余8种PFCs(ΣPFCs)的平均含量水平为0.392 ng·g-1,含量范围为0.298~0.998ng·g-1。全氟辛酸(perfluorooctanoic acid,PFOA)和全氟辛烷磺酸(perfluorooctane sulfonate,PFOS)是最主要的PFCs,相对百分含量范围为45.93%~81.86%,其平均含量水平分别为0.116 ng·g-1和0.120 ng·g-1。与国内其他地区土壤中PFCs的含量水平相比,云南省会泽县农田土壤中PFCs含量水平低于上海,与广州、深圳、东莞、安徽、中国东部农村等地区土壤中PFCs的含量相当。主成分分析结果表明,以全氟癸酸(perfluorodecanoic acid,PFDA)、全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)和全氟十三酸(perfluorotridecanoic acid,PFTr DA)为主要标志物的2个主成分可以解释云南省会泽县农田土壤中73%的ΣPFCs。工业活动、大气沉降及长距离传输为云南省会泽县农田土壤中PFCs的主要来源。     

武汉市某高校学生血清中全氟烷酸水平及暴露途径初步研究

采用高效液相色谱-电喷雾负离子源串联质谱法(HPLC-ESI-MS/MS)对武汉市某大学学生血清、膳食、自来水及室内生活环境灰尘中13种全氟烷酸(PFAAs)的浓度水平进行了检测.PFOS、PFOA和PFHx S是学生血清中PFAAs的主要检出物,浓度均值分别为5.28、1.89、1.04 ng·m L-1.PFBS是膳食、自来水中PFAAs的主要检出物,浓度均值分别为0.20 ng·g-1、1.93 ng·L-1.不同类型室内灰尘样品中PFAAs的浓度差别较大,实验室灰尘样品中PFHx S、PFOS、PFOA显著高于学生宿舍(P0.05).根据学生血清中PFAAs含量,通过单室代谢模型反推估算学生每日PFOS、PFOA摄入量分别为0.49、0.27 ng·kg-1b.w.·d-1;根据膳食、自来水及室内灰尘中PFAAs含量及平均每日摄入量,计算学生每日PFOS、PFOA摄入量分别为0.66、0.58 ng·kg-1b.w.·d-1;通过比较以上两种方法得出的摄入量数值,分析PFOS、PFOA在学生体内的可利用度分别为74.2%、46.6%.此外,对学生暴露PFOS、PFOA的暴露途径及健康风险进行初步分析:膳食是学生暴露于PFOS、PFOA的首要途径,学生通过膳食、自来水和室内灰尘摄入的PFOS、PFOA总量远低于安全阈值.     

生产企业及周边环境中全氟化合物的污染特征

生产企业作为全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)的直接来源地,现今被认为是PFCs污染的主要来源之一,同时其对周边环境具有更加直接而重大的影响。我国对生产企业周边环境中PFCs污染特性研究的报道较缺乏,补充丰富各地生产企业周边环境的PFCs污染特征,可为PFCs点源分析和污染溯源提供依据。以湖北省孝昌县某化工有限公司为典型生产企业,采集7个采样点的水体和土壤样品,分析典型地区环境介质中PFCs的污染现状与特征。结果显示,11种目标PFCs污染物在水体中有7种、土壤中有6种不同程度地检出,环境水体中PFCs的总浓度介于4.70~40.22μg·L-1,土壤中PFCs的总浓度介于58.22~2 075.60 ng·g-1之间。全氟辛基磺酸(PFOS)为典型行业周边水体和土壤中最主要的PFCs污染物,其次是水体中的全氟己基磺酸钾(PFHx S)、全氟丁烷磺酸钾(PFBS)和土壤中的全氟辛酸(PFOA)、全氟己基磺酸钾(PFHx S)。PFCs检出浓度的大小与采样点距典型企业的距离极其相关,距离与污染物总量之间呈显著负相关性,但周边环境中PFCs的种类和构成比,不受与点源之间距离的影响。     

全氟烷基化合物在人体肝脏中的富集特征及其与肝损伤的关系

全氟烷基化合物(polyfluoroalkyl substances,PFASs,F(CF_2)_n-R)是广泛用于生产生活中的有机污染物,研究发现PFASs的暴露会对人体造成危害.为分析人体肝脏中PFASs的富集特征,本研究采用高效液相色谱串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)的方法,对天津市31例肝癌患者肝脏中10种PFASs(全氟己烷磺酸PFHxS、全氟辛烷磺酸PFOS、全氟十二酸PFDoDA、全氟己酸PFHxA、全氟庚酸PFHpA、全氟十一酸PFUnDA、全氟壬酸PFNA、全氟癸酸PFDA、全氟辛酸PFOA、全氟戊酸PFPeA)进行检测分析.结果表明,PFOS、PFOA、PFNA、PFUnDA和PFHxS具有较高的检出率(80%);∑PFASs浓度范围为8.97—181.87 ng·g~(-1),其中PFOS的平均浓度最高(40.87 ng·g~(-1)),占∑PFASs的77%;∑PFASs的平均浓度在男性肝脏样品中(64.04 ng·g~(-1))与女性样品中(36.82 ng·g~(-1))存在显著性差异,PFHxS、PFOS和PFDA的浓度在性别上也均呈显著差异,PFOA的浓度与年龄呈显著负相关性.此外,PFOA和PFHpA的浓度分别与肝细胞损伤标志物ALT和GGT之间存在显著正相关性.本研究是国内首次对人体肝脏中PFASs的暴露分析,PFOS是肝脏的主要暴露物;PFASs对男性的暴露风险高于女性,且青年人群PFASs的暴露风险相对较高;另外,浓度水平进行分析,PFASs的暴露与人体肝脏损伤存在统计学关联.     

固相萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱技术测定污水中的全氟化合物

以全氟辛烷羧酸(PFOA)和全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)为代表的全氟化合物(PFCs),在日用消费品和工业生产中被广泛使用,并可通过各种途径大量进入环境.在全球各类环境介质以及生物体中已经普遍检测到了PFCs的存在.目前有关水环境中PFCs的分布及归趋研究,主要针对PFOS和PFOA及其长链同系物.随着PFOS和PFOA的禁用,一系列短链同系物作为替代物质进入生产和应用领域,并最终进入环境.目前针对短链全氟化合物的分析方法报道的还较少.     

北京水源地鱼体全氟化合物的暴露水平及其健康风险

全氟化合物(PFASs)作为一类新型的有机污染物,因具有持久性、可长距离传输、生物蓄积性和生物毒性等POPs特性,近年来得到全世界的广泛关注。本文以北京市水源地(密云水库和官厅水库)为研究区域,采用固相萃取(SPE)前处理与高效液相色谱串联质谱联用(HPLC-MS/MS)相结合的方法,分析测定了鱼样品中包括全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)、全氟辛酸(PFOA)、全氟丁酸(PFBA)、全氟丁烷磺酸(PFBS)等在内的12种PFASs的含量。利用同位素法确定了不同种类鱼的营养级关系,研究不同营养级中的PFASs浓度及生物放大效应,重点对全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)与全氟辛酸(PFOA)的生态风险以及对人体的健康风险进行评价。结果表明:北京市水源地的鱼体中的PFASs存在不同程度的检出,其中,全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)、全氟辛酸(PFOA)、全氟壬酸(PFNA)、全氟癸酸(PFDA)、全氟十一酸(PFUdA)和全氟十二酸(PFDoA)的检出率均达到100%,PFASs总量浓度达1.70~14.32 ng·g~(-1) wet weight(w.w.),PFOS和长链全氟羧酸PFCAs是鱼体中的主要污染物。同位素鉴定水库鱼的营养级层次范围在2.11~4.10,且肉食性鱼类营养级大多高于杂食性鱼类,PFOS沿着食物链生物放大的过程与稳定碳氮同位素富集过程基本同步。此外,采用人均日摄入量法(average daily intake,ADI)评估得到PFOS与PFOA的风险值分别为1.16 ng·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)和0.31ng·kg~(-1)·d~(-1),整体低于人均每天可承受摄入量(tolerable daily intake,TDI),结果表明,北京水源地鱼体中PFOS和PFOA含量未达到对生态系统和人体健康具有风险的水平。     

OASIS(R) WAX固相提取吸附剂用于水及组织中PFOS和相关化合物的UPLC(R)/MS定量分析

近年来,全氟化合物(PFCs)如全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)和全氟辛酸(PFOA,其分子结构如图1所示)已经被明确为持久性有机污染物(POPs),并在环境中普遍存在[1].由于PFCs可能具有毒性和生物积聚性,因此,对食品、饮用水、组织、血浆和全血中PFCs分析方法的建立受到越来越多的关注.     

全氟化合物对水生植物的生态效应研究Ⅰ——典型城市河道全氟化合物的暴露水平及植物富集特征

全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)近年来得到国内外广泛关注,针对工业源排放区域的环境暴露、来源解析以及动物层面的生态效应有较多研究,但对于普遍存在于非工业源(生活源)的城市河道PFCs暴露及水生植物富集等研究较为缺乏。本研究选择位于北京北部东西贯通的城市河道——清河水体为对象,分析结果表明,清河水体中12种目标PFCs均有检出(总量最高为65.45 ng·L-1),并以全氟丁烷磺酸盐(perfluorobutane sulfonate,PFBS)为主(最高达45.63 ng·L-1);6种水生植物(篦齿眼子菜、黑藻、金鱼藻、芦苇、菖蒲及水葱)的富集物质均以全氟辛烷磺酸盐(perfluorooctane sulfonate,PFOS)和全氟辛酸(perfluorooctanoic acid,PFOA)为主,沉水植物中金鱼藻对于PFOS的蓄积效果优于黑藻及篦齿眼子菜,挺水植物中根部PFCs含量高于茎叶,根部PFOA及PFOS含量高于茎叶,但全氟丁酸(perfluorobutanoic acid,PFBA)含量茎叶则高于根部。整体来看,尽管芦苇、菖蒲和水葱3种挺水植物尚不能作为PFCs的超富集植物,但其根部对PFCs均有显著的吸收效果,具有一定的生态修复潜质;沉水植物中金鱼藻是北方自然河道的优势物种,且对PFOS具有显著的富集效应,因此有必要进一步探索其PFCs生物指示和生态修复功能。     

OASIS~ WAX固相提取吸附剂用于水及组织中PFOS和相关化合物的UPLC~/MS定量分析

近年来,全氟化合物(PFCs)如全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)和全氟辛酸(PFOA,其分子结构如图1所示)已经被明确为持久性有机污染物(POPs),并在环境中普遍存在[1].由于PFCs可能具有毒性和生物积聚性,因此,对食品、饮用水、组织、血浆和全血中PFCs分析方法的建立受到越来越多的关注.本文将讨论     

Achieving Open Access to Conservation Science

Conservation science is a crisis discipline in which the results of scientific enquiry must be made available quickly to those implementing management. We assessed the extent to which scientific research published since the year 2000 in 20 conservation science journals is publicly available. Of the 19,207 papers published, 1,667 (8.68%) are freely downloadable from an official repository. Moreover, only 938 papers (4.88%) meet the standard definition of open access in which material can be freely reused providing attribution to the authors is given. This compares poorly with a comparable set of 20 evolutionary biology journals, where 31.93% of papers are freely downloadable and 7.49% are open access. Seventeen of the 20 conservation journals offer an open access option, but fewer than 5% of the papers are available through open access. The cost of accessing the full body of conservation science runs into tens of thousands of dollars per year for institutional subscribers, and many conservation practitioners cannot access pay‐per‐view science through their workplace. However, important initiatives such as Research4Life are making science available to organizations in developing countries. We urge authors of conservation science to pay for open access on a per‐article basis or to choose publication in open access journals, taking care to ensure the license allows reuse for any purpose providing attribution is given. Currently, it would cost $51 million to make all conservation science published since 2000 freely available by paying the open access fees currently levied to authors. Publishers of conservation journals might consider more cost effective models for open access and conservation‐oriented organizations running journals could consider a broader range of options for open access to nonmembers such as sponsorship of open access via membership fees. Obtención de Acceso Abierto a la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Representation of the world's biophysical conditions by the global protected area network

Protected areas (PAs) are often implemented without consideration of already existing PAs, which is likely to cause an overrepresentation of certain biophysical conditions. We assessed the representativeness of the current PA network with regard to the world's biophysical conditions to highlight which conditions are underprotected and where these conditions are located. We overlaid terrestrial and marine PAs with information on biophysical conditions (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and elevation) and then quantified the percentage of area covered by the PA network. For 1 variable at a time in the terrestrial realm, high temperature, low precipitation, and medium and very high elevation were underrepresented. For the marine realm, low and medium sea surface temperature (SST), medium and high sea surface salinity (SSS), and the deep sea were underrepresented. Overall, protection was evenly distributed for elevation across the terrestrial realm and SST across the marine realm. For 2 variables at a time, cold and very dry terrestrial environments had mostly low protection, which was also the case for low SST and low and medium SSS across most depths for marine environments. Low protection occurred mostly in the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula for the terrestrial realm and along the Tropic of Capricorn and toward the poles for the marine realm. Although biodiversity measures are of prime importance for the design of PA networks, highlighting biophysical gaps in current PAs adds a frequently overlooked perspective. These gaps may weaken the potential of PAs to conserve biodiversity. Thus, our results may provide useful insights for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to establish a more comprehensive global PA network.     

Quantitative composition of the defensive secretion ofBledius species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) is adapted to naturally occurring predators

Summary The adaptation of defensive secretions to their target organisms was examined for the abdominal gland secretions ofBledius furcatus, B. spectabilis andB. arenarius. Therefore the target organisms of the secretion of theseBledius species (i.e. their predators) had to be identified. At the collection sites examined these were the earwigLabidura riparia, the antCataglyphis bicolor, the flyLispe candicans, different carabids of the generaPogonus, Dichirotrichus, Dyschirius, Bembidion andCalathus and the wading birdsHaematopus ostralegus andCalidris alba. The secretion of the abdominal glands contains the toxin ptoluquinone dissolved in either-dodecalactone and 1-undecene (B. furcatus andB. spectabilis) or in octanoic acid and octyloctanoate (B. arenarius). The ratio of these solvents is species-specific. Application experiments using some of the natural insect predators (L. riparia, C. bicolor, Pogonus, Di. gustavii, Dyschirius) revealed that these solvent ratios provided a more effective deterrent than other possible ratios. Thus by combining the solvents in certain ratios, the capability of cuticular penetration and therefore the effectiveness of the defensive secretions are adapted to their natural targets.     

Democracy versus development: New urban debates

The politics of development includes subtexts of choice, as underpinned by community consensus (or lack of it), against the larger backdrop of a liberal democracy, with its intricate power structures that influence the choice of concepts and often lead to complicity rather than consent. A dilemma exists between the understanding of field-level practitioners and that of academics, whose understandings of progress differ. Progress can (and often does) imply long-term change across generations whereas development is often more a matter of crisis management and delivering tangible results to end-users. This makes it a bone of contention across political systems, irrespective of local or global dynamics. Development can emerge as a tool to be wielded for power and further political mileage at the expense of progress. Progress cannot be studied as a counterpoint to development as the sense of history is often missing in development interventions. Development tends to be piecemeal as its very logic often stems from the rationale of power. This is not to suggest, however, that development is only about politics; it is definitely more than the politics of everyday life and involves all of civil society that requires its critical and immediate attention. In this sense, it has become a priority for politicians with an underlying agenda designed to out-manouevre dissent and all statements of protest.     

A framework to measure the wildness of managed large vertebrate populations

As landscapes continue to fall under human influence through habitat loss and fragmentation, fencing is increasingly being used to mitigate anthropogenic threats and enhance the commercial value of wildlife. Subsequent intensification of management potentially erodes wildness by disembodying populations from landscape-level processes, thereby disconnecting species from natural selection. Tools are needed to measure the degree to which populations of large vertebrate species in formally protected and privately owned wildlife areas are self-sustaining and free to adapt. We devised a framework to measure such wildness based on 6 attributes relating to the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of vertebrates (space, disease and parasite resistance, exposure to predation, exposure to limitations and fluctuations of food and water supply, and reproduction). For each attribute, we set empirical, species-specific thresholds between 5 wildness states based on quantifiable management interventions. We analysed data from 205 private wildlife properties with management objectives spanning ecotourism to consumptive utilization to test the framework on 6 herbivore species representing a range of conservation statuses and commercial values. Wildness scores among species differed significantly, and the proportion of populations identified as wild ranged from 12% to 84%, which indicates the tool detected site-scale differences both among populations of different species and populations of the same species under different management regimes. By quantifying wildness, this framework provides practitioners with standardized measurement units that link biodiversity with the sustainable use of wildlife. Applications include informing species management plans at local scales; standardizing the inclusion of managed populations in red-list assessments; and providing a platform for certification and regulation of wildlife-based economies. Applying this framework may help embed wildness as a normative value in policy and mitigate the shifting baseline of what it means to truly conserve a species.     

Sexual Predators,Energy Development,and Conservation in Greater Yellowstone

Abstract: In the United States, as elsewhere, a growing debate pits national energy policy and homeland security against biological conservation. In rural communities the extraction of fossil fuels is often encouraged because of the employment opportunities it offers, although the concomitant itinerant workforce is often associated with increased wildlife poaching. We explored possible positive and negative factors associated with energy extraction in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), an area known for its national parks, intact biological diversity, and some of the New World's longest terrestrial migrations. Specifically, we asked whether counties with different economies—recreation (ski), agrarian (ranching or farming), and energy extractive (petroleum)—differed in healthcare (gauged by the abundance of hospital beds) and in the frequency of sexual predators. The absolute and relative frequency of registered sex offenders grew approximately two to three times faster in areas reliant on energy extraction. Healthcare among counties did not differ. The strong conflation of community dishevel, as reflected by in‐migrant sexual predators, and ecological decay in Greater Yellowstone is consistent with patterns seen in similar systems from Ecuador to northern Canada, where social and environmental disarray exist around energy boomtowns. In our case, that groups (albeit with different aims) mobilized campaigns to help maintain the quality of rural livelihoods by protecting open space is a positive sign that conservation can matter, especially in the face of rampant and poorly executed energy extraction projects. Our findings further suggest that the public and industry need stronger regulatory action to instill greater vigilance when and where social factors and land conversion impact biological systems.     

Some polyphagous Homoptera gain protection from their natural enemies by feeding on the toxic plantsSpartium junceum andErythrina corallodendrum (Leguminosae)

Summary Interactions were studied among alkaloid-containing legumes (Erythrina corallodendrum andSpartium junceum) and non-toxic plants (Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita moschata andEuphorbia tirucalli), several polyphagous homopterans,Aphis craccivora (Aphididae),Icerya purchasi, I. aegyptiaca (Margarodidae),Lepidosaphes ulmi (Diaspididae) andPlanococcus citri (Pseudococcidae), and some major natural enemies of these homopterans. Significant reductions in survival due to negative effects of alkaloid containing as compared with non-alkaloidal plants were recorded for the predatorsRodolia cardinalis andChilocorus bipustulatus, but not forCryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae),Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) andSympherobius sanctus (Neuroptera: Sympherobiidae). The development time of the larvae or pupae ofR. cardinalis, C. carnea andS. sanctus was longer on the toxic plants than on the non-toxic ones. The percentage of parasitism ofA. craccivora collected from the non-alkaloidal plantsVicia palaestina andMelilotus albus was much higher than that onS. junceum. The parasitoid complexes ofA. craccivora differed between both plant groups. The nutritive value of honeydew ofI. purchasi andA. craccivora, as expressed by the life span ofEncyrtus infelix (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) adults, was also investigated. Life spans were significantly longer when the wasps fed on honeydew produced on non-alkaloidal plants (C. sinensis andPittosporum tobira) than on alkaloid containing plants whenI. purchasi — but notA. craccivora — was the producer. It is suggested that the chemical defense ofE. corallodendrum andS. junceum is exploited by polyphagous phytophages to reduce predation. In nature, population growth and density of four of the investigated homopterans are conspicuously high when they developed on the alkaloid containing plant species, and very low on non-alkaloid plants. The efficiency of their natural enemies may be reduced by sequestration of alkaloids (or other toxic plant compounds) or their transfer into excreted honeydew. Therefore it is assumed that a generalist phytophagous homopteran may be protected from its natural enemies, although at different rates of efficiency, if it can safely sequester the host allelochemical when it develops on toxic species within its host range.     

Comparison of the insecticidal effects of water extracted and intact aromatic plants onAcanthoscelides obtectus,a bruchid beetle pest of kidney beans

Summary Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) is one of the most damaging pests of kidney beans,Phaseolus vulgaris L. worldwide. However, aromatic plants from the families Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Poaceae can protect kidney beans by direct or delayed insecticidal effect, through increased adult mortality and inhibition of beetle reproduction (both oviposition and adult emergence). The efficiency of hydrodistillated and intact plants fromThymus vulgaris andT. serpyllum, Mentha piperata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Satureia hortensis, Eucalyptus globulus, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare, andCymbopogon nardus was compared. For both extracts,Origanum vulgare had the best effect. The insecticidal effect was induced by more than the essential oils because no significant difference was noticed between distilled and intact plants extract. Inhibition of reproduction was particularly important. These results suggest that lipidic as well as non lipidic, allelochemicals, such as phenolics, or non-protein amino-acids, or flavonoids may be involved in the toxicity of aromatic plants to this beetle.     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.