土壤重金属污染生物修复的研究进展

土壤重金属污染的生物修复是污染整治的重要手段之一，是目前世界范围内的研究热点。亦是目前仅见的土壤污染治理的环境友好技术，主要评述了重金属污染土壤的植物修复的原理、类型与技术植物修复的优点，微生物修复等进展情况。并对今珀的研究重点进行了简要的讨论。     

土壤重金属污染的植物修复中转基因技术的应用

重金属污染的植物修复技术以其费用低廉、不污染环境等优点一度成为环境科学界研究的热点。为了克服植物修复技术中超积累植物生长缓慢和地上部生物量小等带来的限制，近年来研究者通过大量试验研究发展，外源基因在植物体内的高效表达可以提高植物吸收、运输、降解污染物的能力和修复的效率。本文首先对目前国内外重金属污染土壤植物修复的研究动态进行综述，重点论述了PCs、MTs、MerA、MerB、ArsC、γ-ECS等转基因在土壤重金属污染植物修复中的应用，最后指出在充分考虑到转基因植物给生态环境带来潜在威胁的前提下，转基因技术的研究与开发不仅可以促进多学科的交叉研究和丰富环境科学的研究领域，更重要的是在很大程度上有效地克服了目前土壤重金属污染植物修复中存在并急需解决的棘手问题，为土壤重金属污染的植物修复提供了更加广阔的应用和发展前景。     

中国土壤重金属污染修复技术的专利文献计量分析

综述了国内外主要土壤修复技术,进行了技术经济比较分析。利用国家知识产权局专利检索系统,采用主题词检索,从重金属污染物种类、技术类型两个方面分析了中国土壤重金属污染修复技术的专利申请与授权状态。结果表明：土壤重金属污染修复技术以植物修复与微生物技术为主,其次为固定修复技术;土壤镉、铅、铜、砷的修复技术专利申请量明显高于其余重金属的;农田土壤重金属污染修复技术专利申请量明显高于场地重金属修复技术的;农田土壤重金属污染修复除降低土壤中重金属含量外,还可以从植物营养调控与土壤调理剂的角度降低农产品中重金属含量。最后,进行了土壤污染修复产业政策分析。     

农田土壤重金属污染状况及修复技术研究

重金属污染因具有毒性、易通过食物链在植物,动物和人体内累积,对生态环境和人体健康构成严重威胁。随着工业快速发展、农药及化肥的广泛使用,农田土壤重金属污染越来越严重,研究农田土壤重金属污染现状及修复技术对农产品安全具有重要意义。综合国内外农田土壤重金属污染状况,农田土壤重金属污染主要来源于固体废弃物堆放及处置、工业废物大气沉降、污水农灌和农用物质的不合理施用。该文综述了国内外有关农田重金属污染土壤修复技术（物理修复、化学修复、生物修复、农业生态和联合修复）的研究进展,并针对各种修复方法,阐述了其原理、修复条件、应用实例及其优缺点,重点论述了植物修复的机理和应用,提出了草本与木本联合修复可有效提高农田土壤重金属复合污染的修复效率,为农田土壤土壤重金属复合污染修复提出了新的途径。最后在对已有研究分析的基础上,提出了联合修复技术（如生物联合技术、物理化学联合技术和物理化学-生物联合技术）可以在一定程度上克服使用单一修复手段存在的缺点,可提高复合污染的修复效率、降低修复成本,未来应深入探索联合修复技术间的相互作用机理,以期为农田土壤重金属综合治理与污染修复提供科学依据。     

植物修复土壤重金属污染中外源物质的影响机制和应用研究进展

重金属进入土壤后难以被降解,并通过食物链在生物体内富集,长此以往会导致中毒、癌症、畸形、突变,严重影响了人类生产活动及地球生态系统的稳定。植物修复技术是一种经济有效的重金属污染修复技术,其依靠超富集植物强大的自身抗性机制,从土壤中提取或稳定重金属,达到污染治理的目的。然而修复土壤重金属污染的超富集植物通常生长缓慢、生物量低,其抗性机制也会受到植物本身对重金属胁迫的阈值限制,当胁迫超过这个阈值,植物修复的效率就会大大降低甚至失去修复功能。文章在解析植物重金属相互作用机制的基础上,综述了添加外源物质对重金属毒害植物的缓解效应以及其在强化植物修复土壤重金属污染中的应用研究进展;介绍了应用外源物质调控植物吸收转运重金属的3种途径,分别为提高土壤重金属生物利用度、促进植物生长以及增强植物耐性。提出了应用外源物质作为强化植物修复措施的潜力及今后的研究方向,其未来的研究应着重于以下方面:明确外源物质的应用浓度、时期、方式与植物吸收转运重金属之间的关系;从植物内源激素及信号分子间的互作、抗逆基因表达、内生及根际微生物等不同层面上揭示外源物质对植物积累重金属的调控机理;开展外源物质与其他植物修复强化技术的联合应用研究。这些研究可为土壤重金属污染的植物修复技术及其强化措施研究提供科学依据,同时也对植物修复工程技术的发展实践具有一定的指导意义。     

竹类植物修复重金属污染土壤的研究进展

随着我国经济的快速发展,土壤重金属污染问题也愈加严重。植物修复技术对环境扰动小,修复成本低,是目前土壤修复领域的研究热点之一。竹类植物对重金属有良好的耐受能力和富集能力,且具有生物量大、栽培简单和经济效益高等特点,在修复重金属污染土壤方面有很高的应用潜力和开发价值。结合竹类植物修复重金属污染土壤的研究现状,系统阐述了竹类植物在重金属胁迫条件下生长状况,对重金属富集和转运情况,以及修复机制及强化措施;同时通过对比竹类植物与其他植物,分析了竹类植物在生长和经济上的优势,论证了竹类植物用于重金属污染土壤修复的可行性。针对现有研究存在的不足,对竹类植物修复重金属污染土壤的研究方向和发展趋势做出了展望。     

菌根技术在重金属污染修复中的研究与展望

菌根技术作为一种生物新技术对于重金属污染土壤的生物修复正在为全球环境工作者所关注。在土壤中菌根及其庞大的菌丝体网可以分泌大量的生物化学物质，改变植物根际环境及重金属的存在状态或降低重金属的毒性；还可以通过在植物体内的累积以及菌根真菌菌丝体的螯合等各种机制，实现对重金属的提取和固定，达到菌根重金属修复的目的。文章通过讨论菌根植物对重金属修复的作用机制，提出今后菌根技术在重金属植物修复中的新思路；认为应在通过广泛调查、筛选超积累菌根植物的基础上，不断探索植物一微生物一菌根体系修复问题，同时认为应将基因工程引入菌根植物的重金属修复研究中，以促进土壤重金属污染的生物修复。     

重金属污染土壤植物修复研究进展

土壤重金属污染是当今世界面临的主要环境问题之一.植物修复定义为利用绿色植物去除环境中的污染物或使其无害化的生物技术.与传统环境修复技术相比,植物修复技术具有治理成本的低廉性,环境美学的兼容性,治理过程的原位性.本文主要对超富集植物的概念和特征、土壤重金属污染植物修复的方法和原理以及土壤重金属植物修复技术的强化措施进行了综述,并对植物修复的近期研究工作进行了展望.     

土壤原位修复技术研究与应用进展

土壤原位修复技术是指不经挖掘,直接在污染场地就地修复污染土壤的土壤修复技术,具有投资低,对周边环境影响小的特点,是土壤修复的研究热点。土壤原位修复技术主要有淋洗,气相抽提（SVE）,多相抽提（MPVE）,气相喷射（IAS）,生物降解,原位化学氧化（ISCO）,原位化学还原,污染物固定,植物修复等。淋洗法主要用于治理高渗透性土壤中的重金属和难挥发降解的有机物。土壤气相抽提和喷射技术适用于处理土壤中的易挥发污染物,并有常与加热技术,生物处理技术等联用,可以起到促进污染物挥发,增氧促分解的作用。多相抽提法主要用于治理存在大量非水相流体的污染场地,可将土壤中有机相污染物直接抽出。生物降解有生物好氧降解、生物厌氧降解、生物还原降解多种,降解方式由污染物种类和地质条件决定。化学方法可将污染物氧化或还原为低毒无毒物质,周期一般较短。固定污染物可以直接加入药剂反应生成沉淀,也可制造合适条件使微生物生成可沉淀重金属的离子。植物修复主要用于富集重金属,成本低廉,但富集了重金属的植物体的有效利用尚待进一步研究。土壤原位修复需要因地制宜,灵活结合工期、污染情况、地质条件、地面设施等,得出最经济实用的修复方法,并在辅助提高技术上展开更多研究,使原位修复技术更经济有效。     

腐殖质改良植物修复重金属污染土壤的研究进展

腐殖质(HS)是土壤有机质的重要组分,广泛应用于土壤改良。通过文献调研,在综述HS对土壤重金属的作用及其机制基础上,分析了HS在植物修复重金属污染土壤领域的应用潜力。已有研究表明:(1)大分子胡敏素(HM)和胡敏酸(HA)可钝化重金属离子,降低重金属对植物的毒害作用,小分子富里酸(FA)则可促进重金属从植物地下部向地上部迁移;(2)除受土壤理化性质影响外,HS与重金属离子的结合主要受HS的pH、溶液离子强度、分子量大小和活性官能团数量等条件影响;(3)叶面喷施HS可以抑制重金属向植物体内运输,保护光合系统不受重金属危害;土壤添加低浓度HS可以促进重金属转运,高浓度HS则会对植物产生负面效应;(4)根据HS与重金属作用下的生态毒理学效应、土柱淋溶效果和植物生长发育评估结果,认为HS不会产生次生环境风险。因此,HS可以作为重金属污染土壤植物修复的环境友好型促进剂,扩大重金属污染土壤植物修复的应用范围。     

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     

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.     

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.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

Sequestration of cucurbitacin analogs by New and Old World chrysomelid leaf beetles in the tribe Luperini

Summary Two South American polyphagous leaf beetles,Diabrotica speciosa andCerotoma arcuata, selectively accumulated the bitter tasting compound 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D in their body after ingesting root tissues of cucurbit plants. Similarly, three Asian Cucurbitaceae-feeding specialists in the genusAulacophora were found to sequester the same compound. Cucurbitacin analogs were shown to deter feeding by a bird predator, indicating an allomonal role for these compounds in cucurbitacin-associated chrysomelid leaf beetles both of New and Old Worlds. The strong affinity to cucurbitacins, selective sequestration of the analogs and consequent protection from predators suggested an ecological adaptation mechanism developed in common among these two geographically isolated subtribes in the Luperini.     

Threats to intact tropical peatlands and opportunities for their conservation

Large, intact areas of tropical peatland are highly threatened at a global scale by the expansion of commercial agriculture and other forms of economic development. Conserving peatlands on a landscape scale, with their hydrology intact, is of international conservation importance to preserve their distinctive biodiversity and ecosystem services and maintain their resilience to future environmental change. We explored threats to and opportunities for conserving remaining intact tropical peatlands; thus, we excluded peatlands of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive deforestation, drainage, and conversion to plantations means conservation in this region can protect only small fragments of the original ecosystem. We focused on a case study, the Pastaza‐Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB) in Peru, which is among the largest known intact tropical peatland landscapes in the world and is representative of peatland vulnerability. Maintenance of the hydrological conditions critical for carbon storage and ecosystem function of peatlands is, in the PMFB, primarily threatened by expansion of commercial agriculture linked to new transport infrastructure that is facilitating access to remote areas. There remain opportunities in the PMFB and elsewhere to develop alternative, more sustainable land‐use practices. Although some of the peatlands in the PMFB fall within existing legally protected areas, this protection does not include the most carbon‐dense (domed pole forest) areas. New carbon‐based conservation instruments (e.g., REDD+, Green Climate Fund), developing markets for sustainable peatland products, transferring land title to local communities, and expanding protected areas offer pathways to increased protection for intact tropical peatlands in Amazonia and elsewhere, such as those in New Guinea and Central Africa which remain, for the moment, broadly beyond the frontier of commercial development.     

Effects of Controlled Fire and Livestock Grazing on Bird Communities in East African Savannas

Abstract: In East Africa fire and grazing by wild and domestic ungulates maintain savannas, and pastoralists historically set fires and herded livestock through the use of temporary corrals called bomas. In recent decades traditional pastoral practices have declined, and this may be affecting biodiversity. We investigated the effects of prescribed fires and bomas on savanna bird communities in East Africa during the first and second dry seasons of the year (respectively before and after the rains that mark the onset of breeding for most birds). We compared abundance, richness, and community composition on 9‐ha burned plots, recently abandoned bomas, and control plots in the undisturbed matrix habitat over a 3‐year period. Generally, recently burned areas and abandoned bomas attracted greater densities of birds and had different community assemblages than the surrounding matrix. The effects of disturbances were influenced by interactions between primary productivity, represented by the normalized difference vegetation index, and time. Bird densities were highest and a greater proportion of species was observed on burned plots in the months following the fires. Drought conditions equalized bird densities across treatments within 1 year, and individuals from a greater proportion of species were more commonly observed on abandoned bomas. Yearly fluctuations in abundance were less pronounced on bomas than on burns, which indicate that although fire may benefit birds in the short term, bomas may have a more‐lasting positive effect and provide resources during droughts. Several Palearctic migrants were attracted to burned plots regardless of rainfall, which indicates continued fire suppression may threaten their already‐declining populations. Most notably, the paucity of birds observed on the controls suggests that the current structure of the matrix developed as a result of fire suppression. Traditional pastoralism appears critical to the maintenance of avian diversity in these savannas.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.