椒江口水体和生物体中典型有机污染物的浓度水平及来源初探

研究了椒江口海水、沉积物和生物体中苯胺、硝基苯、多氯联苯、多环芳烃的浓度水平及来源,评价了各种有机污染物在沉积物和生物体内的富集情况.结果表明,椒江口海水中苯胺、硝基苯、多氯联苯(PCBs)、多环芳烃(PAHs)的浓度范围分别为9.3-105.1μg·l-1,46.2-268.5μg·l-1,57.5-519.3ng·l-1和356.9-1021.4 ng·l-1;沉积物中苯胺、多氯联苯、多环芳烃的浓度(干重)范围分别为0.76-1.12μg·g-1,5.78-10.42 ng·g-1,77.5-165.4 ng·g-1;生物体中PCBs、PAHs的浓度(湿重)范围分别为19.51-20.62 ng·g-1,0.11-1.03 ng·g-1.生物体内PCBs的富集倍数高于PAHs,而沉积物中PAHs的富集倍数高于PCBs.海水、沉积物中的苯胺和硝基苯主要来自源于椒江口化工废水的排放,PAHs主要来源于台州火力发电厂的燃烧污染,PCBs主要来源于废旧电器拆解业污染物的排放迁移.     

响应面法建立不同经口介质中邻苯二甲酸酯生物有效性预测模型及相关因素

运用响应面法对不同消化基质下邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)生物有效性的相关因素进行筛选建立预测模型,并对主要因素设定值进行分析.研究表明,3种模型中因变量与自变量之间的相关性较好(土壤:R2=0.959;农作物及植物:R2=0.973;脂肪:R2=0.862),模型拟合度较高.通过多次试验模拟,初步认为在土壤消化基质中,设置人体摄入PAEs经口摄入浓度为10μg·g-1,基质质量为0.4g,pH值约为7时,生物吸收量最高.在植物源基质下,污染物浓度在10—11μg·g-1,消化时间在6—7h,基质质量为0.4g为生物吸收量最高.脂肪源中,基质质量在0.4g,污染物浓度在10μg·g-1,脂肪量在10%—11%时,PAEs生物吸收量最高.研究通过重复试验,充分体现了该模型的准确性,及设定条件的可靠性.但本研究仅考虑摄入介质相对单一,污染物化合形态等未在考虑范围内,在后期研究中将补充试验.     

气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱法测定有机肥中邻苯二甲酸酯

建立了气相色谱-三重四极杆质谱测定有机肥中邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)的方法.采用超声提取,以正己烷提取样品中的PAEs,提取液经0.45μm滤膜过滤后进仪器测定.实验表明,8种PAEs的平均回收率为78.1%—104.8%,相对标准偏差(n=6)为2.2%—4.8%,方法检出限为10—40μg·kg~(-1).该方法简便、快速、灵敏度高,可用于有机肥中增塑剂的测定.     

土壤中痕量氯代苯胺的MAE-SPME-GC/QQQ测定

建立了微波辅助萃取-固相微萃取-气相色谱/三重四极质谱法(MAE-SPME-GC/QQQ)同时测定土壤中多种氯代苯胺的方法.优化了多反应监测(MRM)的仪器条件,研究了微波萃取温度、保持时间、溶剂体积对萃取效果的影响,确定最佳实验条件为4 g土壤样品加入30 m L水,在100℃下微波萃取5 min.各目标物的线性范围为0.005—20μg·L-1,方法检出限为0.003—0.4 ng·g-1.测定0.5 ng·g-1和5 ng·g-1加标土壤样品,回收率为38.6%—116.4%和24.8%—82.0%,相对标准偏差为3.2%—27.7%和12.5%—22.7%(n=7).方法综合了MAE快速高效、SPME富集浓缩以及GC/QQQ抗干扰强的优势,适合于非高有机质含量土壤中氯代苯胺类残留的快速痕量分析.     

甘肃某县窖水水质分析及健康风险评价

本文以甘肃某县为代表,对区域内冬、夏两季窖水的常规指标、17种全氟化合物和15种邻苯二甲酸酯类进行了检测,对污染来源进行了探讨,并评估了两类新污染物的健康风险.结果表明:该县窖水pH普遍偏高,夏季雨期窖水浊度显著高于冬季.新污染的检测中,共检出13种邻苯二甲酸酯类(PAEs)和14种全氟化合物(PFCs).冬季窖水中PAEs总浓度范围为2.65—3.71μg·L^-1,总浓度平均值3.12μg·L^-1.夏季窖水中PAEs总浓度范围为1.85—9.26μg·L^-1,总浓度平均值为4.56μg·L^-1.两季窖水中,邻苯二甲酸二丁酯和邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯是含量最高的成分,两种物质分别占窖水PAEs总浓度的47.8%和48.5%,窖水中PAEs没有致癌和非致癌风险.冬季窖水中PFCs的总浓度为143.93—246.47 ng·L^-1,夏季为275.90—405.51 ng·L^-1.检测出的PFCs包括全氟羧酸(PFCAs)和全氟磺酸(PFSAs)两大类,PFCAs占窖...     

北京市场大米和小麦面粉中砷的含量及其形态分析

以湖南省某污染区大米为对照,分析了北京市场大米、小麦面粉中总砷的含量水平和部分米中砷的形态.北京市场大米总砷的含量范围从未检出至0.218μg·g-1,算术平均值为0.097μg·g-1.湖南省某污染区大米总砷的含量范围为0.157-2.885μg·g-1,算术平均值为0.415μg·g-1,4例湖南省某污染区大米以无机砷为主,平均含量为0.341μg·g-1.北京市场面粉总砷的含量范围从未检出至0.057μg·g-1,算术平均值为0.006μg·g-1.有17例面粉样品未检出砷,占总样品的45%.与《食品中砷限量指标》(GB2762-2005)的限量值(大米无机砷0.15μg·g-1,面粉无机砷0.1μg·g-1)相比,北京市场的大米和面粉均未超标.湖南省某污染区4例大米无机砷含量全部超过限量标准,为标准的1.2-4.8倍.以WHO最大日允许无机砷摄入量2.1μg·kg-1 bw·d-1为参照标准,普通成人每日通过北京市场大米和面粉摄入的无机砷相当于WHO最大日允许摄入无机砷量(MTDI)的13%和0.5%,通过湖南省某污染区大米摄入的无机砷则相当于MTDI的57%.     

骆马湖邻苯二甲酸酯分布特征及健康风险评价

为调查骆马湖邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)分布特征,2016年4月,在骆马湖设置水质采样点22个,沉积物采样点6个,鱼样6个。利用气相色谱-质谱联用仪测定了骆马湖水体、沉积物、鱼体内11种邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)含量。结果显示,水体、沉积物、鱼体中检出2种邻苯二甲酸酯,为邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯(Di BP)和邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)。湖水ρ(PAEs)为0.05~186.8μg·L~(-1)(平均值为52.94μg·L~(-1));沉积物w(PAEs)为786.5~1 138μg·kg~(-1)(平均值为952.4μg·kg~(-1)),是水体浓度的18.0倍;鱼体中w(PAEs)为1 078~1 996μg·kg~(-1)(平均值为1 533μg·kg~(-1)),是水体浓度的29.0倍,即PAEs的生物富集系数(BCF)均值为29.0。这表明邻苯二甲酸酯类污染物在沉积物和鱼体内富集性较强。与国内其他水源地相比,骆马湖PAEs污染水平较低。健康风险评价结果表明,骆马湖周边居民PAEs暴露量不会构成急性毒性。但是因PAEs具有蓄积性,长期的慢性毒性值得关注,儿童的暴露风险较高,应引起重视。     

汾河流域邻苯二甲酸酯的分布特征及生态风险评价

本文以汾河流域作为研究对象,系统研究了水相及沉积物中6种邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)的含量、组成和空间分布,同时对汾河流域水体和沉积物中PAEs进行生态风险评价.研究表明,汾河流域丰水期水相中PAEs总量为2.79—206.33μg·L~(-1),平均浓度按DEHP(邻苯二甲酸(2-乙基己基)酯)DBP(邻苯二甲酸二丁酯)BBP(邻苯二甲酸丁基节基酯)DEP(邻苯二甲酸二乙酯)DMP(邻苯二甲酸二甲酯)DNOP(邻苯二甲酸二正辛酯)的顺序递减.其空间分布结果表现为,干流PAEs浓度低于支流,从上游到下游干流PAEs浓度呈现先升后降的趋势.依据国家地表水环境质量标准(GB3838—2002)对DBP、DEHP标准限值的规定,丰水期有60%的站点超过3μg·L~(-1)和8μg·L~(-1)的限值.丰水期沉积物中PAEs浓度范围为0.064—3.551μg·L~(-1),平均浓度按DEHPDBPDMPDEPBBP的顺序递减,干流PAEs高于支流,中下游PAEs含量高于上游,其中中游的太原段沉积相中PAEs污染相对严重.生态风险评价结果表明,汾河流域水相中PAEs的生态风险大小排序依次为DBPDEHPDEPDMP,DBP和DEHP在大部分采样点存在一定的潜在生态风险,DMP和DEP的生态风险在可接受范围;沉积物PAEs中所有种类的平均含量未超过风险评价的低值(ERL),对生物的潜在危害较小.     

液相色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱法联用(HPLC-ICP-MS)测定乳制品的无机砷及其它砷形态

采用液相色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术测定了乳制品中的无机砷及其它砷形态,各种砷形态的方法检出限(以砷计)分别为:三价砷As(Ⅲ)2.0ng·g-1,五价砷As(Ⅴ)3.0ng·g-1,一甲基胂MMA2.0 ng·g-1,二甲基胂DMA 1.0 ng·g-1,甜菜碱As B 1.0 ng·g-1,根据加标回收的方法评价了该方法的准确性,无机砷的加标回收率为89.9%-98.1%,相对标准偏差为1.09%-3.21%(n=6),根据所建立的方法,分析了市售的部分鲜奶、酸奶和奶粉样品,其中无机砷的含量均未超出国家标准限量.     

江苏省不同地区设施菜地土壤-蔬菜中邻苯二甲酸酯分布特征

在江苏省设施菜地共采集50个表层土壤样品和50个蔬菜样品,采用加速溶剂萃取-气质联用仪技术,对土壤-蔬菜中邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)含量进行分析,并对其污染分布和污染程度进行评价。结果显示:江苏省设施菜地土壤样品中6种w(PAEs)范围为42.46~276.76μg·kg~(-1),平均值为116.7μg·kg~(-1),检出率为100%,以邻苯二甲酸二正丁酯(DBP)和邻苯二甲酸(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)为主,分别占w(PAEs)的64.49%和23.92%;4个产区土壤中w(PAEs)平均值从大到小依次为苏州、淮安、盐城和宿迁,与美国土壤6种优控的PAEs控制标准相比,w(DBP)超过控制标准,超标率为24%。蔬菜样品中w(PAEs)范围为38.31~241.87μg·kg~(-1),平均含量为104.25μg·kg~(-1),检出率为100%,以DEHP和邻苯二甲酸二正辛酯(Dn OP)为主,分别占w(PAEs)的25.34%和24.59%,不同产区蔬菜中w(PAEs)平均值从大到小依次为苏州、盐城、淮安和宿迁,蔬菜中PAEs含量及各组分含量均低于美国和欧洲的建议摄入标准。土壤-蔬菜中w(PAEs)、w(DBP)和w(DEHP)存在显著正相关,不同蔬菜对土壤中6种PAEs化合物的富集能力存在明显差异,对PAEs的富集系数约为1。因此,在设施菜地土壤质量评价过程中,应重视蔬菜自身特性对PAEs吸收和富集的影响。     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.