长期不同施肥条件下红壤小麦和玉米季CO_2、N_2O排放特征

基于中国农业科学院红壤实验站红壤旱地小麦-玉米轮作长期定位试验,采用静态箱/气相色谱法,研究红壤旱地连续施肥16 a后,不同施肥条件下小麦季和玉米季土壤CO2和N2O的排放特征。结果表明,CO2和N2O排放具有明显的季节性,施肥对土壤CO2和N2O排放有明显影响,且有机肥的施用显著促进了土壤CO2和N2O排放。不施肥对照(CK)、氮磷配施(NP)、氮钾配施(NK)、氮磷钾配施(NPK)和有机无机肥配施(NPKM)处理小麦季和玉米季土壤CO2累积排放量分别为5 904、8 062、4 298、9 235、14 098和4 708、7 530、5 435、7 089、15 472 kg.hm-2,土壤N2O累积排放量分别为0.34、0.63、0.44、0.62、1.00和0.25、0.39、0.35、0.52、1.73 kg.hm-2,小麦休闲期土壤CO2和N2 O累积排放量平均占小麦生长季的63.52%和28.43%,玉米休闲季平均占玉米生长季的49.98%和32.72%,说明休闲期土壤CO2和N2O累积排放量不容忽视。除玉米季NP、NK、NPK处理外,其他各处理小麦季和玉米季土壤CO2排放通量与5 cm深处土...     

不同氮水平下夏玉米农田土壤呼吸动态变化及碳平衡研究

为探讨氮肥对华北平原高产农田土壤呼吸动态变化及其碳平衡的影响,试验设计了习惯施氮量(N228,228 kg·hm-2)、2/3习惯施氮量(N152,152 kg·hm-2)和不施氮(N0)3个处理,采用密闭静态箱法研究了不同施氮水平下夏玉米生长季农田的土壤呼吸速率季节变化、土壤呼吸与地温等环境因素的关系以及农田系统的碳平衡。结果表明,夏玉米农田土壤呼吸速率均值和土壤呼吸释放的总碳量分别为C 98.8-115.9 mg·m-2.h-1和C 2 232.3-2 524.2 kg·hm-2。与处理N0相比,处理N152(N 152kg·hm-2)和N225(N 225 kg·hm-2)的土壤呼吸速率均值分别增加了10.2%和17.4%,土壤呼吸释放的总碳量分别增加了6.74%和13.1%。地温(5 cm)和土壤含水量(0-10 cm)分别与土壤呼吸速率呈指数和二次曲线关系,R2均达显著水平。其中地温(5 cm)解释了土壤呼吸季节变化的55.9%-67.0%,而土壤含水量(0-10 cm)可解释土壤呼吸季节变化的25.3%-59.3%。土壤呼吸的温度敏感系数Q10在2.05-2.23之间,且随着施氮水平的提高而增加。处理N0、N152(N 152 kg·hm-2)和N228(N 228kg·hm-2)的土壤含水量分别是22.5%、22.7%和23.3%时,土壤呼吸速率达最高值,超过此阈值,土壤呼吸速率均呈下降的趋势。夏玉米农田系统是大气二氧化碳(CO2)重要的汇,净初级生产力(NPP)固碳量和农田系统的净碳输入(NEP)分别为C 6 829.1-8 950.2 kg·hm-2和C 4 898.2-6 766.8 kg·hm-2。处理N152(N 152 kg·hm-2)和N228(N 228 kg·hm-2)与处理N0相比,NPP固碳量分别增加了24.8%和131.1%,NEP分别增加了31.9%和38.1%。     

华北平原夏玉米季化肥氮去向及土壤氮库盈亏定量化探索

为提高华北平原夏玉米种植体系的氮肥利用率、减少氮肥对环境的污染,对前人的15N示踪试验数据进行整理核算,分析肥料氮、作物氮、土壤氮三者之间的关系,探明夏玉米季化肥氮的去向及土壤氮库的盈亏情况。结果表明：华北平原地区玉米产量最高时施氮量平均为190 kg·hm-2;秸杆吸氮量高于籽粒,且吸氮量随施氮量增加而升高,土壤残留量和损失量有随施氮量增加而增加的趋势;土壤氮库盈亏量与施氮量之间呈现线性极显著正相关,在秸秆50%和100%还田的两种条件下,施氮量为198 kg·hm-2和137 kg·hm-2时,土壤氮库达到平衡;推荐施氮条件下夏玉米对氮肥的吸收利用率远高于传统施氮,过量施氮会引起作物产量和氮肥利用率降低的负效应,增加土壤氮素残留和损失;施氮量在40~360 kg·hm-2范围内时,3种秸秆处理方式下,氮肥各去向绝对量与施氮量之间均呈显著线性相关关系;而氮肥各去向比率与施氮量之间只有地上部吸收率和籽粒吸收率与施氮量之间呈显著线性相关关系。由此,明确了华北平原夏玉米合理施氮量：秸秆50%还田时,为198 kg·hm-2;秸秆100%还田时,为137 kg·hm-2,揭示了华北平原夏玉米施氮量与土壤氮库盈亏量呈线性极显著正相关。这为确定华北平原夏玉米合理施氮量,提高氮肥利用率,避免肥料浪费及其对环境的危害提供了理论依据。     

长期不同施肥条件下红壤小麦和玉米季CO2、N2O排放特征

基于中国农业科学院红壤实验站红壤旱地小麦-玉米轮作长期定位试验,采用静态箱/气相色谱法,研究红壤旱地连续施肥16 a后,不同施肥条件下小麦季和玉米季土壤CO2和N2O的排放特征。结果表明,CO2和N2O排放具有明显的季节性,施肥对土壤CO2和N2O排放有明显影响,且有机肥的施用显著促进了土壤CO2和N2O排放。不施肥对照（CK）、氮磷配施（NP）、氮钾配施（NK）、氮磷钾配施（NPK）和有机无机肥配施（NPKM）处理小麦季和玉米季土壤CO2累积排放量分别为5 904、8 062、4 298、9 235、14 098和4 708、7 530、5 435、7 089、15 472 kg.hm-2,土壤N2O累积排放量分别为0.34、0.63、0.44、0.62、1.00和0.25、0.39、0.35、0.52、1.73 kg.hm-2,小麦休闲期土壤CO2和N2 O累积排放量平均占小麦生长季的63.52%和28.43%,玉米休闲季平均占玉米生长季的49.98%和32.72%,说明休闲期土壤CO2和N2O累积排放量不容忽视。除玉米季NP、NK、NPK处理外,其他各处理小麦季和玉米季土壤CO2排放通量与5 cm深处土壤温度显著相关;而土壤N2O排放通量与土壤温度间均未表现出显著相关性;除NPKM处理外,其他各处理土壤CO2或N2O排放通量与土壤水分间相关性均未达显著水平。     

秸秆还田下晚播稻茬麦适宜施氮量研究

研究了前荏水稻秸秆全量还田条件下,不同施氮水平(0、90、180、270和360 kg·hm-2)对晚播小麦土壤矿质氮积累、秸秆氮释放、氮素平衡特征和产量的影响.结果表明,基肥施用提高了越冬期0～ 30 cm土壤矿质氮量,追施氮肥提高了开花期0～15 cm土壤矿质氮量.施氮量高于180 kg· hm-2时会造成小麦成熟后土壤矿质氮量的显著增加.氮平衡分析结果表明,小麦全生育期氮素净矿化量为48 kg· hm-2;随施氮水平的增加,秸秆氮释放量、植株氮积累量、土壤矿质氮残留量和氮表观损失量均随之增加;N90、N180、N270和N360处理氮表观损失率分别为27.9％、37.6％、43.2％和47.6％;N90处理损失量以播种至越冬期最高,其余处理均以开花至成熟期最高.适量增施氮肥有利于提高籽粒产量,但施氮量若超过180 kg·hm-2,增产效果则不显著.综合考虑,水稻秸秆全量还田条件下氮肥施用量为180 kg·hm-2有利于兼顾晚播小麦生产和生态效益.     

不同施氮水平对玉米产量、氮素利用效率及土壤无机氮含量的影响

通过研究不同施氮水平对玉米产量、氮素利用率及土壤硝态氮(NO3--N)和铵态氮(NH4+-N)残留量的影响,为氮肥的合理利用提供依据.在黑龙江省农业科学院科技园区布置田间小区试验,结果显示:玉米产量随施氮量增加而增加,施氮量为165 kg·hm-2时,氮肥利用率最高,当施氮量高于165 kg·hm-2,产量反而有降低的趋势,过量施氮也并不能增加玉米对氮素的吸收,因而氮素利用率也随施氮量的增加而降低.玉米收获后土壤剖面无机态氮质量分数的变化因施氮量的不同而表现出差异,0~80 cm土层硝态氮积累量随氮肥输入量的增加而显著增加,以表层(0~40 cm)硝态氮质量分数最高,中间层(60~80 cm)质量分数最低,100 cm以下土层以施氮量为165 kg·hm-2的处理土壤硝态氮积累量最低,降低了硝态氮淋溶风险;铵态氮的质量分数相对较低,不同的施氮量对土壤铵态氮质量分数的影响主要在0~20 cm土层,铵态氮质量分数与施氮量并无显著的相关关系.综合考虑玉米产量、氮素利用率与生态环境效益,以165 kg·hm-2(优化施氮量)为最佳氮肥施用量.     

秸秆生物炭对菜地N_2O、CO_2与CH_4排放及土壤化学性质的影响

通过盆栽模拟试验,探究玉米秸秆生物炭施用对菜地温室气体N2O、CO2与CH4排放及土壤理化性质的影响。结果表明,生物炭施用抑制了菜地N2O排放,NB1(施N 400 kg·hm-2,生物炭20 t·hm-2)和NB2(施N 400kg·hm-2,生物炭40 t·hm-2)的N2O累积排放量分别比N处理(施N 400 kg·hm-2)低76.4%和70.7%,但抑制效应并未随生物炭用量的增加而加强。生物炭施用增强了CO2排放,但对CH4排放影响不显著。NB1和NB2累积CO2排放量分别为N处理的1.8和2.1倍,不容忽视的是,这2种处理同时增加了土壤中有机碳含量,分别比N处理高15.2%与21.3%。NB1和NB2在不降低甚至提高蔬菜产量的基础上,提高了土壤中NH4+-N含量与p H值,降低了NO3--N含量。p H值和NH4+-N含量分别平均比N处理高0.265和34.9%,NO3--N含量平均比N处理低12.7%,因此生物炭具有减排N2O与改良菜地土壤质量的巨大潜力。但生物炭引起的CO2排放以及对土壤有机碳增加的净影响效应尚需进一步研究。     

施氮水平对小麦-玉米轮作体系氨挥发与氧化亚氮排放的影响

试验采用密闭室间歇通气法研究华北平原冬小麦（Triticum aestivum Linneaus）-夏玉米（Zea mays Linneaus）轮作体系在不同施氮水平下农田氨挥发和N2O排放。结果表明：冬小麦季和夏玉米季的氨挥发速率与N2O排放通量呈现出季节性动态变化,且随着施氮量的增加而增加,均在施肥后第2~3天出现峰值。玉米季氨挥发量和N2O排放量均高于小麦季,分别占整个轮作周期气态损失的53.5%~68.9%和54.7%~82.3%。轮作体系中氨挥发净损失量（以N计）为4.28~31.31 kg.hm-2,占施氮量的3.17%~5.80%;N2O净排放损失量（以N计）为50.95~1051.03 g.hm-2,占施氮量的比例为0.04%~0.23%。因此,施氮量是影响冬小麦-夏玉米轮作体系气态损失重要因素,且夏玉米季是控制控制气态损失的关键时期。     

华北平原冬小麦季化肥氮去向及土壤氮库盈亏定量化探索

为提高华北平原冬小麦种植体系的氮肥利用率、减少氮肥对环境的污染,本研究对前人的试验数据进行整理核算,分析肥料氮、作物氮和土壤氮三者之间的关系,探索冬小麦季化肥氮的去向及土壤氮库的盈亏情况.结果表明:华北平原冬小麦当季化肥氮的吸收量随施氮量的增加而升高,对土壤氮素的吸收随施氮量的增加而降低;在秸秆50%还田和100%还田两种情况下,土壤氮库盈亏量与施氮量之间均呈线性极显著正相关,且土壤氮库达到平衡时的施氮量分别是 N 192和166 kg·hm-2;冬小麦对氮肥的吸收利用率推荐施氮远高于传统施氮,过量施氮不仅不会提高作物产量,还会降低氮肥利用率,增加土壤残留和损失;3种秸秆处理方式下的冬小麦氮肥各去向绝对量与施氮量(N 75~375 kg·hm-2)之间均呈显著线性相关关系,秸秆不还田条件下的地上部吸收率、秸秆吸收率和秸秆50%还田下的地上部吸收率及秸秆100%还田下的0~100 cm土壤残留率均与施氮量(N 75~375 kg·hm-2)之间呈显著相关关系.     

施用化肥对砂姜黑土碳库管理指数的影响

针对安徽省砂姜黑土的不良属性,在安徽蒙城砂姜黑土上进行了4年的施肥定位试验,施肥方式为年施氮量（以 N计）0、360、450、540、630、720 kg·hm-2,玉米季占55%,通过研究连续施肥措施下砂姜黑土耕层土壤活性有机质组分的变化特征,分析了单施化学氮肥对土壤有机质组分及碳库管理指数的影响。结果表明：施用化学氮肥有利于提高土壤总有机质质量分数和活性有机质质量分数,变化幅度分别为17.49~19.46、3.10~3.52 g·kg-1,化肥施用水平之间差异不显著,相比不施肥,施肥土壤的总有机质质量分数增加1.53~3.53 g·kg-1、活性有机质质量分数增加0.10~0.52 g·kg-1、稳定态有机质增加1.02~4.30 g·kg-1。处理间高活性有机质质量分数变化范围为0.46~0.62 g·kg-1,施用化肥后降低,高量氮肥与不施肥处理间差异显著（P＜0.05）;中活性有机质质量分数在2.21~3.25 g·kg-1之间,且与氮肥施用水平有关,年施氮量（以N计）高于540 kg·hm-2时其值增加,但各施用水平间无显著差异（P＞0.05）。施氮对CMI的影响不显著,土壤总有机质增加的有机质组分主要为稳定性有机质。施氮处理的玉米籽粒产量明显高于不施氮处理,年施氮（以N计）720 kg·hm-2的玉米籽粒产量最高,达11137.90 kg·hm-2。相关性分析结果显示,3种活性有机质之间,活性有机质和高活性有机质相关性最高,关系最为密切;碳库管理指数与活性有机质呈极显著正相关,相关系数为0.910;总有机质含量与活性有机质含量显著正相关（P＜0.05）,与碳库管理指数无显著相关性（P＞0.05）;玉米籽粒产量与总有机质、活性有机质极显著正相关（P＜0.01）,与碳库管理指数显著相关（P＜0.05）。由此可知,化学氮肥可促进砂姜黑土耕层土壤总有机质和活性有机质的提高,且二者均能够反映砂姜黑土施用化肥后的肥力变化情况;提高砂姜黑土总有机质的有机质组分主要是稳定态有机质;要提高玉米产量需要较高的氮肥用量。     

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.