土壤中两种手性有机氯农药的选择性降解研究

为了更深入的了解和阐释手性有机氯农药在土壤中的转化和环境归趋,采用实验室室内避光培养方法,研究了o,p＇-DDT及o,p＇-DDD 2种手性有机氯农药的外消旋体在水稻土厌氧培养体系和菜园土好氧培养体系中的选择性降解情况。为了更好的利用土壤中土著微生物的活性,我们选择了厌氧微生物比较丰富的水稻土和好氧微生物丰度比较高的菜园土来做培养实验。结果表明实验体系中o,p＇-DDT及o,p＇-DDD在水稻土和菜园土中的降解均没有明显的对映体选择性。这一结果与2种手性化合物不同对映体在自然环境中的含量普遍具有差异性有所不同,说明野外环境条件和室内模拟实验条件的差异会影响手性化合物的降解选择性。在2种体系中,o,p＇-DDT的降解速率均高于o,p＇-DDD的降解速率。这与以前的研究报道一致,DDD比DDT更难降解。通过2个体系的比较,发现DDT的降解速率在厌氧体系中高于好氧体系,而DDD的降解速率与之相反,好氧体系高于厌氧体系。这应该与DDT和DDD 2种化合物的化学结构及2种土壤中微生物群落的差异有关。对于厌氧体系中的2种水稻土,采自中山的水稻土中DDT的降解速率高于江门的水稻土,这应该与中山水稻土有机质含量高于江门的水稻土有关。有机质含量的高低直接反映了土壤中微生物的多少,进而会影响污染物的降解速率。研究发现本实验所用水稻土和菜园土总有机碳含量偏低可能是影响2种化合物的对映体无降解选择性的因素之一。此外,由于本研究采用缓冲溶液将pH 调控在中性,因此本文的土壤 pH 对降解选择性的影响仍有待进一步研究。本研究中好氧体系和厌氧体系对目标物的降解选择性无明显差异。     

超声辅助硫酸亚铁活化过碳酸钠降解4种典型DDTs

采用超声波辅助硫酸亚铁活化过碳酸钠(SPC/Fe~(2+))体系降解水中的4种典型有机氯农药DDTs(包括p,p′-DDD、p,p′-DDE、o,p′-DDT、p,p′-DDT),考察超声波功率、过碳酸钠投加量和硫酸亚铁投加量等实验条件对DDTs降解的影响,采用响应面法设计多因素实验,采用二次多项式和逐步回归法拟合DDTs降解率、毒性削减率与实验条件之间的关系,通过模型优化和验证实验获得最佳降解条件,通过GC/MS检测分析DDTs降解产物并推断其降解途径.结果表明,超声波辅助Fe~(2+)/SPC能够在5 min内高效降解DDTs,当超声波功率为30 W、超声5 min、过碳酸钠和硫酸亚铁投加量分别为3.21 g·L~(-1)和0.64 g·L~(-1)时,DDTs总毒性削减率可达98.2%.DDT首先脱氯生成DDE和DDD,再进一步降解生成DDMU等其他物质.     

DDT及其衍生物对2种单细胞藻的毒性效应

研究4种不同质量浓度的DDT及其衍生物对2种单细胞藻(Nannochloropsis sp. 和Nannochloropsis. Oculata)生长及细胞活力的影响.将单细胞藻接种于f/2培养液中,接种培养10 d后,再添加各种种类及质量浓度的DDT及其衍生物,其后每隔7 d记数一次,培养周期为38 d,观察并记录单细胞藻的生长状况.单细胞藻的定量方法,参照血球计数板计数法.结果表明,Nannochloropsis sp. 具有较明显的抗性及良好的生长特征,其生长受DDT及其衍生物的影响较小,在p. p′-DDD作用组中,培养36 d后细胞数达到最高(23510细胞数·μL-1),空白对照为23290细胞数·μL-1;而DDT及其衍生物对Nannochloropsis. oculata的生长有一定的抑制作用,抑制作用大小依次为p.p′-DDT,p.p′-DDE,o. p′-DDT,p. p′-DDD;其中,p. p′-DDT的最大抑制质量浓度为5 μg· L-1,p. p′-DDE的最大抑制质量浓度为10 μg·L-1,o. p′-DDT最大抑制作用质量浓度为1 μg·L-1,p. p′-DDD的最大抑制质量浓度为10 μg·L-1.细胞活力的测定采用MTT法,检测结果表明,从第10 d起,Nannochloropsis sp. 就呈现出较高的细胞活力水平.其中p. p′-DDT,p. p′-DDD,p. p′-DDE 对其作用所引起的变化较大,在0.13～0.325 OD范围,o. p′-DDT 引起的变化较小,在0.145～0.237 OD范围,这与该藻具有抗逆性强特性相吻合.加入不同质量浓度的DDT及其衍生物后,从10 17 d起,Nannochloropsis. oculata均呈现出呈较低水平的细胞活力,平均在0.072～0.26 OD范围,但从24 d起出现较高的细胞活力,平均在 0.249～0.408 OD水平,其后呈现逐渐下降的趋势.     

滴滴涕类农药在广东省鱼类中的残留及人体暴露水平初步评价

检测了采自广东省13个城市水产市场和超市的390个鱼样品中滴滴涕类农药(DDT)及其代谢物(包括o,p’-DDE,p,p’-DDE,o,p’-DDD,p,p’-DDD,o,p’-DDT,p,p’-DDT)的残留浓度.鱼体中DDTs的含量为8.7￣18002ng·g-1(脂肪重)或0.1￣698.9ng·g-1(湿重).不同鱼类之间因生活环境和生活习性的不同,而使其DDTs含量存在较大差别.与我国鱼类食品中DDTs的残留标准相比,仅有2个样品中的DDTs含量水平超过此标准,约占样品总数的0.51%,而超过欧盟水产品标准和美国环境保护局(EPA)标准的样品分别占13.8%和30.5%.广东省居民通过鱼类消费每天DDTs的摄入量为30.8ng·kgbodyweight-1·day-1,仅占FAO/WHO每日允许摄入量的0.3%,但高于其他国家或地区.     

铅-苯并[a]芘复合污染在土壤-植物体系的归宿规律研究

通过室内盆栽试验研究了中、低浓度铅（Pb）和苯并[a]芘（B[a]p）复合污染在土壤-植物系统中的归宿规律和相互影响,以考查Pb-B[a]p复合污染的相互作用.采用4因素6水平均匀设计试验方案,w（Pb）范围为0～1 120 mg·kg^-1,w（B[a]p）范围为0～6.4 mg·kg^-1.结果表明,在非根际环境中,Pb的不同结合态未受到B[a]p的影响,而土壤中B[a]p的自然降解过程也未受到Pb的影响;在黑麦草根际环境中,Pb的可交换态和碳酸盐结合态以及Fe/Mn氧化物结合态含量与非根际土壤相比明显降低,有机物和硫化物结合态含量明显升高,这与黑麦草根际分泌物和植物根际的吸收作用有关;玉米和黑麦草地上部和根部Pb含量均与土壤中Pb总量之间呈显著正相关关系,与B[a]p含量间不存在显著相关性;在玉米和黑麦草根际环境中,B[a]p的降解速率比非根际土壤有明显提高,其中黑麦草的促降解作用强于玉米;Pb对玉米和黑麦草根际土壤中B[a]p的降解过程具有一定的抑制作用,这与根际环境对Pb的活化作用进而增加Pb对微生物有效性有关;Pb对植物根部吸附B[a]p的过程也有一定影响.总体而言,在根际和非根际条件下B[a]p与Pb的共存均未影响Pb的归宿,在非根际环境中Pb也未影响B[a]p的归宿,但在根际环境中Pb抑制了B[a]p在土壤中的降解及植物根部对B[a]p的吸收.     

兰州周边地区土壤典型有机氯农药残留及生态风险

应用Agilent 7890-5975C GC-MSD对兰州及其周边地区16个表层土壤样品中HCHs和DDTs残留水平进行分析,并对兰州周边地区土壤中OCPs的可能来源和生态风险进行了初步研究.结果表明,研究区土壤中HCHs残留范围为8.22×10-2—4.49 ng.g-1,平均值为6.85×10-1ng.g-1;DDTs残留范围为1.41×10-1—120 ng.g-1,平均值为16.9 ng.g-1;DDTs残留较HCHs占优势,约占二者总残留量的96%.α-HCH/γ-HCH比值介于0.18—14,平均值为2.8,推测研究区土壤中HCHs残留源于工业HCHs和林丹的混合源,并且可能存在有周边地区HCHs的大气长距离输送.DDE/DDD比值介于0.35—4.8,平均值为2.1,说明研究区土壤中DDT以有氧方式降解为主;(DDE+DDD)/DDT比值介于0.067—0.69,平均值为0.30,o,p’-DDT/p,p’-DDT比值介于0.091—2.8,平均值为0.60,表明研究区土壤DDTs污染可能主要源于工业源DDTs.与国内其它地区土壤相比,研究区土壤中HCHs和DDTs残留量相对较低;依照国家《土壤环境质量标准》(GB-15618—1995),研究区土壤中HCHs和DDTs残留处于较低水平;研究区土壤中HCHs残留处于较低的生态风险,DDTs残留对于土壤生物和鸟类具有一定的生态风险,而对于哺乳类动物生态风险较低.     

上海郊区表层土壤中DDT残留特征

为掌握上海市北部郊区农田表层土壤有机氯农药残留状况,在上海市宝山区的农田分布区域布设采样点,采集表层土壤样品,用美国EPA方法分析了土壤中DDT及其4种衍生物的残留量.结果表明,上海市宝山区农田土壤中平均DDT总残留量为0.057 mg·kg-1,DDT的4种衍生物p,p'-DDE,p,p'-DDD,p,p'-DDT,o,p'-DDT的平均残留量分别为0.032、0.007、0.018、0.000 mg·kg-1.该研究中大部分区域土壤DDT总残留量低于国家土壤环境质量二级标准限值,没有形成土壤DDT污染;但在DDT残留量最高的地块,土壤DDT总残留量达0.694 mg·kg-1,超过了国家土壤环境质量二级标准限值,形成了一定范围的土壤DDT污染.在所有采样点中,有4个点位的p,p′-DDT/p,p′-DDE比值大于1,且其DDT总残留量也较高,说明这几块区域村在禁用期间又被新施加了DDT的可能.该研究可为有针对性地开展区域土壤环境保护和污染防治提供重要参考依据.     

土壤中有机氯农药的多残留分析技术

本文建立了超声波提取 ,硅胶SPE柱净化 ,GC μECD检测土壤中α HCH ,β HCH ,γ HCH ,δ HCH ,HCB ,o p′ DDE ,aES,p p′ DDE ,Diel,Endrin ,p p′ DDD ,o p′ DDT ,p p′ DDT含量的方法 .对提取剂、洗脱剂和前处理步骤优化的结果表明 :体积比为 1∶2的丙酮 /石油醚是较好的提取剂和洗脱剂 ,方法加标回收率在 70 %— 1 1 0 %之间 ,检测限为0 0 5— 1ng·g- 1 .     

南京市城郊蔬菜生产基地有机氯农药残留特征

以网格法在南京市无公害蔬菜生产基地八卦洲采集70个土壤样品,用加速溶剂萃取、固相萃取柱净化后GC-μECD测定土壤中有机氯农药(α-HCH,β-HCH,γ-HCH和δ-HCH以及o,p'-DDT,p,p'-DDT,o,p'-DDE,p,p'-DDE 和p,p'-DDD)残留量.结果表明,土壤中有机氯农药残留总量在6.18～84.72 μg·kg-1之间,平均18.63 μg·kg-1.DDT残留量高于HCH,为3.36～74.19 μg·kg-1,平均12.61 μg·kg-1.土壤中HCH残留量为2.48～17.80 μg·kg-1,平均6.02 μg·kg-1.DDT同系物中以p,p'-DDE和p,p'-DDT为主,而HCH中δ-HCH含量较低,其他3种异构体含量水平相当.所有土样中DDT和HCH残留量均远远低于GB/T 18407 无公害蔬菜产地土壤标准限定值500 μg·kg-1,但大多数土样中DDT和HCH残留量远远高于荷兰无污染土壤标准.     

滴滴涕类农药在广东省沿海地区水产品中的残留及人体暴露水平

水产品的摄入是人体暴露于有机氯农药的主要途径之一.实验检测了采自广东省11个沿海城市水产市场的海鲜类水产品(包括6种虾类、2种蟹类和13种贝类共228个样品)中滴滴涕类农药(包括o,p’-DDT、p,p’-DDT、o,p’-DDD、p,p’-DDD、o,p’-DDE和p,p’-DDE)的残留.结果显示,DDTs在虾类、蟹类和贝类体内的平均湿重含量范围分别为0.8￣17.6ng·g-1、5.1￣16.0ng·g-1和0.6￣209.4ng·g-1.不同水产品之间因生活环境和生活习性的不同,导致其DDTs含量存在较大差别.与我国最新的食品残留标准(GB2763-2005)相比,所检测样品DDTs的含量均未超标.但若以美国环境保护局(USEPA)的标准来衡量,则DDTs含量超标的百分率达27.6%.据最近的膳食结构调查显示,广东省沿海地区的居民每天虾、蟹、贝类水产品的平均消费量为26.0g,因而通过海鲜类水产品每天摄入DDTs的量为2.4ng·kgbodyweight-1·day-1,这一结果远远低于我国设定的每日耐受摄入量(PTDI)和联合国粮农组织及世界卫生组织(FAO/WHO)的相关标准.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.