以设计精准修复方案为目标的土壤重金属形态分布研究

农田土壤原位钝化/稳定化修复是通过向土壤中添加化学药剂以降低重金属活性、抑制土壤重金属向农作物迁移进而降低重金属风险的一种修复技术。针对河南省某重金属污染农田土壤,为制定精准的原位稳定化修复方案,采集32个表层土壤样品测定其Cd、Pb、As、Cu、Zn、Ni、Cr 7种元素全量,并利用BCR连续提取法测定弱酸提取态、可还原态、可氧化态和残渣态4种形态含量。结果表明:土壤Cd、Pb、As、Cu、Zn、Ni和Cr含量的平均值分别为1.90、144.91、7.33、32.24、91.40、28.80和19.76 mg·kg-1,Cd和Pb含量分别超过HJ/T 332—2006《食用农产品产地环境质量评价标准》的3.17和1.81倍。BCR形态分析表明,弱酸提取态Cd含量占全量比例较高,平均值为24.06%;土壤80.35%的Pb以可还原态存在,其余5种元素主要以残渣态存在。基于不同元素的弱酸提取态含量与全量建立回归分析模型,结果显示各元素的弱酸提取态含量随全量呈线性变化且两者的正相关关系显著;根据Cd、Pb 2种元素全量与弱酸提取态含量的空间分布差异对研究区域进行分区,基于土壤全量Cd和弱酸提取态Cd含量的分区结果有一定差异,而基于弱酸提取态Cd与弱酸提取态Pb含量的分区结果大致相同,能够为设计精准的修复方案提供依据。最后,分别以重金属全量与有效态含量为出发点对研究区域重金属的污染程度与存在风险给予评价,Hakanson风险评价结果表明土壤Cd存在极强的潜在生态风险,风险评价编码法评价结果则显示Cd为中等风险,两者之间的差异提示土壤重金属修复需综合考虑不同评价方法的评价结果,这为重金属的修复评价奠定基础。     

外源重金属在珠江河口湿地土壤中的形态转化

采集珠江口湿地土壤,采用室内培养和Tessier化学逐级连续浸提方法研究了外源重金属在珠江河口湿地土壤中的化学形态转化,探讨了盐分变化对重金属形态转化的影响.试验结果表明,外源重金属进入珠江河口湿地土壤后主要以可利用态和潜在可利用态存在,Ni、Zn、Cu、Cr和Pb主要向铁锰氧化物结合态转化,而Cd主要向可交换态和碳酸盐结合态转化.土壤盐分含量递增对重金属Cu、Zn、Ni和Cr的形态分布无显著影响,对重金属Pb和Cd的影响主要体现在可交换态.在土壤盐分添加量不超过80 g·kg-1时,随着土壤含盐量的上升,土壤Cd和Pb的可交换态比例逐步增大.     

EGTA淋洗和KH2PO4钝化联合修复重金属污染土壤

为进一步削减螯合淋洗后土壤残留重金属的环境风险,采用淋洗与钝化相结合的方法修复重金属污染土壤.研究了乙二醇双(2-氨基乙基醚)四乙酸(EGTA)淋洗、磷酸二氢钾(KH_2PO_4)钝化及两者联合修复对土壤重金属洗脱率的影响,并分别采用TCLP法和BCR法分析重金属浸出浓度及化学形态分布,构建了涵盖土壤重金属残留量、生物有效性和毒性的环境风险评价方法,对淋洗、钝化及其联合修复效果进行了评价.结果表明,EGTA对Cu和Cd具有较好的洗脱效果,降低了土壤Cu、Zn和Cd浸出浓度,提高了Pb浸出浓度,削减了可还原态Cu残留量、弱酸提取态和可还原态Zn残留量、可还原态Pb残留量以及弱酸提取态、可还原态Cd残留量.随着KH_2PO_4投加量的增加,Pb、Cd和Cu浸出浓度呈下降趋势,Zn浸出浓度先上升后下降.KH_2PO_4对重金属形态分布的影响主要表现为降低弱酸态或可还原态重金属占比,提高残渣态重金属占比.EGTA和KH_2PO_4联合修复显著降低了4种重金属的可还原态残留量和弱酸提取态Pb、Cd残留量,大幅度削减了Cd和Cu的浸出浓度和环境风险.Zn污染土壤宜淋洗修复,Pb污染土壤宜钝化修复,Cd和Cu污染土壤深度修复宜淋洗/钝化联合处理.     

模拟酸雨对磷基材料稳定化土壤Cu、Cd、Pb和P活性的影响

为了研究酸雨淋溶前后不同磷基材料对土壤重金属稳定化的影响,通过室内土柱淋溶实验,考察不同pH值酸雨淋溶前后磷酸二氢钾(PDP)和羟基磷灰石(HAP)稳定化重金属污染土壤pH值、重金属和P有效活性的变化。结果表明:PDP和HAP增加了土壤pH值和速效P含量,降低了土壤有效态Cu、Cd和Pb含量,促进了重金属由活性态向非活性态和潜在活性态转化,但pH=3.5的酸雨使PDP和HAP处理土壤pH值降低0.45和0.47,且酸雨淋溶降低了PDP处理速效P含量,提高了土壤有效态Cu和Cd含量;酸雨淋溶使HAP处理土壤总Cu含量和CK处理总Cd含量分别降低14.5%～15.9%和20.4%～26.5%,但增加了HAP和PDP处理离子交换态Cu和Pb含量;PDP和HAP处理显著增加了土壤总P、树脂P、HCl结合态P和残渣态P含量,但酸雨淋溶降低了PDP处理总P和树脂P含量,显著增加了HAP和PDP处理土壤稳定态P含量(P0.05)。模拟酸雨作用下HAP较PDP处理对Pb和Cd具有更好的稳定化效果和更低的P释放风险,具有更好的应用潜力。     

表面活性剂对土壤中重金属清洗及有效态的影响

采用两种常用的表面活性剂-十二烷基苯磺酸钠(阴离子型)、Tween-80(非离子型),对锦州铁合金厂周边Zn、Cd及Pb重金属污染土壤进行化学修复试验,研究两种表面活性剂对重金属Zn、Cd及Pb的去除率及化学形态影响.结果表明,随着表面活性剂浓度的提高,两种表面活性剂对Pb、Cd及Zn的去除作用增强,Tween-80溶液的浓度越高,对重金属的萃取效果越好,对重金属的去除能力大小顺序为Cd>Zn>Pb,最大去除率分别为83.07%、56.78%及42.57%;十二烷基苯磺酸钠在低浓度时对Cd和Pb的去除效果不明显,而对金属Zn的去除效果较好,在0.09 mol.L-1时达到最大值83.86%;与淋溶前土壤中重金属有效态含量相比较,经不同浓度十二烷基苯磺酸钠淋洗后土壤中Cd有效态含量随LAS浓度的升高而先增加后下降,而Pb的有效态含量随十二烷基苯磺酸钠升高而增加;经不同浓度Tween-80淋洗后土壤中Zn及Cd有效态含量都是随Tween-80浓度的升高而先增加后下降,Pb有效态含量随Tween-80升高而下降.     

干旱区绿洲土壤镉、铅、锌、镍的形态转化

以我国西北干旱区绿洲土壤为供试土壤,采用Tessier形态连续浸提方法,研究了土壤中Cd、Pb、Zn、Ni单一胁迫下的形态分布及再分配趋势.试验结果表明,原状土壤中Cd的主要赋存形态为铁锰氧化态,Pb、Zn、Ni则以残渣态为主;外源可溶性重金属进入土壤后,Cd、Pb、Zn、Ni的主要赋存形态和形态分布特征均发生显著改变,各形态的响应程度因元素而异;重金属的活性均有不同程度的提高,Cd的活性最大;重金属的形态分布是不稳定的,尤以Zn、Pb为甚,尽管会随着时间和作物的影响继续向着稳定的方向转化,但过程是缓慢的.因此,重金属污染对土壤环境的影响是持久的.     

风险评价代码法对农田土壤重金属生态风险的评价

为揭示矿区周边农田土壤中重金属分布特征及其潜在生态风险,于2013年在云南省某铅锌矿周边的农田土壤共布设68个采样点,分析土壤中Cd、Hg、As、Pb、Cr、Cu和Zn的含量及污染程度,并采用改进的BCR法测定了各重金属形态分布特征,在此基础上运用风险评价代码法评价了重金属的潜在风险程度.结果表明,7种重金属都存在不同程度的超标,其中超标最严重的是Cd和Zn,超标率分别达到92.6%和75%.7种重金属化学形态也不尽相同:在重金属有效态中,Cd的水溶态和可提取态较高(平均值达到31.2%);Pb、Cu和Zn可还原态、可氧化态这两部分含量较高,两部分之和的平均值分别可达到27.9%、30%和29.2%;Hg、As和Cr的残渣态含量较高,平均值分别为90.4%、72.9%和76.8%.风险评价代码评价结果表明,54.4%的样点Cd为高生态风险,45.6%的样点Cd为中度生态风险;100%的样点Zn为中度生态风险;Cu有41.2%的点位属于低生态风险,58.8%的点位属于中度生态风险;As和Pb主要以低生态风险为主(所占比例分别为92.6%和91.8%);Hg主要以无生态风险为主(所占97.1%).综上,该矿区周边农田土壤受到了严重的重金属污染,其中土壤中Cd的生态风险最高,同时,Zn和Cu的生态风险也不容忽视.     

秸秆生物炭对矿区污染土壤重金属形态转化的影响

以小麦秸秆制备的生物炭作为修复材料,通过室内培养试验研究不同生物炭施用量(w分别为0、1%、2%和5%)对矿区复合污染土壤Cu、Zn、Cd和Pb赋存形态的影响。结果表明,经过150 d的培养,施用生物炭可明显提高土壤p H值和有机碳含量,比对照分别增加0.96%~2.62%和9.1%~38.6%。土壤中酸提取态Cu、Zn和Cd含量随生物炭施用量的增加而降低,与不施用生物炭相比下降幅度分别为7.0%~16.9%、6.7%~11.8%和5.3%~9.6%,酸提取态Pb含量无明显变化。生物炭可不同程度地减少可还原态Cd和可氧化态Cu、Zn、Pb含量。施用生物炭处理残渣态Cu、Zn、Cd和Pb含量明显提高,与不施用生物炭相比增加幅度分别为10.6%~46.8%、5.9%~15.7%、40.9%~191.9%和1.5%~2.6%。相关性分析表明,土壤p H值、有机碳含量与酸提取态和残渣态重金属含量显著相关。综合而言,生物炭能够促进供试污染土壤Cu、Zn、Cd和Pb由酸提取态、可还原态和可氧化态向残渣态转化。     

可控湿法氧化聚沉工艺对城市污泥中重金属的稳定化影响

采集了长沙市污水厂的剩余污泥（S1）和湿法氧化聚沉工艺处理的深度脱水污泥（S2）,对比分析了处理前后污泥的形貌变化及重金属Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg和As的形态分布,初步探讨了重金属稳定化机理,对脱水污泥中重金属Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg和As进行了稳定性评估.结果表明,脱水污泥中重金属的总量均低于我国污泥农用标准中的酸性限值,符合B级污泥泥质要求.处理后,污泥中Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg和As主要以硫化物有机结合态和残渣态（稳定态）存在,不稳定态在不同程度上向稳定态发生了转变,Cu、Hg的增幅最大,达21.1%.S2中重金属的生物可利用性较S1都有显著的降低,平均降幅达73.1%,S2中重金属的生物可利用性顺序为：Zn〉Pb〉Cu〉Cd〉As〉Hg.污泥经过湿法氧化聚沉工艺处理后,污泥中重金属Zn、Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg和As得到了明显的稳定化,为污泥后续资源化、安全化提供了科学依据.     

沸石、磷矿粉和石灰对土壤铅锌化学形态和生物可给性的影响

通过室内土壤培养实验,研究添加沸石、磷矿粉和石灰3种改良剂对污染土壤Pb、Zn化学形态和生物可给性的影响.结果表明,土壤Pb主要以Fe-Mn氧化物结合态为主,而Zn主要以残渣态为主.改良剂对土壤Pb、Zn化学形态的影响随着培养时间的不同而不同.培养1个月时,2%磷矿粉和2%石灰处理可分别导致土壤醋酸(HOAC)提取态Pb含量下降76.0%和25.6%,3种改良剂处理导致土壤HOAC提取态Zn含量比对照处理降低6.1%～17.0%.培养2个月时,磷矿粉和石灰处理分别导致土壤HOAC提取态Pb含量下降62.8%和39.0%,石灰处理导致土壤HOAC提取态Zn含量下降34.6%.3种改良剂对土壤Pb、Zn的生物可给性也有影响,也随着土壤重金属种类和培养时间的不同而异.培养1个月时,沸石和磷矿粉可分别导致土壤Zn的生物可给性降低15.9%和14.9%,但培养2个月后3种改良剂对Zn的生物可给性却没有影响.研究结果表明,在酸性Pb、Zn复合污染农田土壤中均可以选择这3种改良剂来进行土壤改良,减少重金属的污染风险.     

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.     

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.