敌草快对藻类和溞类的急性毒性及其水中含量测定

敌草快是一种非选择性、广谱的联吡啶类触杀性除草剂,主要通过干扰植物细胞膜、破坏光合作用而快速发挥效果。为探究敌草快对水生生物的毒性,测定了该化合物对羊角月芽藻和大型溞的急性毒性,并建立了高效液相色谱法测定水中敌草快含量的方法。结果表明:检测方法在1.00×10-2~3.00×10-2mg a.i.·L-1范围内的线性相关系数为0.99995,添加回收率在90.3%~109%之间,相对标准偏差(RSD)为1.10%~10.3%,保留时间在7.2 min左右。按实测浓度和理论浓度分别计算敌草快对羊角月芽藻的72 h的半数效应浓度EyC50(72 h-EyC50),分别为3.16×10-2mg a.i.·L-1和3.32×10-2mg a.i.·L-1,均为高毒;对大型溞48 h的半数效应浓度EC50(48 h-EC50)分别为1.18×10-2mg a.i.·L-1和1.33×10-2mg a.i.·L-1,均为剧毒。     

异噻唑啉酮类杀菌剂对黑斑蛙胚胎和蝌蚪的急性毒性

异噻唑啉酮类杀菌剂1,2-苯并异噻唑-3-酮(BIT)和甲基异噻唑啉酮(MIT)虽已在多种行业中广泛使用,但目前有关其毒性尤其对水体中生物毒性的数据还较少。鉴于BIT和MIT在水体中普遍存在,本文研究了这两种污染物对两栖动物黑斑蛙胚胎和蝌蚪的急性毒性。黑斑蛙胚胎和蝌蚪分别暴露系列浓度的BIT和MIT,观察化学品对其生长、发育和运动的影响,计算96小时半数致死浓度(96 h-LC50)和96小时半数致畸浓度(96 h-TC50),确定最小生长抑制浓度(MCIG)。结果发现,BIT对黑斑蛙胚胎的96 h-LC50和96 h-TC50分别为2.99 mg·L-1和0.60 mg·L-1,MCIG小于0.40 mg·L-1,对蝌蚪的96 h-LC50为6.44 mg·L-1。MIT对黑斑蛙胚胎的96 h-LC50和96 h-TC50分别为5.30 mg·L-1和2.36 mg·L-1,MCIG为2.59 mg·L-1,对蝌蚪的96 h-LC50为7.58 mg·L-1。根据《化学农药环境安全评价准则报批稿》中两栖动物蝌蚪急性毒性的分级标准,判定BIT和MIT的毒性等级为中等。该毒性数据可为异噻唑啉酮类杀菌剂的环境管理提供参考。     

戊吡虫胍对几种非靶标生物的急性毒性

戊吡虫胍是一种从烟碱类和缩胺脲类杀虫剂活性结构拼接而成的系列化合物中筛选出来的新型杀虫剂,目前戊吡虫胍对非靶标生物的毒性研究报道较少。为探究戊吡虫胍的环境安全性,采用生物毒性试验方法测定了其对斜生栅藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)、大型溞(Daphnia magna)、家蚕(Bombyx mori)、斑马鱼(Brachydanio rerio)、赤子爱胜蚯蚓(Eisenia fetide)、非洲爪蟾(Xenopus laevis)、赤眼蜂(Trichogramma nubilale)、意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera)、日本鹌鹑(Coturnix coturnix japonica)共9种非靶标生物的急性毒性。结果显示戊吡虫胍对斜生栅藻和大型溞的半数有效浓度(EC50)分别为8.79 mg·L~(-1)和10.97 mg·L~(-1),对家蚕、斑马鱼、赤子爱胜蚯蚓和非洲爪蟾的半数致死浓度(LC50)分别为2.32 mg·L~(-1)、13.74 mg·L~(-1)、100 mg·kg~(-1)和19.30mg·L~(-1),对赤眼蜂的安全系数为0.16~0.031,对蜜蜂急性触杀和急性摄入毒性分别为51.82μg·bee~(-1)和10.8×10~3mg·L~(-1),对鹌鹑的急性经口和急性饲喂毒性LC50分别为1 000 mg·kg~(-1)和2×103mg·kg~(-1)。按照最新国标(GB/T31270—2014)化学农药环境安全评价准则的毒性等级划分,戊吡虫胍除了对家蚕和赤眼蜂为高毒和极高风险外,对其余非靶生物均为低毒。     

氧化石墨烯对大型溞的生物毒性效应研究

氧化石墨烯(graphene oxide,GO)因其优良的电性能、机械性能,而成为新兴的碳纳米应用材料,但是其制造或应用后排放进入环境水体的潜在生态风险缺少足够的研究,尤其是关于GO生态毒性的基础数据。研究以水生甲壳类动物大型溞(Daphnia magna,D.magna)为受试生物,从急性毒性和慢性毒性两方面考察了GO的生物毒性效应,并结合溞类的光学显微镜观察和体内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活力以及丙二醛(MDA)含量的测定对GO对大型溞的致毒机理进行了初步探究。研究结果表明GO对大型溞急性毒性的48 h半数致死浓度(48 h-LC50)为84.2 mg·L-1;慢性毒性的21 d半数致死浓度(21 d-LC50)为3.3 mg·L-1。关于GO对大型溞的繁殖毒性,当GO浓度达到1 mg·L-1时能够显著推迟母溞的头胎出生时间,抑制母溞头胎幼溞数、单胎最高产溞数和总产溞数。关于GO对大型溞的致毒机理,研究结果表明消化道堵塞和氧化损伤可能是GO对大型溞的主要致毒途径。上述研究结果为GO在水环境中的毒性效应研究奠定了基础,为GO的工业化应用前景提供了基础的生态毒性数据。     

3种农药对大型溞的急性毒性比较

采用"半静态法"测定了3种农药及其混剂对大型溞的24 h、48 h急性毒性,根据我国《化学农药环境安全评价实验准则》中的毒性等级标准,它们对大型溞的毒性等级如下:精甲霜灵悬浮种衣剂对大型溞的24 h、48 h-EC_(50)均大于10 a.i.mg·L~(-1),属"低毒"级,咯菌腈悬浮种衣剂对大型溞的24 h、48 h-EC_(50)分别是0.339 mg·L~(-1)、0.246 mg·L~(-1),根据0.1 a.i.mg·L~(-1)EC_(50)(48 h)≤1.0 a.i.mg·L~(-1)判断,属"高毒"级。嘧菌酯水分散粒剂对大型溞的24 h、48 h-EC_(50)分别是0.389 mg·L~(-1)、0.286 mg·L~(-1),根据0.1a.i.mg·L~(-1)EC_(50)(48 h)≤1.0 a.i.mg·L~(-1)判断,属"高毒"级。精甲霜灵·咯菌腈·嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂对大型溞的24 h、48 h-EC_(50)分别是0.292 mg·L~(-1)、0.228 mg·L~(-1),根据0.1 a.i.mg·L~(-1)EC_(50)(48 h)≤1.0 a.i.mg·L~(-1)判断,属"高毒"级。精甲霜灵·咯菌腈·嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂和嘧菌酯水分散粒剂都属"高毒",但比较具体数值,发现精甲霜灵·咯菌腈·嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂毒性相对更大,原因是其中还含有"高毒"的咯菌腈。     

农药助剂对蚯蚓(Eisenia foetida)的急性毒性

为评价农药助剂对土壤生物的毒性效应,分别采用滤纸接触法和人工土壤法测定了不同类别农药助剂对赤子爱胜蚓(Eis enia foetida)的急性毒性.结果表明:19种非离子表面活性剂中,烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚与脂肪醇聚氧乙烯醚毒性较高,滤纸法48 h-LC50为7.630 ～ 39.65μg·cm-2,人工土壤法14 d-LC50为876.5 ～2 786.6 mg· kg-1,其它类型非离子表面活性剂毒性较低.5种阴离子表面活性剂中,十二烷基硫酸钠、十二烷基苯磺酸钙毒性高于木质素磺酸钠、木质素磺酸钙、亚甲基双萘磺酸钠,滤纸法48 h-LC50为6575 ～ 41.89 μg· cm-2,人工土壤法14 d-LC50为1 195.0～1 911.7 mg·kg-1.13种溶剂中,二甲苯、乙苯、甲苯、正丁醇、环己酮表现出较高的毒性,滤纸法48 h-LC50为6.587 ～ 57.62 μg ·cm-2,密封人工土壤法48 h-LC50为181.9 ～781.5 mg·kg-1.采用两种方法测得的5种填料高岭土、白炭黑、硅藻土、凹凸棒土和轻质碳酸钙的毒性均较低.采用两种方法测得的毒性系统偏差接近,重现性均较好,并且滤纸接触法测得的毒力高于人工土壤法.     

纳米水稳型C60（nC60）促进Zn2+和Cr6+ 在大型溞体内的吸收、抗氧化性和急性毒性

富勒烯(C60)作为一种被广泛使用的纳米工程材料,其环境行为和所造成的毒效应越来越引起人们的关注,特别是其与重金属的联合毒性.文章选取模式生物大型溞研究纳米水稳型富勒烯(nC60)与Zn+和Cr6+的联合毒性.按EPA 2024急性毒性试验结果,nC60对大型溞48 h-LC50为0.47 mg·L-1,最大无观察效应浓度(NOEC)为0.10 mg·L-1.NOEC浓度选定为nC60亚急性试验浓度,用于联合毒性试验.nC60增强了Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞的毒性,Zn2和Cr6+对大型溞48 h-LC50分别由2.33mg·L-1和0.40mg·L-1降低为1.52 mg·L-1和033 mg·L-1;nC60增加了大型溞对Zn2+和Cr6+的摄入,暴露1440 min后体内Zn2+和Cr6+累积量分别由6.52 μg·g-1湿重和1.52 μg·g-1湿重增加到9.98 μg ·g-1湿重和3.01 μg·g-1湿重;nC60和Zn2+和Cr6+联合作用于大型潘后,大型溞SOD酶活性均呈现出增强的诱导现象,联合作用时诱导作用强于两种物质单独作用.此研究表明:在亚急性浓度下,nC60增强了Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞的毒性,提高了大型潘体内Zn2+和Cr6+的积累,并提高大型溞体内自由基活性.     

萼花臂尾轮虫毒性试验的方法学研究

为尝试以群体取代个体作为轮虫室内毒性试验目标物的可行性,本项研究以萼花臂尾轮虫(Brachionus calyciflorus)作为实验生物开展相关实验,建立生命表并确定接种密度对于种群生长率的影响,并且用3种农药(毒死蜱、丁草胺、三唑酮)开展了轮虫毒性试验。生命表实验结果表明,轮虫的平均寿命和世代周期分别为(78.76±33.08)h和(51.56±20.55)h。接种密度实验结果表明,随着接种密度的提高,轮虫种群增长率呈下降趋势。基于接种密度实验的结果,毒性试验以35个·(100 m L)-1作为受试种群的起始密度,试验周期定为144 h。毒性试验结果显示,毒死蜱对轮虫的96 h-EC50和120 h-EC50分别为0.6066 mg·L-1和0.7323mg·L-1;丁草胺对轮虫的96 h-EC50和120 h-EC50分别为1.851 mg·L-1和3.058 mg·L-1;三唑酮对轮虫的96 h-EC50和120 h-EC50分别为12.84 mg·L-1和11.63 mg·L-1。本项研究的结果肯定了以群体取代个体作为轮虫室内毒性试验目标物的可行性。     

双酚A与其替代品对黑斑蛙急性毒性的比较

双酚F(BPF)和双酚S(BPS)作为双酚A(BPA)替代品广泛使用,然而有关BPF和BPS的毒性数据非常有限。采用系列浓度的BPA、BPF、BPS溶液,暴露黑斑蛙胚胎和蝌蚪96 h,通过半致死浓度(LC50)、最小生长抑制浓度(MCIG)和致畸率等指标比较3种化合物的急性毒性。结果显示:100 mg·L-1BPS未导致黑斑蛙胚胎及蝌蚪畸形和死亡。BPA和BPF对黑斑蛙胚胎的96h-LC50分别为7.68 mg·L-1和7.99 mg·L-1,MCIG分别为4.47 mg·L-1和4.77 mg·L-1,最大致畸率为33.33%;对蝌蚪的96 h-LC50分别为9.00 mg·L-1和9.52 mg·L-1。依据《化学农药环境安全评价准则》的毒性分级标准,判定BPA和BPF的毒性等级为中毒,BPS的毒性等级为低毒。表明BPF急性毒性与BPA相当,BPS急性毒性低于BPA。本研究数据可为BPF、BPS作为BPA替代品的生产和使用以及相应的环境管理提供毒理学参考。     

纳米水稳型C_(60)60(n_(60))促进Zn~(2+)和Cr~(6+)在大型溞体内的吸收、抗氧化性和急性毒性

富勒烯(C60)作为一种被广泛使用的纳米工程材料,其环境行为和所造成的毒效应越来越引起人们的关注,特别是其与重金属的联合毒性。文章选取模式生物大型溞研究纳米水稳型富勒烯(nC60)与Zn2+和Cr6+的联合毒性。按EPA 2024急性毒性试验结果,nC60对大型溞48 h-LC50为0.47 mg·L-1,最大无观察效应浓度(NOEC)为0.10 mg·L-1。NOEC浓度选定为nC60亚急性试验浓度,用于联合毒性试验。nC60增强了Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞的毒性,Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞48 h-LC50分别由2.33 mg·L-1和0.40mg·L-1降低为1.52 mg·L-1和0.33 mg·L-1;nC60增加了大型溞对Zn2+和Cr6+的摄入,暴露1440 min后体内Zn2+和Cr6+累积量分别由6.52μg·g-1湿重和1.52μg·g-1湿重增加到9.98μg·g-1湿重和3.01μg·g-1湿重;nC60和Zn2+和Cr6+联合作用于大型溞后,大型溞SOD酶活性均呈现出增强的诱导现象,联合作用时诱导作用强于两种物质单独作用。此研究表明:在亚急性浓度下,nC60增强了Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞的毒性,提高了大型溞体内Zn2+和Cr6+的积累,并提高大型溞体内自由基活性。     

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.     

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     

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.     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

Some polyphagous Homoptera gain protection from their natural enemies by feeding on the toxic plantsSpartium junceum andErythrina corallodendrum (Leguminosae)

Summary Interactions were studied among alkaloid-containing legumes (Erythrina corallodendrum andSpartium junceum) and non-toxic plants (Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita moschata andEuphorbia tirucalli), several polyphagous homopterans,Aphis craccivora (Aphididae),Icerya purchasi, I. aegyptiaca (Margarodidae),Lepidosaphes ulmi (Diaspididae) andPlanococcus citri (Pseudococcidae), and some major natural enemies of these homopterans. Significant reductions in survival due to negative effects of alkaloid containing as compared with non-alkaloidal plants were recorded for the predatorsRodolia cardinalis andChilocorus bipustulatus, but not forCryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae),Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) andSympherobius sanctus (Neuroptera: Sympherobiidae). The development time of the larvae or pupae ofR. cardinalis, C. carnea andS. sanctus was longer on the toxic plants than on the non-toxic ones. The percentage of parasitism ofA. craccivora collected from the non-alkaloidal plantsVicia palaestina andMelilotus albus was much higher than that onS. junceum. The parasitoid complexes ofA. craccivora differed between both plant groups. The nutritive value of honeydew ofI. purchasi andA. craccivora, as expressed by the life span ofEncyrtus infelix (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) adults, was also investigated. Life spans were significantly longer when the wasps fed on honeydew produced on non-alkaloidal plants (C. sinensis andPittosporum tobira) than on alkaloid containing plants whenI. purchasi — but notA. craccivora — was the producer. It is suggested that the chemical defense ofE. corallodendrum andS. junceum is exploited by polyphagous phytophages to reduce predation. In nature, population growth and density of four of the investigated homopterans are conspicuously high when they developed on the alkaloid containing plant species, and very low on non-alkaloid plants. The efficiency of their natural enemies may be reduced by sequestration of alkaloids (or other toxic plant compounds) or their transfer into excreted honeydew. Therefore it is assumed that a generalist phytophagous homopteran may be protected from its natural enemies, although at different rates of efficiency, if it can safely sequester the host allelochemical when it develops on toxic species within its host range.