五氯硝基苯对小鼠脑AChE的影响及多器官氧化损伤研究

测定五氯硝基苯(PCNB)对小鼠脑乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)的影响及多器官的氧化损伤作用.对昆明种小鼠采用灌胃法进行200,400和600 mg·kg-1三个剂量染毒,每日一次,分别于染毒4,8,12和16d测定AChE活性、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和脂质过氧化(LPO)产物丙二醛(MDA)的含量.结果表明:(1)小鼠脑AChE活性受到抑制,并表现为明显的时间和剂量依赖性;(2)肝、肾CAT活性变化显著,脂质过氧化作用明显;(3)高剂量毒物在染毒16d时对脾脏脂质过氧化作用明显增强;(4)脑和血清CAT活性随染毒时间延长先升高后降低,脂质过氧化作用不明显.PCNB对小鼠可能具有神经毒性,对肝、肾脏的氧化损伤作用较强.     

嘧磺隆对农作物的毒性及残效危害研究

利用盆栽试验研究了不同质量浓度嘧磺隆对大白菜、小麦的毒性及其残效危害。结果表明，嘧磺隆对大白菜和小麦均可产生明显毒害症状，生物学指标明显劣于对照；嘧磺隆可降低大白菜和小麦叶绿素含量，并使叶片细胞膜和原生质遭到破坏，导致叶片浸出液电导率增大；当嘧磺隆质量浓度为0．01mg／L时，对大白菜的产量有品著影响，可使产量降低51．1％；嘧磺隆质量浓度大于0．1mg／L时，其残效对后茬作物有毒害作用，而质量浓度小于0．01mg／L时则没有明显影响；在小麦返青期用质量浓度大于0．01mg／L的嘧磺隆处理时，小麦受到不同程度的危害，当质量浓度增大到0．1mg／L时，小麦生物学产量则显著下降。     

盐酸小檗碱对小鼠脾细胞的DNA损伤和氧化性损伤

为了探讨盐酸小檗碱对小鼠的DNA损伤和氧化性损伤.随机选取30只小鼠分成对照组以及7.5,15,30,60与120mg· kg-1实验组,处理后,应用小鼠脾细胞进行彗星实验与抗氧化酶实验.测定DNA损伤情况以及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性以及丙二醛(MDA)含量变化.对盐酸小檗碱的DNA损伤与氧化性损伤作用进行比较研究.研究结果表明:彗星实验中,随着盐酸小檗碱浓度的增加,尾部DNA含量、尾长与尾矩均增加,与阴性对照组相比差异有统计学意义(p ＜0.05或p＜0.01),且呈剂量-效应关系;超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)与过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性随盐酸小檗碱剂量增加逐渐降低,丙二醛(MDA)含量明显上升,过氧化物酶(POD)活性在7.5 mg·kg-1时上升,而后逐渐下降.在60 mg·kg-1和120 mg· kg-1时,有极显著性差异(p＜0.01)产生.由此可见,盐酸小檗碱对小鼠脾细胞有一定的损伤作用,能够引起小鼠脾细胞的DNA损伤和氧化性损伤.     

邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯致神经细胞氧化损伤

为探究邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯(butyl benzyl phthalate,BBP)对小鼠神经的毒性作用,进行了小鼠体外毒理学研究。首先用不同浓度的邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯染毒神经模型细胞—N2a神经瘤细胞,通过噻唑蓝比色法(MTT),Hoechst 33258染色实验评价邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯的细胞毒效应;通过对染毒细胞氧自由基(ROS)、丙二醛(MDA)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量的检测来探究BBP对小鼠神经瘤细胞的氧化损伤效应。随着BBP浓度的不断增高,细胞的MTT值逐渐变小,当BBP的浓度达到10 g·L-1时,MTT实验结果与对照组出现显著性差异;Hoechst 33258染色结果显示:高浓度的BBP导致细胞核呈现出不规则状态,出现了凋亡小体;随着BBP染毒浓度的升高N2a细胞中的ROS水平和MDA含量逐渐上升,分别在0.16 g·L-1和10 g·L-1开始与对照组相比出现了显著性的差异(p0.05);而GSH系数呈现下降趋势,在0.32 g·L-1时开始出现显著性差异(p0.05)。实验结果表明高浓度的邻苯二甲酸丁基苄酯可以导致神经瘤细胞的凋亡,并产生氧化损伤效应。     

锌胁迫下宽叶山蒿的耐性与富集特征

采用室内盆栽试验研究宽叶山蒿(Artemisia stolonifera)在Zn胁迫条件下的耐性和富集特征.结果表明,当w(Zn)≤500 mg·kg-1时,宽叶山蒿株高、根长和生物量均先随土壤中Zn浓度的升高而增加,之后则随Zn浓度的升高,Zn对宽叶山蒿的胁迫作用渐趋明显.与对照相比,当w(Zn)为1 500～3 500 ng·kg-1时,宽叶山蒿根部POD活性显著增大,当w(Zn)为3 500 mg·kg-1时,根部CAT活性显著增大;而叶片POD和CAT活性整体变化较不明显.宽叶山蒿根部和地上部w(Zn)最大值分别为999和3214mg·kg-1,对Zn的最大富集量分别为3.40和17.33 mg·盆-1.宽叶山蒿地上部对Zn的富集系数和迁移系数分别为0.26～0.82和0.65 ～1.05.可见,宽叶山蒿是一种对Zn具有较强耐性和富集潜力的植物,可用于Zn污染土壤的修复.     

溴化1-十四烷基-3-甲基咪唑对小鼠的肝脏毒性及其作用机制

研究离子液体溴化1-十四烷基-3-甲基咪唑盐([C₁₄mim]Br)对小鼠的肝脏毒性及其作用机制。实验设立3个剂量的染毒组(1/16 LD₅₀、1/8 LD₅₀、1/4 LD₅₀)和1个空白对照组,考察昆明种小鼠染毒14 d后,[C₁₄mim]Br对小鼠血清生化指标、肝脏抗氧化酶活性及脂质过氧化产物的影响,并观察肝脏组织的病理变化。与对照组相比,小鼠染毒后,血清中ALT、AST、DBIL和γ-GT明显升高;肝组织受到不同程度的损伤,HSI增大,蛋白质含量降低。当染毒剂量为1/4 LD₅₀时,肝脏中SOD活性和GSH-Px活性显著降低,MDA的含量则明显增加。实验结果表明,[C₁₄mim]Br可损伤小鼠的肝脏功能,破坏机体的抗氧化防御系统,造成氧化损伤和脂质过氧化。     

增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯致小鼠肺细胞氧化损伤作用的研究

为研究增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯(diisononyl phthalate,DINP)对小鼠肺组织的氧化损伤作用,以昆明小鼠为受试动物,随机分为5组,包括1个阴性对照组(生理盐水)和4个DINP染毒组(0.2、2、20和200 mg·kg~(-1)),灌胃14 d。光镜下发现小鼠肺组织形态随染毒剂量的增加,小鼠肺细胞的病理损伤越严重。随着DINP染毒剂量的增加,肺组织匀浆活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)、丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量和肺组织细胞DNA-蛋白质交联(DNA-protein crosslink,DPC)系数逐渐上升,还原型谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)含量逐渐降低,各指标呈一定的剂量-效应关系。染毒剂量为20 mg·kg~(-1)时,ROS和MDA含量差异有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01);染毒剂量为200 mg·kg~(-1)时,上述指标差异均有统计学意义(P0.01)。结果表明,较高剂量(≥20 mg·kg~(-1))的DINP能造成小鼠肺组织的氧化损伤和病理损伤。     

盐酸小檗碱对小鼠脾细胞的DNA损伤和氧化性损伤研究

为了探讨盐酸小檗碱对小鼠的DNA损伤和氧化性损伤。随机选取30只小鼠分成对照组以及7.5,15,30,60与120 mg?kg^-1实验组,处理后,应用小鼠脾细胞进行彗星实验与抗氧化酶实验。测定DNA损伤情况以及超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）、过氧化物酶（POD）活性以及丙二醛（MDA）含量变化。对盐酸小檗碱的DNA损伤与氧化性损伤作用进行比较研究。研究结果表明：彗星实验中,随着盐酸小檗碱浓度的增加,尾部DNA含量、尾长与尾矩均增加,与阴性对照组相比差异有统计学意义（p<0.05或p<0.01）,且呈剂量-效应关系;超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)与过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性随盐酸小檗碱剂量增加逐渐降低,丙二醛(MDA)含量明显下降,过氧化物酶(POD)活性在7.5 mg?kg^-1时上升,而后逐渐下降。在60 mg?kg^-1和120 mg?kg^-1时,有极显著性差异（p<0.01）产生。由此可见,盐酸小檗碱对小鼠脾细胞有一定的损伤作用,能够引起小鼠脾细胞的DNA损伤和氧化性损伤。     

邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯致小鼠肾组织氧化损伤的研究

邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯是一种新型替代增塑剂,对其毒性研究已受到广泛关注。为探究邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯对肾组织的氧化损伤作用,将昆明小鼠随机分为5组,包括1个阴性对照组、4个邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯染毒组,按0.5、5、50和500 mg·kg-1四个剂量水平灌胃染毒14天。制备小鼠肾组织切片进行病理学观察,以肾组织匀浆测定活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)、还原型谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)、丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)和8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine,8-OHd G)的含量,以肾组织细胞悬液测定DNA-蛋白质交联(DNA-protein Crosslink,DPC)系数。随着邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯染毒剂量的升高,小鼠肾组织的损伤程度加重,ROS、MDA、8-OHd G含量和DPC系数逐渐上升,GSH含量逐渐降低,各指标均呈一定剂量-效应关系。染毒剂量为5 mg·kg-1时,ROS、DPC系数差异有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01);染毒剂量为50 mg·kg-1和500 mg·kg-1时,ROS、GSH、8-OHd G、MDA含量和DPC系数差异均有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01)。结果表明较高剂量(≥50 mg·kg-1)邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯可造成小鼠肾组织氧化损伤。     

水胺硫磷亚急性暴露对小鼠肝脏氧化应激的影响

为探讨水胺硫磷对小鼠肝脏损伤作用机制,设置0.11、1.08、2.16 mg·kg-13个低、中、高不同剂量组,以灌胃方式对昆明种小鼠进行染毒7 d后,测定小鼠肝脏组织超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)2种抗氧化酶的活性,以及抗氧化物质谷胱甘肽(GSH)和膜脂质过氧化物丙二醛(MDA)含量,同时观察肝脏的组织学变化。结果表明,除低剂量组外,中、高剂量组小鼠肝脏SOD和GSH-Px活性与对照组相比均受到显著抑制(P0.05),GSH的含量与对照组相比显著下降(P0.05),MDA含量与对照组相比却呈显著上升趋势(P0.01),同时各指标的变化均呈一定的剂量-效应关系。组织学观察显示中、高剂量组肝细胞出现明显水肿和坏死,肝窦狭窄甚至闭塞。结果表明氧化损伤可能是水胺硫磷致小鼠肝脏毒性损伤的作用机制之一。     

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.