洞庭湖表层沉积物重金属污染状况评估

基于2010—2015年连续对洞庭湖3个主要湖区10个采样点的表层沉积物中Cd、Hg、As、Cu、Pb和Cr等重金属含量分析,对洞庭湖湖区表层沉积物中重金属的时空分布特征进行了探讨,并采用地积累指数法、潜在生态风险指数法和对数衰减模型评价洞庭湖沉积物重金属的污染状况.结果表明,洞庭湖沉积物中重金属平均含量大小顺序为CrPbCuAsCdHg,Cd、Cr和Pb的含量年际变化变幅较大,Hg、Cu和As则较小.地积累指数值(I_(geo))和单因子生态风险值(E_i~r)表明Cd和Hg是洞庭湖沉积物重金属主要污染物;从产生可以观察到毒性效果的最大可能性(P_(max))来看,Cd是洞庭湖沉积物重金属首要潜在水生生物风险毒性因子.综合地累积指数值(I_(tot))、总潜在生态风险值(RI)和预测的水生生物毒性比率(Y)的评价结果表明,在2010—2015年期间全湖重金属呈重度污染,面临重度潜在生态风险并可能具有产生水生生物毒性的风险,其各子湖区重金属的污染程度、潜在生态风险水平及潜在水生生物毒性水平排序为南洞庭湖东洞庭湖西洞庭湖;从随时间的变化趋势来看,在2014—2015年期间全湖及其东洞庭湖和南洞庭湖两个湖区的重金属污染程度、潜在生态风险水平及潜在水生生物毒性水平都要比2010—2013年降低,西洞庭湖区的重金属潜在生态风险水平及潜在水生生物毒性水平没有变化.     

洞庭湖及其入湖口沉积物中重金属的污染特征、来源与生态风险

选择洞庭湖及9个入湖口为研究区,分析了沉积物中Tl、Sb、Hg、Cd、As、Pb、Cu、Ni和Cr等9种重金属的空间分布、来源、污染特征与潜在生态风险.结果表明,入湖口沉积物中各重金属含量在0.08—100 mg·kg~(-1)之间,洞庭湖全湖沉积物中Tl、Sb、Hg、Cd、As、Pb、Cu、Ni和Cr的平均含量分别为背景值的1.47、2.33、5.55、8.30、2.32、2.17、1.98、1.60和1.58倍,其中Cd、Hg、Sb和As的富集程度相对较高.湖体沉积物中Tl、Sb、As、Cu和Cr空间分布表现为南洞庭湖东洞庭湖西洞庭湖;Hg、Cd和Ni空间分布表现为南洞庭湖西洞庭湖东洞庭湖;Pb的空间分布为东洞庭湖南洞庭湖西洞庭湖.来源分析得出东洞庭湖沉积物中重金属主要受湘江来水的影响;南洞庭湖沉积物中重金属受湘江和资江的共同影响;西洞庭湖沉积物中重金属来源较复杂.污染负荷指数法得出:入湖口污染程度(PLI值)大小为S1S2S3S4S8S5S9S6S7;湖体污染程度(PLI_((area))值)大小为南洞庭湖东洞庭湖西洞庭湖.洞庭湖全湖受到强污染(PLI_((area))值2.22),各重金属的污染程度(CF值)大小为CdHgSbAsPbCuNiCrTl.入湖口生态风险大小为S1S2S3S8S4S9S6S5S7;湖体生态风险大小为南洞庭湖东洞庭湖西洞庭湖.洞庭湖全湖生态风险指数为689.3,属"严重"生态风险.各重金属的生态风险大小为CdHgSbTlAsPbCuNiCr,主要风险污染物是Cd和Hg,其次为Sb和Tl.综合研究表明,S1、S2、S13、S14、S15、S19、S20、S22、S24和S25采样区污染严重,已成为"严重"生态风险区域.     

洞庭湖湘江入湖口至出湖口水域表层沉积物中重金属时空分布特征与生态风险

基于2007—2012年连续对洞庭湖湘江入湖口至出湖口水域5个采样点的表层沉积物中Cd、Hg、As、Cu、Pb、Cr和Zn等7种重金属含量分析,对该水域表层沉积物中重金属的时空分布特征进行了探讨,并采用沉积物质量基准法对其生态风险进行了评价.结果表明,Cd、Hg、As、Cu、Pb、Cr和Zn的含量分别为0.54—79.90 mg·kg-1、0.046—0.712 mg·kg-1、15.2—289.0 mg·kg-1、29.0—217.0 mg·kg-1、6.0—246.0 mg·kg-1、65.4—269.0 mg·kg-1和41.4—632.0 mg·kg-1,其大小顺序为ZnCrPbCuAsCdHg;Cd、Hg、As、Cu、Pb和Zn含量沿程总体呈"V"形变化趋势,Cr含量沿程变化较小,重金属含量年际变化较为稳定;As具有较高生态风险,其余污染物具有较低生态风险,不同污染物生态风险的大小顺序为AsCdCrCuPbZnHg,S1和S3具有较高生态风险,其余点位具有较低生态风险,不同点位生态风险的大小顺序为S1S3S5S2S4.     

洞庭湖主要入湖口表层沉积物重金属分布特征与生态风险评价

尽管针对洞庭湖沉积物中重金属的研究工作较多,但缺乏针对其主要入湖口的研究。基于2014年12月和2015年6月对洞庭湖主要入湖口表层沉积物中重金属调查,分析了重金属含量的时空分布特征,并采用一致性沉积物质量基准法对其生态风险进行了评价。结果表明,Cd、Hg、As、Cu、Pb和Zn的平均含量分别为3.27、0.190、27.10、39.8、38.0和157.8 mg·kg-1,其大小顺序为ZnCuPbAsCdHg,Cd和As含量出现超过土壤环境质量三级标准的现象,是主要的重金属污染物。Cd、As、Pb和Zn等4种重金属含量的最高值均出现在湘江入湖口,Cu含量的最高值出现在资水入湖口,Hg含量以沅江入湖口最高,除Pb外,其他5种重金属在湘江和资水入湖口的含量均大于平均值,表明湘江和资水入湖口污染较为严重;汛期与非汛期6种重金属的含量均无显著性差异(P0.05)。6种重金属生态风险大小顺序为AsCdZnPbCuHg,各入湖口生态风险大小顺序为湘江入湖口资水入湖口沅江入湖口汨罗江入湖口澧水入湖口长江"三口"新墙河入湖口,其中湘江和资水入湖口为较高生态风险,其他入湖口为较低生态风险。入湖河流是洞庭湖湖体沉积物重金属污染的主要来源,在一定程度上,入湖河流沉积物中重金属的含量对洞庭湖湖体沉积物中重金属污染状况起着决定性作用,因此,洞庭湖流域重金属污染防控应以入湖河流为主,其中尤以湘江和资水为重点。     

洞庭湖大型底栖动物与表层沉积物重金属研究

目前关于洞庭湖沉积物重金属已经有一定的研究,然而关于洞庭湖底栖动物与沉积物重金属的关系研究还是空白。本通过研究底栖动物与沉积物重金属的相关性,初步筛选出适宜洞庭湖沉积物重金属监测的底栖动物指标。2014年对洞庭湖大型底栖动物和表层沉积物重金属进行了4次调查,共记录底栖动物4门7纲58种,其中寡毛类7种,软体动物28种,水生昆虫19种,线虫(Nematoda sp.)1种,蛭类(Hirudinea sp.)2种,钩虾(Gammaridae sp.)1种。洞庭湖底栖动物平均密度为187.4 ind·m~(-2),软体动物是最主要的类群,占总密度的47.3%,寡毛类和水生昆虫的密度分别为24.1和27.8 ind·m~(-2),分别占总密度的12.9%和14.9%。洞庭湖沉积物重金属污染物主要是As、Cd和Hg,其平均质量分数分别为26.0、2.81和0.18 mg·kg~(-1),分别超过了洞庭湖背景值0.94、11.2和1.57倍,其中As和Cd分别超过了国家土壤环境质量二级标准0.04和3.68倍。内梅罗评价显示湘江和资江入湖口和洞庭湖出口是沉积物重金属污染最严重的地点。寡毛类密度与Pb、Cd、As、内梅罗指数值呈极显著正相关,BI指数与Cr、Pb、Cd呈显著负相关,可以看出寡毛类较为耐受重金属污染。研究表明寡毛类密度和BI指数可以作为洞庭湖表层沉积物重金属污染指示指标。     

粤西三座重要供水水库沉积物营养盐负荷与重金属污染特征

为揭示粤西3座供水水库（高州水库、鹤地水库、大水桥水库）沉积物营养盐负荷及重金属污染特征,于2008年6月在各水库大坝前湖泊区采集柱状沉积物,运用SMT法、碱性过硫酸钾消解法、烧失法和ICP-MS法分别测定其柱状沉积物中氮磷营养盐、有机质和7种重金属（Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd、Ni、Cr与Hg）的含量,并采用潜在生态风险指数法对表层重金属污染的潜在生态风险进行评价,同时通过相关性分析重金属的可能来源。结果表明：3座水库沉积物总氮质量分数为1.13~3.37 mg·g-1,有机质为11.83~20.37 mg·g-1,其表层总氮、有机质的质量分数大小顺序为高州水库〉大水桥水库〉鹤地水库,总磷的质量浓度在0.22~0.77 mg·g-1之间,其表层总磷质量分数大小顺序为高州水库〉鹤地水库〉大水桥水库,在垂直剖面上,总氮、总磷与有机质的质量分数在16 cm至表层沉积物垂直断面显著高于其他断面,表明近些年来水库内源营养盐负荷逐渐加重。重金属质量分数平均值均高于广东省土壤环境背景值,总体呈现随深度增加而降低的趋势,但3座水库间重金属质量分数差异较大,其中鹤地和高州水库的Zn和Pb污染相对严重（质量分数分别为Zn：353.15、693.35 mg·kg-1;Pb：74.51、127.91 mg·kg-1）,大水桥水库的Cr和Ni污染相对严重（质量分数分别为Cr：238.69 mg·kg-1;Ni：251.06 mg·kg-1）。潜在生态风险评价表明,3座水库Cd和Hg具有高的生态危害,应引起重视,其他重金属则处于轻微的生态危害等级。同时沉积物高有机质的质量浓度经矿化分解可能加剧水体重金属生态危害。根据相关性分析和其他相关资料可知,粤西农业区大量化肥农药面源污染汇入造成水库初级生产力提高并最终沉降可能是沉积物营养盐、有机质与重金属的主要来源。     

厦门市水体表层沉积物重金属污染生态风险分析

沉积物是水环境的基本组成部分,其重金属含量常被作为水环境质量的重要指标之一。以厦门市为例探讨了不同城市化区域水体表层沉积物中重金属的分布特征,并采用沉积物地累积指数、Hakanson潜在生态风险指数等方法对重金属Zn、Pb、Cu、Cd、Cr、As、Hg进行环境风险评估。研究结果表明,厦门水体表层沉积物中Zn、Pb、Cu、Cd、Cr、As、Hg的含量分别为182.2、63.7、31.3、0.19、67.9、10.4、0.11 mg/kg,空间分布呈现出从城市远郊区到中心城区显著增加的趋势;依照地累积指数评价结果显示：7种重金属的污染程度顺序依次为：Hg（Pb（Zn（Cu（Cd（As（Cr;采用Hakanson提出的潜在生态危害指数法,获得厦门市主要水库重金属生态风险构成危害的顺序：Hg（Cd（Pb（As（Cu（Zn（Cr;水体表层沉积物中重金属污染水平与区域城市化水平在一定时期内呈正相关关系,这为我国快速城市化发展过程中水环境恶化问题的改善提出了警示。     

东洞庭湖及其入湖口水域表层沉积物中重金属的分布特征与生态风险

为了解东洞庭湖及其入湖口表层沉积物中TI、Sb等重金属的污染特征,对9个采样断面表层沉积物中TI、Sb、Hg、Cd、As、Pb、Cu、Ni、Co、Cr、V、Mn和Zn等13种重金属的含量、空间分布特征、来源进行了分析,并对其生态风险进行了评价。研究结果表明,沉积物中13种重金属的平均质量分数在0.180~762 mg·kg~(-1)之间,其质量分数大小为MnZnVCrPbCuNiAsCoCdSbTIHg。湘江(S1)和汨罗江(S2)入湖口以及鹿角(S4)、东洞庭湖(S6)、岳阳楼(S7)和洞庭湖出口(S9)表层沉积物中重金属污染较严重,各重金属具有相同的来源或产生了复合污染。第一主成分(PC1)主要源于湘江和汨罗江来水,湘江起主导作用;V主要源于湖区周边污染。地累积指数评价得出:沉积物中各重金属的污染程度顺序为CdHgPbAs=ZnSbVCuMnTICoNiCr,整个研究区(I_(tot)=5.74)面临严重污染。潜在生态风险指数(E_r~i)表明各重金属的生态风险大小为CdHgSbTIAsPbCuNiCoVCrZnMn;沉积物中13种重金属的RI值介于217.9~1968之间,平均值为555.1,整个研究区属"重度"生态风险,主要风险污染物为Cd和Hg,其次为TI和Sb。各采样点的生态风险大小顺序为S1S6S9S7S4S2S5(扁山)S8(大小西湖)S3(新墙河)。研究表明,湘江入湖口(S1)面临"严重"生态风险,鹿角(S4)至洞庭湖出口(S9)水域面临"重度"生态风险,S1、S4、S6、S7和S9已成为了潜在生态风险区域。     

大型垃圾焚烧厂周边土壤重金属含量水平、空间分布、来源及潜在生态风险评价

通过采集珠三角东部某市大型垃圾焚烧厂周边表层土壤样品,分析了各样品中Cd、Pb、Hg、As、Cr、Cu、Ni、Zn和Co等9种重金属含量,研究了重金属的含量水平、空间分布、来源及潜在生态风险。结果表明,研究范围内表层土壤重金属含量分别为Cd(0.183±0.07)mg·kg-1、Pb(34.8±18.7)mg·kg-1、Hg(0.081±0.028)mg·kg-1、As(11.5±9.1)mg·kg-1、Cr(31.5±19.1)mg·kg-1、Cu(17.6±12.3)mg·kg-1、Ni(7.13±4.20)mg·kg-1、Zn(82.4±44.2)mg·kg-1、Co(3.37±3.08)mg·kg-1。其中,Hg和Zn的含量分别超出广东省土壤历史背景值1倍和2倍,其余重金属含量与背景值相差不大。综合空间分布特征分析、相关性分析、聚类分析和主成分分析的结果,可以将9种重金属分为4类。Cr、Ni、Cu、Co的分布特征极为相似,且相互之间有极显著相关性,结合聚类分析和主成分分析结果,其来源主要为土壤母质。As、Zn、Pb的空间分布特征具有一定相似性,但相关性分析和聚类分析显示元素间联系不紧密,结合主成分分析结果,其来源与土壤母质和多种人类活动污染有关。Cd和Hg的空间分布特征均显示这两种重金属与垃圾焚烧厂存在联系,Cd与垃圾焚烧厂存在一定联系,而Hg与垃圾焚烧厂存在较强联系。潜在生态风险评价结果显示,该研究区域土壤重金属生态风险不高,多种重金属的综合潜在生态风险指数(RI)的范围为51~269.79,Hg和Cd对RI的贡献率相对较大,分别为52.33%和18.30%。研究表明,垃圾焚烧厂周边表层土壤Hg具有独特的环境污染特征,在垃圾焚烧厂周边的土壤重金属污染调查中,Hg污染应受到重点关注。     

莱州湾表层沉积物中重金属时空分布、污染来源及风险评价

运用污染风险评价标准和方法研究了2010年5月(春)、8月(夏)、10月(秋)和12月(冬)莱州湾表层沉积物中7种重金属污染物的时空分布特征、来源及生态风险。结果表明,表层沉积物中Cr、Zn和Pb含量均呈现春季低于其他季节特征,秋季Hg含量是其他季节的4倍,Cu、As和Pb含量无显著季节差异。表层沉积物中Cr、Cu、Zn、As和Cd最高值出现在莱州湾中部及小清河河口等西部水域,来源呈现受自然作用影响较大的特征;而Hg和Pb最高值出现在龙口和界河河口等东部水域,来源呈现受周边工业污染物的人为排放影响较大的特征。基于地理累积指数、生态效应浓度以及Hakanson潜在生态风险指数的综合评价表明,13%~29%的研究区域的表层沉积物受到轻微程度的Cd、Hg和Pb污染,Cd和Hg高值水域达到中等生态风险程度;Hg和As在65%~68%的研究区域的表层沉积物中达到可能对沉积物底质环境及生物群落产生不利生态影响水平。基于对重金属污染物的评价结果,莱州湾表层沉积物质量较好,局部区域存在Hg、Pb、Cd和As的潜在污染风险。     

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.     

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.