丙烯腈诱导的氧化应激对大鼠肝脏内质网应激信号通路的影响

为探讨丙烯腈(acrylonitrile,ACN)诱导的大鼠肝脏氧化损伤对内质网应激(endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS)信号通路的影响,我们将50只SPF级成年雄性SD大鼠按体重随机分为5组,每组10只。各组分别以12.5、25.0、50.0 mg·kg~(-1)ACN灌胃染毒,N-乙酰半胱氨酸(N-acetylcysteine,NAC)干预组先用300.0 mg·kg~(-1)NAC灌胃30 min后再灌50.0 mg·kg~(-1)ACN,对照组以0.5 mL·(100 g)~(-1)的玉米油灌胃,1次·天~(-1),6天·周~(-1),共计13周。染毒结束后,检测肝脏组织氧化还原酶活力及丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量,GRP78、CHOP及caspase-12 mRNA及蛋白表达水平。结果显示:低、中ACN组大鼠肝脏GSH含量显著低于对照组(P0.05);低ACN组大鼠肝脏GSH-Px活力、SOD活力及MDA含量均显著高于对照组(P0.05);中、高ACN组大鼠肝脏CAT活力明显低于对照组(P0.05)。NAC干预后可逆转ACN诱导的大鼠肝脏GSH含量、MDA含量及SOD活力的变化。RT-PCR结果显示,高ACN组大鼠肝脏GRP78、CHOP、caspase-12 mRNA表达水平与对照组比较均升高(P0.05)。NAC干预后,CHOP、caspase-12 mRNA表达水平与高ACN组比较均降低(P0.05)。Western Blot结果显示,高ACN组大鼠肝脏GRP78、CHOP、caspase-12蛋白表达水平与对照组比较均升高(P0.05),NAC干预后可逆转以上作用。结果表明,ACN慢性染毒对大鼠肝脏的氧化损伤可激活ERS信号通路,NAC可减轻氧化损伤的程度而阻断ERS信号通路,这可能是ACN产生肝脏毒性的机制之一。     

BDE-47对人胚肾细胞HEK293的毒理效应及作用机制

2,2’,4,4’-四溴联苯醚(BDE-47)是生物体中含量最高且毒性最强的PBDEs之一,有关BDE-47对肾细胞的毒性及其作用机制的研究仍有待补充。选取3个剂量组(低:10-6mol·L-1、中:10-5mol·L-1、高:10-4mol·L-1)及溶剂对照组,研究了BDE-47对人胚肾细胞(HEK293)的细胞凋亡率及活性氧(ROS)水平的影响;并从分子水平对细胞氧化损伤、凋亡相关蛋白(APE1及p53)及凋亡相关基因m RNA(p53、Bax、Caspase 3、Caspase 8)的表达量进行测定。实验结果显示:与对照组相比,中、高剂量组细胞凋亡率显著增加(P0.05);ROS水平在中剂量组显著上升(P0.01);随BDE-47浓度的变化,APE1蛋白表达量与细胞ROS水平存在一致性;p53、Bax、Caspase 8 m RNA表达量与BDE-47的浓度间存在剂量-效应关系。结果表明,BDE-47可诱导HEK293细胞凋亡及氧化应激,APE1可能是细胞ROS升高与细胞凋亡间重要的中介因子;BDE-47可以通过影响Caspase 8及线粒体途径中p53及Bax的表达诱导细胞凋亡。     

淡水双壳类背角无齿蚌AwHSP70基因克隆及多溴联苯醚-47对其表达的影响

热休克蛋白(HSP)参与蛋白质折叠、细胞膜转位和错误折叠蛋白质降解等过程,提高动物对环境的应激能力和适应能力。前期研究表明,多溴联苯醚-47(PBDE-47)对背角无齿蚌具有显著的氧化应激和急性毒性效应,为探讨PBDE-47慢性毒性效应;将背角无齿蚌随机分为对照组和PBDE-47处理组,处理组用3.36μg·L~(-1)浓度的PBDE-47进行处理,对照组用相同体积的二甲亚砜进行处理;克隆出AwHSP70基因,分析PBDE-47对AwHSP70表达的影响。结果显示,AwHSP70具有HSP70家族的标签序列,广泛分布于斧足、鳃、肝胰脏、闭壳肌、心脏、血淋巴和外套膜。PBDE-47处理可导致肝胰脏、鳃和血细胞中AwHSP70 mRNA水平显著升高。与对照组相比,PBDE-47处理组肝胰脏中AwHSP70 mRNA水平在1～15 d内增加2. 79倍(P<0.01)以上;鳃中AwHSP70 mRNA水平增加3.06倍(P<0.01)以上;血淋巴中AwHSP70表达增加1.81倍(P<0.05)以上。背角无齿蚌上调AwHSP70表达有助于增强动物对PBDE-47的耐受能力。     

背角无齿蚌过氧化氢酶基因的克隆及多溴联苯醚对其转录的影响

过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)是一种广泛存在于各种原核生物和真核生物体内的活性酶,可以将H2O2分解为H2O和O2。为了探讨多溴联苯醚PBDE-47和PBDE-209对背角无齿蚌的胁迫效应,克隆出AwCAT全基因序列,分析PBDE-47和PBDE-209对AwCAT表达的影响。背角无齿蚌AwCAT cDNA全长由1 784个核苷酸组成,开放阅读框包含1 536 bp核苷酸,编码512个氨基酸。AwCAT包含CAT家族高度保守催化位点序列(61FDRERIPERVVHAKGAGA77)和血红素配体信号序列(351RLFSYSDTH358) 2个特征性标签序列。与对照组相比,在6.25、12.5、25、50和100μg·L~(-1)的PBDE-47处理组中,AwCAT mRNA水平分别增加了66.66%(P0.05)、1.35倍(P0.05)、1.54倍(P0.05)、1.97倍(P0.01)和2.39倍(P0.01)以上;在10、20、40、80和160μg·L~(-1)的PBDE-209处理组中,AwCAT mRNA水平分别增加了7.84%、35.38%、61.53%(P0.05)、1.03倍(P0.05)和1.09倍(P0.05)以上。与对照组相比,PBDE-47处理后鳃中AwCAT mRNA水平显著升高; PBDE-209处理后鳃中AwCAT mRNA水平增加了85.71%(P0.05)以上。以上结果表明,PBDE-47和PBDE-209处理对背角无齿蚌AwCAT表达具有明显的诱导作用,有助于提高机体对H_2O_2的清除能力和抗氧化能力。     

重金属Cd~(2+)对土壤跳虫Folsomia candida金属硫蛋白mRNA转录水平诱导的研究

目前国内普遍采用传统种群和群落指标特征来进行重金属污染对土壤跳虫的研究。在国内首次通过添加不同浓度重金属镉(Cd~(2+))酵母喂食土壤跳虫室内实验种群白符跳(Folsomia candida),对白符跳体内金属硫蛋白(Metallothionein,MT)进行诱导,并采用实时荧光聚合酶链式反应(real-time fluorescent polymerase chain reaction,Real-time PCR)方法,测定其体内MT信使核糖核酸(m RNA)量的变化,从而判断Cd~(2+)诱导作用下MT表达量的变化。结果表明:Cd~(2+)染毒酵母饲料喂食28 d后,处理组与对照组(0 mg·kg~(-1) Cd~(2+))白符跳体内MT基因m RNA转录水平存在差异,MT表达量随Cd~(2+)处理水平的升高而显著上升。在浓度范围探测试验中,1 000 mg·kg~(-1) Cd~(2+)处理组和100 mg·kg~(-1) Cd~(2+)处理组的MT m RNA转录水平分别是对照组的9 355.53倍和731.13倍;在浓度梯度试验中,500 mg·kg~(-1) Cd~(2+)处理组的MT m RNA水平分别是对照组、12.5 mg·kg~(-1)和250 mg·kg~(-1)处理组的456.54、296.26和7.05倍,250 mg·kg~(-1)和12.5 mg·kg~(-1)处理组的MT m RNA水平分别是对照的64.78倍和1.54倍。这些结果说明:土壤弹尾纲白符跳体内金属硫蛋白m RNA转录水平能够被环境中的Cd~(2+)所诱导,并与之呈正相关关系。以此推测,土壤弹尾虫体内金属硫蛋白m RNA转录水平可作为评价土壤Cd~(2+)污染的潜在生物标志物特征。     

内质网应激在PFOS致大鼠肝损伤中的作用

通过全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)28 d大鼠经口染毒评价PFOS肝损伤效应,探讨内质网应激在PFOS毒效应中的作用。Wistar大鼠随机分组,分别以0 mg·kg~(-1)、5 mg·kg~(-1)和10 mg·kg~(-1)PFOS灌胃染毒28 d。HE染色观察大鼠肝脏形态改变。ELISA法测定各组丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)和淀粉酶(AMY)含量变化。紫外分光光度法测定肝组织匀浆中丙二醛(MDA)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性变化。RT-PCR检测肝脏内质网应激标志蛋白表达水平。结果表明,PFOS造成大鼠体重降低、肝重增高(P0.05),组织切片显示肝细胞出现脂质沉积。PFOS不同剂量组大鼠ALT随暴露浓度增加,分别为(50.96±10.02)U·L~(-1)、(71.73±11.55)U·L~(-1),显著高于对照组(P0.05),AST、ALP含量与对照组相比显著上升(P0.05),高剂量组AMY水平为(833.46±63.05)U·L~(-1),与对照组相比显著降低(P0.05)。GSH-Px和SOD水平随PFOS浓度增加出现了显著降低(P0.05),而MDA水平显著升高(P0.05)。内质网应激标志蛋白表达均较对照组显著上升(P0.05)。以上结果说明PFOS可导致大鼠肝细胞损伤,其机制可能与内质网应激调控有关。     

多溴联苯醚胁迫下鲫鱼肝脏微粒体CYP3A1和GST的响应

以鲫鱼Carassius auratus Linn.为试验鱼类,研究了其暴露于不同质量浓度的2,2',4,4'-四溴联苯醚(PBDE-47)和十溴联苯醚(PBDE-209)后鱼肝微粒体中CYP3A1和GST酶活性的动态变化.结果表明,鲫鱼在0.10～5.00 mg·L-1的PBDE-47和5.00～50.0 mg·L-1的PBDE-209中暴露15 d后,除0.10 mg·L-1PBDE-47、5.00 mg·L-1和10.0 mg·L-1PBDE-209试验组外,其余各试验组的鱼肝微粒体中CYP3A1被诱导,呈显著的剂量.效应关系.CYP3A1的活性随着作用时间的延续而上升,到试验第15天时达到最高,但上升速率最快的阶段为试验的第0-5天.而GST酶则表现出不同的特点,呈先升高后降低的趋势.经过15 d试验,除0.10 mg·L-1PBDE.47和5.00 mg·L-1PBDE-209以外的各试验组鲫鱼肝脏微粒体中的GST活性仅为对照组的12.74%～85.35%,表明PBDEs已对鱼体肝脏GST产生了较为严重的影响.研究表明,鱼类肝脏微粒体中CYP3A1和GST酶可作为污染生物标志物来评价PBDEs的早期污染毒理效应.     

DEHP对小鼠精原细胞Bax和Bcl-2表达水平的影响

邻苯二甲酸(2-乙基己基)酯(di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate,DEHP)因在环境中的广泛分布而受到普遍关注。为探究DEHP对雄性生殖细胞的毒作用机制,将小鼠精原细胞(GC-1spd)分别暴露于终浓度为0(对照)、10、100、1 000 mg·L~(-1)DEHP的培养基中培养24 h,采用噻唑兰(MTT)法检测细胞相对活力,流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡情况,实时荧光定量PCR法检测Bax和Bcl-2m RNA的表达情况及Western blot技术检测Bax和Bcl-2蛋白的表达水平。结果显示:在检测细胞相对活力时,1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组明显低于其他各剂量组,100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组低于对照组和10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组(P<0.05);在检测细胞凋亡时,1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组早期凋亡率高于对照组(P<0.05);晚期凋亡率1 000 mg·L~(-1)和100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组均明显高于对照组,1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组高于10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组(P<0.05);总凋亡率呈现明显上升趋势,其中1 000 mg·L~(-1)和100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组明显高于对照组,1 000mg·L~(-1)剂量组还明显高于10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组(P<0.05)。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果显示:Bax m RNA表达水平1 000 mg·L~(-1)和100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组明显高于对照组,1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组与10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组比较差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);Bcl-2 m RNA表达水平1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组低于10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组和对照组(P<0.05)。此外,Bax和Bcl-2 m RNA比值1 000 mg·L~(-1)和100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组均明显高于对照组,1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组高于10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组(P<0.05)。Western blot结果显示,Bax蛋白表达水平1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组高于对照组(P<0.05);Bcl-2蛋白表达水平各剂量组与对照组相比差异均具有统计学意义,且1 000mg·L~(-1)和100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组明显低于10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组和对照组(P<0.05);此外,Bax/Bcl-2两蛋白比值1 000 mg·L~(-1)和100 mg·L~(-1)剂量组明显高于对照组,而1 000 mg·L~(-1)剂量组高于10 mg·L~(-1)剂量组(P<0.05)。结果表明:DEHP可诱导小鼠精原细胞相对活力下降,通过抑制Bcl-2 m RNA和Bcl-2蛋白表达及促进Bax m RNA和Bax蛋白表达实现诱导精原细胞凋亡。     

丙烯腈暴露对大鼠脑组织损伤及iNOS/p38 MAPK信号通路关键蛋白表达的影响

通过探究iNOS/p38 MAPK信号通路在丙烯腈(acrylonitrile,ACN)诱导脑组织损伤中的作用,为进一步研究ACN的神经毒性作用提供依据。选取50只SPF级健康成年雄性SD大鼠,随机分为5组,每组10只。适应性饲养一周后,以12.5、25.0、50.0 mg·kg~(-1)ACN对大鼠进行灌胃染毒,对照组给予玉米油,另设NAC组(300.0 mg·kg~(-1)NAC+50.0 mg·kg~(-1)ACN),1次·天~(-1),6天·周~(-1),共染毒13周。次日称重并处死大鼠,测定大鼠脑组织NO含量、总NOS水平及iNOS、p-p38和p38蛋白表达水平。结果显示,ACN各剂量组大鼠脑组织脏器系数与对照组比较均显著降低(P0.05),高剂量组大鼠脑脏器系数与NAC组比较降低(P0.05)。高剂量组NO含量和总NOS水平显著高于对照组,与NAC组比较,高剂量组NO含量降低(P0.05),总NOS水平升高(P0.05)。Western blot结果显示,ACN高剂量组大鼠脑组织iNOS、p-p38蛋白表达水平和p-p38/p38比值显著高于对照组和NAC组(P0.05)。ACN可激活iNOS/p38MAPK信号通路,这可能是ACN致大鼠脑组织损伤的机制之一。     

口服纳米银对大鼠的生物有效性及其体内分布的研究

由于独特的抗菌特性,纳米银(AgNP)在诸多领域得到广泛应用,但是其生物有效性、动物组织分布及排出尚不清楚。将聚乙烯吡咯烷酮包被的AgNP溶液按照10 mg·kg~(-1)给雌性SD大鼠灌胃,采用ICP-MS检测SD大鼠组织、粪便及尿液中总银浓度。结果表明,AgNP通过小肠吸收后,可以通过血液循环快速分布在肝、肾、脾、肺、脑等靶器官。灌胃后1 h,大鼠各组织中总银浓度达到最大值(肝、肾、脾、肺、脑中银浓度分别为(0.29±0.13)mg·kg~(-1)、(0.23±0.04)mg·kg~(-1)、(0.17±0.05)mg·kg~(-1)、(0.11±0.01)mg·kg~(-1)、(0.06±0.02)mg·kg~(-1)),之后银浓度随时间而降低,直至和对照组无显著性差异。在灌胃途径下,AgNP对SD大鼠的有效性为8.5%,且73%的AgNP是通过粪便的途径排出体外。     

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     

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.     

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.     

Effects of Controlled Fire and Livestock Grazing on Bird Communities in East African Savannas

Abstract: In East Africa fire and grazing by wild and domestic ungulates maintain savannas, and pastoralists historically set fires and herded livestock through the use of temporary corrals called bomas. In recent decades traditional pastoral practices have declined, and this may be affecting biodiversity. We investigated the effects of prescribed fires and bomas on savanna bird communities in East Africa during the first and second dry seasons of the year (respectively before and after the rains that mark the onset of breeding for most birds). We compared abundance, richness, and community composition on 9‐ha burned plots, recently abandoned bomas, and control plots in the undisturbed matrix habitat over a 3‐year period. Generally, recently burned areas and abandoned bomas attracted greater densities of birds and had different community assemblages than the surrounding matrix. The effects of disturbances were influenced by interactions between primary productivity, represented by the normalized difference vegetation index, and time. Bird densities were highest and a greater proportion of species was observed on burned plots in the months following the fires. Drought conditions equalized bird densities across treatments within 1 year, and individuals from a greater proportion of species were more commonly observed on abandoned bomas. Yearly fluctuations in abundance were less pronounced on bomas than on burns, which indicate that although fire may benefit birds in the short term, bomas may have a more‐lasting positive effect and provide resources during droughts. Several Palearctic migrants were attracted to burned plots regardless of rainfall, which indicates continued fire suppression may threaten their already‐declining populations. Most notably, the paucity of birds observed on the controls suggests that the current structure of the matrix developed as a result of fire suppression. Traditional pastoralism appears critical to the maintenance of avian diversity in these savannas.     

Effects of Coffee Management on Deforestation Rates and Forest Integrity

Knowledge about how forest margins are utilized can be crucial for a general understanding of changes in forest cover, forest structure, and biodiversity across landscapes. We studied forest‐agriculture transitions in southwestern Ethiopia and hypothesized that the presence of coffee (Coffea arabica)decreases deforestation rates because of coffee's importance to local economies and its widespread occurrence in forests and forest margins. Using satellite images and elevation data, we compared changes in forest cover over 37 years (1973–2010) across elevations in 2 forest‐agriculture mosaic landscapes (1100 km² around Bonga and 3000 km² in Goma‐Gera). In the field in the Bonga area, we determined coffee cover and forest structure in 40 forest margins that differed in time since deforestation. Both the absolute and relative deforestation rates were lower at coffee‐growing elevations compared with at higher elevations (?10/20% vs. ?40/50% comparing relative rates at 1800 m asl and 2300–2500 m asl, respectively). Within the coffee‐growing elevation, the proportion of sites with high coffee cover (>20%) was significantly higher in stable margins (42% of sites that had been in the same location for the entire period) than in recently changed margins (0% of sites where expansion of annual crops had changed the margin). Disturbance level and forest structure did not differ between sites with 30% or 3% coffee. However, a growing body of literature on gradients of coffee management in Ethiopia reports coffee's negative effects on abundances of forest‐specialist species. Even if the presence of coffee slows down the conversion of forest to annual‐crop agriculture, there is a risk that an intensification of coffee management will still threaten forest biodiversity, including the genetic diversity of wild coffee. Conservation policy for Ethiopian forests thus needs to develop strategies that acknowledge that forests without coffee production may have higher deforestation risks than forests with coffee production and that forests with coffee production often have lower biodiversity value. Efectos de la Administración Cafetalera sobre las Tasas de Deforestación y la Integridad de los Bosques     

What Every Conservation Biologist Should Know about Economic Theory

Abstract: The last century has seen the ascendance of a core economic model, which we will refer to as Walrasian economics. This model is driven by the psychological assumptions that humans act only in a self‐referential and narrowly rational way and that production can be described as a self‐contained circular flow between firms and households. These assumptions have critical implications for the way economics is used to inform conservation biology. Yet the Walrasian model is inconsistent with a large body of empirical evidence about actual human behavior, and it violates a number of basic physical laws. Research in behavioral science and neuroscience shows that humans are uniquely social animals and not self‐centered rational economic beings. Economic production is subject to physical laws including the laws of thermodynamics and mass balance. In addition, some contemporary economic theory, spurred by exciting new research in human behavior and a wealth of data about the negative global impact of the human economy on natural systems, is moving toward a world view that places consumption and production squarely in its behavioral and biophysical context. We argue that abandoning the straightjacket of the Walrasian core is essential to further progress in understanding the complex, coupled interactions between the human economy and the natural world. We call for a new framework for economic theory and policy that is consistent with observed human behavior, recognizes the complex and frequently irreversible interaction between human and natural systems, and directly confronts the cumulative negative effects of the human economy on the Earth's life support systems. Biophysical economics and ecological economics are two emerging economic frameworks in this movement.     

Globalization of the Cashmere Market and the Decline of Large Mammals in Central Asia

As drivers of terrestrial ecosystems, humans have replaced large carnivores in most areas, and human influence not only exerts striking ecological pressures on biodiversity at local scales but also has indirect effects in distant corners of the world. We suggest that the multibillion dollar cashmere industry creates economic motivations that link western fashion preferences for cashmere to land use in Central Asia. This penchant for stylish clothing, in turn, encourages herders to increase livestock production which affects persistence of over 6 endangered large mammals in these remote, arid ecosystems. We hypothesized that global trade in cashmere has strong negative effects on native large mammals of deserts and grassland where cashmere‐producing goats are raised. We used time series data, ecological snapshots of the biomass of native and domestic ungulates, and ecologically and behaviorally based fieldwork to test our hypothesis. In Mongolia increases in domestic goat production were associated with a 3‐fold increase in local profits for herders coexisting with endangered saiga (Saiga tatarica).That increasing domestic grazing pressure carries fitness consequences was inferred on the basis of an approximately 4‐fold difference in juvenile recruitment among blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur)in trans‐Himalayan India. Across 7 study areas in Mongolia, India, and China's Tibetan Plateau, native ungulate biomass is now <5% that of domestic species. Such trends suggest ecosystem degradation and decreased capacity for the persistence of native species, including at least 8 Asian endemic species: saiga, chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni), Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), snow leopard(Panthera uncia), khulan(Equus hemionus), kiang (E. kiang), takhi (E. przewalski), and wild yak (Bos mutus). Our results suggest striking yet indirect and unintended actions that link trophic‐level effects to markets induced by the trade for cashmere. Globalización del Mercado de Cachemira y la Declinación de Mamíferos Mayores en Asia Central     

The lichen-rich coastal heath vegetation on the isle of Anholt, Denmark — conservation and management

The high conservational value of the lichen-rich vegetation and landscape of the marine foreland Ørkenen on the isle of Anholt is treated from a Danish as well as a European perspective. The sensitivity of the lichen-rich vegetation to physical disturbance is emphasized. The impact of invasive species such asPinus mugo as well as the effect of atmospheric deposition of nutrients on the heaths at Anholt is described. Considerations related to the development of a management plan for Ørkenen are presented.     

Behavior and ecology of Old World Luperini beetles of the genusAulacophora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Summary The attraction of Old World leaf beetles in the genusAulacophora to kairomones and parakairomones which are effective lures for New WorldDiabrotica andAcalymma were investigated. Beetles captured on sticky traps baited with single and multicomponent lures were no different from the control traps for two species ofAulacophora. Yellow colored traps and squash blossoms are attractive toAulacophora beetles which detect sub-microgram quantities of cucurbitacins on silica gel. Leaf feeding behavior and flight activity data are correlated with varietal preference of threeAulacophora species. The common response byDiabrotica andAulacophora to cucurbitacins reinforces the two groups' coevolutionary association with the Cucurbitaceae. The apparent lack of a common response toCucurbita blossom volatiles suggests recent evolutionary pathways are substantially different for these two groups of beetles.     

Use of stochastic patch occupancy models in the California red-legged frog for Bayesian inference regarding past events and future persistence

Assessing causes of population decline is critically important to management of threatened species. Stochastic patch occupancy models (SPOMs) are popular tools for examining spatial and temporal dynamics of populations when presence–absence data in multiple habitat patches are available. We developed a Bayesian Markov chain method that extends existing SPOMs by focusing on past environmental changes that may have altered occupancy patterns prior to the beginning of data collection. Using occupancy data from 3 creeks, we applied the method to assess 2 hypothesized causes of population decline—in situ die-off and residual impact of past source population loss—in the California red-legged frog. Despite having no data for the 20–30 years between the hypothetical event leading to population decline and the first data collected, we were able to discriminate among hypotheses, finding evidence that in situ die-off increased in 2 of the creeks. Although the creeks had comparable numbers of occupied segments, owing to different extinction–colonization dynamics, our model predicted an 8-fold difference in persistence probabilities of their populations to 2030. Adding a source population led to a greater predicted persistence probability than did decreasing the in situ die-off, emphasizing that reversing the deleterious impacts of a disturbance may not be the most efficient management strategy. We expect our method will be useful for studying dynamics and evaluating management strategies of many species.