干扰素废水菌种的筛选与产酶特性

针对干扰素废水具有抑制性导致活性污泥驯化培养难的问题,利用稀释涂布、富集培养的方法从干扰素废水中筛选出5株高效菌株,分别为IFN1~IFN5。观察5株高效菌种的菌落形态,经16S rDNA测序鉴定其中2株菌株为假单胞菌,2株菌株为索氏菌,1株为不动杆菌。完成了5株高效菌种的生理生化实验,分析其酶代谢系统:IFN1可产生蛋白酶和色氨酸酶;IFN2可产生过氧化氢酶、色氨酸酶和蛋白酶;IFN3可产生过氧化氢酶、色氨酸酶、蛋白酶和淀粉水解酶;IFN4可产生过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶和淀粉水解酶;IFN5可产生过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶。本研究为后续针对降解干扰素废水诱导酶的提取奠定基础。     

SBR 高效菌种处理采油废水

为使油田采油废水达到排放要求,本实验选定并研究了在投加高效菌种状态下的SBR处理技术。实验证明高效菌种与活性污泥系统结合能够取得更好的处理效果,减少了反应所需时间,提高处理效率。通过对不同周期的考察,取得投菌状态下SBR法最佳实验周期为6h。     

生物强化技术及其在污水处理中应用研究评述

在传统废水生物处理过程中,难降解有机污染物的存在和外界环境的变化会抑制土著微生物的活性,从而影响废水处理效果。生物强化技术是向生物处理系统中引入特定的高效降解功能微生物,通过微生物自身所具备的降解机制对污染物质进行降解,达到有效处理废水的目的。相较于传统生物处理法,生物强化技术能更好地提高难降解污染物处理效果,维持系统的稳定性,减少污泥的产生,缩短系统的启动时间,并可以使系统表现出良好的抗冲击负荷能力。目前生物强化技术研究主要集中在高效菌群对难降解有机污染物的高效降解作用和优势菌种对于极端环境的耐受能力等方面。文章综述了生物强化技术的作用机理,主要有高效菌通过自身携带的降解基因或分泌的降解酶对污染物质的直接降解作用、微生物的共代谢作用和群体感应作用;介绍了生物强化技术中优势菌种的3种获取方式,分别是从自然界中直接进行驯化筛选、构造基因工程菌以及通过水平基因转移获取的方式;论述了生物强化技术的作用形式,包括直接将微生物投加到目标水体中、应用微生物固定化技术和研制生物强化菌剂进行投加的3种方式;另外还总结了近几年来生物强化技术在景观水体、土壤修复、产能和水处理等方面的应用,最后阐述了生物强化技术研究存在问题和新路径。     

混合菌对石油的降解

从含油污水中分离得到4株能高效降解石油的微生物菌株(X2、X3、X4、X5),经鉴定,4株菌分别属于黄单胞菌属(Xanthomonas sp.)、动胶菌属(Zoogloea sp.)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus sp.)和邻单胞菌属(Plesiomonas sp.).通过观察4株菌在原油培养基中的生长变化过程,确定了其中的优势菌;并对4株菌进行复配实验以确定各株菌混合后的石油降解效果;用正交实验法确定达到最佳石油降解效果各菌的投加量;通过对残油的Gc-MS测定分析,确定各菌在降解石油时所起的作用.结果表明,混合菌株中菌X4为优势菌,且有高的降解效果(达68,60％),其它3株降解率不高的菌混合投加也能达到较高的降解效果(达63.17％),菌X4是混合菌株维持高降解率的关键;达到最佳降解效果的各菌投加量分别为0.1％、0.1％、0.5％、2.0％;菌X2和菌X3降解C12-C16直链烃和少量支链烃,菌X4和菌X5对C12-C22直链烃有好的降解效果.图2表4参10     

高浓度难降解工业废水菌种筛选及其降解特性

使用富集、稀释涂平板的方法从制药、染料、化工及精细化工、食品等多家工厂的混合高浓度难降解化工废水中筛选到8株细菌,经16S rDNA鉴定为Bacillus aquimaris、Enterobacter、Pseudomonas putida、Microbacterium、Agrobacterium、Alpha proteobacterium、Planococcus rifietoensis,其中两株细菌为Bacillus aquimaris。对各单一菌种生长条件的研究表明,各菌种生长的最适pH为7,最适接种量为15%（v/v）,最适生长温度为37℃,其中Pseudomonas putida的最适生长温度为30℃。在最适生长条件下,研究了各单一菌种及不同组合的混合菌种对废水的降解效果,结果表明在单一菌种中Pseudomonas putida对废水的降解效果最优,混合菌的降解效果优于单一菌种的降解效果,混合菌可将废水COD由1 249 mg/L降至97 mg/L,比普通活性污泥对废水的去除率提高了14.7%。     

一株吡啶高效降解菌的鉴定及其降解特性

对山西省长治市一家煤焦化厂经活性污泥处理后的废水中的吡啶降解菌进行了分离,并对其中一株吡啶高效降解菌JB27进行了分类鉴定及其吡啶降解特性分析。通过菌落形态观察、菌体显微观察、生理生化测定和16S r RNA基因序列分析对菌株JB27进行菌种分类;利用紫外分光光度计和可见光分光光度计分别测定培养基中吡啶质量浓度和菌液OD_(600)值;分别测定菌株JB27在不同pH、温度、葡萄糖添加量以及初始吡啶质量浓度条件下的菌液OD_(600)值和吡啶降解率。结果表明,菌株JB27为Shinella zoogloeoides;该菌株能利用吡啶作为唯一碳源;菌株JB27在pH 5.0~9.0条件下均能发挥较强的吡啶降解能力,其降解吡啶的最适pH为8.0或9.0;菌株JB27降解吡啶的最适温度为30℃;葡萄糖的添加会降低菌株JB27的吡啶降解速率,不利于该菌株对吡啶的降解;菌株JB27对吡啶的降解程度与菌液OD600值成正比,在吡啶初始浓度分别为500、1 000、1 500、2 500和3 000 mg·L~(-1)的培养基中,可分别在3、4、4、5和6 d内降解掉99%以上的吡啶。菌株JB27的吡啶降解能力高于多数已报道吡啶降解菌,是一株吡啶高效降解菌,可作为煤化工废水中吡啶类化合物的生物降解的优良菌种资源。该研究可为该菌种的进一步应用提供理论依据。     

厌氧氨氧化活性抑制、恢复与强化及工艺应用研究进展

厌氧氨氧化(Anaerobic ammonium oxidation,Anammox)工艺是一项节能高效的生物脱氮工艺,但实际应用中存在Anammox细菌增殖缓慢与活性受抑制的问题.首先介绍Anammox的基质与非基质,如亚硝酸、有机物以及无机物的抑制效应,在此基础上阐述调控运行参数以及流加菌种等活性恢复措施.重点评述外加无机碳、Anammox中间产物、Fe和导电材料等对Anammox的强化效果,并以代谢图形式系统总结3种Anammox代谢途径.最后着重探讨将Anammox作为主流工艺推广到处理实际废水时所面临的亚硝酸盐氧化菌(Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria,NOB)抑制和冬季水温低的问题,归纳使用游离氨和游离亚硝酸溶液淘洗NOB的方法以及选择合适反应器构型与培养方式等应对低温的对策;分析Anammox与反硝化间的协同作用以及将Anammox工艺拓展应用到烟气脱硝和芳香烃厌氧降解方面的潜力.提出未来需要在多因素联合抑制、Anammox生理特性和中间代谢机理以及抵御主流废水处理的不利因素等方面进行深入研究.     

假单胞菌AEBL3对土壤中呋喃丹的生物降解

从农药污染的农田土壤中分离到一株假单胞菌AEBL3，该菌能够以呋喃丹为唯一的碳源和氮源生长。使用AEBL3作为生物强化剂对模拟呋喃丹污染的土壤环境进行了生物修复试验。结果表明，接种AEBL3能够明显增加土壤中呋喃丹的降解率。降解菌AEBL3在土壤中具有一定的移动性，当从土壤表层加菌时，对0-7cm深土层中的呋喃丹都有很好的降解效果。在各种投加方式的比较中，以投加降解菌原液修复效果最好，缓冲液悬浮的菌细胞次之，砂粒混合物的效果最差。16S rRNA的变性梯度电泳(DGGE)结果揭示了生物修复过程中土壤微生物菌群结构中的动态变化。     

外源降解菌对黄麻根区净化能力的生物强化作用

通过原生质体电融合得到经EGFP标记的外源细菌(蒽高效降解菌An和表面活性剂产生菌P)与黄麻根际优势菌融合的2株融合子Tu-An与融合子Tu-P,然后将两种融合子以及出发菌株分别定殖到播种了黄麻(Corchoruscapsulari)的蒽污染土壤中,对不同污染物浓度下的细菌定殖、植物生长及蒽降解做了初步研究.研究表明,在相同的初始接种量下,融合子的定殖数量明显高于出发菌株;在两种融合子共存的条件下,定殖数量也略高于单一融合子的定殖数量.在接种外源菌的土壤中,植物获得了更好的生长条件,得以良好生长;而没有投加降解菌的组别中,黄麻的生长明显受到了较严重的抑制.投加外源降解菌可以促进生物降解,达到生物强化的目的.实验研究说明,把外源降解菌投加到污染土壤中进行生物强化修复是可行的.图3表2参20     

固定化球形红假单胞菌处理电镀废水中Cd和Cr的研究

比较了4种固定化球形红假单胞菌(Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides)处理含Cd、Cr重金属废水的效果,对固定化菌吸附Cd和Cr的工艺条件进行了优化,并通过生物反应器连续处理实际电镀废水,分析了处理后的效果。通过比较,确定了20g.kg-1沸石和20g.L-1海藻酸钠组合作为共固定材料,固定化菌对Cd和Cr的去除效果明显优于游离菌。采用正交试验优化废水处理工艺条件,结果表明,废水pH值、菌体投加量对固定化菌体的处理效果影响较大,当处理废水的pH值为6.0、菌体投加量为10.00g.L-1时,对40.00mg.L-1含Cd废水的去除率可达96.68%。4轮吸附-解吸循环试验结果显示,固定化菌体可重复利用3次,固定化菌体在使用第3次时,Cd去除率仍可达51.20%。在生物反应器中,用固定化菌体处理质量浓度为92.61mg.L-1的含Cd电镀废水,3h时对Cd的去除率达到98.80%,对含Cu、Au、Ni废水中重金属的去除率也高于90.00%。     

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.     

Importance of greater interdisciplinarity and geographic scope when tackling the driving forces behind biological invasions

Invasive non-native species are important drivers of ecosystem change, yet the driving forces of biological invasions themselves are poorly understood. Such information is essential to ensure policies focus on the most relevant drivers, and that future scenarios capture the full range of potential outcomes for invasive non-native species. I carried out a bibliometric analysis of articles published from 2000 to 2020 that address either invasive non-native species or biodiversity and ecosystem services and that also mention 1 or more drivers of ecosystem change. I examined 5 indirect drivers (demographic, economic, governance, sociocultural, and technological) and 6 direct drivers (climate change, invasive non-native species, land-use or sea-use change, natural hazards, pollution, and resource extraction). Using the Web of Science core collection of citation indexes, I undertook searches of article titles and keywords and retrieved 27,462 articles addressing invasive non-native species and 110,087 articles dealing with biodiversity or ecosystem services. Most research to date on biological invasions as well as on biodiversity and ecosystem services has focused on anthropogenic direct drivers of ecosystem change rather than indirect drivers. Yet currently, less than 18% of articles addressing biological invasions examined drivers of ecosystem change, a similar level to that found over 20 years ago for biodiversity or ecosystem services. Knowledge of the drivers of biological invasions is limited, emphasizes tractable drivers over those that require an interdisciplinary approach, and is biased toward developed economies. Drivers generally deemed important for biological invasions, such as governance and resource extraction, accounted for less than 2% of research effort. The absence of a systematic understanding of the forces that drive invasive non-native species and how they interact means that attempts to mitigate or forecast biological invasions are likely to fail. To address biological invasions requires a much better orientation of national and international research on drivers in relation to both their actual importance as well as their policy relevance.     

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.     

Mitigating the effects of climate change on the nests of sea turtles with artificial irrigation

For sea turtles, like many oviparous species, increasing temperatures during development threaten to increase embryonic mortality, alter offspring quality, and potentially create suboptimal primary sex ratios. Various methods are being implemented to mitigate the effects of climate change on reproductive success, but these methods, such as breeding programs, translocations, and shading, are often invasive and expensive. Irrigation is an alternative strategy for cooling nests that, depending on location, can be implemented relatively quickly and cheaply. However, multiple factors, including ambient conditions, nest substrate, and species characteristics, can influence irrigation success. Additionally, irrigation can vary in duration, frequency, and the volume of water applied to nests, which influences the cooling achieved and embryonic survival. Thus, it is critical to understand how to maximize cooling and manage risks before implementing irrigation as a nest-cooling strategy. We reviewed the literature on nest irrigation to examine whether artificial irrigation is feasible as a population management tool. Key factors that affected cooling were the volume of water applied and the frequency of applications. Embryonic responses varied with species, ambient conditions, and the timing of irrigation during development. Nest inundation was the key risk to a successful irrigation regime. Future irrigation regimes must identify clear targets, either primary or adult sex ratios, that maximize population viability. Monitoring population responses and adjusting the irrigation regime in response to population characteristics will be critical. Most studies reported on the manipulation of only one or two variables, further research is required to understand how altering multiple factors in an irrigation regime influences the cooling achieved and embryonic responses.     

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.     

Positive and Negative Effects of a Threatened Parrotfish on Reef Ecosystems

Species that are strong interactors play disproportionately important roles in the dynamics of natural ecosystems. It has been proposed that their presence is necessary for positively shaping the structure and functioning of ecosystems. We evaluated this hypothesis using the case of the world's largest parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum), a globally imperiled species. We used direct observation, animal tracking, and computer simulations to examine the diverse routes through which B. muricatum affects the diversity, dispersal, relative abundance, and survival of the corals that comprise the foundation of reef ecosystems. Our results suggest that this species can influence reef building corals in both positive and negative ways. Field observation and simulation outputs indicated that B. muricatum reduced the abundance of macroalgae that can outcompete corals, but they also feed directly on corals, decreasing coral abundance, diversity, and colony size. B. muricatum appeared to facilitate coral advancement by mechanically dispersing coral fragments and opening up bare space for coral settlement, but they also damaged adult corals and remobilized a large volume of potentially stressful carbonate sediment. The impacts this species has on reefs appears to be regulated in part by its abundance—the effects of B. muricatum were more intense in simulation scenarios populated with high densities of these fish. Observations conducted in regions with high and low predator (e.g., sharks) abundance generated results that are consistent with the hypothesis that these predators of B. muricatum may play a role in governing their abundance; thus, predation may modulate the intensity of the effects they have on reef dynamics. Overall our results illustrate that functionally unique and threatened species may not have universally positive impacts on ecosystems and that it may be necessary for environmental managers to consider the diverse effects of such species and the forces that mediate the strength of their influence. Efectos Positivos y Negativos de un Pez Loro Amenazado Sobre Ecosistemas Arrecifales     

Form-specific fragances fromOphrys insectifera L. (Orchidaceae) attract species of different pollinator genera. Evidence of sympatric speciation?

Two closely related forms ofOphrys insectifera were observed in the field to attract different pollinator species selectively.O. i. ssp.insectifera attracted males of two species ofArgogorytes (Sphecidae, Hymenoptera Aculeata) andO. i. ssp.aymoninii attractedAndrena combinata males (Andrenidae, Apoidea, Hymenoptera Aculeata). A third form,O. aff.i. ssp.insectifera, attracted none of these three species. Volatile compounds from flowers and inflorescences of the three forms (originating from Öland, Sweden, and Aveyron, France) were collected, using entrainment, enfleurage, and solvent extraction techniques, and identified by gas chromatography — mass spectrometry. Scent differences between the three forms were confirmed in the amounts of aliphatic hydrocarbons (C₁₁–C₁₉), methyl esters (C₁₄–C₁₈), short chain aliphatic 1-alcohols (C₆–C₁₂), and monoterpene alcohols (C₁₀).     

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.