卧龙自然保护区华西箭竹（Fargesia nitida）生态学特征随海拔梯度的变化

海拔梯度由于包含了温度、水分、光照等环境因子的剧烈变化而成为研究植物的环境适应性及其对全球气候变化响应的理想区域。在卧龙自然保护区沿海拔梯度研究了华西箭竹（Fargesia nitida（Mitford）T.P.Yi）分株的丛结构,比叶面积（SLA）、基径、株高、枝下高、单株地上部生物量及各器官生物量的分配。结果表明：华西箭竹丛结构表现为平均单丛面积和丛密度随着海拔升高呈先增大后降低的趋势,而单丛分株数先减少后增大;华西箭竹分株生长特征除SLA和枝下高线性降低,其他各调查变量随着海拔升高,总体呈先增大后减小的单峰变化趋势,高峰值在2 800 m附近。反映了环境因子随海拔升高的非线性变化。分析认为,高海拔地区的华西箭竹对温度较为敏感,气候变暖将有利于它的生长,因此其分布上限可能会提高。本研究结果拓展和丰富了海拔梯度上植物对异质性环境的适应和响应的规律研究,也可对地震后保护区植被的恢复与重建提供科学参考。     

青藏高原东缘野生暗紫贝母形态特征对高山环境的适应

通过分析海拔梯度、群落类型、群落盖度和生活史阶段4个变量对暗紫贝母形态特征的影响,探讨不同环境因子与生活史阶段对暗紫贝母形态特征的综合效应,并主要探究不同海拔梯度和生活史阶段其形态特征的差异.结果显示:1)海拔梯度和生活史阶段对暗紫贝母株高、单叶面积和比叶面积的影响差异极显著(P0.01),且存在明显的交互作用.2)各生活史阶段暗紫贝母形态特征对海拔梯度变化响应趋势相似,株高、鳞茎的横轴与纵轴长、单叶面积和比叶面积均随海拔的升高而极显著(P0.01)降低.3)暗紫贝母形态特征随其生长发育差异明显:株高随生活史阶段的增加极显著(P0.01)增加,鳞茎横轴和纵轴长则表现出先增加后减小的趋势,而单叶面积和比叶面积随之极显著(P0.01)减小.研究表明,暗紫贝母长期生长于严酷的高山环境中,在形态方面形成了一系列的适应策略.对这些策略的揭示无疑有助于了解青藏高原东缘多年生高山草本植物变异的普遍规律,同时为名贵中药材"松贝"的最佳生长条件选择提供理论参考.     

元谋干热河谷植物功能性状组合的海拔梯度响应

植物功能性状能够显示对环境变化的响应,不同的适应对策呈现出不同的功能性状组合。干热河谷地区水分是最主要的限制性环境因子,之前的大部分研究都是集中关注于干热河谷局部地段,对于从垂直海拔上来研究不同植物在环境梯度下的变化的研究较少。干热河谷地区由于梵风效应,水分胁迫沿海拔梯度发生变化,一般表现为随海拔高度升高,气温降低,湿度和降水量增加,而蒸发量减小,辐射增强。以云南元谋干热河谷4个海拔梯度（1491.33、1730.20、1850.00、1925.57 m）中的植物为研究对象,选取叶片干物质含量（LDMC）、叶面积（LA）、比叶面积（SLA）、叶片厚度（LT）和叶密度（LD）5个功能性状,研究它们的相互关系,比较了海拔间的差异。结果表明：1）5个功能性状在不同海拔间均呈现出一定差异,变异系数由高到低为LD>LA>SLA>LT>LDMC（分别是101%、64%、56%、41%和19%）;方差分析结果也表明,5个功能性状在不同海拔之间差异显著（F=56.218,P<0.01;F=7.829,P<0.01;F=11.21,P<0.01;F=7.429,P<0.01;F=19.213,P<0.01）,尤其是在最低（1491.33 mm）和最高（1927.57 mm）海拔之间,各性状均具有极显著的差异;2）性状之间存在组合关系, LD与其他性状间相关性最为明显,除LDMC以外,LD与LA、SLA、LT均呈现出极显著负相关关系;LDMC与LA和LT呈极显著负相关;SLA与LA和LT呈正相关,而与LDMC显著负相关;LT与SLA显著正相关,与LA之间相关性不显著;3）在不同的海拔梯度之间,性状组合存在非同步变化现象。研究显示,元谋干热河谷地区,植物对水分环境的海拔梯度变化产生功能性状组合的响应,低海拔和高海拔物种对所处环境的适应策略不同,使得植物在海拔梯度上出现叶片功能性状组合的分化和差异。     

外来植物肿柄菊结籽量影响因素分析

种子量在某种程度上决定着外来入侵植物在新环境中成功建立的能力,随着入侵植物在入侵过程中适应性的变化,种子量会随着环境梯度而改变。探讨外来入侵植物种子量变化的规律和影响因素,有助于理解入侵植物的入侵潜能和扩散趋势。肿柄菊(Tithonia diversifolia)原产于墨西哥及中美洲地区,在我国热带和亚热带地区的一些省份普遍分布,近些年在云南快速扩散,已造成严重的危害。该研究通过样方调查,分析了肿柄菊群落特征与果序产量之间关系;通过区域间结实和结籽量统计,分析了每果序结实量和结籽率的变化规律以及与主要环境之间关系。结果表明,(1)肿柄菊群落果序密度60-323capitula·m-2,果序密度与群落丛密度和每丛枝数没有相关关系(P0.1),与群落枝密度有极显著的正相关关系(P0.01),与每枝果序数呈显著的正相关关系(P0.05)。肿柄菊群落枝密度与丛密度有极显著的正相关关系(P0.01)。说明肿柄菊群落果序产量有丛密度、枝密度和每枝果序数等群落特征共同决定。(2)肿柄菊每果序平均结实量148.4-196.4粒,每果序平均结籽量0.8-98.1粒,每果序平均结实量和结籽量在地区间都具有极显著差异(P0.001),但结实量变异系数仅为8.1%,结籽量变异系数高达82.7%。(3)肿柄菊平均每果序结实量与年均温和1月均温有微弱的负相关关系(P0.1),与降雨、海拔和纬度没有相关关系;肿柄菊结籽率与年均温、1月均温有显著的正相关关系(P0.05),与海拔高度有显著的负相关关系(P0.05),与降雨和纬度没有相关关系(P0.1)。说明在区域尺度范围结籽率明显影响着肿柄菊的结籽量。在肿柄菊分布的北亚热带地区结籽量的大量减少导致繁殖体压力极大降低,肿柄菊侵占新领地的能力减弱,限制了进一步向更高纬度和海拔扩散能力。由于肿柄菊结籽率主要受温度影响,在全球气候变化情况下,尽管在云南山地环境下降雨格局不确定,肿柄菊的入侵范围也会随着气温的升高而扩大。     

贡嘎山高低海拔上优势杨柳科植物性别比例与繁殖特性北大核心CSCD

雌雄异株植物的性比问题一直是进化生物学的研究热点之一.为揭示杨柳科植物不同性比格局的内在机理,从繁殖投入、种群密度和传粉效率等方面对贡嘎山两个海拔高度（2 000和2 600 m）上冬瓜杨和川滇柳的性别比例与繁殖投入进行对比研究.结果显示：（1）低海拔下冬瓜杨和川滇柳雄雌性比（M/F）接近1：1平衡;而在高海拔区域出现性比失衡,即杨树偏雄（M/F=2.36,P=0.008）,而柳树偏雌（M/F=0.62,P=0.033）.（2）冬瓜杨和川滇柳种群密度随海拔升高均明显下降,但川滇柳密度显著高于冬瓜杨,柱头接收花粉数量亦显著高于冬瓜杨.（3）枝条水平上,杨柳的总繁殖结构生物量（花序干重＋种子干重）在两个海拔上都为雌株高于雄株;相对繁殖投入在低海拔时雌株高于雄株,高海拔上冬瓜杨雌株高于雄株,而川滇柳由于叶片的补偿生长,包括更高的叶片生物量投入和光合能力,导致相对繁殖投入雌雄间无显著差异.冬瓜杨雌株繁殖投入显著高于雄株,雌株对高海拔更敏感,因而高海拔时偏雄性.川滇柳的繁殖投入在海拔间无差异,加之传粉效率较高,可能容易产生花粉管竞争,从而偏雌性.本研究发现较之低海拔,贡嘎山上杨柳科植物在高海拔上叶与繁殖结构生物量权衡关系改变容易导致性比失衡,未来需在分子水平上,结合性别决定基因、性染色体和表观遗传学等进一步深入研究.     

青海省祁连县不同生境蝶类群落特征与月度变化规律

2016—2017年对青海省祁连县的5种生境(农田生境、草原生境、河漫滩生境、高寒灌丛草甸生境和森林生境)中蝴蝶的群落特征以及月度变化规律进行了调查,结果表明:不同生境中蝶类的相似性有所差异,表现为河漫滩和森林生境的相似性系数最高(0. 516),其次是农田和草原生境(0. 513),相似性系数最低的为农田和高寒灌丛草甸生境(0. 250),农田和森林生境、高寒灌丛草甸和森林生境的相似性系数也较低,分别为0. 257和0. 286;在高寒灌丛草甸、草原和森林生境中蝶类的多样性指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数较高,在森林生境中蝶类的多样性指数、均匀度指数和丰富度指数最低;优势度指数从高到低依次为草原(0. 259)、森林(0. 246)、农田(0. 230)、河漫滩(0. 213)和高寒灌丛草甸生境(0. 129);蝴蝶多样性指数、优势度指数和丰富度指数在部分月份间具有显著差异(P0. 05),均匀度指数在各月间没有显著差异。不同生境的蝶类相似性系数、多样性指数、优势度指数和丰富度指数主要与海拔梯度、植被类型和植物构成密切相关;不同月份蝴蝶各指数间的差异性取决于植物的物候期和温度差异等因素。     

贡嘎山高低海拔上优势杨柳科植物性别比例与繁殖特性

雌雄异株植物的性比问题一直是进化生物学的研究热点之一.为揭示杨柳科植物不同性比格局的内在机理,从繁殖投入、种群密度和传粉效率等方面对贡嘎山两个海拔高度(2 000和2 600 m)上冬瓜杨和川滇柳的性别比例与繁殖投入进行对比研究.结果显示:(1)低海拔下冬瓜杨和川滇柳雄雌性比(M/F)接近1:1平衡;而在高海拔区域出现性比失衡,即杨树偏雄(M/F=2.36,P=0.008),而柳树偏雌(M/F=0.62,P=0.033).(2)冬瓜杨和川滇柳种群密度随海拔升高均明显下降,但川滇柳密度显著高于冬瓜杨,柱头接收花粉数量亦显著高于冬瓜杨.(3)枝条水平上,杨柳的总繁殖结构生物量(花序干重+种子干重)在两个海拔上都为雌株高于雄株;相对繁殖投入在低海拔时雌株高于雄株,高海拔上冬瓜杨雌株高于雄株,而川滇柳由于叶片的补偿生长,包括更高的叶片生物量投入和光合能力,导致相对繁殖投入雌雄间无显著差异.冬瓜杨雌株繁殖投入显著高于雄株,雌株对高海拔更敏感,因而高海拔时偏雄性.川滇柳的繁殖投入在海拔间无差异,加之传粉效率较高,可能容易产生花粉管竞争,从而偏雌性.本研究发现较之低海拔,贡嘎山上杨柳科植物在高海拔上叶与繁殖结构生物量权衡关系改变容易导致性比失衡,未来需在分子水平上,结合性别决定基因、性染色体和表观遗传学等进一步深入研究.     

阿尔泰山小东沟林区植被随地形分布规律

在高度异质性的山区景观中,地形通过不同生态因子时空分布的影响而成为植被分布的决定性因素.在野外调查的基础上,将植被遥感影像分类图基本像元分别与由DEM推算出来的坡度、坡向、海拔和剖面曲率图相叠加,定量分析新疆阿尔泰山小东沟林区不同植被类型分布与地形因子之间的关系.通过遥感影像并结合地面调查数据,可将阿尔泰山小东沟林区的植被划分为针叶林、阔叶林、针阔混交林、灌木林和草地5种类型.该区域的地形特征如下:坡度以斜陡坡为主,占总面积的64.32%;坡向以西南坡最多,其次是东北坡,分别占总面积的15.02%和14.78%,东南坡和南坡所占面积较少,分别占总面积的9.30%和10.20%;海拔以1 200-2 000 m居多,占总面积的87.19%,是整个研究区的主要海拔分布范围;剖面曲率以5-10°面积最多,占总面积33.31%,其次是剖面曲率3-5°和0-3°,分别占总面积的22.84%和22.44%.剖面曲率>10°的区域占总面积比例较小.各植被类型分布频率最高的地形生境因子组合分别为:针叶林是坡度15-35°的斜陡坡,西北坡,海拔1 800-2 000 m,剖面曲率0-3°;阔叶林是坡度15-35°的斜陡坡,西北坡,海拔1 400-1 600 m,剖面曲率5°-10°;针阔混交林是坡度15-35°的斜陡坡,北坡,海拔1 600-1 800 m,剖面曲率5-10°;灌木林是坡度15-35°的斜陡坡,西坡,海拔1 400-1 600 m,剖面曲率5-10°;草地是坡度15-35°的斜陡坡,南坡,海拔1 200-1 400 m,剖面曲率5-10°.研究不同植被类型随地形生境的变化规律可为生物多样性保育宏观规划和森林可持续经营提供重要科学依据.     

宝天曼木本植物群落数量排序与环境解释

研究选取14个分别代表植被群落、地形因子、土壤因子的指标,利用宝天曼自然保护区32块样地资料,研究了物种分布与环境之间关系。采用DCCA法可将该地区木本植物群落划分为3个类型;物种与9个环境因子之间存在显著的相关关系,前4轴可解释物种总变异的94.1%;海拔、坡度、土壤含水量、坡向是影响该地区物种分布的主要因子,其中海拔是指示物种分布变化的最敏感因子。不同指标集团的典型相关分析结果表明：地形与植被因子之间、土壤因子与植被因子之间第1对典范相关系数分别为0.712和0.783,存在着显著的相关关系,影响植被特征的最重要地形因子是海拔和坡度,土壤因子为土壤厚度和土壤含水量,而对地形和土壤反应最敏感的植被指标分别为林分密度和平均树高,群落分布状态是由地形和土壤因子共同作用所控制的。     

秦岭松栎林群落物种丰富度特征及其环境解释

异质性环境是影响植物群落物种丰富度的重要因素。通过在秦岭中段(陕西省及甘肃省境内)设置45个样地,利用方差分析、典范对应分析等方法探讨研究区内锐齿槲栎(Quercus aliena var.acuteserrata)林、油松(Pinus tabuliformis)-锐齿槲栎混交林和油松林3类群落的物种丰富度特征,旨在揭示环境因子(地形、气候等)对丰富度的影响,为深入认识秦岭森林群落演替规律及生物多样性保护提供理论依据。结果显示:(1)锐齿槲栎林记录植物215种,主要物种有锐齿槲栎、卫矛(Euonymus alatus)、木姜子(Litsea pungens)和细叶苔草(Carex rigescens)等;松栎混交林记录植物142种,主要物种为锐齿槲栎、油松、悬钩子(Rubus corchorifolius)和苔草(Carex tristachya)等;油松林记录植物214种,主要物种为油松、胡枝子(Lespedeza bicolor)、苦糖果(Lonicera stanishii)和牛尾蒿(Artemisia dubia)等;(2)锐齿槲栎群落不同层次的物种丰富度表现为灌木层草本层乔木层(F_(2,44)=11.502,P0.001);松栎混交林和油松群落的物种丰富度均表现为灌木层、草本层乔木层(F_(2,44)=10.019,P0.001;F_(2,44)=12.404,P0.001),而灌、草层之间无显著差异;(3)决定锐齿槲栎群落、松栎混交林群落和油松群落CCA第1排序轴的主导性环境因子分别为海拔(r=0.696,P0.01)、坡度(r=0.604,P0.05)和纬度(r=0.580,P0.05);(4)锐齿槲栎群落草本层丰富度随海拔上升而增加;随着坡度上升,松栎混交林乔木层丰富度增加而灌木层丰富度下降;油松群落乔木层丰富度随纬度上升而下降。该研究表明,秦岭中段典型森林群落物种丰富度对山地异质性生境的响应存在较大差异。     

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.