腈菌唑不同对映体对丽斑麻蜥性腺系统的影响

腈菌唑(myclobutanil,MT)是一种应用广泛的手性杀菌剂,其手性对映体为(+)-腈菌唑(MT1)和(-)-腈菌唑(MT2)。腈菌唑手性单体具有不同的生物活性,但很少有其对爬行动物的对应选择毒性研究。为了评估腈菌唑手性单体对丽斑麻蜴性腺系统的毒性影响,将MT1(50 mg·kg-1)和MT2(50 mg·kg-1)以经口灌胃方式分别暴露给蜥蜴28 d。暴露期间,记录观察蜥蜴体重、血液中性激素(睾酮T和雌二醇E2)浓度以及性腺相关基因(3β-HSD、17β-HSD、CYP11A、CYP17、CYP19A、ER-α和AR)的表达图谱的变化。在MT1暴露组中,蜥蜴体重在28 d出现明显下降。而在MT2暴露组中,蜥蜴体重没有明显变化。雄性蜥蜴在经过1 d的暴露后,E2浓度在MT1暴露组中明显下降,而在MT2暴露组中明显上升。这些结果表明了腈菌唑手性单体的对映选择性毒性。在MT2暴露14 d后,雌性蜥蜴中CYP19A基因的表达上调弥补了体内E2浓度的降低。在MT1暴露的14 d,蜥蜴卵巢中观察到的CYP11A和CYP17基因表达下调以及CYP19A基因表达不变的这一现象解释了蜥蜴血液中E2和T的浓度减少。这些结果表明:MT1和MT2暴露对蜥蜴体内性激素造成不同的影响,而这些影响会相应改变性腺相关基因的表达。综上所述,MT1和MT2对性腺系统具有潜在的内分泌干扰效应,可能对蜥蜴造成不同程度的生殖损伤。     

三唑醇杀菌剂在雄性丽斑麻蜥体内的对映选择性降解、蓄积和肝毒性研究

三唑醇(triadimenol, TN)是一种广泛使用的手性三唑类杀菌剂,它含有2个手性中心,4个手性对映体,包括对映体A(A1(R,S)和A2(S,R))以及对映体B(B1(R,R)和B2(S,S))。为了研究三唑醇在爬行动物体内的对映选择性行为和潜在的肝毒性,将雄性丽斑麻蜥分别一次经口暴露和28 d长期暴露于三唑醇(100 mg·kg~(-1) body weight),一次经口暴露结果显示,三唑醇进入大脑和肾中的浓度低于肝、性腺、皮肤和尾,B2(S,S)和B1(R,R)对映体具有相似的代谢速率。代谢过程中A1(R,S)的浓度明显高于A2(S,R),并且在暴露后12 h出现二次上升,这可能是A2(S,R)在体内手性转换为A1(R,S)导致。丽斑麻蜥长期(28 d)暴露于三唑醇后,性腺和肾中无明显蓄积现象,皮和尾中浓度显著高于其他组织,各个组织中三唑醇趋向于保持外消旋状态。三唑醇暴露后肝中主要的代谢基因cyp1a1c、yp3a4c、yp2b1和cyp2d3的表达量都出现明显上升,组织病理学分析进一步显示,三唑醇暴露后的肝组织出现组织空泡、血窦阻塞的症状,说明三唑醇对肝组织具有一定的毒性作用。上述结果为手性农药对爬行动物的生态毒理学评价提供了重要依据。     

三唑醇杀菌剂对雄性丽斑麻蜥性腺系统的对映选择性影响

三唑醇(triadimenol,TN)是一种广泛使用的手性三唑类杀菌剂,它含有2个手性中心,4个手性对映体,其中,对映体A包括A1(R,S)和A2(S,R),对映体B包括B1(R,R)和B2(S,S)。三唑醇被认为是一种潜在的内分泌干扰物,能够影响生物体内雌雄激素的合成。为了研究三唑醇不同对映体和外消旋体对爬行动物性腺系统影响的差异,以雄性丽斑麻蜥为实验动物,将外消旋体和4种对映体(100 mg·kg~(-1)bw)分别经口暴露给雄性蜥蜴28 d。外消旋体和(R,S)对映体暴露后蜥蜴的性腺体细胞指数(GSI)明显低于对照组。(S,R)、(R,S)和(S,S)显著抑制了性腺中性激素合成相关基因(cyp119a、cyp11a、cyp17、hsd-3β、hsd-17β、erα和ar)的表达量,同时降低了血液中睾酮(T)和雌二醇(E2)含量。(R,R)暴露对丽斑麻蜥体内的雌雄激素水平无明显影响。此外,相关性分析表明,外消旋体对性腺中性激素合成相关基因的影响与(R,S)具有较强的相关关系,说明(R,S)可能是外消旋体中生物活性和毒性最高的单体。研究表明,三唑醇对丽斑麻蜥性腺系统的毒性作用具有明显的对映选择性,这为手性农药对爬行动物的生态毒理学评价提供了重要依据。     

手性杀菌剂在有机蔬菜中的残留特征

本文建立了基于QuEChER-超高效液相色谱-串联质谱分析有机蔬菜中联苯三唑醇、苯霜灵、己唑醇、戊唑醇、粉唑醇、三唑酮、腈菌唑、甲霜灵和多效唑等9种手性杀菌剂的分析方法,该方法定量限为6.4—270.3 ng·kg~(-1)鲜重(fw),相对回收率为77.1%—110.3%.随后运用该方法对有机番茄、苦瓜、黄瓜和胡萝卜等4种有机蔬菜中的手性杀菌剂残留及其对映体特征进行了分析.研究结果显示,9种杀菌剂中,联苯三唑醇未检出,甲霜灵残留量最高,中值为4.9μg·kg~(-1) fw,有机黄瓜中的甲霜灵残留量(1.1—1.4 mg·kg~(-1) fw)超标(中国食品安全国家标准,最大残留限量0.5 mg·kg~(-1) fw).在4种有机蔬菜中,胡萝卜和黄瓜检测出的手性杀菌剂种类最多,且黄瓜的手性杀菌剂残留总量最高,达1.1—1.4 mg·kg~(-1) fw,主要为甲霜灵.不同蔬菜种类的杀菌剂残留有明显差异,但有机蔬菜的杀菌剂残留远低于常规蔬菜.手性杀菌剂对映体的残留与蔬菜种类有关.     

利用毒代动力学模型研究氟虫腈在夹杂带丝蚓体内的手性选择性积累过程

农药的生物积累直接影响其毒性,但是手性农药在生物体内的选择性积累过程仍不明确.本文在恒定环境水浓度的条件下,开展手性农药氟虫腈的外消旋体及其对映体在底栖无脊椎动物夹杂带丝蚓体内的生物积累实验.在96 h和72 h的吸收和消除实验过程中,测定生物体内的氟虫腈的外消旋体和对映体浓度随时间的变化情况,构建毒代动力学模型,获取吸收和消除速率常数.结果表明夹杂带丝蚓对R-氟虫腈的生物浓缩因子(1981 L·kg~(-1)脂肪)比对S-氟虫腈(1748 L·kg~(-1)脂肪)更大.R-氟虫腈和S-氟虫腈的吸收速率常数相当,分别为311±11 L·kg~(-1)脂肪·h~(-1)和313±13 L·kg~(-1)脂肪·h~(-1),而R-氟虫腈的消除速率常数小于S-氟虫腈,分别为0.157±0.006 h~(-1)和0.179±0.008 h~(-1),因此相对较慢的消除是导致R-氟虫腈在夹杂带丝蚓体内更高生物积累的主要原因.研究说明毒代动力学参数可有效阐释手性外源物质在生物体内选择性积累的差异.     

氯化汞对大鲵心脏和胰腺CYP2亚家族成员CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19基因表达的影响

探究氯化汞(HgCl_2)对大鲵心脏和胰腺细胞色素P450 2(CYP2)亚家族成员细胞色素P450 2K1(CYP2K1)、P4502F3(CYP2F3)、P4502F5(CYP2F5)和P4502C19(CYP2C19)基因表达的影响,可为评价HgCl_2对大鲵的生态毒理影响提供基础数据.幼龄大鲵暴露于HgCl_2(1、10、100 ng/L)24、48、72 h后,采用qRT-PCR试验分析HgCl_2处理不同时间后CYP2亚家族成员CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19在心脏和胰腺中的表达变化模式.结果显示:HgCl_2对大鲵暴露24 h后,大鲵心脏CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19基因表达水平相对于对照组均呈现上升变化趋势,即1 ng/L HgCl_2显著诱导了大鲵心脏CYP2K1和CYP2C19基因表达水平(P 0.05),10 ng/L HgCl_2显著诱导了大鲵心脏CYP2F3和CYP2F5基因表达水平(P 0.05),100 ng/L HgCl_2均显著诱导了大鲵心脏CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19基因表达(P 0.05);大鲵胰腺CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19基因表达水平相对于对照组均呈现下降变化趋势,10、100 ng/L HgCl_2均显著抑制了大鲵胰腺CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19基因表达(P 0.05). HgCl_2对大鲵暴露48 h后,大鲵心脏CYP2F5基因表达水平相对于对照组均呈现显著下降变化趋势(P 0.05),并具有浓度梯度效应;大鲵胰腺CYP2F3基因表达水平受到显著诱导(P 0.05). HgCl_2对大鲵暴露72 h后,与对照相比大鲵心脏和胰腺CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19基因表达均无显著性变化.本研究表明随着HgCl_2暴露时间延长,CYP2亚家族基因表达无显著变化,大鲵心脏和胰腺CYP2亚家族基因CYP2K1、CYP2F3、CYP2F5和CYP2C19表达对HgCl_2刺激转变为慢性累积毒性效应;结果可为评价HgCl_2对大鲵的生态毒理影响提供基础数据.(图2表1参33)     

微囊藻毒素-LR对雄性黑斑蛙精巢中CYP46A1,CYP2H2和CYP2G1 mRNA表达的影响

微囊藻毒素-LR(microcystin-LR,MC-LR)是分布最广泛和毒性最强的一种微囊藻毒素,对水生动物造成潜在的健康威胁。大量科学研究证实,动物体中的细胞色素P450酶(CYP)参与内源性物质及外源毒性物质的代谢过程。为探究两栖动物生殖器官中的CYP酶对低剂量MC-LR生殖毒效应的调节作用,选择雄性黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)为受试动物,采用静态置换法和体内暴露方法,分别暴露于0、0.1、1和10μg·L~(-1)MC-LR溶液0、7和14 d;用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测精巢中CYP46A1、CYP2H2和CYP2G1的mRNA表达水平。结果表明,暴露于0.1、1和10μg·L~(-1)MC-LR 14 d后,CYP46A1在mRNA水平分别上调了1.86、1.65和1.22倍,CYP2H2在mRNA水平分别上调了4.62、1.80和1.04倍,CYP2G1的mRNA水平分别上调了2.63、2.16和1.56倍。MC-LR在1μg·L~(-1)剂量下暴露7 d后,CYP46A1、CYP2H2和CYP2G1 mRNA水平均出现显著上调。上述研究表明,微囊藻毒素对黑斑蛙精巢3种CYP基因在mRNA水平上都存在低剂量刺激效应。低剂量MC-LR能诱导黑斑蛙精巢中CYP46A1转录水平变化,促进胆固醇转化为24S-羟化胆固醇,潜在破坏雄性黑斑蛙精巢中胆固醇水平的平衡; MC-LR也能够诱导精巢中CYP2H2和CYP2G1转录水平的变化,潜在调节CYP2H2和CYP2G1转录水平,进而影响MC-LR的代谢作用。     

双酚A对斑马鱼精巢性激素生成酶基因表达的影响

为了解环境雌激素对鱼类精巢发育的影响,将成年雄性斑马鱼(Danio rerio)暴露于不同浓度双酚A(0、500、1 000、2 000、4 000μg·L-1)下21 d,并在此基础上,进一步研究了暴露在相同浓度(BPA2 000μg·L-1)不同暴露时间下各基因表达的动力学模式。用荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)方法检测试验鱼精巢性激素合成相关细胞色素P450酶类基因(CYP17、CYP11B和CYP19A)以及雌、雄激素受体和促卵泡激素受体(ERα、ERβ、AR和FSHR)基因的表达,用常规组织学方法研究试验鱼精巢结构的变化。结果表明,BPA促进了精巢内源雌激素合成相关酶类基因CYP19A和雌激素受体ERαmRNA、ERβmRNA的表达,且BPA浓度为2 000μg·L-1时3者的表达量显著上调,同时随着暴露时间的延长,具有明显的时间累积效应。1 000μg·L-1BPA可导致斑马鱼精巢CYP17 mRNA的表达量显著下调,BPA2 000μg·L-1暴露12 d引起了CYP11B mRNA表达下调,而随着暴露时间的延长有所回升,但它对精巢AR mRNA的表达却无明显影响。同时,BPA 500μg·L-1引起了FSHR基因的显著上调,在时间动态学上,呈上升趋势。在组织学上,2 000μg·L-1BPA引起斑马鱼精巢生精小管内精子浓缩严重,精原细胞(Sg)和精母细胞(PS和SS)数目都有所减少,BPA 4 000μg·L-1组斑马鱼精巢退化。因此,BPA可诱导精巢内源雌激素合成和雌激素受体的表达,提高雌激素效应,通过抑制CYP17基因的表达,一定程度上抑制雄激素的合成,从而引起斑马鱼精巢组织的破坏。同时,据实验数据推测,雄激素的下调可能启动了下丘脑-垂体-性腺(HPG)轴的负反馈调节机制,而此作用机制还有待进一步研究。     

经皮肤暴露四溴双酚A对Wistar雄性大鼠的毒性效应

尘/土以及含阻燃剂产品的皮肤接触是四溴双酚A(TBBPA)重要的人体暴露途径。为研究TBBPA经皮肤亚慢性暴露毒性效应,选择无特定病原菌级别(SPF级)Wistar雄性大鼠作为受试生物,分别设空白对照组(K)、溶剂对照组(Z),以及20mg·kg~(-1)(A)、60 mg·kg~(-1)(B)、200 mg·kg~(-1)(C)、600 mg·kg~(-1)(D)共4个不同剂量的TBBPA暴露组,采用皮肤接触的方式连续暴露90 d。暴露期间观察大鼠状态并称重,于第91天解剖大鼠,分离主要脏器称重计算脏器系数,并对暴露皮肤进行组织病理学检查。研究发现,经皮肤暴露TBBPA后,90 d暴露期间不同实验组Wistar大鼠在表观形态、行动、进食方面无差异,TBBPA暴露导致大鼠体重略微降低,但各处理组间大鼠体重无显著差异;90 d暴露后不同剂量组间大鼠的器官脏器系数没有显著的剂量-效应关系,不同剂量组大鼠皮肤暴露区域均有一定程度的炎症细胞浸润及部分组织胶原间隙增宽。研究结果表明,TBBP A 90 d亚慢性皮肤暴露对Wistar大鼠无明显毒性效应。     

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。     

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.