台湾海峡水域的β—葡萄糖苷酶活性

本研究分别在1997年8月10日至8月19日，1998年2月20日至3月7日，对台湾海峡进行现场调查研究，在九个断面20个站位取得水文、化学和生物学综合参数，研究该海域β－葡萄糖苷酶活性（βGlcA)，细菌生物量及生产力的时空动态，主要结果如下①夏季台湾海峡南部各站位βGlcA的值为1．94mmol/L^-1h^-1，变化幅度大于（0．31－8．1nmol/L^-1h^-1；冬季海峡北部βGlcA平均值为0．86nmol/L^-1h^-1，变化幅度大（0．34－1．89nmol/L^-1h^-1)远小于夏季。②以碳的转化量表示，夏冬两季的βGlcA分别为0．14μgL6-1h^-1和0．062μgL6-1h^-1，分别高于这两个季节的细菌生产力。③从离岸到近岸，细菌胞外酶活性升高。④该海域胞牙酶活性与细菌的二次生产力的相关性不够明显。⑤βGlcA的剖面分布及周日变化与细菌生产力的相关性不很明显。⑥表层水游离态的细菌的βGlcA，在整个海区的分布特征与该水层的总βGlcA分布特征相似。     

一株溶藻细菌对铜绿微囊藻的溶藻机理初探

为确定溶藻细菌S7（Chryseobaterium）对铜绿微囊藻的溶藻方式,分别采用高温灭菌（121~123℃）、离心（10 000 r.min-1）、0.22μm滤膜过滤等方式对S7菌液进行处理,检测其对铜绿微囊藻的去除效果。并通过对溶藻过程中叶绿素a和丙二醛（MDA）含量的测定,藻细胞显微结构的观察和细胞成分的红外光谱分析,初步探讨菌株S7对铜绿微囊藻的作用机理。结果表明,S7是通过释放胞外活性物质间接溶藻,该物质具有很强的热稳定性,不属于蛋白质类物质。该活性物质对铜绿微囊藻的叶绿素a有明显的去除效果,并可导致藻细胞膜脂过氧化产物MDA积累量的显著提高和藻细胞解体。藻细胞红外光谱分析表明,经过溶藻物质作用的藻细胞,其蛋白质结构遭到破坏。通过试验结果,推测出菌株S7的溶藻机理：溶藻物质先损伤铜绿微囊藻的细胞壁和粘质胶被,然后通过改变膜的选择透过性进入藻细胞内部,分解叶绿素a,破坏蛋白质,造成藻体正常生理功能的丧失,最终导致藻细胞破裂。     

塔玛亚历山大藻对褶皱臂尾轮虫实验种群动态的影响

采用单个体培养方法研究有毒赤潮藻塔玛亚历山大藻（Alexandrium tamarense）的细胞再悬浮液、细胞破碎液及其与亚心形扁藻（Platymonas subcordiformis）的混合藻液对褶皱臂尾轮虫（Brachionus plicatilis）实验种群动态的影响．结果表明，塔玛亚历山大藻及其细胞破碎液延缓了褶皱臂尾轮虫的生长发育，使轮虫的生殖前期延长，生殖期及寿命缩短，特定年龄出生率降低，产卵量减少，从而导致轮虫生殖力下降，种群增长受阻．其中以塔玛亚历山大藻细胞再悬浮液对轮虫的影响最为显著，rm仅为0．1832d^-1，图1表2参18     

不同氮磷水平下中肋骨条藻对营养盐的吸收及光合特性

研究了不同氮、磷水平下中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)对营养盐的吸收动力学、生长和光合作用特性，结果表明，培养基中氮或磷浓度的改变对中肋骨条藻比生长速率影响不大，各种条件下藻细胞的比生长速率约为1．51—1．60d^-1，其中，藻细胞在低氮条件下的比生长速率略高，为1．60d^-1；低氮和低磷条件下藻细胞稳定期的生物量明显下降，分别比中氮和高氮下减少了27％和41％，而比中磷和高磷减少了64％和65％,低营养源(低氮或低磷)状态下生长的藻细胞具有较低的单位细胞表示的光饱和的光合作用速率(Pm^cell)和光合效率(α^crll)。尽管在低氮或低磷条件下生长的藻细胞单位叶绿素a的含量较低，但具有较高的活性，以单位叶绿素a表示的光饱和的光合作用速率(Pm^chla)和光合效率(α^chla)均与高氮或高磷条件下生长的藻细胞相当，这可能是不同氮、磷水平下比生长速率差异不大的原因．中肋骨条藻细胞对氮和磷吸收的适当比值(N／P)为0．8-2．6．图3表4参17     

鼠李糖脂对东海典型甲藻赤潮生物生长抑制作用的影响

探讨了铜绿假单胞菌产鼠李糖脂类生物表面活性剂对东海典型甲藻赤潮生物锥状斯式藻(Scrippsiella trochoidea)、塔玛亚历山大藻(Alexandrium tamarense)、海洋原甲藻(Prococentrum marinum)和微小原甲藻(P.minium)生长的抑制作用,并对其不同抑制作用的机理进行了初步探讨.结果表明,鼠李糖脂在一定浓度范围内对几种甲藻的生长表现出明显的抑制作用,对几种甲藻生长抑制作用的强弱顺序为:锥状斯式藻>微小原甲藻>塔玛亚历山大藻>海洋原甲藻.对不同属的甲藻,这种抑制作用可能与藻细胞本身表面的附属物、内部物质组成及个体大小有关;而对于同一属的甲藻则与各甲藻的生物膜脂肪酸组成尤其是其多不饱和脂肪酸的含量有关,即甲藻的多不饱和脂肪酸含量越低,鼠李糖脂对藻细胞生长的抑制作用越明显,反之亦然.图1表2参18     

混合培养对城市污水厂二级出水培养能源微藻的生长促进作用

利用城市污水培养能源微藻可以实现水质净化和生物质生产的耦合,备受关注。生物质生产效率较低是限制其大规模应用的主要因素之一,混合培养是提高微藻生物质产率的一种潜在方法。为筛选出城市二级出水条件下合适的能源微藻混合藻种,考察了二级出水条件下3株高含油脂藻种栅藻LX1（Scenedesmussp. LX1）、椭圆小球藻YJ1（Chlorella ellipsoidea YJ1）和雨生红球藻（Haematococcus pluvislis）单一藻种和两两混合培养时的生长特性,比较了各微藻单一藻种及两两混合培养时的生长特性参数及生物质产量。研究结果表明,3种微藻的两两混合组合均能在二级出水条件下正常生长,各微藻干物质量浓度在第10天左右均能达到100 mg·L^-1左右。与栅藻LX1和椭圆小球藻YJ1相比,雨生红球藻在两两混合培养条件下表现出更高的藻细胞干物质量浓度增长趋势。3种微藻的内禀生长速率均显著高于各自的单一培养,栅藻 LX1和雨生红球藻混合培养时分别达到最高内禀增长速率（分别为1.36 d^-1、0.97 d^-1）。栅藻LX1与雨生红球藻混合培养时比生长速率分别为0.59 d^-1和0.42 d^-1,分别比栅藻LX1和雨生红球藻的单一藻种培养提高了36%、9.0%。与单一藻种相比,混合培养促进了微藻的生物质产量,栅藻LX1和雨生红球藻混合藻种的生物质产量（277 mg·L^-1）分别比栅藻LX1、雨生红球藻的单一藻种培养提高了64%和42%。栅藻LX1与雨生红球藻藻种组合具备作为二级出水条件下能源微藻培养合适混合藻种的潜力。     

除菌处理对强壮前沟藻和青岛大扁藻空长的影响

对微藻除菌以及未除菌与除菌后微藻生长特性的变化进行了研究.采用抗生素(新霉素、链霉素和卡纳霉素)组合加入的方法,对微藻(强壮前沟藻和青岛大扁藻)进行了无菌化处理.通过吖啶橙染色,镜检观察到与藻细胞共生的细菌经抗生素处理后数最明显减少,从而成功获得了2种无菌海洋微藻的纯藻种.比较了抗生素除菌前后环境细菌对微藻生长的影响,结果表明,除菌后的强壮前沟藻与未除菌的相比,推迟2 d进入稳定期,处于稳定期的最大细胞密度比未除菌的提高了24%.除菌后的强壮前沟藻和青岛大扁藻不易老化,可保持良好的悬浮状态.图7表1参16     

pH对鱼腥藻和普通小球藻生长竞争的影响

pH值是藻类生长环境的重要理化指标,它可以通过改变环境酸碱度和碳酸盐平衡系统及不同形态无机碳分配关系来影响藻类的生长。为揭示水体中常见藻类的生长过程及其与pH的相互关系,设置了6.0,7.0,8.0和9.0等4个pH梯度,通过室内实验模拟水体条件,研究不同pH条件下主要水华藻类--鱼腥藻（Anabaena sp.strain PCC）和常见淡水藻类--普通小球藻（Chlorella vulga）的生长和种间竞争。结果表明,无论是在单种培养还是在共同培养体系中,4个pH条件下两种藻类的最大生物量差异显著（P〈0.05）,鱼腥藻和普通小球藻的最适pH均为9.0,其中单种培养时鱼腥藻和普通小球藻的最大生物量分别为4473.5×104,689.6×10^4 cells·mL-1;共同培养时鱼腥藻和普通小球藻的最大生物量分别为2798.0×10^4,296.5×10^4 cells·mL-1。竞争试验结果表明,pH对藻类种间竞争抑制参数能够产生显著影响,pH 7.0时普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数（β）最大,为12.91;鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数（α）则是pH 6.0时最大,为1.778。在4个pH条件下普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数（β）均大于鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数（α）,与单种培养相比,鱼腥藻最大藻细胞数受到明显削弱,说明普通小球藻在竞争中占优势。因此,在水产养殖过程控制和精准培水技术研究,以及控制养殖水体富营养化的过程中,可以通过调节养殖水体pH值以及普通小球藻的浓度来控制鱼腥藻的生长。     

光照对普通小球藻和鱼腥藻生长竞争的影响

研究光照对藻类生长竞争的影响对于揭示如何通过控制环境因子促进有益藻类生长繁殖、抑制有害藻类生长繁殖,并最终实现利用藻类调节养殖生态环境和提高水体初级生产力具有重要意义。为此,试验设置了660、2200、4400、6 6001×4个光照梯度,通过测算比生长速率、生长曲线、竞争抑制参数,研究不同光照强度对普通小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)和鱼腥藻(Anabaena sp.strain PCC)生长和种间竞争的影响。结果表明:单种培养条件下,鱼腥藻和普通小球藻的最大藻细胞浓度呈现出随着光照强度的增强而升高的趋势;普通小球藻在660、2200、4400、66001x光照强度下达到最大藻细胞浓度的时间分别为14、15、17、17 d,最大藻细胞浓度分别为961.2×10~4、1858.3×10~4、3 258.8×10~4、3227.2×10~4 cells·mL~(-1);鱼腥藻在4个光照下达到最大藻细胞浓度的时间分别为17、18、21、21 d,最大藻细胞浓度分别为4 018.3×10~4、8 325.0×10~4、10552.8×10~4、10 073.4×10~4 cells·mL~(-1)。共同培养条件下,光照强度对两种藻的竞争作用产生显著影响。同时,种间竞争抑制参数的测算结果表明,4组光照强度下,鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数(α)均小于普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数(β);光照强度66001x时,普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数(β)最大,为7.94;光照强度44001x时,鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数(α)最大,为0.45。根据Lotka-Volterra竞争模型中两物种的种间竞争结局可初步判断,光照强度22001x时,普通小球藻在竞争中占优势;光照强度为660、4400、66001x时,鱼腥藻和普通小球藻不稳定共存。     

水芹(Oenanthe javaica)浸出液对小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)生长及超微结构的影响

采用在不同浓度水芹(Oenanthe javaica)浸出液中纯培养小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)的方法,研究水芹浸出液对小球藻细胞数量、叶绿素含量和藻细胞超微结构的影响。结果显示,10 g.L-1水芹浸出液对小球藻的生长和叶绿素含量具有明显的促进作用;20 g.L-1水芹浸出液处理组藻细胞数量和叶绿素含量增加持续至第7天,但增幅低于对照组,7 d后抑制作用增强;高浓度(30～50 g.L-1)水芹浸出液对小球藻细胞数量和叶绿素含量的抑制作用在第5天开始变得显著,并随时间延长而加剧,具有浓度效应;经40 g.L-1水芹浸出液处理后,小球藻细胞壁断裂甚至消失,细胞中叶绿体片层肿胀甚至解体,核膜破裂,核质外渗。结果表明水芹浸出液对小球藻具有化感效应,总体呈现低浓度促进、高浓度抑制的规律。     

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.