荇菜对镉污水的净化作用及其机制探讨

将水生植物荇菜在含不同浓度ＣｄＣｌ２的培养液中培养不同的时间，分析测定荇菜的茎叶、根系、培养液中的含镉量，植株细胞中超氧阴离子（Ｏ＾－２）、丙二醛（ＭＤＡ）的含量、超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）活性及细胞外渗的量。实验结果表明：荇菜对镉有较强的耐受性，５ｍｇ／Ｌ镉为春最小致死浓度，荇菜通过根系的吸收和分泌物的吸附作用固定溶液中的镉，对含镉污水有较高的净化能力，最高可清除污水中９９．５％的镉，在可耐受的范     

镉胁迫对苎麻(Boehmeria nivea)根系及叶片抗氧化系统的影响

镉(Cd)是非必需和毒性最强的重金属元素之一,不合理的开发利用可导致土壤受到Cd的严重污染,严重危及土壤环境或水环境。以苎麻为材料,采用模拟镉(Cd)污染盆栽培养法,选择21 d和49 d等2个不同胁迫期,测定不同浓度Cd2+胁迫下苎麻根系与叶片中渗透调节物质含量、超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)活性、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量及根系活力的变化。结果表明,高浓度胁迫49 d后,苎麻根系中的渗透调节物质含量明显高于叶片含量,且极显著高于对照,并在240 mg·L~(-1)Cd处理下出现最高值;胁迫49 d时,根系与叶片的渗透调节物质含量与Cd2+浓度极显著正相关。在2个不同胁迫周期,苎麻根系的SOD与POD活性均明显高于叶片;在胁迫21 d时,根系的CAT活性低于叶片,而胁迫49 d后,则明显高于叶片;胁迫21 d时,苎麻根系与叶片的抗氧化酶活性均较胁迫49 d要高;胁迫49 d时,根系POD活性与Cd2+浓度呈极显著正相关,表明根系POD酶在抗氧化酶中占主导地位。不同胁迫时长下苎麻根系或叶片的MDA含量变化趋势不明显,但根系或叶片受胁迫21 d后的MDA含量随Cd2+浓度增加的波动相对受胁迫49 d后的更明显,表明植物早期生理功能出现暂时性的修复。2个不同胁迫周期内,不同浓度镉胁迫下苎麻的根系活力均比对照组下降。研究显示,苎麻根系与叶片对镉胁迫的应答机制不同,且在不同胁迫时间下的响应机理差异较大,根系表现出更强的耐受能力。     

龙葵和茄子幼苗对镉胁迫的生理响应

采用营养液培养法研究了镉胁迫条件下龙葵和茄子幼苗的生长及生理响应.结果表明:镉胁迫使龙葵和茄子幼苗生长受到不同程度影响.龙葵在镉浓度低于50 μM条件下,地上部干物质量仅下降15.48%%(P＞0.05),根系干物质量在镉浓度低于100 μM下增加111.11%(P<0.05),根系活力也呈先升后降的趋势;茄子地上部干物质量和根系活力在所有镉处理下均低于对照,根系干物质量在镉浓度高于25 μM时即呈现下降趋势,降幅达47.06p.59%,茄子对镉胁迫的耐受性相对较弱.镉胁迫还导致龙葵和茄子幼苗叶片色素含量降低,叶片相对电导率、MDA含量和可溶性糖含量增加,SOD、POD、CAT变化不一致.龙葵叶片SOD活性随镉胁迫程度的增加先增高后降低,POD和CAT活性基本上表现为逐渐上升趋势,而茄子叶片中SOD活性逐渐下降,POD逐渐上升,CAT呈先降后升又降的变化规律,龙葵体内的3种抗氧化酶对镉胁迫起到较强的抗氧化保护作用.     

抗坏血酸对铜胁迫下广藿香幼苗生长、铜积累和抗氧化酶活性的影响

通过室内水培试验,研究了外源添加抗坏血酸(Ascorbic acid,As A)对铜(Copper,Cu)胁迫下广藿香(Pogostemon cablin(Blanco)Benth.)幼苗生长、Cu~(2+)积累和抗氧化酶活性的影响.结果显示,与对照相比,10—80μmol·L-1Cu~(2+)降低了广藿香幼苗的苗长、根长、植株生物量和根系耐性指数,且随Cu~(2+)浓度增大抑制作用增强.与Cu~(2+)胁迫相比,外源添加0.10—0.50 mmol·L~(-1)As A提高了广藿香幼苗的苗长、根长、植株生物量、根系耐性指数、根系活力以及SOD、POD、CAT和APX酶活性,降低其根系相对电导率、MDA含量和Cu~(2+)含量;随As A浓度的增加,苗长、根长、植株生物量、根系耐性指数、根系活力以及POD和CAT活性先升高后下降,相对电导率、MDA含量和Cu~(2+)含量先下降后上升,SOD和APX活性则一直增加.结果显示,外源添加0.25 mmol·L~(-1)的As A能提高广藿香幼苗细胞清除活性氧的能力,一定程度上缓解40μmol·L~(-1)Cu~(2+)胁迫对膜系统的伤害,减轻Cu~(2+)胁迫对广藿香幼苗生长的毒害作用.     

复合重金属胁迫对秋茄幼苗某些生理特性的影响

用5个级别的人工复合重金属污水处理红树植物秋茄Kandelia candel(L.)幼苗,2个月后对其叶绿素含量、叶片和根系的活性氧清除系统中的保护酶SOD、POD和CAT活性变化以及膜脂质过氧化作用影响进行分析.结果显示:叶绿素a、b及总量在低浓度处(1 W)有所上升,随着污染级别的升高,三者的含量均下降,且远低于对照组值.SOD活性随着污染级别的增加呈"先升后降"的变化.10 W污水时,叶和根系中的SOD活性均达到最大值.POD的活性变化与SOD活性变化相一致.CAT活性在叶片中不受污染程度的影响,保持相对平稳,但在高级别的污染下,活性有下降的趋势;而根系中CAT活性在10 W污水时达到最大值,污染程度再升级时,活性迅速下降.MDA含量在叶片中随着污染级别的增加呈"先降后升",而根系中MDA含量却是以升-降-升的模式变化,但它们都在10 W污水时,达到最小值.综合试验结果分析表明,秋茄幼苗在遭受重金属胁迫时,根系比叶更能有效地清除组织中的活性氧自由基,保护了根的生长,从而提高了抗重金属的能力.     

膨润土对镉胁迫下水稻幼苗生理生化特性的影响

为了探讨膨润土钝化修复镉(Cd)污染土壤对水稻幼苗生理生化特性的响应,通过盆栽试验研究了膨润土对Cd胁迫下水稻幼苗地上部生物量,叶片叶绿素含量,SOD、POD活性以及MDA含量的影响.结果表明,膨润土在不同程度上提高了水稻幼苗叶片叶绿素含量,促进了水稻幼苗的生长和发育,地上部生物量随膨润土投加量的增加而增大.单一Cd污染土壤中,水稻幼苗叶片SOD活性变化不明显,而幼苗根系SOD活性随Cd浓度的增加而显著降低(P＜0.05),投加膨润土后整体上提高了根系SOD活性.单一Cd污染土壤中,水稻幼苗叶片和根系POD活性随Cd浓度的增加而均呈现先应激性升高然后降低的变化趋势,投加膨润土后叶片POD活性有所降低,而5 ～50 g·kg-1膨润土处理显著提高根系POD活性(P＜0.05),比未投加膨润土处理分别增加13.2％ ～22.4％、4.9％ ～9.5％、44.8％～80.6％和6.9％～49.6％.单一Cd污染土壤中,水稻幼苗叶片和根系MDA含量随着Cd浓度的升高而升高,与无Cd胁迫对照相比,分别增加139.0％和158.1％;投加膨润土处理水稻幼苗MDA含量显著降低,膜脂过氧化作用明显减弱.因此,膨润土能有效缓解Cd胁迫对水稻幼苗的毒害作用,可用于Cd污染土壤的钝化修复.     

细叶美女樱(Verbena Tenera Spreng)对镉的耐性和富集特征研究

为探讨观赏花卉应用于植物修复技术的可行性,以细叶美女樱(Verbena Tenera Spreng)为材料,采用盆栽试验,研究了细叶美女樱对镉的耐性、吸收和富集能力,以期为今后观赏植物应用于重金属污染土壤修复提供理论依据。结果表明,随着镉处理浓度的增加,细叶美女樱干重呈先升高后降低的趋势,20~80 mg·kg~(-1)镉处理能促进植株的生长,100~120 mg·kg~(-1)镉处理对生长无影响,表明细叶美女樱对镉有较强的耐性。镉处理下,根系中丙二醛(MDA)含量和电解质渗透率分别于20和60 mg·kg~(-1)镉处理时开始显著高于对照,叶片中MDA含量和电解质渗透率分别于120和80 mg·kg~(-1)镉处理时开始显著高于对照,说明细叶美女樱受到了氧化伤害,且根系受伤害程度较大;氧化伤害更大程度地刺激了抗氧化防御系统,根系中POD、CAT活性的升高幅度大于叶片中CAT、APX活性的升高幅度,但抗氧化酶不能完全消除膜质过氧化引起的伤害。细叶美女樱各器官中镉含量表现为根茎叶的分布格局,植株对镉的转运系数小于1;但是地上部镉富集量高于根系,地上部最大富集量为778.31μg·pot~(-1)。这些结果表明细叶美女樱对镉有很强的耐性和富集能力,是一种良好的修复镉污染土壤的观赏绿化植物。     

镉胁迫对小白菜（Brassica campestris L.）抗氧化机理的影响

采用水培的方法,研究了不同Cd2 水平(0、1、2.5、5、10、15mg·L-1)对小白菜(Brassica campestris L.)抗氧化酶(SOD、POD、CAT)活性、非酶物质(SH、GSH、PCs)含晕以及生长的影响.结果表明,小白菜叶片和根系SOD活性随Cd处理质量浓度的增加呈降低的变化趋势,POD、CAT活性以及MDA含量随Cd处理质量浓度的增加而增加.小白菜的生物量、根长、株高、叶绿素质量分数随Cd处理质量浓度的增加显著降低(P<0.05),表明Cd抑制了小白菜的生长,破坏了叶绿素的合成.小白菜地上、地下部镉质量分数均随Cd处理质量浓度的增加而显著增加(P<0.05).当Cd处理质量浓度为15 mg·L-1,小白菜地上、地下部镉质量分数分别达到637.5、1 663.0 mg·kg-1,表明小白菜对Cd有良好的富集效果.小白菜根系与叶片中SH、GSH和PCs含量均随Cd处理质量浓度增加而增加的变化趋势,表明SH、GSH和PCs在解毒小白菜Cd毒害中起着重要作用.     

纳米氧化锌对羊角月牙藻毒性效应及其在藻细胞内外的分布

为研究纳米氧化锌(ZnO NP)的毒性效应及其在细胞内外分布,以羊角月牙藻(Selenastrum capricornutum)为模型藻类,研究了不同浓度ZnO NP对羊角月牙藻生长、叶绿素含量、可溶性蛋白含量、超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)及过氧化物酶(POD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量及细胞内外ZnO NP含量变化。结果表明,ZnO NP对羊角月牙藻的生长抑制与处理浓度呈现正相关。在45 mg·L~(-1)ZnO NP暴露24 h后,其生长抑制率已达到95%。当ZnO NP处理藻细胞72 h后,羊角月牙藻细胞的叶绿素含量与处理浓度之间存在剂量-效应关系。低浓度(0.5 mg·L~(-1))ZnO NP处理后藻细胞可溶性蛋白质含量、SOD和POD活性明显下降,MDA含量升高,其产生的毒性效应高于高浓度组(5 mg·L~(-1)、45 mg·L~(-1))。细胞培养液溶出Zn2+量及藻细胞外吸附的ZnO NP量与ZnO NP处理浓度成正比,但是藻细胞内ZnO NP量与ZnO NP浓度没有相关性,胞内积累量基本维持不变。研究表明,各浓度组对藻细胞毒性的差异,不仅与细胞内Zn2+量有关,还与细胞外粘附的ZnO NP有关。     

Cd2+胁迫对竹叶眼子菜的毒理学效应分析

以不同浓度Cd2 处理5 d的竹叶眼子菜为实验材料,分析了叶片的光合色素、抗氧化系统、丙二醛(MDA)、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白等生理生化指标的应答反应,并用透射电镜观察了叶细胞超微结构的变化.随着Cd2 处理浓度的增加,叶绿素含量和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性下降,而MDA和可溶性糖含量上升;过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性和抗坏血酸(ASA)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量分别在2 mg L-1和4 mg L-1时达到峰值;可溶性蛋白含量下降,相对分子质量(Mr)为52.1×103、42.9×103、27.4×103和14.1×103的多肽合成量逐渐减少,但Mr为18.1×103的多肽的合成量增加;叶绿体膨大、解体;线粒体嵴突肿胀、空泡化;核仁分散、核膜断裂、核质散出.结果表明: Cd2 对竹叶眼子菜的光合结构、细胞保护系统以及细胞结构的完整性等都产生明显破坏作用,最终将导致植物死亡.其中SOD、叶绿素和蛋白生物合成各指标的反应较灵敏,可作为水体Cd2 污染的监测指标. Cd2 对竹叶眼子菜的半效应浓度为2.97 mg L-1.图8参27     

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.