气溶胶水溶性有机物(WSOC)中二元羧酸的测定

提出了BF3 /丁醇酯化衍生反应 GC/MS分析大气气溶胶水溶性有机物 (WSOC)中二元羧酸 (乙二酸、丙二酸和丁二酸 )的测定方法 .其相应酯化产物乙二酸二丁酯、丙二酸二丁酯和丁二酸二丁酯的线性范围为 1× 1 0 - 5mol·l- 1— 1× 1 0 - 2 mol·l- 1,精密度分别为 1 6 7% ,3 0 4 %和 5 2 8% ;最低检测限分别为 1 9× 1 0 - 7mol·l- 1,1 1×1 0 - 7mol·l- 1和 1 2 5× 1 0 - 6mol·l- 1.并实测了北京市秋、冬两季乙二酸、丙二酸和丁二酸的平均浓度水平 ,分别为 4 44ng·m- 3 ,4 0ng·m- 3 ,30 2ng·m- 3 .     

Cu2+,Cd2+和Cr(Ⅵ)抑制沼泽红假单胞菌生长的毒性效应

运用标准方法进行有毒化学品对水生生物急性毒性实验 ,得到Cu2 + ,Cd2 + ,Cr(Ⅵ )对光合细菌沼泽红假单胞菌生长抑制作用的 96h剂量反应方程 ,分别为 :y =- 1.72 6 7x +8.70 0 4 ,R2 =0 .96 5 5c(Cu2 + ) ;y =$C1.15 5 1x +8.9996 ,R2 =0 .92 5 2c(Cd2 + ) ;y=$C1.342 7x +10 .785 ,R2 =0 .975 8c〔Cr(Ⅵ )〕 ,由此计算出Cu2 + ,Cd2 + ,Cr(Ⅵ )的 96h -EC50 分别为 2 .172× 10 -6mol/L ,2 .5 6 6× 10 -5mol/L和 3.92 6× 10 -4mol/L .从而得出它们对沼泽红假单胞菌生长毒性作用大小的顺序为Cu2 + >Cd2 + >Cr(Ⅵ ) .表 2参 11     

川西亚高山人工针叶林枯枝落叶及苔藓层的持水性能

亚高山针叶林作为”长江上游生态屏障”的主体 ,具有重要的水源涵养和水土保持作用 .本文作者对川西地区典型的不同恢复阶段的人工云杉林、迹地、次生林和原始林下苔藓与枯枝落叶层贮量和持水性能进行了试验研究 .结果表明 ,人工云杉林在生态恢复过程中 ,苔藓与枯枝落叶层的贮量和持水性能均呈现出波动式递增 ,表现为 30a <4 0a <6 0a<5 0a,5 0a云杉林达到最大值 ,苔藓、枯枝落叶层的贮量分别为 10 .96× 10 3 kg/hm2 、76 .9× 10 3 kg /hm2 ,最大持水量分别为 4 4 .77× 10 3 kg /hm2 、182 .5× 10 3 kg /hm2 ,以后略有下降 .枯枝落叶层持水性能优于苔藓 ,说明枯枝落叶层在森林的水源涵养方面发挥了更为重要的作用 .人工林枯枝落叶层贮量和持水性能较天然林有所降低 ,反映了该地区在人工林的建设中应注意其生态功能的恢复 .图 2表 2参 8     

10种农药对克氏原螯虾幼虾的急性毒性(Acute Toxicity of Ten Pesticides to Larval Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus Clarkii)

研究了在实验室常温条件下敌杀死、索虫亡、百草一号、敌敌畏、卷清、逐灭(池塘水)、逐灭(自来水)、锐劲特、抑虱净、草甘膦、星科等10种农药对克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)幼虾的急性毒性效应.试验结果表明,克氏原螯虾幼虾对不同农药的耐受力相差较大.敌杀死、索虫亡、百草一号、敌敌畏、卷清、逐灭(池塘水)、逐灭(自来水)、锐劲特、抑虱净、草甘膦、星科对克氏原螯虾幼虾的24h半致死浓度(24hLC50)分别为4.62×10-3、2.28×10-2、16.7、2.57×10-1、4.73×10-3、8.91×10-2、2.97×10-2、8.90×10-2、8.08、5.52×103、3.64×10-1mg·L-1;48h半致死浓度(48hLC50)分别为3.07×10-3、1.46×10-2、15.8、1.98×10-1、4.33×10-3、3.48×10-2、1.48×10-2、6.01×10-2、6.47、4.06×103、1.99×10-1mg·L-1;其安全浓度(SC)分别为4.07×0-4、1.80×10-3、4.16、3.72×10-2、1.09×10-3、1.59×10-3、1.10×10-3、8.22×10-3、1.24、6.59×102、1.78×10-2mg·L-1.相比之下,草甘膦对克氏原螯虾幼虾的毒性最低,百草一号的毒性也相对较低,可以作为稻虾混养系统病虫害防治的首选,而敌杀死、卷清等对克氏原螯虾幼虾的毒性极高,应尽量避免使用.     

双酚A对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的毒性效应

为评价双酚A(BPA)对中国林蛙(Rana chensinensis)蝌蚪的急性毒性,将26期的蝌蚪暴露于浓度为2.4×10-5mol·L-1～4.2×10-5mol·L-1BPA的水体中进行急性毒性实验.结果表明,24、48、72、96h蝌蚪的死亡几率(y)与浓度对数(x)的回归方程分别为y=16.915x-4.1157、y=22.11x-6.1905、y=20.766x-5.3871、y=20.715x-5.351;半数致死浓度(LC50)分别为3.47×10-5、3.28×10-5、3.20×10-5、3.16×10-5mol·L-1.安全浓度(SC)为0.88×10-5mol·L-1.为探讨在安全浓度以下BPA对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的影响,将林蛙蝌蚪分别于10-5、10-6、10-7mol·L-1BPA的水体中连续暴露直至完全变态,并设10-8、10-9mol·L-1雌二醇(E2)的阳性对照和空白对照,分别测定并统计蝌蚪发育所需的发育时间、体长和体质量.结果表明,蝌蚪对10-5、10-6、10-7mol·L-1BPA与10-8、10-9mol·L-1E2的效应相似,可延缓林蛙幼体的发育时间,导致体长和体质量降低.推测低浓度BPA抑制蝌蚪生长发育的机制之一是干扰了正常的内分泌活动.     

辛基酚对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的毒性效应

为评价辛基酚(OP)对中国林蛙(Rana chensinensis)蝌蚪的急性毒性,将26期蝌蚪暴露在浓度为5.0×10-7～5.0×10-6mol·L-1OP的水体中进行急性毒性实验.结果显示,蝌蚪的死亡率随着OP浓度的升高和暴露时间的延长而增加,24、48、72、96h的半数致死浓度(LC50)分别为3.55×10-6、2.96×10-6、1.90×10-6、1.52×10-6mol·L-1;96h零致死浓度(96hLC0)为9.70×10-7mol·L-1;安全浓度(SC)为1.52×10-7mol·L-1.另外,为探讨SC以下OP对蝌蚪生长发育的影响,将26期蝌蚪连续暴露在1.0×10-7、5.0×10-8、1.0×10-8、1.0×10-9mol·L-1OP的水体中,并设1.0×10-7、1.0×10-8mol·L-1雌二醇(E2)阳性对照及空白对照,直至70%蝌蚪完全变态.在暴露20d、40d和70%蝌蚪完全变态时共3次测量蝌蚪及幼蛙的体长和体重,分别统计70%蝌蚪发育至跗蹠部伸长期、前肢伸出期和完全变态期所需的时间.结果表明,SC以下OP和E2对蝌蚪死亡率的影响不明显,但1.0×10-9～1.0×10-7mol·L-1OP和1.0×10-7、1.0×10-8mol·L-1E2可不同程度地延缓蝌蚪发育时间,降低蝌蚪体长和体重,并导致少数蝌蚪发育畸形.结果说明低浓度OP与E2相似,对蝌蚪生长发育具有抑制作用.     

辛基酚对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的毒性效应（Toxicity Effects of Octylphenol on Growth and Development of Tadpoles（Rana chensinensis））

为评价辛基酚（OP）对中国林蛙（Rana chensinensis）蝌蚪的急性毒性,将26期蝌蚪暴露在浓度为5.0×10-7~5.0×10-6mol·L-1 OP的水体中进行急性毒性实验. 结果显示,蝌蚪的死亡率随着OP浓度的升高和暴露时间的延长而增加,24、48、72、96h的半数致死浓度（LC50）分别为3.55×10-6、2.96×10-6、1.90×10-6、1.52×10-6mol·L-1;96h零致死浓度（96hLC0）为9.70×10-7mol·L-1;安全浓度（SC）为1.52×10-7mol·L-1. 另外,为探讨SC以下OP对蝌蚪生长发育的影响,将26期蝌蚪连续暴露在1.0×10-7、5.0×10-8、1.0×10-8、1.0×10-9mol·L-1 OP的水体中,并设1.0×10-7、1.0×10-8 mol·L-1雌二醇（E2）阳性对照及空白对照,直至70%蝌蚪完全变态. 在暴露20d、40d和70%蝌蚪完全变态时共3次测量蝌蚪及幼蛙的体长和体重,分别统计70%蝌蚪发育至跗蹠部伸长期、前肢伸出期和完全变态期所需的时间. 结果表明,SC以下OP和E2对蝌蚪死亡率的影响不明显,但1.0×10-9~1.0×10-7mol·L-1 OP和1.0×10-7、1.0×10-8mol·L-1 E2可不同程度地延缓蝌蚪发育时间,降低蝌蚪体长和体重,并导致少数蝌蚪发育畸形. 结果说明低浓度OP与E2相似,对蝌蚪生长发育具有抑制作用.     

北京城市大气污染源的暴露效率研究

为了精确地估算产业部门不同类别与特征的大气污染源对指定区域的污染强度 ,采用暴露效率概念及其研究方法。以北京城区为例 ,应用大气污染扩散模型ISCST3,由污染排放数据、全年逐时气象数据以及市区人口分布 ,求得 1999年各污染源对北京市区SO2 ,PM10 ,NOx 等污染物浓度的贡献率和北京城区居民的暴露效率。研究表明 ,不同行业污染源导致SO2 暴露效率在 2× 10 -6～ 2 0× 10 -6之间 ,PM10 、NOx 暴露效率在 2× 10 -6～ 5 0× 10 -6之间。采暖 ,交通等行业部门的污染源产生的暴露效率较大 ,而污染物排放量较大的污染源 (电厂 ) ,由于远离人口密集区并且排放高度较高 ,因此暴露效率较小。     

几种化感物质对杉木幼苗生长的影响

采用培养皿滤纸法 ,研究了不同浓度的肉桂酸、苯甲酸、对羟基苯甲酸对杉木 (Cunninghamialanceolata)幼苗生长的影响 .结果表明肉桂酸、苯甲酸、对羟基苯甲酸分别在 1× 10 -5molL-1、1× 10 -3molL-1、1× 10 -4 molL-1浓度时降低了叶绿素含量 (P =0 .0 5 ) ,而在 1× 10 -6molL-1、1× 10 -4 molL-1、1× 10 -5molL-1浓度时抑制了杉木幼苗胚根和胚芽的生长 (P =0 .0 1) .3种酚类物质对胚根生长的抑制作用明显高于对胚芽生长的抑制作用 .在 3种酚类物质中 ,肉桂酸对杉木幼苗生长的抑制作用最强 ,对羟基苯甲酸次之 ,苯甲酸最弱 .这表明酚类物质能在不同程度上抑制杉木幼苗的生长 ,降低其生产力 ,可能是连栽杉木人工林生产力降低的因素之一 .图 2表 1参 14     

测定5种高环多环芳烃毒性当量因子并应用于太湖梅梁湾表层沉积物分析

作用位点和作用机理相同的污染物通常具有毒性加合作用,但是各个污染物对总体毒性的贡献并不相同,因此需要采用等毒性当量方法进行归一化．本研究选取了5种具有较强芳烃受体效应的多环芳烃(PAHs),通过大鼠肝癌细胞株H4ⅡE体外EROD酶诱导试验,得到相应的剂量／效应关系曲线,并计算了单个PAH的毒性当量因子 (EROD-TEF)．研究结果表明,不同PAH对EROD响应的EC50有较大区别,毒性相对强弱按照苯并[k]荧蒽>茚并 [1,2,3-cd]芘>苯并[a]芘>苯并[b]荧蒽>苊的顺序递减,对应的EROD-TEF值分别为1．1×10-4、3．0×10-5、3．9×10-6、 2．8×10-6和1．5×10-6．利用所得到的EROD-TEF值和气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用方法测定的太湖梅梁湾地区表层沉积物中16种PAHs的浓度,计算得到5种PAHs的2,3,7,8-TCDD毒性当量TEQPAH,并与体外EROD酶诱导生物测试方法测得的表层沉积物毒性当量EROD-TEQ进行了比较．结果显示,两者间存在较好的线性关系(r2=0．65, p<0．05),证明实验测得的EROD-TEF值能够用于实际样品的分析;所研究的沉积物样品中5种PAHs对总芳烃受体效应的贡献均大于50％,表明PAHs是太湖梅梁湾地区表层沉积物中主要的芳烃受体效应活性物质,其可能引起的环境风险应得到进一步重视．     

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.