电子垃圾拆解场多环境介质 多氯联苯(PCBs)污染特征及风险评估

多氯联苯(polychlorinated biphenyls,PCBs)是一组氯代烃类化合物,有较强的生物毒性效应。研究通过采集中国某典型电子垃圾拆解区手工拆解场和焚烧场不同环境介质(大气、土壤、饮用水、食物等)分析15种PCBs同系物的污染水平。利用主成分/因子分析方法分析不同拆解场PCBs的来源。根据世界卫生组织(WHO)推荐的毒性当量因子(TEFs)方法评价了两个拆解场环境介质中8种PCBs同系物的毒性。结果显示研究区大气、土壤、饮用水、农作物和农产品样品中PCBs同系物浓度均高于国际已有报道的同种介质中的PCBs污染水平,其中PCB-047和PCB-171污染最为严重。手工拆解场各介质PCBs同系物中PCB-047、PCB-171所占比例为2%~87%;焚烧场各介质PCBs同系物中PCB-047、PCB-171所占比例为2%~90%;来源分析表明除手工拆解场PCB-126和焚烧场PCB-114外,其余PCBs的来源具有相似性;毒性当量(TEQ)评价结果显示区内大气∑TEQ PCBs最高。环境介质中除红薯干外,∑TEQ PCBs均是焚烧场高于手工拆解场,且TEQ PCB-126和TEQ PCB-169的毒性当量最高。     

电子垃圾拆解区土壤上空心菜的毒理响应

电子垃圾拆解区对当地环境造成严重污染,电子垃圾拆解区重金属在土壤农作物体系中有一定迁移性,并可通过食物链进入人体,对人体健康造成威胁。深入探究作物的积累重金属的机理,可为调控食物链的重金属传递,减少重金属对人体健康的威胁提供一定的理论和实践依据。以广东省梅州市贵屿岛某电子垃圾拆解区为中心,沿半径方向2、20、40、50 m采集土壤,同时以未受电子垃圾拆解区的土壤作为参照,在室内采用盆栽实验方法研究空心菜（Ipomoea aquatica）对电子垃圾污染的土壤中重金属Cd、Cu、Pb、Zn、Cr的毒理响应。结果表明：受电子垃圾污染土壤中栽种的空心菜,五种重金属的含量在空心菜体内的分布为根＞茎＞叶,根部的富集系数最高,同时空心菜根部对Cu,Zn的生物积累作用最强烈,在水稻土上空心菜对重金属的富集最为明显;空心菜的生长高度受重金属的污染不明显,重金属对空心菜的主要影响表现在叶面形态上;受到污染胁迫后,空心菜中叶绿素的含量明显降低,距电子垃圾2、20、40、50 m的土壤和水稻土壤上种植的空心菜的叶绿素量平均是对照汕头土壤的44.0%、74.2%、75.4%、88.7%、74.1%;空心菜对于土壤中重金属的污染有较好的自身调节能力,其体内的过氧化氢酶和过氧化物酶表现的相似,土壤受重金属的污染越严重,空心菜的CAT和POD的含量相应也较高。     

青海湖湟鱼(Gymnocypris przewalskii)中PCBs和PCDD/Fs的分析

应用同位素稀释高分辨气相色谱/高分辨质谱(HRGC/HRMS)分析了青海湖湟鱼体内多氯联苯(PCBs)和二噁英(PCDD/Fs)的含量.发现7-9年龄段湟鱼体内平均PCBs总浓度高达3484.9pg·g-1 ww,PCBs的毒性当量为0.41-0.57pgWHO-TEQ·g-1ww.除了PCB-81以外,其它11种二噁英类PCB都被检出,7种具有指示作用的PCB同系物(PCB-28,52,101,138,153,180)的浓度含量占总PCBs浓度的26%.湟鱼体内二噁英基本上未检出.由于青海湖区基本上没有工业污染源,鱼体内的PCBs可能是长距离迁移沉降和生物富集的结果.     

贵屿电子垃圾处理对河流底泥及土壤重金属污染

以广东省汕头市贵屿镇电子垃圾处理场为对象,主要研究了电子垃圾场附近河流的底泥和农田土壤中重金属形态分布特征。结果表明,底泥中Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Zn质量分数分别为52.9-67.1、309-359、79.2-1485、391-449、37.5-111 mg.kg^-1;土壤中Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Zn的平均质量分数分别是54.1-57.1、278-320、93.5-116、382-415、46.2-68.1 mg.kg^-1。底泥和土壤中Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb均超过《土壤环境质量标准》（GB15618—1995）二级标准,其中以Cd和Cu污染最为严重。底泥及土壤中重金属的地球化学形态分布规律基本一致。重金属具有较高迁移性,重金属的迁移性为Cd〉Cr〉Pb〉Zn〉Cu。     

芜湖市龙窝湖湿地土壤重金属污染特征及潜在生态风险评价

分析了不同人类活动方式下芜湖市龙窝湖湿地土壤镍（Ni）、铬（Cr）、镉（Cd）、铅（Pb）、铜（Cu）和锌（Zn）含量差异,采用污染指数法、潜在生态风险指数法和沉积物质量基准（SQG）比较法对湿地土壤重金属污染特征和潜在生态风险进行评价。结果表明：6个样地土壤重金属含量只有Cd含量（0．76—3．67mg／kg）显著超过土壤环境质量二级标准（GB15618—1995）;6个样地土壤Cd和Cu含量与塘式水产养殖湿地、网式水产养殖湿地、垃圾倾倒地下游湿地和垃圾倾倒地土壤Pb和Zn含量超过土壤背景值,而6个样地土壤Ni和Cr含量与湖泊底泥和耕地土壤Ph和Zn含量未超标;土壤6种重金属综合污染指数为垃圾倾倒地下游湿地（25．4）〉网式水产养殖湿地（25．3）〉塘式水产养殖湿地（23．1）〉垃圾倾倒地（19．2）〉耕地（8．2）=湖泊底泥（8．2）;土壤6种重金属综合潜在生态风险指数为网式水产养殖湿地（603．6）〉垃圾倾倒地下游湿地（595．5）〉塘式水产养殖湿地（538．4）〉垃圾倾倒地（439．9）〉耕地（145．6）〉湖泊底泥（136．6）。土壤cd含量高是导致湿地土壤重金属较高污染（Cd单项污染指数占综合污染指数：49％～76％）和存在严重潜在生态风险（Cd单项潜在生态风险指数占综合潜在生态风险指数：88％～96％）的关键元素。基于沉积物质量基准比较法的潜在风险评价结果表明湿地土壤存在M、Cd和Cu污染的中等潜在生态风险。     

电子垃圾拆解区土壤中多氯联苯的垂直分布

以典型电子垃圾拆解区作为研究区域,采集土芯样品,研究不同深度土壤中多氯联苯(PCBs)的污染状况.研究表明,从事电子垃圾拆解时间较短的采样点A土芯以及从事拆解时间较长的采样点B土芯不同深度土壤中PCBs总含量分别为0.54—45.43 ng·g-1干重和2.16—543.96 ng·g-1干重,两个采样点均受到了不同程度的PCBs污染,B土芯较A土芯污染严重.A和B土芯中PCBs含量由上到下呈下降趋势,表层(0—5cm)最高,5—10 cm层分别减少96.4%和92.6%.A土芯不同深度土壤中PCBs组成有所差异;B土芯各层土壤中PCBs组成较接近,含量较高的PCBs同系物均为5-CBs和6-CBs.相关性分析表明,土芯中1-CBs至9-CBs有相同的污染来源,即电子垃圾拆解,1-CBs至9-CBs随土壤深度向下迁移的能力接近.     

华南电子垃圾回收区农田土壤重金属污染及其化学形态分布

广东清远龙塘镇作为电子垃圾回收地区,已从事电子垃圾处置超过30年,可能给当地的农田土壤带来了严重的风险。为评价龙塘农田土壤中重金属污染程度,采集28个农田土壤样品,用于研究As、Cd、Co、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb、Sn、Zn10种重金属含量及其不同存在形态。结果表明,与中国食用农产品产地环境质量标准比较,大多数当地农田土壤已在不同程度上受到重金属污染,85.7%的土壤样品中有一种或多种重金属的含量超过了相应的评价标准值。化学形态分析结果表明,除Hg外,人为来源的其她重金属更多地进入了可迁移形态部分(弱酸可溶态+可还原态+可氧化态),从而具有更高的毒害性和生物有效性,该电子垃圾处置区农田土壤已基本不适于食用农产品种植。大多数重金属在0.05或0.01水平上具有显著的相关性,这表明龙塘镇土壤重金属污染主要来源于不受控制的电子垃圾回收活动。对中国或其他国家具有类似的粗放式电子垃圾回收处置地区来说,有关龙塘镇农田土壤中重金属污染水平及其潜在的生物毒害性研究具有代表性意义。     

气相色谱／质谱测定电子垃圾拆解区土壤中四溴双酚A的方法

本研究建立气相色谱/质谱来测定电子垃圾拆解区土壤中四溴双酚 A（TBBPA）的方法。该化合物通过超声波辅助萃取,溶剂选择V（丙酮）﹕V（正己烷）=1﹕1或乙酸乙酯;净化柱选择酸化的氟罗里硅土和无水硫酸钠混合物或CleanertC18-SPE进行净化;净化液浓缩后经衍生反应,衍生试剂选用N,O-双（三甲基硅烷基）三氟乙酰胺（BSTFA）和含1%的三甲基氯硅烷（TMCS）。该方法测定电子垃圾拆解区土壤中TBBPA的检出限为（S/N=3）0.1μg·kg^-1加标回收率平均值为92.7%（n=5）,重现性RSD为2.52%（n=5）;线性范围是20～400μg·kg^-1相关系数0.999。该方法用于调查电子垃圾拆解区土壤中四溴双酚A,范围值为5.17～218.00μg·kg^-1其周围农田土壤中四溴双酚A,范围值为0.312～4.170μg·kg^-1     

短链氯化石蜡在台州电子拆解地区的分布特征

以峰江为中心,采集了台州电子垃圾拆解区域的26个表层土壤样品,调查台州地区短链氯化石蜡(SCCPs)的污染状况、空间分布和单体构成情况.结果表明,SCCPs在所有土壤样品中均有检出,其浓度水平介于47.95—1298 ng·g-1干重,平均值为276.7 ng·g-1干重.C10和Cl6—7为土壤中SCCPs最主要的碳原子和氯原子同族体.空间分布表明短链氯化石蜡的浓度水平总体呈现随距采样点中心峰江距离增加而减少的趋势,说明电子垃圾拆解活动可能是SCCPs的一个潜在释放源.     

不同交通状况下大气颗粒物中多氯联苯的污染特征

采集了北京市北四环附近典型交通路口不同交通状况下大气颗粒物(TSP、PM_(10)、PM_(2.5))样品,利用高分辨率气相色谱/高分辨率质谱(HRGC/HRMS),按照US EPA 1668A方法,对19种多氯联苯(PCBs)浓度水平、组成特征和粒径分布规律进行了监测分析,并评估了交通控制对大气颗粒物中PCBs的影响.结果表明, PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)和TSP中19种PCBs的质量浓度和毒性当量(TEQ)变化范围分别为567—2481 fg·m~(-3)和0.33—1.42 fg WHO-TEQ·m~(-3)、875—2845 fg·m~(-3)和0.34—1.71 fg WHO-TEQ·m~(-3)、1118—3922 fg·m~(-3)和0.46—2.09 fg WHO-TEQ·m~(-3),北京市大气颗粒物中PCBs处于较低水平,且主要富集在PM_(2.5)上,占51%—87%;3个采样期PCBs单体组成模式没有明显不同,说明释放源和转化过程是相似的;对总浓度贡献最大的是PCB-209和PCB-28,两者的贡献率为52%—77%,而对总TEQ贡献最大的是PCB-126,占86%—92%(平均值89%),其次是PCB-169,占6%—11%(平均值8%);交通限行期间PCBs的污染水平明显低于限行前,约降低69%—77%(平均值72%),临时交通控制措施的实施对PCBs污染水平降低具有积极的影响.     

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.     

Importance of greater interdisciplinarity and geographic scope when tackling the driving forces behind biological invasions

Invasive non-native species are important drivers of ecosystem change, yet the driving forces of biological invasions themselves are poorly understood. Such information is essential to ensure policies focus on the most relevant drivers, and that future scenarios capture the full range of potential outcomes for invasive non-native species. I carried out a bibliometric analysis of articles published from 2000 to 2020 that address either invasive non-native species or biodiversity and ecosystem services and that also mention 1 or more drivers of ecosystem change. I examined 5 indirect drivers (demographic, economic, governance, sociocultural, and technological) and 6 direct drivers (climate change, invasive non-native species, land-use or sea-use change, natural hazards, pollution, and resource extraction). Using the Web of Science core collection of citation indexes, I undertook searches of article titles and keywords and retrieved 27,462 articles addressing invasive non-native species and 110,087 articles dealing with biodiversity or ecosystem services. Most research to date on biological invasions as well as on biodiversity and ecosystem services has focused on anthropogenic direct drivers of ecosystem change rather than indirect drivers. Yet currently, less than 18% of articles addressing biological invasions examined drivers of ecosystem change, a similar level to that found over 20 years ago for biodiversity or ecosystem services. Knowledge of the drivers of biological invasions is limited, emphasizes tractable drivers over those that require an interdisciplinary approach, and is biased toward developed economies. Drivers generally deemed important for biological invasions, such as governance and resource extraction, accounted for less than 2% of research effort. The absence of a systematic understanding of the forces that drive invasive non-native species and how they interact means that attempts to mitigate or forecast biological invasions are likely to fail. To address biological invasions requires a much better orientation of national and international research on drivers in relation to both their actual importance as well as their policy relevance.     

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.     

Mitigating the effects of climate change on the nests of sea turtles with artificial irrigation

For sea turtles, like many oviparous species, increasing temperatures during development threaten to increase embryonic mortality, alter offspring quality, and potentially create suboptimal primary sex ratios. Various methods are being implemented to mitigate the effects of climate change on reproductive success, but these methods, such as breeding programs, translocations, and shading, are often invasive and expensive. Irrigation is an alternative strategy for cooling nests that, depending on location, can be implemented relatively quickly and cheaply. However, multiple factors, including ambient conditions, nest substrate, and species characteristics, can influence irrigation success. Additionally, irrigation can vary in duration, frequency, and the volume of water applied to nests, which influences the cooling achieved and embryonic survival. Thus, it is critical to understand how to maximize cooling and manage risks before implementing irrigation as a nest-cooling strategy. We reviewed the literature on nest irrigation to examine whether artificial irrigation is feasible as a population management tool. Key factors that affected cooling were the volume of water applied and the frequency of applications. Embryonic responses varied with species, ambient conditions, and the timing of irrigation during development. Nest inundation was the key risk to a successful irrigation regime. Future irrigation regimes must identify clear targets, either primary or adult sex ratios, that maximize population viability. Monitoring population responses and adjusting the irrigation regime in response to population characteristics will be critical. Most studies reported on the manipulation of only one or two variables, further research is required to understand how altering multiple factors in an irrigation regime influences the cooling achieved and embryonic responses.     

Positive and Negative Effects of a Threatened Parrotfish on Reef Ecosystems

Species that are strong interactors play disproportionately important roles in the dynamics of natural ecosystems. It has been proposed that their presence is necessary for positively shaping the structure and functioning of ecosystems. We evaluated this hypothesis using the case of the world's largest parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum), a globally imperiled species. We used direct observation, animal tracking, and computer simulations to examine the diverse routes through which B. muricatum affects the diversity, dispersal, relative abundance, and survival of the corals that comprise the foundation of reef ecosystems. Our results suggest that this species can influence reef building corals in both positive and negative ways. Field observation and simulation outputs indicated that B. muricatum reduced the abundance of macroalgae that can outcompete corals, but they also feed directly on corals, decreasing coral abundance, diversity, and colony size. B. muricatum appeared to facilitate coral advancement by mechanically dispersing coral fragments and opening up bare space for coral settlement, but they also damaged adult corals and remobilized a large volume of potentially stressful carbonate sediment. The impacts this species has on reefs appears to be regulated in part by its abundance—the effects of B. muricatum were more intense in simulation scenarios populated with high densities of these fish. Observations conducted in regions with high and low predator (e.g., sharks) abundance generated results that are consistent with the hypothesis that these predators of B. muricatum may play a role in governing their abundance; thus, predation may modulate the intensity of the effects they have on reef dynamics. Overall our results illustrate that functionally unique and threatened species may not have universally positive impacts on ecosystems and that it may be necessary for environmental managers to consider the diverse effects of such species and the forces that mediate the strength of their influence. Efectos Positivos y Negativos de un Pez Loro Amenazado Sobre Ecosistemas Arrecifales     

Form-specific fragances fromOphrys insectifera L. (Orchidaceae) attract species of different pollinator genera. Evidence of sympatric speciation?

Two closely related forms ofOphrys insectifera were observed in the field to attract different pollinator species selectively.O. i. ssp.insectifera attracted males of two species ofArgogorytes (Sphecidae, Hymenoptera Aculeata) andO. i. ssp.aymoninii attractedAndrena combinata males (Andrenidae, Apoidea, Hymenoptera Aculeata). A third form,O. aff.i. ssp.insectifera, attracted none of these three species. Volatile compounds from flowers and inflorescences of the three forms (originating from Öland, Sweden, and Aveyron, France) were collected, using entrainment, enfleurage, and solvent extraction techniques, and identified by gas chromatography — mass spectrometry. Scent differences between the three forms were confirmed in the amounts of aliphatic hydrocarbons (C₁₁–C₁₉), methyl esters (C₁₄–C₁₈), short chain aliphatic 1-alcohols (C₆–C₁₂), and monoterpene alcohols (C₁₀).     

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.