四种重金属离子对河川沙塘鳢早期发育的毒性影响

以早期发育阶段河川沙塘鳢(包括胚胎和初孵仔鱼)为研究材料,研究Hg2+、Cr6+、Zn2+和Cu2+4种重金属离子对其的毒性影响.结果表明,4种重金属离子对河川沙塘鳢早期发育死亡率和孵化率影响大小依次为Hg2+ ＞Cu2+＞Zn2+ ＞Cr6+,沙塘鳢在神经胚期和出膜仔鱼期的死亡率较高,且在重金属离子处理初期,大多数低...     

氯化三丁基锡(TBTCl)对罗非鱼精巢细胞凋亡的影响

以雄性奥利亚罗非鱼为试验材料,分别以0、1、3、5和10μg·L-1氯化三丁基锡(TBTCl)通过接触染毒的方式,研究TBTCl对鱼类精巢细胞凋亡的影响.细胞凋亡分析结果表明,在同一染毒时间下,除染毒时间为24和48h,染毒浓度为1μg·L-1处理组与对照组之间细胞凋亡率差异不显著(P>0.05)以外,其余情况下各处理组与对照组之间差异均显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).各相邻2个浓度处理组之间,3μg·L-1处理组和5μg·L-1处理组之间细胞凋亡率差异均不显著(P>0.05),其余各组之间差异均显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).随着TBTCl浓度的升高,罗非鱼精巢细胞凋亡率逐渐升高,剂量-效应关系显著.精巢细胞Ca2+-ATP酶活性测定结果表明,在同一染毒时间下,除在染毒时间为24和96 h时,染毒浓度为1μg·L-1处理组与对照组之间差异不显著(P>0.05)以外,其余情况下各处理组与对照组之间差异均显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).在同一染毒时间下,各处理组之间,除染毒时间为24 h时,染毒浓度1μg·L-1处理组和3 μg·L-1处理组之间差异不显著(P>0.05)以外,其余情况下各处理组之间差异显著(P<0.01);随着染毒浓度的升高,Ca2+-ATP酶活性逐渐升高,并且剂量一效应关系显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).奥利亚罗非鱼精巢细胞凋亡率与精巢Ca2+-ATP酶活性间具有一定的协同关系.     

毒死蜱(CPF)对克氏原螯虾的急性毒性及组织病理观察

采用静水生物测试法研究毒死蜱(CPF)对克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)的急性毒性效应及克氏原螯虾的组织病变情况并进行安全评价。设定0、2、10、20、40和80μg·L-1 6个CPF浓度梯度进行急性暴露试验,结果表明,CPF浓度升高对克氏原螯虾产生较大毒性,24、48和96 h半致死浓度〔ρ(LC50)〕分别为(28.24±2.81)、(19.50±2.03)和(13.13±1.70)μg·L-1,ρ(LC50)随着暴露时间延长呈显著下降趋势,符合双曲线衰减模型(r=0.999 9,P<0.000 1),安全浓度为(2.79±0.31)μg·L-1。组织病理观察发现,染毒虾心脏上皮细胞增生,心肌肌束间充满血淋巴细胞;神经细胞肿大,尼氏体溶解消失,细胞由多极形状变为圆形,神经纤维坏死并解体;肝胰腺小管收缩并充血,空泡增加;鳃组织空泡化,表面出现黑色素沉积,被多量血淋巴细胞浸润;肌肉纤维萎缩并溶解。     

赣江流域水体中可溶态镉的时空分布特征及水质评价

为了解赣江流域水体中镉的分布特征,在赣江流域的重点河段采集44个水样(丰水期和枯水期各22个),采用氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定水体中可溶态镉浓度。结果表明,赣江水体ρ(可溶态镉)〔(0.112±0.111)μg·L-1〕较低,丰水期水体ρ(可溶态镉)〔(0.095±0.116)μg·L-1〕显著低于枯水期〔(0.128±0.160)μg·L-1〕(P0.05)。干流水体ρ(可溶态镉)〔(0.116±0.038)μg·L-1〕略低于支流〔(0.121±0.102)μg·L-1〕,且从上游到下游呈逐步下降趋势。从水体可溶态镉浓度的空间分布来看,赣州城区至峡江县城之间应该是赣江流域水体镉污染的重点监控区域。     

2,4'-DDT对斑马鱼生长、繁殖力及卵黄蛋白原的影响

以斑马鱼体内卵黄蛋白原(Vtg)作为雌激素污染物的生物标志物,比较研究了不同浓度2,4'- DDT对成年斑马鱼生长、发育、繁殖以及体内Vtg含量的影响.结果表明,当水环境中ρ(2,4'- DDT)为2和10 μg·L-1时,斑马鱼产卵量和受精率与空白和溶剂对照组相比均显著下降(P＜0.05).当水环境中p(2,4'- DDT)为0.2、2和10μg·L-1时,斑马鱼肝脏指数与空白和溶剂对照组相比显著升高(P＜0.05);10 μg·L-12,4'- DDT处理组雄性斑马鱼体内Vtg含量显著高于空白和溶剂对照组(P＜0.05),而0.2、2和10 μg·L-1 2,4'-DDT处理组雌性斑马鱼体内Vtg含量均显著高于空白和溶剂对照组(P＜0.05),且随暴露浓度的增加而增大.SDS - PAGE检测及免疫印迹分析均显示雄鱼血液内出现Vtg特异条带,表明2,4'- DDT对斑马鱼具有雌激素效应.     

2种植物秸秆浸提液对水绵生长的抑制作用

研究了不同质量浓度(4、8、12、16和20 mg·L-1)水稻(Oryza sativa)和再力花(Thalia dealbata)秸秆水浸提液对水绵(Spirogyra sp.)生长的抑制作用。结果显示,试验96 h后各处理组浸提液对水绵的生长均有抑制作用,随着浸提液浓度的增大,水绵细胞叶绿素a含量逐渐降低,显示出明显的剂量-效应关系。再力花ρ(96 h,EC50)为6.85 mg·L-1,水稻ρ(96 h,EC50)为11.27 mg·L-1,表明再力花秸秆浸提液对水绵的毒性强于水稻。水绵细胞中MDA累积含量与水稻浸提液浓度之间呈显著正相关(P0.01,r=0.977),与再力花浸提液浓度之间亦呈显著正相关(P0.01,r=0.964)。各浓度再力花浸提液处理组水绵细胞中MDA累积含量均高于水稻处理组。当ρ(浸提液)为20 mg·L-1时,再力花处理组MDA累积含量最高,达1.884μmol·g-1,比相同浓度水稻浸提液处理组MDA累积含量高105.20%;电解质外渗率也呈现基本相同的变化趋势,即除ρ(浸提液)为0和4 mg·L-1以外,其他4个再力花浸提液浓度组水绵电解质外渗率均高于相应浓度水稻浸提液组。水绵的PSⅡ最大光能转换效率(F v/F m)、PSⅡ实际光能转化效率(ΦPSⅡ)和最大电子传递效率(ηe,t,max)的变化与浸提液浓度之间均呈负相关关系。将ρ(浸提液)为20 mg·L-1时与0 mg·L-1时相比,水稻处理组水绵F v/F m下降96.58%,再力花处理组下降82.24%;水稻处理组水绵ΦPSⅡ下降96.74%,再力花处理组下降96.17%;水稻处理组水绵ηe,t,max下降84.56%,再力花处理组下降43.40%。上述结果表明这2种植物秸秆浸提液对控制水绵的生长具有一定的潜在价值。     

氟虫腈对意大利蜜蜂工蜂幼虫及幼龄工蜂的亚致死效应

蜜蜂是重要的授粉昆虫,亦是重要的环境污染指示生物.氟虫腈对蜜蜂剧毒,Pesticide Properties Data Base (PPDB)数据库中登记的其对蜜蜂的急性经口及接触半数致死剂量(LD50)分别为0.00417 μg·蜂-1和0.00597 μg·蜂-1,正因为对非靶标生物的毒性较高,其使用也受到了限制,目前仅用于卫生害虫防治和一些旱田作物的土壤处理等.尽管有关氟虫腈对蜜蜂的危害已有一些报道,但有关其对蜜蜂幼虫和幼龄工蜂的亚致死作用研究仍较为缺乏,鉴于此,本文以意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera L.)的工蜂幼虫和新出房工蜂(＜24 h)为研究对象,采用人工饲喂重复染毒法,分别测定了10-3、10-2、0.1、1和10 μg·L-1的氟虫腈对工蜂幼虫的21d慢性毒性和1、5和10 μg·L-1的氟虫腈对新出房工蜂7d和14d的慢性毒性.结果 表明,与对照相比,10-3～ 10 μg·L-1范围内的氟虫腈可以使幼虫化蛹率显著降低20.83％ ～ 47.91％ (P＜0.05),羽化率显著降低25.00％ ～ 43.72％(P＜0.05);对于幼龄工蜂,1μg·L-1和5 μg·L-1氟虫腈暴露7d和14d时蜜蜂死亡率均＜10％;10 μg ·L-1氟虫腈暴露7d时,死亡率＜20％,当暴露时间延长至14 d时,成蜂死亡率高达(65.0± 17.7)％ (P＜0.0001),显著高于对照组,这说明氟虫腈对蜜蜂具有一定的时间累积毒性(time reinforced toxicity,TRT).此外,通过对蜜蜂幼虫和工蜂体内抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT))、解毒酶谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)酶活力及谷胱甘肽(GSH)、脂质过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)含量的测定结果表明,氟虫腈暴露可显著提高幼虫体内CAT的酶活力和MDA含量(P＜0.05),但GST的酶活力显著降低(P＜0.01);而成蜂在经过处理后,体内CAT和GST的酶活力、GSH的含量均会显著降低(P＜0.05),这说明亚致死剂量的氟虫腈可干扰蜜蜂机体稳态,引发蜜蜂幼虫和成蜂显著的氧化损伤,从而危害蜜蜂健康.氟虫腈具有较强的内吸特性和环境稳定性,作物种子处理或卫生施用依然可能导致其在花粉、土壤和水体中的痕量级残留,本研究中发现氟虫腈对蜜蜂幼虫和成蜂生存及各生理指标的最低可观察效应浓度(LOEC)可低至10-5 μg·L-1和10 μg·L-1,相关结果可以补充低残留浓度下氟虫腈蜜蜂风险评价数据的不足,为未来氟虫腈的安全用药指导提供参考.     

急性铜胁迫对海陆蛙蝌蚪抗氧化效应及金属解毒能力的影响

海陆蛙(Fejervarya cancrivora)是红树林半咸水生境中唯一的两栖动物,为了解铜离子(Cu2+)对该蝌蚪的毒性效应,测定了Cu2+对海陆蛙蝌蚪(38-39期)96 h内半数致死浓度LC50;在此基础上,模拟其野外生存环境,分别设计3个铜暴露组(Cu SO4含量分别为80、160、300μg L-1)和对照组,检测海陆蛙蝌蚪在Cu2+暴露24 h、48 h、72 h、96 h后抗氧化能力、乙酰胆碱酯酶(ACh E)活性及金属硫蛋白(MT)表达量的变化。结果显示,海陆蛙蝌蚪对Cu2+24 h、48 h、72 h、96 h LC50分别为5.69、3.37、1.34、0.95 mg L-1。在急性胁迫试验中,各暴露组蝌蚪体内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、ACh E活性以及MT表达均被抑制,在同一暴露时间下,处理组SOD、ACh E活性和MT含量显著低于对照组;而在Cu2+胁迫下,蝌蚪体内脂质过氧化反应加剧,表现为丙二醛(MDA)含量显著增多,且染毒浓度越大、暴露时间越长,MDA含量越多。除ACh E外,其他指标组染毒时间与浓度间具有显著的互作效应。本研究表明海陆蛙可作为红树林生境质量评价的指示物种,其中SOD、ACh E活性及MDA含量可作为重金属Cu2+毒性效应评估较敏感的评价指标。     

Mn对超富集植物青葙Cd毒害的缓解效应

为了探究Cd胁迫下青葙中Mn的生理作用,通过水培实验,研究在Cd暴露下(0、5和25 μmol·L-1 )施加Mn(5、100和1 000 μmol·L-1 )对青葙的干重、叶绿素含量、Cd含量和青葙根部不同区域实时Cd2+流速的影响.结果表明,提高Mn的供应水平可缓解Cd对青葙生长的抑制效应.在Cd浓度为5 μmol·L-1 ,施加1 000 μmol·L-1的Mn时,青葙的根、茎、叶干重和总干重分别增加了26.8% 、11.8% 、22.7%和21.19% .当Cd处理浓度为25 μmol·L-1时,1 000 μmol·L-1的Mn显著增加了青葙的叶绿素a和总叶绿素的含量(P＜0.05).相反地,Mn的添加显著减少了叶片中的丙二醛含量(P＜0.05).在Cd处理为5 μmol· L-1和25 μmol·L-1时,施加Mn使丙二醛含量降低了30% .这表明,Mn浓度的增加能够减少Cd对青葙的脂质过氧化伤害,保护叶绿素. Mn对青葙Cd积累的影响并不是严格的拮抗效应.在低Cd浓度(5 μmol·L-1 )处理组中,Mn的添加对青葙Cd累积无显著影响(P＞0.05).在高浓度处理时(25 μmol·L-1 Cd),1 000 μmol·L-1的Mn显著降低了青葙根、茎和叶的Cd含量(P＜0.05),较施加5 μmol·L-1 Mn处理分别降低了41.4% 、41.5%和23.3% .这可能与Mn2+抑制青葙根系对Cd2+的吸收有关.非损伤微测技术(NMT)分析结果显示,Mn2+的添加显著抑制了根表面Cd2+的内流速率.当加入50 μmol·L-1的Mn时,距根尖200 μm的Cd2+的内流速率下降了71.4% .上述结果表明,施加Mn有效地缓解了Cd对青葙的毒性效应.     

纳米水稳型C60（nC60）促进Zn2+和Cr6+ 在大型溞体内的吸收、抗氧化性和急性毒性

富勒烯(C60)作为一种被广泛使用的纳米工程材料,其环境行为和所造成的毒效应越来越引起人们的关注,特别是其与重金属的联合毒性.文章选取模式生物大型溞研究纳米水稳型富勒烯(nC60)与Zn+和Cr6+的联合毒性.按EPA 2024急性毒性试验结果,nC60对大型溞48 h-LC50为0.47 mg·L-1,最大无观察效应浓度(NOEC)为0.10 mg·L-1.NOEC浓度选定为nC60亚急性试验浓度,用于联合毒性试验.nC60增强了Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞的毒性,Zn2和Cr6+对大型溞48 h-LC50分别由2.33mg·L-1和0.40mg·L-1降低为1.52 mg·L-1和033 mg·L-1;nC60增加了大型溞对Zn2+和Cr6+的摄入,暴露1440 min后体内Zn2+和Cr6+累积量分别由6.52 μg·g-1湿重和1.52 μg·g-1湿重增加到9.98 μg ·g-1湿重和3.01 μg·g-1湿重;nC60和Zn2+和Cr6+联合作用于大型潘后,大型溞SOD酶活性均呈现出增强的诱导现象,联合作用时诱导作用强于两种物质单独作用.此研究表明:在亚急性浓度下,nC60增强了Zn2+和Cr6+对大型溞的毒性,提高了大型潘体内Zn2+和Cr6+的积累,并提高大型溞体内自由基活性.     

Achieving Open Access to Conservation Science

Conservation science is a crisis discipline in which the results of scientific enquiry must be made available quickly to those implementing management. We assessed the extent to which scientific research published since the year 2000 in 20 conservation science journals is publicly available. Of the 19,207 papers published, 1,667 (8.68%) are freely downloadable from an official repository. Moreover, only 938 papers (4.88%) meet the standard definition of open access in which material can be freely reused providing attribution to the authors is given. This compares poorly with a comparable set of 20 evolutionary biology journals, where 31.93% of papers are freely downloadable and 7.49% are open access. Seventeen of the 20 conservation journals offer an open access option, but fewer than 5% of the papers are available through open access. The cost of accessing the full body of conservation science runs into tens of thousands of dollars per year for institutional subscribers, and many conservation practitioners cannot access pay‐per‐view science through their workplace. However, important initiatives such as Research4Life are making science available to organizations in developing countries. We urge authors of conservation science to pay for open access on a per‐article basis or to choose publication in open access journals, taking care to ensure the license allows reuse for any purpose providing attribution is given. Currently, it would cost $51 million to make all conservation science published since 2000 freely available by paying the open access fees currently levied to authors. Publishers of conservation journals might consider more cost effective models for open access and conservation‐oriented organizations running journals could consider a broader range of options for open access to nonmembers such as sponsorship of open access via membership fees. Obtención de Acceso Abierto a la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Some polyphagous Homoptera gain protection from their natural enemies by feeding on the toxic plantsSpartium junceum andErythrina corallodendrum (Leguminosae)

Summary Interactions were studied among alkaloid-containing legumes (Erythrina corallodendrum andSpartium junceum) and non-toxic plants (Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita moschata andEuphorbia tirucalli), several polyphagous homopterans,Aphis craccivora (Aphididae),Icerya purchasi, I. aegyptiaca (Margarodidae),Lepidosaphes ulmi (Diaspididae) andPlanococcus citri (Pseudococcidae), and some major natural enemies of these homopterans. Significant reductions in survival due to negative effects of alkaloid containing as compared with non-alkaloidal plants were recorded for the predatorsRodolia cardinalis andChilocorus bipustulatus, but not forCryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae),Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) andSympherobius sanctus (Neuroptera: Sympherobiidae). The development time of the larvae or pupae ofR. cardinalis, C. carnea andS. sanctus was longer on the toxic plants than on the non-toxic ones. The percentage of parasitism ofA. craccivora collected from the non-alkaloidal plantsVicia palaestina andMelilotus albus was much higher than that onS. junceum. The parasitoid complexes ofA. craccivora differed between both plant groups. The nutritive value of honeydew ofI. purchasi andA. craccivora, as expressed by the life span ofEncyrtus infelix (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) adults, was also investigated. Life spans were significantly longer when the wasps fed on honeydew produced on non-alkaloidal plants (C. sinensis andPittosporum tobira) than on alkaloid containing plants whenI. purchasi — but notA. craccivora — was the producer. It is suggested that the chemical defense ofE. corallodendrum andS. junceum is exploited by polyphagous phytophages to reduce predation. In nature, population growth and density of four of the investigated homopterans are conspicuously high when they developed on the alkaloid containing plant species, and very low on non-alkaloid plants. The efficiency of their natural enemies may be reduced by sequestration of alkaloids (or other toxic plant compounds) or their transfer into excreted honeydew. Therefore it is assumed that a generalist phytophagous homopteran may be protected from its natural enemies, although at different rates of efficiency, if it can safely sequester the host allelochemical when it develops on toxic species within its host range.     

Sequestration of cucurbitacin analogs by New and Old World chrysomelid leaf beetles in the tribe Luperini

Summary Two South American polyphagous leaf beetles,Diabrotica speciosa andCerotoma arcuata, selectively accumulated the bitter tasting compound 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D in their body after ingesting root tissues of cucurbit plants. Similarly, three Asian Cucurbitaceae-feeding specialists in the genusAulacophora were found to sequester the same compound. Cucurbitacin analogs were shown to deter feeding by a bird predator, indicating an allomonal role for these compounds in cucurbitacin-associated chrysomelid leaf beetles both of New and Old Worlds. The strong affinity to cucurbitacins, selective sequestration of the analogs and consequent protection from predators suggested an ecological adaptation mechanism developed in common among these two geographically isolated subtribes in the Luperini.     

Effects of Controlled Fire and Livestock Grazing on Bird Communities in East African Savannas

Abstract: In East Africa fire and grazing by wild and domestic ungulates maintain savannas, and pastoralists historically set fires and herded livestock through the use of temporary corrals called bomas. In recent decades traditional pastoral practices have declined, and this may be affecting biodiversity. We investigated the effects of prescribed fires and bomas on savanna bird communities in East Africa during the first and second dry seasons of the year (respectively before and after the rains that mark the onset of breeding for most birds). We compared abundance, richness, and community composition on 9‐ha burned plots, recently abandoned bomas, and control plots in the undisturbed matrix habitat over a 3‐year period. Generally, recently burned areas and abandoned bomas attracted greater densities of birds and had different community assemblages than the surrounding matrix. The effects of disturbances were influenced by interactions between primary productivity, represented by the normalized difference vegetation index, and time. Bird densities were highest and a greater proportion of species was observed on burned plots in the months following the fires. Drought conditions equalized bird densities across treatments within 1 year, and individuals from a greater proportion of species were more commonly observed on abandoned bomas. Yearly fluctuations in abundance were less pronounced on bomas than on burns, which indicate that although fire may benefit birds in the short term, bomas may have a more‐lasting positive effect and provide resources during droughts. Several Palearctic migrants were attracted to burned plots regardless of rainfall, which indicates continued fire suppression may threaten their already‐declining populations. Most notably, the paucity of birds observed on the controls suggests that the current structure of the matrix developed as a result of fire suppression. Traditional pastoralism appears critical to the maintenance of avian diversity in these savannas.     

Effects of Coffee Management on Deforestation Rates and Forest Integrity

Knowledge about how forest margins are utilized can be crucial for a general understanding of changes in forest cover, forest structure, and biodiversity across landscapes. We studied forest‐agriculture transitions in southwestern Ethiopia and hypothesized that the presence of coffee (Coffea arabica)decreases deforestation rates because of coffee's importance to local economies and its widespread occurrence in forests and forest margins. Using satellite images and elevation data, we compared changes in forest cover over 37 years (1973–2010) across elevations in 2 forest‐agriculture mosaic landscapes (1100 km² around Bonga and 3000 km² in Goma‐Gera). In the field in the Bonga area, we determined coffee cover and forest structure in 40 forest margins that differed in time since deforestation. Both the absolute and relative deforestation rates were lower at coffee‐growing elevations compared with at higher elevations (?10/20% vs. ?40/50% comparing relative rates at 1800 m asl and 2300–2500 m asl, respectively). Within the coffee‐growing elevation, the proportion of sites with high coffee cover (>20%) was significantly higher in stable margins (42% of sites that had been in the same location for the entire period) than in recently changed margins (0% of sites where expansion of annual crops had changed the margin). Disturbance level and forest structure did not differ between sites with 30% or 3% coffee. However, a growing body of literature on gradients of coffee management in Ethiopia reports coffee's negative effects on abundances of forest‐specialist species. Even if the presence of coffee slows down the conversion of forest to annual‐crop agriculture, there is a risk that an intensification of coffee management will still threaten forest biodiversity, including the genetic diversity of wild coffee. Conservation policy for Ethiopian forests thus needs to develop strategies that acknowledge that forests without coffee production may have higher deforestation risks than forests with coffee production and that forests with coffee production often have lower biodiversity value. Efectos de la Administración Cafetalera sobre las Tasas de Deforestación y la Integridad de los Bosques     

What Every Conservation Biologist Should Know about Economic Theory

Abstract: The last century has seen the ascendance of a core economic model, which we will refer to as Walrasian economics. This model is driven by the psychological assumptions that humans act only in a self‐referential and narrowly rational way and that production can be described as a self‐contained circular flow between firms and households. These assumptions have critical implications for the way economics is used to inform conservation biology. Yet the Walrasian model is inconsistent with a large body of empirical evidence about actual human behavior, and it violates a number of basic physical laws. Research in behavioral science and neuroscience shows that humans are uniquely social animals and not self‐centered rational economic beings. Economic production is subject to physical laws including the laws of thermodynamics and mass balance. In addition, some contemporary economic theory, spurred by exciting new research in human behavior and a wealth of data about the negative global impact of the human economy on natural systems, is moving toward a world view that places consumption and production squarely in its behavioral and biophysical context. We argue that abandoning the straightjacket of the Walrasian core is essential to further progress in understanding the complex, coupled interactions between the human economy and the natural world. We call for a new framework for economic theory and policy that is consistent with observed human behavior, recognizes the complex and frequently irreversible interaction between human and natural systems, and directly confronts the cumulative negative effects of the human economy on the Earth's life support systems. Biophysical economics and ecological economics are two emerging economic frameworks in this movement.     

Globalization of the Cashmere Market and the Decline of Large Mammals in Central Asia

As drivers of terrestrial ecosystems, humans have replaced large carnivores in most areas, and human influence not only exerts striking ecological pressures on biodiversity at local scales but also has indirect effects in distant corners of the world. We suggest that the multibillion dollar cashmere industry creates economic motivations that link western fashion preferences for cashmere to land use in Central Asia. This penchant for stylish clothing, in turn, encourages herders to increase livestock production which affects persistence of over 6 endangered large mammals in these remote, arid ecosystems. We hypothesized that global trade in cashmere has strong negative effects on native large mammals of deserts and grassland where cashmere‐producing goats are raised. We used time series data, ecological snapshots of the biomass of native and domestic ungulates, and ecologically and behaviorally based fieldwork to test our hypothesis. In Mongolia increases in domestic goat production were associated with a 3‐fold increase in local profits for herders coexisting with endangered saiga (Saiga tatarica).That increasing domestic grazing pressure carries fitness consequences was inferred on the basis of an approximately 4‐fold difference in juvenile recruitment among blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur)in trans‐Himalayan India. Across 7 study areas in Mongolia, India, and China's Tibetan Plateau, native ungulate biomass is now <5% that of domestic species. Such trends suggest ecosystem degradation and decreased capacity for the persistence of native species, including at least 8 Asian endemic species: saiga, chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni), Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), snow leopard(Panthera uncia), khulan(Equus hemionus), kiang (E. kiang), takhi (E. przewalski), and wild yak (Bos mutus). Our results suggest striking yet indirect and unintended actions that link trophic‐level effects to markets induced by the trade for cashmere. Globalización del Mercado de Cachemira y la Declinación de Mamíferos Mayores en Asia Central     

The lichen-rich coastal heath vegetation on the isle of Anholt, Denmark — conservation and management

The high conservational value of the lichen-rich vegetation and landscape of the marine foreland Ørkenen on the isle of Anholt is treated from a Danish as well as a European perspective. The sensitivity of the lichen-rich vegetation to physical disturbance is emphasized. The impact of invasive species such asPinus mugo as well as the effect of atmospheric deposition of nutrients on the heaths at Anholt is described. Considerations related to the development of a management plan for Ørkenen are presented.     

Behavior and ecology of Old World Luperini beetles of the genusAulacophora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Summary The attraction of Old World leaf beetles in the genusAulacophora to kairomones and parakairomones which are effective lures for New WorldDiabrotica andAcalymma were investigated. Beetles captured on sticky traps baited with single and multicomponent lures were no different from the control traps for two species ofAulacophora. Yellow colored traps and squash blossoms are attractive toAulacophora beetles which detect sub-microgram quantities of cucurbitacins on silica gel. Leaf feeding behavior and flight activity data are correlated with varietal preference of threeAulacophora species. The common response byDiabrotica andAulacophora to cucurbitacins reinforces the two groups' coevolutionary association with the Cucurbitaceae. The apparent lack of a common response toCucurbita blossom volatiles suggests recent evolutionary pathways are substantially different for these two groups of beetles.     

Use of stochastic patch occupancy models in the California red-legged frog for Bayesian inference regarding past events and future persistence

Assessing causes of population decline is critically important to management of threatened species. Stochastic patch occupancy models (SPOMs) are popular tools for examining spatial and temporal dynamics of populations when presence–absence data in multiple habitat patches are available. We developed a Bayesian Markov chain method that extends existing SPOMs by focusing on past environmental changes that may have altered occupancy patterns prior to the beginning of data collection. Using occupancy data from 3 creeks, we applied the method to assess 2 hypothesized causes of population decline—in situ die-off and residual impact of past source population loss—in the California red-legged frog. Despite having no data for the 20–30 years between the hypothetical event leading to population decline and the first data collected, we were able to discriminate among hypotheses, finding evidence that in situ die-off increased in 2 of the creeks. Although the creeks had comparable numbers of occupied segments, owing to different extinction–colonization dynamics, our model predicted an 8-fold difference in persistence probabilities of their populations to 2030. Adding a source population led to a greater predicted persistence probability than did decreasing the in situ die-off, emphasizing that reversing the deleterious impacts of a disturbance may not be the most efficient management strategy. We expect our method will be useful for studying dynamics and evaluating management strategies of many species.