不同氮磷浓度对盘星藻生长的影响

水体富营养化是当前一个严重的环境问题,而营养因子是引起水华的重要元素.文章通过实验室配水来模拟在不同氮、磷浓度下盘星藻(Pediaslrum sp)的生长情况.共设置了6个氮质量浓度梯度:0.1、0.5、0.9、1.3、1.7、2.1 mg·L-1对盘星藻的生长影响,在1.7mg·L-1的氮质量浓度下盘星藻的相对增长常数Kin=0.84.设置6个磷质量浓度梯度:0.01、0.03、0.07、0.10、0.14、0.19 mg·L-1对盘星藻的生长影响,在0.14 mg·L-1的磷质量浓度下盘星藻的最大比增长率为μmax=0.83.从水质指标变化看,pH和DO对细胞的生长状况有一定的预先指示作用;浊度与细胞生长状况呈正相关关系,在氮质量浓度影响下电导率与细胞生长状况呈正相关关系,在磷质量浓度影响下电导率与细胞生长状况呈负相关关系.     

氮磷质量浓度对普通小球藻和鱼腥藻生长竞争的影响

研究氮磷质量浓度对藻类生长竞争的影响,对于揭示如何通过控制环境因子促进有益藻类生长繁殖、抑制有害藻类生长繁殖,并利用藻类调节养殖环境和提高水体初级生产力具有重要意义。设置了4个氮磷质量浓度梯度(N 0.18μg·m L-1,P0.025μg·m L-1;N 0.36μg·m L-1,P 0.050μg·m L-1;N 0.72μg·m L-1,P 0.100μg·m L-1;N 3.60μg·m L-1,P 0.500μg·m L-1),通过测算比生长速率、生长曲线、竞争抑制参数,研究了不同氮磷质量浓度对普通小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)和鱼腥藻(Anabaenasp.strain PCC)生长和种间竞争的影响。结果表明,在单种培养体系中,普通小球藻和鱼腥藻的最大藻细胞数量均随氮磷质量浓度的增加而增加,最大藻细胞数量分别为198.9×105 cells·m L-1和424.8×105 cells·m L-1;氮磷质量浓度对藻类的竞争能够产生明显影响,在共培养体系中,鱼腥藻的最大藻细胞数量表现为:中高氮磷组(208.9×105 cells·m L-1)中低氮磷组(98.3×105 cells·m L-1)高氮磷组(64.7×105 cells·m L-1)低氮磷组(45.3×105 cells·m L-1)。同时,种间竞争抑制参数的测算结果表明,4组氮磷质量浓度下鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数(α)分别为2.599、0.564、0.772、1.618,普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数(β)分别为0.434、0.321、0.466、-8.899,鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数(α)均大于普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数(β);低氮磷质量浓度时,鱼腥藻对普通小球藻的竞争抑制参数(α)最大,为2.599;中高氮磷质量浓度时,普通小球藻对鱼腥藻的竞争抑制参数(β)最大,为0.466。根据Lotka-Volterra竞争模型中的两物种竞争结局可初步判断,低、中高氮磷、高氮磷质量浓度时,鱼腥藻在竞争中占优势;中低氮磷质量浓度时,鱼腥藻和普通小球藻稳定共存。     

海洋赤潮藻球形棕囊藻在氮磷富营养下的细胞增殖

利用常见海洋赤潮微藻球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosa)为试验研究材料,以舵海洋微藻营养液为对照(1P1N:磷质量浓度为5×10-3g·L-1.氮质量浓度为75×10-3g·L-1),设置3组富磷和富氮营养处理(3P1N:磷质量浓度为15×10-3 g·L-1,氮质量浓度为75×10-3 g·L-1;1P3N:磷质量浓度为5××10-3 g·L-1,氮质量浓度为225×10-3 g·L-1;3P3N:磷质量浓度为15××10-3 g·L-1,氮质量浓度为225×10-3 g·L-1),利用细胞记数和叶绿素荧光测定等方法研究了藻细胞在不同富磷和富氮条件的增殖情况.结果显示,不同浓度磷和氮营养下的藻体荧光值变化在试验周期内均呈现"S"型曲线,表明藻细胞的生长经历缓慢期,快速期和平缓期3个阶段;同时,不同的富磷和富氮营养条件对球形棕囊藻的叶绿素荧光值有一定的影响,其中在对照1P1N下的藻体荧光值最低,在试验结束时(第10天)只有850 μg·L-1,而在3P1N,1P3N和3P3N条件下的藻体荧光值均达到900 μg·L-1以上,显著高于1P1N下的藻体荧光值,表明富磷和富氮营养可以促进藻细胞的生长增殖,但在试验设置的不同富磷和富氮营养下的藻体荧光值之间没有显著的差异.就不同磷和氮营养条件下的藻最大比生长速率而言,3P3N和3P1N条件下的最大,均达到0.77 d-1,明显高于1P1N和1P3N条件下的藻最大比生长速率(分别只有0.70 d-1和0.69 d-1).此外,试验结束时细胞密度的变化趋势与藻体荧光值相似,富磷和富氮营养条件下的细胞密度显著高于1P1N下的细胞密度,而富磷和富氮营养条件下的细胞密度间也不存在显著的差异.研究结果揭示,水体中的高磷和高氮营养浓度是导致藻细胞大量快速增殖的一个主要因素,而利用叶绿素荧光来测定藻细胞增殖是一种快速、简便,灵敏和可靠的方法,可在今后赤潮监测过程中多加利用,以能及时、准确地预测预报赤潮爆发.从而减少其对环境和经济的影响.     

微生物和硬毛藻对天鹅湖不同湖区沉积物氮磷释放的影响

荣成天鹅湖为一天然瀉湖,近年来绿潮硬毛藻大量爆发,内源污染日益严重。以大型硬毛藻和不同湖区沉积物为试材,设置沉积物+水、沉积物+水(灭菌)、沉积物+水+藻、沉积物+水+藻(灭菌)4个处理,研究了不同微生物活性及藻类条件下上覆水体氮磷质量浓度的变化,同步监测水土界面DO和pH等理化参数,以探讨藻分解和微生物对天鹅湖不同湖区沉积物氮磷释放的影响,为藻华消亡过程中内源污染的治理提供理论依据。结果表明,微生物存在和硬毛藻分解可使水体氮质量浓度明显增加(P<0.05)。试验过程中,水体总氮在有藻和无藻条件下的质量浓度变幅分别为1.56-14.11 mg·L^?1和0.11-8.96 mg·L^?1,后期灭菌处理明显低于未灭菌处理。藻分解对水体磷质量浓度具有极显著影响(P<0.01),有藻条件下灭菌处理总磷质量浓度为0.31-1.27 mg·L^?1,未灭菌处理为0.27-1.41 mg·L^?1;而无藻条件下灭菌和未灭菌处理变幅分别为0.019-0.047 mg·L^?1和0.025-0.078 mg·L^?1。在天鹅湖,不同湖区沉积物氮磷的释放能力存在差异,水体氮质量浓度在有藻和无藻条件下均表现为西北部>湖中心>湖南部,磷质量浓度有藻条件下与氮一致,而无藻条件下则表现为湖中心>西北部>湖南部。湖中心沉积物处理水体营养盐浓度受微生物活性影响较大。3种因素对水体氮磷质量浓度的影响效应表现为:藻类>微生物>沉积物。可见,在藻类大量暴发且微生物活性较高的湖中心及西北部,沉积物氮磷的释放潜力较大,尤其在藻类堆积腐烂时期,应引起足够重视。     

Zn2+对藻类生物膜生长生理特性影响研究

利用自制的简易生物膜反应器，在3500 lx的光照和14∶10的光暗比下，以Zn2+为模式重金属，利用模拟氮磷废水驯化培养鞘藻（Oedogonium sp.）使其形成藻类生物膜，研究不同Zn2+浓度对鞘藻形成的藻类生物膜生长及生理特性的影响。综合考虑藻类对Zn2+的耐受范围，选定模拟氮磷废水中Zn2+5个质量浓度水平：1.0、3.0、5.0、10.0、20.0 mg·L-1，定时从反应器中取一定量的藻类生物膜，测定以下生理生化指标：叶绿素、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、硝酸盐还原酶（NR）、蛋白质及胞外多聚糖，并以藻细胞干质量为基准。研究结果表明：藻类生物膜对Zn2+有一定的耐受性，且质量浓度为5 mg·L-1的Zn2+对藻类生物膜的生长有明显的促进作用，但当质量浓度增大至20 mg·L-1时，藻体大量死亡，藻类生物膜生长明显受到抑制。Zn2+质量浓度为3 mg·L-1的实验组对鞘藻的叶绿素含量有明显的促进作用，而当Zn2+质量浓度为20 mg·L-1时，鞘藻内的叶绿素含量明显减少。不同Zn2+质量浓度对鞘藻的生理生化指标也表现出不同的作用，其中SOD含量随着Zn2+质量浓度的升高明显受到抑制；10 mg·L-1的Zn2+对NR有明显的促进作用；各实验组蛋白质含量在实验初期均有增加，但随之又均有降低；在实验前2 d，20 mg·L-1的Zn2+对胞外多聚糖有明显的促进作用，其含量为对照的1.4倍。以上现象均表明藻类生物膜在重金属的作用下其生长代谢会发生一定的变化，使藻类生物膜能够在一定重金属浓度范围内较好地生长，为藻类生物膜的进一步利用奠定理论基础。     

水体氮质量浓度升高对附着藻生长和元素计量特征的影响

附着藻是浅水湖泊重要的初级生产者,水体氮磷质量浓度升高会影响附着藻的生物量和元素计量特征,从而改变牧食螺类的食物数量和质量,进而影响牧食螺类生长及其与沉水植物之间的相互关系。为了探索氮负荷升高对附着藻生物量和质量的影响,基于受控实验研究了水体氮质量浓度升高(总氮2、4、6、8和10 mg·L~(-1);总磷各处理组均为0.1 mg·L~(-1))对附着藻生长和元素计量特征的影响。实验前测定湖水氮、磷本底质量浓度,通过添加配置的营养盐溶液(氮为KNO_3,磷为KH_2PO_4),使其达到实验设计的质量浓度。每3天换1次水以控制营养盐质量浓度。在每个玻璃缸中放置5片聚乙烯附着基用于采集附着藻。实验结束时测定附着藻生物量、氮及磷含量,并计算附着藻的生长率。结果表明:随着氮质量浓度升高,附着藻的生物量和生长率呈先增加后降低趋势,在氮质量浓度为6 mg·L~(-1)时达到最大值。附着藻氮含量和氮磷比随水体氮质量浓度的升高,亦呈现先增加后降低的趋势,氮含量最大值出现在8 mg·L~(-1)处理组,氮磷比最大值出现在6 mg·L~(-1)组。附着藻氮含量与水体氮质量浓度呈显著正相关(r=0.614,P0.001)。分析认为,附着藻生长率、氮含量及氮磷比在一定范围内随着水体氮质量浓度升高而增加,当氮质量浓度超过一定范围时,三者反而降低。     

铬对生活污水中氮磷的植物净化效果及体内氮磷含量的影响

采用水培法,设置4个Cr6＋质量浓度（0,1,10,20mg·L-1）处理风车草（Cyperus alternifolius）和薏米（Coix aquatica Roxb）,以此研究铬对生活污水中氮磷净化效果及植物体内氮磷质量分数的影响。结果表明：（1）试验期内,铬质量浓度为1mg·L-1时促进风车草和薏米对总氮的去除,铬质量浓度为20mg·L-1时则抑制;总氮去除率因处理时间不同而不同,表现在处理17d时0mg·L-1、1mg·L-1铬处理显著高于处理7d,但20mg·L-1处理则相反;除Cr20处理外,薏米对总氮的去除率显著高于风车草。（2）风车草和薏米对生活污水中总磷的去除率随铬处理时间延长而降低,表现在处理17d时10mg·L-1、20mg·L-1铬处理显著低于处理7d;在20mg·L-1铬处理下皆显著低于对照;风车草对总磷的去除率在10mg·L-1、20mg·L-1铬处理下显著高于薏米。（3）不同质量浓度Cr6＋处理下风车草和薏米体内氮、磷质量分数的变化不同,其中20mg·L-1铬处理下风车草茎和薏米根、茎及叶片皆显著低于对照。     

常熟农村不同水体氮磷污染状况

于2007年11月至2008年10月,对常熟市辛庄镇不同水体氮磷污染状况进行定点观测,初步探讨了河道和鱼塘水体氮磷浓度的变化特征及其污染来源.结果表明:辛庄镇河道水样无机氮、总氮、正磷酸盐和总磷的平均质量浓度分别为2.07、2.31、0.30和0.53 mg·L-1,表明辛庄镇河水氮磷污染已十分严重.河道和鱼塘水体氮形态都以无机氮为主,分别占总氮的89.6%、72.7%;磷形态以可溶态为主,分别占总磷的73.6%、71.1%.河水硝态氮、铵态氮、总氮、无机氮、正磷酸盐、可溶性磷和总磷平均质量浓度分别比鱼塘水高0.30、0.17、0.11、0.47、0.12、0.15和0.12 mg·L-1.河道和鱼塘水体硝态氮、无机氮和总氮浓度随时间的变化趋势较一致,正磷酸盐、可溶性磷和总磷浓度随时间的变化趋势则显著不同.河水氮磷污染源主要来自生活污水及养猪场废水,鱼塘水体的氮磷污染则与饵料和肥料的投入有很大关系,大气氮沉降也是导致水体氮浓度升高的重要原因.     

铜绿微囊藻、斜生栅藻生长的磷营养动力学特征

在无磷培养基中添加不同质量浓度的磷,对经过磷饥饿的铜绿微囊藻Microcystisaeruginosa和斜生栅藻Scendesmusobliquus进行一次性培养,比较研究磷饥饿下两种藻对外源磷的生长反应,并应用Monod方程计算了两种藻的营养动力学参数(Umax、Ks)。结果表明,铜绿微囊藻现存量快速增加的磷质量浓度在0.020~0.200mg·L-1之间,比生长速率快速增长的磷质量浓度在0.00~0.200mg·L-1之间,斜生栅藻现存量快速增加的磷质量浓度在0.02~4.00mg·L-1之间,比生长速率快速增长的磷质量浓度在0.020~0.500mg·L-1之间。无论在现存量上还是在生长速率上,铜绿微囊藻适宜的磷质量浓度都比斜生栅藻的低。铜绿微囊藻的最大生长速率和半饱和常数分别为0.229/d、0.026mg·L-1;斜生栅藻的最大生长速率和半饱和常数分别为0.395/d、0.031mg·L-1。生长动力学参数表明:当磷缺乏的情况下,铜绿微囊藻容易形成优势,当磷丰富的情况下,斜生栅藻容易形成优势。     

污水氮磷浓度对云南本地浮萍生长及氮磷去除的影响

为揭示污水氮磷浓度对不同浮萍生长及水处理的影响规律,研究了户外条件下云南本地的4个浮萍品种,本地绿萍(Lemna japonica)、本地少根(Landoltia punctata)、本地多根(Spir odela polyrhiza)和本地芜萍(Woffi a globosa)在不同氮磷浓度污水中的生长情况.结果表明:随着污水氮磷浓度升高,浮萍处理系统对氮磷的去除总量升高,利用率降低;不同浮萍品种在不同氮磷浓度污水中的最大生长速率、氮磷含量和氮磷固定能力存在明显的种属差异.其中本地多根有最高的生长速率(7.38 g m-2 d-1)和氮固定能力(336.47 mg m-2 d-1),本地绿萍有最高的磷含量(2.35%)和磷固定能力(123.07 mg m-2 d-1),本地芜萍有最高的蛋白含量(37.32%).针对本地绿萍的进一步研究表明:本地绿萍在不同氮磷浓度污水中的生长与体内的氮磷含量和pH有关,高氮磷含量的本地绿萍可以利用体内储存的氮磷在寡营养水体中短时间内进行快速生长;废水的氨氮浓度小于20 mg L-1,pH 8(±0.5)时本地绿萍生长较快;当废水氨氮浓度大于20 mg L-1时,pH 6.5(±0.5)时可防止NH4+大量转化为NH3,减少对本地绿萍的毒害作用.本研究揭示了污水氮磷浓度对不同浮萍品种的生长、氮磷含量和氮磷去除的影响不同,实际应用中可根据不同的目的选用不同的浮萍品种.     

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.