两性高分子螯合絮凝剂的合成及作用机理

合成了一种两性高分子螯合絮凝剂(ACPF),采用元素分析、IR光谱和紫外光谱对其结构进行表征.考察了其对含Ni2+废水的处理效果,测定了微絮体的ξ电位,通过扫描电镜和电子能谱考察了絮体的形貌和组成,初步探讨了螯合絮凝作用机理.结果表明,当ACPF中--CSS-与Ni2+的物质的量之比接近2:1时,对Ni2+的去除率大于...     

一株耐酸耐铜细菌的选育及其吸附铜离子的特性

从某铜矿选矿废水中筛选分离出一株在强酸性条件下对铜去除能力较高的菌株Z-1,经鉴定为克雷伯氏杆菌.考察了碳源、氮源、pH、温度、吸附时间、投菌量等因素对菌株Z-1生长量及吸附Cu2+的影响.结果表明,菌株Z-1的最佳碳源为乙酸钠,其最佳用量为3 g.L-1;最佳氮源为硫酸铵,最佳用量为1.2 g.L-1.在投菌量为4 g.L-1、温度为30℃、吸附时间为4 h的条件下,菌株Z-1对pH=3、Cu2+100 mg.L-1的废水吸附效果最优,Cu2+去除率达到59.7%.菌株Z-1对Cu2+的吸附过程能很好地用吸附模型Langmuir方程描述,菌株Z-1去除的铜离子,有92.3%分布在细胞壁上,其余7.7%分布在细胞质内,说明菌株Z-1对铜离子的去除主要为表面吸附.     

聚(氯化二烯丙基铵)基二硫代氨基甲酸钠的合成及其对Cu(Ⅱ)的去除性能

以二烯丙基胺(DAA)、盐酸、偶氮二异丁脒盐酸盐(AIBA)、CS2和NaOH为原料,合成了聚(氯化二烯丙基铵)基二硫代氨基甲酸钠(PDACDTC).探讨了单体、引发剂AIBA和助剂EDTA的浓度对氯化二烯丙基铵(DAAC)聚合的影响,以及n(DAAC):n(NaOH):n(CS2)对PDACDTC中S含量的影响.采用元素分析、红外光谱和紫外光谱对其结构进行表征,并考察了其对模拟含Cu2+废水的去除效果.结果表明,单体浓度≥4.8 mol·L-1,AIBA浓度为0.02 mol·L-1、EDTA浓度为0.5 mmol·L-1时,聚(氯化二烯丙基铵)的特性粘数可达128.5 mL·g-1;当n(DAAC)∶n(NaOH)∶n(CS2)=1∶1.2∶1时,PDACDTC的S含量为32%.对50 mg·L-1和100 mg·L-1的含Cu2+废水的最佳用量分别为205 mg·L-1和415 mg·L-1,PDACDTC中～CSS-与Cu2+物质的量比分别为1.95∶1和1.97∶1,去除率分别为99.51%和99.84%,残余Cu2+浓度均低于国家污水综合排放一级标准(GB8978～1996).     

微量金属对硫酸盐有机废水厌氧处理颗粒污泥活性的影响

采用厌氧反应装置,接种取自UASB反应器的硫酸盐有机废水厌氧处理颗粒污泥,以人工配制的含硫酸盐有机废水(蔗糖提供有机物)为原水,分别添加不同质量浓度的微量金属(Fe2+、Co2+、Ni2+),通过间歇试验,研究了不同质量浓度的微量金属(Fe2+、Co2+、Ni2+)条件下,厌氧反应装置中COD和硫酸盐的去除率及产甲烷情况。试验结果表明,在Fe2+质量浓度0~12 mg·L-1、Co2+质量浓度0~0.5 mg·L-1、Ni2+质量浓度0~0.6 mg·L-1范围内,厌氧颗粒污泥的COD去除率和产甲烷速率分别随Fe2+、Co2+、Ni2+浓度的增加而增高。在Fe2+质量浓度0~12 mg·L-1范围内,厌氧颗粒污泥对SO42-去除率随Fe2+浓度的增加略有增高,但在Co2+质量浓度0~0.5 mg·L-1、Ni2+质量浓度0~2.0 mg·L-1范围内,厌氧颗粒污泥的SO42-去除率分别随Co2+和Ni2+浓度的增加而降低。因此,在一定浓度范围内,Fe2+的投加能同时激活MPB和SRB,Co2+和Ni2+的投加能激活MPB但对SRB活性产生抑制作用,为硫酸盐有机废水厌氧处理提供一定的理论指导。     

生物质电厂底渣对水溶液中Cu~(2+)的吸附特性

本实验选用安徽某生物质发电厂燃烧炉底渣,通过研究吸附等温线、吸附时间以及电厂灰投加量和溶液初始p H对生物质灰吸附Cu2+的影响,以确定其对水溶液中Cu2+的吸附特性.结果表明,Cu2+初始浓度在50—100 mg·L~(-1)范围内,Langmuir模型能很好地描述生物质电厂底渣对Cu2+的等温吸附规律,其理论饱和吸附量为20 mg·g~(-1),非常接近实际饱和吸附量19.45 mg·g~(-1).溶液初始p H值在2—6范围时,Cu2+的去除率随p H值的升高而增加,当p H在6附近时去除率最佳,接近100%.溶液Cu2+初始浓度为100 mg·L~(-1),体积为50 m L时,随生物质电厂底渣投加量增加,其对Cu2+的去除率上升,但去除效率下降,0.2 g左右可能是达到最佳去除效率和去除率的用量.溶液中Cu2+的去除率随吸附时间的增加而升高,用量越大达到吸附平衡的时间越短,但90 min左右时各个用量的去除率均趋于稳定.     

流化床三维电极电催化氧化深度处理焦化废水

研究了以焦粒为粒子电极的流化床三维电极反应器对二级生化处理后的焦化废水进行深度处理。结果表明：采用以焦粒为粒子电极的流化床三维电极反应器能有效降解废水中的有机物,COD去除率依赖于粒子投加量、电流密度、电导率、pH值、曝气量等操作参数的影响。在电导率（以S计）为7.1 m.cm-1,曝气量为160 L.h-1,电流密度（以A计）为48 m.cm-2,pH值为5.0,投加量30 g.L-1时,电解30 min,COD的去除率超过60%,表明流化床三维电极反应器在焦化废水深度处理中有很好工程应用前景。     

Fenton法-聚合氯化铝预处理高浓度乳化液废水

乳化液在机械制造、加工等过程中有广泛的应用,主要起润滑、冷却、表面清洗和防腐蚀作用。其主要成分为矿物油、表面活性剂、抑菌剂和其他有机添加剂,在使用过程中产生了高浓度、乳化严重、成分复杂且波动大的乳化液废水,随意排放会对环境造成严重污染;目前国内外对低浓度含油废水的处理进行了大量的研究工作,如各种破乳法、微生物法等,但各种处理方法都有其局限性,尤其对高浓度乳化液废水尚没有定型的处理方法。Fenton氧化法是一种高级氧化技术,在酸性条件下,H2O2被Fe2+催化分解并产生大量具有强氧化性的?OH,通过?OH氧化降解废水中的有机物,达到废水净化的目的。在处理有毒有害难生物降解有机废水方面具有较强的应用优势;聚合氯化铝(PAC)是一种应用很广的无机高分子絮凝剂,与其它水处理剂配合使用具有更好的水处理效果,通过Al(Ⅲ)盐水解-聚合产物对水中胶体颗粒或胶体污染物进行电性中和、脱稳和吸附架桥作用生成粗颗粒絮凝体去除,从而达到净化污水的目的;本文采用Fenton法-聚合氯化铝组合工艺预处理机械加工厂高浓度乳化液废水以满足后续生化处理进水要求,通过实验研究了Fenton法涉及的初始反应pH值、H2O2投加量、硫酸亚铁投加量、反应时间和后续投加聚合氯化铝涉及的反应pH值、PAC投加量及反应时间对乳化液废水预处理效果的影响。结果表明,Fenton法处理乳化液废水的最佳反应条件为:pH值为2、H2O2投加量为48 mL·L-1、质量分数为10%的FeSO4投加量为88 mL·L-1和反应时间为60 min;后续投加PAC处理的最佳反应条件为:pH值为7、质量分数为10%的PAC投加量为466 mL·L-1、反应时间为40 min;乳化液废水COD约34000 mg·L-1,经Fenton法-聚合氯化铝组合工艺处理后处理水COD小于5 000 mg·L-1,COD去除率达到87%以上,色度从浑浊的乳白色变成了清澈的无色,满足了后续生化处理对进水的水质要求。可为解决同类高浓度乳化液废水预处理提供技术参考。     

固定化球形红假单胞菌处理电镀废水中Cd和Cr的研究

比较了4种固定化球形红假单胞菌(Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides)处理含Cd、Cr重金属废水的效果,对固定化菌吸附Cd和Cr的工艺条件进行了优化,并通过生物反应器连续处理实际电镀废水,分析了处理后的效果。通过比较,确定了20g.kg-1沸石和20g.L-1海藻酸钠组合作为共固定材料,固定化菌对Cd和Cr的去除效果明显优于游离菌。采用正交试验优化废水处理工艺条件,结果表明,废水pH值、菌体投加量对固定化菌体的处理效果影响较大,当处理废水的pH值为6.0、菌体投加量为10.00g.L-1时,对40.00mg.L-1含Cd废水的去除率可达96.68%。4轮吸附-解吸循环试验结果显示,固定化菌体可重复利用3次,固定化菌体在使用第3次时,Cd去除率仍可达51.20%。在生物反应器中,用固定化菌体处理质量浓度为92.61mg.L-1的含Cd电镀废水,3h时对Cd的去除率达到98.80%,对含Cu、Au、Ni废水中重金属的去除率也高于90.00%。     

UV/H2O2/TiO2催化氧化法对油田采出水中多环芳烃的处理效果

针对油田采出水中含有多环芳烃种类多且较难去除的特点,选取了菲和芴两种代表性多环芳烃作为研究对象,采用UV/H2O2/TiO2技术对油田采出水中多环芳烃的处理效果进行了研究;考察了在254 nm波长紫外光照射下,TiO2投加量、H2O2投加量、pH值和光照时间对水样中的菲和芴处理效果的影响.实验结果显示,处理初始浓度为1000μg.L-1的菲、芴时,TiO2用量为2.2 g.L-1、H2O2用量为0.12 mmol.L-1、pH值为7、光照时间1.5 h时,去除效果较好.     

垃圾渗滤液的Fenton氧化预处理研究

采用Fenton氧化法对垃圾渗滤液进行预处理,考察了渗滤液初始pH值、H2O2和FeSO4.7H2O投加量、H2O2/Fe2＋投加的物质的量比及氧化反应时间等对Fenton氧化处理效果的影响,获得Fenton氧化处理垃圾渗滤液的最佳工艺条件：初始pH=3.0,H2O2投加量为5.0 mL.L-1,FeSO4.7H2O投加量为3.48 g.L-1,H2O2/Fe2＋物质的量比为4-1,反应时间为1.5 h。最佳条件下处理后垃圾渗滤液COD为5 220 mg.L-1,COD去除率达57.8%。凝胶渗透色谱和三维荧光光谱分析结果表明,垃圾渗滤液中主要含有腐殖酸类大分子物质,经Fenton氧化后降解变成小分子化合物。     

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.