南京市典型交通区与背景区春季大气中VOCs的污染水平与日变化趋势

于2014年春季使用Tedlar气袋采集南京市典型交通区与背景区的大气样品,参照美国EPA TO-15方法共检出30种挥发性有机物(VOCs)组分,研究了典型区域的VOCs污染特征与日变化趋势。结果表明,交通区ρ(VOCs)范围为122.58!236.97μg·m-3,平均值为(149.31±36.70)μg·m-3;背景区ρ(VOCs)范围为27.24!54.68μg·m-3,平均值为(43.29±10.53)μg·m-3。从污染物类型来看,烯烃、芳烃、卤代烃和酯类化合物是空气中的主要污染物。交通区空气中VOCs以苯系物为主,质量浓度范围为18.72!41.28μg·m-3,平均值为(25.39±7.63)μg·m-3,苯系物浓度日变化高峰出现在9:00、12:00和18:00,与道路车流量密切相关;而背景区苯系物浓度偏低,且无明显的变化趋势。对交通区苯系物各组分进行主成分分析发现,苯、乙苯、对,间-二甲苯、邻-二甲苯、4-乙基甲苯、1,3,5-三甲苯和1,2,4-三甲苯是主要的贡献因子,汽车尾气是交通区苯系物污染的主要来源。     

生物滴滤塔耦合光催化氧化技术处理电子垃圾拆解车间排放废气的中试研究

采用生物滴滤塔（BTF）与光催化一体化（PCO）联用工艺应用于电子垃圾拆解现场废气处理的中试研究,研究结果表明：电子垃圾拆解现场排放的废气中含有高浓度的总悬浮颗粒物（TSP）和挥发性有机污染物（VOCs）。其中TSP的质量浓度为3792.5~7387.9μg·m-3,远高于中国环境空气质量控制标准（GB3095—2012）的二级标准（300μg·m-3）;VOCs主要由芳香烃类VOCs、含氮含氧类VOCs、卤代烃类VOCs和脂肪烃类VOCs组成,总VOCs的质量浓度为（5 499.1±854.7）~（26 834.0±447.0）μg·m-3,其中芳香烃类VOCs含量最高,其质量浓度为（2369.9±359.8）~（24419.6±229.5）μg·m-3,其次是含氮含氧类VOCs和卤代烃类VOCs,分别为（1018.2±142.1）~（2144.2±167.5）和（1170.6±146.5）~（1 936.6±353.3）μg·m-3,脂肪烃类VOCs的质量浓度最低,只有（44.6±0.8）~（174.4±0.5）μg·m-3。相较单一BTF和PCO工艺,BTF-PCO联用工艺可以更为有效地去除电子垃圾拆解现场排放废气中的TSP和VOCs。研究结果表明,经过BTF-PCO处理后,出口TSP的质量浓度降低到747.4~1750.9μg·m-3,其去除率在76.3%以上,而对于VOCs来说,出口浓度下降更为明显,芳香烃类VOCs、含氮含氧类VOCs、卤代烃类VOCs和脂肪烃类VOCs的去除率分别大于或者等于97.0%、92.4%、83.4%和100%。     

污泥好氧发酵过程中挥发性有机物（VOCs）污染风险研究

污泥好氧堆肥发酵过程所产生的可挥发性有机物已经成为重要的二次污染物,采用气质联用（GC/MS）的方法分析了郑州某污泥处置厂发酵车间不同位置的挥发性有机物（VOCs）组分。结果表明：污泥堆肥过程可检测出的VOCs共有19种,主要致臭组分是甲硫醇、二甲二硫醚、甲硫醚,它们在所有采气点中的质量浓度均高于检知嗅阈值,对人类嗅觉具有较大危害;总挥发性有机物（TVOC）的质量浓度由堆体内部产生时的47.2 mg·m-3,降为车间工人活动处的1.73 mg·m-3,迁移过程中总浓度减少了96.3%;利用最大增量反应活性法研究VOCs的反应活性和对近地层臭氧的生成潜势影响,VOCs组分中烷烃、芳香烃、酮类、烯烃类的最大臭氧生成潜势值依次增加,其中,最大臭氧生成潜势值（OFP）贡献量最高的组分为1-丁烯和丙烯,OFP分别达到了947.70μg·m-3和875.67μg·m-3,存在大气污染风险。通过主要VOCs组分间的相关性分析,发现甲硫醇宜作为评估VOCs排放情况的指示气体,其在工人活动处的质量浓度为0.04 mg·m-3,远低于GBZ 2—2002《工作场所有害因素职业接触限值》所规定的2.5 mg·m-3限量值。     

佛山市冬季大气非甲烷烃的污染特征及来源分析

2008年12月10日—30日在佛山收集38个大气非甲烷烃（NMHCs）样品,并进行定量分析.结果表明,佛山市大气NMHCs浓度水平比较高,其中甲苯浓度最高（（57.83±49.20）μg.m-3）,其次为异戊烷（（49.39±37.55）μg.m-3）、乙炔（（31.00±17.13）μg.m-3）和丙烷（（26.5...     

太原市不同功能区环境空气中挥发性有机物特征与来源解析

采集太原市3个不同功能区夏季和冬季环境空气样品,使用色谱-质谱仪测定挥发性有机物(VOCs)的组成,分析VOCs浓度变化和日变化特征,计算臭氧生成潜势(OFP),利用特征比值法和正定矩阵因子分析法(PMF)研究环境空气中VOCs的来源.结果表明,观测期间太原市环境空气中VOC总浓度变化范围为(36.27—210.67)μg·m~(-3),夏季和冬季VOCs化合物平均质量浓度为49.73μg·m~(-3)和205.19μg·m~(-3),冬季环境空气中VOCs浓度是夏季VOCs的4.13倍;VOCs日变化受到机动车排放和光化学反应显著影响,且夏季影响大于冬季;夏季OFP最大的物种为烯烃类化合物,冬季OFP最大的物种为芳香烃类化合物.太原市环境空气中VOCs主要包括五类污染源,分别为燃煤源28.10%、机动车源27.41%、挥发源22.90%、液化石油/天然气源14.90%和植物源6.69%;不同功能区主要污染源存在差异,太原市夏季工业交通区最主要排放源为燃煤源,居民商业混合区和居民交通区受燃煤源和机动车排放源共同影响,冬季太原市燃煤源是环境空气中VOCs的最主要污染源.     

不同气团对嘉兴市大气污染物变化特征的影响

利用嘉兴2012年10月—2013年9月污染气体和PM2.5的连续观测资料,结合HYSPLIT_4轨迹模式计算得到的观测期间嘉兴不同季节的主导气团,分析了嘉兴市大气污染物的变化特征及不同季节下不同气团类型对该地污染物的影响.结果表明,嘉兴市CO、SO2、NO2和PM2.5日变化为双峰型分布,峰值位于07∶00—09∶00和16∶00—18∶00;O3呈单峰分布,峰值位于14∶00,这与人为活动和大气边界层变化密切相关.大气污染物具有显著的季节变化特征,SO2、CO和PM2.5冬季高(43.5,950.3,79.8μg·m-3),夏季低(21.5、522.4、38.0μg·m-3);NO2在春季最高(49.9μg·m-3),夏季最低(30.4μg·m-3);O3夏季最高(88.9μg·m-3),冬季最低(17.2μg·m-3).影响嘉兴的主导气团的来源和路径存在显著季节变化,不同气团对大气污染物的分布影响较大,局地气团下SO2的浓度显著降低;大陆气团下污染物浓度普遍偏高,SO2、CO、NO2和PM2.5分别是海洋性气团的1.6—3.0、1.5—1.6、1.6—2.0和1.5—2.3倍;海洋性气团下污染物浓度普遍较低;混合性气团对应的污染物水平介于海洋性气团和大陆气团之间.     

北京市车辆管制前后大气中挥发性有机污染物的变化

采用便携式气相色谱/质谱联用仪于2007年8月15日-20日,在北京市车辆管制期间对空气中挥发性有机污染物进行连续监测.结果表明,监测期间共检出84种挥发性有机污染物,VOCs中所占比例以芳香烃为最高,其次是烷烃.VOCs各类物质的平均质量浓度在车辆限流前后有明显变化,8月15日和16日车辆限流前VOCs平均质量浓度的总和为348.9μg·m-3,限流后8月17-20日VOCs平均质量浓度的总和为150.5μg·m-3,交通限行后VOCs减少了近57%,其中芳香烃和醛酮类降低最为显著,降低比例分别达到55%与67%;烷烃、卤代烃分别降低46%与48%.限行前后VOCs呈现类似的日变化趋势.在2点到4点浓度较高,8点和18点左右出现峰值.整个交通管制期间苯和其它苯系物有着良好的相关性,苯系物具有同源性;甲苯/苯(B/T)浓度的比值为0.49-0.55,几无差别,证明汽车尾气是VOCs首要的污染物.     

北京春季城区与远郊区不同大气粒径颗粒物中水溶性离子的分布特征

为比较北京城区与远郊区大气颗粒物中水溶性无机离子的组成特征,2012年4月,利用Andersen分级撞击式采样器同时在2个采样点进行大气颗粒物分级采样,样品采用离子色谱分析.结果表明,城区和上甸子大气颗粒物中水溶性无机离子总浓度分别为(83.7±48.9)μg·m-3和(75.5±52.9)μg·m-3,NO-3、SO2-4和NH+4是最主要的水溶性无机离子,分别占总离子浓度的81.2%和84.2%.粒径分布显示,Mg2+和Ca2+在5.8～9.0μm的粒径范围出现峰值,Na+、NH+4、Cl-在0.43～1.1μm和4.7～9.0μm的粒径范围出现双峰,K+、NO-3和SO2-4在0.65～2.1μm的粒径范围出现峰值.后向轨迹簇分析表明,气团来自南方时,城区和上甸子二次离子浓度分别为(92.4±40.0)μg·m-3和(95.0±35.4)μg·m-3,来自其他方向时,分别为(24.0±10.8)μg·m-3和(13.3±10.6)μg·m-3.     

乌鲁木齐大气细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))有机碳和元素碳污染特征分析

对乌鲁木齐市中心区域树木年轮实验室(TRL)和黑山头(HST)2013年1月─2014年2月期间采集的大气细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))样品,利用热光碳分析仪分析了其中的有机碳(OC)和元素碳(EC)浓度水平、污染特征及其可能来源,以期为深入了解乌鲁木齐市颗粒物污染现状,确定乌鲁木齐市大气污染治理重点,制定大气污染防治策略提供依据。结果表明:年轮室OC和EC的质量浓度分别为(15.73±8.50)和(5.48±2.70)μg·m-3,分别占PM_(2.5)质量浓度的9.15%和3.19%,黑山头OC和EC的质量浓度分别为(11.31±7.29)和(4.14±3.26)μg·m-3,分别占PM_(2.5)质量浓度的9.26%和3.06%。年轮室OC的月变化呈现单峰型,4月份浓度最小,1月份浓度最大,黑山头OC的月平均浓度1月份最大,6月份最小,两个站点EC月平均浓度分布均无明显的特征,两个站点最大浓度均出现在2013年1月。OC质量浓度的季节变化是冬季(19.80±8.53)μg·m-3秋季(12.83±8.25)μg·m-3夏季(9.82±2.83)μg·m-3春季(9.31±3.91)μg·m-3,EC质量浓度的季节变化是秋季(5.72±3.35)μg·m-3冬季(5.25±2.61)μg·m-3夏季(5.21±2.37)μg·m-3春季(4.89±2.31)μg·m-3。在不同的季节,OC浓度变化比较明显,EC排放相对稳定。乌鲁木齐春夏季OC和EC的相关性较高,并且相关系数较为接近,说明春夏两季OC和EC来源相对简单,来源一致,主要来源于交通源机动车尾气的排放;秋冬季相关性较低,说明OC和EC来源复杂,秋冬季进入采暖期,采暖期燃煤燃气增加,排放量增大,排放源结构复杂。     

银川都市圈典型站点大气臭氧及前体物的污染特征分析

本文分析了银川都市圈的商业/交通/居民混合区和工业区两类典型站点的大气挥发性有机物（VOCs）的日变化特征,并通过臭氧生成潜势（OFP）对其生成臭氧潜力进行了评估,此外,基于观测的光化学模型（OBM模型）分析了银川都市圈臭氧生成对前体物的敏感性.观测结果表明,观测期间银川都市圈臭氧呈单峰型日变化,其中商业/交通/居民混合区采样点峰值出现在16:00—18:00,臭氧日最高小时浓度范围为131—200μg·m^-3;工业区采样点峰值出现在14:00—17:00,臭氧日最高小时浓度范围为155—186μg·m^-3.商业/交通/居民混合区采样点和工业区采样点总挥发性有机物（TVOCs）日变化浓度均呈现出早晚高、日间低的趋势,最大浓度分别为28.70×10^-9、165.84×10^-9.烯烃对两个采样点臭氧生成潜势均有较大贡献,商业/交通/居民混合区和工业区采样点的贡献率分别为21.58%—67.59%和57.42%—89.73%.银川都市圈大气臭氧生成速率对VOCs中的烯烃和芳香烃的增量变化最为敏感,对CO以...     

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.