白洋淀底栖藻类与多环芳烃生态风险相关性研究——基于综合生物反应指数法

湖泊富营养化与有机污染物的交互作用是当前国内外研究热点,为了建立富营养化湖泊中多环芳烃(PAHs)生态效应与底栖藻类群落之间的相关关系。本研究以白洋淀为研究区,选取8个国控样点作为采样点,依据人为干扰程度不同将8个采样点划分为3种生境:生境1(S1和S2)主要遭受上游府河废水排放影响;生境2(S3、S6和S8)主要遭受水产养殖和生活污水的影响;生境3(S4、S5和S7)遭受人为干扰较小。分别在2009年4月、8月和11月收集了底栖藻类样品,并测定了白洋淀中15种PAHs。运用RQ_((NC))和RQ_((MPC))等改进风险熵值(RQ)方法计算PAHs生态风险。研究结果表明:(1)底栖藻类群落指标AD、Chl a、Chl b/a、CHL、CYA、APA、GLU、LEU、PSC和AFDW的值在11月最高,其次是8月和4月;就空间分布而言,这些指标值在生境1中最高,其次是生境2和生境3;而Chl c/a和BAC值在8月最高,其次是11月和4月,从空间分布特征而言,这些指标值在生境3最高;(2)相关分析结果表明,Chl a、Chl b/a、CHL、CYA、APA、GLU、LEU、PSC和AFDW的指标与PAHs污染物浓度呈显著正相关,而Chl c/a和BAC指标与污染物PAHs浓度呈显著负相关;(3)就空间分异特征而言,生境1中的ΣPAHs浓度最高,就季节变化而言,PAHs的浓度从4月到8月逐渐增加,而从8月到11月逐渐下降。各类PAHs表现出与ΣPAHs相同的时空变化特征;(4)IBR与RQ_(ΣPAHs(NCs))呈正相关关系(r=0.827,P0.01);除RQAcy(NCs)外,其他种类PAHs生态风险均与IBR呈相正相关关系(r=0.699~0.899),其中RQ_(BaP(NCs))与IBR显著正相关(r=0.899,P0.01)。此外,除沉积物TP外,IBR与TSI、水中TN、水中TP和沉积物TN也呈显著正相关(r=0.722~0.862)。因此,在富营养化湖泊中应考虑运用底栖藻类IBR生态监测PAHs污染水平。     

农村废水农药污染的生态修复技术研究

针对农业型村落地表水体长期遭受混合农药污染,生态环境受损严重的情况,于2015年8月在广州市近郊建立了黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)和苦草(Vallisneria natans)混种修复示范区,开展了沉水植物的构建对示范区7种农药(4种有机磷农药、2种有机氯农药和1种拟除虫菊酯类农药)污染控制、底栖动物恢复效果及常规水质指标浓度削减的研究,并采用风险商(RQ)法对水体中的农药进行生态风险评估。结果表明,示范区重建的半年内,水体中毒死蜱、氰戊菊酯、腐霉利、甲拌磷和乙草胺5种农药的平均去除率均大于75%,马拉硫磷和乐果的去除率约为50%。构建后,腐霉利由中等风险降为低风险,毒死蜱、乙草胺和乐果由高风险降为中等风险,其他3种农药的RQ值均显著下降(P0.05)。综合质量浓度和生态风险控制效果,将甲拌磷和马拉硫磷列为重点控制农药品种。底栖动物的物种数、生物量及多样性较修复前均呈明显增加趋势,并与沉水植物生物量呈显著正相关(P0.05)。水体各项常规水质指标质量浓度显著下降(P0.01),水质基本上从地表水标准的劣Ⅴ类提高到Ⅲ~Ⅳ类。综上所述,沉水植物的构建可有效控制水体中混合农药的质量浓度,降低其对水体的生态风险,恢复底栖动物多样性,是修复广东农村地区混合农药污染水体的有效方法。     

氮磷营养盐因子对缘管浒苔生长、叶绿素荧光特性和氮磷富集的影响

为探讨大型海藻缘管浒苔(Ulva linza)对氮、磷加富的生理响应及其机制,分析了氮、磷浓度变化对藻体相对生长速率(Rr.g),氮、磷富集,叶绿素(Chl)含量,类胡萝卜素(Car)含量,色素比值(Chl a/Chl b、Chl/Car)以及叶绿素荧光参数的影响.结果表明,在30μmol·L-1P浓度不变条件下,随着N浓度的增加,藻体P含量持续降低,而其Rr、g、N含量、Chl含量、Car含量、色素比值(Chl a/Chl b、Chl/Car)和叶绿素荧光参数均逐渐上升,N3处理(500μmol· L-1 N)缘管浒苔Rr.g和叶绿素荧光参数均达到最大值,N4处理(1 000 μmol·L-1)缘管浒苔Chl含量、Car含量和Chl a/Chl b比值均达到最大值.在500 μmol·L-1N浓度不变条件下,依次增加P浓度,缘管浒苔Rr,g没有显著差异,N含量没有显著变化,而P含量则呈明显上升趋势,其他指标变化幅度小.综上所述,与P相比,N的变化对缘管浒苔生长、光合色素和光合作用的影响更明显,在N浓度为500 μmol·L-1、P浓度为30 μmol ·L-1、N/P比值为16.67条件下,藻体生长最佳.当水体富营养化加剧时,缘管浒苔富集氮、磷的能力持续上升.     

华南沿海地区小型水库叶绿素a浓度的影响因子分析

在华南沿海地区,小型水库是重要的供水水源.于2006年4月、8月、12月3次对珠海市12座小型水库的叶绿素a(Chl.a)、浮游植物、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、透明度(SD)等进行采样测定,分析了叶绿素a浓度的分布、动态及其与浮游植物和环境因子的关系.12座水库叶绿素a浓度分布范围为1.3～33.2 μg/L,抽水水库的叶绿素a浓度在8月份最低,而非抽水水库的叶绿素a浓度在8月份最高.12座水库TN浓度分布范围为0.18～1.76 mg/L,TP浓度分布范同为0.01～0.79 mg/L.总磷与叶绿素a浓度显著相关,In(Chl.a)=0.55961n(TP)+4.5581(R2=0.2337,P<0.01).总氮与叶绿素a浓度呈正相关关系,In(Chl.a)=0.60771n(TN)+2.6199(R2=0.2004,P<0.01).浮游植物生物量为0.135～8.759 mg/L.非抽水水库主要以绿藻、硅藻、甲藻为优势类群,但木头冲水库12月份以蓝藻为优势种类.抽水水库的浮游植物优势种变化较大,叶绿素a浓度与浮游植物生物量呈显著正相关,In(Chl.a)=0.27921n(biomass)+2.1083(R2=0.245,P<0.01).叶绿素a浓度与环境因子的相关性具有明显的季节变化,这主要是由营养盐负荷和水文条件的季节变化所决定.抽水与非抽水水库的叶绿素a浓度与环境因子的相关性具有明显的差别,这主要是由于涮水改变了水体的营养盐负荷和水文节律.叶绿素a浓度与浮游植物生物量具有正相关关系,这种相关性的季节变化随浮游植物组成的变化(特别是优势种类的变化)而变化.图7表1参29     

银丝竹3种颜色叶片光合特性研究

以1年生银丝竹(Bambusa multiplex cv.Silverstrip)盆栽苗为试验材料,测定并比较了银丝竹的全绿叶(Green Leaf,GL)、花叶(Striped Leaf,SL)和全白叶(White Leaf,WL)3种叶色的光合色素含量、光合-光响应曲线、气体交换参数、CO_2响应曲线,研究其3种不同颜色叶片与光合特性的关系,旨在了解银丝竹的光合生产力,为其种植管理提供理论基础和参考依据。结果表明,(1)银丝竹3种颜色叶片的叶绿素a(Chl a)、叶绿素b(Chl b)、类胡萝卜素(Car)、叶绿素a+b(Chl a+b)、叶绿素a/b(Chl a/b)以及叶绿素a+b/类胡萝卜素(Chl a+b/Car)6种光合色素含量均表现为全绿叶花叶全白叶,其中,Chl a、Chl b、Car、Chl a+b存在显著差异(P0.05),而Chl a/b以及Chl a+b/Car的差异不显著(P0.05)。(2)GL的初始量子效率(α)和最大净光合速率(Pn_(max))显著高于SL(P0.05),两者的暗呼吸速率(R_d)差异不显著(P0.05),SL的光饱和点(LSP)和光补偿点(LCP)均高于GL,但差异不显著(P0.05);GL的初始羧化效率(CE)、光合能力(A_(max))、CO_2饱和点(CSP)和光呼吸(R_p)均高于SL,而SL具有较高的CO_2补偿点(CCP)。(3)银丝竹不同颜色叶片的气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和水分利用效率(WUE)都随着光合有效辐射(PAR)的增大而增加,表现为GLSLWL;胞间CO_2浓度(Ci)的变化趋势与之相反,表现为GLSLWL。无论是从光响应曲线还是CO_2响应曲线上看,全绿叶都具有更高的光合能力,这跟全绿叶叶绿素含量较高有关。研究发现花叶利用强光的能力比全绿叶片高,故在人工温室育苗中可通过提高光强培育更多的银丝竹花叶品种。     

盐胁迫对沙棘幼苗生K与光合生理特征的影响

用不同浓度的NaCl处理沙棘(Hippophea rhamnoides)2 a生幼苗,研究盐胁迫对其生长、叶片水分、光合生理特征以及叶绿素含量的影响.结果表明,随着盐浓度的增加,沙棘幼苗鲜重、干重、比叶重(LMA)和单株总叶面积均明显下降.盐胁迫下,沙棘叶片出现严重的缺水现象,导致叶水势()、叶片相对含水量(RWC)逐渐下降,而叶片水分饱和亏缺(WSD)、组织密度(TD)逐渐升高.同时,叶绿素a(Chl a)、叶绿素b(Chl b)、总叶绿素(Chl)、类胡萝卜素(Car)含量和叶绿索a/b(Chl a/Chl b)与对照相比均极显著降低.随着盐浓度的增加和胁迫时间的延长,沙棘幼苗叶片净光合速率(pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(Gs)均明显下降,胞间CO2浓度(Ci)先降后升,气孔限制值(Ls)和水分利用效率(唧)则先升后降.研究表明,Pn下降的原因短期内以气孔限制为主,长期则以叶片生理代谢紊乱、光合色素降解导致的光合能力下降等非气孔限制因素为主,且盐浓度越高,由气孔限制转为非气孔限制的时间越早.     

东湖沿岸带底栖藻垫对磷的滞留作用

为探究底栖藻垫在浅水富营养化湖泊磷循环中的作用,在为期一年的监测期间中,每月测定东湖沿岸带水生所、武汉大学东门、磨山景区和九女墩4个样点的水体理化指标、底栖藻垫叶绿素a(Chl a)含量,同时采用连续提取法测定各样点底栖藻垫的磷含量及其形态组成.结果显示:东湖沿岸带底栖藻垫总磷的年均含量约为127μg/cm~2,不同样点之间存在显著性差异;各样点底栖藻垫的总磷含量在春季达到峰值,约为290μg/cm~2,且各样点底栖藻垫的总磷含量有明显的季节性变化,表明东湖沿岸带的底栖藻垫是磷的巨大接收器.各样点底栖藻垫中无机磷占总磷含量的50%以上;而铁磷在无机磷中含量最高,占总磷含量的30%以上,不同样点底栖藻垫的铁磷含量存在显著性差异.本研究表明东湖沿岸带底栖藻垫对磷的滞留在水体中磷循环过程起着重要作用,可为浅水富营养化湖泊水生态系统的修复提供理论依据.     

珠江口滩涂围垦对大型底栖动物群落的影响

为了解海岸滩涂围垦对沿海生态系统的影响,采用大型底栖动物群落来进行影响评价.对珠江口伶仃洋西海岸的6个自然滩涂和5个围垦滩涂的大型底栖动物进行比较研究,采用4种生物指数、聚类分析(CLA)及非度量多维测度排序(NMS)对其进行群落特征分析.结果显示:自然滩涂底栖动物种类数平均7.5种,栖息密度386.63 ind m-2,生物量15.593 6 g m-2,均普遍高于围垦滩涂.滩涂围垦可造成滩涂生境改变,从而导致底栖动物群落结构简单,生物组成单一,群落相似性较低.因此必须科学制定围垦方式并进行围垦后生态保护,在满足用地需求和生境保护之间取得平衡.图5表3参24     

重金属镉超富集浮萍品种筛选及其对水体中镉的去除效果北大核心CSCD

为筛选出能高效去除水体重金属镉,并能快速积累生物量的浮萍品种,对实验室保存的12个能耐受30 mg/L镉浓度的浮萍品种在0.5 mg/L和10 mg/L的镉浓度下进行复筛,获得最优品种少根紫萍(Landoltia punctata)ZH0049,并研究其在不同镉浓度胁迫下的生长状况和镉富集能力,同时分析其叶绿素含量变化与镉胁迫浓度的关系.结果显示:ZH0049在0-0.5 mg/L的镉浓度范围内能正常生长,干物质积累率最高可达到6.44 g m-2 d-1.在0-3 mg/L的镉浓度范围内,ZH0049对镉的吸收率、去除率以及富集系数在0.5 mg/L时出现波谷,而在3 mg/L时达到最高,分别为66.74%、72.43%和770.叶绿素相对含量实验结果显示,当镉浓度大于0.5 mg/L,浮萍生长受到抑制,叶绿素a、b含量开始下降,相对于初始值最高下降了61.79%和32.08%.当镉浓度从0.5 mg/L至3 mg/L,叶绿素相对含量(Chl a/Chl b)相对于初始值分别下降了3.49%、7.28%、19.32%、31.33%和42.59%,表明叶绿素a降幅大于叶绿素b.综上,ZH0049能将水体中的镉富集在体内的同时,保持较高的干物质积累量,从而达到较好的重金属去除效果,为水体中镉的去除建立了一种新途径.     

黄浦江上游水源地中31种内分泌干扰物的分布特征以及生态风险评价

本文研究了雄激素、雌激素、孕激素、糖皮质激素和工业化合物等5类31种环境内分泌干扰物(endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDCs)在黄浦江上游水源地中的空间分布特征,并采用风险熵值法(risk quotient, RQ)对水体中EDCs的生态风险进行了评价.黄浦江上游水源地9个采样点糖皮质激素和孕激素均未检出,工业化合物双酚类检出率100%.大多物质最高检出浓度10 ng·L~(-1),而双酚A (BPA)检出浓度最高(26.00—64.32 ng·L~(-1)).黄浦江以工业化合物和雌激素类物质污染为主,BPA为各采样点的主要污染物.莲西大桥EDCs总浓度最高(103.66 ng·L~(-1)),水库入口总浓度最低(40.16 ng·L~(-1)).太浦河上游工业化合物类浓度较下游高,雌激素类最高浓度检出点为汾湖大桥(11.70 ng·L~(-1)).与国内外地表水中EDCs检出浓度比较,黄浦江上游水源地中EDCs处于中低等污染水平.对己烯雌酚(DES)、雌三醇(E3)、BPA、双酚S (BPS)等4种EDCs进行生态风险评价,RQ范围为0.006-2.5,BPS表现出较高的环境风险(RQ=2.5).     

Representation of the world's biophysical conditions by the global protected area network

Protected areas (PAs) are often implemented without consideration of already existing PAs, which is likely to cause an overrepresentation of certain biophysical conditions. We assessed the representativeness of the current PA network with regard to the world's biophysical conditions to highlight which conditions are underprotected and where these conditions are located. We overlaid terrestrial and marine PAs with information on biophysical conditions (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and elevation) and then quantified the percentage of area covered by the PA network. For 1 variable at a time in the terrestrial realm, high temperature, low precipitation, and medium and very high elevation were underrepresented. For the marine realm, low and medium sea surface temperature (SST), medium and high sea surface salinity (SSS), and the deep sea were underrepresented. Overall, protection was evenly distributed for elevation across the terrestrial realm and SST across the marine realm. For 2 variables at a time, cold and very dry terrestrial environments had mostly low protection, which was also the case for low SST and low and medium SSS across most depths for marine environments. Low protection occurred mostly in the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula for the terrestrial realm and along the Tropic of Capricorn and toward the poles for the marine realm. Although biodiversity measures are of prime importance for the design of PA networks, highlighting biophysical gaps in current PAs adds a frequently overlooked perspective. These gaps may weaken the potential of PAs to conserve biodiversity. Thus, our results may provide useful insights for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to establish a more comprehensive global PA network.     

Quantitative composition of the defensive secretion ofBledius species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) is adapted to naturally occurring predators

Summary The adaptation of defensive secretions to their target organisms was examined for the abdominal gland secretions ofBledius furcatus, B. spectabilis andB. arenarius. Therefore the target organisms of the secretion of theseBledius species (i.e. their predators) had to be identified. At the collection sites examined these were the earwigLabidura riparia, the antCataglyphis bicolor, the flyLispe candicans, different carabids of the generaPogonus, Dichirotrichus, Dyschirius, Bembidion andCalathus and the wading birdsHaematopus ostralegus andCalidris alba. The secretion of the abdominal glands contains the toxin ptoluquinone dissolved in either-dodecalactone and 1-undecene (B. furcatus andB. spectabilis) or in octanoic acid and octyloctanoate (B. arenarius). The ratio of these solvents is species-specific. Application experiments using some of the natural insect predators (L. riparia, C. bicolor, Pogonus, Di. gustavii, Dyschirius) revealed that these solvent ratios provided a more effective deterrent than other possible ratios. Thus by combining the solvents in certain ratios, the capability of cuticular penetration and therefore the effectiveness of the defensive secretions are adapted to their natural targets.     

Democracy versus development: New urban debates

The politics of development includes subtexts of choice, as underpinned by community consensus (or lack of it), against the larger backdrop of a liberal democracy, with its intricate power structures that influence the choice of concepts and often lead to complicity rather than consent. A dilemma exists between the understanding of field-level practitioners and that of academics, whose understandings of progress differ. Progress can (and often does) imply long-term change across generations whereas development is often more a matter of crisis management and delivering tangible results to end-users. This makes it a bone of contention across political systems, irrespective of local or global dynamics. Development can emerge as a tool to be wielded for power and further political mileage at the expense of progress. Progress cannot be studied as a counterpoint to development as the sense of history is often missing in development interventions. Development tends to be piecemeal as its very logic often stems from the rationale of power. This is not to suggest, however, that development is only about politics; it is definitely more than the politics of everyday life and involves all of civil society that requires its critical and immediate attention. In this sense, it has become a priority for politicians with an underlying agenda designed to out-manouevre dissent and all statements of protest.     

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     

A framework to measure the wildness of managed large vertebrate populations

As landscapes continue to fall under human influence through habitat loss and fragmentation, fencing is increasingly being used to mitigate anthropogenic threats and enhance the commercial value of wildlife. Subsequent intensification of management potentially erodes wildness by disembodying populations from landscape-level processes, thereby disconnecting species from natural selection. Tools are needed to measure the degree to which populations of large vertebrate species in formally protected and privately owned wildlife areas are self-sustaining and free to adapt. We devised a framework to measure such wildness based on 6 attributes relating to the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of vertebrates (space, disease and parasite resistance, exposure to predation, exposure to limitations and fluctuations of food and water supply, and reproduction). For each attribute, we set empirical, species-specific thresholds between 5 wildness states based on quantifiable management interventions. We analysed data from 205 private wildlife properties with management objectives spanning ecotourism to consumptive utilization to test the framework on 6 herbivore species representing a range of conservation statuses and commercial values. Wildness scores among species differed significantly, and the proportion of populations identified as wild ranged from 12% to 84%, which indicates the tool detected site-scale differences both among populations of different species and populations of the same species under different management regimes. By quantifying wildness, this framework provides practitioners with standardized measurement units that link biodiversity with the sustainable use of wildlife. Applications include informing species management plans at local scales; standardizing the inclusion of managed populations in red-list assessments; and providing a platform for certification and regulation of wildlife-based economies. Applying this framework may help embed wildness as a normative value in policy and mitigate the shifting baseline of what it means to truly conserve a species.     

Sexual Predators,Energy Development,and Conservation in Greater Yellowstone

Abstract: In the United States, as elsewhere, a growing debate pits national energy policy and homeland security against biological conservation. In rural communities the extraction of fossil fuels is often encouraged because of the employment opportunities it offers, although the concomitant itinerant workforce is often associated with increased wildlife poaching. We explored possible positive and negative factors associated with energy extraction in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), an area known for its national parks, intact biological diversity, and some of the New World's longest terrestrial migrations. Specifically, we asked whether counties with different economies—recreation (ski), agrarian (ranching or farming), and energy extractive (petroleum)—differed in healthcare (gauged by the abundance of hospital beds) and in the frequency of sexual predators. The absolute and relative frequency of registered sex offenders grew approximately two to three times faster in areas reliant on energy extraction. Healthcare among counties did not differ. The strong conflation of community dishevel, as reflected by in‐migrant sexual predators, and ecological decay in Greater Yellowstone is consistent with patterns seen in similar systems from Ecuador to northern Canada, where social and environmental disarray exist around energy boomtowns. In our case, that groups (albeit with different aims) mobilized campaigns to help maintain the quality of rural livelihoods by protecting open space is a positive sign that conservation can matter, especially in the face of rampant and poorly executed energy extraction projects. Our findings further suggest that the public and industry need stronger regulatory action to instill greater vigilance when and where social factors and land conversion impact biological systems.     

Comparison of the insecticidal effects of water extracted and intact aromatic plants onAcanthoscelides obtectus,a bruchid beetle pest of kidney beans

Summary Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) is one of the most damaging pests of kidney beans,Phaseolus vulgaris L. worldwide. However, aromatic plants from the families Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Poaceae can protect kidney beans by direct or delayed insecticidal effect, through increased adult mortality and inhibition of beetle reproduction (both oviposition and adult emergence). The efficiency of hydrodistillated and intact plants fromThymus vulgaris andT. serpyllum, Mentha piperata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Satureia hortensis, Eucalyptus globulus, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare, andCymbopogon nardus was compared. For both extracts,Origanum vulgare had the best effect. The insecticidal effect was induced by more than the essential oils because no significant difference was noticed between distilled and intact plants extract. Inhibition of reproduction was particularly important. These results suggest that lipidic as well as non lipidic, allelochemicals, such as phenolics, or non-protein amino-acids, or flavonoids may be involved in the toxicity of aromatic plants to this beetle.     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

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.