红壤中稀土元素的有效性及其环境意义

研究了不同母质来源的红壤剖面层中稀土元素结构形态的变化以及可溶稀土元素含量的变化，结果表明，红壤中稀土元素的有效性较其他类型土壤为高，稀土 的有效性主要与土壤中粘土矿物及有 机质等组分对稀土的吸附有关。     

海南省土壤中稀土元素的生物有效态含量和总量

利用高灵敏度、低检出限的ICP-MS研究了海南省土壤中稀土元素总量和有效态含量.结果表明:海南土壤中各稀土元素总量均高于全国背景值,是全国背景值的110160%,各稀土元素的有效态含量与总量之间的相关系数在0.6630.949范围内变化(p<0.01,n=63),具有明显正相关性.为深入探讨和评估土壤中稀土元素的生态和环境效应,制定农用稀土开发利用过程中的环境保护对策提供科学依据,将土壤中稀土元素总量和有效态含量结合起来研究是很有必要的;文章研究首次得出如下结论:海南土壤中生物有效态稀土元素含量占总量的23`%,显示出稀土元素生物有效性程度很高,所以稀土微肥在农业上的应用,在海南省应该区别不同的土壤类型,避免盲目向土壤中添加稀土,对保护土壤环境,维护农业生态系统有积极的科学指导意义.     

湖南省土壤中稀土元素的生物有效态含量和总量

利用高灵敏度、低检出限的ICP-MS研究了海南省土壤中稀土元素总量和有效态含量。结果表明：海南土壤中各稀土元素总量均高于全国背景值,是全国背景值的110-160%,各稀土元素的有效态含量与总量之间的相关系数在0.663-0.949范围内变化（P〈0.01,n=63）,具有明显正相关性。为深入探讨和评估土壤中稀土元素的生态和环境效应,制定农用稀土开发利用过程中的环境保护对策提供科学依据,将土壤中稀土元素总量和有效态含量结合起来研究是很有必要的;文章研究首次得出如下结论：海南土壤中生物有效态稀土元素含量占总量的23%-60%,显示出稀土元素生物有效性程度很高,所以稀土微肥在农业上的应用,在海南省应该区别不同的土壤类型,避免盲目向土壤中添加稀土,对保护土壤环境,维护农业生态系统有积极的科学指导意义。     

不同耕作制度对土壤中锰赋存形态及其有效性的影响

以花岗岩母质发育的旱地红壤和水稻土为研究对象，探讨了不同耕作制度下土壤中锰的赋存形态及其生物有效性。结果表明：在水旱轮作条件下，土壤中的锰更多地以代换态和晶形铁结合态存在；旱作土壤中的锰则较多地以有机态和无定形铁结合态存在．然而，单位有机质络合的锰量却是水稻土大于红壤。水旱轮作措施具有活化锰的作用，使得土壤中锰有效性更大并且主要以代换态存在。旱作土壤则不同，土壤活性锰除来自代换衣外，尚有大约４５％以有机态或无定形铁结合态存在。     

土壤中腐殖酸对外源农用稀土生物可利用性的影响

采用盆栽实验方法，研究了腐殖酸对稀土元素在土壤-植物体系中的迁移、富集和生物可利用性的影响，结果表明，在试验土壤红壤中，稀土元素主要富集在小麦根部，加入低浓度的腐殖酸后，促进了小麦对稀土元素的吸收：而高浓度的腐殖酸则抑制小麦对稀土元素的吸收，腐殖酸浓度过高时，对小麦生长产生毒害作用，同时发现，小麦中叶绿素含量与小麦中稀土含量存在相关关系。     

赣南富稀土矿区农田土壤中稀土元素的环境化学特征

选择江西赣县大田稀土矿区，研究了矿区耕作农田土壤中稀土元素的含量、分布及赋存形态特征。结果表明，该区土壤中稀土元素含量明显高于对照区和全国土壤平均含量，且相对富含重稀土元素。土壤中稀土元素的分布模式受成土母岩及元素性质控制，呈现Eu和Ce负异常。稀土元素主要以可交换态和有机结合态（特别是松结有机态）形式存在，具有较高的活性和生物有效性，可能影响生态环境安全。     

阴离子态养分从第四纪红壤中的淋失特征

在实验室条件下，将第四纪红壤进行淋洗试验，旨在研究第四纪红壤中阴离子态养分的含量及其淋失特征。结果表明，第四纪红壤中各种可溶发生 阴离子态养分含量除ＮＯ＾－３和Ｃｌ＾－外，其它都是很低的，６种阴离子在第四纪红壤中的淋失强弱顺序是：Ｃｌ＾－〉ＮＯ＾－３〉Ｈ２ＢＯ＾－３〉ＳＯ＾２－４〉ｍＯｏ＾２－４？〉ｈ２ｐｏ＾－４，而土壤对它们的固定或吸附能力则相反。     

模拟酸雨对土柱中稀土元素迁移的影响

模拟研究酸雨对土柱中稀土元素迁移的影响.结果表明,在雨水、酸雨淋溶下,对照组红壤土柱中所含稀土元素有向下迁移的趋势,并且随淋溶液pH值的降低,稀土元素向下迁移的能力增加.外源稀土迁移量的大小顺序为;Ce>La>Nd>Pr,其顺序与各稀土元素在稀土微肥中含量大小的顺序相同.表明外源稀土的迁移性与外源稀土的总量密切相关.外源稀土在土柱中的含量随着红壤深度的增加而减少,稀土元素主要在土柱中第一、二层持留;随着淋溶液酸度的下降,稀土元素向下迁移的能力增加.     

第四纪红壤不同熟化措施下的阴离子态养分含量及其剖面分布

本文对第四纪红壤及其发育的土壤中的６种必需阴离子态养分含量及其在土壤剖面中的分布进行了系统的讨论．结果表明，第四纪红壤中的各种必需阴离子态养分含量与土壤耕作熟化措施有关．荒地的ＮＯ、Ｃｌ－、Ｈ２ＢＯ较高，而开垦为旱地后，它们的含量下降；Ｈ２ＰＯ在土壤经过耕作熟化后有所提高；ＭｏＯ的含量则基本保持不变；与其它阴离子显著不同的是．经耕作熟化后，土壤有效性ＳＯ含量急剧增加，不同的阴离子态养分在土壤剖面中的分布特点不同．     

稀土元素在土壤中的释放与迁移研究进展

稀土是全球重要的战略资源,在高科技产业及日常生活中广泛应用。由于稀土资源需求量的日益增加,稀土矿大量开采,加剧了稀土矿区周边环境污染,危害居民健康。因此,探究土壤中稀土元素的释放和迁移机理及影响机制对稀土的污染防治、生态修复及潜在风险评估都具有重要的现实指导意义。文章综述了稀土元素在土壤中释放与迁移机制、形态、及其影响因素方面的研究进展,主要结论为,(1)稀土元素在土壤中的释放与迁移机制主要包括4种类型:铁锰(氢)氧化物的还原溶解、土壤有机质的促进、离子交换作用以及土壤胶体协同。(2)稀土有机络合物、硫酸盐络合物、碳酸盐络合物是稀土元素在土壤中迁移的主要形态,稀土氟、氯、磷酸盐络合物不太可能作为稀土元素在土壤中迁移的载体。(3)稀土元素在土壤中的释放与迁移主要受pH值、氧化还原条件、配体浓度等环境因子影响,pH值与配体浓度与稀土元素的迁移形态高度相关。未来应通过世界各地不同土壤类型、不同环境驱动因子作用下稀土元素释放迁移的研究,探明引起稀土元素在土壤中释放的主导机制;加强稀土元素长距离迁移研究,在土壤环境中稀土元素分馏机制层面揭示稀土元素地球化学循环,为稀土矿区尾矿、废弃地中残留稀土的回收、利用提供理论与技术支持。     

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.