五氯酚和八氯代二苯并二嗯英复合暴露对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应

为了评价环境中五氯酚(PCP)和八氯代二苯并二嚼英(OCDD)对水环境以及鱼类的影响,以斑马鱼为模式生物,研究了PCP和OCDD对其胚胎发育的单一及复合毒性效应.结果表明,PCP单独暴露(浓度25μg·L-1～5mg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎发育具有较强的毒性效应,可导致胚胎孵化率显著下降,死亡率、畸形率显著上升,而OCDD单独暴露(200、500μg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎发育没有明显的毒性效应;OCDD与环境浓度的PCP复合暴露(OCDD PCP1:250μg·L-1 25μg·L-1;OCDD PCP2:250μg·L-1 50μg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎的存活与发育等没有显著影响,对斑马鱼胚胎内CYP1A基因表达以及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)的酶活力也没有显著影响,在实验浓度下二者共存没有明显的复合毒性效应.     

基于傅里叶变换红外光谱技术分析壬基酚和双酚A对斑马鱼胚胎的影响

壬基酚(4-NP)和双酚A(BPA)是2种在环境中普遍检出的雌激素物质,已经在地表水中广泛检出,且浓度很高。壬基酚和双酚A在地表水中检测浓度最高分别达到了644μg·L^(-1)和12μg·L(-1)和12μg·L^(-1)。目前有大量研究表明壬基酚和双酚A具有环境内分泌干扰效应,但是较少研究利用傅里叶变换红外光谱技术分析这2种物质对斑马鱼胚胎生理生化的影响。傅里叶变换红外光谱作为一种基于官能团和极性键振动结构分析技术,已广泛用于大分子化合物结构分析以及蛋白质的二级结构解析,是获取分子结构信息的有力工具,经常用于毒理学领域。本研究基于傅里叶变换红外光谱技术,分析了壬基酚和双酚A对斑马鱼胚胎的毒性。结果表明,当壬基酚≥322μg·L(-1)。目前有大量研究表明壬基酚和双酚A具有环境内分泌干扰效应,但是较少研究利用傅里叶变换红外光谱技术分析这2种物质对斑马鱼胚胎生理生化的影响。傅里叶变换红外光谱作为一种基于官能团和极性键振动结构分析技术,已广泛用于大分子化合物结构分析以及蛋白质的二级结构解析,是获取分子结构信息的有力工具,经常用于毒理学领域。本研究基于傅里叶变换红外光谱技术,分析了壬基酚和双酚A对斑马鱼胚胎的毒性。结果表明,当壬基酚≥322μg·L^(-1)时,斑马鱼胚胎72 hpf孵化率分别只有33%、5%、0%、0%和0%;同时,暴露96 h时,可显著降低斑马鱼胚胎的存活率和增加致畸指数,且呈浓度依赖特征。特别是849.5μg·L(-1)时,斑马鱼胚胎72 hpf孵化率分别只有33%、5%、0%、0%和0%;同时,暴露96 h时,可显著降低斑马鱼胚胎的存活率和增加致畸指数,且呈浓度依赖特征。特别是849.5μg·L^(-1)和1 038.5μg·L(-1)和1 038.5μg·L^(-1)壬基酚暴露后,斑马鱼胚胎全部死亡。类似地,当双酚A≥5.55 mg·L(-1)壬基酚暴露后,斑马鱼胚胎全部死亡。类似地,当双酚A≥5.55 mg·L^(-1)时,斑马鱼胚胎72 hpf孵化率分别只有30%、0%、0%和0%;暴露96 h时,双酚A≥7.5 mg·L(-1)时,斑马鱼胚胎72 hpf孵化率分别只有30%、0%、0%和0%;暴露96 h时,双酚A≥7.5 mg·L^(-1)也导致斑马鱼胚胎的存活率显著下降和增加致畸指数,并随着浓度升高毒性增大。以胚胎死亡率和致畸形指数作为效应终点,壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎的96 h-LC_(50)和EC_(50)分别为481.7μg·L(-1)也导致斑马鱼胚胎的存活率显著下降和增加致畸指数,并随着浓度升高毒性增大。以胚胎死亡率和致畸形指数作为效应终点,壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎的96 h-LC_(50)和EC_(50)分别为481.7μg·L^(-1)和362.6μg·L(-1)和362.6μg·L^(-1);双酚A对斑马鱼胚胎的96 h-LC_(50)和EC_(50)为8.8 mg·L(-1);双酚A对斑马鱼胚胎的96 h-LC_(50)和EC_(50)为8.8 mg·L^(-1)和7.9 mg·L(-1)和7.9 mg·L^(-1)。红外光谱分析显示,当壬基酚≥158.5μg·L(-1)。红外光谱分析显示,当壬基酚≥158.5μg·L^(-1)时,对酰胺Ⅱ、脂质、蛋白磷酸化等波数有显著影响;当双酚A≥1.75 mg·L(-1)时,对酰胺Ⅱ、脂质、蛋白磷酸化等波数有显著影响;当双酚A≥1.75 mg·L^(-1)时,对酰胺Ⅰ、酰胺Ⅱ、脂质和碳水化合物等波数有显著影响。上述研究结果显示壬基酚和双酚A对斑马鱼存活率、畸形率以及生理生化均有显著的影响。     

氯化镉对斑马鱼胚胎的发育毒性

为探讨重金属Cd对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应,将受精1h后(1hpf)的斑马鱼胚胎暴露于不同浓度的CdCl2溶液中,观察CdCl2处理对胚胎死亡、孵化及幼鱼畸形的影响。采用吖啶橙(AO)染色,定性观察胚胎细胞凋亡情况;以活性氧(ROS)荧光探针DCFH-DA染色法检测胚胎ROS水平,TBA比色法测定胚胎脂质过氧化水平,DTNB比色法测定还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSSG)水平。结果表明,10.0～30.0mg·L-1CdCl2浓度依赖性地诱导斑马鱼胚胎死亡和幼鱼畸形,胚胎孵化率亦降低。CdCl2处理引起斑马鱼胚胎心脏水肿,尾部弯曲和胚胎发育阻滞。胚胎半数致死浓度(LC50)为18.9mg·L-1,R2=0.973,幼鱼半数致畸浓度(EC50)为13.7mg·L-1,R2=0.967。20.0mg·L-1CdCl2处理组ROS水平、MDA含量明显升高,GSH/GSSG比值明显降低(P<0.01)。20mg·L-1CdCl2处理后,胚胎头部和尾部可见大量细胞凋亡。10mg·L-1N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)与20mg·L-1CdCl2共同处理组斑马鱼胚胎的死亡率和畸形率明显降低,孵化率明显升高,ROS水平、MDA含量以及GSH/GSSG比值趋于正常。以上结果说明,CdCl2暴露对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应可能与CdCl2诱导的氧化应激相关。     

4-壬基酚对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎/仔鱼的毒性效应

4-壬基酚(4-NP)作为一种稳定的环境内分泌干扰物,会对生物体的生长发育造成影响。以斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎为供试体,研究4-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎生长发育的毒性效应。斑马鱼胚胎被暴露在一系列浓度的4-壬基酚溶液中(2.0、5.0、10.0、25.0、50.0和125.0μg·L-1),暴露120 h后空白组初孵仔鱼因饥饿出现死亡即停止实验。记录暴露120 h内斑马鱼胚胎的死亡数、孵化数,畸形数、仔鱼体长及30 s心跳数。结果表明,4-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎48、72和96 h的半致死浓度(LC50)分别为131.4、47.2和26.8μg·L-1;125.0μg·L-1的4-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎的高致死效应使其孵化率显著降低;与空白对照组相比,4-壬基酚的暴露可显著提高斑马鱼胚胎尾部畸形率和仔鱼的心包囊肿率,其中斑马鱼胚胎尾部畸形率随处理浓度的增加而增加,呈正剂量-效应关系;经4-壬基酚暴露处理的斑马鱼仔鱼的体长及30 s心跳数较空白对照组均显著下降。2.0μg·L-14-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎及仔鱼即具有致畸和致死效应,对其胚胎的发育有不利影响。     

五氯酚和八氯代二苯并二噁英复合暴露对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应

为了评价环境中五氯酚(PCP)和八氯代二苯并二噁英(OCDD)对水环境以及鱼类的影响,以斑马鱼为模式生物,研究了PCP和OCDD对其胚胎发育的单一及复合毒性效应.结果表明,PCP单独暴露(浓度25μg·L-1～5mg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎发育具有较强的毒性效应,可导致胚胎孵化率显著下降,死亡率、畸形率显著上升,而OCDD单独暴露(200、500μg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎发育没有明显的毒性效应;OCDD与环境浓度的PCP复合暴露(OCDD+PCP1:250μg·L-1+25μg·L-1;OCDD+PCP2:250μg·L-1+50μg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎的存活与发育等没有显著影响,对斑马鱼胚胎内CYP1A基因表达以及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)的酶活力也没有显著影响,在实验浓度下二者共存没有明显的复合毒性效应。     

阿曼原油和溢油分散剂对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎形态发育的毒性效应

为研究经溢油分散剂(GM-2)处理阿曼原油对硬骨鱼类形态学发育毒性,将斑马鱼胚胎作为受试生物,采用半静态暴露方法,观察0~120 hpf(hour post-fertilization)斑马鱼胚胎的致死率、孵化率和畸形率,并应用斑马鱼胚胎发育毒性试验形态学得分系统(General Morphology Score(GMS)System)评估阿曼原油暴露诱导的斑马鱼胚胎形态发育毒性。结果显示,相较于水溶组分(water-accommodated fractions,WAF),加入GM-2后的化学增强型水溶组分(chemically enhanced water-accommodated fractions,CEWAF)水样中总石油烃(total petroleum hydrocarbons,TPH)浓度显著增加,由(5.233±0.213)mg·L-1增至(292.989±11.905)mg·L-1;120 hpf时,WAF和CEWAF组的致死率均有不同程度的升高,100%WAF的致死率为30.2%±2.8%,而≥40%CEWAF的致死率均已超过半数致死率,其半数致死浓度LC50为153.318 mg·L-1;通过对GMS分析,WAF和CEWAF暴露均会在不同程度上导致斑马鱼胚胎发育显著延迟,主要表现在鱼鳔未形成、心率异常、血液循环停滞和行动(胸鳍摆动、尾部摆动等)迟缓,且均能显著延迟胚胎孵化甚至造成胚胎不孵化;由畸形率可知,阿曼原油具有较强的致畸性,以心包水肿、背部弯曲和尾部弯曲最显著。由结果可知,经GM-2处理后的阿曼原油(CEWAF)比未处理的阿曼原油(WAF)对斑马鱼胚胎产生更严重的毒性效应。     

纳米二氧化硅对斑马鱼胚胎发育毒性的初步研究（Preliminary Study on the Toxicity of Nanosized Silicon Dioxide on Embryonic Development of Zebrafish Embryos）

为了评价纳米二氧化硅对鱼类发育的影响,以斑马鱼为模式生物,研究了不同浓度纳米二氧化硅和常规二氧化硅的水溶悬浮液对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应.结果表明,常规二氧化硅对斑马鱼胚胎发育无明显毒性效应,而纳米二氧化硅对斑马鱼胚胎发育具有明显的抑制作用,且呈一定的剂量依赖性,其对84hpf斑马鱼胚胎的LC50值为240mg·L-1.纳米二氧化硅可导致胚胎孵化率显著下降、死亡率显著上升,且可观察到幼鱼多种畸形现象,此外纳米二氧化硅可使斑马鱼提前孵化,但提前孵化的幼鱼未发育完全.检测108hpf斑马鱼幼鱼体内丙二醛(MDA)含量发现,纳米二氧化硅染毒组MDA含量均显著高于对照组(0mg·L-1)(p<0.05),提示,纳米二氧化硅的发育毒性可能源于其导致的氧化损伤.     

纳米银和银离子对斑马鱼胚胎早期生长发育的影响及作用机制

为探究纳米银对水生生物的毒性作用,选取斑马鱼胚胎为受试生物,考察了纳米银对斑马鱼胚胎早期生长发育的影响,同时比较了纳米银与银离子对斑马鱼胚胎的毒性作用和机理。实验将受精后4小时(4 hpf)的斑马鱼胚胎分别暴露于不同浓度的纳米银和银离子溶液中至96 hpf,观察并记录了胚胎的死亡、孵化和畸形等指标。应用吖啶橙(AO)染色实验研究了胚胎暴露之后的细胞凋亡情况,并且应用荧光定量PCR技术分析了相关基因的表达水平。研究结果表明,随着暴露浓度的增加,纳米银和银离子均能导致斑马鱼胚胎的死亡率增加和孵化率降低,并且引起孵化延迟。纳米银和银离子的96 h半数致死浓度(96 h-LC50)分别为11.75 mg·L-1和0.054 mg·L-1。银离子毒性远大于纳米银毒性。暴露的斑马鱼胚胎均表现出体长变短和卵黄囊肿大的畸形。AO染色结果表明,纳米银和银离子处理组胚胎的躯干和卵黄囊部位存在细胞凋亡信号。基因表达分析结果显示,1.93 mg·L-1纳米银显著提高了斑马鱼胚胎caspase9的表达(P0.05),而0.006 mg·L-1的银离子就能显著上调COX-2a(P0.01)和COX-17(P0.05)基因的表达,同时0.036 mg·L-1银离子增加了斑马鱼体内p53基因的表达(P0.05)。以上研究结果说明,纳米银可能通过caspase通路诱导细胞凋亡进而影响斑马鱼胚胎的生长发育;而银离子不但影响氧化系统基因通路,还能通过p53诱导凋亡进而阻滞斑马鱼胚胎的生长发育。     

福美双对斑马鱼胚胎Ⅲ型脱碘酶基因表达的影响

福美双是一种二硫代甲氨基甲酸盐类农药,在我国应用较为广泛,但其残留毒性引起广泛重视。试验采用斑马鱼胚胎作为动物模型,探讨了福美双对斑马鱼胚胎的毒性。结果表明福美双导致斑马鱼胚胎孵化率下降,在受精后72 h(72 hpf),对照组的孵化率是100%,1×10-7mol·L-1福美双染毒组的孵化率降至46%,而1×10-6mol·L-1福美双染毒致使孵化率降到0%。III型脱碘酶与斑马鱼的发育和变态息息相关,以上2种浓度的福美双在24 hpf分别增高了III型脱碘酶基因的表达6.71和14.84倍,结果表明福美双具有一定的内分泌搅乱作用,也表明斑马鱼胚胎作为农药安全评价模型的理论可行性。     

双酚F对斑马鱼早期生命阶段内分泌干扰效应研究

双酚A(bisphenol,BPA)的内分泌干扰性导致许多国家出台了管控措施,双酚F(bisphenol F,BPF)作为其替代物被大量使用,并广泛存在于水体和食品中,导致人群和野生动物长期处于其慢性暴露过程中,可能会威胁人类和生态健康.以斑马鱼胚胎为研究模型,将其暴露于不同浓度的BPF中至受精后144 h(hours post fertilization,hpf),研究BPF对斑马鱼胚胎发育阶段的内分泌干扰作用.结果表明,BPF能够导致斑马鱼的畸形率升高,且具有剂量-效应关系.斑马鱼胚胎暴露于100μg·L-1和1000μg·L-1 BPF后,引起了三碘甲状腺原氨酸(triiodothyronine,T3)水平升高,甲状腺素(thyroxine,T4)和类固醇皮质醇(corti-sol,C)水平降低;而10μg·L-1以上浓度BPF导致17β-雌二醇(17β-estradiol,E2)的水平显著性升高,睾酮(testosterone,T)水平显著性降低.另外,BPF导致下丘脑-垂体-甲状腺(hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid,HPT)轴、下丘脑-垂体-性腺(hypothalamic-pitui-tary-gonadal,HPG)轴和下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺(hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal,HPA)轴上一系列基因表达水平发生改变,这些改变会影响斑马鱼的内分泌功能,进而可能会对生物体的生长发育产生影响.     

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.