Impact of dissolved organic matter on the photolysis of the ionizable antibiotic norfloxacin

Norfloxacin (NOR), an ionizable antibiotic frequently used in the aquaculture industry, has aroused public concern due to its persistence, bacterial resistance, and environmental ubiquity. Therefore, we investigated the photolysis of different species of NOR and the impact of a ubiquitous component of natural water — dissolved organic matter (DOM), which has a special photochemical activity and normally acts as a sensitizer or inhibiter in the photolysis of diverse organics; furthermore, scavenging experiments combined with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were performed to evaluate the transformation of NOR in water. The results demonstated that NOR underwent direct photolysis and self-sensitized photolysis via hydroxyl radical (·OH) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) based on the scavenging experiments. In addition, DOM was found to influence the photolysis of different NOR species, and its impact was related to the concentration of DOM and type of NOR species. Photolysis of cationic NOR was photosensitized by DOM at low concentration, while zwitterionic and anionic NOR were photoinhibited by DOM, where quenching of UOH predominated according to EPR experiments, accompanied by possible participation of excited triplet-state NOR and ¹O₂. Photo-intermediate identification of different NOR species in solutions with/without DOM indicated that NOR underwent different photodegradation pathways including dechlorination, cleavage of the piperazine side chain and photooxidation, and DOM had little impact on the distribution but influenced the concentration evolution of photolysis intermediates. The results implied that for accurate ecological risk assessment of emerging ionizable pollutants, the impact of DOM on the environmental photochemical behavior of all dissociated species should not be ignored.     

鄱阳湖典型湿地沉水植物的分布格局及其水环境影响因子

沉水植物是湖泊湿地生态系统中关键组分,调查研究沉水植物分布格局及其水环境影响因子,对于沉水植被的恢复与重建具有重要的指导意义。2013年5月初期分别对鄱阳湖典型湿地区域中有沉水植物的25个样地进行群落结构调查,采用系统取样方法对沉水植物进行调查采样并监测水环境因子,在野外调查的基础上运用GIS软件制作鄱阳湖典型区域沉水植物的生物量分布图,并采用主成分分析(PCA)和典范对应分析(CCA)方法分析其主要影响因子。结果表明:鄱阳湖湿地沉水植物以苦草(Vallisneria natans)为广布种,其中蚌湖及白沙湖以黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)为优势种,白沙洲及乐安河龙口段以苦草为优势种,伴生种主要有金鱼藻(Ceratophyllum demersum)、马来眼子菜(Potamogeton malaianus)、菹草(P.crispus)、小茨藻(Najas minor)、大茨藻(N.marina)、刺苦草(V.spinulosa)和水车前(Ottelia alismoides)等。采用双向指示种分析法将研究区沉水植物分为6个群落;5月初大部分沉水植物尚处于生长季初期,生物量相对较低,仅菹草的生物量较大;沉水植物与浮叶植物共存现象明显。主成分分析(PCA)结果显示,第一主成分中水深、总磷和溶解氧等因子的系数值较大,第二主成分中pH值、化学需氧量和水体透明度等因子的系数值较大,是影响沉水植物分布的关键因子;典范对应分析(CCA)结果显示,水深、总磷和总氮对苦草和黑藻的影响显著,水体透明度是马来眼子菜的主要影响因子。     

河口盐沼植物分布对有效光合辐射的响应

对东滩植被带光量子通量密度的调查研究表明:互花米草带与海三棱藨草带光量子通量密度没有显著性差异,其值分别为1 570和1 556μmol/(m2·s)。光照对两物种的生长、繁殖等植物行为的影响只取决于其对光照的利用能力和效率;在互花米草和海三棱藨草混生带,到达互花米草和海三棱藨草的光量子通量密度之间存在显著差异(P0.05),互花米草对海三棱藨草的遮荫效应达63%,表明互花米草对海三棱藨草具有强的遮荫作用。光照不足严重影响海三棱藨草的生长,在混生带,海三棱藨草生长速率降低,种群密度和生物量减少,植株高度增加。因此,互花米草对海三棱藨草的遮荫作用,抑制了海三棱藨草在中潮滩的更新过程,因而也是造成海三棱藨草生境丧失的重要原因之一。     

Antimony induces oxidative stress and cell death in normal hepatocytes

Antimony (Sb) accumulates in the liver which is one of the target organs for metal-mediated toxicity. Although toxicity of Sb was previously investigated, the precise mechanism of Sb-induced hepatotoxicity remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to examine the role of oxidative stress, and mitochondria in the induction of cell death by Sb. Our results showed that liver cell lysis induced by Sb is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipid peroxidation and decline of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Antimony-induced ROS formation, lipid peroxidation and reduction of MMP were significantly diminished by antioxidants and ROS scavengers such as dimethyl sulfoxide and mannitol; mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore sealing agents such as carnitine and trifluoperazine; and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generator, L-glutamine. Antimony-induced ROS formation, lipid peroxidation and fall in MMP were potentiated by glutathione (GSH) depletion via n-bromoheptane. MPT pore sealing agents and ATP generator inhibited hepatotoxicity, indicating Sb-activated cell death via mitochondrial pathway. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with antioxidants and ROS scavengers also blocked cell death induced by Sb, whereas GSH depletion enhances Sb-induced cell death, suggesting that oxidative stress may be directly involved in the reduction of MMP. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that mediate Sb-induced cell death in isolated rat hepatocytes.     

Geographic range size and extinction risk assessment in nomadic species

Geographic range size is often conceptualized as a fixed attribute of a species and treated as such for the purposes of quantification of extinction risk; species occupying smaller geographic ranges are assumed to have a higher risk of extinction, all else being equal. However many species are mobile, and their movements range from relatively predictable to‐and‐fro migrations to complex irregular movements shown by nomadic species. These movements can lead to substantial temporary expansion and contraction of geographic ranges, potentially to levels which may pose an extinction risk. By linking occurrence data with environmental conditions at the time of observations of nomadic species, we modeled the dynamic distributions of 43 arid‐zone nomadic bird species across the Australian continent for each month over 11 years and calculated minimum range size and extent of fluctuation in geographic range size from these models. There was enormous variability in predicted spatial distribution over time; 10 species varied in estimated geographic range size by more than an order of magnitude, and 2 species varied by >2 orders of magnitude. During times of poor environmental conditions, several species not currently classified as globally threatened contracted their ranges to very small areas, despite their normally large geographic range size. This finding raises questions about the adequacy of conventional assessments of extinction risk based on static geographic range size (e.g., IUCN Red Listing). Climate change is predicted to affect the pattern of resource fluctuations across much of the southern hemisphere, where nomadism is the dominant form of animal movement, so it is critical we begin to understand the consequences of this for accurate threat assessment of nomadic species. Our approach provides a tool for discovering spatial dynamics in highly mobile species and can be used to unlock valuable information for improved extinction risk assessment and conservation planning.     

A fungal perspective on conservation biology

Hitherto fungi have rarely been considered in conservation biology, but this is changing as the field moves from addressing single species issues to an integrative ecosystem‐based approach. The current emphasis on biodiversity as a provider of ecosystem services throws the spotlight on the vast diversity of fungi, their crucial roles in terrestrial ecosystems, and the benefits of considering fungi in concert with animals and plants. We reviewed the role of fungi in ecosystems and composed an overview of the current state of conservation of fungi. There are 5 areas in which fungi can be readily integrated into conservation: as providers of habitats and processes important for other organisms; as indicators of desired or undesired trends in ecosystem functioning; as indicators of habitats of conservation value; as providers of powerful links between human societies and the natural world because of their value as food, medicine, and biotechnological tools; and as sources of novel tools and approaches for conservation of megadiverse organism groups. We hope conservation professionals will value the potential of fungi, engage mycologists in their work, and appreciate the crucial role of fungi in nature. Una Perspectiva Micótica de la Biología de la Conservación     

黄河三角洲自然保护区秋冬季水鸟群落组成与生境关系分析

于2014年10月至2015年1月采用样线调查法对黄河三角洲自然保护区秋季迁徙期和越冬期水鸟群落结构进行调查研究,调查共包括8条样线40个观测点.结果表明:(1)秋季迁徙期共记录水鸟6目14科54种,国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类5种,国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类8种;越冬期共记录水鸟5目7科31种,国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类1种,国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类4种.(2)2个时期雁形目水鸟种类和数量均占优势,豆雁(Anser fabalis)、斑嘴鸭(Anas poecilorhycha)、赤膀鸭(Anas strepera)和绿头鸭(Anas platyrhynchos)为优势物种,丹顶鹤(Grus japonensis)、东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)和大大鹅(Cygnus cygnus)等珍稀水鸟也有一定的种群数量.(3)秋季迁徙期水鸟种数、数量和ShannonWiener多样性指数多于或高于越冬期.(4)5种典型生境之间水鸟种类和数量存在差异,天然水域是水鸟群落的主要分布区.(5)自然生境内的水鸟种数、数量和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数一般多于或高于人工生境.相似性分析结果表明,自然生境之间水鸟群落结构相似程度高于人工生境.     

北京10个常绿树种颗粒物吸附能力研究

大气中颗粒物PM(particulate matter)不仅造成环境污染,还对人体造成严重的危害.城市绿色植物作为大气过滤器,能够有效地提高城市空气质量,保护人体健康.因此了解不同树种对空气颗粒物的吸附滞纳作用是必要的.以北京植物园10种常绿植被为研究对象,应用空气气溶胶再发生器(QRJZFSQ-I)测定了北京市常见6种乔木和4种灌木叶片对空气总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)、PM10、PM2.5和PM1.0的吸附能力.结果表明:1不同树种叶片表面附着颗粒物的能力差异明显,最高的是雪松(Cedrus deodara)和油松(Pinus tabuliformis),吸附量分别是(18.95±0.71)μg·cm-2和(14.61±0.78)μg·cm-2,冷杉(Abies fabri)最小,为(8.02±0.4)μg·cm-2;2不同树种叶片单位面积对不同颗粒物的附着能力也存在差异,附着PM10能力最强的是油松和雪松,附着PM2.5能力最强的是雪松、铺地柏(Juniperus procumbens)、龙柏(Juniperus chinensis cv.kaizuka)和油松,附着PM1.0能力最强的是雪松、铺地柏、冷杉和油松;3不同月份叶片上附着的各粒级颗粒物(PM10、PM2.5)占TSP的比例不同.其中PM10在4~6月之间主要表现两种变化趋势,一是先上升后下降,主要为灌木树种;二是逐渐上升,主要的树种是乔木树种.而PM2.5则没有这种明显的变化趋势.     

Assessing the economic impact of invasive species: the case of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solsitialis L.) in the rangelands of Idaho, USA

Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solsitialis L.) is an invasive weed that creates problems for the management of Idaho's rangelands. A bioeconomic approach combined with an input-output economic model is used to estimate direct and secondary economic costs of the weed in relation to its interference with agricultural and non-agricultural benefits that rangelands provide. Direct economic costs of the infestations were estimated to be of 8.2 million '05 dollars per year, and secondary costs of 4.5 million '05 dollars per year, for a total of 12.7 million '05 dollars; agricultural related economic impacts accounted for 79% of this total cost, and non-agricultural for 21%.     

Threatened and Endangered Species: At What Cost? The Corps of Engineers Looks at Expenditures and Priorities

Current political conditions, primarily budgetary uncertainty, and the related reluctance to make funding commitments for future generations, have raised questions about the costs of conservation and environmental protection that have not previously been asked. As Federal investments are scrutinized and budgets become ever more constrained, the costs associated with environmental requirements could begin to be of greater importance and to influence decisions on Federal projects. In response to concerns about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) spending under the Endangered Species Act (P.L. 93-205) (ESA), a limited investigation was performed to determine the accuracy of reported Corps expenditures. The investigation showed that, for particular groups of species, actual conservation costs for threatened and endangered species may be twice the amounts previously reported in the annual ESA expenditure reporting to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In light of this finding, the Corps has sought a means to provide more accurate and consistent reporting of expenditures for addressing threatened and endangered species. A Species Costs Template (template) has been developed to identify the types and magnitude of costs related to the ESA and to counteract the impediments (legal, institutional, and practical) to underreporting costs. The template will be used by the Corps for reporting ESA costs beginning with Fiscal Year 2005 (FY05) (reported in January 2006). Five broad categories of expenditures (effects determination costs, ESA protection and conservation costs, equipment costs, opportunity costs, and other species costs) are identified by the template.