Weak indirect effects inherent to nitrogen biogeochemical cycling within anthropogenic ecosystems: A network environ analysis

Indirect effects are assumed to be the major causes of the complexity and stability of ecological networks. The complexity of urban-rural complexes (URCs) could also be attributed to the indirect effects associated with human activities. No studies, however, have quantified the strength of indirect effects in relation to urban biogeochemistry. A network environ analysis (NEA) was used for this study to investigate and compare indirect effects in relation to the nitrogen (N) cycling networks of 22 natural ecosystems and five URCs. Results show that indirect effects were proven to be weak for URC N cycling networks (accounting for only ∼2% of the overall effects measured in natural ecosystems). The weak indirect effects found provide a counterexample for the hypothesis that indirect effects are in fact the dominant components of biogeochemical networks. It also implies that human activity in itself does not always raise the complexity of ecological processes as previously suggested. Weak indirect effects also lead to perturbation fragility for URC N cycles (where the decay rate is greater in comparison to natural ecosystems by a factor of 13). In order to improve the robustness and efficiency of URC biogeochemical cycling, a knockout analysis was carried out. By comparing results after removing single interactions between natural ecosystems and URCs it was found that the loss of indirect effects require cooperative strategies to optimize N cycling networks within URCs.     

T-2毒素的毒性效应及致毒机制研究进展

T-2毒素是由多种镰刀菌产生的单端孢霉烯族化合物中毒性较强的一种毒素,广泛存在于谷物和谷类食品中.经食物连续摄入T-2毒素会对人类和动物的健康造成潜在危害.目前,T-2毒素对人和动物健康的影响受到了社会的广泛关注,已成为毒理学领域研究的热点课题之一.在综述了T-2毒素的生物转化、代谢途径及其毒理学效应与机制基础上,对现...     

考虑水流-结构强耦合作用的水流动力效应分析

在深水桥墩及桩基础等结构地震反应中,地震激励下的水流动水压力对水中结构的作用以及结构位形变化对水体的反作用,属于典型的流固强界面耦合问题.以一顶端伸出水面的圆柱式结构为研究对象,基于任意拉格朗日-欧拉描述的Navier-stokes方程,建立了考虑水流-结构强耦合效应的水流-结构三维有限元模型.以正弦位移波输入,考察结...     

历史抗生素胁迫改变磺胺甲唑和甲氧苄啶对活性污泥的影响:ARGs及其潜在宿主

抗生素共暴露对污水处理厂抗生素抗性基因（ARGs）及微生物群落聚集过程有着重要影响.然而,历史抗生素接触胁迫差异（遗留效应）是否能决定微生物和ARGs对抗生素复合污染的响应尚不清楚.通过选择高浓度（30 mg ·L^-1）磺胺甲唑（SMX）和甲氧苄啶（TMP）作为历史接触胁迫条件,探究SMX和TMP复合污染对ARGs、细菌群落及其交互作用的短期影响.基于高通量荧光定量PCR,共检测出13种ARGs,它们的绝对丰度介于2.21~5.42 copies ·μL^-1（对数值,以DNA计,下同）,其中sul2、ermB、mefA和tetM-01是样品中最主要的亚型,绝对丰度在2.95~5.40 copies ·μL^-1之间;SMX和TMP复合污染会引起ARGs和可移动基因元件（MGEs）的富集,但其对各亚型的影响不同,且SMX的历史遗留效应高于TMP;不同接触史的复合污染下,ARGs间的共现与互斥模式均存在;MGEs （尤其是intI-1）与磺胺类（sul1、sul2）、四环素类［tet （32）］和大环内酯-林可酰胺-链霉菌素类抗性基因（ermB）均呈显著正相关性;基于微生物全尺度分类发现各类群微生物群落结构对复合污染的响应不同,且条件丰富菌属（CAT）得到了显著富集;陶厄氏菌属（Thauera）、假黄单胞菌属（Pseudoxanthomonas）和副球菌属（Paracoccus）是优势的抗性菌属;网络分析共发现31个ARGs的潜在宿主,以条件稀有菌属（CRT）为主,尤其是Candidatus_Alysiosphaera和纺锤状菌属（Fusibacter）与多种ARGs呈现正相关,是多种ARGs的潜在公共细菌宿主;部分稀有菌属［RT,变异杆菌属（Variibacter）、气单胞菌属（Aeromonas）和管道杆菌属（Cloacibacterium）等］是转座子IS 613的潜在宿主,在ARGs的增殖传播中发挥重要作用.综上,研究揭示了污水处理系统中抗生素历史胁迫对ARGs赋存特征和及其宿主细胞的遗留效应,可为削减抗生素复合污染引起的ARGs污染提供新思路与理论依据.     

河口-近海环境新污染物的环境过程、效应与风险

在全球变化和人类活动双重影响下,大量陆源污染物特别是备受各国政府和民众关注的微塑料、新型持久性有机污染物以及药物和个人护理品等新污染物进入水体环境并迁移扩散,对近海生态环境安全和人体健康产生了巨大影响.综述国内外微塑料、全/多氟化合物、抗生素和内分泌干扰物等新污染物在河口-近海环境中的污染来源、时空分布和迁移传输等环境过程及其影响因素,分析探讨近海水生生态系统中新污染物产生的不良生态效应和风险,提出未来研究重点应关注河口-近海环境中多种新污染物的相互作用和新污染物产生的联合生态毒理效应及造成的生态和健康风险等,为陆海统筹下的海洋污染防治和海洋经济的健康发展提供科学依据.     

Evaluating unintended consequences of intentional species introductions and eradications for improved conservation management

Increasingly intensive strategies to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem function are being deployed in response to global anthropogenic threats, including intentionally introducing and eradicating species via assisted migration, rewilding, biological control, invasive species eradications, and gene drives. These actions are highly contentious because of their potential for unintended consequences. We conducted a global literature review of these conservation actions to quantify how often unintended outcomes occur and to elucidate their underlying causes. To evaluate conservation outcomes, we developed a community assessment framework for systematically mapping the range of possible interaction types for 111 case studies. Applying this tool, we quantified the number of interaction types considered in each study and documented the nature and strength of intended and unintended outcomes. Intended outcomes were reported in 51% of cases, a combination of intended outcomes and unintended outcomes in 26%, and strictly unintended outcomes in 10%. Hence, unintended outcomes were reported in 36% of all cases evaluated. In evaluating overall conservations outcomes (weighing intended vs. unintended effects), some unintended effects were fairly innocuous relative to the conservation objective, whereas others resulted in serious unintended consequences in recipient communities. Studies that assessed a greater number of community interactions with the target species reported unintended outcomes more often, suggesting that unintended consequences may be underreported due to insufficient vetting. Most reported unintended outcomes arose from direct effects (68%) or simple density-mediated or indirect effects (25%) linked to the target species. Only a few documented cases arose from more complex interaction pathways (7%). Therefore, most unintended outcomes involved simple interactions that could be predicted and mitigated through more formal vetting. Our community assessment framework provides a tool for screening future conservation actions by mapping the recipient community interaction web to identify and mitigate unintended outcomes from intentional species introductions and eradications for conservation.     

乌江干流中上游水电梯级开发水温累积效应

以乌江流域洪家渡库尾至乌江渡坝下的水电工程干扰典型段为研究区域，利用建坝前后的水温实测资料，采用建坝前天然水温和建坝后下泄水温比较法，对乌江干流梯级水库水温时空分布特征进行分析。研究结果表明：对天然水温改变最大的电站为洪家渡和乌江渡，前者是受水库水温结构自身影响，后者是梯级联合运行的结果；梯级联合运行使库区水温分层有所减弱，随着时间的推移或上游梯级电站的建成，电站下泄水温年变化过程趋于均化，与天然水温的延迟也越加明显；不同的水库水温结构对水温累积效应的影响也各不相同，稳定分层型水库对水温累积具有正效应，混合型水库具有负效应，过渡型水库处于两者之间，体现了梯级电站的水温累积影响，为研究减缓下泄低温水的对策措施提供依据和参考。     

Planning for Biodiversity: the Role of Ecological Impact Assessment

Abstract:  Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the process of identifying potential environmental effects of proposed development and the required mitigation measures. It is one of the most widely used planning tools today, but its ability to promote biodiversity conservation is largely unexplored. We studied the ecological component of the Israeli EIA system by reviewing a representative sample of 52 environmental impact statements (EISs) produced since 1995 and their corresponding guidelines issued by the Ministry of the Environment. Quality of both EISs and guidelines was determined using a simple scoring approach. Lack of quantitative data, meaningful analyses, and ecosystem perspective was apparent throughout. Many EISs failed to perform field surveys and their qualitative nature hampered meaningful impact prediction. Most EISs concentrated on aesthetic mitigation measures and did not assess their feasibility and likely success. Most of these flaws reflect poor standards rather than true scientific limitations. Guideline quality scores were the most important factor determining the quality of EISs; second was the involvement of an ecological consultant in preparing the EIS. We found a decreasing trend of EIS quality scores over time. Improvements in EIA procedures, particularly in ecological guidelines and the incorporation of ecological consultation, are important for upgrading ecological impact assessment so that the potential of EIA to advance biodiversity conservation can be realized.     

Marine Ecological Research in New Zealand: Developing Predictive Models through the Study of No-Take Marine Reserves

Abstract:  New Zealand established its first no-take marine reserve more than 25 years ago. Twenty no-take marine reserves have now been created, although few of these are considered comparable. We considered whether existing conceptual models of population and community structure based only on data from exploited systems lack the baseline information of natural states necessary to make accurate predictions for new reserves. Three of the oldest and best-studied reserves are situated on the northeastern coast of New Zealand. These reserves are considered broadly comparable replicates, and research has shown the recovery of previously exploited predator populations and the reestablishment of trophic controls over community structure and productivity. None of the major changes was predicted when the reserves were created. All the observations from and experimental tests of hypotheses in these three ecologically comparable reserves have provided predictive models for future reserves. Recent surveys in newly created reserves, however, suggest that these models are bioregion and habitat specific. In these new reserves the recovery of previously exploited predators was predicted but did not always occur. Where trends were correctly predicted, the speed and amplitude of the changes were not accurately predicted. Research in New Zealand suggests that it is not yet possible to predict explicit outcomes for newly created reserves and less possible to predict detailed results for systems of reserves. Results from a representative system of reserves, including all major habitats within all bioregions and broadly comparable reserves, are needed. Such a system will enable the range and variety of natural ecosystem dynamics to be investigated and provide the controls necessary to measure the effects of exploitation.     

Effects of the Surrounding Matrix on Tree Recruitment in Amazonian Forest Fragments

Abstract:  Little is known about how the surrounding modified matrix affects tree recruitment in fragmented forests. We contrasted effects of two different matrix types, Vismia - and Cecropia -dominated regrowth, on recruitment of pioneer tree species in forest fragments in central Amazonia. Our analyses were based on 22, 1-ha plots in seven experimental forest fragments ranging in size from 1 to 100 ha. By 13 to 17 years after fragmentation, the population density of pioneer trees was significantly higher in plots surrounded by Vismia regrowth than in plots surrounded by Cecropia regrowth, and the species composition and dominance of pioneers differed markedly between the two matrix types. Cecropia sciadophylla was the most abundant pioneer in fragments surrounded by Cecropia regrowth (constituting nearly 50% of all pioneer trees), whereas densities of species in Vismia -surrounded fragments were distributed more evenly. Thus the surrounding matrix had a strong influence on patterns of tree recruitment in Amazonian forest fragments.