The modern theory of biological evolution: an expanded synthesis

In 1858, two naturalists, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, independently proposed natural selection as the basic mechanism responsible for the origin of new phenotypic variants and, ultimately, new species. A large body of evidence for this hypothesis was published in Darwins Origin of Species one year later, the appearance of which provoked other leading scientists like August Weismann to adopt and amplify Darwins perspective. Weismanns neo-Darwinian theory of evolution was further elaborated, most notably in a series of books by Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernst Mayr, Julian Huxley and others. In this article we first summarize the history of life on Earth and provide recent evidence demonstrating that Darwins dilemma (the apparent missing Precambrian record of life) has been resolved. Next, the historical development and structure of the modern synthesis is described within the context of the following topics: paleobiology and rates of evolution, mass extinctions and species selection, macroevolution and punctuated equilibrium, sexual reproduction and recombination, sexual selection and altruism, endosymbiosis and eukaryotic cell evolution, evolutionary developmental biology, phenotypic plasticity, epigenetic inheritance and molecular evolution, experimental bacterial evolution, and computer simulations (in silico evolution of digital organisms). In addition, we discuss the expansion of the modern synthesis, embracing all branches of scientific disciplines. It is concluded that the basic tenets of the synthetic theory have survived, but in modified form. These sub-theories require continued elaboration, particularly in light of molecular biology, to answer open-ended questions concerning the mechanisms of evolution in all five kingdoms of life.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. hc mult. Ernst Mayr on the occasion of his 100th birthdayThis revised version was published online in March 2004, with corrections to the caption of Figure 6.     

The varying effects of left–right ideology on support for the environment: Evidence from a Swedish survey experiment

Years of research show that left-leaning individuals are more supportive of environmental policies than right-leaning individuals. The explanation for the lower level of support among right-leaning individuals is their stronger preference for economic growth and lower acceptance of intervention in markets. However, recent cross-national studies have questioned whether the effect of ideology on environmental support is universal. A Swedish survey experiment shows that the effect of ideology varies greatly depending on how individuals think about the environment. Specifically, it demonstrates that if environmental support is contrasted with economic growth, then the effect of ideology is stronger as opposed to when environmental support is not juxtaposed with economic growth. Furthermore, among people who strongly perceive the environment as a left–right issue, there is a larger divide between left and right.     

Comparison of emissions estimates derived from atmospheric measurements with national estimates of HFCs,PFCs and SF6

This paper assesses the feasibility of using atmospheric measurement of fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFCs, PFCs and SF6) for the review and verification of greenhouse gas inventories provided by national governments. For this purpose, available data were compiled. It was found that atmospheric measurements of these gases are available and provide an indication of global annual emissions with sufficient certainty to reach the following conclusions: Within the uncertainty of the method, it was found that emissions of HFC-23, a by-product of HCFC-22 production, as obtained from atmospheric measurements did not decrease as fast, as the countries have reported. In contrast, SF6 concentrations in the atmosphere suggest higher emissions than reported by countries. Regional emission estimates from atmospheric measurements are still in a more pioneering state and cannot be compared to national estimates. Intensified efforts to measure HFCs, PFCs and SF6 in the atmosphere are recommended.     

An international survey of decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) in sewage sludge samples

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) is an additive flame retardant marketed as a replacement for decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE). The structures of the two chemicals are similar, and hence deBDethane may also become an environmental contaminant of concern. Environmental data on deBDethane are scarce. Since sewage sludge is an early indicator of leakage of these chemicals into the environment, an international survey of deBDethane and decaBDE levels in sludge was conducted. Samples were collected from 42 WWTPs in 12 different countries and analyzed with GC/LRMS. DeBDethane was present in sludge from all countries and may therefore be a worldwide concern. The levels of deBDethane in sludge samples from the Ruhr area of Germany were the highest so far reported in the literature (216 ng g⁻¹ d.wt.). The [deBDethane]/[decaBDE] quotient for the whole data set ranged from 0.0018 to 0.83. High ratios were found in and around Germany where deBDethane imports are known to have been high and substitution of decaBDE with deBDethane is likely to have occurred. Low ratios were found in the USA and the UK, countries that have traditionally been large users of decaBDE. An estimate of the flux of deBDEthane from the technosphere via WWTPs to the environment within the European Union gave 1.7 ± 0.34 mg annually per person. The corresponding value for decaBDE was 41 ± 22 mg annually per person.     

Fixed wavelength fluorescence to detect PAH metabolites in fish bile: Increased statistical power with an alternative dilution method

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of environmental toxicants mainly emitted from diffuse sources. Fixed wavelength fluorescence of fish bile is a simple screening method that allows environmental monitoring of PAH exposure to fish. One drawback with this method is that the results can be biased by the presence of a so-called inner filter effect. This effect can be reduced by dilution of the bile samples. However, bile samples differ in density and extensive dilution may cause increased measurement error. An alternative method is to adjust the dilution rate to the density of each bile sample. Here, both methods have been applied to bile samples collected from caged rainbow trout. The bile density was estimated using biliverdin. The results show that the variance within experimental groups is reduced when the dilution rate is adjusted to the bile density, resulting in increased statistical power to detect differences when applied for environmental monitoring.     

Improving dialogue among researchers,local and indigenous peoples and decision-makers to address issues of climate change in the North

Ambio - The Circumpolar North has been changing rapidly within the last decades, and the socioeconomic systems of the Eurasian Arctic and Siberia in particular have displayed the most dramatic...     

持续放牧和围封对科尔沁退化沙地草地碳截存的影响

研究了科尔沁退化沙地草地持续放牧和围封恢复下土壤-植物系统的碳(C)贮存,以揭示草地管理对C动态的影响.结果表明,0～15cm土壤OC和植物系统贮存的C(包括初级生产固定的C,立枯和地表凋落物C和根系C)贮量大小为:围封10年草地(584g·m^-2和309 g·m^-2)＞围封5年草地(524g·m^-2和146g·m^-2)＞持续放牧草地(493g·m^-2和95 g·m^-2).在围封10年,围封5年和持续放牧草地中,0～15cm土壤贮存C分别占各自土壤-植物系统C的65.3%,78.2%和83.9%.在风蚀严重的科尔沁沙地,持续放牧对植被,土壤及其周围环境有极严重的恶化作用.采取围封恢复措施后,植被恢复和凋落物积累使土壤免遭风蚀,也显著增加了土壤有机质的输入,因而显著作用于大气C的截存.但排除家畜放牧的长期围封使植物C向土壤C的再循环受到限制,截存的大部分C以凋落物的形式积存在土壤表面,需进一步深入研究围封的时间尺度.研究结果表明,退化沙地草地在采取有效的保护措施后,可以由C源变为C汇.     

科尔沁沙地土地利用变化对土壤特性的影响

在中国科学院奈曼沙漠化研究站放牧试验场周围,选取了不同利用方式和类型的草地（封育和放牧）、林地（乔木和灌木）和农田（灌溉和非灌溉）为研究样地,调查了0～30cm土层每隔10cm的土壤水分质量分数和有机养分（有机碳和全氮）,分析了土地利用变化对土壤水分质量分数和有机养分的影响。结果发现,垂直空间分布上,无论哪种土地类型样地,土壤水分质量分数和有机养分各土层间均无显著差异性（P〉0.05）,土层垂直变化对土壤特性影响均较小。在不同土地利用方式水平空间分布上,土壤水分质量分数和有机养分（土壤有机碳和全氮）灌木林地均显著高于乔木林地（P〈0.05）,而封育草地和放牧草地间以及灌溉农田与非灌溉农田间土壤水分质量分数和有机养分均无显著差异性（P〉0.05）。不同土地利用类型水平分布上,草地土壤水分质量分数显著低于林地和农田（P〈0.05）,而土壤养分质量分数草地显著高于林地和农田（P〈0.05）。分析表明,对沙质草地进行围栏封育和旱作农田退耕还林还草的同时,对水浇农田实行保护性耕作和精细管理,有利于沙地土壤环境改善与生态系统恢复。     

Activated soil filters for removal of biocides from contaminated run-off and waste-waters

Building facades can be equipped with biocides to prevent formation of algal, fungal and bacterial films. Thus run-off waters may contain these highly active compounds. In this study, the removal of several groups of biocides from contaminated waters by means of an activated soil filter was studied.A technical scale activated vertical soil filter (biofilter) with different layers (peat, sand and gravel), was planted with reed (Phragmites australis) and used to study the removal rates and fate of hydrophilic to moderate hydrophobic (log K_ow 1.8-4.4) biocides and biocide metabolites such as: Terbutryn, Cybutryn (Irgarol® 1051), Descyclopropyl-Cybutryn (Cybutryn and Terbutryn metabolite), Isoproturon, Diuron, and its metabolite Diuron-desmonomethyl, Benzo-isothiazolinone, n-Octyl-isothiazolinone, Dichloro-n-octylisothiazolinone and Iodocarbamate (Iodocarb). Three experiments were performed: the first one (36 d) under low flow conditions (61 L m⁻² d⁻¹) reached removal rates between 82% and 100%. The second one was performed to study high flow conditions: During this experiment, water was added as a pulse to the filter system with a hydraulic load of 255 L m⁻² within 5 min (retention time <1 h). During this experiment the removal rates of the compounds decreased drastically. For five compounds (Cybutryn, Descyclopropyl-Cybutryn, Diuron, Isoproturon, and Iodocarb) the removal dropped temporarily below 60%, while it was always above 70% for the others (Terbutryn, Benzo-isothiazolinone, n-Octyl-isothiazolinone, Dichloro-n-octylisothiazolinone). However, this removal is a considerable improvement compared to direct discharge into surface waters or infiltration into soil without appropriate removal. In the last experiment the removal efficiencies of the different layers were studied. Though the peat layer was responsible for most of the removal, the sand and gravel layers also contributed significantly for some compounds. All compounds are rather removed by degradation than by sorption.