蒙脱石-OR-SH复合体修复剂对重金属污染土壤中Cd的钝化效果

利用溶剂分散法成功地将功能基团—SH嫁接到蒙脱石上,得到蒙脱石-OR-SH复合体材料,该复合体材料对Cd的饱和吸附容量可达37.82 mg·g-1(0.1 mol·L-1KNO3体系)和69.13 mg·g-1(不考虑离子浓度影响).通过小白菜盆栽和大田试验探讨了该复合体材料对Cd污染土壤的钝化效果.结果表明,在Cd污染土壤上施加蒙脱石-OR-SH复合体材料后,土壤中可交换态Cd形态占比分别低了64.51%(原土)和80.37%(3 mg·kg-1Cd含量的成化土),铁锰氧化结合态Cd形态占比分别提升了176.66%(原土)和418.31%(3 mg·kg-1Cd含量的成化土),降低了毒性元素Cd在土壤中的活性和可移动性,有效地固定了土壤中的Cd,小白菜中镉含量比对照分别降低了57.14%(原土)和60.64%(3 mg·kg-1Cd含量的成化土),同时能促进小白菜的生长.     

施用鸡粪对海泡石钝化修复镉污染菜地土壤的强化效应及土壤酶活性影响

采用盆栽与大田实验相结合的方法,研究了增施鸡粪对Cd污染菜地土壤海泡石钝化修复效应及土壤酶活性的影响.结果表明,海泡石钝化修复下,增施鸡粪比单施鸡粪和单一海泡石钝化修复对小白菜生物量具有更好的增产效果.单施鸡粪虽然可以降低小白菜体内Cd含量,但与对照相比不明显;而在海泡石钝化修复下,增施鸡粪可以显著降低小白菜可食部和根部对Cd的吸收积累(P0.05),与对照相比,盆栽试验中各处理降低幅度分别为26.9%—32.1%和7.7%—24.8%;大田条件下则分别降低7.5%和16.4%.随着单施鸡粪量的增加,菜地土壤p H值呈逐渐降低趋势,单一海泡石钝化处理下,菜地土壤p H与对照相比变化不明显,而在海泡石钝化修复下,增施鸡粪后土壤p H降低幅度要小于单施鸡粪处理.不同处理下菜地土壤有效态Cd含量均较对照处理有所降低.其中,海泡石钝化修复下,增施鸡粪效果最显著,盆栽实验和大田试验下最大降幅分别为17.7%和10.3%.海泡石钝化修复下,增施鸡粪可显著提高土壤过氧化氢酶、脲酶和蔗糖酶活性(P0.05),与对照相比,盆栽实验中三种酶的含量分别增加6.4%—38.6%、14.0%—47.6%和2.0%—22.4%;田间实验下,三种酶的含量分别增加36.5%、22.2%和5.5%.Cd污染菜地土壤下,增施适量鸡粪不仅可以起到强化Cd钝化修复效应,而且可以进一步提高土壤酶活性,改善Cd污染土壤环境质量.     

巯基-蒙脱石复合材料对不同程度Cd污染农田土壤修复研究

为研究巯基-蒙脱石复合材料对重金属镉不同污染水平农田土壤的钝化效果,通过盆栽和大田试验,对不同Cd污染水平土壤中施加巯基-蒙脱石复合材料及巯基混合修复材料,并种植小白菜(Brassica chinensis)。结果表明,(1)向镉高污染水平(Cd 3.25 mg?kg~(-1))土壤施加0.1%、0.5%、1%、2%巯基-蒙脱石复合材料后,小白菜Cd含量分别降低27.2%、62.8%、73.0%和88.4%,且当添加量为1%时,小白菜Cd含量为0.19 mg?kg~(-1),低于《食品安全国家标准》(GB2762—2012)中的限量值0.2mg·kg~(-1);同时当添加量为1%、2%时,土壤Cd水溶态含量分别比空白对照降低18.2%、12.4%,Cd离子交换态含量分别比空白对照降低23.8%、28.6%。(2)按0.5%、1%、2%添加巯基混合修复材料后,镉高污染水平土壤中小白菜Cd含量分别降低41.4%、69.1%、80.6%;镉中污染水平(Cd 1.43 mg?kg~(-1))土壤中小白菜Cd含量分别降低47.5%、72.1%、85.2%;镉低污染水平(Cd 0.62 mg?kg~(-1))土壤中小白菜Cd含量分别降低18.3%、52.5%、79.4%。后效试验表明,在种植第二季小白菜时,修复材料的钝化效果仍然相当显著。田间试验表明,添加修复材料显著降低了小白菜对Cd的累积。由此说明,钝化材料降低了土壤中Cd的活性,有效地固定了土壤中的Cd,抑制了小白菜对镉的吸收。该研究可为不同程度Cd污染农田钝化修复技术提供新的途径。     

不同钝化剂对弱酸性镉污染土壤的钝化效果

农田重金属污染土壤的修复是我国当前面临的一个环境难题。采集河南嵩县马石沟镉污染农田土壤作为供试土壤,采用室内培养试验法,分别添加熟石灰、方解石、沸石、蒙脱石和生物炭5种钝化材料,采用Tessier修正顺序七步提取法对镉形态含量进行分析,研究不同钝化剂在1%、3%和5%添加量条件下对弱酸性土壤镉污染的钝化效果。结果显示,供试5种钝化材料在不同程度上提升了土壤pH值,对pH值提升效果由大到小依次为熟石灰、方解石、蒙脱石、生物炭和沸石,其中,熟石灰处理土壤pH值提升2.00～2.50个单位,方解石处理提升0.86～1.38个单位,蒙脱石处理提升0.83～1.19个单位,生物炭处理提升0.07～0.38个单位,沸石处理提升0.11～0.20个单位。5种钝化剂对土壤离子交换态Cd含量均有降低作用,但其效果差异明显,钝化效果由大到小依次为熟石灰、方解石、生物炭、蒙脱石和沸石。培养50 d后,1%、3%和5%添加量条件下,熟石灰处理交换态Cd含量降低率为76.65%～90.66%,方解石处理交换态Cd含量降低率为46.12%～53.77%,生物炭处理交换态Cd含量降低率为9.36%～33.03%,蒙...     

氢氧化钠改性坡缕石对Cd污染土壤的钝化修复效果

土壤重金属污染原位钝化修复技术主要通过钝化剂的溶解沉淀、离子交换吸附、氧化还原、有机络合等反应来降低土壤中重金属的生物有效性,在重金属污染修复中具有重要意义。为研究NaOH改性坡缕石对污染土壤中Cd的钝化作用,以坡缕石为原料,采用浸渍法,将NaOH与坡缕石按照不同质量比进行改性,并在人工配制的Cd污染土壤上进行钝化实验和盆栽实验,研究NaOH改性坡缕石对Cd污染土壤的钝化效果以及对玉米植株生长性状和玉米植株Cd富集的影响。研究结果显示：与对照相比,添加NaOH改性坡缕石能显著降低土壤中DTPA和TCLP提取有效态Cd含量,提高钝化效率,降低生态风险指数,其中添加NaOH与坡缕石质量比为1:2的改性材料,两种有效态Cd含量降幅最大,分别为22.37%和26.60%。添加NaOH改性坡缕石能有效地改善玉米植株的生长性状。与对照相比,添加质量比为1:2的改性材料后,玉米植株的茎长、根长、茎、根鲜质量和茎、根干质量分别增加了71.45%、65.21%、22.06%、44.44%、33.96%和50%,同时玉米植株茎和根对Cd的富集以及Cd在玉米植株体内的转运均有显著降低,其茎部Cd含量最大降幅...     

海泡石和磷酸盐对镉铅污染稻田土壤的钝化修复效应与机理研究

采用盆栽实验,研究了海泡石、酸改性海泡石以及二者与磷酸盐联合使用对镉铅复合污染稻田土壤的钝化修复效果,并通过培养实验和重金属形态分析探讨了不同钝化剂处理的作用机理。结果表明：添加海泡石可以显著提高污染土壤pH值,而磷酸盐和改性海泡石则对土壤pH值无显著影响。钝化处理能显著降低土壤TCLP提取态Cd、Pb的质量分数,最大降低率分别可达23.3%和47.2%,钝化剂复配处理对土壤TCLP提取态重金属的抑制效果优于单一处理。施用海泡石和磷酸盐,通过提高土壤pH值、物理化学吸附以及生成矿物沉淀等作用,可以促进污染土壤中的Cd、Pb由活性高的交换态向活性低的残渣态转化,从而显著降低Cd、Pb的生物有效性和迁移能力。添加钝化剂可以显著提高水稻各部位的产量,稻谷和稻草的最大增产率分别为34.3%和26.6%;钝化剂复配处理对水稻的增产作用明显优于单一处理。施用钝化剂可以显著降低水稻各部位的Cd、Pb质量分数,最大可使精米的Cd、Pb质量分数分别降低35.8%和40.9%,钝化剂复配处理对水稻吸收Cd、Pb的抑制作用明显优于单一处理,海泡石和磷酸盐复配处理中精米的Cd、Pb质量分数符合国家食品卫生标准要求。综合分析不同钝化处理的增产作用、降低作物Cd、Pb吸收以及土壤Cd、Pb可迁移性的作用可知,海泡石与磷酸盐复配处理对稻田土壤Cd、Pb复合污染的钝化修复效果最佳。     

不同水分管理下施用尿素对土壤镉污染钝化修复效应及微生物结构与分布影响

通过水稻盆栽实验,开展了全生育期淹水灌溉和湿润灌溉二种水分管理模式条件下,施用不同量尿素对土壤镉污染钝化修复效应及微生物结构与分布影响研究.结果表明,海泡石钝化修复下,淹水灌溉和湿润灌溉处理时,施用不同量尿素对土壤中0.025 mol·L-1HCl浸提态Cd含量无明显影响;但二乙基三胺五乙酸浸提态Cd含量均显著性降低.与海泡石单一钝化处理相比,淹水灌溉和湿润灌溉下海泡石钝化处理时,施用不同量尿素可使水稻根系铁氧化物胶膜中的Fe含量分别降低39.61%—55.59%和22.51%—53.63%.淹水管理下施用尿素对水稻根膜吸附土壤中Cd有抑制作用,而湿润管理下施用尿素对水稻根膜吸附土壤中Cd有激活作用.淹水灌溉和湿润灌溉下海泡石钝化处理时,施用不同量尿素可使水稻根系中的Cd含量分别增加36.11%—71.30%和58.20%—89.42%,水稻根系中还原型谷胱甘肽活性则分别降低30.82%—41.97%和13.47%—62.36%.淹水灌溉下海泡石钝化处理时,施用不同量尿素可以降低水稻根系中非蛋白巯基化合物含量,降幅可达13.02%—29.54%;但在湿润灌溉下海泡石钝化处理时并无明显影响.与海泡石单一钝化处理相比,淹水灌溉下钝化处理时,施用低量尿素和中量尿素时可使糙米中Cd含量分别增加28.89%和8.89%,而施用高量尿素时则使糙米中Cd含量降低22.22%;湿润灌溉下钝化处理时,施用低量尿素、中量尿素和高量尿素时糙米Cd含量与海泡石单一处理间并无明显差异.土壤微生物的非加权组平均法和主成分分析表明,实验条件下的钝化处理不会对土壤中微生物的结构与分布产生明显影响.     

EGTA淋洗和KH2PO4钝化联合修复重金属污染土壤

为进一步削减螯合淋洗后土壤残留重金属的环境风险,采用淋洗与钝化相结合的方法修复重金属污染土壤.研究了乙二醇双(2-氨基乙基醚)四乙酸(EGTA)淋洗、磷酸二氢钾(KH_2PO_4)钝化及两者联合修复对土壤重金属洗脱率的影响,并分别采用TCLP法和BCR法分析重金属浸出浓度及化学形态分布,构建了涵盖土壤重金属残留量、生物有效性和毒性的环境风险评价方法,对淋洗、钝化及其联合修复效果进行了评价.结果表明,EGTA对Cu和Cd具有较好的洗脱效果,降低了土壤Cu、Zn和Cd浸出浓度,提高了Pb浸出浓度,削减了可还原态Cu残留量、弱酸提取态和可还原态Zn残留量、可还原态Pb残留量以及弱酸提取态、可还原态Cd残留量.随着KH_2PO_4投加量的增加,Pb、Cd和Cu浸出浓度呈下降趋势,Zn浸出浓度先上升后下降.KH_2PO_4对重金属形态分布的影响主要表现为降低弱酸态或可还原态重金属占比,提高残渣态重金属占比.EGTA和KH_2PO_4联合修复显著降低了4种重金属的可还原态残留量和弱酸提取态Pb、Cd残留量,大幅度削减了Cd和Cu的浸出浓度和环境风险.Zn污染土壤宜淋洗修复,Pb污染土壤宜钝化修复,Cd和Cu污染土壤深度修复宜淋洗/钝化联合处理.     

膨润土对镉胁迫下水稻幼苗生理生化特性的影响

为了探讨膨润土钝化修复镉(Cd)污染土壤对水稻幼苗生理生化特性的响应,通过盆栽试验研究了膨润土对Cd胁迫下水稻幼苗地上部生物量,叶片叶绿素含量,SOD、POD活性以及MDA含量的影响.结果表明,膨润土在不同程度上提高了水稻幼苗叶片叶绿素含量,促进了水稻幼苗的生长和发育,地上部生物量随膨润土投加量的增加而增大.单一Cd污染土壤中,水稻幼苗叶片SOD活性变化不明显,而幼苗根系SOD活性随Cd浓度的增加而显著降低(P＜0.05),投加膨润土后整体上提高了根系SOD活性.单一Cd污染土壤中,水稻幼苗叶片和根系POD活性随Cd浓度的增加而均呈现先应激性升高然后降低的变化趋势,投加膨润土后叶片POD活性有所降低,而5 ～50 g·kg-1膨润土处理显著提高根系POD活性(P＜0.05),比未投加膨润土处理分别增加13.2％ ～22.4％、4.9％ ～9.5％、44.8％～80.6％和6.9％～49.6％.单一Cd污染土壤中,水稻幼苗叶片和根系MDA含量随着Cd浓度的升高而升高,与无Cd胁迫对照相比,分别增加139.0％和158.1％;投加膨润土处理水稻幼苗MDA含量显著降低,膜脂过氧化作用明显减弱.因此,膨润土能有效缓解Cd胁迫对水稻幼苗的毒害作用,可用于Cd污染土壤的钝化修复.     

改性纳米二氧化硅对Cd污染农田土壤的钝化修复

土壤Cd污染已严重威胁人类健康及生态环境安全,钝化修复以其高效、快速、廉价的特点成为了Cd污染土壤修复的重要手段.本研究以巯基修饰的纳米二氧化硅(GSN)为钝化剂,分别于实验室及现场条件下进行Cd污染农田土壤的钝化修复研究,分析GSN添加对土壤有效态Cd含量、土壤Cd形态分布及小麦籽粒内Cd含量的影响.结果显示,实验室条件下,GSN添加能够有效降低土壤中Cd的生物活性(DTPA浸提态),Cd最高钝化效率可达91.77%;GSN添加量为1%时,土壤中可交换态及碳酸盐结合态Cd含量分别降低69.26%和48.29%,而残渣态Cd含量则增加了143.14%;此外,不同GSN添加量对土壤特征性酶活性没有造成明显的影响.现场试验表明,GSN添加对小麦产量造成的影响不明显,且小麦籽粒中Cd含量可从0.342 mg·kg~(-1)降低至0.178 mg·kg~(-1).由此可知,GSN作为新型钝化剂在Cd污染土壤修复中具有巨大的应用潜力.     

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.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.     

Threats to intact tropical peatlands and opportunities for their conservation

Large, intact areas of tropical peatland are highly threatened at a global scale by the expansion of commercial agriculture and other forms of economic development. Conserving peatlands on a landscape scale, with their hydrology intact, is of international conservation importance to preserve their distinctive biodiversity and ecosystem services and maintain their resilience to future environmental change. We explored threats to and opportunities for conserving remaining intact tropical peatlands; thus, we excluded peatlands of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive deforestation, drainage, and conversion to plantations means conservation in this region can protect only small fragments of the original ecosystem. We focused on a case study, the Pastaza‐Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB) in Peru, which is among the largest known intact tropical peatland landscapes in the world and is representative of peatland vulnerability. Maintenance of the hydrological conditions critical for carbon storage and ecosystem function of peatlands is, in the PMFB, primarily threatened by expansion of commercial agriculture linked to new transport infrastructure that is facilitating access to remote areas. There remain opportunities in the PMFB and elsewhere to develop alternative, more sustainable land‐use practices. Although some of the peatlands in the PMFB fall within existing legally protected areas, this protection does not include the most carbon‐dense (domed pole forest) areas. New carbon‐based conservation instruments (e.g., REDD+, Green Climate Fund), developing markets for sustainable peatland products, transferring land title to local communities, and expanding protected areas offer pathways to increased protection for intact tropical peatlands in Amazonia and elsewhere, such as those in New Guinea and Central Africa which remain, for the moment, broadly beyond the frontier of commercial development.     

Parasitic wasps orient to green leaf volatiles

Summary Undamaged plants emit low levels of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), while caterpillar-damaged and artificially damaged plants emit relatively higher levels of certain GLVs. Female braconid parasitoids,Microplitis croceipes, oriented to both damaged plants and to individual GLVs in no-choice tests in a wind tunnel, but seldom oriented to undamaged plants. Female ichneumonid parasitoids,Netelia heroica, also oriented to individual GLVs in a wind tunnel. Males of both wasp species failed to orient to the GLVs. These data show that leaf-feeding caterpillars can cause the release of GLVs, and that parasitic wasps can respond to these odors by flying upwind (chemoanemotactic response), which brings the wasps to their caterpillar hosts. This supports the hypothesis that plants communicate with members of the third trophic level,i.e., plants under herbivore attack emit chemical signals that guide natural enemies of herbivores to sites of plant damage. In this interaction, the GLVs serve as tritrophic plant-to-parasitoid synomones. That parasitoids from two different wasp families oriented to GLVs suggests that the response may be widespread among the Hymenoptera.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture     

Human Influence and Classical Biogeographic Predictors of Rare Species Occurrence

Biogeographic theory predicts that rare species occur more often in larger, less‐isolated habitat patches and suggests that patch size and connectivity are positive predictors of patch quality for conservation. However, in areas substantially modified by humans, rare species may be relegated to the most isolated patches. We used data from plant surveys of 81 meadow patches in the Georgia Basin of Canada and the United States to show that presence of threatened and endangered plants was positively predicted for patches that were isolated on small islands surrounded by ocean and for patches that were isolated by surrounding forest. Neither patch size nor connectivity were positive predictors of rare species occurrence. Thus, in our study area, human influence, presumably due to disturbance or introduction of competitive non‐native species, appears to have overwhelmed classical predictors of rare species distribution, such that greater patch isolation appeared to favor presence of rare species. We suggest conservation planners consider the potential advantages of protecting geographically isolated patches in human‐modified landscapes because such patches may represent the only habitats in which rare species are likely to persist. Influencia Humana y Predictores Biogeográficos Clásicos de la Ocurrencia de Especies Raras     

Seasonal dynamics of macro-algae in the South Lake of Tunis

The macro-algae communities observed in the south lake of Tunis are characterized by the predominance of nitrophilous algae which are in the order of biomass importance:Ulva, Cladophora andEnteromorpha. We have noted seasonal changes of alga distribution. The wind appears to be one of the most important factors influencing this distribution. The total biomass reaches a maximum in the spring. Rapid decomposition of the biomass leads to a severe ecological imbalance, resulting in crises of anoxia and fish death. A restoration project has already started. It aims at removal of contaminated muds and the introduction of a new circulation system. The main objectives of this work were to collect information on the distribution and biomass of the phytobenthic communities as a first step in the constitution of a database for further comparison.     

Patterns and biases of climate change threats in the IUCN Red List

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments rely on published data and expert inputs, and biases can be introduced where underlying definitions and concepts are ambiguous. Consideration of climate change threat is no exception, and recently numerous approaches to assessing the threat of climate change to species have been developed. We explored IUCN Red List assessments of amphibians and birds to determine whether species listed as threatened by climate change display distinct patterns in terms of habitat occupied and additional nonclimatic threats faced. We compared IUCN Red List data with a published data set of species’ biological and ecological traits believed to infer high vulnerability to climate change and determined whether distributions of climate change‐threatened species on the IUCN Red List concur with those of climate change‐threatened species identified with the trait‐based approach and whether species possessing these traits are more likely to have climate change listed as a threat on the IUCN Red List. Species in some ecosystems (e.g., grassland, shrubland) and subject to particular threats (e.g., invasive species) were more likely to have climate change as a listed threat. Geographical patterns of climate change‐threatened amphibians and birds on the IUCN Red List were incongruent with patterns of global species richness and patterns identified using trait‐based approaches. Certain traits were linked to increases or decreases in the likelihood of a species being threatened by climate change. Broad temperature tolerance of a species was consistently related to an increased likelihood of climate change threat, indicating counterintuitive relationships in IUCN assessments. To improve the robustness of species assessments of the vulnerability or extinction risk associated with climate change, we suggest IUCN adopt a more cohesive approach whereby specific traits highlighted by our results are considered in Red List assessments. To achieve this and to strengthen the climate change‐vulnerability assessments approach, it is necessary to identify and implement logical avenues for further research into traits that make species vulnerable to climate change (including population‐level threats).