TiO2对毒死蜱在土壤表面光降解的催化作用

以太阳光为光源研究了TiO2用量、毒死蜱初始浓度、土壤厚度对毒死蜱在土壤中的光解行为的影响.结果表明:毒死蜱的光解符合准一级动力学方程,且随添加TiO2用量从0 mg·kg-1增加到200 mg·kg-1,毒死蜱的一级光解动力学常数也增大,其中最快的降解速率是最慢的1.51倍.在含有TiO2的土壤中,添加浓度相对较低的情况下,毒死蜱的降解较快;毒死蜱在不同厚度土壤中的光解速率不同,土壤厚度较大的情况下.毒死蜱的半衰期也比较大.     

噻吩磺隆在棕壤中的降解特性

采用实验室模拟试验研究了微生物及不同环境条件对土壤中噻吩磺隆降解的影响。结果表明,噻吩磺隆降解速率与土壤温度、湿度呈正相关,与农药初始用量呈负相关,噻吩磺隆在土壤中的降解以微生物降解为主。当温度从5上升到35℃时,噻吩磺隆的降解速率增加了2.9倍;当土壤湿度从饱和含水量的25%提高到75%时,噻吩磺隆的降解半衰期由7.6缩短至2.6d;当土壤中噻吩磺隆初始用量从2.5增加到10.0mg.kg-1时,其降解半衰期由3.1延长至7.6d;未灭菌土壤中噻吩磺隆降解迅速,半衰期为3.9d,而灭菌土壤中噻吩磺隆降解半衰期延长至14.7d。     

绿磺隆在太湖水稻水中降解速率的研究

在实验室内,采用改进的玉米根长生物测定方法研究了土壤微生物,土壤温度和土壤含水量对绿磺隆在太湖水稻中降解速率的影响。结果表明：（１）在不同处理下,绿磺隆的降解均符合一级动力学反应;（２）绿磺隆在未灭菌土壤中的降解明显快于灭菌土壤;（３）在试验范围内,绿碘隆降解随土壤温度的升高和土壤含水量的增大加快,其半衰期在０．７￣５．８周之间变化。     

表层土添加TiO2与土壤厚度对多菌灵光解的影响

以太阳光为光源,研究了TiO2用量、土壤厚度对多菌灵在土壤中的光解行为的影响.结果表明:多菌灵的光解符合准一级动力学方程,随添加TiO2用量从0增至200 mg·kg-1,多菌灵的一级光解动力学常数也增大,且2者的线性相关系数为0.962,其中最快的降解速率是最慢的2.85倍.在含有TiO2的土壤中,多菌灵在不同厚度土壤中的光解速率不同,土壤厚度较大情况下,多菌灵半衰期也较大.     

甲磺隆污染土壤的生物修复

在室内条件下,研究高效降解菌MD对甲磺隆污染环境的修复作用.结果表明,在土壤中,甲磺隆的降解顺序是:加菌鲜土>加菌灭菌土>鲜土>灭菌土,在添加MD时,1.0mg*l-1甲磺隆的降解速率明显高于10.0mg*l-1;在加菌土壤中,甲磺隆的降解遵循一级动力学方程;在土壤培养实验中,用菌处理10d的培养土壤中的生长量和不加药对照基本无差别.     

哒嗪硫磷水解与土壤降解研究

采用室内模拟方法,研究了哒嗪硫磷在东北黑土、江西红壤和南京黄棕壤3种不同类型土壤中的降解特性及pH、温度和表面活性剂（SDS）浓度对水解的影响。结果表明,哒嗪硫磷水解速率随pH值与温度的升高而显著加快,在15℃、pH 5缓冲溶液中水解半衰期为216.56 d,在35℃、pH 9缓冲溶液中半衰期为3.47 d,平均温度效应系数为2.98。SDS能显著抑制哒嗪硫磷水解,且随着浓度的增大抑制作用增强。哒嗪硫磷在3种土壤中的降解速率依次为南京黄棕壤〉东北黑土〉江西红壤,半衰期分别为10.27、78.75、105.00 d,降解速率随土壤pH值的增大而增大。灭菌处理下,哒嗪硫磷在3种土壤中半衰期显著延长,其中在南京黄棕壤中半衰期延长近10倍,哒嗪硫磷在土壤中降解主要为微生物降解。     

皇竹草对土壤阿特拉津的降解特性

为了探明种植皇竹草(Pennisetum hydridum)对土壤阿特拉津降解的促进作用,通过盆栽试验研究了皇竹草对土壤阿特拉津的降解动态、转移特征以及土壤阿特拉津残留浓度与土壤相关酶活性的关系。结果表明:与未种植皇竹草相比,种植皇竹草土壤阿特拉津降解率明显提高,皇竹草对未灭菌和灭菌土壤阿特拉津的降解率分别提高52.84和42.38百分点;与未种植皇竹草处理相比,灭菌和未灭菌条件下种植皇竹草处理阿特拉津在土壤中的半衰期可分别缩短64.35和53.21 d;土壤中阿特拉津被皇竹草吸收后逐步由地下部分向地上部分转移,随着培养时间的延长,转移系数变大;土壤中阿特拉津残留浓度与土壤过氧化氢酶、过氧化物酶、转化酶和多酚氧化酶活性呈显著负相关(P0.05或P0.01)。认为种植皇竹草有助于阿特拉津的降解。     

芸苔素内酯的水解及其在土壤中的降解特性

测定了芸苔素内酯在不同pH值和温度条件下的水解及其在东北黑土、灭菌东北黑土、江西红壤和河南二合土4种土壤中的降解特性。结果表明:芸苔素内酯的水解和在土壤中的降解均符合一级动力学方程。在pH值为5、7和9的条件下,25℃时芸苔素内酯的水解半衰期分别为24.1、19.6和16.4d;50℃时水解半衰期分别为20.9、16.3和13.6d。25℃时芸苔素内酯在东北黑土、灭菌东北黑土、河南二合土和江西红壤中的降解半衰期分别为13.8、14.1、16.5和43.3d。     

漆酶修复土壤DDT污染的动力学研究

研究了漆酶在土壤灭菌与否以及在不同施用剂量条件下对土壤DDT污染的修复动力学特征.结果表明,在土壤灭菌与否和不同施用剂量条件下,漆酶对DDT各组分及DDTs的降解率均随着时间的延长而不断提高,且在第15天之前提高迅速,到第15天之后至第25天基本上处于稳定状态.DDTs的降解过程符合拟表观一级动力学方程,非灭菌对照处理和灭菌对照处理之间,以及非灭菌加酶处理和灭菌加酶处理之间DDTs的降解速率常数分别相近,且加酶处理的降解速率常数明显高于对照处理.随着加酶量的增大,DDTs的降解速率常数也呈增大趋势,其中在加酶量为6 U·g-1土时其降解速率常数最大.     

阿维菌素在棉花和土壤中的消解规律研究

在济南和合肥开展了阿维菌素在棉花和土壤中残留田间试验,采用超高效液相色谱-质谱联用分析方法,研究了阿维菌素在棉花和土壤中的消解动态和最终残留。试验结果表明：阿维菌素在添加浓度水平为2～50μg·kg-1,平均回收率为78.2%～98.0%,相对标准偏差（RSD）为2.6%～6.4%;阿维菌素在棉叶和土壤中的消解动态符合一级动力学方程,其在棉叶中的半衰期为0.7～0.8 d,在土壤中的半衰期为0.9～1.4 d;阿维菌素在棉籽和土壤中的最终残留量均为未检出。建议按照按推荐剂量16.2～24.3 g·hm-2施药,施药1次,其在棉籽中的残留是安全的。     

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     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.