湖南南部铅锌矿区铅锌富集植物筛选研究

在湖南省桂阳县铅锌矿区采用调查和室内分析相结合的方法,采集植物和土壤样品112个,分别测定了土壤和植物样品的铅锌含量,筛选铅锌富集植物。结果表明：矿区土壤铅锌污染十分严重,矿区土壤铅和锌的平均质量分数分别为：2177.22、3165.89 mg·kg^-1。植物样品根系的铅锌质量分数分别为：264.00、666.11 mg·kg^-1,地上部铅锌质量分数平均为165.56、363.87 mg·kg^-1,植物根系的铅锌含量与土壤的铅锌含量呈显著正相关。通过对比分析,以地上部铅质量分数大于450 mg·kg^-1、锌质量分数大于750 mg·kg^-1、转运系数大于1、植物地上部形态高大为筛选条件,筛选出5种铅富集植物分别是：糯米团（Hyrtanandra）、水蓼（Polygonum hydropiper）、酸模（RumexacetosaLinn）、毛叶堇菜（Viola verecumda A.Gray）、地榆（Garden Burnet Root）;3种锌富集植物分别是：鬼针草（Bidens pilosa L.）、博落回（Macleaya cordata（Willd.） R. Brown）和糯米团;糯米团茎叶的铅锌质量分数分别为635.48、919.51 mg·kg^-1,可作为铅锌复合污染土壤修复的备选植物品种。     

铅锌冶炼厂土壤污染及重金属富集植物的研究

对株洲市铅锌冶炼厂生产区进行了植被和土壤调查。结果表明，该厂土壤污染以镉铅锌(Cd、Pb、Zn)最为严重，尤其是重金属镉在土壤中含量超过背景值高达208倍，分析原因主要是由于大气尘降和雨水淋洗等使得污染加重。实验采集并分析测定了9种植物中重金属富集量，首次报道了土荆芥是一种铅超富集植物，其体内Pb质量分数高达3888mg／kg。另一种植物商陆能大量富集镉，具有地下部向地上部转运能力强、生物量大、富集总量高的特点，有很大研究价值和应用潜力。另外，荨麻对Zn有较强富集能力，这3种植物可分别用于铅、镉和锌等3种重金属污染土壤的植物修复。     

滇白前(Silene viscidula)对铅、锌、镉的共超富集特征

为了寻找新的重金属超富集植物特别是多金属共超富集植物,调查测定了云南兰坪铅锌矿区北厂矿段生长的8种植物及其根区土壤的重金属质量分数,以及土壤基本理化性质.结果表明:研究区土壤中磷和钾质量分数较低,总氮、总磷、总钾、铵态氮、硝态氮、速效磷分别占土壤干质量的0.2%、0.03%、0.52%、0.0029%、0.000 12%、0.00068%;有机质质量分数平均为4.81%,pH值平均为6.79,电导率变化范围为11.4～140-3μs·cm-1.该矿区土壤中锌(Zn)、铅(Pb)、镉(Cd)、铜(Cu)的质量分数平均值分别为(38 178±23 870)、(18 671±10 143)、(438±345)、(159±:82)mg·kg>-1,除Cu外均超过国家土壤环境质量(GB 15618-1995)三级标准.8种植物地上部Zn、Pb、Cd、Cu质量分数范围分别为271～17 986、51～5 430、1～617、2～26mg·kg-1,尤以滇白前(Silene viscidula Franch)地上部Zn、Pb、Cd质量分数为最高.进一步采集38个滇白前样本对其重金属富集特征进行深人调查,表明其地上部中含zn、Pb和Cd平均为(11 043±3 537)、(1 546±1 044)和(391±196)mg·kg-1,富集系数(地上部和土壤金属质量分数之比)分别为0.35、0.08和1.05,转运系数(地上部和根中金属质量分数之比)均超过1,均值分别为8.21、3.90和8.36.野外调查数据表明,滇白前是一种Pb/Zn/Cd共超富集植物.滇白前对Zn、Pb富集系数小于1,主要是由于其对应土壤中Zn、Pb质量分数太高(平均分别为(45 778±32 819)、(22 512±13 613)mg·kg-1)所致.     

宝山堇菜多金属吸收特征和耐性策略

宝山堇菜Viola baoshanensis Shu,Liu et Lan是一种Cd超富集植物,但它对不同重金属的吸收和转运能力有待进一步研究。从湖南桂阳宝山多金属矿区中筛选4个宝山堇菜优势分布的小生境,分析这些生境中宝山堇菜及其根区土壤的重金属质量分数。化学分析结果显示,宝山堇菜优势分布土壤中Cd、Pb、Zn、Cu、Mn和Fe的平均质量分数（mg/kg）分别为471、15 044、8 273、1 776、4 702和69 054。宝山堇菜地上部Cd、Pb、Zn、Cu、Mn和Fe的平均质量分数（mg/kg）分别为387、1 077、1 037、99、379和1 812,其中Cd、Pb超过超富集植物标准,Zn、Cu的平均质量分数大约是Zn、Cu超富集植物标准的10%,Mn的平均质量分数低于Mn超富集植物标准的5%,Fe的平均质量分数高于1 000 mg/kg。上述结果表明,宝山堇菜可以超富集Cd和Pb,富集Zn、Cu和Fe以及低积累Mn。此外,宝山堇菜对不同重金属差别化吸收模式可能也代表了超富集植物适应重金属复合污染土壤的一种策略。     

宝山堇菜多金属吸收特征和耐性策略

宝山堇菜Viola baoshanensis Shu,Liu et Lan是一种Cd超富集植物,但它对不同重金属的吸收和转运能力有待进一步研究。从湖南桂阳宝山多金属矿区中筛选4个宝山堇菜优势分布的小生境,分析这些生境中宝山堇菜及其根区土壤的重金属质量分数。化学分析结果显示,宝山堇菜优势分布土壤中Cd、Pb、Zn、Cu、Mn和Fe的平均质量分数(mg/kg)分别为471、15 044、8 273、1 776、4 702和69 054。宝山堇菜地上部Cd、Pb、Zn、Cu、Mn和Fe的平均质量分数(mg/kg)分别为387、1 077、1 037、99、379和1 812,其中Cd、Pb超过超富集植物标准,Zn、Cu的平均质量分数大约是Zn、Cu超富集植物标准的10%,Mn的平均质量分数低于Mn超富集植物标准的5%,Fe的平均质量分数高于1 000 mg/kg。上述结果表明,宝山堇菜可以超富集Cd和Pb,富集Zn、Cu和Fe以及低积累Mn。此外,宝山堇菜对不同重金属差别化吸收模式可能也代表了超富集植物适应重金属复合污染土壤的一种策略。     

电镀污染区植物对复合重金属的富集、转移和对污染土壤的修复潜力

采用野外采样室内分析方法,对重庆市3个电镀厂污染区自然定居的23种优势植物和相应土壤中Cu、Zn、Cr和Ni 4种重金属含量进行测定,揭示了优势植物对复合污染重金属的富集和转移特征。结果表明,电镀污染区土壤中Cu、Zn、Cr和Ni平均含量分别为560.0、722.6、1 364.3和735.7 mg·kg-1,分别为GB 15618—1995《土壤环境质量标准》中三级标准限值的1.40、1.45、3.90和3.68倍。植物对重金属的吸收、富集和转移特性因植物种类、植株部位、污染地及重金属种类的不同而不同,污染地植物吸收的重金属富集滞留在根部较多,扁穗牛鞭草(Hemarthria compressa)和野薄荷(Mentha haplocalyx)表现出超富集Cr的潜力,其地上部分Cr平均含量分别为1 559.2和1 914.6 mg.kg-1,生物转运系数分别为1.29和1.58,生物富集系数分别为1.58和1.79,其他植物地上部分Cr含量超过正常植物百倍以上的有14种,平均富集量为376.4 mg·kg-1,变化范围为121.2～694.3 mg·kg-1,地上部分Ni含量超过正常植物百倍以上的有8种,平均富集量为344.1 mg·kg-1,变化范围为220.3～532.1 mg·kg-1。它们是修复电镀重金属Cr和Ni复合污染土壤的理想植物。     

铅处理对茴香植株生长及精油组分的影响

为了揭示铅对茴香（Foeniculum vulgare L.）生长和次生代谢产物-精油组分的影响及茴香植株对铅的吸收累积特性,本试验采用水培方法,在霍格兰营养液中加入铅,设计0（对照）、1 mg·L^-1、5 mg·L^-1、10 mg·L^-1处理,研究了不同铅质量浓度对茴香植株生长、精油组分及茴香植株对铅吸收累积的影响。结果表明：不同铅质量浓度处理对茴香植株的形态、生物量、色素质量分数、碳和氮质量分数、铅的吸收累积及精油组分均有影响。随着铅质量浓度的增加,茴香植株的株高呈降低趋势,且各处理之间差异显著,真叶数大致也呈降低趋势,但仅10 mg·L^-1处理显著低于对照,各处理的最大叶长差异均不显著,最大叶宽仅对照与5 mg·L^-1处理之间差异显著。随着铅质量浓度的增加,地上部鲜质量和干质量均呈逐渐降低趋势,且铅处理后的地上部鲜质量和干质量均显著低于对照,地下部鲜质量和干质量呈逐渐升高趋势,但铅处理后的地下部鲜质量和干质量与对照差异均不显著,根冠比呈逐渐增加趋势,但仅10 mg·L^-1处理显著高于对照。随着铅质量浓度的增加,叶绿素a、叶绿素b、叶绿素a＋b和类胡萝卜素质量分数均呈降低趋势,且均低于对照,叶绿素a/叶绿素b以5 mg·L^-1处理最高,但仅显著高于1 mg·L^-1处理。铅处理后,可溶性蛋白质质量分数均高于对照,但仅1 mg·L^-1处理和5 mg·L^-1处理显著高于对照,全氮质量分数与可溶性蛋白质质量分数的变化趋势基本一致,但各处理之间差异均不显著;随铅质量浓度的增加,可溶性糖质量分数呈降低趋势,除1 mg·L^-1处理显著高于对照外,其余铅处理均显著低于对照,各处理的全碳质量分数与对照差异均不显著。随铅质量浓度的增加,茴香植株对铅的吸收累积显著增加。不同铅质量浓度处理下的反式-茴香脑含量和含氧化合物均显著低于对照,以5 mg·L^-1铅处理最低,而柠檬烯含量和单萜类化合物均显著高于对照,以5 mg·L^-1铅处理最高;随铅质量浓度的增加,倍半萜类化合物含量呈降低趋势,且均低于对照。因此,铅能抑制茴香植株的生长;随铅质量浓度的增加,茴香植株对铅的吸收累积显著增加;铅处理能影响茴香精油组分,显著降低反式-茴香脑和含氧化合物含量,而显著提高柠檬烯和单萜类化合物含量。     

不同生态型芦竹对Cd、Hg、Pb、Cu的富集与分布

介绍了生态型芦竹(Arundo donax Linn)的生物特性,并对芦竹修复湿地重金属污染能力进行了研究。芦竹具有生物量大、根系发达、适应性强等特点,在重金属污染环境下,有较好的耐受性。研究不同生态型芦竹对Cd、Hg、Pb、Cu的富集与分布,对重金属污染湿地的修复具有指导作用。采集了4个不同环境下的芦竹样本,对重金属富集量和在植物器官中的分布情况进行研究分析。结果表明,芦竹对镉、铅、汞有较好吸收,地上部叶内富集量分别为57.40～33.22mg·kg-1,412.4～312.4mg·kg-1,21.5～11.8mg·kg-1,地上部茎内富集量分别为19.50～4.02mg·kg-1,83.1～43.6mg·kg-1,30.0～19.4mg·kg-1。芦竹对铜的富集能力较弱,地上部叶内和茎内富集量分别是12.4～2.8mg·kg-1,1.4～0.4mg·kg-1。铜和铅在植物器官中的分布为根>叶>茎,镉在植物器官中的分布为叶>根>茎,汞在植物中的分布为根>茎>叶。富集量还与土壤中重金属质量分数有关,一般是随着土壤中重金属质量分数的增大而增加。镉、铅、铜在植物叶中的富集系数大于1,汞在植物茎中的富集系数大于1。综合分析结果表明,芦竹在污染或非污染环境中都能较好地富集镉、铅、汞,基于芦竹具有较大生物量特点,芦竹对湿地重金属污染具有较大的修复潜力。研究芦竹对重金属的吸收与分布,旨在为湿地的植物修复技术提供参考依据。     

土壤中三种盐对油菜富集镉的影响

为了利用被镉污染的盐土,通过实验分析镉污染盐土中三种盐对油菜（Brassica napus）富集镉影响的差异性,探明不同类型镉污染盐土上种植油菜的植物修复效果。以镉超累积植物油菜为研究植物,通过温室盆栽土培试验,将油菜在含有不同质量分数盐（wS：0 g·kg^-1,2 g·kg^-1,4 g·kg^-1,6 g·kg^-1）的含镉（wCd：10 mg·kg^-1）土壤中培养60天,研究油菜对镉的生物富集因子、植株内地上部分和根部镉的质量分数变化。选择土壤中三种主要盐的类型,即氯化钠、硫酸钠和碳酸钠作为分析和研究对象。结果表明,含碳酸钠的土壤对油菜吸收镉有抑制作用,含硫酸钠的土壤对油菜吸收镉也有抑制作用,但效果没有碳酸钠的土壤大,含氯化钠的土壤对油菜吸收镉的影响不显著,只是在高质量分数时对油菜吸收镉有一些促进作用。在含不同类型盐的土壤中,不同土壤盐对油菜富集镉的能力也有显著的差异,土壤中氯化钠对油菜根部富集镉的能力没有显著影响,而对油菜地上部分富集镉的能力有一定的促进作用;土壤中的碳酸钠对油菜地上和地下部分富集镉的能力都有显著的抑制作用,不利于油菜对镉的富集。     

有机酸对铬超富集植物李氏禾吸收Cu的影响

许多研究表明有机酸的施加对植物吸收重金属的量具有不同的影响.文章采用盆栽试验研究了EDTA、柠檬酸、草酸和酒石酸对土壤中Cu的活化和李氏禾(Leersia hexandra Swartz)吸收Cu的影响.结果表明,当向土壤中施加质量摩尔浓度为2 mmol·kg-1的EDTA时,土壤中Cu质量分数为220.16 mg·kg-1与空白土壤中500.31 mg·kg-1相比明显减少,说明EDTA可以极显著的降低土壤中的铜质量分数,使其转化成水提取态的Cu浮于土壤表面,并大部分聚集在根部周围,同时向土壤中施加EDTA不但促进了对Cu的活化而且显著提高了李氏禾对Cu的吸收,叶中最高质量分数达到336.54 mg·kg-1是对照中80.34 mg·kg-1的四倍;而柠檬酸、草酸和酒石酸则抑制了Cu的活化,但对李氏禾地上部分的Cu质量分数影响不大.有机酸对Cu的影响相对较弱,除EDTA显著降低了土壤中Cu质量分数外,其他有机酸对Cu的活化和李氏禾吸收Cu的影响与对照均没有明显差异.     

Representation of the world's biophysical conditions by the global protected area network

Protected areas (PAs) are often implemented without consideration of already existing PAs, which is likely to cause an overrepresentation of certain biophysical conditions. We assessed the representativeness of the current PA network with regard to the world's biophysical conditions to highlight which conditions are underprotected and where these conditions are located. We overlaid terrestrial and marine PAs with information on biophysical conditions (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and elevation) and then quantified the percentage of area covered by the PA network. For 1 variable at a time in the terrestrial realm, high temperature, low precipitation, and medium and very high elevation were underrepresented. For the marine realm, low and medium sea surface temperature (SST), medium and high sea surface salinity (SSS), and the deep sea were underrepresented. Overall, protection was evenly distributed for elevation across the terrestrial realm and SST across the marine realm. For 2 variables at a time, cold and very dry terrestrial environments had mostly low protection, which was also the case for low SST and low and medium SSS across most depths for marine environments. Low protection occurred mostly in the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula for the terrestrial realm and along the Tropic of Capricorn and toward the poles for the marine realm. Although biodiversity measures are of prime importance for the design of PA networks, highlighting biophysical gaps in current PAs adds a frequently overlooked perspective. These gaps may weaken the potential of PAs to conserve biodiversity. Thus, our results may provide useful insights for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to establish a more comprehensive global PA network.     

Quantitative composition of the defensive secretion ofBledius species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) is adapted to naturally occurring predators

Summary The adaptation of defensive secretions to their target organisms was examined for the abdominal gland secretions ofBledius furcatus, B. spectabilis andB. arenarius. Therefore the target organisms of the secretion of theseBledius species (i.e. their predators) had to be identified. At the collection sites examined these were the earwigLabidura riparia, the antCataglyphis bicolor, the flyLispe candicans, different carabids of the generaPogonus, Dichirotrichus, Dyschirius, Bembidion andCalathus and the wading birdsHaematopus ostralegus andCalidris alba. The secretion of the abdominal glands contains the toxin ptoluquinone dissolved in either-dodecalactone and 1-undecene (B. furcatus andB. spectabilis) or in octanoic acid and octyloctanoate (B. arenarius). The ratio of these solvents is species-specific. Application experiments using some of the natural insect predators (L. riparia, C. bicolor, Pogonus, Di. gustavii, Dyschirius) revealed that these solvent ratios provided a more effective deterrent than other possible ratios. Thus by combining the solvents in certain ratios, the capability of cuticular penetration and therefore the effectiveness of the defensive secretions are adapted to their natural targets.     

Democracy versus development: New urban debates

The politics of development includes subtexts of choice, as underpinned by community consensus (or lack of it), against the larger backdrop of a liberal democracy, with its intricate power structures that influence the choice of concepts and often lead to complicity rather than consent. A dilemma exists between the understanding of field-level practitioners and that of academics, whose understandings of progress differ. Progress can (and often does) imply long-term change across generations whereas development is often more a matter of crisis management and delivering tangible results to end-users. This makes it a bone of contention across political systems, irrespective of local or global dynamics. Development can emerge as a tool to be wielded for power and further political mileage at the expense of progress. Progress cannot be studied as a counterpoint to development as the sense of history is often missing in development interventions. Development tends to be piecemeal as its very logic often stems from the rationale of power. This is not to suggest, however, that development is only about politics; it is definitely more than the politics of everyday life and involves all of civil society that requires its critical and immediate attention. In this sense, it has become a priority for politicians with an underlying agenda designed to out-manouevre dissent and all statements of protest.     

A framework to measure the wildness of managed large vertebrate populations

As landscapes continue to fall under human influence through habitat loss and fragmentation, fencing is increasingly being used to mitigate anthropogenic threats and enhance the commercial value of wildlife. Subsequent intensification of management potentially erodes wildness by disembodying populations from landscape-level processes, thereby disconnecting species from natural selection. Tools are needed to measure the degree to which populations of large vertebrate species in formally protected and privately owned wildlife areas are self-sustaining and free to adapt. We devised a framework to measure such wildness based on 6 attributes relating to the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of vertebrates (space, disease and parasite resistance, exposure to predation, exposure to limitations and fluctuations of food and water supply, and reproduction). For each attribute, we set empirical, species-specific thresholds between 5 wildness states based on quantifiable management interventions. We analysed data from 205 private wildlife properties with management objectives spanning ecotourism to consumptive utilization to test the framework on 6 herbivore species representing a range of conservation statuses and commercial values. Wildness scores among species differed significantly, and the proportion of populations identified as wild ranged from 12% to 84%, which indicates the tool detected site-scale differences both among populations of different species and populations of the same species under different management regimes. By quantifying wildness, this framework provides practitioners with standardized measurement units that link biodiversity with the sustainable use of wildlife. Applications include informing species management plans at local scales; standardizing the inclusion of managed populations in red-list assessments; and providing a platform for certification and regulation of wildlife-based economies. Applying this framework may help embed wildness as a normative value in policy and mitigate the shifting baseline of what it means to truly conserve a species.     

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     

Sexual Predators,Energy Development,and Conservation in Greater Yellowstone

Abstract: In the United States, as elsewhere, a growing debate pits national energy policy and homeland security against biological conservation. In rural communities the extraction of fossil fuels is often encouraged because of the employment opportunities it offers, although the concomitant itinerant workforce is often associated with increased wildlife poaching. We explored possible positive and negative factors associated with energy extraction in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), an area known for its national parks, intact biological diversity, and some of the New World's longest terrestrial migrations. Specifically, we asked whether counties with different economies—recreation (ski), agrarian (ranching or farming), and energy extractive (petroleum)—differed in healthcare (gauged by the abundance of hospital beds) and in the frequency of sexual predators. The absolute and relative frequency of registered sex offenders grew approximately two to three times faster in areas reliant on energy extraction. Healthcare among counties did not differ. The strong conflation of community dishevel, as reflected by in‐migrant sexual predators, and ecological decay in Greater Yellowstone is consistent with patterns seen in similar systems from Ecuador to northern Canada, where social and environmental disarray exist around energy boomtowns. In our case, that groups (albeit with different aims) mobilized campaigns to help maintain the quality of rural livelihoods by protecting open space is a positive sign that conservation can matter, especially in the face of rampant and poorly executed energy extraction projects. Our findings further suggest that the public and industry need stronger regulatory action to instill greater vigilance when and where social factors and land conversion impact biological systems.     

Comparison of the insecticidal effects of water extracted and intact aromatic plants onAcanthoscelides obtectus,a bruchid beetle pest of kidney beans

Summary Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) is one of the most damaging pests of kidney beans,Phaseolus vulgaris L. worldwide. However, aromatic plants from the families Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Poaceae can protect kidney beans by direct or delayed insecticidal effect, through increased adult mortality and inhibition of beetle reproduction (both oviposition and adult emergence). The efficiency of hydrodistillated and intact plants fromThymus vulgaris andT. serpyllum, Mentha piperata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Satureia hortensis, Eucalyptus globulus, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare, andCymbopogon nardus was compared. For both extracts,Origanum vulgare had the best effect. The insecticidal effect was induced by more than the essential oils because no significant difference was noticed between distilled and intact plants extract. Inhibition of reproduction was particularly important. These results suggest that lipidic as well as non lipidic, allelochemicals, such as phenolics, or non-protein amino-acids, or flavonoids may be involved in the toxicity of aromatic plants to this beetle.     

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.