Environmental implications of tropical deforestation

SUMMARY

Forests are fundamental and vital components of the world ecosystems. The essential links between forest and man are now receiving renewed and urgent attention, and there is increasing awareness that the value of forests to life on Earth is beyond economic value, and should be above political considerations. Tropical forests, generally marked out by richness in species, are found in more than 80 countries and account for roughly one-third of the world's forest cover. They encompass a wide variety of forest types found under diverse environmental conditions — from lush, constantly wet rain forests to arid thorn woodlands. These forests have been estimated to cover about 1715 million hectares in Africa alone. They have provided habitats for wildlife and wood, fibre, food and many other products to generations of mankind and are invaluable genetic resources of plants. Rapid population growth has, however, resulted in increasing the pressure on these forests, with a consequent decline in their qualitative and quantitative values. Throughout the world, forest lands have been cleared extensively for agriculture, and deforestation continues today. In the tropics, 10–25 million ha are being lost each year, with Africa alone losing 4–5 million ha annually. It has been estimated that, at this rate, the remaining tropical forest would disappear in 60–80 years; thereby leading to catastrophic environmental changes. The serious impact of these changes on the environment and on human needs is awakening world attention, and alarming consequences have sometimes been suggested. This paper highlights the major causes of tropical deforestation and its environmental consequences. Possible efforts to arrest the unpleasant trend are discussed.     

雄烯二酮长期暴露对食蚊鱼肝脏生物转化酶系的影响

为了研究雄烯二酮(4-androstene-3,17-dione,AED)长期暴露对食蚊鱼(Gambusia affinis)肝脏7-乙氧基-3-异酚恶唑脱乙基酶(EROD)和谷胱甘肽硫转移酶(GST)的影响,分别利用不同浓度的AED(0.14、1.4、14、140 nmol·L-1和420 nmol·L-1)对食蚊鱼仔鱼进行180 d的水浴暴露,同时设丙酮和空白对照组,分别于第180天取样后测定肝脏的EROD和GST活性.结果表明,与对照组相比,AED对食蚊鱼雌性幼鱼的体重和体长均起到显著的抑制作用,对食蚊鱼雄性幼鱼的体重和体长的影响不明显,只有最高浓度起抑制作用.AED对食蚊鱼幼鱼EROD的抑制作用与暴露浓度呈显著的剂量关系.各浓度组AED对雌性食蚊鱼幼鱼和雄性食蚊鱼幼鱼GST活性的影响大致呈现出倒"U"曲线的趋势.     

An ecological simulation reveals balancing selection acting on development rate in the teleost Fundulus heteroclitus

Semi-lunar spawning in the intertidal zone has been observed in many teleost species. Because the eggs of these species are placed at elevations reached only by the highest tides, the timing of hatching is critical to survival. To quantify and clarify the relationship between development rate, hatching, and survival we developed a computer model that simulated the reproductive strategy in one such species, Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus). We determined expected hatching success for F. heteroclitus embryos as a function of development rate by simulating spawning, embryo development, and hatching of F. heteroclitus embryos in Delaware Bay. Our simulation analysis included manipulation of several model parameters. The results indicated that there is balancing selection acting on development rate in this species. In particular, false hatching cues (rainfall) increased mortality among embryos with very fast and very slow development rates. The simulation results did not appear susceptible to manipulation of the sensitivity of embryos to false hatching cues. The timing of spawning relative to the spring tides determines which development rate is optimal in terms of average hatching success. Including a constant daily mortality rate in our simulations, as a simple model of predation and/or disease, shifted the optimized development rates to faster values. These results may be applicable to other fish species with similar reproductive strategies. Received: 2 September 1996 / Accepted: 17 September 1996     

Environmental impacts and implications of tropical carrageenophyte seaweed farming

Field-based cultivation of Kappaphycus and Eucheuma seaweeds is widespread across the tropics and is largely done to extract the polysaccharide carrageenan, which is used in commercial applications. Although such seaweed farming has been cited as a sustainable alternative livelihood to destructive fishing, there has not been a comprehensive review of its environmental impacts to assess its potential conservation benefit. We reviewed the peer-reviewed and industry gray literature to determine what is known about seaweed farming techniques and their impacts on local ecosystems, organisms, and ecosystem services. We identified 43 tropical or subtropical countries that are currently cultivating or have cultivated carrageenophytes. Ecosystem impacts of seaweed farming were measured directly in 33 publications with variable results. Placement of seaweed farms above seagrass beds led to reduced productivity and shoot density in 5 studies and reduced or altered meiofaunal abundance and diversity in 6 studies. On coral reefs, overgrowth of corals by farmed seaweed species was documented in 8 cases. Two studies showed changes to herbivorous fish communities in adjacent areas because seaweed farms changed the environment, whereas in 2 studies measures of overall abundance or diversity did not change. The impacts of seaweed farming may not be as destructive as some other human activities, but they should still be considered when establishing new farms or managing existing farm sites. Our findings are consistent with suggestions to mitigate impact on local ecosystems by shifting seaweed farms to deeper, sandy-bottom areas. However, some of these changes may adversely affect farmers and associated communities.     

Effect of trichloroethylene (TCE) inhalation on biotransformation enzymes of rat lung and liver

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is widely used as an industrial solvent and cleaning fluid. In the present study the toxic effects of TCE inhalation on pulmonary and hepatic biotransformation enzymes in rats have been investigated by assay of aniline hydroxylase (AH), aminopyrine-N-demethylase (APD), benzo-a-pyrene hydroxylase (BH) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activities and glutathione (GSH) contents in liver as well as lungs of exposed animals. In both organs phase I and phase II drug metabolizing enzymes have been found to be increased along with decrease in GSH contents following TCE inhalation. Pulmonary as well as hepatic MFO's seem to be activated by inhaled TCE probably in an attempt for its rapid detoxification and reduced glutathione is used during its biotransformation.     

Lipid metabolism of the Antarctic krill Euphausia superba and its ecological implications

 Various developmental stages (early larvae to adults) of Euphausia superba have been collected in different seasons in the Weddell Sea, the Lazarev Sea and off the Antarctic Peninsula to investigate the role of lipids and fatty acids in the life cycle of the Antarctic krill. The total-lipid data for E. superba exhibited seasonal variations, with low lipid levels in late winter/early spring and the highest levels in autumn. Seasonal changes were most pronounced in the immature and adult specimens, increasing from about 10% lipid of dry mass to more than 40%. The fatty-acid compositions of the younger stages were dominated by 20:5(n-3), 22:6(n-3) and 16:0. These are typical phospholipid fatty acids, which are major biomembrane constituents. The phospholipid composition was similar in the older stages. With increasing storage of triacylglycerols in the lipid-rich immature and adult stages, the fatty acids 14:0, 16:0 and 18:1(n-9) prevailed, comprising about 70% of total triacylglycerol fatty acids. The trophic-marker fatty acids 16:1(n-7) and 18:4(n-3), indicating phytoplankton ingestion, were less abundant. They reflected, however, the dependence of the larvae on phytoplankton as well as the seasonal changes in algal composition. The generally close linear relationships between fatty acids and lipid suggest that the fatty-acid compositions of the collected specimens were largely independent of the respective developmental stage, season and region. The linear fit indicates that triacylglycerol accumulation started at a level of about 5% of total lipid. Considering the various overwintering scenarios under discussion, the life cycle and reproductive strategies of krill are discussed in the context of the lipid metabolism and fatty-acid composition of E. superba. Lipid production is effective enough to accumulate large energy reserves for the dark season, but E. superba does not exhibit the sophisticated biosynthetic pathways known from other Antarctic euphausiids and copepods. Although important, lipid utilisation appears to be just one of several strategies of E. superba to thrive under the extreme Antarctic conditions, and this pronounced versatility may explain the success of this species in the Southern Ocean. Received: 16 June 2000 / Accepted: 18 December 2000     

Distribution of secondary metabolites in the sponge Oceanapia sp. and its ecological implications

The Micronesian sponge Oceanapia sp. has an unusual growth form that consists of an irregular turnip-shaped base, which is buried in the substrate. One to several fistules, which protrude through the sand, are attached to the base of the sponge. On top of each fistule is a small fragile capitum. We examined whether this conspicuous red-colored sponge was chemically defended and if intraspecimen variation existed in the distribution of secondary metabolites between different parts of the sponge. Furthermore we assessed the deterrent properties of the secondary metabolites to generalist and more specialized fish predators. We also wanted to see if the optimal defense theory holds in the case of a marine invertebrate. According to the theory, organisms evolve and allocate defenses in a way that maximizes individual fitness, assuming that defenses are costly to the fitness of the organisms. We were able to evaluate this hypothesis, since the different sponge parts in Oceanapia sp. were at different risk to damage by predators and had a different value in terms of fitness loss to the sponge (the capitum probably plays a role in asexual propagation). Concentrations of crude organic extract increased from the base to the capitum of the sponge. The major secondary metabolites kuanoniamine C and D also showed a sharp increase from the basal root to the capitum. There was no difference in structural material or ash content between the base and the fistule of the sponge, but fiber and protein content were significantly higher in the fistule. The methanol fraction was highly deterrent in field feeding assays towards generalist reef fish at base concentration. It also deterred feeding by the spongivorous angelfish Pomacanthus imperator in laboratory feeding experiments at the same concentration. The field feeding assays with pure compounds showed that kuanoniamine C and D deterred feeding by natural assemblages of reef fishes at fistule concentrations, confirming their role as defensive agents. The intraspecimen variation of secondary metabolites in Oceanapia sp. supports the optimal defense theory by showing the highest concentrations in those parts of the sponge that are most visible to predators and are likely to be most important for inclusive fitness. Received: 5 May 1999 / Accepted: 16 September 1999     

Ecological implications of anti-pathogen effects of tropical fungal endophytes and mycorrhizae

We discuss studies of foliar endophytic fungi (FEF) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with Theobroma cacao in Panama. Direct, experimentally controlled comparisons of endophyte free (E-) and endophyte containing (E+) plant tissues in T. cacao show that foliar endophytes (FEF) that commonly occur in healthy host leaves enhance host defenses against foliar damage due to the pathogen (Phytophthora palmivora). Similarly, root inoculations with commonly occurring AMF also reduce foliar damage due to the same pathogen. These results suggest that endophytic fungi can play a potentially important mutualistic role by augmenting host defensive responses against pathogens. There are two broad classes of potential mechanisms by which endophytes could contribute to host protection: (1) inducing or increasing the expression of intrinsic host defense mechanisms and (2) providing additional sources of defense, extrinsic to those of the host (e.g., endophyte-based chemical antibiosis). The degree to which either of these mechanisms predominates holds distinct consequences for the evolutionary ecology of host-endophyte-pathogen relationships. More generally, the growing recognition that plants are composed of a mosaic of plant and fungal tissues holds a series of implications for the study of plant defense, physiology, and genetics.     

Effect of environmental parameters on lysosomal marker enzymes in the tropical blood clam Anadara granosa

The lysosomal marker enzymes, arylsulfatase and acid phosphatase, in a tropical burrowing arcid clam Anadara granosa L. have been found to exhibit seasonal variations. The activity of both enzymes decreased with increase in ambient temperature and fell with increase in salinity. Lysosomal latency for these enzymes, however, was not significantly affected by environmental parameters, including salinity, temperature, nutritional status, breeding season, etc. The physico-chemical characteristics of the habitat were found to induce reversible changes in the lysosomal latency and enzyme activity. Exposure to elevated temperature (T=7° to 8°C), towards the upper limit of its physiological tolerance, was found to labilize the lysosomes. The biochemical methods optimized for the demonstration of lysosomal stability under exposure to environmental stressors could also be extended to quantify the impact of various pollutants, including heavy metals, radionuclides, etc. at the subcellular level.     

Temperature as a key driver of ecological sorting among invasive pest species in the tropical Andes

Invasive species are a major threat to the sustainable provision of ecosystem products and services, both in natural and agricultural ecosystems. To understand the spatial arrangement of species successively introduced into the same ecosystem, we examined the tolerance to temperature and analyzed the field distribution of three potato tuber moths (PTM, Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), that were introduced in Ecuador since the 1980s. We studied physiological responses to constant temperatures of the three PTM species under laboratory conditions and modeled consequences for their overall population dynamics. We then compared our predictions to field abundances of PTM adults collected in 42 sites throughout central Ecuador. Results showed that the three PTM species differed with respect to their physiological response to temperature. Symmetrischema tangolias was more cold tolerant while Tecia solanivora had the highest growth rates at warmer temperatures. Phthorimaea operculella showed the poorest physiological performance across the range of tested temperatures. Overall, field distributions agree with predictions based on physiological experiments and life table analyses. At elevations >3000 m, the most cold-tolerant species, S. tangolias, was typically dominant and often the only species present. This species may therefore represent a biological sensor of climate change. At low elevations (<2700 m), T. solanivora was generally the most abundant species, probably due to its high fecundity at high temperatures. At mid elevations, the three species co-occurred, but P. operculella was generally the least abundant species. Consistent with these qualitative results, significant regression analyses found that the best predictors of field abundance were temperature and a species x temperature interaction term. Our results suggest that the climatic diversity in agricultural landscapes can directly affect the community composition following sequential invasions. In the tropical Andes, as in other mountain ecosystems, the wide range of thermal environments found along elevational gradients may be one reason why the risks of invasion by successively introduced pest species could increase in the near future. More data on potential biological risks associated with climatic warming trends in mountain systems are therefore urgently needed, especially in developing nations where such studies are lacking.     

Pre-reproductive survival in a tropical bird and its implications for avian life histories

The factors that affect survival until reproduction are essential to understanding the organization of life histories within and among species. Theory predicts, for example, that survival until reproduction influences the optimum level of reproductive investment by parents, which might partly explain prolonged parental care in species with high first-year survival. Tests and refinements of life-history theory have been hampered, however, by a lack of field-based estimates of pre-reproductive survival, especially for tropical species, which have been the subject of many comparative analyses. Tropical species are predicted to have higher first-year survival and delayed reproduction compared to Northern Hemisphere species. We estimated survival until reproduction, age at first reproduction, and sources of variation in juvenile survival in a Neotropical passerine, the Western Slaty-Antshrike (Thamnophilus atrinucha), in central Panama. We observed that fledged antshrikes had 76% survival through the dependent period and 48% survival to the age of 1 year; survival rate was lowest during the first week after leaving the nest. Timing of fledging within the breeding season, fledgling mass, and age at dispersal influenced survival, while sex of offspring and year did not. Individuals did not breed until two years of age, and post-fledging pre-reproductive survival was 41% of annual adult survival. High survival until reproduction in antshrikes balanced their low annual productivity, resulting in a stable population. Survival during the post-fledging period of dependence and the first year of independence in the Western Slaty-Antshrike exceeded estimates for Northern Hemisphere species. This difference appears to be associated with the extended post-fledging parental care, delayed dispersal, low costs of dispersal, and the less seasonal environment of antshrikes.     

Growth of Chaetodon larvatus (Chaetodontidae: Pisces) in the southern Red Sea

Growth and age of Chaetodon larvatus were studied using growth bands in otoliths and length-frequency analyses. Otoliths of 180 C. larvatus were extracted and measured. Polished sections of sagittae revealed alternating opaque and translucent bands corresponding with a seasonal growth pattern. Both mass and size of the otoliths continue to grow steadily throughout life. Length-at-age data revealed very fast growth during the first year. Growth proceeded at a decreasing rate during the second and the third year; fishes older than 3 years did not grow noticeably. No difference in growth patterns between males and females could be detected. The growth parameters obtained for the whole population are: the asymptotic length (L _∞)=10.64 cm, growth constant (K)=1.14 year⁻¹ and the theoretical age at length zero (t ₀)=−0.30 year. The maximum age recorded was 14 years. Length frequency data collected at a recruitment site confirmed the fast growth of juveniles.     

热带城市湖泊生态恢复中水生植被、浮游动物和鱼类的关系研究

惠州西湖是典型的热带浅水富营养化湖泊,通过建立示范区,进行了鱼类调控和水生植被修复,示范区的水质得到显著改善。作者从2006年3月到9月对水生植被、浮游动物和鱼类进行采样分析。结果表明,水生植被的生物量3月份时为1.249kg·m-2,到9月份逐步增加到9.167kg·m-2,鱼类生物量在研究期间有所下降,渔获量从3月份的17.5kg到9月份时降低至7.61kg,示范区浮游动物丰度低于平湖,其中大型浮游动物丰度高于平湖,轮虫丰度则呈缩减,示范区和未进行修复的平湖浮游动物体长均主要分布在0到0.2mm之间,体长大于0.6mm的分布比例示范区的是未修复平湖的两倍,浮游动物的生物量二者差别不大。     

The mechanism of nestmate discrimination in the tropical social wasp Ropalidia marginata and its implications for the evolution of sociality

Summary We have demonstrated that females of the primitively eusocial tropical wasp Ropalidia marginata can discriminate nestmates from nonnestmates outside the context of their nests. This was accomplished by recroding all behavioural interactions in a neutral arena and comparing tolerance levels. In order for these wasps to make such a discrimination, however, it was essential that after eclosion both the discriminated and the discriminating animals were exposed to their respective natal nests and nestmates. The results suggest that both recognition labels and templates are acquired by the animals from sources outside their body, perhaps from their nest or nestmates. It is thus unlikely that different genetic lines within a colony can be distinguished. We conclude, therefore, that genetic asymmetries created by haplodiploidy, but often broken down by multiple mating and polygyny, are not restored by preferential altruism towards full rather than half sisters by means of kin recognition. Hence we recommend caution in ascribing the multiple origins of eusociality in the Hymenoptera to haplodiploidy.     

Comparative foraging ecology and ecological niche of a superabundant tropical seabird: the sooty tern Sterna fuscata in the southwest Indian Ocean

Over 6-million pairs of sooty terns Sterna fuscata breed once a year in the southwest Indian Ocean, mostly on three islands of the Mozambique Channel (Europa, Juan de Nova and Glorieuses) and in the Seychelles region. Seasonal reproduction in either winter or summer is the dominant strategy in the area, but non-seasonal reproduction also occurred in some places like at Glorieuses Archipelago. The feeding ecology of the sooty tern was investigated during the breeding seasons to determine whether terns showed significant differences in their trophic ecology between locations. Regurgitations were analyzed to describe the diet of individuals when breeding, and stable isotopes and mercury concentrations were used to temporally integrate over the medium-term of the trophic ecology of both adults and chicks. Overall, the diet was composed of fish, flying squid and fish larvae in different proportions. At Europa and Aride in the Seychelles, where winter reproduction occurs, large epipelagic prey like flying fish or squid dominated the diet. At Juan de Nova, sooty terns reproduce in summer and rely mostly on fish larvae. At Glorieuses (non-seasonal breeding), the diet was intermediate with fish larvae and flying squid being important prey items. The stable-carbon and nitrogen isotope values in blood confirm the differences observed in dietary analysis, and demonstrate different feeding strategies between colonies. δ¹³C values of feathers showed spatial segregation between birds from the Mozambique Channel and the Seychelles region. Terns from the Seychelles had also higher δ¹⁵N values. Feather δ¹³C values also suggest a significant shift from summer to wintering habitat for birds from Juan de Nova. This study emphasizes the high phenotypic plasticity of the species, which may explain its numerical dominance in all tropical waters of the World’s Ocean.     

Mine tailings composition in a historic site: implications for ecological restoration

Ecological restoration, using tolerant plant species and nutrient additions, is a low-cost option to decrease environmental risks associated with mine tailings. An attempt was previously made to establish such a vegetation cover on an abandoned tailings facility in Southern Ireland. Historically, the tailings site has been prone to dusting and is a potential source of contamination to the surrounding environment. The site was examined to determine the success of the previous restoration plan used to revegetate the site and to determine its suitability for further restoration. Three distinct floristic areas were identified (grassland, poor grassland and bare area) based on herbage compositions and elemental analysis. Surface and subsurface samples were taken to characterise tailings from within these areas of the tailings site. The pH of bare surface tailings (pH, 2.7) was significantly more acidic (p < 0.5) than in other areas. Additionally, negligible net neutralising potential resulted in the tailings being hostile to plant growth. Total metal concentrations in tailings were high (c. 10,000 mg kg^?1 for Pb and up to 20,000 mg kg^?1 for Zn). DTPA-extractable Zn and Pb were 16 and 11 % of the total amount, respectively. Metal content in grasses growing on some areas of the tailings were elevated and demonstrated the inability of the tailings to support sustainable plant growth. Due to the inherently hostile characteristics of these areas, future restoration work will employ capping with a barrier layer.     

Bibliometric analysis of ecosystem monitoring-related research in Africa: implications for ecological stewardship and scientific collaboration

Regional ecosystem monitoring is a central form of knowledge sharing and collaboration amongst scientists and decision makers on environmental health, land use change, and science-policy development. Despite the proliferation of such research networks on long-term monitoring on many continents, little has been achieved in Africa. This study aims to assess and examine the spatiotemporal trend and categorical patterns in ecosystem monitoring-related research in Africa for the benefits of conserving biodiversity and sustaining natural resource sectors for well-being and livelihood security, environmental planning, and ecological stewardship. A systematic review was conducted using bibliometric tools. Based on a set of search terms and peer-reviewed publications retrieved from various ecosystem monitoring networks and journal databases, further analysis was conducted using social network approaches, mapping tools, and content analysis. About 1442 scientific publications on ecosystem monitoring and related research were documented from 1987 to 2014 mostly published in English. The number of publication increased progressively since 1992 after the Convention on Biodiversity was signed and this trend peaked till 2008. South African Journal of Science was the most leading journal and Nature the most cited. Internationally coauthored and collaborative articles represented majority of the findings with the United Kingdom at the central position in the research network due to colonial relationships. Regional collaboration amongst countries is limited owing to language barriers and other institutional constraints such as funding and short-term projects. These findings have implication for prioritizing national and regional policies toward biodiversity science and its contribution to human well-being, food security, and global change responses.     

Mechanisms of nonlethal predator effect on cohort size variation: ecological and evolutionary implications

Understanding the factors responsible for generating size variation in cohorts of organisms is important for predicting their population and evolutionary dynamics. We group these factors into two broad classes: those due to scaling relationships between growth and size (size-dependent factors), and those due to individual trait differences other than size (size-independent factors; e.g., morphology, behavior, etc.). We develop a framework predicting that the nonlethal presence of predators can have a strong effect on size variation, the magnitude and sign of which depend on the relative influence of both factors. We present experimental results showing that size-independent factors can strongly contribute to size variation in anuran larvae, and that the presence of a larval dragonfly predator reduced expression of these size-independent factors. Further, a review of a number of experiments shows that the effect of this predator on relative size variation of a cohort ranged from negative at low growth rates to positive at high growth rates. At high growth rates, effects of size-dependent factors predominate, and predator presence causes an increase in the scaling of growth rate with size (larger individuals respond less strongly to predator presence than small individuals). Thus predator presence led to an increase in size variation. In contrast, at low growth rates, size-independent factors were relatively more important, and predator presence reduced expression of these size-independent factors. Consequently, predator presence led to a decrease in size variation. Our results therefore indicate a further mechanism whereby nonlethal predator effects can be manifest on prey species performance. These results have strong implications for both ecological and evolutionary processes. Theoretical studies indicate that changes in cohort size variation can have profound effects on population dynamics and stability, and therefore the mere presence of a predator could have important ecological consequences. Further, changes in cohort size variation can have important evolutionary implications through changes in trait heritability.     

Distribution and temperature adaptation in the teleost fish genus Gibbonsia

Along the California coast there are three intertidal species of the genus Gibbonsia (G. elegans, G. metzi, G. montereyensis). These species have distinct but overlapping distributions. Collections were made seasonally from three areas. Each collection was divided into two groups — a critical thermal maximum and minimum were determined for one group and the other group was tested after a 3 week acclimation period. The three species showed genetically different adaptation abilities and these were correlated with species differences in latitudinal distributions. The species that experiences the widest seasonal temperature range proved capable of anticipatory adjustment to temperature while the two experiencing small seasonal changes showed only reactive adjustments. the species with the widest distribution showed the greatest ability to adapt to temperature extremes. After 1 week acclimation all three species demonstrated different mechanisms for heat and cold adaptation.     

基于自然环境中优选药物的毒性和生态毒理风险研究

在如今超过1 500种在用原料药中,环境中发现几率明确和对环境影响明确的原料药所占比例很小。由于很难监管所有在用原料药,众多先前的研究提议将原料药按照受关注程度排序,从而可以将研究资源集中于那些最受瞩目的药物。然而这些研究都存在局限性,本文从之前优先性方法的实践经验出发,提出了一种更为全面的原料药排序方法。该方法基于对水生生物、土壤生物、鸟类、野生哺乳动物和人类的风险,综合考虑了食物链顶端存在的生态毒理学研究终点和由这些治疗性药物作用机制带来的非顶端效果。对于在英国社区以及医院设置中使用的146种活性药物的分析可以更为详细地说明该方法的运用。根据这一方法,我们将16种化合物列为优先考虑的药物。这些药物包括了抗生素、抗抑郁药、抗炎药、抗糖尿病药、抗肥胖药、雌激素类化合物以及相关的代谢产物。我们建议这种优先性方法在将来可以更广泛地应用于世界上不同的地区。
精选自Jiahua Guo, Chris J. Sinclair, Katherine Selby, Alistair B.A. Boxall. Toxicological and ecotoxicological risk based prioritisation of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 35, Issue 7, pages 1550–1559, July 2016. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3319
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.3319/full