三亚河表层沉积物中多环芳烃分布、来源解析及生态风险评价

为了解三亚河表层沉积物中多环芳烃分布特征及生态风险,应用加压流体萃取、高效液相色谱检测表层沉积物中16种优先控制PAHs的含量和组成.结果表明,研究区域内表层沉积物中PAHs含量为3.23—493 ng·g~(-1)之间,平均浓度为211 ng·g~(-1),调查区域表层沉积物中PAHs含量与其它区域河流、湖库和海域沉积物中PAHs的含量比较,PAHs含量属于低值水平.调查区域表层沉积物中PAHs含量以3—5环为主,其对总浓度的贡献率为76.6%—100%,平均为84.4%,采用同分异构体比值分析结果显示PAHs主要来源于木柴、煤炭等燃烧源.质量基准法和质量标准法分析表明三亚河表层沉积物中的PAHs含量水平对该区域的生态环境影响较小,但对长期生活在该区域的底栖生物将构成轻微的潜在威胁,应采取相应管控措施,控制多环芳烃排入三亚河.     

太湖部分沉积物中多环芳烃生态风险评估

对2009年12月采集的部分太湖表层沉积物中多环芳烃类化合物（PAHs）的现状进行调查和研究,结果表明,太湖流域表层沉积物中共检出属于美国优先控制16种PAHs中的9种,各采样点位PAHs浓度范围在264.9—1703.2 ng·g-1之间.分析显示,表层沉积物中以4环及4环以上PAHs为主,两者之和约占PAHs总量的...     

长江嘉陵江重庆段多环芳烃的分布特征和来源辨析

2014年7月,采集长江嘉陵江重庆段9个断面的地表水和沉积物样品,检测15种多环芳烃(PAHs)含量.结果表明,地表水的∑PAHs浓度范围为65.6—1249 ng·L~(-1),沉积物中∑PAHs浓度范围为68.6—4226 ng·g~(-1),与其历史浓度水平相当;聚类分析表明,化工园区对其下游PAHs分布有一定影响,园区下游地表水和沉积物∑PAHs浓度最高.两江汇流前,地表水4环PAHs占总量的43.63%—61.68%;两江汇流后,2环比例增加,占总量的29.01%—68.72%;沉积物4环PAHs占总量的26.62%—48.74%.在顺流方向,地表水中河左∑PAHs浓度高于河中和河右,沉积物中∑PAHs浓度横向无明显差别,其中化工园区下游可能是受左岸工业影响,地表水中河左∑PAHs浓度是河中、河右的12倍和7倍,沉积物中河左∑PAHs浓度是河右的7倍.环数组成、分子比值和主成分分析表明研究区域地表水PAHs来源主要为木材、煤燃烧源,同时还包括石油燃烧和石油泄漏,沉积物则主要为木材、煤高温燃烧源.     

厦门湾海域表层沉积物重金属和多环芳烃污染特征及生态风险评价

研究了厦门湾海域表层沉积物中Cu,Pb,Zn,Cr,Cd,Hg和As和16种多环芳烃的分布、来源及潜在的生态风险.结果表明:(1)Cu,Pb和As平均含量均介于效应浓度区间低值(ERL)和效应浓度区间中值(ERM)之间,而大多数站位Zn,Cr,Cd和Hg平均含量则低于ERL值;(2)沉积物多环芳烃(PAHs)以石油或油料燃烧来源为主,PAHs的总量远低于ERL值(4000μg·kg~(-1));(3)重金属与低环PAHs相关性显著,易发生交互作用;(4)利用沉积物平均效应区间中值商法(mERM-Q)进行沉积物生态风险评价发现,筼笃湖表层沉积物对海洋底栖生物可能存在较强的生物毒性风险.     

黄浦江表层沉积物中多环芳烃的分布特征及来源

利用GC/MS对黄浦江8个断面表层沉积物中的16种多环芳烃(PAHs)进行了分析.沉积物中PAHs总量为0.244—2.805μg·g-1,从上游到下游呈升高趋势,工业污染和城市活动是黄浦江水环境中多环芳烃的重要来源.苏州河对黄浦江下游水环境中的多环芳烃具有较大的输入贡献.特征化合物指数分析表明,黄浦江沉积物中的多环芳烃主要来自于化石燃料的不完全燃烧,中下游显示一定的混合来源特征.相关性分析表明,总有机碳是影响沉积物中多环芳烃分布的重要因素.     

雨水径流对景观水体中多环芳烃污染特征的影响

以北京市长河湾流域某排污口附近景观水体为研究对象,通过对水体中PAHs的连续检测,研究了雨水径流对景观水体中PAHs污染特征的影响,以期为景观水体中PAHs的控制和管理提供科学依据.结果表明,长河湾景观水体中∑16PAHs在降雨时的浓度变化与降雨强度及降雨量有关,长河湾水体中溶解态PAHs组分以3环和4环为主,2环组分所占的比例最少.水体底部沉积物中PAHs含量明显高于岸边,沉积物中∑16PAHs含量约为229.2μg.kg-1,岸边土壤中∑16PAHs含量约为185.6μg.kg-1,低于国内外一些水域沉积物中PAHs污染浓度.     

珠江水体表层沉积物中PAHs的含量与来源研究

沿珠江白鹅潭水域及大学城官州河流域设立6个采样点,利用沉积物捕获器收集沉积物。参照美国EPA8000系列方法及质量保证和质量控制,对各采样点表层沉积物中16种多环芳烃（polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs）进行分析,以阐明珠江广州河段表层沉积物中PAHs的含量和分布特征,并结合特征化合物指数对其来源作初步探讨。珠江广州河段表层沉积物中PAHs总量介于4 787.5～8 665 ng·g^-1,平均值为7 078 ng·g^-1,黄沙码头河涌出口沉积物中总量为最高（8 665 ng·g^-1）,芳村码头为最低（4 787.5 ng·g^-1）。16种多环芳烃中菲、荧蒽、芘含量较高,分别占PAHs总量的16.11%、14.47%和17.77%。特征化合物荧蒽/202比值均小于0.5,茚并[1,2,3-cd]芘/276比值均大于0.2,表明珠江广州段表层沉积物中PAHs主要来源于化石燃料的不完全燃烧。     

基于统计方法的辽东湾沉积物中多环芳烃来源特征分析

为研究辽东湾表层沉积物中多环芳烃(PAHs)的来源特征,2014年5月采集了20个辽东湾海域表层沉积物样品,并利用气相色谱质谱联用仪对优先控制的16种PAHs进行测定,采用聚类分析、主成分分析-多元线性回归分析、异构体比值3种统计方法对辽东湾表层沉积物中PAHs来源特征进行了研究。结果表明,辽东湾表层沉积物中PAHs含量范围88.5~199.3 ng·g-1,平均值为(126.3±35.3)ng·g-1,其中,萘、菲和荧蒽是PAHs优势组分。通过统计分析结果表明,辽东湾北部表层沉积物中PAHs含量低于西南部,沉积物中PAHs的来源包括石油燃烧来源、煤炭、木材等生物质燃烧来源和石油来源,其中燃烧来源是主要来源,煤炭、木材等生物质燃烧来源占49.9%,石油燃烧来源和石油来源占50.1%。     

香港内后海湾拉姆萨尔湿地表层沉积物中多环芳烃(PAHs)的分布及来源解析

对香港内后海湾拉姆萨尔湿地红树林表层沉积物中多环芳烃的分布特征进行了研究.依照采样区周边环境特征布设4个区域(SZ、SP、MF和M分别代表深圳河、山贝河、泥滩和红树林区),4个区域表层沉积物中15种美国环保局优先控制的多环芳烃浓度总量介于161.7—386.3 ng.g-1.平均值为210.2 ng.g-1,红树林区域沉积物中总量最高(386.3 ng.g-1),而泥滩内部区域沉积物中总量最低(161.7 ng.g-1).对比其时空分布,表明这些化合物主要来自于深圳河和香港的山贝河,但其含量还不会对研究区的生态构成威胁.     

长江河口沉积物柱状样中多环芳烃沉积记录分析

多环芳烃(PAHs)是一类分布广泛的环境污染物,在环境中具有潜在的危害性,可通过多种途径进入河口及岸带环境中,而绝大多数输入海岸带及河口中的PAHs主要与人类活动有关.通过监测水体、沉积物中PAHs含量,可以了解近期该水域PAHs污染情况,而沉积物柱样中PAHs的分布特征可以追溯该区域PAHs的污染历史.本研究旨在通过长江口柱状沉积物中PAHs的浓度、分布特征及组成,了解长江口PAHs的污染现状及污染历史,认识其对长江口环境的危害程度,同时运用PAHs系列化合物的一些参数和指标来探讨不同污染源的影响.     

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     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.