CdTe/ZnSQDs在小鼠肾脏中的药代动力学特征

为了解Cd Te/Zn SQDs(Cd Te/Zn S量子点)在小鼠肾脏中的药代动力学特征,选择雄性ICR(Institute of Cancer Research)小鼠为动物模型,每只单次尾静脉注射5 nmol的Cd Te/Zn SQDs(粒径约为6 nm,最大发射波长590 nm)。在尾静脉注射Cd Te/Zn SQDs 15 min、1 h、6 h、24 h、72 h、168 h、2 w、4 w和6 w时剖取小鼠的肾脏,消化后使用电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)检测其中的Cd(镉)和Te(碲)含量,Cd和Te在小鼠肾脏中浓度随时间的变化均呈现先增加后降低的趋势,Cd和Te含量分别在168 h和72 h时达到峰值(60.42±8.85)ng·g~(-1)和(18.69±0.97)ng·g~(-1),之后逐渐下降,将二者的含量以摩尔比表示,随着给药时间的延长,摩尔(Cd):摩尔(Te)由2.71:1逐渐变成1.39:1。利用3P87计算Cd和Te在肾脏中的药代动力学参数,结果发现Cd和Te在肾脏中的Vd(表观分布体积)分别为(823.14±82.76)g·kg~(-1)和(686.28±53.13)g·kg~(-1)(P0.05);AUC(药物浓度-时间曲线下面积)分别为(24.48±2.52)μg·g~(-1)·h和(7.41±0.60)μg·g~(-1)·h(P0.01);CL(清除率)分别为(0.90±0.11)g·kg~(-1)·h~(-1)和(1.02±0.13)g·kg~(-1)·h~(-1)(P0.05);t1/2(半衰期)分别为(617.02±8.57)h和(458.21±1.85)h(P0.01)。研究提示Cd和Te在肾脏含量的摩尔比随时间变化不同,QDs在体内发生了化学降解;二者的药代动力学参数不同,Cd在肾脏中的代谢速度明显慢于Te,游离的Cd2+可能引起肾脏毒性。     

碲化镉量子点Cd~(2+)释放对小鼠肝、肾组织毒作用的研究

探讨碲化镉量子点(cadmium telluride quantum dots,Cd Te QDs)Cd2+释放与其体内毒性之间的关系。将24只雄性ICR小鼠(24.7~26.8g)随机分为4组,每组6只,分别为0 nmol组(对照组)、5 nmol染毒组、50 nmol染毒组和500 nmol染毒组(以Cd2+的摩尔浓度计算)。采用尾静脉注射方式进行染毒,染毒组注射0.15 ml不同浓度的Cd Te QDs溶液,对照组注射同等体积的生理盐水。染毒24h后小鼠脱臼处死,计算脏器系数,进行血常规和血清生化指标分析以及肝、肾组织的病理组织学检查。选取金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)作为生物体内游离Cd2+水平的生物标志物,通过酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)和免疫组织化学技术检测小鼠肝、肾组织中的MT水平。结果表明,各染毒组小鼠肝、肾脏器系数与对照组相比,差异无统计学意义(P0.05),尿素氮水平与对照组相比显著降低(P0.01)。随着染毒剂量增加,小鼠肝、肾组织病理改变逐渐加重,肝细胞可见不同程度的水性样变和肿胀;肾小管管腔水肿、肾上皮细胞水样变性,以及远曲小管水肿。染毒组小鼠肝、肾组织中MT的含量与对照组相比明显升高(P0.05),且随着染毒剂量增加MT表达增强。研究结果提示,Cd Te QDs对小鼠肝、肾组织具有一定的毒作用,其毒作用大小与Cd Te QDs降解释放的游离Cd2+含量呈正相关。     

增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯致小鼠肺细胞氧化损伤作用的研究

为研究增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯(diisononyl phthalate,DINP)对小鼠肺组织的氧化损伤作用,以昆明小鼠为受试动物,随机分为5组,包括1个阴性对照组(生理盐水)和4个DINP染毒组(0.2、2、20和200 mg·kg~(-1)),灌胃14 d。光镜下发现小鼠肺组织形态随染毒剂量的增加,小鼠肺细胞的病理损伤越严重。随着DINP染毒剂量的增加,肺组织匀浆活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)、丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量和肺组织细胞DNA-蛋白质交联(DNA-protein crosslink,DPC)系数逐渐上升,还原型谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)含量逐渐降低,各指标呈一定的剂量-效应关系。染毒剂量为20 mg·kg~(-1)时,ROS和MDA含量差异有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01);染毒剂量为200 mg·kg~(-1)时,上述指标差异均有统计学意义(P0.01)。结果表明,较高剂量(≥20 mg·kg~(-1))的DINP能造成小鼠肺组织的氧化损伤和病理损伤。     

增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异癸酯致小鼠肺组织氧化损伤作用

探究邻苯二甲酸二异癸酯(diisodecyl phthalate,DIDP)对小鼠肺组织的氧化损伤。以BALB/c小鼠为受试动物,随机分为7组,包括1个阴性对照组(生理盐水)、4个DIDP染毒组(0.15,1.5,15,150 mg·kg~(-1))、1个维生素E(100 mg·kg~(-1))组和1个高剂量DIDP(150 mg·kg~(-1))加维生素E(100 mg·kg~(-1))组,灌胃染毒14 d。处死小鼠,制备肺组织匀浆样品,以化学荧光法检测活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)含量,以分光光度试剂盒法检测还原型谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)的含量、以硫代巴比妥酸(TBA)法检测丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)的含量、以酶联免疫吸附(EILSA)试剂盒法检测8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine,8-OHdG)的含量,同时观察肺组织的病理变化与荧光染色结果。随着DIDP染毒剂量的升高,肺组织的ROS、MDA、8-OHdG含量逐渐上升,GSH含量逐渐降低,各指标呈一定的剂量-效应关系。染毒剂量为15 mg·kg~(-1)时,ROS、GSH、8-OHdG含量差异有统计学意义(P 0.05,P 0.01);染毒剂量为150 mg·kg~(-1)时,上述指标差异均有统计学意义(P 0.05,P 0.01)。小鼠肺组织HE染色和荧光染色观察结果表明,随着DIDP染毒剂量的增加,小鼠肺细胞的病理损伤越严重。与150 mg·kg~(-1)DIDP剂量组比较,150 mg·kg~(-1)DIDP+维生素E组的ROS、MDA和8-OHdG含量均有下降,GSH含量上升(P 0.05,P 0.01);小鼠肺组织病理损伤减轻。以上结果说明,较高剂量(≥15 mg·kg~(-1))的DIDP能造成小鼠肺组织的氧化损伤,维生素E对其损伤有拮抗作用。     

硫化镉量子点对人胚肝细胞L-02的毒性研究(Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dots Induce Cytotoxicity in Human Embryo Liver Cells)

采用乳化液膜法自组合成硫化镉量子点(CdS quantum dots,CdS QDs),探讨CdS QDs的体外毒性作用及可能的作用机制.选用人胚肝细胞(L-02)作为细胞模型,采用不同浓度的CdS QDs(0.00、1.25、2.50、5.00、10.00、20.00、40.00μg·mL-1)对L-02细胞进行染毒.24h后,检测细胞内乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)释放量、谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力,并比较加入抗氧化剂N-乙酞半胱氨酸(NAC)后细胞存活率的变化,同时测定了细胞内外的镉离子浓度.结果表明,与空白对照组相比,CdS QDs单独染毒组细胞存活率显著降低(p<0.05或p<0.01);加入抗氧化剂NAC后,10.00、20.00、40.00μg·mL-1染毒组细胞存活率与单独染毒组相比显著上升(p<0.01).CdS QDs浓度为5.00μg·mL-1时,细胞内Cd2+的浓度略高于细胞外Cd2+的浓度,在其他浓度下,细胞外Cd2+的浓度均显著高于细胞内Cd2+的浓度.当作用浓度上升至10.00μg·mL-1时,人胚肝细胞内LDH含量显著增加,且随着作用剂量的升高,LDH含量逐渐增加.与空白对照组相比,40.00μg·mL-1CdS QDs染毒组SOD活力和20.00μg·mL-1CdS QDs染毒组GSH含量均显著降低(p<0.05).Cd2+易透过L-02细胞的细胞膜而进入细胞内,从而造成细胞损伤.氧化损伤可能是CdSQDs对L-02细胞毒性作用的机制之一.     

基于PBPK模型的大鼠体内镉分布的比较:联合暴露及单独暴露

环境中同时存在着多种重金属元素,联合暴露与单独暴露时,重金属在体内的蓄积分布情况也可能有所差异。为探究重金属元素(汞、铬、砷、铅)对镉(Cd)在体内分布的影响,建立了大鼠在Cd暴露下的药代动力学(PBPK)模型,并进行了包括Cd在内5种重金属的联合毒性实验,比较了Cd单独给药与重金属混合物给药2种方式下大鼠肝脏、肾脏中的Cd浓度水平。结果表明,联合暴露高(Hg Cl23.67 mg·kg~(-1),NaAsO_2 3.67 mg·kg~(-1),CdCl_2 10.55 mg·kg~(-1),K_2Cr_2O_7 6.40 mg·kg~(-1),Pb(OOCCH_3)_2·3H_2O 133.33 mg·kg~(-1))、中(HgCl_20.367 mg·kg~(-1),NaAsO_2 0.367 mg·kg~(-1),CdCl_2 1.055 mg·kg~(-1),K2Cr2O70.640 mg·kg~(-1),Pb(OOCCH_3)_2·3H_2O 13.333 mg·kg~(-1))、低(HgCl_2 0.0367 mg·kg~(-1),Na As O20.0367 mg·kg~(-1),Cd Cl20.1055 mg·kg~(-1),K_2Cr_2O_7 0.0640 mg·kg~(-1),Pb(OOCCH3)2·3H2O 1.3333 mg·kg~(-1))剂量组大鼠肝脏中Cd浓度分别为13.37、0.78和0.06μg·g~(-1);肾脏中Cd浓度分别为14.41、1.64和0.15μg·g~(-1)。与对照组相比,暴露组中Cd浓度有显著升高,且不同剂量组之间均有显著性差异。同剂量Cd单独暴露的PBPK模拟结果显示,肝脏及肾脏中的Cd浓度水平落在联合毒性实验结果的浓度范围内,初步推断其他4种重金属的联合暴露并没有影响Cd在大鼠肾脏和肝脏中的浓度分布。     

增塑剂DIDP对肝脏氧化应激损伤及VitE拮抗作用研究

研究增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异癸酯(didecyl phthalate, DIDP)致雄性小鼠肝损伤作用及其机理。以雄性BALB/c小鼠为受试动物,随机分为7组,包括溶剂对照组(生理盐水)、4个DIDP染毒组(0.15、1.5、15和150 mg·kg~(-1))、维生素E(vitamin E, VitE)(100 mg·kg~(-1))处理组和DIDP+维生素E处理组(150 mg·kg~(-1)DIDP+100 mg·kg~(-1)VitE),连续灌胃14 d。以肝组织匀浆测定活性氧(reactive oxygen species, ROS)、还原型谷胱甘肽(glutathione, GSH)、丙二醛(malondialdehyde, MDA)和细胞凋亡因子半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶3(cysteine aspartic proteinase 3, Caspase-3)水平。采用动物自动生化分析仪检测肝功能指标血清中丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase, ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(aspartate aminotransferase, AST)、白蛋白(albumin, ALB)水平,并同时观察肝组织的病理变化与荧光染色结果。随着DIDP染毒剂量的增加,小鼠肝组织ROS、MDA和Caspase-3含量逐渐上升,血清ALT和AST水平也逐渐上升,GSH含量逐渐降低,血清ALB水平也逐渐降低,差异具有统计学意义(P 0.05,P 0.01); VitE处理组ROS、MDA和Caspase-3含量相应降低,血清ALT和AST水平也相应降低,GSH含量逐渐上升,血清ALB水平也相应上升。小鼠肝组织形态观察结果表明,随着DIDP染毒剂量的增加,小鼠肝组织的病理损伤程度呈上升趋势。研究表明,较高剂量(≥15 mg·kg~(-1))的DIDP能造成小鼠的肝脏损伤与细胞凋亡,抗氧化剂VitE可使肝脏损伤与细胞凋亡减轻,对小鼠肝组织起保护作用,说明氧化应激介导了DIDP对机体的损伤。     

有机磷及氨基甲酸酯类农药单独和联合作用对PC_(12)细胞DNA损伤的影响

研究有机磷类农药毒死蜱和对硫磷、氨基甲酸酯类农药克百威和残杀威单独及联合染毒大鼠嗜铬细胞瘤株(PC12细胞)所致的DNA损伤情况及联合作用模式。分别以0μmol·L~(-1)、50μmol·L~(-1)、100μmol·L~(-1)、200μmol·L~(-1)、400μmol·L~(-1)的有机磷农药毒死蜱、对硫磷与0μmol·L~(-1)、25μmol·L~(-1)、50μmol·L~(-1)、100μmol·L~(-1)、200μmol·L~(-1)的氨基甲酸酯类农药克百威、残杀威单独及两两联合染毒PC12细胞12 h后进行彗星实验,采用彗尾长度、尾部DNA百分含量、尾矩3个指标来衡量DNA损伤程度。结果表明:毒死蜱、克百威、对硫磷、残杀威染毒PC12细胞12 h后,细胞出现拖尾,呈现典型的彗星图像。染毒后PC12细胞彗尾长度、尾部DNA百分含量、尾矩较对照组显著增加,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。析因分析表明,无论低剂量联合还是高剂量联合,毒死蜱与克百威、对硫磷与残杀威均有交互作用(P0.01),作用模式为协同作用。以上结果提示,有机磷及氨基甲酸酯类农药单独及联合作用均可引起PC12细胞DNA损伤,联合作用后损伤程度要高于单独作用,且低剂量和高剂量联合时均存在交互作用,作用模式为协同作用。     

硝酸辅助超声作用强化污泥中Cd和As的沥出

利用硝酸辅助超声强化污泥中Cd、As沥出实现污泥的农用.研究结果表明,在1.6 W·mL~(-1)超声30 min条件下,污泥中Cd的溶出率高达53.72%;在1.2 W·mL~(-1)超声30 min条件下,污泥中As的溶出率高达58.63%,污泥中镉和砷的含量由6.80 mg·kg~(-1)、91.13 mg·kg~(-1)分别降低至4.61 mg·kg~(-1)和54.66 mg·kg~(-1).在0.04 mol·L~(-1)硝酸辅助下,污泥中Cd和As的含量进一步降至4.25 mg·kg~(-1)和48.16 mg·kg~(-1),完全满足我国农用污泥中污染物控制标准要求(Cd≤5 mg·kg~(-1),As≤75 mg·kg~(-1)).硝酸辅助低频超声处理后,污泥中交换态、碳酸盐结合态、铁锰氧化物结合态镉和砷含量明显下降,有机物结合态和残渣态镉和砷含量显著升高.结果表明,硝酸辅助低频超声可以使污泥中镉和砷高效沥出,实现污泥安全农用.     

增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯对雄性小鼠生殖毒性的氧化损伤机制

研究增塑剂邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯(diisononyl phthalate,DINP)对雄性小鼠生殖毒性的氧化损伤机制,以昆明雄性小鼠为受试动物,随机分为7组,包括空白对照组(生理盐水),4个DINP暴露组(0.2、2、20和200 mg·kg~(-1))和褪黑素(melatonin,Mel)对照组50 mg·kg~(-1)、Mel处理组(200 mg·kg~(-1)DINP+50 mg·kg~(-1)Mel),灌胃14 d。以睾丸组织匀浆测定活性氧(ROS)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-OHdG)含量;以睾丸组织细胞测定DNA-蛋白交联(DPC)系数。随着DINP暴露剂量的增加,DINP暴露组睾丸组织ROS、8-OHdG含量和DPC系数逐渐上升,GSH含量逐渐降低,差异有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01); Mel处理组ROS、8-OHdG含量和DPC系数相应降低,GSH含量逐渐上升。雄性小鼠睾丸组织形态观察结果表明,随着DINP暴露剂量的增加,小鼠睾丸组织的病理损伤程度呈上升趋势。实验结果表明,较高剂量(≥20 mg·kg~(-1))的DINP能造成小鼠睾丸组织的病理损伤和氧化损伤,50 mg·kg~(-1)Mel的抗氧化能力可以有效对小鼠睾丸组织起保护作用,使组织损伤减轻,即生殖毒性减弱。     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

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

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

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

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

Parasitic wasps orient to green leaf volatiles

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

Potential for Electropositive Metal to Reduce the Interactions of Atlantic Sturgeon with Fishing Gear

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus) populations have been declared either endangered or threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Effective measures to repel sturgeon from fishing gear would be beneficial to both fish and fishers because they could reduce both fishery‐associated mortality and the need for seasonal and area closures of specific fisheries. Some chondrostean fishes (e.g., sturgeons and paddlefishes) can detect weak electric field gradients (possibly as low as 5 Μv/cm) due to arrays of electroreceptors (ampullae of Lorenzini) on their snout and gill covers. Weak electric fields, such as those produced by electropositive metals (typically mixtures of the lanthanide elements), could therefore potentially be used as a deterrent. To test this idea, we recorded the behavioral responses of juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (31–43 cm fork length) to electropositive metal (primarily a mixture of the lanthanide elements neodymium and praseodymium) both in the presence and absence of food stimuli. Trials were conducted in an approximately 2.5 m diameter × 0.3 m deep tank, and fish behaviors were recorded with an overhead digital video camera. Video records were subsequently digitized (x, y coordinate system), the distance between the fish and the electropositive metal calculated, and data summarized by compiling frequency distributions with 5‐cm bins. Juvenile sturgeon showed clear avoidance of electropositive metal but only when food was present. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the electropositive metals, or other sources of weak electric fields, may eventually be used to reduce the interactions of Atlantic sturgeon with fishing gear, but further investigation is needed. El Potencial del Metal Electropositivo para Reducir las Interacciones del Esturión Atlántico con Instrumentos de Pesca Bouyoucos, Bushnell & Brill 13–003     

The role of time and species identities in spatial patterns of species richness and conservation

Many conservation actions are justified on the basis of managing biodiversity. Biodiversity, in terms of species richness, is largely the product of rare species. This is problematic because the intensity of sampling needed to characterize communities and patterns of rarity or to justify the use of surrogates has biased sampling in favor of space over time. However, environmental fluctuations interacting with community dynamics lead to temporal variations in where and when species occur, potentially affecting conservation planning by generating uncertainty about results of species distribution modeling (including range determinations), selection of surrogates for biodiversity, and the proportion of biodiversity composed of rare species. To have confidence in the evidence base for conservation actions, one must consider whether temporal replication is necessary to produce broad inferences. Using approximately 20 years of macrofaunal data from tidal flats in 2 harbors, we explored variation in the identity of rare, common, restricted range, and widespread species over time and space. Over time, rare taxa were more likely to increase in abundance or occurrence than to remain rare or disappear and to exhibit temporal patterns in their occurrence. Space–time congruency in ranges (i.e., spatially widespread taxa were also temporally widespread) was observed only where samples were collected across an environmental gradient. Fifteen percent of the taxa in both harbors changed over time from having spatially restricted ranges to having widespread ranges. Our findings suggest that rare species can provide stability against environmental change, because the majority of species were not random transients, but that selection of biodiversity surrogates requires temporal validation. Rarity needs to be considered both spatially and temporally, as species that occur randomly over time are likely to play a different role in ecosystem functioning than those exhibiting temporal structure (e.g., seasonality). Moreover, temporal structure offers the opportunity to place management and conservation activities within windows of maximum opportunity.     

Main nutrient compounds in food bodies of Mexican <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia</Emphasis> ant-plants

Summary. Myrmecophytic plants use obligate ant mutualists as a constitutive indirect defence mechanism. These plants often produce cellular food bodies (FBs) to nourish their resident ants. Lipids, proteins, and even highly specialised compounds such as glycogen have been reported from FBs, but detailed chemical analyses of FB composition have so far been presented only for Southeast Asian Macaranga and Central American Piper myrmecophytes. Here we report the chemical composition of FBs of five myrmecophytic Acacia (Fabaceae) species from Mexico using HPLC (carbohydrates and proteins) and GC-MS (lipids). Feeding experiments revealed no hints on any use of external food sources by the inhabiting Pseudomyrmex ants. These ants obviously rely completely on FBs and extrafloral nectar provided by their hosts. The total content of nutrients in Acacia FBs was 15-25% of FB dry mass, being much lower than in Macaranga or Piper FBs. Proteins were dominating (8-14 % dm) in Acacia FBs and thus were present in higher amounts than in Macaranga FBs, yet in lower amounts than in Piper. Lipids contributed 1-9 % of dry mass, showing a lower proportion than in FBs of Macaranga or Piper. Carbohydrates made up 3-11 % dm, reaching in most Acacia species the same range as observed in Macaranga and in Piper FBs. Water content was 18-24 % of FB fresh mass, and structural tissue obviously made up a much higher proportion in Acacia FBs than in Macaranga or Piper FBs. Both characters might represent an adaptation to producing FBs unprotected at the leaf tips under dry conditions. Acacia FBs contain all amino acids and all fatty acids that are considered essential for insects, and their contents of lipids and proteins are higher than in the leaves from which they are ontogenetically derived. This indicates a putatively adaptive enrichment of nutritionally valuable compounds in structures functioning as ant-food.     

Examining the uncertain origin and management role of martens on Prince of Wales Island,Alaska

Conservation biologists are generally united in efforts to curtail the spread of non‐native species globally. However, the colonization history of a species is not always certain, and whether a species is considered non‐native or native depends on the conservation benchmark. Such ambiguities have led to inconsistent management. Within the Tongass National Forest of Alaska, the status of American marten (Martes americana) on the largest, most biologically diverse and deforested island, Prince of Wales (POW), is unclear. Ten martens were released to POW in the early 1930s, and it was generally believed to be the founding event, although this has been questioned. The uncertainty surrounding when and how martens colonized POW complicates management, especially because martens were selected as a design species for the Tongass. To explore the history of martens of POW we reviewed other plausible routes of colonization; genetically and isotopically analyzed putative marten fossils deposited in the late Pleistocene and early Holocene to verify marten occupancy of POW; and used contemporary genetic data from martens on POW and the mainland in coalescent simulations to identify the probable source of the present‐day marten population on POW. We found evidence for multiple routes of colonization by forest‐associated mammals beginning in the Holocene, which were likely used by American martens to naturally colonize POW. Although we cannot rule out human‐assisted movement of martens by Alaskan Natives or fur trappers, we suggest that martens be managed for persistence on POW. More generally, our findings illustrate the difficulty of labeling species as non‐native or native, even when genetic and paleo‐ecological data are available, and support the notion that community resilience or species invasiveness should be prioritized when making management decisions rather than more subjective and less certain conservation benchmarks.