四种重金属离子对河川沙塘鳢早期发育的毒性影响

以早期发育阶段河川沙塘鳢(包括胚胎和初孵仔鱼)为研究材料,研究Hg2+、Cr6+、Zn2+和Cu2+4种重金属离子对其的毒性影响.结果表明,4种重金属离子对河川沙塘鳢早期发育死亡率和孵化率影响大小依次为Hg2+ ＞Cu2+＞Zn2+ ＞Cr6+,沙塘鳢在神经胚期和出膜仔鱼期的死亡率较高,且在重金属离子处理初期,大多数低...     

氯化三丁基锡(TBTCl)对罗非鱼精巢细胞凋亡的影响

以雄性奥利亚罗非鱼为试验材料,分别以0、1、3、5和10μg·L-1氯化三丁基锡(TBTCl)通过接触染毒的方式,研究TBTCl对鱼类精巢细胞凋亡的影响.细胞凋亡分析结果表明,在同一染毒时间下,除染毒时间为24和48h,染毒浓度为1μg·L-1处理组与对照组之间细胞凋亡率差异不显著(P>0.05)以外,其余情况下各处理组与对照组之间差异均显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).各相邻2个浓度处理组之间,3μg·L-1处理组和5μg·L-1处理组之间细胞凋亡率差异均不显著(P>0.05),其余各组之间差异均显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).随着TBTCl浓度的升高,罗非鱼精巢细胞凋亡率逐渐升高,剂量-效应关系显著.精巢细胞Ca2+-ATP酶活性测定结果表明,在同一染毒时间下,除在染毒时间为24和96 h时,染毒浓度为1μg·L-1处理组与对照组之间差异不显著(P>0.05)以外,其余情况下各处理组与对照组之间差异均显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).在同一染毒时间下,各处理组之间,除染毒时间为24 h时,染毒浓度1μg·L-1处理组和3 μg·L-1处理组之间差异不显著(P>0.05)以外,其余情况下各处理组之间差异显著(P<0.01);随着染毒浓度的升高,Ca2+-ATP酶活性逐渐升高,并且剂量一效应关系显著(P<0.05或P<0.01).奥利亚罗非鱼精巢细胞凋亡率与精巢Ca2+-ATP酶活性间具有一定的协同关系.     

环境浓度氧四环素与聚苯乙烯微塑料对黄颡鱼幼鱼肠道的联合毒性效应

近年来,氧四环素(oxytetracycline, OTC)和聚苯乙烯微塑料(polystyrene microplastics, PS-MPs)在水环境中被广泛检出。为了探究PS-MPs与OTC对鱼类的联合毒性效应,选取黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)幼鱼为研究对象,将其暴露于CON(对照)组、环境浓度OTC(500 ng·L^-1)单独组、MPs-L(100 μg·L^-1PS-MPs)单独组、MPs-L+OTC(100 μg·L^-1PS-MPs+500 ng·L^-1OTC)复合组、MPs-H(1 000 μg·L^-1PS-MPs)单独组和MPs-H+OTC(1 000 μg·L^-1PS-MPs+500 ng·L^-1OTC)复合组中28 d,研究了OTC和PS-MPs单独以及联合暴露对幼鱼生长、肠道结构和肠道菌群的影响。研究结果表明,与对照组相比,OTC单独暴露和MPs-L单独暴露对黄颡鱼幼鱼体长、体质量及体质...     

毒死蜱(CPF)对克氏原螯虾的急性毒性及组织病理观察

采用静水生物测试法研究毒死蜱(CPF)对克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)的急性毒性效应及克氏原螯虾的组织病变情况并进行安全评价。设定0、2、10、20、40和80μg·L-1 6个CPF浓度梯度进行急性暴露试验,结果表明,CPF浓度升高对克氏原螯虾产生较大毒性,24、48和96 h半致死浓度〔ρ(LC50)〕分别为(28.24±2.81)、(19.50±2.03)和(13.13±1.70)μg·L-1,ρ(LC50)随着暴露时间延长呈显著下降趋势,符合双曲线衰减模型(r=0.999 9,P<0.000 1),安全浓度为(2.79±0.31)μg·L-1。组织病理观察发现,染毒虾心脏上皮细胞增生,心肌肌束间充满血淋巴细胞;神经细胞肿大,尼氏体溶解消失,细胞由多极形状变为圆形,神经纤维坏死并解体;肝胰腺小管收缩并充血,空泡增加;鳃组织空泡化,表面出现黑色素沉积,被多量血淋巴细胞浸润;肌肉纤维萎缩并溶解。     

赣江流域水体中可溶态镉的时空分布特征及水质评价

为了解赣江流域水体中镉的分布特征,在赣江流域的重点河段采集44个水样(丰水期和枯水期各22个),采用氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定水体中可溶态镉浓度。结果表明,赣江水体ρ(可溶态镉)〔(0.112±0.111)μg·L-1〕较低,丰水期水体ρ(可溶态镉)〔(0.095±0.116)μg·L-1〕显著低于枯水期〔(0.128±0.160)μg·L-1〕(P0.05)。干流水体ρ(可溶态镉)〔(0.116±0.038)μg·L-1〕略低于支流〔(0.121±0.102)μg·L-1〕,且从上游到下游呈逐步下降趋势。从水体可溶态镉浓度的空间分布来看,赣州城区至峡江县城之间应该是赣江流域水体镉污染的重点监控区域。     

2,4'-DDT对斑马鱼生长、繁殖力及卵黄蛋白原的影响

以斑马鱼体内卵黄蛋白原(Vtg)作为雌激素污染物的生物标志物,比较研究了不同浓度2,4'- DDT对成年斑马鱼生长、发育、繁殖以及体内Vtg含量的影响.结果表明,当水环境中ρ(2,4'- DDT)为2和10 μg·L-1时,斑马鱼产卵量和受精率与空白和溶剂对照组相比均显著下降(P＜0.05).当水环境中p(2,4'- DDT)为0.2、2和10μg·L-1时,斑马鱼肝脏指数与空白和溶剂对照组相比显著升高(P＜0.05);10 μg·L-12,4'- DDT处理组雄性斑马鱼体内Vtg含量显著高于空白和溶剂对照组(P＜0.05),而0.2、2和10 μg·L-1 2,4'-DDT处理组雌性斑马鱼体内Vtg含量均显著高于空白和溶剂对照组(P＜0.05),且随暴露浓度的增加而增大.SDS - PAGE检测及免疫印迹分析均显示雄鱼血液内出现Vtg特异条带,表明2,4'- DDT对斑马鱼具有雌激素效应.     

2种植物秸秆浸提液对水绵生长的抑制作用

研究了不同质量浓度(4、8、12、16和20 mg·L-1)水稻(Oryza sativa)和再力花(Thalia dealbata)秸秆水浸提液对水绵(Spirogyra sp.)生长的抑制作用。结果显示,试验96 h后各处理组浸提液对水绵的生长均有抑制作用,随着浸提液浓度的增大,水绵细胞叶绿素a含量逐渐降低,显示出明显的剂量-效应关系。再力花ρ(96 h,EC50)为6.85 mg·L-1,水稻ρ(96 h,EC50)为11.27 mg·L-1,表明再力花秸秆浸提液对水绵的毒性强于水稻。水绵细胞中MDA累积含量与水稻浸提液浓度之间呈显著正相关(P0.01,r=0.977),与再力花浸提液浓度之间亦呈显著正相关(P0.01,r=0.964)。各浓度再力花浸提液处理组水绵细胞中MDA累积含量均高于水稻处理组。当ρ(浸提液)为20 mg·L-1时,再力花处理组MDA累积含量最高,达1.884μmol·g-1,比相同浓度水稻浸提液处理组MDA累积含量高105.20%;电解质外渗率也呈现基本相同的变化趋势,即除ρ(浸提液)为0和4 mg·L-1以外,其他4个再力花浸提液浓度组水绵电解质外渗率均高于相应浓度水稻浸提液组。水绵的PSⅡ最大光能转换效率(F v/F m)、PSⅡ实际光能转化效率(ΦPSⅡ)和最大电子传递效率(ηe,t,max)的变化与浸提液浓度之间均呈负相关关系。将ρ(浸提液)为20 mg·L-1时与0 mg·L-1时相比,水稻处理组水绵F v/F m下降96.58%,再力花处理组下降82.24%;水稻处理组水绵ΦPSⅡ下降96.74%,再力花处理组下降96.17%;水稻处理组水绵ηe,t,max下降84.56%,再力花处理组下降43.40%。上述结果表明这2种植物秸秆浸提液对控制水绵的生长具有一定的潜在价值。     

氟虫腈对意大利蜜蜂工蜂幼虫及幼龄工蜂的亚致死效应

蜜蜂是重要的授粉昆虫,亦是重要的环境污染指示生物.氟虫腈对蜜蜂剧毒,Pesticide Properties Data Base (PPDB)数据库中登记的其对蜜蜂的急性经口及接触半数致死剂量(LD50)分别为0.00417 μg·蜂-1和0.00597 μg·蜂-1,正因为对非靶标生物的毒性较高,其使用也受到了限制,目前仅用于卫生害虫防治和一些旱田作物的土壤处理等.尽管有关氟虫腈对蜜蜂的危害已有一些报道,但有关其对蜜蜂幼虫和幼龄工蜂的亚致死作用研究仍较为缺乏,鉴于此,本文以意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera L.)的工蜂幼虫和新出房工蜂(＜24 h)为研究对象,采用人工饲喂重复染毒法,分别测定了10-3、10-2、0.1、1和10 μg·L-1的氟虫腈对工蜂幼虫的21d慢性毒性和1、5和10 μg·L-1的氟虫腈对新出房工蜂7d和14d的慢性毒性.结果 表明,与对照相比,10-3～ 10 μg·L-1范围内的氟虫腈可以使幼虫化蛹率显著降低20.83％ ～ 47.91％ (P＜0.05),羽化率显著降低25.00％ ～ 43.72％(P＜0.05);对于幼龄工蜂,1μg·L-1和5 μg·L-1氟虫腈暴露7d和14d时蜜蜂死亡率均＜10％;10 μg ·L-1氟虫腈暴露7d时,死亡率＜20％,当暴露时间延长至14 d时,成蜂死亡率高达(65.0± 17.7)％ (P＜0.0001),显著高于对照组,这说明氟虫腈对蜜蜂具有一定的时间累积毒性(time reinforced toxicity,TRT).此外,通过对蜜蜂幼虫和工蜂体内抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT))、解毒酶谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)酶活力及谷胱甘肽(GSH)、脂质过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)含量的测定结果表明,氟虫腈暴露可显著提高幼虫体内CAT的酶活力和MDA含量(P＜0.05),但GST的酶活力显著降低(P＜0.01);而成蜂在经过处理后,体内CAT和GST的酶活力、GSH的含量均会显著降低(P＜0.05),这说明亚致死剂量的氟虫腈可干扰蜜蜂机体稳态,引发蜜蜂幼虫和成蜂显著的氧化损伤,从而危害蜜蜂健康.氟虫腈具有较强的内吸特性和环境稳定性,作物种子处理或卫生施用依然可能导致其在花粉、土壤和水体中的痕量级残留,本研究中发现氟虫腈对蜜蜂幼虫和成蜂生存及各生理指标的最低可观察效应浓度(LOEC)可低至10-5 μg·L-1和10 μg·L-1,相关结果可以补充低残留浓度下氟虫腈蜜蜂风险评价数据的不足,为未来氟虫腈的安全用药指导提供参考.     

急性铜胁迫对海陆蛙蝌蚪抗氧化效应及金属解毒能力的影响

海陆蛙(Fejervarya cancrivora)是红树林半咸水生境中唯一的两栖动物,为了解铜离子(Cu2+)对该蝌蚪的毒性效应,测定了Cu2+对海陆蛙蝌蚪(38-39期)96 h内半数致死浓度LC50;在此基础上,模拟其野外生存环境,分别设计3个铜暴露组(Cu SO4含量分别为80、160、300μg L-1)和对照组,检测海陆蛙蝌蚪在Cu2+暴露24 h、48 h、72 h、96 h后抗氧化能力、乙酰胆碱酯酶(ACh E)活性及金属硫蛋白(MT)表达量的变化。结果显示,海陆蛙蝌蚪对Cu2+24 h、48 h、72 h、96 h LC50分别为5.69、3.37、1.34、0.95 mg L-1。在急性胁迫试验中,各暴露组蝌蚪体内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、ACh E活性以及MT表达均被抑制,在同一暴露时间下,处理组SOD、ACh E活性和MT含量显著低于对照组;而在Cu2+胁迫下,蝌蚪体内脂质过氧化反应加剧,表现为丙二醛(MDA)含量显著增多,且染毒浓度越大、暴露时间越长,MDA含量越多。除ACh E外,其他指标组染毒时间与浓度间具有显著的互作效应。本研究表明海陆蛙可作为红树林生境质量评价的指示物种,其中SOD、ACh E活性及MDA含量可作为重金属Cu2+毒性效应评估较敏感的评价指标。     

2种杀虫剂对日本沼虾的急性毒性

研究了毒死蜱和硫丹对日本沼虾(Macrobrachium nipponense)的毒性作用.根据预试验确定2种杀虫剂对日本沼虾的急性毒性试验浓度,测定沼虾24和48 h的半致死浓度p(LC50),在0～48 h的ρ(LC50)值范围内设定6个浓度梯度,对日本沼虾进行24 h胁迫试验以测定耗氧量和排氨量.毒死蜱和硫丹对日本沼虾的24和48 hρ(LC50)分别为5.03、2.01和8.47、4.02 μg·L-1,其安全质量浓度分别为0.096和0.272 μg·L-1,表明日本沼虾对毒死蜱的敏感性明显高于硫丹.随着2种杀虫剂浓度的逐渐升高,日本沼虾的耗氧量和排氨量均呈现下降趋势,表明日本沼虾采用相同的适应方式来抵御2种杀虫剂对其基础代谢的胁迫,表现为被动的忍耐.     

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.