苯系化合物好氧生物降解性研究

选用城市污水处理场的活性污泥做菌源，研究了苯、甲苯、邻－间－、对－二甲苯、乙基苯、三甲苯等七种芳香化合物的好氧生物降解规律。实验结果表明，七种化合物浓度在１０ｍｇ／ｌ左右时，在实验周期内能全部降解；浓度在４０－１８０ｍｇ／ｌ时，有的化合物不能被降解。七种化合物降解的难易程度为：甲苯＞间二甲苯＞苯＞对二甲苯＞乙基苯＞三甲苯＞邻二甲苯。此外，实验结果还表明，化合物的降解性受苯环上取代基数量及位置等因素     

对苯二甲酸厌氧生物降解性研究

采用半连续实验方法在中温条件下研究对苯二甲酸(Terephthalic Acid,简称TPA)的厌氧生物降解性。在一定的COD负荷下,研究不同TPA负荷对厌氧消化的影响,结果表明,TPA可厌氧降解的浓度比较低,在500mg/l以下;高浓度的TPA不能被厌氧降解而在反应器中累积起来,并对厌氧系统产生一定抑制作用,这种抑制作用和程度与TPA污泥负荷及体系中TPA累积浓度有关。     

取代苯甲酸在江水中的生物降解性及QSBR研究

以松花江水作为微生物源，采用摇瓶法研究了取代苯甲酸的生物降解动力学。高效液相色谱测定了取代苯甲酸浓度随时间变化曲线，得到一级生物降解动力学常数K和降解半衰期t1/2。取代基对降解速度的影响依次为：硝基＞氯代＞氨基；对于同一种取代基，邻位＞对位≈间位。逐步回归分析表明，表征位阻效应的参数MW与表征电性效应的参数pKa相结合，能够较好地拟合取代苯甲酸的生物降解速率常数。同时考察了pH变化对苯甲酸生物降解的影响。     

美国环保署撤销针对4种物质的重要新用途规则

<正>2014年4月16日美国环保署(EPA)撤销了其在2月份基于快速直接最终法规制定程序颁布的35项重要新用途规则中的4项。这4项重要新用途规则涵盖下列物质:MDI改性聚亚烷基乙二醇;丙烯酸酯聚合物与聚异氰酸酯的反应产物;1,3-苯二甲酸与1,4-苯二甲酸、1,4-二甲基1,4-苯二甲酸酯、2,2-二甲基-1,3-丙二醇、十二烷二酸、1,2-乙二醇、己二酸、1,6-己二醇、烷二醇酯的聚合物;芳香族异氰酸酯;以及亚甲基二异氰酸酯与聚丙二醇和二醇类物质的聚合物。     

2-氯苯甲酸好氧降解菌的降解特性

分离出 2株以 2 -氯苯甲酸为唯一碳源的细菌W1和W2 ,这 2株菌对 2 -氯苯甲酸的降解均表现为一级动力学反应。W1降解酶系为诱导酶 ,对 2 -氯苯甲酸的降解动力学常数为 -0 .1 34h- 1;W2降解酶系为非诱导酶 ,对 2 -氯苯甲酸的降解动力学常数为 -0 .0 388h- 1。W1还能够降解 4 -氯苯甲酸、苯、甲苯和邻苯二酚 ,但不能降解 3-氯苯甲酸、2 ,4 -二氯苯甲酸、乙苯、丙苯和萘。W1菌体质粒和染色体提取实验表明 ,其降解基因位于染色体上。     

6种硝基苯化合物对海洋生物的急性毒性研究（Study on the Acute Toxicity of Six Nitrobenzenes to Marine Organisms）

为研究硝基苯化合物对海洋生物的毒性,选择了6种代表性硝基苯化合物对小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)、黑鲷(Sparus macrocep)幼鱼和螠蛏(Siliqua minima)幼体进行了急性毒性实验,获得了这些化合物对这些生物体的急性毒性数据及环境安全浓度.实验结果表明:2,4-二硝基甲苯、2,4-二硝基氯苯、2,4-二氯硝基苯和邻二硝基苯对小球藻48h半数抑制浓度(EC50)分别为0.50、0.21、2.44和0.10mg·L-1,毒性顺序为邻二硝基苯(剧毒)>2,4-二硝基氯苯(剧毒)>2,4-二硝基甲苯(剧毒)>2,4-二氯硝基苯(高毒).2,4-二硝基氯苯、邻二硝基苯、2,4-二硝基甲苯、2,4-二氯硝基苯、对硝基苯胺和硝基苯对黑鲷幼鱼的96h半数致死浓度(LC50)分别为0.14、0.15、4.45、1.37、11.52和5.71mg·L-1,其安全浓度分别为:0.001、0.002、0.04、0.01、0.12、0.06mg·L-1,毒性顺序为2,4-二硝基氯苯(剧毒)>邻二硝基苯(剧毒)>2,4-二氯硝基苯(高毒)>2,4-二硝基甲苯(高毒)>硝基苯(高毒)>对硝基苯胺(中毒).2,4-二硝基氯苯、2,4-二硝基甲苯、2,4-二氯硝基苯、邻二硝基苯、硝基苯和对硝基苯胺对幼蛏的96h LC50分别为0.39、13.20、3.45、15.56、86.90和148.87mg·L-1,安全浓度分别为:0.004、0.13、0.03、0.16、0.87、1.49mg·L-1,毒性顺序为2,4-二硝基氯苯(剧毒)>2,4-二氯硝基苯(高毒)>2,4-二硝基甲苯(中毒)>邻二硝基苯(中毒)>硝基苯(中毒)>对硝基苯胺(低毒).     

微生物对水-沉积物中苯并[a]芘-镉复合污染修复的研究

从广东汕头贵屿镇的沉积物中分离得到1株对PAHs有较好降解能力且有较强重金属耐受性的菌株（简称B4）,菌种鉴定表明该菌为氧化节杆菌属。以土著微生物、处理方式、沉积物、修复时间等为不同的影响因子对该菌修复水体/沉积物中苯并[a]芘（BaP）-镉（Cd）复合污染进行了初步研究。结果表明：该菌同时具有降解BaP和吸附Cd的性能;土著微生物对BaP有一定的降解能力,并能显著促进B4降解BaP,当体系中BaP质量浓度为1.00 mg.L-1时,降解率达到了68.3%;Cd的吸附却因土著微生物的存在发生一定程度的解吸。振荡培养对BaP的降解效果略优于静止培养修复,而静止修复却更有利于Cd的去除。沉积物促进体系Cd的吸附,却减弱了菌种对BaP的降解。在静止培养修复中,BaP的降解主要发生在7 d以前,降解率保持在35%左右,此时Cd的去除效果亦较好。     

含硫芳香族化合物的好氧微生物降解

本文测定了一批苯硫基（亚砜基、砚基）乙酸酯类化合物的好氧微生物降解速率常数Ｋｂ，在此基础上，对这类化合物的结构与其生物降解速率之间的关系进行了分析，研究表明：苯硫基乙酸酯类化合物的降解速率大于苯磺基乙酸酯类化合物，关两类化合物的降解速率又叁于苯亚砚基乙酸酯类化合物；甲酯比异丙酯易降解；苯环上硝基与氯取代基均会降低化合物的可生化性，且对位硝基对阻碍作用高于邻位取代的硝基；另外，降解速率常数取代基数目     

施氏假单胞菌N2代谢邻/间/对甲酚的特性研究

本论文以施氏假单胞菌N2为受试菌株,研究了N2菌对邻/间/对甲酚及其混合物的生物降解特性.结果表明,N2菌能以邻/间/对甲酚为唯一碳源和能源生长,但对3种异构体的降解速率各异.完全降解600 mg·L~(-1)的对甲酚仅需6 h,间甲酚则需24 h,但对邻甲酚的降解明显减缓;200 mg·L~(-1)邻甲酚48 h的降解率仅为11.38%.GC-MS结果分析发现,N2菌代谢甲酚途径主要为甲基氧化、芳环羟化,随后脱羧、开环裂解、降解转化至矿化,但3种甲酚的降解途径及酸性代谢产物的形成次序不一致.3种甲酚混合存在时可促进N2菌对其降解,这主要是因为混合碳源的协同作用减少了体系中因产酸过多引起的毒性,从而促进了N2菌对甲酚的降解矿化.     

6种苯系物对球等鞭金藻和新月菱形藻的生长抑制

海洋环境中苯系物污染主要来源于海洋溢油事故以及沿海石油化工企业的废水排放。为探究苯系物对海洋微藻的毒性作用,选择球等鞭金藻和新月菱形藻作为受试生物,分别考察了苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻-二甲苯、间-二甲苯和对-二甲苯6种苯系物对2种海洋微藻生长的影响。结果表明,在0.25~64.0 mg·L-1暴露浓度下,6种苯系物对2种微藻生长具有显著的抑制作用,随着暴露浓度的升高,抑制作用明显增强。苯、甲苯、乙基苯、邻-二甲苯、间-二甲苯、对-二甲苯对球等鞭金藻的24 h的半数效应浓度(24 h-EC50)分别为:17.07、12.88、7.58、0.55、0.36、0.27 mg·L-1;对新月菱形藻的24 h-EC50值分别为:1.03、0.68、0.46、0.40、0.42、0.38 mg·L-1。上述研究结果为确定苯系物海洋环境质量标准、保护海洋生态环境提供了基础数据。     

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.