长期增施有机肥对土壤不同组分有机磷含量及微生物丰度的影响

为探究不同施肥模式对土壤不同组分有机磷(Po)含量,细菌、真菌、有机磷转化相关微生物(phoD微生物)丰度和碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性的影响。以长期施肥定位试验点土壤为试验材料,采用单因素随机区组设计,共选取不施肥(CK)、施氮钾肥(NK)、施氮磷钾肥(NPK)、单施有机肥(M)和有机无机肥配施(NPKM)5个处理。结果表明:与CK和NK处理相比,M处理土壤有机磷含量显著提高52.3%和47.8%,NPKM处理有机磷含量显著提高34.7%和30.6%。M处理土壤有效磷含量分别为CK和NK处理的34.2和31.0倍,NPKM处理有效磷含量分别为CK和NK处理的25.3和23.0倍。与CK处理比较,M和NPKM处理土壤活性Po、中度活性Po、中稳性Po和高稳性Po含量显著增加。M和NPKM处理土壤细菌、真菌、phoD微生物丰度和ALP活性均显著高于CK、NK和NPK处理。土壤活性Po、中度活性Po、中稳性Po和高稳性Po含量与phoD微生物丰度呈显著正相关(P0.05);活性Po、中稳性Po和高稳性Po含量与ALP活性呈显著正相关(P0.05),且不同组分有机磷受phoD微生物丰度和ALP活性的影响程度由大到小依次均为高稳性Po、活性Po、中稳性Po和中度活性Po。土壤增施有机肥增加了土壤有机磷及不同组分有机磷含量,提高了细菌、真菌、phoD微生物丰度和ALP活性。     

稻麦轮作磷肥减施下水稻土磷素生物有效性特征

土壤磷素化学分级提取方法被广泛应用于磷素状态及特征分析,但相关提取方法缺乏土壤根际过程的表征。基于磷素的根际过程特点,采用一种磷素生物有效性(the biologically-based phosphorus,BBP)分级方法,研究太湖稻麦轮作区磷肥减施定位试验田实施7 a后麦季收获期土壤磷素生物有效性及其影响因素。结果表明:就宜兴试验田而言,稻季不施磷麦季施磷处理(PW)CaCl_2-P含量与稻麦季均施磷处理(PR+W)之间无显著差异,Citrate-P、HCl-P和Enzyme-P含量则差异显著(P0.05)。就常熟试验田而言,不同磷肥减施方式对各磷组分含量总体无显著影响,仅Pzero处理HCl-P含量与PR+W处理相比明显降低。两块试验田用BBP法提取的4种土壤磷组分含量与有效磷含量之间的决定系数(R~2)不同:宜兴有效磷主要来自Citrate-P(R~2=0.587,P0.01)、HCl-P(R~2=0.587,P0.01)和Enzyme-P(R~2=0.531,P0.01),常熟有效磷主要来自HCl-P(R~2=0.386,P0.05)和Citrate-P(R~2=0.280,P0.05)。4种磷组分含量由大到小依次为HCl-P、Citrate-P、Enzyme-P和CaCl_2-P。冗余分析结果表明,土壤pH、碱性磷酸酶(S-ALP)是影响磷组分变化的重要因素,与土壤磷组分间存在一定的正相关关系。认为该研究结果能加深对减磷条件下土壤磷素生物有效性的理解。     

丛枝菌根真菌对采煤塌陷复垦土壤磷形态和玉米吸磷量的影响

丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhiza,AM)真菌用于退化农林生态系统的生物修复研究是当今生态及环境科学领域的热点问题.许多研究表明AM真菌促进植物对土壤磷的吸收利用,为了解不同的AM真菌对土壤磷形态及其转化规律的影响,通过盆栽试验以不接种处理为对照,分别接种幼套近明球囊霉(Claroideoglomus etunicatum,Ce)、摩西管柄囊霉(Funneliformis mosseae,Mo)、根内根孢囊霉(Rhizophagus intraradices,Ri)3种AM真菌,通过连续种植两茬玉米(2015-2016年)后测定AM真菌侵染率、玉米磷素吸收和土壤磷素形态的变化.结果表明:(1)接种3种AM真菌均成功侵染玉米根系,两茬玉米根系AM真菌侵染率顺序均为Ce≥Mo≥Ri,第二茬侵染率(38.3%-68.8%)较第一茬(14.5%-32.5%)有所提高;(2)随着AM真菌的侵染,接种处理显著提高了玉米磷素吸收,提高幅度达25.5%-82.0%;(3)接种3种AM真菌均显著提高了土壤活性态无机磷(H_2O-Pi、NaHCO_3-Pi)和中等活性无机磷(NaOH-Pi)含量;而土壤中度稳定态磷(HCl-P)和稳定态磷(Residue-P)含量不受影响;接种Mo和Ce对土壤NaHCO_3-Pi含量提高最显著,分别提高了141.02%和88.47%,其次为Ri(43.12%);(4)接种Mo和Ri显著提高了土壤中等活性态无机磷(NaOH-Pi)的含量,分别比CK提高了36.15%和18.82%.总之,接种不同AM真菌均能提高根系侵染率、磷素吸收以及促进土壤磷素活性态、中等活性态无机磷(H_2O-Pi、NaHCO_3-Pi、NaOH-Pi)的转化,提高了土壤磷素的生物有效性,其中接种Ce和Mo能够更好地促进土壤中的磷素向植物可供利用的形态转化,提高植株吸磷量,是适合该矿区土壤的经济高效菌种.(表2参33)     

外源植酸酶对野鸭湖湿地土壤有机磷转化的影响研究

湿地土壤中最主要的有机磷形态是肌醇磷酸盐,占有机磷总量的60%左右,而植酸酶作为催化水解肌醇磷酸盐的主要酶类,在整个有机磷体系转化过程中起着不可或缺的作用。采用室内培养的方法,研究了添加外源植酸酶对湿地土壤各有机磷组分含量变化的影响规律,同时也研究了在添加外源植酸酶后,湿地土壤各有机磷组分含量随时间延长的变化规律。结果表明,在温度,水分等条件适宜的情况下向湿地土壤中添加植酸酶可以在短期内提高土壤有机磷的有效性,使稳定性较高的有机磷向活性较高的有机磷转化。经植酸酶处理的土壤活性有机磷和中活性有机磷含量均高于对照组,且随植酸酶添加量增加以及培养时间的推移呈递增趋势。在第75天培养结束时,高、中、低3组植酸酶处理土壤的活性有机磷质量分数分别增加了173.05%、158.16%和122.75%,中活性有机磷质量分数增加了84.22%、68.7%和53.92%。此外,添加植酸酶处理的湿地土壤稳定性有机磷含量均低于对照,高、中、低3组植酸酶处理土壤的中稳定性有机磷质量分数减少了62.81%、37.31%和26.14%,高稳定性有机磷质量分数减少了94.71%、87.66%和79.52%,且随着植酸酶含量的增加以及培养时间的推移呈递减趋势。高、中、低3组植酸酶处理土壤中的总有机磷质量分数分别比对照组低54.03%、42.53%和35.43%。说明在植酸酶作用下,土壤中存在有机磷向无机磷转化的过程。因此通过添加外源植酸酶可以促进稳定性有机磷向活性有机磷转化,提高了土壤有机磷的有效性,使其更容易被植物吸收利用,从而保障了湿地磷循环系统的稳定性和高效性。     

有机肥与磷肥配施对滨海盐渍化土壤磷素淋洗风险的影响

针对滨海盐渍化土壤水稻种植过程中出现的磷素淋洗风险,采用田间微区试验,研究了不同用量有机肥和磷肥对滨海盐渍化土壤有效磷含量及磷素淋洗风险的影响。试验设磷肥与有机肥两个因素,3个磷(P_2O_5)水平,分别为P0:无磷,0kg·hm~(-2);P1:低磷,64 kg·hm~(-2);P2:高磷,128 kg·hm~(-2)。3个有机肥(碳)水平,分别为C0:无碳(有机肥0 kg·hm~(-2));C1:低碳,450 kg·hm~(-2)(有机肥1 000 kg·hm~(-2));C2:高碳,900 k·hm~(-2)(有机肥2 000 kg·hm~(-2))。共设7个处理:T1:无磷施用;T2:低磷;T3:高磷;T4:低碳低磷;T5:低碳高磷;T6:高碳低磷;T7:高碳高磷。结果表明,磷肥施用显著提高了土壤剖面中H2O-P、Na HCO3-P含量;低磷低碳处理下0~20 cm土层土壤中磷饱和度(DPS)较低磷处理低,其他土层土壤中磷饱和度无显著变化;而低磷高碳处理可显著提高40~60 cm土层土壤中磷饱和度,高于28.1%的临界饱和度;高磷低碳处理表层土壤有效磷含量为31.8 mg·kg~(-1),对整个剖面土壤中磷饱和度影响不大,磷素淋洗风险较小;而高磷高碳处理在提高表层土壤有效磷含量的同时,显著提高了20~40、40~60 cm土层土壤中磷饱和度,且均高于临界饱和度,导致整个土壤剖面具有很高的磷素淋失风险。在滨海盐渍化土壤水稻种植中,配施450 kg·hm~(-2) C和64 kg·hm~(-2) P_2O_5(碳磷比为15.1)时,磷素淋洗风险较低,而过量施用磷肥和有机肥将导致土壤磷素淋洗,利用效率降低。     

溶磷混合菌肥对石灰性褐土磷素养分及解析特性的影响

为提高土壤中潜在磷素的有效性,提高磷肥利用率,采用盆栽试验研究施用不同种类的溶磷混合菌肥后石灰性土壤磷素养分及解析特性的变化.结果显示:与单施有机肥相比,施用溶磷混合菌肥,可以增加油菜土壤有效磷和磷酸酶活性及油菜品质,其中施用组合溶磷细菌肥效果最显著,较之单施有机肥,土壤有效磷含量、酸碱磷酸酶活性、油菜干重、鲜重、吸磷量显著增加,分别提高15.44%、10.49%、14.25%、34.45%、27.80%、67.18%;土壤pH值和油菜叶绿素含量变化不显著.施肥可以改变土壤磷的吸附–解吸特性,与其它处理相比,施用溶磷混合菌肥,土壤最大吸磷量Xm和吸附系数k以及土壤最大缓冲容量MBC均降低,土壤磷解吸量及解析率增加,在不同种类的溶磷混合菌肥中,组合溶磷细菌处理对土壤磷的吸附–解吸影响最显著,该处理下土壤中磷的最大吸附量和土壤最大缓冲容量分别为370.88 mg/kg和502.45 mL/g,比组合溶磷真菌、组合溶磷细菌真菌复混处理分别降低了12.47%和16.19%、13.38%和14.37%.本研究表明加入溶磷混合菌肥,特别是组合溶磷细菌肥可以促进土壤磷的活化,降低吸附,减少磷素化肥的施用,提高土壤中磷素的利用率,结果可为农业生产中石灰性土壤上磷肥的合理施用提供理论依据.图3表7参25     

生物炭与磷肥配施对棕壤中Cd形态及其有效性的影响

通过实验室模拟Cd污染棕壤,探讨单施不同量(20和40 g·kg~(-1))花生秸秆生物炭(PB)和棉花秸秆生物炭(CB)、20 g·kg~(-1)磷肥(P)以及两者配施对污染土壤p H值及5种形态Cd含量变化的影响,分析生物炭、磷肥及其联合作用对棕壤Cd生物有效性的影响机制。结果表明,单施磷肥可显著降低土壤p H值(较CK降低14.64%),单施生物炭以及两者配施均可提高土壤p H值(较CK增加0.99%~24.67%),以单施40 g·kg~(-1)花生生物炭处理土壤p H值增幅最显著。单施磷肥显著降低土壤可交换态、碳酸盐合态和铁锰氧化物结合态Cd含量,增加有机结合态和残渣态Cd含量;单施生物炭和配施处理均可使土壤可交换态Cd含量显著减少,碳酸盐结合态Cd含量显著增加(49.76%)。在相同施炭量(20 g·kg~(-1))下,配施处理土壤有效态Cd含量的降幅高于单施处理,且花生秸秆生物炭与磷肥配施处理效果优于棉花生物炭与磷肥配施,Cd活性系数分别为0.150和0.236,即20 g·kg~(-1)花生秸秆生物炭+20 g·kg~(-1)磷肥(P+PB_2)混合处理最有利于降低土壤Cd生物有效性。     

秸秆生物炭对水稻土和赤红壤磷素有效性及化学形态的影响北大核心CSCD

为探讨生物炭对土壤磷素转化的影响,选择华南地区两种典型土壤(高磷水稻土和低磷赤红壤),通过土壤培养试验,研究添加不同剂量(0%、1%、2%和4%,分别用CK、T1、T2、T4表示)秸秆生物炭对土壤磷素有效性及不同磷组分随时间变化的动态影响.结果表明,不同剂量秸秆生物炭处理均能显著提高水稻土和赤红壤的全磷及有效磷含量,且增加幅度随生物炭添加剂量的增加而升高,培养第40天T4处理的水稻土及赤红壤的有效磷含量相比对照分别增加118.45%和6432.08%,赤红壤效果更为明显.不同剂量秸秆生物炭处理均能显著增加两种土壤的Fe-P和Ca-P含量,其中T4处理效果最为显著.培养第40天T4处理的水稻土中水溶性磷、Al-P、Fe-P、Ca-P含量较对照分别增加233.53%、14.95%、8.82%和55.65%,O-P含量则降低2.74%;赤红壤的Al-P、Fe-P、Ca-P含量分别增加71.35%、80.15%和124.73%,水溶性磷和O-P含量则降低7.14%和0.52%.随着培养时间推移,秸秆生物炭处理的水稻土和赤红壤酸性磷酸酶活性逐渐降低,碱性磷酸酶活性则逐渐升高.此外,培养初期添加秸秆生物炭显著降低了两种土壤的微生物量磷含量,但该抑制作用随时间推移逐渐减弱直至消失.综上所述,秸秆生物炭处理显著影响水稻土和赤红壤磷素的化学形态、微生物活性及磷素转化,增加磷素有效性,尤其对赤红壤作用效果更为明显,因此在化肥减施增效中值得进一步推广应用.(图7表3参50)     

长期施肥条件下水稻土磷素分布特征及对水环境的污染风险

对太湖地区稻麦轮作黄泥土进行23 a长期施肥试验,设14种处理:不施肥(C0)、氮肥(CN)、氮钾肥(CNK)、氮磷肥(CNP)、磷钾肥(CPK)、氮磷钾肥(CNPK)、稻草加氮肥(CRN)、有机肥(M0)、有机肥加氮(MN)、有机肥加氮钾(MNK)、有机肥加氮磷(MNP)、有机肥加磷钾(MPK)、有机肥加氮磷钾(MNPK)、有机肥加稻草加氮(MRN)。结果表明:(1)与无磷处理比较,耕层(0—15 cm)全磷(TP)、有效磷(O lsen-P)和无机磷(I-P)含量均显著增加,有机磷(O-P)含量仅在MNP、MPK、MNPK和CPK处理中显著增加;耕层以下O-P无显著增加,MNPK、MNP、MRN和MN处理中I-P下移可达25 cm,而MNPK处理中TP及MNPK、CNP处理中O lsen-P下移可达30 cm;耕层磷素积累量及磷素下移深度与施磷量、施肥模式(化肥磷、有机肥磷;单施、混施)和磷素形态有关。(2)有机肥I-P下移深度比化肥I-P深。(3)不同施肥处理对水体环境存在不同的污染风险,其中以MNPK处理下土壤磷素对水体环境的污染风险最大;地表水的污染风险大于地下水,稻季的污染风险大于麦季,丰水年的污染风险大于平水年。     

滨海滩涂湿地不同植被土壤磷的生物有效性及其影响因子分析

滨海湿地是全球磷主要的源汇转换器之一,土壤磷的生物有效性对滨海湿地的结构、功能有着决定性作用。研究滨海湿地土壤磷的生物有效性及影响因子对滨海湿地的保护和修复具有重要意义。以江苏大丰麋鹿自然保护区的湿地土壤为研究对象,对互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)、海三棱藨草(Scirpus mariqueter)、白茅(Imperata cylindrica)、芦苇(Phragmites australis)4种植物群落及裸地下土壤进行分层采样,采用模拟生物活化过程的磷素分级方法(biologically based P,BBP法),分析环境因子对不同植物土壤磷素组分的影响。结果表明,(1)大丰麋鹿自然保护区滨海湿地土壤磷素组分含量表现为:CaCl_2-PCitrate-PEnzyme-PHCl-P。(2)无植被覆盖裸地土壤的CaCl_2-P和Citrate-P含量显著高于植被覆盖下土壤的含量(P0.05),植物的生长会显著降低土壤中根系可截留磷素和有机酸可提取磷素的含量。(3)芦苇0—20 cm土层内的CaCl_2-P含量显著最低,与其他3种植物相比,芦苇根系对表层的磷素的截留能力更强;海三棱藨草的Enzyme-P在两个土层都显著最低(P0.05),与其他3种植物相比,海三棱藨草根系发生的酶活化磷素的过程较激烈。(4)土壤Citrate-P含量与含水率显著相关(P0.05),影响土壤Citrate-P含量的主要环境因子是土壤含水率;HCl-P含量与有机质显著相关(P0.01),影响土壤HCl-P含量的主要环境因子是有机质。(5)土壤速效磷与Citrate-P含量显著相关(P0.05),说明大丰麋鹿自然保护区土壤中速效磷主要来自于土壤中有机酸活化释放的无机磷。综上,研究区中生物有效态的磷主要来自于土壤中有机酸活化的无机磷,不同植物土壤磷的生物有效性有显著差异,而含水率和有机质是影响江苏大丰麋鹿自然保护区土壤磷生物有效性的主要环境因子。     

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.