太湖沉积物柱状样中有机氯农药的垂直分布特征

采用气相色谱质谱法测定了太湖沉积物柱状样品中有机氯农药(OCPs)含量,探讨了沉积柱中有机氯农药的垂直变化特征及可能的来源.研究结果表明:沉积柱中OCPs浓度为0.88—4.73 ng·g-1(干重),平均值为2.17 ng·g-1;DDTs、HCHs、六氯苯的残留量均较高,其中DDTs为0.10—1.32 ng·g-1,平均值为0.57 ng·g-1;HCHs的浓度为0.25—1.99 ng·g-1,平均值为0.65 ng·g-1;六氯苯为0.50—1.35 ng·g-1,平均值为0.92 ng·g-1.3个湖湾的沉积柱表层DDTs含量最高,有明显的表面富集现象,成分分析表明,太湖可能着存在着DDTs类物质的输入.     

乌鲁木齐市水磨河底泥及污灌区土壤中有机氯农药的分布

用GC-ECD定量测定了乌鲁木齐市水磨河底泥及污灌区土壤中有机氯农药的含量.结果表明:底泥样品中HCHs和DDTs的含量为0.107-111.69ng·g-1和0.476-66.512ng·g-1,有机氯农药总量为0.583-178.202ng·g-1;土壤中为0.194-6.974ng·g-1和0.520-10.438ng·g-1,有机氯农药总量为0.714-17.412ng·g-1.底泥中HCHs的α/γ比值约为4,底泥和土壤中DDT/(DDE DDD)的比值较大.     

气相色谱-质谱联用测定长江三角洲农田土壤中的合成麝香

采用索氏提取、硅胶/氧化铝复合层析柱的样品前处理方法及气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)测定长江三角洲农田土壤样品中7种合成麝香(莎利麝香、粉檀麝香、特拉斯、佳乐麝香、吐纳麝香、二甲苯麝香、酮麝香)的含量,对其污染水平和分布状况进行了研究.结果表明,实际检出的3种合成麝香(佳乐麝香、吐纳麝香、酮麝香)含量分别0.96—16.98 ng·g-1、LOD—14.13 ng·g-1和LOD—0.84 ng·g-1;土壤样品中合成麝香的加标回收率为88.8%—109.3%,精密度为5.8%—9.6%;仪器检出限(LOD)和定量限(LOQ)分别为0.03—0.33 ng·g-1、0.10—1.10 ng·g-1.长江三角洲农田土壤样品中普遍含有合成麝香,虽然其总浓度较低,但因其具有的生物富集性会在农产品中富集,故应做好相关的食品安全风险评价.     

广州地区孕妇羊水中PCBs暴露水平初步研究

随机采集广州地区非职业PCBs(polychlorinated biphenyls,多氯联苯)暴露单胎孕妇分娩时羊水,分析羊水中PCBs浓度水平;结合孕妇临床资料(年龄、孕周、身体质量指数(body mass index,BMI))以及孕妇居住环境信息等,阐明了广州地区非职业暴露孕妇羊水PCBs蓄积的影响因素。结果表明,∑33PCBs浓度为15.91-324.38 ng·g-1,平均值为114.34±83.52 ng·g-1,中值为84.8 5ng·g-1;其中十氯含量最低,平均浓度为2.66±3.46 ng·g-1,中值为1.47 ng·g-1;六氯PCBs含量最高,平均浓度为28.79±33.84 ng·g-1,中值为17.48 ng·g-1。样本中有31种PCBs同分异构体在孕妇羊水中检出,分别为PCB 8、28、30、49、52、70、74、77、82、87、99、101、105、114、118、126、128、138、153、156、158、166、169、170、179、180、183、187、189、198和209;羊水主要的PCBs暴露以五氯PCBs、六氯PCBs和七氯PCBs为主,主要的同分异构体为PCB 138(4.73%)、179(4.15%)、153(3.92%)、183(3.89%)、166(3.77%)、187(3.74%)以及180(3.67%);暴露水平与美国、西班牙、加拿大等地区相比属于严重水平。统计结果显示,年龄、身体质量指数和孕周与PCBs蓄积有显著性正相关关系;工业区居住的孕妇相与非工业区居住孕妇相比,上述统计结果更为显著。     

超声萃取气相色谱法测定植物样中邻苯二甲酸酯

建立了二氯甲烷超声萃取、氧化铝柱层析分离、带电子捕获毛细管气相色谱测定植物样品中痕量邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)的方法.方法具有较好的精密度(RSD≤10%)、较低的检测限(MDLDBP=0.4ng·g-1,MDLDEHP=0.5ng·g-1)和较高的回收率(RDBP=87.3%,RDEHP=92.1%).用该法测定了太湖沉水植物中的PAEs含量,其中DBP在0.009-0.013μg·g-1,DEHP在0.026-0.106μg·g-1.     

液相色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱法联用(HPLC-ICP-MS)测定乳制品的无机砷及其它砷形态

采用液相色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术测定了乳制品中的无机砷及其它砷形态,各种砷形态的方法检出限(以砷计)分别为:三价砷As(Ⅲ)2.0ng·g-1,五价砷As(Ⅴ)3.0ng·g-1,一甲基胂MMA2.0 ng·g-1,二甲基胂DMA 1.0 ng·g-1,甜菜碱As B 1.0 ng·g-1,根据加标回收的方法评价了该方法的准确性,无机砷的加标回收率为89.9%-98.1%,相对标准偏差为1.09%-3.21%(n=6),根据所建立的方法,分析了市售的部分鲜奶、酸奶和奶粉样品,其中无机砷的含量均未超出国家标准限量.     

广州市农业土壤中六六六(HCHs)和滴滴涕(DDTs)的残留特征

采集了广州市农业土壤表层(0～20 cm)样品118个,采用气相色谱方法对土壤中六六六(HCHs)和滴滴涕(DDTs)进行分析,初步揭示了广州市土壤中有机氯农药的分布及残留情况,并做出潜在生态风险评价.研究结果表明:HCHs的检出率为95.8%,残留范围在ND～17.96 ng·g-1之间,平均值2.10 ng·g-1,DDT的检出率为92.4%,残留范围在ND～327.87 ng·g-1之间,平均值为1 8.97 ng·g-1.HCHs的4种异构体中,β-HCH质量分数最高,平均质量分数为0.86 ng·g-1,而p,p'-DDT是4种DDTs异构体中质量分数最高的,平均质量分数为11.89 ng·g-1.不同土壤利用类型中,耕地土壤中的有机氯农药残留量明显高于林地和果园地.与国内外部分地方和我国土壤环境质量标准相比,广州市农业土壤中DDTs和HCHs污染程度较低.     

黄海北部近岸多环境介质中六溴环十二烷的分布特征及生物富集

利用HPLC-MS/MS检测黄海北部近岸水体、沉积物、生物体中α-HBCD、β-HBCD、γ-HBCD的浓度含量,研究了黄海北部近岸六溴环十二烷(Hexabromocyclododecanes,HBCDs)的分布特征,进一步运用生物富集系数评价了黄海北部近岸HBCDs的富集状况.结果表明,水体中HBCDs含量为0.12—2.23 ng·L-1,平均含量为0.56 ng·L-1;沉积物中HBCDs含量为0.55—24.75 ng·g-1,平均含量为6.39 ng·g-1;生物体中HBCDs含量为0.86—67.08 ng·g-1,平均值为11.91 ng·g-1.黄海北部近岸3种介质中都是以γ-HBCD为主要异构体形式,说明了黄海北部近岸的HBCDs主要来源是工业用HBCDs.富集系数研究结果表明,黄海北部近岸生物对HBCDs有较强的生物富集性,有一定的潜在环境风险.     

云南省会泽县农田土壤中全氟化合物污染特征研究

为探究云南省会泽县农田土壤中全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)的污染特征及其潜在来源,2015年6月采集云南省会泽县农田土壤42份,利用高效液相色谱-串联质谱仪(HPLC-MS/MS)分析了11种PFCs的含量水平。结果表明,云南省会泽县农田土壤中全氟己酸(perfluorohexanoic acid,PFHx A)、全氟庚酸(perfluoroheptanoic acid,PFHp A)和全氟己烷磺酸(perfluorohexane sulfonate,PFHx S)均未检出,其余8种PFCs(ΣPFCs)的平均含量水平为0.392 ng·g-1,含量范围为0.298~0.998ng·g-1。全氟辛酸(perfluorooctanoic acid,PFOA)和全氟辛烷磺酸(perfluorooctane sulfonate,PFOS)是最主要的PFCs,相对百分含量范围为45.93%~81.86%,其平均含量水平分别为0.116 ng·g-1和0.120 ng·g-1。与国内其他地区土壤中PFCs的含量水平相比,云南省会泽县农田土壤中PFCs含量水平低于上海,与广州、深圳、东莞、安徽、中国东部农村等地区土壤中PFCs的含量相当。主成分分析结果表明,以全氟癸酸(perfluorodecanoic acid,PFDA)、全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)和全氟十三酸(perfluorotridecanoic acid,PFTr DA)为主要标志物的2个主成分可以解释云南省会泽县农田土壤中73%的ΣPFCs。工业活动、大气沉降及长距离传输为云南省会泽县农田土壤中PFCs的主要来源。     

南四湖沉积物中二(口恶)英类化合物的分布

用13C同位素内标法,高分辨率气相色谱-高分辨率质谱对南四湖表层沉积物中17种含2,3,7,8-氯代二苯并二NB12E英/呋喃(PCDD/Fs)及12种共平面多氯联苯(Co-PCBs)的含量、同系物异构体的分布特征、沉积通量、毒性当量及来源进行了初步分析,并与山东近海(日照、烟台、青岛)的测定结果进行比较.总Co-PCBs含量分别为54.4pg·g-1dw(南阳湖)和41.4pg·g-1dw(微山湖).总PCDD/Fs含量分别为106.7pg·g-1 dw(南阳湖)和147.0pg·g-1 dw(微山湖).两湖含2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs异构体对总毒性当量浓度的贡献基本相同,即以四-五氯代异构体为主.PCDD/Fs含量次序为青岛＞日照＞南四湖＞烟台.南四湖、日照、烟台近海沉积物中的PCDD/Fs对总TEQ(PCDD/F-TEQ+PCB-TEQ)的贡献为68.8%-93.0%.南四湖与山东近海沉积物中PCDDs/PCDFs比值和OCDD%∑百分比表明,山东省PCDD/Fs的来源较为一致,相对恒定.除河口处外,大气沉降应是南四湖及山东近海PCDD/Fs的主要来源.     

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.