氮沉降对贝加尔针茅草原土壤酶活性的影响

草原土壤酶作为土壤中最活跃的组分,影响生态系统的物质循环过程,其活性能快速反映氮沉降对土壤环境的变化。以内蒙古贝加尔针茅草原为研究对象,于2010年开始实施模拟氮沉降试验,设置对照(N0,0 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1))、低氮(N30,30 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1);N50,50 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1))、高氮(N100,100 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1);N150,150 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1);N200,200 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1))6种氮处理,研究不同氮沉降水平对贝加尔针茅草原土壤6种酶(脲酶、酸性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶、过氧化物酶、多酚氧化酶和蔗糖酶)活性影响。结果表明,0~10 cm土层,与对照相比,氮沉降处理均降低了土壤脲酶(1.32%~24.54%)、过氧化氢酶(10.34%~46.41%)、过氧化物酶(40.54%~271.43%)和蔗糖酶(2.88%~7.31%)活性。同一氮处理水平,不同深度土层的脲酶、酸性磷酸酶、多酚氧化酶和蔗糖酶活性表现为0~10 cm10~20 cm。相关分析表明,土壤含水量、p H、有机碳、全氮、铵态氮、硝态氮、微生物生物量碳和微生物生物量氮含量与酶活性具有显著相关性(P0.05)。以上结果表明,氮沉降通过改变草原土壤的环境因子,影响土壤酶活性。     

长期施肥对水稻土酶活性及理化特性的影响

为了明确不同施肥种类对水稻土土壤肥力与酶活性的影响,以30年（1981年至今）长期定位试验地为基础,研究不同施肥处理（CK,N,P,K,NPK,2倍NPK,NPK＋猪粪）水稻田耕层（0-20cm）土壤酶活性与养分的变化趋势及其相关性。结果表明：1）施P（配施或单施）增加土壤全P、速效P含量,平衡施肥配施有机肥（NPK＋猪粪处理）土壤的有机质、全P、速效P、全N、速效N均显著增加,所有施肥处理间pH值差异均不显著;2）除了NPK处理土壤脲酶活性最高外,平衡施肥配施有机肥土壤转化酶、酸性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶活性均较其他处理显著增加;3）酸性磷酸酶活性与土壤全P量呈负相关,过氧化氢酶、脲酶、转化酶与全N、有机质、速效N、速效P呈显著或极显著正相关;因此,水田土壤长期平衡施肥配施有机肥,能显著提高土壤肥力,增加土壤酶活性,有益于土壤生产力的持续提高。     

沼液对甘蓝连作土壤生物学性质的影响

以施用化肥225 kg/hm2为对照,设置两种不同的沼液用量(以纯氮计):沼液I(168 kg/hm2)和沼液II(225 kg/hm2),通过连续3 a的甘蓝种植试验,研究沼液对甘蓝连作土壤微生物区系、土壤酶活性以及土壤养分与土壤酶活性之间的相关性.结果表明:1)施用沼液显著改善了连作土壤的微生物区系,溶磷细菌、解钾细菌、氨化细菌、固氮菌和放线菌的数量显著增加;同时抑制了真菌的富集.两种不同用量的沼液处理较化肥处理的土壤细菌/真菌(B/F)值分别提高了142.7%和202.3%.2)在225 kg/hm2等氮水平下,施用沼液显著提高了土壤的蔗糖酶、磷酸酶和蛋白酶活性,较之化肥处理分别提高了63.96%、137.61%和139.66%;同时显著降低了土壤过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性.3)土壤养分与土壤酶活性相关性分析表明,有机质含量与土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、蔗糖酶和蛋白酶活性呈显著正相关,与过氧化氢酶活性呈显著负相关,而与多酚氧化酶活性无明显相关性;磷酸酶活性与土壤速效磷含量呈显著正相关;蛋白酶活性与土壤碱解氮、全氮含量呈显著正相关.表4参24     

毛乌素沙地东南缘沙漠化过程中土壤酶活性的演变研究

研究了毛乌素沙地东南缘沙漠化过程中土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性的响应过程,并对其与土壤养分的相关关系进行分析。结果表明,随沙漠化程度的加剧,土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性均降低,随土层深度的增加,土壤脲酶活性呈降低趋势,土壤过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶并未表现出规律性变化,沙漠化过程破坏了土壤酶的活性,三种酶活性能较为敏感地反映土壤环境的变化;相关性分析结果显示,土壤三种酶活性之间存在着极显著正相关性．且三种酶活性与土壤有机质和全氮含量之间同样存在极显著正相关性,表明三种酶在相互作用过程存在共生关系,且能够作为衡量土壤肥力的重要指标。土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性变化可作为衡量沙漠化环境变化的重要指示性指标,并可为进一步揭示沙漠化的生物学规律提供依据。     

长期施肥对旱地红壤肥力和酶活性的影响

为了明确不同施肥种类对旱地红壤肥力与酶活性的影响,以30年（1981年至今）长期定位试验地为基础,研究不同施肥处理（CK,N,NP,NPK,2倍NPK,猪粪,NPK＋猪粪）旱地红壤玉米田耕层（0～20 cm）土壤酶活性与养分的变化趋势及其相关性。结果表明：1）全N含量各处理间差异不显著,单施N肥显著增加土壤速效N,施有机肥处理（NPK＋猪粪,猪粪）土壤的pH值、有机质、全P、速效P均显著增加;2）除了2倍NPK处理土壤脲酶活性最高外,施有机肥土壤的转化酶、脱氢酶、酸性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶活性也较其他处理显著增加;3）酸性磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶、脱氢酶、脲酶与全N、有机质、速效N呈显著或极显著正相关;因此,红壤旱地通过长期施用有机肥或与无机肥配施,不仅能显著提高土壤肥力,而且能增加土壤酶活性,从而显著提高土壤持续生产力。     

复合菌剂对盆栽番茄土壤理化性质及微生物活性的影响

通过盆栽对照试验的方法,研究复合菌剂C1、C2对土壤理化性质及微生物活性的影响,结果表明：与对照相比,施用复合菌剂C1、C2能够减少土壤真菌的数量,在施菌剂早期可以增加土壤细菌的数量,对土壤放线菌影响较小;提高土壤有机质、碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾等土壤养分的质量分数,降低土壤酸度;同时还能够显著地增强土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、纤维素酶及过氧化氢酶的活性。进一步对各处理的土壤因素进行主成分分析,结果显示PC1为土壤碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾,PC2为土壤矿化氮、脲酶、纤维素酶。综合评价土壤质量,复合菌剂C2在各处理中综合得分最大。     

苏南丘陵区林地土壤酶活性及其与土壤理化性质的相关性

研究了苏南丘陵地区马尾松、毛竹、麻栎、杉木4种林分土壤的蔗糖酶、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶活性及其与土壤理化性质的关系.结果表明,马尾松林土壤蔗糖酶和酸性磷酸酶活性最高,毛竹林土壤脲酶活性最高,裸地土壤3种酶活性均最低;3种酶活性在土壤剖面中呈自上而下逐渐减小的趋势,蔗糖酶、酸性磷酸酶活性随土层深度的变化较大,脲酶活性相对变化较小.相关分析结果表明,蔗糖酶和酸性磷酸酶分别与全N、有效P、有机质在α=0.01水平下呈显著正相关,且2种酶之间在α=0.01水平下呈显著正相关;蔗糖酶与Pb在α=0.05水平下呈显著正相关,酸性磷酸酶与Cu、Pb在α=0.01水平下呈显著正相关;脲酶与全P、有机质、Pb在α=0.01水平下呈显著正相关,与容重在α=0.01水平下呈显著负相关,与全N、酸性磷酸酶、Cu在α=0.05水平下呈显著正相关.回归分析结果表明,3种酶与全N、有效P、有机质、Cu、Pb之间呈非线性关系.主成分分析结果表明,对4种林分土壤肥力起主要作用的因子主要包括:土壤脲酶、酸性磷酸酶、蔗糖酶、全N、有效P、速效K、有机质.3种酶可作为较理想的土壤质量评价指标.     

青海湖区紫花针茅草原封育导致的土壤养分时空变化特征

封育导致的生态系统恢复会体现在土壤恢复.以不同封育年限的青海湖区紫花针茅草原为对象,研究封育导致的土壤养分时空变化特征.结果表明:同一样地速效氮、速效磷和速效钾都表现为表层含量最高,显著高于第Ⅱ层,下面几层之间差异不显著;封育对速效养分含量影响不同,对速效钾含量影响不大,而速效磷含量大多显著提高,封育样地速效氮含量稍微高于对照样地.全量养分相比较,封育对土壤全钾和全磷含量影响不大,随土层加深全氮含量降低,封育导致土壤表层全氮含量升高(提高了19.9%).有机质含量随土层加深而降低,长期封育导致土壤有机质含量增加.相关分析表明,速效钾和全钾含量之间相关不显著,速效磷和全磷、速效氮和全氮含量都表现出显著相关,有机质和全量养分之间只有全氮表现出了显著相关.封育后土壤pH值略有升高;随着土层加深,土壤容重升高,但土壤容重变化不大.封育使草原土壤养分含量增加,但是养分的增加是一个非常缓慢的过程,对草原的保护还需继续加强.     

紫茎泽兰与不同植物群落土壤养分及酶活性差异

为了研究紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora Sprengel)与不同植物群落土壤养分及酶活性间的差异,解析不同植物群落抵御紫茎泽兰入侵的生态机制,选取紫茎泽兰不同入侵程度(重度入侵群落、轻度入侵群落、未入侵群落)和不同功能型植物群落样地(禾本科植物群落、双子叶植物群落),测定其植物群落土壤养分和酶活性变化,并对土壤酶活性与土壤养分进行相关性分析。结果表明,紫茎泽兰入侵显著增加了土壤中全氮含量,降低了全磷、全钾含量,土壤中有效养分硝态氮、铵态氮、有效磷和速效钾含量显著增加,重度入侵群落的土壤硝态氮、铵态氮、有效磷和速效钾含量显著大于未入侵群落的,是双子叶植物群落的2.29、2.28、8.13、4.01倍,禾本科植物群落的7.73、3.22、6.91、5.12倍。紫茎泽兰入侵显著提高了入侵区植物群落土壤中脲酶、磷酸酶和蛋白酶活性,重度入侵群落土壤脲酶活性是禾本科群落的3.49倍,磷酸酶活性是双子叶群落的1.65倍,蛋白酶活性是双子叶群落的2.31倍。土壤养分含量与酶活性密切相关,土壤脲酶活性与土壤全氮、硝态氮、铵态氮、全钾和速效钾显著正相关,与全磷显著负相关;土壤磷酸酶、蛋白酶活性与土壤全氮、硝态氮、铵态氮、速效钾和有效磷显著正相关,与全磷含量显著负相关。与不同植物群落相比,紫茎泽兰能更好改变土壤养分的供求平衡,这种改变可使紫茎泽兰在入侵过程中处于优势地位,植物群落间土壤酶活性差异可能是驱动土壤养分变化的重要因子。外来入侵植物紫茎泽兰通过影响土壤酶活性来改变入侵生境土壤养分的供求平衡可能是其成功入侵的生态机制之一。     

矿区复垦土壤的微生物活性变化

在由煤矸石、粉煤灰和污泥构成的矿区复合基质上种植黑麦草进行矿区复垦试验,分析了不同复垦阶段土壤微生物功能多样性和酶活性的差异,以揭示矿区复垦过程中免施肥的可行性.结果表明,矿区复垦土壤微生物功能多样性和酶活性随复垦时间的延长而显著提高.复垦23个月后,矿区复垦土壤的全氮、速效磷和速效钾含量分别比复垦种植前降低72.05％、67.86％和60.19％,蔗糖酶、脱氢酶、脲酶和碱性磷酸酶活性增加1.30～7.56倍.Biolog微平板培养测试结果显示,矿区复垦16和23个月的土壤微生物群落AWCD( average well colour development)值,微生物Shannon多样性指数、Simpson指数、Mclntosh指数均显著高于复垦种植前(P＜0.05).微生物多样性相关参数与土壤酶活性及土壤有机质含量之间呈显著正相关(P＜0.05或P＜0.01),与土壤全氮、速效磷、速效钾含量之间呈显著负相关(P＜0.05或P＜0.01).在矿区复垦过程中污泥作为有机添加物有助于促进植物生长和提高微生物活性.     

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.