Advancing the Integration of History and Ecology for Conservation

Abstract: The important role of humans in the development of current ecosystems was recognized decades ago; however, the integration of history and ecology in order to inform conservation has been difficult. We identified four issues that hinder historical ecological research and considered possible solutions. First, differences in concepts and methods between the fields of ecology and history are thought to be large. However, most differences stem from miscommunication between ecologists and historians and are less substantial than is usually assumed. Cooperation can be achieved by focusing on the features ecology and history have in common and through understanding and acceptance of differing points of view. Second, historical ecological research is often hampered by differences in spatial and temporal scales between ecology and history. We argue that historical ecological research can only be conducted at extents for which sources in both disciplines have comparable resolutions. Researchers must begin by clearly defining the relevant scales for the given purpose. Third, periods for which quantitative historical sources are not easily accessible (before AD 1800) have been neglected in historical ecological research. Because data from periods before 1800 are as relevant to the current state of ecosystems as more recent data, we suggest that historical ecologists actively seek out data from before 1800 and apply analytic methods commonly used in ecology to these data. Fourth, humans are not usually considered an intrinsic ecological factor in current ecological research. In our view, human societies should be acknowledged as integral parts of ecosystems and societal processes should be recognized as driving forces of ecosystem change.     

The Paradox of the Long‐Term Positive Effects of a North American Crayfish on a European Community of Predators

Abstract: Invasions of non‐native species are one of the major causes of losses of native species. In some cases, however, non‐natives may also have positive effects on native species. We investigated the potential facilitative effects of the North American red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) on the community of predators in southwestern Spain. To do so, we examined the diets of predators in the area and their population trends since introduction of the crayfish. Most predator species consumed red swamp crayfish, which sometimes occurred in over 50% of their diet samples. Moreover, the abundance of species preying on crayfish increased significantly in the area as opposed to the abundance of herbivores and to predator populations in other areas of Europe, where those predators are even considered threatened. Thus, we report the first case in which one non‐native species is both beneficial because it provides prey for threatened species and detrimental because it can drive species at lower trophic levels to extinction. Increases in predator numbers that are associated with non‐native species of prey, especially when some of these predators are also invasive non‐natives, may increase levels of predation on other species and produce cascading effects that threaten native biota at longer temporal and larger spatial scales. Future management plans should include the complexity of interactions between invasive non‐natives and the entire native community, the feasibility of successful removal of non‐native species, and the potential social and economic interests in the area.     

Removal of emerging contaminants from wastewater using advanced treatments. A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The rise of emerging contaminants in waters challenges the scientific community and water treatment stakeholders to design remediation techniques that are simple,...     

Cyclodextrin-enabled green environmental biotechnologies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Most of the organic compounds contaminating the environment can form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins resulting in enhanced solubility (a...     

Inhibitory Effects on Esterase Enzymes Buche and Ache in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) Produced by the Slow Release Insecticide Chitosan Diethyl Phosphate

The study on the toxicity of chitosan diethyl phosphate (ChDP), a controlled release insecticide, on the activities of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in rainbow trout exposed to this pesticide was carried out. It was found that ChDP reduced BuChE activity in O. mykiss by a factor of eight at 6 days, with high fluctuation to the end of the exposition time at 12 days. The in vitro analysis of brain AChE treated with ChDP and Phenamiphos showed that it was competitively inhibited by both organophosphates. The values obtained for K_m and V_max for the AChE-ChDP (K_m: 21.23 μ M; V_max: 43.10 μ mol/min/g) and AChE-Phenamiphos (K_m: 38.62 μ M; V_max: 38.91 μ mol/min/g) systems were relatively low compared to values of the AChE (control) system (K_m: 62.99 μ M; V_max: 63.29 μ mol/min/g). Results reported in this study confirmed that chitosan diethyl phosphate performs similarly to organophosphate pesticides, producing inhibition in cholinesterases in rainbow trout.     

The Value of Primary, Secondary, and Plantation Forests for a Neotropical Herpetofauna

Abstract:  Plantation forests and second-growth forests are becoming dominant components of many tropical forest landscapes. Yet there is little information available concerning the consequences of different forestry options for biodiversity conservation in the tropics. We sampled the leaf-litter herpetofauna of primary, secondary, and Eucalyptus plantation forests in the Jari River area of northeastern Brazilian Amazonia. We used four complementary sampling techniques, combined samples from 2 consecutive years, and collected 1739 leaf-litter amphibians (23 species) and 1937 lizards (30 species). We analyzed the data for differences among forest types regarding patterns of alpha and beta diversity, species-abundance distributions, and community structure. Primary rainforest harbored significantly more species, but supported a similar abundance of amphibians and lizards compared with adjacent areas of second-growth forest or plantations. Plantation forests were dominated by wide-ranging habitat generalists. Secondary forest faunas contained a number of species characteristic of primary forest habitat. Amphibian communities in secondary forests and Eucalyptus plantations formed a nested subset of primary forest species, whereas the species composition of the lizard community in plantations was distinct, and was dominated by open-area species. Although plantation forests are relatively impoverished, naturally regenerating forests can help mitigate some negative effects of deforestation for herpetofauna. Nevertheless, secondary forest does not provide a substitute for primary forest, and in the absence of further evidence from older successional stands, we caution against the optimistic claim that natural forest regeneration in abandoned lands will provide refuge for the many species that are currently threatened by deforestation .     

Metabolism of DDT in Different Tissues of Young Rats

The bioconcentration and distribution pattern of p,p′-DDT 1,1,1-1trichloro-2,2-bis(2-chlorophenyl-4-chlorophenyl)-ethane] and its main metabolites (p,p′-DDD [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane] and p,p′-DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) in adipose tissue, liver, brain, kidney, thymus, and testis were examined in young rats after 10 days of intraperitoneal injection of 50 and 100 mg of p,p′-DDT/kg of body weight. Analyses were performed by high-resolution gas chromatography. p,p′-DDT was found to be accumulated in a dose-dependent manner with the highest concentration in adipose tissue. However, in brain, the accumulation of pesticide was low and remained unchanged at the higher dose. This difference may relate to the protective role of the blood-brain barrier, which limits the access of the xenobiotic in the cerebral compartment, and to the differential tissue lipid composition. Although tissues concentration of p,p′-DDE and p,p′-DDD correlated positively to total p,p′-DDT levels, the active role in detoxification of pollutants may explain why p,p′-DDD is more abundant in liver than in the rest of organs. On the contrary, in brain, the concentration of p,p′-DDE is higher than that of p,p′-DDD, suggesting that the metabolism of the parent insecticide proceeds via more than one pathway.     

A Technicoeconomic Approach for theSelection of a Site Remediation Strategy—Part B: Model Application

Different tools, such as a screening matrix or decision framework, are available to select a remediation technology to treat a contaminated site. However, unless these methods can point out the appropriate technology in regards to the decision-maker's knowledge about the contaminated site, they are less useful to evaluate both the technical effectiveness and the cost of the remediation, and to assess different remediation strategies from either future data acquisition or the use of an irreversible remediation technology. A model developed to allow such evaluations has been used to simulate the remediation of a virtual contaminated site. From this, four remediation recommendations have been made. These recommendations are guidelines for the build up of a remediation strategy that would both maximize the effectiveness of the decontamination and minimize its total cost.