Independent effects of fragmentation on forest songbirds: an organism-based approach.

The degree to which spatial patterns influence the dynamics and distribution of populations is a central question in ecology. This question is even more pressing in the context of rapid habitat loss and fragmentation, which threaten global biodiversity. However, the relative influence of habitat loss and landscape fragmentation, the spatial patterning of remaining habitat, remains unclear. If landscape pattern affects population size, managers may be able to design landscapes that mitigate habitat loss. We present the results of a mensurative experiment designed to test four habitat loss vs. fragmentation hypotheses. Unlike previous studies, we measured landscape structure using quantitative, spatially explicit habitat distribution models previously developed for two species: Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca) and Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla). We used a stratified sampling design that reduced the confounding of habitat amount and fragmentation variables. Occurrence and reoccurrence of both species were strongly influenced by characteristics at scales greater than the individual territory, indicating little support for the random-sample hypothesis. However, the type and spatial extent of landscape influence differed. Both occurrence and reoccurrence of Blackburnian Warblers were influenced by the amount of poor-quality matrix at 300- and 2000-m spatial extents. The occurrence and reoccurrence of Ovenbirds depended on a landscape pattern variable, patch size, but only in cases when patches were isolated. These results support the hypothesis that landscape pattern is important for some species only when the amount of suitable habitat is low. Although theoretical models have predicted such an interaction between landscape fragmentation and composition, to our knowledge this is the first study to report empirical evidence of such nonlinear fragmentation effects. Defining landscapes quantitatively from an organism-based perspective may increase power to detect fragmentation effects, particularly in forest mosaics where boundaries between patches and matrix are ambiguous. Our results indicate that manipulating landscape pattern may reduce negative impacts of habitat loss for Ovenbird, but not Blackburnian Warbler. We emphasize that most variance in the occurrence of both species was explained by local scale or landscape composition variables rather than variables reflecting landscape pattern.     

Developing a multimedia model of chemical dynamics in an urban area.

A multimedia model has been developed to account for the movement of semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) in an urban environment. The model, based on a Level III fugacity model of D. Mackay (Multimedia Environmental Models: The Fugacity Approach, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, 1991), consists of six compartments: air, surface water, sediment, soil, vegetation, and an organic film that coats impervious surfaces. The latter is a newly identified compartment into which gas-phase SOCs partition and particle-phase SOCs are believed to be efficiently captured (M.L. Diamond, S.E. Gingrich, K. Fertuck, B.E. McCarry, G.A. Stern, B. Billeck, B. Grift, D. Brooker, T.D. Yager, Environ. Sci. Technol., 34 (2000a), 2900-2908). The model, parameterized for downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and run with an illustrative emission rate for selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and homologues of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, indicates that the film achieves the highest concentrations among media but that soils are the greatest sink for all but the least hydrophobic chemicals. The film "reflects" the more volatile chemicals into air, facilitates removal to surface waters by wash-off, and provides a surface on which photolytic degradation can occur. As such, the film is a transient sink that increases chemical mobility in urban areas by increasing air concentrations and the cycling of these compounds between air and urban surfaces and increasing water concentrations. Vegetation also accumulates SOCs, a portion of which is transferred to soil that reduces chemical mobility.     

Prevalence and perspectives of illegal trade in cacti and succulent plants in the collector community

Although illegal wildlife trade (IWT) represents a serious threat to biodiversity, research into the prevalence of illegal plant collection and trade remains scarce. Because cacti and succulents are heavily threatened by overcollection for often illegal, international ornamental trade, we surveyed 441 members of the cacti and succulent hobbyist collector community with a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. We sought to understand collector perspectives on the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and on the threats IWT poses to cactus and succulent conservation. Most respondents (74% of 401 respondents) stated that illegal collection in cacti and succulents represents a “very serious problem” and that the problem of wild plant collection is increasing (72% of 319 respondents). Most forms of illegal collection and trade were seen as very unacceptable by respondents. Self-reported noncompliance with CITES rules was uncommon (11.2% of 418 respondents); it remains a persistent problem in parts of the cacti and succulent hobbyist community. People engaging in rule breaking, such as transporting plants without required CITES documents, generally did so knowingly. Although 60.6% of 381 respondents regarded CITES as a very important tool for conservation, sentiment toward CITES and its efficacy in helping species conservation was mixed. Collectors in our survey saw themselves as potentially playing important roles in cactus and succulent conservation, but this potential resource remains largely untapped. Our results suggest the need for enhanced consultation with stakeholders in CITES decision-making. For challenging subjects like IWT, developing evidence-based responses demands deep interdisciplinary engagement, including assessing the conservation impact of species listings on CITES appendices.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in domestic indoor dust from Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States

Because of the similarities in European and North American dietary exposure, it has been suggested that the order of magnitude higher body burdens in North Americans may be due to international variations in exposure via ingestion of indoor dust. Furthermore, ingestion of indoor dust has been suggested as a possible source of PBDEs in the blood serum of New Zealanders. Hence, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in domestic indoor dust from: Amarillo/Austin, Texas, US; Birmingham, UK; Toronto, Canada; and Wellington, New Zealand. Concentrations of BDE 209 in two UK samples were - at 520,000 and 100,000 ng g(-1) - the highest ever recorded in a domestic (or office) indoor dust sample. Median concentrations in ng g(-1) were: in Canada 620 and 560 for Sigmatri-hexa-BDEs and BDE 209 respectively; in New Zealand 96, BDE 209 not determined; in the UK 59 and 2,800; and in the US 1600 and 1300. With respect to BDE 209, concentrations were in the order: UK approximately US>Canada. For Sigmatri-hexa-BDEs, the order of concentrations was US approximately Canada>New Zealand approximately UK. Combined with principal component analysis of congener patterns, this suggests that, while North American dusts are contaminated by both Deca- and Penta-BDE commercial formulations, UK dusts are contaminated predominantly by Deca-BDE. The Octa-BDE formulation appears of minimal importance in accordance with available market demand figures. Despite the commercial formulations of PBDEs never having been manufactured in, nor imported into New Zealand, their presence in dusts from that country suggests international trade in PBDE-containing goods is an important pathway effecting their global distribution.     

Plant diversity, CO2, and N influence inorganic and organic N leaching in grasslands

In nitrogen (N)-limited systems, the potential to sequester carbon depends on the balance between N inputs and losses as well as on how efficiently N is used, yet little is known about responses of these processes to changes in plant species richness, atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]), and N deposition. We examined how plant species richness (1 or 16 species), elevated [CO2] (ambient or 560 ppm), and inorganic N addition (0 or 4 g x m(-2) x yr(-1)) affected ecosystem N losses, specifically leaching of dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and organic N (DON) in a grassland field experiment in Minnesota, USA. We observed greater DIN leaching below 60 cm soil depth in the monoculture plots (on average 1.8 and 3.1 g N x m(-2) x yr(-1) for ambient N and N-fertilized plots respectively) than in the 16-species plots (0.2 g N x m(-2) x yr(-1) for both ambient N and N-fertilized plots), particularly when inorganic N was added. Most likely, loss of complementary resource use and reduced biological N demand in the monoculture plots caused the increase in DIN leaching relative to the high-diversity plots. Elevated [CO2] reduced DIN concentrations under conditions when DIN concentrations were high (i.e., in N-fertilized and monoculture plots). Contrary to the results for DIN, DON leaching was greater in the 16-species plots than in the monoculture plots (on average 0.4 g N x m(-2) x yr(-1) in 16-species plots and 0.2 g N x m(-2) x yr(-1) in monoculture plots). In fact, DON dominated N leaching in the 16-species plots (64% of total N leaching as DON), suggesting that, even with high biological demand for N, substantial amounts of N can be lost as DON. We found no significant main effects of elevated [CO2] on DIN or DON leaching; however, elevated [CO2] reduced the positive effect of inorganic N addition on DON leaching, especially during the second year of observation. Our results suggest that plant species richness, elevated [CO2], and N deposition alter DIN loss primarily through changes in biological N demand. DON losses can be as large as DIN loss but are more sensitive to organic matter production and turnover.     

Projected declines in global DHA availability for human consumption as a result of global warming

Ambio - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential, omega-3, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that is a key component of cell membranes and plays a vital role in vertebrate brain function. The...     

DNA fingerprints of a gorgonian coral: a method for detecting clonal structure in a vegetative species

Clonal reproduction, a common life history strategy among sessile marine invertebrates, can lead to high local abundances of one to a few genotypes in a population. Analysis of the clonal structure of such populations can provide insight into the ecological and evolutionary history of the population, but requires markers that can identify individual genets. Forensic and demographic studies have demonstrated that DNA fingerprinting can provide markers that are unique for an individual genotype. We have generated DNA fingerprints for over 70 colonies of the clonal gorgonian, Plexaura A (Plexaura sp. A) collected from June 1990 through July 1991 in the San Blas Islands, Panama. DNA fingerprints within a singic individual were identical and fingerprinting resolved multiple genotypes within and among reefs. On one reef in the San Blas Islands, Panama, 59% of the colonies sampled were of one genotype and this genotype was not found on any other sampled reefs. A previous study using tissue grafts identified 13 putative clones on these reefs, while DNA fingerprints of the same colonies differentiated 17 genotypes. The present study demonstrates the utility of DNA fingerprinting for distinguishing clones and for identifying clonal structure of marine invertebrate populations.     

Prospects for mitigating carbon,conserving biodiversity,and promoting socioeconomic development objectives through the clean development mechanism

Should forest-based climate mitigationmeasures be approved for crediting through the CleanDevelopment Mechanism (CDM), they could offer anopportunity to accomplish three important objectives:cost-effective reductions in carbon emissions andsequestration of atmospheric carbon; conservation andrestoration of forests and their biological diversity;and, the assistance of host countries and communitiesin their socioeconomic development. However,prospective investors in CDM projects, host countriesand other CDM `stakeholders' might be expected toplace widely different priorities on achieving theseobjectives. This paper describes several factors thatwill affect investor interest in CDM projects, thecharacteristics of forest-based CDM projects that willattract investments, and an approach to identifyingprojects that meet the key objectives of multiplestakeholders. This approach entails identifyingsites, such as degraded watersheds, where CDMfinancing for forest conservation and restoration cangenerate readily monetizable local and regionalsocioeconomic benefits, while mitigating carbonemissions in forests with importance for conservingbiodiversity.     

Analysis of river water samples utilising a prototype industrial sensing system for phosphorus based on micro-system technology

The application of a phosphorus monitoring device based on microsystems technology (MST) to the analysis of river water is presented. An alternative to the standard molybdenum blue method known as the yellow vanadomolybdophosphoric acid method has been very effectively implemented. The method is simple, a reagent and sample are mixed in a 1:1 ratio forming a yellow complex that absorbs strongly below 400 nm in the UV spectrum. The kinetics of the reaction are rapid and sample turnaround is typically 3 min at room temperature. Therefore a very uncomplicated microfluidic design can be adopted. The working wavelength was chosen as 380 nm to coincide with the peak output of a UV-LED narrow bandwidth light source recently developed by Nichia. The limit of detection for the yellow method in the microfluidic system is 0.2 ppm with a dynamic linear range from 0-50 ppm. The method was applied to a measurement of phosphorus in a local river at specific sampling points along its course.