Progress in the ecology and conservation of giant pandas

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) conservation is a possible success story in the making. If extinction of this iconic endangered species can be avoided, the species will become a showcase program for the Chinese government and its collaborators. We reviewed the major advancements in ecological science for the giant panda, examining how these advancements have contributed to panda conservation. Pandas’ morphological and behavioral adaptations to a diet of bamboo, which bear strong influence on movement ecology, have been well studied, providing knowledge to guide management actions ranging from reserve design to climate change mitigation. Foraging ecology has also provided essential information used in the creation of landscape models of panda habitat. Because habitat loss and fragmentation are major drivers of the panda population decline, efforts have been made to help identify core habitat areas, establish where habitat corridors are needed, and prioritize areas for protection and restoration. Thus, habitat models have provided guidance for the Chinese governments’ creation of 67 protected areas. Behavioral research has revealed a complex and efficient communication system and documented the need for protection of habitat that serves as a communication platform for bringing the sexes together for mating. Further research shows that den sites in old‐growth forests may be a limiting resource, indicating potential value in providing alternative den sites for rearing offspring. Advancements in molecular ecology have been revolutionary and have been applied to population census, determining population structure and genetic diversity, evaluating connectivity following habitat fragmentation, and understanding dispersal patterns. These advancements form a foundation for increasing the application of adaptive management approaches to move panda conservation forward more rapidly. Although the Chinese government has made great progress in setting aside protected areas, future emphasis will be improved management of pandas and their habitat.     

Conservation mycology in Australia and the potential role of citizen science

Fungi are undoubtedly important for ecosystem functioning; however, they have been omitted or given scant attention in most biodiversity policy documents, management plans, and formal conservation schedules throughout the world. This oversight may be due to a general lack of awareness in the scientific community and compounded by a scarcity of mycology‐associated curricula at the tertiary level and a lack of mycologists in research institutions. Although molecular techniques advance the systematic cataloging of fungi and facilitate insights into fungal communities, the scarcity of professional mycologists in the environmental sciences hampers conservation efforts. Conversely, citizen science initiatives are making significant contributions to the mycology discipline by increasing awareness and extending the scope of fungal surveys. Future research by professional and amateur mycologists into the distribution of fungi and their function in ecosystems will help identify wider and more effective conservation goals.     

The need for spatially explicit quantification of benefits in invasive‐species management

Worldwide, invasive species are a leading driver of environmental change across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments and cost billions of dollars annually in ecological damages and economic losses. Resources limit invasive‐species control, and planning processes are needed to identify cost‐effective solutions. Thus, studies are increasingly considering spatially variable natural and socioeconomic assets (e.g., species persistence, recreational fishing) when planning the allocation of actions for invasive‐species management. There is a need to improve understanding of how such assets are considered in invasive‐species management. We reviewed over 1600 studies focused on management of invasive species, including flora and fauna. Eighty‐four of these studies were included in our final analysis because they focused on the prioritization of actions for invasive species management. Forty‐five percent (n = 38) of these studies were based on spatial optimization methods, and 35% (n = 13) accounted for spatially variable assets. Across all 84 optimization studies considered, 27% (n = 23) explicitly accounted for spatially variable assets. Based on our findings, we further explored the potential costs and benefits to invasive species management when spatially variable assets are explicitly considered or not. To include spatially variable assets in decision‐making processes that guide invasive‐species management there is a need to quantify environmental responses to invasive species and to enhance understanding of potential impacts of invasive species on different natural or socioeconomic assets. We suggest these gaps could be filled by systematic reviews, quantifying invasive species impacts on native species at different periods, and broadening sources and enhancing sharing of knowledge.     

Quantifying progress toward a conservation assessment for all plants

The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) set an ambitious target to achieve a conservation assessment for all known plant species by 2020. We consolidated digitally available plant conservation assessments and reconciled their scientific names and assessment status to predefined standards to provide a quantitative measure of progress toward this target. The 241,919 plant conservation assessments generated represent 111,824 accepted land plant species (vascular plants and bryophytes, not algae). At least 73,081 and up to 90,321 species have been assessed at the global scale, representing 21–26% of known plant species. Of these plant species, at least 27,148 and up to 32,542 are threatened. Eighty plant families, including some of the largest, such as Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, and Rubiaceae, are underassessed and should be the focus of assessment effort if the GSPC target is to be met by 2020. Our data set is accessible online (ThreatSearch) and is a baseline that can be used to directly support other GSPC targets and plant conservation action. Although around one‐quarter of a million plant assessments have been compiled, the majority of plants are still unassessed. The challenge now is to build on this progress and redouble efforts to document conservation status of unassessed plants to better inform conservation decisions and conserve the most threatened species.     

南京市20种蔬菜氟、硫、氯元素含量研究

从１９９１年起连续三年在南京市的四个主要蔬菜基地采集了不同季节的２０种常用蔬菜样品，测定了食用部位中氟、硫、氯３种元素的含量。统计分析结果表明，三元素平均含量均明显高于清洁对照点，叶菜类蔬菜与对照差异显著，其他大部分蔬菜与对照差异不明显；三元素中氟污染最重，氯次之，硫最轻，且硫、氯含量有逐年减小趋势；工业大气污染源对蔬菜品质有一定影响，应注意蔬菜基地的合理布局。     

Ralstonia sp.strain U2菌株对萘的趋化作用

一株降解萘的细菌Ralstonia sp. strain U2对萘具有趋化现象,萘、水杨酸都可以作为其对萘产生趋化现象的诱导物.U2菌对水杨酸、龙胆酸同样都具有趋化性,但这种趋化性是组成型的,不需要诱导.图3参22     

酿酒废水培养钝顶螺旋藻(S.platensis)与营养物质去除的研究

经前处理后的酿酒厂废水用清水稀释用来培养钝顶螺旋藻 ,可以获得高生物量的钝顶螺旋藻。同时 ,废水中的营养物质也可以被去除。在连续培养条件下 ,使用改进的开放式通道装置培养获得螺旋藻的蛋白质、水分、灰化成份分别为 6 2 .7%、6 .2 1 %和 5 .2 6 % ,重金属含量也符合标准 (GB 1 991 9-1 997)。T -N ,NH4 + -N ,T -P和PO4 3 --P的去除效率分别可达到 72 %、97.9%、4 1 .3%、4 3.1 %。     

催化荧光法测定痕量亚硝酸根

本文研究了在稀磷酸介质中，亚硝酸根对溴酸钾氧化中笥红的反应，建立了催化荧光法测定痕量亚硝酸根的方法，实验表明，亚硝酸根在０．０５－０．４０μｇ．２５ｍｌ＾－１范围内与ΔＦ成线性关系，大多数常见的共存离子不影响其测定。本法用于水样中亚硝酸根的测定，结果比较满意。     

二氧化硫与环己烷的光化学反应

本文研究了ＳＯ２与环己烷在无氧及有氧体系中的光化学反应，观察到了白色烟雾有生成并凝聚，利用ＧＣ和ＧＣ／ＭＳ法确定了部分反应产物－环烯烃、醇、酮、二元酸酯、呋喃衍生物以及硫酸二甲酯等有机化合物，探讨了影响光化学反应的几种因素及反应机理。     

水体颗粒物以及土壤对有机物吸附常数的测定

本文介绍了用批量平衡测定水体悬浮颗粒物以及土壤对有机物吸附常数的测定方法，并给出实例和方法的注意事项。