The Botanist Effect Revisited: Plant Species Richness, County Area, and Human Population Size in the United States

Abstract:  The "botanist effect" is thought to be the reason for higher plant species richness in areas where botanists are disproportionately present as an artefactual consequence of a more thorough sampling. We examined whether this was the case for U.S. counties. We collated the number of species of vascular plants, human population size, and the area of U.S. counties. Controlling for spatial autocorrelation and county area, plant species richness increased with human population size and density in counties with and without universities and/or botanical gardens, with no significant differences in the relation between the two subsets. This is consistent with previous findings and further evidence of a broad-scale positive correlation between species richness and human population presence, which has important consequences for the experience of nature by inhabitants of densely populated regions. Combined with the many reports of a negative correlation between the two variables at a local scale, the positive relation between plant species richness in U.S. counties and human population presence stresses the need for the conservation of seminatural areas in urbanized ecosystems and for the containment of urban and suburban sprawl.     

Trace metal contents of the pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) purchased from markets in Hong Kong

Arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and copper concentrations of the Pacific oyster,Crassostrea gigas, purchased from four different markets were determined in this project. In general, gill tissue had the highest proportion of metal contents (34%–67%) when compared with other tissue parts (mantle, viscera, and adductor muscle), except for arsenic, which showed the highest level in adductor muscle (44%). Smaller oysters (longitudinal length of soft body part less than 6 cm) had higher metal levels than larger ones (longitudinal length of soft body part more than 6 cm), except copper. None of the four metals examined showed an obvious seasonal trend, although cadmium levels seemed to be higher in autumn and winter months. Arsenic, cadmium, and copper levels in oysters purchased from different markets and different months obtained in the present study were higher when compared with past reports. Cadmium levels, as high as 10.98 mg/kg (dry weight basis) have been obtained. This approaches the safety limit that may be hazardous to human health. Continual monitoring of cadmium and other trace metals of toxicological significance to man in Hong Kong seafood is recommended.     

Background metal levels determination in bivalves – quality assessment of the European Water Framework Directive

Background levels of metals (Ag, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in biomonitors (Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels and Crassostrea gigas oysters), in estuarine waters within the Basque Country (south-east Bay of Biscay) are estimated using non-parametric statistical tools and data are presented graphically, with the aim of being used in assessing the ecological status, within the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). The basis for this study was the statistical analysis of data compiled from monitoring programmes undertaken along the Basque coast, between 1990 and 2008. For this analysis, a heuristic method was adapted and used. Results showed different metal background ranges throughout the year for both mussels and oysters. Values corresponding to the upper limit of the background range (i.e. value of the upper whisker of the box-plot) are proposed as the ‘high/good’ status boundary, according to the WFD.     

Sensitivity analysis of North American bird population estimates

The Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan provided estimates of population sizes for 448 landbird species using a multiplicative model. Input parameters in this calculation included the area of state × Bird Conservation Region polygons, area-specific mean Breeding Bird Survey counts circa 1995, and adjustment factors for the distance over which species may presumably be correctly counted, the assumed pairing of singing males with non-singing females, and variability in the propensity of birds to sing over the course of the survey day. I assessed the sensitivity of this population calculation to changes in the input parameters. I assessed both local and global sensitivity of the model to changes in the parameters with Monte Carlo one-at-a-time simulations and the Fourier amplitude sensitivity test (FAST). Monte Carlo simulations were an estimate of local model sensitivity whereas FAST estimated global model sensitivity, accommodating the potential shared variance between model parameters. Monte Carlo simulations suggested population estimates were 39% more sensitive to changes in the detection distance adjustment than to the other parameters; the other parameters were nearly equal in their contribution to model sensitivity. Conversely, FAST analysis determined that each of the input variables aside from the pair adjustment provided roughly equal contributions to variability in population estimates. The most efficient means for improving continental population estimates for birds surveyed by the Breeding Bird Survey will be through increased scrutiny of the species-specific distance detection and time-of-day adjustments and improved understanding in the spatial and temporal variability in the mean Breeding Bird Survey count.     

广东重要渔业水域牡蛎体中的麻痹性贝类毒素

2003年4月和5月对广东沿海15个重要渔业养殖水域牡蛎进行了麻痹性贝类毒素(PSP)的调查,结果表明：调查期间牡蛎体PSP毒性较低,检测结果均未检出。其结果远低于1991年水平,而与2002年一致;15个重要渔业水域牡蛎体PSP毒性低于我国无公害食品水产品中贝类有毒有害物质限量标准和联合国粮农组织规定的贝类上市安全限量。     

牡蛎壳生物滤池处理含盐污水中的硝化特性

采用牡蛎壳为曝气生物滤池填料,以含NaCl的生活污水为处理对象,在SBR操作条件下,系统考察进水NaCl浓度、曝气时间及进水pH值等对硝化性能的影响。结果表明,进水NaCl浓度为10~15 g/L时,平均氨氮去除率可稳定在97%以上;较高浓度NaCl对亚硝酸化菌活性影响较弱,对硝酸化菌活性影响较强,特别是在日曝气时间少于12 h时,其出水中亚硝氮的含率大于50%;当进水pH值在6~9变化时,反应器内pH值可稳定在6.5~7.5,硝化性能良好,表明牡蛎壳填料可为硝化反应提供碱度。     

南海北部沿岸近江牡蛎有机氯杀虫剂含量与食用安全性分析

于2008—2010年每年春季,在南海北部沿岸23个观测站分别采集成体近江牡蛎(Crassostrea rivularis),测定了牡蛎有机氯杀虫剂含量,并探讨了有机氯杀虫剂残留对牡蛎食用安全性的影响。结果表明,牡蛎有机氯杀虫剂平均含量(μg.kg-1,以湿质量计)高低依次为:DDTs 4.68(含量范围1.53～9.77)>硫丹2.58(nd～17.6)>氯丹1.12(nd～11.2)>三氯杀螨醇0.514(nd～4.42)>甲氧氯0.300(nd～2.66)>异狄氏剂0.229(nd～4.82)>环氧七氯0.182(nd～1.65)>异狄氏剂醛0.159(nd～1.16)>艾氏剂0.138(nd～1.72)>BHCs 0.130(nd～0.727)>狄氏剂0.095(nd～0.237)>七氯0.056(nd～0.531)。除异狄氏剂醛和硫丹外,其他杀虫剂含量明显低于澳大利亚、俄罗斯、欧盟、加拿大、日本和中国的水产品、畜禽肉中有机氯杀虫剂残留限量;硫丹含量低于澳大利亚和加拿大的限量,但少数牡蛎样本中硫丹含量略高于欧盟的限量,接近或超过日本的限量。经食用牡蛎而进入人体的α-BHC、β-BHC、γ-BHCp、p...     

中美淡水生物区系中汞物种敏感度分布比较

通过收集无机汞对中国与美国淡水水生生物的毒性数据,构建了脊椎动物(包括鱼类)、无脊椎动物(包括节肢动物和非节肢无脊椎动物)及所有物种对汞的物种敏感度分布(SSD:species sensitivity distributions)曲线,并在此基础上对中国和美国不同类别生物对汞的敏感性分布进行了分析.结果表明:中国与美国各类生物及所有物种对汞的SSD敏感性分布曲线没有显著差异.然而,中国淡水水生物种对汞短期暴露的HC5(hazardous concentration for 5% of the species)较美国淡水物种的阈值小,尤其是非节肢无脊椎动物,汞对美国非节肢动物的HC5值是我国对应物种的7.4倍.在保护95%的物种水平下,中国不同类别试验生物对汞的敏感性排序为无脊椎动物>脊椎动物,其中节肢动物>非节肢无脊椎动物>鱼类;而对应的美国生物对汞的敏感性排序无脊椎动物>脊椎动物,其中节肢动物>鱼类>非节肢无脊椎动物.另外,中美所有节肢动物对汞的敏感性要强于所有鱼类和所有非节肢无脊椎动物.所以在使用所有物种推导水质基准时应考虑其中各类别物种敏感度分布的影响,且需要注意采用美国淡水水生物种推导的水质基准可能会对我国淡水水生物种造成"保护不足".     

南海海域重要养殖水域牡蛎体中的腹泻性贝类毒素

对2006年和2007年南海海域23个重要养殖水域牡蛎体中腹泻性贝类毒素(DSP)进行了调查,结果表明:甲子港、唐家湾、镇海湾、安埔港、防城港、八所港和榆林港等7个水域牡蛎体DSP毒性呈阳性结果,占调查水域的30.4%,其DSP值均为0.05MU/g.2006年牡蛎体DSP检出率为8.7%(n=23),2007年为21.7%(n=23).调查期间,牡蛎体DSP检出值0.05MU/g已达到了FDA(美国食品药物管理局)、日本、加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰、朝鲜等6个国家食用贝类标准警戒限量水平,和超出了我国<无公害食品水产品中有毒有害物质的限量>规定贝类DSP不得检出标准,表明了近期南海海域某些养殖水域的牡蛎已经受到了DSP毒化的威胁.     

石油污染对牡蛎超显微结构毒性效应的研究

采用电子显微镜观察石油污染对牡蛎生殖腺和肝胰腺组织细胞的毒性作用。结果显示,石油污染对牡蛎具有明显的慢性毒害作用,50 mg／L浓度组,实验10 d的牡蛎,其组织细胞受石油污染不明显;当实验时间为30 d时,出现明显的毒性效应,细胞核核膜肿胀,染色质聚集并边际化,细胞核崩解,细胞坏死,组织萎缩,线粒体的变化较其他细胞器对石油污染较敏感,受损坏的程度较重。