Demographic Effects of Harvesting Epiphytic Bromeliads and an Alternative Approach to Collection

Abstract: Hundreds of epiphytic bromeliads species are harvested from the wild for trade and for cultural uses, but little is known about the effects of this harvest. We assessed the potential demographic effects of harvesting from the wild on 2 epiphytic bromeliads: Tillandsia macdougallii, an atmospheric bromeliad (adsorbs water and nutrients directly from the atmosphere), and T. violaceae, a tank bromeliad (accumulates water and organic material between its leaves). We also examined an alternative to harvesting bromeliads from trees—the collection of fallen bromeliads from the forest floor. We censused populations of T. macdougallii each year from 2005 to 2010 and of T. violaceae from 2005 to 2008, in Oaxaca, Mexico. We also measured monthly fall rates of bromeliads over 1 year and monitored the survival of fallen bromeliads on the forest floor. The tank bromeliad had significantly higher rates of survival, reproduction, and stochastic population growth rates (λ_s) than the atmospheric bromeliad, but λ_s for both species were <1, which suggests that the populations will decline even without harvest. Elasticity patterns differed between species, but in both, survival of large individuals had high elasticity values. No fallen bromeliads survived more than 1.5 years on the forest floor and the rate of bromeliad fall was comparable to current harvest rates. Low rates of population growth recorded for the species we studied and other epiphytic bromeliads and high elasticity values for the vital rates that were most affected by harvest suggest that commercial harvesting in the wild of these species is not sustainable. We propose the collection of fallen bromeliads as an ecologically and, potentially, economically viable alternative.     

Use of Land Facets to Plan for Climate Change: Conserving the Arenas,Not the Actors

Abstract: Even under the most optimistic scenarios, during the next century human‐caused climate change will threaten many wild populations and species. The most useful conservation response is to enlarge and link protected areas to support range shifts by plants and animals. To prioritize land for reserves and linkages, some scientists attempt to chain together four highly uncertain models (emission scenarios, global air–ocean circulation, regional circulation, and biotic response). This approach has high risk of error propagation and compounding and produces outputs at a coarser scale than conservation decisions. Instead, we advocate identifying land facets—recurring landscape units with uniform topographic and soil attributes—and designing reserves and linkages for diversity and interspersion of these units. This coarse‐filter approach would conserve the arenas of biological activity, rather than the temporary occupants of those arenas. Integrative, context‐sensitive variables, such as insolation and topographic wetness, are useful for defining land facets. Classification procedures such as k‐means or fuzzy clustering are a good way to define land facets because they can analyze millions of pixels and are insensitive to case order. In regions lacking useful soil maps, river systems or riparian plants can indicate important facets. Conservation planners should set higher representation targets for rare and distinctive facets. High interspersion of land facets can promote ecological processes, evolutionary interaction, and range shift. Relevant studies suggest land‐facet diversity is a good surrogate for today's biodiversity, but fails to conserve some species. To minimize such failures, a reserve design based on land facets should complement, rather than replace, other approaches. Designs based on land facets are not biased toward data‐rich areas and can be applied where no maps of land cover exist.     

Threatened Species and the Potential Loss of Phylogenetic Diversity: Conservation Scenarios Based on Estimated Extinction Probabilities and Phylogenetic Risk Analysis

Abstract: New species conservation strategies, including the EDGE of Existence (EDGE) program, have expanded threatened species assessments by integrating information about species' phylogenetic distinctiveness. Distinctiveness has been measured through simple scores that assign shared credit among species for evolutionary heritage represented by the deeper phylogenetic branches. A species with a high score combined with a high extinction probability receives high priority for conservation efforts. Simple hypothetical scenarios for phylogenetic trees and extinction probabilities demonstrate how such scoring approaches can provide inefficient priorities for conservation. An existing probabilistic framework derived from the phylogenetic diversity measure (PD) properly captures the idea of shared responsibility for the persistence of evolutionary history. It avoids static scores, takes into account the status of close relatives through their extinction probabilities, and allows for the necessary updating of priorities in light of changes in species threat status. A hypothetical phylogenetic tree illustrates how changes in extinction probabilities of one or more species translate into changes in expected PD. The probabilistic PD framework provided a range of strategies that moved beyond expected PD to better consider worst‐case PD losses. In another example, risk aversion gave higher priority to a conservation program that provided a smaller, but less risky, gain in expected PD. The EDGE program could continue to promote a list of top species conservation priorities through application of probabilistic PD and simple estimates of current extinction probability. The list might be a dynamic one, with all the priority scores updated as extinction probabilities change. Results of recent studies suggest that estimation of extinction probabilities derived from the red list criteria linked to changes in species range sizes may provide estimated probabilities for many different species. Probabilistic PD provides a framework for single‐species assessment that is well‐integrated with a broader measurement of impacts on PD owing to climate change and other factors.     

催化氧化法处理对硝基酚钠生产废水的研究

研究了催化氧化法处理对硝基酚钠生产废水的工艺参数，COD去除率可达90％，探讨了从酚钠母注人中盐析酚的条件，回收量为15．86Kg酚钠／m^3废液，提出了综合治理酚钠废水的工艺流程。     

Using Citizen Science Programs to Identify Host Resistance in Pest‐Invaded Forests

Abstract: Threats to native forests from non‐native insects and pathogens (pests) are generally addressed with methods such as quarantine, eradication, biological control, and development of resistant stock through hybridization and breeding. In conjunction with such efforts, it may be useful to have citizen scientists locate rare surviving trees that may be naturally pest resistant or tolerant. The degree of resistance of individual trees identified in this way can be tested under controlled conditions, and the most resistant individuals can be integrated into plant breeding programs aimed at developing pest‐resistant native stock. Involving citizen scientists in programs aimed at identifying rare trees that survive colonization by pests provides a low‐cost means of maximizing search efforts across wide geographic regions and may provide an effective supplement to existing management approaches.     

Prenatal diagnosis and prenatal imaging features of fetal monosomy 1p36

Deletion of the distal end of the short arm of chromosome 1 (1p36) is thought to be a common terminal chromosomal deletion. However, few cases prospectively diagnosed prenatally have been reported. In this case, prenatal ultrasound at 21 weeks of gestation noted the fetus to have mild ventriculomegaly (Vhanterior = 11 mm and Vhposterior = 12 mm) and increased nuchal edema (6 mm). Maternal serum α-fetoprotein was normal unlike in a majority of previously described cases. The prenatal ultrasound features were further clarified with fetal MRI. Chromosome analysis following amniocentesis demonstrated a 1p36 deletion, which was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The syndrome associated with 1p36 deletion is well described in infants and is characterized by typical facial features (prominent forehead, straight eyebrows. deep-set eyes, flat nasal bridge and a pointed chin). Other associated features are neurodevelopmental delay, seizures, cardiomyopathy and neurosensory hearing impairment. This case supplements our knowledge of the prenatal features of 1p36. Identification of this deletion by direct chromosomal analysis can be technically difficult and vigilance is required to improve diagnosis. FISH analysis is an important diagnostic adjunct where the diagnosis is suspected following classical G-banding techniques. However, in this chromosomal anomaly there remain few characteristic prenatal signs that are readily diagnosed with prenatal imaging. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of nature organic matters and hydrated metal oxides on the anaerobic degradation of lindane,p,p''''-DDT and HCB in sediments

IntroductionLindane ,p,p’ DDTandHCBaresemivolatileandlipophilic ,andtheyfallintotheclassofcompoundsdescribedaspersistentorganicpollutants.Moreover,thesecompoundshavebeenidentifiedaspotentendocrinedisrupters(Smith ,2 0 0 2 ;Willett,1 998;Robert,2 0 0 1 ) .Ithasbeenreportedchlorinatedorganiccompoundscanbedecomposedveryslowlyinsedimentsthroughvariousreactions(Niesl,1 990 ) .Factorsinfluencingthebiodegradationofcompoundsarevarious.Amongthem ,itwasreportedthattheeffectsofnaturalorganicmatters…     

Surfactant 4-nonylphenyl-polyethylene glycol stimulates reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells

The formulation of most pesticides is proprietary and individual components are therefore not generally known. In a preliminary study, we identified six compounds that are often present in pesticides, of which 4-nonylphenyl-polyethylene glycol(NP-40) was found to be the most toxic. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of NP-40 and underlying mechanism in neuronal SK-N-SH cells. Exposure to NP 40 at concentrations higher than60 μmol/L for 24 hr decreased cell viability. The cytotoxicity of NP-40 was time-and concentration-dependent. Nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation were apparent starting at 50 μmol/L NP-40, and increased at higher concentrations. The expression of apoptotic factors including p53 and B-cell lymphoma(Bcl)-2-associated X protein was upregulated, while that of the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2 was downregulated at 80 μmol/L NP-40. Cytochrome c release was observed from 80 to 100 μmol/L by confocal microscopy. Caspase-9 and-3/7 activities increased according to concentration, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis showed that apoptosis was induced at50 μmol/L and was increased at 80 μmol/L. Our findings indicate that NP-40 stimulates the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway and reactive oxygen species production in a concentration-dependent manner, and suggest that antioxidant administration may be an effective treatment for patients with acute NP-40 poisoning.