Impacts of phylogenetic nomenclature on the efficacy of the U.S. Endangered Species Act

Cataloging biodiversity is critical to conservation efforts because accurate taxonomy is often a precondition for protection under laws designed for species conservation, such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Traditional nomenclatural codes governing the taxonomic process have recently come under scrutiny because taxon names are more closely linked to hierarchical ranks than to the taxa themselves. A new approach to naming biological groups, called phylogenetic nomenclature (PN), explicitly names taxa by defining their names in terms of ancestry and descent. PN has the potential to increase nomenclatural stability and decrease confusion induced by the rank‐based codes. But proponents of PN have struggled with whether species and infraspecific taxa should be governed by the same rules as other taxa or should have special rules. Some proponents advocate the wholesale abandonment of rank labels (including species); this could have consequences for the implementation of taxon‐based conservation legislation. I examined the principles of PN as embodied in the PhyloCode (an alternative to traditional rank‐based nomenclature that names biological groups based on the results of phylogenetic analyses and does not associate taxa with ranks) and assessed how this novel approach to naming taxa might affect the implementation of species‐based legislation by providing a case study of the ESA. The latest version of the PhyloCode relies on the traditional rank‐based codes to name species and infraspecific taxa; thus, little will change regarding the main targets of the ESA because they will retain rank labels. For this reason, and because knowledge of evolutionary relationships is of greater importance than nomenclatural procedures for initial protection of endangered taxa under the ESA, I conclude that PN under the PhyloCode will have little impact on implementation of the ESA. Impactos de la Nomenclatura Filogenética sobre la Eficiencia del Acta Estadunidense para las Especies en Peligro     

Synergies and trade‐offs in achieving global biodiversity targets

After their failure to achieve a significant reduction in the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, world governments adopted 20 new ambitious Aichi biodiversity targets to be met by 2020. Efforts to achieve one particular target can contribute to achieving others, but different targets may sometimes require conflicting solutions. Consequently, lack of strategic thinking might result, once again, in a failure to achieve global commitments to biodiversity conservation. We illustrate this dilemma by focusing on Aichi Target 11. This target requires an expansion of terrestrial protected area coverage, which could also contribute to reducing the loss of natural habitats (Target 5), reducing human‐induced species decline and extinction (Target 12), and maintaining global carbon stocks (Target 15). We considered the potential impact of expanding protected areas to mitigate global deforestation and the consequences for the distribution of suitable habitat for >10,000 species of forest vertebrates (amphibians, birds, and mammals). We first identified places where deforestation might have the highest impact on remaining forests and then identified places where deforestation might have the highest impact on forest vertebrates (considering aggregate suitable habitat for species). Expanding protected areas toward locations with the highest deforestation rates (Target 5) or the highest potential loss of aggregate species’ suitable habitat (Target 12) resulted in partially different protected area network configurations (overlapping with each other by about 73%). Moreover, the latter approach contributed to safeguarding about 30% more global carbon stocks than the former. Further investigation of synergies and trade‐offs between targets would shed light on these and other complex interactions, such as the interaction between reducing overexploitation of natural resources (Targets 6, 7), controlling invasive alien species (Target 9), and preventing extinctions of native species (Target 12). Synergies between targets must be identified and secured soon and trade‐offs must be minimized before the options for co‐benefits are reduced by human pressures.     

Achieving Open Access to Conservation Science

Conservation science is a crisis discipline in which the results of scientific enquiry must be made available quickly to those implementing management. We assessed the extent to which scientific research published since the year 2000 in 20 conservation science journals is publicly available. Of the 19,207 papers published, 1,667 (8.68%) are freely downloadable from an official repository. Moreover, only 938 papers (4.88%) meet the standard definition of open access in which material can be freely reused providing attribution to the authors is given. This compares poorly with a comparable set of 20 evolutionary biology journals, where 31.93% of papers are freely downloadable and 7.49% are open access. Seventeen of the 20 conservation journals offer an open access option, but fewer than 5% of the papers are available through open access. The cost of accessing the full body of conservation science runs into tens of thousands of dollars per year for institutional subscribers, and many conservation practitioners cannot access pay‐per‐view science through their workplace. However, important initiatives such as Research4Life are making science available to organizations in developing countries. We urge authors of conservation science to pay for open access on a per‐article basis or to choose publication in open access journals, taking care to ensure the license allows reuse for any purpose providing attribution is given. Currently, it would cost $51 million to make all conservation science published since 2000 freely available by paying the open access fees currently levied to authors. Publishers of conservation journals might consider more cost effective models for open access and conservation‐oriented organizations running journals could consider a broader range of options for open access to nonmembers such as sponsorship of open access via membership fees. Obtención de Acceso Abierto a la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Cultivating Creativity in Conservation Science

Conservation practitioners and scientists are often faced with seemingly intractable problems in which traditional approaches fail. While other sectors (e.g., business) frequently emphasize creative thinking to overcome complex challenges, creativity is rarely identified as an essential skill for conservationists. Yet more creative approaches are urgently needed in the effort to sustain Earth's biodiversity. We identified 4 strategies to develop skills in creative thinking and discuss underlying research and examples supporting each strategy. First, by breaking down barriers between disciplines and surrounding oneself with unfamiliar people, concepts, and perspectives, one can expand base knowledge and experiences and increase the potential for new combinations of ideas. Second, by meeting people where they are (both literally and figuratively), one exposes oneself to new environments and perspectives, which again broadens experiences and increases ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders. Third, by embracing risk responsibly, one is more likely to develop new, nontraditional solutions and be open to high‐impact outcomes. Finally, by following a cycle of learning, struggle, and reflection, one can trigger neurophysiological changes that allow the brain to become more creative. Creativity is a learned trait, rather than an innate skill. It can be actively developed at both the individual and institutional levels, and learning to navigate the relevant social and practical barriers is key to the process. To maximize the success of conservation in the face of escalating challenges, one must take advantage of what has been learned from other disciplines and foster creativity as both a professional skill and an essential component of career training and individual development. Cultivando la Creatividad en la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Biodegradation of Electrospun Poly-(ɛ-caprolactone) Non-woven Fabrics by Pure-Cultured Soil Filamentous Fungi

The biodegradation of electrospun nano-fibers of poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) was initially investigated with respect to the environmental application of PCL non-woven fabrics, using pure-cultured soil filamentous fungi, Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium caseicolum, P. citrinum, Mucor sp., Rhizopus sp., Curvularia sp., and Cladosporium sp. Three kinds of non-woven PCL fabrics with different mean fiber diameters (330, 360, and 510 nm) were prepared by changing the viscosities of the pre-spun PCL solutions (150, 210, and 310 cPs, respectively). All of the pure-line soil filamentous fungi tested grew on the two fiber materials. Electron microscopy was used to observe the biodegradation processes revealing remarkable growth of two fungi, Rhizopus sp. and Mucor sp., along with the accompanying collapse of the nano-fiber matrices. In the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) test, the biodegradation of the 330 nm PCL nano-fibers by Rhizopus sp. and Mucor sp. exceeded 20 and 30% carbon dioxide generation, respectively. The biodegradability of the PCL non-woven fabrics decreased with the mean fiber diameter and the 330 nm PCL nano-fiber that was made from 150 cPs solution (concentration, 7 wt%) exhibited the highest biodegradability. These results might offer some clues for the applications of the PCL non-woven fabrics having the controlled biodegradability in the environmental uses.     

微电解法预处理对氟硝基苯废水的研究

采用废铁屑微电解法对氟硝基苯废水进行预处理，在铁粉投加量为3.0g/L、phH为3．0、反应时间为3h、催化剂氯化铵用量为2.0g/L的条件下，对氟硝基苯转化为氨基氟苯的转化率为70％、出水的BOD5／COD值由0上升到0．27。     

利用TaPL3模型计算p,p''-DDTDDT在天津地区的长距离传输潜力

利用TaPL3(Version 3．00)模型计算了天津地区p，p’-DDT通过大气和水体的长距离传输潜力(LRTP)．通过灵敏度分析，确定了模型的关键参数．利用蒙特卡罗方法对模型结果进行了不确定性分析．结果表明，天津地区p，p’-DDT通过大气的LRlP为473～762km，均值为579km；通过水体的LRTP为940～10958km，均值为2254km．通过大气的LRTP的结果分布比通过水体的LRTP更集中．与国外同类结果比较，通过大气的LRTP略低，而通过水体的LRTP则明显偏低．     

羟基化多溴联苯醚(OH-PBDEs)在小鼠肝脏S9中的体外代谢研究

羟基化多溴联苯醚(OH-PBDEs)是一类具有内分泌干扰性质的酚类化合物,且内分泌干扰效应大于其母体多溴联苯醚(PBDEs),研究OH-PBDEs的体外代谢行为对于理解其在生物体内的富集转化具有重要意义.以小鼠肝脏S9部分作为研究对象,考察了3-OH-BDE-47、5-OHBDE-47、6-OH-BDE-47和2'-OH-BDE-68在小鼠肝脏中的体外代谢.结果表明小鼠肝脏S9中的I相酶和II相酶均能代谢4种OH-PBDEs;醚键与OH官能团及Br原子互为邻位时,I相酶对OH-PBDEs的代谢率最高,即6-OH-BDE-47表现出较高的代谢率,此外,4种OH-PBDEs经I相酶代谢后均能生成2,4-二溴苯酚,表明醚键断裂是其主要的I相酶代谢途径;OH-PBDEs的OH官能团与醚键互为间位时,II相酶对其葡萄糖醛酸结合反应最高,也就是5-OH-BDE-47表现出较高的去除率.     

西藏砂生槐种子营养成份的初步研究

砂生槐(Sophora moorcroftiana)是藏南河谷地带分布极广的一种多年生豆科灌木,具有极强的抗旱、耐瘠、抗风沙等生态适应性。目前当地群众挖其植株作为生活燃料,收其干叶作为牲畜越冬饲料,破坏相当严重。为充分开发其利用价值,首次取其种子进行营养成份分析,发现其富含蛋白质和脂肪17种氨基酸含量达 23％以上除色氨酸未能测定外,其余7种必须氨基酸含量均高于豌豆(Pisum sativrm)热值 4 800千卡/公斤左右。具有较高的饲用或食用开发价值。     

N-K2Ti4O9/g-C3N4/UiO-66三元复合材料的协同光催化作用

采用溶剂热法制备N-K2Ti4O9/g-C3N4/UiO-66三元复合材料,并分别经X射线衍射（XRD）、场发射透射电镜（FETEM）、光致发光光谱（PL）、紫外可见吸收光谱（UV-vis）、X射线光电子价带谱（XPS）等予以表征。通过罗丹明（RhB）可见光催化降解实验研究,结果表明N-K2Ti4O9/g-C3N4/UiO-66三元复合材料的光催化性能明显优于单体N-K2Ti4O9、g-C3N4、UiO-66和N-K2Ti4O9/g-C3N4二元复合材料,三元复合材料协同增强的光催化活性是由于UiO-66对RhB吸附量大、g-C3N4传导电子空穴能力强以及复合促进了光生电荷分离的结果。