Effect of humic acids and sunlight on the cytotoxicity of engineered zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles to a river bacterial assemblage

The effect of a terrestrial humic acid (HA) and Suwannee River HA on the cytotoxicity of engineered zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) to natural aquatic bacterial assemblages was measured with spread plate counting. The effect of HA (10 and 40 ppm) on the cytotoxicity of ZnONPs and TiO2NPs was tested factorially in the presence and absence of natural sunlight (light irradiation (LI)). The experiment was of full factorial, completely randomized design and the results were analyzed using the General Linear Model in SAS analytical software. The method of least squares means was used to separate the means or combinations of means. We determined the mechanism of toxicity via measurements of oxidative stress and metal ions. The toxicity of ZnONPs and TiO2NPs to natural aquatic bacterial assemblages appears to be concentration dependent. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of ZnONPs and TiO2NPs appeared to be affected by HA concentration, the presence of sunlight irradiation, and the dynamic multiple interactions among these factors. With respect to light versus darkness in the control group, the data indicate that bacterial viability was inhibited more in the light exposure than in the darkness exposure. The same was true in the HA treatment groups. With respect to terrestrial versus Suwanee River HA for a given nanoparticle, in light versus darkness, bacterial viability was more inhibited in the light treatment groups containing the terrestrial HA than in those containing Suwanee River HA. Differences in the extent of reactive oxygen species formation, adsorption/binding of ZnONPs/TiO2NPs by HA, and the levels of free metal ions were speculated to account for the observed cytotoxicity. TEM images indicate the attachment and binding of the tested nanoparticles to natural bacterial assemblages. Besides the individual parameter, significant effects on bacterial viability count were also observed in the following combined treatments: HA-ZnONPs, HA-LI, ZnONPs-LI, and HA-ZnONPs-LI. The main effects of all independent variables, plus interaction effects in all cases were significant with TiO2NPs.     

RGO改性介孔TiO2薄膜光催化同步去除Ni2+和SDBS

以钛酸四丁酯（TBT）、天然鳞片石墨为原料,聚乙烯吡咯烷酮（PVP）为介孔模板剂,通过浸渍-提拉法辅助热处理和紫外辐照还原制备介孔RGO-TiO₂薄膜,利用XRD、SEM、BET、UV-Vis DRS、FT-IR等对其结构、形貌及性能进行表征.以Ni²⁺和十二烷基苯磺酸钠（SDBS）为目标污染物,考察了介孔RGO-TiO₂薄膜光催化去除Ni²⁺和SDBS的反应性能,探讨了GO加入量及pH值对其催化性能的影响.在最佳条件下,进一步研究Ni²⁺/SDBS共存体系中Ni²⁺的光催化还原和SDBS的光催化氧化.结果表明：GO的加入量为1.0wt%时,介孔RGO-TiO₂薄膜对单一体系Ni²⁺和SDBS的光催化效率最高,在此条件下,pH=7.5时Ni²⁺还原效率最高,pH=6时SDBS降解效率最高.综合以上实验条件,设定GO加入量为1.0wt%,pH≈6时,Ni²⁺/SDBS共存体系中Ni²⁺和SDBS去除效率均优于Ni²⁺和SDBS单一体系,此时,Ni²⁺还原率为87.9%,SDBS氧化率为95.5%.分析协同光催化机制,TiO₂-SDBS表面复合物在紫外光激发下,SDBS被氧化同时,光生电子及SDBS氧化产物CO₂·^-自由基同步还原Ni²⁺.     

Combined Effects of Climate Change and Bank Stabilization on Shallow Water Habitats of Chinook Salmon

Significant challenges remain in the ability to estimate habitat change under the combined effects of natural variability, climate change, and human activity. We examined anticipated effects on shallow water over low‐sloped beaches to these combined effects in the lower Willamette River, Oregon, an area highly altered by development. A proposal to stabilize some shoreline with large rocks (riprap) would alter shallow water areas, an important habitat for threatened Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and would be subject to U.S. Endangered Species Act‐mandated oversight. In the mainstem, subyearling Chinook salmon appear to preferentially occupy these areas, which fluctuate with river stages. We estimated effects with a geospatial model and projections of future river flows. Recent (1999–2009) median river stages during peak subyearling occupancy (April–June) maximized beach shallow water area in the lower mainstem. Upstream shallow water area was maximized at lower river stages than have occurred recently. Higher river stages in April–June, resulting from increased flows predicted for the 2080s, decreased beach shallow water area 17–32%. On the basis of projected 2080s flows, more than 15% of beach shallow water area was displaced by the riprap. Beach shallow water area lost to riprap represented up to 1.6% of the total from the mouth to 12.9 km upstream. Reductions in shallow water area could restrict salmon feeding, resting, and refuge from predators and potentially reduce opportunities for the expression of the full range of life‐history strategies. Although climate change analyses provided useful information, detailed analyses are prohibitive at the project scale for the multitude of small projects reviewed annually. The benefits of our approach to resource managers include a wider geographic context for reviewing similar small projects in concert with climate change, an approach to analyze cumulative effects of similar actions, and estimation of the actions’ long‐term effects. Efectos Combinados del Cambio Climático y la Estabilización de Bordes de Ríos Hábitats de Aguas Poco Profundas del Salmón Chinook     

Obstruction of biodiversity conservation by minimum patch size criteria

Minimum patch size criteria for habitat protection reflect the conservation principle that a single large (SL) patch of habitat has higher biodiversity than several small (SS) patches of the same total area (SL > SS). Nonetheless, this principle is often incorrect, and biodiversity conservation requires placing more emphasis on protection of large numbers of small patches (SS > SL). We used a global database reporting the abundances of species across hundreds of patches to assess the SL > SS principle in systems where small patches are much smaller than the typical minimum patch size criteria applied for biodiversity conservation (i.e., ∼85% of patches <100 ha). The 76 metacommunities we examined included 4401 species in 1190 patches. From each metacommunity, we resampled species–area accumulation curves to evaluate how biodiversity responded to habitat existing as a few large patches or as many small patches. Counter to the SL > SS principle and consistent with previous syntheses, species richness accumulated more rapidly when adding several small patches (45.2% SS > SL vs. 19.9% SL > SS) to reach the same cumulative area, even for the very small patches in our data set. Responses of taxa to habitat fragmentation differed, which suggests that when a given total area of habitat is to be protected, overall biodiversity conservation will be most effective if that habitat is composed of as many small patches as possible, plus a few large ones. Because minimum patch size criteria often require larger patches than the small patches we examined, our results suggest that such criteria hinder efforts to protect biodiversity.     

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape‐scale recovery of threatened desert mammals

Funding for species conservation is insufficient to meet the current challenges facing global biodiversity, yet many programs use expensive single‐species recovery actions and neglect broader management that addresses threatening processes. Arid Australia has the world's worst modern mammalian extinction record, largely attributable to competition from introduced herbivores, particularly European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and predation by feral cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The biological control agent rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) was introduced to Australia in 1995 and resulted in dramatic, widespread rabbit suppression. We compared the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence of 4 extant species of small mammals before and after RHDV outbreak, relative to rainfall, sampling effort, and rabbit and predator populations. Despite low rainfall during the first 14 years after RHDV, 2 native rodents listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the dusky hopping‐mouse (Notomys fuscus) and plains mouse (Pseudomys australis), increased their extent of occurrence by 241–365%. A threatened marsupial micropredator, the crest‐tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda), underwent a 70‐fold increase in extent of occurrence and a 20‐fold increase in area of occupancy. Both bottom‐up and top‐down trophic effects were attributed to RHDV, namely decreased competition for food resources and declines in rabbit‐dependent predators. Based on these sustained increases, these 3 previously threatened species now qualify for threat‐category downgrading on the IUCN Red List. These recoveries are on a scale rarely documented in mammals and give impetus to programs aimed at targeted use of RHDV in Australia, rather than simply employing top‐down threat‐based management of arid ecosystems. Conservation programs that take big‐picture approaches to addressing threatening processes over large spatial scales should be prioritized to maximize return from scarce conservation funding. Further, these should be coupled with long‐term ecological monitoring, a critical tool in detecting and understanding complex ecosystem change.     

Conserving spawning stocks through harvest slot limits and no-take protected areas

The key to the conservation of harvested species is the maintenance of reproductive success. Yet for many marine species large, old, individuals are targeted despite their disproportionate contribution to reproduction. We hypothesized that a combination of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) and harvest slot limits (maximum and minimum size limits) would result in the conservation of large spawning individuals under heavy harvest. We tested this approach under different harvest intensities with a 2-sex, stage-structured metapopulation model for the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus). P. argus is intensively harvested in the Caribbean, and in many localities large, mature individuals no longer exist. No-take MPAs and harvest slot limits combined, rebuilt and maintained large mature individuals even under high harvest pressure. The most conservative model (a 30% MPA and harvest slot limit of 75–105 mm) increased spawner abundance by 5.53E¹² compared with the fishing status quo at the end of 30 years. Spawning stock abundance also increased by 2.76–9.56E¹² individuals at a high harvest intensity over 30 years with MPAs alone. Our results demonstrate the potential of MPAs and harvest slot limits for the conservation of large breeding individuals in some marine and freshwater environments. Decisions on which management strategy best suits a fishery, however, requires balancing what is ecologically desirable with what is economically and socially feasible.     

Rapidly Shifting Baselines in Yangtze Fishing Communities and Local Memory of Extinct Species

Abstract: Local ecological knowledge can provide a unique source of data for conservation, especially in efforts to investigate the status of rare or possibly extinct species, but it is unlikely to remain constant over time. Loss of perspective about past ecological conditions caused by lack of communication between generations may create “shifting baseline syndrome,” in which younger generations are less aware of local species diversity or abundance in the recent past. This phenomenon has been widely discussed, but has rarely been examined quantitatively. We present new evidence of shifting baselines in local perception of regional species declines and on the duration of “community memory” of extinct species on the basis of extensive interviews with fishers in communities across the middle‐lower Yangtze basin. Many Yangtze species have experienced major declines in recent decades, and the Yangtze River dolphin or baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) and Yangtze paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) may have become extinct during the 21^st century. Although informants across all age classes were strongly aware of the Yangtze ecosystem's escalating resource depletion and environmental degradation, older informants were more likely to recognize declines in two commercially important fish species, Reeves’ shad (Tenualosa reevesii) and Yangtze pufferfish (Takifugu fasciatus), and to have encountered baiji and paddlefish in the past. Age was also a strong predictor of whether informants had even heard of baiji or paddlefish, with younger informants being substantially less likely to recognize either species. A marked decrease in local knowledge about the Yangtze freshwater megafauna matched the time of major population declines of these species from the 1970s onwards, and paddlefish were already unknown to over 70% of all informants below the age of 40 and to those who first started fishing after 1995. This rapid rate of cultural baseline shift suggests that once even megafaunal species cease to be encountered on a fairly regular basis, they are rapidly forgotten by local communities.     

Ni2+胁迫对铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa）和集胞藻（Synechocystis sp.）的生长和光合色素的影响(Effects of Nickel on Growth and Photosynthetic Pigments of Microcystis aeruginosa and Synechocystis sp.)

光合作用是蓝藻生长繁殖的生理基础,研究重金属胁迫下蓝藻光合色素的变化和响应,有助于揭示其受害机理.在实验室无菌纯培养条件下,研究了不同浓度Ni2+处理下铜绿微囊藻和集胞藻的生物量和光合色素随时间的变化趋势.结果表明:浓度为5mg·L-1～25mg·L-1的Ni2+对M.aerugonisa的生长有抑制作用,随着处理剂量的增加和处理时间的延长,抑制作用愈加显著;在短时间(24h)内,Ni2+对Synechocystissp.的生长没有显著影响,随胁迫时间延长呈现出抑制作用;Ni2+处理M.aerugonisa至24h及Synechocystis sp.至48h时,藻细胞光吸收能力整体上受到明显抑制;5mg·L-1～25mg·L-1的Ni2+胁迫下,M.aerugonisa和Synechocystis sp.的叶绿素a含量随胁迫时间延长而降低;在叶绿素a(Chla)、藻蓝蛋白(PC)和别藻蓝蛋白(APC)三种光合色素中,藻蓝蛋白(PC)对Ni2+胁迫最为敏感,是Ni2+伤害蓝藻的重要作用位点.Ni2+对M.aerugonisa的抑制作用比Synechocystis sp.更明显.     

Ni、Zn对三疣梭子蟹幼体发育的慢性毒性(The Chronic Toxicity of Ni and Zn on Larval Development of Portunus trituberculatus)

为研究Ni、Zn对三疣梭子蟹幼体的毒性,进行了浓度为1/4至8倍渔业水质标准的Ni、Zn(Ni为0.05～0.4mg·L-1;Zn为0.1～0.8mg·L-1)对蟹幼体生长发育的毒性影响试验.1)Ni对蟹幼体生长发育的毒性影响:Ni浓度为1～8倍渔业水质标准时,蟹幼体混合存活率极显著低于对照组(p<0.01).Ni浓度为4倍渔业水质标准时,蟹幼体发育至Z4就全部死亡,8倍仅发育至Z2就全部死亡;4倍以上时,各期幼体存活率和阶段存活率均显著低于对照组(p<0.05或p<0.01).4倍以上时,蟹幼体发育的最短和最长时间及平均时间均显著高于对照组(p<0.05或p<0.01).这说明,进行三疣梭子蟹幼体培育,4倍以上Ni浓度为不适浓度,1～2倍为可行浓度,1/2倍以下为适宜浓度.2)Zn对蟹幼体生长发育的毒性影响结果发现,Zn浓度为8倍渔业水质标准时,蟹幼体混合存活率显著低于对照组(p<0.01),4倍以下时没有显著差异(p>0.05).4倍时蟹幼体仅发育至C1就全部死亡,8倍仅发育至Z2就全部死亡;4～8倍时各期幼体存活率和阶段存活率均极显著低于对照组(p<0.01).2倍以上时,蟹幼体发育的最短时间显著高于对照组(p<0.05);4倍以上时,蟹幼体发育的平均时间显著高于对照组(p<0.05).这说明,进行三疣梭子蟹幼体培育,4倍以上Zn浓度为不适浓度,2倍Zn浓度为可行浓度,1倍以下为适宜浓度.     

Connectivity Planning to Address Climate Change

As the climate changes, human land use may impede species from tracking areas with suitable climates. Maintaining connectivity between areas of different temperatures could allow organisms to move along temperature gradients and allow species to continue to occupy the same temperature space as the climate warms. We used a coarse‐filter approach to identify broad corridors for movement between areas where human influence is low while simultaneously routing the corridors along present‐day spatial gradients of temperature. We modified a cost–distance algorithm to model these corridors and tested the model with data on current land‐use and climate patterns in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The resulting maps identified a network of patches and corridors across which species may move as climates change. The corridors are likely to be robust to uncertainty in the magnitude and direction of future climate change because they are derived from gradients and land‐use patterns. The assumptions we applied in our model simplified the stability of temperature gradients and species responses to climate change and land use, but the model is flexible enough to be tailored to specific regions by incorporating other climate variables or movement costs. When used at appropriate resolutions, our approach may be of value to local, regional, and continental conservation initiatives seeking to promote species movements in a changing climate. Planificación de Conectividad para Atender el Cambio Climático