Management of the Panzootic White‐Nose Syndrome through Culling of Bats

Abstract: The probability of persistence of many species of hibernating bats in the United States is greatly reduced by an emerging infectious disease, white‐nose syndrome (WNS). In the United States WNS is rapidly spreading and is associated with a psychrophilic fungus, Geomyces destructans. WNS has caused massive mortality of bats that hibernate. Efforts to control the disease have been ineffective. The culling of bats in hibernacula has been proposed as a way to break the transmission cycle or slow the spread of WNS. We formulated a disease model to examine the efficacy of culling to abate WNS in bat populations. We based the model dynamics on disease transmission in maternity roosts, swarms, and hibernacula, which are the arenas of contact among bats. Our simulations indicated culling will not control WNS in bats primarily because contact rates are high among colonial bats, contact occurs in multiple arenas, and periodic movement between arenas occurs. In general, culling is ineffective in the control of animal diseases in the wild.     

Projected Climate Impacts for the Amphibians of the Western Hemisphere

Abstract: Given their physiological requirements, limited dispersal abilities, and hydrologically sensitive habitats, amphibians are likely to be highly sensitive to future climatic changes. We used three approaches to map areas in the western hemisphere where amphibians are particularly likely to be affected by climate change. First, we used bioclimatic models to project potential climate‐driven shifts in the distribution of 413 amphibian species based on 20 climate simulations for 2071–2100. We summarized these projections to produce estimates of species turnover. Second, we mapped the distribution of 1099 species with restricted geographic ranges. Finally, using the 20 future climate‐change simulations, we mapped areas that were consistently projected to receive less seasonal precipitation in the coming century and thus were likely to have altered microclimates and local hydrologies. Species turnover was projected to be highest in the Andes Mountains and parts of Central America and Mexico, where, on average, turnover rates exceeded 60% under the lower of two emissions scenarios. Many of the restricted‐range species not included in our range‐shift analyses were concentrated in parts of the Andes and Central America and in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Much of Central America, southwestern North America, and parts of South America were consistently projected to experience decreased precipitation by the end of the century. Combining the results of the three analyses highlighted several areas in which amphibians are likely to be significantly affected by climate change for multiple reasons. Portions of southern Central America were simultaneously projected to experience high species turnover, have many additional restricted‐range species, and were consistently projected to receive less precipitation. Together, our three analyses form one potential assessment of the geographic vulnerability of amphibians to climate change and as such provide broad‐scale guidance for directing conservation efforts.     

Biogeochemical cycling constraints on stream ecosystem recovery

In systems where production is limited by the availability of a nutrient, nutrient input to and recycling within the system is related to the resilience, or speed of recovery, of a system to its steady state following a disturbance. In particular, it is shown that the return timeT _s of the system to steady state, or the inverse of the resilience, is approximately equal to the mean turnover time of the limiting nutrient in the system. From this relationship, it is possible to understand and predict how various properties of food webs and their environments affect resilience. These properties include nutrient input rate, loss rate, size of the detritus compartment, and trophic structure. The effects of these properties on resilience are described by using simple mathematical models. To test model predictions, experimental studies of the response of periphyton-dominated stream ecosystems to disturbance are being conducted on a set of laboratory streams in which nutrient inputs and grazing intensity are regulated at different levels. In streams without snail grazers (low-grazed streams), 90% recirculation of stream water to reduce nutrient inputs resulted in longer turnover times (T _r ) of phosphorus within the stream compared with once-through flow. However, in streams with snail grazers (high-grazed streams), there were no differences in phosphorus turnover time between once-through and partially recirculated treatments. Results on the rate of recovery of periphyton from a flood/scour disturbance to each stream partially support the model prediction of a positive relationship between ecosystem return time (T _s ) and nutrient turnover time (T _r ) within the streams.     

Do Nutrients Limit Algal Periphyton in Small Blackwater Coastal Plain Streams?1

Abstract: We examine the potential for nutrient limitation of algal periphyton biomass in blackwater streams draining the Georgia coastal plain. Previous studies have investigated nutrient limitation of planktonic algae in large blackwater rivers, but virtually no scientific information exists regarding how algal periphyton respond to nutrients under different light conditions in smaller, low‐flow streams. We used a modification of the Matlock periphytometer (nutrient‐diffusing substrata) to determine if algal growth was nutrient limited and/or light limited at nine sites spanning a range of human impacts from relatively undisturbed forested basins to highly disturbed agricultural sites. We employed four treatments in both shaded and sunny conditions at each site: (1) control, (2) N (NO₃‐N), (3) P (PO₄‐P), and (4) N + P (NO₃‐N + PO₄‐P). Chlorophyll a response was measured on 10 replicate substrates per treatment, after 15 days of in situ exposure. Chlorophyll a values did not approach what have been defined as nuisance levels (i.e., 100‐200 mg/m²), even in response to nutrient enrichment in sunny conditions. For Georgia coastal plain streams, algal periphyton growth appears to be primarily light limited and can be secondarily nutrient limited (most commonly by P or N + P combined) in light gaps and/or open areas receiving sunlight.     

Spillover of functionally important organisms between managed and natural habitats

Land-use intensification has led to a landscape mosaic that juxtaposes human-managed and natural areas. In such human-dominated and heterogeneous landscapes, spillover across habitat types, especially in systems that differ in resource availability, may be an important ecological process structuring communities. While there is much evidence for spillover from natural habitats to managed areas, little attention has been given to flow in the opposite direction. This paper synthesizes studies published to date from five functionally important trophic groups, herbivores, pathogens, pollinators, predators, and seed dispersers, and discusses evidence for spillover from managed to natural systems in all five groups. For each of the five focal groups, studies in the natural to managed direction are common, often with multiple review articles on each subject which document dozens of examples. In contrast, the number of studies which examine movement in the managed to natural direction is generally less than five studies per trophic group. These findings suggest that spillover in the managed to natural direction has been largely underestimated. As habitat modification continues, resulting in increasingly fragmented landscapes, the likelihood and size of any spillover effect will only increase.     

金沙江丰富类和稀有类浮游真核微生物的分布特征与影响因素

浮游真核微生物通常由少数丰富类和大量稀有类组成,二者在维持水生生态系统健康稳定方面具有重要作用.目前对大型筑坝河流中这两类真核微生物的生物地理分布模式所知甚少.以我国西南梯级水电开发河流金沙江为研究区域,对比分析丰富类和稀有类浮游真核微生物在不同河段的分布特征,解析影响两类微生物空间分布的主导因素.结果表明,相比上游自然河段,金沙江浮游真核微生物的α多样性在梯级大坝河段显著升高,稀有类的α多样性增长比高于丰富类.浮游真核丰富类和稀有类微生物的群落组成在不同河段间存在显著差异,其中Vermamoeba属等优势属的相对丰度在两河段间同样存在明显差异.影响丰富类和稀有类浮游真核微生物群落组成的关键地化因子有海拔和pH等,两类微生物群落相似性与地理距离和环境异质性均符合距离衰减关系,其群落构建均受扩散限制和环境筛选共同影响;方差分解分析和偏Mantel检验结果显示扩散限制是影响丰富类和稀有类分布的主要驱动因素.研究结果为我国西南缺资料区水电开发河流中微生物的地理分布模式和生态响应提供数据支持.     

Fe3+对赤潮异弯藻生长和光合作用的影响

用人工海水APSW以f／2营养加富，在总铁浓度为0—1000nmol L^-1的范围内，考察了总铁浓度对赤潮异弯藻(Heterosigma akashiwo)生长和光合作用的影响．结果发现，当铁浓度小于10nmol L^-1时，最大藻细胞密度与比生长速率均受到明显限制．补铁后受铁限制的细胞得到缓解，表明铁是藻细胞生长的重要限制因子．当铁浓度大于100nmol L^-1时，最大细胞密度与比生长速率不再受铁限制，但其光合作用活性有所改变．在铁限制下细胞的光饱和光合作用速率Pm，暗呼吸速率Rd，表观光合作用效率a与铁丰富细胞相比都有所减小，而光补偿点Ic及饱和光强Ik增大．图5表1参11     

关于风景评价中心理物理学方法局限性的探讨

由于对西方风景评价理论和方法缺乏足够的了解和深入的研究，现今国内对其中的心理物理学方法及其作用产生了一些误解。本文在扼要介绍了心理物理学派的主要方法思路之后，着重对该学派所存在的重大理论缺陷和方法局限性做了较深入的分析。     

(M)VOC and composting facilities. Part 2: (M)VOC dispersal in the environment

BACKGROUND, AIMS AND SCOPE: Composting facilities are known to release odorous volatiles due to biodegradation of municipal waste and plant residues. Although odour perception and its grading is influenced by experience, attitude and adaptation, these emissions have created a lack of acceptance for residents in the vicinity of composting facilities. Enclosure of compost pile halls, ventilation systems and biofilters are often insufficient to minimise the burden of compost-derived compounds in the air. Moreover, economic considerations forced smaller communities to establish less sophisticated facilities with open storage areas and other relevant sources for wind-borne dispersal of bioaerosols. Aim of the present study was to characterise the immission and dispersal of microbial volatiles (MVOC) and, besides, to find coincidences between MVOC and compost odour. METHODS: In the course of this study, the surroundings of two composting facilities, differing in their type of process engineering, were investigated for emission of volatiles in the environment. Both microbially and plant-derived substances were assessed, several of which have low odour thresholds. Air samples were taken in distances ranging from 50 to 800 m in a downwind direction from each facility. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Compost-derived and microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOC) were found at distances of up to 800 m from the composting facilities. Terpenes like alpha-pinene, camphene and camphor were the dominant compounds and coincided with typical compost odour, whereas several typical MVOC were not found at greater distances. The terpenes in combination with certain MVOC may play an important role in the perception of compost odour. Exposure concentrations were not of toxicological relevance, but sensory irritation and psychohygienic effects due to an annoyance potential of such compounds should not be dismissed. RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLOOK: Although terpenes are generally associated with pleasant odour characteristics, they seemed to contribute to malodours in a mixture with other VOC, in this context of volatile waste from compost facilities. Malodorous emissions from biowaste have to be considered as sources of health complaints and the investigation of mixtures of compost-derived volatiles is still inevitable. Exposure levels have to be discussed taking VOC mixtures into account. Within composting facilities, technical devices have to be improved to minimise dispersal of volatiles to prevent residents from immissions eventually causing health complaints.