Edge-Related Variation in Medicinal and Other "Useful" Wild Plants of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Abstract:  Harvesting of wild plants for nontimber uses is widespread in the tropics, but its impact is usually quantified only for one or a few species at a time. Thus, forest managers are never clear about how well their efforts are protecting such plants. We quantified abundance and edge-related variation in 91 species of useful wild plants commonly harvested by communities around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda, to evaluate the effect of their harvest. Forty percent of these species were harvested exclusively for medicines, 22% for weaving, and 24% for other uses. Fourteen percent were harvested for combinations of uses. Plants were surveyed around the entire periphery of the park transects that extended out 1 km into the forest interior from the edge. Analyses of edge and interior distribution were controlled for effects of topography. Individually, nine (10%) species were very rare, occurring in <0.5% of the plots searched. Of the remaining 82 species, most (50%) decreased significantly away from the park boundary, whereas 4.9% increased and 45.1% showed no pronounced edge-related distributions. Rarer species were no more likely to be less abundant near the edge than commoner species. These results suggest that most plants used for nontimber purposes in BINP are not currently being harvested unsustainably. In this respect many of the species of useful wild plants we examined resembled animals commonly hunted in tropical forests for bushmeat because they increased in abundance in disturbed habitat. Conservation action should initially aim to understand what influences distributions of very rare species. Edge-based assessments of distributions may be valuable for revealing harvest impact on species of useful wild plants commonly harvested by people living around forest islands in the tropics.     

Vectors and Timing of Freshwater Invasions in Great Britain

Abstract: Nonindigenous freshwater species cause large ecological and economic impacts in Great Britain. In response the government is in the process of implementing a broad, new nonindigenous species strategy. We assembled a list of all nonindigenous freshwater species that are or were established in Great Britain, their date of first record, and their vector of introduction. This list provides a baseline against which the success of new policies can be assessed. Because the biota of Great Britain has been well recorded, our results provide a highly resolved case study of the vectors and drivers of species transport and establishment. A total of 117 nonindigenous freshwater species are currently established in Great Britain; a further 17 species were once established but are now extirpated. Between 1800 and 2000 the number of established species increased at an accelerating rate, and this increase correlated with the growth in human population and gross domestic product. The construction of large reservoirs in Great Britain occurred over a short period and overlapped high rates of new species establishment, indicating that habitat modification may have been an important driver of establishment. Nonindigenous species now account for 24% of fish, 12% of plant, 54% of amphibian, and 88% of decapod crustacean freshwater species richness in Great Britain. The ornamental trades have been responsible for the greatest percentages of intentionally (73%) and unintentionally (34%) introduced species that have become established. Shipping and aquaculture have also been strong vectors. These vectors should be prioritized for management within the new nonindigenous species strategy.     

Declines in Woodland Salamander Abundance Associated with Non-Native Earthworm and Plant Invasions

Abstract:  Factors that negatively affect the quality of wildlife habitat are a major concern for conservation. Non-native species invasions, in particular, are perceived as a global threat to the quality of wildlife habitat. Recent evidence indicates that some changes to understory plant communities in northern temperate forests of North America, including invasions by 3 non-native plant species, are facilitated by non-native earthworm invasion. Furthermore, non-native earthworm invasions cause a reduction in leaf litter on the forest floor, and the loss of forest leaf litter is commonly associated with declines in forest fauna, including amphibians. We conducted a mark-recapture study of woodland salamander abundance across plant invasion fronts at 10 sites to determine whether earthworm or plant invasions were associated with reduced salamander abundance. Salamander abundance declined exponentially with decreasing leaf litter volume. There was no significant relationship between invasive plant cover and salamander abundance, independent of the effects of leaf litter loss due to earthworm invasion. An analysis of selected salamander prey abundance (excluding earthworms) at 4 sites showed that prey abundance declined with declining leaf litter. The loss of leaf litter layers due to non-native earthworm invasions appears to be negatively affecting woodland salamander abundance, in part, because of declines in the abundance of small arthropods that are a stable resource for salamanders. Our results demonstrate that earthworm invasions pose a significant threat to woodland amphibian fauna in the northeastern United States, and that plant invasions are symptomatic of degraded amphibian habitat but are not necessarily drivers of habitat degradation.     

我国典型制药厂污染场地中抗生素的污染特征及生态风险

为了解制药厂污染场地中抗生素的污染特征和生态风险，选取南、北方两个典型抗生素制药厂，采集表层土、土壤柱、工艺水、地下水和药渣等样品，采用超声提取-固相萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱技术对87 种常见抗生素进行定量分析.结果显示，所有类型样品中共检出5类31 种抗生素，各采样点总抗生素在表层土、土壤柱、药渣中的含量最大值以及工艺水、地下水中的浓度最大值分别为420 ng·g^-1、595 ng·g^-1、139 ng·g^-1以及1 151 ng·L^-1、6.65 ng·L^-1；大部分抗生素赋存于表层土，随土壤柱深度呈现向下递减规律.生态风险评价表明，磺胺二甲嘧啶、磺胺喹喔啉、四环素、氯四环素和D-山梨醇等存在较高风险.提高制药废水中抗生素去除效率，预防生产车间泄漏，是控制制药厂抗生素向场地内及周边环境污染的有效手段.     

钢铁行业炼铁厂环境影响评价中工程分析要点浅析

炼铁厂是大气污染较为严重的工业企业类型之一。在炼铁厂建设项目环境影响评价过程中，严格把握国家相关法律法规、产生政策及冶金工业环保政策，深入了解炼铁生产工艺，掌握炼铁厂的污染特点，提出针对性的较强的污染控制措施，对建设项目的环境管理和工程设计具有重要意义。     

The Horticultural Trade and Ornamental Plant Invasions in Britain

Abstract:  Ornamental horticulture has been recognized as the main pathway for plant invasions worldwide. We examined the link between propagule pressure created by the presence of ornamental plants in the market and their ability to escape from cultivation and establish in the wild. A random sample of 534 non-native ornamental species on sale in nineteenth century Britain showed that 27% of these species were recorded growing outside cultivation and 30% of those were established. Species that had escaped from cultivation were more frequently on sale both in the nineteenth century and today than nonescaping species. We used logit regression models to identify biological and socioeconomic variables that affect species' abilities to escape cultivation and become established. Frequencies in the market in the nineteenth century and today were good explanatory variables that distinguished escaping from nonescaping species, whereas for the transition from casual to established status these two socioeconomic variables were either absent or only of weak significance. Biological characteristics that increased the probability that a species would escape from cultivation were species height, a European native range, and being an annual. Climbing plants and species intolerant of low temperatures were less likely to escape. In contrast, the establishment probability was greater if the species belonged to a genus native to Britain and increased as the number of continents in a plant's native range increased. Annual plants had a reduced probability of establishment. Market presence, prices, and the date of introduction are among the socioeconomic factors that have had important effects on the observed course of invasions.     

Eradication of the non-native Poa pratensis colony at Cierva Point,Antarctica: A case study of international cooperation and practical management in an area under multi-party governance

The on-going introduction of non-native species to Antarctica due to expanding human activity presents an increasing threat to biodiversity. Under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, all introduced non-native species should be removed from the Antarctic Treaty area. The non-native grass Poa pratensis was first introduced to Cierva Point (Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula), along with substantial quantities of non-Antarctic soil, in the mid-1950s. Consistent with the Protocol, in January 2015 an internationally coordinated team undertook the eradication of the grass. Immediately prior to removal of P. pratensis, factors affecting its establishment, persistence and impacts upon local indigenous species was examined within the international management framework of the Antarctic Treaty System. The underlying soil had a high organic content of 15.5%, which may have contributed to the successful establishment of P. pratensis and restricted, at least initially, its vegetative growth to the enriched area. Examination of P. pratensis expansion from the original introduction sites showed that the plant colony intricate root system facilitated little or no coexistence of other native plants within its extent. The non-native plant colony also constituted a novel habitat for soil fauna within Antarctic terrestrial environments. The P. pratensis plant colony provided an unfavorable habitat for two of the locally endemic soil invertebrates, Cryptopygus antarcticus and Belgica antarctica. These observations led to the selection of an appropriate eradication approach, where the plants were targeted for physical extraction along with all underlying soil. During the eradication, c. 500 kg of soil and plant material from the P. pratensis colony was removed from the site. Monitoring one year later showed no evidence of re-establishment. Consistent with the Committee for Environmental Protection ‘Non-native Species Manual’, we recommend development and implementation of rapid response protocols following the discovery of a non-native plant colony to limit future impacts on indigenous species and local habitats.     

Distribution of14C-TNT and derivatives in different biochemical compartments ofPhaseolus vulgaris

¹⁴C-TNT was used to quantify the uptake rate and metabolic turnover of TNT inPhaseolus vulgaris. Seventeen plants were analysed by a special cell fractionation method with polar and nonpolar solvents and enzymes. We obtained three cytoplasmic fractions and five cell wall derived fractions. The recovery rate was 72% as measured by liquid scintillation counting.¹⁴C partitioned almost in equal amounts with approximately 50% in the cytoplasm and in the cell wall. The majority of the TNT-metabolites are present in the cytoplasm as was shown by GC/ ECD and thin layer chromatography. The¹⁴C in the cell wall is bound probably resulting in long-term immobilisation of these metabolites. We conclude that plants may also be a model for nitroaromatic turnover and immobilisation in soil components.     

澎溪河消落带典型植物群落根际土壤无机氮形态及氮转化酶活性

三峡库区消落带是典型的生态脆弱带,其土壤N循环因受到植物根际效应和季节性淹水的影响而具有特殊性.本研究以三峡库区一级支流澎溪河消落带为例,选择4种植被(狗牙根、香附子、苍耳以及玉米)覆盖区,采集植物根际、非根际土壤,分析根际土壤与非根际土壤理化性质、无机氮形态以及7种N素转化相关酶,并比较了4种植物根际效应强度,以反映不同植物覆盖对消落带土壤N循环过程的影响.研究表明:供试植物根际土壤pH值均低于非根际,有机质、全氮、全磷含量均高于非根际,表明植物根际对消落带土壤养分有富集作用;4种植物根际土壤硝态氮、铵态氮、亚硝态氮及14d可矿化氮含量均高于非根际,且土壤硝态氮、亚硝态氮以及14d可矿化氮含量呈现香附子＞狗牙根＞苍耳/玉米;总体上根际土壤N转化酶活性高于非根际,且狗牙根和香附子覆盖区脲酶、亚硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰胺酶、脱氢酶显著高于玉米和苍耳覆盖区;蛋白酶、脲酶、谷氨酰胺酶活性与4种N形态均呈显著相关性,是消落带土壤N转化的主要参与酶类;根际效应分析结果香附子和狗牙根对消落带土壤N转化的根际效应强度大于苍耳和玉米,有利于土壤N素的固定和保持.植物根际效应对消落带土壤N素循环的影响可为消落带植被恢复工程中植被选择提供参考,也为改善消落带土壤退化相关研究提供科学支撑.     

污水处理厂中雄激素分布及行为的研究进展

人类及生物体内在自然代谢及药物使用过程中产生的甾醇类激素如果在污水处理厂中未能完全去除或是未加处理直接排放,则会污染受纳水体,并对其中的鱼类等生物造成影响,其中人体内产生的雄激素睾酮的浓度比雌激素雌二醇要高1~3个数量级.本文比较了当前各地污水处理厂中的雄激素分布,阐述了污水处理工艺对雄激素的去除效果;其中,格栅、初沉池等初级处理工艺基本不去除雄激素;厌氧-缺氧-好氧等二级处理工艺通过生物降解等作用可以有效去除80%~100%的雄激素;氯消毒、臭氧等三级处理工艺对雄激素的去除效率相差较大,在-66.7%~70%范围内波动;同时也对去除雄激素的新型材料研究及未来研究方向进行了展望.