Sorption‐desorption kinetics of some organochlorine insecticides in silt‐water suspensions

Kinetic (batch) sorption and desorption experiments for some organochlorine insecticides in silt‐water suspensions are described. The effect of possible experimental artifacts on the results is examined. The influence of the silt/water ratio on the linear sorption coefficient and on the “nonextractable”; solute fraction is determined. The sorption process is described in terms of some kinetic models.     

Lethal Effects of Water Quality on Threatened California Salamanders but Not on Co‐Occurring Hybrid Salamanders

Biological invasions and habitat alteration are often detrimental to native species, but their interactions are difficult to predict. Interbreeding between native and introduced species generates novel genotypes and phenotypes, and human land use alters habitat structure and chemistry. Both invasions and habitat alteration create new biological challenges and opportunities. In the intensively farmed Salinas Valley, California (U.S.A.), threatened California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense) have been replaced by hybrids between California tiger salamander and introduced barred tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium). We conducted an enclosure experiment to examine the effects habitat modification and relative frequency of hybrid and native California tiger salamanders have on recruitment of salamanders and their prey, Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris regilla). We tested whether recruitment differed among genetic classes of tiger salamanders (hybrid or native) and pond hydroperiod (seasonal or perennial). Roughly 6 weeks into the experiment, 70% (of 378 total) of salamander larvae died in 4 out of 6 ponds. Native salamanders survived (n = 12) in these ponds only if they had metamorphosed prior to the die‐offs. During die‐offs, all larvae of native salamanders died, whereas 56% of hybrid larvae died. We necropsied native and hybrid salamanders, tested water quality, and queried the California Department of Pesticide Regulation database to investigate possible causes of the die‐offs. Salamander die‐offs, changes in the abundance of other community members (invertebrates, algae, and cyanobacteria), shifts in salamander sex ratio, and patterns of pesticide application in adjacent fields suggest that pesticide use may have contributed to die‐offs. That all survivors were hybrids suggests that environmental stress may promote rapid displacement of native genotypes. Efectos Letales de la Calidad del Agua sobre Salamandras de California Amenazadas pero no sobre Salamandras Híbridas Concurrentes     

Introduction: General versus specific measures and the special case of core self‐evaluations

This paper introduces a Journal of Organizational Behavior point/counterpoint exchange (this issue) that focuses on the appropriate level of aggregation primarily in the assessment of personality in general and core self‐evaluations (CSE) in particular. Gilad Chen reviews arguments for and against the higher‐order construct of CSE, offering a number of recommendations for strengthening it. Timothy Judge and John Kammeyer‐Mueller offer a defense of CSE, and then extend the discussion to the measurement of other constructs beyond the personality domain. Together these two papers provide important insights about the appropriate level of aggregation of individual measures, and situations in which higher‐order versus lower‐order measures might be preferred. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Current Status of Marine Protected Areas in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract: Marine protected areas (MPAs), including no‐take marine reserves (MRs), play an important role in the conservation of marine biodiversity. We document the status of MPAs and MRs in Latin America and the Caribbean, where little has been reported on the scope of such protection. Our survey of protected area databases, published and unpublished literature, and Internet searches yielded information from 30 countries and 12 overseas territories. At present more than 700 MPAs have been established, covering more than 300,000 km² or 1.5% of the coastal and shelf waters. We report on the status of 3 categories of protection: MPAs (limited take throughout the area), MRs (no‐take throughout the area), and mixed‐use (a limited‐take MPA that contains an MR). The majority of protected areas in Latin America and the Caribbean are MPAs, which allow some or extensive extractive activities throughout the designated area. These 571 sites cover 51,505 km² or 0.3% of coastal and shelf waters. There are 98 MRs covering 16,862 km² or 0.1% of the coastal and shelf waters. Mixed‐use MPAs are the fewest in number (87), but cover the largest area (236,853 km², 1.2%). Across Latin America and the Caribbean, many biogeographic provinces are underrepresented in these protected areas. Large coastal regions remain unprotected, in particular, the southern Pacific and southern Atlantic coasts of South America. Our analysis reveals multiple opportunities to strengthen marine conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean by improving implementation, management, and enforcement of existing MPAs; adding new MPAs and MRs strategically to enhance connectivity and sustainability of existing protection; and establishing new networks of MPAs and MRs or combinations thereof to enhance protection where little currently exists.     

Understanding Trait‐Dependent Community Disassembly: Dung Beetles,Density Functions,and Forest Fragmentation

Abstract: Anthropogenic disturbances such as fragmentation are rapidly altering biodiversity, yet a lack of attention to species traits and abundance patterns has made the results of most studies difficult to generalize. We determined traits of extinction‐prone species and present a novel strategy for classifying species according to their population‐level response to a gradient of disturbance intensity. We examined the effects of forest fragmentation on dung beetle communities in an archipelago of 33 islands recently created by flooding in Venezuela. Species richness, density, and biomass all declined sharply with decreasing island area and increasing island isolation. Species richness was highly nested, indicating that local extinctions occurred nonrandomly. The most sensitive dung beetle species appeared to require at least 85 ha of forest, more than many large vertebrates. Extinction‐prone species were either large‐bodied, forest specialists, or uncommon. These explanatory variables were unrelated, suggesting at least 3 underlying causes of extirpation. Large species showed high wing loading (body mass/wing area) and a distinct flight strategy that may increase their area requirements. Although forest specificity made most species sensitive to fragmentation, a few persistent habitat generalists dispersed across the matrix. Density functions classified species into 4 response groups on the basis of their change in density with decreasing species richness. Sensitive and persistent species both declined with increasing fragmentation intensity, but persistent species occurred on more islands, which may be due to their higher baseline densities. Compensatory species increased in abundance following the initial loss of sensitive species, but rapidly declined with increasing fragmentation. Supertramp species (widespread habitat generalists) may be poor competitors but strong dispersers; their abundance peaked following the decline of the other 3 groups. Nevertheless, even the least sensitive species were extirpated or rare on the smallest and most isolated islands.     

Effect of land management on soil microbial N supply to crop N uptake in a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania

In Sub-Saharan Africa, conservation of available soil N during early crop growth, when N loss by leaching generally occurs, is important to improve crop productivity. In a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania, we assessed the potential role of soil microbes as a temporal N sink-source to conserve the available soil N until later crop growth, which generally requires substantial crop N uptake. We evaluated the effect of land management [i.e., no input, plant residue application before planting (P plot) with or without fertilizer application, fertilizer application alone, and non-cultivated plots] on the relationship between soil N pool [microbial biomass N (MBN) and inorganic N] and crop N uptake throughout the ∼120-d crop growth period in two consecutive years. In the P plot, MBN clearly increased (∼14.6-29.6 kg N ha⁻¹) early in the crop growth period in both years because of immobilization of potentially leachable N, and it conserved a larger soil N pool (∼10.5-21.2 kg N ha⁻¹) than in the control plot. Especially in one year in which N leaching was critical, increased MBN maintained a larger soil N pool in the P plot throughout the experimental period, and a delay of increased MB C:N ratio and a substantial decrease in MBN was observed, indicating better soil microbial N supply for crop N uptake during later crop growth. Therefore, plant residue application before planting should enhance the role of soil microbes as a temporal N sink-source, leading to the conservation of potentially leachable N until later phase of crop growth, especially in years in which N leaching is relatively severe. Although further studies are necessary, our results suggest that plant residue application before planting is a promising option to achieve better N synchronization.     

Na_2CO_3对回填材料膨润土的改型效果分析

以新疆柯尔碱膨润土为原料,加入不同比例的Na2CO3改型剂,研究改型剂添加对膨润土胶质价、膨胀容和pH值的影响。另外,考虑到压实膨润土的非饱和渗透特性对于评价缓冲回填材料性能具有重要意义,故采用压力膜仪测量压实Na2CO3改型膨润土和原土的土水特征曲线,分析研究二者基质吸力随体积含水率变化的相关关系。实验结果显示,添加Na2CO3改型剂可以增大膨润土的胶质价、膨胀容和pH值,成功地将膨润土中的钙蒙脱石转化为钠蒙脱石,其对柯尔碱膨润土pH值的作用效果满足地质处置库对缓冲回填材料的要求;改型后膨润土的持水能力明显大于原土。     

TiO2/pg-C3N4复合催化剂的制备及光催化性能

通过简单的超声剥离分散和水热法,成功制得了具有多孔结构的TiO₂/pg-C₃N₄复合催化剂.利用XRD、SEM、TEM、UV-Vis DRS和PL对样品的形貌、结构及光学性能进行了表征.在模拟太阳光照射下,以RhB和MO为模拟污染物考察了TiO₂/pg-C₃N₄的光催化性能.结果表明：当TiO₂占pg-C₃N₄的质量分数为5%时,制得的TiO₂/pg-C₃N₄（5：100）复合催化剂具有最优的光催化性能.TiO₂/pg-C₃N₄（5：100）对RhB的光催化降解途径为O^2·-和h⁺使整个共轭发色团结构发生裂解.TiO₂/pg-C₃N₄（5：100）光催化性能的提高一方面是由于多孔结构增加了光催化反应的活性位点;另一方面是由于TiO₂与pg-C₃N₄之间形成了Z型异质结,与传统的Ⅱ型异质结相比,该复合催化剂不仅使光生载流子分离效率提高,同时保留了pg-C₃N₄导带电子的强还原性和TiO₂价带空穴的强氧化性.     

内蒙古河套灌区盐碱土壤N2O排放特征

选择内蒙古河套灌区强度盐碱土壤S₁[电导率（EC）2.60dS/m]和轻度盐碱土壤S₂[电导率（EC） 0.74dS/m]为研究对象,2014~2016年,利用静态箱法3年野外原位观测试验,研究盐碱土壤氧化亚氮（N₂O）排放通量.结果表明：2种不同盐碱程度土壤N₂O排放每年均存在显著差异,轻度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量低;随EC升高,土壤盐碱程度加重,土壤N₂O累积排放量升高.2014~2016年作物生长季（4~11月）轻度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量分别为180.6,167.6,118.2mg/m²;强度盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放量比轻度盐碱土壤分别增加19%、26%和45%,修复盐碱土壤成为减缓盐碱土壤N₂O累积排放的重要农艺措施.     

Acute toxicity of two insecticides to tubificid worms, Tubifex tubifex and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri

Acute toxicity and presumable harmless concentration of two commercial insecticides, Furadan 3G and Malataf 50E were reported for tubificid worms, Tubifex tubifex and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri. L. hoffmeisteri were found more susceptible to both the insecticides; the Furadan was found to be more toxic than Malataf to tubificid worms. Analysis of variants showed a significant difference between safe concentrations of the same insecticide to different species.