Effects of Widespread Drought‐Induced Aspen Mortality on Understory Plants

Forest die‐off around the world is expected to increase in coming decades as temperature increases due to climate change. Forest die‐off will likely affect understory plant communities, which have substantial influence on regional biological diversity, ecosystem function, and land–atmosphere interactions, but how die‐off alters these plant communities is largely unknown. We examined changes in understory plant communities following a widespread, drought‐induced die‐off of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the western United States. We assessed shrub and herbaceous cover and volume in quadrats in 55 plots located across a wide range of levels of aspen mortality. We measured species richness and composition of herbaceous plant communities by recording species presence and absence in 12 sets of paired (1 healthy, 1 dying) aspen plots. Although understory composition in healthy and dying stands was heterogeneous across the landscape, shrub abundance, cover, and volume were higher and abundance of herbaceous species, cover, and volume were lower in dying aspen stands. Shrub cover and volume increased from 2009 to 2011 in dying stands, which suggests that shrub growth and expansion is ongoing. Species richness of herbs declined by 23% in dying stands. Composition of herbs differed significantly between dying and healthy stands. Richness of non‐native species did not differ between stand types. The understory community in dying aspen stands was not similar to other shrub‐dominated plant communities in the region and may constitute a novel community. Our results suggest that changes in understory plant communities as forests die off could be a significant indirect effect of climate change on biological diversity and forest communities. Efectos de la Mortalidad Extensiva de Álamos Inducida por Sequía sobre Plantas del Sotobosque     

Prioritizing Wildlife Taxa for Biological Diversity Conservation at the Local Scale

/ We identified and ranked 108 resident and migratory wildlife taxa on John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) that were vulnerable to local, regional, or global extinction. We ranked taxa based on their vulnerability to extinction, their potential role for maintaining faunal integrity, and the relevance of KSC for maintaining their populations in the United States and Florida. Several taxa, not listed by agencies, were vulnerable to regional or global extinction. Many taxa not vulnerable to global extinction were vulnerable to local and regional extinction. Top predators were vulnerable to extinction because of small population size, isolation from other populations, and road mortality. Many taxa were dependent on habitat conditions at different geographic locations so that conservation required greater collaboration among land owners, managers, and researchers at local, regional, and global scales.KEY WORDS: Biological diversity; Endangered species; Conservation     

The Effectiveness of Surrogate Taxa for the Representation of Biodiversity

Abstract: Biodiversity is too complex to measure directly, so conservation planning must rely on surrogates to estimate the biodiversity of sites. The species richness of selected taxa is often used as a surrogate for the richness of other taxa. Surrogacy values of taxa have been evaluated in diverse contexts, yet broad trends in their effectiveness remain unclear. We reviewed published studies testing the ability of species richness of surrogate taxa to capture the richness of other (target) taxa. We stratified studies into two groups based on whether a complementarity approach (surrogates used to select a combination of sites that together maximize total species richness for the taxon) or a richness‐hotspot approach (surrogates used to select sites containing the highest species richness for the taxon) was used. For each comparison of one surrogate taxon with one target, we used the following predictor variables: biome, spatial extent of study area, surrogate taxon, and target taxon. We developed a binary response variable based on whether the surrogate taxon provided better than random representation of the target taxon. For studies that used an evaluation approach that was not based on better than random representation of target taxa, we based the response variable on the interpretation of results in the original study. We performed a categorical regression to elucidate trends in the effectiveness of surrogate taxa with regard to each of the predictor variables. A surrogate was 25% more likely to be effective with a complementarity approach than with a hotspot approach. For hotspot‐based approaches, biome, extent of study, surrogate taxon, and target taxon significantly influenced effectiveness of the surrogate. For complementarity‐based approaches, biome, extent, and surrogate taxon significantly influenced effectiveness of the surrogate. For all surrogate evaluations, biome explained the greatest amount of variation in surrogate effectiveness. From most to least, extent, surrogate taxon, and target taxon explained the most variation after biome. Surrogate taxa were most effective in grasslands and in some cases boreal zones, deserts, and tropical forests; surrogate taxa also were more effective in studies examining larger areas. Herpetofauna were the most effective taxon as both surrogate and target when a richness‐hotspot approach was used; however, herpetofauna were analyzed in fewer studies, so this result is tentative. For complementarity approaches, taxa that are easy to measure and tend to have a large number of habitat specialists distributed collectively across broad environmental gradients (e.g., plants, birds, and mammals) were the most effective surrogates.     

Acceleration of Exotic Plant Invasion in a Forested Ecosystem by a Generalist Herbivore

Abstract: The successful invasion of exotic plants is often attributed to the absence of coevolved enemies in the introduced range (i.e., the enemy release hypothesis). Nevertheless, several components of this hypothesis, including the role of generalist herbivores, remain relatively unexplored. We used repeated censuses of exclosures and paired controls to investigate the role of a generalist herbivore, white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), in the invasion of 3 exotic plant species (Microstegium vimineum, Alliaria petiolata, and Berberis thunbergii) in eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forests in New Jersey and Pennsylvania (U.S.A.). This work was conducted in 10 eastern hemlock (T. canadensis) forests that spanned gradients in deer density and in the severity of canopy disturbance caused by an introduced insect pest, the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). We used maximum likelihood estimation and information theoretics to quantify the strength of evidence for alternative models of the influence of deer density and its interaction with the severity of canopy disturbance on exotic plant abundance. Our results were consistent with the enemy release hypothesis in that exotic plants gained a competitive advantage in the presence of generalist herbivores in the introduced range. The abundance of all 3 exotic plants increased significantly more in the control plots than in the paired exclosures. For all species, the inclusion of canopy disturbance parameters resulted in models with substantially greater support than the deer density only models. Our results suggest that white‐tailed deer herbivory can accelerate the invasion of exotic plants and that canopy disturbance can interact with herbivory to magnify the impact. In addition, our results provide compelling evidence of nonlinear relationships between deer density and the impact of herbivory on exotic species abundance. These findings highlight the important role of herbivore density in determining impacts on plant abundance and provide evidence of the operation of multiple mechanisms in exotic plant invasion.     

Influence of Care of Domestic Carnivores on Their Predation on Vertebrates

Abstract: Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) are the most abundant mammalian carnivores worldwide. Given that domestic carnivores rely on human‐provided food, their densities are usually independent of prey densities. Nevertheless, underfed pets may need to hunt to meet their energetic and nutritional requirements. We explored the effects of different levels of care (provision of food) of dogs and cats on their predation rates on wild vertebrates in 2 areas of southern Chile. We interviewed cat and dog owners and analyzed prey remains in scats of pets to examine how domestic dogs and cats were managed and to gather information on the wild vertebrates killed and harassed by pets. We used logistic regression to examine the association between pet care and the frequency of wild vertebrate remains in scats. The probability of a dog preying on vertebrates was higher for poorly fed than for adequately fed dogs (odds ratio = 3.7) and for poorly fed than for adequately fed cats (odds ratio = 4.7). Domestic dogs and cats preyed on most endemic and threatened mammals present in the study sites. Our results provide support for the hypothesis that the less care domestic animals receive from owners the higher the probability those animals will prey on wild vertebrates.     

沿面放电氧活性物质注入协同SCR脱除烟气中NO_x

为了提高选择性催化还原(SCR)在低温区(200℃)的脱硝性能,提出利用插在烟道中的沿面放电反应器生成氧活性物质,部分氧化NO以实现低温快速SCR脱硝过程.同时,研究了氧活性物质注入实现快速SCR的脱硝性能,考察了氧活性物质注入降低二氧化硫和水蒸汽对SCR反应的影响.实验结果表明:在模拟烟气温度为150℃时,采用氧活性物质注入,部分氧化烟气中的NO以实现快速SCR反应条件下(NO/NO2浓度比为1),脱硝效率为51.9%,比标准SCR提升23%;当模拟烟气中存在SO2或H2O时,氧活性物质注入可有效降低SO2、H2O对SCR脱硝效率的影响.     

凤眼莲、稻草和污泥制备生物炭的特性表征与环境影响解析

有机废弃物限氧热解制备生物炭可在减缓温室气体排放的同时改善土壤和水体环境质量,但同时生物炭在环境中的应用具有潜在生态毒理风险.因此,在将生物炭大规模应用于各类环境介质前,对其关键物理-化学性质进行系统分析与评价是极为必要的.本文选择对我国水生生态环境危害最大的入侵植物凤眼莲(Eichhornia crassipes)和我国产量最高的农业废弃物稻草,以及市政污水处理厂剩余污泥3种生物质前体,于250~550℃进行低温慢热解,对所制备生物炭的表面形貌、元素组成、矿物形态和一系列关键化学特性进行了全面表征与比较分析.在此基础上,深入探讨了此3类生物炭应用于土壤改良、重金属污染修复和水体富营养化控制的潜力与风险.结果表明,凤眼莲生物炭中K、Ca、Na、Mg含量最为丰富,指示其对于缓解土壤酸化具有重要应用价值,而其中P主要以AlPO_4晶体态存在,水溶性较低,这有利于降低此类生物炭引起水体富营养化的风险;水稻秸秆生物炭阳离子交换量(CEC)相对较高,达到33.7 cmol·kg~(-1),表明其在提高土壤保肥能力和降低重金属生物有效性方面具有较大潜力;SEM-EDX显示,凤眼莲生物炭和稻草秸秆生物炭均具有发达的束筒结构,可优先考虑用于改善土壤通气性;但是,部分生物炭中水溶性Cd、As含量超出安全阈值,表明对有机质前体和热解产物进行严格检测和筛选是实现生物炭在环境与农业中安全利用的必要环节.     

重庆缙云山降水中不同形态汞的含量及其沉降量

于2013年4月至2014年3月连续1 a,利用湿沉降自动采样器采集了重庆缙云山的雨水样品,分析了样品中不同形态汞的含量,并计算其沉降量.结果表明,降水中总汞(THg)、溶解态汞(DHg)、颗粒态汞(PHg)、活性汞(RHg)、总甲基汞(Me Hg)、溶解态甲基汞(DMe Hg)、颗粒态甲基汞(PMe Hg)的含量范围分别为7.47~120.11、2.51~43.03、2.28~77.99、0.14~15.14、2.58×10-2~101.62×10-2、0.30×10-2~72.29×10-2、1.45×10-2~63.55×10-2ng·L-1.在计算各形态汞体积加权平均含量(VWM)的基础上,分别算出其年沉降通量为:42.71、23.51、19.20、5.87、0.61、0.34、0.27μg·(m2·a)-1.Me Hg占THg的比例是0.07%~3.79%(平均1.34%),而PHg占THg的比例以及PMe Hg占Me Hg的比例分别是10.49%~89.30%(平均49.95%)、4.31%~98.86%(平均43.14%).除Me Hg外,其它形态汞的含量和沉降量都表现出了明显的季节变化特征,THg、DHg、PHg的含量均为冬季最高而夏季最低,RHg的含量在春冬季明显高于秋夏季.THg、DHg、Me Hg、DMe Hg的沉降量与降雨量具有相同的季节变化趋势,均为春季夏季秋季冬季,RHg的沉降量也是春季最大,而冬季最小.缙云山大气汞沉降不仅受到降雨量、降雨频率以及其它气象条件的影响,也受到了人为活动的干扰.     

北京市污水处理厂出水中雌二醇的概率生态风险评价

随着北京市再生水补给河湖规模扩大,污水处理厂出水中雌激素活性物质引起的受纳水体生态风险日益受到关注。以雌二醇为例,利用物种敏感度分布(species sensitivity distribution,SSD)模型和联合概率曲线(joint probability curve,JPC)方法开展北京市污水处理厂出水的概率生态风险评价研究。通过文献调研整理了北京市约430个物种,利用美国环境保护署ECOTOX数据库获取了其中7个物种的雌二醇毒性数据,构建了正态分布、对数正态分布、Logistic分布、对数Logistic分布、Weibull分布、Burr III型分布和Gumbel分布等7个SSD模型,评价了北京市污水处理厂二沉池出水以及"混凝-沉淀-过滤-臭氧"、"超滤-臭氧"和"超滤-活性炭-臭氧"3种深度处理工艺组合出水的生态风险。结果表明,利用北京市7个物种雌二醇毒性数据构建的SSD模型具有合理性,SSD模型选择对生态风险评价结果的影响较大,对数正态分布、对数Logistic分布、Weibull分布和Burr III型均是可接受的SSD模型,其中拟合效果最佳的Burr III型分布模型给出了最保守的风险估计。Burr III型分布模型的模拟结果显示,北京市污水处理厂二沉池出水以及3种深度处理工艺组合出水的总体风险期望值分别为0.070、0.040、0.036和0.026,该结果可以为北京市未来水生态保护目标的设定以及污水处理工艺的升级改造提供决策参考。     

种间关系预测(ICE)模型在水质基准研究中的应用

水质基准研究主要是基于物种的实验室测试的毒性数据开展的。对于一些毒性数据相对缺乏的化学品,水质基准研究就会受到一定的影响。本文从水质基准研究方法的角度,阐述了种间关系预测(ICE)的基本原理和基本方法,系统介绍了ICE模型的毒性预测方法在水质基准研究中的应用,并通过锌的ICE案例研究证明了模型在中国的可利用性。同时,对ICE模型的不确定性和适用性进行了分析。最后,对ICE模型存在的问题和未来的发展方向进行了探索和展望。