罗布泊野骆驼自然保护区野双峰驼的分布与生态环境的关系

罗布泊野骆驼自然保护区位于我国西部极旱荒漠带 ,以世界级濒危物种———野双峰驼为主要保护对象 ,也保护当地特有的地貌、盐泉、丝绸之路遗迹及其他珍稀动植物物种 ,面积 7 86× 10 4km2 ,实际控制面积 15× 10 4km2 。该保护区分布有野双峰驼约4 0 0～ 4 80头 ,分布于戈壁、低山残蚀丘陵、谷地和沙漠地带 ,在不同生态环境中野骆驼的种群数量及生态习性各异。     

物种灭绝:地球成了动植物"集中营"?

一株植物枯萎,一只动物死亡,有时并不仅仅意味着单个生命有机体的消失,也许凑巧是整个此类物种的灭绝。世界物种保护联盟公布的“2000年濒临灭绝物种红色名单”称:地球上大约有11046种动植物面临永久性从地球上消失的危险,包括1/4的哺乳类、1/8的鸟类、1/4的爬行类、1/5的两栖类和近1/3的     

拯救生灵 拯救自己

有多少物种已经灭绝?如何保护濒危物种?中国野生动植物资源丰富,拥有世界上最多的鸟类种数,裸子植物种类也居世界首位,但中国的生物多样性正面临着严峻形势。随着岁月的流逝,地球上的物种早晚都要灭绝,但是由于人类的活动,今天物种的灭绝速度要比过去任何时候都要快。据估计全球约有1400万种物种,其中被人类所认识的才仅仅有175万种,许多物种尚未被人类认识就已经灭绝了。     

加强罗布泊野骆驼国家级自然保护区生物多样性管理的探讨

罗布泊野骆驼国家级自然保护区位于我国新疆东南部阿尔金山地区,该区域属极旱荒漠带,保护区保护了世界上极濒危物种野骆驼总数的一半以上以及区内多种珍稀动植物种,在世界生物多样性保护中地位十分重要.在分析罗布泊野骆驼保护区的重要地位及保护现状基础上提出了加强保护区生物多样管理建议.     

吉林珲春东北虎自然保护区现状调查及建议

保护区概况 吉林珲春东北虎自然保护区(以下简称保护区)是中国第一个国际濒危物种、国家一级重点保护野生动物东北虎、豹及其栖息为主要保护对象的自然保护区．具有珍稀性、濒危性和物种代表性等显特征．属野生动物类型。     

以兰为名 幽然山中——广西雅长兰科植物自然保护区介绍

雅长兰科植物自治区级自然保护区是中国第一个以兰科植物命名并以其为重点保护对象的保护区,是中国众多保护区中最为独特的一个保护区。中国具有丰富多样的稀有物种和受威胁的物种，如具有丰富多样的世界上最奇特和最珍稀的兜兰和杓兰属植物。     

十种“高危”动植物需保护

十种“高危”动植物需保护据外电报道，世界野生动物基金会目前已将西伯利亚虎和犀牛等１０种野生动植物列为“高危”野生物种，呼吁对它们严加保护。这１０种野生动植物急需保护是因为它们身上有可以赚大钱的部份，所以极易遭到人类的捕杀。该基金会目前在全球１４０个国...     

八岔岛国家级自然保护区保护现状及对策研究

通过论述八岔岛国家级自然保护区野生动物种类及组成,对保护区内鱼类、鸟类、兽类、两栖类、爬行类等物种种类进行了介绍。八岔岛国家级自然保护区在对动植物进行保护的同时,面临着大规模土地开发,非法狩猎及灭绝性捕捞,农药、除草剂、化肥的大量使用等环境问题。针对保护区的环境保护现状,通过开展宣传教育、协调发展与保护的关系、加强管理和执法并完善相关法律、建立珍稀濒危野生动物保护地、加强相关领域研究、开展广泛合作并加强资金投入等措施,可以更有效地改善八岔岛保护区野生动物生存环境。     

罗布泊野骆驼国家级自然保护区资源保护现状及对策探讨

随着罗布泊野骆驼国家级自然保护区内道路建设、交通运输、旅游探险及各类矿业开发活动日益增多，给珍稀野生动物尤其是主要保护对象野骆驼的生存环境带来较大压力。在这种情况下，保护好保护区荒漠野生动植物物种资源成为亟待解决的问题。在分析现状的基础上，提出了保护对策。     

罗布泊野骆驼自然保护区生态环境问题及恢复措施

当今世界人们最为关注的问题之一是生物多样性的保护,任何一种物种的消亡都是对我们这个世界的一种巨大损失.为保护世界极旱荒漠区的新疆罗布泊野骆驼,在国家环保总局的支持和全球环境基金会、联合国环境规划署、野骆驼保护基金会等国际组织的资助下,新疆政府成立了罗布泊自然保护区.但是由于人为活动因素和大气候环境的变化,该区域生存的野骆驼等野生动物栖息地环境也发生了不利的变化,为了改善野骆驼的饮水和觅食环境,保护区采取了打井等多种管理措施.对保护区目前野骆驼生存环境的变化进行剖析,并介绍生态恢复措施等.     

AN APPLICATION RUNOFF MODEL STRATEGY FOR UNGAGED WATERSHEDS1

ABSTRACT: Mathematical models for predicting watershed surface flow responses are available, most of which are elaborate nonlinear numerical surface and channel flow models linked with infiltration models. Such models may be used to make predictions for ungaged areas, assuming an acceptable fitting of the model to the topography and roughness of the real system. For some application purposes, these models are impractical because of their complexity and expensive computer solutions. A procedure is developed that uses a complex model of an ungaged area to derive a simpler parametric nonlinear system model for repetitious simulation with input sequences. The predicted flow outputs are obtained with the simpler model at significant savings of money and time. The procedures for constructing a complex kinematic model of a 40 acre (161,880 m²) reference watershed and deriving the simpler system model are outlined. The results of predictions from both models are compared with a selected set of measured events, all having essentially the same initial conditions. Peak discharges ranged from 3 to 118 ft³/sec (0.085 to 3.34 m³/sec), which includes the largest event of record. The inherent limitations of lumped systems models are demonstrated, including the bias caused by their inability to model infiltration losses after rainfall ceases. Computer costs and times for the models were compared. The derived simple model has a cost advantage when repeated use of a model is required. Such an applications hydrologic model has an engineering tradeoff of reduced accuracy, and lumping bias, but is more economical for certain design purposes.     

Conversion of temperate forests into heaths: Role of ecosystem disturbance and ericaceous plants

Fire and logging in nutrient-poor temperate forests with certain ericaceous understory plants may convert the forests into heaths. The process of disturbance-induced heath formation is documented by using examples ofCalluna in western Europe,Kalmia in Newfoundland, andGaultheria (salal) in coastal British Columbia. In a cool, temperate climate, rapid vegetative growth ofCalluna, Kalmia, and salal following disturbance results in increasing organic accumulation (paludification), nutrient sequestration, soil acidification, and allelochemicals. These are thought to be the main reasons to conifer regeneration failure in disturbed habitats. If continuation in forest is a land-use objective, then temperate forests with an ericaceous understory should not be logged unless effective silvicultural methods are devised to control the ericaceous plants and restore forest regeneration. Preharvest vegetation control may be considered as an option. Failure to control the understory plants may lead to a long-term vegetation shift, from forest to heathland, particularly in nutrient-poor sites. Successful methods of controllingKalmia andGaultheria, however, have yet to be developed. While theKalmia- andGaultheria- dominated heathlands are undesirable in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, a wide range ofCalluna heathlands of western Europe are being conserved as natural and seminatural vegetation.     

Using Paleo Reconstructions to Improve Streamflow Forecast Lead Time in the Western United States

In water stressed regions, water managers are exploring new horizons that would help in long‐range streamflow forecasts. Oceanic‐atmospheric oscillations have been shown to influence streamflow variability. In this study, long‐lead time streamflow forecasts are made using a multiclass kernel‐based data‐driven support vector machine (SVM) model. The extended streamflow records based on tree ring reconstructions were used to provide a longer time series data. Reconstructed data were used from 1658 to 1952 and the instrumental record was used from 1953 to 2007. Reconstructions for oceanic‐atmospheric oscillations included the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and North Atlantic Oscillation. Streamflow forecasts using all four oscillations were made with one‐year to five‐year lead times for 21 gages in the western United States. This is the first study that uses both instrumental and reconstructed data of oscillations in SVM model to improve streamflow forecast lead time. SVM model was able to provide “satisfactory” to “very good” forecasts with one‐ to five‐year lead time for the selected gages. The use of all the oscillation indices helped in achieving better predictability compared to using individual oscillations. The SVM modeling results are better when compared with multiple linear regression model forecasts. The findings are statistical in nature and are expected to be useful for long‐term water resources planning and management.     

Urban ecological systems: scientific foundations and a decade of progress

Urban ecological studies, including focus on cities, suburbs, and exurbs, while having deep roots in the early to mid 20th century, have burgeoned in the last several decades. We use the state factor approach to highlight the role of important aspects of climate, substrate, organisms, relief, and time in differentiating urban from non-urban areas, and for determining heterogeneity within spatially extensive metropolitan areas. In addition to reviewing key findings relevant to each state factor, we note the emergence of tentative "urban syndromes" concerning soils, streams, wildlife and plants, and homogenization of certain ecosystem functions, such as soil organic carbon dynamics. We note the utility of the ecosystem approach, the human ecosystem framework, and watersheds as integrative tools to tie information about multiple state factors together. The organismal component of urban complexes includes the social organization of the human population, and we review key modes by which human populations within urban areas are differentiated, and how such differentiation affects environmentally relevant actions. Emerging syntheses in land change science and ecological urban design are also summarized. The multifaceted frameworks and the growing urban knowledge base do however identify some pressing research needs.     

Neighbourhood characteristics and urban gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area: staffing and voluntarism,food production,infrastructure, and sustainability practices

Urban gardens are important sources of sustenance for communities with limited access to food. Hence, this study focuses on food production in gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area in Northwest Ohio. We administered surveys to 150 garden managers from November 2014 to February 2015 in our attempt to better understand how neighbourhood racial composition and poverty levels are related to staffing and voluntarism, food production and distribution, the development of infrastructure, and the adoption of sustainability practices in urban gardens. The results from 30 gardens are presented in this paper. We used Geographic Information Systems to map the gardens and overlay the map with 2010 census data so that we could conduct demographic analyses of the neighbourhoods in which the gardens were located. Though the gardens were small – two acres or less – up to 46 varieties of food were grown in a single garden. Gardens also operated on small budgets. Food from the gardens was gifted or shared with friends, family, and neighbourhood residents. Gardens in predominantly minority neighbourhoods tended to have fewer institutional partners, less garden infrastructure, and had adopted fewer sustainable practices than gardens in predominantly White neighbourhoods. Nonetheless, residents of predominantly minority and high-poverty neighbourhoods participated in garden activities and influenced garden operations. Volunteering and staffing were racialised and gendered.     

Predicting deer-vehicle collisions in an urban area

Collisions with deer and other large animals are increasing, and the resulting economic costs and risks to public safety have made mitigation measures a priority for both city and wildlife managers. We created landscape models to describe and predict deer-vehicle collision (DVCs) within the City of Edmonton, Alberta. Models based on roadside characteristics revealed that DVCs occurred frequently where roadside vegetation was both denser and more diverse, and that DVCs were more likely to occur when the groomed width of roadside right-of-ways was smaller. No DVCs occurred where the width of the vegetation-free or manicured roadside buffer was greater than 40 m. Landscape-based models showed that DVCs were more likely in more heterogeneous landscapes where road densities were lower and speed limits were higher, and where non-forested vegetation such as farmland was in closer proximity to larger tracts of forest. These models can help wildlife and transportation managers to identify locations of high collision frequency for mitigation. Modifying certain landscape and roadside habitats can be an effective way to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.     

BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ESTUARINE/COASTAL POLLUTION1

ABSTRACT: Sustained interest in and concern about the health status of the aquatic environment has resulted in extensive research focused on (1) effects of pollution on survival, growth, and reproduction of resource species at all life stages; (2) diseases of fish and shellfish, as they may be related to pollution and as they may serve as indicators of environmental stress; and (3) contaminant body burdens in fish and shellfish - their effects on the aquatic animals and their potential effects on humans. Effects, lethal and sublethal, of pollutants on life history stages of fish and shellfish have been documented, as have impacts on local stocks in badly degraded habitats, but as yet there has been no adequate quantitative demonstration of effects on entire aquatic species - probably because of the difficulty in sorting out relative effects of the many environmental factors that influence abundance. Sublethal effects, especially those that result in disease, have been examined intensively, and some diseases and disease syndromes have been associated statistically with pollution. Other pollution indicators (biochemical, physiological, genetic, behavioral, and ecological) have also received some attention, as have body burdens of contaminants in aquatic species. Research, especially that conducted during the past decade, has done much to clarify the many pathways and toxic effects of contaminants on aquatic animals, and has also helped to identify mechanisms for survival of fish and shellfish in the presence of environmental changes caused by human activities.     

Biodiversity and biotechnology

The maintenance of biodiversity is urged from many quarters and on grounds ranging from aesthetic considerations to its usefulness, particularly for biotechnology. But regardless of the grounds for preserving biodiversity, writers are generally in agreement that it should be preserved. But, in examining the various references biodiversity, such as species diversity, genetic diversity, and habitat diversity, it is apparent that we cannot aim to preserve biodiversityas such, since there are a number of conflicts in any such undertaking. In preserving one aspect of biodiversity, we damage another aspect. Five arguments which attempt to ground our moral concern for biodiversity are reviewed and critiqued, not only for their consistency but also for their power to move us to action. The final section of the paper shows how conflicts in the values of personal and environmental health can impair ethical action and especially policy formation.An earlier version of this paper was read at the conference on Agriculture, Food, and Human Values: Tradition and Change, Orlando, Florida, October 7–9, 1987.     

Journalists' views of advertiser pressures on agricultural news

All major journalism ethical codes explicitly state that journalists should protect editorial copy from undue influence by outside sources. However, much of the previous research on agricultural information has concentrated on what information various media communicate (gatekeeping studies) or communication's role in increasing innovation adoption (diffusion studies). Few studies have concentrated specifically on organizational and structural constraints that might adversely affect agricultural journalists' ethical standards; those that have, focus largely on farm magazines. A study of newspaper reporters who cover agricultural news found that the most pressing ethical concern is the effect of advertiser (agri-business) pressure on editorial copy, and that their concerns in general parallel those of farm magazine writers and editors. The majority reported being in situations in which they might be exposed to advertiser pressure, including pressures to change or withhold editorial copy. Large minorities suggested that advertising pressures affect the overall environment in which agricultural journalists work, and more than one in ten said they allow advertiser pressures to influence editorial decisions. The newspaper reporters who cover agricultural beats showed slightly more resistance to advertiser pressure than did farm magazine editors in a parallel study.     

Definition Procedures Have Little Effect on Performance of Environmental Classifications of Streams and Rivers

Mapped environmental classifications are defined using various procedures, but there has been little evaluation of the differences in their ability to discriminate variation in independent ecological characteristics. We tested the performance of environmental classifications of the streams and rivers of France that had been defined from the same environmental data using geographic regionalization and numerical classification of individual river valley segments. Test data comprised invertebrate assemblages, water chemistry, and hydrological indexes obtained from sites throughout France. Classification performance was measured by analysis of similarity (ANOSIM). Geometric regions defined by a regular grid and without regard to environmental variables and a posteriori classifications based on clustering the test datasets defined lower and upper bounds of performance for a given number of classes. Differences in classification performances were generally small. The ANOSIM statistics for the a posteriori classifications were around twice that of all environmental classifications, including geometrically defined regions. The hydro-ecoregions performed slightly better for the invertebrate data and the network classification performed slightly better for the chemistry and hydrological data. Our results indicate that environmental classifications that are defined using different procedures can be comparable in terms of their ability to discriminate variation of ecological characteristics and that alleged differences in performance arising from different classification procedures can be small relative to unexplained variation. We conclude that definition procedures might have little effect on the performance of large-scale environmental classifications and decisions over which procedures to use should be based primarily on pragmatic considerations.