Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation under forestation scenarios: options to improve management in the Vez watershed,NW Portugal

Ensuring forest protection and the delivery of forest ecosystem services is a central aim of the European Union’s biodiversity strategy for 2020. Therefore, accurate modelling and mapping of ecosystem services as well as of biodiversity conservation value is an important asset in support of spatial planning and policy implementation. The objectives of this study were to analyse the provision of the multiple ecosystem services under two forestation scenarios (eucalyptus/pine vs. oak) at the watershed scale and to evaluate their possible trade-offs with the biodiversity conservation value. The Vez watershed, in northwest Portugal, was used as case study area, in which soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) was applied to simulate the provision of hydrological services, biomass and carbon storage services. Biodiversity conservation value was based on nature protection regimes and on expert judgement applied to a land cover map. Results indicated large provision of ecosystem services in the high and low mountain sub-basins. The overall performance for water quantity and timing is better under the shrubland and oak forest scenarios, when compared to the eucalyptus/pine forest scenario, which perform better for flood regulation and erosion control services, especially in the low mountain sub-basin. The current shrubland dominated cover also shows good performance for the control of soil erosion. The oak scenario is the one with less trade-offs between forest services and biodiversity conservation. Results highlight SWAT as an effective tool for modelling and mapping ecosystem services generated at the watershed scale, thereby contributing to improve the options for land management.     

Governance objectives and instruments,ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation: the Chianti case study

The complex relationships between governance processes, ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation are receiving growing attention by the scientific community. The scope of research in this field is generally that of identifying main governance factors leading to success or failure in the sustainable management of ecosystems and biodiversity conservation, so to develop appropriate sectoral and intersectoral policies fostering sustainable use of natural resources. In this paper, a methodological approach is first presented and then applied to analyse the impacts of agriculture and rural policies on agro-ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation in the central hills of Tuscany, the Chianti area. This approach is focusing in particular on governance objectives and instruments used in the management of ecosystem services. A share-farming system based on multifunctional agriculture ruled Chianti until World War II. Then, after the abandonment of rural areas by share-farmers, governance objectives and ecosystem management were oriented towards the production of commodities such as wine and olive oil almost ignoring the provision of public goods such as soil erosion and water run-off control and biodiversity conservation. In order to achieve a more sustainable ecosystems management in Chianti, there is the need to develop a multifaceted governance strategy to reward appropriately the supplying of environmental goods and services by farmers.     

巢湖水陆交错带生态服务价值梯度分析

基于巢湖水陆交错带1995、2000、2007和2013年4期遥感影像提取土地利用信息,参考前人的相关研究成果,测算研究区的生态服务价值。在综合研究区实际情况和相关研究基础上采用等距离缓冲带法,对研究区生态服务价值的梯度变化进行研究。结果表明:(1)各土地利用类型的梯度变化在不同时期有较为一致的变化趋势,在不同的缓冲带内都有1~2个贡献率较大的土地利用类型;(2)在研究期内各缓冲带生态服务价值处于基本平稳的状态,其中缓冲带1到缓冲带2的变化幅度较大;(3)从生态服务价值的空间分布来看,缓冲带1的生态服务价值始终最高,外层的缓冲带5和缓冲带6由低等级到中等级平稳过度,缓冲带3和缓冲带4则始终处在低水平;(4)林地和水域对生态服务价值的贡献率与距巢湖水陆边界的距离有显著的相关性,表明林地和水域对研究区生态服务价值的影响大。     

Policy design for a multifunctional landscape

Landscapes consisting of several elements, such as wetlands and forests, are multifunctional in nature and produce both market and non-market goods. The need for policies arises from the existence of non-market ecosystem services that are not traded and thereby generally not subject to economic trade-offs in landowner decision making. An efficient incentive scheme for producing both types of goods would require policy designed for each non-market good. However, this may result in high transaction costs, possibly giving second-best solutions a comparative advantage when only one non-market good is regulated. This paper demonstrates that in the Hovran catchment area in mid Sweden, which produces the non-market goods water quality, biodiversity, and scenic beauty, compensation payments for biodiversity production alone provide almost maximum total net value of all market and non-market goods. On the other hand, payments for providing scenic beauty in the form of open landscape may result in lower total net value than no compensation payment at all, due to a negative impact on water quality.     

大型水利水电工程扰动区植被的生态恢复

大型水利水电工程具有防洪、发电、航运等综合效益,是开发治理江河的骨干工程.水利水电工程建设常对项目区自然生态环境带来影响,施工中所产生的岩质边坡、土质边坡、弃土和弃渣等扰动可能导致项目区的生态系统退化、生物多样性丧失、水土流失和地质灾害加剧.扰动区植被生态恢复关系到工程安全运行和其所在区域的可持续发展.以向家坝水电工程为例,研究了大型水利水电工程扰动区植被生态恢复的目标、原则及方法.按生产、生态和社会功能,向家坝水电工程扰动区可划分为工程核心区、服务区和过渡区等3个功能区来系统规划其生态恢复.结合各自的功能需求和干扰特征,各功能区可采取相应的生态恢复技术和配置适宜物种来构建植物群落,形成结构稳定、多样性丰富、具有复合功能的植被景观.还简要评价了向家坝水电工程植被恢复现状,提出一些完善其生态恢复的建议.     

城镇化过程对鄱阳湖流域生态系统的影响

城镇化是社会经济发展和现代文明的重要标志，但带来了严重的资源危机和生态环境问题。以鄱阳湖独特的流域特征为研究对象，以城市人口数量表征城镇化的进程，分类解析1990~2011年江西省统计年鉴数据，通过讨论鄱阳湖土地资源结构变化、水资源变化特征、湿地生态系统、生物多样性等资源消耗程度，以及大气污染和水污染为代表的城镇主要污染问题，探讨快速城镇化下鄱阳湖生态环境对干扰的响应。结果表明：鄱阳湖流域各城市的城镇化进展及其机制不同，南昌、九江和上饶城市扩张迅速，而景德镇和赣州发展较平缓；城镇化导致水资源日益紧缺，各城市年总用水量2003年以后均呈增加趋势，其中农业用水量逐年增加，工业用水量各城市年变化存在差异；生物多样性特征受到严重威胁，湖泊水面及湿地面积的持续减少，生物环境的组成和结构发生改变；九江等城市工业废气排放量加大、南昌等城市工业废水排放高，造成湖区环境恶化。根据分析，建议鄱阳湖流域未来从规划土地利用类型、统一调配水资源、制定生物多样性保护对策、加强环境污染治理、强化环保宣传和规划与政策法律化等多方面采取措施。本文为鄱阳湖生态系统可持续发展和生态经济区的城镇化建设提供理论参考     

江淮生态经济区土地利用格局及生态系统服务价值变化

基于2005~2015年土地利用变更调查数据，结合土地利用变化模型和生态系统服务价值理论，分析了江苏省江淮生态经济区县域单元土地利用结构演化规律及生态系统服务价值变化。结果表明：研究期间建设用地、水域面积增加的最多；土地利用程度指数呈现北高南低的空间格局；生态系统服务价值略有上升，空间上总体为南高北低的格局，呈现市区较低，周边县（市）较高的现象；研究期内水域对于江淮生态经济区生态系统服务价值的贡献和生态环境的调控作用十分显著；结合区域建设开发现状，利用生态系统服务价值敏感性指数，在县域尺度上将研究区划分为以下五种类型：优先保护区、优先开发区、保护均衡区、开发权衡区、开发调整区，并提出建设开发策略，以期为江淮生态经济区开发建设、环境保护提供科学指引。     

Chinese Policies and Practices regarding Payments for Ecological Services in Watersheds

Watersheds provide a variety of ecological services including soil and water conservation, carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection. However, activities in a fast-growing economy significantly impact the supply and demand of these watershed services. To mitigate these impacts, the concept of payment for environmental and ecosystem services from watersheds has emerged in global academic and policy circles. The governments and academic communities in China have increasingly described payments for ecological services from watersheds with the concept of watershed eco-compensation as it is urgent to protect watershed ecosystems. Watershed eco-compensation has proved to be one of the most economically effective means of solving environmental problems of watersheds to be adopted by the Chinese government. This paper presents an objective analysis of the Chinese market for watershed ecosystem services, including supply and demand for the services. It also summarizes Chinese policies on watershed eco-compensation, including relevant laws and regulations and fiscal policies. In addition, it presents a review of Chinese practices in watershed eco-compensation, including the analysis of an ecological construction project in Western China, inter-provincial watershed eco-compensation practices and plans, and payment for ecological services at the provincial and small watershed levels. Finally, it summarizes the key components of the process of payment in Chinese watershed eco-compensation. This discussion forms the basis of concluding suggestions for ecosystem services compensation and ecological protection in the large scale river basin.     

人工园林大面积种植区土地利用/覆被变化对生态系统服务价值影响

近10a来由于经济利益的驱动,橡胶、茶园、咖啡和桉树等人工园林在云南省西南部西盟县大规模种植,使土地利用结构和布局发生了较大变化,影响了种植区的生态系统服务价值。以西盟县为研究对象,基于2000年、2005年和2010年的遥感影像解译的土地利用/覆被数据,参照"中国生态系统单位面积生态服务价值当量",修订了西盟县生态系统单位面积服务价值,结合敏感度分析,探讨了土地利用/覆被变化及其对生态系统服务价值的影响。结果表明:(1)2000~2010年西盟县的耕地、园地、水域和乡镇用地面积增加,林地和草地面积减少,西南部的土地利用/覆盖类型相互转化主要表现在林地和耕地转化为园地,而东北部表现在林地转化为耕地;(2)从时间上看,生态系统服务价值呈减少趋势,10 a间净减少106.29×106元,林地的生态系统服务价值始终最高;(3)研究期内,只有食物生产服务有价值量的增加,其余生态系统服务的价值量均为不同程度的减少;(4)从空间上看,西盟县生态系统服务价值东北部和东南部高,西部、中部和东部低。力所乡生态系统服务价值有小幅度增加,其余乡镇均呈减少趋势。西盟县以经济利益为目的的发展模式给生态系统服务和可持续发展带来巨大压力,在一定程度上使区域整体生态效应下降。因此,西盟县的发展应该在保证生态系统稳定的前提下,适当发展园地,同时优化土地利用结构,在生态效益和经济利益之间,找到双赢的平衡点。     

Hierarchical priority setting for restoration in a watershed in NE Spain, based on assessments of soil erosion and ecosystem services

Maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services through the restoration of degraded ecosystems have become an important biodiversity conservation strategy. Deciding where to restore ecosystems for the attainment of multiple services is a key issue for future planning, management, and human well-being. Most restoration projects usually entail a small number of actions in a local area and do not consider the potential benefits of planning restoration at broad regional scales. We developed a hierarchical priority setting approach to evaluate the performance of restoration measures in a semiarid basin in NE Spain (the Martín River Basin, 2,112 km²). Our analysis utilized a combination of erosion (a key driver of degradation in this Mediterranean region) and six spatially explicit ecosystem services data layers (five of these maps plotted surrogates for soil retention and accumulation, water supply and regulation, and carbon storage, and one plotted a cultural service, ecotourism). Hierarchical maps were generated using a geographic information system that combined areas important for providing a bundle of ecosystem services, as state variables, with erosion maps, as the disturbance or regulatory variable. This was performed for multiple scales, thereby identifying the most adequate scale of analysis and establishing a spatial hierarchy of restoration actions based on the combination of the evaluation of erosion rates and the provision of ecosystem services. Our approach provides managers with a straightforward method for determining the spatial distribution of values for a set of ecosystem services in relation to ecological degradation thresholds and for allocating efforts and resources for restoration projects in complex landscapes.     

亚热带区域神农架太阳坪森林生态系统研究初报——兼论自然保护区的建立及定位研究

太阳坪位于湖北省神农架林区东部,东径110°40′,北纬31°36′,是林区内极少受人类干扰的森林区。本文简要介绍了全球北亚热带区域生态系统的第一性生产力特征及研究概况后,论述了太阳坪地区内植物区系、植被类型及其动态的特征。并建议在太阳坪设立自然保护区,同时进行长期的生物多样性及生态系统的定位研究。     

All that glitters is not gold: the effect of top-down participation on conservation knowledge,attitudes and institutional trust in a Central Indian tiger reserve

Researchers and policymakers emphasize that people’s involvement in forest management can secure their support of conservation initiatives. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of top-down participation is weak. This study uses cross-sectional household data from 16 villages in the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) in India to contribute to the evidence base of such assumption. Using a propensity score matching to control for observable bias, we evaluate the effects of two state-driven incentive-based participatory projects, i.e. the Joint Forest Management and Ecodevelopment, on selected social outcomes. Specifically, we measured local people conservation knowledge, biodiversity attitudes as well as trust in and satisfaction with the tiger reserve management authorities. We found that the effects of participatory management on conservation knowledge were positive, but negligible. We found no significant effects on local people’s biodiversity attitudes, trust and satisfaction with the tiger reserve management authorities. Top-down and externally induced participation may explain our results. Our findings clearly indicate that the effectiveness of participatory conservation interventions is conditional on the level and nature of local participation. Top-down participatory projects may not be sufficient to generate local support of conservation and in some cases, they may even exacerbate local conflicts.     

国家级重点生态功能区县生态系统生产总值核算研究——以阿尔山市为例

国家级重点生态功能区是国家重要的生态安全屏障,是保障生态系统稳定的重要区域,生态系统生产总值(GEP)是生态系统为人类福祉和经济社会可持续发展提供的产品与服务价值的总和。核算重点生态功能区县生态系统生产总值(GEP)不仅为揭示区域生态系统为人类福祉和经济社会发展贡献提供了新的手段,同时为完善限制开发区市县政府考核机制和离任审计提供了新的科学方法。本文以国家级重点生态功能区县——阿尔山市为例,运用市场价值法、影子工程法、替代成本法及旅游费用法等研究方法,对阿尔山市生态系统产品提供、调节服务、文化服务3大类11项服务功能进行核算,结果表明:(1)2014年,阿尔山市生态系统生产总值539.88亿元,就生态系统服务类别而言,调节服务价值最高,占88.44%;文化服务价值占8.72%;产品提供价值占2.83%。(2)就不同生态系统服务类型而言,气候调节功能价值最大,占45.33%;固碳释氧价值、水源涵养价值、洪水调蓄价值次之。(3)就不同生态系统类型而言,由大到小排序,森林湿地草地灌丛农田。其中,森林生态系统生产总值最高,占61.99%;湿地次之,占32.44%。     

Biodiversity resilience in the Central Indian Highlands is contingent on maintaining and recovering landscape connectivity: the tiger as a case study

Corridors (variably called landscape linkages, connectors, and gateways) are expanses of a landscape that facilitate the flow or movement of individuals, genes, and ecological processes. Protected areas with their buffer zones and the corridors that connect them are cornerstones of modern conservation actions to maintain the biodiversity we have and restore what we have lost. Policy and governance to guide the establishment and management of protected areas and supporting buffer zones is well established in the Central Indian Highlands. A policy and governance structure to create the context and enabling conditions for corridor maintenance, creation, and recovery is emerging but is constrained by the reigning land-management paradigm that separates conservation from development rather than mainstreaming species and habitat conservation into the rural development agenda. Well-nourished, healthy human populations and healthy ecosystems are inextricably linked. The worsening ecological conditions in the Central Indian Highlands can trigger the emergence of a common agenda for an inclusive, caring, and environment-friendly mode of development. The alternative is the business-as-usual scenario: a continuation of worsening ecological conditions. Entry points through the biodiversity, agriculture production, resource extraction, and economic/social sectors to enable integrated sustainable landscape management are identified. These include deepening what it means to successfully conserve a species combined with explicit threat analysis for at-risk tigers and the landscapes that supports them; landscape scenario modeling to advance communication by synthesizing diverse forms of research and articulating and evaluating alternative socio-economic futures; and the use of the smart green infrastructure process as an approach to development rather than only as a way to mitigate environmental damage. Models are presented to scale up from isolated conservation interventions to collective impact that unites supportive government partners with individuals, NGOs, and economic interests to achieve viable long-term relationships in human and natural systems to value, maintain, and recover landscape connectivity.     

丹江口库区水土保持的生态服务功能价值估算研究

在特定尺度和区域范围内，运用环境经济学理论和方法，定量评估了规划实施的丹江口库区水土保持近期项目的生态服务功能价值。结果表明：水土保持生态建设近期项目全部发挥效用后，全年生态服务价值总量为3274亿元，其中，保持和涵养水源价值为448亿元，水污染防治价值791亿元，保持和改良土壤1027亿元，固碳供氧价值314亿元，净化空气价值352亿元，维持生物多样性价值341亿元。在各项价值中，保持与改良土壤、水污染防治价值最为突出，是水土保持生态价值的主要体现。从机会成本角度分析，水土保持生态建设项目实施的年成本为239亿元，生态服务功能价值为成本的1369倍，建设项目预期生态经济效益非常显著。研究结果可为远期规划项目生态效益定量评价提供借鉴，为水源区生态补偿机制的建立提供理论依据。     

2008~2016年鄱阳湖生态经济区生态系统服务价值的时空变化研究

鄱阳湖生态经济区是中国重要生态功能区和世界自然基金会划定的全球重要生态区，2009年开始建设，目前已完成首要阶段的建设工作。基于土地覆被遥感解译数据，利用生态价值评估模型及GIS空间统计方法，分析鄱阳湖生态经济区2008~2016年间生态系统服务价值时空格局及动态演化。结果表明，鄱阳湖生态经济区土地利用/覆被方式以耕地、林地和草地为主，8年间区内草地和建筑用地面积明显增加，水域面积减少加剧，生态系统服务价值总体呈减少趋势，其中减少最明显的是林地和水域系统价值。水源涵养和土壤保持是鄱阳湖生态经济区最主要的生态系统服务功能，两者合计占比38%以上，但食物生产、水源涵养与废物处理的各单项生态服务价值下降比例较多。生态系统服务价值年均减少率超过20%的区域主要在城市地区，从空间分布来看，南部区域生态服务价值增长具有优势，尤其在2012~2016年间总的优势更为明显。     

基于Meta回归方法的中国城市森林生态系统服务功能价值再评估

在综合国内若干城市生态系统服务功能价值研究实例的基础上,构建了中国城市森林生态系统服务功能价值转移数据库和相应的Meta回归分析模型,对价值转移评估的影响因素进行了全面探讨,并对该模型的样本外价值转移的有效性进行了检验.研究结果表明:(1)中国城市森林生态系统服务功能的平均价值为5.868 万元/hm2·a,按照价值高低排序依次为:涵养水源＞固碳释氧＞保育土壤＞生物多样性保护＞净化大气环境＞森林游憩＞积累营养物质,且总体呈现出西部地区＞东部地区＞中部地区的区位分布特征;(2)城市森林生态系统服务功能的评估方法、类型因素,城市的区位、人口、经济因素和研究区面积因素都是影响城市森林生态系统服务功能价值变化的主要因素;(3)所构建的Meta价值转移模型的样本外价值转移的平均转移误差为18.54％,用于研究样本外价值转移估计的有效性较好.     

三峡库区建坝前后森林生态系统服务动态

基于六期Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI影像数据，利用生态系统服务功能评估规范及GIS空间统计方法，对三峡库区1990~2015年间森林生态系统服务价值动态变化进行分析。结果表明：三峡库区森林面积与森林覆盖率逐年增加，森林面积增长率71.04%，森林覆盖率由31.27%增加到53.48%。库区整体的森林类型结构比较稳定，表现为针叶林>混交林>灌木林>阔叶林。时间上，三峡库区森林生态系统服务价值呈上升趋势，具体表现为快-慢-快的增长特征。三峡库区单位面积森林生态系统服务价值在总体增长趋势下出现局部负增长趋势，各森林类型的单位面积价值与三峡库区整体的单位面积价值有着相同的变化趋势，均表现为增加-减少-增加的变化特征。三峡库区各类型服务价值的贡献表现为：涵养水源>固碳释氧>生物多样性保护>保育土壤>净化大气环境>积累营养物质>森林防护。空间上，1990~2015年，三峡库区森林生态系统服务价值的地域分布大致以巫溪至武隆一线为界，呈现出东南高、西北低的特征。1990~2015年三峡库区森林生态系统服务价值变化幅度呈现出“西增加快，东增趋缓”的格局特点。     

兼顾生态系统功能和生态需求强度的城市生态用地重要性评价——以长沙市为例

生态环境保护和城市经济发展的矛盾由来已久，科学评价生态用地的重要性，对维护区域生态安全和引导城市有序扩张具有重要意义。生态用地的重要性不仅由生态用地自身的生态系统功能决定，同时受到人类生态需求强度的影响。选取生物多样性维持功能、土壤保持功能、水源涵养功能、户外休闲需求和生态用地稀缺度等指标，以长沙市中心城区为研究区，构建了兼顾生态系统功能和区域生态需求强度的生态用地重要性评价模型，进行了生态用地重要性评价。其中，生态系统功能通过生物多样性维持功能、土壤保持功能、水源涵养功能量化，区域生态需求强度通过户外休闲需求和生态用地稀缺度量化。实验结果表明：长沙市中心城区生态用地空间分布差异显著，极重要生态用地主要由大面积集中连片的森林、重要饮水源地和高质量的耕地构成，既包括城市外围提供生态屏障的大块生态用地，同时包括人口稠密城市建成区内的湿地、河流等小面积生态用地。与传统评价模型相比，构建的模型能够体现人类需求的影响，结果更符合人们的实际生态需要。