Effectiveness of Vegetation Surrogates for Parasitoid Wasps in Reserve Selection

Abstract:  Selecting suitable nature reserves is a continuing challenge in conservation, particularly for target groups that are time-consuming to survey, species rich, and extinction prone. One such group is the parasitoid Hymenoptera, which have been excluded from conservation planning. If basic characteristics of habitats or vegetation could be used as reliable surrogates of specific target taxa, this would greatly facilitate appropriate reserve selection. We identified a range of potential habitat indicators of the species richness of pimpline parasitoid communities (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae, Diacritinae, Poemeniinae) and tested their efficiency at capturing the observed diversity in a group of small woodlands in the agricultural landscape of the Vale of York (United Kingdom). Eight of the 18 vegetation-based reserve-selection strategies were significantly better at parasitoid species inclusion than random selection of areas. The best strategy maximized richness of tree species over the entire reserve network through complementarity. This strategy omitted only 2–3 species more (out of 38 captured in the landscape as a whole) than selections derived from the parasitoid survey data. In general, strategies worked equally well at capturing species richness and rarity. Our results suggest that vegetation data as a surrogate for species richness could prove an informative tool in parasitoid conservation, but further work is needed to test how broadly applicable these indicators may be.     

OREGON WATER QUALITY INDEX A TOOL FOR EVALUATING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS1

ABSTRACT: The Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI) is a single number that expresses water quality by integrating measurements of eight water quality variables (temperature, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, ammonia+nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus, total solids, and fecal coliform). Its purpose is to provide a simple and concise method for expressing the ambient water quality of Oregon's streams for general recreational use, including fishing and swimming. The OWQI, originally developed in the 1970s, has been updated based upon improved understanding about water quality behavior. This report describes the historical basis of the OWQI and defines the improved design of the present OWQI. The index allows users to easily interpret data and relate overall water quality variation to variations in specific categories of impairment. This report demonstrates the value of the OWQI in presenting spatial and temporal water quality information. The OWQI improves comprehension of general water quality issues, communicates water quality status, and illustrates the need for and effectiveness of protective practices.     

城市可持续发展的指数普适公式及评价模型

为了建立城市可持续发展的评价模型,分析了社会、经济和环境指标体系所具有的特征,提出了基于GA优化的分类单项指标的发展指数普适公式,并采用广义对比运算和层次分析法对不同层次指标赋权,建立了社会、经济和环境可协调持续发展评价模型.该模型应用于大理市的可协调持续发展评价结果表明:基于GA优化参数后的分类单项指标的发展指数公式和评价模型不仅简单、实用,而且具有可比性、易操作性和普适性.     

中国省域生态环境质量评价指标体系研究

提出了省域生态环境质量评价及其指标体系由生态环境质量背景、人类对生态环境的影响程度及人类对生态环境的适宜度需求三部分 组成,并分别提出相应的指标体系及评价方法。通过对中国省区生态环境质量评价分级的实例研究,具体介绍了该方法。      

基于绩效评估的地方环境保护机构能力分析

采用层次分析法和专家评分法建立评价的指标体系,提出了地方环境保护机构能力的评估方法.以河南省13个县级环境保护局为例,评价了县级环境保护部门的机构能力.研究表明,地方环境保护机构能力总体处于较差水平;区域差异较大,但无显著区域分布特征;地方环境保护机构能力与经济发展无显著相关性,但捕捉信息与应急能力、平衡利益能力、执行决议能力均和经济发展有一定相关关系.提高环境保护机构能力有利于消减区域环境风险.     

长江口滨岸潮滩无齿相手蟹体内重金属元素的时空分布及其在环境监测中的指示作用

对长江口滨岸带无齿相手蟹体内的重金属元素分析表明:无齿相手蟹体内的Zn、Cr、Ni三种元素季节分布的总体趋势是夏季>春季>秋季。无齿相手蟹对重金属元素的累积也存在着地点间的差异。青龙港、浒浦两地的无齿相手蟹对Cu、Pb、Cr、Ni的累积量都很高,东海农场和崇明东滩的无齿相手蟹对Zn的累积量较高。对无齿相手蟹、沉积物、悬浮颗粒物中的重金属含量分析表明,无齿相手蟹对重金属Cu有一定的富集能力,适于做长江口滨岸带Cu的指示生物。     

绿色生态城区规划及实践的比较研究

目前,是以提倡低碳环保、绿色生态城市为发展规划的社会,生态化建设正如火如荼地进行中。本文以中新天津生态城、曹妃甸唐山湾生态城、青岛中德生态园这三个地点作比较,以建设绿色生态城市规划协同、共生城市理念、混合开发和生态社区结构这几点进行了分析,总结了城区建设间的问题,并针对这些问题研究解决方案,以达到绿色生态区建设的目的。     

SBR工艺中原生动物肉足虫的硝化指示作用

通过对SBR反应器曝气量的控制达到了控制硝化率的目的。对肉足虫虫体密度与硝化率相关关系分析结果表明,弯凸表壳虫、普通表壳虫,以及盖厢壳虫均可以作为硝化指示生物。与盖厢壳虫相比,弯凸表壳虫和普通表壳虫与硝化率的相关关系更高,虫体较大易于显微镜观察与计数,更适宜用作硝化指示生物。     

应用底栖动物为指示生物的松花江干流水生态预警研究

指示生物监测及水生态预警是利用水环境中指示物种的数量、群落结构指标和个体生理指标等描述水生态系统的健康状态,其相比于常规理化监测和预警更直接地反映水体的生态质量。本研究在松花江干流2012—2015年大型底栖无脊椎动物监测结果的基础上,结合各监测点生态质量管理目标,通过分析物种的种类、出现的频次、物种污染敏感性(耐污值),尝试提出了松花江干流监控断面以底栖动物为指示生物的水生态预警模式,研究思路和结果对流域水环境风险管理指标的拓展有积极作用。     

中国新克强指数的构建与实证分析

随着中国经济进入新常态,英国《经济学人》杂志构建的克强指数已无法反映中国经济的全貌,如何客观地反映中国经济的真实状况成为一个迫切需要解决的现实问题。为更好地测度中国经济运行的真实状况,本文根据李克强总理提出的"未来会更加关注就业、居民收入和生态环境的持续改善"的愿景,在原有克强指数的基础上,增加年末就业人员数、农村居民家庭人均纯收入、城镇居民家庭人均可支配收入等就业和收入方面的指标,使用中国1995—2015年的相关数据和层次分析法构建了克强指数的修订版本即新克强指数,并将新克强指数与GDP增长率、克强指数进行了比较,发现新克强指数在反映中国经济波动和经济整体运行状态上有更为优良的性质。与GDP增长率相比,新克强指数克服了服务业比重提高带来的熨平效应,进而灵敏地反映中国经济波动情况,并对异常事件更加具有敏感性。相对于克强指数而言,新克强指数破除了因中国在第二产业上存在失衡性发展所带来的经济波动的杠杆效应,降低了经济增长中的虚假成分,从而与中国经济运行的整体关联度更为密切。此外,相对于克强指数而言,新克强指数在反映经济景气方面有着较好的时效性与关联性。采用时差相关分析法对新克强指数与宏观经济指标之间的关系进行分析,发现新克强指数在反映第一产业增加值、第三产业增加值、最终消费支出、资本形成总额、对外贸易、通货膨胀等方面具有优势。研究表明:新克强指数是更适宜测度中国经济的多元评价指标,为测度中国经济运行的真实状况提供了科学的参考依据。