Using environmental stressor information to predict the ecological status of Maryland non-tidal streams as measured by biological indicators

In Maryland, U.S., an interim framework has recentlybeen developed for using biologically based thresholds, or `biocriteria', to assess the health of nontidal streams statewide at watershed scales. The evaluation of impairment is based on indices of biological integrity from the Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS). We applied logistic regression to quantify how the biotic integrity of streams at a local scale is affected by cumulative effects resulting from catchment land uses, point sources, and nearby transmission line rights-of-way. Indicators for land use were developed from the remote sensing National Land Cover Data and applied at different scales. We determined that the risk of local impairment in nontidal streams rapidly increases with increased urban land use in the catchment area. The average likelihood of failing biocriteria doubled with every 10% points increment in urban land, thus an increase in urban land use from 0 to 20% quadruples the risk of impairment. For the basins evaluated in this study, catchments with more than 40–50% urban land use had greater than 80% probability of failing biocriteria, on average. Inclusion of rights-of-way and point sources in the model did not significantly improve the fit for this data set, most likely because of their low numbers. The overall results indicate that our predictive modeling approach can help pinpoint stream ecosystems experiencing or vulnerable to degradation.     

Biological complexity confounds the separation of point- and non-point sources of human impact on the natural world

Identifying process from pattern is one of the most vexing tasks inenvironmental monitoring. Given information on the distribution of speciesin a pre-defined area, together with comprehensive data on how environmentalconditions in that area have altered through time, is it possible toidentify the factors controlling the species‘ layout? Here, the practicalsignificance of this quandary is demonstrated using a series ofenvironmentally-degraded coastal lagoons in New South Wales. The TuggerahLakes (33°17′S,151°30′E) have over the last 50 yearsexperienced significant changes in species‘ distributions. Seagrasses,macroalgae, phytoplankton, molluscs, prawns and the jellyfish Catostylus mosaicus have altered in spatial pattern. Two human activitieshave been blamed for these perturbations: (1) agricultural clearance ofnative vegetation from the catchment, with associated input of top-soil andnutrients; (2) the commissioning of a coal-fired power station in 1967, withmassive uptake and recirculation of lake water for cooling purposes. In thispaper, spatial changes in macrophyte distributions over the last 50 yearsare reviewed in an attempt to identify the true source(s) of perturbation.The model adopted assumes that the power station is a point source of impactwhile nutrient inputs from the catchment are a diffuse source of impact;changes in species distributions can hypothetically be related back to thesesources according to whether they are localised or widespread. However,after a comprehensive analysis of available macrophyte data derived frominterviews, aerial photography and line transect methodologyies theconclusion is reached that changes in biogeographical pattern around theTuggerah Lakes cannot be attributed to specific anthropogenic pressures atanything beyond the coarsest of levels. This is considered to be the normfor most coastal management situations where natural background variation(’noise‘) and the complexity of linkages between physical, chemical andbiological components confounds the identification of causal relationships.The practical implications of this conclusion are discussed in the contextof litigation and remedial management design. Emphasis is placed on theneed to adopt an adaptive approach to estuarine management, incorporatingexplicit recognition of the limitations of available data, and to developnew techniques for identifying cause-effect relationships.     

长白山西坡风灾干扰区的恢复和保护

长白山西坡发生的灾害性风灾干扰,一方面给长白山自然保护区的森林资源造成巨大损失,同时也提出了如何加强保护和加速恢复的新课题。文中分析了风灾干扰区的更新格局和过程以及干扰后处理的有关问题,提出了从立地和景观水平促进更新恢复的保护措施     

我国海洋灾害经济损失评估模型研究

针对目前我国海洋灾害给海洋环境及造成损害的实际情况，运用环境经济学及系统动力学的理论和方法，并在溢油模型及ＧＩＳ的支持下，首次建立了用一系列密切相关的子模块来评估经济损失的数学模型。它对于促进我国海洋灾害经济损失评估的定量化进程将起到一定的作用。     

喀斯特石漠化地区生态恢复重建技术及其成果的价值评估——以广西平果县果化示范区为例

用土壤改良技术、表层岩溶水开发技术和生物恢复重建技术等对广西平果县果化示范区的土壤和植被等进行了恢复重建,结果是:果化示范区的植被覆盖率由2000年重建前的10%提高到2005年的50%~70%,水土流失也得到了较明显的控制,土壤侵蚀模数下降到了510.92 kg/(km2.a)。用生态经济学的原理和方法,对恢复后的生态系统服务价值进行了评估,结果表明示范区新增的间接利用价值达10186873元,间接利用价值是直接利用价值的12倍。新增的生态效益为8002053元,社会效益为2184820元。扣除治理期间实际投入的科研费用,增加的总生态服务净价值为8869308元。     

土壤重金属污染及其预防、修复研究

土壤重金属污染是一个难以解决的全球性棘手问题,不仅会直接或间接地危害人体健康,而且其污染的修复也十分困难,因此土壤重金属污染的预防与修复具有特别重要的意义.目前中国部分地区土壤重金属污染已相当严重,土壤污染防治已被提上中国环境保护工作的重要议程.文章先从自然地理环境的整体性出发说明土壤重金属污染的危害,接着介绍了由于人类活动引起的农耕区及城市土壤重金属污染来源,最后有针对性地提出土壤重金属污染的预防及其修复措施.     

洞庭湖区湿地资源可持续利用途径研究

湿地具有特殊的生态功能和社会经济价值。洞庭湖区湿地垦殖强度大,造成了生态环境严重退化的恶果。研究表明:控制人口总量,退田还湖,建立湿地自然保护区,大力发展避洪耐涝型湿地特色产业是保护和合理利用湿地资源的有效途径,且已取得了良好的社会、经济、生态效益。由此认为,如何协调好人口、资源与环境的关系是实现湿地资源可持续利用的战略目标。     

国内外采矿废弃地生态恢复研究进展

采矿废弃地的生态恢复是目前恢复生态学的一个研究热点.对于采矿废弃地进行生态恢复有着十分重要的理论和现实意义.本文对国内外的采矿废弃地的生态恢复历史与现状作了一个较为系统地回顾与总结,同时还运用恢复生态学理论,分析了采矿废弃地的类型和特点,总结了目前采矿废弃地生态恢复的主要措施和技术以及不足之处.     

微藻对水网藻在水体修复中的胁迫作用研究

通过单独与混合培养实验,结果显示在适宜营养水平下,水网藻对氮、磷有较强的富集吸收能力;而来自微藻生长竞争的压力会促使水网藻对营养物的生态幅变窄,满足其最佳生长所需要的PO43-P从0.085mg/L降低为0.024mg/L;并且其富集磷的能力也大为降低。在利用水网藻进行富营养化水体修复或净化水质时,这种生物之间的抑制现象必须引起重视。     

钢渣湿法脱硫试验研究

以某厂钢渣为吸收剂,以旋流板塔为吸收器,对湿法脱硫进行了试验研究。通过分析钢渣脱硫前后的化学成分变化,以及试验脱硫率随反应过程的变化,提出了钢渣湿法脱硫的反应机理。同时,试验研究了液气比、进气SO_2浓度、浆液浓度等主要参数对脱硫率的影响,以及加添加剂的效果。试验结果表明,通过合理的设计和适当的操作,可使钢渣湿法应用于中低脱硫率(50％～70％)的场合,以取得综合治理、以废治废的效果。