Geographic range size and extinction risk assessment in nomadic species

Geographic range size is often conceptualized as a fixed attribute of a species and treated as such for the purposes of quantification of extinction risk; species occupying smaller geographic ranges are assumed to have a higher risk of extinction, all else being equal. However many species are mobile, and their movements range from relatively predictable to‐and‐fro migrations to complex irregular movements shown by nomadic species. These movements can lead to substantial temporary expansion and contraction of geographic ranges, potentially to levels which may pose an extinction risk. By linking occurrence data with environmental conditions at the time of observations of nomadic species, we modeled the dynamic distributions of 43 arid‐zone nomadic bird species across the Australian continent for each month over 11 years and calculated minimum range size and extent of fluctuation in geographic range size from these models. There was enormous variability in predicted spatial distribution over time; 10 species varied in estimated geographic range size by more than an order of magnitude, and 2 species varied by >2 orders of magnitude. During times of poor environmental conditions, several species not currently classified as globally threatened contracted their ranges to very small areas, despite their normally large geographic range size. This finding raises questions about the adequacy of conventional assessments of extinction risk based on static geographic range size (e.g., IUCN Red Listing). Climate change is predicted to affect the pattern of resource fluctuations across much of the southern hemisphere, where nomadism is the dominant form of animal movement, so it is critical we begin to understand the consequences of this for accurate threat assessment of nomadic species. Our approach provides a tool for discovering spatial dynamics in highly mobile species and can be used to unlock valuable information for improved extinction risk assessment and conservation planning.     

A fungal perspective on conservation biology

Hitherto fungi have rarely been considered in conservation biology, but this is changing as the field moves from addressing single species issues to an integrative ecosystem‐based approach. The current emphasis on biodiversity as a provider of ecosystem services throws the spotlight on the vast diversity of fungi, their crucial roles in terrestrial ecosystems, and the benefits of considering fungi in concert with animals and plants. We reviewed the role of fungi in ecosystems and composed an overview of the current state of conservation of fungi. There are 5 areas in which fungi can be readily integrated into conservation: as providers of habitats and processes important for other organisms; as indicators of desired or undesired trends in ecosystem functioning; as indicators of habitats of conservation value; as providers of powerful links between human societies and the natural world because of their value as food, medicine, and biotechnological tools; and as sources of novel tools and approaches for conservation of megadiverse organism groups. We hope conservation professionals will value the potential of fungi, engage mycologists in their work, and appreciate the crucial role of fungi in nature. Una Perspectiva Micótica de la Biología de la Conservación     

黄河三角洲自然保护区秋冬季水鸟群落组成与生境关系分析

于2014年10月至2015年1月采用样线调查法对黄河三角洲自然保护区秋季迁徙期和越冬期水鸟群落结构进行调查研究,调查共包括8条样线40个观测点.结果表明:(1)秋季迁徙期共记录水鸟6目14科54种,国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类5种,国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类8种;越冬期共记录水鸟5目7科31种,国家Ⅰ级保护鸟类1种,国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类4种.(2)2个时期雁形目水鸟种类和数量均占优势,豆雁(Anser fabalis)、斑嘴鸭(Anas poecilorhycha)、赤膀鸭(Anas strepera)和绿头鸭(Anas platyrhynchos)为优势物种,丹顶鹤(Grus japonensis)、东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)和大大鹅(Cygnus cygnus)等珍稀水鸟也有一定的种群数量.(3)秋季迁徙期水鸟种数、数量和ShannonWiener多样性指数多于或高于越冬期.(4)5种典型生境之间水鸟种类和数量存在差异,天然水域是水鸟群落的主要分布区.(5)自然生境内的水鸟种数、数量和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数一般多于或高于人工生境.相似性分析结果表明,自然生境之间水鸟群落结构相似程度高于人工生境.     

北京10个常绿树种颗粒物吸附能力研究

大气中颗粒物PM(particulate matter)不仅造成环境污染,还对人体造成严重的危害.城市绿色植物作为大气过滤器,能够有效地提高城市空气质量,保护人体健康.因此了解不同树种对空气颗粒物的吸附滞纳作用是必要的.以北京植物园10种常绿植被为研究对象,应用空气气溶胶再发生器(QRJZFSQ-I)测定了北京市常见6种乔木和4种灌木叶片对空气总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)、PM10、PM2.5和PM1.0的吸附能力.结果表明:1不同树种叶片表面附着颗粒物的能力差异明显,最高的是雪松(Cedrus deodara)和油松(Pinus tabuliformis),吸附量分别是(18.95±0.71)μg·cm-2和(14.61±0.78)μg·cm-2,冷杉(Abies fabri)最小,为(8.02±0.4)μg·cm-2;2不同树种叶片单位面积对不同颗粒物的附着能力也存在差异,附着PM10能力最强的是油松和雪松,附着PM2.5能力最强的是雪松、铺地柏(Juniperus procumbens)、龙柏(Juniperus chinensis cv.kaizuka)和油松,附着PM1.0能力最强的是雪松、铺地柏、冷杉和油松;3不同月份叶片上附着的各粒级颗粒物(PM10、PM2.5)占TSP的比例不同.其中PM10在4~6月之间主要表现两种变化趋势,一是先上升后下降,主要为灌木树种;二是逐渐上升,主要的树种是乔木树种.而PM2.5则没有这种明显的变化趋势.     

Assessing the economic impact of invasive species: the case of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solsitialis L.) in the rangelands of Idaho, USA

Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solsitialis L.) is an invasive weed that creates problems for the management of Idaho's rangelands. A bioeconomic approach combined with an input-output economic model is used to estimate direct and secondary economic costs of the weed in relation to its interference with agricultural and non-agricultural benefits that rangelands provide. Direct economic costs of the infestations were estimated to be of 8.2 million '05 dollars per year, and secondary costs of 4.5 million '05 dollars per year, for a total of 12.7 million '05 dollars; agricultural related economic impacts accounted for 79% of this total cost, and non-agricultural for 21%.     

Threatened and Endangered Species: At What Cost? The Corps of Engineers Looks at Expenditures and Priorities

Current political conditions, primarily budgetary uncertainty, and the related reluctance to make funding commitments for future generations, have raised questions about the costs of conservation and environmental protection that have not previously been asked. As Federal investments are scrutinized and budgets become ever more constrained, the costs associated with environmental requirements could begin to be of greater importance and to influence decisions on Federal projects. In response to concerns about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) spending under the Endangered Species Act (P.L. 93-205) (ESA), a limited investigation was performed to determine the accuracy of reported Corps expenditures. The investigation showed that, for particular groups of species, actual conservation costs for threatened and endangered species may be twice the amounts previously reported in the annual ESA expenditure reporting to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In light of this finding, the Corps has sought a means to provide more accurate and consistent reporting of expenditures for addressing threatened and endangered species. A Species Costs Template (template) has been developed to identify the types and magnitude of costs related to the ESA and to counteract the impediments (legal, institutional, and practical) to underreporting costs. The template will be used by the Corps for reporting ESA costs beginning with Fiscal Year 2005 (FY05) (reported in January 2006). Five broad categories of expenditures (effects determination costs, ESA protection and conservation costs, equipment costs, opportunity costs, and other species costs) are identified by the template.     

A Social Analysis of the Bioinvasions of Dreissena polymorpha in Spain and Hydrilla verticillata in Guatemala

Human agency plays a key role in the processes of biological invasions. This comprises not only the human role in the configuration of driving forces or in the perception of the impacts, but also the conceptualization of alien species themselves as an environmental problem. This paper examines different stakeholders' positions in bioinvasion processes at different scales, and it looks at their relevance for the management of invasive species. It compares two cases: the invasion process of Dreissena polymorpha in the Ebro River in Spain and the case of Hydrilla verticillata in Lake Izabal, Guatemala. Our results are structured according to impacts and to management options. The discussion focuses on the relevance of incorporating the different stakeholders' interests and values in the analysis and management of biological invasions. Although social analysis of stakeholders' positions is necessary in order to foster management actions, it also reveals conflicts on the relevant criteria and on the very definition of invasive species.     

向家坝库区沉积物磷形态分布及释放风险

采用改进的连续提取法研究了向家坝库区沉积物中有机磷（OP）和无机磷（IP）的各赋存形态及分布特征,讨论了各形态磷的生物可利用性和释放风险.结果表明,向家坝库区沉积物总磷（TP）含量为388.9~616.4 mg·kg^-1,总体处于安全级别.库区沉积物磷形态以惰性碎屑态无机磷（De-P_i）和残渣态有机磷（Re-P_o）为主,两者共占TP质量分数的60%以上,呈上游高下游低的趋势,流域地质背景是主要的影响因素.以可交换态无机磷（Ex-P_i）、铝结合态无机磷（Al-P_i）、铁结合态无机磷（Fe-P_i）、可交换态有机磷（Ex-P_o）、铁铝结合态有机磷（Fe/Al-P_o）之和来估算生物可利用磷（BAP）,BAP/TP来评价沉积物中磷的释放风险,BAP含量为23.0~91.1 mg·kg^-1,BAP/TP为6.2%~17.1%.向家坝水库沉积物磷的释放风险较低.库区沉积物BAP储量为767.68 t,对向家坝水库上覆水磷浓度的潜在贡献为0.148 mg·L^-1,是导致未来库区水质恶化的重要因素 之一,应加强对库区内源磷的释放管理.     

2016~2020年上海市PM2.5化学组成特征和来源解析

2016~2020年在上海市区和郊区的6个点位开展了颗粒物系统性观测研究,分析了PM_2.5的质量浓度以及水溶性离子、有机碳/元素碳、无机元素等化学组分,并利用正矩阵因子分解模型对PM_2.5的来源进行了解析。结果表明,上海PM_2.5浓度水平呈现下降趋势,年均质量浓度依次为46,43,37,40,39μg/m³,表现为冬高夏低,西高东低的时空分布特征。有机物在PM_2.5中占比最高(30%~32%),不同年份和季节间的差异较小。二次无机离子(硫酸盐、硝酸盐和铵盐)的区域性特征明显,其中硝酸盐的占比在5a间升高最多,且在冬季污染过程中起到了关键作用。解析得到PM_2.5的来源有9类,分别为二次硝酸盐(30.6%)、二次硫酸盐(20.7%)、机动车(12.6%)、工业(8.0%)、生物质燃烧(7.7%)、扬尘(6.5%)、燃煤(5.8%)、海盐(4.8%)和船舶(3.2%)。机动车和船舶等移动源、秸秆焚烧和烟花爆竹燃放等生物质燃烧源的贡献浓度在研究期间呈现下降趋势,体现了相关治理措施的管控效果。     

土地集约利用程度对华北潮土农田土壤微生物群落丰度和死生物物质积累的影响

土壤微生物决定着土壤生态系统的养分周转状况,其死生物物质在土壤有机碳(SOC)积累中发挥关键作用.然而,目前缺乏对土壤微生物群落丰度及其死生物物质如何响应农业土地集约利用程度调整的了解.为弥补这一知识缺口,基于土地集约化利用程度,设置小麦-玉米周年轮作(CC)、临时草地与小麦种植交替(TG)和多年生草地(PG)这3个处理开展长期定位试验,采用基于数字PCR和微生物标志物氨基糖的检测技术,以探究农业土地集约利用程度调整对土壤细菌和真菌数量,以及细菌、真菌和总微生物死生物物质C积累及其对土壤SOC封存贡献的影响,进一步明确驱动细菌、真菌和总微生物死生物物质C积累的关键因子.结果表明,与土壤细菌群落丰度相比,真菌群落丰度受到农业土地集约利用程度调整的强烈影响,随土地集约利用程度的降低而增加.在3种土地集约利用程度处理下,土壤总微生物死生物物质C均主导SOC积累,对SOC的贡献率分别达到52.78%、 58.36%和68.87%,呈现随土地集约利用程度降低而升高的趋势;真菌死生物物质C占总微生物死生物物质C的比例均大于80%,说明其对总微生物死生物物质C的绝对主导地位,且受土地集约利用程度降低...