Relationship Between Bird Abundances and Landscape Characteristics: The Influence of Scale

Scale is important to consider when investigating effects of the environment on a species. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data and landscape metrics derived from aerial photographs were evaluated to determine how relationships of bird abundances with landscape variables changed over a continuous range of 16 spatial scales. We analyzed the average number of birds per stop (1985–1994) for five songbird species (family Cardinalidae) for each of 50 stops on 198 BBS transects throughout six states in the Central Plains, USA. Land along each transect was categorized into six cover types, and landscape metrics of fractal dimension (a measure of shape complexity of habitat patches), edge density, patch density, and percent area were calculated, with principal components used to construct composite environmental variables. Associations of bird abundances and landscape variables changed in accordance with small scale changes. Abundances of three species were correlated with edge density and one with component I, which subsumes initial variables of patch density for urban, closed forest, open forest, and open country. Fractal dimension and component II (summarizing amount of closed forest versus open country) were associated with the most species. Correlation patterns of fractal dimension with northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and painted bunting (Passerina ciris) abundances were similar, with highest correlations at intermediate to small scales, suggesting indirectly that these species thrive in areas where local habitat conditions are most important. Multiscale analysis can provide insight into the spatial scale(s) at which species respond, a topic of intrinsic scientific interest with applied implications for researchers establishing protocols to assess and monitor avian populations.     

Spatial scales and probability based sampling in determining levels of benthic community degradation in the Chesapeake Bay

The extent of degradation of benthic communities of the Chesapeake Bay was determined by applying a previously developed benthic index of biotic integrity at three spatial scales. Allocation of sampling was probability-based allowing areal estimates of degradation with known confidence intervals. The three spatial scales were: (1) the tidal Chesapeake Bay; (2) the Elizabeth River watershed; and (3) two small tidal creeks within the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River that are part of a sediment contaminant remediation effort. The areas covered varied from 10^–1 to 10⁴ km² and all were sampled in 1999. The Chesapeake Bay was divided into ten strata, the Elizabeth River into five strata and each of the two tidal creeks was a single stratum. The determination of the number and size of strata was based upon consideration of both managerially useful units for restoration and limitations of funding. Within each stratum 25 random locations were sampled for benthic community condition. In 1999 the percent of the benthos with poor benthic community condition for the entire Chesapeake Bay was 47% and varied from 20% at the mouth of the Bay to 72% in the Potomac River. The estimated area of benthos with poor benthic community condition for the Elizabeth River was 64% and varied from 52–92%. Both small tidal creeks had estimates of 76% of poor benthic community condition. These kinds of estimates allow environmental managers to better direct restoration efforts and evaluate progress towards restoration. Patterns of benthic community condition at smaller spatial scales may not be correctly inferred from larger spatial scales. Comparisons of patterns in benthic community condition across spatial scales, and between combinations of strata, must be cautiously interpreted.     

全球及区域碳模拟与源汇同化反演研究进展

近年来,全球和区域碳模拟与同化反演系统(简称“碳同化系统”)快速发展,并被广泛应用于不同时空尺度的碳通量和碳汇估算、碳排放量校核研究中,为支撑全球碳盘点提供了关键技术手段。文章回顾了国内外主要碳同化系统的发展历程和应用案例,总结了当前常见的全球和区域碳同化系统的结构和特点,包括使用的大气传输模式、同化方法、空间分辨率等内容;探讨了当前常见模型系统应用中的关键问题、不足与发展方向,以期为碳同化系统应用于我国环境管理和气候变化工作提供参考。     

农业气候资源多时间尺度分析——以郑州市小麦玉米为例

小波分析的时域局部变化特征可展现气候序列的精细结构,能够揭示不同时间尺度气候序列所隐含的不同变化规律,是进行时域分析的有力工具。论文以郑州市小麦、玉米生育期间的光热水农业气候资源分析为例,用Morlet小波变换法对其进行多时间尺度变化特征及演变规律分析。结果表明:郑州小麦、玉米生育期间的光热水气候要素具有不同的年际及年代际时间尺度周期变化规律和转换特征;小波变换能很好地揭示农业气候资源变化所包含的周期分量;其气候变化特征与全球气候变化趋势相比,有其一致性,也有其局地特殊性。     

Consequences assessment of explosions in pipes using coupled FEM-SPH method

Explosions often lead to destruction of equipment, which is a difficult problem including complicated fluid-solid interactions. Most traditional CFD methods cannot synchronously solve the movements of fluids and large deformation and fracture of solids because such problem is usually accompanied with constantly moving-and-changing boundary conditions. In this paper, a coupled Finite Element Method-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (FEM-SPH) method was proposed to simulate the dynamic processes of explosions in pipes. The propagation of blast wave and the fracture of pipe were captured in every timestep, where the energy dissipation caused by plastic deformation and crack propagation were fully considered. A rate-dependent failure criterion for high-strain-rate load conditions was employed in the numerical simulation, which was presented in our previous work and has been verified in the dynamic fracture behavior of steels for pressure vessels and pipes. In addition, a simpler formula was proposed to describe the attenuation of blast wave outside the pipe and the consequences caused by the explosions were assessed. Results revealed the interaction between blast wave and pipe, the leakage of detonation products, the attenuations of peak overpressures outside the pipe and the corresponding consequences at different distances. It is found that when considering the energy consumption during plastic deformation and crack propagation in coupled FEM-SPH method, the assessment results are more rational than that without considering such energy consumption.     

Successes and Challenges from Formation to Implementation of Eleven Broad‐Extent Conservation Programs

Integration of conservation partnerships across geographic, biological, and administrative boundaries is increasingly relevant because drivers of change, such as climate shifts, transcend these boundaries. We explored successes and challenges of established conservation programs that span multiple watersheds and consider both social and ecological concerns. We asked representatives from a diverse set of 11 broad‐extent conservation partnerships in 29 countries 17 questions that pertained to launching and maintaining partnerships for broad‐extent conservation, specifying ultimate management objectives, and implementation and learning. Partnerships invested more funds in implementing conservation actions than any other aspect of conservation, and a program's context (geographic extent, United States vs. other countries, developed vs. developing nation) appeared to substantially affect program approach. Despite early successes of these organizations and benefits of broad‐extent conservation, specific challenges related to uncertainties in scaling up information and to coordination in the face of diverse partner governance structures, conflicting objectives, and vast uncertainties regarding future system dynamics hindered long‐term success, as demonstrated by the focal organizations. Engaging stakeholders, developing conservation measures, and implementing adaptive management were dominant challenges. To inform future research on broad‐extent conservation, we considered several challenges when we developed detailed questions, such as what qualities of broad‐extent partnerships ensure they complement, integrate, and strengthen, rather than replace, local conservation efforts and which adaptive management processes yield actionable conservation strategies that account explicitly for dynamics and uncertainties regarding multiscale governance, environmental conditions, and knowledge of the system? Éxitos y Retos de la Formación a la Implementación de Once Programas de Conservación de Amplio Alcance     

影响浑太河流域鱼类群落结构的不同尺度环境因子分析

于2012年5月对浑太河流域65个采样点的鱼类进行调查采样.共采集到鱼类40种,分属9目14个科33属.其中鳅科鱼类占13.21%,鲤科占65.83%,构成了浑太河鱼类群落的主要部分.不同河流鱼类群落也有所不同,浑太河流域鱼类可分为2种分布类型,即上游林地为主的区域及支流源头区和中下游平原区.太子河葠窝水库上游和浑河大伙房水库上游区域的优势种类为北方条鳅(Nemachilus nudus)、北方花鳅(Cobitis granoei)和洛氏鱥(Phoxinus lagowskii),浑河和太子河平原区的优势种类为鲫(Carassius ayratus)和餐条(Hemiculter leucisculus).采用典范对应分析(CCA)方法定量分析流域、河段和微生境尺度环境因子对鱼类空间分布的影响.结果表明,浑太河流域鱼类空间分布主要受到流域和河段这2种尺度上环境因子的影响.在流域尺度上,林地、城镇建设用地、海拔对鱼类空间分布表现出显著影响,在河段尺度上,溶解氧、总氮、pH和栖息地质量对鱼类空间分布表现出显著影响.而微生境尺度上的底质类型则未对鱼类空间分布产生显著影响.流域尺度环境因子对鱼类群落结构变异的解释率为7.66%,河段尺度环境因子对鱼类群落结构变异的解释率为10.57%.河段尺度环境因子对鱼类群落结构的影响更为显著.     

影响太子河流域鱼类空间分布的不同尺度环境因子分析

鱼类的退化受到不同类型环境因子的影响,为制定更合理的鱼类保护计划,本研究采用了非度量多维标度法(NMS)研究了太子河流域不同尺度环境因子对鱼类空间分布的影响.鱼类聚类结果发现太子河流域鱼类可分为3种分布类型区,即上游森林及支流源头区、中游山地区和下游平原区.NMS分析表明太子河流域鱼类空间分布受到流域、河段和微生境这3种尺度上环境因子的影响,海拔、河流等级和土地利用在流域尺度上对鱼类分布表现出显著影响,速度与深度结合等级、栖境复杂性等级和电导率等因子在河段尺度上表现出显著作用,底质等级是在微生境尺度上具有显著作用.因此,在流域鱼类保护管理中应考虑不同尺度上环境因子的影响.     

Effects of Harvesting Flowers from Shrubs on the Persistence and Abundance of Wild Shrub Populations at Multiple Spatial Extents

Abstract: Wildflower harvesting is an economically important activity of which the ecological effects are poorly understood. We assessed how harvesting of flowers affects shrub persistence and abundance at multiple spatial extents. To this end, we built a process‐based model to examine the mean persistence and abundance of wild shrubs whose flowers are subject to harvest (serotinous Proteaceae in the South African Cape Floristic Region). First, we conducted a general sensitivity analysis of how harvesting affects persistence and abundance at nested spatial extents. For most spatial extents and combinations of demographic parameters, persistence and abundance of flowering shrubs decreased abruptly once harvesting rate exceeded a certain threshold. At larger extents, metapopulations supported higher harvesting rates before their persistence and abundance decreased, but persistence and abundance also decreased more abruptly due to harvesting than at smaller extents. This threshold rate of harvest varied with species’ dispersal ability, maximum reproductive rate, adult mortality, probability of extirpation or local extinction, strength of Allee effects, and carrying capacity. Moreover, spatial extent interacted with Allee effects and probability of extirpation because both these demographic properties affected the response of local populations to harvesting more strongly than they affected the response of metapopulations. Subsequently, we simulated the effects of harvesting on three Cape Floristic Region Proteaceae species and found that these species reacted differently to harvesting, but their persistence and abundance decreased at low rates of harvest. Our estimates of harvesting rates at maximum sustainable yield differed from those of previous investigations, perhaps because researchers used different estimates of demographic parameters, models of population dynamics, and spatial extent than we did. Good demographic knowledge and careful identification of the spatial extent of interest increases confidence in assessments and monitoring of the effects of harvesting. Our general sensitivity analysis improved understanding of harvesting effects on metapopulation dynamics and allowed qualitative assessment of the probability of extirpation of poorly studied species.