Applications of Very High‐Resolution Imagery in the Study and Conservation of Large Predators in the Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean is one of the most rapidly changing ecosystems on the planet due to the effects of climate change and commercial fishing for ecologically important krill and fish. Because sea ice loss is expected to be accompanied by declines in krill and fish predators, decoupling the effects of climate and anthropogenic changes on these predator populations is crucial for ecosystem‐based management of the Southern Ocean. We reviewed research published from 2007 to 2014 that incorporated very high‐resolution satellite imagery to assess distribution, abundance, and effects of climate and other anthropogenic changes on populations of predators in polar regions. Very high‐resolution imagery has been used to study 7 species of polar animals in 13 papers, many of which provide methods through which further research can be conducted. Use of very high‐resolution imagery in the Southern Ocean can provide a broader understanding of climate and anthropogenic forces on populations and inform management and conservation recommendations. We recommend that conservation biologists continue to integrate high‐resolution remote sensing into broad‐scale biodiversity and population studies in remote areas, where it can provide much needed detail. Aplicaciones de Imágenes de Muy Alta Resolución en el Estudio y Conservación de Grandes Depredadores en el Océano Antártico     

Empirical Trials of Plant Field Guides

We designed 3 image‐based field guides to tropical forest plant species in Ghana, Grenada, and Cameroon and tested them with 1095 local residents and 20 botanists in the United Kingdom. We compared users’ identification accuracy with different image formats, including drawings, specimen photos, living plant photos, and paintings. We compared users’ accuracy with the guides to their accuracy with only their prior knowledge of the flora. We asked respondents to score each format for usability, beauty, and how much they would pay for it. Prior knowledge of plant names was generally low (<22%). With a few exceptions, identification accuracy did not differ significantly among image formats. In Cameroon, users identifying sterile Cola species achieved 46–56% accuracy across formats; identification was most accurate with living plant photos. Botanists in the United Kingdom accurately identified 82–93% of the same Cameroonian species; identification was most accurate with specimens. In Grenada, users accurately identified 74–82% of plants; drawings yielded significantly less accurate identifications than paintings and photos of living plants. In Ghana, users accurately identified 85% of plants. Digital color photos of living plants ranked high for beauty, usability, and what users would pay. Black and white drawings ranked low. Our results show the potential and limitations of the use of field guides and nonspecialists to identify plants, for example, in conservation applications. We recommend authors of plant field guides use the cheapest or easiest illustration format because image type had limited bearing on accuracy; match the type of illustration to the most likely use of the guide for slight improvements in accuracy; avoid black and white formats unless the audience is experienced at interpreting illustrations or keeping costs low is imperative; discourage false‐positive identifications, which were common; and encourage users to ask an expert or use a herbarium for groups that are difficult to identify. Pruebas Empíricas de Guías de Campo de Plantas Hawthorne, Cable & Marshall     

From Valuation to Governance: Using Choice Experiment to Value Street Trees

This paper reports a choice experiment used to estimate the value of street trees in the city center of Lodz, Poland, and the broader context of how valuation results helped to improve governance of urban ecosystem services in this city. Based on a simplified inventory of trees, we prepared a set of hypothetical programs which put varying emphasis on the different ways to increase the numbers of trees, along with different levels of a hypothetical tax that would have to be paid by respondents to implement a given program. Our study indicated that the 351 surveyed Lodz residents were willing to pay the highest price for greening those streets where currently there are few or no trees and confirmed the general importance of planting trees. The results provided an argument in the debate on the new development strategy for the city and helped to promote the concept of ecosystem services.     

长三角快速城市化地区土地利用变化对生态系统服务价值的影响——以嘉兴市为例

基于浙江省嘉兴市1979~2012年的土地利用数据,评估了各种土地利用类型的生态系统服务价值,分析了30多年来嘉兴市土地生态系统服务价值的动态变化及其对土地利用变化和景观格局变化的响应。结果表明:(1)1979~2012年,嘉兴市建设用地面积变化最大,增加了136.6%,相应的耕地面积减少了15.5%。(2)1979~2012年,嘉兴市景观破碎度指数从0.6531上升到0.8762,随着城市化进程的加剧,耕地景观破碎度指数不断增加、聚集度指数减小。(3)1979~2012年,嘉兴市的总生态系统服务价值减少了14.7%,2000~2012年嘉兴市总的生态系统服务价值减少尤为显著,生态系统各单项服务价值整体也呈现下降趋势,耕地为嘉兴市提供的生态系统服务占嘉兴市总生态系统服务的70%以上。(4)运用相关分析方法对嘉兴市土地利用类型和景观格局对土地生态系统服务价值的影响分析表明,耕地和水域与生态服务价值呈正相关,而建设用地和未利用地与生态服务价值呈负相关;景观多样性指数(SHDI)和耕地破碎度指数与生态系统服务总价值呈显著负相关关系。     

基于混合指标值TODIM方法的东营市生态系统健康评价

城市生态系统健康评价是城市可持续发展以及城市生态文明建设的需要。在当今各种"城市病"频发的背景下,研究城市生态系统健康水平,不仅有利于协调城市发展与城市生态系统健康之间的矛盾,而且对于指导城市建设规划编制,监控城市生态环境的可持续发展具有重要的现实意义。鉴于此,论文在原有的城市生态系统健康评价指标的基础上,通过基于混合指标值的TODIM方法评价东营市2007—2013年间的城市生态系统健康状况,并分析活力、组成结构、恢复力、维持生态系统服务功能以及生态系统认知的构成指标对城市生态系统健康状况的影响。为了避免主观判断对城市生态系统健康评价的不确定性,文章采用兼顾客观信息和主观信息的组合权重赋权法确定各个指标的权重;根据东营市城市生态系统健康评价指标的特性和数据特点,建立了混合多属性决策TODIM方法的数学模型;采用扩展的TODIM方法对东营市城市生态系统健康状况进行评价,并分析了各个指标在城市生态发展过程中的作用。研究表明:(1)东营市的城市生态系统健康状况一直向好,由脆弱状态逐渐过渡到亚健康状态,但是生态状况仍然不容乐观,距离健康状态仍有较大的差距;(2)环保投入力度不足、污染物排放量增加、产业结构仍不完善、建成区人口密度过高等成为制约东营市城市生态系统健康发展的突出问题。文章提出了相应的对策建议,以促进城市生态系统的健康发展。     

围垦后南汇东滩海三棱藨草的空间分布及其影响因子研究

2015年9月~10月期间对2012年底围垦后南汇嘴区域的海三棱藨草(Scirpus mariqueter)湿地系统进行了调研,运用主成分分析、典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)方法,基于101个样地土壤的有机碳、总磷、总氮、硝酸盐氮、亚硝酸盐氮、氨氮、正磷酸盐、pH、含水率、粒径、盐度、滩涂高程等12个环境因子数据,探讨了围垦后海三棱藨草空间分布的关键影响因子。结果表明:海三棱藨草的分布与滩涂高程具有显著正相关(P0.05),海三棱藨草群落主要分布在南汇滩涂2.5~3.4 m高程范围内;海三棱藨草的密度、盖度与盐度呈显著正相关(P0.05)。结论认为滩涂高程和土壤盐度是影响海三棱藨草分布的主要环境因子。未来需要结合围垦后的水动力变化过程数值模拟,对海三棱藨草生态系统高时空分辨率的响应过程及机制进行研究,以进一步确立海三棱藨草对围垦工程响应的关键阈值。研究对围垦工程后的滨海湿地植被恢复及滩涂生态修复具有参考意义。     

Mowers versus growers: Riparian buffer management in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains,USA

Despite long-standing knowledge of the benefits of riparian buffers for mitigating nonpoint source pollution, many streams are unprotected by buffers. Even landowners who understand ecological values of buffers mow riparian vegetation to the streambank. Do trends in rural riparian conditions reflect the development of riparian forest science? What motivates residential riparian management actions? Using high-resolution orthoimagery, we quantified riparian conditions and trends between 1998 and 2015 in the rural upper Little Tennessee River basin in Macon County, North Carolina and explored how landowners view riparian zone management and riparian restoration programs. Buffer composition in 2015 was as follows: no buffer (32.5%), narrow (19.3%), forested (26.7%), shrub (7.2%), and intermediate (7.0%). Relative to 1998, the greatest decrease occurred in the no buffer class (−17.7%, 46 km) and the largest increases occurred in the shrub (+72.5%, 20 km) and narrow (12.6%, 14 km) classes. Forested buffer marginally increased. Semi-structured interview data suggest that landowners prioritize recreational and scenic aspects of riparian buffers over ecological functions such as filtration and bank stabilization. Riparian restoration programs might be made more enticing to non-adopters if outreach language appealed to landowner priorities, design elements demonstrated intentional management, and program managers highlighted areas where ecological goals and landowner values align.     

太原晋祠地区果园土壤呼吸的年际变化及其温度敏感性

太原晋祠地区曾经是著名的稻米之乡,随着晋祠泉的断流,区内土地利用从之前的以水稻田为主转变为以玉米和果园为主.因此,研究土地利用变化后土壤呼吸对于准确估算区域碳循环具有一定意义.基于此目的,本研究以原来为稻田、现为果园利用方式的样地为对象,对其土壤呼吸进行了7 a(2006~2012年)、每月1~3次的定位观测,分析了土壤呼吸的年际、季节变化及其与环境因子年际、季节变化的关系.结果表明,土壤呼吸与土壤温度的季节变化与天数的关系可以用3参数高斯方程模型进行拟合.土壤呼吸的季节变化与土壤温度的季节变化关系为极显著的指数关系,但其与土壤水分季节变化的关系不显著.土壤呼吸速率年平均值为(5.32±3.31)μmol·(m~2·s)-1;碳通量年平均值为1 690.2 g·m-2,在1 294.0~2 006.0g·m~(-2)之间变化,年际均值差异不显著.土壤呼吸的温度敏感性指数(Q_(10))值的年际变化以5、10和15 cm温度测定深度计算分别在1.54~2.20、1.68~2.48和1.82~2.46之间;土壤温度10℃对应的土壤呼吸(R_(10))值的年际变化在2.37~2.81、2.43~3.13和2.59~3.47μmol·(m~2·s)-1之间;Q_(10)和R10值均随土壤温度测定深度增加而增加.Q_(10)的年际变化与10 cm深度的土壤温度(T_(10))的年际变化关系极显著(P=0.016),与其它因子的关系不显著;在拟合方程中增加土壤水分因子不能提高对Q_(10)年际变化的预测精度,说明在本样地水分对Q_(10)的影响较小.R10值的年际变化与环境因子的年际变化关系不显著.与土壤呼吸与土壤温度的单因素模型相比,土壤温度和土壤水分的双变量指数模型可以提高预测土壤呼吸季节变化的准确性.研究结果可以为本地区及同类地区的土壤呼吸估算提供一定参考.     

模拟氮沉降对重庆缙云山马尾松林土壤呼吸和酶活性的季节性影响

土壤酶参与土壤碳氮转化,同时土壤碳氮状况又是土壤酶活性的基础,而大气氮沉降通过影响土壤酶活性进而影响土壤CO_2释放.通过野外模拟试验,探讨不同氮沉降量对马尾松土壤呼吸和酶活性的影响,探索该区域马尾松土壤呼吸(Rs)与土壤温度(T)、土壤湿度(W)、Ure(脲酶)、Ive(转化酶)、CAT(过氧化氢酶)及ACP(酸性磷酸酶)的关系,为深入研究氮沉降对马尾松林森林生态系统的影响提供参考.2014年5月~2015年7月在缙云山马尾松林设置3个氮添加水平和一个无氮添加的对照处理:低氮[N_5,20 g·(m~2·a)~(-1)],中氮[N_(10),40 g·(m~2·a)~(-1)]、高氮[N_(15),60 g·(m~2·a)~(-1)]和对照[N0,0g·(m~2·a)~(-1)],每个处理量分4次,在每个季度开始各施1次,每个处理各9次重复,采用ACE(automated soil CO_2exchange station,UK)自动土壤呼吸监测系统分别对土壤呼吸、土壤温度和土壤湿度进行分析测定.结果表明:1土壤酶和土壤呼吸均具有明显的季节变化规律,各处理土壤呼吸均表现为夏季最高,其次是春季和秋季,最低为冬季,而各处理土壤酶活性则无一致的变化规律.2总体而言,氮沉降对土壤呼吸和酶活性均有抑制作用,且抑制程度随氮浓度增加而加强,但冬季氮沉降对马尾松林土壤呼吸有促进作用,春、夏、秋这3个季节氮沉降对Ure、Ive、CAT及ACP有抑制作用,而冬季氮沉降对4种土壤酶活性影响则存在差异.3逐步回归表明,无氮和低氮处理时,T、Ure和Ive对Rs的贡献较大,且随着T、Ure和Ive的增加,Rs也急剧增加;中氮处理时,T、Ure和CAT对Rs的贡献较大,Rs随着T、Ure和Ive的增加而增加;高氮处理时,Rs随着Ure的增加而降低,随着CAT和W的增加而增加.     

生物炭添加对半干旱地区土壤温室气体排放的影响

为确定生物炭添加对半干旱地区农田土壤温室气体释放的影响,采用小区定位试验,利用锯末(J)和槐树皮(H)及3种添加比例(1%、3%、5%,质量百分比),研究了生物炭添加6个月内表层土壤CO2、CH4和N2O等3种温室气体排放的动态变化.结果表明,与对照相比,各处理土壤CO2排放通量随生物炭的添加呈现增加的趋势,锯末和槐树皮等两种生物炭处理的土壤CO2平均排放通量分别增加了1.89%和3.34%,但差异不显著.CH4排放随着生物炭添加量的增加而降低,各生物炭处理的土壤表层CH4排放量平均降幅分别为:J1:1.17%、J3:2.55%、J5:4.32%、H1:2.35%、H3:5.83%、H5:7.32%.其中,锯末生物炭仅在5%添加量时较对照差异显著(P0.05),而槐树皮生物炭处理在3%和5%的添加量与对照差异均达显著水平(P0.05).生物炭对N2O的排放影响没有明显规律性.研究表明,生物炭在短期内对半干旱地区农田土壤CO2和N2O的排放没有显著影响,而对CH4排放则影响显著(P0.05).就生物炭类型而言,槐树皮生物炭在抑制CH4排放方面优于锯末生物炭,差异显著(P=0.048).