Review of the effects of in-stream pipeline crossing construction on aquatic ecosystems and examination of Canadian methodologies for impact assessment

Pipeline crossing construction alters river and stream channels, hence may have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems. This review examines the effects of crossing construction on fish and fish habitat in rivers and streams, and recommends an approach to monitoring and assessment of impacts associated with these activities. Pipeline crossing construction is shown to not only compromise the integrity of the physical and chemical nature of fish habitat, but also to affect biological habitat (e.g., benthic invertebrates and invertebrate drift), and fish behavior and physiology. Indicators of effect include: water quality (total suspended solids TSS), physical habitat (substrate particle size, channel morphology), benthic invertebrate community structure and drift (abundance, species composition, diversity, standing crop), and fish behavior and physiology (hierarchy, feeding, respiration rate, loss of equilibrium, blood hematocrit and leukocrit levels, heart rate and stroke volume). The Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) approach, which is often applied in Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM), is recommended as a basis for impact assessment, as is consideration of site-specific sensitivities, assessment of significance, and cumulative effects.     

Understanding Trait‐Dependent Community Disassembly: Dung Beetles,Density Functions,and Forest Fragmentation

Abstract: Anthropogenic disturbances such as fragmentation are rapidly altering biodiversity, yet a lack of attention to species traits and abundance patterns has made the results of most studies difficult to generalize. We determined traits of extinction‐prone species and present a novel strategy for classifying species according to their population‐level response to a gradient of disturbance intensity. We examined the effects of forest fragmentation on dung beetle communities in an archipelago of 33 islands recently created by flooding in Venezuela. Species richness, density, and biomass all declined sharply with decreasing island area and increasing island isolation. Species richness was highly nested, indicating that local extinctions occurred nonrandomly. The most sensitive dung beetle species appeared to require at least 85 ha of forest, more than many large vertebrates. Extinction‐prone species were either large‐bodied, forest specialists, or uncommon. These explanatory variables were unrelated, suggesting at least 3 underlying causes of extirpation. Large species showed high wing loading (body mass/wing area) and a distinct flight strategy that may increase their area requirements. Although forest specificity made most species sensitive to fragmentation, a few persistent habitat generalists dispersed across the matrix. Density functions classified species into 4 response groups on the basis of their change in density with decreasing species richness. Sensitive and persistent species both declined with increasing fragmentation intensity, but persistent species occurred on more islands, which may be due to their higher baseline densities. Compensatory species increased in abundance following the initial loss of sensitive species, but rapidly declined with increasing fragmentation. Supertramp species (widespread habitat generalists) may be poor competitors but strong dispersers; their abundance peaked following the decline of the other 3 groups. Nevertheless, even the least sensitive species were extirpated or rare on the smallest and most isolated islands.     

Characterization of Benthic Communities and Physical Habitat in the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Rivers, California

The primary goal of this study was to characterize physical habitat and benthic communities (macroinvertebrates) in the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced Rivers in California’s San Joaquin Valley in 2003. These rivers have been listed as impaired water bodies (303 (d) list) by the State of California due to the presence of organophosphate (OP) insecticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon, Group A pesticides (i.e., organochlorine pesticides), mercury, or unknown toxicity. Based on 10 instream and riparian physical habitat metrics, total physical habitat scores in the Stanislaus River ranged from 124 to 188 (maximum possible total score is 200). The highest total habitat score was reported at the upstream site. Tuolumne River physical habitat scores ranged from 86 to 167. Various Tuolumne River physical habitat metrics, including total habitat score, increased from downstream to upstream in this river. Merced River physical habitat scores ranged from 121 to 170 with a significant increase in various physical habitat metrics, including total habitat score, reported from downstream to upstream. Channel flow (an instream metric) and bank stability (a riparian metric) were the most important physical habitat metrics influencing the various benthic metrics for all three rivers. Abundance measures of benthic macroinvertebrates (5,100 to 5,400 individuals) were similar among the three rivers in the San Joaquin watershed. Benthic communities in all three rivers were generally dominated by: (1) Baetidae species (mayflies) which are a component of EPT taxa generally considered sensitive to environmental degradation; (2) Chironomidae (midges) which can be either tolerant or sensitive to environmental stressors depending on the species; (3) Ephemerellidae (mayflies) which are considered sensitive to pollution stress; and (4) Naididae (aquatic worms) which are generally considered tolerant to environmental stressors. The presence of 117 taxa in the Stanislaus River, 114 taxa in the Tuolumne River and 96 taxa in the Merced River implies that the benthic communities in these streams are fairly diverse but without a clear definition of benthic community expectations it is unknown if these water bodies are actually impaired.     

呼伦贝尔沙区土壤细菌群落结构与功能预测

以呼伦贝尔沙区裸沙地、草地、沙地樟子松（Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica）人工林和沙地樟子松天然林四种生境土壤为研究对象,采用野外调查、16S rRNA基因高通量测序和PICRUSt功能预测相结合的研究方法比较分析不同生境土壤细菌群落结构和潜在功能组成特征.结果显示：呼伦贝尔沙区沙地樟子松天然林土壤细菌多样性最高,人工林土壤细菌多样性最低,Shannon指数分别为（8.623±0.193）和（7.432±0.028）,不同生境土壤细菌alpha和beta多样性存在显著差异.草地、沙地樟子松人工林和天然林土壤中变形菌门（Proteobacteria）相对丰度最高,均值分别为29.83%±1.14%、34.73%±1.99%、31.95%±0.21%,裸沙地土壤放线菌门（Actinobacteria）相对丰度最高,均值为26.13%±0.43%.不同生境土壤细菌主要优势属为慢生根瘤菌属（Bradyrhizobium）、RB41,其相对丰度在四种生境中的均值分别为5.29%±2.24%、4.22%±1.23%.PICRUSt功能预测共得到6个一级功能层,40个二级功能层,土壤细菌功能较为丰富,土壤细菌群落在环境信息处理、代谢、遗传信息处理和有机系统方面功能活跃.沙地樟子松天然林核苷酸代谢、酶家族、氨基酸代谢、碳水化合物代谢功能基因较为丰富,保证了沙地樟子松天然林土壤细菌的存活,使其具有较高的多样性.呼伦贝尔沙区不同生境土壤细菌功能基因丰度波动,反映了四种生境的土壤细菌群落组成及多样性的变化,指示了不同生境功能基因对土壤细菌群落的影响规律,可为预测和理解沙区土壤细菌代谢潜力和功能提供参考借鉴.     

1980—2015年京津冀地区雁鸭类潜在栖息地连接度变化及驱动因素

近几十年来,京津冀地区湿地面积萎缩,生态功能下降,严重影响了湿地水鸟的栖息地质量及栖息地间的连接,对水鸟类的迁徙、繁殖产生较大干扰,为了从整体上定量分析近几十年来湿地栖息地质量及连接度的变化,采用MaxEnt模型（maximum entropy model,最大熵模型）,基于京津冀地区雁鸭类的出现点和环境因子反演其潜在栖息地,并根据图论法原理,利用ECA指数（equivalent connected area,等效连接指数）,度量1980-2015年潜在栖息地连接度的变化.结果表明:①1980-2015年京津冀雁鸭类潜在栖息地面积总体呈下降趋势,由1980年的6 898 km2减至2015年的3 764 km2,减少了45.0%,其中,低适宜区面积降幅最为明显,为50.5%;2009-2015年高适宜区有增加趋势.②1980-2015年雁鸭类潜在栖息地连接度呈持续下降趋势,2000年以后的连接度下降速率大于2000年以前;潜在栖息地连接结构的空间分布有向环渤海地区转移的趋势,连接结构变化最为明显的区域为京津冀中部平原地区.研究显示,区域气候趋暖变干、水资源的供需失衡、水利工程设施建设以及人口增加与经济发展带来的土地利用变化是潜在栖息地面积与连接度下降的主要影响因子,而近些年保护区的建立及生态补水措施等生态保护政策对高适宜区的退化有一定缓解作用.      

Nutrient dynamics between sediment and overlying water in the inner part of Izmir Bay, Eastern Aegean

In this article a concept is described in order to predict and map the occurrence of benthic communities within and near the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the North Sea. The approach consists of two work steps: (1) geostatistical analysis of abiotic measurement data and (2) calculation of benthic provinces by means of Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and GIS-techniques. From bottom water measurements on salinity, temperature, silicate and nutrients as well as from punctual data on grain size ranges (0–20, 20–63, 63–2,000 μ) raster maps were calculated by use of geostatistical methods. At first the autocorrelation structure was examined and modelled with help of variogram analysis. The resulting variogram models were then used to calculate raster maps by applying ordinary kriging procedures. After intersecting these raster maps with punctual data on eight benthic communities a decision tree was derived to predict the occurrence of these communities within the study area. Since such a CART tree corresponds to a hierarchically ordered set of decision rules it was applied to the geostatistically estimated raster data to predict benthic habitats within and near the EEZ.     

Population Viability Analysis for the Przewalski's Gazelle

The Przewalski's gazelle, Procapra przewalskii, is now isolated in four local populations on the east and northwest shores of Qinghai Lake. We have been being conducting field surveys in the Qinghai Lake region since 1994. Based on the information we gathered from those surveys, we carried out a Population Viability Analysis (PVA) on the Przewalski's gazelle. We discovered that the Przewalski's gazelle would be extinct within 200 years if no management measures were taken. Since the local population size of the gazelle is small, the most effective measures are to control the wolf density and to reduce the impact of climatic catastrophes. In order to increase the population of the gazelle, we should also take measures to increase primary production of the grassland, to establish a habitat corridor, and to increase the rate of migration of individuals among different local populations.     

Spatial interactions in habitat conservation: Evidence from prairie pothole easements

We examine the role of spatial interactions in conservation easements placed on prairie pothole habitat in western Canada. One of the goals of the conservation easement program we study is to protect contiguous habitat. We identify endogenous spatial interactions among conservation easements and government protected land, independent of spatially correlated landscape features and local economic shocks that influence easement enrollment. We present evidence that easements increase the likelihood of subsequent easements on neighboring land. Government-protected land appears to have little effect on the location of conservation easements. These results imply that conservation agencies have leveraged past conservation investment to enroll more contiguous habitat in permanent easements through a combination of targeting and positive social interactions among neighboring landowners.     

洪泛区林地的开发对鱼类栖息地面积的影响模拟

洪泛区的开发利用,必然会导致洪泛区林地糙率的改变。河漫滩也是河流洪泛区的一部分。洪泛区糙率的减小,会使河水流速增大,从而减小鱼类可用栖息地面积。因此,在洪水发生时,为了给鱼类提供避险场所,保护有效栖息地面积,需研究洪泛区林地的开发对鱼类的影响。利用River 2D软件模拟在一定频率的洪水条件下,不同的河漫滩糙率对应的鱼类栖息地加权可用面积(WUA),分析了糙率的改变对河流鱼类栖息地的影响。结果表明:随着河漫滩糙率的降低,加权可用面积(WUA)逐渐减小,河漫滩范围内WUA的变化幅度比较大,河漫滩的特性对鱼类栖息地面积的影响很大。洪泛区植被的砍伐,会使鱼类栖息地面积减小。因此,应防止洪泛区的过度开发,保护河流生态环境。     

Patterns and biases of climate change threats in the IUCN Red List

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments rely on published data and expert inputs, and biases can be introduced where underlying definitions and concepts are ambiguous. Consideration of climate change threat is no exception, and recently numerous approaches to assessing the threat of climate change to species have been developed. We explored IUCN Red List assessments of amphibians and birds to determine whether species listed as threatened by climate change display distinct patterns in terms of habitat occupied and additional nonclimatic threats faced. We compared IUCN Red List data with a published data set of species’ biological and ecological traits believed to infer high vulnerability to climate change and determined whether distributions of climate change‐threatened species on the IUCN Red List concur with those of climate change‐threatened species identified with the trait‐based approach and whether species possessing these traits are more likely to have climate change listed as a threat on the IUCN Red List. Species in some ecosystems (e.g., grassland, shrubland) and subject to particular threats (e.g., invasive species) were more likely to have climate change as a listed threat. Geographical patterns of climate change‐threatened amphibians and birds on the IUCN Red List were incongruent with patterns of global species richness and patterns identified using trait‐based approaches. Certain traits were linked to increases or decreases in the likelihood of a species being threatened by climate change. Broad temperature tolerance of a species was consistently related to an increased likelihood of climate change threat, indicating counterintuitive relationships in IUCN assessments. To improve the robustness of species assessments of the vulnerability or extinction risk associated with climate change, we suggest IUCN adopt a more cohesive approach whereby specific traits highlighted by our results are considered in Red List assessments. To achieve this and to strengthen the climate change‐vulnerability assessments approach, it is necessary to identify and implement logical avenues for further research into traits that make species vulnerable to climate change (including population‐level threats).