Characteristics that make trophy hunting of giant pandas inconceivable

In November 1928, Theodore Jr. and Kermit Roosevelt led an expedition to China with the expressed purpose of being the first Westerners to kill the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The expedition lasted 8 months and resulted in the brothers shooting a giant panda in the mountains of Sichuan Province. Given the concurrent attention in the popular press describing this celebrated expedition, the giant panda was poised to be trophy hunted much like other large mammals around the world. Today, however, the killing of giant pandas, even for the generation of conservation revenue, is unthinkable for reasons related to the species itself and the context, in time and space, in which the species was popularized in the West. We found that the giant panda's status as a conservation symbol, exceptional charisma and gentle disposition, rarity, value as a nonconsumptive ecotourism attraction, and endemism are integral to the explanation of why the species is not trophy hunted. We compared these intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics with 20 of the most common trophy-hunted mammals to determine whether the principles applying to giant pandas are generalizable to other species. Although certain characteristics of the 20 trophy-hunted mammals aligned with the giant panda, many did not. Charisma, economic value, and endemism, in particular, were comparatively unique to the giant panda. Our analysis suggests that, at present, exceptional characteristics may be necessary for certain mammals to be excepted from trophy hunting. However, because discourse relating to the role of trophy hunting in supporting conservation outcomes is dynamic in both science and society, we suspect these valuations will also change in future.     

南黄海2007—2017年浮游植物群落结构及多样性变化

在2007-2017年秋季，利用专业海洋调查船对整个南黄海海域开展了5个航次的浮游植物调查。结果发现：调查海域共有浮游植物371种，隶属4门108属。其中硅藻门有56属237种，甲藻门有24属98种，硅藻和甲藻是组成南黄海海域浮游植物最主要的两大类群。主要优势种有裸甲藻（Gymnodinium sp.）、柔弱拟菱形藻（Nitz.delicatissima）、蓝隐藻（Chroomonas sp.）、菱形海线藻（Thalassionema nitzschioides）、锥状施克里普藻（Scrippsiella trochoidea）和环沟藻（Gyrodinium spp.）等。2007年以来，南黄海浮游植物种类数呈明显上升趋势。浮游植物细胞密度平均为1.96×10⁴个/L，年际变化较大。将调查结果与众多文献比对，共发现9种藻类为中国新记录藻种，其中有4种硅藻和5种甲藻。     

Evaluation of ecotourism development in rural regions of China

The current status of ecotourism in rural China was analyzed in this paper.Empirical surveys covering the whole country indicate that ecotourism in rural China has attracted a large number of tourists who,however,didn’t generate revenues that can match the number.Although the environmental quality of those rural ecotourism destinations is high with little negative impacts,several problems have already appeared,suggesting a need to monitor those areas.The current practice of interpretation in most rural ecotourism destinations did not provide environmental education opportunities to the tourists.And local communities need more effective ways to decide on the prospects of local ecotourism development by themselves.Finally,a few recommendations for improving the sustainability of ecotourism destinations were provided.     

Road traffic injuries among riders of electric bike/electric moped in southern China

Objective: Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries have become a burgeoning public health problem in China. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among electric bike/moped riders in southern China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to interview 3,151 electric bike/moped riders in southern China. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries that occurred from July 2014 to June 2015 were investigated. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and analyzed between July 2015 and June 2017.

Results: The prevalence of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among the investigated riders was 15.99%. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries were significantly associated with category of electric bike (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.82), self-reported confusion (AOR = 1.77, 95% CI, 1.13–2.78), history of crashes (AOR = 6.14, 95% CI, 4.68–8.07), running red lights (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI, 2.42–5.25), carrying children while riding (AOR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.37–2.85), carrying adults while riding (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI, 1.23–2.28), riding in the motor lane (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI, 1.05–3.93), and riding in the wrong traffic direction (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.13–2.35). In over 77.58% of electric bike/moped-related road traffic crashes, riders were determined by the police to be responsible for the crash. Major crash-causing factors included violating traffic signals or signs, careless riding, speeding, and riding in the wrong lane.

Conclusion: Traffic safety related to electric bikes/moped is becoming more problematic with growing popularity compared with other 2-wheeled vehicles. Programs need to be developed to prevent electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries in this emerging country.     

"十三五"国家自然科学基金对能源环境管理领域的资助状况和趋势

能源环境管理是各界关注的热点话题,也是科学研究的重要方向.以国家自然科学基金资助能源环境管理领域的科研项目为基础数据信息,本文重点分析了"十三五"期间国家自然科学基金在该领域资助项目的总体特征、研究主题和热点变化,并结合新时代科学基金资助导向提出了可能的发展趋势.主要结论包括:①能源环境管理领域面上、青年、地区等自由探索类项目的立项绝对数和学科占比均呈上升趋势,并更多向青年学者倾斜,资助强度保持稳定;②碳、能源和环境是自由探索项目中出现频率最高的热词,与之相关的研究主题随着政策等调整具有动态变化特征;③能源环境管理领域重点、重大等引导类项目和优青、杰青、创新研究群体等人才类项目不断实现突破,增速明显,学科占比优势突出;④问题导向与本土情景、理论体系和一般规律、学科交叉融合,以及市场和微观主体作用是研究选题确立与项目申请时可能需要重点关注的方向.     

Boosting freshwater fish conservation with high-resolution distribution mapping across a large territory

The lack of high-resolution distribution maps for freshwater species across large extents fundamentally challenges biodiversity conservation worldwide. We devised a simple framework to delineate the distributions of freshwater fishes in a high-resolution drainage map based on stacked species distribution models and expert information. We applied this framework to the entire Chinese freshwater fish fauna (>1600 species) to examine high-resolution biodiversity patterns and reveal potential conflicts between freshwater biodiversity and anthropogenic disturbances. The correlations between spatial patterns of biodiversity facets (species richness, endemicity, and phylogenetic diversity) were all significant (r = 0.43–0.98, p < 0.001). Areas with high values of different biodiversity facets overlapped with anthropogenic disturbances. Existing protected areas (PAs), covering 22% of China's territory, protected 25–29% of fish habitats, 16–23% of species, and 30–31% of priority conservation areas. Moreover, 6–21% of the species were completely unprotected. These results suggest the need for extending the network of PAs to ensure the conservation of China's freshwater fishes and the goods and services they provide. Specifically, middle to low reaches of large rivers and their associated lakes from northeast to southwest China hosted the most diverse species assemblages and thus should be the target of future expansions of the network of PAs. More generally, our framework, which can be used to draw high-resolution freshwater biodiversity maps combining species occurrence data and expert knowledge on species distribution, provides an efficient way to design PAs regardless of the ecosystem, taxonomic group, or region considered.     

冬季黄东海颗粒有机碳的时空分布特征

根据2007年1～2月对黄东海大面调查的资料,分析研究了黄东海颗粒有机碳(POC)的时空分布特征。结果表明,冬季黄东海POC的浓度范围是2.49～1 658.96μg/L,平均浓度为125.88μg/L。在垂直方向上,POC由上而下随着水深的增加浓度逐渐降低,到底层后浓度又升高。在平面分布上,POC整体上呈现西部近岸浓度较高、东部离岸浓度较低的特点;POC的高值区集中在浙江近岸海区,特别是浙江舟山群岛南部近海,POC浓度非常高,这是受陆源输入和沉积物再悬浮的共同作用。在周日变化上,受潮汐作用和海区生物活动的影响,东海陆架中部海域除底层以外,其它各层POC在午后、傍晚、凌晨出现浓度的高峰值,而西南海域,除了底层外,其它各层均表现出全日周期变化。     

喹诺酮类抗生素在莱州湾及主要入海河流中的含量和分布特征

采用固相萃取、高效液相色谱/串联质谱法(HPLC-MS/MS)分析了莱州湾及主要入海河流水体中的5种典型喹诺酮类抗生素药物的含量,并对其来源进行了初步探讨。结果显示,人兽共用的诺氟沙星、环丙沙星和依诺沙星在河水中广泛存在,具有80%以上的检出率和较高的含量(99～120 ng/L)。同时它们在海水中亦具有很高检出率(>88%),但含量(31～62 ng/L)明显低于河流中含量,表明河流输入是莱州湾抗生素污染的一个重要来源。不同喹诺酮药物在河水与海水中的稀释比相差较大,可能存在河流之外的其它污染源或药物间迁移转化特征存在差异。河流之间化合物组成差异较大,反应出污染类型的差异。虞河、堤河中环丙沙星和诺氟沙星比重较大(>75%)可能受养殖业的影响较重,而小清河、白浪河中依诺沙星和诺氟沙星比重较大(>78%)则可能受生活污水的影响更大。     

渤海富营养化现状、机制及其与赤潮的时空耦合性

通过对历年调查与监测数据的整理,从污染物源强、渤海富营养化状况、赤潮发生的时空分布三个角度,分析了渤海近岸海域富营养化的"压力—状态—响应"耦合作用机制。根据文献及调查资料研究渤海营养要素的来源及通量,指出渤海污染物主要来自于陆源输入,并且以河流携带的营养盐输入为主。在对渤海近岸海域历年营养盐含量及富营养化水平分析的基础上,结合赤潮发生的时空变化特征,就富营养化对渤海赤潮的诱导作用与耦合关系进行初步讨论。     

长江口海域近50a来营养盐的变化及其对浮游植物群落演替的影响

本文根据收集到的1960s到2000s年间东海长江口附近海域(30.5～32°N,122～123°E)的营养盐数据,分析了长江口海域营养盐的季节变化及历史变化趋势。其中根据1959～1960年,1985～1986年和2002～2003年长江口海域营养盐的季节变化数据,发现50 a来,营养盐的季节变化差异不大,均呈现出春夏低,秋冬高的季节变化趋势,其中2002～2003年四个季节之间营养盐含量的变化幅度较其它两年略小。从1960s～2000s年的历史变化可以看出,调查海域的DIN含量呈现出显著上升的趋势,但是在2000年以后,DIN的年平均含量略有降低但变化不大,基本保持在18μmol/L。DIP年平均浓度变化不明显,浓度范围维持在0.39～0.60μmol/L之间。SiO3-Si的年平均含量呈现出明显的降低趋势。就营养盐组成变化来说,DIN/P比例和Si/DIN比值的变化趋势相反,DIN/P比例呈现出升高的趋势而Si/DIN呈现出降低的趋势。生物数据表明从1980s以后该海域赤潮优势种有从硅藻演变为甲藻的趋势,结合营养盐的变化分析认为过量的DIN和持续升高的DIN/P是造成这一藻种长期演变现象的主要原因。