Archaeological Evidence of Validity of Fish Populations on Unexploited Reefs as Proxy Targets for Modern Populations

Reef‐fish management and conservation is hindered by a lack of information on fish populations prior to large‐scale contemporary human impacts. As a result, relatively pristine sites are often used as conservation baselines for populations near sites affected by humans. This space‐for‐time approach can only be validated by sampling assemblages through time. We used archaeological remains to evaluate whether the remote, uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) might provide a reasonable proxy for a lightly exploited baseline in the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). We used molecular and morphological techniques to describe the taxonomic and size composition of the scarine parrotfish catches present in 2 archaeological assemblages from the MHI, compared metrics of these catches with modern estimates of reproductive parameters to evaluate whether catches represented by the archaeological material were consistent with sustainable fishing, and evaluated overlap between size structures represented by the archaeological material and modern survey data from the MHI and the NWHI to assess whether a space‐for‐time substitution is reasonable. The parrotfish catches represented by archaeological remains were consistent with sustainable fishing because they were dominated by large, mature individuals whose average size remained stable from prehistoric (AD approximately 1400–1700) through historic (AD 1700–1960) periods. The ancient catches were unlike populations in the MHI today. Overlap between the size structure of ancient MHI catches and modern survey data from the NWHI or the MHI was an order of magnitude greater for the NWHI comparison, a result that supports the validity of using the NWHI parrotfish data as a proxy for the MHI before accelerated, heavy human impacts in modern times. Evidencia Arqueológica de la Validez de Poblaciones de Peces en Arrecifes Sin Explotar como Objetivos de Apoderamiento para Poblaciones Actuales     

Evaluating Perceived Benefits of Ecoregional Assessments

Abstract: The outcomes of systematic conservation planning (process of assessing, implementing, and managing conservation areas) are rarely reported or measured formally. A lack of consistent or rigorous evaluation in conservation planning has fueled debate about the extent to which conservation assessment (identification, design, and prioritization of potential conservation areas) ultimately influences actions on the ground. We interviewed staff members of a nongovernmental organization, who were involved in 5 ecoregional assessments across North and South America and the Asia‐Pacific region. We conducted 17 semistructured interviews with open and closed questions about the perceived purpose, outputs, and outcomes of the ecoregional assessments in which respondents were involved. Using qualitative data collected from those interviews, we investigated the types and frequency of benefits perceived to have emerged from the ecoregional assessments and explored factors that might facilitate or constrain the flow of benefits. Some benefits reflected the intended purpose of ecoregional assessments. Other benefits included improvements in social interactions, attitudes, and institutional knowledge. Our results suggest the latter types of benefits enable ultimate benefits of assessments, such as guiding investments by institutional partners. Our results also showed a clear divergence between the respondents’ expectations and perceived outcomes of implementation of conservation actions arising from ecoregional assessments. Our findings suggest the need for both a broader perspective on the contribution of assessments to planning goals and further evaluation of conservation assessments.     

Evolution and Reform: The Art of Transition in Energy Pricing Policy

This paper presents an analysis of potential methods of reform of petroleum pricing policies in developing countries. It takes as given the highly political nature of petroleum pricing in selected developing countries (including Brazil. Ecuador, Argentina, the Sudan and Republic of Korea), and identifies several models for reform.     

Contribution of the Natura 2000 Network to Biodiversity Conservation in Italy

Abstract:  The Natura 2000 network is the most important conservation effort being implemented in Europe. Nevertheless, no comprehensive and systematic region—or nationwide evaluation of the effectiveness of the network has been conducted. We used habitat suitability models and extent of occurrence of 468 species of vertebrates to evaluate the contribution of the Natura 2000 network to biodiversity conservation in Italy. We also estimated the population size of 101 species inside the Natura 2000 network to assess its capacity to maintain or improve the population status of listed species. In general the Italian Natura 2000 did not seem to integrate existing protected areas well. The Natura 2000 network increased from 11% to 20% the area devoted to conservation in Italy and the coverage provided to areas with high biodiversity. Nevertheless, some areas with high numbers of species were devoid of conservation areas, and more than 50% of the highly irreplaceable areas were not considered in the system. Moreover, the Natura 2000 network cannot maintain 44–80% (depending on the taxa considered) of the species in a "favorable conservation status" under World Conservation Union Red List criteria. The Natura 2000 network is probably stronger than the results of our analyses suggest. The system is based on a site-specific expert-based strategy and is driven by direct and detailed knowledge of local diversity. Nevertheless, if Natura 2000 is taken to represent the final point of all the EU conservation policies, it will inevitably fail. Its role in conservation could be enhanced by integrating the Natura 2000 system into a more general strategy that considers natural processes and the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these processes.     

Viable Populations, Reserve Size, and Federal Lands Management: A Critique

Un exámen de las actuales teorias sobre tamaños de poblaciones viables y de estudios sobre tamaños de reservas, sugiere que la diversidad boilógica de los parques nacionales y bosques de Norte América no está pro-tegida adecuadamente. Esta conclusión se apoya también en la revisión de planes y politicas de manejo desarrolladas por agencias del gobierno federal. La preservación de la biodi-versidad se ve obstaculizada pora la falta de manejo a nivel del paisaje (ecosistema), por insuficiencia de datos, por competencia entre las agencias gubernamentales encarga-das del manejo de tierras y recursos naturales y por inercia burocrática, entre otros. Para enfrentar estos problemas, se presenta un modelo de manejo de ecosistemas. Asi mismo, se propone nueva legislación al respecto. Se reconoce a las opciones éticas y sociales como la base para reestructurar cualquier manejo de tierra para proteger la biodiversiaad.     

Six Common Mistakes in Conservation Priority Setting

A vast number of prioritization schemes have been developed to help conservation navigate tough decisions about the allocation of finite resources. However, the application of quantitative approaches to setting priorities in conservation frequently includes mistakes that can undermine their authors’ intention to be more rigorous and scientific in the way priorities are established and resources allocated. Drawing on well‐established principles of decision science, we highlight 6 mistakes commonly associated with setting priorities for conservation: not acknowledging conservation plans are prioritizations; trying to solve an ill‐defined problem; not prioritizing actions; arbitrariness; hidden value judgments; and not acknowledging risk of failure. We explain these mistakes and offer a path to help conservation planners avoid making the same mistakes in future prioritizations. Seis Errores Comunes en la Definición de Prioridades de Conservación     

坡面林地土壤水分特征函数空间变异性初探

土壤水分特征函数空间异质性是定量研究土壤非饱和带水分运动以及溶质运移的先决条件. 以坡面机械布点采样、压力膜仪测定土壤水分特征曲线,并以Van-Genuchten模型拟合曲线后,用传统的统计方法与地统计方法,分析了密云水库流域周边人工油松林坡面土壤水分特征函数空间异质性. 结果表明:①不同土壤层各级压力下土壤含水量变异系数(C_v)呈中等变异性,C_v为10%～25%,土壤有效饱和度越低,变异性C_v越大,计算合理取样数目越大. ②模型参数θ_s为中等变异,C_v为17.77%～18.12%,服从正态分布;参数α为强变异性,C_v为70.65%～120.91%;参数n为弱变异性,C_v为5.29%～7.09%. ③各土壤层参数θ_s和α均具有空间变异结构,除20～40 cm层参数α符合指数模型外,其余层参数均符合球状模型,参数θ_s和α变程(A)分别约为66～69及21～69 m;参数n仅在20～40 cm土壤层显示空间变异结构,符合球状模型,变程(A)约为18 m;整体上该林地土壤0～20和20～40 cm层参数多以结构性变异为主,40～60 cm层参数的块金效应渐显增大. 最后采用Kriging插值方法分别对各参数进行了预测.