Combining demographic and count-based approaches to identify source-sink dynamics of a threatened seabird.

Identifying source-sink dynamics is of fundamental importance for conservation but is often limited by an inability to determine how immigration and emigration influence population processes. We demonstrate two ways to assess the role of immigration on population processes without directly observing individuals dispersing from one population to another and apply these methods to a population of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in California (USA). In the first method, the rate of immigration (i) is estimated by subtracting local recruitment (recruitment from within the population due to reproduction) estimated with demographic data from total recruitment (f; recruitment from within the population plus recruitment from other populations) estimated using temporal symmetry mark-recapture models developed by R. Pradel. The second method compares population growth rates estimated with temporal symmetry models (lambdaTS) and/or population growth rates estimated from counts of individuals over multiple sampling periods (lambdaC) with growth estimates from a stage-structured projection matrix model (lambdaM). Both lambdaTS and lambdaC incorporate all demographic processes affecting population change (birth, death, immigration, and emigration), whereas matrix models are usually constructed without incorporating immigration. Thus, if lambdaTS and lambdaC are > or = 1 and lambdaM < 1, the population is sustained by immigration and is considered to be a sink. Using the first method, recruitment estimated with temporal symmetry models was high (f= 0.182, SE = 0.058), the mean adult birth rate, as estimated using the ratio of juveniles to > or = 1 year old individuals (observed during ship-based surveys) was low (bA = 0.039, SE = 0.014), and immigration was 0.160 (SE = 0.057). Using the second method, murrelet numbers in central California were stable (lambdaC = 1.058, SE = 0.047; lambdaTS = 1.064, SE = 0.033), but were projected to decline 9.5% annually in the absence of immigration (lambdaM = 0.905, SE = 0.053). Our results suggest that Marbled Murrelets in central California represent a sink population that is stable but would decline in the absence of immigration from larger populations to the north. However, the extent to which modeled immigration is due to permanent recruitment or temporarily dispersing individuals that simply mask population declines is uncertain.     

Demography of Two Mexican Spotted Owl Populations

Abstract: The Mexican Spotted Owl ( Strix occidentalis lucida ) is a threatened subspecies of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Although threatened, little is known about its population status. We studied the demography of the Mexican Spotted Owl in one study area in Arizona and one in New Mexico from 1991 to 1997. We estimated annual survival rates (φ), fecundity rates (   b ), and abundance (   N ) to test the hypothesis that population trends were stationary. Although annual fecundity rates (   b ^ = 0.494 for Arizona and 0.380 for New Mexico) and annual juvenile survival rates ( φ^ = 0.179 for Arizona and 0.109 for New Mexico) differed in magnitude between the study areas, they exhibited similar temporal patterns. Annual survival for territorial owls varied randomly in Arizona but declined linearly in New Mexico. Mean annual survival for territorial owls was 0.814 in Arizona and 0.832 for owls ≥3 years old and 0.644 for owls 1–2 years old in New Mexico. Based on survival and fecundity estimates, the annual rates of change (λ^) indicated that both populations were declining at ≥10% a year. These estimates were corroborated by observed declines in abundance. Some regional factor may have been affecting fecundity, whereas a combination of factors may have been affecting survival. Two possible reasons for the population declines are declines in habitat quality and regional trends in climate.     

DISINFECTION WITH QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS1

ABSTRACT: The most common disinfection method is chlorination, however, it has been known that the practice of chlorination for water treatment in the Mississippi River area has caused a significant increase in mortality. The objective of this research was to search for effective disinfectants to replace chlorine. Three cationic surfactants have been tested for their bactericidal properties under various conditions. It has been found that 1 mg of cetyldimethyl-benzylammonium chloride can destroy about 4500 coliforms in one liter water within 10 minutes, under neutral pH conditions and room temperature. Cationic quaternary ammonium compound, therefore, can be a potential candidate disinfectant for replacing chlorine when necessary.     

金华江流域利用硅藻生物学特性监测水质研究

2012年7月对浙江省金华江流域18个监测断面进行了附着硅藻和水质调查，通过硅藻生态群落组成及SPI、BDI硅藻指数对水质进行了评价，并比较了硅藻指数评价与水质理化评价结果的异同性。本次调查共收集到硅藻75种（含变种和变型），隶属于2纲12科30属。硅藻生态类群组成显示各断面以喜中性、N自养、耐低污染和喜好很高氧饱和度硅藻为主。水质理化指标总体评价金华江各监测断面水质多为Ⅲ类及以上，仅有一个断面为V类，硅藻SPI和BDI指数评价各断面水质为中等及中等以上。二者评价结果总体上吻合，但同时存在一定差异。SPI与高锰酸盐指数和硝酸盐氮呈显著负相关，BDI与氨氮呈显著负相关。硅藻指数在金华江流域有一定的适用性，但其在国内其他流域的适用性、评价方法的指示性与稳定性有待进行更深入的研究     

青弋江流域不同级别河流底栖动物群落结构研究

2013年8月对青弋江流域不同级别河流底栖动物进行了调查。共采集到底栖动物60种，隶属于39科58属。从1级到4级河流，种类数表现出逐渐减少的趋势，分别为46、39、36和16种。1~3级河流中种类数最多的均是水生昆虫，4级河流中种类数最多的是软体动物。整个流域底栖动物密度和生物量分别为382 ind./m2和3643 g/m2。不同级别河流中，2级河流底栖动物密度最大，4级河流密度最小，且二者存在显著差异；2级和4级河流底栖动物生物量都较高，且显著高于1级河流。在功能摄食类群方面，整个流域以刮食者和过滤收集者为主。随着河流级别的增加，刮食者相对密度和相对生物量表现出先增加后下降的趋势；撕食者在1、2级河流所占比例较高；直接收集者和过滤收集者在1级和4级河流中所占比例较高     

Characterizing source-sink dynamics with genetic parentage assignments

Source-sink dynamics have been suggested to characterize the population structure of many species, but the prevalence of source-sink systems in nature is uncertain because of inherent challenges in estimating migration rates among populations. Migration rates are often difficult to estimate directly with demographic methods, and indirect genetic methods are subject to a variety of assumptions that are difficult to meet or to apply to evolutionary timescales. Furthermore, such methods cannot be rigorously applied to high-gene-flow species. Here, we employ genetic parentage assignments in conjunction with demographic simulations to infer the level of immigration into a putative sink population. We use individual-based demographic models to estimate expected distributions of parent-offspring dyads under competing sink and closed-population models. By comparing the actual number of parent-offspring dyads (identified from multilocus genetic profiles) in a random sample of individuals taken from a population to expectations under these two contrasting demographic models, it is possible to estimate the rate of immigration and test hypotheses related to the role of immigration on population processes on an ecological timescale. The difference in the expected number of parent-offspring dyads between the two population models was greatest when immigration into the sink population was high, indicating that unlike traditional population genetic inference models, the highest degree of statistical power is achieved for the approach presented here when migration rates are high. We used the proposed genetic parentage approach to demonstrate that a threatened population of Marbled Murrelets (Braclhyrarmphus marmotus) appears to be supplemented by a low level of immigration (approximately 2-6% annually) from other populations.     

鄱阳湖生态经济区交通格局演变及区域效应研究

应用ArcGIS空间分析和可达性评价模型，结合SPSS、Matlab等软件，以鄱阳湖生态经济区为研究区域，选取1998年、2008年及2020规划年为时间断面，用栅格法测算交通可达性，分析可达性格局空间演变特征。根据城市质量和时间距离，构建经济联系评价模型，回归分析预测2020年城市质量。对区域内经济总量空间集聚进行分析，并根据三个时间段的最大经济联系格局演变，分析城市间经济辐射范围和城市隶属关系变化。结果发现：区域内可达性改善明显，城市间可达性差距缩小，到2020年全区可基本实现一日交流；区域内经济总量集聚明显，且处于极化状态；由于鄱阳湖湖体的阻隔，区域内形成以南昌、九江、景德镇三大经济中心地，其他为隶属城市的经济联系格局；建议发展南昌至贵溪尤其是东乡至鹰潭段的交通，使鹰潭成为区内第四个经济中心地，实现全区均衡发展     

Estimating population impacts via dynamic occupancy analysis of Before-After Control-Impact studies

Estimating environmental impacts on populations is one of the main goals of wildlife monitoring programs, which are often conducted in conjunction with management actions or following natural disturbances. In this study we investigate the statistical power of dynamic occupancy models to detect changes in local survival and colonization from detection-nondetection data, while accounting for imperfect detection probability, in a Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) framework. We simulated impacts on local survival and/or detection probabilities, and asked questions related to: (1) costs and benefits of different analysis models, (2) confounding changes in detection with changes in local survival, (3) sampling design trade-offs, and (4) species with low vs. high rates of turnover. Estimating seasonal effects on local survival and colonization, as opposed to estimating Before-After effects, had little effect on the power to detect changes in local survival. Estimating a parameter that accounted for pretreatment differences in local survival between Control and Impact sites decreased power by 50%, but it was critical to include when such differences existed. When the experimental treatment had a negative impact on species detectability but analysis assumed constant detection, the Type I error rates were dramatically inflated (0.20 0.33). In general, there was low power (< 0.5) to detect a 50% decrease in local survival for all combinations of sites (N = 50 vs. 100), seasons sampled (8 vs. 12), and visits per site per season (4 vs. 6). Unbalanced designs performed worse than balanced designs, with the exception of the case of treatments being implemented in different seasons at different sites. Adding more control sites improved the ability to detect changes in local survival. Surveying more seasons after impact resulted in modest power gains, but at least three seasons before impact were required to successfully implement BACI occupancy studies. Turnover rates had a low impact on power. Occupancy studies conducted in a BACI design offer the opportunity to detect environmental impacts on wildlife populations without the costs of intensive studies. However, given the low power to detect small changes (20%) in local survival, these studies should be used when researchers are confident that major treatment impacts will occur or very large sample sizes are obtainable.     

Reconstructing the historic demography of an endangered seabird

Reducing extinction risk for threatened species requires determining which demographic parameters are depressed and causing population declines. Museum collections may constitute a unique, underutilized resource for measuring demographic changes over long time periods using age-ratio analysis. We reconstruct the historic demography of a U.S. federally endangered seabird, the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), from specimens collected approximately 100 years ago for comparison with predictions from comparative analyses and with results from contemporary field studies using both age-ratio analysis and conventional demographic estimators. Reproduction in the late 1800s and early 1900s matched predictions from comparative analysis, but was 8-9 times greater than contemporary estimates, whereas adult survival was unchanged. Historic reproductive rates would support stable populations, but contemporary levels should result in population declines. Contemporary demographic estimates derived from age-ratio analysis were similar to estimates from conventional estimators. Using museum specimens to reconstruct historic demography provides a unique approach to identify causes of decline and to set demographic benchmarks for recovery of endangered species that meet most assumptions of age-ratio analysis.