Threatened species listing as a trigger for conservation action

Legislative listing schemes, under which the listing of a species as threatened automatically triggers command regulation and/or recovery planning, raise significant issues for policy makers. In this paper, we explore strategies for factoring considerations beyond the empirical assessment of a species’ conservation status into the resource allocation decisions that flow from listing. Even in threatened species legislation that appears to prioritise species conservation over socio-economic considerations by creating an automatic nexus between listing and conservation response, there are significant pressure valves that allow the latter to exercise a significant influence on decisions in practice. We critically examine two other techniques currently used in legislation that allow a broader range of considerations to be factored into resource allocation decisions: abandoning the automatic triggering of resource allocation by listing; and taking into account a broader range of considerations in the listing decision itself. We conclude by outlining the framework for a strategic approach to the allocation of conservation resources. This has three limbs to it: recovery plans that identify what needs to be done to bring about recovery, in addition to what available resources will allow us to do; a system for prioritising between the implementation of recovery plans; and the integration of threatened species conservation into strategic land use planning processes.     

“The commons” as a dynamic variable in understanding strategic alliances of scale: A groundwater case study in Pajaro Valley,California

Groundwater, a critical resource in many parts of the world, is often characterized as a common pool resource (Brozovic et al., 2006). Multiple individuals utilize groundwater from a basin, and each person has the capacity to reduce the quantity or quality available to others. We turn to a case study of the Pajaro Groundwater Basin in Central California to re-envision the characterization of “commons.” While providing a useful frame from which to analyze groundwater depletion in the Pajaro, we find Common Pool Resource (CPR) theory to be imprecise in its approach to a geographic scale. The notion of the “commons” is central to CPR studies, but there is wide divergence in what the “commons” constitutes, both spatially and socially (Laerhoven and Ostrom, 2007). Rather than propose a normative definition for the “commons,” we suggest that the “commons” as a geographic category is socially constructed and dynamically active over time, akin to the analytic of scale as developed within the fields of political ecology and geography. This move from situating the “commons” as a fixed and discrete geographic area to that which is constantly changing and relational helps us to better understand the ways in which water users collaborate and communicate around shared groundwater sources.     

我国资源经济与世界资源研究进展及展望

自然资源是人类赖以生存和发展的物质基础。资源短缺是我国社会经济发展的重要限制因素,未来这一矛盾将会更加突出。资源经济学是研究经济发展与资源开发、利用、保护、分配和管理之间关系的一门综合学科。加强资源经济与世界资源的研究,对实现我国可持续发展具有重要的战略意义。为适应国家发展的需求,我国在国内资源与资源科学领域研究已取得显著进展。同时,积极关注和研究世界资源问题,并取得了较大成就。这些研究为资源经济学发展提出新的需求,积累了丰厚的研究资料、实践经验、研究方法以及系统的理论准备,促进了资源经济的研究及学科不断成长与发展,并为国家发展做出重要贡献。论文着重分析资源经济学和世界资源的研究进展,对我国资源经济和世界资源研究进展及其成果进行总结和评析,对我国资源经济和世界资源研究发展趋势进行展望,提出新时期主要的研究方向和重点领域。     

Sex,age, spleen size,and kidney fat of red deer relative to infection intensities of the lungworm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Elaphostrongylus cervi</Emphasis>

We analyzed the relationships among spleen size, body condition (measured as kidney fat), and larval counts of the nematode Elaphostrongylus cervi in red deer (Cervus elaphus). The aim was to investigate the interaction between host body condition and intensity of infection with parasites. As red deer are highly polygynous, we also tested whether these relationships varied with sex and age of the hosts. Kidney fat and spleen size were positively correlated in subadults (2–3 years old) and adults (>3 years old), but not in calves (<1 year old) or yearlings (1–2 years old). Spleen size was negatively associated with nematode load in subadult females and in adult males. These two age classes are potentially the most nutritionally stressed, as subadult hinds are still growing and often engaging in rearing their first calf, and adult stags were sampled just after the rut, which is recognized as a substantial energy drain in this age–sex class, as they compete to hold females during the mating season. Body condition related negatively to parasite count only in adult males. In the context of red deer life history, these findings suggest that spleen size is dependent on body condition and that it could be affected by variation in resource partitioning among immune defense, growth, and reproductive effort in red deer. For the first time in a wild mammal, the spleen mass is shown to be positively related to body condition and negatively related to parasite infection. We conclude that elucidating whether spleen mass reflects immune defense investment or a measure of general body condition should contribute to understanding topical issues in mammal ecology.     

遥感与地理信息系统对资源利用热点地区的初步应用——-以印度北部山地小流域为例

资源利用与资源退化在时间及空间领域上的表现有所分异。识别出那些受人为干扰严重且易于发生资源退化的区域(资源利用的热点地区),对这些区域给予重视并采取特殊的管理机制以避免资源的进一步退化和环境的恶化,对资源的可持续利用具有重要的现实意义。论文以印度北部山地小流域的研究为例,根据当地实际情况,选取4个参数作为评价指标,即资源利用的重要性、资源的需求程度、资源利用的可获取性以及人类活动造成的景观生态学的干扰指数,利用遥感技术和地理信息系统对资源利用热点地区的识别进行了初步探讨。通过研究,将该流域划分为3种区域,即高度敏感区、中度敏感区和低敏感区,分别体现了不同的资源退化在空间上的分布。     

资源安全及其基本属性与研究框架

国内外对资源安全问题的关注由来已久,但系统研究此问题还是近年的事情。在此,对资源安全问题的由来、基本属性、研究框架等进行系统论述。认为资源安全是一个国家或地区可以持续、稳定、及时、足量和经济地获取所需自然资源的状态或能力;资源安全具有数量、质量、结构、均衡和价格等方面的含义;并对资源安全按过程、主体和类别等进行了分类;提出应树立开放、动态、持续和系统的资源安全观;资源安全研究应主要包括资源安全概念与属性、资源安全测度指标体系与预警系统、国家资源安全态势、国家资源安全战略等内容。     

Adult eclosion timing of the onion fly,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Delia antiqua</Emphasis>, in response to daily cycles of temperature at different soil depths

For insects pupating in the soil, the day/night temperature cycle may provide a primary time cue (Zeitgeber) for adult eclosion to occur at an appropriate time of the day. In the soil, however, the phase of temperature cycle is delayed with depth because of the low heat conductivity of the soil. Therefore pupae located deeper in the soil may compensate for the depth-dependent phase delay of Zeitgeber to avoid mistimed emergence. We examined the adult eclosion timing of the onion fly, Delia antiqua, pupating at different depths in soil and under various thermoperiods in the laboratory to determine if such compensation indeed occurs. We found that D. antiqua is able to compensate for the depth-dependent phase delay of the Zeitgeber by advancing the eclosion timing in response to the amplitude of the temperature cycle decreasing with depth.     

资源税税率设置分析、比较和选择

资源税改革是社会经济关注的热点问题,在"十二五"期间将进一步改革资源领域的相关税收政策,但目前国内外对资源税政策的相关研究成果较少,特别是资源税改革的关键问题,即税率设置缺乏足够研究。论文构建可计算一般均衡模型(Computable General Equilibrium,CGE),建立包括生产、消费、收入支出和资源等模块方程函数,并根据投入产出表相关数据编制社会核算矩阵,作为模型数据基础;在此基础上,将模型动态化分析并选择资源税税率设置区间的合理范围。在模型中论文采用从价征税的资源税征税方式,分别参考国内预期的税率区间和发达国家的税率区间,以2012、2015和2018年为模拟年份,分析并比较各税率区间对税收总量、收入支出、资源消费的影响;模拟结果表明不同的税率设置对社会经济和资源系统产生的影响程度不一,在经济发展相对稳定的时期,可以选择如5%~7%的税率区间;在经济发展水平较高时期,可选择较高的资源税税负水平,如7%~9%的税率区间;而在经济发展波动较大时,可以选择较低的资源税税负水平。     

南四湖流域产水量空间格局与驱动因素分析

流域生态系统产水服务功能的空间化和定量化评估,对流域水资源管理、优化配置以及提高流域水生态保护效率具有重要意义。以山东省南四湖流域为研究对象,基于1990-2013年土地利用、降水、蒸散以及土壤属性等基础地理数据,以InVEST模型为基础,评估和模拟南四湖流域近25 a的产水量,并采用ArcGIS分析产水量的空间分布格局以及变化趋势,探讨了降水、地形等自然地理要素以及人口、土地利用和国内生产总值（GDP）等社会经济因素与产水量空间格局动态变化之间的关系,并在此基础上划分出南四湖流域生态系统产水功能区。研究结果表明：流域产水量在空间格局上呈现出由东向西递减的趋势,东部、东北部等山区、丘陵地区产水量高,西部平原地区产水相对较低;受自然地理要素影响,流域产水量空间分布与社会经济发展水平即GDP、人口密度的空间分布格局有较大差异。近25 a来,流域产水量呈现减少趋势,且产水量峰值区域由东北部向偏南地区转移,最低值区由西部向中部地区转移。降水、海拔和坡度等地理环境与产水量的空间变化呈显著正相关,其中降水量的相关程度最强;人口、GDP等社会经济数据与产水量变化也呈显著正相关,主要原因在于城市化的发展,城市建设用地等不透水层增加,促进了流域产水量。研究结果可以为流域水资源政策制定以及社会经济发展规划等宏观决策提供科学支撑。     

资源物理学及资源消耗的生态价值系数评估

本文简介了资源物理学及其拓广，提出了所有自然资源都可以用度量，给出了评价自然资源消耗的生态价值系数表达式和过程分析法，借助它可以优化资源的利用。     

资源物理学及资源消耗的生态价值系数评估

本文简介了资源物理学及其拓广，提出了所有自然资源都可以用度量，给出了评价自然资源消耗的生态价值系数表达式和过程分析法，借助它可以优化资源的利用。     

Body-mass-dependent cost of web-building behavior in an orb weaving spider,Zygiella x-notata

In numerous spider species, reproductive success of adult females has been shown to be positively correlated with their body mass. We suggest, however, that spiders may incur greater foraging costs as their body mass increases due to the numerous and complex locomotor bouts needed to build an orb-web. Such a body-mass-dependent cost should, in turn, affect the web-building decisions of spiders. In the laboratory, we tested the influence of body mass on energetic expenditure (measured as mass loss) during web-building behavior in Zygiella x-notata. Our results showed (1) that energetic costs associated with web-building were closely related to body mass and to web-building activity, and (2) that as their body mass increased, spiders reduced the amount of silk used per web, while their foraging effort simultaneously increased. This work gives new insights into web-building behavior and energy allocation strategies of weaving spiders.     

Discovery of mycangia and the associated xylose-fermenting yeasts in stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)

Most wood-feeding insects need an association with microbes to utilize wood as food, and some have special organs to store and convey the microbes. We report here the discovery of the microbe-storage organ (mycangium) in stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), which develop in decayed wood. The mycangium, which was discovered in the abdomen, is present in all adult females of 22 lucanid species examined in this study, but absent in adult males. By contrast, adult insects of both sexes of selected Passalidae, Geotrupidae, and Scarabaeidae, which are related to Lucanidae, lacked mycangia similar to those of the lucanid species. Yeast-like microbes were isolated from the mycangium of five lucanid species. DNA sequence analyses indicate that the microbes are closely related to the xylose-fermenting yeasts Pichia stipitis, Pichia segobiensis, or Pichia sp. known from the gut of a passalid species.     

中国资源性产业空间演变特征

受制于生产过程对资源的依赖性,资源禀赋条件被视为资源性产业在空间上集聚的主要原因。随着资源枯竭、环境能源压力上升,以及交通条件改善、技术进步和贸易条件改善等外部因素的变化,资源性产业有条件摆脱资源依赖,导致资源性产业格局发生变化。研究借助空间基尼系数及其分解,并通过进一步细分产业与地理空间,刻画了中国1998—2007年资源性产业的集聚变化特征,结果发现：① 资源性产业的空间集聚程度总体表现平稳,但其背后隐含着显著的空间格局变动。采掘业由于生产投入要素在空间上的灵活性较弱,故集聚程度整体高于资源性加工业,但采掘业集聚中心表现出更为显著的分散化特征。② 采掘业的空间格局与资源分布特征紧密相关,主要在内陆地区集聚。资源性加工制造业则主要在东部沿海地区集聚,或与其较好的制造业基础有关。虽然采掘业和资源性加工制造业空间均存在显著动态变化,但并未打破这一分异格局。产业亦未表现出沿港口集聚的特征。而资源型城市仍以采掘业集聚为主,资源性加工制造业的集聚特征并不显著,反映出资源型城市转型仍面临较大压力。     

基于ARDL方法的江苏省资源利用与经济增长

资源利用与经济增长间的关系是资源与环境经济学研究的重要领域.目前国内外研究主要集中于探讨能源消费与经济增长间的因果关系,而未对区域资源总体投入与经济产出的关系开展实证研究.以江苏省为例,首次尝试运用物质流分析法以及最新发展的自回归分布滞后模型(ARDL),对江苏省1990—2007年资源利用和实际GDP的因果关系进行检验和分析.采用了物质流分析指标中直接物质投入来表征区域资源利用量.ARDL边界检验结果表明,资源利用和经济增长间存在稳定的长期均衡关系.进一步因果检验表明,二者间存在着从资源利用到经济增长的单向格兰杰因果关系,反映出资源投入在一定程度上拉动了江苏经济增长.同时,对江苏省经济增长和资源保护战略提出了政策建议.      

资源补偿不足问题及其对策

资源不仅具有使用价值,也具有价值。针对我国社会再生产过程中普遍存在的资源补偿不足问题,提出完善国民经济核算体系,建立有效的资源补偿机制以及有偿使用资源的对策。     

基于投影寻踪的资源环境综合绩效评估方法研究

资源环境综合绩效评估是建设节约型社会的一项基础工作.在传统的资源环境综合绩效指数中,各种资源消耗和污染物排放绩效的权重相等,导致综合评价结果的合理性受到影响.针对该问题,通过构建投影指标函数和采用遗传算法对投影方向进行优化,提出了基于投影寻踪的资源环境综合绩效评估方法,并应用于2007年中国各省、直辖市和自治区的资源环境绩效评估.研究结果表明,中国资源环境绩效水平空间差异明显,呈现东部高西部低的特征,因此必须合理调整西部地区的经济结构,提高资源利用效率和加强环境保护,实现可持续发展.该方法的权重取值较为客观和科学,评估结果合理,值得推广应用.     

Phenotypic assortment by body shape in wild-caught fish shoals

Phenotypic variation plays a critical role in determining the structural organisation and ecological function of wild populations. Animal groups are often structured according to factors such as species, sex, body size and parasite load, but it is unclear whether body shape also influences patterns of social organisation, and thus contributes to population phenotypic structure. Here, we use geometric morphometric analyses to determine whether wild-caught shoals of a freshwater fish, the western rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis), are structured according to body size and shape. Using randomisation analyses, we show that the level of variation in size and shape observed in natural group assemblages is lower than that expected under a null model of random shoal composition. In addition, we found evidence of further phenotypic structuring along an upstream-downstream environmental gradient. The putative benefits of morphological assortment include a reduction in predation risk (due to prey oddity and predator confusion effects) and increased hydrodynamic or foraging efficiency. We suggest that morphological variation is a neglected component of population social organisation that can affect population processes, such as patterns of gene flow, and ecological interactions, such as predator-prey dynamics.     

不同类型国家资源战略实施的启示及我国资源战略的选择

资源战略是经济发展战略的重要组成部分。不同的国家有着不同的资源战略。本文通过对不同类型国家资源战略实施成败的分析，从中总结了３点有益的启示：①世界经济发展中的相互依赖越来越强；②资源战略的选择要符合本国的实际；③经济结构要多样化。本文还对我国高耗、低效、封闭式的资源战略的形成作了深入的分析，并提出了我国资源战略选择的４个主要方面：①多样化是中国资源战略的出发点；②充分利用国内资源，积极利用国外资源是我国资源战略的核心；③保护资源与环境是我国资源战略的重要组成部分；④建立资源节约型国民经济体系，是我国资源战略的目标。