国际生物多样性日

生物多样性是地球上的生命经过几十亿年发展进化的结果,是人类赖以生存的物质基础。为了保护全球的生物多样性,1992年在巴西当时的首都里约热内卢召开的联合国环境与发展大会上,153个国家签署了《保护生物多样性公约》。1994年12月,联合国大会通过决议,将每年的     

生物多样性:地球的生命之网

生物多样性(Biological diversity)是指地球上的生物(包括动物、植物、微生物)在所有形式、层次和联合体中生命的多样化,包括生态系统多样性、物种多样性和基因多样性。生物多样性是地球上生命经过几十亿年发展进化的结果,它形成了一个生命网,我们人类是这个生命网上的组成部分,并依赖它生存。为了保护全球的生物多样性,1992年在巴西当时的首都里约热内卢召开的联合国环境与发展大会上,153个国家签署了《生物多样性公约》。2001年,联合国大会通过决议,将每年的5月22日定为生物多样性国际日。每年的这一天,世界各国都举行大规模的纪念活动。今年国际生物多样性日的主题为"生物多样性促进可持续发展"。为了让更多的读者了解生物多样性的重要意义,本刊整理出部分有关生物多样性的报道,以飨读者。     

中国生物多样性战略与行动计划

生物多样性战略与行动计划是指导各国开展生物多样性保护与管理,履行《生物多样性公约》的纲领性文件。为了有效地履行《生物多样性公约》,缔约方大会在《公约》生效后的第一项国际重大行动就是要求各国制定"生物多样性国家战略与行动计划"(NBSAP)。到2007年上半年,已有147个缔约国完成了其制定工作,占所有缔约国的77%,中国正在修订之中。     

习近平出席《生物多样性公约》第十五次缔约方大会领导人峰会并发表主旨讲话

正国家主席习近平于10月12日下午以视频方式出席在昆明举行的《生物多样性公约》第十五次缔约方大会领导人峰会并发表主旨讲话。习近平指出,生物多样性使地球充满生机,也是人类生存和发展的基础。保护生物多样性有助于维护地球家园,促进人类可持续发展。昆明《生物多样性公约》第十五次缔约方大会为未来全球生物多样性保护设定目标、明确路径,具有重要意义。国际社会要加强合作,心往一处想、劲往一处使,共建地球生命共同体。     

生物多样性的全球治理

生物多样性问题日益严重,依靠单个国家难以解决,而必须依靠国际社会的共同努力。生物多样性是全球治理的一个重要对象和领域。国家是生物多样性全球治理的基本主体,政府间国际组织是生物多样性全球治理的重要主体,非政府组织和跨国公司是生物多样性全球治理的重要补充,它们均在生物多样性的全球治理中发挥着应有的作用。     

加强国际合作共同推动生物多样性保护目标实现——访国家环保总局副局长李干杰

2007年10月17—18日,由国家环保总局和云南省政府主办,亚洲开发银行、欧盟驻华代表处、德国技术公司协办的"七彩云南"生物多样性国际论坛在昆明召开,国内外专家学者在论坛上就全球的生物多样性保护进行了广泛深入的学术研究和探讨。针对人类活动造成的前所未有的生物多样性丧失的状况,《生物多样性公约》各缔约方承诺到2010年在全球、区域和国家层次上大幅降低目前生物多样性丧失的速度,以此为减轻贫困并造福于地球上所有的生命作出贡献。这就是2010年生物多样性保护目标。这个目标的实现离不开所有国家的努力,中国是较早加入《生物多样性公约》的国家之一。本刊就此采访了国家环保总局副局长李干杰。     

生物多样性保护需要整体性法律规制

正《中华人民共和国国民经济和社会发展第十四个五年规划和二〇三五年远景目标纲要》提出的"实施生物多样性保护重大工程,构筑生物多样性保护网络",明确了新时期我国生物多样性保护的工作任务。2021年4月,我国《生物安全法》的正式实施也反映出生物多样性保护在国家安全体系中的重要地位。联合国《生物多样性公约》第十五次缔约方大会今年10月也将在昆明举行,反映出我国生物多样性保护与生物安全治理工作的国际影响力与话语权的提升。当前,我国生物多样性保护除了需要以保护物种、     

与政府合作,推动政策保护——可资借鉴的TNC的保护实践和理论探索

大自然保护协会多年来在保护生物多样性方面做了大量有益的工作,一方面为中国政府制定《中国生物多样性保护战略与行动计划》提供了重要依据,把生物多样性保护提升到国家战略的高度;另一方面通过探寻气候变化适应途径、保护地建设新模式等手段来实现生物多样性保护和区域经济发展双重目标,从而保障了人类和生物共同的权益和福祉。尽管保护和发展可以并行不悖,但二者间的有机平衡必须得以保障,故科学规划是实现自然保护与社会发展有序化的必要前提。     

国际生物多样性日历年主题

每年的5月22日是国际生物多样性日(International Day For Biological Diversity). L992年12月29日,《生物多样性公约》正式生效。为了纪念这一有意义的日子,根据公约缔约方大会第一次会议的建议,1994年联合国大会通过议案,决定将每年的12月29日定为"国际生物多样性日"。为了更好地开展宣传纪念活动,根据公约缔约方大会第五次会议的建议,联合国的大会通过决议,从2001年起将"国际生物多样性日"由12月29日改为5月22日。这一天是《生物多样性公约》案文通过的日期。     

引领全球生物多样性走向恢复之路

<正>生物多样性是维系地球健康、人类福祉和经济繁荣的基础，是地球生命共同体的血脉和根基。中国作为联合国《生物多样性公约》第十五次缔约方大会（COP15）主席国，在国际社会的大力支持和共同努力下，领导大会围绕“生态文明：共建地球生命共同体”的主题分两个阶段成功召开，推动达成了历史性的兼具雄心和务实平衡的“昆明—蒙特利尔全球生物多样性框架”（以下简称“昆蒙框架”）等一揽子具有里程碑意义的成果，为全球生物多样性治理擘画了蓝图、确定了目标、明确了路径、凝聚了力量，将引领全球生物多样性走上恢复之路，     

Conversion of temperate forests into heaths: Role of ecosystem disturbance and ericaceous plants

Fire and logging in nutrient-poor temperate forests with certain ericaceous understory plants may convert the forests into heaths. The process of disturbance-induced heath formation is documented by using examples ofCalluna in western Europe,Kalmia in Newfoundland, andGaultheria (salal) in coastal British Columbia. In a cool, temperate climate, rapid vegetative growth ofCalluna, Kalmia, and salal following disturbance results in increasing organic accumulation (paludification), nutrient sequestration, soil acidification, and allelochemicals. These are thought to be the main reasons to conifer regeneration failure in disturbed habitats. If continuation in forest is a land-use objective, then temperate forests with an ericaceous understory should not be logged unless effective silvicultural methods are devised to control the ericaceous plants and restore forest regeneration. Preharvest vegetation control may be considered as an option. Failure to control the understory plants may lead to a long-term vegetation shift, from forest to heathland, particularly in nutrient-poor sites. Successful methods of controllingKalmia andGaultheria, however, have yet to be developed. While theKalmia- andGaultheria- dominated heathlands are undesirable in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, a wide range ofCalluna heathlands of western Europe are being conserved as natural and seminatural vegetation.     

Urban ecological systems: scientific foundations and a decade of progress

Urban ecological studies, including focus on cities, suburbs, and exurbs, while having deep roots in the early to mid 20th century, have burgeoned in the last several decades. We use the state factor approach to highlight the role of important aspects of climate, substrate, organisms, relief, and time in differentiating urban from non-urban areas, and for determining heterogeneity within spatially extensive metropolitan areas. In addition to reviewing key findings relevant to each state factor, we note the emergence of tentative "urban syndromes" concerning soils, streams, wildlife and plants, and homogenization of certain ecosystem functions, such as soil organic carbon dynamics. We note the utility of the ecosystem approach, the human ecosystem framework, and watersheds as integrative tools to tie information about multiple state factors together. The organismal component of urban complexes includes the social organization of the human population, and we review key modes by which human populations within urban areas are differentiated, and how such differentiation affects environmentally relevant actions. Emerging syntheses in land change science and ecological urban design are also summarized. The multifaceted frameworks and the growing urban knowledge base do however identify some pressing research needs.     

Using Paleo Reconstructions to Improve Streamflow Forecast Lead Time in the Western United States

In water stressed regions, water managers are exploring new horizons that would help in long‐range streamflow forecasts. Oceanic‐atmospheric oscillations have been shown to influence streamflow variability. In this study, long‐lead time streamflow forecasts are made using a multiclass kernel‐based data‐driven support vector machine (SVM) model. The extended streamflow records based on tree ring reconstructions were used to provide a longer time series data. Reconstructed data were used from 1658 to 1952 and the instrumental record was used from 1953 to 2007. Reconstructions for oceanic‐atmospheric oscillations included the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and North Atlantic Oscillation. Streamflow forecasts using all four oscillations were made with one‐year to five‐year lead times for 21 gages in the western United States. This is the first study that uses both instrumental and reconstructed data of oscillations in SVM model to improve streamflow forecast lead time. SVM model was able to provide “satisfactory” to “very good” forecasts with one‐ to five‐year lead time for the selected gages. The use of all the oscillation indices helped in achieving better predictability compared to using individual oscillations. The SVM modeling results are better when compared with multiple linear regression model forecasts. The findings are statistical in nature and are expected to be useful for long‐term water resources planning and management.     

Neighbourhood characteristics and urban gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area: staffing and voluntarism,food production,infrastructure, and sustainability practices

Urban gardens are important sources of sustenance for communities with limited access to food. Hence, this study focuses on food production in gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area in Northwest Ohio. We administered surveys to 150 garden managers from November 2014 to February 2015 in our attempt to better understand how neighbourhood racial composition and poverty levels are related to staffing and voluntarism, food production and distribution, the development of infrastructure, and the adoption of sustainability practices in urban gardens. The results from 30 gardens are presented in this paper. We used Geographic Information Systems to map the gardens and overlay the map with 2010 census data so that we could conduct demographic analyses of the neighbourhoods in which the gardens were located. Though the gardens were small – two acres or less – up to 46 varieties of food were grown in a single garden. Gardens also operated on small budgets. Food from the gardens was gifted or shared with friends, family, and neighbourhood residents. Gardens in predominantly minority neighbourhoods tended to have fewer institutional partners, less garden infrastructure, and had adopted fewer sustainable practices than gardens in predominantly White neighbourhoods. Nonetheless, residents of predominantly minority and high-poverty neighbourhoods participated in garden activities and influenced garden operations. Volunteering and staffing were racialised and gendered.     

Predicting deer-vehicle collisions in an urban area

Collisions with deer and other large animals are increasing, and the resulting economic costs and risks to public safety have made mitigation measures a priority for both city and wildlife managers. We created landscape models to describe and predict deer-vehicle collision (DVCs) within the City of Edmonton, Alberta. Models based on roadside characteristics revealed that DVCs occurred frequently where roadside vegetation was both denser and more diverse, and that DVCs were more likely to occur when the groomed width of roadside right-of-ways was smaller. No DVCs occurred where the width of the vegetation-free or manicured roadside buffer was greater than 40 m. Landscape-based models showed that DVCs were more likely in more heterogeneous landscapes where road densities were lower and speed limits were higher, and where non-forested vegetation such as farmland was in closer proximity to larger tracts of forest. These models can help wildlife and transportation managers to identify locations of high collision frequency for mitigation. Modifying certain landscape and roadside habitats can be an effective way to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.     

MANGANESE CYCLE IN IMPOUNDMENT WATER

Manganese entering impounded water will undergo a cyclic transformation. Oxidation precipitates manganese from top waters. At the bottom of the lake, biological activity will render manganese soluble by both intracellular as well as extracellular activity. The study was made to demonstrate that biological reduction and transformation, organometallic complexation, together with the presence of carbon dioxide and the lowering of pH all have some effect on the solubility of manganese. Dissolved manganese may be brought back to top waters during the lake overturn and therefore deteriorates the water quality.     

AN APPLICATION RUNOFF MODEL STRATEGY FOR UNGAGED WATERSHEDS1

ABSTRACT: Mathematical models for predicting watershed surface flow responses are available, most of which are elaborate nonlinear numerical surface and channel flow models linked with infiltration models. Such models may be used to make predictions for ungaged areas, assuming an acceptable fitting of the model to the topography and roughness of the real system. For some application purposes, these models are impractical because of their complexity and expensive computer solutions. A procedure is developed that uses a complex model of an ungaged area to derive a simpler parametric nonlinear system model for repetitious simulation with input sequences. The predicted flow outputs are obtained with the simpler model at significant savings of money and time. The procedures for constructing a complex kinematic model of a 40 acre (161,880 m²) reference watershed and deriving the simpler system model are outlined. The results of predictions from both models are compared with a selected set of measured events, all having essentially the same initial conditions. Peak discharges ranged from 3 to 118 ft³/sec (0.085 to 3.34 m³/sec), which includes the largest event of record. The inherent limitations of lumped systems models are demonstrated, including the bias caused by their inability to model infiltration losses after rainfall ceases. Computer costs and times for the models were compared. The derived simple model has a cost advantage when repeated use of a model is required. Such an applications hydrologic model has an engineering tradeoff of reduced accuracy, and lumping bias, but is more economical for certain design purposes.     

Sources and Transport of Phosphorus to Rivers in California and Adjacent States,U.S., as Determined by SPARROW Modeling

The SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression on Watershed attributes) model was used to simulate annual phosphorus loads and concentrations in unmonitored stream reaches in California, U.S., and portions of Nevada and Oregon. The model was calibrated using de‐trended streamflow and phosphorus concentration data at 80 locations. The model explained 91% of the variability in loads and 51% of the variability in yields for a base year of 2002. Point sources, geological background, and cultivated land were significant sources. Variables used to explain delivery of phosphorus from land to water were precipitation and soil clay content. Aquatic loss of phosphorus was significant in streams of all sizes, with the greatest decay predicted in small‐ and intermediate‐sized streams. Geological sources, including volcanic rocks and shales, were the principal control on concentrations and loads in many regions. Some localized formations such as the Monterey shale of southern California are important sources of phosphorus and may contribute to elevated stream concentrations. Many of the larger point source facilities were located in downstream areas, near the ocean, and do not affect inland streams except for a few locations. Large areas of cultivated land result in phosphorus load increases, but do not necessarily increase the loads above those of geological background in some cases because of local hydrology, which limits the potential of phosphorus transport from land to streams.     

Surface applied water treatment residuals affect bioavailable phosphorus losses in Florida sands

Water treatment residuals (WTR) can reduce runoff P loss and surface co-application of P-sources and WTR is a practical way of land applying the residuals. In a rainfall simulation study, we evaluated the effects of surface co-applied P-sources and an Al-WTR on runoff and leacheate bioavailable P (BAP) losses from a Florida sand. Four P-sources, namely poultry manure, Boca Raton biosolids (high water-soluble P), Pompano biosolids (moderate water-soluble P), and triple super phosphate (TSP) were surface applied at 56 and 224kgPha(-1) (by weight) to represent low and high soil P loads typical of P- and N-based amendments rates. The treatments further received surface applied WTR at 0 or 10gWTRkg(-1) soil. BAP loss masses were greater in leachate (16.4-536mg) than in runoff (0.91-46mg), but were reduced in runoff and leachate by surface applied WTR. Masses of total BAP lost in the presence of surface applied WTR were less than approximately 75% of BAP losses in the absence of WTR. Total BAP losses from each of the organic sources applied at N-based rates were not greater than P loss from TSP applied at a P-based rate. The BAP loss at the N-based rate of moderate water-soluble P-source (Pompano biosolids) was not greater than BAP losses at the P-based rates of other organic sources tested. The hazards of excess P from applying organic P-sources at N-based rates are not greater than observed at P-based rates of mineral fertilizer. Results suggest that management of the environmental P hazards associated with N-based rates of organic materials in Florida sands is possible by either applying P-sources with WTR or using a moderate water-soluble P-source.     

Animal Consciousness and Ethics in Asia and the Pacific

The interactions between humans, animals and the environment have shaped human values and ethics, not only the genes that we are made of. The animal rights movement challenges human beings to reconsider interactions between humans and other animals, and maybe connected to the environmental movement that begs us to recognize the fact that there are symbiotic relationships between humans and all other organisms. The first part of this paper looks at types of bioethics, the implications of autonomy and the value of being alive. Then the level of consciousness of these relationships are explored in survey results from Asia and the Pacific, especially in the 1993 International Bioethics Survey conducted in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, The Philippines, Russia, Singapore and Thailand. Very few mentioned animal consciousness in the survey, but there were more biocentric comments in Australia and Japan; and more comments with the idea of harmony including humans in Thailand. Comparisons between questions and surveys will also be made, in an attempt to describe what people imagine animal consciousness to be, and whether this relates to human ethics of the relationships. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.