Atmospheric Change and Biodiversity

Strategies to conserve biodiversity need to include the monitoring, modelling, adaptation and regulation of the composition of the atmosphere. Atmospheric issues include climate variability and extremes; climate change; stratospheric ozone depletion; acid deposition; photochemical pollution; suspended particulate matter; and hazardous air pollutants. Coarse filter and fine filter approaches have been used to understand the complexity of the interactions between the atmosphere and biodiversity. In the first approach, climate-based models, using GIS technology, helped create future biodiversity scenarios under a 2 × CO₂ atmosphere. In the second approach, the SI/MAB forest biodiversity monitoring protocols helped calibrate the climate-forest biodiversity baseline and, as global diagnostics, helped identify where the biodiversity was in equilibrium with the present climate. Forest climate monitoring, an enhancing protocol, was used in a co-location approach to define the thermal buffering capacity of forest ecosystems and their ability to reduce and ameliorate global climate variability, extremes and change.     

Disembodied and Disembedded? The Social and Economic Implications of Atmospheric Change and Biodiversity

The social and economic implications of atmospheric change on biodiversity need to be seen in a global context of major shifts in the conceptualization and management of our relationship with nature. Traditionally, we have conceptualized the atmosphere and the other creatures of the biosphere as separate from the human, but their quasi-autonomy is now becoming subject to more and more human management. This raises not only economic issues, but social, political, and ethical concerns that will have substantial influence on public policy. Among these are the commodification of genetic material; the privatization of traditional knowledge; and the management of information. In this broader context, the paper examines an array of current and proposed strategies of response to changes in biodiversity as a result of climatic and other stresses.     

Atmospheric Change, Forests and Biodiversity

Predicted atmospheric change, mainly climate change, will have profound effects on the biodiversity of Canadian forests. Predictions derived from forest models, responses of species and ecosystems related to modern ecological characteristics and paleoecological studies suggest large-scale, wide-ranging changes from the biome to physiological levels. Paleoecological analogues in B.C. and other parts of Canada reveal that major changes must be expected in forest composition, range, structure and ecological processes. In B.C., past warmer and drier climates supported a different forest pattern, including forest types with no modern analogue. This produced dramatically different disturbance regimes, specifically more fires, and affected tree growth rates. The relationship of forests with non-forest habitats, especially wetlands and grasslands was different suggesting implications for wildlife biodiversity. British Columbia's Forest Practices Code prescribes guidelines for biodiversity objectives but ignores the issue of atmospheric change. This omission may result from a lack of understanding of the profound potential effects of atmospheric change on forest biodiversity in the next harvest cycle and lack of mechanisms to assess impacts and develop management strategies for specific sites. An example of a simple paleoecological assessment method involving pollen ratios is proposed.     

Atmospheric Change and Biodiversity in the Arctic

The Canadian Arctic is characterized by a high variation in landform types and there are complex interactions between land, water and the atmosphere which dramatically affect the distribution of biota. Biodiversity depends upon the intensity, predictability and scale of these interactions. Observations, as well as predictions of large-scale climate models which include ocean circulation, reveal an anomalous cooling of northeastern Canada in recent decades, in contrast to the overall significant increase in average annual temperature in the Northern Hemisphere. Predictions from models are necessary to forecast the change in the treeline in the 21st century which may lead to a major loss of tundra. The rate of change in vegetation in response to climate change is poorly understood. The treeline in central Canada, for example, is showing infilling with trees, and in some locations, northerly movement of the boundary. The presence of sea ice in Hudson Bay and other coastal areas is a major factor affecting interactions between the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Loss of ice and therefore hunting of seals by polar bears will reduce bear and arctic fox populations within the region. In turn, this is likely to have significant effects on their herbivorous prey populations and forage plants. Further, the undersurface of sea ice is a major site for the growth of algae and marine invertebrates which in turn act as food for the marine food web. A rise in sea-level may flood coastal saltmarsh communities leading to changes in plant assemblages and a decline in foraging by geese and other consumers. The anomalous cooling in the eastern Arctic, primarily in late winter and early spring, has interrupted northern migration of breeding populations of geese and ducks and led to increased damage to vegetation in southern arctic saltmarshes as a result of foraging. It is likely that there has been a significant loss of invertebrates in those areas where the vegetation has been destroyed. Warming will have major effects on permafrost distribution and on ground-ice resulting in a major destabilization of slopes and slumping of soil, and disruption of tundra plant communities. Disruption of peat and moss surfaces lead to loss of insulation, an increase in active-layer depth and changes in drainage and plant assemblages. Increases of UV-B radiation will strongly affect vulnerable populations of both plants and animals. The indigenous peoples will face major changes in life style, edibility of food and health standards, if there is a significant warming trend. The great need is for information which is sensitive to the changes and will assist in developing an understanding of the complex interactions of the arctic biota, human populations and the physical environment.     

Atmospheric Change and Biodiversity: Co-Networks and Networking

Canada responded to the Global Biodiversity Convention by completing the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy in 1995. At the same time, Environment Canada also completed a national Science Assessment on Biodiversity. During this period, the Smithsonian Institution, in partnership with Parks and Environment Canada, initiated the implementation of a global biodiversity monitoring program in Canada. Under the auspices of the United Nations Man and the Biosphere Program, the SI/MAB monitoring protocols and plots have spread across Canada at an unprecedented rate. National champions in the science and educational sectors, working within an inter-disciplinary ecological framework, have guided the development, education, quality control and sharing of atmosphere-biodiversity observations electronically.Atmospheric-Biodiversity Networks and Networking have traditionally operated within separate mandates with little degree of integration. Air-Bio Networks were designed within an integrated framework to better understand the atmospheric stress on biodiversity and the adaptation actions, nationally and regionally. Detailed examples of the cumulative effects of climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, acid deposition, ground-level ozone, suspended particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants on biodiversity will be discussed using a Southern Ontario case study. In addition, recommendations will be presented for future paired SI/MAB plots, linked networks and networking for adaptation within the context of climate, chemical and ecological gradients.     

Influences of Climatic Change on Some Ecological Processes of an Insect Outbreak System in Canada's Boreal Forests and the Implications for Biodiversity

Insect outbreaks are a major disturbance factor in Canadian forests. If global warming occurs, the disturbance patterns caused by insects may change substantially, especially for those insects whose distributions depend largely on climate. In addition, the likelihood of wildfire often increases after insect attack, so the unpredictability of future insect disturbance patterns adds to the general uncertainty of fire regimes. The rates of processes fundamental to energy, nutrient, and biogeochemical cycling are also affected by insect disturbance, and through these effects, potential changes in disturbance patterns indirectly influence biodiversity. A process-level perspective is advanced to describe how the major insect outbreak system in Canadian forests, that of the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem. [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae]), might react to global warming. The resulting scenarios highlight the possible importance of natural selection, extreme weather, phenological relationships, complex feedbacks, historical conditions, and threshold behavior. That global warming already seems to be affecting the lifecycles of some insects points to the timeliness of this discussion. Some implications of this process-level perspective for managing the effects of global warming on biodiversity are discussed. The value of process-level understanding and high-resolution, long-term monitoring in attacking such problems is emphasized. It is argued that a species-level, preservationist approach may have unwanted side-effects, be cost-ineffective, and ecologically unsustainable.     

水生态系统健康评价研究进展

河湖水环境管理与生态系统健康评价密切相关,水生态系统健康评价是目前水环境管理重要的技术手段之一,可为合理开发利用水资源和水环境生态恢复提供科学指导,对水生态环境监测和管理具有重要意义。列举当前国内外研究河湖水生态系统健康的方法与技术,通过对比分析国内外河湖水生态系统健康评价的评价指标和优缺点,总结了常用的几种评价方法并展开评述,提出未来河湖生态管理的发展方向,为推进水环境治理等工作提供相应的参考。     

The Impact of Climate Change on Mammal Diversity in Canada

Current large-scale mammalian diversity patterns in Canada can be accurately explained using various measurements of heat energy. Unfortunately, climatic change is predicted to alter the fundamental climatic basis for contemporary diversity gradients, with the expected consequence that much of the Canadian biota will need to migrate in order to remain within climatically suitable regions. We make predictions regarding future mammal diversity patterns in Canada, and therefore provide a preliminary indication of where management intervention should be directed in order to conserve mammal diversity as climate changes. We also examine the current distributions of individual mammal species in Canada in order to determine which taxa cannot migrate farther north because of the Arctic Ocean barrier. Of the 25 species that fall into this category, we examine the predicted loss of habitat in one keystone species – Dicrostonyx groenlandicus, the collared lemming – and find that this taxon is likely to lose approximately 60% of its habitat with unpredictable but likely detrimental consequences for the arctic biota. We discuss the implications of our findings briefly.     

Holling's Figure-Eight Model: A Technical Reevaluation in Relation to Climate Change and Biodiversity

Holling proposed a four-phase conceptual model of ecosystem dynamics that includes exploitation, conservation, and destructive and renewal components to explain the failure of many natural resource management schemes. The model is drawn as a sideways figure-eight i.e. . There are two dimensions in this model, connectivity (abscissa) and the amount of capital stored in the system (ordinate). This conceptual model has been suggested as a guide to thinking about the impact of climate change on biodiversity, but the two dimensions are insufficient and the alignment of the figure-eight model is problematic when compared with actual data. Kay has adjusted the dimensions of the figure-eight model and renamed the abscissa as exergy stored and the ordinate as exergy consumed. We realign the original figure-eight model, labeling the abscissa as carbon stored and the ordinate as nutrients, such that the relative values of both axes are in qualitative agreement with data from four different studies. This new alignment is then shown to fit relatively well with Holling's original labels. This revision of the figure-eight model brings Holling's model into agreement with observations and provides insight into the linkages between biodiversity and climate change.     

The Biodiversity Crisis and Adaptation to Climate Change: A Case Study from Australia's Forests

If current trends continue, human activities will drastically alter most of the planet's remaining natural ecosystems and their composite biota within a few decades. Compounding the impacts on biodiversity from deleterious management practices is climate variability and change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently concluded that there is ample evidence to suggest climate change is likely to result in significant impacts on biological diversity. These impacts are likely to be exacerbated by the secondary effects of climate change such as changes in the occurrence of wildfire, insect outbreaks and similar disturbances. Current changes in climate are very different from those of the past due to their rate and magnitude, the direct effects of increased atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and because highly modified landscapes and an array of threatening processes limit the ability of terrestrial ecosystems and species to respond to changed conditions. One of the primary human adaptation option for conserving biodiversity is considered to be changes in management. The complex and overarching nature of climate change issues emphasises the need for greatly enhanced cooperation between scientists, policy makers, industry and the community to better understand key interactions and identify options for adaptation. A key challenge is to identify opportunities that facilitate sustainable development by making use of existing technologies and developing policies that enhance the resilience of climate-sensitive sectors. Measures to enhance the resilience of biodiversity must be considered in all of these activities if many ecosystem services essential to humanity are to be sustained. New institutional arrangements appear necessary at the regional and national level to ensure that policy initiatives and research directed at assessing and mitigating the vulnerability of biodiversity to climate change are complementary and undertaken strategically and cost-effectively. Policy implementation at the national level to meet responsibilities arising from the UNFCCC (e.g., the Kyoto Protocol) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity require greater coordination and integration between economic sectors, since many primary drivers of biodiversity loss and vulnerability are influenced at this level. A case study from the Australian continent is used to illustrate several key issues and discuss a basis for reform, including recommendations for facilitating adaptation to climate variability and change.     

阿图什市空气质量变化趋势分析

分析了阿图什市“八五”至“九五”期间空气质量监测数据不同年度、不同季节及不同污染因子的动态变化趋势．结合当地能源结构、气候特征、城市环境综合发展水平，指出影响阿图什市空气质量的主要因素，为防治和减轻阿图什市的空气污染提供了科学依据。     

典型金属冶炼城市降尘中重金属污染特征及风险评价

2021年1-3月,采集湖南省某典型金属冶炼城市不同功能区的降尘样品,分析测定了17种重金属元素含量,其中15种重金属元素含量超出了湖南背景值,分别为Ag、Fe、Cd、Ti、Sb、Tl、Pb、As、Zn、Cu、Mo、Ni、Cr、Ba、Mn。采用地累积指数法、潜在生态危害指数法和健康风险评价模型对大气降尘中重金属可能造成的生态风险和健康风险进行评价。结果表明:受长期的有色金属冶炼影响,Ag、Cd、Fe、Sb、Ti、Tl 6种重金属达到了极重度污染,Pb、As、Zn、Cu、Mo在中度污染程度以上。工业区的综合生态危害指数远高于工业居民混合区、工业农业混合区、居民区和交通区,达到了极强生态危害级别。健康风险评价结果显示:大气降尘中As和Pb存在非致癌风险,As、Cd和Ni存在致癌风险,且经口摄入是最主要的暴露途径。与青少年和儿童相比,大气降尘中重金属对成人造成的风险较高,且成年女性面临的风险高于成年男性。     

伊宁市空气质量动态变化趋势分析

分析了伊宁市空气质量长期监测数据不同月份、不同年度、不同污染因子的动态变化趋势，结合当地能源结构、气候特征、城市环境综合发展水平，指出影响伊宁市空气质量的主要因素，为防治或减轻伊宁市的空气污染提供了科学依据。     

川东北中心城市南充大气污染态势及其主要成因

基于南充市主城区6项大气污染物浓度数据,研究了2014-2020年南充市的空气质量指数、空气质量指数等级和首要污染物的时序分布。结果表明:随着大气污染防治的开展,南充市大气污染物浓度逐渐下降,出现首要污染物的天数逐年减少,空气质量逐步提高。受污染物节律性影响,空气质量呈现明显的季节差异,冬季空气质量最差,春季次之,夏季污染相对较轻,秋季最轻。首要污染物类型的季节分布特征表现为冬季出现首要污染物天数最多,春季和夏季次之,秋季最少。春、秋、冬季以PM_2.5污染为主,夏季以O₃污染为主。从全年来看,与O₃相比,PM_2.5对空气质量的影响更为突出。在持续控制大气污染物排放总量的同时,精细化协同管控细颗粒物、氮氧化物、挥发性有机物和二氧化硫排放将有助于现阶段的大气污染防治。     

大气污染光学遥感技术及发展趋势

空气质量和气候变化是影响人类生存环境的两大主要因素,它们与大气构成变化密切相关,因此,必须对影响人类生存和决定对流层成分的大气过程进行监测。随着监测技术的发展,大气环境监测方法从常规的监测体系向理化、遥测、应急等多种监测分析方法相结合的综合监测技术方向发展。基于激光/光谱的大气污染监测技术以光学探测和光谱数据解析为核心,探测大气痕量气体和颗粒物的时空分布特征和输送规律,并逐渐运用于球载、无人机、卫星等区域动态遥测,可为中国大气灰霾形成的关键影响因素识别提供技术支持。     

山东省生物多样性试点评价

以县级行政区域为评价单元,利用现有文献资料和补充调查数据,按照《区域生物多样性评价标准》(HJ 623—2011)规定的评价指标和方法,评价了山东省120个县级行政区域的生物多样性状况,分析了生物多样性状况空间分布规律。评价结果表明:山东省县级行政区域生物多样性指数在23.27~40.24之间变化,县级行政区域生物多样性状况分为"中"和"一般",分别占山东省土地总面积的55.8%和44.2%。鲁中南山地丘陵区和鲁东丘陵区的生物多样性状况好于黄河三角洲、鲁西北和鲁西南平原区。     

京津冀区域大气重污染过程特征初步分析

基于为京津冀区域和城市环境空气质量预报和空气重污染预警业务提供必要基础参考资料和区域重污染发生发展规律认识的需求,应用现有空气监测网2013—2014年度京津冀区域13个城市空气质量监测数据,分析了该区域2013—2014年空气质量整体情况和污染过程的季节变化规律、污染范围,统计了两年间31次区域范围大气重污染过程,并根据污染过程的空气质量变化特点和大气环流形势,着重对31次重污染过程中均压场天气型污染开展分析。结果表明,2013—2014年京津冀区域空气污染形势严峻,全年约有六成日数受颗粒物污染影响;京津冀区域空气污染南北差异显著,有自北向南逐步加重的特点,南部污染严重城市对区域污染贡献巨大,石家庄、保定、邢台、邯郸4城市将PM_(10)、PM_(2.5)年均浓度分别拉升31、16μg/m~3;2013—2014年京津冀区域大范围重污染过程集中发生在秋冬季,两季的污染过程对区域两年PM_(10)、PM_(2.5)平均浓度分别拉升27、21μg/m~3;京津冀区域均压场天气型污染可细分为臭氧型均压场和颗粒物型均压场。当秋冬季出现较小气压梯度、西南小风、逆温层等均压场天气型时,容易造成区域颗粒物污染过程;而春末、夏季出现均压场天气型时,容易造成O_3污染。     

焦作市大气污染物特征和相关性分析

为研究焦作市大气污染特征及其相关性,对2015—2017年焦作市4个国控空气监测点位的监测数据进行统计分析。结果表明:2015—2017年城区环境空气污染SO_2、NO_2、CO、PM_(10)、PM_(2.5)浓度均呈逐年下降趋势;大气污染浓度季节变化特征明显,PM_(10)、PM_(2.5)、SO_2、NO_2、CO的浓度均为冬季最高、夏季最低,空气质量指数也在冬季达到最高值; O_3浓度则为夏季最高、冬季最低。2017年焦作市沙尘天气共计36 d,严重影响了环境空气中颗粒物的浓度。由PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)的比值说明大气颗粒物污染以PM_(2.5)为主。通过SPSS软件分析,SO_2、NO_2、CO、PM_(10)、PM_(2.5)浓度间呈两两正相关,O_3浓度与NO_2、CO呈负相关。     

大气污染源排放清单与环境统计数据的比较分析

比较了大气污染排放清单与环境统计报表的数据采集思路和方法,基于2016年京津冀大气污染传输通道"2+26"城市的排放清单和同年环境统计数据,采用配对样本t检验和相关分析,在总体、城市和行业层面,对SO2、NOx、VOCs等3项污染物排放指标的差异性和一致性进行了比较分析.研究结果表明,排放清单与环境统计数据有显著差异,...     

激光雷达在湖北大气环境监测中的应用

介绍了激光雷达通过垂直扫描、水平扫描和车载走航等方法在湖北大气环境监测中的应用实例。利用地基激光雷达并结合星载激光雷达监测一次沙尘传输过程,沙尘传输高度为500~4 000 m之间,且出现3次尘降,地面PM₁₀出现3次峰值。利用激光雷达探测大气边界层高度,颗粒物浓度受边界层高度影响,当边界层高度降到500 m以下时,PM_2.5浓度达到120 μg/m³,边界层高度上升到1 500 m以上时,PM_2.5浓度降到30 μg/m³以下。利用激光雷达水平扫描技术,对襄阳市高新区污染物的影响进行溯源,监测得出颗粒物浓度上升的主要原因为地面扬尘。利用激光雷达车载走航监测技术,监测黄冈市颗粒物空间分布特征,在不同区域监测到2处污染扩散带,分别位于工业区与生活区。