鄱阳湖康山和都昌水鸟多样性动态研究

2017—2019年,采用样区直数法对鄱阳湖区康山湖区候鸟自然保护区(简称康山)和都昌候鸟自然保护区(简称都昌)水鸟多样性进行调查,共记录水鸟9目12科48种159 701只,其中康山38种38 074只,都昌42种121 627只。记录到国家I级重点保护鸟类5种,分别为中华秋沙鸭(Mergus squamatus)、白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)、白头鹤(Grus monacha)、东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)和黑鹳(Ciconia nigra);国家Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类5种。国家保护动物种类和主要类群在康山和都昌分布差异较大,2个保护区在水鸟保护上各有优势。2个保护区水鸟优势种共计10种,其中,康山水鸟优势种有8种,包括雁鸭类和鹬类等,都昌仅记录3种水鸟优势种,均为雁鸭类。调查期内,每年康山水鸟物种数、个体数和群落优势度指数均低于都昌,水鸟多样性指数和均匀度指数则高于都昌。推测这种差异与2个保护区的微生境有关。康山和都昌水鸟物种的差异,体现2个保护区在国家重点保护鸟类和优势水鸟的保护上起到了生态功能互补作用,应继续加强对2个保护区的保护。     

我国自然保护区建设及其对生物多样性的保护

到1991年底,我国共建立各种类型自然保护区708个,总面积56066.6kha,约占国土面积的5.54％。本文从我国森林、草原、荒漠、内陆湿地和水域、海洋、海岸等生态系统类型自然保护区以及野生动、植物类型自然保护区的建设着手,全面分析了我国自然保护区建设对生物多样性保护的贡献和存在的不足。     

中国高等植物就地保护状况评价

基于对1 458个自然保护区内高等植物数据的分析,将我国36 866种高等植物的就地保护水平划分为有效保护、较好保护、一般保护、较少保护、保护状况不明、未受保护和未予评价7个等级,并对各高等植物的就地保护状况进行了逐一评价。结果表明,28 385种高等植物在自然保护区内得到不同程度的就地保护,占评价高等植物总数(不含仅分布于港澳台地区的高等植物,下同)的81.25%;保护状况不明或未受保护的高等植物有6 552种,占评价高等植物总数的18.75%。另外,仅分布于中国港澳台地区的高等植物有1 929种,约占我国高等植物总数(36 866种)的5.23%。该研究在类群水平上分别对被子植物、裸子植物、蕨类植物和苔藓植物的就地保护成效进行评价,并为我国高等植物的就地保护提出有针对性的对策建议。     

南岳自然保护区兽类资源考察报告

南岳自然保护区野生兽类动物资源丰富,共有33种,包括7目16科,属东洋界的25种,占75.8 %,属古北界的7种,占24.2 %.区内珍稀动物种类多,有大灵猫、小灵猫、野猪、穿山甲、林麝、獐等6种国家二级保护动物,12种湖南省重点保护动物.区内兽类动物由于偷猎乱捕,有些种类如华南虎、云豹已灭绝,有些动物种类已濒临灭绝,采取措施保护已刻不容缓.     

白龟湖自然保护区冬季鸟类多样性分析

鸟类是湿地生态系统的重要组成成分,也被认为是最好的生物指示物种。2019年12月至2021年12月采用样线法和样点法对白龟湖自然保护区鸟类多样性进行调查,共记录到鸟类94种,隶属于13目34科。其中,国家Ⅰ级保护动物2种,国家Ⅱ级保护动物11种,河南省重点保护鸟类4种。自然保护区内鸟类Shannon-Wiener指数(H)为3.71,均匀度指数(J)为0.57,Simpson指数(D)为0.84,Margalef指数(M)为9.73,优势种为白骨顶(Fulica atra)。IUCN红色名录濒危等级中极危1种,濒危2种,近危2种,易危1种。东洋界、古北界和广布种鸟类分别为9、34和51种。冬候鸟、夏候鸟、留鸟和旅鸟分别为30、9、26和29种。不同生境中多样性指数也有所不同,H、J和D指数均以乡村农田、人工灌木丛和公园生境为较高,以湖泊、河流河汊和石滩滩涂生境为较低;但M指数以湖泊、乡村农田和河流河汊生境为较高,以公园、人工灌木丛和石滩滩涂生境为较低。此次调查不仅丰富了白龟湖自然保护区鸟类名录,而且为保护该湿地冬季鸟类提供了科学依据。     

贵州赤水桫椤自然保护区建立的意义和作用

贵州赤水桫椤自然保护区是一个以保护珍稀濒危物种为主的保护区,建立于1984年9月,重点保护桫椤和小黄花茶。作者较为详尽地介绍了该自然保护区的基本特点、经营管理的主要经验、发展远景,以及提出了有效管理该保护区的意见。     

广州南沙湿地鸟类群落组成、多样性和保护策略

采用系统抽样技术和样带法，对广州南沙地区湿地鸟类群落进行了研究，共记录到95种，隶属15目34科68属。国家Ⅱ类保护种类11种，广东省重点保护鸟类16种。东洋界鸟类44种，古北界种类41种，广布型种类10种。鸟类群落多样性以近岸及海岸湿地最高，多样性指数3．4250，均匀性指数0．8711。南沙地区湿地鸟类资源丰富，分析了鸟类的重要性和稀缺性，开发建设必须正确处理湿地鸟类保护的关系，实现生态环境可持续发展，并提出厂相应的保护措施。     

珠江口大襟岛中华白海豚保护区水质评价及影响因素分析

中华白海豚（Sousa chinensis）是国家一级重点保护的濒危野生动物,在我国主要分布在广东珠江口、福建九龙江口和广西钦州海域.大襟岛中华白海豚自然保护区位于珠江口大襟岛近海,区内共有10余种珍稀濒危物种,也是至今为止我国海域已知的第二大中华白海豚集中分布区域,不仅数量集中,而且拥有完整的世代结构．     

贡嘎山鸟类的多样性、分布及区系

鸟类是环境质量的指示物种,开展鸟类多样性的研究有助于了解区域生物多样性的现状和格局,为生物多样性的保护和管理提供科学参考. 2011-2018年采用固定样线法并辅以红外相机拍摄法,对贡嘎山东坡和西坡的鸟类进行调查.共记录到鸟类259种,隶属14目52科.其中非雀形目13目15科63种,雀形目37科196种,国家Ⅰ级重点保护鸟类5种,国家Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类20种,中国特有鸟类15种.贡嘎山区域以留鸟为主,达179种(占69.1%),夏候鸟63种,冬候鸟9种,旅鸟8种;鸟类多样性整体上呈现中锋分布模式,即以中海拔带鸟类的多样性最为丰富.东西坡鸟类的多样性和区系差异较大,东坡鸟类多样性高于西坡,虽均以东洋界物种为主,但古北界鸟种在西坡所占的比例高于东坡.本研究为贡嘎山自然保护区增加鸟类新纪录11种.(图1表4参28)     

中国自然保护区社区居民分布现状及其影响

自然保护区的建立为生物多样性就地保护提供了最基本的保障。随着我国保护力度的加强,社区发展与资源保护的矛盾日益凸显,如何协调好保护与发展的矛盾已成为自然保护区管理的核心工作之一。基于自然保护区基础调查项目,并结合历年研究资料,综合分析了我国自然保护区内社区居民分布状况及其对自然保护区的影响。结果表明,截至2014年底,全国1 657个已界定范围边界的自然保护区内共分布有居民1 256万人,平均人口密度约为0.1人·hm-2;社区居民对自然保护区的影响主要涉及土地资源、野生动植物及环境质量等。该研究系统地厘清了我国自然保护区社区居民的分布状况及其对自然保护区的影响方式,这对于制定相关保护管理政策以及促进自然保护区与社区经济的协调发展具有十分重要的意义。     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

Representation of the world's biophysical conditions by the global protected area network

Protected areas (PAs) are often implemented without consideration of already existing PAs, which is likely to cause an overrepresentation of certain biophysical conditions. We assessed the representativeness of the current PA network with regard to the world's biophysical conditions to highlight which conditions are underprotected and where these conditions are located. We overlaid terrestrial and marine PAs with information on biophysical conditions (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and elevation) and then quantified the percentage of area covered by the PA network. For 1 variable at a time in the terrestrial realm, high temperature, low precipitation, and medium and very high elevation were underrepresented. For the marine realm, low and medium sea surface temperature (SST), medium and high sea surface salinity (SSS), and the deep sea were underrepresented. Overall, protection was evenly distributed for elevation across the terrestrial realm and SST across the marine realm. For 2 variables at a time, cold and very dry terrestrial environments had mostly low protection, which was also the case for low SST and low and medium SSS across most depths for marine environments. Low protection occurred mostly in the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula for the terrestrial realm and along the Tropic of Capricorn and toward the poles for the marine realm. Although biodiversity measures are of prime importance for the design of PA networks, highlighting biophysical gaps in current PAs adds a frequently overlooked perspective. These gaps may weaken the potential of PAs to conserve biodiversity. Thus, our results may provide useful insights for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to establish a more comprehensive global PA network.     

Quantitative composition of the defensive secretion ofBledius species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) is adapted to naturally occurring predators

Summary The adaptation of defensive secretions to their target organisms was examined for the abdominal gland secretions ofBledius furcatus, B. spectabilis andB. arenarius. Therefore the target organisms of the secretion of theseBledius species (i.e. their predators) had to be identified. At the collection sites examined these were the earwigLabidura riparia, the antCataglyphis bicolor, the flyLispe candicans, different carabids of the generaPogonus, Dichirotrichus, Dyschirius, Bembidion andCalathus and the wading birdsHaematopus ostralegus andCalidris alba. The secretion of the abdominal glands contains the toxin ptoluquinone dissolved in either-dodecalactone and 1-undecene (B. furcatus andB. spectabilis) or in octanoic acid and octyloctanoate (B. arenarius). The ratio of these solvents is species-specific. Application experiments using some of the natural insect predators (L. riparia, C. bicolor, Pogonus, Di. gustavii, Dyschirius) revealed that these solvent ratios provided a more effective deterrent than other possible ratios. Thus by combining the solvents in certain ratios, the capability of cuticular penetration and therefore the effectiveness of the defensive secretions are adapted to their natural targets.     

Democracy versus development: New urban debates

The politics of development includes subtexts of choice, as underpinned by community consensus (or lack of it), against the larger backdrop of a liberal democracy, with its intricate power structures that influence the choice of concepts and often lead to complicity rather than consent. A dilemma exists between the understanding of field-level practitioners and that of academics, whose understandings of progress differ. Progress can (and often does) imply long-term change across generations whereas development is often more a matter of crisis management and delivering tangible results to end-users. This makes it a bone of contention across political systems, irrespective of local or global dynamics. Development can emerge as a tool to be wielded for power and further political mileage at the expense of progress. Progress cannot be studied as a counterpoint to development as the sense of history is often missing in development interventions. Development tends to be piecemeal as its very logic often stems from the rationale of power. This is not to suggest, however, that development is only about politics; it is definitely more than the politics of everyday life and involves all of civil society that requires its critical and immediate attention. In this sense, it has become a priority for politicians with an underlying agenda designed to out-manouevre dissent and all statements of protest.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

A framework to measure the wildness of managed large vertebrate populations

As landscapes continue to fall under human influence through habitat loss and fragmentation, fencing is increasingly being used to mitigate anthropogenic threats and enhance the commercial value of wildlife. Subsequent intensification of management potentially erodes wildness by disembodying populations from landscape-level processes, thereby disconnecting species from natural selection. Tools are needed to measure the degree to which populations of large vertebrate species in formally protected and privately owned wildlife areas are self-sustaining and free to adapt. We devised a framework to measure such wildness based on 6 attributes relating to the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of vertebrates (space, disease and parasite resistance, exposure to predation, exposure to limitations and fluctuations of food and water supply, and reproduction). For each attribute, we set empirical, species-specific thresholds between 5 wildness states based on quantifiable management interventions. We analysed data from 205 private wildlife properties with management objectives spanning ecotourism to consumptive utilization to test the framework on 6 herbivore species representing a range of conservation statuses and commercial values. Wildness scores among species differed significantly, and the proportion of populations identified as wild ranged from 12% to 84%, which indicates the tool detected site-scale differences both among populations of different species and populations of the same species under different management regimes. By quantifying wildness, this framework provides practitioners with standardized measurement units that link biodiversity with the sustainable use of wildlife. Applications include informing species management plans at local scales; standardizing the inclusion of managed populations in red-list assessments; and providing a platform for certification and regulation of wildlife-based economies. Applying this framework may help embed wildness as a normative value in policy and mitigate the shifting baseline of what it means to truly conserve a species.     

Sexual Predators,Energy Development,and Conservation in Greater Yellowstone

Abstract: In the United States, as elsewhere, a growing debate pits national energy policy and homeland security against biological conservation. In rural communities the extraction of fossil fuels is often encouraged because of the employment opportunities it offers, although the concomitant itinerant workforce is often associated with increased wildlife poaching. We explored possible positive and negative factors associated with energy extraction in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), an area known for its national parks, intact biological diversity, and some of the New World's longest terrestrial migrations. Specifically, we asked whether counties with different economies—recreation (ski), agrarian (ranching or farming), and energy extractive (petroleum)—differed in healthcare (gauged by the abundance of hospital beds) and in the frequency of sexual predators. The absolute and relative frequency of registered sex offenders grew approximately two to three times faster in areas reliant on energy extraction. Healthcare among counties did not differ. The strong conflation of community dishevel, as reflected by in‐migrant sexual predators, and ecological decay in Greater Yellowstone is consistent with patterns seen in similar systems from Ecuador to northern Canada, where social and environmental disarray exist around energy boomtowns. In our case, that groups (albeit with different aims) mobilized campaigns to help maintain the quality of rural livelihoods by protecting open space is a positive sign that conservation can matter, especially in the face of rampant and poorly executed energy extraction projects. Our findings further suggest that the public and industry need stronger regulatory action to instill greater vigilance when and where social factors and land conversion impact biological systems.     

Comparison of the insecticidal effects of water extracted and intact aromatic plants onAcanthoscelides obtectus,a bruchid beetle pest of kidney beans

Summary Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) is one of the most damaging pests of kidney beans,Phaseolus vulgaris L. worldwide. However, aromatic plants from the families Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Poaceae can protect kidney beans by direct or delayed insecticidal effect, through increased adult mortality and inhibition of beetle reproduction (both oviposition and adult emergence). The efficiency of hydrodistillated and intact plants fromThymus vulgaris andT. serpyllum, Mentha piperata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Satureia hortensis, Eucalyptus globulus, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare, andCymbopogon nardus was compared. For both extracts,Origanum vulgare had the best effect. The insecticidal effect was induced by more than the essential oils because no significant difference was noticed between distilled and intact plants extract. Inhibition of reproduction was particularly important. These results suggest that lipidic as well as non lipidic, allelochemicals, such as phenolics, or non-protein amino-acids, or flavonoids may be involved in the toxicity of aromatic plants to this beetle.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.