Testing the field of dreams hypothesis: functional responses to urbanization and restoration in stream ecosystems

As catchments become increasingly urban, the streams that drain them become increasingly degraded. Urban streams are typically characterized by high-magnitude storm flows, homogeneous habitats, disconnected riparian zones, and elevated nitrogen concentrations. To reverse the degradation of urban water quality, watershed managers and regulators are increasingly turning to stream restoration approaches. By reshaping the channel and reconnecting the surface waters with their riparian zone, practitioners intend to enhance the natural nutrient retention capacity of the restored stream ecosystem. Despite the exponential growth in stream restoration projects and expenditures, there has been no evaluation to date of the efficacy of urban stream restoration projects in enhancing nitrogen retention or in altering the underlying ecosystem metabolism that controls instream nitrogen consumption. In this study, we compared ecosystem metabolism and nitrate uptake kinetics in four stream restoration projects within urban watersheds to ecosystem functions measured in four unrestored urban stream segments and four streams draining minimally impacted forested watersheds in central North Carolina, U.S.A. All 12 sites were surveyed in June through August of 2006 and again in January through March of 2007. We anticipated that urban streams would have enhanced rates of ecosystem metabolism and nitrate uptake relative to forested streams due to the increases in nutrient loads and temperature associated with urbanization, and we predicted that restored streams would have further enhanced rates for these ecosystem functions by virtue of their increased habitat heterogeneity and water residence times. Contrary to our predictions we found that stream metabolism did not differ between stream types in either season and that nitrate uptake kinetics were not different between stream types in the winter. During the summer, restored stream reaches had substantially higher rates of nitrate uptake than unrestored or forested stream reaches; however, we found that variation in stream temperature and canopy cover explained 80% of the variation across streams in nitrate uptake. Because the riparian trees are removed during the first stage of natural channel design projects, the restored streams in this study had significantly less canopy cover and higher summer temperatures than the urban and forested streams with which they were compared.     

Alternatives to biodiversity offsets for mitigating the effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems

Globally, offset schemes have emerged in many statutory frameworks relating to development activities, with the aim of balancing biodiversity conservation and development. Although the theory and use of biodiversity offsets in terrestrial environments is broadly documented, little attention has been paid to offsets in stream ecosystems. Here we examine the application of offset schemes to stream ecosystems and explore whether they suffer similar shortcomings to those of offset schemes focused on terrestrial biodiversity. To challenge the applicability of offsets further, we discuss typical trajectories of urban expansion and their cascading physical, chemical and biological impacts on stream ecosystems. We argue that the highly connected nature of stream ecosystems and urban drainage networks can transfer impacts of urbanization across wide areas, complicating the notion of like‐for‐like exchange and the prospect of effectively mitigating biodiversity loss. Instead, we identify in‐catchment options for stormwater control, which can avoid or minimize the impacts of development on downstream ecosystems, while presenting additional public and private benefits. We describe the underlying principles of these alternatives, some of the challenges associated with their uptake, and policy initiatives being trialed to facilitate adoption. In conclusion, we argue that stronger policies to avoid and minimize the impacts of urbanization provide better prospects for protecting downstream ecosystems, and can additionally, stimulate economic opportunities and improve urban liveability.     

Effects of stream restoration on denitrification in an urbanizing watershed.

Increased delivery of nitrogen due to urbanization and stream ecosystem degradation is contributing to eutrophication in coastal regions of the eastern United States. We tested whether geomorphic restoration involving hydrologic "reconnection" of a stream to its floodplain could increase rates of denitrification at the riparian-zone-stream interface of an urban stream in Baltimore, Maryland. Rates of denitrification measured using in situ 15N tracer additions were spatially variable across sites and years and ranged from undetectable to >200 microg N x (kg sediment)(-1) x d(-1). Mean rates of denitrification were significantly greater in the restored reach of the stream at 77.4 +/- 12.6 microg N x kg(-1) x d(-1) (mean +/- SE) as compared to the unrestored reach at 34.8 +/- 8.0 microg N x kg(-1) x d(-1). Concentrations of nitrate-N in groundwater and stream water in the restored reach were also significantly lower than in the unrestored reach, but this may have also been associated with differences in sources and hydrologic flow paths. Riparian areas with low, hydrologically "connected" streambanks designed to promote flooding and dissipation of erosive force for storm water management had substantially higher rates of denitrification than restored high "nonconnected" banks and both unrestored low and high banks. Coupled measurements of hyporheic groundwater flow and in situ denitrification rates indicated that up to 1.16 mg NO3(-)-N could be removed per liter of groundwater flow through one cubic meter of sediment at the riparian-zone-stream interface over a mean residence time of 4.97 d in the unrestored reach, and estimates of mass removal of nitrate-N in the restored reach were also considerable. Mass removal of nitrate-N appeared to be strongly influenced by hydrologic residence time in unrestored and restored reaches. Our results suggest that stream restoration designed to "reconnect" stream channels with floodplains can increase denitrification rates, that there can be substantial variability in the efficacy of stream restoration designs, and that more work is necessary to elucidate which designs can be effective in conjunction with watershed strategies to reduce nitrate-N sources to streams.     

城市化与生态环境响应研究综述

城市化是学者们一直比较关注的重点问题,他们从不同视角对城市化及其过程进行了大量而富有创新的研究,并取得了丰硕的成果。伴随着城市化进程的加快,人们对生态环境问题的关注,城市化与生态环境的响应关系是城市地理新的关注点。文章分别就国内外学者对城市化、城市生态环境、城市化与生态环境响应的研究进行了综述,认为国内外学者对城市化、城市生态环境的研究起步早,成果多,近年来研究范围日益拓展,研究程度日益加深,并加强了新技术新方法的应用。国内学者对城市化的研究集中于城市化道路选择问题的探讨、城市化水平测度以及城市化的动力机制三个方面。对城市生态环境的研究多集中于社会一经济一自然复合生态系统及生态城市的研究。对于城市化与生态环境响应关系的研究则多见于生态学家、经济学家及地理学家的成果中,主要集中在单方面的城市化对生态环境的影响研究,而对于生态环境是怎样反过来影响城市化进程的研究则比较少见。另外,学者们的研究以微观单个影响因子的研究居多,从宏观综合角度出发进行的研究较少。这将是今后研究的一个重点问题。     

城市化与生态环境响应研究综述

城市化是学者们一直比较关注的重点问题,他们从不同视角对城市化及其过程进行了大量而富有创新的研究,并取得了丰硕的成果。伴随着城市化进程的加快,人们对生态环境问题的关注,城市化与生态环境的响应关系是城市地理新的关注点。文章分别就国内外学者对城市化、城市生态环境、城市化与生态环境响应的研究进行了综述,认为国内外学者对城市化、城市生态环境的研究起步早,成果多,近年来研究范围日益拓展,研究程度日益加深,并加强了新技术新方法的应用。国内学者对城市化的研究集中于城市化道路选择问题的探讨、城市化水平测度以及城市化的动力机制三个方面。对城市生态环境的研究多集中于社会—经济—自然复合生态系统及生态城市的研究。对于城市化与生态环境响应关系的研究则多见于生态学家、经济学家及地理学家的成果中,主要集中在单方面的城市化对生态环境的影响研究,而对于生态环境是怎样反过来影响城市化进程的研究则比较少见。另外,学者们的研究以微观单个影响因子的研究居多,从宏观综合角度出发进行的研究较少。这将是今后研究的一个重点问题。     

Collembola dispersion,selection, and biological interactions in urban ecosystems: a review

Environmental and ecological degradation can be monitored by biological indicators such as plants, yet little research has been done using subterranean organisms such as collembola, especially in cities. Collembola, a soil fauna group, can be used to assess soil quality and to decipher assembly rules of soil organisms in cities. Here, we review 75 articles on soil collembola in an urban context. We found that soil properties and landscape characteristics influenced soil communities. There is a need for more connectivity between green urban spaces to allow the dispersion of collembola. Little information is available on the assembly of collembola communities, on biotic interactions and on dynamics of colonisation.

     

Effects of urbanization on the population structure of freshwater turtles across the United States

Landscape‐scale alterations that accompany urbanization may negatively affect the population structure of wildlife species such as freshwater turtles. Changes to nesting sites and higher mortality rates due to vehicular collisions and increased predator populations may particularly affect immature turtles and mature female turtles. We hypothesized that the proportions of adult female and immature turtles in a population will negatively correlate with landscape urbanization. As a collaborative effort of the Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN), we sampled freshwater turtle populations in 11 states across the central and eastern United States. Contrary to expectations, we found a significant positive relationship between proportions of mature female painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) and urbanization. We did not detect a relationship between urbanization and proportions of immature turtles. Urbanization may alter the thermal environment of nesting sites such that more females are produced as urbanization increases. Our approach of creating a collaborative network of scientists and students at undergraduate institutions proved valuable in terms of testing our hypothesis over a large spatial scale while also allowing students to gain hands‐on experience in conservation science.     

Effects of in situ biological treatments on heavy metal release of urban river sediment

A typical fiver in Yangzhou City was used to study the effects of artificial aeration, eco-brick cover, biological packing cover, and low-sited plant floating beds on the release of heavy metals from urban river sediments. This work showed that 1） the Cr release rate was decreased by 50.3%-89.6%, with an average of 59.3%, thereby reducing the Cr pollution load to the overlying water by 36.6%-82.7%, with an average of 53.3%; 2） the Zn release rate was reduced by 21.0%-88.9%, with an average of 42.3%, and the Zn pollution load of the overlying water was reduced by 38.0%-67.1%, with an average of 55.0%; 3） the Cu release rate was reduced by 27.5%-91.0%, with an average of 55.3%, and the Cu load of the overlying water was reduced by 57.1%-83.7%, with an average of 71.7%; 4） the Pb release rate was reduced by 11.8%- 79.3%, with an average of 41.2%, and the Pb pollution load of the overlying water was reduced by -1.3%-70.7%, with an average of 29.8%. We also found that the effects of in situ biological treatments on the release of heavy metals were affected by the extent of sediment disturbance. For integrated applications, high-disturbance treatments should be combined with low-disturbance treatments to reduce the explosive release of pollutants caused by sediment disturbance during the treatment operation to achieve better overall treatment effects.     

Geoadditive regression modeling of stream biological condition

Indices of biotic integrity have become an established tool to quantify the condition of small non-tidal streams and their watersheds. To investigate the effects of watershed characteristics on stream biological condition, we present a new technique for regressing IBIs on watershed-specific explanatory variables. Since IBIs are typically evaluated on an ordinal scale, our method is based on the proportional odds model for ordinal outcomes. To avoid overfitting, we do not use classical maximum likelihood estimation but a component-wise functional gradient boosting approach. Because component-wise gradient boosting has an intrinsic mechanism for variable selection and model choice, determinants of biotic integrity can be identified. In addition, the method offers a relatively simple way to account for spatial correlation in ecological data. An analysis of the Maryland Biological Streams Survey shows that nonlinear effects of predictor variables on stream condition can be quantified while, in addition, accurate predictions of biological condition at unsurveyed locations are obtained.     

Impact of invasive plant and environmental conditions on denitrification potential in urban riparian ecosystems

One of the most serious problems involved in riparian restoration is the proliferation of invasive plants during or after a restoration project. Although many studies have assessed ecological influences of invasive plants, life history in particular, only a few have clarified the functional consequences of such changes. In this study, we aimed to determine the influences of an invasive plant, Humulus japonicus, and environmental conditions on riparian ecosystem functions, focusing on denitrification. Soil samples from five riparian ecosystems in Korea were collected on four occasions over a one-year period, and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) was measured using an acetylene blocking method. DEA varied between 2.5 and>7000 ng N₂O g^?1 soil h^?1. Overall results suggest that DEA was fairly high in winter, but the influences of H. japonicus were minimal. The results suggest that water availability may be a more dominant controlling variable than the presence of H. japonicus for DEA.     

Floodplain restoration enhances denitrification and reach-scale nitrogen removal in an agricultural stream

Streams of the agricultural Midwest, USA, export large quantities of nitrogen, which impairs downstream water quality, most notably in the Gulf of Mexico. The two-stage ditch is a novel restoration practice, in which floodplains are constructed alongside channelized ditches. During high flows, water flows across the floodplains, increasing benthic surface area and stream water residence time, as well as the potential for nitrogen removal via denitrification. To determine two-stage ditch nitrogen removal efficacy, we measured denitrification rates in the channel and on the floodplains of a two-stage ditch in north-central Indiana for one year before and two years after restoration. We found that instream rates were similar before and after the restoration, and they were influenced by surface water NO3- concentration and sediment organic matter content. Denitrification rates were lower on the constructed floodplains and were predicted by soil exchangeable NO3- concentration. Using storm flow simulations, we found that two-stage ditch restoration contributed significantly to NO3- removal during storm events, but because of the high NO3- loads at our study site, < 10% of the NO3- load was removed under all storm flow scenarios. The highest percentage of NO3- removal occurred at the lowest loads; therefore, the two-stage ditch's effectiveness at reducing downstream N loading will be maximized when the practice is coupled with efforts to reduce N inputs from adjacent fields.     

城市化对绿地植物组成特征的影响——以深圳为例

随着对保护生物多样性与消除城市化过程不利影响的日益重视,城市森林结构功能和发展变化已经引起广泛关注。本文基于对深圳特区城市森林详细大量的样方调查,对城市森林植物科属种的成分和地理分布进行了研究。结果表明特区共有植物106科289属445种;其中大戟科、棕榈科、桑科、樟科、桃金娘科、蝶形花科、茜草科、山茶科、禾本科、含羞草科和木兰科11科的属种数占多数,共占101属182种,占总属数的34．95％和总种数的40．9％;在289属中,种数最多的是榕属（18种）,其次是冬青属（9种）,木槿属（6种）,蒲桃属（6种）和润楠属（6种）,共占总属数的1．73％,总种数的10．11％。特区种子植物可戈Ⅱ分为13个分布区类型和14个变型。深圳特区城市森林中的热带成分共有220属,357种,分别占特区植物区系地理成分的80％和83．2％,可以看出,特区较发达的经济水平和快速城市化过程并没有改变其强烈的热带性质。城市森林作为城市生态系统中具有自净功能的重要组分受到了城市化的强烈干扰,不仅表现在景观水平上的生境破碎化,更重要的是在小尺度的物种组成结构中有明显反映,为生物多样性保护和城市森林后期更新与维护带来问题。     

On the intrinsic structure of differential equation models of ecosystems

Some intrinsic properties of differential equation models of ecosystems are formulated. The properties, which are long-termed, are classified into fundamental, stability, and sensitivity substructures. An aspect of the ecological term “resilient” — asymptotic stability uniformly for all small parameter variations — is introduced in a mathematical setting. In the sensitivity substructure, bounded sensitivity and continuity of sensitivity with respect to solutions are recognized as intrinsic properties. Illustrations of these two properties are given.     

Effects of sea urchin disease on coastal marine ecosystems

Outbreaks of disease in herbivorous sea urchins have led to ecosystem phase shifts from urchin barrens to kelp beds (forests) on temperate rocky reefs, and from coral to macroalgal-dominated reefs in the tropics. We analyzed temporal patterns in epizootics that cause mass mortality of sea urchins, and consequent phase shifts, based on published records over a 42-year period (1970–2012). We found no evidence for a general increase in disease outbreaks among seven species of ecologically important and intensively studied sea urchins. Periodic waves of recurrent amoebic disease of Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis in Nova Scotia coincide with periods when the system was in a barrens state and appear to have increased in frequency. In contrast, following a major epizootic that decimated Diadema antillarum throughout the Caribbean in 1983, subsequent outbreaks of disease were highly localized and none have been reported since 1991. Epizootics of Strongylocentrotus in the NW Atlantic and NE Pacific, and Paracentrotus and Diadema in the eastern Atlantic, have been linked to climate change and overfishing of sea urchin predators. The spatial extent of recurrent disease outbreaks in these species, and the frequency of phase shifts associated with these epizootics, has decreased over time due to the expansion of the macroalgal state and its stabilization through positive feedback mechanisms. Longitudinal studies to monitor disease outbreaks in sea urchin populations and improved techniques to identify causative agents are needed to assess changes in the frequency and extent of epizootics, which can profoundly affect the structure and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems.     

城市生态修复理念下的废弃矿坑公园景观重塑研究

城市规划区内的废弃矿坑给城市发展造成了严重的景观生态问题,对其开展生态修复既要注重景观再造,又要考虑衔接城市功能,更要注重为当地市民打造宜居生活环境.为了探讨以城市生态修复理念为导向,基于废弃矿坑自身特色构建以人为本的矿坑公园的规划设计过程,以广西钦州市钦南区犀牛脚镇6个废弃矿坑为研究对象,结合城市规划及其区域定位,提...     

陆地碳平衡对大气CO_2升高的响应及其机制

研究陆地碳平衡对大气CO2浓度升高的响应,能为揭示碳失汇之迷提供有力证据,为制定缓解全球变化的合理政策措施提供理论依据.综述了陆地碳平衡对全球大气CO2升高的响应及其町能的机制,由于陆地生态系统的复杂性,以及不同的研究在具体的对象、时间、地点、方法和角度的差异,目前有关陆地碳平衡对全球大气CO2升高的响应还存在很大的分歧.陆地碳库主要可分为植被碳库和土壤碳库,大气CO2浓度升高主要是通过影响光合作用、土壤养分、水分供应、光照条件、群落组成、光合产物分配等方式影响植被碳库;而土壤碳库的响应机理主要包括光合产物向土壤的输入量、脱落物质量、养分循环、光合产物分配、根系周转期、微生物活性等的响应.关于陆地碳平衡对全球大气CO2升高的响应今后应该主要集中在:(1)不同生态系统影响全球植被碳库变化的主导因子;(2)大气CO2浓度升高与其他环境因子的互作效应;(3)大气CO2浓度升高对植物光合作用的促进效应与光合作用适应性间的关系;(4)地上碳库与地下碳库间的相关性,及其对大气CO2浓度升高的分别响应;(5)克服目前实验方法存在的局限性.     

Chemical and physical partitioning in contaminated stream sediments in the River Ystwyth,Mid-Wales

This study investigates contemporary fluvial contamination of stream sediments by Pb, Zn and Cu from a mine near Aberystwyth, Wales. Of particular interest is the association between metal cations and particulate substrates and which is investigated using a selective extraction procedure. Emphasis is also placed on the difference between adsorptive phases depending on particle size. As particle size decreases the labile phase becomes dominant, with the easily and moderately reducible fraction being the major scavenging agent of soluble cations. Zinc and copper are largely held as residual rock or ore particles and are therefore expected to have a longer residence time in sediments. Recent floodplain development is difficult to interpret due to reworking of upstream metal-rich alluvium. However evidence is presented to suggest that once silt and clay size particles enter the main channel they are largely removed from the system.     

京津冀城市高温的气候特征及城市化效应

选取京津冀13个城市气象站点5—8月的日最高气温资料,用统计学方法分析了该区域城市高温日数的空间特征、年代际变化及跃变。采用城市站和城镇站对比方法,研究了京津冀不同区域高温的城市化效应。结论如下：（1）该区域城市高温日数的空间分布特征为,西南部存在一个高值中心,向东北方向递减,存在一个自石家庄市指向承德市的高值脊。（2）该区域城市高温日数的年代际变化为冀东北部城市1965—1998年是少高温期,1999—2010年是多高温期。冀西北部、冀中南部和京、津城市,1997—2010年是高温日最多时段,1960—1972年是次多时段,1973—1996年是最少时段。（3）冀东北部城市35℃以上高温日数,1991—1992年发生跃变,显著增加。冀中南部城市37℃以上高温日数,1996—1997年发生跃变,显著增加。北京市35℃以上高温日数,1995—1996年发生跃变,显著增加;37℃以上高温日数,1985—1986年发生跃变,显著增加。（4）冀西北部城市和冀中南部城市自1970年代开始,城市化效应逐步显现,并分别从1990年代和1980年代开始城市化效应增强。冀东北部城市和京、津两市的城市化效应近年并无增强趋势,而是小城镇的城市化效应在1990年代后期—2010年显现出来。其原因可能是城镇人口和建成面积的快速增长所致。     

热岛效应季节动态随城市化进程演变的遥感监测

作为城市特有的一种环境问题,热岛效应动态发展变化的规律是城市热岛研究的基础工作.遥感技术在城市热岛动态变化监测方面的有用性已经得到了证实.然而当前城市热岛遥感研究基本都取少数几景进行对比分析,这使得遥感在城市热岛时空动态监测方面不能充分发挥作用.采用50景长时间序列Landsat TM和ETM+SLC-on/off影像,采取定性和定量分析相结合的方法,使用热岛强度、热岛范围等指标和热岛显著区的概念对厦门市1987-2008年20年间热岛季节动态随城市化进程演变的趋势进行分析,结果表明:厦门城市热岛在2003、2004年之后已由春夏秋扩展到冬季,且冬季热岛的高等级斑块在数量、个体面积和总面积上均有明显增长趋势.引起这种变化的原因还需要进一步研究和分析.