Multi-scale evaluation of river health in Liao River Basin, China

Previous studies on river health evaluation mainly focused on characterizations at a river-corridor scale and ignored the complex interactions between the river ecosystem and other components of the river basin. Based on the consideration of the interactions among rivers, associated river basin and habitats, an assessment framework with multi-scale indicators was developed. An index system divided among these three scales to characterize the health of river ecosystems in China’s Liao River Basin was established. Set pair analysis was applied to integrate the multi-scale indicators and determine the health classes. The evaluation results indicated that the rivers in the western and eastern zones of the Liao River were classified as sick, and rivers in the main stream of the Liao and Huntai rivers were classified as unhealthy. An excessive level of disturbances, such as large pollution loads and dense construction of water conservation projects within the river basin, were the main causes of the river health deterioration.     

Ecosystem network analysis indicators are generally robust to parameter uncertainty in a phosphorus model of Lake Sidney Lanier, USA

Understanding how data uncertainty influences ecosystem analysis is critical as we move toward ecosystem-based management. Here, we investigate how 18 Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) indicators that characterize ecosystem growth, development, and condition are affected by uncertainty in an ecosystem model of Lake Sidney Lanier (USA). We applied ENA to 122 plausible parameterizations of the ecosystem developed by Borrett and Osidele (2007, Ecological Modelling 200, 371-387), and then used the coefficient of variation (CV) to compare system indicator variability. We considered Total System Throughput (TST) as a measure of the underlying model uncertainty and tested three hypotheses. First, we hypothesized that non-ratio indicators whose calculation includes the TST would be at least as variable as TST if not more variable. Second, we postulated that indicators calculated as ratios, with TST in the numerator and denominator would tend to be less variable than TST because its influence will cancel. Last, we expected the Average Mutual Information (AMI) to be less variable than TST because it is a bounded function. Our work shows that the 18 indicators grouped into four categories. The first group has significantly larger CVs than the CV for TST. In this group, model uncertainty is amplified rendering these three indicators less useful. The second group of four indicators shows no significant difference in variability with respect to TST. Finally, there are two groups whose CV values are significantly lower than that for TST. The least variable group includes the ratio-based indicators and Average Mutual Information. Due to their low variability, we conclude that these indicators are the most robust to the parameter uncertainty and most useful for ecosystem assessment and comparative ecosystem analysis. In summary, this work suggests that we can be as certain, or more certain, in most of the selected ENA indicators as we are in the parameters of the model analyzed.     

Indicators of ecosystem function identify alternate states in the sagebrush steppe

Models of ecosystem change that incorporate nonlinear dynamics and thresholds, such as state-and-transition models (STMs), are increasingly popular tools for land management decision-making. However, few models are based on systematic collection and documentation of ecological data, and of these, most rely solely on structural indicators (species composition) to identify states and transitions. As STMs are adopted as an assessment framework throughout the United States, finding effective and efficient ways to create data-driven models that integrate ecosystem function and structure is vital. This study aims to (1) evaluate the utility of functional indicators (indicators of rangeland health, IRH) as proxies for more difficult ecosystem function measurements and (2) create a data-driven STM for the sagebrush steppe of Colorado, USA, that incorporates both ecosystem structure and function. We sampled soils, plant communities, and IRH at 41 plots with similar clayey soils but different site histories to identify potential states and infer the effects of management practices and disturbances on transitions. We found that many IRH were correlated with quantitative measures of functional indicators, suggesting that the IRH can be used to approximate ecosystem function. In addition to a reference state that functions as expected for this soil type, we identified four biotically and functionally distinct potential states, consistent with the theoretical concept of alternate states. Three potential states were related to management practices (chemical and mechanical shrub treatments and seeding history) while one was related only to ecosystem processes (erosion). IRH and potential states were also related to environmental variation (slope, soil texture), suggesting that there are environmental factors within areas with similar soils that affect ecosystem dynamics and should be noted within STMs. Our approach generated an objective, data-driven model of ecosystem dynamics for rangeland management. Our findings suggest that the IRH approximate ecosystem processes and can distinguish between alternate states and communities and identify transitions when building data-driven STMs. Functional indicators are a simple, efficient way to create data-driven models that are consistent with alternate state theory. Managers can use them to improve current model-building methods and thus apply state-and-transition models more broadly for land management decision-making.     

Aquatic ecological health assessment of Shaying River Basin based on indices of physico-chemistry and aquatic organisms北大核心CSCD

With a variety of ecosystem services, river ecosystem plays an important role in the process of human society development. On the other hand, health condition of most aquatic ecosystems is seriously threatened by human activities. Restoring and maintaining a healthy ecosystem has already become a vital goal of river management. As a basis of river management, river health assessment is therefore particularly important. Based on indices of physics, chemistry and aquatic organisms, this research tried to establish a comprehensive evaluation system of aquatic ecological health suitable for the situation of Shaying River Basin. The system included 6 factors including riparian zone, river morphology, nutrients, oxygen balance, periphyton and benthic macroinvertebrates, which were defined into 19 indices reflecting the aquatic ecological health from different aspects. The assessment results indicated that the health condition of overall basin was normal, varying among different parts of the region, with Shahe River, Lihe River and Beiru River in the upper part sub-healthy, and Jialu River in the same part sub-sick. The middle region was generally in normal or sub-sick level; the health condition of the lower part was comparatively better due to a good condition. Within the indices, the nutrients and benthic macroinvertebrates were the major constraining factors to the health condition of Shaying River Basin for their poor health condition. The health conditions showed significant differences among the rivers (P < 0.01), with Jialu River being the worst. The result indicated that the aquatic ecological health of Shaying River Basin is affected by many factors, with urban and industrial sewage being the main ones, And that different protective measures should be employed for rivers of different conditions. The result can provide theoretical basis for the ecological restoration of Shaying River Basin and reasonable exploitation and conservation of the water resource of the whole Huaihe River Basin.     

Urban ecosystem health assessment based on emergy and set pair analysis—A comparative study of typical Chinese cities

Regarding various energy and materials flowing in the urban ecosystem and the merit of emergy as an embodied energetic equivalent for integrated ecological economic evaluation, an evaluation framework of emergy-based urban ecosystem health indicators (UEHI_em) was established in view of five aspects including vigor, structure, resilience, ecosystem service function maintenance and environmental impact to depict the urban ecosystem health states. Further, set pair analysis (SPA) was employed to assess the urban ecosystem health level based on the UEHI_em, by which the approximate degree of real index set to the optimal one was defined and evaluated to describe the relative health state of the concerned urban ecosystems. Choosing twenty typical Chinese cities in 2005 as cases, we evaluated and compared their urban ecosystem health levels based on UEHI_em and SPA. The results showed that health levels of Xiamen, Qingdao, Shenzhen and Shanghai are pretty well, while those of Wuhan, Harbin, Yinchuan, Beijing and Urumchi are relatively weak. Moreover, the relative health levels were analyzed by SPA to discern the influences of the mentioned five aspects on the UEHI_em. It is concluded that emergy synthesis combined with SPA can serve as an effective relative-measure to compare different ecosystem health levels of urban ecosystems.     

Ecosystem health assessment of urban rivers and lakes

The assessment of the ecosystem health of urban rivers and lakes is the scientific basis for their management and ecological restoration. This study developed a three-level indicator system for its assessment. The results indicated that: Zhonghai and Nanhai are in the state of transition from unhealthy to critical state and all the other lakes are in unhealthy states. Water environmental quality, structure and function of the aquatic ecosystem, and the structure of waterfront areas were the constraints. Nanhai was ranked as poor and the others were all ranked as very poor. However, the ecological environment of Zhonghai and Nanhai were better than the others, the sums of the degree of membership to the healthy state and critical state were all close to 0.6. and the restorations of these lakes were moderate. The sums of the degree of membership to the healthy state and critical state of the other lakes were under 0.3, as it was difficult to restore these lakes. Some suggestions on scientific management and ecological restoration of the six lakes were proposed: $`To control non-point pollution and to improve the water quality of six lakes and the water entering into these lakes; $aTo improve the hydrological conditions of six lakes; $bTo rehabilitate the aquatic ecosystem and waterfront areas.     

War and sustainability

SUMMARY

In order to use the planet's ecological life-support systems sustainably, damage to them must be both prevented and repaired. However, repair requires awareness of damage which, in this case, mandates a high level of ecological literacy. Prevention of ecological damage will only be successful on a planetary scale if human society endorses precautionary practices that reduce the probability of ecosystem damage. Society is beginning to endorse precautionary practices to protect human health, which is no longer regarded as merely absence of symptoms of disease and malfunction. Health is regarded as a robust function — an approach toward optimal conditions. Similar views are beginning to emerge regarding ecosystem health, and a close link between human and ecosystem health is gaining increased recognition. However, to achieve health, ecological ‘wounds’ must be repaired, which is impossible until society ‘sees’ the wounds. After this recognition, society must become more literate on the attributes of ecosystem health. The methods and procedures are in place, but they will not be used effectively until a major paradigm shift occurs.     

湿地生态风险评价中生物完整性指数研究进展

湿地是陆地与水域之间的过渡地带,是地球上生产力最高的生态系统。湿地生态风险评价的实际应用将使人们更好地理解物理、化学和生物风险源如何影响湿地,并为湿地管理提供科学支撑,这就要求确定湿地生态健康评价指标的完整性。生物完整性指数以环境生态毒理学数据为依据,是进行生态系统健康风险评价的最有力工具。大中型无脊椎动物作为易选择的分类群,可用于湿地评估的生物完整性指数的建立,土壤动物特别是线虫类群作为湿地土壤和水环境健康评价的指示生物具有广阔前景。通过线虫分子毒理学等研究方法,可优化出生物完整性指数体系,建立扰动背景下的湿地生态风险评价模型,为湿地污染的监测、防控和修复,提供理论依据和实践方法。     

湿地生态系统服务价值评价去重复性研究的思考

重复计算一直是困扰湿地生态系统服务价值评价的一个难点问题。湿地生态系统服务的复杂性及其组成分的非线性容易导致在计算湿地生态系统服务价值时容易导致重复计算,如果不能正确的去除湿地生态系统服务价值评价中重复计算的部分,会使评估结果的可信度降低。湿地生态系统服务价值评价的重复性计算主要体现在两个方面,总服务价值评价中的重复计算和部分服务之间的重复计算。湿地生态系统服务由湿地生态系统和生物多样性产生,并为人类福祉做出贡献,在这一过程中,湿地生态系统功能与服务的复杂的关系及服务之间的因果关系容易导致在计算生态系统总的服务价值时重复计算的产生,也就是分类时存在重复计算。部分服务之间的重复计算则主要是由于指标的模糊不清、参数的重复和评价方法的选择导致的。通过分析湿地生态系统服务价值评价重复性计算产生的原因,文章提出了一个具体的解决框架,包括最终服务的确定、指标的明确、模型的构建以及评估方法的选择等。首先,将湿地生态系统服务分成中间服务和最终服务,以最终服务作为最终要评价的服务;其次,针对部分服务中可能存在的重复计算,从指标和参数的明确、评价方法的选择和数学模型的构建等方面进行解决;最后,构建一个优化的湿地生态系统服务价值评价体系。希望通过这些解决办法来降低湿地生态系统服务价值评价中重复计算的可能性,以期更加准确的评估湿地生态系统服务。     

Ecosystem health assessment of urban rivers and lakes — Case study of “the six lakes” in Beijing, China

The assessment of the ecosystem health of urban rivers and lakes is the scientific basis for their management and ecological restoration. This study developed a three-level indicator system for its assessment. The results indicated that: Zhonghai and Nanhai are in the state of transition from unhealthy to critical state and all the other lakes are in unhealthy states. Water environmental quality, structure and function of the aquatic ecosystem, and the structure of waterfront areas were the constraints. Nanhai was ranked as poor and the others were all ranked as very poor. However, the ecological environment of Zhonghai and Nanhai were better than the others, the sums of the degree of membership to the healthy state and critical state were all close to 0.6. and the restorations of these lakes were moderate. The sums of the degree of membership to the healthy state and critical state of the other lakes were under 0.3, as it was difficult to restore these lakes. Some suggestions on scientific management and ecological restoration of the six lakes were proposed: ①To control non-point pollution and to improve the water quality of six lakes and the water entering into these lakes; ②To improve the hydrological conditions of six lakes; ③To rehabilitate the aquatic ecosystem and waterfront areas.     

DNA宏条形码（metabarcoding）技术在浮游植物群落监测研究中的应用

保护生物多样性和生态系统健康是维持生态系统功能和实现人类可持续发展的必要条件。浮游植物作为水生生态系统的初级生产者发挥着重要的生态功能,同时有毒藻类的爆发也会威胁水生态安全。然而,基于形态学的物种鉴定方法难以满足日益增长的水生态环境监测的需求。DNA条形码技术利用基因组特定基因上、短的DNA序列来鉴别生物物种,目前已广泛用于快速物种鉴别。然而其在水生生态系统浮游植物群落的监测中才刚刚起步。由于浮游植物物种多样性高,单基因DNA条形码往往不足以识别所有浮游植物种类;近年来,采用多基因条形码、全叶绿体基因组序列的超级条形码,以及特定DNA条形码方法在单物种和群落水平上区分浮游植物种类的潜力很大。本文综述了浮游植物DNA条形码技术在物种鉴别研究方面的进展,以及DNA宏条形码技术（DNA metabarcoding）在水生浮游植物环境监测的应用现状及前景。     

DNA宏条形码(metabarcoding)技术在浮游植物群落监测研究中的应用

保护生物多样性和生态系统健康是维持生态系统功能和实现人类可持续发展的必要条件。浮游植物作为水生生态系统的初级生产者发挥着重要的生态功能,同时有毒藻类的爆发也会威胁水生态安全。然而,基于形态学的物种鉴定方法难以满足日益增长的水生态环境监测的需求。DNA条形码技术利用基因组特定基因的DNA序列来鉴别生物物种,目前已被广泛用于快速物种鉴别。然而其在水生生态系统浮游植物群落的监测中才刚刚起步。由于浮游植物物种多样性高,单基因DNA条形码往往难以识别所有浮游植物种类;近年来,采用多基因条形码、全叶绿体基因组序列的超级条形码,以及特定DNA条形码方法在浮游植物种类鉴别中有很大潜力。本文综述了浮游植物DNA条形码技术在物种鉴别研究方面的进展,以及DNA宏条形码技术(DNA metabarcoding)在水生浮游植物环境监测的应用现状及前景。     

广东省生态环境现状、存在问题和对策

近年来，广东省基本实现土地资源的占补平衡，但部分城市周边土地污染较为严重；森林覆盖率较高，但森林生态系统较为脆弱；大江大河水质良好，但城市江段水质较差，生活污水成为主要的污染源；入海河口和近岸海域受陆源污染，部分海域海水水质变差，赤潮危害有所加剧；红树林面积大幅度减少；外来物种入侵面积较大；农业面源污染日趋严重。总的来说，广东省生态环境现状总体良好，但人为因素等对生态环境所造成的破坏不容忽视，应加强领导和规划，以实现可持续发展。     

基于CVM的南昌城市河湖生态服务功能价值评估

条件价值评估法(CVM)是当前可用于确定环境物品非市场的和非使用价值的有效方法.在分析南昌市城市河湖生态环境问题的基础上,采用条件价值评估法,共回收194份单边界二分式CVM有效问卷,研究了南昌城市河湖生态系统服务改善的支付意愿及其经济价值.研究表明:1)南昌市城区河湖生态系统服务改善的平均支付意愿约为105.83元/...     

Prioritizing Conservation Effort through the Use of Biological Soil Crusts as Ecosystem Function Indicators in an Arid Region

Abstract: Conservation prioritization usually focuses on conservation of rare species or biodiversity, rather than ecological processes. This is partially due to a lack of informative indicators of ecosystem function. Biological soil crusts (BSCs) trap and retain soil and water resources in arid ecosystems and function as major carbon and nitrogen fixers; thus, they may be informative indicators of ecosystem function. We created spatial models of multiple indicators of the diversity and function of BSCs (species richness, evenness, functional diversity, functional redundancy, number of rare species, number of habitat specialists, nitrogen and carbon fixation indices, soil stabilization, and surface roughening) for the 800,000‐ha Grand Staircase‐Escalante National Monument (Utah, U.S.A.). We then combined the indicators into a single BSC function map and a single BSC biodiversity map (2 alternative types of conservation value) with an unweighted averaging procedure and a weighted procedure derived from validations performance. We also modeled potential degradation with data from a rangeland assessment survey. To determine which areas on the landscape were the highest conservation priorities, we overlaid the function‐ and diversity‐based conservation‐value layers on the potential degradation layer. Different methods for ascribing conservation‐value and conservation‐priority layers all yielded strikingly similar results (r= 0.89–0.99), which suggests that in this case biodiversity and function can be conserved simultaneously. We believe BSCs can be used as indicators of ecosystem function in concert with other indicators (such as plant‐community properties) and that such information can be used to prioritize conservation effort in drylands.     

区域生态安全:概念及评价理论基础

借鉴国内外的研究成果,提出区域生态安全的概念是指在一定时空范围内,在自然及人类活动的干扰下,区域内生态环境条件以及所面临的生态环境问题不对人类生存和持续发展构成威胁,并且自然-经济-社会复合生态系统的脆弱性能够不断得到改善的状态。指出生态安全评价是一个多学科交叉的研究领域,其评价理论基础涉及可持续发展理论、生态系统服务功能理论、生态承载力理论、时空论和系统工程论等;生态安全是可持续发展的基础,两者具有内涵和目标的一致性;区域生态安全研究的目的就是平衡人类的自然资源利用与生存环境质量需求的矛盾,保证生态系统在持续安全的状态下提供服务;应用生态承载力的研究成果有助于补充和完善生态安全评价。区域生态安全评价强调研究对象的时空性和研究方法的系统性。多学科整合能更好地指导区域生态安全评价。     

Indicating ecosystem integrity — theoretical concepts and environmental requirements

This paper discusses some conceptual fundamentals for the derivation of environmental indicator sets. On the one hand, it defines requirements from environmental politics, environmental management and legislation, reaching from political target hierarchies and sustainable management strategies to holistic protection concepts such as process protection, resource preservation, ecosystem health and ecological integrity. On the other hand, demands from ecosystem theory are described which include the consideration of features such as self-organization, emergence, thermodynamics, gradients and ecological orientors in environmental indicator sets. From that concept, collective and emergent properties are selected and eight holistic ecosystem features are presented that indicate the ecosystemic state as an ensemble. These general indicators of ecosystem integrity are supplemented by variables on structural changes and substance dynamics.     

河岸缓冲带对氮磷的截留转化及其生态恢复研究进展

河岸缓冲带是河岸生态系统的重要组成部分,对农业非点源污染物起到有效的截留转化作用。对河岸缓冲带的定义、生态结构特性和功能,河岸缓冲带对氮和磷的截留转化作用以及河岸缓冲带的生态修复现状进行了综合评述。结果表明：草地和森林类型河岸缓冲带均能有效地控制氮和磷向水体中迁移;河岸缓冲带的宽度、水文特征、土壤性质、季节变化以及人为活动等是影响其截留效率的因素;加强退化河岸缓冲带的恢复重建工程,可以保证河岸生态系统的健康。针对目前研究中的不足,提出今后的研究方向,认为应进行长期的大尺度的野外实践研究,并从生态学的角度出发,建立合理的河岸缓冲带健康指标,为退化河岸缓冲带恢复重建提供科学依据。