Importance of Reserve Size and Landscape Context to Urban Bird Conservation

Abstract:  We tested whether reserve size, landscape surrounding the reserve, and their interaction affect forest songbirds in the metropolitan area of Seattle, Washington (U.S.A.), by studying 29 reserves of varying size (small, medium, large) and surrounding urbanization intensity (urban, suburban, exurban). Larger reserves contained richer and less even bird communities than smaller reserves. These size effects disappeared when we removed the positive correlation of shrub diversity with reserve size, suggesting that greater habitat diversity in large reserves supported additional species, some of which were rare. Standardizing the number of individuals detected among all reserve size classes reversed the effect of size on richness in exurban landscapes and reduced the magnitude of the effect in suburban or urban landscapes. The latter change suggested that richness increased with reserve size in most landscapes because larger areas also supported larger samples from the regional bird species pool. Most bird species associated with native forest habitat (native forest species) and with human activity (synanthropic species) were present in reserves larger than 42 ha and surrounded by >40% urban land cover, respectively. Thus, we recommend these thresholds as means for conserving the composition of native bird communities in this mostly forested region. Native forest species were least abundant and synanthropic species most abundant in urban landscapes, where exotic ground and shrub vegetation was most common. Therefore, control of exotic vegetation may benefit native songbird populations. Bird nests in shrubs were most dense in medium (suburban) and large reserves (urban) and tended to be most successful in medium (suburban) and large reserves (exurban), potentially supplying another mechanism by which reserve size increased retention of native forest species.     

Biodiversity consequences of alternative future land use scenarios in Greater Yellowstone.

Land use is rapidly expanding in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, primarily from growth in the number of rural homes. There is a need to project possible future land use and assess impacts on nature reserves as a guide to future management. We assessed the potential biodiversity impacts of alternative future land use scenarios in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. An existing regression-based simulation model was used to project three alternative scenarios of future rural home development. The spatial patterns of forecasted development were then compared to several biodiversity response variables that included cover types, species habitats, and biodiversity indices. We identified the four biodiversity responses most at risk of exurban development, designed growth management policies to protect these areas, and tested their effectiveness in two alternative future scenarios. We found that the measured biodiversity responses, including riparian habitat, elk winter range, migration corridors, and eight other land cover, habitat, and biodiversity indices, are likely to undergo substantial conversion (between 5% and 40%) to exurban development by 2020. Future habitat conversion to exurban development outside the region's nature reserves is likely to impact wildlife populations within the reserves. Existing growth management policies will provide minimal protection to biodiversity in this region. We identified specific growth management policies, including incentives to cluster future growth near towns, that can protect "at risk" habitat types without limiting overall growth in housing.     

城市雨水管网降雨径流污染特征及对受纳水体水质的影响

以北京市城区和近郊区选取的2个不同下垫面类型的汇水小流域为代表,在2008—2009年共进行了4场降雨过程的雨水管网出口和下游受纳水体水质同步监测.研究结果表明,分流制雨水管网降雨径流污染严重,其中悬浮物浓度高于城市污水,COD、氨氮、总磷和总氮浓度略低于城市污水,但明显高于《地表水环境质量标准》（GB3838—2002）中的Ⅴ类标准,以及《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》（GB18918—2002）中的一级B标准;木樨园小流域由于绿地面积比例小,道路面积比例大,城乡结合部地带环境卫生相对较差,雨水管网降雨径流各污染物的EMC浓度比西蒲小流域高21.4%—246.5%.雨水管网降雨径流存在一定程度的初期冲刷效应;雨水管网降雨径流中COD和总磷与悬浮物之间具有较强的相关性.管网降雨径流使受纳水体污染物浓度升高16.9%—541.7%,其中悬浮物、COD和氨氮升高幅度最大.增加城市绿地可明显降低降雨径流中的悬浮颗粒物及其携带的有机污染物的含量.     

Neighborhood density and travel mode: new survey findings for high densities

At high densities, land uses get close enough to each other to support walk, bike, and transit modes above 60% of total trips. The San Francisco Bay Area census was used to define five density levels: rural, exurban, suburban, central city, and urban core. The urban core definition, over 50 persons per neighborhood acre, is much denser than in other research. The California Household Transportation Survey supplied new data on block group area, population, trip stages, trip distances, trip time, and travel mode by density. The National Household Transportation Survey supplied block group population, density, travel mode, and income data. Both sources show a strong nonlinear relationship going from rural to urban core: auto miles and trips decrease as walk and transit miles and trips increase. With density, people travel fewer miles and spend less time traveling. High-income households in dense areas travel far fewer miles than those living at higher densities. With sufficient density, complementary features play a role in furthering mode shift. For planning purposes, the need for parking greatly declines. The findings are a basis for similar research elsewhere on high densities and complementary features.     

WTO框架下重构农村公共服务体系的探讨

我国已经加入WTO后,由于在谈判过程中我国在农业方面的让步比较大,如果不利用“绿箱政策”加强农村公共服务体系建设,农业和农村经济的竞争力必然大大下降．“绿箱”政策是一种问接式的保护政策,不在《农业协议》限制之列,而且“绿箱”政策中许多条款都涉及到保护本国农业的可持续发展能力,得到了各国的一致赞同．因此,我国有必要对农村公共服务体系的改革与发展历程进行一次系统清理,在此基础上认真总结正反两方面的经验和教训,重新构筑农村公共服务体系。     

论郊区农业生态环境建设的几个问题

在对郊区环境组成、结构、生态环境特征等区域研究的基础上 ,以边缘效应的理论为出发点 ,深入分析了城乡交错带的几个生态环境建设问题。认为郊区生态建设应以 (1)城市废弃物的再生地 ,(2 )生态旅游与农业文化的消费地 ,(3)现代持续农业的先导区等为目标。最后分析了城乡交错面 (边缘界面 )对城乡复合生态系统中环境应力的聚合放大效应 ,指出效区农业生态环境的调控是防止城乡矛盾激化的根本措施     

天津市“城-郊-乡”样带土壤种子库特征分析

为了解天津市不同地理位置土壤种子库物种组成和群落结构的变化,沿天津市设置＂城区—城郊—远郊＂的生态样带,在6个典型样地选取20个样方进行土壤种子库的采样工作并进行萌发试验。结果表明：土壤种子库的密度、物种组成及群落结构差异性明显,除趋势对应分析后分异出典型的城市土壤种子库、城郊土壤种子库、远郊土壤种子库3种类型。从远郊到城区,土壤种子库的密度递增,相似性指数也递增,而物种丰富度却递减。相比远郊地区,城区、城郊区土壤种子库物种丰富度损失率分别为66.67%、45.23%。城区因城市化水平较高及频繁的人为干扰致使土壤种子库物种呈现匀质化特点,物种多为一年生的耐踩踏草本。城郊区的多样性指数、生态优势度指数、均匀度指数最低,但是种子库密度较大,物种丰富,萌发种子中木本植物可观,适合用于进行植被恢复的试验研究。     

Guidelines and Incentives for Conservation Development in Local Land‐Use Regulations

Effective conservation of biological diversity on private lands will require changes in land‐use policy and development practice. Conservation development (CD) is an alternative form of residential development in which homes are built on smaller lots and clustered together and the remainder of the property is permanently protected for conservation purposes. We assessed the degree to which CD is permitted and encouraged by local land‐use regulations in 414 counties in the western United States. Thirty‐two percent of local planning jurisdictions have adopted CD ordinances, mostly within the past 10 years. CD ordinances were adopted in counties with human population densities that were 3.0 times greater and in counties with 2.5 times more land use at urban, suburban, and exurban densities than counties without CD ordinances. Despite strong economic incentives for CD (e.g., density bonuses, which allow for a mean of 66% more homes to be built per subdivision area), several issues may limit the effectiveness of CD for biological diversity conservation. Although most CD ordinances required a greater proportion of the site area be protected than in a typical residential development, just 13% (n = 17) of the ordinances required an ecological site analysis to identify and map features that should be protected. Few CD ordinances provided guidelines regarding the design and configuration of the protected lands, including specifying a minimum size for protected land parcels or encouraging contiguity with other protected lands within or near to the site. Eight percent (n =11) of CD ordinances encouraged consultation with a biological expert or compliance with a conservation plan. We recommend that conservation scientists help to improve the effectiveness of CD by educating planning staff and government officials regarding biological diversity conservation, volunteering for their local planning boards, or consulting on development reviews. Guías e Incentivos para el Desarrollo de la Conservación en Regulaciones de Uso Local de Suelos     

Rural Development and Sustainable Wildlife Use in Peru

Abstract: Tropical conservation has seen a convergence between conservation projects and rural development, with both approaches promoting participation of local people in sustainable resource use. But there is a discord between rural development and sustainable use of wildlife. Implementing more sustainable use of wildlife usually means decreased economic benefits for rural people, especially over the short term. In contrast, rural-development projects are often mandated to generate income for rural people over the short term. We examined this dilemma through an integrated economic and harvest analysis of the costs associated with converting unsustainable hunting to more sustainable hunting in the Peruvian Amazon. Our analysis suggests that a change in hunting practice would have significant economic costs for rural people and would result in a 36% decrease in the economic benefits they derive from wildlife hunting. In contrast, converting unsustainable hunting to more sustainable hunting would have little effect on meat markets in the urban center of Iquitos, Peru, with markets losing only 3.6% of their economic value. There would be no economic costs for the international pelt trade. If rural-development projects absorb the short-term economic costs, they can help people convert unsustainable wildlife use to more sustainable use and assist rural people in realizing the long-term benefits of more sustainable hunting. But many rural-development projects would need to change their mandate for short-term income generation to incorporate the realities of sustainability.     

WTO框架下重构农村公共服务体系的探讨

目前,我国已经加入WTO,由于在谈判过程中我国在农业方面的让步比较大,如果不利用“绿箱政策”加强农村公共服务体系建设,农业和农村经济的竞争力必然大大下降．“绿箱”政策是一种间接式的保护政策,不在《农业协议》限制之列,而且“绿箱”政策中许多条款都涉及到保护本国农业的可持续发展能力,得到了各国的一致赞同．因此,我国有必要对农村公共服务体系的改革与发展历程进行一次系统清理,在此基础上认真总结正反两方面的经验和教训,重新构筑农村公共服务体系．     

Septic tank and agricultural non‐point source pollution within a rural watershed

This investigation addresses the problem of Non‐Point Source (NPS) pollution in the rural Lake Weatherford watershed in Parker County, Texas. This reservoir is the primary municipal water supply for the City of Weatherford, Texas. The principal method of wastewater disposal is the on‐site system or septic tanks for the small residential areas surrounding the reservoir.

Sources of NPS pollution of interest in this watershed include agricultural operations as well as the residential areas. These sites were identified with the aid of aerial photography and field investigation. Suspected NPS problems were substantiated through a sampling program involving chemical and biological testing of the reservoir. Results indicate that there is significant NPS pollution contamination of Lake Weatherford from agricultural sources and seepage from on‐site wastewater disposal systems. Excessive fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus counts (>500 bacteria/100 ml) were generally associated with rainfall events and several samples showed values > 100000 bacteria/100 ml. The fecal coliform/fecal streptococcus ratios indicated contamination from human sources, animal sources, and a combination of both. Nutrient concentrations fluctuated from quite low to high with ammonia as the most consistent problem. High ammonia values were also associated with rainfall events.     

Conserving Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function through Limited Development: an Empirical Evaluation

Abstract:  Suburban, exurban, and rural development in the United States consumes nearly 1 million hectares of land per year and is a leading threat to biodiversity. In response to this threat, conservation development has been advanced as a way to combine land development and land conservation while providing functional protection for natural resources. Yet, although conservation development techniques have been in use for decades, there have been few critical evaluations of their conservation effectiveness. We addressed this deficiency by assessing the conservation outcomes of one type of conservation development project: conservation and limited development projects (CLDPs). Conducted by land trusts, landowners, and developers, CLDPs use revenue from limited development to finance the protection of land and natural resources. We compared a sample of 10 CLDPs from the eastern United States with their respective baseline scenarios (conventional development) and with a sample of conservation subdivisions—a different conservation development technique characterized by higher-density development. To measure conservation success, we created an evaluation method containing eight indicators that quantify project impacts to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the site and in the surrounding landscape. The CLDPs protected and managed threatened natural resources including rare species and ecological communities. In terms of conservation benefits, the CLDPs significantly outperformed their respective baseline scenarios and the conservation subdivisions. These results imply that CLDPs can offer a low-impact alternative to conventional development and a low-cost method for protecting land when conventional conservation techniques are too expensive. In addition, our evaluation method demonstrates how planners and developers can incorporate appropriate ecological considerations when designing, reviewing, and evaluating conservation development projects.     

中国农业领域温室气体主要减排措施研究分析

气候变暖已成不争事实,主要是由于人为温室气体（GHG）排放增加所致,为减缓气候变暖趋势,各领域迫切需要采取减排措施;农业是一个重要的GHG排放源,农业领域采取减排措施对于减少我国GHG排放、保护农村生态环境有重要意义。文章在大量阅读前人研究结果的基础上,总结我国农业领域主要的减排管理措施,主要从农业活动、农村生活和生物质能源利用三方面进行阐述,并简要分析各措施的减排效果和存在问题。分析发现,农业活动的水肥管理是农田温室气体减排的研究热点,但由于地域和管理流程上的差异,对措施的减排效果尚存在争议;农村生活中存在巨大的减排潜力,采取恰当的减排措施不但可以减少GHG排放,还可以改善农村生态状况和环境卫生条件;农村生物质能源有很大发展潜力,合理开发利用,可以有效替代化石能源消耗,缓解能源危机,减少GHG排放,保护生态环境。总之,在农业领域采取积极的减排措施,有助于国家效应对气候变化,降低农业源污染和GHG排放,减轻环境压力,转换农业发展模式,加速农业现代化,促进农业生产的可持续发展和社会主义新农村建设。     

南京市郊蔬菜地土壤中重金属含量的时空变化规律

测定了28份蔬菜地土壤样品中的铜、锌、铅、镉、汞的含量,从城市化的角度研究了南京市郊蔬菜地土壤重金属在“城区、郊区和农区”的水平空间变化和在层次间的纵向空间变化,并结合历史数据分析了蔬菜地土壤重金属的时间累积作用。结果表明,城市化影响重金属的水平空间变化,蔬菜地土壤重金属含量随着蔬菜地与城市距离的增加,在城区到郊区这一距离段呈下降趋势,在郊区到农区则基本不变;城市化影响重金属的纵向空间变化,蔬菜地各重金属元素表层减底层差值的均值,城区均为正值且绝对值较高,郊区和农区各值都在0浓度附近摆动且绝对值较小。由于受城市化的时间累积作用的影响,1999年土壤中重金属Pb和Zn含量显著高于1985年。     

Aufkommen und Verteilung von Feststoffen in Kanalsystemen

Suspendend solids (SS) are important parameters in the assessment of potential effects of emissions out of sewer systems. This is due to the fact that many pollutants are transported with particles in the sewer systems and therefore are emitted into receiving waters. In this paper, significant emissions in commonly applied sewer systems (combined sewer system [CSS], separate sewer system [SSS]) are mentioned, and typical concentration ranges of SS are listed. Furthermore, data from selected pollutants (lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAH]) are collected and concentration ranges in typical flow types of the sewer systems are calculated. In the second part of the paper results from pollution load simulations are introduced. The calculations are based on assumptions from literature and were conducted in a hypothetical catchment. Main interest was the comparison of emissions out of SSS and CSS, shown for selected parameters SS, lead and PAH. Results of the pollution load simulation show that emissions for surface runoff related compounds like lead are extremely high in the SSS in comparison to the CSS. This is mainly reasoned by the high elimination rate in the waste water treatment plant (WWTP). In summary, a general answer, which sewer system emits higher pollution loads is not possible. It is extremely dependent on the considered substance and its specific properties and resulting behaviour in the sewer systems. For a first estimation, new classes of substances are distinguished considering their origin (surface runoff versus dry weather flow) and their elimination capacity in the WWTP.     

The oasis effect: response of birds to exurban development in a southwestern savanna

Ranches are being converted to exurban housing developments in the southwestern United States, with potentially significant but little-studied impacts on biological diversity. We counted birds in grasslands and savannas in southeastern Arizona that were grazed by livestock, embedded in low-density exurban housing developments, or both, or neither. Species richness and bird abundance were higher in exurban neighborhoods than in undeveloped landscapes, independent of livestock grazing. The positive response to development was particularly evident among doves, quail, hummingbirds, aerial insectivores, and some but not all ground-foraging sparrows. Effects of livestock grazing were comparatively minor and mostly involved birds with requirements for tall ground cover or the lack of it. The average rank correlation between counts of individual species and housing density was positive across all transects. However, this relationship disappeared among the exurban transects alone, and bird species richness on the exurban transects was negatively correlated with the number of homes nearby. These results suggest that the positive influence of exurban development on avian abundance and variety was greatest at the lowest housing densities. We attribute the attraction of many birds to exurban development to an oasis effect, in which resources otherwise scarce in arid southwestern environments (shade, nectar, nest sites, and especially water) are relatively abundant around exurban home sites. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that exurban home sites represented resource supply points inside birds' home ranges otherwise consisting mostly of natural vegetation.     

What motivates farmers to participate in sustainable agriculture? Evidence and policy implications

Sustained growth in agricultural productivity has become an ideal model and a political goal of agricultural development in China. Local participation is essential for the implementation of sustainable agriculture strategy. We conducted a case study in Hailun County, an important grain production base in China, to find ways to motivate farmers to participate in sustainable agriculture. We obtained data from semi-structured interviews of 98 households using participatory rural appraisal methods. Logistic regression models were used to explore factors that underlie farmers' attitudes towards agricultural production and their environmental awareness. Results indicated that low agricultural economic efficiency could result in less enthusiasm for agriculture among local farmers. This is a potential risk for China's food security and sustainable agricultural development. The backward development of the rural economy limited improvement of farmers' environmental awareness. Moreover, poor rural labour quality implied a lack of local participation in sustainable agriculture. Suggestions for sustainable agricultural development include establishment of a reasonable market and agricultural subsidy mechanisms, basic and vocational education for young adults, effective agricultural instruction and environmental education agencies and two-way communication mechanisms.     

Rodent Communities in an Exurbanizing Southwestern Landscape (U.S.A.)

Abstract:  Ranches are being converted to exurban housing developments in the southwestern United States, with potentially significant but little-studied impacts on biological diversity. We captured rodents on 48 traplines in grasslands, mesquite savannas, and oak savannas in southeastern Arizona that were grazed by livestock, embedded in exurban housing developments, grazed and embedded in development, or neither grazed nor embedded in development. Independent of habitat or development, rodent species richness, mean rank abundance, and capture rates of all rodents combined were negatively related to presence of livestock grazing or to its effects on vegetative ground cover. Exurban development had no obvious effects on rodent variety or abundance. Results suggest southwestern exurban developments can sustain a rich assemblage of grassland and savanna rodents if housing densities are low and houses are embedded in a matrix of natural vegetation with little grazing.     

试论我国乡村景观的特点及乡村景观规划的目标和内容

乡村景观是指乡村地域范围内不同土地单元镶嵌而成的嵌块体，以农业特征为主，是人类在自然景观的基础上建立起来的自然生态结构与人为特征的综合体。随着城镇化进程的加快，我国乡村景观将面临着前所未有的变化。如何保护乡村景观的特色和完整性，充分挖掘乡村景观的生态和文化旅游价值，使其形成高效、完整并具有传统特色的多功能的乡村地域，是21世纪乡村可持续发展的重要任务之一。文章首先界定了乡村景观的概念和内涵，指出了我国乡村景观的主要特征；然后探讨了乡村景观规划与土地利用之间的关系，认为乡村景观规划是未来我国乡村持续发展的重要手段；最后系统地讨论了我国乡村景观规划的目标和内容。     

杭州市城乡乔木物种的多样性

沿杭州市区至临安农村取1 km宽75 km长样带调查乔木物种多样性。调查结果表明市区本土树种保存较好,树种数量达到20余种,农村物种丰富度极低,树种数量仅有10种左右。从物种丰富度指数可以看出市区物种最为丰富,丰富度指数最高达4.343,郊区物种丰富度指数最低,为1.303,农村物种丰富度指数较郊区有所上升,但仍显著低...