Biological invasions: recommendations for U.S. policy and management.

The Ecological Society of America has evaluated current U.S. national policies and practices on biological invasions in light of current scientific knowledge. Invasions by harmful nonnative species are increasing in number and area affected; the damages to ecosystems, economic activity, and human welfare are accumulating. Without improved strategies based on recent scientific advances and increased investments to counter invasions, harm from invasive species is likely to accelerate. Federal leadership, with the cooperation of state and local governments, is required to increase the effectiveness of prevention of invasions, detect and respond quickly to new potentially harmful invasions, control and slow the spread of existing invasions, and provide a national center to ensure that these efforts are coordinated and cost effective. Specifically, the Ecological Society of America recommends that the federal government take the following six actions: (1) Use new information and practices to better manage commercial and other pathways to reduce the transport and release of potentially harmful species; (2) Adopt more quantitative procedures for risk analysis and apply them to every species proposed for importation into the country; (3) Use new cost-effective diagnostic technologies to increase active surveillance and sharing of information about invasive species so that responses to new invasions can be more rapid and effective; (4) Create new legal authority and provide emergency funding to support rapid responses to emerging invasions; (5) Provide funding and incentives for cost-effective programs to slow the spread of existing invasive species in order to protect still uninvaded ecosystems, social and industrial infrastructure, and human welfare; and (6) Establish a National Center for Invasive Species Management (under the existing National Invasive Species Council) to coordinate and lead improvements in federal, state, and international policies on invasive species. Recent scientific and technical advances provide a sound basis for more cost-effective national responses to invasive species. Greater investments in improved technology and management practices would be more than repaid by reduced damages from current and future invasive species. The Ecological Society of America is committed to assist all levels of government and provide scientific advice to improve all aspects of invasive-species management.     

Characteristics of urban ozone level in Hong Kong

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Determination of selected fate and aquatic toxicity characteristics of acrylic acid and a series of acrylic esters

Acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and butyl acrylate are commercially important and widely used materials. This paper reports the results of a series of fate and aquatic toxicity studies. The mobility in soil of acrylic acid and its esters ranged from 'medium' to 'very high'. Calculated bioconcentration factors ranged from 1 to 37, suggesting a low bioconcentration potential. Acrylic acid and methyl acrylate showed limited biodegradability in the five day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) test, while ethyl acrylate and butyl acrylate were degraded easily (77% and 56%, respectively). Using the OECD method 301D 28-d closed bottle test, degradability for acrylic acid was 81% at 28 days, while the acrylic esters ranged from 57% to 60%. Acrylic acid degraded rapidly to carbon dioxide in soil (t1/2 < 1 day). Toxicity tests were conducted using freshwater and marine fish, invertebrates, and algae. Acrylic acid effect concentrations for fish and invertebrates ranged from 27 to 236 mg/l. Effect concentrations (LC50 or EC50) for fish and invertebrates using methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and butyl acrylate ranged from 1.1 to 8.2 mg/l. The chronic MATC for acrylic acid with Daphnia magna was 27 mg/l based on length and young produced per adult reproduction day and for ethyl acrylate was 0.29 mg/l based on both the reproductive and growth endpoints. Overall these studies show that acrylic acid and the acrylic esters studied can rapidly biodegrade, have a low potential for persistence or bioaccumulation in the environment, and have low to moderate toxicity.     

典型环境条件下装备环境适应性的评估方法

系统分析了航空装备环境适应的特点及环境适应性要求的类型。在此基础上,根据装备的相关环境试验信息和外场环境故障信息,遵循确定模糊集隶属函数的原则,分别构建了描述装备对单因素环境适应性的隶属度。基于单因素评估结果,选择合适的确定权重的方法,确定模糊综合评判中各层次因素的权重。最后选择合适的合成算子采用模糊综合评估的方法分别提出了装备与下层产品的综合环境适应性评估方法。通过实例验证了模型的合理性和方法的可行性。     

淡水水体底泥厌氧氨氧化菌的初步富集培养与氨氧化特性

对已通过16SrRNA基因方法检测到厌氧氨氧化菌(anammox菌)的江苏新沂河底泥样品在厌氧生物反应器中进行连续培养,研究这种新发现的anammox菌的生长特性,及其厌氧氨氧化效应.培养试验历时49d.经25d的启动期,反应器中氨氮和亚硝酸氮开始同时降低,并与厌氧氨氧化反应的化学计量关系类似.此后,反应器的氮转化量呈上升趋势(最大值接近0.17kg.m-.3d-1).底泥经培养后,anammox菌得到了富集,其数量从1%提高到5.6%,其倍增时间为12d.研究还发现反应器生物量的流失,出水中含有与anammox菌特异性基因探针杂交并正进行增殖的细菌细胞,但其生物特性有待深入研究.     

三峡水库入库溪流中麦氏花翅蜉(蜉蝣目:四节蜉科)的生活史研究

开展水生昆虫生长过程研究对掌握研究区域水生生物的生物学特征和研究区域生态环境状况等均具有重要作用,可为构建和完善研究区域河流生态环境保护体系提供科学参考。于2017年逐月对香溪河库湾入库支流(螃蟹溪)中的一种水生昆虫——麦氏花翅蜉(Baetiella macani)的种群进行了研究,基于大小频率法、幼虫期有效积温条件进行了生活史性状分析和验证。结果显示:麦氏花翅蜉为三化性昆虫,包含一个冬季世代和两个夏季世代。冬季世代幼虫的发育历期为3~4个月,所需有效积温为1 286 ℃;夏季世代幼虫的发育历期为1~2个月,所需有效积温为757 ℃。研究结果丰富了中国地区水生昆虫的生活史性状信息,并首次呈现了花翅蜉属的生活史特征。     

甘南白龙江流域光照资源的气候变化特征

光照资源的变化会对气候和生态环境产生较大的影响。利用1973-2012 年甘肃甘南白龙江流域近40 a 日照时数观测资料,采用气候倾向率等现代统计诊断方法,对甘南白龙江流域光照资源的变化趋势、气候突变等特征进行了分析,结果表明：甘南白龙江流域日照时数呈现出显著增加的趋势,其增幅为33.0 h/10 a,各季节日照时数都呈增加的趋势,其中以春季增幅最明显,夏季最小。这与中国大部分地区日照时数呈现显著减少的特征不同,体现出甘南白龙江流域独特的气候特点及日照时数变化的复杂性。甘南白龙江流域日照时数在1994 年之前以负距平变化为主,1994 年及其之后以正距平变化为主,为光照资源偏多期。甘南白龙江流域年平均日照时数及各季节平均日照时数均发生了增多突变。1983 年为年平均日照时数的增多突变起始年。夏季平均日照时数增多突变发生在20 世纪90 年代末,其余各季平均日照时数增多突变均发生在80 年代。年日照时数异常偏少年份主要发生在20 世纪80 年代,异常偏多仅出现在2002 年。在气候变暖的背景下,甘南白龙江流域≥0.1 mm降水日数的减少可能是引起日照时数增加的主要原因。日照时数与气温、蒸发量均呈显著的正相关。三者在变化趋势上有着很强的一致性。     

宁波东钱湖大型底栖动物群落动态及水质生物学评价

2009年4月—2010年1月,对东钱湖大型底栖动物群落结构及空间分布格局进行了季度调查,并对其环境状况进行生物学评价.共记录底栖动物3门4纲28属30种,其中寡毛类5种、水生昆虫18种、软体动物7种.底栖动物密度、生物量和群落周年次级生产量分别为1 233 m-2、8.0 g/m2(以湿质量计)和35.3 g/(m2.a)(P/B系数法估算),单因素方差分析显示,秋、冬季显著高于春、夏季.东钱湖底栖动物优势种为红裸须摇蚊、长跗摇蚊、菱跗摇蚊和霍甫水丝蚓,红裸须摇蚊为冬季单一优势种.依据底栖动物密度的多维序列分析,可将东钱湖分为4个湖区.基于GIS平台,运用克里格插值法,构建动物参数及BI(Hilsenhoff生物指数)的空间分布格局,显示东钱湖底栖动物群落具有较强的空间异质性:摇蚊幼虫多分布在谷子湖及中部湖区,而软体动物主要聚集在中部偏西南及北部湖区.BI评价结果表明,东钱湖的整体水质为中度污染(BI为7.58),其在时空上有较大差异.其中,2009年4、7、9月为轻度污染(BI为6.66～7.33),2009年11月—2010年1月为中度污染(BI为8.32～8.39);在空间尺度上,中部及北湖偏东部湖区污染较轻,其次为谷子湖及五里塘湖区,南湖偏南部湖区污染较重.      

东湖沉积物中dNaR活性和硝酸盐还原菌的垂向分布

测定了武汉东湖污染负荷不同的3个点位(污染负荷为3号>2号>1号)柱状沉积物中异化性硝酸还原酶(dNaR)活性以及硝酸盐还原菌数量、TOC、TN、NO3--N的垂向变化,分析了dNaR活性与硝酸盐还原菌数量、TOC、TN、NO3--N的相关性.结果表明,不同点位沉积物中dNaR活性不同,污染负荷最高的3号点位dNaR活性最高,污染负荷最低的1号点活性最低.不同点位沉积物中dNaR活性在垂向分布上具有相似特征:0~15cm沉积物中活性较大,15cm以下随着深度的增加,酶活性迅速降低.硝酸盐还原菌数量在垂向分布上随着深度的增加而减小. dNaR活性与TOC、TN不具有相关性,而与NO3--N呈正相关(P<0.05);dNaR活性与硝酸盐还原菌数量呈显著性相关(P<0.01).     

Spatially Characterizing Visitor Use and Its Association with Informal Trails in Yosemite Valley Meadows

Ecological impacts associated with nature-based recreation and tourism can compromise park and protected area goals if left unrestricted. Protected area agencies are increasingly incorporating indicator-based management frameworks into their management plans to address visitor impacts. Development of indicators requires empirical evaluation of indicator measures and examining their ecological and social relevance. This study addresses the development of the informal trail indicator in Yosemite National Park by spatially characterizing visitor use in open landscapes and integrating use patterns with informal trail condition data to examine their spatial association. Informal trail and visitor use data were collected concurrently during July and August of 2011 in three, high-use meadows of Yosemite Valley. Visitor use was clustered at statistically significant levels in all three study meadows. Spatial data integration found no statistically significant differences between use patterns and trail condition class. However, statistically significant differences were found between the distance visitors were observed from informal trails and visitor activity type with active activities occurring closer to trail corridors. Gender was also found to be significant with male visitors observed further from trail corridors. Results highlight the utility of integrated spatial analysis in supporting indicator-based monitoring and informing management of open landscapes. Additional variables for future analysis and methodological improvements are discussed.