Facilitating biodiversity conservation through partnerships to achieve transformative outcomes

Conservation biology is a mission-driven discipline that must navigate a new relationship between conservation and science. Because conservation is a social and political as well as an ecological project, conservation biologists must practice interdisciplinarity and collaboration. In a comparative study of 7 cases (Jaguars in the Chaco, Grevy's zebra in Kenya, Beekeeping in Tanzania, Andean cats in Argentina, Jaguars in Mexico, Lobster fishing, and Black bears in Mexico), we examined motivations for collaboration in conservation, who can collaborate in conservation, and how conservation professionals can work well together. In 5 case studies, successful conservation outcomes were prioritized over livelihood benefits. In the other 2 cases, livelihoods were prioritized. All case studies employed participatory approaches. There were multiple external actors, including local and Indigenous communities, nongovernmental organizations, agencies, regional and national governments, and international organizations, which enhanced conservation and wider sustainability outcomes. Key collaboration aspects considered across the case studies were time (mismatch between relationship building and project schedules), trust required for meaningful partnerships, tools employed, and transformative potential for people, nature, and the discipline of conservation biology. We developed guidelines for successful collaboration, including long-term commitment, knowledge integration, multiscalar and plural approaches, cultivation of trust, appropriate engagement, evaluation, supporting students, and efforts for transformation.     

不同年龄夜鹭卵中有机氯农药污染的生物指示

通过对太湖鼋头渚 2 0 0 0年采集的二龄、三龄和四龄夜鹭卵以及相应年龄组夜鹭的捕食物中有机氯残留的检测 ,发现捕食物中HCH和DDT的平均残留量随年龄增加而增加 .除γ HCH外 ,其它 15种有机氯农药在卵样中均有检出 ,残留水平最高的为p ,p′ DDE ,占有机氯农药残留总量的 85 %以上 .β HCH是六六六类中持留性最强的组分 ,其残留量仅次于p ,p′ DDE .研究发现 ,p ,p DDT和 β HCH检出率为 10 0 % ,而其它类型农药只有很低的检出率 ,这与我国有机氯农药使用的历史情况相吻合 .随着亲鸟年龄增加 ,卵中 β HCH残留量有所提高 ,p ,p′ DDE残留量似有先升后稍降的趋势 .统计结果表明 :各年龄组有机氯残留量差异不明显 ,因此在用夜鹭卵作有机氯污染的生物指示时可以不考虑年龄差异所带来的影响 .     

鼋头渚不同年龄夜鹭卵中多氯联苯污染状况及分布特征

通过对太湖鼋头渚2000年采集的2龄、3龄和4龄夜鹭所产卵中15种多氯联苯同系物残留状况的研究,发现所有样品中均检出多氯联苯,残留量最高的为PCB₁₁₈,PCB₈₇,PCB₁₀₁和PCB₁₅₃,占PCBs残留量的75%～85%.含5～6个氯原子的同系物在夜鹭卵中的PCBs残留量明显高于其它类型的同系物.同时,多氯联苯残留量随亲鸟年龄增加而明显增加.4龄卵样分别比3龄、2龄卵样中PCBs残留量高出47.5%和60.9%.统计处理结果表明:多氯联苯残留总量与亲鸟年龄呈正相关(p=0.05).PCBs总量与亲鸟年龄呈正相关(p=0.05).与欧美日等国家同类研究结果中PCB₁₅₃残留量最高的情况略有不同,本研究在夜鹭卵中发现残留量最高的是PCB₁₁₈,占PCBs残留总量的30%左右,PCB₁₅₃含量仅为PCBs残留总量的17%左右.     

Interactions between energy consumption,international trade,and real income in Canada: An empirical investigation from a new version of the Solow growth model

This study investigates the empirical relationship between energy consumption, international trade, and real income in Canada which has an important role in global energy and trade. It employs bound tests to level relationships and conditional error correction models through ARDL specification to a new version of the Solow Growth model. Using annual data of the 1960–2010 period, results reveal a long-term relationship between energy consumption, international trade, and real income in Canada. It is also found that energy exporting activity is the determinant (driver) of energy consumption through the channel of real income and energy consumption is the determinant (driver) of exports through the channel of real income in the long term of the Canadian economy. Exports and energy use are the determinants (drivers) of real income in the long term of the Canadian economy; therefore, as conditional Granger causality tests suggest there is feedback relationship between energy consumption, international trade, and real income in the long term of the Canadian economy. The present study suggests that any energy conservation policies are likely to have negative influence on output and international trade in Canada.     

Evaluation of the distribution of fecal indicator bacteria in a river system depending on different types of land use in the southern watershed of the Baltic Sea

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of land use management on changes in the fecal contamination of water in the ?yna River, one of the main lowland watercourses in the southern watershed of the Baltic Sea (northern Poland). A total of 120 water samples were collected in different seasons of 2011 and 2012 at 15 sites where the river intersected forest (FA), agricultural (AA), and urbanized (UA) areas. Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), the counts of Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli, total bacterial counts (TBCs), and domain Bacteria (EUB338) were determined by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Temperature, pH, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus were also determined. The lowest bacterial counts were noted in water samples collected in FA, and the highest in samples collected in UA. Statistically significant differences were determined between bacterial populations across the analyzed land use types and in different sampling seasons. Significant correlations were also observed between the populations of FIB and physicochemical parameters. The results indicate that land use type influenced FIB concentrations in river water. The combined use of conventional and molecular methods improves the accuracy of fecal contamination analyses in river ecosystems.     

Heavy metal and trace elements in riparian vegetation and macrophytes associated with lacustrine systems in Northern Patagonia Andean Range

Vegetation associated with lacustrine systems in Northern Patagonia was studied for heavy metal and trace element contents, regarding their elemental contribution to these aquatic ecosystems. The research focused on native species and exotic vascular plant Salix spp. potential for absorbing heavy metals and trace elements. The native species studied were riparian Amomyrtus luma, Austrocedrus chilensis, Chusquea culeou, Desfontainia fulgens, Escallonia rubra, Gaultheria mucronata, Lomatia hirsuta, Luma apiculata, Maytenus boaria, Myrceugenia exsucca, Nothofagus antarctica, Nothofagus dombeyi, Schinus patagonicus, and Weinmannia trichosperma, and macrophytes Hydrocotyle chamaemorus, Isöetes chubutiana, Galium sp., Myriophyllum quitense, Nitella sp. (algae), Potamogeton linguatus, Ranunculus sp., and Schoenoplectus californicus. Fresh leaves were analyzed as well as leaves decomposing within the aquatic bodies, collected from lakes Futalaufquen and Rivadavia (Los Alerces National Park), and lakes Moreno and Nahuel Huapi (Nahuel Huapi National Park). The elements studied were heavy metals Ag, As, Cd, Hg, and U, major elements Ca, K, and Fe, and trace elements Ba, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Hf, Na, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn. Geochemical tracers La and Sm were also determined to evaluate contamination of the biological tissues by geological particulate (sediment, soil, dust) and to implement concentration corrections.     

Improving the Fenton process by visible LED irradiation

The effect of irradiation with visible light-emitting diode (LED) light on the efficiency of Fenton oxidation is investigated using phenol as the target compound (100 mg/L). The H₂O₂ dose and temperature are tested as operating variables with the aim of minimizing consumption of the reagents. At 50 °C, 10 mg/L Fe²⁺, and 60 % of the stoichiometric H₂O₂ amount, phenol was completely oxidized into CO₂, H₂O, and short chain organic acids, with oxalic acid completely degraded. Up to 95 % mineralization was achieved. This high efficiency can be attributed to the effect of LED radiation on the quinones/Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺/H₂O₂ cycle, which significantly increases the reaction rate, as well as on the photodecomposition of the iron complexes formed along the oxidation process, which also enhanced mineralization.     

A framework for the social valuation of ecosystem services

Methods to assess ecosystem services using ecological or economic approaches are considerably better defined than methods for the social approach. To identify why the social approach remains unclear, we reviewed current trends in the literature. We found two main reasons: (i) the cultural ecosystem services are usually used to represent the whole social approach, and (ii) the economic valuation based on social preferences is typically included in the social approach. Next, we proposed a framework for the social valuation of ecosystem services that provides alternatives to economics methods, enables comparison across studies, and supports decision-making in land planning and management. The framework includes the agreements emerged from the review, such as considering spatial–temporal flows, including stakeholders from all social ranges, and using two complementary methods to value ecosystem services. Finally, we provided practical recommendations learned from the application of the proposed framework in a case study.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-014-0555-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.