Nonparametric estimation of Shannon’s index of diversity when there are unseen species in sample

A biological community usually has a large number of species with relatively small abundances. When a random sample of individuals is selected and each individual is classified according to species identity, some rare species may not be discovered. This paper is concerned with the estimation of Shannons index of diversity when the number of species and the species abundances are unknown. The traditional estimator that ignores the missing species underestimates when there is a non-negligible number of unseen species. We provide a different approach based on unequal probability sampling theory because species have different probabilities of being discovered in the sample. No parametric forms are assumed for the species abundances. The proposed estimation procedure combines the Horvitz–Thompson (1952) adjustment for missing species and the concept of sample coverage, which is used to properly estimate the relative abundances of species discovered in the sample. Simulation results show that the proposed estimator works well under various abundance models even when a relatively large fraction of the species is missing. Three real data sets, two from biology and the other one from numismatics, are given for illustration.     

Representational success: A new paradigm for achieving species protection by reserve site selection

Models for designing habitat reserve networks have focused on minimizing the number of sites necessary to cover each species one or more times. A solution to this problem is usually one from among a large number of alternative optimal configurations of sites. This paper develops an iterative method for building reserve networks that produces an optimal solution to the species set covering problem (SSCP) and also maximizes the number of species covered two or more times, three or more times, and so on, conditional on the solution to the previous iteration. We refer to this as representational success. Thus, a pareto optimal species set covering is achieved that is preferable to an arbitrary optimal solution to the SSCP.     

自升式钻井平台就位安全性与覆盖能力要求分析*

为保证自升式钻井平台安全就位并覆盖海上生产平台井槽进行钻完井作业,研究自升式钻井平台就位及插桩作业过程中的风险及应对措施,提出考虑就位作业误差影响下的自升式钻井平台覆盖能力要求计算方法。结果表明:桩腿穿刺是自升式钻井平台就位安全的首要考虑因素;就位作业误差会明显提高对自升式钻井平台覆盖能力的要求;提出的方法可以准确计算出实际作业对自升式钻井平台横向和纵向覆盖能力的要求,对自升式钻井平台选型及安全作业具有一定的指导意义。     

塔里木河下游植被覆盖度变化与地下水质关系

植被覆盖度的变化是地球内部作用与外部作用的共同结果,但在短期内主要受人类活动的影响.人类对自然植被覆盖度的影响最常见的就是通过对水分和水质状况的改变而影响植被覆盖度的变化.本研究基于2002~2007年间塔里木河下游地下水化学特征变化的监测资料和植被覆盖度的适时监测,探讨了植被覆盖度与地下水质之间的关系.结果表明,植被覆盖度在沿河道方向上,从A断面的80%,下降到Ⅰ断面的不足10%;在垂直河道方向上表现为距离输水河道越近植被覆盖度越高的特点;地下水pH值也表现出沿河道方向从上段到下段,从距离河道近处向距离河道远处下降的变化趋势.回归分析发现,胡杨覆盖度随地下水pH值的升高而指数增加,柽柳覆盖度则随地下水pH值的增加而降低.胡杨和柽柳与地下水质的关系是造成胡杨主要分布于距离河道近处而柽柳则分布在远离河道处的因素之一.     

铜陵铜尾矿复垦现状及植物在铜尾矿上的定居

安徽省铜陵市位于长江中游,是我国主要的铜矿产区,其铜尾矿共有5个主要的分布区域。随排放时间的延长,各尾矿库的持水保肥能力和植被覆盖率提高;铜尾矿限制植物定居的主要因素是极端贫瘠和重金属毒性,各尾矿库的重金属含量都很高,而N 、P、K和有机质的含量很低甚至为零。自然和人工定居于尾矿上的植物共有9 科37 属40种,其中禾本科、豆科、菊科植物占所有植物种的72.5%,此3科植物因有完美的生态适应机制而能成为在尾矿上定居的先锋植物和优势种。铜尾矿库植被自然演替属于几十年甚至上百年的长期演替,铜矿废弃地的治理和恢复重建更是一项长期而艰巨的工作。     

崇明东滩景观格局的生态学分析与评价

在崇明岛功能区划的基础上,利用2006年的遥感影像对崇明东滩的景观类型进行解译,并对景观格局变化和植被覆盖度进行了分析与评价。结果表明:崇明东滩的景观面貌已经由原始潮滩演化出目前多达11种斑块类型。从景观空间形态指标和景观组分指标分析结果来看,崇明东滩的生境破碎化趋势已经显现,但从景观空间关系指标和Shannon均匀性指标分析结果来看,景观聚集度和连通度尚处于较高水平(分别为96.27和99.15),均匀度尚较大(0.59)。崇明东滩的植被覆盖度主要集中在0.3至0.9之间,植被覆盖度整体上尚处于较高水平。     

青藏高原东部原始云杉林及其系列采伐迹地3个林地藓类种群结构与生物量的差异性评估

森林采伐对地表藓类种群的发育具有重要影响,但很少有人评估这种影响后迹地上的藓类种群状况.本研究调查了四川壤塘县4个系列采伐迹地和附近原始云杉林下3种林地优势藓类种群[锦丝藓(Actinothuidium hookeri)、塔藓(Hylocomium splendens)和大羽藓(Thuidium cymbifolium)]的发生频率和盖度、生物量以及维管束植物盖度和凋落物盖度,通过方差分析检验比较分析了3个藓类种群的盖度和生物量在不同采伐迹地及原始林之间的差异,评估了其自然发展趋势,揭示了维管束植物结构参数与藓类种群盖度和生物量之间的相互关系.发现:1)3种藓类种群的盖度和生物量在采伐迹地和附近原始林间有显著差异,但在系列采伐迹地之间没有明显差异,证实森林采伐后林生地表藓类种群显著衰退,随着迹地自然恢复进程这些藓类种群并未能逐渐恢复;2)微环境尺度上的藓类盖度和生物量在系列采伐迹地之间有较大的波动,Spearman相关分析显示乔木和草本层盖度是影响藓类种群生物量的主要因子.综合分析表明,采伐导致的环境变化以及藓类自身的牛态适应性和繁殖策略综合决定着藓类种群的自然恢复能力;如果仅仅依靠迹地自然恢复过程,顶极藓类种群(塔藓和锦丝藓)是难以自然复壮的.图6表4参44     

Evolution of newspaper coverage of water issues in Australia during 1843–2011

News accounts both reflect and influence public opinion through their noted ‘agenda-setting’ capability. We examined newspaper articles in Australia’s The Sydney Morning Herald from 1843 to 2011 to observe the evolution of media coverage on water issues related to water resources management. The results showed that water supply-related articles have dominated the reporting of water issues since 1843. This emphasis is reflected in the institutions involved and their related policy/management initiatives, as well as the themes of the articles. Extreme events such as flooding and drought have punctuated the historical record of reports on water issues. An economic development-driven tone was overwhelmingly predominant in newspaper articles (85 % of the total); however, there has been a marked decline in the importance of development-driven tone relative to environmental-sustainability oriented tone of articles since 1994. People from academia and NGOs were rarely quoted. Inclusion of wider range stakeholders should be considered as a strategic break-through and natural events should be considered as an “opportunity” to change public opinion on water issues for environmental sustainability.     

Do Conservative Media Provide a Forum for Skeptical Voices? The Link Between Ideology and the Coverage of Climate Change in British,German, and Swiss Newspapers

This study analyzes whether the ideological orientation of a newspaper has an influence on the salience of skeptical arguments (trend, attribution, impact, and response skeptics) in the coverage of climate change in the UK, Germany, and Switzerland, and examines whether certain newspaper titles act as advocates of the skeptical countermovement. A quantitative content analysis of a broad newspaper sample for each country over the course of one year (June 2012–May 2013) was conducted. The results reveal that conservative newspapers do not amplify skeptical voices in general; the difference between conservative and more liberal outlets is only found in the case of impact and response skepticism. Second, in each country, certain conservative newspapers are particularly open to skeptical arguments.     

The need for innovative strategies to improve immunisation services in rural Zimbabwe

Gokwe South, a rural district in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe, reported the lowest rate of immunisation coverage in the country in 2005: 55 per cent of children vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus vaccine (DPT3) and 35 per cent dropout between the first and third dose of DPT. In January 2007, the authors assessed local barriers to immunisation and proposed strategies to improve immunisation rates in the district, in the face of nationwide economic and political challenges. A situational analysis was performed to assess barriers to immunisation using focus-group discussions with health workers, key informant interviews with health management and community leaders, and desk reviews of records. Responses were categorised and solutions proposed. Health workers and key informants reported that immunisation service delivery was hampered by insufficient availability of gas for cold-chain equipment, limited transport and fuel to conduct basic activities, and inadequate staff and supervision. Improving coverage will require prioritising gas for vaccine cold-chain equipment, identifying reliable transportation or alternative transportation solutions, and increased staff, training and supervision. Local assessment is critical to pinpointing site-specific barriers, and innovative strategies are needed to overcome existing contextual challenges.