Protected area characteristics that help waterbirds respond to climate warming

Protected area networks help species respond to climate warming. However, the contribution of a site's environmental and conservation-relevant characteristics to these responses is not well understood. We investigated how composition of nonbreeding waterbird communities (97 species) in the European Union Natura 2000 (N2K) network (3018 sites) changed in response to increases in temperature over 25 years in 26 European countries. We measured community reshuffling based on abundance time series collected under the International Waterbird Census relative to N2K sites’ conservation targets, funding, designation period, and management plan status. Waterbird community composition in sites explicitly designated to protect them and with management plans changed more quickly in response to climate warming than in other N2K sites. Temporal community changes were not affected by the designation period despite greater exposure to temperature increase inside late-designated N2K sites. Sites funded under the LIFE program had lower climate-driven community changes than sites that did not received LIFE funding. Our findings imply that efficient conservation policy that helps waterbird communities respond to climate warming is associated with sites specifically managed for waterbirds.     

疏浚底泥改良土壤理化性质促进芦苇快速定植研究

采用盆栽实验考察了湖泊疏浚底泥和河道疏浚底泥不同利用方式下对土壤基底性质的改良进而促进水生植物芦苇快速定植扩繁效果.试验结果表明,湖泊底泥在竹炭改良利用方式下(L-A实验组)可提高芦苇单位面积分蘖数增长率,最高可达(3.06±0.36) m~(-2)·d~(-1),在与绿化土壤混合利用方式下(L-M实验组)可提高芦苇株高,最高达(155.5±0.7) cm;而河道底泥在与绿化土壤混合利用方式下(R-M实验组)芦苇的单位面积分蘖数增长率和株高效果最优,分别可达(4.76±0.18) m~(-2)·d~(-1)和(139.5±3.5) cm.分析原因发现,施加底泥可以明显降低土壤容重,并提高有机质和磷含量,从而促进芦苇分蘖数增长率的提高.基底微生物群落多样性和群落中Micrococcaceae(微球菌)的丰度也显著提高,进一步证实了施加底泥可以改良基底理化性质从而促进芦苇快速定植.     

Management of disease complex caused by root knot nematode and root wilt fungus on pigeonpea through soil organically enriched with Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza,karanj (Pongamia pinnata) oilseed cake and farmyard manure

This investigation was undertaken to compare the percentage response of colonization and development of VA-Mycorrhiza (Glomus fasciculatum) on a number of pulse crops viz. cowpea, chickpea, soybean, pigeonpea and lentil under glasshouse conditions. Among the above-mentioned crops, pigeonpea exhibited the best performance and was selected for further studies. In this host the development and colonization percentage of G. fasciculatum was investigated under two separate substrates i. e. soil amended with FYM and karanj oilseed cake keeping a control treatment of field soil. A third treatment amended with karanj oilseed cake and farm yard manure (FYM) was also kept which responded best in terms of colonization percentage. This treatment showing improved plant health as well as integration with G. fasciculatum was selected as an ideal treatment for the management of disease complex caused by root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita and root wilt fungus, Fusarium udum on pigeonpea. Thus the treatment constituting FYM, karanj oilseed cake and VA-Mycorrhiza reduced the disease incidence caused by both maladies to a great extent with the most promising improvement in plant growth parameters as compared to all others. The present investigation, in addition to proposing an ideal eco-friendly treatment for the management of this disease complex also proposed an excellent medium for the proliferation of the obligate bio-protectant, G. fasciculatum.     

The Value of Species and the Ethical Foundations of Assisted Colonization

Abstract: Discourse around assisted colonization focuses on the ecological risks, costs, and uncertainties associated with the practice, as well as on its technical feasibility and alternative approaches to it. Nevertheless, the ethical underpinnings of the case for assisted colonization are claims about the value of species. A complete discussion of assisted colonization needs to include assessment of these claims. For each type of value that species are thought to possess it is necessary to determine whether it is plausible that species possess the type of value and, if so, to what extent their possessing it justifies assisted colonization. I conducted such an assessment for each of the predominant types of value ascribed to species: ecological, instrumental (including option value), existence, and intrinsic value (including interest‐based, objective, and valuer‐dependent intrinsic value). The vast majority of species, including several that have been proposed as candidates for assisted colonization, have much less value than is often presumed. Moreover, with respect to some types of value, assisted colonization would not fully preserve the value of the target species even if it were to keep the target species in existence. Therefore, the case for assisted colonization is significantly weaker and more qualified than its advocates often suppose. There may be exceptional species for which assisted colonization is well justified—and for this reason, case‐by‐case assessment is necessary—but in general the burden of justification generated by the ecological risks associated with assisted colonization is not met by the value potentially preserved by assisted colonization. This suggests that assisted colonization ought to have, at most, a very minor role in the portfolio of ecosystem management practices, even as it pertains to species conservation under conditions of rapid climate change.     

Colonization and Selection of Fly-Ash Substrates by Marine Invertebrates

Fly-ash dumped on the sea bed causes a local impoverishment of the benthos. Experiments on ash in sea water have shown bacterial colonization to occur, at a slower rate than on natural silt, limited meiofaunal colonization after 18 months, selection by meroplanktonic larvae for the ash, though inhibition of development after settlement, and selection against ash by mobile benthic adults. the major inhibition to colonization is the lack of organic content in the ash.     

Two Pilot Plant Reactors Designed for the In Situ Bioremediation of Chlorobenzene-contaminated Ground Water: Hydrogeological and Chemical Characteristics and Bacterial Consortia

The SAFIRA in situ pilot plant in Bitterfeld, Saxonia-Anhalt, Germany, currently serves as the test site for eight different in situ approaches to remediate anoxic chlorobenzene (CB)-contaminated ground water. Two reactors, both filled with originallignite-containing aquifer material, are designed for themicrobiological in situ remediation of the ground water bythe indigenous microbial consortia. In this study, thehydrogeological, chemical and microbiological conditions of theinflowing ground water and reactor filling material are presented,in order to establish the scientific basis for the start of thebioremediation process itself. The reactors were put intooperation in June 1999. In the following, inflow CB concentrationsin the ground water varied between 22 and 33 mg L^-1; achemical steady state for CB in both reactors was reachedafter 210 till 260 days operation time. The sediments werecolonized by high numbers of aerobic, iron-reducing anddenitrifying bacteria, as determined after 244 and 285 days ofoperation time. Furthermore, aerobic CB-degrading bacteria weredetected in all reactor zones. Comparative sequence analysis of16S rDNA gene clone libraries suggest the dominance of Proteobacteria (Comamonadaceae, Alcaligenaceae, Gallionella group, Acidithiobacillus) and members of theclass of low G+C gram-positive bacteria in the reactorsediments. In the inflowing ground water, sequences withphylogenetic affiliation to sulfate-reducing bacteria andsequences not affiliated with the known phyla of Bacteria, were found.     

Confirmation of colonization of degrading bacterium strain SC-17 on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) cast film

To clarify the mechanism of microbial degradation owing to colonization ofPseudomonas sp. strain SC-17 on a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) cast film surface, morphological and spectroscopic analyses of the degraded film were investigated and colonization kinetics on the films is discussed. By spectroscopic analysis of unique hemispherical degradation marks, cells of strain SC-17 adhering to the marks' surface were confirmed. To account for the hemispherical hole formation and their linear enlargement with culture time, a three-dimensional colony growth model toward the interior of the film was developed. The model explained the hemispherical hole formation well. It was concluded that the hemispherical holes resulted from the colonization of strain SC-17 on the film surfaces. It was further determined that the microbial degradation by strain SC-17 is initiated from small pits formed on the PHB film surface.     

混凝土生态膜法污水处理工艺生物相及其水处理实验研究

研究了混凝土生态膜污水处理工艺的循环挂膜过程.综合考察了混凝土膜片表面生物膜的生长变化情况、细菌数量及其微型动物的组成演化.生物膜成熟以后,投加实际生活污水连续运行:COD的平均去除率为76.0%;BOD5平均去除率为94.9%,出水均小于8.00 mg/L;NH3-N的去处理效果明显,第5周达到54.1%,出水可达到广东省一级排放标准中的相关规定.     

用PFU法快速监测汉沽污水库净化效能的研究

用PFU法对汉沽污水库污水净化效能进行了监测。结果表明,微型生物的群集速度较好地反映了污水库的净化过程。室内毒性试验与野外生态试验所显示的结果较为相符。PFU法与其它常规监测方法比较,结果基本一致,且具有快速、准确和简易的优点。     

淹水时长对3种丛枝菌根(AM)真菌侵染2种湿地植物的影响

以不同淹水时长为唯一影响因子,以香蒲(Typha orientalis)和水稻(Oryza sativa L.)为宿主植物,选用Glomus属的3种AM真菌(F1菌:Glomus intraradices;F2菌:Glomus versiforme;F3菌:Glomus etunicatum),研究淹水时长对3种AM真菌侵染2种湿地植物的影响,以期为阐明淹水对湿地植物AM结构与功能的影响提供参考.结果表明,淹水时间越长,3种AM真菌对2种植物的侵染率越低;相同淹水时间下,F3菌对香蒲、F1菌和F2菌对水稻的侵染率高于其他菌.3种AM真菌的侵染结构分析表明,菌丝侵染是2种湿地植物形成AM的主要途径,而丛枝和泡囊贡献较小;淹水时间越长,香蒲的菌丝侵染比例越高,但水稻的菌丝侵染比例没明显变化规律;淹水时间越长,2种植物的丛枝侵染比例越低,不淹水时最高.AM真菌产孢数分析表明,淹水时间越长,AM真菌的产孢数越多;相同淹水时长下,F3菌产孢数最多.2种植物的湿重变化表明,3种AM真菌在长时间淹水条件下仍能明显促进香蒲地上和地下部分的生长,但对水稻的生长影响不明显.本研究表明,淹水时长影响AM真菌对湿地植物的侵染水平和侵染结构,淹水条件下AM真菌对湿地植物生长仍有促进作用,但这受宿主植物对AM真菌的菌根依赖性影响.所以,在湿地植物上应用AM真菌时,应考虑植物的菌根依赖性和淹水时长对接种效果的影响.