Quantifying progress toward a conservation assessment for all plants

The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) set an ambitious target to achieve a conservation assessment for all known plant species by 2020. We consolidated digitally available plant conservation assessments and reconciled their scientific names and assessment status to predefined standards to provide a quantitative measure of progress toward this target. The 241,919 plant conservation assessments generated represent 111,824 accepted land plant species (vascular plants and bryophytes, not algae). At least 73,081 and up to 90,321 species have been assessed at the global scale, representing 21–26% of known plant species. Of these plant species, at least 27,148 and up to 32,542 are threatened. Eighty plant families, including some of the largest, such as Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, and Rubiaceae, are underassessed and should be the focus of assessment effort if the GSPC target is to be met by 2020. Our data set is accessible online (ThreatSearch) and is a baseline that can be used to directly support other GSPC targets and plant conservation action. Although around one‐quarter of a million plant assessments have been compiled, the majority of plants are still unassessed. The challenge now is to build on this progress and redouble efforts to document conservation status of unassessed plants to better inform conservation decisions and conserve the most threatened species.     

基于模糊评价的VDT系统搜索策略绩效形成机理研究

为优化视觉显示终端（VDT）结构性搜索界面的布局,提高作业绩效和安全,设计了VDT系统搜索实验,构建了搜索目标位置在4个主观偏好指标下的Pythagorean模糊集决策矩阵,运用交互式多准则决策（TODIM）法计算各目标位置偏好的总体优势度并排序;同时对VDT系统搜索实验中各目标位置的绩效进行方差分析并排序,分析系统搜索策略下作业者对目标位置的主观偏好与绩效之间的关系。研究结果表明:基于系统搜索策略的VDT作业绩效在不同目标位置差异显著;导致绩效差异的根本原因是作业者对搜索目标位置的主观偏好度,而不是搜索目标的位置属性;除中心区域外,偏好度高的区域搜索绩效要优于偏好度低的区域。     

我国自然保护区级别划分标准的研究

本文在总结国内外自然保护区级别划分背景的基础上,根据我国自然保护区建设和管理的现状,提出保护区级别划分应遵循的原则,如以定性方法为主,与现行行政体制相一致等。根据这些原则,研究制定了我国自然保护区级别划分的标准。该标准将自然保护区划分为国家级、省级、市级和县级。并对其标准进行了详细描述和定义。此外,本文还对保护区级别划分的依据和确定保护区重要性的评价指标进行了阐述和讨论。此标准的研究对于当前我国自然保护区的建设和规范化管理具有重要的意义。     

Landfill leachate treatment methods: A review

Landfilling of municipal waste is still a major issue of the waste management system in Europe. The generated leachate must be appropriately treated before being discharged into the environment. Technologies meant for leachate treatment can be classified as follows (i) biological methods, (ii) chemical and physical methods. Here we review briefly the main processes currently used for the landfill leachates treatments.     

Rank-related partner choice in the fission–fusion society of the spotted hyena (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crocuta crocuta</Emphasis>)

When social partners vary in their relative value, individuals should theoretically initiate partnerships with conspecifics of the highest value. Here, we tested this prediction in a wild population of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). Crocuta live in complex, fission–fusion societies structured by dominance hierarchies in which individuals vary greatly in their value as social companions. Because patterns of association among Crocuta reflect social preferences, we calculated association indices (AIs) to examine how social rank influences intrasexual partner choice among unrelated adults of both sexes. The highest-ranking individuals were generally most gregarious in both sexes. Females associated most often with dominant and adjacent-ranking females. Females joined subgroups based on the presence of particular conspecifics such that subordinates joined focal females at higher rates than did dominants. Dominants benefit from associations with subordinates by enjoying priority of access to resources obtained and defended by multiple group members, but the benefits of these associations to subordinates are unknown. To investigate this, we tested three hypotheses suggesting how subordinates might benefit from rank-related partner choice among unrelated females. We found that subordinates who initiated group formation benefited by gaining social and feeding tolerance from dominants. However, rates at which dominants provided coalitionary support to subordinates did not vary with AIs. Overall, our data resemble those documenting patterns of association among cercopithecine primates. We consider our results in light of optimal reproductive skew theory, Seyfarth’s rank attractiveness model, and biological market theory. Our data are more consistent with the predictions of Seyfarth’s model and of biological market theory than with those of skew theory.     

Conservation Biology, Genetically Modified Organisms, and the Biosafety Protocol

Abstract:  Concerns have been raised regarding the potential adverse effects on biological diversity of the use of living modified organisms (LMOs, which are commonly known by similar terms such as genetically modified organisms). At the international level these concerns are addressed in part by an agreement known as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and include potential toxic effects of insect-resistant crops on nontarget organisms and potential ecological effects of gene flow from modified crops, fish, microorganisms, or insects to wild species or counterparts. We reviewed the protocol's main provisions, including those dealing with risk assessment and risk management, decision making on imports, documentation accompanying shipments, and liability resulting from damages caused by LMOs. A medium-term program of work has been adopted by the parties, which includes the potential contribution of conservation biologists to delivering capacity building, developing risk assessment guidance, evaluating mechanisms of potential ecological damages from LMOs, and other issues. Conservation biologists and other experts have opportunities to influence the negotiations and implementation of the protocol by providing inputs at meetings, offering expertise to governments and organizations, and participating in or developing relevant projects and initiatives. Involvement of conservation biologists in the implementation and further development of the protocol would contribute to its effectiveness.     

Correspondence analysis of paper recycling society: consumers and paper makers in Japan

Paper passes through many hands. In the present paper, key parts of this cycle in Japan were examined, using questionnaire surveys of households and paper makers. The study aimed to examine the paper makers' strategy for paper production and their attitude to recycling, in comparison with those of the consumers. The study especially focused on toilet paper because consumers have a lot of freedom in purchasing toilet paper. A total of 1242 consumers and 60 paper makers responded. The major findings were as follows. First, we compared the criteria of consumers for purchasing toilet paper with the conjectures of paper makers. Brand, advertisements and the appearance of shopping displays received 60% support from paper makers, but less than 12% of consumers selected these criteria even if we exclude those who do not buy toilet paper or do not have any particular criteria. On the other hand, multiple plies and benefit to the earth were selected by moderate numbers (between 20 and 25%) of consumers, while only 16.77 and 5.69%, respectively of paper makers marked these criteria. Paper makers strongly believe that many retailers sell toilet paper as a loss-leader. By comparing those matters considered important for recycling by consumers with those considered important by makers, it was shown that many makers have a clear awareness of the particular problem, the lack of used paper consumption, in the current paper recycling situation in Japan.     

废水的生物脱氮除磷新工艺的设想

结合废水生物脱氮除磷机理和影响因素，在对几种典型脱氮除磷工艺氮、磷去除率进行比较的基础上，解析了一些典型工艺除氮除磷不足之处。根据重庆城市污水水质实际情况和地形的特点，设想一种新的生物脱 氮除磷工艺，从而弥补传统工艺的不足。可望提高系统的脱氮和除磷效率，达到更好的脱氮除磷的目的，减少对水体的污染。     

186菌生物流化床处理甲醇废水

用三相生物流化床工艺处理甲醇废水COD_(cr)容积负荷达4.24～12.32kg/m~3·d,去除率达82.7％～93.1％;甲醇容积负荷达1.8～3.9kg/m~3·d,去除率达81.4％～98.1％。加186菌种后,甲醇的容积负荷可提高到3.02～3.36kg/m~3·d,COD_(cr)去除率可达到89.3～96.7％。     

煤渣填料固定化菌膜处理餐厅污水

以煤渣为填料,采用人工筛选优势菌挂膜固定化技术和直流式供水送风形式,对酒家、宾馆的餐厅污水进行生物接触氧化处理,COD和BOD的去除率可>90％,处理后排放水质可稳定达到COD≤100mg·1~(-1),BOD≤30mg·1~(-1),SS≤30mg·1~(-1),NH_3—N≤15mg·1~(-1)。推广应用结果表明,具有显著的经济效益和环境效益。