Vulnerability of Rehabilitated Agricultural Production Systems to Invasion by Nontarget Plant Species

Vast areas of arable land have been retired from crop production and “rehabilitated” to improved system states through landowner incentive programs in the United States (e.g., Conservation and Wetland Reserve Programs), as well as Europe (i.e., Agri-Environment Schemes). Our review of studies conducted on invasion of rehabilitated agricultural production systems by nontarget species elucidates several factors that may increase the vulnerability of these systems to invasion. These systems often exist in highly fragmented and agriculturally dominated landscapes, where propagule sources of target species for colonization may be limited, and are established under conditions where legacies of past disturbance persist and prevent target species from persisting. Furthermore, rehabilitation approaches often do not include or successfully attain all target species or historical ecological processes (e.g., hydrology, grazing, and/or fire cycles) key to resisting invasion. Uncertainty surrounds ways in which nontarget species may compromise long term goals of improving biodiversity and ecosystem services through rehabilitation efforts on former agricultural production lands. This review demonstrates that more studies are needed on the extent and ecological impacts of nontarget species as related to the goals of rehabilitation efforts to secure current and future environmental benefits arising from this widespread conservation practice.     

Lessons from Integrating Fishers of Arapaima in Small-Scale Fisheries Management at the Mamirauá Reserve,Amazon

Fishers and small-scale fisheries worldwide have been marginalized historically. Now it is clear that integrating fishers in management processes is key to resource conservation, but it is less clear how to do it. Here, based on a literature review and new information, we present and analyze a case in which the participation of fishers in the management process was crucial in recovering an overexploited small-scale fishery for the pirarucu (Arapaima spp.) in the Amazon Basin, Brazil. In 8 years of experimental management, from 1999 to 2006, the population of pirarucu increased 9-fold (from about 2200 to 20,650 individuals), harvest quotas increased 10-fold (from 120 to 1249 individuals), and fishers’ participation in the management process increased and they benefited from increased monetary returns. Additionally, the number of communities conducting the management scheme increased from 4 in 1999 to 108 in 2006, following the demands of fishers and regional government agencies. Based on our analysis, we suggest that the participation of fishers in the management of other small-scale fisheries in the world can be improved by focusing on (1) applying the knowledge and skills of fishers in resource monitoring and management, (2) bridging knowledge systems among all involved stakeholders, (3) collaborating with fishers that are interested in, and capable of conducting, resource conservation schemes, and (4) conducting management under conditions of uncertainty.     

The Effect of Shoreline Recreational Angling Activities on Aquatic and Riparian Habitat Within an Urban Environment: Implications for Conservation and Management

There is growing concern that recreational shoreline angling activity may negatively impact littoral and riparian habitats independent of any direct or indirect influences of fish harvest or fishing mortality through mechanisms such as disturbance (e.g., trampling, erosion) and pollution (e.g., littering). We sampled a suite of aquatic and terrestrial variables (i.e., water quality, aquatic and terrestrial macrophytes, soil compaction, anthropogenic refuse) at 14 high shoreline angling-activity sites (identified by way of interviews with conservation officers and angling clubs) within an urban area (Ottawa, Canada). For each high angling-activity site, a nearby corresponding low angling-activity site was sampled for comparison. We found that the percentage of barren area and soil compaction were greater in areas of high angling activity compared with areas that experienced relatively low angling activity. In addition, terrestrial and aquatic macrophyte density, height, and diversity were lower at high angling-activity sites. Angling- and non-angling-related litter was present in large quantities at each of the high angling-activity sites, and comparatively little litter was found at low angling-activity sites. Collectively, these findings indicate that shoreline angling does alter the riparian environment, contributing to pollution and environmental degradation in areas of high angling intensity. With growing interest in providing urban angling opportunities and in response to increasing interest in developing protected areas and parks, a better understanding of the ecologic impacts of shoreline angling is necessary to address multiuser conflicts, to develop angler outreach and educational materials, and to optimize management of angling effort to maintain ecologic integrity of riparian and aquatic ecosystems.     

Ecoregions in the Southern Balkans: Should Their Boundaries Be Revised?

Ecoregion delineations have gained increased attention in Europe, especially following the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD), which provides the European Union’s first policy-relevant ecoregion map. However, the WFD’s ecoregions were created through a minor adaptation of Illies’ (Limnofauna Europaea. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, 1967/1978) freshwater zoogeographic regions, and the map’s specific boundaries have not been widely evaluated with respect to the WFD’s uses or their biogeographic accuracy. We examined the WFD ecoregion boundaries in Greece and its neighboring Balkan states by comparing them with the most prominent freshwater biogeographic boundaries as shown by riverine freshwater fish assemblages. Classification and ordination analyses of 23 river basin fish assemblages helped delineate natural faunal break boundaries in freshwater species assemblage distributions depicting major biogeographic barriers to aquatic biota dispersal. However, these biogeographic boundaries differ from those delineated in the WFD map, suggesting boundary errors and inconsistencies in the delineation method of the WFD ecoregions. We reviewed specific boundary disagreements and produced a map showing the region’s most prominent freshwater biogeographic boundaries by charting them on watershed borders among the four biotically dissimilar river basin groups in the southern Balkans. This regional evaluation reveals both a need to reconcile disparate approaches to ecoregion mapping and to promote the development of a new policy-relevant inland waters ecoregion framework that would support broad-scale water management and aquatic conservation.     

生态旅游环境教育功能的实现途径研究

生态旅游是一项具有保护自然生态与文化多样性,提高旅游者环境意识及维护当地居民生活双重责任的旅游活动,具有较强的环境教育功能。但其功能的发挥不是旅游活动的自然结果,而有赖于人的自觉和切实有效的环境教育。本研究基于对生态旅游环境教育功能及其影响因素正确认识基础上,构建生态旅游环境教育功能实现的基本框架,并系统阐述环境解说、产品设计、舆论监督、宣传教育、环境管理等途径。本研究对促进生态旅游健康发展和国民环境教育具有重要意义。     

Application of biomarkers to assess the condition of European Marine Sites

A series of European Marine Sites has been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in England. The aim of this study was to develop a practical methodology to assess the condition of SACs by applying a suite of biomarkers. Biomarkers were applied to the blue mussel Mytilus edulis and the shore crab Carcinus maenas from the Fal and Helford SAC (Cornwall). Individual biomarkers provided useful diagnostic information on the activity of certain classes of contaminants and an integrated Biomarker Response Index (BRI) was used to achieve a more holistic understanding of the condition of the SAC. The BRI indicated that the general health of both organisms was impacted in the upper part of the SAC (Fal Estuary) which correlated well with known chemical hotspots and sources of contamination. The BRI allows a pragmatic way to prioritise SAC sites that may require further investigative studies.     

我国旅游教育发展的初步研究

我国旅游业的高速发展推动了旅游教育事业快速发展,同时也给旅游教育提出了更高的要求和挑战.在文献分析和整理的基础上,简要梳理了改革开放以来我国旅游教育发展所取得的显著成就,归纳出旅游专业教育在培养目标和模式、教学观念、课程设置、教学方法、师资力量、就业等方面存在的问题,最后提出了未来旅游教育发展的对策和建议.     

论当代大学生的信息素养教育

国民信息素养的高低已成为一个国家在全球竞争中获得优势地位的关键,信息素养教育在全世界范围内备受重视。本文以信息素养为出发点,以当今高校对在校大学生信息素养培训的新要求为依据,通过信息的选择、检索、利用,个人创新和文化素养等五个方面的教育,论述了如何培养高校学生信息素养,使学生养成终身学习的习惯。     

提高高校档案利用的新途径

针对目前高校档案利用率不高的实际情况,为有效地提高档案利用率,充分发挥高校档案在高校发展建设、科学管理、提升教育教学水平中的作用,笔者通过多年的探索实践,提出了加大宣传力度、搞好基础建设、提高人员素质、拓展服务方式、创新服务内容等高校档案利用的新途径,与从事高校档案工作的广大同仁商榷。     

浅析思想政治教育的生态价值

胡锦涛总书记在十七大报告中指出,“建设生态文明,基本形成节约能源资源和保护生态环境的产业结构、增长方式、消费模式”。这一战略思想对中国的发展具有非常重要的意义。没有生态文明,一切文明就没有了享受的前提。思想政治教育不仅对经济政治文化建设有着重要的作用,而且在生态文明的建设过程中依然有重要的作用。加强思想政治教育生态价值的研究,对于缓解我国人口、环境、资源和能源等方面的压力以及我国生态文明建设,落实科学发展观有十分重大的意义。