Use of Microbial Community to Evaluate Performance of a Wetland System in Treating Pb/Zn Mine Drainage

The performance of a wetland system in treating lead (Pb)/zinc (Zn) mine drainage was evaluated by using the polyurethane foam unit (PFU) microbial community (method), which has been adopted by China as a standardized procedure for monitoring water quality. The wetland system consisted of four cells with three dominant plants: Typha latifolia, Phragmites australis and Paspalum distichum. Physicochemical characteristics [pH, EC, content of total suspended solid (TSS) and metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu)] and PFU microbial community in water samples had been investigated from seven sampling sites. The results indicated that the concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, and TSS in the mine drainage were gradually reduced from the inlet to the outlet of the wetland system and 99%, 98%, 75%, 83%, and 68% of these metals and TSS respectively, had been reduced in concentration after the drainage passed through the wetland system. A total of 105 protozoan species were identified, the number of protozoa species and the diversity index (DI) gradually increased, while the heterotrophic index (HI) gradually decreased from the inlet to the outlet of the wetland system. The results indicated that DI, HI, and total number species of protozoa could be used as biological indicators indicating the improvement of water quality.     

Improving the Urban Stream Restoration Effort: Identifying Critical Form and Processes Relationships

Stream restoration projects are often based on morphological form or stream type and, as a result, there needs to be a clear tie established between form and function of the stream. An examination of the literature identifies numerous relationships in naturally forming streams that link morphologic form and stream processes. Urban stream restoration designs often work around infrastructure and incorporate bank stabilization and grade control structures. Because of these imposed constraints and highly altered hydrologic and sediment discharge regimens, the design of urban channel projects is rather unclear. In this paper, we examine the state of the art in relationships between form and processes, the strengths and weaknesses of these existing relationships, and the current lack of understanding in applying these relationships in the urban environment. In particular, we identify relationships that are critical to urban stream restoration projects and provide recommendations for future research into how this information can be used to improve urban stream restoration design. It is also suggested that improving the success of urban restoration projects requires further investigation into incorporating process-based methodologies, which can potentially reduce ambiguity in the design and the necessity of using an abundant amount of in-stream structures.     

Prioritizing Wetland Restoration for Sediment Yield Reduction: A Conceptual Model

In a climate of limited resources, it is often necessary to prioritize restoration efforts geographically. The synoptic approach is an ecologically based tool for geographic prioritization of wetland protection and restoration efforts. The approach was specifically designed to incorporate best professional judgment in cases where information and resources are otherwise limited. Synoptic assessments calculate indices for functional criteria in subunits (watersheds, counties, etc.) of a region and then rank the subunits. Ranks can be visualized in region-scale maps which enable managers to identify areas where efforts optimize functional performance on a regional scale. In this paper, we develop a conceptual model for prioritizing watersheds whose wetlands can be restored to reduce total sediment yield at the watershed outlet. The conceptual model is designed to rank watersheds but not individual wetlands within a watershed. The synoptic approach is valid for applying the sediment yield reduction model because there is high demand for prioritizing disturbed wetlands for restoration, but there is limited, quantitative, accurate information available with which to make decisions. Furthermore, the cost of creating a comprehensive database is prohibitively high. Finally, because the model will be used for planning purposes, and, specifically, for prioritizing based on multiple decisions rather than optimizing a single decision, the consequence of prioritization errors is low. Model results cannot be treated as scientific findings. The conclusions of an assessment are based on judgement, but this judgement is guided by scientific principles and a general understanding of relevant ecological processes. The conceptual model was developed as the first step towards prioritizing of wetland restoration for sediment yield reduction in US EPA Region 4.     

影响富营养化水体沉水植物修复的生态因子探讨

日益严重的水体富营养化现象,不仅降低了它的使用功能,也使水生态系统日趋退化,从而制约了当地社会经济的可持续发展。利用组建或重建沉水植物技术净化水质或进行水体生态修复是一种有效的生态工程措施。本文综述了光照、pH、营养盐、重金属、悬浮颗粒物及着生藻类等生态因子对沉水植物修复的影响和修复时应注意的问题。     

典型农牧交错带山水林田湖草生态保护修复——以内蒙古岱海流域为例

典型的农牧交错带——岱海流域是我国“两屏三带”生态安全战略格局中北方防沙带的重要组成部分,也是京津冀地区生态屏障的重要组成部分,其生态环境保护意义重大。针对岱海流域独特的地理特征和生境状况,围绕着水量减小和生态退化两大核心问题,梳理了其水量、水质、水生态等方面的优先问题清单;以保障岱海流域生态安全为核心目标,按照优化生态空间管控与分区分类精准修复相结合的思路,构建了“一湖三区”的国土空间管控体系和“两增、两减、三平衡”的山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程体系,以期增强岱海流域生态服务功能,促进农牧交错带生态脆弱区域经济社会发展。     

国土空间规划背景下的山体生态修复规划研究—以南宁市为例

为探索系统性、大尺度的山体国土空间生态修复新路径,以南宁市为例,通过构建山体生态系统服务功能评价指标体系并开展山体生态功能评价,划分山体生态功能分区,制定山体生态修复与提升方案,建立了以“本底评价—功能分区—修复提升”为一体的区域山体国土空间生态修复规划方法。结果显示,研究区主要山体面积占比约37.26%,在空间上集中连片分布;山体生态功能高度和中度重要区占比达85%,是山体生态保护修复的核心区域;研究区可划分为山体生态保育区、水源地保护区、生态游憩协调区等8类分区,分别执行相应的管控措施;统筹保护与发展需求,制定了速生桉种植调整、山体群落结构优化、生态游憩带构建、受损山体生态修复等山体修复提升规划方案。区域山体国土空间生态修复规划应协调生态保护修复与城市发展需求,统筹山体资源的保护、修复和利用,分区、分类制定方案。

     

基于鱼类产卵需求的栖息地修复效果评价

根据鱼类产卵需求对工程修复效果开展评价对掌握栖息地状态和指导工程设计极其重要。以黑水河为实例,从鱼类产卵的生境需求出发,结合现场监测和数值模拟方法量化产卵栖息地的参照状态,构建指标体系进行河流鱼类产卵期栖息地质量评价,以获得修复工程对鱼类产卵生境真实的修复效果。结果表明：2019—2021年黑水河产卵期的鱼类栖息地综合评价得分分别为63.04、83.52与83.52,鱼类产卵栖息地得到改善,评价结果表明生态修复工程对产卵栖息地有明显修复效果;黑水河不同河段鱼类产卵栖息地质量空间分布上呈现出修复前下游河段(R4~R6)优于上游河段(R1~R3)的特征,修复后不同河段评分均有不同程度的增加,增幅为21.33%~59.15%;通过对敏感因子进行溯源可知,修复前黑水河鱼类产卵期栖息地质量主要受河流连通性和水力条件限制,修复后连通性得到大幅度改善,但水体流速和弗劳德数与保护鱼类产卵的偏好状态仍具有一定差距,后期修复工作应结合鱼类产卵喜好针对水体流态进行局部塑造和改善。

     

基于生态系统服务簇评价的长沙市生态修复优先区识别

为快速有效地划分长沙市生态修复优先级,构建了“生态系统服务簇—城市化强度”体系的生态修复优先区识别研究框架,运用生态系统服务价值计算模型、聚类分析、线性回归模型、空间统计等方法,识别研究区生态系统服务簇,对生态系统服务簇综合服务能力演变和城市化强度变化进行空间统计,进而识别出研究区生态修复优先区,并提出生态修复和保护策略。结果表明：城市扩张大量侵占城市周边土地,致使长沙市主城区4个生态系统服务簇在2000—2020年,有1 821个网格(占比为20.15%)发生了服务簇类型的改变;城市扩张破坏原有生态环境和景观格局,致使城市化发展对生态系统服务簇发展的影响始终是负面的,且随着城市化速度加快,其负面影响愈加明显;生态修复优先区被划分为5个等级,2 609个网格(占比为28.87%)需要进行生态修复,其中Ⅰ级生态修复优先区占比为13.53%,Ⅱ级、Ⅲ级、Ⅳ级占比分别为0.58%、12.53%、2.23%。Ⅰ级和Ⅲ级生态修复优先区应注重关键生态系统服务能力的提升,Ⅱ级和Ⅳ级生态修复优先区和生态保护区则应注重现有生态系统服务功能的保持。该方法能够快速定位高速城市化与生态系统受损同时发生的区域,并为不同分区修复策略的制定提供参考,在提升生态系统服务能力的同时,降低城市化对生态系统的负面影响。

     

基于生态安全格局的县域国土空间生态保护修复关键区域识别—以抚州市宜黄县为例

为了有效实现国土空间生态保护与修复,探讨国土空间生态安全格局构建与生态保护修复关键区域识别的方法具有重要意义。以抚州市宜黄县为例,基于“生态源地—景观阻力面—生态廊道”的基本框架,以MSPA（形态空间格局分析）模型识别生态源地,将生态保护重要性评价成果作为指标之一构建景观综合阻力面,集成最小累积阻力模型（MCR）、重力模型和电路理论,识别与提取生态廊道,构建国土空间生态安全格局。在此基础上,基于电路理论识别生态夹点、障碍点,进而判断出宜黄县国土空间生态保护修复的关键区域,对需要修复的关键区域进行修复分区并提出修复建议。结果表明：宜黄县有10个生态源地;生态廊道共19条,包括7条重要生态廊道和12条一般生态廊道;待修复生态夹点20处,障碍点26处;待修复关键区域38处,划定为5个生态修复分区,分别为农业用地生态建设区、城镇绿地建设维护区、河道治理修复区、生态用地维护修复区以及道路生态廊道畅通区。

     

Integrating Paleobiology,Archeology, and History to Inform Biological Conservation

The search for novel approaches to establishing ecological baselines (reference conditions) is constrained by the fact that most ecological studies span the past few decades, at most, and investigate ecosystems that have been substantially altered by human activities for decades, centuries, or more. Paleobiology, archeology, and history provide historical ecological context for biological conservation, remediation, and restoration. We argue that linking historical ecology explicitly with conservation can help unify related disciplines of conservation paleobiology, conservation archeobiology, and environmental history. Differences in the spatial and temporal resolution and extent (scale) of prehistoric, historic, and modern ecological data remain obstacles to integrating historical ecology and conservation biology, but the prolonged temporal extents of historical ecological data can help establish more complete baselines for restoration, document a historical range of ecological variability, and assist in determining desired future conditions. We used the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) fishery of the Chesapeake Bay (U.S.A.) to demonstrate the utility of historical ecological data for elucidating oyster conservation and the need for an approach to conservation that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Historical ecological studies from the Chesapeake have documented dramatic declines (as much as 99%) in oyster abundance since the early to mid‐1800s, changes in oyster size in response to different nutrient levels from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, and substantial reductions in oyster accretion rates (from 10 mm/year to effectively 0 mm/year) from the Late Holocene to modern times. Better integration of different historical ecological data sets and increased collaboration between paleobiologists, geologists, archeologists, environmental historians, and ecologists to create standardized research designs and methodologies will help unify prehistoric, historic, and modern time perspectives on biological conservation. Integración de Paleobiología, Arqueología e Historia para Informar a la Biología de la Conservación