A GIS-based approach for assessing the regional conservation status of genetic diversity: an example from the southern Appalachians

Conserving genetic diversity requires an assessment of the distribution of genetic variants in relation to patterns of land use and environmental variation at a regional scale. This assessment requires a novel approach to integrating and analyzing the genetic and environmental data across spatial scales. To explore the integration of genetic data with other geospatial data sets, we developed a GIS-based approach for examining patterns of genetic diversity for several species of salamanders in southern Appalachians. The genetic data, from allozyme surveys in the genetics literature, were integrated into a GIS database along with related attributes including population identifications and spatial locations. Using existing geospatial data, we classified sample locations as being either protected from anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., National Parks, Wilderness Areas) or as unprotected (e.g., private lands, multiple-use lands in National Forests). We used multidimensional scaling of allelic frequencies and contributions of populations to interpopulation differences in allelic richness to determine which populations had genetic characteristics most different from other populations in the sample. Measures of genetic differentiation were integrated into the GIS database to facilitate spatial analysis and visualization of the indices in relation to land use. This approach was useful for both identification of populations with components of genetic variation that were not well represented at protected sites and for identifying areas of species distributions where more genetic sampling would be necessary to make informed management decisions. Our approach could be readily adapted for use by managers and geneticists working with other species and types of genetic markers.     

Trade and recycling of used tyres in Western and Eastern Europe

Truck tyres can cause significant environmental pressure through the life cycle. The main aim of this paper is investigate to what extent international policy measures on foreign trade, international recycling and harmonisation of legislation can contribute in effectively reducing environmental pressure caused in the truck tyre life cycle. A two-region simulation model, representing Western and Eastern Europe, is developed that integrates the complete life cycle, incorporates environmental impacts in its economic analysis, is technically dynamic by accounting for learning-by-doing effects, and allows for variations in trade of new and old truck tyres. In this study the economic, environmental and social effectiveness of harmonisation and trade measures in the European life cycle for truck tyre is tested. Several conclusions can be drawn from the model simulations. First, the environmental effects caused by the trade of used tyres from Western to Eastern Europe are of limited impact on the overall environmental damage caused by truck tyres. The consumption stage is by far the main contributor to environmental damage. Within the marginal analysis of trade, harmonisation of disposal fees illustrated to generate very limited positive results. The private and external costs in the solid waste management (SWM) stage are too limited to have a notable impact on the overall configuration of the European tyre life cycle. The introduction of strict laws on tread depth in Eastern Europe has a much stronger impact on material flows than the harmonisation scenario. This suggests that domestic policy measures should be the primarily focus on interventions in this stage of the life cycle, for instance, by improving the management of tyre pressure. Because trade of used tyres has little impact on the consumption stage, this issue should not get priority in European environmental programs.     

Why the Conservation of Forest Genetic Resources Has Not Worked

Abstract:  Genetic diversity is indispensable for long-term forest sustainability and is therefore mentioned in numerous binding and nonbinding political covenants calling for action. Nevertheless, there are significant obstacles to the conservation of forest genetic resources. We discuss hindrances to genetic conservation, mainly in Europe. We identified impediments by reviewing the literature and on the basis of the experiences of the authors in this field and their participation in related political processes. The impediments include (1) difficulties in assessing and monitoring genetic erosion and human impacts (e.g., by the lack of markers showing adaptive variation and the lack of record keeping on the use and transfer of forest-tree germplasm), (2) complexities of European national structures that make the development of a common strategy toward forest genetic conservation problematic, (3) lack of effective forest governance in many parts of the world, (4) the general unattractiveness of genes as flagships in raising public awareness, (5) lack of integration of genetic aspects into biodiversity conservation, and (6) the fact that scientists and politicians are often at cross-purposes. To overcome these impediments, forest geneticists and their peers in species conservation have to participate more actively in decision making. In doing so, they must be prepared to face challenges on 2 fronts: participating in political processes and the provision of significant research findings to ensure that decisions with respect to forest genetic diversity are politically implementable and effectively address targets.     

基于InVEST和MCR模型的南方山地丘陵区生态保护红线优化

优化生态保护红线,是顺应新时代多规融合趋势、推进国土空间高效管理与生态文明建设的重要举措。以南方山地丘陵区典型县奉新县为例,基于InVEST模型进行生境质量评价以识别生态源地及其缓冲区,采用水土流失敏感性修正基本阻力面,运用MCR模型构建奉新县生态安全格局,定量衡量与定性分析相结合对生态安全格局进行有效性评价,继而提出奉新县生态保护红线优化方案。结果表明：（1）生态源地及生态源地缓冲区面积分别为144.42 km²、354.01 km²,分别占研究区总面积的8.76%与21.47%,并识别出19个生态节点;（2）识别出关键生态廊道76 km,一般生态廊道315 km,与生态节点、生态源地、生态源地缓冲区共同构成研究区生态安全格局,面积共498.43 km²,占奉新县总面积的30.23%,集中分布于研究区西部山地丘陵区;（3）经有效性评价证实生态安全格局较生态保护红线更具生态优化意义;（4）划定生态保护红线补划区与生态保护红线储备区,共为生态保护红线调整优化预留了199.34 km²的高质量后备资源,形成研究区生态保护红线优化方案。研究成果可为南方山地丘陵区生态保护红线的评估优化提供科学参考。     

Projecting landscape changes in southern Chile: Simulation of human and natural processes driving land transformation

We describe a simulation model representing the most important human and natural factors driving land use and cover changes (LUCC) in southern Chile. We evaluate the model by examining its ability to simulate LUCC observed over the past three decades, conduct a sensitivity analysis of simulated trends to changes in important model parameters, and use the model to project likely landscape transformations over the next decade under “as usual,” “pessimistic,” and four “optimistic” scenarios. The model consists of five submodels representing LUCC on two distinct soil formations (volcanic ash and gleysols) and four major land use categories: native forest, agricultural land, shrubland, and urban land. Land use and cover sub-categories include old growth forests, secondary forests, and low and flooded shrubland. The model simulated well general historic trends in forest cover, agricultural land, shrubland, and urban land: from a forest-dominated landscape in 1976 to a landscape dominated by shrubland and agricultural land by 2007. Forest loss, forest degradation by logging and clearing for agriculture were the most important direct drivers of LUCC: forest logging and clearing were most important from 1976 to 1985, whereas after 1985 logging for firewood, driven by population growth, was most important. Sensitivity analysis indicated that model projections of general trends in the main land use and cover categories were not overly sensitive to changes in important model parameters, although further study is necessary to improve our estimates of the proportion of pasture requirements supplied by clearing low shrubland. Projections of LUCC suggested that a reduced amount of secondary forest would be left by 2017 if no actions are taken to reduce forest loss (“as usual”). Increasing population (“pessimistic scenario”) resulted in similar trajectories than those predicted by the as usual scenario, whereas reducing logging for firewood and increasing forest recruitment from shrubland could reduce loss of native forest by nearly one-third (“optimistic scenarios”). Surprisingly, shrubland exhibited the most complex and influential dynamics in all scenarios, being the immediate outcome of forest loss and the main long-term source of land for agriculture, urban expansion, and forest recovery. Few studies in Chile, or elsewhere, have considered the importance of this intermediate successional stage. Of the scenarios simulated, financial incentives targeted toward channeling shrubland into regenerated forest seemed most promising, although obstacles to such a management strategy exist.     

Habitus Diversity of Ladybirds (Coleoptera,Coccinellidae) in the Steppe Zone of the Southern Urals and the South of Western Siberia

In the ladybird fauna of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals and the south of Western Siberia, five variants, three forms, and two habitus types of adult beetles are distinguished, and their hierarchy is established. The habitus diversity of ladybirds is revealed using a new method of describing each form in a polar system of coordinates whose center coincides with the center of gravity of the insect body. The system of ladybird habitus reflects the main directions of trophic specialization in the family.     

Analyzing the carbon dynamics of central European forests: comparison of Biome-BGC simulations with measurements

Biogeochemical models are often used for making projections of future carbon dynamics under scenarios of global change. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the process-based biogeochemical model Biome-BGC for application in central European forests from the lowlands to upper treeline as a pre-requisite for environmental impact assessments. We analyzed model behavior along an altitudinal gradient across the alpine treeline, which provided insights on the sensitivity of simulated average carbon pools to changes in environmental factors. A second set of tests included medium-term (30 years) simulations of carbon fluxes, and a third set of tests focused on daily carbon and water fluxes. Model results were compared to aboveground biomass measurements, leaf area index recordings as well as net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and actual evapotranspiration (AET) measurements. The simulated medium-term forest growth agreed well with measured data. Also daily NEE fluxes were simulated adequately in most cases. Problems were detected when simulating ecosystems close to the upper timberline (overestimation of measured growth and pool sizes), and when simulating daily AET fluxes (overestimation of measured fluxes). The results showed that future applications of Biome-BGC could benefit much from an improvement of model algorithms (e.g., the Q₁₀ model for respiration) as well as from a detailed analysis of the ecological significance of crucial parameters (e.g., the canopy water interception coefficient).     

南黄海秋季溶解无机碳的分布特征

根据2004年10月对南黄海4个断面29个站位表层、20 m层和50 m层水体中盐度、水温、pH值等参数的测定数据,分析了该季节溶解无机碳的组成和分布特征,探讨了影响其分布的主要因素.结果显示,调查期间南黄海水体中溶解无机碳及其各组成部分的水平分布差异显著;在垂直方向上,表层和20 m层各参数之间浓度总体上差异不大,但均与50 m层存在较大的差异.盐度、温度、生物活动和环流对各参数的分布具有重要影响,但对不同参数的影响程度不同.     

Analyzing the safety impact of longer and heavier vehicles circulating in the European market

Introduction: The European Union (EU) has developed different strategies to internalize the costs of excessive motor traffic in the road freight transport sector. One of these is a relaxation of restrictions on the size and load capacity of trucks that circulate between member States and a proposal has been made for Longer and Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) to be allowed to circulate across borders. LHVs are the so-called “megatrucks” (i.e., trucks with a length of 25 meters and a weight of 60 tonnes). Megatrucks have allowed to circulate for decades in some European countries such as Norway, Finland, and Sweden, world leaders in traffic accident prevention, although the impact that cross-border traffic would have on road safety is still unknown. Methods: This article provides an econometric analysis of the potential impact on road safety of allowing the circulation of “megatrucks” throughout the EU. Results: The findings show that countries that currently allow megatrucks to circulate present lower traffic accident and fatality levels, on average. Conclusions: The circulation of this type of vehicle is only advisable in countries where there is a certain degree of maturity and demonstrated achievements in the field of road safety. Practical applications: European countries that have allowed megatruck circulation obtaining better road safety outcomes in terms of accidents, although the accident lethality rate seems to be higher. Consequently, introducing megatruck circulation requires a prior proper preparation and examination.     

南亚热带中幼龄针阔混交林生态化学计量特征

为了解南亚热带中幼龄针阔混交林植物、凋落物和土壤生态化学计量特征,本研究以10-11 a、7-9 a和3-5 a林龄人工针阔混交林为研究对象,通过对植物叶片（乔木、灌木和草本）、凋落物及土壤的碳（C）、氮（N）和磷（P）含量及计量比分析,探讨了中幼龄针阔混交林生态化学计量特征、相互关系及其N、P养分限制。结果表明,1）针阔混交林乔木、灌木和草本叶片碳含量均值分别为502.88、472.18和438.31 mg·g-1,其叶片碳含量表现为乔木〉灌木〉草本;叶片全氮含量均值分别为15.87、19.61和15.72 mg·g-1,叶片全磷含量均值为1-09、1.24和0.91 mg·g-1,其叶片氮和磷含量均表现为灌木〉乔木〉草本;凋落物碳、氮和磷含量均值分别为497-07、11-36和0.45 mg·g-1,凋落物氮和磷含量均低于植物。2）针阔混交林乔木叶片C/N、C/P和N/P均值分别为34.43、517-06和15.63,灌木和草本叶片C/N、C/P和N/P均值分别为26.60和28.55、438.77和507.59、16.52和17.95,而凋落物C/N、C/P和N/P为46.50、1193.26和26.17;不同林龄杉木叶片N/P均低于14,表明杉木生长受N限制;10-11 a林龄阔叶树生长受N的限制,7-9 a和3-5 a林龄阔叶树生长受P的限制,灌木和草本生长基本受P限制。3）植物叶片全氮和全磷含量呈极显著正相关（P〈0.01）,C/N与C/P呈极显著正相关（P〈0.01）,而全磷含量与C/N、C/P、N/P呈极显著和显著负相关（P〈0.01,P〈0-05）;土壤有机碳含量与土壤全氮含量、C/P、N/P呈极显著和显著正相关（P〈0.01,P〈0-05）。本研究为中幼龄人工林抚育及可持续经营提供科学参考。