Assessing audit impact and thoroughness of VCS forest carbon offset projects

Voluntary markets transacted over $66 million USD of forest carbon offsets in 2016, according to Forest Trends, and over 99% of those offset projects were audited to a standard, primarily the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). We provide a table characterizing all 70 validated and verified forest carbon projects employing the VCS version 3.0 currently-in-use (December 2011–July 2017). We also examine two separate aspects of the audit process––impact and thoroughness––to assess the effectiveness of the costly audit process, which can consume up to one-third of offset revenue. Audit impact we measure in terms of reduction in the number of offsets from ex ante estimated to ex post approved. Audit thoroughness we measure both directly in terms of the number of auditor hours worked per project and also indirectly in terms of the total number of Corrective Action Requests (CARs)/Non-Conformity Reports (NCRs) auditors prescribe. In terms of impact, we find that Afforestation/Reforestation/Restoration (A/R/R) and Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects, though only constituting 5% of total verified offsets, demonstrate significant (p < = 0.05) reductions from ex ante estimated to ex post approved offsets, likely because auditors can easily scrutinize carbon stocks/emission factors for the commercial tree species involved in these project types. In terms of thoroughness, we find that higher ex ante estimates correlate with more total auditor hours worked and total CARs/NCRs prescribed for three of four project activity types, likely because auditors perceive larger ex ante projects as higher risk. We conclude with recommendations for the VCS to empower auditors to scrutinize carbon stocks/emissions factors from avoided deforestation projects, and also to continue to flag high ex ante projects as higher risk.     

Succession of aquatic microbial communities as a result of the water quality variations in continuous water

The changes of structural and functional parameters of aquatic microbial communities in continuous water on campus of Tsinghua University, China are investigated by polyurethane foam unit(PFU) method. The measured compositions of the communities include alga, protozoa, and some metazoa (such as rotifers). The measured indicators of water quality include water temperature, pH value, dissolved oxygen (DO), potassium permanganate index(CODMn), total nitrogen(TN), total phosphorus(TP) and chlorophyll- a(Chla). The trophic level, expressed by the trophic level indices(TL/c), is assessed with analytic hierarchy process and principal component analysis (AHP-PCA) method. The changing trends of the structural and functional parameters of aquatic microbial communities, such as Margalef index of diversity(D), Shannon-weaver index of diversity (H), Heterotropy index (HI), number of species when the colonization gets equilibrium(Seq), colonizing speed constant(G) and time spent when 90 percent of Seq colonized in PFU ( T90% ), are also analyzed. The experimental results showed the succession of aquatic microbial communities along the water flow is consistent with the water quality changes, so the parameters of microbial community can reflect the changes of water quality from the ecological view.     

洪泽湖西部湖滨的生物多样性保护与可持续利用

洪泽湖湿地共鉴定出浮游植物165种、水生高等植物81种、浮游动物91种、底栖动物69种、鱼类102种、鸟类194种。在对洪泽湖西部湖滨的范围、自然特征、社会经济特征和环境质量进行简要介绍后，分析了影响洪泽湖西部湖滨生物多样性的主要因素，重点提出了洪泽湖西部湖滨生物多样性保护的措施：加强保护区建设、湖滨生态工程建设和区域环境综合整治。最后对洪泽湖西部湖滨生物多样性保护的资金来源进行了筹划。     

低氧环境对大型底栖动物的影响

2006年8月在调查中发现长江口以南浙江沿岸存在一个明显的低氧区,本文在此基础上对低氧区内外的大型底栖动物的群落结构、种类组成及生物多样性进行研究,并对低氧环境对其产生的影响进行了探讨,结果发现:低氧区内是底栖动物生物量和丰度的高值区;CLUSTER和MDS标序把底栖动物分为了两个生物群落组群,一个组群属于低氧环境下的组群,近一步用ANOSIM检验发现,这两个组群差异显著(R=0.347,P=0.75%);低氧区内的多样性指数(H′=1.71)小于低氧区外的相应值(H′=2.53)。说明了低氧环境已经对大型底栖动物的生物量、丰度、群落结构、生物多样性等方面产生了影响。     

生物物种信息平台建设进展研究

信息技术的突飞猛进和互联网的迅速扩张,为生物多样性信息的收集、存储、提交、检索、分析、传播和使用带来了革命性的发展。生物多样性数据和信息服务的内容逐步从单一的名录数据库建设转向为多学科交叉的综合信息服务平台。本文结合国家生物多样性保护专项,在介绍国内外主流生物多样性信息平台建设现状的基础上,分析了我国现有平台存在的问题,并对下一步如何完善和推进平台应用进行探讨。     

MBR活性污泥培养驯化过程中生物多样性研究

以MBR反应器启动调试阶段的活性污泥为主要研究对象,系统考察了传统活性污泥法(Conventional activated sludge,CAS)污泥接种至MBR反应器内污泥培养驯化过程中生物多样性情况及微生物群落结构的演变规律.同时,在传统污水污泥检测指标的基础上,对各阶段污泥中总细菌基因组DNA进行提取,应用PCR-DGGE分子生物学技术获得了相应的凝胶电泳图谱并进一步分析了菌群间的相似性.结果表明,以CAS污泥为接种污泥在MBR反应器内培养驯化过程中微生物的多样性变化突出,细菌群落结构演替明显,不同阶段菌群间的相似性说明了各阶段菌群的演变关系:污泥培养驯化是一个逐步有序的过程,微生物随反应器内不同时期及环境的变化而调整,逐渐演变成适应MBR工艺的群落结构.     

粤西海域浮游植物种类的动态变化及多样性

根据1998～1999年4个航次粤西海域浮游植物的调查资料，分析了该海域浮游植物的种类组成、季节变化和平面分布特征，并对浮游植物的多样性水平进行了初步评价。结果显示，调查期间共鉴定浮游植物267种，其种类组成以细弱海链藻(Thalassiosira subtilis)的数量最多，占总数量的29．5％，其次为短角弯角藻(Eucampia zoodiacus)，占21．8％。不同季节浮游植物的优势种即有交叉又有演替。根据多样性阈值的评价，粤西海域绝大部分沿岸水域的浮游植物均处于多样性差或一般水平，而离岸水域基本处于多样性丰富或非常丰富水平。     

基于高通量测序分析的生物修复石油污染土壤菌群结构变化

利用高通量测序技术对微生物修复石油污染土壤过程中的微生物群落结构变化进行研究.结果表明,经修复处理的土壤微生物群落结构及多样性发生明显变化.利用生物强化修复处理(BA)的土壤中,微生物丰富度与均匀度明显降低,土著菌群受到抑制,外加变形菌门(Proteobacteria)成为主要的优势菌门,相对丰度由修复前的37. 44%增加为87. 44%.假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)成为土壤中的优势菌属,丰度由2. 99%增加为76. 37%;进行生物刺激修复处理的土壤(BS)菌群丰富度和均匀度与原污染土壤相比略有降低.菌群结构组成上,原优势菌门变形菌门(Proteobacteria)丰度由37. 44%降低为10. 90%,厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)丰度由9. 16%增加为35. 32%,属水平上,原优势菌属微小杆菌属(Exiguobacterium)和原小单胞菌属(Promicromonospora)丰度由8. 49%和18. 96%分别降低为2. 19%和14. 97%,诺卡氏菌属(Nocardioides)和芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)丰度由5. 56%和0. 29%分别增加至28. 95%和22. 70%,成为主要优势菌属.生物强化修复处理引起土壤菌群多样性和结构发生明显变化,生物刺激修复处理可基本保持土壤菌群结构多样性不被破坏,土壤菌群结构的稳定有利于石油烃的生物降解.     

温榆河浮游动物多样性及水质改善效果评价

为评价自2010年5月罗马东湖示范工程运行后温榆河水质变化情况,于2010年5月-2011年2月间,定期采集该流域大型浮游动物,并从浮游动物种类、敏感种数量以及Shannon-Weaver生物多样性指数(H')等3个方面对温榆河流域大型浮游动物多样性进行分析。2010年5月-10月,罗马东湖大型浮游动物种类增加,敏感种数量上升,Shannon-Weaver生物多样性指数(H')由0.650 1升至2.134 2,水质由重污型改善为β-中污型;2010年11月-2011年2月,H'降低,说明季节变化对生物多样性影响较大。下游苇沟桥由于接受示范工程水域敏感种,H'与罗马东湖具有相同变化趋势,但受到清河水体影响,实际水质较差。苇沟桥下游北关闸敏感种再次消失,H'降低。其他位点H'明显较低,并受季节变化影响。结果表明:温榆河水质改善示范工程对局部水域的水质改善效果明显。要实现河流健康目标,必须控制污染源,由点到面,逐步由局部生态修复过渡到流域生态系统的恢复。     

云南生物多样性的保护和可持续利用

通过对云南省生物多样性概貌、生物资源特点及生物多样性受到威胁现状和原因的分析，探讨了生物多样性保护模式和对策，以实现生物多样性的持续利用。