Effectiveness of Voluntary Conservation Agreements: Case Study of Endangered Whales and Commercial Whale Watching

Abstract: The use of voluntary approaches to achieve conservation goals is becoming increasingly popular. Nevertheless, few researchers have quantitatively evaluated their efficacy. In 1998 industry, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations established a voluntary conservation program for whale watching in the northeast region of the United States, with the intent to avoid collisions with and harassment of endangered whales by commercial and recreational whale‐watching vessels. One important aspect of the program was the establishment of 3 speed zones within specific distances of whales. We wanted to determine the level of compliance with this aspect of the program to gauge its efficacy and gain insights into the effectiveness of voluntary measures as a conservation tool. Inconspicuous observers accompanied 46 commercial whale‐watching trips from 12 companies in 2003 (n= 35) and 2004 (n= 11). During each trip, vessel position and speed were collected at 5‐second intervals with a GPS receiver. Binoculars with internal laser rangefinders and digital compasses were used to record range and bearing to sighted whales. We mapped whale locations with ArcGIS. We created speed‐zone buffers around sighted whales and overlaid them with vessel‐track and speed data to evaluate compliance. Speeds in excess of those recommended by the program were considered noncompliant. We judged the magnitude of noncompliance by comparing a vessel's maximum speed within a zone to its maximum recorded trip speed. The level of noncompliance was high (mean 0.78; company range 0.74–0.88), some companies were more compliant than others (p= 0.02), noncompliance was significantly higher in zones farther from whales (p < 0.001), and operators approached the maximum speed capabilities of their vessel in all zones. The voluntary conservation program did not achieve the goal of substantially limiting vessel speed near whales. Our results support the need for conservation programs to have quantifiable metrics and frequent evaluation to ensure efficacy.     

超高压工程电缆绝缘油对海洋生物的生态毒性效应

随着超高压联网工程建设项目不断增多,取得巨大经济效益的同时,其电缆安全性日益受到关注。采用标准实验方法,研究电缆绝缘油对8种占据不同生态位的海洋生物(费氏弧菌(Vibrio fischeri)、牟氏角毛藻(Chaetoceros mueleri)、卤虫(Artemia sp.)、蒙古裸腹溞(Moina mongolica)、凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)、裸项栉鰕虎鱼(Ctenogobius gymnauchen)、双齿围沙蚕(Perinereis aibuhitensis)、菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum))的急性毒性,同时进行了电缆绝缘油对裸项栉鰕虎鱼14 d延长毒性实验和电缆绝缘油对蒙古裸腹溞的慢性毒性。结果表明,电缆绝缘油在50%饱和溶解浓度下未对费氏弧菌产生明显的发光抑制作用;对牟氏角毛藻、凡纳滨对虾、裸项栉鰕虎鱼、双齿围沙蚕和菲律宾蛤仔等5种生物未表现出急性毒性影响,其LC50均大于饱和浓度;对卤虫的96 h-LC50为17.07%,LOEC为12.5%,NOEC为6.25%;对蒙古裸腹溞96 h-LC50为29.75%,LOEC为25.0%,NOEC为12.5%;电缆绝缘油对卤虫和蒙古裸腹溞有剧毒。对裸项栉鰕虎鱼成鱼14 d延长毒性LC50大于500 000 mg·L~(-1);对蒙古裸腹溞母溞存活数的NOEC为625μg·L~(-1),LOEC为1 250μg·L~(-1);对母溞存活期的NOEC为312μg·L~(-1),LOEC为625μg·L~(-1);对产胎数的NOEC为625μg·L~(-1),LOEC为1 250μg·L~(-1);对产幼溞数的NOEC为625μg·L~(-1),LOEC为1 250μg·L~(-1)。     

海洋大气环境下磷钒系耐候钢腐蚀数据分析

本文通过大气环境暴露试验,研究了在青岛海洋大气环境中暴露10年5周期的4种磷钒系耐候钢的腐蚀规律。结果表明,四种耐候钢的腐蚀速率的关系为:10CrPV10CuPV10MoPV08PV,耐侯钢的耐蚀性与添加元素类别和添加量相关。平均腐蚀深度数据拟合结果表明,A值大小顺序为:10CrPV10CuPV10 MoPV08PV,而n值的顺序是:10CuPV10CrPV10MoPV08PV。     

Ecological Survey of Coastal I Water Adjacent to Nuclear Power I Plants in Taiwan

A total of six nuclear reactors installed in three power plants, two along the northern and one along the southern coasts of Taiwan, started their operations one after another since October 1977. Owing to the large quantities of cooling water intake into and discharge from the plants, some environmental factors such as water temperature, chlorine, environmental radioactivity and nearshore currents may be significantly changed. Variations of these abiotic environmental factors may influence the biological activities in the ecosystem, particularly doing some kinds of damage to marine biological resources. Therefore, the possible environmental impact upon the biological systems including the fishery resources along the northern and southern coasts of Taiwan should be studied before and during the plant operation.

We have started the long-term programmes of biological, chemical and hydro-graphical surveys of the nuclear power plant sites on both northern (since July 1974) and southern (since July 1979) coasts of Taiwan. the survey items include ocean currents, physical and chemical properties of sea water, primary productivity, specific compositions and interspecific relationships among phyto- and zooplankton, algae, invertebrates, corals, and fishes; and radionuclides in water and biological specimens, and fishery statistics. in general, except for a few events, the operations of the six units of nuclear power plants have not produced detectable effects on the marine ecosystem. Radio activity levels and radionuclides in water and the biological specimens remained the same as background levels throughout the survey period. However, the events of coral bleaching and fish body anomalies caused by thermal discharges were observed respectively along the outlets of third and second Nuclear Power Plants. the purposes of this paper are to report and evaluate these two events during the operations of nuclear power plants in Taiwan.     

Current Status of Marine Protected Areas in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract: Marine protected areas (MPAs), including no‐take marine reserves (MRs), play an important role in the conservation of marine biodiversity. We document the status of MPAs and MRs in Latin America and the Caribbean, where little has been reported on the scope of such protection. Our survey of protected area databases, published and unpublished literature, and Internet searches yielded information from 30 countries and 12 overseas territories. At present more than 700 MPAs have been established, covering more than 300,000 km² or 1.5% of the coastal and shelf waters. We report on the status of 3 categories of protection: MPAs (limited take throughout the area), MRs (no‐take throughout the area), and mixed‐use (a limited‐take MPA that contains an MR). The majority of protected areas in Latin America and the Caribbean are MPAs, which allow some or extensive extractive activities throughout the designated area. These 571 sites cover 51,505 km² or 0.3% of coastal and shelf waters. There are 98 MRs covering 16,862 km² or 0.1% of the coastal and shelf waters. Mixed‐use MPAs are the fewest in number (87), but cover the largest area (236,853 km², 1.2%). Across Latin America and the Caribbean, many biogeographic provinces are underrepresented in these protected areas. Large coastal regions remain unprotected, in particular, the southern Pacific and southern Atlantic coasts of South America. Our analysis reveals multiple opportunities to strengthen marine conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean by improving implementation, management, and enforcement of existing MPAs; adding new MPAs and MRs strategically to enhance connectivity and sustainability of existing protection; and establishing new networks of MPAs and MRs or combinations thereof to enhance protection where little currently exists.     

青藏高原中汞的分布特征及影响因素——以典型海洋性冰川小流域为例

本研究以青藏高原典型海洋性冰川的雪冰-径流水为研究对象,分析讨论了雪冰-径流水中汞浓度变化趋势及控制因素.结果表明,贡嘎山冰川中雪、冰样品的THg浓度略高于全球背景值,而明永冰川以及米堆冰川的雪、冰、水样品均处于全球背景水平.3个冰川所有雪样、冰样、水样的THg浓度平均值分别为（4.78±5.99）ng/L、（1.72 ±1.15）ng/L、（1.31±0.91）ng/L.不同的环境介质中THg浓度变化总体表现为：雪 > 冰 > 水,其主要受颗粒汞沉淀作用及气态单质Hg挥发作用的控制.贡嘎山的径流水中THg浓度表现为六月最高（7.48±2.22）ng/L,十一月最低（1.39 ±0.27）ng/L.所有雪冰-径流水体系中HgP与THg存在极显著的正相关关系,雪中HgP/THg最高,其次为冰,最低为径流水.贡嘎山径流水中的HgP/THg及月均THg输出变化趋势受径流量和降雨量的影响.主成分分析表明了本研究区域雪冰中THg浓度主要受大气颗粒物沉降及季风传输的影响.此外,相比于其他2个冰川,贡嘎山冰川由于更加靠近人类活动密集区域,更易受到人类活动的影响.     

连云港近岸海域2011~2016年环境变化研究

依据2011年2月~2016年1月在连云港近岸海域进行的19个季节航次海洋环境综合调查结果,分析探讨了该海域主要海水要素的季节变化趋势和相关性,结合历史资料阐述和评价了海域的营养状态水平、环境质量现状及变化趋势,对存在的环境问题进行了分析.结果表明：研究海域水质状况总体良好;水质评价结果显示无机氮（DIN）是海域内最主要的环境污染因子,且DIN含量近年来有逐渐增加的趋势,年均值已经超过二类海水水质标准;此外其他环境污染因子是活性磷酸盐（DIP）、化学需氧量（COD）和油类.调查期间研究海域处于富营养化状态,潜在富营养化分析显示氮磷比值（N/P）有逐渐增加的趋势;绝大多数季节的有机污染状况为轻度污染状态.研究结论对科学、系统的认识和评估连云港近海生态环境现状及预测未来生态环境变化趋势具有重要的参考价值,对连云港近海海洋生态环境的可持续发展具有十分重要的科学意义和实际应用价值     

海滨核电建造期可剥涂层的临时防护性能研究

目的 考察可剥涂层在海洋大气环境下的大型工程建造中的临时防护作用。方法 对来自两个厂家的可剥涂层进行了为期12周的耐候性试验,对可剥涂层在不锈钢及碳钢/环氧两种基底上的可剥离性、防护性和氟氯残留量进行了测试。结果 两个厂家的涂层在外观、耐蚀性、附着力等方面的试验结果没有明显差异,涂层的剥离强度均低于0.05 kN/m,涂层剥离后不锈钢表面的氟氯离子残留量远低于15 ?g/dm2,试验周期内环氧漆色差变化较小。结论 两个厂家的可剥涂层在光泽、硬度和剥离强度等测试方面的结果上存在差异,但对环氧漆均有着较好的防护作用,试验期内剥离性良好,且无有害化学元素残留,具有较高的工程应用价值。     

海洋工程用新型牺牲阳极设计与性能研究(Ⅴ)——导管架平台阴极保护设计探讨

目的 针对不同设计使用年限的导管架平台,通过对比新型阳极和常规阳极用量来评价新型阳极的优势和不足。方法 针对设计寿命15年和30年的导管架平台,计算满足不同阶段保护电流需求的新型阳极和常规阳极的需求量。结果 当导管架平台设计年限较短,比如15年,牺牲阳极用量由初期保护电流需求量决定,新型阳极的使用可以达到节约阳极用量的目的。当设计年限较长,比如30年,牺牲阳极用量则由维持电流需求量决定,采用新型阳极并不能节约阳极用量。结论 并非所有设计年限的导管架平台使用新型阳极都能达到节约用量的目的,具体要根据实际计算结果而定。     

Trace Element Contaminants in Sediments From the Noaa National Status and Trends Programme Compared to Data From Throughout the World

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Status and Trends (NS&T) Programme has analyzed samples of surface sediment collected at almost 300 coastal and estuarine sites throughout the United States since 1984. the overall distributions for concentrations of each element are approximately lognormal allowing a definition of geometric means and of “high” concentrations as those exceeding the mean plus one standard deviation of the lognormal distribution. Those mean and “high” concentrations should be useful for comparing the NS&T data set and with other reports on sediment contamination. A world-wide data set, constructed from data in the literature, was summarized in an identical manner. It was found, after excluding locally extreme values, that the NS&T and world-wide data sets yielded very similar mean and “high” concentrations for Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. Chromium was the sole element showing higher summary statistics in the NS&T data set, a result attributed to NS&T sampling in areas of naturally (not contaminated) elevated Cr content. It remains undetermined, however, why the world-wide data set, even with exclusion of “hot spots”, yielded higher means and “highs” for Cd, Hg, As, and Ag.