Quantifying the dynamics of marine invertebrate metacommunities: What processes can maintain high diversity with low densities in the Mediterranean Sea?

The Mediterranean Sea hosts 5.6% of the world benthic invertebrate species on 0.82% of the ocean surface. Mediterranean ecosystems are also characterized by low densities (and biomasses) compared to other oceanic ecosystems, a feature often attributed to their oligotrophic environment. Oligotrophic conditions can induce lower growth rates and higher mortality rates, and a stronger competition for food between individuals. A theoretical model was developed in order to study the diversity vs. density patterns in coastal benthic invertebrate species. This model describes their minimal population dynamics including basic processes (growth, mortality, reproduction and effects of competitive interactions between individuals) and incorporating fluxes of larvae (finally recruited as juveniles) between a mosaic of local habitats. Populations are therefore structured in a metacommunity. The connectivity between local communities is ensured by passive pelagic larval dispersal. In the Mediterranean Sea, because of the microtidal regime, the connectivity between coastal habitats is lower and more variable than in macrotidal basins. Mathematical properties of the model revealed that competitive interactions (intra- and interspecific competitions) have a stabilizing effect on interacting organisms when gains by recruitment are higher than losses by mortality. In addition, low mortality rates and low connectivity which decreases negative local interactions maintains high regional species diversity with low local densities. This property suggested that oligotrophy cannot be the only factor leading to the high diversity–low density pattern observed in the Mediterranean Sea.     

闽南山区连续年龄序列桉树人工林土壤养分动态

对闽南山区连续年龄序列(2 a、3 a、4 a、5 a、6 a)的尾巨桉(Eucalyptus urophyllaxE.grandis)人工林土壤有机碳及氮、磷、钾含量进行了分析,以评价土壤养分随林分年龄的变化动态.土壤有机碳、全氮、水解氮、全磷、速效磷均表现出随林分年龄增加而增加,到4 a生时达到最大,随后则呈下降趋势,6 a生时下降到最低值.速效钾含量则随林分年龄增加逐步下降,6 a生林分0～20 cm、20～40 cm和40～60 cm这3个土层速效钾含量分别比2 a生下降了53.2%、44.4%和55.2%;土壤全钾含量也表现出一定的下降趋势.所有年龄林分的土壤有机碳、全氮、水解氮、全磷、速效磷和速效钾含量均随土层深度增加而降低,而土壤伞钾则表现出相反的趋势.因此,在桉树人工林经营过程中,应定期增施钾肥,适时施用有机肥及氮、磷肥,以控制地力衰退.图4表2参24     

塔里木盆地南缘绿洲土壤酶活性与理化因子相关性

基于塔里木盆地南缘于田绿洲土壤酶活性与水盐、养分等理化因子数据,利用冗余分析技术(RDA)全面分析了土壤酶活性与理化因子间的关系. 结果显示:①于田绿洲土壤酶活性总体水平较低,过氧化氢酶(以KMnO₄计)、转化酶(以Na₂S₂O₃计)、脲酶(以NH₃-N计)和碱性磷酸酶(以C₆H₆O计)活性平均值分别为9.37、2.04、0.27和0.18 mg/g;研究区土壤水分含量(15.46%,以w计)较少且盐渍化严重〔w(全盐)平均值为19.39 g/kg〕. ②w(有机质)、土壤水分含量、地下水埋深和w(有效磷)是影响土壤酶活性的主要因素,w(有机质)、土壤水分含量、w(有效磷)与土壤酶活性呈正相关,地下水埋深与土壤酶活性呈负相关. ③各理化因子对土壤酶活性影响的重要性排序为w(有机质)、土壤水分含量、地下水埋深、w(有效磷)、pH、w(全盐)、电导率、w(速效钾). 综合分析表明,研究区强盐渍化的土壤性质对土壤酶活性的抑制并不显著,土壤碳、磷等养分与水分状况才是限制土壤酶活性的关键因素.      

Impacts of vineyard area dynamics on soil erosion in a Mediterranean catchment (1950-2011)

The Mediterranean basin has undergone widespread land cover change. Urbanization of coastal areas, land abandonment of steeper slopes, and agricultural intensification in alluvial plains are recurrent themes. The objective of this study was to examine how vineyard land cover changes have affected agricultural soil erosion in a 50 year period (1950–2011). The study area covers a 235 km² catchment located near the Gulf of St Tropez. Aerial photographs were used to map land cover in 1950, 1982, 2003 and 2011, and the RUSLE soil erosion model was run to estimate soil erosion.

Between 1950 and 2011, vineyard went from about 2,426 ha to 1,561 ha. Mean soil erosion increased as vineyard slopes became steeper (11.8 T ha^?1, 13.2 T ha^?1, 14.4 T ha^?1 and 13.5 T ha^?1 for 1950, 1982, 2003 and 2011). Total erosion decreased after 1982: 28,621 T y^?1 in 1950, 29,030 T y^?1 in 1982, 22,848 T y^?1 in 2003, and 21,074 T y^?1 in 2011. Total soil loss in 2011 is about 75% of values in 1950–1982, so impacts on water pollution and channel dredging have evolved positively over time.     

Assessing the effectiveness of marine reserves on unsustainably harvested long-lived sessile invertebrates

Although the rapid recovery of fishes after establishment of a marine reserve is well known, much less is known about the response of long-lived, sessile, benthic organisms to establishment of such reserves. Since antiquity, Mediterranean red coral (Corallium rubrum) has been harvested intensively for use in jewelry, and its distribution is currently smaller than its historical size throughout the Mediterranean Sea. To assess whether establishment of marine reserves is associated with a change in the size and number of red coral colonies that historically were not harvested sustainably, we analyzed temporal changes in mean colony diameter and density from 1992 to 2005 within red coral populations at different study sites in the Medes Islands Marine Reserve (established in 1992) and in adjacent unprotected areas. Moreover, we compared colony size in the Medes Islands Marine Reserve, where recreational diving is allowed and poaching has been observed after reserve establishment, with colony size in three other marine protected areas (Banyuls, Carry-le-Rouet, and Scandola) with the enforced prohibition of fishing and diving. At the end of the study, the size of red coral colonies at all sampling sites in the Medes Islands was significantly smaller than predicted by growth models and smaller than those in marine protected areas without fishing and diving. The annual number of recreational dives and the percent change in the basal diameter of red coral colonies were negatively correlated, which suggests that abrasion by divers may increase the mortality rates of the largest red coral colonies within this reserve . Our study is the first quantitative assessment of a poaching event, which was detected during our monitoring in 2002, inside the marine reserve. Poaching was associated with a loss of approximately 60% of the biomass of red coral colonies.     

C2–C8 NMHCs over the Eastern Mediterranean: Seasonal variation and impact on regional oxidation chemistry

More than 2500 measurements of C₂–C₈ non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) have been conducted at Finokalia sampling station on the island of Crete over a thirty-month period (September 2003–February 2006), to investigate the factors controlling NMHC levels and estimate their role in the oxidizing capacity of the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere. Atmospheric concentrations of NMHCs range from below the detection limit (5 pptv) to a few ppbv and present a hydroxyl radical (OH) driven seasonal pattern with lower values during summer. The diel variability was also influenced by the reaction of the NMHC with the OH radical, exhibiting a nighttime maximum and a midday or early afternoon minimum. Long-lived compounds demonstrate higher concentrations under the influence of the northern sector (European continent), indicating that besides chemistry, transport significantly contributes to NMHCs levels in the area. Based on the observed NMHCs diurnal cycles, mean OH radical levels of 3.5 × 10⁶ molecules cm⁻³ have been derived for May–October period.     

Estimation of the effect of the degree of sewage treatment on the status of pollution along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea using broad scale modelling

A preliminary investigation was performed to estimate the effect of the degree of treatment in Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) on the status of pollution along the coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. Data from questionnaires and the literature were collected and processed (a) to identify 18 approximate 1D surface coastal currents, (b) to estimate their prevailing direction and average flow velocity and (c) to estimate the water pollution loads and identify their locations of discharge. Then, a simplified 1D water quality model was formulated and applied for the existing conditions and two hypothetical scenarios: (1) all coastal cities have STPs with secondary treatment and (2) all coastal cities have STPs with tertiary treatment to determine BOD(5), TN and TP concentrations in the 18 surface coastal currents. Calculated concentrations were compared and discussed. A main conclusion is that, to reduce pollution in the Mediterranean Sea measures should be adopted for upgrading the water quality of the rivers discharging into the Mediterranean Sea, along with the construction of STPs for all the coastal cities.     

An improved user-based beach climate index

In many coastal resort areas of the world, it is likely that optimal climatic conditions for beach use might occur outside the peak of the tourist season. Investigation of this issue together with associated publicity might help to spread the tourism load and hence reduce undesirable social and environmental effects of extreme seasonality in tourist demand. For this to take place, better knowledge of beach user preferences in terms of climate and bathing water temperature is required. Questionnaire surveys were carried out in Wales, Malta and Turkey to establish the preferences of north European beach users for thermal sensation and bathing water temperature, plus priority levels for other climatic attributes. A user-based beach climate index based on these preferences and priorities was formulated. Linkage was made between the user-generated ratings for various climatic conditions and published climate data to evaluate most major Euro-Mediterranean/Black Sea and a range of other beach tourism areas on a month-by-month basis. Results showed excessively hot thermal sensation in many southern and eastern Mediterranean coastal destinations during July and August, the present peak of the beach tourism season. Highest preference was given to water temperatures rather lower than those found in these areas during late summer. Many long haul coastal destinations popular with north European visitors had similar unpleasant thermal sensations over several months. Uncertainties and deficiencies still exist with the system, but from the point of view of north European beach users the final scores generated in this study may be regarded as good approximations of the quality of resort area climates for sedentary beach use.     

Public Nutrition from an Approach to a Discipline: Concern's Nutrition Case Studies in Complex Emergencies

The Public Nutrition approach, like that of Public Health, is context specific. It places an emphasis on populations rather than individuals and is inter-disciplinary in nature. Both approaches seek to understand the complex aetiology of a clinical outcome such as malnutrition within the widest possible framework. Public Nutrition uses the UNICEF conceptual framework and adapts and expands it. The authors of this article argue – through the examination of a number of case studies taken from the work of Concern Worldwide (hereafter referred to as Concern) in southern Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Tanzania and DRC – that there are two critical constituents of the Public Nutrition approach. These are: a contextual analysis (including the use of surveillance information for programme design and advocacy) and community involvement at all stages of the project cycle. Some of the key obstacles to the adoption of the Public Nutrition approach are identified by illustrating two practical programme settings. For the Public Nutrition approach to be more widely used, the authors recommend a number of key strategies including the further dissemination of case studies and the clarification of the scope and boundaries of the approach. These strategies will enable Public Nutrition to evolve both as a practical programme framework as well as an academic discipline.     

南方冬季条件下根际促生菌与肥料配施对巨菌草迁移累积镉砷的影响

优良菌种是微生物肥料的基础,研究微生物肥料中低温适应型菌株在低温条件下的促生性,对于提高南方冬闲时植物修复重金属污染农田具有重要意义.通过形态观察及18S rRNA基因序列分析,对菌株进行了鉴定,在此基础上进行植物盆栽试验,分析了3株不同根际促生菌单独施加及其与肥料（鸡粪+微量元素）配施对镉砷复合污染土壤中巨菌草迁移累积Cd、As的影响.分离菌株的初步鉴定结果表明,3株根际促生菌（M1、M2、M3）分别为云南木霉（Trichoderma yunnanense）、卵形孢球托霉（Gongronella butleri）、越橘间座壳菌（Diaporthe vaccinii）.纯培养试验表明,M1、M2、M3均可在南方冬季低温条件下生长.盆栽试验结果表明,与CK处理相比,单独施菌或肥料及菌株与肥料配施均能提高巨菌草茎叶生物量,分别提高14.12%~84.35%、13.36%、57.25%~143.13%.在所有处理中,M3与肥料配施后,植株茎叶生物量达到最大.不同处理可影响巨菌草对Cd和As的吸收累积,但对巨菌草各部位影响不同.单独施菌时,M3对巨菌草茎叶Cd、As积累量提升最多,分别提高145.83%、64.03%;当菌株与肥料配施时,M3与肥料配施对巨菌草茎叶Cd、As积累量提升最多,分别提高94.17%、142.45%.可见,3株根际促生菌在南方冬季均能提高巨菌草生物量,其中,菌株M3与肥料配施具有开发为有效治理镉砷复合污染土壤的微生物肥料的良好前景.