Conservation Goals and the Relative Importance of Costs and Benefits in Reserve Selection

Abstract: Including both economic costs and biological benefits of sites in systematic reserve selection greatly increases cost‐efficiency. Nevertheless, limited funding generally forces conservation planners to choose which data to focus the most resources on; therefore, the relative importance of different types of data must be carefully assessed. We investigated the relative importance of including information about costs and benefits for 3 different commonly used conservation goals: 2 in which biological benefits were measured per site (species number and conservation value scores) and 1 in which benefits were measured on the basis of site complementarity (total species number in the reserve network). For each goal, we used site‐selection models with data on benefits only, costs only, and benefits and costs together, and we compared the efficiency of each model. Costs were more important to include than benefits for the goals in which benefits were measured per site. By contrast, for the complementarity‐based goal, benefits were more important to include. To understand this pattern, we compared the variability in benefits and in costs for each goal. By comparing the best and the worst possible selection of sites with regard to costs alone and benefits alone for each conservation goal, we introduced a simple and consistent variability measure that is applicable to all kinds of reserve‐selection situations. In our study, benefit variability depended strongly on how the conservation goal was formulated and was largest for the complementarity‐based conservation goal. We argue that from a cost‐efficiency point of view, most resources should be spent on collecting the most variable type of data for the conservation goal at hand.     

Study on Community Diversity of Coastal Shelter Forest in Jiaonan

Abstract

Based on the research of the plots in coastal areas in Jiaonan city, Shandong Province, the indices of richness, evenness and diversity of different community types are analyzed. The results show that: The richness indices indicates that arbor layers are close to shrub layers, and both are lower than herbage layers; the ranges among communities vary a little except those of the arbor ones. Mostly the biodiversity indices reveal that herbage, the arbor, the shrub; Biodiversity of communities has great influences on microclimate to a certain extent and is under the control of regional environment.     

三峡库区常绿落叶阔叶混交林的监测研究

生物多样性的长期动态监测是生物多样性研究的热点之一。陆生植物监测实验站作为长江三峡工程生物与环境监测系统的重点站,完成了大量的野外监测样地建立工作,为今后的长期研究打下了良好的基础。以米心水青冈及曼青冈组成的常绿落叶阔叶林的相关研究为例,介绍了陆生植物观测实验站现阶段关于监测方面的部分研究工作。在多个尺度下对米心水青冈及曼青冈两种优势种进行格局分析,结果表明两者均为聚集分布,米心水青冈的聚集强度高于曼青冈。按1 ～4 cm, 4 ～ 8 cm及8 cm以上3个径级对曼青冈分布格局进行比较,各径级间聚集强度相似,这与群落年龄、特殊的地形环境及种群的生态习性有关。群落的地形异质性研究表明0.96 hm2范围内坡度及坡向存在明显的差异,研究范围内样方的平均坡度在18.2°～ 74.6°之间。坡向可以分为南坡、西南坡及东南坡3部分。地形的异质性影响着群落的内部结构,植物与地形因素的相关分析表明不同的种对地形的适应性不同,群落中的24种主要植物可以分为4个生态种组。     

宁波市某人工泻湖浮游生物变化特征及影响因素分析

以宁波市北仑区梅山水道形成的人工泻湖为研究对象,在不同季节进行水质及浮游生物调查,分析其浮游生物时空分布特征与水质的关系。4个采样点共检出浮游植物66种,以硅藻为绝对优势种,检出浮游动物25种,主要为桡足类、少量轮虫及网纹虫;拦坝后水道内浮游生物密度有了数量级增长,各项生物评价指数降低,但各采样点仍处于中污染水平。监测理化参数表明,研究水域在拦坝后盐度下降、悬浮物浓度下降,氮磷含量无明显变化;水域大部分点位处于中度富营养化水平。结合浮游生物分布与理化参数进行分析,发现堤坝合龙后,水道内侧海水淡化、悬浮物含量下降,导致浮游生物密度上升、生物多样性下降、出现淡水优势种群;营养盐含量不是浮游生物生长的限制因子,对浮游生物分布无显著影响。     

崇明北滩鱼类群落生物多样性初探

对1994~2003年崇明北滩鱼类群落进行了研究,用多种指数对该群落生物多样性进行了描述。该群落共有鱼类33种,分别隶属于10目19科29属。生态类型为江海洄游鱼类、河口鱼类和海水鱼类,小型鱼类占绝对优势。群落优势种为凤鲚、棘头梅童鱼和小黄鱼。多样性特征值年间平均指标为：Margalef指数0.84,Wilhm改进指数1.51,Pielou指数0.63,McNaughton指数0.67。崇明北滩鱼类群落经济鱼类趋于小型化,生物多样性呈下降趋势。水环境污染及工程建设的不利影响应得到重视,无选择性网具的使用应受到严格控制。     

Targeting sites for conservation: using a patch-based ranking scheme to assess conservation potential

Rare habitats are increasingly threatened by fragmentation and measures are required to conserve these valuable resources. Here, we present a method of targeting habitat patches for conservation using a Geographical Information System. We ranked patches of chalk grassland in the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty using simple abiotic criteria, namely: patch area, patch shape, proximity to areas of the same habitat and surrounding land-use type. We compiled a regionally specific list of indicator species and ranked the habitat patches based on their alpha diversity (calculated from species richness). We compared the results of the two ranking schemes and identified key aggregations of the existing reserve network. These could form the basis of future habitat expansion as required by the United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan.     

风景名胜区生物多样性保护的理论与实践——以黄山风景区为例

生物多样性是风景区重要的旅游资源以及环境资源，本文应用景观生态学原理及生物多样性保护的最新理论，探讨了生物多样性保护的方法，包括保护区面积的科学划分以及在面积不足时需要采取的生态学设计，并以黄山风景区为例，对这一理论及方法进行了论证。     

The Fat of the Land: Linking American Food Overconsumption, Obesity, and Biodiversity Loss

Americans’ excessive consumption of food harms their health and quality of life and also causes direct and indirect environmental degradation, through habitat loss and increased pollution from agricultural fertilizers and pesticides. We show here that reducing food consumption (and eating less meat) could improve Americans’ health and well-being while facilitating environmental benefits ranging from establishing new national parks and protected areas to allowing more earth-friendly farming and ranching techniques. We conclude by considering various public policy initiatives to lower per capita caloric intake and excessive meat consumption, and to translate this temperate behavior into substantial environmental protection.     

The terms genetic resource, biological resource, and biodiversity examined

The definitions of genetic resource, biological resource, and biodiversity show the existence of degrees of innacuracy, according to the versions considered. The increasing acceptance of inappropriate concepts in the realms of plant genetic resources and biological conservation prompts re-examination of the subject. The argument raised is that the establishment of defective concepts may undermine the foundations of scientific thought itself.     

Analysis of the Factors of Species Association in Serial Communities of Sown Perennial Grasses by the Method of Direct and Indirect Ordination

Russian Journal of Ecology -