Predicting Risk of Habitat Conversion in Native Temperate Grasslands

Abstract: Native grasslands that support diverse populations of birds are being converted to cropland at an increasing rate in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America. Although limited funding is currently available to mitigate losses, accurate predictions of probability of conversion would increase the efficiency of conservation measures. We studied conversion of native grassland to cropland in the Missouri Coteau region of North and South Dakota (U.S.A.) during 1989–2003. We estimated the probability of conversion of native grassland to cropland with satellite imagery and logistic regression models that predicted risk of conversion and by comparing the overlap between areas of high biological value and areas most vulnerable to conversion. Annualized probability of conversion was 0.004, and 36,540 ha of native grassland were converted to cropland during the period of our study. Our predictive models fit the data and correctly predicted 70% of observed conversions of grassland. Probability of conversion varied spatially and was correlated with landscape features like amount of surrounding grassland, slope, and soil productivity. Tracts of high biological value were not always at high risk of conversion. We concluded the most biologically valuable areas that are most vulnerable to conversion should be prioritized for conservation. This approach can be applied broadly to other systems and offers great utility for implementing conservation in areas with spatially variable biological value and probability of conversion.     

农地城市流转驱动机制的时空尺度效应分析

协调好经济发展和农地保护的矛盾是实现我国社会经济可持续发展战略的重要基础,农地城市流转是这一矛盾的焦点。农地城市流转在不同的规模尺度上具有不同的特征,某个研究尺度上的影响因子可能在其它尺度上并不发生作用。论文从影响农地城市流转的社会经济因素出发,应用1999~2004年省级数据分析了不同时空尺度下农地城市流转的驱动机制。研究表明,影响因子本身及其影响系数随研究尺度发生不同程度的变化。其中,我国农地城市流转驱动机制的时间尺度效应表现为,GDP、固定资产投资和人口增长一直是影响农地城市流转的主要因素,但随着时间的推移,各个影响因素对农地城市流转的推动作用不同;我国农地城市流转驱动机制的空间尺度效应表现为,固定资产投资和GDP对东部省份农地城市流转的影响最明显,产业结构升级和固定资产投资对中部省份农地城市流转的影响最明显,而GDP和总人口对西部省份农地城市流转的影响最明显,各个影响因素对不同区域农地城市流转的推动方向也不同。根据上述的研究结果,文章提出了相应的政策建议。     

Multiscale Indicators of Land Degradation in the Patagonian Monte,Argentina

Depletion of vegetation by overgrazing in arid environments has long-lasting effects on the environmental quality over extended geographic areas. An adequate inspection of habitat changes requires scaled up procedures that would allow assessing end-points of environmental status in broad areas that would be based on processes occurring at the plant canopy level. Our purpose was to find indicators of land degradation–conservation status for use in land monitoring programs and in planning management practices that would be amenable to further up-scaling for use with remotely sensed imagery. In several sites of the Patagonian Monte differing in the impact of grazing management, we evaluated vegetation attributes at three spatial scales. At the population scale, we found that the severity of grazing impact was characterized by the reduction of the palatable grass, P. ligularis, outside and inside shrub canopies. At the vegetation patch scale, we found that land degradation by domestic herbivore impact was characterized by changes in attributes of patch shape (radius, height, internal canopy cover) and patch abundance. At the plant community scale, we found that the structure of the plant canopy as described using Fourier analysis of cover data changed after long-term grazing impact consistently with the modifications in plant population and patch structures. We present a conceptual multiscale scenario of structural changes triggered by domestic herbivore impact, and quantitative indicators of plant structure and processes useful to develop management strategies of the Patagonian-Monte that would conserve its natural habitats. The developed end-points are also amenable for use in land conservation assessment through remotely sensed imagery.     

Farm size and land-use policy: An oregon case study

Farmland conversion has become an important public policy issue in the United States and in many other countries. An important part of policy considerations in farmland protection programs is the minimum parcel size for farm-related land divisions and dwelling units. The rationale for establishing size thresholds varies considerably among jurisdictions. This article reviews the policies and criteria used in the United States and several other countries, discusses the policy implications of different types of objectives, and presents the results of a case study in Oregon. The case study was the first attempt by an Oregon county to articulate a set of measurable criteria to quantify a definition of commercial agriculture for land-use applications. The criteria and data base used in the model provide a systematic procedure to process permit applications in an objective, consistent manner. The ordinance was adopted in February 1988 and has worked successfully since that time. The article summarizes permit activity under the new ordinance and comments on its effectiveness.     

广东省耕地转化及其效益变化趋势分析

本文将土地详查资料和统计资料中耕地资源的数据作了对照 ,并将耕地的变化与经济 (GDP)增长联系起来研究。结果表明 ,实际的耕地数比原有的统计数要多 ;实际减少的耕地却远远大于统计数 ;耕地减少率与GDP增长率有同步消涨的关系。可以认为 ,广东省经济主要还是资源消耗型的 ,追求经济的高速增长是耕地减少的主要驱动力     

贫燃条件Ag-Rh/CeO_2-ZrO_2-Al_2O_3协同催化C_3H_6选择性还原NO的原位红外研究

将Ag-Rh浸渍到共沉淀法合成的Ce-Zr-Al上,制备出Ag(0.04)-Rh(x)/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2-75%Al2O3系列催化剂,采用BET比表面积、X射线衍射光谱(XRD)和原位漫反射傅里叶变换红外光谱(DRIFTS)对催化剂进行表征,并探讨催化剂在贫燃条件下选择性还原NO的活性和反应机理.结果表明,Ag-Rh双组分催化剂的活性较单组分Ag、Rh催化剂的高.Rh负载量为0.7%(质量分数)时,NO转化率达最佳(90.3%),且反应的起燃温度低、活性温度范围宽(300～500℃).DRIFTS结果显示,Rh的添加不仅有利于催化剂表面NO的吸附,而且能促进Ag催化生成关键反应中间体—CO—NH—,进而显著提高NO的转化率.     

地下多层设置商场的可行性分析

本文针对地下多层商场火灾防治的难题,引出国家标准"地下三层不得设置商业"的规定,通过介绍国内外地下多层商场实例,提出了地下多层设置商业的改良措施,并以广州一家大型地下购物广场为工程实例,对该商场负三层进行了火灾危险性分析,验证了其防火分区划分及疏散通道设计,确定了人数换算系数,通过展现其消防安全优势,证明了地下多层设置...     

不同酸碱条件下光合细菌的生长产氢特性

为了解光合细菌的产氢机理,对沼泽红假单胞光合产氢菌CQK-01在光生物平板反应器中进行序批次培养,以470 nm LED灯提供连续光照,葡萄糖为碳源底物,研究不同初始酸碱条件下产氢光合细菌的生长特性、产氢特性以及能量转化效率.结果表明,在弱碱性条件下最适宜产氢光合细菌的生长;在反应液为酸性条件下,光合细菌具有较高的产氢量、产氢速率和能量转化效率,然而产氢纯度随着初始pH值的增大而升高;在温度30℃、光照强度1 000lx、底物浓度75 mmol/L的实验条件下,光合细菌的最佳产氢pH值为7.0,实验中最大累积产氢量为8.0 mmol,最大产氢速率为3.39 mmol g-1(cell dry weight)h-1,产氢纯度高达70%,底物能量转化效率最大为1.98%,光能转化效率最大为7.7%.     

A review of environmental characteristics and effects of low-molecular weight organic acids in the surface ecosystem

Low molecular weight organic acids （LMWOAs） are prevalent on the earth＇s surface. They are vital intermediate products during metabolic pathways of organic matter and participate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle during life activities. Photochemical reactions are pivotal for LMWOAs＇ origination and play a large role in determining their diversity and their ultimate fate. Within the long time that organic matter is preserved in sediments, it can be decomposed and converted to release organic and inorganic pollutants as well as C, N, and P nutrients, which are of potential ecological risk in causing secondary pollution to lake water. The sediment pool is a comprehensive and complex compartment closely associated with overlying water by various biochemical processes, during which LMWOAs play critical roles to transport and transform elements. This article elucidates geochemical behaviors of LMWOAs in the surface environment in details, taking natural water, soil, and aerosol as examples, focusing on reviewing research developments on sources and characteristics, migration and mineralization of LMWOAs and relevant environmental effects. Simultaneously, this review article depicts the categories and contents of LMWOAs or their contribution to DOC in environmental media, and evaluates their importance during organic matter early diagenesis. Through concluding and discussing the conversion mechanisms and influencing factors, the next research orientations on LMWOAs in lake ecosystems are determined, mainly concerning relationships with hydrochemical parameters and microorganisms, and interactions with pollutants. This will enrich the knowledge on organic matter degradation and related environmental effects, and help reconstruct a theoretical framework for organic compound succession and influencing factors, providing basic data for lake eutrophication and ecological risk assessment, conducive to better control over water pollution and proper management of water quality.     

长三角地区PM2.5浓度对土地利用/覆盖转换的空间异质性响应

长三角地区PM_2.5污染受区域空间效应的影响,其可持续治理方向仍不清晰.结合随机森林、空间计量模型和多尺度地理加权回归模型（MGWR）,探讨PM_2.5浓度对土地利用/覆盖转换的多尺度空间响应过程.结果表明：（1） 2000～2018年长三角地区PM_2.5浓度呈现出4类空间连续聚集的时空变化模式,区域性同步变化强烈;（2）土地转换对PM_2.5浓度的相对影响表现复杂,耕地与林地的源-汇效应显著.邻域分析表示周围聚集性土地利用/覆盖转换普遍比单一像元时作用更显著,空间效应明显;（3） PM_2.5浓度变化与林地、草地转换类型大多呈显著负相关,与耕地、建设用地和水体之间的转换类型呈显著正相关.随机森林模型重要性排序及相关系数强度表明：耕地-耕地（29.65%及0.650）、林地-林地（26.98%及0.726）、建设用地-耕地（22.57%及0.519）、耕地-林地（17.84%及0.602）和耕地-建设用地（16.34%及0.424）之间转换对PM_2.5浓度变化贡...