Using community‐level metrics to monitor the effects of marine protected areas on biodiversity

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are used to protect species, communities, and their associated habitats, among other goals. Measuring MPA efficacy can be challenging, however, particularly when considering responses at the community level. We gathered 36 abundance and 14 biomass data sets on fish assemblages and used meta‐analysis to evaluate the ability of 22 distinct community diversity metrics to detect differences in community structure between MPAs and nearby control sites. We also considered the effects of 6 covariates—MPA size and age, MPA size and age interaction, latitude, total species richness, and level of protection—on each metric. Some common metrics, such as species richness and Shannon diversity, did not differ consistently between MPA and control sites, whereas other metrics, such as total abundance and biomass, were consistently different across studies. Metric responses derived from the biomass data sets were more consistent than those based on the abundance data sets, suggesting that community‐level biomass differs more predictably than abundance between MPA and control sites. Covariate analyses indicated that level of protection, latitude, MPA size, and the interaction between MPA size and age affect metric performance. These results highlight a handful of metrics, several of which are little known, that could be used to meet the increasing demand for community‐level indicators of MPA effectiveness.     

Using citizen science butterfly counts to predict species population trends

Citizen scientists are increasingly engaged in gathering biodiversity information, but trade‐offs are often required between public engagement goals and reliable data collection. We compared population estimates for 18 widespread butterfly species derived from the first 4 years (2011–2014) of a short‐duration citizen science project (Big Butterfly Count [BBC]) with those from long‐running, standardized monitoring data collected by experienced observers (U.K. Butterfly Monitoring Scheme [UKBMS]). BBC data are gathered during an annual 3‐week period, whereas UKBMS sampling takes place over 6 months each year. An initial comparison with UKBMS data restricted to the 3‐week BBC period revealed that species population changes were significantly correlated between the 2 sources. The short‐duration sampling season rendered BBC counts susceptible to bias caused by interannual phenological variation in the timing of species’ flight periods. The BBC counts were positively related to butterfly phenology and sampling effort. Annual estimates of species abundance and population trends predicted from models including BBC data and weather covariates as a proxy for phenology correlated significantly with those derived from UKBMS data. Overall, citizen science data obtained using a simple sampling protocol produced comparable estimates of butterfly species abundance to data collected through standardized monitoring methods. Although caution is urged in extrapolating from this U.K. study of a small number of common, conspicuous insects, we found that mass‐participation citizen science can simultaneously contribute to public engagement and biodiversity monitoring. Mass‐participation citizen science is not an adequate replacement for standardized biodiversity monitoring but may extend and complement it (e.g., through sampling different land‐use types), as well as serving to reconnect an increasingly urban human population with nature.     

南岳森林群落生物多样性研究(Ⅵ)上封寺森林群落植物物种相对多度分布格局

本文应用几何级数分布、分割线段、对数级数分布和对数正态分布等4种模型研究了南岳上封寺森林群落植物物种相对多度的分布格局。结果表明,几何级数分布模型适宜拟合乔木层和草本层,而不适宜于灌木层;分割线段模型适宜于乔木层,其中,多度一频度模型还适于草本层;对数级数分布模型完全适宜于拟合任何层次;对数正态分布模型仅适宜于拟合乔木层。此外,α-指数值介于季雨林-稀树草原之间。     

金矿化系列丰度模型与区域资源评价

根据矿化系列的理论，研究成矿区的动力地质条件，定义一个金矿化系列的典型样品，求出矿化密度．建立金矿化丰度模型，讨论金矿资源定量评价方法，并给出一个区域金矿资源预测的应用实例。     

Multivariate bootstrap confidence regions for abundance vector using

Abundance vector estimation is a well investigated problem in statistical ecology. The use of simple random sampling with replacement or replicated sampling ensures good asymptotic properties of the abundance vector estimators. However, real surveys are based on small sample sizes, and assuming any specific distribution of the abundance vector estimator may be hazardous.In this paper we focus our attention on situations where the population is not too large and the sample size is small. We propose bootstrap multivariate confidence regions based on data depth. Data depth is a geometrical concept of ordering data from the center outwardly in higher dimensions. The Simplicial depth, the Tukey's depth and the Mahalanobis depth are presented. In order to build confidence regions in the presence of a skewed distribution of the abundance vector estimator, the use of Tukey's depth is suggested. The proposed method has been applied to the benthic community of Lake Lesina. A comparison with Mahalanobis depth and standard existing methods is reported.     

中国区域经济与资源丰度相关性研究

以省域面板数据为基础．选取水、耕地、森林、能源、矿产等五种资源．验证了1978—2004年中国不同种类资源丰度与区域经济发展之问的相关关系。研究表明：①资源诅咒原理在中国内部区域之间仍然成立，除水资源外．耕地、能源、矿产和森林等四种资源的丰度与区域经济发展水平都呈现负相关关系．其程度由裔到低依次是：耕地资源、矿产资源、能源资源、森林资源；②遭遇“资源诅咒”的省处于“资源丰度一经济发展”坐标系第Ⅳ象限。并绝大多数都位于西部地区和东北地区；③各省人均GDP与综合资源丰度的对数成反比．我国资源丰裕度与经济发展水平成相反的变化趋势；④自然资源对于经济增长的影响作用往往是通过多种机制共同作用的结果．中国资源诅咒的传导机制主要包括“荷兰病”效应、制度效应、“挤出”效应以及区位和交通因素等方面。     

Structural Changes in the Fauna of Pollinating Insects in Urban Landscapes

Species composition, abundance, and some ecological features of pollinating insects have been studied in urbanized landscapes. Changes in the composition of bumblebees (Hymenoptera) and butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) and their adaptive potential in urban environments are considered.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 286–293.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Eremeeva, Sushchev.     

Land‐Cover Change and Avian Diversity in the Conterminous United States

Abstract: Changes in land use and land cover have affected and will continue to affect biological diversity worldwide. Yet, understanding the spatially extensive effects of land‐cover change has been challenging because data that are consistent over space and time are lacking. We used the U.S. National Land Cover Dataset Land Cover Change Retrofit Product and North American Breeding Bird Survey data to examine land‐cover change and its associations with diversity of birds with principally terrestrial life cycles (landbirds) in the conterminous United States. We used mixed‐effects models and model selection to rank associations by ecoregion. Land cover in 3.22% of the area considered in our analyses changed from 1992 to 2001, and changes in species richness and abundance of birds were strongly associated with land‐cover changes. Changes in species richness and abundance were primarily associated with changes in nondominant types of land cover, yet in many ecoregions different types of land cover were associated with species richness than were associated with abundance. Conversion of natural land cover to anthropogenic land cover was more strongly associated with changes in bird species richness and abundance than persistence of natural land cover in nearly all ecoregions and different covariates were most strongly associated with species richness than with abundance in 11 of 17 ecoregions. Loss of grassland and shrubland affected bird species richness and abundance in forested ecoregions. Loss of wetland was associated with bird abundance in forested ecoregions. Our findings highlight the value of understanding changes in nondominant land cover types and their association with bird diversity in the United States.     

长江上游宜宾江段长鳍吻鮈种群资源量的估算

1998～2002年,对宜宾柏溪与云南水富县交界处至柏溪二二四大桥之间全长约17　km的江段,进行了渔船作业情况和渔获物采样调查统计。在此基础上推算出该江段长鳍吻鮈年渔获量,再采用渔获物体长股分析方法对该江段长鳍吻鮈种群资源量进行了估算,以期为以后监测和评价三峡工程对鱼类尤其是特有鱼类资源的影响提供基础资料。研究结果表明：1998～2002年宜宾江段年总渔获量（〖WTBX〗Y〖WTBZ〗）分别为315 718、732 873、591 337、569 402和611 858尾;相应的长鳍吻鮈年渔获量分别为39 219、22 528、24 458、39 743和13 845尾。1998～2002年宜宾江段长鳍吻鮈年资源量依次为75 162、22 594、49 951、43 308和21 996尾,多年平均为42 602尾,95%置信区间为23 300～61 903尾.     

兴化市生态环境遥感动态监测与分析

基于遥感(RS)和地理信息系统(GIS)技术,对兴化市的生态环境状况作分析。以2005年和2012年的影像图为数据源,经过图像预处理,通过解译与分类,得到该市2个时期土地利用状况的变化情况。在此基础上,对2个时期的土地利用类型作对比,结果表明,耕地面积减少明显,城镇、农村居民点和其他建设用地面积增加突出。分别计算2个时期的生物丰度指数和植被覆盖指数,并分析了影响生态环境的主要因素。