Understanding Interaction Effects of Climate Change and Fire Management on Bird Distributions through Combined Process and Habitat Models

Abstract: Avian conservation efforts must account for changes in vegetation composition and structure associated with climate change. We modeled vegetation change and the probability of occurrence of birds to project changes in winter bird distributions associated with climate change and fire management in the northern Chihuahuan Desert (southwestern U.S.A.). We simulated vegetation change in a process‐based model (Landscape and Fire Simulator) in which anticipated climate change was associated with doubling of current atmospheric carbon dioxide over the next 50 years. We estimated the relative probability of bird occurrence on the basis of statistical models derived from field observations of birds and data on vegetation type, topography, and roads. We selected 3 focal species, Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata), Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), and Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus), that had a range of probabilities of occurrence for our study area. Our simulations projected increases in relative probability of bird occurrence in shrubland and decreases in grassland and Yucca spp. and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) vegetation. Generally, the relative probability of occurrence of all 3 species was highest in shrubland because leaf‐area index values were lower in shrubland. This high probability of occurrence likely is related to the species’ use of open vegetation for foraging. Fire suppression had little effect on projected vegetation composition because as climate changed there was less fuel and burned area. Our results show that if future water limits on plant type are considered, models that incorporate spatial data may suggest how and where different species of birds may respond to vegetation changes.     

Implications of high altitude desert dust transport from Western Sahara to Nile Delta during biomass burning season

The air over major cities and rural regions of the Nile Delta is highly polluted during autumn which is the biomass burning season, locally known as black cloud. Previous studies have attributed the increased pollution levels during the black cloud season to the biomass or open burning of agricultural waste, vehicular, industrial emissions, and secondary aerosols. However, new multi-sensor observations (column and vertical profiles) from satellites, dust transport models and associated meteorology present a different picture of the autumn pollution. Here we show, for the first time, the evidence of long range transport of dust at high altitude (2.5-6 km) from Western Sahara and its deposition over the Nile Delta region unlike current Models. The desert dust is found to be a major contributor to the local air quality which was previously considered to be due to pollution from biomass burning enhanced by the dominant northerly winds coming from Europe.     

浅论沙湾县荒漠生态区荒漠植被的保护与开发利用

沙湾县是以农业生产力支柱产业的地处准噶尔盆地南缘的半干旱荒漠内陆区域,区域内荒漠植物被较脆弱,随着经济与人口的快速增长及农、林、牧业的大发展、如何保护县域内荒漠生态区荒漠植被,更好的开发和利用这种资源、将是一个十分重要的研究课题。     

生物结皮的发育演替与微生物生物量变化

生物结皮在荒漠地区的生态恢复中具有重要的生态学意义,且不同发育演替阶段的结皮具有不同的生态功能.通过野外调查、显微观察结合微生物定量分析对腾格里沙漠东南缘沙坡头地区生物结皮的发育演替进行了研究.结果表明该地区的生物结皮一般按照"藻结皮→地衣结皮→藓结皮"的模式发育演替.随着结皮的发育演替,光合生物生物量逐渐增加,微藻生物量却呈现先增加后减少的趋势.其中,具鞘微鞘藻(Microcoleus vaginatus)作为结皮藻类中的第一优势种,在藻结皮中生物量最大,达到0.33 mm3·g-1,而爪哇伪枝藻(Scytonema javanicum)和(一种)念珠藻(Nostoc sp.)在晚期的地衣结皮中生物量达到最大.另外,研究发现异养微生物生物量在藻结皮中开始增加,但在地衣结皮中呈下降的趋势,最后在藓结皮中异养微生物生物量再次增加并达到最大.其中细菌数量的增加与结皮有机碳、Na+含量的增加显著相关(P<0.05),真菌数量的增加与K+、Na+含量的增加显著相关(P<0.05).本研究观察了沙坡头地区生物结皮发育演替的模式,并从环境适应与功能需求的角度探讨了生物结皮发育演替过程中微生物生物量的变化特征,对于理解结皮的发育演替以及荒漠化地区生态恢复过程中结皮的维护管理具有重要的理论与实践意义.     

固体火箭发动机高原荒漠环境适应性分析

为提高导弹武器系统的环境适应性,总结了高原荒漠地区的环境特点,分析了高温、低温、温度交变和辐射等典型环境条件对固体火箭发动机的影响,提出了提高导弹武器系统高原荒漠环境适应性的措施。     

沙漠油田开发生态环境保护的实践

文章阐述了地处沙漠腹地的石西油田在开发建设过程中开展环境保护工作的具体做法,从加强组织领导、制定并不断完善环保规章制度、加大科技投入等方面分析总结了在沙漠油田中开展环境保护的管理经验,通过加强井场作业、油气集输、建设用地管理、植物种植管理方面的措施,阐述了在沙漠油田开发建设中创建绿色油气田活动所取得的成绩。     

Leveraging foodways for health and justice

ABSTRACT

The global industrial food system is increasingly recognised as a source of poor health that deepens social and economic inequity. Health advocates, policy makers, and food activists strive to improve nutrition and food access across racial and ethnic divides; however, given established approaches, they may miss fundamental pathways for improving health and justice comprehensively. While food access and nutrition are often identified as primary concerns for marginalised communities and the reason for food insecurity and food-related illness, critical food justice scholars use a more expansive lens to suggest a democratised food system is needed, and that solutions based solely in access to healthy food can undermine more systemic approaches. Our research extends this analysis, highlighting the importance of endemic food culture (foodways) as a tool for retaining identity, building community, and maintaining health among refugee populations in one community in Salt Lake City, Utah. Further, this work suggests that community engagement and expertise is essential in leveraging foodways such that marginalised communities can effectively resist cheap, unhealthy, and placeless calories.     

河西走廊中部荒漠植被的生态学研究

根据对河西走廊中部荒漠植被的调查，对荒漠植被进行了分类及生态学描述，重点讨论了荒漠植被对改善河西走廊中部农村生态环境的作用，提出了保护和利用荒漠植被的措施及改善生态环境的途径。     

中国污水治理的一个新思考

本文通过对中国地形及气候特征的讨论 ,提出沙漠治水 ,水治沙漠的观点 ,为中国及其他国家的污水治理 ,提供一种新的思路和建议     

内蒙古草原新增沙尘源

2006年夏季,经对全区各生态类型区实地调研：干旱程度普遍高,湖泊集水线急剧向心退缩或湖泊干涸,湖泊萎缩、河流湿地退化特征明显;进入6、7月中旬,大范围、大面积草原土地处于裸露状态,沙源丰富,草原返青尚无从谈起;荒漠草原上迅猛发展的露天矿开发,裸露外排土场成为新的人为沙尘源。本文定性报告了内蒙古草原新增沙尘源现状。