LANDSCAPE‐SCALE ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF CUMULATIVE IMPACTS TO RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS: PAST,PRESENT, AND FUTURE1

ABSTRACT: Analyses of cumulative impacts to riparian systems is an important yet elusive goal. Previous analyses have focused on comparing the number of hectares impacted to the number of hectares restored, without addressing the loss of riparian function or the effect of the spatial distribution of impacts. This paper presents an analysis of the spatial distribution of development‐related impacts to riparian ecosystems, that were authorized under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Impacts on habitat structure, contiguity, and landscape context were evaluated using functional indices scaled to regional reference sites. Impact sites were mapped using GIS and analyzed for spatial associations. Positive spatial autocorrelation (i.e. clustering of impact sites) resulted from the piecemeal approach to impact assessment, which failed to prevent cumulative impacts. Numerous small projects in close proximity have resulted in adverse impacts to entire stream reaches or have fragmented the aquatic resources to a point where overall functional capacity is impaired. Additionally, the ecological functions of unaffected areas have been diminished due to their proximity to degraded areas. A proactive approach to managing cumulative impacts is currently being used in Orange County, California as part of a Corps of Engineers sponsored Special Area Management Plan (SAMP). The SAMP process is evaluating the ecological conditions and physical processes of the study watersheds and attempting to plan future development in a manner that will guard against cumulative impacts.     

干旱荒漠区人工绿洲土壤盐碱化风险综合评估与演变分析

为明晰干旱荒漠区人工绿洲水盐时空分异特征与盐碱化风险空间格局演变过程,以甘肃省景电灌区为研究区,以2002,2010及2018年为研究代表年,基于多级模糊理论从地质气候驱动、水土环境驱动和自然-人类驱动3个驱动过程构建土壤盐碱化风险评估体系,集成云发生器原理、黄金分割率法、组合赋权法以及排队理论构建土壤盐碱化空间风险综...     

水位波动和植被恢复对三峡水库消落带土壤原核微生物群落结构的交互影响

水库消落带是典型的生态脆弱敏感区.水位波动是影响消落带土壤环境的主要因素,植被恢复是消落带土壤保育的重要手段.然而,在水库消落带中,水位波动和植被恢复对土壤微生物群落结构的交互影响尚不清楚.为此,选取三峡水库消落带中不同水位高程的撂荒草地和人工林地为研究对象,利用16S rRNA高通量测序技术探究土壤原核微生物群落组成和多样性,并探讨驱动土壤原核微生物群落结构的主要环境因子.结果表明,消落带的低水位高程中土壤原核微生物α多样性最高,其中163 m高程的Pielou_e指数、Shannon指数和Simpson指数显著高于168 m高程,Chao1指数和Shannon指数显著高于173 m高程.但撂荒草地和人工林地的土壤菌群α多样性并无显著差异.同时,水位波动和植被恢复均对土壤原核微生物的群落组成产生显著影响,不同样地中生物标志物类别具有明显差异.值得注意的是,植被恢复模式差异对土壤原核微生物群落结构的影响强于水位波动.此外,层次分割结果显示土壤pH是三峡水库消落带土壤原核微生物群落结构变化的主要驱动因子.以上结果可深化对水库消落带土壤微生物群落结构的认识,并为水库消落带生态系统的恢复重建提供科学参考.     

三峡水库消落区生态环境保护与调控对策研究

三峡水库建成后,由于水库调度引起库水位周期性的涨落,在库区两岸形成周期性变化的水陆交错区域即消落区。消落区是水、陆生态系统的交错地带,具有生态脆弱性、变化周期性和人类活动频繁性等特点。随着三峡工程逐步投入使用,人类活动对消落区的影响也逐渐增加,并且消落区自身存在生态脆弱性,如果不采取有效措施,它将影响三峡工程的正常运行和整个库区的可持续发展。因此,针对消落区的水、土环境变化特点,分析了消落区土壤与水环境的相互影响,提出了利用生物缓冲带、复合生态、坡地农业、流域生态学、人工湿地及生态河堤等技术来对消落区生态环境进行保护与调控的措施。     

松花江下游沿江湿地土地利用变化对土壤细菌群落多样性的影响

本研究旨在明确生境质量变化对土壤细菌群落的影响,为松花江退化湿地选择科学的修复方法提供参考依据.于2018年使用Illumina MiSeq PE300第二代高通量测序平台对松花江下游的5种土地利用类型湿地（天然湿地、稻田地、玉米田、采砂迹地及恢复湿地）土壤细菌16S rDNA进行测序,分析不同土地利用类型土壤细菌群落多样性和功能的差异.结果表明：沿江湿地开垦为玉米田造成土壤细菌的Ace、Chao1和Shannon指数显著降低（P<0.05）,采砂迹地的仿湿地修复使土壤细菌的Ace、Chao1和Shannon指数显著提高（P<0.05）.天然湿地、稻田、玉米田和采砂迹地的土壤细菌群落结构差异显著（P<0.05）,采砂迹地与恢复湿地的土壤细菌群落结构相似.沿江湿地土壤细菌划分为40门、105纲、258目、421科、802属和1673种,变形菌门、放线菌门、酸杆菌门、绿弯菌门、拟杆菌门、疣微菌门、厚壁菌门和芽单胞菌门为各样地共有的优势菌门（相对丰度>1%）.相比之下,拟杆菌门偏好稻田土壤环境,变形菌门和芽单胞菌门偏好玉米田土壤环境,放线菌门偏好采砂迹地土壤环境.湿地土壤细菌具有新陈代谢、环境信息处理、遗传信息处理、细胞过程、人类疾病和有机系统这6类一级代谢通路、46类二级代谢通路和19类主要二级代谢通路（相对丰度>1%）.土壤pH、含水量、碱解氮和碳氮比是沿江湿地土壤细菌群落多样性的主要影响因子.由此可见,改变沿江湿地土地用途降低了土壤生态系统稳定性,增加了湿地退化的潜在生态风险.     

不同河岸带修复策略对氮磷非点源污染的净化作用

选择北江的重要支流流溪河流域为研究对象,基于现有河岸带对非点源污染削减作用的模拟结果,采用情景分析法,预测不同河岸带修复策略对非点源污染的削减作用,使用效益-成本指数表征TN和TP削减率提高幅度与增加河岸带面积的关系,比较不同河岸带修复策略的效率.结果表明:河岸带对TN和TP的削减能力具有较大的空间差异性.各修复情景都在不同程度上提高了河岸带对TN和TP的削减率(TN:23.36%~30.72%;TP:27.19%~39.86%),河岸带增加总面积与削减率呈现对数增长关系(P<0.05).选择综合考虑了流域非点源负荷量以及河岸带状况的优先修复子流域进行河岸带修复时,效益-成本指数达最高为1.19%.     

放牧对荒漠草原建群种和优势种生态位的影响

短花针茅荒漠草原建群种为短花针茅（Stipa breviflora）,优势种为无芒隐子草（Cleistogenes songorica）和碱韭（Allium polyrrhizum）,3个种群地上现存量之和可达群落现存量的60%~80%,其数量消长、时空变化及结构的位移均会引起群落的巨大波动。为明确3个植物种群占有空间资源的能力、相互关系及其受放牧影响的变化规律,以内蒙古苏尼特右旗赛汉塔拉镇1999年建立的荒漠草原教学科研基地建群种和优势种为研究对象,于2012年8月在围封区（CK）和自由放牧区（CG）按样带法和样地法进行取样,运用生态位宽度指数、生态位重叠指数及灰色关联度进行数据分析,结果如下。受放牧影响,短花针茅和碱韭主要通过大幅度调节生态位宽度来保证植物种群存活及其在群落中的地位和作用,变化幅度分别为0.429~0.813和0.235~0.828;而无芒隐子草生态位宽度变化不大（为0.556~0.761）,其对放牧影响的耐受性较强。在生态位重叠方面,短花针茅与无芒隐子草受放牧影响后分别与其他两植物种群重叠程度增加,而碱韭植物种群表现相反;生态位重叠程度变化与种对间的竞争能力有关,也与种对间的亲和能力有关,且存在不对称性。     

Desertification in the Sudan: causes,effects and policy options

Desertification is the spread of desert-like conditions in arid and semi-arid conditions. It is a result of pressure from both climatic and human factors. Desertification in the Sudan has been accelerating at a faster rate over the last two decades, leading to marginalization and the loss of arable land. The main factors contributing to desertification include drought, population growth, the spread of extensive agriculture, deforestation, rapid urbanization, the erosion of local political power, the lack of economic institutions and the absence of social institutions which have tended to reduce the capacity of the local people to cope with the resource degradation problem. Initiatives to arrest the desert encroachment must include improved cultivation methods, proper grazing management, reforestation and integration of livestock and crop production systems, coupled with good linkages to light processing industries.

This paper identifies the causal factors of desert encroachment, assesses its impact on the environment and humanity and concludes by recommending specific strategies to control the desert encroachment problem.     

Applicability of Montreal Process Criterion 4 — soil and water conservation — to rangeland sustainability

SUMMARY

Criterion 4 of the Montreal Process addresses the conservation of soil and water resources as a way to assess the sustainability of a nation's forests. For the most part, the indicators under this criterion are relevant to rangelands. The area and percent of rangeland with significant soil erosion apply equally well to both biomes. Percent of streams with flow rates and timing outside its range of historical variation is also equally important, although a measure of proper functioning and condition may provide a better measure of the indicator. The area and percent of rangeland with diminished soil productive capability because of a loss of reduced organic matter or changed physical characteristics can be useful indicators locally and regionally.     

The obtaining of biosphere reserve decrees in Mexico: analysis of three cases

SUMMARY

During eight years, the Biological Research Center of the Northwest promoted the federal decrees to attain legal protection of three key zones for biodiversity conservation in Mexico: La Sierra de La Laguna, El Desierto del Vizcaíno, and E1 Archipiélago Revillagigedo Biosphere Reserves. In this work, we discuss the biological and socioeconomical importance of these three regions, the necessary steps to attain a Presidential decree in Mexico, and the required strategies to promote local and political support for each decree. In a country like Mexico, the promotion of one Presidential decree to declare a zone as a biosphere reserve must successfully address two different goals: the technical and the political. The technical phase can be successfully completed by a research centre or university in 6 to 12 months; while the political phase may or may not be successfully completed. If successful, in our experience, it can be attained with 2 to 96 months of continuous efforts.