Valuing improvements to threatened and endangered marine species: an application of stated preference choice experiments

Non-market valuation research has produced value estimates for over forty threatened and endangered (T&E) species, including mammals, fish, birds, and crustaceans. Increasingly, Stated Preference Choice Experiments (SPCE) are utilized for valuation, as the format offers flexibility for policy analysis and may reduce certain types of response biases relative to the more traditional Contingent Valuation method. Additionally, SPCE formats can allow respondents to make trade-offs among multiple species, providing information on the distinctiveness of preferences for different T&E species. In this paper we present results of an SPCE involving three U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species: the Puget Sound Chinook salmon, the Hawaiian monk seal, and the smalltooth sawfish. We estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for improving each species' ESA listing status and statistically compare these values between the three species using a method of convolutions approach. Our results suggest that respondents have distinct preferences for the three species, and that WTP estimates differ depending on the species and the level of improvement to their ESA status. Our results should be of interest to researchers and policy-makers, as we provide value estimates for three species that have limited, if any, estimates available in the economics literature, as well as new information about the way respondents make trade-offs among three taxonomically different species.     

A framework for sustainable invasive species management: Environmental,social, and economic objectives

Applying the concept of sustainability to invasive species management (ISM) is challenging but necessary, given the increasing rates of invasion and the high costs of invasion impacts and control. To be sustainable, ISM must address environmental, social, and economic factors (or “pillars”) that influence the causes, impacts, and control of invasive species across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Although these pillars are generally acknowledged, their implementation is often limited by insufficient control options and significant economic and political constraints. In this paper, we outline specific objectives in each of these three “pillars” that, if incorporated into a management plan, will improve the plan’s likelihood of sustainability. We then examine three case studies that illustrate how these objectives can be effectively implemented. Each pillar reinforces the others, such that the inclusion of even a few of the outlined objectives will lead to more effective management that achieves ecological goals, while generating social support and long-term funding to maintain projects to completion. We encourage agency directors and policy-makers to consider sustainability principles when developing funding schemes, management agendas, and policy.     

A harvest failure approach to assess the threat from an invasive species

We present the idea of using potential infringements on annual allowable harvest targets as an approach to estimate threats from invasive species to the forest products sector. The approach uses present-day harvest levels as a reference level to estimate when and where the impact of a nonnative forest pest could become economically damaging. We use a generic model that simulates spread and damage by nonnative invasive species, basic harvest and forest growth through time. The concept is illustrated with a case study of a new nonnative invasive pest, Sirex noctilio Fabricius on pine resources in eastern Canada. Impacts of invasion on wood supply, in particular, the point at which present-day harvest levels are not attainable, were identified for 77 non-overlapping geographical regions that delimit the primary wood supply areas around large mills and wood processing facilities in eastern Canada. The results identify the minimum area of a pest outbreak that could trigger harvest shortages (approximately 12.5–14 M ha of pine forests in Ontario and Quebec). Beyond this level, the amount of host resource available for harvesting in any given year declines rapidly. The failure to sustain broad-scale harvest targets may be an attractive and intuitive indicator for policy makers and regulators interested in developing control and “slow-the-spread” programs for non-native forest pests.     

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。     

Movement distances enhance validity of predictive models

Including the distance species are able to move in predictive models improves conservation practice. Bird inventory projects carried out from 1993 to 2004 in Taiwan provide an opportunity to investigate the relationships among species distribution, movement distance, and the environment. We compared projected distributions of 17 Taiwanese endemic bird species using what we called the Standard Method (i.e. movement distance is zero) and what we called the Buffer Method (i.e. movement distance is longer than zero) in three presence-only models (GARP, MAXENT and LIVES). The Standard Method used species original occurrence records directly while the Buffer Method expanded the occurrence of species to areas 1 km² around each recorded location. We first tested the efficacy of the Buffer Method using ten common species of the 17, and then applied the method to two rare species of the 17. For both the common and rare species, the distributions predicted by the two methods showed slight but important differences. The Buffer Method for all species had a higher average predictive probability, while the Standard Method had a higher maximum predictive probability. Most of the values for the area under the curve (AUC) were over 0.8 with the exceptions of Taiwan Barbet (Megalaima nuchalis) and Taiwan Hwamei (Garrulax taewanus), which have recently separated from Indochinese Barbet (Megalaima annamensis) and Chinese Hwamei (Garrulax canorus), and since 2008 and 2006 have been regarded as species endemic to the study area. Kappa values showed good performance for all species using both methods. The Buffer Method, however, resulted in significantly higher sensitivity and accuracy values for all models of species (p < 0.05). We conclude that when modeling species distribution including the area where the species was censused along with areas within the minimum movement areas better defines the surrounding areas that might supplement core habitat requirements. Therefore, using the Buffer Method, species surrounding distribution can be obtained which provides a better understanding of the species distributions. Given that distribution size is a key to the conservation of species, we suggest the Buffer Method can be used in conservation planning.     

高寒草原菌根围细菌数量对丛枝菌根真菌物种多样性的影响

基于丛枝菌根真菌(Arbuscular mycorrhizas fungi,AMF)孢子形态学鉴定,研究了藏北高寒草原主要建群植物菌根围细菌数量对AMF物种多样性的影响.结果表明:1)细菌数量1.02×106～2.96×106、3.01×106～6.06×106个/g范围内,Glomus、Acaulospora均为优势属,Scutellospora则均为最常见属;AMF孢子密度、分离频度、相对多度、重要值和种的丰度(SN、SR)均呈Glomus>Acaulospora>Scutellospora属的趋势.2)细菌数量较低时(<3.0×106个/g),AMF各属孢子密度、种的丰度(SR)相对较高,Shannon-Weiner指数、物种均匀度指数亦较高,分别达1.774和0.127.3)不同细菌数量条件下,孢子密度随细菌数量的增加而均呈微弱下降,菌根侵染率、侵染强度、丛枝丰度则均呈不同程度的提高.细菌数量>3.0×106个/g时,菌根侵染率、侵染强度和丛枝丰度随细菌数量增加而提高的趋势尤为明显.4)不同细菌数量条件下,AMF种的构成呈共有种、共有优势种较多(Glomus属均占绝对比重),特有种、稀有种较少,以及不同优势种孢子密度、相对多度和重要值差异均较悬殊的分布特征.图6表3参25     

祁连山青海云杉群落物种组成及α多样性垂直分布

通过对祁连山自然保护区青海云杉群落物种组成及α多样性垂直分布格局的研究,结果表明：祁连山自然保护区青海云杉群落内有维管植物25科51属96种,其中乔木4种,灌木29种,草本62种;植物种相对集中分布于海拔2 680～2 890 m的阴坡;随海拔梯度升高,群落内植物种数减少,且相邻样地的共有种数呈不明显的先减少而后增加的趋势,Margalef指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou指数呈降低趋势;不同林型的植物种的丰富度依次为：青海云杉混交林〉草类-青海云杉林〉苔藓-青海云杉林〉灌木-青海云杉林〉马先蒿-青海云杉林。     

鼎湖山20公顷森林样地单个物种对群落的构建

大型固定监测森林样地已成为研究森林群落组织机制的一个重要平台。群落里个体之间的相互作用对群落的构建有相当重要的作用。以往的研究主要针对于物种之间的相互作用,而用群落里单个物种与其它所有个体之间相互关系来解释群落构建的研究还很少。采用单个物种-面积关系（ISAR）这一指标对鼎湖山20 hm2样地和BCI 50 hm2样地数据分析,来研究不同样地单个物种是如何对森林群落进行构建的。结果显示,与BCI样地和Sinharaja样地不同,鼎湖山样地大树对周围其它个体的作用几乎是中性的;而对于小树（胸径小于10 cm）来说,鼎湖山样地和BCI样地一样,随着尺度的增加＂吸引型＂物种减少,而＂中性＂物种增加。说明了不同的群落在不同的发育阶段,单个物种对群落结构的构建有重要的作用不同,将来的研究应该结合群落其它方面的因素来分析群落内个体之间相互作用,例如从时间尺度的谱系和空间因素去分析。     

不同地理分布区中国林蛙的身体特征变异

采用形态比较学和数值分类相结合,对中国山西、辽宁、内蒙古等地的中国林蛙各居群的身体特征进行探讨.通过对大量标本的测量分析,结果认为:随着地理经纬度的变化和生境的转移,林蛙的各项身体特征表现出一定程度的变异.愈靠近东北林蛙分布区,其个体愈大,各项数据比对差异明显,从而可初步界定中国林蛙与东北林蛙的分界线.     

温带阔叶红松林中不同树种和倒木对土壤性质的影响

以长白山温带阔叶红松林为研究对象,通过野外采集土壤样品,综合研究老龄树及倒木对周边表层土壤性质的影响。研究结果显示,在本研究样地条件下,不同树种周边的表层土壤性质存在显著性差异,红松（Pinus koraiensis）周边土壤中水溶性有机碳WSOC的质量分数和特征吸光系数SUVA254值都高于紫椴（乃砌amurensis）和水曲柳（Fraxinus mandshurica）,但是土壤水溶性总氮WSTN和交换性无机氮的质量分数却是红松低于紫椴和水曲柳。对倒木影响的森林表层土壤性质的研究结果显示,倒木下方森林表层土壤中WSOC、WSTN以及交换性矿质氮的质量分数都明显地高于林间土壤,说明在小尺度空间区域内,倒木可能是森林表层土壤活性碳、氮库的重要输入源。此外,本研究还利用主成分分析探讨了受树种影响的森林表层土壤不同性质之间的关联性,并对树种和倒木影响周边土壤性质的可能性机制进行分析。