A Freshwater Classification Approach for Biodiversity Conservation Planning

Abstract:  Freshwater biodiversity is highly endangered and faces increasing threats worldwide. To be complete, regional plans that identify critical areas for conservation must capture representative components of freshwater biodiversity as well as rare and endangered species. We present a spatially hierarchical approach to classify freshwater systems to create a coarse filter to capture representative freshwater biodiversity in regional conservation plans. The classification framework has four levels that we described using abiotic factors within a zoogeographic context and mapped in a geographic information system. Methods to classify and map units are flexible and can be automated where high-quality spatial data exist, or can be manually developed where such data are not available. Products include a spatially comprehensive inventory of mapped and classified units that can be used remotely to characterize regional patterns of aquatic ecosystems. We provide examples of classification procedures in data-rich and data-poor regions from the Columbia River Basin in the Pacific Northwest of North America and the upper Paraguay River in central South America. The approach, which has been applied in North, Central, and South America, provides a relatively rapid and pragmatic way to account for representative freshwater biodiversity at scales appropriate to regional assessments.     

可再生能源发电配额制政策(RPS)研究

本文首先解释了可再生能源发电配额制政策的基本含义。然后 ,通过比较英国、美国、荷兰、丹麦和澳大利亚五国的可再生能源发电配额制政策 ,总结了实施RPS的国际经验 ,包括成功的经验和失败的教训 ,提出了以及对中国实施RPS的政策建议     

国际化学品安全卡(中文版)网络数据库查询系统的设计与实现

概述了国际化学品安全卡（中文版）网络查询系统的建设、主要内容及其查询方法。重点介绍了系统的设计思想，采用ASP编程技术实现了该查询系统的设计和运行。     

论国际救灾法中的效率原则

在国际救灾过程中,抢救和保护生命、健康、财产、环境的紧迫需要使救援效率成为国际救灾中的首要追求。这一要求必须在救灾法中得到体现。效率原则就是要求重大灾害发生后,国际社会应当以最快的速度提供国际援助,而受灾国则应当尽快地作出救灾响应,在国际救灾人员的签证、工作许可,资金、物资、设备等的建立账户、通关、运输、储存、分发、等...     

Choosing and Using Climate‐Change Scenarios for Ecological‐Impact Assessments and Conservation Decisions

Increased concern over climate change is demonstrated by the many efforts to assess climate effects and develop adaptation strategies. Scientists, resource managers, and decision makers are increasingly expected to use climate information, but they struggle with its uncertainty. With the current proliferation of climate simulations and downscaling methods, scientifically credible strategies for selecting a subset for analysis and decision making are needed. Drawing on a rich literature in climate science and impact assessment and on experience working with natural resource scientists and decision makers, we devised guidelines for choosing climate‐change scenarios for ecological impact assessment that recognize irreducible uncertainty in climate projections and address common misconceptions about this uncertainty. This approach involves identifying primary local climate drivers by climate sensitivity of the biological system of interest; determining appropriate sources of information for future changes in those drivers; considering how well processes controlling local climate are spatially resolved; and selecting scenarios based on considering observed emission trends, relative importance of natural climate variability, and risk tolerance and time horizon of the associated decision. The most appropriate scenarios for a particular analysis will not necessarily be the most appropriate for another due to differences in local climate drivers, biophysical linkages to climate, decision characteristics, and how well a model simulates the climate parameters and processes of interest. Given these complexities, we recommend interaction among climate scientists, natural and physical scientists, and decision makers throughout the process of choosing and using climate‐change scenarios for ecological impact assessment. Selección y Uso de Escenarios de Cambio Climático para Estudios de Impacto Ecológico y Decisiones de Conservación     

Effects of Climate Change,Invasive Species,and Disease on the Distribution of Native European Crayfishes

Climate change will require species to adapt to new conditions or follow preferred climates to higher latitudes or elevations, but many dispersal‐limited freshwater species may be unable to move due to barriers imposed by watershed boundaries. In addition, invasive nonnative species may expand into new regions under future climate conditions and contribute to the decline of native species. We evaluated future distributions for the threatened European crayfish fauna in response to climate change, watershed boundaries, and the spread of invasive crayfishes, which transmit the crayfish plague, a lethal disease for native European crayfishes. We used climate projections from general circulation models and statistical models based on Mahalanobis distance to predict climate‐suitable regions for native and invasive crayfishes in the middle and at the end of the 21st century. We identified these suitable regions as accessible or inaccessible on the basis of major watershed boundaries and present occurrences and evaluated potential future overlap with 3 invasive North American crayfishes. Climate‐suitable areas decreased for native crayfishes by 19% to 72%, and the majority of future suitable areas for most of these species were inaccessible relative to native and current distributions. Overlap with invasive crayfish plague‐transmitting species was predicted to increase. Some native crayfish species (e.g., noble crayfish [Astacus astacus]) had no future refugia that were unsuitable for the modeled nonnative species. Our results emphasize the importance of preventing additional introductions and spread of invasive crayfishes in Europe to minimize interactions between the multiple stressors of climate change and invasive species, while suggesting candidate regions for the debatable management option of assisted colonization. Efectos del Cambio Climático, Especies Invasoras y Enfermedades sobre la Distribución de Cangrejos de Río Europeos Nativos     

Priority Wetland Invertebrates as Conservation Surrogates

Abstract: Invertebrates are important functionally in most ecosystems, but seldom appraised as surrogate indicators of biological diversity. Priority species might be good candidates; thus, here we evaluated whether three freshwater invertebrates listed in the U.K. Biodiversity Action Plan indicated the richness, composition, and conservation importance of associated wetland organisms as defined respectively by their alpha diversity, beta diversity, and threat status. Sites occupied by each of the gastropods Segmentina nitida, Anisus vorticulus, and Valvata macrostoma had greater species richness of gastropods and greater conservation importance than other sites. Each also characterized species assemblages associated with significant variations between locations in alpha or beta diversity among other mollusks and aquatic macrophytes. Because of their distinct resource requirements, conserving the three priority species extended the range of wetland types under management for nature conservation by 18% and the associated gastropod niche‐space by around 33%. Although nonpriority species indicated variations in richness, composition, and conservation importance among other organisms as effectively as priority species, none characterized such a wide range of high‐quality wetland types. We conclude that priority invertebrates are no more effective than nonpriority species as indicators of alpha and beta diversity or conservation importance among associated organisms. Nevertheless, conserving priority species can extend the array of distinct environments that are protected for their specialized biodiversity and environmental quality. We suggest that this is a key role for priority species and conservation surrogates more generally, and, on our evidence, can best be delivered through multiple species with contrasting habitat requirements.     

Compromises of Bali Roadmap

The Bali Roadmap, as the breakthrough on intergovernmental negotiation of climate change mitigation, having brought United States on track, is still a result of compromises. The major compromises of the Bali Roadmap are centered around three issues of quantifying emission reduction targets, developing countries＇ obligations as well as quantifying developed countries＇ financial assistance in developing countries＇ capacity building on climate change. It is found that the rationalities behind these compromises are the national interests. Due to the fact, achieving cohesion among all nations in climate change actions is very difficult. Therefore, the Bali Roadmap may lead to a tough way with distant hope. However, technology innovation and well-designed economic instruments would be helpful and supportive for further international negotiation and cooperation.     

全球稀土贸易的资源环境净效益与公平性

为解决稀土资源贸易的资源环境不公平问题,结合生命周期评价方法与成本效益分析方法,核算了稀土资源产品国际贸易中所有国家的实际资源环境净效益,并判断未来国际制造业的三大主要发展趋势带来的影响.结果表明,2018年稀土资源产品国际贸易的实际资源环境净效益高达85亿美元,主要贡献来自于稀土原材料产品.未来国际制造业的发展格局下,尽管绿色发展与气候目标政策会降低17%的净效益,但依然是改善资源环境不公平问题的关键政策路径;产业链转移重构政策会减少11%的净效益,加剧经济水平较低国家的资源环境不公平问题;新兴制造业发展政策会增加76%的净效益,但经济水平较低国家的资源环境不公平问题依然较为严峻.     

长江中游四大家鱼产卵场的生态水文特性分析

青鱼、草鱼、鲢鱼、鳙鱼是长江流域重要的经济鱼类,但近几年其资源量急剧下降,大量水利工程的修建及河道整治是导致其资源量下降的重要原因之一。为了保护四大家鱼种质资源,确定四大家鱼产卵、繁殖同水文情势的关系,为大型水利工程的生态调度提供依据,研究选取长江中游四大家鱼产卵期的9项相关生态水文指标,分析其在四大家鱼产卵场及非产卵场之间的差异。分析结果表明,所选取的9项生态水文指标在产卵场断面和非产卵场断面没有显著差异,它们只是刺激四大家鱼产卵的必要条件,而非充分条件。同时,选取葛洲坝下典型产卵场江口断面,对比分析该断面在三峡工程正式运行前后四大家鱼产卵期内生态水文情势的变化。结果表明,所选取的9项生态水文指标大多无明显差异,个别指标因三峡蓄水略有变化,但由于三峡蓄水后时间序列较短,且2004~2006年长江来水情况较为特殊,因而目前尚无法定量化三峡工程的修建对下游四大家鱼产卵场的影响。