Experimental Assessment of Coral Reef Rehabilitation Following Blast Fishing

Abstract:  Illegal fishing with explosives has damaged coral reefs throughout Southeast Asia. In addition to killing fish and other organisms, the blasts shatter coral skeletons, leaving fields of broken rubble that shift in the current, abrading or burying new coral recruits, and thereby slowing or preventing reef recovery. Successful restoration and rehabilitation efforts can contribute to coral reef conservation. We used field experiments to assess the effectiveness of different low-cost methods for coral reef rehabilitation in Komodo National Park (KNP), Indonesia. Our experiments were conducted at three different spatial scales. At a scale of 1 × 1 m plots, we tested three different rehabilitation methods: rock piles, cement slabs, and netting pinned to the rubble. Significantly more corals per square meter grew on rocks, followed by cement, netting, and untreated rubble, although many plots were scattered by strong water current or buried by rubble after 2.5 years. To test the benefits of the most successful treatment, rocks, at more realistic scales, we established 10 × 10 m plots of rock piles at each of our nine sites in 2000. Three years after installation, coverage by hard corals on the rocks continued to increase, although rehabilitation in high current areas remained the most difficult. In 2002 rehabilitation efforts in KNP were increased over 6000 m² to test four rock pile designs at each of four rubble field sites. Assuming that there is an adequate larval supply, using rocks for simple, low-budget, large-scale rehabilitation appears to be a viable option for restoring the structural foundation of damaged reefs.     

露天开采生态环境影响识别与修复技术的探讨——以崇阳露天石煤钒矿矿山开发环评为例

矿山开采活动在获得最大的经济利益的同时,势必给原有的生态环境带来严重破坏和影响.结合矾矿露天采矿特点,讨论矿山开采各个环节对生态因子的影响及强度,筛选主要影响因子,分析露天矿山开采可能引起的地形地貌、土地占用、土壤侵蚀、破坏野生动植物生境、地表水水质、景观格局等方面对环境的影响,并提出相应的优化施工方案、闭坑露天矿山土地、植被复垦等生态环境保护对策,对科学开发崇阳钒矿具有一定参考意义.     

Effects of Restoring Oak Savannas on Bird Communities and Populations

Abstract:  Efforts to restore and maintain oak savannas in North America, with emphasis on the use of prescribed fire, have become common. Little is known, however, about how restoration affects animal populations, especially those of birds. I compared the breeding densities, community structure, and reproductive success of birds in oak savannas maintained by prescribed fire (12 sites) with those in closed-canopy forests (13 sites). All sampling was conducted in Illinois (U.S.A.). Of the 31 bird species analyzed, 12 were more common in savannas, 14 were not affected by habitat structure, and 5 were more common in forest habitat. The species favored by disturbance and restoration included Northern Bobwhites ( Colinus virginianus ), Mourning Doves (  Zenaida macroura ), Red-headed Woodpeckers (  Melanerpes erythrocephalus ), Indigo Buntings (  Passerina cyanea ), and Baltimore Orioles ( Icterus galbula ). Those more common in closed-canopy forest included Ovenbirds ( Seiurus aurocapilla ) and Wood Thrushes (  Hylocichla mustelina ). Few species were unique to one type of habitat, but overall avian community structure in oak savannas and closed-canopy forests was generally distinctive. Estimates of nesting success (derived from 785 nests) revealed that 6 of the 13 species considered experienced greater productivity in the savanna habitat. Rates of brood parasitism were unaffected by restoration and habitat structure. Within savannas, tract size had little effect on breeding abundances and reproductive success. My results illustrate that restoration techniques can significantly affect the ecology of constituent animal populations and communities and have key implications regarding avian conservation and the management of forest habitat in fragmented landscapes. Small patches of forest habitat that regularly function as population sinks may offer far better prospects for birds if they are subjected to disturbance and ecosystem restoration.     

洞庭湖区退田还湖生态补偿机制

以洞庭湖区退田还湖的生态补偿为例,初步探讨了有关生态补偿的3个基本问题,即补偿支付者和接受者的问题,补偿强度的问题和补偿渠道的问题。     

苏州河底栖动物群落恢复过程动态研究

2000年10月至2003年4月,对苏州河8个采样点的底栖动物群落恢复状况的调查结果表明,苏州河底栖动物群落优势种主要为铜锈环棱螺、梨形环棱螺、中华颤蚓和霍甫水丝蚓,种类数比1999年有所增加,但仍以耐污种为主。对不同水体间生态环境的对比分析表明,底栖动物群落结构与水体污染程度之间具有较强的相关性,由此建立了底栖动物恢复指数,该指数可以客观地指示底栖动物群落恢复的动态过程。结合历史资料研究显示,苏州河底栖动物恢复指数呈持续上升趋势,恢复迹象比较明显。     

光催化降解亚甲基蓝的影响因素及动力学研究

进行了亚甲基蓝在硫化镉上的暗吸附反应,并作Langmuir拟合和Freundlich拟合计算其吸附速率常数。通过实验证明硫化镉光催化降解亚甲基蓝符合一级动力学反应。在低光强下,反应速率常数随着光强的增大而增大,两者之间存在显著的线性关系。改变光催化反应温度,计算表观活化能Ea为19.13kJ/mol,证明温度对反应影响较小。     

Simulation investigations on the marble deterioration by sulphur dioxide

This paper deals with investigations on corrosion of marble SO2. We have simulated oxidation of SO2 by photochemical process in the atmosphere. The experiments indicate that formation of SO3 aerosols is related to the concentration of SO2, the UV light intensity, the time of irradiation and the humidity of the air. The corrosion feature of surfaces of the marble and the depth profiles of sulphur were obtained by SEM (Scanning electron microscope), EDXA (Energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer) and SIMS (Secondary ion mass spectrometer). The results of experiments show the corrosive extent of marble depends on its compositions and microareas of marble, which contain lower silicon content can be easily corroded by SO2.     

Phase I of the Kissimmee River restoration project, Florida, USA: Impacts of construction on water quality

Phase I of the Kissimmee River restoration project included backfilling of 12 km of canal and restoring flow through 24 km of continuous river channel. We quantified the effects of construction activities on four water quality parameters (turbidity, total phosphorus flow-weighted concentration, total phosphorus load and dissolved oxygen concentration). Data were collected at stations upstream and downstream of the construction and at four stations within the construction zone to determine if canal backfilling and construction of 2.4 km of new river channel would negatively impact local and downstream water quality. Turbidity levels at the downstream station were elevated for approximately 2 weeks during the one and a half year construction period, but never exceeded the Florida Department of Environmental Protection construction permit criteria. Turbidity levels at stations within the construction zone were high at certain times. Flow-weighted concentration of total phosphorus at the downstream station was slightly higher than the upstream station during construction, but low discharge limited downstream transport of phosphorus. Total phosphorus loads at the upstream and downstream stations were similar and loading to Lake Okeechobee was not significantly affected by construction. Mean water column dissolved oxygen concentrations at all sampling stations were similar during construction.     

A proposed coast-wide reference monitoring system for evaluating wetland restoration trajectories in Louisiana

Wetland restoration efforts conducted in Louisiana under the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act require monitoring the effectiveness of individual projects as well as monitoring the cumulative effects of all projects in restoring, creating, enhancing, and protecting the coastal landscape. The effectiveness of the traditional paired-reference monitoring approach in Louisiana has been limited because of difficulty in finding comparable reference sites. A multiple reference approach is proposed that uses aspects of hydrogeomorphic functional assessments and probabilistic sampling. This approach includes a suite of sites that encompass the range of ecological condition for each stratum, with projects placed on a continuum of conditions found for that stratum. Trajectories in reference sites through time are then compared with project trajectories through time. Plant community zonation complicated selection of indicators, strata, and sample size. The approach proposed could serve as a model for evaluating wetland ecosystems.