Motivations for Conserving Urban Biodiversity

Abstract: In a time of increasing urbanization, the fundamental value of conserving urban biodiversity remains controversial. How much of a fixed budget should be spent on conservation in urban versus nonurban landscapes? The answer should depend on the goals that drive our conservation actions, yet proponents of urban conservation often fail to specify the motivation for protecting urban biodiversity. This is an important shortcoming on several fronts, including a missed opportunity to make a stronger appeal to those who believe conservation biology should focus exclusively on more natural, wilder landscapes. We argue that urban areas do offer an important venue for conservation biology, but that we must become better at choosing and articulating our goals. We explored seven possible motivations for urban biodiversity conservation: preserving local biodiversity, creating stepping stones to nonurban habitat, understanding and facilitating responses to environmental change, conducting environmental education, providing ecosystem services, fulfilling ethical responsibilities, and improving human well‐being. To attain all these goals, challenges must be faced that are common to the urban environment, such as localized pollution, disruption of ecosystem structure, and limited availability of land. There are, however, also challenges specific only to particular goals, meaning that different goals will require different approaches and actions. This highlights the importance of specifying the motivations behind urban biodiversity conservation. If the goals are unknown, progress cannot be assessed.     

Ecological Survey of Coastal I Water Adjacent to Nuclear Power I Plants in Taiwan

A total of six nuclear reactors installed in three power plants, two along the northern and one along the southern coasts of Taiwan, started their operations one after another since October 1977. Owing to the large quantities of cooling water intake into and discharge from the plants, some environmental factors such as water temperature, chlorine, environmental radioactivity and nearshore currents may be significantly changed. Variations of these abiotic environmental factors may influence the biological activities in the ecosystem, particularly doing some kinds of damage to marine biological resources. Therefore, the possible environmental impact upon the biological systems including the fishery resources along the northern and southern coasts of Taiwan should be studied before and during the plant operation.

We have started the long-term programmes of biological, chemical and hydro-graphical surveys of the nuclear power plant sites on both northern (since July 1974) and southern (since July 1979) coasts of Taiwan. the survey items include ocean currents, physical and chemical properties of sea water, primary productivity, specific compositions and interspecific relationships among phyto- and zooplankton, algae, invertebrates, corals, and fishes; and radionuclides in water and biological specimens, and fishery statistics. in general, except for a few events, the operations of the six units of nuclear power plants have not produced detectable effects on the marine ecosystem. Radio activity levels and radionuclides in water and the biological specimens remained the same as background levels throughout the survey period. However, the events of coral bleaching and fish body anomalies caused by thermal discharges were observed respectively along the outlets of third and second Nuclear Power Plants. the purposes of this paper are to report and evaluate these two events during the operations of nuclear power plants in Taiwan.     

Assessing water ecosystem services for water resource management

Ecosystem service concepts can offer a valuable approach for linking human and nature, and arguments for the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems. Despite an increasing interest in the topic, the application of these concepts for water resource management has been hampered by the lack of practical definitions and methodologies. In this study we review and analyse the current literature and propose an approach for assessing and valuing ecosystem services in the context of water management. In particular, to study the link between multiple pressures, ecological status and delivery of ecosystem services in aquatic ecosystems under different scenarios of measures or future changes. This is of interest for the development of River Basin Management Plans under the EU Water Framework Directive. We provide a list of proxies/indicators of natural capacity, actual flow and social benefit for the biophysical assessment of the ecosystem services. We advocate the use of indicators of sustainability, combining information on capacity and flow of services. We also suggest methods for economic valuation of aquatic ecosystem for each service and spatial scale of application. We argue that biophysical assessment and economic valuation should be conducted jointly to account for the different values of ecosystem services (ecologic, social and economic) and to strengthen the recognition of human dependency on nature. The proposed approach can be used for assessing the benefits of conservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems in the implementation of the EU water policy.     

沙尘现象与不发育荒漠化生态损失的关系探讨

本文从生态破坏因子沙尘暴，扬沙等负蚀现象入手，根据自然尘的地域来源分布及地理条件，论证了沙尘现象与不发育的荒漠化生态损失的关系，进而对内蒙古中西部生态环境的脆弱性和发展趋势进行分析。     

Soil warming effect on net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide during the transition from winter carbon source to spring carbon sink in a temperate urban lawn

The significant warming in urban environment caused by the combined effects of global warming and heat island has stimulated widely development of urban vegetations. However, it is less known of the climate feedback of urban lawn in warmed environment. Soil warming effect on net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide during the transition period from winter to spring was investigated in a temperate urban lawn in Beijing, China. The NEE (negative for uptake) under soil warming treatment (temperature was about 5℃ higher than the ambient treatment as a control) was -0.71 μmol/(m².sec), the ecosytem was a CO₂ sink under soil warming treatment, the lawn ecosystem under the control was a CO₂ source (0.13 μmol/(m².sec)), indicating that the lawn ecosystem would provide a negative feedback to global warming. There was no significant effect of soil warming on nocturnal NEE (i.e., ecosystem respiration), although the soil temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of ecosystem respiration under soil warming treatment was 3.86, much lower than that in the control (7.03). The CO₂ uptake was significantly increased by soil warming treatment that was attributed to about 100% increase of α (apparent quantum yield) and A_max (maximum rate of photosynthesis). Our results indicated that the response of photosynthesis in urban lawn is much more sensitive to global warming than respiration in the transition period.     

基于支持向量机的湖泊生态系统健康评价研究

利用支持向量机在处理分类问题、小样本问题和泛化推广方面的优势,构建了基于支持向量机的湖泊生态系统健康评价模型.同时,对广州市最大的人工湖——白云湖的水质及生物群落情况进行了监测,最后运用该模型对白云湖生态系统健康状况进行了评价.评价结果表明,白云湖生态系统处于病态状态,不能达到其净化水质的设计作用.建议从提高进水水质、实施湖区截污和丰富生物量3方面改善白云湖生态系统健康水平.与传统熵权综合健康指数法和熵权模糊综合评价法相比,所建模型更加客观、科学地评价了湖泊生态系统健康状况,能够为湖泊生态系统健康管理提供一定依据,具有广阔的应用前景.     

气候和土地利用/覆被变化对宁波地区生态系统产水服务的影响

提供水资源是重要的生态系统服务功能之一,对区域经济和生态系统的可持续发展具有重要作用.近年来,人类活动对水资源的需求量增加,加之水环境污染和水资源浪费现象严重,造成了部分地区的缺水问题.在此背景下,本文以宁波地区为例,研究气候变化和土地利用/覆被变化对生态系统产水服务的影响.首先,利用InVEST模型中的产水量模块,估算了区域的产水量.然后,利用情景分析的方法设计6种情景,分析了气候变化和土地利用/覆被变化对区域产水量的影响.最后,量化了气候和土地利用/覆被变化这2种因素对生态系统产水服务的贡献程度,并讨论了形成机制.研究表明:①2000—2015年,宁波地区的降水量增加了6.44%,潜在蒸散量减少了8.35%.城镇化导致建设用地面积增加了120%,耕地面积减少了22.37%.在气候变化和土地利用/覆被变化的共同作用下,平均产水量增加了10.91%.②气候变化对生态系统产水服务的影响更为显著,而土地利用/覆被变化的影响较小.其中,2000—2015年气候变化对宁波地区产水量的贡献率高达97.56%,而土地利用/覆被变化的贡献率仅为2.44%.③城镇生态系统的产水量高于其他生态系统类型,农田生态系统的产水量高于森林和草地生态系统.因此,城镇化会增加产水量,退耕还林还草会导致产水量的减少.     

淮北市煤炭开采对生态系统服务胁迫阈值研究

为揭示煤炭资源型城市煤炭开采对生态系统服务胁迫作用的阈值效应,在构建煤炭开采对生态系统服务胁迫阈值模型的基础上,从土地破坏、地下水资源破坏、大气污染3个维度分析估算了淮北市煤炭开采对生态系统服务的胁迫阈值,并探究了1990~2016年该地区煤炭开采对生态系统服务胁迫作用时序变化规律.结果表明：淮北市煤炭开采对生态系统服务的胁迫作用存在显著的阈值效应,其中,土地破坏、地下水资源破坏、大气污染3大胁迫因子的胁迫阈值分别为1803.19hm²、33253.23×10⁴t和888.81×10⁸m³.1990~2016年淮北市煤炭开采对生态系统服务胁迫作用呈现显著的阶段性特征,其中,1990~2009年该地区煤炭开采所造成的土地破坏、地下水资源破坏、大气污染均未超过阈值范围,生态系统服务运行状况良好;但是在2010年之后,由于该地区煤炭开采造成的地下水资源破坏超出阈值范围,从而导致该地区生态系统服务出现恶化趋势,不过2015年以来恶化趋势有所减缓.因此,该地区必须加快绿色矿区建设,加大生态环境治理力度,着力防范煤炭开采对生态系统服务的胁迫作用超出阈值范围,以保障经济增长与生态环境统筹协调可持续发展.     

从生物群落到生态系统综合保护：国家公园生态系统完整性保护的理论演变

自然保护事业已经进入人与自然和谐的综合保护阶段,突破传统生物群落保护的要素式思维,从生态特征、生态系统健康和自组织能力等视角系统实施生态系统完整性保护,已基本成为共识。中国经历了长期部门化割裂管理,在国家公园体制建设过程中开始由分散走向统一,要求将山水林田湖草作为生命共同体进行生态系统完整性保护。基于集合种群等空间生态学理论,提出国家公园生态系统完整性不仅意味着内部自然空间的完整,更需着眼国家生态安全的大局和自然保护地体系的战略布局。国家公园只有成为生态地理区的节点并辐射周边区域,有效平衡行政区域之间以及人与自然之间的关系,才能真正实现完整生态系统的长效保护。目前,国内既有研究在指导全域布局和平衡人地关系方面仍考虑不足,试点过程中还存在管理型技术方法欠缺、空间边界受限于行政边界、未能从全局着眼构建以国家公园为核心的生态系统完整性网络、未充分考虑差异化的人地关系等问题。未来需要着眼大局,有效平衡国家公园及其周边区域的关系、不同行政区域之间的关系、国家公园人与自然的关系,从而实现生态系统完整性的长效保护。     

自然生境中厌氧氨氧化功能微生物生态学研究进展

自然生境中发生的厌氧氨氧化过程是继反硝化和好氧氨氧化后的又一条氮损失途径,对全球生态系统氮循环具有重要意义,但不同自然生态系统中存在不同种类的厌氧氨氧化微生物.通过阐述厌氧氨氧化反应发生的生理机制,并对不同自然环境中发现的厌氧氨氧化功能微生物进行梳理,分析了厌氧氨氧化菌分布的空间异质性成因.结果表明,适量的无机氮可以促进厌氧氨氧化的发生,有机碳含量低和低氧条件更有利于厌氧氨氧化菌的生存且厌氧氨氧化的活性较高,这与厌氧氨氧化菌的化能自养代谢途径有着紧密的联系,低养分条件下反硝化菌的活性受到短暂抑制,促进了厌氧氨氧化的发生.同时,适当的高盐环境会提高厌氧氨氧化活性并促进厌氧氨氧化菌群落结构转变,高盐度环境下Scalindua属占优势,低盐度环境下Brocadia属更占优势.厌氧氨氧化菌对温度变化有很好的适应性,大部分厌氧氨氧化菌（如Scalindua属、Kuenenia属和Brocadia属）对于极端环境均有较强的环境适应性;此外,悬浮颗粒物浓度、含水量等因素也会影响厌氧氨氧化菌的分布及其代谢活性.建议今后从基因组学、蛋白组学和转录组学相结合的角度对自然环境中的厌氧氨氧化菌开展生理生态机理的研究,并探明厌氧条件下Fe3+、Mn4+、SO₄2-等电子受体与厌氧氨氧化过程的生物化学联系,以更好地应用于工程技术研究,并为生态环境修复提供理论依据.