VARIATION OF STREAM STABILITY WITH STREAM TYPE AND LWESTOCK BANK DAMAGE IN NORTHERN NEVADA1

ABSTRACT: Many natural and anthropogenic factors contribute to the stability or erodibility of stream channels. Although a stream rating procedure used by more than 60 percent of the U.S. National Forests provides an estimate of overall stability, it does not identify the cause of instability or indicate corrective management. To better sort natural from livestock influences, stream stability rating indicator variables were related to stream types and levels of ungulate bank damage in a large data base for streams in northern Nevada. Stability and the range in stability varied naturally with stream type. Ungulate bank damage had different effects on different stream types and on different parts of their cross-sections. Vegetation is more important for stability on certain stream types than on other types. Streams with noncohesive sand and gravel banks are most sensitive to livestock grazing. Range managers should consider the stream type when setting local standards, writing management objectives, or determining riparian grazing strategies.     

Mapping Grazing-Induced Degradation in a Semi-Arid Environment: A Rapid and Cost Effective Approach for Assessment and Monitoring

Improved techniques for measuring and monitoring the state of biodiversity are required for reporting on national obligations to international and regional conservation institutions. Measuring the extent of grazing-related degradation in semi-arid ecosystems has proved difficult. Here we present an accurate and cost-effective method for doing this, and apply it in a South African semi-arid region that forms part of a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. We grouped structurally and functionally similar vegetation units, which were expert-mapped at the 1:50,000 scale, into four habitat types, and developed habitat-specific degradation models. We quantified degradation into three categories, using differences between dry and wet season values of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the three succulent karoo habitats, and the difference between maximum and mean NDVI values for the subtropical thicket habitat. Field evaluation revealed an accuracy of 86%. Overall, degradation was high: 24% of the study area was modeled as severely degraded, and only 9% as intact. Levels of degradation were highest for bottomland habitats that were most exposed to grazing impacts. In sharp contrast to our methods, a widely used, broad-scale and snapshot assessment of land cover in South Africa was only 33% accurate, and it considerably underestimated the extent of severely degraded habitat in the study area. While our approach requires a multidisciplinary team, and in particular expert knowledge on the characteristics and spatial delimitation of vegetation types, it is repeatable, rapid, and relatively inexpensive. Consequently, it holds great promise for monitoring and evaluation programs in semi-arid ecosystems, in Africa, and beyond.     

treedyn3 forest simulation model

The treedyn3 forest simulation model is a process model of tree growth, carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a single-species, even-aged forest stand. It is based on the treedyn model. Major changes include the computation of sun angle and radiation as a function of latitude and day of the year, the closed-form integration of canopy production as a function of day and hour, the introduction of tree number, height, and diameter as separate state variables, and different growth strategies, mortalities, and resulting self-thinning as function of crowding competition.The tree/soil system is described by a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the state variables: tree number, base diameter, tree height, wood biomass, nitrogen in wood, leaf mass, fine root mass, fruit biomass, assimilate, carbon and nitrogen in litter, carbon and nitrogen in soil organic matter, and plant-available nitrogen. The model includes explicit formulations of all relevant ecophysiological processes such as: computation of radiation as a function of seasonal time, daytime and cloudiness, light attenuation in the canopy, and canopy photosynthesis as function of latitude, seasonal time, and daytime, respiration of all parts, assimilate allocation, increment formation, nitrogen fixation, mineralization, humification and leaching, forest management (thinning, felling, litter removal, fertilization etc.), temperature effects on respiration and decomposition, and environmental effects (pollution damage to photosynthesis, leaves, and fine roots). Only ecophysiological parameters which can be either directly measured or estimated with reasonable certainty are used. treedyn3 is a generic process model which requires species- and site-specific parametrization. It can be applied to deciduous and coniferous forests under tropical, as well as temperate or boreal conditions.The paper presents a full documentation of the mathematical model as well as representative simulation results for spruce and acacia.     

PREDICTING CHANGE IN NON-LINEAR SYSTEMS

Complex systems are characterizedby surprising switches to new behaviours. Evaluating and predicting these changes demands anunderstanding of the behaviour of the whole system. The combined ecosystem-climate system shows chaoticor pseudorandom behaviour, stochastic or trulyrandom behaviour, as well as simple bifurcation andsemi-stability. Semistability involves the suddenchange from a destabilized attractor to a newstable attractor which may occur after an apparentlyunpredictable time delay. We present some recentresults for analyzing time series data and for usingsimulations of non-linear models to predict these changes.     

A new market instrument for sustainable economic and environmental development

The regenerative capacity of ecosystems provides a regulatory basis for sustainable economic growth and development. A natural valuation of an ecosystem's services will arise in a market for developmental rights in the ecosystem using a unit of tradable 'right': E-Scrip. The amount of e-scrip needed for a development may be set by Environmental Assessment. The capacity of the ecosystem to regenerate with developmental pressure may be represented by an independent trader or Factor Proxy for the Environment who provides e-scrip to the market.     

Expanding marine protected areas to include degraded coral reefs

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a commonly applied solution to coral reef degradation, yet coral reefs continue to decline worldwide. We argue that expanding the range of MPAs to include degraded reefs (DR‐MPA) could help reverse this trend. This approach requires new ecological criteria for MPA design, siting, and management. Rather than focusing solely on preserving healthy reefs, our approach focuses on the potential for biodiversity recovery and renewal of ecosystem services. The new criteria would help identify sites with the highest potential for recovery and the greatest resistance to future threats (e.g., increased temperature and acidification) and sites that contribute to MPA connectivity. The DR‐MPA approach is a compliment rather than a substitute for traditional MPA design approaches. We believe that the DR‐MPA approach can enhance the natural, or restoration‐assisted, recovery of DRs and their ecosystem services; increase total reef area available for protection; promote more resilient and better‐connected MPA networks; and improve conditions for human communities dependent on MPA ecosystem services.     

RIPARIAN ZONE CLASSIFICATION FOR MANAGEMENT OF STREAM WATER QUALITY AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH1

ABSTRACT: Riparian zones perform a variety of biophysical functions that can be managed to reduce the effects of land use on instream habitat and water quality. However, the functions and human uses of riparian zones vary with biophysical factors such as landform, vegetation, and position along the stream continuum. These variations mean that “one size fits all” approaches to riparian management can be ineffective for reducing land use impacts. Thus riparian management planning at the watershed scale requires a framework that can consider spatial differences in riparian functions and human uses We describe a pilot riparian zone classification developed to provide such a framework for riparian management in two diverse river systems in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Ten classes of riparian zones were identified that differed sufficiently in their biophysical features to require different management. Generic “first steps” and “best practical” riparian management recommendations and associated costs were developed for each riparian class. The classification aims to not only improve our understanding of the effectiveness of riparian zone management as a watershed management tool among water managers and land owners, but to also provide a basis for deciding on management actions.     

Linking Terrestrial and Marine Conservation Planning and Threats Analysis

Abstract:  The existence of the Gulf of Mexico dead zone makes it clear that marine ecosystems can be damaged by terrestrial inputs. Marine and terrestrial conservation planning need to be aligned in an explicit fashion to fully represent threats to marine systems. To integrate conservation planning for terrestrial and marine systems, we used a novel threats assessment that included 5 cross-system threats in a site-prioritization exercise for the Pacific Northwest coast ecoregion (U.S.A.). Cross-system threats are actions or features in one ecological realm that have effects on species in another realm. We considered bulkheads and other forms of shoreline hardening threats to terrestrial systems and roads, logging, agriculture, and urban areas threats to marine systems. We used 2 proxies of freshwater influence on marine environments, validated against a mechanistic model and field observations, to propagate land-based threats into marine sites. We evaluated the influence of cross-system threats on conservation priorities by comparing MARXAN outputs for 3 scenarios that identified terrestrial and marine priorities simultaneously: (1) no threats, (2) single-system threats, and (3) single- and cross-system threats. Including cross-system threats changed the threat landscape dramatically. As a result the best plan that included only single-system threats identified 323 sites (161,500 ha) at risk from cross-system threats. Including these threats changed the location of best sites. By comparing the best and sum solutions of the single- and cross-system scenarios, we identified areas ideal for preservation or restoration through integrated management. Our findings lend quantitative support to the call for explicitly integrated decision making and management action in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.     

Fractionation and Biotoxicity of Heavy Metals in Urban Dusts Collected from Hong Kong and London

Samples of urban dusts, road site dusts and car park dusts, were collected at two selected sites each in Hong Kong and London. Sequential extraction was used to characterise the chemical compositions of these urban dusts. Copper, lead, zinc, pH, electrical conductivity and organic content were measured. Biotoxicity tests of urban dusts were conducted on higher plants (Brassica chinensis and Lolium perenne), a dinoflagellate green alga (Dunaliella tertiolecta) and luminescent bacteria (Photobacterium phosphoreum). A significant correlation was found between total lead (r =; – 0.70, p < 0.01) and zinc (r =; – 0.74, p < 0.05), and the 20 min – EC50 using P. phosphoreum. In addition, there was a significant correlation (r = – 0.72, p < 0.01) between the exchangeable lead content in dust and the 48 h- EC30 using D. tertiolecta. No specific trend was obtained for higher plants. Total lead and zinc contents were higher in dusts from London while the percentage of exchangeable fraction of metal contents was higher in those from Hong Kong.     

土壤-植物系统重金属形态分析和生物有效性研究进展

介绍了土壤-植物系统中重金属连续提取的形态分析方法研究进展,同时归纳了影响重金属生物有效性的主要因素,如土壤性质、复合污染及根际环境等,并指出了需要解决的问题与今后的发展方向。