A General Equilibrium Model of Ecosystem Services in a River Basin

This study builds a general equilibrium model of ecosystem services, with sectors of the economy competing for use of the environment. The model recognizes that production processes in the real world require a combination of natural and human inputs, and understanding the value of these inputs and their competing uses is necessary when considering policies of resource conservation. We demonstrate the model with a numerical example of the Mississippi‐Atchafalaya river basin, in which grain production in the upper basin causes hypoxia that causes damages to the downstream fishing industry. We show that the size of damages is dependent on both environmental and economic shocks. While the potential damages to fishing are large, most of the damage occurs from economic forces rather than a more intensive use of nitrogen fertilizers. We show that these damages are exacerbated by increases in rainfall, which will likely get worse with climate change. We discuss welfare effects from a tax on nitrogen fertilizers and investments in riparian buffers. A 3% nitrogen tax would reduce the size of the hypoxic zone by 11% at a cost of 2% of Iowa's corn output. In comparison, riparian buffers are likely to be less costly and more popular politically.     

三江源区草场生态恶化原因新解

上世纪60年代以来三江源区草场“三化”明显,生态恶化,究其原因,既有自然因素的影响,又有人类活动的作用。通过比较分析有测量记录的气温、降雨和年末牲畜存栏数、采金、挖虫草(Cordycepssinensis)规模的变化及其与草原植被覆盖度变化的关系,文章为人为成因说提供了更为翔实可靠的证据。结论:超载是1957—1979年间、采金子和挖虫草是1980—2004年间草场生态恶化的主要原因。     

Ecosystem services assessments in local municipal decision making in South Africa: justification for the use of a business-based approach

The ecosystem services (ES) concept is being increasingly incorporated into environmental policy formulation and management approaches. The Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR) is a framework used to assess the dependence and impact that a business has on ES. The success of the corporate experience of ES assessment provides an opportunity for adaption for local authority decision making. In this paper, the ESR tool was adapted to the South African setting at a local government level, and tested at two sites in the Msunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. In testing the tool and gathering feedback from key stakeholders, it was found that there are both opportunities and challenges to this approach. Overall, however, it provides an opportunity for the systematic inclusion of ES assessment into existing regulatory frameworks for land-use planning and Integrated Environmental Management, whether in a strategic application, at a broader spatial (municipal) scale or in a specific locale within the municipality.     

Effect of free-air CO2 enrichment on nematode communities in a Chinese farmland ecosystem

At a rice-wheat rotational free-air CO2 enrichment(FACE) platform, the effect of elevated atmospheric CO2 on soil nematode communities in a farmland ecosystem was studied. Wheat plots were exposed to elevated atmospheric CO2 (ambient 370 μl/L 200 μl/L).32 families and 40 genera of nematode were observed in soil suspensions during the study period. Under FACE treatment, the numbers of total nematodes, bacterivores and fungivores exhibited an increasing trend. Because of the seasonal variation of soil temperature and moisture, the effect of elevated atmospheric CO2 on soil nematodes was only observed under favorable conditions. The response of nematode communities to elevated atmospheric CO2 may indicate the change of soil food web.     

河流水生态环境质量评价方法研究与应用进展

河流生态质量的监测和评价是从河流生态系统健康状况的角度对河流质量进行的评价。河流生态健康的评价已经向多要素多指标综合、多种评价方法(预测模型法、生物完整性指数、多要素综合评价)、流域尺度方向发展。该文重点介绍了国外评价体系产生的背景和研究基础,分析了广泛应用的几类评价方法的特点、在不同国家和流域的应用情况以及各方法的应用前景,分析了国内开展河流生态质量评价研究的发展过程、阶段性研究进展和应用案例,并根据目前研究基础评述了我国评价体系现存问题及应用前景,为河流生态质量评价体系的建立及发展方向提供建议和参考。     

湿地生态系统基质重金属积累与酶活性的研究现状

湿地生态系统具有净化污水的功能,因其具有高效低耗等优点,在污水处理方面极具开发应用前景,而基质作为湿地生态系统重要组成部分,已成为众多学者的研究热点。本文综合分析了湿地生态系统基质中重金属积累和酶活性的时空分布及影响因素的研究现状,并对相关研究提出了新的认识与展望,以期为湿地生态系统基质去除废水中重金属的深入研究和应用提供综合分析资料。     

基于生态系统服务供需的雄安新区生态安全格局构建

生态安全格局构建是保障区域生态安全的关键。沿用“源地识别—阻力面构建—廊道提取”的生态安全格局构建模式,选取粮食供给、产水量、土壤保持、固碳释氧和生境维持5项生态系统服务供给指标,以及人口密度、地均GDP和土地利用程度3项生态系统服务需求指标,综合生态系统服务供需2方面识别重要生态源地,利用夜间灯光强度进行基本阻力面修正,采用最小累积阻力模型进行生态廊道提取,构建出雄安新区生态安全格局。研究表明:新区生态源地总面积约48433 km2,占新区土地总面积的313%,主要分布于新区西北部旱地和东南部水域;新区生态阻力系数空间分布较为破碎,大部分区域阻力值较低,间或分布高阻力值;新区生态廊道总长度18586 km,呈“Y”字型沿建设用地和水系分布,所处地类主要为旱地。基于生态系统服务供需的生态安全格局构建可为新区规划建设提供参考和借鉴。     

Ecological assessment of cities-procedure and a case study

This paper discusses the scientific background and content of the ecological assessment of cities, and takes Boda, a new town in Xinjiang province, China, as a case study.     

徐州市生态环境问题及其自然、经济、社会原因分析

随着徐州工业化和城市化推进,不可持续的经济社会发展模式给原本脆弱的生态环境造成了极大压力,产生了诸多生态环境问题,区域人口、资源、环境之间的矛盾日趋尖锐。从区域整体角度,在对资源型城市徐州进行了大量调研的基础上,分析了徐州生态环境问题背后的自然、经济、社会原因,并提出相应对策建议。