Assessing audit impact and thoroughness of VCS forest carbon offset projects

Voluntary markets transacted over $66 million USD of forest carbon offsets in 2016, according to Forest Trends, and over 99% of those offset projects were audited to a standard, primarily the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). We provide a table characterizing all 70 validated and verified forest carbon projects employing the VCS version 3.0 currently-in-use (December 2011–July 2017). We also examine two separate aspects of the audit process––impact and thoroughness––to assess the effectiveness of the costly audit process, which can consume up to one-third of offset revenue. Audit impact we measure in terms of reduction in the number of offsets from ex ante estimated to ex post approved. Audit thoroughness we measure both directly in terms of the number of auditor hours worked per project and also indirectly in terms of the total number of Corrective Action Requests (CARs)/Non-Conformity Reports (NCRs) auditors prescribe. In terms of impact, we find that Afforestation/Reforestation/Restoration (A/R/R) and Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects, though only constituting 5% of total verified offsets, demonstrate significant (p < = 0.05) reductions from ex ante estimated to ex post approved offsets, likely because auditors can easily scrutinize carbon stocks/emission factors for the commercial tree species involved in these project types. In terms of thoroughness, we find that higher ex ante estimates correlate with more total auditor hours worked and total CARs/NCRs prescribed for three of four project activity types, likely because auditors perceive larger ex ante projects as higher risk. We conclude with recommendations for the VCS to empower auditors to scrutinize carbon stocks/emissions factors from avoided deforestation projects, and also to continue to flag high ex ante projects as higher risk.     

周期性的温度扰动对藻类群落结构演替的影响

为了研究水库生境扰动对藻类水华的作用机制,以中度扰动理论为基础,结合藻类群落生境选择学说和藻类生态功能组,开展了不同温度扰动周期、相同扰动幅度下藻类多样性变化特性和群落结构演替特征的室内控制实验.结果表明:1适度的扰动会促进藻类的生长且增加其多样性.中度扰动组Δ22℃/48 h藻类生物量最大,但多样性最高,不存在绝对占优藻种,而高频次扰动组Δ22℃/24 h生物多样性较小,但可降低藻类生物量.2温度的周期性变化对浮游藻类群落的演替有明显的影响,优势种也呈现一定的差异性.藻类优势功能组演替基本规律为:X_1(小球藻)→J(栅藻)→S_1(席藻)或X_2(衣藻),群落结构呈现出C/CR型藻类先行占优向R型演替的趋势.高温扰动频繁时,R型藻类(S_1)明显占优;无扰动或低扰动时,群落结构组成特点以C/R策略为主.适度的扰动组Δ22℃/48 h形成了多种生长策略的藻类共存的格局,且耐受高温胁迫的S策略藻类(L_0)开始出现.     

Grazing greatly reduces the temporal stability of soil cellulolytic fungal community in a steppe on the Tibetan Plateau

Excessive livestock grazing degrades grasslands ecosystem stability and sustainability by reducing soil organic matter and plant productivity. However, the effects of grazing on soil cellulolytic fungi, an important indicator of the degradation process for soil organic matter, remain less well understood. Using T-RFLP and sequencing methods, we investigated the effects of grazing on the temporal changes of cellulolytic fungal abundance and community structure in dry steppe soils during the growing months from May to September, on the Tibetan Plateau using T-RFLP and sequencing methods. The results demonstrated that the abundance of soil cellulolytic fungi under grazing treatment changed significantly from month to month, and was positively correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soil temperature, but negatively correlated with soil pH. Contrastingly, cellulolytic fungal abundance did not change within the fencing treatment (ungrazed conditions). Cellulolytic fungal community structure changed significantly in the growing months in grazed soils, but did not change in fenced soils. Grazing played a key role in determining the community structure of soil cellulolytic fungi by explaining 8.1% of the variation, while pH and DOC explained 4.1% and 4.0%, respectively. Phylogenetically, the cellulolytic fungi were primarily affiliated with Ascomycota (69.65% in relative abundance) and Basidiomycota (30.35%). Therefore, grazing substantially reduced the stability of soil cellulolytic fungal abundance and community structure, as compared with the fencing treatment. Our finding provides a new insight into the responses of organic matter-decomposing microbes for grassland managements.     

Cultivar-dependent rhizobacteria community and cadmium accumulation in rice: Effects on cadmium availability in soils and iron-plaque formation

The association between the rhizospheric microbial community and Cd accumulation in rice is poorly understood. A field trial was conducted to investigate the different rhizobacterial communities of two rice cultivars with high Cd accumulation (HA) and low Cd accumulation (LA) at four growth stages. Results showed that the Cd content in the roots of the HA cultivar was 1.23 - 27.53 higher than that of the LA cultivar (0.08 - 10.5 µg/plant) at four stages. The LA cultivar had a significantly lower Cd availability in rhizosphere and a higher quantity of iron plaque (IP) on the root surface than the HA cultivar at four stages. This resulted in the reduction of Cd concentration in IPs and Cd translocation from IP-to-root. Microbial analysis indicated that the LA cultivar formed a distinct rhizobacterial community from the HA cultivar and had less α-diversity. The rhizosphere of the LA cultivar was enriched in specific bacterial taxa (e.g., Massilia and Bacillus) involved in Cd immobilization by phosphate precipitation and IP formation by iron oxidization. However, the rhizosphere in the HA cultivar assembled abundant sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., Sulfuricurvum) and iron reduction bacteria (Geobacter). They promoted Cd mobilization and reduced IP formation via the metal redox process. This study reveals a potential approach in which specific rhizobacteria decrease or increase Cd accumulation in rice on contaminated soil and provides a new perspective for secure rice production.     

海州湾海洋牧场浮游植物群落结构特征及其与水质参数的关系

为了解海州湾海洋牧场海域浮游植物群落特征,于2013年进行了春(5月)、夏(8月)、秋(10月)3个航次的调查,共鉴定出浮游植物115种,其中,硅藻门种类最多,共97种,占总种数的84.3%,甲藻门次之,共16种,占总种数的13.9%,蓝藻门1种,绿藻门1种.人工鱼礁区各个季节的浮游植物丰度都显著大于对照区(p0.05),而种类数无显著差异(p0.05).人工鱼礁区和对照区的辛普森多样性指数D和香农-威纳指数均在秋季最大,夏季最小,而均匀度J为春季最大,夏季最小.海州湾海洋牧场浮游植物种类数秋季达到36种,丰度在秋季也达到最高为19.68×104cells·m-3,方差分析和聚类分析结果表明,浮游植物群落组成存在显著季节差异(p0.05).应用Canoco5.0软件对获得的浮游植物数据和环境因子数据进行典范对应分析,结果表明,TN、Si O2-3-Si和TP是影响浮游植物群落分布的重要环境因子,其次BOD5和NH+4-N也对浮游植物分布有较大影响.     

双氰胺对冬闲稻田和油菜地N2O排放的影响

冬季的温室气体排放往往被忽视,而最新的研究结果表明,冬闲稻田和冬季油菜地N_2O排放仍较大,研究相应的减排措施及减排机制对于减少农田土壤N_2O排放有重要意义.在中国科学院桃源农业生态试验站选择冬闲稻田和油菜地两种不同土地利用方式,并设置添加和不添加双氰胺(DCD)处理,采用静态箱采集和气相色谱法结合监测N_2O排放动态,利用分子生物学手段分析氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)的群落结构和丰度变化.结果表明,添加DCD后明显抑制了冬闲稻田和油菜地N_2O排放,分别减少了36.7%和23.6%.DCD施入抑制了冬闲稻田AOA和AOB的丰度但只改变AOA的群落结构,DCD使AOA和AOB丰度分别减少了59.3%和73.7%.与此相反,添加DCD只改变油菜地AOB的群落结构同时只抑制了AOB的丰度.本研究表明,施加DCD能有效减少冬闲稻田和冬季油菜地N_2O排放,但减排机制不一致.     

PCR-SSCP技术用于脱臭微生物群落结构的研究

采用PCR-SSCP(单链构象多态性)技术对脱臭生物滤池中填料生物膜微生物群落结构进行了研究.生物滤池对臭气中的污染物随驯化时间逐渐增强,去除率从50%升高到89%.对2种填料树皮和秸秆上生物膜的分析结果表明,滤池内微生物多样性随运行时间先降后升,从1.6～1.9上升到2以上;而2种填料上微生物的相似性逐渐增加,表明随着驯化进程,生物填料上的微生物能够利用臭气污染物进行生长,并随运行时间逐渐趋于丰富和稳定;树皮比秸秆具有较高的生物多样性,平均值分别为2.2和2.0,说明树皮上容易附着多种微生物生长,电镜照片也显示2种填料生物膜的增长和生物多样性的提高.SSCP条带测序结果表明生物滤池生物膜优势微生物种属为芽孢杆菌属,占33.3%;条带中不可培养细菌占44.4%;填料生物膜上的细菌绝大多数是广泛存在于土壤、水体及生物体中的微生物,它们对环境适应能力强,在臭气的污染物去除中扮演重要角色.     

蚯蚓-微生物协同作用过程中的微生物特性

在环境污染治理领域,被誉为"生态型工程师"的蚯蚓在污水/污泥资源化处理与处置,以及土壤的生态修复中备受关注。蚯蚓通过掘洞、摄食、分泌黏液和排泄蚓粪等方式调控系统中微生物的数量、活性及群落结构,与微生物协同互作强化了生物系统中物质转化与能量流动关系。蚯蚓-微生物协同共生的相互依存关系是此类技术展现低耗高效和生态友好特点的关键。通过综述经人工强化的蚯蚓-微生物互作生态系统中,蚯蚓对微生物的量、活性、群落结构以及食物网的影响,探讨了该生态系统中物质转化和能量流动的特点,并展望了蚯蚓-微生物互作技术研究及应用的发展方向。     

乡村路网对三峡库区社区水平森林结构的影响

道路作为人为扰动介质被认为是短时空尺度森林景观演化或用途转换的主要驱动力之一,体现为明显的“通道-阻隔”效应。论文以重庆市石柱县西沱镇为例,以3期遥感影像和调研数据为基础,利用ArcGIS的缓冲叠加功能,基于路网动态变化角度,从类型、林龄、起源等主要森林结构方面分析路网变化对森林结构变化的影响。结果表明：1）研究区道路数量先增加后减少,道路质量以等外公路和村级公路的改善为主。2）道路对森林景观干扰性明显。森林从类型、起源、林龄三方面在道路缓冲区内的破碎度均高于非缓冲区内的破碎度。1992—2002年及2002—2014年两个时期相比,前一时期其他灌木林、幼龄林以及萌生林大幅减少,基本表现为道路缓冲区内减少量大于非缓冲区内减少量。后一时期乔木林、中龄林以及萌生林有所增加,其他灌木林和成熟林轻微减少,其中,乔木林在道路缓冲区内增加量大于非缓冲区内增加量,中龄林及萌生林则表现为道路缓冲区内增加量弱于非缓冲区内增加量。3）道路影响域范围内,在无政策性干预条件下,道路的增加和质量的提高很大程度上导致森林景观的退化,低级路段的消失则有助于森林景观的恢复。     

Succession of aquatic microbial communities as a result of the water quality variations in continuous water

The changes of structural and functional parameters of aquatic microbial communities in continuous water on campus of Tsinghua University, China are investigated by polyurethane foam unit(PFU) method. The measured compositions of the communities include alga, protozoa, and some metazoa (such as rotifers). The measured indicators of water quality include water temperature, pH value, dissolved oxygen (DO), potassium permanganate index(CODMn), total nitrogen(TN), total phosphorus(TP) and chlorophyll- a(Chla). The trophic level, expressed by the trophic level indices(TL/c), is assessed with analytic hierarchy process and principal component analysis (AHP-PCA) method. The changing trends of the structural and functional parameters of aquatic microbial communities, such as Margalef index of diversity(D), Shannon-weaver index of diversity (H), Heterotropy index (HI), number of species when the colonization gets equilibrium(Seq), colonizing speed constant(G) and time spent when 90 percent of Seq colonized in PFU ( T90% ), are also analyzed. The experimental results showed the succession of aquatic microbial communities along the water flow is consistent with the water quality changes, so the parameters of microbial community can reflect the changes of water quality from the ecological view.