Obstruction of biodiversity conservation by minimum patch size criteria

Minimum patch size criteria for habitat protection reflect the conservation principle that a single large (SL) patch of habitat has higher biodiversity than several small (SS) patches of the same total area (SL > SS). Nonetheless, this principle is often incorrect, and biodiversity conservation requires placing more emphasis on protection of large numbers of small patches (SS > SL). We used a global database reporting the abundances of species across hundreds of patches to assess the SL > SS principle in systems where small patches are much smaller than the typical minimum patch size criteria applied for biodiversity conservation (i.e., ∼85% of patches <100 ha). The 76 metacommunities we examined included 4401 species in 1190 patches. From each metacommunity, we resampled species–area accumulation curves to evaluate how biodiversity responded to habitat existing as a few large patches or as many small patches. Counter to the SL > SS principle and consistent with previous syntheses, species richness accumulated more rapidly when adding several small patches (45.2% SS > SL vs. 19.9% SL > SS) to reach the same cumulative area, even for the very small patches in our data set. Responses of taxa to habitat fragmentation differed, which suggests that when a given total area of habitat is to be protected, overall biodiversity conservation will be most effective if that habitat is composed of as many small patches as possible, plus a few large ones. Because minimum patch size criteria often require larger patches than the small patches we examined, our results suggest that such criteria hinder efforts to protect biodiversity.     

新疆沙冬青和蒙古沙冬青叶片及其生境土壤中15种无机元素的含量比较

采用单道扫描等离子体发射光谱仪(ICP)和微波消解仪测定了新疆沙冬青和蒙古沙冬青两种珍稀植物的叶片及生境土壤环境中15种无机元素(Al、B、Ca、Cu、Fe、Mg、Mn、Na、Ba、La、Co、Ni、Pb、Rb和Ti)的含量,其中两种沙冬青叶片及生境土壤中含量最大的元素均为Ca,最小的均为Co.应用两个独立样本检验(Independent-samples T Test)中的曼-惠特尼U检验法(Mann-Whitney U)分析15种无机元素的差异性,结果显示,两种沙冬青的土壤环境相似;叶片的无机元素除了5种元素(B、Fe、Co、Ni和Ti)呈现显著性差异以外,其余元素含量差异不显著;通过比较叶片和土壤的元素含量发现,15种元素均呈现显著性差异;通过叶片内无机元素的浓度与生境土壤中该元素浓度的比值比较,发现Pb和Ti两种元素的叶片内浓度与生境土壤中浓度比值存在显著差异.图1表7参25     

三种蛙血红蛋白氧解离曲线影响因子及与栖境的关系

以滇蛙Ranapleuraden、无指盘臭蛙R.grahami和昭觉林蛙R.chaochiaoensis为研究对象,应用血红蛋白(Hb)氧解离曲线分析方法,探讨在海拔差异程度不明显的情况下3种蛙Hb氧解离曲线的特点,并结合它们栖息小生境的分化,阐述可能影响其Hb氧解离曲线的因素,为进一步研究它们的生态分化提供依据。研究结果表明,3种蛙Hb氧和能力具有稳定的半饱和氧分压(P50)值,其中滇蛙和无指盘臭蛙的P50值种间差异不显著(p>0.05),二者的氧解离曲线几乎重叠;而昭觉林蛙的P50值与另2种蛙的种间差异均显著(p<0.05),它们的氧解离曲线相互明显分离。这3种蛙Hb氧和能力的强弱关系是:滇蛙Hb氧和能力略大于无指盘臭蛙,而远大于昭觉林蛙。导致3个相近种Hb氧和能力变化的原因为:血液的pH值和PCO2是影响Hb氧合能力的主要因素;皮肤的通透性影响Hb氧和能力;不同种类活动方式和栖息小生境的差异,甚至季节变化均影响血液参数的变化。     

Identifying Habitat Variables Important to the Rare Columbia Spotted Frog in Utah (U.S.A.): an Information-Theoretic Approach

Abstract:  We identified habitat associations of the rare Columbia spotted frog (  Rana luteiventris ). We used an information-theoretic approach that encouraged careful consideration of previous studies, demanded a priori formulation of hypotheses and models, and provided interpretable results while avoiding some criticisms of traditional statistical analyses. We formulated hypotheses about habitat associations based on conductivity, emergent vegetation, littoral zone depth, pond hydrology, and water temperature. We modeled hypothesized associations with logistic regression and used Akaike's information criterion to quantify evidence for models, weigh the relative importance of each habitat variable, and select predictive models. Although variable, results suggested that spotted frogs are more likely to occur in ponds that do not shrink in size seasonally, maintain relatively constant seasonal water temperature, and have high emergent vegetation cover. Associations we identified will assist actions in Utah that may be critical to local persistence of spotted frogs. Moreover, this approach for identifying associations has great potential for other rare species.     

Integrating the Metapopulation and Habitat Paradigms for Understanding Broad-Scale Declines of Species

Abstract:  Caughley (1994) argued that researchers working on threatened populations tended to follow the "small population paradigm" or the "declining population paradigm," and that greater integration of these paradigms was needed. Here I suggest that two related paradigms exist at the broader spatial scale, namely the metapopulation paradigm and habitat paradigm, and that these two paradigms also need to be integrated if we are to provide sound management advice. This integration is not trivial, and I outline five problems that need to be addressed: (1) habitat variables may not measure habitat quality, so site-specific data on vital rates are needed to resolve the effects of habitat quality and metapopulation dynamics; (2) measurements of vital rates may be confounded by movements; (3) vital rates may be density dependent; (4) vital rates may be affected by genotype; and (5) vital rates cannot be measured in unoccupied patches. I reviewed papers published in Conservation Biology from 1994 to 2003 and found 41 studies that analyzed data from 10 or more sites to understand the factors limiting species' distributions. Five of the analyses presented were purely within the metapopulation paradigm, 14 were purely within the habitat paradigm, 17 involved elements of both paradigms, and 7 were theoretically ambiguous (2 papers presented 2 distinct analyses and were counted twice). This suggests that many researchers appreciate the need to integrate the paradigms. Only one study, however, used data on vital rates to resolve the effects of habitat quality and metapopulation dynamics (problem 1), and this study did not address problems 2–5. I conclude that more intensive research incorporating site-specific data on vital rates and movement is needed to complement the numerous analyses of distributional data being produced.     

南洞庭湖湿地鱼类生境景观变化及其人为驱动

通过实地调查和制图分析,研究1983~2013年南洞庭湖区万子湖湿地和鱼类生境景观变化及其人为驱动,结果表明:湿地洲滩面积由1.410×104 hm2增加到2.135×104 hm2,敞水面面积由1.363×104 hm2减少到0.631×104 hm2;芦苇洲减少,但林地由0.056×104 hm2增加到0.728×104 hm2并扩展到保护区核心区;新增泥围21个、网围10个,引淤、沥水排水设施长度增加了201.71km。人为干扰对景观变化有极大影响,其中引种意大利杨及芦苇改变了地形和群落结构,挤占了自然演替条件下应有的草洲景观空间,使鱼类产卵、索饵的适宜生境减少;泥围作为有害渔法,与网围都处于建设发展阶段,占据了草洲、洼地等鱼类产卵、索饵的适宜生境;引淤渠建设使大面积湖泊快速淤积成洲,将水生生态景观转变为大多数时间干露的以陆相生态景观为主的水陆相生态景观,鱼类生境被压缩,并对南洞庭自然保护区核心区继续发挥促淤作用。     

Colorado River Floods, Droughts, and Shrimp Fishing in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico

Accurate procedures that measure hydrologic variability would have great value for evaluating ecosystem impacts of upstream water use in the Colorado River Basin. Many local extractive income-based stakeholders rely directly or indirectly on ecosystem health and are adversely affected when the river does not flow. This study focuses on the impact of little or no Colorado River flow on the Mexican shrimp industry. Although there have been complaints that U.S. diversions of Colorado River flow have greatly impaired the shrimp fishery, this research demonstrates that freshwater rarely reaches the Gulf even during times of flooding, and that other factors such as overfishing may influence the instability of shrimp populations. Advanced very-high-resolution radiometer (AVHRR) satellite imagery was used to assess water volumes diverted away from the channel of the Colorado River and ultimately the Gulf of California during flooding periods. Analysis of data demonstrated that little freshwater actually reaches the Gulf even during floods because of its diversion into a large dry lake bed basin known as Laguna Salada. Fuller use of the Colorado River throughout its entire course to the sea is possible and could benefit a large cohort of users without catastrophic habitat destruction in delta ecosystems. Reconstruction of a natural earthen berm, as proposed by Ducks Unlimited, would maximize the use of floodwaters for ecosystem benefits. These findings have profound implications for local economic activities dependent on hydrologic resources in the Colorado River Delta and Upper Gulf.     

四川白河自然保护区大熊猫对生境的利用

利用路线法在野外调查了四川九寨沟县白河自然保护区：109个样点的大熊猫粪便等痕迹及其所处生境的特征，共发现有29个大熊猫活动样点，其中，大熊猫粪便样点27个、食迹样点2个．把各样点的各种生境特征作为因素，把每一因素的不同情况设置为水平，进行独立性检验．检验的结果表明白河的大熊猫：1)主要在halt2600～3120m取食；2)偏好在有水源的生境活动；3)对坡向有明显的选择性；4)对华西箭竹有明显的偏好，且在生长良好、盖度较高的生境活动频繁；5)明显回避有挖药活动的生境，偏好在没有人类干扰的生境活动。     

Habitat inventory at a regional scale: a comparison of estimates of terrestrial Broad Habitat cover from stratified sample field survey and full census field survey for Wales, UK

Estimates of terrestrial Broad Habitat cover for Wales from the Countryside Survey 2000 stratified sample field mapping programme in Britain are compared with the findings of a full census field mapping project, the Habitat Survey of Wales. The Countryside Survey sampling regime comprised a stratified random sample of 1 km squares [corrected] covering <0.5% of the land surface. Comparative assessment indicates that although few of the sample-derived estimates for individual Broad Habitats are within 30% of the full census survey results, relative extents accord with data from the complete census survey for all Broad Habitats apart from Arable & Horticultural. The accuracy of this estimate is improved when the national boundary of Wales is taken into account in the sample stratification scheme. It is suggested that cultural land-use differences between countries render cropland habitat extent less predictable from physical environmental parameters than semi-natural habitat extent. It is also shown that the precision of sample-derived cover estimates is influenced by habitat pattern: the error term associated with habitats of broadly equal extent is greater for those with the most clumped distributions.     

Conservation value of small reserves

The importance of large reserves has been long maintained in the scientific literature, often leading to dismissal of the conservation potential of small reserves. However, over half the global protected-area inventory is composed of protected areas that are <100 ha, and the median size of added protected area is decreasing. Studies of the conservation value of small reserves and fragments of natural area are relatively uncommon in the literature. We reviewed SCOPUS and WOK for studies on small reserve and fragment contributions to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, and fifty-eight taxon-specific studies were included in the review. Small reserves harbored substantial portions (upward of 50%) of regional species diversity for many taxa (birds, plants, amphibians, and small mammals) and even some endemic, specialist bird species. Unfortunately, small reserves and fragments almost always harbored more generalist and exotic species than large reserves. Community composition depended on habitat quality, surrounding land use (agricultural vs. urban), and reserve and fragment size, which presents opportunities for management and improvement. Small reserves also provided ecosystem services, such as pollination and biological pest control, and cultural services, such as recreation and improved human health. Limitations associated with small reserves, such as extinction debt and support of area-sensitive species, necessitate a complement of larger reserves. However, we argue that small reserves can make viable and significant contributions to conservation goals directly as habitat and indirectly by increasing landscape connectivity and quality to the benefit of large reserves. To effectively conserve biodiversity for future generations in landscapes fragmented by human development, small reserves and fragments must be included in conservation planning.