Extreme events and environmental changes: Tracing sedimentary processes in Central Vietnam coastal lagoons

Sediment cores, obtained in 2004–2005 and in 2008 from seven coastal lagoons of Central Vietnam (Lang Co, Nuoc Man, Nuoc Ngot, Thi Nai, O Loan, Thuy Trieu and Dam Nai), were analysed to assess changes in ²¹⁰Pb, porosity, grain size, and depth distributions of selected major and trace elements (Al, As, Ni, and Zn). The aim was to trace sedimentary processes in areas periodically subject to extreme events. The occurrence of lateral sedimentary inhomogeneities has been hypothesised to explain the differences observed at depth for some tracer profiles, whereas topmost levels present evidence that accounts for the loss of a sediment layer (from 2.0 to 7.5 cm thick) between the two samplings. These losses might be attributed to major typhoons that impacted the coasts of Central Vietnam during the study period.     

Analysis of behavioral changes of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in response to formaldehyde using Self-organizing map and a hidden Markov model

Two computational methods were applied to classification of movement patterns of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to elucidate Markov processes in behavioral changes before and after treatment of formaldehyde (0.1 mg/L) in semi-natural conditions. The complex data of the movement tracks were initially classified by the Self-organizing map (SOM) to present different behavioral states of test individuals. Transition probabilities between behavioral states were further evaluated to fit Markov processes by using the hidden Markov model (HMM). Emission transition probability was also obtained from the observed variables (i.e., speed) for training with the HMM. Experimental transition and emission probability matrices were successfully estimated with the HMM for recognizing sequences of behavioral states with accuracy rates in acceptable ranges at central and boundary zones before (77.3-81.2%) and after (70.1-76.5%) treatment. A heuristic algorithm and a Markov model were efficiently combined to analyze movement patterns and could be a means of in situ behavioral monitoring tool.     

中央苏区红色旅游资源跨区域整合开发研究：文化生态学视角

红色旅游资源是革命精神的核心载体,其保护和旅游利用面临着破碎化、片段化、静态化等问题,亟需开展整合开发研究。以中央苏区核心区为例,基于文化生态学理论,采用GIS空间分析方法和修正的引力模型,研究红色旅游资源空间格局和文化生态变迁,在此基础上提出整合开发的策略,结论如下：（1）红色旅游资源点空间上呈现局部聚集特征,赣南苏区形成章贡区、瑞金市、于都县“金三角”分布格局,闽西苏区则形成新罗区、永定区、上杭县、连城县“银菱形”分布格局;（2）闽西和赣南苏区各重大事件红色旅游资源点在空间上8.9~106.6 km的范围内,形成带状或面状的文化生态基底,并呈现一致向服务业主导型转变的发展态势;（3）红色旅游资源网络联系方向与服务业主导型文化生态方向错位发展,这是赣南和闽西红色旅游资源内部网络联系度较强,跨区域网络联系度较弱的重要原因。在此基础上,遵循红色旅游资源文化生态空间一体化、文化生态演变全域化、文化生态发展动态化的原则,提出空间集聚区优先整合开发、高发展指数红色旅游资源跨省域优先整合开发、跨主导类型关键节点优先整合开发三个整合开发对策,以期促进中央苏区红色旅游高质量发展。     

A method to estimate pre-exploitation population size

Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) were commercially exploited on the subantarctic island of South Georgia for over 100 years and nearly driven to extinction. Since the cessation of harvesting, however, their populations have rebounded, and they are now often considered a nuisance species whose impact on the terrestrial landscape should be mitigated. Any evaluation of their current population requires the context provided by their historic, pre-exploitation abundance, lest ecologists fall prey to shifting baseline syndrome in which their perspective on current abundance is compared only with an altered state resulting from past anthropogenic disturbance. Estimating pre-exploitation abundance is critical to defining species recovery and setting recovery targets, both of which are needed for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's recent efforts to develop a green list of recovering species. To address this issue, we reconstructed the South Georgia fur seal harvest from 1786 to 1908 from ship logbooks and other historical records and interpolated missing harvest data as necessary with a generalized linear model fit to the historical record. Using an approximate Bayesian computation framework, harvest data, and a stochastic age-structured population model, we estimated the pre-exploitation abundance of Antarctic fur seals on South Georgia was 2.5 million females (95% CI 1.5–3.5 million). This estimate is similar to recent abundance estimates, and suggests current populations, and the ecological consequences of so many fur seals on the island, may be similar to conditions prior to human harvest. Although the historic archive on the fur sealing era is unavoidably patchy, the use of archival records is essential for reconstructing the past and, correspondingly, to understanding the present. Article impact statement: Defining species recovery requires an understanding of baseline population state, which can be estimated through statistical methods.     

Human Settlements on the Northern Shores of Lake Aral and Water Level Changes

The shore of Lake Aral in Kazakhstan is a perfect area for studying the human adaptation strategy to past climate changes. New archaeological material, gathered along the northern shores during the expedition of the INTAS project CLIMAN, is briefly presented. Changes in settlement activity during the Atlantic and Subboreal are related to lake level changes of the Aral Sea. A previ-ously proposed lake level maximum needs to be revised. In particular the lake level stand at 72/73 m, with an assumed age of 5000 BP is definitely refused. Based on the presented data the maximum lake level most probably never reached beyond 57/58 mean average sea level (masl). Furthermore the regression during the 15^th–16^th centuries has been underestimated. It may have been lower than the present day level. Thus the present desiccation of the Aral Sea is historically not unique, as a similar regression, probably induced by man as well, has occurred at least once during history. A readjustment of the water level is, therefore, possible at any time.     

Fetal curarization for prenatal magnetic resonance imaging

Fetal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed at 33 weeks of gestation for investigation of a posterior fossa abnormality found at ultrasound screening. Fetal movements were abolished by vecuronium injected under ultrasound guidance into the umbilical vein. MR images showed atrophy of the left cerebellar lobe with cisternal dilatation. These were confirmed postnatally by CT scan.     

Paying for information: partial loads in central place foragers

Information about food sources can be crucial to the success of a foraging animal. We predict that this will influence foraging decisions by group-living foragers, which may sacrifice short-term foraging efficiency to collect information more frequently. This result emerges from a model of a central-place forager that can potentially receive information on newly available superior food sources at the central place. Such foragers are expected to return early from food sources, even with just partial loads, if information about the presence of sufficiently valuable food sources is likely to become available. Returning with an incomplete load implies that the forager is at that point not achieving the maximum possible food delivery rate. However, such partial loading can be more than compensated for by an earlier exploitation of a superior food source. Our model does not assume cooperative foraging and could thus be used to investigate this effect for any social central-place forager. We illustrate the approach using numerical calculations for honeybees and leafcutter ants, which do forage cooperatively. For these examples, however, our results indicate that reducing load confers minimal benefits in terms of receiving information. Moreover, the hypothesis that foragers reduce load to give information more quickly (rather than to receive it) fits empirical data from social insects better. Thus, we can conclude that in these two cases of social-insect foraging, efficient distribution of information by successful foragers may be more important than efficient collection of information by unsuccessful ones.     

基于层次分析法的中原经济区流域水系统健康评价

为了在水资源与水环境双重制约下制订人水和谐发展的政策提供决策支持,以我国中原经济区这一重点开发区域为例,基于层次分析法构建了以水系统自然条件、水系统服务功能及人类活动影响三要素(共计20项指标)为基础的流域水系统健康评价体系,并以2011年作为评价年,将中原经济区的水资源二级区作为基本流域单元对水系统健康状况进行评价. 结果表明:中原经济区9个水资源二级区中,除了淮河上游水资源二级区(3.20分,完全健康状态为5.00分)为基本健康状态、汉江水资源二级区(2.77分)和三门峡至花园口水资源二级区(2.18分)为亚健康状态以外,其余水资源二级区(0.55~1.77分)均为不健康及极不健康状态. 分析显示,人类活动影响是影响中原经济区内各流域水系统健康状况的主要原因,人口众多、工农业开发活动强度大使得其对水资源需求巨大. 部分水资源二级区对地下水资源依赖程度较高,造成不同程度的地下水超采现象. 伴随着高强度水资源利用的是水污染物的高强度排放,部分河流水污染状况严重,甚至在局部地区造成了地下水污染. 这种不健康的状态在中原经济区内由南向北随着水系统自然条件和水系统服务功能的降低呈加重趋势.      

中国东中西部经济带的水环境库兹涅茨假说实证及其影响因素研究

“八五”至“十二五”期间,中国取得巨大的经济成果的同时带来了严重的水环境污染问题.文章分析了东中西部三大经济带经济发展及COD和氨氮两种主要水污染排放的差异,及其与经济发展的关系进行了EKC假说的实证研究.研究结果表明,部分污染物的拟合曲线尚处于上升阶段,未能出现典型的倒U型曲线,可能导致水环境质量恶化.环境基础设施建设、人口分布和产业结构等因素与COD和氨氮的排放量密切相关,因此,中国必须采取各种环境管理和技术手段,促使区域水污染物排放量指标与经济发展的拟合曲线出现转折点,改善水环境质量.     

Judging adaptive management practices of U.S. agencies

All U.S. federal agencies administering environmental laws purport to practice adaptive management (AM), but little is known about how they actually implement this conservation tool. A gap between the theory and practice of AM is revealed in judicial decisions reviewing agency adaptive management plans. We analyzed all U.S. federal court opinions published through 1 January 2015 to identify the agency AM practices courts found most deficient. The shortcomings included lack of clear objectives and processes, monitoring thresholds, and defined actions triggered by thresholds. This trio of agency shortcuts around critical, iterative steps characterizes what we call AM‐lite. Passive AM differs from active AM in its relative lack of management interventions through experimental strategies. In contrast, AM‐lite is a distinctive form of passive AM that fails to provide for the iterative steps necessary to learn from management. Courts have developed a sophisticated understanding of AM and often offer instructive rather than merely critical opinions. The role of the judiciary is limited by agency discretion under U.S. administrative law. But courts have overturned some agency AM‐lite practices and insisted on more rigorous analyses to ensure that the promised benefits of structured learning and fine‐tuned management have a reasonable likelihood of occurring. Nonetheless, there remains a mismatch in U.S. administrative law between the flexibility demanded by adaptive management and the legal objectives of transparency, public participation, and finality.