Evaluating Local Benefits from Conservation in Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area

Protected areas are integral to the global effort to conserve biodiversity, and, over the past two decades, protected area managers have begun to recognize that conservation objectives are next to impossible to achieve without considering the needs and concerns of local communities. Incentive-based programs (IBPs) have become a favored approach to protected area management, geared at fostering local stewardship by delivering benefits tied to conservation to local people. Effective IBPs require benefits to accrue to and be recognized by those experiencing the greatest consequences as a result of the protected area, and those likely to continue extractive activities if their livelihood needs are compromised. This research examines dispersal of IBP benefits, as perceived by local residents in Nepal's Annapurna Conservation Area. Results reported here are based on questionnaire interviews with 188 households conducted between September and December 2004. Results indicate that local residents primarily identify benefits from social development activities, provisions for resource extraction, and economic opportunities. Overall, benefits have been dispersed equally to households in villages on and off the main tourist route, and regardless of a household's participation in tourism. However, benefits are not effectively targeted to poorer residents, those highly dependent on natural resources, and those experiencing the most crop damage and livestock loss from protected wildlife. This article provides several suggestions for improving the delivery of conservation incentives.     

甘肃某冶炼厂区土壤重金属铅、镉污染特征及其对微生物群落结构的影响

长期受到重金属铅(Pb)和镉(Cd)污染的土壤生态危害指数较高,土壤微生物群落结构容易受到重金属的影响,重金属对土壤微生物的毒性与重金属的生物利用度直接相关.以白银市重金属污染土壤为样本,分析了土壤的理化性质、重金属Pb和Cd的污染状况及土壤微生物群落结构,探究它们之间的关联性.样本采自距离污染中心由近及远的4个位置(...     

不同填料负载微生物去除地表水氨氮的研究

氨氮浓度过高是黑臭水体难以治理的重要原因之一.本研究比较了经活性污泥驯化的菌株与市售硝化菌液两种不同菌剂分别在有机填料聚丙烯纤维和无机填料沸石上的挂膜特性,考察了不同挂膜填料性质、填料粒径、源水pH值等因素对氨氮去除效果的影响,并通过高通量测序解构不同填料生物膜的微生物群落差异,探究填料负载微生物的生物膜法去除氨氮的综...     

含盐工业废水生化处理耐盐污泥驯化及其机制

通过比较在高盐和低盐条件下活性污泥驯化过程,研究了含盐工业废水生化处理耐盐污泥驯化的可行性、特点及其生物学过程.结果表明以盐份作为选择压力可以驯化出具有高降解活性的耐盐污泥,在NaCl浓度为45 000mg/L,容积负荷为1.6kgCODCr/(m³d)时,其COD_Cr去除率可达到96.6%.对耐盐污泥的驯化过程中的微生物优势生理群变化分析显示,随着进水盐浓度的增加,耐盐苯乙酸降解微生物生理群数量在15d时间内从10⁹cfu/(gVSS)上升到10¹¹cfu/(g.VSS),成为污泥中的优势生理群.     

渤海湾大型底栖生物群落结构变化及原因探讨

根据近6年来的渤海湾大型底栖生物群落的资料,以及2011年的现场调查数据,从渤海湾底栖生物群落结构的变化特征出发,分析了其变化的过程和规律.同时结合渤海湾水域近几年来的水动力条件以及营养盐、溶解氧等水质特征变化,探讨底栖生物群落变化的原因.结果表明,渤海湾大型底栖生物的物种数、生物量、丰度、丰富度指数、多样性指数的高值区皆集中分布在海河口北侧离岸较远的海域,而低值区则基本集中分布近岸海域,且呈现由近岸向外海逐渐增加的趋势.渤海湾大型底栖生物群落变化可大体分为3个明显的时间节点:第一个时间节点为2005年和2008年,底栖生物群落无论总物种数、生物量和丰度都较高;第二个时间节点为2009年和2010年,底栖生物群落的上述指标值最低,表明这两年渤海湾受自然变化和人为因素干扰的程度加剧;2011年,由于渤海湾水域的各项强有力的环保措施的实施,底栖生物群落的上述指标值最高,说明其得到一定程度的恢复.渤海湾水域底栖生物群落变化受到该区域的物理因素、化学因素和生物因素的共同影响,变化特征也与各环境因素的变化基本吻合.     

The Northwest Forest Plan as a Model for Broad-Scale Ecosystem Management: a Social Perspective

Abstract:  I evaluated the Northwest Forest Plan as a model for ecosystem management to achieve social and economic goals in communities located around federal forests in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. My assessment is based on the results of socioeconomic monitoring conducted to evaluate progress in achieving the plan's goals during its first 10 years. The assessment criteria I used related to economic development and social justice. The Northwest Forest Plan incorporated economic development and social justice goals in its design. Socioeconomic monitoring results indicate that plan implementation to achieve those goals met with mixed success, however. I hypothesize there are two important reasons the plan's socioeconomic goals were not fully met: some of the key assumptions underlying the implementation strategies were flawed and agency institutional capacity to achieve the goals was limited. To improve broad-scale ecosystem management in the future, decision makers should ensure that natural-resource management policies are socially acceptable; land-management agencies have the institutional capacity to achieve their management goals; and social and economic management goals (and the strategies for implementing them) are based on accurate assumptions about the relations between the resources being managed and well-being in local communities. One of the difficulties of incorporating economic development and social justice goals in conservation initiatives is finding ways to link conservation behavior and development activities. From a social perspective, the Northwest Forest Plan as a model for ecosystem management is perhaps most valuable in its attempt to link the biophysical and socioeconomic goals of forest management by creating high-quality jobs for residents of forest communities in forest stewardship and ecosystem management work, thereby contributing to conservation.     

毛竹混交林主要种群多维生态位特征

应用生态位空间分割法，分别考虑资源利用率与否测定毛竹混交林多维资源空间中主要种群多维生态位宽度及多维生态位重叠，结果表明：考虑资源利用率与否对多维生态位宽度的测定有较大的影响，毛竹混交林中主要种群的多维生态位宽度与物种的生物学特性及竞争力密切相关，同一生境中物种的多维生态位重叠可通过生态位分化而减少竞争，研究毛竹混交林主要种群多维生态位特征对毛竹混交林营造具有指导作用．表8参24．     

锡林河流域Cyanobacteria群落空间分化及其与环境因子的关系

为阐明蓝细菌（Cyanobacteria）群落的空间分化及其与环境因子的关系,本研究采集了锡林河流域河床中心湍流区、河床边缘缓流区、牛轭湖滞流区、低河漫滩、高河漫滩、阶地羊草及大针茅草原样带等28个沉积物/土壤样品进行细菌16S rRNA基因高通量测序及生物信息学分析.结果显示,Cyanobacteria群落存在明显的空间分化特征并能对环境因子做出敏感响应.Leptolyngbya和Phormidium等关联的5个种群主要分布在高氨中盐相对中富营养的缓滞流区,其丰度与氨态氮、总有机碳等存在正相关关系,推测与水华形成有关;Caenarcaniphilales关联的种群分布在低氨低盐相对寡营养的湍流区,其丰度仅与砂粒存在正相关关系,推测与固氮作用有关;ML635J-21关联的种群分布在中氨高盐相对全营养的高河漫滩及阶地土壤中,其丰度与粉黏粒及盐度等存在正相关关系,可能与生物土壤结皮形成过程有关.变异权重分析显示,氨态氮、盐度、总有机碳分别解释了Cyanobacteria群落空间分化的51.1%、23.9%、15.1%,说明这些环境因子的变化与Cyanobacteria群落的空间分化密切相关.研究结果可为锡林河流域草原牧区生态安全评价和生物多样性可持续管理提供科学依据.     

浑河底泥古菌群落结构季节性变化特征

为探究不同水期河流底泥古菌群落结构特征,选取浑河底泥为研究对象,并于2014年4月(枯水期),9月(丰水期),11月(平水期)对浑河流域进行样品采样,通过PCR-DGGE技术获得3个水期古菌的DGGE指纹图谱,并进行数据分析.结果表明,平水期的古菌多样性和种群丰度都要好于枯水期和丰水期,多样性指数均高于2.10,种群丰度均高于0.94,且上游到下游均匀度波动平缓,数值维持在0.90左右,说明平水期浑河底泥古菌群落结构变化相对稳定.聚类分析结果表明,不同水期浑河底泥古菌群落结构多样性并没有明显的地区特征,但3个水期位于城市段的采样点的古菌亲缘性较为接近.冗余梯度分析(RDA)结果表明,枯水期时水中BOD5、p H和DO是影响古菌群落的主要因素;丰水期时水中的p H和NO-3-N是影响古菌群落的主要因素;平水期时水中的TP和NO-2-N是影响古菌群落的主要因素.     

Biodiversity Consequences of Genetic Variation in Bark Characteristics within a Foundation Tree Species

Abstract: The developing field of community genetics has the potential to broaden the contribution of genetics to conservation biology by demonstrating that genetic variation within foundation plant species can act to structure associated communities of microorganisms, invertebrates, and vertebrates. We assessed the biodiversity consequences of natural patterns of intraspecific genetic variation within the widely distributed Australian forest tree, Eucalyptus globulus. We assessed genetic variation among geographic races of E. globulus (i.e., provenances, seed zones) in the characteristics of tree‐trunk bark in a 17‐year‐old common garden and the associated response of a dependent macroarthropod community. In total, 180 macroarthropod taxa were identified following a collection from 100 trees of five races. We found substantial genetically based variation within E. globulus in the quantity and type of decorticating bark. In the community of organisms associated with this bark, significant variation existed among trees of different races in composition, and there was a two‐fold difference in species richness (7–14 species) and abundance (22–55 individuals) among races. This community variation was tightly linked with genetically based variation in bark, with 60% of variation in community composition driven by bark characteristics. No detectable correlation was found, however, with neutral molecular markers. These community‐level effects of tree genetics are expected to extend to higher trophic levels because of the extensive use of tree trunks as foraging zones by birds and marsupials. Our results demonstrate the potential biodiversity benefits that may be gained through conservation of intraspecific genetic variation within broadly distributed foundation species. The opportunities for enhancing biodiversity values of forestry and restoration plantings are also highlighted because such planted forests are increasingly becoming the dominant forest type in many areas of the world.