The Value of Biodiversity in Reserve Selection: Representation, Species Weighting, and Benefit Functions

Abstract:  The limited availability of resources for conservation has led to the development of many quantitative methods for selecting reserves that aim to maximize the biodiversity value of reserve networks. In published analyses, species are often considered equal, although some are in much greater need of protection than others. Furthermore, representation is usually treated as a threshold: a species is either represented or not, but varying levels of representation over or under a given target level are not valued differently. We propose that a higher representation level should also have higher value. We introduce a framework for reserve selection that includes species weights and benefit functions for under- and overrepresentation (number of locations for each species). We applied the method to conservation planning for herb-rich forests in southern Finland. Our use of benefit functions and weighting changed the identity of about 50% of the selected sites at different funding levels and improved the representation of rare and threatened species. We also identified a small area of additional land that would substantially enhance the existing reserve network. We suggest that benefit functions and species weighting should be considered as standard options in reserve-selection applications.     

西南地区近14a植被覆盖变化及其与气候因子的关系

基于1999~2012年NDVI数据,结合气温和降水资料,运用GIS和RS技术,分析了西南地区近14a植被覆盖的时空变化特征及与气温、降水的关系。结果表明:(1)该区植被生长良好,各植被类型NDVI均呈显著增加趋势。空间整体表现为改善状态,改善面积远大于退化面积,严重退化区仅占1.18%。退化区分布于横断山地北部、四川盆地东部以及云贵高原中部。(2)植被覆盖变化将以良性发展为主,但强持续性的退化区和弱持续性的改善区应值得关注;强持续性的退化区主要分布在横断山地中北部、云贵高原中西部、若尔盖高原中部、四川盆地与若尔盖高原相交区域;草原强持续性的退化面积最大,针阔混交林强持续性的改善面积最大。(3)NDVI与温度存在明显的正相关关系,而与降水及干旱指数变化的关系不太明显,温度是影响该区植被变化的主要自然因素。     

密云水库流域植被覆盖度变化对输沙量的影响

封闭流域中,泥沙的产生是多种因素相互作用,相互制约的结果,而在这些众多的环境影响因素中,植被是土壤侵蚀中最重要的环境控制因子,目前,植被覆盖度变化对输沙量的影响一直是区域生态环境研究中比较热门的话题。文章使用遥感（Remote Sensing（RS））、地理信息系统（Geographic In formmionSystem（GIS））与统计分析相结合的方法评价了密云水库流域内2个子流域出口处2002年至2005年植被覆盖度变化对输沙量的影响。密云水库流域多为山地,其降雨具有明显的季节性。本文的主要目的在于分析2002年至2005年植被覆盖度变化对流域输沙量的影响,并分析了植被覆盖度变化对气候改变及人类活动的综合影响,结果表明：在密云水库流域内,输沙量是降雨情况和人为因素引起的地表植被覆盖度变化情况的综合反映,人口增长、经济发展和城市化是密云水库流域内引起土地利用变化和地表植被覆盖度变化的主要驱动力。并且,输沙量可以被看作是一个很好的指标来定量分离出生物生理和人为的影响,并从中能够找出在流域生态系统中获得显著结果关键的临界点。研究结果对制定流域的合理开发和管理计划将有所帮助。     

塔里木河流域出山径流水化学特征研究

本文以区域地质为背景,对塔里木河流域山区径流水化学组分特征进行分析,探讨溶质的来源及其控制因素.结果表明:塔里木河流域出山径流水体以硅酸盐岩的碳酸化溶滤水为主,离子类型为HCO3--Ca2+型,其次为SO42--(Ca2++Mg2+)混合型.南缘昆仑山/帕米尔高原各子流域的出山径流中,TDS(溶解性总固体)和离子总量的...     

Newspaper response to flood and erosion hazards on the North Lake Erie shore

The study is primarily concerned with newspaper responses to flooding and erosion associated with Great Lakes high water in 1952–1953 and 1972–1974. Underlying the research is a general interest in informing the public more widely on choices available in resource and environmental decision making.     

“5·12”地震前后都江堰市地表覆盖状况变化分析

本文以应用遥感技术,对“5·12”地震都江堰区域地表覆盖状况进行分析评价。选取都江堰市基于2007年的LandsatTM影像和2010年HJ-1卫星CCD影像,通过面向对象和目视解译相结合的方法,提取了草地、河流、旱地、水田、建设用地等9类生态类型环境覆盖信息。结果表明：“5·12”汶川地震对地表生态环境的变化较大,北...     

辽河保护区植被覆盖度时空动态变化及驱动因素

基于500 m分辨率MODIS NDVI数据和Landsat TM/OLI影像构建了辽河保护区2000—2018年的30 m植被覆盖度(fractional vegetation coverage,FVC)数据集,分析了辽河保护区划定前(2000—2009年)和划定后(2011—2018年)植被覆盖时空动态变化及其驱动因素。结果表明:2000—2018年,辽河保护区植被覆盖度整体呈微弱的增加趋势,2000—2009年植被覆盖度呈增加趋势,斜率为0.67%/a,而2011—2018年植被覆盖度呈波动下降趋势,斜率为-0.27%/a,植被覆盖度降低区域主要分布在地势较低洼的河道两侧;相对于2010年,辽河保护区植被在2012—2014年呈轻微的恢复趋势,但2015—2018年又出现了退化趋势。对比植被覆盖度的模拟值和实际值发现,2011—2018年人类活动对植被覆盖度的贡献率增至1.12%,其中2014年人类活动对植被恢复的作用明显。总体而言,辽河保护区划定以来,植被覆盖度呈先上升后下降趋势,主要是由于气候变化引起的;人类活动对植被恢复的作用为正向,植被恢复中人类活动贡献率高达8.42%。     

Coverage of motor vehicle crashes with injuries in U.S. newspapers, 1999-2002

Problem

The aims of the study were to evaluate information on motor-vehicle crashes with injuries provided in newspaper reports and to assess the frequency of thematic and episodic reporting of motor-vehicle crashes.

Method

The study used Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) derived variables to code a nationally representative sample of U.S. newspaper reports of motor-vehicle crashes from 1999-2002. A total of 473 newspaper reports of motor-vehicle crashes with injuries were included. Information on the crash event, people involved, and vehicles was extracted. The reports were coded for episodic and thematic news framing.

Results

A majority of newspaper reports used episodic framing. The majority of reports included information on the type of crash, but characteristics about people and vehicles were rarely reported.

Discussion

Lack of information in newspapers makes them an incomplete source from which to influence public perceptions and attitudes.

Impact on industry

This provides an opportunity for news print media to improve public health content.

Impact on industry

Newspapers represent an important source of public information; they are, however, an incomplete source [Voight, B., Lapidus, G., Zavoski, R., & Banco, L. (1998). Injury reporting in Connecticut newspapers. Injury Prevention, 4, 292-294.; Baullinger, J., Quan, L., Bennett, E., Cummings, P., & Williams, K. (2001). Use of Washington state newspaper for submersion injury surveillance. Injury Prevention, 7, 339-342]. To increase the accuracy of information provided to the public through media sources, there is a need for increased communication between public health professionals and reporters.The results of this study raise concerns about the contents of motor-vehicle crash information provided in newspapers and suggest that newspapers do not provide information to allow public perception to be in accord with the importance of motor-vehicle crash injuries and health promoting actions to reduce risk of injury. More balanced and detailed information in newspapers would provide an opportunity for news print media to improve public health programs and public perception about the impact of motor-vehicle crashes on safety for all.     

Effects of climate and land-cover change on the conservation status of gibbons

Species shift their distribution in response to climate and land-cover change, which may result in a spatial mismatch between currently protected areas (PAs) and priority conservation areas (PCAs). We examined the effects of climate and land-cover change on potential range of gibbons and sought to identify PCAs that would conserve them effectively. We collected global gibbon occurrence points and modeled (ecological niche model) their current and potential 2050s ranges under climate-change and different land-cover-change scenarios. We examined change in range and PA coverage between the current and future ranges of each gibbon species. We applied spatial conservation prioritization to identify the top 30% PCAs for each species. We then determined how much of the PCAs are conserved in each country within the global range of gibbons. On average, 31% (SD 22) of each species’ current range was covered in PAs. PA coverage of the current range of 9 species was <30%. Nine species lost on average 46% (SD 29) of their potential range due to climate change. Under climate-change with an optimistic land-cover-change scenario (B1), 12 species lost 39% (SD 28) of their range. In a pessimistic land-cover-change scenario (A2), 15 species lost 36% (SD 28) of their range. Five species lost significantly more range under the A2 scenario than the B1 scenario (p = 0.01, SD 0.01), suggesting that gibbons will benefit from effective management of land cover. PA coverage of future range was <30% for 11 species. On average, 32% (SD 25) of PCAs were covered by PAs. Indonesia contained more species and PCAs and thus has the greatest responsibility for gibbon conservation. Indonesia, India, and Myanmar need to expand their PAs to fulfill their responsibility to gibbon conservation. Our results provide a baseline for global gibbon conservation, particularly for countries lacking gibbon research capacity.