Mapping epistemic cultures and learning potential of participants in citizen science projects

The ever‐widening scope and range of global change and interconnected systemic risks arising from people–environment relationships (social‐ecological risks) appears to be increasing concern among, and involvement of, citizens in an increasingly diversified number of citizen science projects responding to these risks. We examined the relationship between epistemic cultures in citizen science projects and learning potential related to matters of concern. We then developed a typology of purposes and a citizen science epistemic‐cultures heuristic and mapped 56 projects in southern Africa using this framework. The purpose typology represents the range of knowledge‐production purposes, ranging from laboratory science to social learning, whereas the epistemic‐cultures typology is a relational representation of scientist and citizen participation and their approach to knowledge production. Results showed an iterative relationship between matters of fact and matters of concern across the projects; the nexus of citizens’ engagement in knowledge‐production activities varied. The knowledge‐production purposes informed and shaped the epistemic cultures of all the sampled citizen science projects, which in turn influenced the potential for learning within each project. Through a historical review of 3 phases in a long‐term river health‐monitoring project, we found that it is possible to evolve the learning curve of citizen science projects. This evolution involved the development of scientific water monitoring tools, the parallel development of pedagogic practices supporting monitoring activities, and situated engagement around matters of concern within social activism leading to learning‐led change. We conclude that such evolutionary processes serve to increase potential for learning and are necessary if citizen science is to contribute to wider restructuring of the epistemic culture of science under conditions of expanding social‐ecological risk.     

On Uncertain Sightings and Inference about Extinction

The extinction of many species can only be inferred from the record of sightings of individuals. Solow et al. (2012, Uncertain sightings and the extinction of the Ivory‐billed Woodpecker. Conservation Biology 26: 180–184) describe a Bayesian approach to such inference and apply it to a sighting record of the Ivory‐billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis). A feature of this sighting record is that all uncertain sightings occurred after the most recent certain sighting. However, this appears to be an artifact. We extended this earlier work in 2 ways. First, we allowed for overlap in time between certain and uncertain sightings. Second, we considered 2 plausible statistical models of a sighting record. In one of these models, certain and uncertain sightings that are valid arise from the same process whereas in the other they arise from independent processes. We applied both models to the case of the Ivory‐billed Woodpecker. The result from the first model did not favor extinction, whereas the result for the second model did. This underscores the importance, in applying tests for extinction, of understanding what could be called the natural history of the sighting record. Sobre Avistamientos Inciertos e Inferencia de la Extinción     

Influence of the composition of the initial mixtures on the chemical composition,physicochemical properties and humic-like substances content of composts

The influence of the proportion of C- and N-rich raw materials (initial C/N ratio) and bulking agent on the chemical functional groups composition, humic-like substances (HS-like) content and physicochemical properties of composts was assessed. To achieve these goals, seven initial mixtures (BA1–6 and C1) of dog food (N-rich raw material) were composted with wheat flour (C-rich raw material). Composts were analyzed in terms of chemical functional groups, physicochemical, maturity and stability parameters.The C-rich raw material favored the formation of oxidized organic matter (OM) during the composting process, as suggested by the variation of the ratios of the peaks intensity of FT-IR spectra, corresponding to a decrease of the polysaccharides and an increase of aromatic and carboxyl-containing compounds. However, although with high proportion of C-rich raw material, mixtures with low initial C/N seems to have favored the accumulation of partially oxidized OM, which may have contributed to high electrical conductivity values in the final composts. Therefore, although favoring the partial transformation of OM into stabilized HS-like, initial mixtures with high proportion of C-rich raw material but with low initial C/N led to unstable composts.On the other hand, as long as a high percentage of bulking agent was used to promote the structure of biomass and consequently improve of the aeration conditions, low initial C/N was not a limiting factor of OM oxidation into extractable stabilized humic-like acids.     

The Complementary Niches of Anthropocentric and Biocentric Conservationists

A divergence of values has become apparent in recent debates between conservationists who focus on ecosystem services that can improve human well‐being and those who focus on avoiding the extinction of species. These divergent points of view fall along a continuum from anthropocentric to biocentric values, but most conservationists are relatively closer to each other than to the ends of the spectrum. We have some concerns with both positions but emphasize that conservation for both people and all other species will be most effective if conservationists focus on articulating the values they all share, being respectful of divergent values, and collaborating on common interests. The conservation arena is large enough to accommodate many people and organizations whose diverse values lead them to different niches that can, with good will and foresight, be far more complementary than competitive. Los Nichos Complementarios de los Conservacionistas Antropocéntricos y Biocéntricos     

Current Practice and Future Prospects for Social Data in Coastal and Ocean Planning

Coastal and ocean planning comprises a broad field of practice. The goals, political processes, and approaches applied to planning initiatives may vary widely. However, all planning processes ultimately require adequate information on both the biophysical and social attributes of a planning region. In coastal and ocean planning practice, there are well‐established methods to assess biophysical attributes; however, less is understood about the role and assessment of social data. We conducted the first global assessment of the incorporation of social data in coastal and ocean planning. We drew on a comprehensive review of planning initiatives and a survey of coastal and ocean practitioners. There was significantly more incorporation of social data in multiuse versus conservation‐oriented planning. Practitioners engaged a wide range of social data, including governance, economic, and cultural attributes of planning regions and human impacts data. Less attention was given to ecosystem services and social–ecological linkages, both of which could improve coastal and ocean planning practice. Although practitioners recognize the value of social data, little funding is devoted to its collection and incorporation in plans. Increased capacity and sophistication in acquiring critical social and ecological data for planning is necessary to develop plans for more resilient coastal and ocean ecosystems and communities. We suggest that improving social data monitoring, and in particular spatial social data, to complement biophysical data, is necessary for providing holistic information for decision‐support tools and other methods. Moving beyond people as impacts to people as beneficiaries, through ecosystem services assessments, holds much potential to better incorporate the tenets of ecosystem‐based management into coastal and ocean planning by providing targets for linked biodiversity conservation and human welfare outcomes. La Práctica Actual y los Prospectos Futuros para los Datos Sociales en la Planeación Costera y Oceánica     

Effects of Wind Energy Development on Nesting Ecology of Greater Prairie‐Chickens in Fragmented Grasslands

Wind energy is targeted to meet 20% of U.S. energy needs by 2030, but new sites for development of renewable energy may overlap with important habitats of declining populations of grassland birds. Greater Prairie‐Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) are an obligate grassland bird species predicted to respond negatively to energy development. We used a modified before–after control–impact design to test for impacts of a wind energy development on the reproductive ecology of prairie‐chickens in a 5‐year study. We located 59 and 185 nests before and after development, respectively, of a 201 MW wind energy facility in Greater Prairie‐Chicken nesting habitat and assessed nest site selection and nest survival relative to proximity to wind energy infrastructure and habitat conditions. Proximity to turbines did not negatively affect nest site selection (β = 0.03, 95% CI = ?1.2–1.3) or nest survival (β = ?0.3, 95% CI = ?0.6–0.1). Instead, nest site selection and survival were strongly related to vegetative cover and other local conditions determined by management for cattle production. Integration of our project results with previous reports of behavioral avoidance of oil and gas facilities by other species of prairie grouse suggests new avenues for research to mitigate impacts of energy development. Efectos del Desarrollo de la Energía Eólica sobre la Ecología de Anidación de Gallinas de la Gran Pradera en Pastizales Fragmentados     

Using a social–ecological framework to inform the implementation of conservation plans

One of the key determinants of success in biodiversity conservation is how well conservation planning decisions account for the social system in which actions are to be implemented. Understanding elements of how the social and ecological systems interact can help identify opportunities for implementation. Utilizing data from a large‐scale conservation initiative in southwestern of Australia, we explored how a social–ecological system framework can be applied to identify how social and ecological factors interact to influence the opportunities for conservation. Using data from semistructured interviews, an online survey, and publicly available data, we developed a conceptual model of the social–ecological system associated with the conservation of the Fitz‐Stirling region. We used this model to identify the relevant variables (remnants of vegetation, stakeholder presence, collaboration between stakeholders, and their scale of management) that affect the implementation of conservation actions in the region. We combined measures for these variables to ascertain how areas associated with different levels of ecological importance coincided with areas associated with different levels of stakeholder presence, stakeholder collaboration, and scales of management. We identified areas that could benefit from different implementation strategies, from those suitable for immediate conservation action to areas requiring implementation over the long term to increase on‐the‐ground capacity and identify mechanisms to incentivize implementation. The application of a social–ecological framework can help conservation planners and practitioners facilitate the integration of ecological and social data to inform the translation of priorities for action into implementation strategies that account for the complexities of conservation problems in a focused way.     

Bi5O7I/g-C3N4Z型异质结的常温沉淀制备及其光催化性能研究

以Bi（NO₃）₃·5H₂O、KI和g-C₃N₄为前驱体,采用常温沉淀法制备Bi₅O₇I/g-C₃N₄Z型异质结复合光催化剂,表征其光吸收性能、微观形貌、光生电子-空穴的分离效率等特性,研究新型光催化剂对RhB的可见光催化降解性能,探讨其可见光催化过程活性基团种类以及作用机理.结果表明：利用沉淀法合成Bi₅O₇I/g-C₃N₄的条件为：Bi（NO₃）₃·5H₂O、KI和g-C₃N₄的投加量分别为4.85g、1.66g和1.61g,乙二醇的用量为50mL,反应液的pH值为12,反应搅拌速度为200r/min,反应温度为25℃.Bi₅O₇I/g-C₃N₄异质结无杂相生成且纯度高,异质结复合发生在g-C₃N₄的（002）晶面和Bi₅O₇I的（203）晶面,但g-C₃N₄和Bi₅O₇I的化学结构未受影响.Bi₅O₇I/g-C₃N₄呈三维纳米花瓣形貌结构,为光生电子-空穴的迁移提供了大量的接触位点.Bi₅O₇I的g-C₃N₄掺杂改性使其光催化活性显著增强,其光吸收边缘由425nm红移至462nm,Bi₅O₇I/g-C₃N₄的能带排列结构与Z型异质结匹配,促进了光生电子-空穴的分离.其光电流密度（11.5mA/cm）约为g-C₃N₄和Bi₅O₇I对应值的2.66倍和1.47倍.Bi₅O₇I/g-C₃N₄对罗丹明B的可见光催化降解率为93.9%,显著高于g-C₃N₄（58%）和Bi₅O₇I（49.7%）的降解效果,其光催化氧化活性主要来自羟基基团、超氧基团和光生空穴等中间态自由基.     

g-C3N4/rGO/TiO2光催化材料降解模拟污水中氨氮

以自制的g-C₃N₄和氧化石墨烯（GO）及TiO₂为原料,通过静电吸附组装、水热还原等反应过程制备以还原氧化石墨烯（rGO）为光生电子传输介质的g-C₃N₄/rGO/TiO₂光催化材料,并通过冷场发射扫描电镜（SEM）、X射线衍射光谱（XRD）、紫外-可见光漫反射光谱（UV-Vis-DRS）、光电流密度测试等方法对催化剂形貌结构和光学性能进行了表征.选择含氮浓度为50mg/L的氨氮溶液作为模拟原水,调节氨氮溶液的pH值至9~10,研究了该光催化材料在氙灯照射下的氨氮去除效果.结果表明,g-C₃N₄/rGO/TiO₂光催化材料的SEM照片显示其为TiO₂包覆结构,复合材料的XRD图谱同时出现了TiO₂和g-C₃N₄的衍射峰,DRS光谱则体现出复合材料在可见光区的光吸收能力明显增强;对氨氮的去除实验表明原材料GO：g-C₃N₄=1：10的复合光催化材料有较好的光催化降解氨氮的性能,氨氮平均去除率为97%.通过采用电子顺磁共振（EPR）测定反应过程中的活性自由基,推测降解机理为：复合光催化剂在氙灯照射下生成的超氧阴离子自由基和羟基自由基直接在材料表面对吸附的NH₃进行氧化,而rGO则作为光催化材料的传输介质起到了传导光生电荷的作用.     

渤海湾典型闸控入海河流水体N2O释放研究

为探究弱水动力条件下, 典型滨海地区水体N₂O释放通量及其主控因素, 于2019年7月和8月(夏季)和11月(冬季初期)对以大清河-独流减河-北大港湿地为代表的渤海湾弱水动力条件河流开展水样采集与分析工作.结果表明: N₂O浓度变化范围为0.4~184.5nmol/L, N₂O饱和度的变化范围为7.2%~2740%, 其中近90%的样品处于过饱和状态, 表明该研究区是潜在的N₂O释放源.N₂O水-气界面释放通量为-0.3~6.7μmol/(m²·h), 夏季水体N₂O的释放通量高于冬季.降雨前后N₂O浓度出现明显波动, 相同点位降雨前后N₂O浓度的变化值为-15.2~63.9nmol/L, 独流减河上游农业区N₂O浓度的平均增加量(22.1nmol/L)显著高于下游(1.3nmol/L), 降雨驱动了流域氮素的运移, 促进了水体N₂O释放.相关性分析表明, 水体N₂O的浓度受反应物浓度、水体盐度共同调控.通过计算得到该滨海地区弱水动力条件下河流N₂O的排放因子为0.0073, 表明气候变化委员会(IPCC)默认值0.0026可能低估了该地区间接N₂O释放.