EFFECTS OF WATERSHED BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON HABITAT AND FISH IN WISCONSIN STREAMS1

ABSTRACT: We evaluated the effectiveness of watershed‐scale implementations of best‐management practices (BMPs) for improving habitat and fish attributes in two coldwater stream systems in Wisconsin. We sampled physical habitat, water temperature, and fish communities in multiple paired treatment and reference streams before and after upland (barnyard runoff controls, manure storage, contour plowing, reduced tillage) and riparian (stream bank fencing, sloping, limited rip‐rapping) BMP installation in the treatment subwatersheds. In Spring Creek, BMPs significantly improved overall stream habitat quality, bank stability, instream cover for fish, abundance of cool‐ and coldwater fishes, and abundance of all fishes. Improvements were most pronounced at sites with riparian BMPs. Water temperatures were consistently cold enough to support coldwater fishes such as trout (Salmonidae) and sculpins (Cottidae) even before BMP installation. We observed the first‐time occurrence of naturally reproduced brown trout (Salmo trutta) in Spring Creek, indicating that the stream condition had been improved to be able to partially sustain a trout population. In Eagle Creek and its tributary Joos Creek, limited riparian BMPs led to localized gains in overall habitat quality, bank stability, and water depth. However, because few upland BMPs were installed in the subwatershed there were no improvements in water temperature or the quality of the fish community. Temperatures remained marginal for coldwater fish throughout the study. Our results demonstrate that riparian BMPs can improve habitat conditions in Wisconsin streams, but cannot restore coldwater fish communities if there is insufficient upland BMP implementation. Our approach of studying multiple paired treatment and reference streams before and after BMP implementation proved effective in detecting the response of stream ecosystems to watershed management activities.     

Multicriteria evaluation of simulated logging scenarios in a tropical rain forest

Forest growth models are useful tools for investigating the long-term impacts of logging. In this paper, the results of the rain forest growth model FORMIND were assessed by a multicriteria decision analysis. The main processes covered by FORMIND include tree growth, mortality, regeneration and competition. Tree growth is calculated based on a carbon balance approach. Trees compete for light and space; dying large trees fall down and create gaps in the forest. Sixty-four different logging scenarios for an initially undisturbed forest stand at Deramakot (Malaysia) were simulated. The scenarios differ regarding the logging cycle, logging method, cutting limit and logging intensity. We characterise the impacts with four criteria describing the yield, canopy opening and changes in species composition. Multicriteria decision analysis was used for the first time to evaluate the scenarios and identify the efficient ones. Our results plainly show that reduced-impact logging scenarios are more 'efficient' than the others, since in these scenarios forest damage is minimised without significantly reducing yield. Nevertheless, there is a trade-off between yield and achieving a desired ecological state of logged forest; the ecological state of the logged forests can only be improved by reducing yields and enlarging the logging cycles. Our study also demonstrates that high cutting limits or low logging intensities cannot compensate for the high level of damage caused by conventional logging techniques.     

Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States

This paper explores the status of sustainable development in small island developing states (SIDS), through the presentation of a case study on the Maldives, which is a typical small island developing state in the Central Indian Ocean. At the outset, a brief history of sustainable development as related to SIDS on the international agenda is outlined, starting from Rio to Barbados to Johannesburg. SIDS are expected to face many challenges and constraints in pursuing sustainable development due to their ecological fragility and economic vulnerability. It is the position of this paper that issues related to environmental vulnerability are of the greatest concern. A healthy environment is the basis of all life-support systems, including that of human well-being and socio-economic development. Priority environmental problems are: climate change and sea-level rise, threats to biodiversity, threats to freshwater resources, degradation of coastal environments, pollution, energy and tourism. Among these, climate change and its associated impacts are expected to pose the greatest threat to the environment and therefore to sustainable development. For small islands dependent on fragile marine ecosystems, in particular on coral reefs, for their livelihoods and living space, adverse effects of climate change such as increased frequency of extreme weather events and sea-level rise will exacerbate the challenges they already face. It is concluded that the paper path from Rio to Barbados to Johannesburg has made significant progress. However, much remains to be done at the practical level, particularly by the developed countries in terms of new and additional efforts at financial and technical assistance, to make sustainable development a reality for SIDS.     

Energy analysis and the coupling of man and estuaries

New concepts and insights concerning human and natural systems in the coastal zone are emerging from recent energy analysis and synthesis studies. By using new concepts for measuring the quality of energy, one can express the work of ecosystems and human economies in equivalent terms. From energy models and new energy quality evaluations, one can learn what kinds of coastal systems maximize power, are competitive, economically vital, and likely to have a survival advantage.Energy analysis and synthesis is aided by energy circuit diagrams. Models of the coastal zone that emphasize the change in external driving functions related to world energy sources provide insights and some predictive abilities that are not found in economic studies, since money flows alone do not evaluate external driving energies.This paper suggests four procedures for coastal planning: 1) calculation of investment ratio in units of equal quality to determine which projects are economic in a broad sense, 2) development of energy signatures for coastal ecosystems, 3) determination of which interface ecosystems develop the best energy flows, and 4) development of regional models that include the main features of human and natural ecosystems.     

鄱阳湖河湖交错区软体动物重金属富集与迁移特征分析

河湖交错区是鄱阳湖流域重金属污染物进入湖泊的主要通道,也是重金属富集的场所.本文通过在鄱阳湖河湖交错区采集软体动物样品,分析样品的肌肉和内脏中铁（Fe）、锰（Mn）、铜（Cu）、锌（Zn）、铬（Cr）、镍（Ni）、砷（As）、镉（Cd）、铅（Pb）和锑（Sb）的含量,利用生物-沉积物累积因子和碳氮稳定同位素对鄱阳湖软体动物重金属的富集特征及营养结构和食源关系进行研究,并利用综合目标危险系数进行健康风险评估.结果表明：①鄱阳湖软体动物重金属含量存在显著的种间和组织间的差异,且受体长体重的稀释作用,与所在栖息地的关系不大,但与区域背景环境存在明显的对应关系,均低于水产限量标准值.软体动物对重金属Cu、Zn和Cd具有明显的富集能力,蚌（圆顶珠蚌、三角帆蚌、背瘤丽蚌和褶纹冠蚌）易从环境中富集更多的Mn和Cd,而螺（铜锈环棱螺和大沼螺）则易富集Cu和Zn;②软体动物δ¹³C值为-29.84‰~-21.13‰,δ¹⁵N值为4.09‰~11.51‰,螺和蚌存在明显不同的食物来源.软体动物中的重金属并不随δ¹⁵N值的变化表现出显著的改变,但与δ¹³C值存在显著的线性关系;其中Cu和Zn与δ¹³C值表现为显著的正相关关系,而Mn、Cr、As、Cd、Pb和Sb表现为显著的负相关关系;③健康风险评估结果表明,不论是成人还是儿童,综合目标危险系数（TTHQ） 均大于1,表明鄱阳湖河湖交错区软体动物重金属的富集会对人群食用产生较为显著的健康风险,其中Mn和As是主要的贡献者,且食用蚌的风险略高于螺.研究结果可为鄱阳湖水生态安全、水生生物多样性保护及食品安全评估提供科学依据和理论支撑.     

Implications of a simple competition model for the stability of an intercropping system

It is a common view that intercropping systems of agricultural crops produce more stable yields than do systems in which the same crops are grown in monoculture. This paper discusses a modelling approach which has been used to support the notion that whether or not intercropping is more stable than monoculture depends on the mode of interaction among crops, i.e. whether two different crops suppress or enhance each other. It is shown here that this notion is not supported by the model used. We conclude that the relative merits of the two cropping systems depend on the proportion of land allocated to each crop rather than on the mode of interaction. The model suggests that if the optimum allocation of land is considered, both systems will be equally stable.     

南充市城市生态系统健康评价

城市生态系统是一个综合性、复杂性的大系统,涉及到城市自然环境、社会经济、人群健康状况、资源状况、环境状况和城市基础设施等各个方面,健康的城市生态系统是人类所向往的目标.从生态系统健康的内涵出发,依据城市生态系统的特殊性,建立了城市生态系统健康评价指标体系;运用AHP法确定了城市生态系统健康评价各指标要素之间的权重;采用模糊数学法的原理建立城市生态系统健康评价模型.将该模型方法应用于南充市城市生态系统健康评价,通过评价得出:南充城市生态系统健康状况为"亚健康"状态,其隶属度为0.329.     

Isoprene emission from tropical trees in Okinawa Island, Japan

This study surveyed isoprene emission from 42 indigenous and exotic tropical trees in subtropic Okinawa, Japan. Of the 42 trees studied, 4 emitted isoprene at a rate in excess of 20 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 28 showed the rates of 1–10 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The remainder emitted less than 1 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The majority of trees in this study may therefore fall within the lower emitting species. However, species in Moraceae that is indigenous in Okinawa emitted isoprene at relatively higher rates with an average of 14.2 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The highest emission rate of 107.1 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for Ficus virgata yielded the area basis rate of 47.4 nmol m⁻² s⁻¹, which is almost equivalent to the rate of high emitting species. Furthermore, a linear relationship between light intensity and isoprene emission was noted with Ficus virgata up to 1700 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. These findings may show the potential importance of subtropical areas as sources of isoprene to the atmosphere.     

农业生产措施对土壤碳库的影响

在陆地碳平衡日益成为全球变化科学和生态科学中最为前沿与热点问题的前提下,农业碳平衡问题也受到了强烈的关注,从而促进了农业生产措施对土壤碳库影响的研究。文章综述了农业生产措施对土壤碳库的影响及其效率。从全球不同地区的研究得出,农业措施决定了现阶段农业生态系统是C源还是C汇。目前,影响农田土壤碳库的措施主要有:农业用地面积的扩张;耕地的休耕与利用;农业施肥;耕作方式;作物类型与轮作;秸秆还田。平均不同地区的研究结果,各种措施提高土壤碳积累的效率(CMg·hm-2·a-1)分别为:施用动物肥料0.6(肥料用量10Mg·hm-2·a-1)、施化肥-0.71、耕地转换为草场0.825、改善轮作0.21、实施免耕0.315、秸秆还田0.3。目前研究存在的问题及将来的研究重点应主要集中在:通过改善农业措施提高土壤碳库的可行性;土壤有机碳积累与农业措施间的关系的地区差异性;农业措施提高土壤碳库所产生的环境效益与经济效益。     

Song ranging by the dusky antbird,Cercomacra tyrannina: ranging without song learning

In a population of dusky antbirds (Cercomacra tyrannina), less aggressive responses to distance-degraded playbacks than to undegraded playbacks of pair duets show that this tropical suboscine passerine uses sound degradation to range distance from singing conspecifics. This is the first example of song-ranging in a species that does not learn songs, supporting the hypothesis that ranging preceded the song learning that occurs in more recently evolved passerine birds (oscines). Both sexes sing and are able to use song degradation to range distance from singers when their sex-specific song is played back. Received: 27 May 1994/Accepted after revision: 24 March 1996