Credibility and advocacy in conservation science

Conservation policy sits at the nexus of natural science and politics. On the one hand, conservation scientists strive to maintain scientific credibility by emphasizing that their research findings are the result of disinterested observations of reality. On the other hand, conservation scientists are committed to conservation even if they do not advocate a particular policy. The professional conservation literature offers guidance on negotiating the relationship between scientific objectivity and political advocacy without damaging conservation science's credibility. The value of this guidance, however, may be restricted by limited recognition of credibility's multidimensionality and emergent nature: it emerges through perceptions of expertise, goodwill, and trustworthiness. We used content analysis of the literature to determine how credibility is framed in conservation science as it relates to apparent contradictions between science and advocacy. Credibility typically was framed as a static entity lacking dimensionality. Authors identified expertise or trustworthiness as important, but rarely mentioned goodwill. They usually did not identify expertise, goodwill, or trustworthiness as dimensions of credibility or recognize interactions among these 3 dimensions of credibility. This oversimplification may limit the ability of conservation scientists to contribute to biodiversity conservation. Accounting for the emergent quality and multidimensionality of credibility should enable conservation scientists to advance biodiversity conservation more effectively.     

Mowers versus growers: Riparian buffer management in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains,USA

Despite long-standing knowledge of the benefits of riparian buffers for mitigating nonpoint source pollution, many streams are unprotected by buffers. Even landowners who understand ecological values of buffers mow riparian vegetation to the streambank. Do trends in rural riparian conditions reflect the development of riparian forest science? What motivates residential riparian management actions? Using high-resolution orthoimagery, we quantified riparian conditions and trends between 1998 and 2015 in the rural upper Little Tennessee River basin in Macon County, North Carolina and explored how landowners view riparian zone management and riparian restoration programs. Buffer composition in 2015 was as follows: no buffer (32.5%), narrow (19.3%), forested (26.7%), shrub (7.2%), and intermediate (7.0%). Relative to 1998, the greatest decrease occurred in the no buffer class (−17.7%, 46 km) and the largest increases occurred in the shrub (+72.5%, 20 km) and narrow (12.6%, 14 km) classes. Forested buffer marginally increased. Semi-structured interview data suggest that landowners prioritize recreational and scenic aspects of riparian buffers over ecological functions such as filtration and bank stabilization. Riparian restoration programs might be made more enticing to non-adopters if outreach language appealed to landowner priorities, design elements demonstrated intentional management, and program managers highlighted areas where ecological goals and landowner values align.     

Combined Effects of Levels of Protection and Environmental Variables at Different Spatial Resolutions on Fish Assemblages in a Marine Protected Area

Abstract: The links between species–environment relations and species’ responses to protection are unclear, but the objectives of marine protected areas (MPAs) are most likely to be achieved when those relations are known and inform MPA design. The components of a species’ habitat vary with the spatial resolution of the area considered. We characterized areas at two resolutions: 250 m² (transect) and approximately 30,000 m² (seascape). We considered three categories of environmental variables: substrate type, bottom complexity, and depth. We sought to determine at which resolution habitat characteristics were a better predictor of abundance and species composition of fishes and whether the relations with environmental variables at either resolution affected species’ responses to protection. Habitat features accounted for a larger proportion of spatial variation in species composition and abundances than differences in protection status. This spatial variation was explained best by habitat characteristics at the seascape level than at the transect level. Species’ responses to protected areas were specific to particular seascape characteristics, primarily depth, and bottom complexity. Our method may be useful for prioritizing marine areas for protection, designing MPAs, and monitoring their effectiveness. It identified areas that provided natural shelter, areas acting as buffer zones, and areas where fish species were most responsive to protection. The identification of such areas is necessary for cost‐effective establishment and monitoring of MPAs.     

Invasive Species Research to Meet the Needs of Resource Management and Planning

Abstract: As zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) continue to spread among inland lakes of the United States and Canada, there is growing interest from professionals, citizens, and other stakeholders to know which lakes are likely to be colonized by zebra mussels. Thus, we developed a classification of lake suitability for zebra mussels on the basis of measured or estimated concentrations of dissolved calcium in lake water and applied the classification to >11,500 lakes in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The majority of lakes (58%) were classified as unsuitable (<10 mg/L Ca) for survival and reproduction of zebra mussels, 27% were identified as suitable (≥21 mg/L Ca), and 15% were classified as borderline suitable (≥10 and <21 mg/L Ca). Of the 77 inland lakes with confirmed zebra mussel records for which data on dissolved calcium were available, our method classified 74 as suitable and 3 as borderline suitable. To communicate this lake‐specific suitability information and to help prioritize regional efforts to monitor and prevent the expansion of zebra mussels and other invasive species, we developed a web‐based interface (available from http://www.aissmartprevention.wisc.edu/ ). Although we are still uncertain of how access to suitability information ultimately affects decision making, we believe this is a useful case study of building communication channels among researchers, practitioners, and the public.     

夏季太湖CDOM光学特性空间差异及其来源解析

为进一步探究夏季太湖CDOM（有色溶解性有机质）光学特性在空间分布上的差异性与其来源的关系,对其紫外-可见吸收及三维荧光光谱特性进行了分析研究,在此基础上进一步分析了CDOM吸尘系数及其荧光组分（C1、C2、C3、C4）强度和各水质参数间的相关性.结合主成分分析法探讨了CDOM的来源以及与各参数指标[ρ（DOC）除外]之间的来源关系.结果表明:CDOM吸收系数α（355）、S值（光谱斜率）变化范围分别为3.27~8.27 m-1和0.011~0.021 nm-1;太湖西部、北部及南部湖区CDOM丰度较大,S值较低,受陆源输入的影响较为明显.CDOM的三维荧光光谱揭示其中含有两种类蛋白质组分C1和C2以及类腐殖质组分C3和C4,并且以类蛋白质组分为主.此外,大部分采样点的荧光指数（FI）为1.70~2.01,自生源指数（BIX）大于1,腐殖化指数（HIX）小于0.6,r_（T/C）（荧光峰T与荧光峰C荧光强度比值）小于2,表明夏季太湖CDOM内源特性相对强烈.研究显示,除ρ（DOC）外,CDOM与其他水质参数在第一主成分上（贡献率为90.8%）均存在显著相关关系,说明各水质参数的来源存在相似性,并且受生物自生源影响更为显著.      

基于主成分分析法的陕北地区可持续发展对比研究

基于可持续发展基本理论,选取60项指标建立陕北地区可持续发展评价指标体系,采用软件SPSS(19.0)进行主成分分析,分别对延安市、榆林市2000—2014年的可持续发展水平、可持续发展潜力和可持续发展协调度进行动态对比分析。结果表明延安市、榆林市发展基本趋于一致:可持续发展水平较高,但可持续发展潜力明显不足,可持续发展协调度较低;制约其可持续发展的主要因素在于资源发展动力不足、产业结构单一、环境的恶化及治理的低效。     

聚合氯化铁-聚(环氧氯丙烷-二甲胺)复合絮凝剂在模拟水处理中的混凝特性研究

制备出一系列具有不同聚合氯化铁(PFC)的碱化度(B)、不同聚(环氧氯丙烷-二甲胺)[P(EPI-DMA)]质量分数[ω(E)]和黏度(η)的PFC-P(EPI-DMA)复合混凝剂,并将其用于模拟染料废水和模拟天然地表水的絮凝脱色处理,对比探讨了ω(E)、η和B对PFC-P(EPI-DMA)中铁的形态分布及其混凝效果的影响,以及混凝作用机制.结果表明,复合絮凝剂中铁的有效形态含量随ω(E)的增大而不断降低;η=850 mPa.s时,复合混凝剂中铁的有效形态含量最高;随B值的增大,Feb含量先增大后减少,而Fec含量逐渐增大.一定程度上使用预水解程度较低、有机成分黏度较大的PFC-P(EPI-DMA)有利于混凝效果的提高,复合混凝剂中有机成分质量分数对混凝效果的影响则与处理对象有关.在模拟水处理中,复合混凝剂依靠电性中和及架桥吸附能力发挥混凝特性.     

基于SD-CA-GIS的环境累积效应时空分析模型及应用

环境累积效应分析强调环境变化的时空放大作用,突出环境要素之间的时空交互作用,从而对环境分析方法的能力提出了挑战.因此,本文在对传统环境分析方法归纳、分析和总结的基础上,以地理信息系统(GIS)为基础平台,集成系统动力学(SD)和元胞自动机(CA)的优点,建立了能够分析时间累积、空间累积效应的SD-CA-GIS模型.以山西潞安矿区作为研究区域,在分析矿区社会、经济、工程和环境等因子之间时空交互作用的基础上,构建了SD-CA-GlS模型.考虑到矿区土地利用变化的特殊性,从影响矿区土地利用变化的驱动因子出发,预测和模拟了矿区2006-2030年土地利用变化的累积状况.结果发现,由于煤炭资源开采等人类干扰活动的影响,研究区在研究时段内,工矿用地、居民用地和交通用地呈现累积性增加,其它土地利用类型累积性减少.同时,由于不同阶段人类活动干扰的种类和强度变化,使得不同土地利用类型的空间扩展变化存在一定的差异.上述研究表明,该模型能够同时考虑时间累积效应和空间累积效应的动态变化,能为环境累积效应的分析和评价提供有效的帮助.     

溶解氧变化对底泥酶活性及微生物多样性的影响

采用室内静态实验考察了溶解氧变化对底泥酶活性影响,同时采用BIOLOG ECO微平板构造了不同溶解氧水平下底泥微生物多样性指数。结果表明:高溶解氧条件下,底泥多酚氧化酶及过氧化物酶活性显著高于缺氧条件及厌氧条件(P<0.01),脱氢酶活性高于背景值;厌氧条件下脱氢酶、脲酶及碱性磷酸酶活性显著高于高溶解氧组、缺氧组及背景值(P<0.05);缺氧条件下硝酸盐还原酶活性显著高于高溶解氧组及厌氧组(P<0.05);蛋白酶活性受溶解氧水平变化的影响较小。BIOLOG ECO微平板法分析表明,溶解氧变化对底泥微生物多样性有不同程度的负面影响,微生物多样性的降低程度从大到小依次为高溶解氧组>厌氧组>缺氧组。主成分分析结果表明:缺氧条件及厌氧条件下,底泥微生物对大分子有机物的利用出现不同程度的降低,相对地,高溶解氧条件下微生物对大分子有机物的利用程度呈现先下降后上升的趋势;高溶解氧组及缺氧组底泥微生物对碳水化合物利用程度升高,厌氧组对碳水化合物利用程度降低。总之,高溶解氧条件更有利于形成底泥有机物完整的代谢循环,提高大分子有机物的利用程度。     

双台子河流域综合水质评价方法的对比研究

本研究利用双台子河2011年枯、丰、平水期的22个水文监测断面数据,并借助主成份分析法,确定主要污染因子和超标断面。分别采用综合标识指数、单因子、模糊评判、灰色关联四种评价法,选取DO、COD、NH3-N、TP、TN、BOD 6个评价因子,对河流水污染特性进行综合评价与分析。结果表明:以Bartlett球度检验,主成份因子负荷值较高的NH3-N、TP、BOD因子,累积方差贡献率91.97%,主要污染因子;超标断面的污染因子判别应考虑周边污染源的类型和河流上游的排放物浓度。模糊评判、灰色关联评价结果中均没有劣V类,两者的水质类别累积频率均在V类到达100%;考虑到单因子法在同一水质类别中不能判定多项因子共同对水体的综合影响,本文采用标识指数法为最佳评价方法。从枯、丰、平水期的劣V类和V类断面比重分析,枯水期>平水期>丰水期。从劣V类和V类数量与分布来看,盘锦市辖区控制单元的污染程度,比大洼县和盘山县污染较重。