In a climate of limited resources, it is often necessary to prioritize restoration efforts geographically. The synoptic approach
is an ecologically based tool for geographic prioritization of wetland protection and restoration efforts. The approach was
specifically designed to incorporate best professional judgment in cases where information and resources are otherwise limited.
Synoptic assessments calculate indices for functional criteria in subunits (watersheds, counties, etc.) of a region and then
rank the subunits. Ranks can be visualized in region-scale maps which enable managers to identify areas where efforts optimize
functional performance on a regional scale. In this paper, we develop a conceptual model for prioritizing watersheds whose
wetlands can be restored to reduce total sediment yield at the watershed outlet. The conceptual model is designed to rank
watersheds but not individual wetlands within a watershed. The synoptic approach is valid for applying the sediment yield
reduction model because there is high demand for prioritizing disturbed wetlands for restoration, but there is limited, quantitative,
accurate information available with which to make decisions. Furthermore, the cost of creating a comprehensive database is
prohibitively high. Finally, because the model will be used for planning purposes, and, specifically, for prioritizing based
on multiple decisions rather than optimizing a single decision, the consequence of prioritization errors is low. Model results
cannot be treated as scientific findings. The conclusions of an assessment are based on judgement, but this judgement is guided
by scientific principles and a general understanding of relevant ecological processes. The conceptual model was developed
as the first step towards prioritizing of wetland restoration for sediment yield reduction in US EPA Region 4. 相似文献
Background Recent studies indicated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play important roles in plant accumulation of uranium (U)
from contaminated environments, but the impacts of fertilization practices on functioning of the symbiotic associations, which
are crucial factors influencing plant nutrition and growth responses to mycorrhiza, have rarely been considered.
Materials and Methods In a greenhouse experiment, a bald root barley mutant (brb) together with the wild type (wt) were used to test the role of
root hairs and AMF in uranium (U) uptake by host plants from a U contaminated soil. Nil, 20 and 60 mg KH2PO4-P kg–1 soil were
included to investigate the influences of phosphorus (P) fertilization on plant growth and accumulation of U.
Results Dry matter yield of barley plants increased with increasing P additions and wt produced significantly higher dry weight than
brb. Mycorrhiza markedly improved dry matter yield of both genotypes grown at nil P, whereas only brb responded positively
to mycorrhiza at 20 mg P kg-1. At the highest P level, mycorrhiza resulted in growth depressions in both genotypes, except
for the roots of wt. In general, plant P concentrations increased markedly with increasing P additions and in response to
mycorrhiza.
Mycorrhiza and P additions had no significant effects on shoot U concentrations. However, root U concentrations in both genotypes
were significantly increased by mycorrhiza. On the other hand, shoot U contents increased with increasing P levels, while
20 mg P kg-1 stimulated, but 60 mg P kg-1 marginally affected the U accumulation in roots. Root length specific U uptake was
moderately enhanced both by root hairs and strongly enhanced by mycorrhiza. Moreover, non-inoculated plants generally had
higher shoot-root ratios of U content than the corresponding inoculated controls.
Conclusion Our study shows that AMF and root hairs improves not only P acquisition but also the root uptake of U, and mycorrhiza generally
decreases U translocation from plant root to shoot. Hence, mycorrhiza is of potential use in the phytostabilization of U contaminated
environments.
Perspectives The complex impacts of P on U accumulation by barley plants suggested that U behavior in mycorrhizosphere and translocation
along the soil-fungi-plant continuum as affected by fertilization practices deserve extensive studies for optimizing the function
of mycorrhizal associations for phytoremediation purposes. 相似文献