APPLICATION OF BIOLOGICAL MEASURES FOR STREAM INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH-EAST BRAZIL

The sensitivity of eleven metrics using macroinvertebrate assemblages were evaluated in an environmental gradient in a tropical river in south-east Brazil. Eight sites were sampled in an altitudinal range of 160–650 m.a.s.l. during 1999 (April and August) and 2000 (February). Four substrates were sampled at each site: riffle litter, pool litter, stony substrates and sediment. Correspondence Analysis indicated that assemblages were primarily more influenced by physical changes (like deforestation and erosion processes) than the water chemistry. The sensitivity of each metric was evaluated through the application of box-and-whisker plot method by its power to assess impairment (metrics should be able to discriminate reference sites from impaired sites) and natural variability (metrics should not discriminate two reference sites). Metrics that failed in at least one of the above premises were not considered as sensitive. In this study, the most sensitive metrics were Shannon index, BMWP-ASPT, %_EPT, and relative abundance of EPT to Chironomidae.     

土地利用及不透水地表对河流流量的影响

利用美国地质调查局的逐日连续流量数据计算了美国切斯比克湾地区150个小流域的34个河流流量指标,并在整个区域和划分的3个自然地理区对选择的17个指标与4种土地利用类型和不透水地表做了相关分析。结果表明,森林在降水较少的冬春两季增加流量,雨量较高的秋季减少流量,森林面积比例的增加可以削减洪峰、延长洪峰历时、稳定流量变化。农业用地比例的增加表现为稳定流量变化,延长洪峰历时,在高原地区还可以削减洪峰流量。草地比例的提高均表现为削减洪峰流量,稳定流量变化,延长洪峰历时。随着不透水地表面积增加,洪峰流量、雨季、汛期和年流量增加,流量变化加剧,洪峰历时减少,不同地理区对不透水地表的水文响应也有所不同。     

多层次生态修复实践模式及其理论探讨

生态修复是当前生态学和环境科学领域研究的热点问题,并且孕育着巨大的研究和应用前景,然而由于工程时空跨度大、修复对象复杂等特点,生态修复实践仍然存在着理论研究滞后、投入产出率相对低下、修复模式单一、项目达标情况难以监测等问题。在总结归纳实践经验的基础之上,根据生态修复的不同层次和阶段,将生态修复的实践模式由开始启动阶段到修复终点,自下而上串联成一个相互独立而又彼此联系的模式,即包含“点”、“线”、“面”和“多维立体”四种模式在内的多层次生态修复模式。该模式有以下两方面特点：①修复的对象在现有的物种、种群、生态系统结构和功能的基础之上,增加了人类这一生态系统的重要组分,同时把社会经济等因素放在与科学技术同等重要的位置进行考虑,将其作为指导理论之一融入到生态修复的具体实践步骤中;②与以往静态的单一修复目标不同,论文提出了一种层层递进、彼此联系而又环环相扣的动态、多层次修复模式,每一种模式都对应着生态修复的不同层次和阶段,层层递进共同构成生态修复的全部内容。此模式既充分考虑生态系统自身的复杂性,又符合生态系统动态发展趋势,可为当前生态修复实践中的难点、疑点提供更具现实意义的指导。     

Developing indicators to measure post‐disaster community recovery in the United States

Disaster recovery is a key capability of federal, state, and local government. To support this capability effectively practitioners need useful and validated metrics to document how well a community is recovering from a particular disaster. This study developed and categorised recovery indicators according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Recovery Support Functions and Recovery Mission Area Core Capabilities through a literature review, an evaluation of the pre‐disaster recovery plans for 87 coastal jurisdictions, and a case study of two communities (New Hanover County, North Carolina, and the City of Hoboken, New Jersey). Metrics identified in the literature were validated through the recovery plan review and the case study. The research team also identified sources for both baseline and current status data. Based on these findings, a user‐friendly checklist for practitioners was established, which will be piloted with practice partners during a future disaster recovery initiative.     

Assessment of denitrification process in lower Ishikari river system,Japan

Sediment denitrification rate and its role in removal of dissolved nitrate load in lower Ishikari river system were examined. Denitrification rate were measured using acetylene inhibition technique on the sediment samples collected during August 2009–July 2010. The denitrification rate varied from 0.001 to 1.9 μg N g⁻¹ DM h⁻¹ with an average value of 0.21 μg N g⁻¹ DM h⁻¹ in lower Ishikari river system. Denitrification rate showed positive correlation with dissolved nitrate concentration in the river basin, indicating overlying water column supplied nitrate for the sediment denitrification processes. Nutrient enrichment experiments result showed that denitrification rate increased significantly with addition of nitrate in case of samples collected from Barato Lake however no such increase was observed in the samples collected from Ishikari river main channel and its major tributaries indicating that factors other than substrate concentration such as population of denitrifier and hydrological properties of stream channel including channel depth and flow velocity may affects the denitrification rate in lower Ishikari river system. Denitrification rate showed no significant increase with the addition of labile carbon (glucose), indicating that sediment samples had sufficient organic matter to sustain denitrification activity. The result of nutrient spiraling model indicates that in- stream denitrification process removes on an average 5% d⁻¹ of dissolve nitrate load in Ishikari river. This study was carried out to fill the gap present in the availability of riverine denitrification rate measurement and its role in nitrogen budget from Japanese rivers characterize by small river length and high flow rate.     

湘江流域生态补偿系数定量分析

充分考虑生态补偿主体的社会经济发展水平、支付能力、对环境污染的贡献率,科学、公平、合理制定生态补偿标准是推动生态补偿机制实施的关键点之一。本文应用主成分分析法对湘江流域内各市社会经济发展水平、支付能力、环境污染的贡献率进行界定与定量分析,在此基础上形成补偿系数,对统一的补偿标准进行修正,实现补偿标准的科学、客观、公平。     

三峡工程建设期生态环境演变驱动力机制浅析

三峡工程防洪、发电、航运、供水和生态等综合效益巨大,国内外广泛关注。同时,三峡工程建设期可能引发的生态环境问题复杂多样,准确找出导致库区生态环境问题产生的潜在原因及生态环境演变的驱动因子,对于保护生态环境、减少自然灾害发生、维持生态系统平衡等具有重要意义。基于历史文献资料收集、水文水质监测、遥感监测等手段,归纳总结了三峡库区生态环境演变驱动力的主要类型,对比分析了蓄水前后主要驱动力因子的差异,结果发现以三峡工程建设、移民迁建、库区社会经济发展、长江上游社会经济发展、污染负荷等五大人为驱动力是导致库区生态环境演变的主要驱动力。从多角度全面剖析了三峡工程建设期库区的生态环境演变过程及其驱动力机制,以期为三峡库区的生态环境保护与科学管理提供基础性数据     

Evaluating the potential of biodiversity offsets to achieve net gain

Evaluating the outcomes and tracking the trajectory of biodiversity offsets is essential to demonstrating their effectiveness as a mechanism to conciliate development and conservation. We reviewed the literature to determine the principles that should underpin biodiversity offset planning and the criteria for offset evaluation at the project level. According to the literature, the core principles of equivalence, additionality, and permanence are used as criteria to evaluate conservation outcomes of offsets. We applied the criteria to evaluate offsets of a large iron ore mining project in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. We examined equivalence in terms of the amount of area per biodiversity value affected and fauna and flora similarity, additionality in terms of landscape connectivity, and permanence in terms of guarantees to ensure protection and restoration offsets lasting outcomes. We found an offset ratio (amount of affected area:offset area) of 1:1.8 for forests and 1:2 for grasslands. Ecological equivalence (i.e., similarity between affected and offset areas) was found for forested areas, but not for ferruginous rupestrian grasslands or for fauna. Landscape metrics showed that connectivity improved relative to the preproject situation as a result of locating restoration offsets in the largest and best-connected forest patch. Permanence of offsets was addressed by establishing covenants and management measures, but financial guarantees to cover maintenance costs after mine closure were lacking. Offsets should be equivalent in type and size, provide conservation outcomes that would not be obtained without them (additionality), and be lasting (permanence). To monitor and evaluate offsets, it is necessary to determine how well these 3 principles are applied in the planning, implementation, and maintenance of offsets. Achieving measurable conservation outcomes from offsets is a long-term endeavor that requires sustained management support, and is information intensive. Thus, offsets require ongoing monitoring and evaluation as well as adaptive management.     

Bioassessment in A Harsh Environment: A Comparison of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages at Reference and Assessment Sites in An Australian Inland River System

The Lachlan River system of inland New South Wales, which extends into semi-arid areas, is prone to natural extremes of climate and water quality and has been almost entirely modified since European settlement in Australia. We used this system as a proving ground for the mainly qualitative bioassessment metrics for river macroinvertebrates that are used widely in Australia – the EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) index, the SIGNAL (Stream Invertebrate Grade Number Average Level) biotic index and the AUSRIVAS O/E (Australian River Assessment System Observed over Expected) index – plus a recently developed qualitative index, the observed proportion of potential taxa (OPP). We tested these metrics on their ability to discriminate between sites judged to be less disturbed by human activities (reference sites) and sites selected by a semi-random process and therefore expected to have a higher average level of human disturbance (assessment sites). All metrics except the AUSRIVAS O/E index differed significantly between the two types of sites at higher altitudes, with SIGNAL showing the greatest discrimination. Assessment at these altitudes was more effective if based on composite data from multiple mesohabitats rather than data from single mesohabitats. No metric differentiated the two types of sites in the more arid, lowland, floodplain region of the river system. We suggest that Australia relies too heavily on bioassessment concepts developed to assess water pollution in well-watered regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Effective assessment of human impacts on macroinvertebrates in the rivers of inland Australia requires a better understanding of the roles of flow regimes, including flood and drought sequences, and of microhabitat structure and invasive alien species. Quantitative approaches may also be required.     

大城市边缘区土地利用空间格局特征分析.以北京大兴区为例

以北京大兴区为例,利用景观格局和空间分析方法,从产业布局和区位角度分析大城市边缘区土地利用空间分异特征.结果表明：（1）该区土地利用程度高,区域产业布局及距城市、村镇和道路距离等区位因素使其土地利用综合水平呈现北高南低、北部和南部区域内部重点镇高于一般镇的等级梯度分异格局.（2）设施农用地、园地和设施耕地等集约利用程度较高的农用地比例很大,集中分布在村镇和道路附近,生产便利性和成本是其空间分异的主要影响因素;（3）各类土地破碎化严重,集聚度和规模化程度低,亟需通过土地综合整治,重构村庄空间体系,充分发挥循环经济和农用地多功能性的优势,优化农业产业间及其与非农用地间的用地结构和空间布局,进一步提高土地利用综合效益.