Coral Reef Habitats as Surrogates of Species, Ecological Functions, and Ecosystem Services

Abstract: Habitat maps are often the core spatially consistent data set on which marine reserve networks are designed, but their efficacy as surrogates for species richness and applicability to other conservation measures is poorly understood. Combining an analysis of field survey data, literature review, and expert assessment by a multidisciplinary working group, we examined the degree to which Caribbean coastal habitats provide useful planning information on 4 conservation measures: species richness, the ecological functions of fish species, ecosystem processes, and ecosystem services. Approximately one‐quarter to one‐third of benthic invertebrate species and fish species (disaggregated by life phase; hereafter fish species) occurred in a single habitat, and Montastraea‐dominated forereefs consistently had the highest richness of all species, processes, and services. All 11 habitats were needed to represent all 277 fish species in the seascape, although reducing the conservation target to 95% of species approximately halved the number of habitats required to ensure representation. Species accumulation indices (SAIs) were used to compare the efficacy of surrogates and revealed that fish species were a more appropriate surrogate of benthic species (SAI = 71%) than benthic species were for fishes (SAI = 42%). Species of reef fishes were also distributed more widely across the seascape than invertebrates and therefore their use as a surrogate simultaneously included mangroves, sea grass, and coral reef habitats. Functional classes of fishes served as effective surrogates of fish and benthic species which, given their ease to survey, makes them a particularly useful measure for conservation planning. Ecosystem processes and services exhibited great redundancy among habitats and were ineffective as surrogates of species. Therefore, processes and services in this case were generally unsuitable for a complementarity‐based approach to reserve design. In contrast, the representation of species or functional classes ensured inclusion of all processes and services in the reserve network.     

Accounting for enforcement costs in the spatial allocation of marine zones

Marine fish stocks are in many cases extracted above sustainable levels, but they may be protected through restricted‐use zoning systems. The effectiveness of these systems typically depends on support from coastal fishing communities. High management costs including those of enforcement may, however, deter fishers from supporting marine management. We incorporated enforcement costs into a spatial optimization model that identified how conservation targets can be met while maximizing fishers’ revenue. Our model identified the optimal allocation of the study area among different zones: no‐take, territorial user rights for fisheries (TURFs), or open access. The analysis demonstrated that enforcing no‐take and TURF zones incurs a cost, but results in higher species abundance by preventing poaching and overfishing. We analyzed how different enforcement scenarios affected fishers’ revenue. Fisher revenue was approximately 50% higher when territorial user rights were enforced than when they were not. The model preferentially allocated area to the enforced‐TURF zone over other zones, demonstrating that the financial benefits of enforcement (derived from higher species abundance) exceeded the costs. These findings were robust to increases in enforcement costs but sensitive to changes in species’ market price. We also found that revenue under the existing zoning regime in the study area was 13–30% lower than under an optimal solution. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for both the benefits and costs of enforcement in marine conservation, particularly when incurred by fishers. Justificación de los Costos de Aplicación en la Asignación Espacial de Zonas Marinas     

Incorporating Surrogate Species and Seascape Connectivity to Improve Marine Conservation Outcomes

Conservation focuses on maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but gaps in our knowledge of species biology and ecological processes often impede progress. For this reason, focal species and habitats are used as surrogates for multispecies conservation, but species‐based approaches are not widely adopted in marine ecosystems. Reserves in the Solomon Islands were designed on the basis of local ecological knowledge to conserve bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and to protect food security and ecosystem functioning. Bumphead parrotfish are an iconic threatened species and may be a useful surrogate for multispecies conservation. They move across tropical seascapes throughout their life history, in a pattern of habitat use that is shared with many other species. We examined their value as a conservation surrogate and assessed the importance of seascape connectivity (i.e., the physical connectedness of patches in the seascape) among reefs, mangroves, and seagrass to marine reserve performance. Reserves were designed for bumphead parrotfish, but also enhanced the abundance of other species. Integration of local ecological knowledge and seascape connectivity enhanced the abundance of 17 other harvested fish species in local reserves. This result has important implications for ecosystem functioning and local villagers because many of these species perform important ecological processes and provide the foundation for extensive subsistence fisheries. Our findings suggest greater success in maintaining and restoring marine ecosystems may be achieved when they are managed to conserve surrogate species and preserve functional seascape connections. Incorporación de Especies Sustitutas y de Conectividad Marina para Mejorar los Resultados de Conservación     

Efficient and equitable design of marine protected areas in Fiji through inclusion of stakeholder‐specific objectives in conservation planning

The efficacy of protected areas varies, partly because socioeconomic factors are not sufficiently considered in planning and management. Although integrating socioeconomic factors into systematic conservation planning is increasingly advocated, research is needed to progress from recognition of these factors to incorporating them effectively in spatial prioritization of protected areas. We evaluated 2 key aspects of incorporating socioeconomic factors into spatial prioritization: treatment of socioeconomic factors as costs or objectives and treatment of stakeholders as a single group or multiple groups. Using as a case study the design of a system of no‐take marine protected areas (MPAs) in Kubulau, Fiji, we assessed how these aspects affected the configuration of no‐take MPAs in terms of trade‐offs between biodiversity objectives, fisheries objectives, and equity in catch losses among fisher stakeholder groups. The achievement of fisheries objectives and equity tended to trade‐off concavely with increasing biodiversity objectives, indicating that it is possible to achieve low to mid‐range biodiversity objectives with relatively small losses to fisheries and equity. Importantly, the extent of trade‐offs depended on the method used to incorporate socioeconomic data and was least severe when objectives were set for each fisher stakeholder group explicitly. We found that using different methods to incorporate socioeconomic factors that require similar data and expertise can result in plans with very different impacts on local stakeholders.     

东三省国家自然保护区管理现状调查及分析

对辽宁、吉林、黑龙江三省（简称东三省）51个国家级自然保护区人类活动情况进行了实地考察,并对自然保护区的建’设和管理情况进行了调研。针对调研情况,为加强东三省国家级自然保护区管理工作的顺利进行,提出了相应的建议。     

海底深部生物圈真菌的研究现状

海底深部生物圈是科学大洋钻探的最大发现之一,已证明以厌氧、高压、贫营养、温度跨幅大为特点的海底深部生物圈中存在大量微生物类群,其中研究较多的是细菌和古菌,而对真菌的研究则很少。本文重点综述目前有关海底深部生物圈真菌的研究进展,为我国从事海底深部生物圈真菌研究提供参考。     

白水江国家自然保护区野生中药材资源现状研究——基于保护区白马河保护站管辖区的实地调查

通过实地考察、问卷调查和半结构式访谈,对白水江国家自然保护区白马河保护站管辖区的野生中药材资源现状进行了研究.结果表明,项目区共有野生中药材88种,隶属于39科82属,主要采集种有14种,其中社区居民经常采集的有10种.这10种中药材的蕴藏量在2006-2010年间呈下降趋势,但下降幅度在减小;采集量和交易量逐年下降,而收购价格则逐年攀升.     

基于层次分析法的应急物资储备方式研究

科学合理的应急物资储备是有效应对突发事件的重要保障。在综合考虑影响应急物资储备的主要因素的基础上,将应急物资分5类;界定了3类应急物资储备方式;采用层次分析对应急物资的储备方式进行了研究,结果表明,不同类型应急物资的储备方式有较大差别,食品药品类物资应以合同储备和生产能力储备为主;应急救援类物资应以实物储备为主;灾民安置类物资应以实物储备和生产能力储备为主;基础保障类物资应以实物储备和合同储备为主;大型设备类物资主要采用合同储备;从总体上来说,应急物资储备需要采用全面综合储备的方式,而不能偏颇。     

江苏盐城湿地珍禽国家级自然保护区资源开发的阈值管理

通过分析主要保护对象丹顶鹤的越冬需求和资源开发活动对丹顶鹤及其生境的干扰,提出了针对保护区资源开发的阈值管理技术.设置允许适度开发、限制开发和禁止开发3种准入类型;准入区域限定在实验区内,面积应小于保护区总面积的1/10,且不大于实验区面积的1/3;准入时间上,根据丹顶鹤的越冬需求,确定每年9月末至次年2月末为限制利用期,3月初至次年9月末为适度利用期;停止新的滩涂围垦和风力发电项目建设,大力发展生态旅游.     

建立新疆喀拉峻自然保护区的思考

喀拉峻草原被联合国专家誉为“无与伦比的世界最美草原”,是世界自然遗产《中国新疆天山》的组成部分。该地有着完整的垂直自然景观带,是天山中部北坡典型代表地段之一,是原始西天山五花草甸草原和野生珍稀动植物的基因库,建立喀拉峻自然保护区有深远的科学及生态经济价值。