Participatory Planning of Interventions to Mitigate Human–Wildlife Conflicts

Abstract: Conservation of wildlife is especially challenging when the targeted species damage crops or livestock, attack humans, or take fish or game. Affected communities may retaliate and destroy wildlife or their habitats. We summarize recommendations from the literature for 13 distinct types of interventions to mitigate these human–wildlife conflicts. We classified eight types as direct (reducing the severity or frequency of encounters with wildlife) and five as indirect (raising human tolerance for encounters with wildlife) interventions. We analyzed general cause‐and‐effect relationships underlying human–wildlife conflicts to clarify the focal point of intervention for each type. To organize the recommendations on interventions we used three standard criteria for feasibility: cost‐effective design, wildlife specificity and selectivity, and sociopolitical acceptability. The literature review and the feasibility criteria were integrated as decision support tools in three multistakeholder workshops. The workshops validated and refined our criteria and helped the participants select interventions. Our approach to planning interventions is systematic, uses standard criteria, and optimizes the participation of experts, policy makers, and affected communities. We argue that conservation action generally will be more effective if the relative merits of alternative interventions are evaluated in an explicit, systematic, and participatory manner.     

Criteria for Evaluating the Condition of a Tropical Cyclone Warning System

This paper evaluates the condition (i.e. health) of a tropical cyclone warning system (TCWS) during a 'quiet period' between infrequent intense cyclones. Capacity to make pre-disaster evaluations is important--disaster warning systems need to be in sound condition before, not after, disaster. The research--part of the UK's International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction Flagship Programme--focuses upon an evaluatory method first used on flood warning systems. The Criteria-development Matrix comprises social, organisational and institutional criteria by which a TCWS may be assessed using a five-stage development scale. This method is used to evaluate Mauritius's TCWS using in-depth interview data. Ways to enhance the method and apply it to other disaster warning systems are discussed. The TCWS in Mauritius is a relatively sound one from which others can learn. Weaknesses requiring attention for Mauritius's TCWS to progress to an advanced level of development are identified.     

中国东部浅水湖泊沉积物总氮总磷基准阈值研究

受人类活动的影响,东部浅水湖泊沉积物中总氮、总磷负荷很高,当外来污染源得到控制时,底泥中的营养盐会逐渐释放出来,对湖泊水质与生态系统影响很大。为合理削减湖泊内源污染,控制沉积物中营养盐向上覆水体释放,研究制定东部浅水湖泊沉积物总氮、总磷基准阈值,分别测定了100个湖泊的896个表层沉积物样品和8个典型湖泊11个柱芯的沉积物总氮（TN）、总磷（TP）含量,分析了沉积物TN、TP浓度剖面分布特征。通过频度分布法对100个湖泊沉积物总氮总磷的污染状况进行评价,通过背景值比较法确定了8个典型湖泊沉积物的TN、TP背景值。结果表明,100个湖泊的表层沉积物TN浓度范围在479.70~5 573.65 mg·kg-1,TP浓度范围在248.44~1000.33 mg·kg-1,不同湖泊表层沉积物中TN、TP值差异较大。8个典型湖泊沉积物总氮、总磷含量整体上表现出随着深度增加而下降变化趋势,在深层沉积物中含量保持稳定。所调查8个湖泊TN均值为1443.83 mg·kg-1,变化范围为247.45~3719.46 mg·kg-1,各湖泊中TN均值表现为：沱湖〉焦岗湖〉花园湖〉七里湖〉北民湖〉大通湖〉城东湖〉瓦埠湖;TP均值为519.62 mg·kg-1,变化范围为225.41~1944.89 mg·kg-1,各湖泊中TP均值表现为：北民湖〉大通湖〉七里湖〉焦岗湖〉沱湖〉瓦埠湖〉城东湖〉花园湖。不同湖泊沉积物总氮、总磷背景值差异很大。通过对100个湖泊表层沉积物TN、TP的频度分析发现,沉积物营养盐含量上25%点位对应的TP质量浓度398.51mg·kg-1,TN质量浓度为1106.24 mg·kg-1,沉积物营养盐含量下25%点位对应的TP质量浓度664.58 mg·kg-1,TN质量浓度为2916.66 mg·kg-1。通过互相之间的比较分析,推荐采用背景值比较法确定的各湖泊沉积物总氮、总磷背景值均值与频度分步法25%点位对应的总氮值和40%点位对应的总磷值作为东部浅水湖泊沉积物总氮、总磷基准阈值。因此,?     

海水水质基准的研究方法与我国海水水质基准的构建(Methods of Deriving Marine Water Quality Criterion and Proposal for Establishment of National Marine Water Quality Criterion in China)

海水水质基准是制定相关海水水质标准的科学依据.论文概要介绍了美国、欧盟和荷兰等发达国家的海水水质基准研究方法体系,给出了关键计算模式、数据要求和定值方法.结合当前我国在海水水质基准研究方面的现状,借鉴国外水质基准研究经验,对我国海水水质基准的研究方法提出了构想,以期为我国开展海水水质基准的研究提供新思路.     

铝对水生生物的毒性与硬度的相关关系探讨

铝是一种金属元素,生物体内铝的含量很少。但铝在工业上的应用非常广泛,导致铝在水体、土壤以及各种水生及陆生动植物体内的含量不断升高,对生物体健康产生了一定风险。为了深入了解铝对我国水生生物的影响和生态风险,开展铝对水生生物毒性效应的研究工作是十分必要的。水体硬度对铝的生物毒性存在一定影响,但目前相关研究较少。本文以我国淡水生态系统为保护对象,收集和筛选了铝对淡水水生生物的毒性数据,同时对硬度与铝的毒性效应之间的关系进行了分析,结果显示铝对水生生物的毒性随水体硬度增加而降低,铝毒性与硬度相关关系的斜率为0.5600。通过硬度校正,采用物种敏感度分布法获得硬度为50 mg·L~(-1)时我国铝的短期基准值和长期基准值分别为294μg·L~(-1)和24μg·L~(-1)。研究结果可为铝的生态风险评估和污染控制提供理论基础     

Some criteria for assessing the state and dynamics of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations in the Russian part of the species range

The state of sea otter populations has been assessed by a comparative method using criteria such as the density of equilibrium populations (on Medny and Iturup islands), food supply, and effects of certain external factors. Optimal values of population density for larger islands have been calculated using the Arcview GIS 3.3 program. For the inhabited water area (from the shoreline to the 50-m isobath), they range from 3.1 to 3.4 ind./km². The composition of sea otter diet and its changes on the Commander Islands, Kuril Islands, and southern Kamchatka are analyzed. The diameter of eaten sea urchins is considered as a parameter characterizing the degree of colonization of living space by sea otters. It is concluded that the abundance of these animals in the Russian part of the species range may slightly increase in the future due to the growth of their populations on the southern and middle Kurils.     

频率分布法在淀山湖富营养化控制氮、磷基准制定中的应用

水质基准是制定水质标准的重要依据,以淀山湖为例,基于淀山湖25 a来的监测数据,通过数据分析的方法,探讨了在难于找到参照水体情况下水质基准的制定方法。根据淀山湖氮、磷变化趋势,并结合湖泊生态系统特征,初步可将1985～1996年淀山湖水质状态作为淀山湖富营养化控制的氮、磷基准制定参照状态。在参照状态的基础上,结合频率分布法,提出了淀山湖氮、磷的推荐基准值。建议TP的基准值为0080 mg/L。由于TN季节变化明显,TN基准值分为冬春季节与夏秋季节两个时期,建议TN冬春季节基准值为213 mg/L,夏秋季节基准值为077 mg/L。与太湖TP、TN推荐基准值相比,淀山湖推荐基准值高于太湖,综合考虑两个湖泊特征与营养物响应特征,该基准值仍然具有对淀山湖富营养化控制标准的制定具有科学性与指导性     

物种敏感度分布及其在生态毒理学中的应用(Species Sensitivity Distribution and Its Application in Ecotoxicology)

物种敏感度分布是一种基于单物种测试的外推方法,其在生态毒理学中的应用近年来已成为研究热点.论文阐述了物种敏感度分布在生态毒理学的应用背景,以及其基本内涵与研究步骤,同时介绍了物种敏感度分布在生态毒理学中应用的两个方面:制定污染物的环境质量标准和对污染生态系统的生态风险评价,并对物种敏感度分布的不确定性和研究的发展趋势进行了讨论.     

基于物种敏感性分布的保护海水水生生物的石油烃急性毒性基准研究

溢油污染对水生生物的危害以及分散剂使用对原油毒性的影响一直是溢油应急响应及危害评估时关注的焦点。本研究收集筛选了基于标准测试方法的90组急性毒性数据(LC50/EC50),其中37组毒性数据来自15种油品的水容纳组分(water accommodated fraction,WAF),53组来自11种化学分散剂与15种油品的分散液(chemically dispersed water accommodated fraction,CEWAF),应用物种敏感性分布(species sensitivity distribution,SSD)方法推导了基于水生生物保护的石油烃总量(total petroleum hydrocarbon,TPH)的急性毒性基准值,同时还分析了分散剂和不同暴露方式对原油毒性的影响。结果显示,以名义浓度(nominal concentrations)所表示的毒性结果可能高估分散剂对原油毒性的影响,基于CEWAF和WAF的LC50/EC50所推导的有害浓度(HC5s)差异较小,计算出的保护水生生物TPH急性毒性基准值为0.38 mg·L-1(TPH);鱼类对原油污染的响应明显敏感于甲壳类;同时证明了SSD方法在溢油毒性评估及风险阈值推导中具有可行性和合理性。     

利用生物转轴技术处理现河首站采油废水

针对胜利油田现河首站采油废水排放口的污染现状,提出了利用生物转轴技术处理采油废水。研究结果表明:现河首站采油废水污染严重且达标治理难度极大,采用传统物化处理工艺已不能使其处理达标。生物转轴技术具有技术上先进可行,处理效率高,处理成本低,可操作性强等多种优势,可使采油废水达标排放。