From Adaptive Management to Adjustive Management: A Pragmatic Account of Biodiversity Values

Abstract: The conservation of biodiversity poses an exceptionally difficult problem in that it needs to be effective in a context of double uncertainty: scientific (i.e., how to conserve biodiversity) and normative (i.e., which biodiversity to conserve and why). Although adaptive management offers a promising approach to overcome scientific uncertainty, normative uncertainty is seldom tackled by conservation science. We expanded on the approach proposed by adaptive‐management theorists by devising an integrative and iterative approach to conservation that encompasses both types of uncertainty. Inspired by environmental pragmatism, we suggest that moral values at stake in biodiversity conservation are plastic and that a plurality of individual normative positions can coexist and evolve. Moral values should thus be explored through an experimental process as additional parameters to be incorporated in the traditional adaptive‐management approach. As such, moral values should also be monitored by environmental ethicists working side by side with scientists and managers on conservation projects. Acknowledging the diversity of moral values and integrating them in a process of collective deliberation will help overcome the normative uncertainty. We used Dewey's distinction between adaptation and adjustment to offer a new paradigm built around what we call adjustive management, which reflects both the uncertainty and the likely evolution of the moral values humans attribute to biodiversity. We illustrate how this paradigm relates to practical conservation decisions by exploring the case of the Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), an alien species in France that is the target of an eradication plan undertaken with little regard for moral issues. We propose that a more satisfying result of efforts to control Sacred Ibis could have been reached by rerouting the traditional feedback loop of adaptive management to include a normative inquiry. This adjustive management approach now needs to be tested in real‐case conservation programs.     

Non-market values of forest biodiversity and the impact of informing the general public: Insights from generalized multinomial logit estimations

Apart from the ethical argument around trade-off that individuals have to make between monetary and non-monetary value, application of stated preference method was exposed to another criticism related to the complexity of biodiversity issue and the capacity of the general public to provide accurate responses to willingness to pay elicitation survey. This paper tests how providing information about the ecological processes underlying forest management scenarios affects public preferences and their valuation of biodiversity in publicly owned forest land in France. The generalized multinomial logit models applied to choice experiment data suggests that all respondents adopt the same heuristics based on easily visible aspects of forest landscape, to reveal their use and nonuse values of biodiversity. However, when they receive additional ecological information, only those who are familiar with the biodiversity concept, have awareness of issues at stake, and have a regular use of forest tend to attach higher values to less known biodiversity component (fallen deadwood in this case). The paper concludes that “mass media campaign” has to be completed by environmental literacy programs, to improve people’s awareness and understanding of what biodiversity means from ecological functioning, then making economic valuation a useful tool from a conservation perspective.     

Modeling a wetland system: The case of Keoladeo National Park (KNP), India

A model for the wetland part of KNP is presented and analyzed. Two-dimensional parameter scans suggest that this minimal model possesses dynamical complexities. Per capita availability of water to “bad” biomass (W₁) is one of the most vital parameters. One can ensure good health of the park by restricting the par capita availability of water to low values. Getting the “bad” biomass removed by granting permits to villagers should go hand in hand with water management and conservation activities. The model presented in this paper may be helpful in designing the timing and nature of human interventions in the form of implementation of well worked out policies in future.     

深圳市土地利用变化对生态服务功能的影响

选择深圳市为研究区域,基于1996、2000和2004年的土地利用类型图估算了深圳市生态服务价值,探讨了土地利用对生态服务功能的影响。结果表明:1996年深圳市生态系统服务总价值为277597×10⁴元,2000年为291141×10⁴元,2004年为254466×10⁴元。从1996到2004年生态系统服务价值共减少了23131×10⁴元,其中湿地和林地面积的减少是其主要原因。在各种土地利用类型中,林地、水体、湿地、园地产生的价值之和超过了总价值的90%。在各项服务功能中,水源涵养产生的价值最大,其次是废物处理,两者之和约占总价值的40%。从空间上来看,服务价值较高的地区主要分布在深圳市的东南和西南部,而服务价值较低的区域主要以中部为中心向周围扩散。     

高寒草甸不同土地利用格局土壤CO2的释放量

分析高寒草甸不同土地利用格局下土壤CO₂的释放量大小表明,在植物生长季的5～9月,土壤CO₂释放量大小排序为:金露梅灌丛草甸(1871.40g/m²)＞矮嵩草草甸(1769.63g/m²)＞退化金露梅灌丛草甸(1495.60g/m²)＞退化矮嵩草草甸(1191.26g/m²);而在植物非生长季的10月到翌年4月,其土壤CO₂释放量大小与植物生长季略有差异,表现出矮嵩草草甸(661.46g/m²)＞金露梅灌丛草甸(550.90g/m²)＞退化矮嵩草草甸(502.50g/m²)＞退化金露梅灌丛草甸(384.50g/m²)的特点;全年内表现为矮嵩草草甸(2431.09g/m²)＞金露梅灌丛草甸(2422.30g/m²)＞退化金露梅灌丛草甸(1880.10g/m²)＞退化矮嵩草草甸(1694.06g/m²).高寒草甸地区不同土地利用格局土壤CO₂释放数量的差异及季节变化,不仅与各利用格局的土壤生物活性及土壤物理化学性状有关,而且与气象条件(特别是温度)及其土壤冬季冻结期长短关系极为密切.     

On allegations of invasive species denialism

Science denialism retards evidenced-based policy and practice and should be challenged. It has been a particular concern for mitigating global environmental issues, such as anthropogenic climate change. But allegations of science denialism must also be well founded and evidential or they risk eroding public trust in science and scientists. Recently, 77 published works by scholars, scientists, and science writers were identified as containing invasive species denialism (ISD; i.e., rejection of well-supported facts about invasive species, particularly the global scientific consensus about their negative impacts). We reevaluated 75 of these works but could find no examples of refutation of scientific facts and only 5 articles with text perhaps consistent with one of the 5 characteristics of science denialism. We found, therefore, that allegations of ISD were misplaced. These accusations of science denialism may have arisen because invasion biology defines its subjects—invasive species—based on multiple subjective and normative judgments. Thus, more than other applied sciences its consensus is one of shared values as much as agreed knowledge. Criticisms of invasion biology have largely targeted those subjective and normative judgments and their global imposition, not the knowledge on which the discipline is based. Regrettably, a few invasion biologists have misinterpreted the critique of their values-based consensus as a denial of their science when it is not. To make invasion biology a more robust and widely accepted science and to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts, invasion biologists could be more accepting of perspectives originating from other disciplines and more open to values-based critique from scholars and scientists outside their field. This recommendation applies to all conservation sciences, especially those addressing global challenges, because these sciences must serve and be relevant to communities with an extraordinary diversity of cultures and values.     

水中无机氮形态变化对酮洛芬光降解的影响

研究了模拟太阳光照射下水环境中不同形态氮(NO₃^-、NO₂^-和NH₄⁺)对酮洛芬(KET)光解的影响.结果表明,KET在平均波长(200~450nm)下量子产率Φ_o为0.14. NO₃^-浓度从0.01mmol/L^-增至1.0mmol/L时, KET光解速率常数从0.0109降至0.0085; NO₂^-浓度从0.01mmol/L增至1.0mmol/L时, KET光解速率常数从0.0095降至0.0069, NH₄⁺对KET的光解基本无影响. NO₃^-的光掩蔽现象对KET光解的影响起主要作用; NO₂^-则通过光掩蔽现象和羟基自由基猝灭来抑制KET的光解.同时研究了当水环境中pE值发生变化而引起水中无机氮形态转化时,不同形态氮共存对KET光解的复合影响,随着pE值的增大,KET的光解速率先减小后增大;当NO₂^-和NH₄⁺共存时,两者对KET光解的影响存在拮抗作用,这一拮抗作用也存在于NO₂^-和NO₃^-之间.     

探讨富集因子背景值的选择

为探讨富集因子(EF)背景值的选择,利用黑龙江省甘南县大气降尘重金属元素数据,分别选用黑龙江省A层土壤环境、平均大陆地壳、大陆上地壳为背景,计算Cr、Mn、Ni、Pb、As、Cu、Zn的EF值.研究表明,采用平均大陆地壳和大陆上地壳元素丰度作为背景值时,Pb、Zn、As等元素的EF均值大于2,元素富集一定程度上与人为输入作用有关;采用黑龙江省A层土壤作为背景,As元素EF均值小于2,元素在大气中的富集主要为自然输入;通过相关性分析,As与Cr、Mn、Ni、Cu同为自然源,结果与选用黑龙江省A层土壤为背景时判别结果较一致.本文认为,导致不同背景值取得的EF值差异较大的原因为自然条件下元素的富集和亏损,采用区域土壤元素背景值能够较为准确地判断大气降尘中元素的主要来源.     

海洋贝类对HTO的吸收和结合态氚的形成动态

为了探明HTO在海洋环境中的行为,采用同位素示踪技术研究了5种海洋贝类对HTO的吸收和贝类组织中结合态氚的形成动态.结果显示:贝类组织中的氚以自由水氚(即HTO)和结合态氚形式存在,以自由水氚为主,其量占贝类中总氚比活度的97.4%以上,结合态氚的含量很低,仅占贝类中总氚比活度的0.4%～2.6%.海洋贝类对自由水氚的吸收速度非常快,仅2h有3种贝类(青蛤、紫贻贝和焦河蓝蛤)已达最大值.结合态氚的形成和积累随时间呈缓慢增长的趋势.富集系数(CF)值分析表明,海洋贝类对HTO没有明显的富集作用.     

太原市采暖期PM10中PAHs的碳同位素组成及源贡献率

在太原市7个点位采集采暖期PM10样品,用气相色谱-同位素质谱仪测定环境空气PM10和污染源(煤烟尘和机动车尾气)中9种多环芳烃(PAHs)的碳同位素组成(δ13C),并根据碳同位素质量平衡原理定量环境空气PAHs的源贡献率.结果表明:煤烟尘中PAHs随环数增加贫13C,机动车尾气中PAHs随环数增加富13C;各点位PAHs的δ13C值差别不大,变化趋势与煤烟尘基本一致,煤烟尘是城市PAHs的主要污染源;煤烟尘对各点位荧蒽和苯并[a]蒽的贡献率都大于机动车尾气,对 的贡献率与机动车尾气相当,煤烟尘是各点位荧蒽和苯并[a]蒽的主要来源, 是二者共同作用的结果;煤烟尘和机动车尾气对全市环境空气中荧蒽、苯并[ghi]荧蒽、苯并[a]蒽和苯并[b+k]荧蒽贡献率比都约为7:3,太原市环境空气PAHs污染属于煤烟尘和机动车尾气的复合污染.