The Brown Trout Population at Loch Fleet Eight Years After Liming

Abstract

At the start of the Loch Fleet Project in 1984, the Loch and the upper 7 km of its efferent stream were found to be devoid of trout (Salmo trutta) as a result of acidification. Following the liming treatments applied to the catchment, from 1986 the formerly toxic water quality conditions (pH ～ 4.5, calcium ～ 1 mgl^?1, elevated aluminium and heavy metal levels) were eliminated, and trout were reintroduced on two occasions, in 1987 and 1988. A total of 520 fish were stocked, at a combined density equivalent to 5.5 kg ha^?1. Surveys of the loch and stream populations were carried out annually until 1993 to monitor their development, using a range of techniques, including electrofishing, gill-netting, seine-netting, spawner trapping and mark-release recapture methods. Length and scale- analysis were used to investigate fish growth.

The trout population in Loch Fleet expanded rapidly as a result of natural spawning in the loch's main feeder stream, augmented by the use of an artificial spawning bed which was constructed at the loch outlet in 1990. in mid-1983 the stock density, estimated by mark-recapture census methods, had increased to 24.9 kg ha^?1. Poor recruitment in the years 1991–93, however, reduced the rate of expansion and resulted in a population comprising mainly older individuals. the poor recruitment in these years was not fully explained but was not caused by water quality and was most likely a result of fry washout by spring spates.

Fish growth rates were high initially and were estimated on the basis of the Elliott trout growth model to be optimal for the prevailing water temperature regime of the loch. By 1991, growth rates had fallen, probably as a result of competition for food, but showed signs of recovery towards the end of the study period in 1993, following the period of lower population densities of young fish.

Trout rapidly repopulated the loch's outlet stream after 1987 but have remained sparse and have shown no signs of spawning within most of the stream. Water analyses have shown that the liming of the Loch Fleet catchment has minimal impact on downstream waters when flows are high, so that potentially toxic acid episodes have not been prevented.     

The spatial nexus between population growth and land degradation in a dry Mediterranean region: a rapidly changing pattern?

A better understanding of the spatial linkage between the distribution of land vulnerable to degradation and long-term population growth may contribute to sustainable land management of dry regions. Such a nexus has received increasing attention among politicians and local stakeholders, as its complex outcomes depend on mutual interactions between socioeconomic and biophysical factors. This is particularly true in southern Europe, where important processes of land degradation (LD) have been observed in recent years. This paper analyses population growth (1871–2007) in southern Italy and questions its relationship with the level of land vulnerable to degradation. Results indicate that vulnerable lands were more likely associated with areas where population growth has determined environmental pressures on coastal areas and the neighbouring lowlands during 1950–1980. This pattern consolidated the socioeconomic polarisation between core and peripheral areas. Since the 1980s, however, southern Italy has experienced a phase of polycentric development, possibly determining a ‘decoupling’ between population density and land vulnerability to degradation. Population increased in moderately vulnerable areas but decreased in highly vulnerable areas. The policy implications of these results are discussed.     

Ecological processes and sustainability

SUMMARY

Ecology has developed from its position as an obscure science to being at the interface of science and public policy. The impact of mankind can be described in ecological terms relating to population size, energy use and non-renewability. Sustainable development needs to be addressed on the basis of knowledge of ecological processes which maintain the environment in a state of change; the processes need to be conserved, not maintained in any particular state. Recent advances in the understanding of ecological processes are reviewed to highlight the potential contribution of this knowledge to the development of a sustainable policy. At the level of the population the significance of considering the extinction risks in the framework of spatio-temporal dynamics is now established indicating opportunities for planning land use more precisely to sustain biodiversity. Whilst the maintenance of habitats is generally the key to the persistence of biodiversity, they must be viewed as ever-changing mosaics within which cycles of succession, best described by Markovian sets of probabilities, are occurring continually. The extent to which these probabilities are distorted will determine whether the ecosystem returns to the same system or moves to a novel one. At the global level, biogeochemical cycles have a certain flexibility in relation to fluxes and stocks, hence pollution must be defined by relating the flow rate of the substance to this flexibility, which often permits the accommodation of anthropogenic perturbations. Non-sustainable processes can be defined in ecological terms, thus providing functional definitions of a sustainable policy and of sustainable development.     

森林净生态系统生产力及其生物影响因子研究进展

在全球大气二氧化碳浓度上升的背景下,陆地生态系统碳循环及碳汇功能研究得到了广泛的关注,日益成为今后的政治和外交的重大议题之一.净生态系统生产力(net ecosystem production, NEP)是生态系统光合固定的碳与生态系统呼吸损失的碳之间的差值;或者为生态系统净的碳积累速率.NEP 的研究整合生态系统地上和地下部分,把生态系统碳循环的影响因子有机地联系了起来.当NEP为正值时,说明生态系统为碳汇,NEP为负值则表明生态系统为碳源.随着植物和土壤相互联系及其对生态系统过程研究的深入,NEP已经成为生态系统碳循环研究的核心概念之一.以森林NEP为出发点,综述了国内外的最近的 NEP 研究进展,分析了 NEP 研究的科学意义;探讨了植物群落组成/生物多样性、土壤微生物群落、大型/土壤动物和人为的管理或干扰等生物因子对NEP的影响.根据综述研究提出未来研究应在:(1)土壤生物过程、土壤食物网及其与地上部分植物/动物相互作用对NEP的影响;(2)自然林生物多样性的竞争/共存机制与生态系统碳吸存稳定性;(3)人工林固碳潜力和不同植物功能群(灌草层)对生态系统碳动态影响等方面加强,以期为全面认识生物因子对森林生态系统系统固碳现状、机制和潜力提供理论基础.     

Protected areas as frontiers for human migration

Causes of human population growth near protected areas have been much debated. We conducted 821 interviews in 16 villages around Budongo Forest Reserve, Masindi district, Uganda, to explore the causes of human migration to protected areas and to identify differences in forest use between migrant and nonmigrant communities. We asked subjects for information about birthplace, migration, household assets, household activities, and forest use. Interview subjects were categorized as nonmigrants (born in one of the interview villages), socioeconomic migrants (chose to emigrate for economic or social reasons) from within Masindi district (i.e., local migrants) and from outside the Masindi district (i.e., regional migrants), or forced migrants (i.e., refugees or internally displaced individuals who emigrated as a result of conflict, human rights abuses, or natural disaster). Only 198 respondents were born in interview villages, indicating high rates of migration between 1998 and 2008. Migrants were drawn to Budongo Forest because they thought land was available (268 individuals) or had family in the area (161 individuals). A greater number of regional migrants settled in villages near Lake Albert than did forced and local migrants. Migration category was also associated with differences in sources of livelihood. Of forced migrants 40.5% earned wages through labor, whereas 25.5% of local and 14.5% of regional migrants engaged in wage labor. Migrant groups appeared to have different effects on the environment. Of respondents that hunted, 72.7% were regional migrants. Principal component analyses indicated households of regional migrants were more likely to be associated with deforestation. Our results revealed gaps in current models of human population growth around protected areas. By highlighting the importance of social networks and livelihood choices, our results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of causes of migration and of the environmental effects of different migrant groups.     

威海荣成鹿角菜野生种群遗传多样性及资源保护策略

利用随机扩增多态性DNA（RAPD）方法对威海荣成地区鹿角菜（Silvetiasiliquosa）野生种群共30个个体的遗传多样性水平及遗传结构进行研究。结果表明,利用21条随机引物共检测到112个多态性位点,多态性位点百分率为93．75％,Nei基因多样性指数为0．3515±0．1352,Shannon多样性指数为0．5046±0．1126。通过聚类分析而划为一类的3个亚种群间的遗传分化指数为0．1349～0．2189,基因流为1．7793。研究结果表明威海荣成地区的鹿角菜种群遗传多样性较高,种群内存在较为明显的遗传分化,种群遗传资源不受遗传漂变的影响。针对当地鹿角菜遗传资源的现状,应加强现存种群的就地保护,恢复种群规模;进行取样养殖保护时则需避免因近交而造成种群资源退化。     

江西九连山阔叶林雪灾后主要树种残存量的恢复时间

2008年初的南方冰雪灾害对江西九连山自然保护区常绿阔叶林生态系统造成了巨大损失.对受灾4 hm2样地中的1 5901株林木(DBH≥1 cm)进行了统计分析,其中对枫香、马尾松、米槠、木荷、拟赤杨、丝栗栲这6个代表树种进行了残存率恢复研究.结果显示:6种植物残存率为木荷>拟赤杨>米槠>枫香>马尾松>丝栗栲;恢复时间为枫香>丝栗栲>马尾松>木荷>米槠和拟赤杨.恢复时间最长的为枫香(33年),最短的为米槠和拟赤杨(15年左右),种群恢复到受灾前.同时对残存率和恢复时间的关系进行了Logistic非线性曲线模拟.样地中植物种群残存率恢复时间由受灾状况和物种生长速度决定,采用Logistic模型拟合的相关度非常显著.     

厌氧氨氧化工艺的抑制现象

厌氧氨氧化(Anammox)工艺因其高效低耗优势,在废水生物脱氮领域中具有广阔的应用前景.然而,基质、有机物、盐度、重金属、磷酸盐及硫化物等物质对Anammox工艺产生的抑制作用制约了工艺的推广应用.基质主要通过游离氨和游离亚硝酸对Anammox产生抑制,而温度和pH是基质抑制的重要调控参数.非致毒性有机物对Anammox的作用因其种类跟浓度而异.在较低的浓度条件下对Anammox的抑制作用不显著,而高于抑制阈值将严重抑制Anammox.其抑制机制尚无定论.部分研究证明致毒性有机物(醇、醛、酚及抗生素等)对Anammox具有抑制作用,但研究有待拓展深化.超过抑制阈值的盐度会抑制Anammox活性,但合适的盐度(3~15 g L-1NaCl)却能够促进Anammox生物颗粒的形成.重金属对Anammox的抑制报道较少.因试验条件及菌种等的差异使得磷酸盐及硫化物对Anammox的抑制在不同试验中存在很大差异.Anammox抑制是可控的,通过pH和温度调节、基质浓度及负荷控制、污泥驯化以及添加辅助剂等方法可解除或缓解抑制.建议今后在特种废水的Anammox脱氮、复合抑制以及Anammox抑制的分子生态学机理等方面开展深入研究.     

粤北2座饮用水源地水库的富营养化与浮游植物群落动态

粤北地区的水库以山地型水库为主,其中有不少担负着饮用水源的功能。为了解粤北地区水源地水库的富营养化状态与浮游植物种群的动态变化,于2011年的枯水期（2―3月）和丰水期（6―7月）对花山和白水礤2座中型水库进行了采样调查,对水库的营养盐和浮游植物种群进行了分析。结果表明：2座水库均为贫营养型;浮游植物在枯水期和丰水期的种类变化不大,共鉴定出的浮游植物6门37种（属）,以硅藻为主要优势种群,优势种为小环藻（Cyclotella sp.）和颗粒直链藻（Melosira granulata）。同时,枯水期和丰水期2座水库浮游植物的丰度和生物量都比较低,其值分别为0.65×106～1.95×106cells.L-1、0.11 mg.L-1和0.73×106～8.9×106cells.L-1、0.05～0.50 mg.L-1。在浮游植物种群动态中,2座水库浮游植物丰度和生物量的季节变化主要表现为硅藻丰度和生物量的变化,低浓度的氮、磷营养盐限制是影响这2座贫营养水库浮游植物动态变化主要因素。     

我国削减并逐步替代全氟辛烷磺酸盐(PFOS)的策略与建议

全氟辛烷磺酸盐(PFOS)具有低表面张力、良好的热稳定性和化学稳定性等特性,作为含氟表面活性剂被广泛应用于卫生、消防与电镀等工业领域。但是,PFOS具有高持久稳定性,会在环境、人体与动物组织中富集,因此2009年《斯德哥尔摩公约》将PFOS列为新增POPs受控物质。目前,我国还在生产和使用PFOS,如何对其进行有效控制,削减并逐渐替代PFOS及其衍生物,是我国面临的巨大挑战。在介绍了PFOS的生产与应用现状基础上,结合其替代技术,提出了削减和逐步替代PFOS的策略。