A simulation model for projecting changes in salinity concentrations and species dominance in the coastal margin habitats of the Everglades

Sharp boundaries typically separate the salinity tolerant mangroves from the salinity intolerant hardwood hammock species, which occupy the similar geographical areas of southern Florida. Evidence of strong feedback between tree community-type and the salinity of the unsaturated (vadose) zone of the soil suggests that a severe disturbance that significantly tilts the salinity in the vadose zone might cause a shift from one vegetation type to the other. In this study, a model based upon the feedback dynamics between vegetation and salinity of the vadose zone of the soil was used to take account of storm surge events to investigate the mechanisms that by which this large-scale disturbance could affect the spatial pattern of hardwood hammocks and mangroves. Model simulation results indicated that a heavy storm surge that completely saturated the vadose zone at 30 ppt for 1 day could lead to a regime shift in which there is domination by mangroves of areas previously dominated by hardwood hammocks. Lighter storm surges that saturated the vadose zone at less than 7 ppt did not cause vegetation shifts. Investigations of model sensitivity analysis indicated that the thickness of the vadose zone, coupled with precipitation, influenced the residence time of high salinity in the vadose zone and therefore determined the rate of mangrove domination. The model was developed for a southern Florida coastal ecosystem, but its applicability may be much broader.     

Mass balanced and dynamic simulations of trophic models of kelp ecosystems near the Mejillones Peninsula of northern Chile (SE Pacific): Comparative network structure and assessment of harvest strategies

Mass balanced trophic models for kelp ecosystems which include subsystems dominated by Macrocystis integrifolia, Lessonia trabeculata and areas of barren ground (BG) were constructed for subtidal areas near the Mejillones Peninsula (SE Pacific), Chile. Information on biomass, P/B ratios, catches, food spectrum, consumption and dynamics of commercial and non-commercial populations was obtained and examined using Ecopath with Ecosim software analyses. The biomass of blades of L. trabeculata and M. integrifolia represented the compartments most relevant to the subsystems studied. Within the herbivores, the sea urchin Tetrapigus niger was dominant, followed by the snails Turritella sp. and Tegula sp. The fishes Pinguipes chilensis and Cheilodactylus variegatus were the dominant predators, followed by the asteroids Heliaster helianthus and Meyenaster gelatinosus. The highest system throughput (72,512 g wet weight m⁻² year⁻¹) was calculated for the subsystem dominated by M. integrifolia. The mean trophic level of the catch ranged from 1.1 (subsystem dominated by L. trabeculata) to 1.3 (subsystem dominated by M. integrifolia) to 3.2 (barren ground subsystem), showing that harvesting in each system was concentrated either on primary producers (blades of kelp species) or top predator fishes. Although the values for the Relative Ascendency (A/C) fluctuated from 36.5 to 45%, suggesting that all the systems were immature, the subsystem dominated by M. integrifolia emerged as the least resistant to external disturbances (e.g. fisheries). This result agreed with the high value of the system recovery time (SRT) for the M. integrifolia subsystem as a response to combined fisheries scenarios. The results obtained using mixed trophic impact (MTI) and Ecosim [increasing the fishing mortality F_i by 4×] showed that in most of the cases the predictions had the same qualitative tendencies. One of the most important results obtained in this study was that exploitation of kelp blades as an alternative strategy to harvesting the whole plants appeared to be ecologically sustainable, since harvesting the blades propagated only small effects on the entire subsystem. The fish P. chilensis may be considered as a top predator species with a strong top-down control since an increase in its fishing mortality in the subsystem dominated by M. integrifolia produced a high SRT value, and the F_MSY was less than the originally entered F_i in Ecopath. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the trophic mass balanced models and simulated management scenarios offered good possibilities for the planning of interventions and manipulations or the planning of more sustainable management strategies in highly disturbed natural systems.     

An occupancy‐based quantification of the highly imperiled status of desert fishes of the southwestern United States

Desert fishes are some of the most imperiled vertebrates worldwide due to their low economic worth and because they compete with humans for water. An ecological complex of fishes, 2 suckers (Catostomus latipinnis, Catostomus discobolus) and a chub (Gila robusta) (collectively managed as the so‐called three species) are endemic to the U.S. Colorado River Basin, are affected by multiple stressors, and have allegedly declined dramatically. We built a series of occupancy models to determine relationships between trends in occupancy, local extinction, and local colonization rates, identify potential limiting factors, and evaluate the suitability of managing the 3 species collectively. For a historical period (1889–2011), top performing models (AICc) included a positive time trend in local extinction probability and a negative trend in local colonization probability. As flood frequency decreased post‐development local extinction probability increased. By the end of the time series, 47% (95% CI 34‐61) and 15% (95% CI 6‐33) of sites remained occupied by the suckers and the chub, respectively, and models with the 2 species of sucker as one group and the chub as the other performed best. For a contemporary period (2001?2011), top performing (based on AIC_c) models included peak annual discharge. As peak discharge increased, local extinction probability decreased and local colonization probability increased. For the contemporary period, results of models that split all 3 species into separate groups were similar to results of models that combined the 2 suckers but not the chub. Collectively, these results confirmed that declines in these fishes were strongly associated with water development and that relative to their historic distribution all 3 species have declined dramatically. Further, the chub was distinct in that it declined the most dramatically and therefore may need to be managed separately. Our modeling approach may be useful in other situations in which targeted data are sparse and conservation status and best management approach for multiple species are uncertain.     

Optimizing conservation in species-specific agricultural landscapes

Recovery of grassland birds in agricultural landscapes is a global imperative. Agricultural landscapes are complex, and the value of resource patches may vary substantially among species. The spatial extent at which landscape features affect populations (i.e., scale of effect) may also differ among species. There is a need for regional-scale conservation planning that considers landscape-scale and species-specific responses of grassland birds to environmental change. We developed a spatially explicit approach to optimizing grassland conservation in the context of species-specific landscapes and prioritization of species recovery and applied it to a conservation program in Kentucky (USA). We used a hierarchical distance-sampling model with an embedded scale of effect predictor to estimate the relationship between landscape structure and abundance of eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), field sparrows (Spizella pusilla), and northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). We used a novel spatially explicit optimization procedure rooted in multi-attribute utility theory to design alternative conservation strategies (e.g., prioritize only northern bobwhite recovery or assign equal weight to each species’ recovery). Eastern meadowlarks and field sparrows were more likely to respond to landscape-scale resource patch adjacencies than landscape-scale patch densities. Northern bobwhite responded to both landscape-scale resource patch adjacencies and densities and responded strongly to increased grassland density. Effects of landscape features on local abundance decreased as distance increased and had negligible influence at 0.8 km for eastern meadowlarks (0.7–1.2 km 95% Bayesian credibility intervals [BCI]), 2.5 km for field sparrows (1.5–5.8 km 95% BCI), and 8.4 km for bobwhite (6.4–26 km 95% BCI). Northern bobwhites were predicted to benefit greatly from future grassland conservation regardless of conservation priorities, but eastern meadowlark and field sparrow were not. Our results suggest similar species can respond differently to broad-scale conservation practices because of species-specific, distance-dependent relationships with landscape structure. Our framework is quantitative, conceptually simple, customizable, and predictive and can be used to optimize conservation in heterogeneous ecosystems while considering landscape-scale processes and explicit prioritization of species recovery.     

长三角地区人口密度模型及增长模式:1982～2010

基于熵值法对上海、南京和杭州影响力进行综合评价,运用Arc GIS点距离工具测算各空间单元到沪宁杭的距离,然后借鉴重力模型,将长三角地区划分为以上海、南京和杭州为中心的3个城市经济区,并进行区域人口密度模型拟合。相比线性、指数和乘幂模型,对数模型能更好地拟合经济区内各县、县级市或市辖区人口密度与其到各自经济区中心距离的关系。而相比上述基础模型,基于基础模型的二次模型拟合的判定系数更高,拟合效果更好。其中,对数二次模型拟合的判定系数最高,且明显优于基础模型。基于对数二次模型的人口密度变动的空间差异,沪、宁、杭经济区增长模式可以总结为"强向心集聚"和"近域扩散",但不同区域不同时段增长模式存在差异。     

基于时间序列MODIS数据的贵州省森林物候地域分异

森林物候是气候与环境变化的重要指示器,对于陆地植被生态环境监测具有重要的意义。以2011～2013年的MODIS NDVI(归一化植被指数)为时间序列数据,采用Savizky-Golay(S-G)滤波平滑和动态阀值法,提取出贵州省2012年森林物候的生长起始日期(SOS)、生长结束日期(EOS)、生长季长度(LOS)和生长季振幅(AOS)4个参数,分别将提取的森林物候参数与经度、纬度和海拔做相关性分析。研究结果显示:(1)贵州省森林物候参数与纬度相关性整体较弱,因此贵州省森林物候纬度地带性地域分异的不显著;(2)贵州省森林物候生长起始期、生长季长度与经度呈极显著相关,而森林物候生长结束期与经度呈低度相关,整体上贵州省森林物候参数海陆(经度)地带性地域分异显著;(3)贵州省森林物候生长起始期、生长结束期与海拔呈显著相关,而森林物候生长季长度与海拔呈极显著相关,因此贵州省森林物候参数垂直(海拔)地带性地域分异的十分显著。     

Linking China’s emissions trading pilot schemes

All seven emissions trading pilots in China operate independently. One challenge facing most of them is the low inclusion thresholds for enterprises and the few total covered emissions, which negatively influences the effects of the emissions trading systems (ETSs). Some pilot sites, such as Guangdong, Hubei, Tianjin and Beijing, have indicated their willingness to link their schemes with others. ETS linking could expand scheme coverages and therefore help to reduce the overall costs of achieving the linked schemes’ emissions control targets. Linking could also help to address the issues of carbon leakage and reduce price fluctuations. The potential benefits and feasibility of linking different pilot systems are analyzed in this article. The seven pilot regions are at different stages of social and economic development, with significant differences in total emissions and emissions structures as well as carbon abatement potentials and costs. Through linking, more-developed regions such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, which are typically considered to face higher mitigation costs, will have the opportunity to achieve their emissions control targets by purchasing carbon units from less-developed regions, which will earn financial revenues from selling the units. To realize this win-win result, a series of policy and technical barriers at both the central government and pilot government levels needs to be overcome. Establishing a unified national emissions trading market would appear to be the ideal solution to these challenges, but it will take considerable time and will not be the short-term solution. In the absence of a unified national scheme, it is recommended that the central government encourage pilot schemes to link, that it develops corresponding national policies to support the linking efforts and that the pilot schemes that are intended to be linked coordinate on certain design elements. Based on the coordinating need, the major elements of an ETS can be divided into four categories: elements that need mutual recognition (cap setting and allowance allocation methods); elements that should be completely identical (compliance mechanisms, price containment measures, banking and borrowing rules, and offset mechanisms); technical elements that are preferably identical and easy to coordinate (MRV standards, technical registry standards); and elements that require no coordination (coverages and scopes).     

气候变化对中国夏季臭氧影响

气象条件对近地层臭氧(O₃)的生成有重要影响.为了探讨未来气候变化如何影响中国不同地区的O₃浓度,本研究将全球耦合模式比较计划CMIP5提供的CESM地球系统模式的气候预测数据作为WRF区域气象模式的初始边界条件,降尺度模拟了3种代表情景(RCP4.5、 RCP6.0和RCP8.5)下的未来2046～2055年夏季气候变化情况,并驱动CMAQ区域空气质量模式模拟气候变化对O₃的影响.结果表明,气候变化使中国夏季边界层高度、温度均值和高温天数增加,相对湿度有所降低,近地面风速无明显变化.在气象要素的共同影响下,O₃浓度在京津冀、四川和华南等地区呈现增加趋势,O₃每日最大8 h滑动平均(MDA8)极值在不同情景下增幅为：RCP8.5(0.7μg·m^-3)>RCP6.0(0.3μg·m^-3)>RCP4.5(0.2μg·m^-3).夏季MDA8超标日变化与高温天数变化有较为相似的分布,MDA8超标的发生与高温天...     

基于多层线性模型的铝合金大气腐蚀规律研究

目的 针对不同地区铝合金大气腐蚀差异性和样本数据利用不充分的问题,构建精度更高的铝合金大气腐蚀模型,研究铝合金在不同环境中的大气腐蚀规律。方法 基于多层线性模型,构建具备层次结构的腐蚀率模型。以某型号铝合金腐蚀数据为研究对象,逐步建立零模型、随机系数回归模型、完整模型探究大气腐蚀规律,并进行预测评估。结果 通过交叉验证进行模型评估,多层线性模型(MSE=0.001 3)优于幂函数回归(MSE=0.005 5),远优于线性回归(MSE=0.031 6),模型预测精度提升。多层线性模型能有效分解总方差,增强了模型的可解释性。结论 多层线性模型有效结合铝合金腐蚀数据区域差异性特征,能表征大气腐蚀规律,具有一定的实用价值。     

济南市背景区域大气PM2.5污染特征及其对能见度的影响

为研究背景地区大气PM_(2. 5)化学组分季节变化特征及对能见度的影响,本研究于2016年春、夏、秋、冬在济南市七星台采集大气PM_(2. 5)样品,分析其中水溶性离子组分及OC、EC的污染特征并研究其区域传输贡献.结果表明,NH_4~+、SO_4~(2-)和NO_3~-三者之和占年均离子总浓度的90. 24%,二次生成的水溶性无机离子污染较为严重. NO_3~-/SO_4~(2-)呈现出明显的冬高夏低的季节性变化特征.各季节的SO_4~(2-)和NH_4~+主要以(NH4)2SO4结合的形式存在. SOC/OC的范围是21. 17%～54. 21%,表明该地区存在较为严重的二次有机污染.四季SOR值均大于0. 1,显示本区域四季均有SO_4~(2-)的二次生成,四季NOR的值均高于SOR,可知NO2的二次转化强于SO2的二次转化.大气消光系数(Bext)的范围是172. 68～320. 61 Mm-1,年均值为256. 48Mm-1,大气消光系数呈现明显的夏低冬高的季节性趋势.后推气流轨迹显示七星台地区春、夏季主要受长距离传输和海洋源的影响,秋、冬季主要受局地源的影响.对比2008年济南市大气PM_(2. 5)污染特征研究,结果显示机动车对大气环境影响显著提升.