Biodiversity and its fragility in Yunnan, China

In Yunnan, 8 major aspects of biodiversity and fragility in landforms, ecosystems, distribution populations, alien invasion, segregation, pollution and maladministration with various menace factors causing biodiversity loss have been described. It is revealed that the facts that the biodiversity and fragility coexists in this paper. Accordingly, 6 major countermeasures for effective conservation and rational utilization of the provincial biodiversity were suggested on the basis of the scientific development concepts, principles of nature protection, conservation biology, resource management and ethnobotany and present status in Yunnan with rich intangible resources such as climatic, ethnical and cultural diversity, etc.     

Maple Sugar Bush Management and Forest Biodiversity Conservation in Eastern Ontario, Canada

As in many parts of the world, rural and forest-dependent communities in Ontario are struggling with a variety of economic and demographic challenges. Ontario government ministries are seeking to enhance rural sustainable development while at the same time maintaining forest habitat and preventing forest biodiversity decline. Commercial maple sugar bushes, which in Eastern Ontario are typically family owned and operated, have the potential to play an important role in biodiversity conservation and habitat protection, while at the same time contributing to sustainable development. Existing research has shown the social and economic benefits of small scale maple sugar bushes, but room remains for greater study of the environmental impacts, particularly in terms of forest biodiversity. In this study, woodlot management practices on twenty-two sugar bushes in Eastern Ontario were compared against established forest biodiversity conservation guidelines, using information obtained through detailed interviews with operators. Sugar bush operators reported the presence of many important habitats on their properties. The interview results show that many standard sugar bush management practices are consistent with biodiversity conservation principles. Operators were found to be receptive to biodiversity conservation ideals, and could enhance their contribution to the provincial government’s official biodiversity strategy with additional guidance, incentives, and formal planning. The findings suggest that through sound management and planning, small scale commercial sugar bush operations generally can be made environmentally sustainable, and become important components in broader rural development strategies.     

Concepts and perceptions of biodiversity in community forestry,Nepal

International and national development programs in Nepal place high priority on management of forests for biodiversity. Communities are expected to embrace and cooperate in this endeavour for biodiversity conservation, yet little research has been carried out to understand community viewpoints on biodiversity conservation, or even to ascertain people’s understanding of the concept of biodiversity. This paper explores perceptions and concepts related to biodiversity and its conservation held by people involved in community forestry in Nepal. Data were obtained from in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions carried out in two contrasting geographical districts. The results show that the Western term ‘biodiversity’, translated into Nepalese as jaiwik bibidhata, is new and confusing to most forest people, who interpret the term in a variety of ways. People’s perceptions of biodiversity vary widely and a considerable gap exists between policy-makers and forest users in the understanding and interpretation of this Nepalese term and its related concepts. These findings have important implications for the design and implementation of development programs and in formulation of forest policy in Nepal.     

Using the high conservation value forest concept and Pareto optimization to identify areas maximizing biodiversity and ecosystem services in cork oak landscapes

Montados are silvo-pastoral systems, typical of the western Mediterranean Basin. When well managed, these ecosystems provide relevant ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. In the northern part of the Mediterranean Basin, cork oak areas are mainly privately owned and a source of income to landowners, chiefly through cork and livestock production. Sustainable use is essential to maintain the ecological sustainability and socio-economic viability of these ecosystems. Biodiversity conservation and non-provisioning ecosystem services may generate additional incentives promoting sustainable use and conservation of montados, but require adequate mapping and identification. The high conservation value forest (HCVF) framework allows systematic inventory of biodiversity and non-provisioning ecosystem services and is widely applied in forest ecosystems. Here we exemplify the application of HCVF to the cork oak landscape of southern Portugal using a WebGIS tool that integrates the HCVF framework, in conjunction with Pareto optimization, to identify areas important for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. We present a case study using threatened bird and reptile species, as examples of biodiversity attributes, and carbon storage and water recharge rate of aquifers, as examples of ecosystem services attributes. We identify those areas in a cork oak landscape of southern Portugal where biodiversity and ecosystem services attributes are optimized. These areas can be prioritized for implementing conservation mechanisms, such as payment for ecosystem services, to promote sustainable forest management.     

筇竹生物多样性保护地的社区共管对策研究——以大关县木杆镇银吉村为例

筇竹（Qiongzhuea tumidinoda）又称罗汉竹,属于国家三级保护的两个珍稀竹种之一,为西南地区所特有。其笋味鲜嫩,营养丰富,是云南省主要的出口和创汇土特产品之一。目前昭通地区大关县木杆镇银吉村每年打笋期大量打笋,增加其经济收入,导致当地筇竹林生长退化严重。通过对昭通市大关县木杆镇银吉村居民进行问卷调查和访谈,深入了解当地生活、经济、自然地理条件,根据实际情况初步提出了有利于筇竹林周边社区村民发展生产,又促进筇竹生物多样性保护的社区共管对策,为保护和发展筇竹资源,实现生态经济的可持续发展提供理论借鉴。     

全球野生动物资源可持续利用与贸易现状和启示

《濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约》（CITES）通过互惠协定和认证许可体系致力于管理物种跨国贸易,预防濒危物种因国际贸易而过度开发乃至灭绝,以保证自然资源的可持续性发展。基于CITES管理理念和野生动物资源保护与利用现状,文中讨论分析了野生动物资源可持续贸易面临的问题、物种可持续利用的有效实现方式、经济激励与促进民众生计、野生动物可持续发展的未来趋势等,提出了我国濒危野生动物资源可持续发展的启示建议,以期对我国野生动物资源保护与可持续利用政策制定提供参考。     

云南热区阔叶人工林可持续经营标准研究——生物多样性保护、生态安全及天然林保护

探讨了云南热区阔叶人工林可持续经营的生物多样性标准、生态安全标准及天然林保护标准及其指标。根据文献、试验及专题调研，提出生物多样性标准包括生物多样性集中地区或地段的保护、濒危物种保护、重要和特殊自然景观保护、具重要价值的林木种质资源保护、野生动物生境和栖息地保护5个具体指标，以及生态安全及天然林保护各两个指标，并计算了生物多样性指标。     

Biodiversity and the lexicon zoo

Ecologists and natural resource managers struggle to define and relate biodiversity, biocomplexity, ecological integrity, ecosystem services, and related concepts; to describe effects of disturbance dynamics on biodiversity; and to understand how biodiversity relates to resilience, resistance, and stability of ecosystems and sustainability of resource conditions. Further diversifying this “lexicon zoo” are the ecological roles of rare species and refugia, and measures of surrogates and indicators of biodiversity parameters. To impart order on this lexicon zoo, a “concept map” framework is suggested for clearly defining biodiversity parameters and related terms, relating biodiversity to ecosystem services and sustainability, describing how disturbance affects biodiversity, and identifying biodiversity parameters for management and monitoring. Many relations among these concepts are poorly understood in managed forest environments and are presented here as testable tenets.     

The role of biodiversity in Asian forests

Biodiversity in Asia is reviewed here from both scientific and socio-economic perspectives. Biodiversity in Asia has been very high, for historical and climatic reasons; however, this situation has been changing rapidly, due to population growth and economic development. The forest biodiversity in this region has both global and local value, yet it is seriously threatened. As natural capital, biodiversity functions in a variety of ways: production and regulation functions have global value, while habitat and information functions have social and cultural value, as well as local importance. Sustainable forest management is dependent on the regulatory functions of the ecosystem and biodiversity. Sometimes the functions of forests or biodiversity make conflict. Moreover, biodiversity has an information function related to sustainability via local knowledge and culture. Levin’s (1999) proposals are helpful as a conceptual framework for developing sustainable management for Asian forests.     

滇金丝猴栖息地植物多样性研究

采用路线调查与标准地调查相结合的方法,结合历史资料,对滇金丝猴栖息地的野生植物资源进行了实地野外调查研究,分析了植物多样性及其受威胁状况。结果表明:(1)栖息地具有丰富的植物物种多样性,有维管束植物217科789属3533种(含亚种、变种),其中,国家重点保护野生植物有117种;(2)该区植物区系成分具有复杂性、多样性,明显偏重于温带性质、且植物区系起源古老,有中国特有分布属90个,其中,古特有属59个;(3)该区具有丰富的植被类型,包括4个植被型组,10个植被型,47个群系,具有较高的保护和科研价值。同时针对栖息地植物多样性受威胁状况,提出了植被恢复、生态移民及社区共管是保护植物多样性的有效措施。     

1973～2003年中国林业生态足迹的研究

生态足迹是评价可持续发展能力重要指标之一,该方法自提出以来得到广泛关注和迅速应用。首先,本文分析了中国1973-2003年木材生产、进口和出口情况,结果表明,中国在1973-1995年期间木材生产呈明显波动变化趋势,1995年后呈现连续下降趋势;木材进口在1995年后特别是天然林保护工程实施后呈增长趋势,而木材出口在1995年后呈逐年下降趋势。然后,采用改进的生态足迹方法(即森林可持续产量法与森林实际生产法)计算了中国1973-2003年间的林业生态足迹(包括进口与出口林业生态足迹),分析表明,1978-1988年期间,实际生产法计算林地真实面积小于可持续产量法计算结果,而1989-2003年正相反,上述两种方法的计算结果均大于用全球产量计算的林业生态足迹。说明中国在1978-1988年间森林资源消耗量大于生长量,林业发展是不可持续的;1989年后森林资源消耗出现长大于消的局面,林业朝着可持续的方向发展,但同林业发达国家相比仍有较大的差距。最后,讨论了林业生态足迹与国家重要政策(包括外贸、经济与森林保护政策)的关系,并提出了减少林业生态足迹与增强林业可持续发展能力的几点建议。图3表1参31。     

Traditional perennial crop-based agroforestry in West Java: the tradeoff between on-farm biodiversity and income

Agroforestry systems have been re-evaluated with a renewed scientific interest as appropriate models for achieving sustainable production while maintaining planned and associated biodiversity and agroecosystem functioning. Traditional bamboo-tree gardens in West Java are known to play substantial ecological and socioeconomic roles. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the relationship between income generation and biodiversity by studying 83 bamboo-tree gardens that varied in species composition and degree of commercialization. We conducted a survey of the vegetation and interviewed the owners or managers of each plot. We identified 42 planned and utilized species and 19 associated non-use species. Eight vegetation groups were identified by two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), each of which varied in individual densities of different utilization species types, Simpson’s diversity index, management intensities, and potential annual gross income. The group with the highest potential income generation was dominated by clove trees (Syzygium aromaticum); however, this group also had a lower level of diversity and higher levels of management intensity than the other groups, but all of the pairwise groups were not significantly different. About 60% of the villagers used at least some fuelwood as a domestic energy source, and almost all of them collected fuelwood from bamboo-tree gardens regardless of ownership. There were no significant differences in density of potential fuelwood species among the vegetation groups. There were significant positive correlations between income and most management activities. The regression model between gross income and Simpson’s diversity index with the best fit was a unimodal curve, which strongly suggests that maximum diversity can be conserved at an intermediate level of income. Nevertheless, this intermediate level of gross income is probably not adequate as the primary source of income for garden owners, although some gardens had the potential to achieve higher income levels with no decline in diversity. We suggest that maximizing individual density and multistratifying canopy layers could improve profitability within perennial crop-based agroforestry systems in West Java.     

海南佳西省级自然保护区动植物资源探讨

通过对海南佳西省级自然保护区野生动植物资源进行调查,结果表明：佳西自然保护区有野生维管植物1399种,其中蕨类植物103种、裸子植物11种、被子植物1285种、属于海南特有植物62种,占海南特有种总数的12.3%;陆栖脊椎动物有198种,其中两栖动物20种、爬行动物25种、鸟类115种、哺乳动物38种。属于海南特有12种,占海南所有特有种总数的52.2%。该地区拥有丰富的野生动植物资源,建议进一步加强保护管理工作。     

Relationship and its ecological significance between plant species diversity and ecosystem function of soil conservation in semi-humid evergreen forests, Yunnan Province, China

In recent years, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability, productivity, and other ecosystem functions has been extensively studied by using theoretical approaches, experimental investigations, and observations in natural ecosystems; however, results are controversial. For example, simple systems were more stable than complex systems in theoretical studies, and higher productivity was observed in human-made ecosystems with poorer species composition, etc. The role of biodiversity in the ecosystem, such as its influence on sustainability, stability, and productivity, is still not understood. Because accelerated soil-erosion in various ecosystems has caused a decrease of primary productivity, a logical way used in the study of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function can be used to study the relationship between plant species diversity and soil conservation. In addition, biodiversity is a product of evolutionary history, and soil erosion is a key factor controlling the evolution of modern environment on the surface of the Earth. A study on the relationship between biodiversity and soil-erosion processes could help us understand the environmental evolution of Earth. Fifteen 10 m × 40 m standard runoff plots were established to measure surface runoff, soil erosion, and total P loss in different secondary communities of semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forests that varied in composition, diversity, and level of disturbance and soil erosion. The following five communities were studied: AEI (Ass. Elsholtzia fruticosa + Imperata cylindrical), APMO (Ass. Pinus yunnanensis + Myrsine africana + Oplismenus compsitus), APLO (Ass. Pinus yunnanensis + Lithocarpus confines + Oplismenus compsitus), AEME (Ass. Eucalyptus smith + Myrsine africana + Eupatorium adenophorum), and ACKV (Ass. Cyclobalanopsis glaucoides + Keteleeria evelyniana + Viola duelouxii). Tree density, the diameter of the tree at breast height, and the hygroscopic volume of plant leaves were determined in each plot. Results indicated that surface runoff, soil erosion, and total P loss decreased as a power function with increase in plant species diversity. Their average values for three years were 960.20 m³/(hm² · year), 11.4 t/(hm² · year), and 127.69 kg/(hm² · year) in the plot with the lowest species diversity, and 75.55 m³/(hm² · year), 0.28 t/(hm² · year), and 4.71 kg/(hm² · year) in the plot with the highest species diversity, 12, 50, and 25 times respectively lower compared with the lowest species diversity plots. The coefficients of variation of surface runoff, soil erosion, and total P loss also followed a power function with the increase of plant species diversity, and were 287.6, 534.21, and 315.47 respectively in the lowest species diversity plot and 57.93, 187.94, and 59.2 in the highest species diversity plot. Enhanced soil conservation maintained greater stability with increased plant species diversity. Plant individual density increased linearly and the canopy density and cross section at breast height increased logarithmically with the increase of plant species diversity. The hydrological function enhanced as the plant species diversity increased. There were obviously relationships between plant species diversity and rainfall interception, coverage, and plant individual density, which was related to soil conservation functions in the five forest communities. The complex relationships between plant species diversity and the above-mentioned ecological processes indicated that plant species diversity was an important factor influencing the interception of rainfall, reducing soil erosion and enhancing the stability of soil conservation, but its mechanism is not known. This experiment showed that plant species diversity promoted soil and nutrient conservation and ultimately lead to the increase of the primary productivity of the ecosystem, and was thus a good way to study the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Rainfall interception could be assessed easily using the hygroscopic volume of plant leaves. Because there were strong correlations between plant species diversity and soil conservation functions, the patterns of plant species diversity will show a certain level of predictability on the interactions of life systems with surface processes of the Earth. __________ Translated from Journal of Plant Ecology, 2006, 30(3): 392–403 [译自: 植物生态学报     

南非生物多样性保护措施及启示——以南非克鲁格国家公园为例

南非克鲁格国家公园是世界最大的野生动物保护区之一。文中在介绍克鲁格国家公园概况的基础上, 从水资源管理、物种管理、旅游开发管理3个方面分析生物多样性保护管理政策的制定与实施对园内生物多样性的影响, 并结合我国国情提出保护我国生物多样性的政策建议。     

浅议乡村生态旅游对生物多样性保护的影响及对策——以昆明金殿周边社区为例

生物多样性保护是乡村生态旅游业健康可持续发展的基础。文章以昆明金殿周边社区为例,在介绍当地乡村生态旅游现状的基础上,分析了乡村旅游中存在的自然水系遭到破坏、林下产品过度采摘、汽车和生活排污、外来物种入侵等对生物多样性的影响,据此提出了科学规划、生态修复、严格执法及环境监测、发展生态农业、开展环境意识教育等对策。     

Conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas of northwest China

In “West Development” of China, one of the most important activities is the Natural Forest Protection Program, designed to swiftly convert the focus of management and utilization of the natural forests from a timber orientation towards forest conservation, sustainable management and environmental protection. The project covered almost all the arid and semi-arid regions in Northwest region. Accompanying this great campaign this paper studied the conservation and restoration model of degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid lands in Northwest China. The past practices have resulted in considerably natural forest degradation and loss through land conversion (primarily for agriculture), over-harvesting, inadequate reforestation and lack of protection. The consequences have been the loss of soil and water resources, diminished timber production capacity on a sustainable basis, and environmental losses. This paper applied Aronson’s restoration model and proposed the conservation, restoration, re-allocation and preservation program for the implementation of environmental improvement and natural forest conservation.     

Bioinventory and documentation of traditional ecological knowledge of wild edible fruits of Kodagu-Western Ghats,India

Forty-five species of wild edible fruits were identified and traditional local knowledge of their usage was recorded in 40 villages of Kodagu district in Central Western Ghats, India one of the eight top hotspots of biodiversity in the world. We combined biodiversity inven-tory of trees with village interviews to record traditional ecological knowledge. Wild edible fruits were an opportunistic source of food for rural people. Wild edible fruits were rich in minerals, vitamins, carbohy-drates, proteins, fats and fiber. In recent years there has been a decline in numbers of wild fruit trees due to changes in land use from uncultivated private wooded area to cardamom and coffee cultivation. The availability of wild edible fruits that were once very common on private cultivated areas has declined and their distributions are now restricted more to jungles and wildlife sanctuaries. We propose methods for conservation and describe the need for sustainable utilization to provide supplemen-tary sources of nutritional and pharmaceutically useful edible wild fruits.     

我国野生动物保护工作的几个热点问题及解决措施

野生动物是生态系统中活跃的、引人注目的组成部分,具有重要的生态服务功能。建N50多年来,中国野生动物保护事业取得了长足发展,为人类与自然界的和谐相处及发展做出了重要贡献。当前在中国野生动物保护工作中出现一些新的热点及问题：野生动物疫源疫病监测、野生动物国际狩猎、药用濒危野生动物的保护、野生动物及其产品标志化管理、野生动物保护有关法律及制度的制定及完善,这些问题是国家野生动物保护事业中正在进行或亟待开展的工作。文章对这些问题进行详细综述,以期为国家野生动物保护工作提供资料。     

城市园林生态设计探讨

城市园林生态设计与城市园林生物多样性保护、景观资源的利用、生态服务功能的发挥等具有直接的关系，对园林的结构和功能具有非常重要的影响。探索生态设计的有效途径，是园林健康发展和发挥其服务功能的基础，也是生物多样性保护的重要内容。文中从园林的视觉景观形象、环境生态效应、大众行为心理适宜性等方面进行了生态设计的探讨，提出园林生态设计可以采取的策略和一些可操作的方法。