平潭主岛陆相区域景观格局动态变化分析

运用景观生态学的理论和方法,以平潭综合实验区主岛陆相区域为研究对象,利用1996年、2002年、2008年3个时相遥感影像为主要数据源,分析了与防护林关系密切的土地利用类型的景观格局指数,以期为平潭防护林乃至区域生态建设提供参考依据。结果表明:研究区景观格局呈现进一步破碎的趋势,与平潭经济社会发展的趋势一致;建筑用地、农用地等与林地关系密切的土地利用方式各项景观格局指数变化较强烈。最后从维护海岛生态安全的角度提出了4点建议。     

滩涂互花米草除治技术研究

针对福建沿海滩涂外来物种互花米草疯长成灾问题,通过使用滩涂米草除控剂、种植秋茄等方法对互花米草进行除治技术研究,结果表明:在4-7月退潮后,用滩涂米草除控剂300-400 g稀水10 kg液均匀喷湿互花米草茎叶,2个月后叶枯根烂,次年4月下旬在除草迹地插植秋茄胚轴,幼树长势良好,为建设海峡西岸滩涂绿色屏障提供技术支撑.     

Decomposition processes in coastal lagoons and their implications for the assessment of ecological health

1. Aside from structural indicators, functional indicators have been suggested as a tool for assessing the health of transitional water ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the potential for the use of plant litter decomposition as a functional indicator of ecosystem health in coastal lagoons.
2. A field experiment was conducted to assess the decomposition rate of Ruppia maritima enclosed in coarse and fine mesh litterbags and incubated in 10 Mediterranean coastal lagoons that conform to a gradient of ecological status produced by anthropogenic impacts as determined by a structural quality index.
3. The microbial decomposition rate in fine mesh litterbags increased linearly along the ecological gradient. However, this relationship was not observed for the overall decomposition rate in coarse mesh bags.
4. Decomposition rates in coarse mesh bags were negatively related to macroinvertebrate diversity, indicating that, in transitional habitats, such as coastal lagoons, high biodiversity is not a prerequisite for successful ecosystem functioning.
5. The results suggest that functional indicators, such as the microbial litter decomposition process, should be used in addition to structural ones to detect anthropogenic‐derived environmental perturbations in coastal lagoons.

     

Shedding light on the migratory patterns of the Amazonian goliath catfish,Brachyplatystoma platynemum,using otolith 87Sr/86Sr analyses

1. In the Amazon, migratory catfishes of the genus Brachyplatystoma are apex predators that are important for fisheries and conservation. The life cycle of Brachyplatystoma platynemum Boulenger, 1898 is poorly known, although it has been hypothesized to be very similar to that of Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii Castelnau, 1855, which uses the entire length of the Amazon basin to complete its life cycle (from the Andes to the estuary). This study provides the first data on the migratory patterns of B. platynemum at the individual level using otolith microchemistry.
2. In total, 94 individuals were sampled close to major breeding areas in the Amazon basin (78 fish from the middle and upper Madeira River and 14 fish from the upper Amazon), and their lifetime movements were assessed by measuring variations in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr along transverse sections of their otoliths (ear stones), using laser ablation multi‐collector mass spectrometry (LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS).
3. The migrations of B. platynemum are not as extensive as those of B. rousseauxii, and do not involve natal homing. Furthermore, the estuary is not a nursery area, at least for fish hatched in the Madeira. Nevertheless, B. platynemum migrates several thousand kilometres within the Amazon basin, with transboundary displacements between at least Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
4. Current and planned hydroelectric development in the Amazon basin will severely disrupt both migration and access to breeding grounds, ultimately affecting the recruitment and population dynamics of these apex predators.
5. The conservation of B. platynemum is crucial for the stability of the Amazonian aquatic food webs. This requires building effective fish passage on the two existing Madeira dams and considering alternative options to the large‐scale hydropower development in the Amazon basin.

     

Upstream migration of the anadromous sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus, 1758) in a highly impounded river: Impact of low‐head obstacles and fisheries

1. Fisheries and the presence of low‐head obstacles are considered major threats for anadromous lampreys, including the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Nonetheless, research is still needed to increase our understanding of their effect and to implement effective conservation and management measures. Petromyzon marinus receives conservation protection in Europe through the Bern Convention and the European Habitats Directive and is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in Spain.
2. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of low‐head obstacles and fisheries on the spawning migration of P. marinus in the highly impounded River Ulla (in north‐west Spain). Nineteen lamprey were radio‐tracked in 2012 and 2013, and historical data (2002–16) on fishing captures were analysed (n = 25 607) to provide a population‐level approach.
3. The retention of individuals by low‐head obstacles, including pesqueiras constructed for lamprey fishing, and extraction by fisheries at those structures, caused a significant reduction of migrants upstream of each impoundment (mean: 24% individuals per obstacle). A delay in migration (mean: 6.3 days per obstacle) seems to be an important limiting factor for lamprey conservation in this river. Thus, based on the recorded delay, lamprey would need c. 5 months to pass the 23 obstacles present before reaching the first spawning areas and 9.5 months to cover the accessible river section (45 obstacles), which is far longer than the 3–5 months of spawning migration of P. marinus in this river.
4. Consequently, obstacle removal or permeabilization should be prioritized for lamprey conservation in this river. This would reduce migration delay, the retention of individuals, and the catchability of lamprey at pesqueiras (with alternative routes to avoid traps). Basic information on fisheries management is still lacking, especially on stock exploitation rates and on lamprey population status and dynamics. Future studies should also investigate the role of lamprey exchange between basins (a lack of homing) in the resilience of lamprey populations.

     

Looking beyond the horizon: An early warning system to keep marine mammal information relevant for conservation

1. Important marine mammal areas (IMMAs) are discrete portions of habitat, important to marine mammal species, that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. Although IMMAs are not a blueprint for marine protected areas or other conservation designations, they are useful for providing a foundation for marine spatial planning and systematic conservation planning that can then lead to protected areas or special spatial regulations. To be most useful for supporting management and conservation, however, the information coming out of IMMAs needs to reflect current conditions.
2. An ‘early warning system’ is proposed with a generic set of indicators to flag when marine mammal species in IMMAs require management interventions due to changing distributions or decreasing populations. Rather than signifying that quantitative thresholds have been reached, these indicators comprise alerting information derived from visual or acoustic census, satellite imagery analysis, whale‐watching logs, or increases in mortality reported by stranding networks that can trigger additional targeted research.
3. Although it is possible that in some regions data will be sufficient to provide quantifiable indicators, the system is meant to rely on existing data sources, and be adaptable to the circumstances of each region.
4. Regional expert groups can utilize early warning system information and feed it into IMMA‐related spatial planning in two ways: by nominating additional areas of interest, and by providing a scientific rationale for revising IMMA boundaries, to be considered at the next decadal IMMA regional expert workshop.
5. IMMA‐driven consolidation of information that is as current as possible will prove valuable for enhancing regional cooperation to conserve marine mammals, and will be useful as countries implement new protected areas to conserve marine mammals and other marine biodiversity.

     

Fishing for conservation of freshwater tropical fishes in the Anthropocene

1. The ecosystem services provided by freshwater biodiversity are threatened by development and environmental and climate change in the Anthropocene.
2. Here, case studies are described to show that a focus on the shared dependence on freshwater ecosystem functioning can mutually benefit fisheries and conservation agendas in the Anthropocene.
3. Meeting the threat to fish biodiversity and fisher livelihood is pertinent in developing regions where there is often a convergence between high biodiversity, high dependency on aquatic biota and rapid economic development (see Kafue River, Logone floodplain, Tonle Sap, and Rio Negro case studies).
4. These case studies serve as evidence that biodiversity conservation goals can be achieved by emphasizing a sustainable fisheries agenda with partnerships, shared knowledge and innovation in fisheries management (see Kafue River and Kenai River case studies).
5. In all case studies, aquatic biodiversity conservation and fisheries agendas are better served if efforts focused on creating synergies between fishing activities with ecosystem functioning yield long‐term livelihood and food security narratives.
6. A unified voice from conservation and fisheries communities has more socio‐economic and political capital to advocate for biodiversity and social interests in freshwater governance decisions.

     

First attempts towards the restoration of gorgonian populations on the Mediterranean continental shelf

1. In the Mediterranean Sea, gorgonians are among the main habitat‐forming species of benthic communities on the continental shelf and slope, playing an important ecological role in coral gardens.
2. In areas where bottom trawling is restricted, gorgonians represent one of the main components of trammel net bycatch. Since gorgonians are long‐lived and slow‐growing species, impacts derived from fishing activities can have far‐reaching and long‐lasting effects, jeopardizing their long‐term viability. Thus, mitigation and ecological restoration initiatives focusing on gorgonian populations on the continental shelf are necessary to enhance and speed up their natural recovery.
3. Bycatch gorgonians from artisanal fishermen were transplanted into artificial structures, which were then deployed at 85 m depth on the outer continental shelf of the marine protected area of Cap de Creus (north‐west Mediterranean Sea, Spain). After 1 year, high survival rates of transplanted colonies (87.5%) were recorded with a hybrid remotely operated vehicle.
4. This pilot study shows, for the first time, the survival potential of bycatch gorgonians once returned to their habitat on the continental shelf, and suggests the potential success of future scaled‐up restoration activities.

     

Habitat use of a coastal delphinid population investigated using passive acoustic monitoring

1. The population of bottlenose dolphins in eastern Scotland has undergone significant range expansion since the 1990s, when a Special Area of Conservation was established for the population.
2. Distribution of this population is well described within areas of its range where intensive work has been carried out, such as the inner Moray Firth, St Andrews Bay and the Tay estuary area. However, elsewhere in their range, habitat use is less well understood.
3. In this study, a large‐scale and long‐term passive acoustic array was used to gain a better understanding of bottlenose dolphin habitat use in eastern Scottish waters, complementing and augmenting existing visual surveys.
4. Data from the array were analysed using a three‐stage approach. First, acoustic occupancy results were reported; second, temporal trends were modelled; and third, a spatial–temporal‐habitat model of acoustic occupancy was created.
5. Results from the acoustic occupancy are in agreement with visual studies that found that areas near known foraging locations were consistently occupied. Results from the temporal trend analysis were inconclusive. Habitat modelling showed that, throughout their range, bottlenose dolphins are most likely to be detected closer to shore, and at a constant distance from shore, in deeper water.