Whole otolith elemental analysis reveals feeding migration patterns causing growth rate differences in anadromous whitefish from the Baltic Sea

Impact of feeding migration pattern on growth rate of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) from River Kemijoki was investigated. River Kemijoki is located in the northernmost Gulf of Bothnia (Baltic Sea). Whitefish ascending the river to spawn show major growth rate variations. To study whether these variations are related to different feeding areas (migratory connectivity), whole otoliths from fast‐growing (FAST^G) whitefish (n = 9, age 4 years, average weight 790 g) and slowly growing (SLOWLY^G) whitefish (n = 9, age 8 years, average weight 600 g) were analysed for elemental (Ba, Sr, Mg, Zn, Mn, Ca) concentrations by inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry. Results showed that the FAST^G whitefish had much lower otolith Ba concentration (~45%, p ≤ .01) than SLOWLY^G whitefish, revealing that FAST^G whitefish have spent more time in water of higher salinity/lower latitude, that is at feeding grounds in the southern Gulf of Bothnia. Otoliths of the FAST^G whitefish had also higher Mg (~25%, p ≤ .001) and Zn (~20%, p ≤ .05) concentrations, but lower Ca (~5%, p ≤ .01) concentrations, than the otoliths from SLOWLY^G whitefish. These results further reveal that FAST^G and SLOWLY^G whitefish have been spatially separated. In conclusion, bulk otolith elemental analysis revealed spatial separation and migration differences in river‐spawning whitefish subpopulations in the Gulf of Bothnia, which apparently lead to differences in fish growth rate. Our results increase the understanding of river‐spawning whitefish biology and its population structure and dynamics and may contribute to a sustainable management of river‐spawning whitefish stocks.     

Weak connectivity and population cohesiveness in rudderfish Kyphosus sandwicensis (Teleostei: Kyphosidae) inhabiting remote oceanic islands

1. Population connectivity has a fundamental role in metapopulation dynamics, with important implications in conservation. Easter Island (EI) and Salas y Gómez Island (SG) in the Pacific Ocean are ideal for the study of population connectivity because they are separated by 415 km and isolated from other islands in the Pacific Ocean by >2,000 km.
2. Considering that dispersal processes could play a critical role in the persistence of its populations, the connectivity pattern of the rudderfish Kyphosus sandwicensis was evaluated between EI and SG using both a population genetics and a biophysical modelling approach.
3. The variability in the control region of the mitochondrial DNA did not show a significant phylogeographical pattern, and the variability in 16 microsatellite loci suggested that individuals of K. sandwicensis located at EI and SG belong to the same genetic population. However, historical migration showed that 0.2% of the recruits at EI come from SG and that 0.15% at SG come from EI per year.
4. Using simulated larval release during September and a larval development of 30 days in the plankton, biophysical modelling did not detect migration between the islands. Furthermore, self-recruitment shows interannual variation ranging from 5 to 10% of the total released larvae.
5. Whereas the genetic data showed a lack of population genetic structure but low connectivity of K. sandwicensis between EI and SG, the biophysical modelling showed null movement of particles between the islands. Stochastic movement of larvae or adults could explain the pattern observed, with rafting as an example. These low-frequency and stochastic movements may be important in maintaining the cohesiveness between EI and SG.

     

Rapid response of fish and aquatic habitat to removal of a tidal barrier

1. River barrier removal is used increasingly as a conservation tool to restore lotic habitat and river connectivity, but evidence of its efficacy is incomplete. This study used a before–after methodology to determine the effects of removing a tidal-limit barrier on the fishes, macroinvertebrates, and habitats of an English coastal stream.
2. Following barrier removal, habitat diversity increased immediately upstream and remained similar downstream. Mobilized silt altered the substrate composition immediately downstream, but this was temporary as silt was flushed out the following winter. Changes to macroinvertebrate communities occurred upstream and downstream of the former barrier but these were transient.
3. A dramatic and sustained increase in fish density occurred immediately upstream of the barrier after its removal, but effects downstream were minor. The fish community upstream changed, largely due to rapid recruitment and dispersal of endangered European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Eel density in the formerly impounded zone increased from 0.5 per 100 m² before barrier removal to 32.5 per 100 m² 5 months after removal. By 17 months after barrier removal there was no difference in eel density across the six sections sampled.
4. Although resident stream fishes such as bullhead (Cottus gobio species complex, protected under the European Habitats Directive) were abundant in middle and upper-stream sections, brown trout (Salmo trutta, a listed species for biodiversity conservation in England and Wales) density remained low during the study and recruitment was poor. This suggests that although colonization access for anadromous trout was available, habitat upstream may have been unsuitable for reproduction, indicating that wider catchment management is required to complement the restoration of connectivity.
5. These findings suggest that tidal barrier removal is an effective method of restoring lotic habitats and connectivity, and can be beneficial for resident and migratory fishes including those of conservation importance (e.g. European eel) in coastal streams.

     

城市潜在绿色廊道构建方法——以常州市为例

在RS和GIS的支持下,利用遥感影像分类、斑块连通性分析和耗费距离模拟等方法形成一套完整的城市潜在绿色廊道构建体系。首先采用最优指数(OIF)和决策树(QUEST算法)获取城市绿地斑块空间布局,分析绿地斑块间的连通性;然后利用Spearman秩相关等统计方法确定不同连通指数对连通阈值的敏感程度,优选最稳定的连通指数划分绿地斑块的重要性等级,将具有较高重要性值的斑块作为绿地"源"和"目标";最后选用频率比方法改进耗费距离模型的成本表面,在不同空间尺度下,情景模拟城市潜在绿色廊道的空间布局,并对模拟结果进行定量分析与评价。结果表明:最优指数结合决策树方法的分类总精度为90.35%,Kappa系数为0.86,提取绿地面积占城市总面积的22.88%,大面积绿地斑块主要分布在滆湖的西部和太湖的北部;整体连通指数(IIC)具有较高的稳定性,在200～2400m的距离范围内,其dIIC的Spearman秩相关系数变化值最低(0.21);在600m的距离阈值下,以dIIC值大于1%作为标准,确定竺山斑块为绿地"源"及7个主要的绿地斑块为"目标";在不同空间尺度下,模拟的潜在绿色廊道的变形系数ξ值相近(1.28),其空间格局受研究尺度的影响较小。最后进一步探讨该方法体系实践的可行性,为城市绿地系统规划和建设提供科学合理的参考和依据。     

Genetic estimates of population structure and dispersal in a benthic stream fish

Abstract–  Comparing genetic and demographic estimates of dispersal in freshwater fish can improve understanding of movement distributions and population connectivity. Here we examined genetic variation among mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi) in the Nantahala River (North Carolina, USA) to compare genetic estimates of dispersal with estimates derived from mark–recapture studies of individual movement. Microsatellite‐based analysis of gene flow revealed evidence of strong isolation by distance among locations spanning only 5.6 km and limited dispersal among clusters of sites separated by swift cascades. Estimates of between‐cluster contemporary dispersal rates derived from Bayesian assignment tests ranged from 1% to 6%, with most movement occurring among adjacent clusters in a downstream direction. Evidence of a long‐term net immigration asymmetry and decreasing genetic diversity from downstream to upstream locations indicates that historical patterns of stream colonisation contrast with contemporary dispersal patterns. Our findings are largely consistent with predictions from individual movement patterns but suggest that long moves (>500 m) are more frequent, and maximum dispersal distances are greater than what has been reported from mark–recapture studies. The discrepancy may reflect spatial limitations of mark–recapture methods or temporal variation in dispersal in individuals and populations.     

Ongoing and Emerging Questions in Water Erosion Studies

Soil erosion is a threat to food security, especially in regions where the area of arable land is shrinking dramatically because of soil degradation. Research on soil erosion expanded progressively throughout the 20th centu\ry, although a number of unresolved problems persist despite this issue being crucial for the environment and the welfare of society. Some basic unresolved issues, including the absence of a universally accepted definition of soil erosion and disagreement about how to measure it have contributed to a degree of scientific stagnation. Accurate prediction of the response of soils to disturbance is hampered by the dependence of the erosion process on the spatial scale involved, the time lag between the disturbance and the erosion response and the short periods for which data are typically available. We argue that devoting increased attention to the following environmental, demographic, political and societal issues will reinvigorate progress in the field. (i) The relationships between on‐site and off‐site consequences of soil erosion need to be elucidated if the economic and environmental costs are to be adequately assessed. (ii) Effective measures for soil conservation need to focus on spatial patterns of plant cover that reduce sediment connectivity, and most importantly on the relationships between hillslopes and sediment transfer in eroded channels. (iii) The scientific community must be able to identify early warning signs of critical transitions, if irreversible soil degradation is to be prevented. (iv) Consensus needs to be reached concerning the contribution of soil erosion to the carbon cycle. (v) The consequences of climate change on erosion and sediment transport should be investigated in depth. (vi) The general society needs to perceive soil erosion as a critical matter requiring an urgent response. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

顾及生态系统连通性的永久基本农田划定

在生态文明背景下，探索兼顾耕地资源保护与生态系统维护的永久基本农田划定方法对构建国土空间开发新格局具有重要意义。该研究通过最小累积阻力（minimum cumulative resistance，MCR）模型与电路理论等在识别生态源地、生态廊道和“踏脚石”基础上，将土地评价与立地条件分析（land evaluation and site assessment，LESA）方法及未来土地利用模拟（future land use simulation model，FLUS）模型相结合构建了一套顾及生态系统连通性的永久基本农田划定方法，以期为十堰市永久基本农田划定提供一定理论参考。结果表明：1）十堰市生态源地共计26个，主要以林地与水域为主，分布在南部和中部山地丘陵区；生态廊道共计66条，集中分布在竹溪县、竹山县、房县等境内；“踏脚石”共计121个。2）基于LESA方法划定的永久基本农田虽然满足了目标需求量，但与重要生态系统连通性用地存在严重冲突，与生态源地、生态廊道、“踏脚石”冲突面积分别为1772.64、4274.19、391.86 hm²。3）顾及生态系统连通性的永久基本农田划定方法，有效避开了划定的永久基本农田对生态源地、生态廊道与“踏脚石”等侵占，而且满足了未来城市用地增长需求，同时划定的永久基本农田质量高，集中连片性强，农田形状也较规则，便于机械化耕作，对保障中国粮食安全，推进农业供给侧结构性改革，实现乡村振兴具有重要作用。     

道路侵蚀研究的进展与展望

[目的] 分析目前道路侵蚀研究中所存在的问题及未来亟需关注的研究方向,为防治流域土壤侵蚀和保障流域生态环境安全与高质量发展提供重要依据。[方法] 通过查阅文献,从道路侵蚀的界定、道路侵蚀的特征及影响因素,道路侵蚀研究方法等方面进行总结和分析。[结果] 目前关于道路侵蚀研究存在的主要问题表现在： ①研究方法尚不成熟,模拟降雨/冲刷试验法应用较广,实地监测法和模型模拟法应用较少;②研究内容多局限于道路原位侵蚀效应,而鲜少涉及道路异位侵蚀效应;③道路侵蚀防治研究大都围绕硬化道路进行,土质道路相关研究薄弱。[结论] 未来关于道路侵蚀的研究应结合道路侵蚀特点及其影响因素,运用连通性的概念,探明道路存在对路域及整个流域中的径流泥沙输移的“开关”作用,揭示道路对流域内径流及泥沙的输移机制的影响,并因地制宜地提出硬化道路的维护管理措施和土质道路的侵蚀防治措施。     

Evaluating hedgerow corridors for the conservation of native forest herb diversity

The maintenance of connecting habitats such as hedgerows in production landscapes could become increasingly critical as species migration is expected to accelerate with climate change. Species of particular conservation interest that could benefit from connecting habitats especially in agroecosystems are native forest herbs. It is still unclear, however, which hedgerow habitats have the best potential of supporting diverse forest herb communities, making it hard to target particular structures for conservation. Our objective was to identify the local and landscape characteristics of hedgerows that could help predict their potential at maximizing the richness, abundance, and diversity of native forest herbs of temperate deciduous forests of North-East America. We used multiple regression, Moran’I correlograms, and conditional autoregressive models to assess the effect of landscape and historical variables (hedgerow age, amount of adjacent forest cover, connection to forests and other hedgerows) and of local variables (hedgerow width, canopy cover, cover of other species) on the response variables. The results show an increase in forest herb diversity and abundance in hedgerows with time and with increasing nearby forest cover. Local factors such as greater width and reduced cover of other species also relate to a greater abundance and diversity of forest herbs in linear habitats. The fact that forest herb communities can reassemble in hedgerow corridors with time implies that there could be long-term benefits in maintaining and even creating linear habitats where there is a pool of dispersing forest herbs.     

Comparing static versus dynamic protected areas in the Québec boreal forest

Conservation planning is often based on static mapping of species’ ranges or habitat distributions. Succession and disturbance alter, however, habitat quality and quantity through time especially under global climate and land use change scenarios; hence, static protected areas may not ensure habitat persistence and species survival. Here, we examined the relative merits of static and dynamic (floating) protected areas for the conservation of American marten (Martes americana) habitat in a dynamic boreal forest of Québec (Canada). Forest dynamics were modeled using a spatially-explicit landscape disturbance model and protected areas were selected based on the quality and compactness of marten home ranges using MARXAN. Static protected areas were fixed in space during 200 year simulations of boreal forest dynamics, while dynamic protected areas were re-located every 50 years to track dynamic habitat. Dynamic protected areas supported more high quality home ranges through time than static protected areas. The locations of dynamic protected areas were constrained, however, by the highly fragmented forest patterns created through logging and fire in unprotected areas. Our findings emphasize the often-overlooked point that if dynamic conservation planning is to be successful in the long term, the landscape matrix quality surrounding protected areas must be managed in such a way that options remain when it comes to re-planning.