Projections of temperature extremes based on preferred CMIP5 models:a case study in the Kaidu-Kongqi River basin in Northwest China

The extreme temperature has more outstanding impact on ecology and water resources in arid regions than the average temperature. Using the downscaled daily temperature data from 21 Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project(CMIP) models of NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections(NEX-GDDP) and the observation data, this paper analyzed the changes in temporal and spatiotemporal variation of temperature extremes, i.e., the maximum temperature(Tmax) and minimum temperature(Tmin), in the Kaidu-Kongqi River basin in Northwest China over the period 2020–2050 based on the evaluation of preferred Multi-Model Ensemble(MME). Results showed that the Partial Least Square ensemble mean participated by Preferred Models(PM-PLS) was better representing the temporal change and spatial distribution of temperature extremes during 1961–2005 and was chosen to project the future change. In 2020–2050, the increasing rate of Tmax(Tmin) under RCP(Representative Concentration Pathway) 8.5 will be 2.0(1.6) times that under RCP4.5, and that of Tmin will be larger than that of Tmax under each corresponding RCP. Tmin will keep contributing more to global warming than Tmax. The spatial distribution characteristics of Tmax and Tmin under the two RCPs will overall the same; but compared to the baseline period(1986–2005), the increments of Tmax and Tmin in plain area will be larger than those in mountainous area. With the emission concentration increased, however, the response of Tmax in mountainous area will be more sensitive than that in plain area, and that of Tmin will be equivalently sensitive in mountainous area and plain area. The impacts induced by Tmin will be universal and farreaching. Results of spatiotemporal variation of temperature extremes indicate that large increases in the magnitude of warming in the basin may occur in the future. The projections can provide the scientific basis for water and land plan management and disaster prevention and mitigation in the inland river basin.     

基于遥感数据的大尺度区域水田空间格局及生态服务价值变化分析

受经济和气候驱动，长江经济带水田空间格局发生了显著变化，影响区域粮食安全与生态安全。本研究基于1990-2015年土地利用遥感监测数据，利用GIS的空间分析功能，探究长江经济带水田空间格局动态变化特征，采用当量因子法计算生态系统服务价值（ESV），分析了水田变化的综合影响。结果表明：1）1990-2015年长江经济带水田规模持续缩减，共减少了17390km²，减幅呈增长态势具有显著地域差异，长江中上游与下游的水田减幅相差约为9.56%。其中下游减幅较大，水田占区域比例随之降低，中上游恰好相反。2）由于经济建设及水产养殖的发展，水田主要转化为建设用地和水系，水田主要由水系、旱地和湿地等转化而来。长江三角洲城市群、长江中游及成渝城市群的水田变化最为剧烈，建设用地侵占水田扩张的现象分布广泛，水田转为水系主要在两湖平原局部地区。3）水田与其他生态系统的转化对ESV是正影响，水田转为水系对此贡献最大，其转化规模决定了不同时期ESV净增量的大小，水系转化为水田损失的价值最多，建设用地侵占水田次之。不同市域的水田变化情况不一致，因此ESV增减情况具有明显差异。4）生态系统服务中水文调节、水资源供给增强的同时，食物生产、气体调节受到严重损害，与水资源规模扩大和水田资源大量流失有直接关系。研究结果有助于揭示长江流域水田的时空变化过程及其对各项生态系统服务的影响，可为区域土地利用规划、农业政策与生态可持续发展提供理论支持。     

黑河流域中游荒漠区沙尘暴、扬沙和浮尘监测及其与气候因子的关系

[目的] 分析黑河流域中游荒漠区沙尘暴、扬沙以及浮尘频次和时长的月变化和年变化，并分析其与主要气候因子的关系，为区域沙尘天气的早期预警和荒漠区的经营和管理提供依据。[方法] 利用黑河流域红沙窝荒漠化综合防治试验站的2010—2019年的沙尘天气监测数据和气象数据进行分析。[结果] 沙尘频次和时长主要集中在春季，其次是冬季，春冬两季的频次和时长各占全年的82.3%和79.4%。10 a间沙尘暴和扬沙频次总体变化趋势逐渐减少，而浮尘频次总体变化趋势逐年增加；沙尘时长总体变化趋势逐年增加。沙尘频次月变化与土壤湿度（10 cm）和大气湿度之间呈极显著负相关（p<0.01），与风速之间呈极显著正相关（p<0.01）。扬沙年际发生频次与土壤温度（5 cm）之间呈显著负相关（p<0.05），与大气温度之间呈极显著负相关（p<0.01）。[结论] 近10 a来，黑河流域中游荒漠区的沙尘天气主要发生在春季和冬季，破坏性较大的沙尘暴和扬沙逐年减少，而浮尘逐年增加。沙尘频次的月变化主要影响因素是浅层土壤湿度、大气湿度和风速。春季的浅层土壤湿度影响了沙尘暴和扬沙年际频次变化，浅层土壤温度影响了浮尘年际频次变化；冬季的浅层土壤温湿度和降水量影响了沙尘暴的年际频次变化，浅层土壤温度和大气温度影响了扬沙的年际频次变化。     

基于"量-质-域-流"四维指标体系的水资源荷载状况评价——以黑河流域三地市为例

随着社会经济用水不断增加，水资源供需矛盾加剧，水资源系统出现荷载不均衡现象，制约了区域发展，危及生态环境良性循环。本文从水资源系统的负荷需求和承载能力出发，基于“量、质、域、流”四个维度构建水资源荷载均衡评价指标体系，采用指标规范化的正态云模型，评价2015年黑河流域张掖市、酒泉市、阿拉善盟水资源配置方案的荷载均衡状况，并依据负荷与承载能力评分二维坐标，分出低负荷-高承载能力、低负荷-低承载能力、高负荷-高承载能力和高负荷-低承载能力四个分区。评价结果表明：2015年三地水资源荷载状况均为Ⅳ级，张掖市综合评分为3.697，酒泉市为3.657，阿拉善盟为3.901，三地均处于高负荷-低承载能力区域；三地在水质维度上处于低负荷-高承载能力区间，水质维度评分均处于Ⅱ级，酒泉市水质评分优于张掖市，张掖市水质评分优于阿拉善盟；在水量、水域、水流维度上均处于高负荷-低承载能力区间，水量方面三地处于Ⅳ级，张掖市优于酒泉市，酒泉市优于阿拉善盟；水域方面张掖和阿拉善盟评分均处于Ⅴ级，酒泉评分处于Ⅳ级；水流方面三地均处于Ⅴ级。需要采取调控手段在水量、水域、水流方面上进行“增强承载”和“卸荷”。     

Body shape variation in two species of darters (Etheostoma,Percidae) and its relation to the environment

Environmental variation can shape phenotypic variation in organisms, but most evidence for trait differentiation comes from analyses of dichotomous habitat types that differ in only one or few key environmental factors. In reality, environmental variation is often more subtle, gradual and multifarious. Here, we investigated geographic variation in body shape of two darter species (Etheostoma spectabile and Etheostoma flabellare; Percidae) that occur along river gradients. This study addressed three specific questions: Is there intraspecific geographic variation in the two species across different sites in the Ozark Highlands of Oklahoma (USA)? Is phenotypic variation across sites correlated with abiotic environmental conditions? Do the two species share site‐specific (i.e. convergent) phenotypic variation in areas where they occur together? Our results indicated significant body shape variation in both species. Population differences in body shape were particularly correlated with variation in substrate composition. The combined analysis of both species indicated a small but significant effect of convergence on body shape wherever they are sympatric; shared variation, however, was not related to any environmental variables included in the analysis. While it remains unclear whether phenotypic variation in these species is due to heritable differentiation or environmentally induced plasticity, our results indicate that even subtle and gradual environmental variation can induce substantial variation in phenotypes on a relatively small spatial scale.     

Effect of dietary protein content on growth rate,survival and body composition of juvenile cauque river prawn,Macrobrachium americanum (Bate 1868)

We determined the effect of four concentrations of dietary crude protein, 30.7, 37.2, 41.8 and 46.8% on growth rate, survival and body composition of the juvenile cauque river prawn (Macrobrachium americanum). The prawns were hatched in the laboratory from the spawn of one wild ovigerous female. Prawns consuming 37.2% crude protein reached a final weight of 0.58 g (feed conversion ratio of 2.15), which was significantly better than the other treatments. Survival was 100% in all treatments. Protein content in the diets had no significant effect on whole body proximate composition and amino acid profile. Juveniles consuming the 37.2% crude protein diet grew faster than those fed the other diets. Specific growth rate was adjusted to the two‐slope broken‐line regression analysis model to estimate the optimal protein requirement. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the 37.2% protein level diet is optimal for juvenile cauque river prawn M. americanum in the experimental conditions of this study.     

Effect of an intensive mechanical removal effort on a population of non‐native rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a South African headwater stream

1. Invasions by non‐native species can compromise the conservation value of otherwise pristine headwater streams. While both developed and developing countries recognize this threat, few of the latter have suitable budgets to implement control programmes.
2. This study assessed the effectiveness of a mechanical project to remove non‐native rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss from a 6 km section of the upper Krom River, a small headwater stream in the Cederberg Mountains in South Africa's Cape Floristic Region (CFR).
3. From October 2013 to February 2014, 354 O. mykiss were removed by angling (58%), fyke netting (28%) and gill netting (14%). This resulted in a marked reduction, but not eradication, of the O. mykiss population (fish relative abundance decreased from 0.53 ± 0.09 fish per net per night in October 2013 to 0.21 ± 0.09 fish per net per night in February 2014). Following the cessation of manual removals, the relative abundance of O. mykiss had increased to 0.56 ± 0.18 fish per net per night by March 2016, suggesting that without sustained removal effort, the population will rapidly return to its pre‐removal abundance level.
4. Further work is needed to refine the methodology and test the effectiveness of mechanical removal of non‐native freshwater fish in a variety of ecological settings in the CFR. This approach holds potential for meeting the dual goals of reducing the ecological impacts of non‐native fishes and generating employment opportunities in line with the policy objectives of developing nations.

     

Enhancing capacity for freshwater conservation at the genetic level: a demonstration using three stream macroinvertebrates

1. Species diversity is declining more rapidly in freshwater ecosystems than in any other, but the consequences for genetic diversity, and hence evolutionary potential, are poorly understood. In part this reflects limited use and development of modern molecular tools and genetic approaches to address conservation questions in rivers, lakes and wetlands. As widespread, diverse and functionally important organisms, freshwater macroinvertebrates are ideal candidates for genetic approaches to reveal, for example, the conservation consequences of demographic histories and past disturbances. However, the availability of microsatellite markers for this group is very limited.
2. Using next generation sequencing, microsatellite markers were developed for Isoperla grammatica (Poda, 1761), Amphinemura sulcicollis (Stephens, 1836) and Baetis rhodani (Pictet, 1843) to enable conservation genetic investigations of these widespread invertebrate species. Fifty‐two robust microsatellite loci were developed (18, 21 and 13 per species), all with high levels of allelic diversity (7–27, 3–16, 5–13 alleles per loci, respectively).
3. These tools will allow assessment of genetic structure, dispersal and demographic resilience in these model species as a function of environmental change and variation, thereby aiding freshwater monitoring and conservation. The authors urge further capacity building to support genetic applications to the conservation biology of other aquatic organisms.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Growth characteristics of the endangered thick‐shelled river mussel (Unio crassus) near the northern limit of its natural range

1. The thick‐shelled river mussel, Unio crassus (Bivalvia: Unionoida), is one of Europe's most‐threatened mussels. Finnish populations of U. crassus lie close to the northern limit of its natural distribution. Extirpation of these populations will reduce the range of this endangered species.
2. Growth characteristics of U. crassus were measured in a river running through the Helsinki metropolitan area. Shell dimensions (size‐at‐age data) and annual shell growth increments were used to reconstruct growth rate and its variation during the lifespan of individual mussels and to investigate the relationship between growth rate and longevity (age‐at‐death).
3. Reconstructed growth rates compared well with size‐at‐age data conventionally used to study individual growth in natural populations, and fitted von Bertalanffy growth functions very well. Based on the same function, reconstruction and size‐at‐age methods resulted in similar estimates of growth rate.
4. Shell weight explained the body size more reliably than age, suggesting that growth rate varied significantly among individuals. Comparison of individual growth histories revealed a negative correlation between age‐at‐death and growth rate, i.e. slow‐growing mussels lived longer, and vice versa.
5. In comparison with populations from central and southern Europe, U. crassus populations in the north of its range grew more slowly but lived longer, a phenomenon most likely explained by latitudinal changes in ambient temperature.
6. Although northern populations are expected to benefit from a relatively high number of reproductive periods and lower juvenile mortality, the individuals studied here died earlier and suffered higher mortality than expected and an elevated conservative status is identified. Any management programme should take into account the life‐history traits essential to the recognition of management units of U. crassus.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Turbid water induces refuge behaviour of a commercially important ayu: A field experiment for interstream movement using multiple artificial streams

Riverine systems are inherently dendritic in nature, and turbid water may not necessarily flow equally throughout an entire catchment. Tributaries have the potential to serve as refugia from temporarily turbid water in the main stem. As ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) are one of the important species for the inland fisheries industry and recreational fishing, their behaviour in a branched river network is a primary concern. We released ayu with radio‐transmitting tags into two experimental streams that joined at a downstream pool. Turbid water was released into one of the streams, and we identified whether avoidance movement of ayu between the two experimental streams was triggered by flowing turbid water. The suspended solid concentration elevated rapidly after adding the turbid water and was maintained at more than 400 mg/L for 3 hr. Avoidance movement of ayu was triggered when the suspended solid concentration exceeded approximately 200 mg/L. Then, most ayu moved from the turbid stream to the nonturbid one, leading to a difference in ayu density between the two streams. Therefore, we demonstrated that turbid water induced interstream movement of a commercially important ayu as refuge behaviour, suggesting that river connectivity is important for the persistence of the ayu.