Environmental changes in man‐made coastal dune pools since 1850 as indicated by sedimentary and epiphytic diatom assemblages (Belgium)

• 1. Diatom assemblages of man‐made coastal dune wetlands between Blankenberge and Heist (Belgium), dating from 1852 to 1929 and sampled from herbarium specimens of macrophytes, were compared with more recent samples collected in the remaining calcareous dune marshes and pools in this area.
• 2. Overall, nutrient conditions inferred from the reference assemblages were fairly eutrophic for phosphorus. Only a minority of the historical assemblages pointed to presumably nitrogen‐limited conditions.
• 3. Significant alterations in general assemblage composition were observed, including a marked decline of epiphytic species, and a decrease in the compositional variation in sediment diatom assemblages. These changes can be attributed mainly to an increased availability of nutrients and degradable organic matter since the mid 1970s. No changes in the salinity range seem to have occurred, suggesting fairly stable hydrological conditions.
• 4. Possible causes for eutrophication include increased atmospheric deposition of nutrients, but also more site‐related phenomena such as guanotrophication, angling and, perhaps, effects of nature management on soil–nutrient cycling. Their relative importance needs to be established and further monitoring is necessary.
• 5. Measures are required to reduce nutrient levels of both permanently and periodically inundated sites and to promote small‐scale habitat differentiation. Due to physical constraints, the latter will be possible only by mimicking the processes that act upon more natural dune systems in management practice.

Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Potential distribution and population trends of the smalltail shark Carcharhinus porosus inferred from species distribution models and historical catch data

1. Updated distribution ranges are crucial for conservation status assessments. Comprehensive analyses combining published literature and available data on historical catches and species distribution models (SDMs) are effective tools that could improve the prediction of more realistic scenarios for some species, especially those with limited information available and facing multiple threats.
2. The present study aimed at generating an updated distribution for the smalltail shark Carcharhinus porosus, one of the most threatened and understudied shark species of the western Atlantic Ocean. Estimates of the key areas for this species conservation based on the SDMs, and trends in catch probabilities throughout its distribution range are provided.
3. Four algorithms (BIOCLIM, Domain, Mahalanobis, and Maximum Entropy) were used to model the distribution of C. porosus and calculate its habitat suitability based on marine environmental variables. To assess historical catch probability trends, we built a generalized linear model from published and grey literature data. This analysis was used to estimate catch probability as an indication of population trends.
4. SDMs suggest that the northern coast of South America (NCSA) harbours the most suitable habitats for C. porosus in the world, which was expected given its historically high catch rate in this region. In addition, there was a continuously declining catch probability trend starting in the 1970s. However, the decline was smaller for the NCSA as compared with the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern South America coast.
5. Results indicate that the NCSA should be considered the currently most important area in the world for this species conservation. Furthermore, the lack of data throughout Central and South American marine regions hampers the evaluation of extinction risk throughout its updated distribution. Thus, research in these areas is urgently required for a more comprehensive conservation status assessment.

     

典型草原区植物群落结构特征动态监测

1999-2002年在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟白音锡勒牧场典型草原区海流特,监测主要植物群落结构特征。结果表明,随时间推移,试验区主要群落的优势植物大针茅、羊草相对高度、相对盖度、相对密度和相对生物量呈降低趋势,退化指示植物冷蒿、狼毒相对高度、相对盖度、相对密度、相对生物量呈增加趋势;试验区群落物种丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀性指数随时间推移均呈降低趋势;围栏在试验区草地植物群落特征的保持方面很有效,但围栏内植物群落特征随时间推移仍呈退化趋势。     

山地荒漠草地封育对土壤质量的影响

[目的]评价封育草地土壤的质量.[方法]以北疆山地荒漠草地放牧和围封7年草地土壤为研究对象,分析土壤总有机碳、活性有机碳及碳库管理指数的变化.[结果]随着土层深度的增加土壤有机碳、土壤易氧化碳、土壤微生物量碳含量均呈降低趋势.与放牧相比,围封7年土壤易氧化碳与土壤有机碳含量升高,但差异不显著;土壤微生物量碳含量在5～ 50 cm各土层显著升高(P＜0.05).0～20 cm、35～ 50 cm土层碳库管理指数＞ 100.表明草地封育使土壤有机碳活度增大,同时增加了土壤碳的截存,土壤质量有所提升.[结论]围封后,土壤易氧化碳与土壤有机碳含量升高;土壤微生物碳含量显著升高;土壤表层与下层碳库管理指数高于放牧;荒漠漠地长期封育改善了土壤有机质状况和土壤碳库质理,增强了土壤碳汇功能.     

山西省大面积推广北方能源生态模式技术的思考

北方能源生态模式是一项高效的生态农业技术。该技术在山西省已推广近667 hm²(万亩),经济、能源、生态环境和社会等综合效益十分显著。但是,现在的推广速度远远不能满足农业生产发展的需要。面对国内外农产品市场激烈竞争和我省生态环境脆弱及农民收入增长缓慢的严峻形势,迫切需要大面积推广这一技术。因此,针对推广中存在的问题,应采取加强宣传、扩大规模,典型引路、整体推进,多方集资、加大投入,扩大队伍、强化服务,加强技术培训,市场化引导、产业化发展等相应对策,大力推广这一技术。     

基于农户生计和水资源高效利用的黑河流域生态治理政策研究

[目的]分析影响黑河中游地区生态输水治理工程可持续发展的潜在因素,为该地区生态环境修复提供科学依据。[方法]通过问卷调查的方式对样本区550户农户进行调查,并采用逻辑回归分析方法对问卷数据进行建模分析。[结果]中游农户对生态输水治理工程持认可态度,但大部分农户考虑到成本效益、土地规模和灌溉技术等条件的限制,不愿意发展节水农业;同时项目对农户生计造成一定影响。[结论]黑河生态输水治理工程对节水农业投入不足,水资源短缺形式依然严峻;农户生计受到一定影响,加大了生态治理成果维护的风险。因此,在进行生态输水治理的同时,要建立流域水资源生态补偿机制,扶持节水农业发展,改善农户生计多样化,实现农户生计安全和环境保护的良性互动。     

Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. III. Energy efficiency in forage production from grassland and maize for silage

Based on experimental data gathered in a research project on nitrogen fluxes in intensive dairy farming in Northern Germany, an analysis of fossil energy input and energy efficiency in forage production from permanent grassland and maize for silage was conducted. Field experiments comprised different defoliation systems and different rates of mineral N fertilizer and slurry application. Each change from grazing to cutting in grassland systems reduced the energy efficiency. Energy efficiency consistently decreased with increasing rates of mineral N application. In the production of maize for silage, maximum energy efficiency was obtained with an application of 50 kg N ha^?1 from slurry only. Net energy yields of maize for silage were much higher than that of grassland when compared at the same level of fossil energy and nitrogen fertilizer input. Considering both nitrate‐leaching losses and a necessary minimum quantity of grass herbage in a well‐balanced ration, it is suggested that a high proportion of maize for silage in combination with N‐unfertilized grass/clover swards used in a mixed cutting/grazing system represents a good trade‐off between the leaching of nitrates and energy efficiency.     

目前我国森林环境价值评价的难点及对策

概述了目前我国森林环境价值评价的理论基础和评价方法，并对其难点进行了分析，阐述了构建我国特色的评价理论框架及评价体系的必要性，指出只有建立森林生态环境定位观测站及其动态监测体系，才能科学计量、评估森林生态环境价值.     

大青山水源涵养林生态效益的研究

通过对大青山白石头泡流域内的不同森林类型进行气象,土壤,水文等生态因子的测定,结果表明,森林植被对区域环境发挥了显著的生态效益,其效益的大小取决于森林植被的类型,落叶林落林优于常绿针叶林。