广西澄江喀斯特湿地沉水植物碳、氮、磷化学计量特征

沉水植物是水生生态系统中重要的初级生产者。当前有关沉水植物生态化学计量特征的研究主要集中在非喀斯特区,而在喀斯特区的相关研究较为缺乏。因此,以广西澄江喀斯特典型湿地中的7种沉水植物为研究对象,分析沉水植物地上部分及底泥的碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）化学计量特征。结果显示,（1）7种沉水植物地上部分总碳、总氮和总磷平均含量最大值均出现在小茨藻（Najas minor）分别为（325.4±5.01） g/kg、（33.07±1.59） g/kg和（3.79±0.16） g/kg;C ： N、C ： P、N ： P平均值分别为10.14±0.18、96.23±3.56和9.47±0.32,C ： N最大值（11.89±0.54）出现在苦草（Vallisneria natans）,C ： P和N ： P最大值（113.27±18.14和11.13±1.63）均出现在穗花狐尾藻（Myriophyllum spicatum）。（2）底泥有机碳、总氮、总磷、碱解氮和速效磷含量平均值分别为（15.05±0.56） g/kg、（2.06±0.08） g/kg、（0.58±0.01） g/kg、（162.53±9.16） mg/kg和（21.73±0.86） mg/kg,有机碳、总氮、总磷、碱解氮和速效磷的平均含量最大值均出现在小茨藻（N.minor）分别为（18.54±1.04） g/kg、（2.55±0.25） g/kg、（0.66±0.03） g/kg、（214.82±32.05） mg/kg和（26.37±3.31） mg/kg;底泥的C ： N、C ： P和N ： P平均值分别是7.33±0.14、25.7±0.72和3.53±0.09,C ： N、C ： P和N ： P最大值分别出现在金鱼藻（Ceratophyllum demersum）（7.45±0.32）、小茨藻（N. minor）（28.29±1.29）和黑藻（Hydrilla verticillata）（3.89±0.25）。（3）沉水植物的地上部分总碳与底泥的有机碳和总氮均呈显著负相关性;沉水植物的地上部分总氮与底泥有机碳、碱解氮、C ： P均呈显著正相关性;沉水植物地上部分C ： N、C ： P均与底泥有机碳、总氮、总磷、碱解氮、C ： P、N ： P呈显著负相关,表明不同喀斯特湿地沉水植物和底泥之间的养分耦联性不同。本研究为喀斯特湿地生态系统生态化学计量学研究提供理论依据。     

基于熵理论的山东省国家湿地公园管理绩效评价

量化评价管理绩效能为湿地公园管理措施的优化提供理论支持。选取山东省68个国家湿地公园作为研究对象,从自然环境、社会经济角度出发,选择植被覆盖率、废水排放量等8个指标构建指标体系。结合相关数据,基于熵理论定量评价国家级湿地公园的管理绩效。结果表明,（1）山东省整体总熵流为负（-0.3018）,其中41个湿地公园为负熵流,系统趋于稳定,管理绩效提升;（2）正熵流主要来自废水排放量（0.0854±0.0434）,负熵流则主要来自环保投入（-0.0802±0.0392）;（3）国民生产总值和熵流呈现负相关关系,而第一产业产值比重和第二产业产值比重均和熵流呈现正相关关系。综合经济发展和熵流评价结果,2个市的湿地公园面临高管理风险,其中菏泽市需要引起注意;山东省近海和海岸湿地的管理绩效较低,且面临高管理风险,应当优先制定、开展保护治理规划。     

林业资源型城市生态-经济-社会协调发展的定量测度——以黑龙江省伊春市为例

把握城市独特的生态-经济-社会系统协调优化特性是实现林业资源型城市可持续发展的重要前提。研究从生态、经济、社会3个维度构建了林业资源型城市复合系统的测度评价指标体系,应用熵值法、耦合协调度模型,采用2005-2018年时段生态、经济、社会数据,对伊春协调发展状况进行实证测度评价,运用障碍度模型分析影响系统协调发展的主要因素,采用GM （1,1）灰色预测模型进行发展预测。结果表明：（1）综合发展指数呈上升态势,促进生态-经济-社会综合发展的主要动能历经了从生态到经济,再到生态为主要动力的发展过程,三个子系统发展水平呈趋同态势,推动三维系统的均衡协同是未来发展的重要方向;（2）三维系统耦合度稳定在较高水平,系统间相互依赖、相互作用程度较高,协调度呈波动上升,实现了由勉强协调、经济滞后发展向良好协调、同步发展的转变,协调状态趋向良好;（3）三维系统中社会子系统对协调发展的障碍度最大;人口自然增长率、建成区绿化覆盖率、GDP增长率、第三产业就业人数比重4个指标是制约近期协调发展的主要障碍因子;（4）2019-2030年,生态、经济、社会子系统发展指数及协调度的预测值均呈上升态势,生态-经济-社会复合系统将向更高级的协调发展状态演进,经济发展将再次成为促进生态-经济-社会综合发展的主要动力;加强生态建设,引领生态创新,大力发展生态经济,提高社会发展水平,着力降低障碍因子对协调发展的阻力作用,实现生态-经济-社会的联动健康发展是伊春未来重要的努力方向。     

黄河三角洲贝壳堤湿地优势灌木碳、氮、磷化学计量特征

为探讨黄河三角洲海岸带湿地不同水盐条件下植物叶片化学计量特征的季节动态及植物生长的限制性营养元素,以滨州贝壳堤岛与湿地国家级自然保护区内的柽柳、杠柳、酸枣3种优势灌木为研究对象,于2017-2018年的生长季（5-10月）每月定期采集叶片样品,测定叶片C、N、P含量。结果表明,生长季内3种灌木叶片C含量呈逐渐上升趋势;叶片N、P含量呈先下降后上升趋势,说明3种灌木采用防御性生活史策略适应盐生和干旱生境。3种灌木叶片C平均含量分别为（399.65±2.66）mg/g、（424.32±1.59）mg/g、（437.47±1.08）mg/g,低于全国（455.1 mg/g）及全球（461.6 mg/g）水平,呈现盐生生境下较低的植物碳储存能力。3种灌木叶片N和P平均含量分别为（30.14±0.26）mg/g和（1.81±0.03）mg/g、（23.18±0.38）mg/g和（2.06±0.04）mg/g、（27.36±0.49）mg/g和（2.01±0.03）mg/g,显著高于全国（N∶20.2 mg/g,P：1.46 mg/g）及全球（N∶19.3-20.1 mg/g,P：1.11-1.42 mg/g）水平。叶片C∶N∶P比呈先上升后下降的趋势,叶片P含量对C∶N∶P比变化具有主导作用。3种灌木叶片C∶N∶P质量比分别为246∶17∶1、224∶12∶1、237∶14∶1,说明柽柳的水盐胁迫适应能力高于杠柳和酸枣。从叶片N、P化学计量特征看,生长季内,柽柳生长一定程度上受土壤P限制,杠柳生长受到土壤N限制,酸枣生长则受土壤N、P共同限制,说明3种灌木的生物地球化学生态位发生了分化,避免了对同种资源的竞争,利于物种共生。     

贝类壳-体质量比和静水沉降特性的相关性

软体动物贝壳表型是适应性进化的结果,为探究贝壳形态特性与软体动物随水流扩散功能的相关性,实验选取9种具代表性的腹足纲和双壳纲贝类作为研究对象,研究了其成体的壳-体质量比与静水沉降特性及二者的相关性。结果表明：体质量的变异系数（C.V.=1.11）大于壳长（C.V.=0.67）、壳宽（C.V.=0.54）的变异系数;壳-体质量比具较强的种属特异性,种内变异系数小（C.V.=0.20）,而种间差异极显著（P < 0.01）。受试贝类的平均壳-体质量比为0.32±0.13,陆生贝类的壳-体质量比显著小于水生贝类（P < 0.01）,壳-体质量比最大的河蚬（0.54±0.06）是最小的非洲大蜗牛（0.17±0.04）的3倍,福寿螺的壳-体质量比为0.50±0.06。双壳类和螺类的沉降行为差异明显,只有中华园田螺、铜锈环棱螺和河蚬不能在静水中漂浮;沉降速度最大的河蚬（（24.99±4.22）cm/s）是最小的椭圆萝卜螺（（4.13±0.96）cm/s）的6倍,入侵种非洲大蜗牛（（18.30±3.64）cm/s）和福寿螺（（21.77±5.23）cm/s）与土著种铜锈环棱螺（（19.48±3.14）cm/s）和中华园田螺（（21.44±3.92）cm/s）在沉降速度上无显著差异（P < 0.01）。成体贝类的壳-体质量比与沉降速度（R²=0.28）、沉降加速度（R²=0.39）之间存在一定的相关性。在此基础上,贝类沉降特性随生活史变化的研究将进一步揭示贝类进化与种群扩散中的生态水力学作用。     

城市园林不同生活型植物叶片碳、氮、磷生态化学计量特征及其对台风的响应

植物碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）含量及其化学计量比对于维持植物的正常生长发育具有重要意义。台风可能通过多种途径影响我国沿海城市园林植物的生长发育，并改变园林植物C、N、P含量及其生态化学计量特征。然而，相关研究鲜有报道，亟待深入。因此，在2020年8月黑格比台风登陆我国浙江省前后，我们对比研究了台风来临前、台风影响期间以及台风过境一周后，台州市主城区常见的乔、灌、草园林植物叶片C、N、P含量及其生态化学计量比变化特征。结果表明：（1）乔、灌、草园林植物叶片的C/N分别为27.3±0.6、42.9±1.4、25.4±2.2，C/P分别为208.8±9.3、194.1±9.6、88.5±5.7，N/P分别为7.7±0.4、4.9±0.2、4.2±0.5，表明研究区域城市园林植物受到N的限制。（2）不同生活型的园林植物叶片C、N、P含量受台风的影响存在不同程度的差异。C与N含量受台风的影响程度均表现为草本>灌木>乔木，P含量受台风的影响程度表现为草本>乔木>灌木。（3）不同生活型的园林植物叶片C、N、P生态化学计量比对台风的响应存在差异。C/N受台风的影响程度表现为草本>灌木>乔木，C/P受台风的影响程度表现为草本>乔木>灌木，而N/P受台风的影响程度表现为乔木>草本>灌木。台风影响一周后，乔、灌、草园林植物叶片C、N、P含量及生态化学计量比能够自我调节进行恢复。可见，台风会对不同生活型的园林植物叶片基础元素含量及生态化学计量比产生不同程度的影响，而园林植物可通过自身内稳态调节机制使台风的影响减小到最低。     

环加氧酶-2抑制剂尼美舒利通过改善内皮功能和增加NO含量对抗大鼠心肌氧化应激损伤

本文旨在研究冠状动脉内皮和NO在选择性环加氧酶2（cyclooxygenase2,COX-2）抑制剂尼美舒利（nimesulide）对抗心肌氧化损伤中的作用。离体大鼠心脏行Langendorff灌流,给予H2O2（140Bmol／L）观察心脏收缩功能。用U-46619灌流心脏,使冠状动脉预收缩后,观察冠状动脉对内皮依赖性舒张因子5-HT和内皮非依赖性舒张因子硝普钠（sodiumnitroprusside,SNP）的反应。结果显示：（1）与空白对照组（100％）相比,H202灌流20min后,左心室发展压[left ventriculardevelo pedpressure,LVDP,（54．8±4．0）％],和心室内压最大变化速率【±dp／dtmax（50．8±3．1）％和（46．2±2．9）％]明显降低。H2O2灌流前尼美舒利（5μmol/L）预处理10min,能够显著抑制H2O2引起的LVDP和μdp/dtmax下降[（79．9±2．8）％,（80．3±2．6）％和（81．4±2．6）％,P〈0．0l]。（2）与空白对照组相比,H2O2灌流后,5-HT和SNP引起内皮依赖性和内皮非依赖性血管舒张功能均明显下降;而尼美舒利预处理10min能明显对抗内皮依赖性血管舒张功能的下降[（-22．2±4．2）％vsH2O2组（-6．0±2．5）％,P〈0．0l],但对其内皮非依赖性血管舒张功能的下降没有明显作用[（-2．0±1．8）％vsH202组（-7．0±3．5）％,P〉0．05]。（3）一氧化氮合酶（nitric oxide synthase,NOS）抑制剂L-NAME能够部分取消尼美舒利预处理对H20,应激心脏心功能指标的改善作用ILVDP和±dp/dtmax分别为（60．2±2．1）％,（63．9±2．4）％和（63．1±2．9）％,P〈0．01]。同时尼美舒利预处理10min能使H202应激心肌NO含量增加[（2．63±0．40）vs（1．36±0．23）nmol／gprotein,P〈0．051,而L-NAME抑制此作用。（4）选择性COX-1抑制剂吡罗昔康（piroxicam）预处理不能抑制H202引起的LVDP和±dp/dtmax下降,但促进左心室舒张末压（1eftventricular end diastolicpressure,LVEDP）升高;吡罗昔康对H202引起的内皮依赖性和内皮非依赖性血管舒张功能下降无显著作用。以上结果提示,选择性COX-2抑制剂尼美舒利能够对抗大鼠离体心肌氧化应激损伤,其机制可能是通过改善内皮依赖性血管舒张功能和增加心肌NO含量起作用。     

蝎毒耐热蛋白对大鼠海马神经元钠通道的抑制作用

应用全细胞膜片钳技术观察蝎毒耐热蛋白（scorpion venom heat resistant protein,SVHRP）对急性分离大鼠海马神经元电压依赖性钠通道的影响。结果表明,急性分离大鼠海马神经元产生的河豚毒素（tetrodotoxin,TTX）敏感的电压依赖性钠电流被SVHRP浓度依赖性地抑制,半数抑制浓度为（0．0034±0．0004）μg／mL,Hill常数为0．4361±0．0318;SVHRP可使钠通道稳态激活曲线向电压的正方向移动,正常TTX敏感的钠通道的半数激活电压（V1/2）为（-34．38±0．62）mV（n=16）,给予0．1μg／mL的SVHRP后V1/2为（-23．96±0．41）mV（n=8,P〈0．05）,斜坡因子（κ）由正常的4．52±0．52变为3．73±0．08（n=8,P〈0．05）。SVHRP亦能改变电压依赖性钠通道的稳态失活曲线,使其向电位的负方向移动,SVHRP处理前钠通道半数失活电压（V1/2）为（-32．60±1．52）mV,κ为6．73±0．51（n=16）;0．1μg／mL的SVHRP处理后V1/2变为（-50．69±2．55）mV（n=8,P〈0．01）,κ为5．49±0．72（n=8,P〈0．05）。结果提示,SVHRP能抑制电压依赖性钠电流,改变钠通道的动力学特性,抑制其激活,促进其失活,从而影响神经元的兴奋性,这可能是其抗癫痫的机制之一。     

有蹄类昼夜活动时空动态——以岩羊(Pseudois nayaur)为例

调整时间分配和空间利用是有蹄类应对食物资源和环境胁迫周期性波动的常见生存策略。为探索高山有蹄类对这种波动的行为响应和策略,于2018年6月-2019年8月利用红外相机对四川王朗国家级自然保护区内的岩羊（Pseudois nayaur）种群进行了调查,并利用Wilcoxon秩和检验初步分析了它们的昼夜活动时空动态（所涉及分析的数据监测时间为2018年7月底至2019年8月初）。基于前人的研究结论和观点,预测岩羊的昼夜活动在不同季节和不同空间类型将呈现显著差异。结果表明,岩羊的行为基本符合预测：（1）岩羊夏季昼间和冬季夜间较多出现在林缘（夏季昼间：43.64±3.39;冬季夜间：10.00±0.26）和林内（夏季昼间：34.21±3.21,P=0.065;冬季夜间：8.40±0.64,P=0.026）,可能与躲避极端气温有关;（2）岩羊在食物较匮乏的冬季,夜间的活动强度均显著高于其他季节（冬季：23.00±0.73;春季：2.00±0.39;夏季：4.80±1.36;秋季：15.00±1.31）,且在昼间选择易于觅食的草甸生境内活动（林缘：31.79±3.54,草甸：22.79±3.16;P=0.081）。有趣的是,岩羊冬季夜间更多选择林缘（10.00±0.26）,而非预期的林内生境（8.40±0.64,P=0.026）。岩羊在夜宿地附近（林缘）活动强度最大可能是权衡食物和环境胁迫的结果。因为,夜间集中在距离夜宿地和觅食地都比较近的环境中活动,无疑是一种经济的选择。随着近年来气候变化的加剧,高山生态系统受到的威胁越来越明显。基于本研究的发现,建议更多关注高山物种的生存状况和高山生态系统的健康程度,为认识和评价气候变化对生物多样性的影响提供参考。     

甘肃兴隆山保护区野生马麝分布、数量特征及影响因素

综合采用样线法、粪堆计数法及重复调查法对甘肃省兴隆山国家级自然保护区的野生马麝（Moschus chrysogaster）进行了种群调查,结合生境分析,确定了其种群分布、数量特征及影响因素。结果表明,兴隆山保护区分布有野生马麝（1159±275）头,平均种群密度为（3.51±0.83）头/km²;各植被类型生境中的野生麝种群数量及密度存在差异,灌丛生境分布有70%的野生马麝种群,达（807±170）头,种群密度为（6.49±1.63）头/km²;针叶林种群密度最大,达（8.85±83.25）头/km²,分布有野生麝（123±45）头;针阔混交林分布最少,仅（41±15）头,种群密度为（5.00±1.84）头/km²;人工林生境无野生马麝分布。保护区各植被类型生境中的野生马麝种群分布差异反映了马麝对适宜生境功能的需求,食物、保温和隐蔽性是制约野生马麝冬季分布和种群数量的关键因素。此外,因生境及人为干扰强度的不同,保护区各区域的野生马麝种群分布存在差异。建议通过减少人为干扰、地表植被管理及人工林管理优化等措施增加生境适宜性,促进兴隆山自然保护区野生马麝种群的快速恢复和增长。     

Macroinfauna community structure and biochemical composition of sedimentary organic matter along a gradient of wave exposure in sandy beaches (NW Spain)

Six sandy beaches on the North West coast of Spain, exposed to different wave action, were sampled in order to study the macroinfauna community and the biopolymeric fraction (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) of sedimentary organic matter. According to McLachlan’s rating system (1980), three of them were classified as sheltered and the other three as exposed beaches. Sampling was carried out during August 2004 at three tidal levels: high, medium and low. Macroinfauna community and organic matter concentrations were found to be significantly different when sheltered and exposed beaches were compared. Macroinfauna diversity (H′), abundances and biomass became increasingly enriched along a gradient from exposed to sheltered beaches. Macroinfauna mean abundance was found higher in sheltered (ranked from 1535 ± 358 to 15062 ± 5771 ind m⁻²) than in exposed beaches (from 150 ± 41 to 5518 ± 1986 ind m⁻²). Macroinfauna biomass ranged from 3.2 to 14.7 g m⁻² and species richness from 25 to 27 in sheltered localities; while in exposed beaches, biomass ranged from 0.2 to 2.3 g m⁻² and the number of species from 5 to 14. The biopolymeric carbon concentration (BPC) was significantly higher in sheltered (from 84.7 ± 44.7 to 163.3 ± 34.8) than in exposed (from 30.3 ± 7.5 to 78.7 ± 12.3) beaches. The low hydrodynamic conditions of sheltered beaches favoured the settlement of organic rich fine sediments, being supported by the higher protein to carbohydrate ratio found in the exposed (from 23.5 ± 0.9 to 32.7 ± 4.4), rather than in the sheltered localities (from 6.2 ± 0.7 to 13.6). Mean macroinfauna abundances were higher at medium and low tidal levels in both sheltered and exposed beaches. Crustacea was found to be the main group inhabiting the upper part of both types of beaches, dominating all tidal levels of exposed sandy beaches. Mollusca and Polychaeta groups were dominant in sheltered beaches at the medium and lower levels. There was a significant negative relationship between the BPC and the beach face slope; thus, BPC decreased as the intertidal slope increased. It seems that exposed sandy beaches are mainly physically controlled, whereas hospitable sheltered beaches let other factors, such as biochemical compounds, enrich the benthic fauna scenery. Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users Handling editors: K. Martens     

Horizontal and vertical distribution of meiofauna on sandy beaches of the North Sea (The Netherlands, Belgium, France)

Sandy intertidal zones were analysed for the presence of meiofauna. The material was collected on six macro-tidal sandy beaches along the North Sea (The Netherlands, France, Belgium), in order to analyse the vertical and horizontal meiofaunal distribution patterns. Eleven higher meiofauna taxa (one represented by larval stage—Copepoda nauplii) were recorded. The maximum total meiofauna abundance was observed on the Dutch beach (4,295±911 ind. 10 cm⁻²) in the Westerschelde estuary, while the lowest values (361±128 ind. 10 cm⁻²) were recorded in France at the Audresselles beach. Meiofauna of the different localities consisted mainly of nematodes, harpacticoids and turbellarians. Nematodes numerically dominated all sampled stations, comprising more than 45% of the total meiofauna density. Meiofauna was mainly concentrated at the sand surface with about 70% present in the uppermost 5 cm. Meiofauna occurred across the entire intertidal zone. A clear zonation pattern in the distribution of meiofauna taxa across the beaches was observed. The present work suggests that designation of exposed sandy beaches as physically controlled (McLachlan 1988) does not explain their biological variability.     

The relationship between heritage,recreational quality and geomorphological vulnerability in the coastal zone: A case study of beach systems in the Canary Islands

The relationships between geomorphological vulnerability, recreational quality and heritage at beaches in the Canary Islands (Spain) are studied using three sets of indicators. Processes and their interactions are analysed at urban, semi-urban and natural beaches. Natural, cultural and landscape heritage acts as an attractor of recreational activity, which has intensified significantly on Canarian beaches in recent decades. Overcrowding has negatively impacted conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the beaches, and has increased human pressure, leading to an increase in geomorphological susceptibility. The resulting reduction in geomorphological resilience has had a negative impact on beach facilities. Despite this common pattern, the relationships between these processes have particularities associated with the different types of beach (urban, semi-urban and natural). In order to establish new priorities in coastal public policy, these beach diagnoses and indices should be discussed and debated by the different actors involved in beach management.     

Sandy beaches at the brink

Sandy beaches line most of the world's oceans and are highly valued by society: more people use sandy beaches than any other type of shore. While the economic and social values of beaches are generally regarded as paramount, sandy shores also have special ecological features and contain a distinctive biodiversity that is generally not recognized. These unique ecosystems are facing escalating anthropogenic pressures, chiefly from rapacious coastal development, direct human uses — mainly associated with recreation — and rising sea levels. Beaches are increasingly becoming trapped in a 'coastal squeeze' between burgeoning human populations from the land and the effects of global climate change from the sea. Society's interventions (e.g. shoreline armouring, beach nourishment) to combat changes in beach environments, such as erosion and shoreline retreat, can result in severe ecological impacts and loss of biodiversity at local scales, but are predicted also to have cumulative large-scale consequences worldwide. Because of the scale of this problem, the continued existence of beaches as functional ecosystems is likely to depend on direct conservation efforts. Conservation, in turn, will have to increasingly draw on a consolidated body of ecological theory for these ecosystems. Although this body of theory has yet to be fully developed, we identify here a number of critical research directions that are required to progress coastal management and conservation of sandy beach ecosystems.     

基于耦合模型和遥感技术的江苏中部海岸带生态系统健康评价

以生态系统健康理论为基础,从资源环境、景观生态、人类活动3个方面,按活力、组织力和恢复力3个子系统选取了10个代表性指标,构建了遥感技术支持下的海岸带陆域生态系统健康评价指标体系,并耦合TOPSIS模型和VOR生态系统健康度量模型对江苏中部海岸新洋港至川东港岸段进行了应用评价。研究结果表明:江苏中部海岸生态系统健康状态处于健康和良好的区域占27.62%,一般占60.94%,较差和差占11.44%,整体生态健康状况中等偏好。从地物类型和空间分布来看,斗龙港至四卯酉河岸段以滩涂植被、农田和围海养殖区为主,植被和水体对气候调节有积极作用,整体生态健康状况良好;四卯酉河至王港岸段由于大丰港建设,港区陆域植被覆盖率低、热岛效应强,建筑将原本连通的自然景观隔断,导致斑块数量增多,斑块面积减小,加剧了景观破碎化,对原有海岸带生态系统产生一定的破坏,生态健康状况相对较差;此外,新洋港至斗龙港岸段以及川东港岸段以自然保护区湿地为主,植被覆盖度高,人为干扰程度小,生态健康状况也较好。由于该耦合模型评价方法直接基于遥感监测数据,且无需赋予指标权重,因此研究结果相对更加客观,更能反映海岸带生态系统的实际健康状况。     

Crustaceans as ecological indicators of metropolitan sandy beaches health

We have investigated how indices of beach health perform in predicting the abundances of the crustaceans Emerita brasiliensis and Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis from 22 metropolitan beaches in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói. Urbanization, Recreation and Conservation indices were used to assess sandy beaches health. Grain size and beach slope were used as morphodynamics indicators. Diagram from the principal component analysis clearly separated beaches with different urbanization and conservation levels. Generalized additive models (GAM's) were adjusted for species abundance using the indices and morphodynamic parameters as explanatory variables. Lower abundances were predicted for beaches with high levels of urbanization, whereas predictions of higher abundances occurred on beaches with high conservation levels. Using theoretic inference we showed that the urbanization index was the most important predictor for abundance of A. brasiliensis and the conservation index was the most important predictor for E. brasiliensis, reflecting different responses by upper tidal and intertidal species. A. brasiliensis occupies the intermediate and upper beach zones and E. brasiliensis is a swash zone filter-feeder that is more abundant in pristine beaches. Both species are highly subject to the impact of bathers and coastal modification. Unexpected, the recreation index did not show a negative effect on abundance predictions. Urbanization and conservation indices can be suitable metrics to measure anthropogenic effects on macrobenthic species. Moreover, mole crabs and sandhoppers species can be easily monitored. Coastal urbanization is a global phenomenon and we used the diagram of urbanization and conservation levels to expose possible directions for management strategies of metropolitan sandy beaches.     

Mortalities caused by off-road vehicles (ORVs) to a key member of sandy beach assemblages,the surf clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Donax deltoides</Emphasis>

Sandy beaches are prime recreational areas, but human use of beaches is not without ecological consequences. Driving of off-road vehicles on beaches for recreational pursuits is perhaps the physically most severe form of direct anthropogenic disturbance on sandy shores. Potential management and conservation interventions lack, however, data on how sensitive beach species are to vehicle impacts. We therefore experimentally quantified the link between beach traffic and lethal damages caused by vehicles to sandy shore invertebrates, using surf clams (Donax deltoides) as the biological response variable. Although clams had some tolerance against vehicles at low traffic volumes (5 vehicle passes), more than half of them were killed at higher traffic volumes (75 passes) in situations where cars traversed soft sand and turned across the beach face. Overall, both traffic volume and driver behaviour (i.e. straight vs. turning vehicle tracks) determined the incidence of direct crushing of clams under vehicles. Our data demonstrate that recreational use of ORVs is a source of mortality for beach invertebrates, but equally caution against extrapolating impact data from hard-shelled clams to potentially more sensitive soft-bodied species. Robust management interventions that seek to mitigate ecological damage from beach traffic will therefore require information on the functional relationship between the form, intensity and frequency of human disturbance and the biological responses for entire faunal assemblages on sandy shores. Handling editor: T. P. Crowe     

Impacts on biodiversity at Baltic Sea beaches

Sandy and shingle beaches were investigated in 2009 and 2010 along the coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Germany with the purpose of assessing biodiversity gradients from shingle to sandy beaches, from beach to primary dunes, and the impacts of tourism on biodiversity. On nine beach sites, ranging between 100% shingle and 99% sand without shingle, Carabidae, Staphylinidae, and Araneae were studied. Two of the six sandy beaches were open and four were closed to tourists. Additionally, trampling effects from tourists, species richness of plants, and plant cover were investigated on sixteen beaches. According to results, primary dunes showed higher species richness in carabids and spiders, but not in staphylinds. Shingle beaches exhibited lower species richness in Staphylinidae and Araneae, but not in Carabidae. As estimated by the Jackknife II method, shingle beaches were the lowest in total species richness. Trampling intensity ranged from 0 footprints m⁻² day⁻¹ on closed beaches, up to a maximum of 30 footprints m⁻² day⁻¹. On “intensively” used beaches (12 footprints m⁻² day⁻¹, on average), reduction of plant cover was more pronounced than on “extensively” used beaches (7 footprints m⁻² day⁻¹, on average). Both plant cover and plant species richness were lower on intensively and extensively used beaches than on closed beaches. In arthropods, only staphylind and spider species richness was significantly lower on open beaches than on closed beaches, but no differences were found in carabids. Referring to our results, trampling effects from tourists have high impact on species richness of sandy beaches, on both intensively and extensively used sites.     

Capturing the cornerstones of coral reef resilience: linking theory to practice

Coral reefs can undergo unexpected and dramatic changes in community composition, so called phase shifts. This can have profound consequences for ecosystem services upon which human welfare depends. Understanding of this behavior is in many aspects still in its infancy. Resilience has been argued to provide insurance against unforeseen ecosystem responses in the face of environmental change, and has become a prime goal for the management of coral reefs. However, diverse definitions of resilience can be found in the literature, making its meaning ambiguous. Several studies have used the term as a theoretical framework and concern regarding its practical applicability has been raised. Consequently, operationalizing theory to make resilience observable is an important task, particularly for policy makers and managers dealing with pressing environmental problems. Ultimately this requires some type of empirical assessments, something that has proven difficult due to the multidimensional nature of the concept. Biodiversity, spatial heterogeneity, and connectivity have been proposed as cornerstones of resilience as they may provide insurance against ecological uncertainty. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the divergent uses of the concept and to propose empirical indicators of the cornerstones of coral reef resilience. These indicators include functional group approaches, the ratios of “good” and “bad” colonizers of space, measurements of spatial heterogeneity, and estimates of potential space availability against grazing capacity. The essence of these operational indicators of resilience is to use them as predictive tools to recognize vulnerability before disturbance occurs that may lead to abrupt phase shifts. Moving toward operationalizing resilience theory is imperative to the successful management of coral reefs in an increasingly disturbed and human-dominated environment. Communicating by Ecology Editor Professor Peter Mumby Order of authors 2–3 is alphabetic     

Piloting a social-ecological index for measuring flood resilience: A composite index approach

Global increases in the magnitude and frequency of flood events have raised concerns that traditional flood management approaches may not be sufficient to deal with future uncertainties. There is a need to move towards approaches that manage the resilience of the system to floods by understanding and managing drivers of vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Here we pilot an approach to measure the resilience of a system to a flood. A method is presented in which indicators are used to measure and map the spatial distribution of the levels of flood resilience across a landscape. Using three flood affected municipalities in South Africa, 24 resilience indicators related to floods and its relevant social, ecological, infrastructural and economic aspects are selected, and integrated into a composite index using a principal components analysis (PCA). A fifth component of institutional resilience is used to explore levels of disaster planning, mitigation and public awareness capacities and where these can be increased. The PCA transformed the 24 variables into four main components, the first of which was strongly correlated with underlying social variables, while the second and third correlated well with economic and ecological variables respectively. Distinct spatial variation of flood resilience was found across the study area, with highest flood resilience in main cities, and lowest in wards located on the periphery of cities often the location of peri-urban informal settlements. The disaggregation of underlying indicators showed wards with lowest flood resilience also had the lowest social, economic and ecological resilience. The flood resilience index was sensitive to the exclusion of all three components highlighting the importance of capturing the multidimensionality of flood resilience. The approach allows for a simple, yet robust index able to include an array of datasets generally available in flood prone areas with potential to disaggregate and trace variables for management and decision making.