图们江下游湿地生态系统健康评价

湿地是世界上具有独特结构与功能的生态系统,图们江流域湿地生态系统的健康对该区乃至东北亚地区综合生态系统网络的建设具有重要意义。选择图们江流域下游为研究区,基于压力-状态-响应(PSR)模型,在压力系统、状态系统、响应系统三个层面选取30个指标构建了图们江下游湿地生态系统健康评价指标体系,运用层次分析法和多级模糊综合评判法对研究区湿地生态健康状况进行综合评价,其结果为0.5878,处于亚健康状态。其中,压力系统的健康指数为0.5292,响应系统的健康指数为0.6866,状态系统的健康指数为0.5116,各等级隶属度S=(16.83%, 25.37%, 16.76%, 16.97%,24.07%)。主要表现在研究区域湿地的补水水质差,导致湿地水质污染加重,富营养化现象严重;并且由于人为因素,湿地大面积退化,景观破碎化加剧,功能逐渐丧失,生产力水平下降;急需对本区域湿地进行保护与管理。     

Resource dependence and attitudes of local people toward conservation of Kabartal wetland: a case study from the Indo-Gangetic plains

Wetlands are rapidly disappearing from the earth's surface because of agricultural conversion and other land-use changes. The Indo-Gangetic biogeographic zone is a water-surplus area and it abounds in numerous wetlands and floodplains. Kabartal is one such freshwater wetland ecosystem situated in the mid Ganges basin. The wetland not only supports a large population of migratory and residential waterfowl but also plays an equally important role in the local economy and livelihoods of people. The objective of this paper is to examine the different wetland–society linkages, resource dependence, and attitudes of the people living in the peripheral villages of Kabartal. The results indicate that 67% of people depend on the wetland for different types of subsistence and commercial goods including fodder, fuel wood, construction materials, and fish. Kabartal wetland, like many other wetlands of the region, is used simultaneously for rice cultivation, fishing, and many other uses. This has resulted in conflict between different stakeholder groups. The non-settlement of land rights in the Kabartal sanctuary area has further complicated the situation. Agriculture was rated as the most important use of the wetland and was the basic source of income in the area. This was apparent from the attitudes of people, and most of the respondents demanded draining of the water to make more land available for agriculture. The study reveals the high dependence of people in low-income groups on wetland resources. In such a scenario, although the concept of conservation is well supported, the economic conditions of people dictate otherwise. A general lack of awareness about the ecological functions of wetlands points to the need for conservation education. Managing the wetland on the basis of zone concepts and involving local people in alternative income-generating activity by use of extension programs has been suggested as a means of reducing pressure on agricultural land and also reducing the threat to Kabartal wetland.     

Ensuring the adaptive potential of Coastal wetlands of India- the need of the hour for sustainable management

India is endowed with a variety of coastal wetlands viz., mangroves, seagrasses, saltmarshes, coral reefs, lagoons and tidal flats, and the country is also a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the Convention of Biological Diversity, besides having a robust framework of laws and policies, governing the wetland conservation. However, the conservation strategies can better be improved in the context of increasing pressures and threats and limited success of restoration/rehabilitation. Land conversion and ecological degradation of coastal wetlands are the stressors, associated with rapid coastal developmental activities and climate change. The coastal wetlands require desired habitat niche and hence, the conversion of coastal wetlands to other land uses (including agricultural and urban lands) may lead to permanent loss, whereas ecologically degraded coastal wetlands may be resilient if supported by effective protection measures. Preventing the habitat conversion and maximizing the adaptive potential (viz., the ability of populations or species to adapt to rapid environmental change with minimal disruption) by preserving the ecological health are the need of the hour to safeguard the existing coastal wetlands and sustain the provisional ecosystem services offered by them rather than short-term increase in area by unproductive restoration/rehabilitation efforts. Since coastal wetlands are flow through ecosystems, preserving the hydrological connectivity, facilitating the connectivity between adjacent ecosystems and protection of natural corridors are potential strategies that are required to enhance the adaptive potential of coastal wetlands. This analysis calls for site-specific, long-term and integrated ecosystem-based protection, management and rehabilitation strategies based on scientific principles and enforcing the effective legislative measures to regularize the coastal developmental activities in India.

     

Perceived benefits of littoral wetlands in Uganda: a focus on the Nabugabo wetlands

Wetlands, commonly called swamps in Uganda, are estimated to cover about 13% of the total land surface area (about 30,000 km²) of the country and represent a considerable ecological, social and economic value. In 1989, the Ugandan government formerly recognised that wetlands need to be conserved and contribute considerably to the National economy and rural livelihood. The present analysis is focused on the Nabugabo wetland ecosystem. Located in Central Uganda, it is an important part of the extensive system of wetlands that surround Lake Victoria. The Nabugabo wetland is a source of important resources that are basic to the local economy, including fishing, water utilization, agriculture, livestock, wetland plants for construction and more recently, tourism. Investment in the area is low and a large percentage of the local community depends on the wetland resources for basic sustenance needs. After achieving Ramsar status, demarcation and conservation activities were initiated by the local and national leaders. However, these conservation efforts have provoked conflicts between the land owners and the policy makers, in particular to the demarcation of areas for conservation In the present analysis, we examine the benefits, perceived by local leaders and community members, of the wetland and its services, as well as views towards its conservation and management. The results show that differences between the community leaders and member exist regarding the perceived benefits of the wetlands. Tourism, while providing some opportunities for local persons is not always viewed positively. Conservation activities are viewed positively but some questions remain as to whether such efforts help or hinder the local population, in particular regarding access to basic resources.     

The ecology of The Netherlands wetlands: characteristics,threats, prospects and perspectives for ecological research

Wetlands are among the worlds' most important, but also most threatened, environmental resources. Wetland losses have been in progress particularly from the industrial revolution onwards, because wetland functions could not successfully compete for space with other land uses. Wetlands became recently foci of conservation efforts because of the increased awareness of their importance in water management and wildlife conservation, and because of the diversity of their habitats. The Netherlands are relatively rich in wetlands: 16% of its' territory is regarded as internationally important wetland and 7% has been registered as such. The major Dutch wetland types are: coastal ecosystems, large riverine systems, base-rich freshwater systems, and nutrient-poor freshwater systems. Most threats to the Dutch wetlands are of man-made origin. They comprise: (1) Changes in hydrology leading to changed discharges, currents and desiccation; (2) Acidification; (3) Eutrophication; and (4) Toxification. Long-term threats are largely climate-change related, and concern temperature rise and the UV-B increase in irradiation. General conservation goals also apply to wetlands but Ramsar-registered wetlands have a special status. Conservation of the Dutch wetlands is difficult, because of the high population density of the country and its inherent threats. However, ecological targets and standards are increasingly set in national Policy Plans and international agreements. Rehabilitation and creation of wetlands is presently widely advocated, and sometimes realised. For ecological research, the sustainability of wetlands should get top priority. Such a research programme would focus on understanding the underlying ecological processes in natural and man-dominated wetland systems to prescribe conservation, rehabilitation and management strategies that would enhance the sustainability of these systems. Within this framework special attention should be directed to studies (1) At the ecosystem level of ecosystem parameters, of which natural oscillations and trends in time, and on which the impact of disturbances are quantified. Particularly these studies, in which often simulation models are used as tools for interpretation, can provide the basis for extrapolations in space and time; (2) On adaptation capacity and mechanisms of (groups of) species to extreme environmental conditions; (3) On (mutual) relationships between plants, animals and microorganisms (e.g. competition, grazing and mineralization); (4) On dispersion between small wetlands. For the contemporary quantitative assessment of the long-term effects of climate changes, the effects of temperature rise and increase in UV-B irradiation on individual species, communities and ecosystems should also be studied.     

Reasons for the loss and degradation of Australian wetlands

Wetland conservation and management in Australia is not supported by a comprehensive information base. A national inventory has not been compiled and we have very little information on the areal extent and loss of wetlands. Further, we have little information on the values and benefits (products, functions and attributes) derived from wetlands and how these have been degraded or lost. We do know, however, that in some areas at least, wetland loss and degradation has been severe and may even be still occurring. Much of the scientific attention to wetland management has been directed towards the apparent (or ecological) reasons for wetland loss and degradation – changes to the water regime, physical modification of the habitat, eutrophication and other pollution, and invasion by exotic pest species. Lists of threats to wetlands have been compiled, but these rarely address the non-ecological reasons that have resulted in so many wetlands being lost or degraded. In this paper we summarize the key points made from a number of case studies of Australian wetlands that highlight the non-ecological causes of wetland loss and degradation. From this analysis we conclude that awareness and understanding about the non-ecological causes of wetland loss and degradation need to be as well understood as the ecological causes. Foremost amongst these we highlight greater attention to the following issues: economic development in wetlands, bureaucratic obstacles, lack of information or poor access to information, and poor general awareness of the values and benefits derived from wetlands. We further conclude that wetland loss and degradation does not need to happen – our wetlands are valuable and already severely degraded. For this situation to be rectified we need to ensure that the knowledge and expertise of wetland scientists is heard and heeded by decision-makers and wetland users and owners.     

Evaluation of ecosystem health for the coastal wetlands at the Yangtze Estuary, Shanghai

Despite the growing awareness of the important ecological functions and values provided by coastal and estuarine wetlands, wetland degradation continues worldwide due to increasing anthropogenic disturbances. Chongming Dongtan wetlands, adjacent to Shanghai, the largest city and industrial and trading port in China in rapid urban expansion and socioeconomic development are currently threatened with biodiversity reduction, wetland loss, contamination, and invasion of exotic plant. Sustainable protection and management of Dongtan Nature Reserve necessitate research to develop diagnostic tools and indicators for a comprehensive and objective assessment of wetland ecosystem health condition. Based on the pressure-state-response framework and ecological and environmental surveys at the Dongtan wetlands, an indicator system was established for evaluating the coastal wetlands ecosystem health, using indicators detected from satellite imagery and current field surveys. Through the establishment of health assessment units and spatial quantification of the indicators, the spatial clustering analysis, integrated with remote sensing and geographic information system technique was applied to make an accurate diagnosis of ecosystem health for Chongming Dongtan wetlands and highlight the areas in subhealthy and unhealthy condition and urgent need of conservation and management. The results from this research indicated that the ecosystem health condition at the Dongtan wetlands showed spatial variation, to a certain extent, corresponding to the distributions of elevation and land cover types. More than 75 % of the total study area was at a relatively healthy level, with 34.19 km² for the very healthy zone and 41.08 km² for the healthy zone, while the subhealthy and unhealthy zones covered 18.23 and 4.76 km², respectively. This study demonstrated the potential for this integrated approach to give objective and effective evaluation of ecosystem health for the dynamic coastal and estuarine wetlands and provide up-to-date information to assist with early warning for ecological security and management decisions for Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve.     

黄河流域湿地水鸟多样性保护对策

黄河是中华文明的发源地, 被誉为母亲河, 是两岸社会经济发展的保障, 切实保护好黄河流域湿地生态系统, 事关中华民族伟大复兴的千秋大计。黄河流域湿地总面积为391万ha, 其中80.4%分布在上游, 中游和下游分别仅12.5%和7.1%。黄河流域是东亚-澳大利西亚候鸟迁徙路线和中亚候鸟迁徙路线上水鸟的关键栖息地, 一些迁徙水鸟最关键的栖息地均分布在黄河流域, 如黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)、白鹤(G. leucogeranus)、丹顶鹤(G. japonensis)、斑头雁(Anser indicus)、大鸨(Otis tarda)、东方白鹳(Ciconia boyciana)、大天鹅(Cygnus cygnus)、疣鼻天鹅(C. olor)、青头潜鸭(Aythya baeri)等。尽管黄河流域湿地提供的水资源仅占全国的2%, 但维持着全国12%的人口饮水安全和15%的耕地用水, 湿地生态系统的脆弱性较高。截至2017年底, 黄河流域已建立各类湿地自然保护地230处, 其中国家公园2处、国家级自然保护区9处、地方级自然保护区68处、国家湿地公园145处、省级湿地公园6处, 湿地保护率达到65%, 高于我国湿地保护53%的平均水平。然而, 流域尺度现有水鸟生物多样性保护仍然面临不少挑战, 包括全球气候变化、水资源过度利用、水环境污染、栖息地丧失等。为此, 我们提出了建立以国家公园为主体的湿地保护地体系、开展濒危候鸟栖息地修复和强化黄河流域综合管理的体制机制建设等建议。     

Wetlands, livelihoods and sustainability in Tanzania

Wetlands in Tanzania are among the world's most biologically productive ecosystems and are rich in species diversity. Wetlands support family livelihoods through crop production, grazing pastures and direct resource extractions. Ecologically, wetlands are instrumental in water storage, filtration, flood control and toxic retention and are also important habitat for biodiversity both flora and fauna. The last 30 years have witnessed rapid degradation of wetlands which threatens livelihoods; disturbs ecological settings and leads into unsustainable development. In this study, an attempt has been made to describe the livelihoods and sustainability issues of the Bahi Wetlands in Central Tanzania. This is a semi-arid area and therefore the wetland plays a key role socio-economically and environmentally. Data were collected from 200 households in Ngaiti and Kitalalo villages using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. There were also focused groups interviews, key informants and Participatory Rural Appraisal methods. Findings show Bahi Wetlands to play a significant role in livelihoods, cultural and ecological functions. However, the sustainability of the wetlands is threatened by over-cultivation, overgrazing and over-extraction of natural resources directly. Livelihood diversifications through credit provision, improved extension services and strengthened local institutions, are recommended. Wetlands policy and laws should be developed and enforced.     

水源涵养型国家重点生态功能区生态系统服务功能评估

为评估“十二五”以来国家重点生态功能区转移支付政策的阶段性实施效果，以水源涵养类型国家重点生态功能区为对象，基于水量平衡法，利用2011年和2019年土地覆被数据，并结合气象数据，分析了水源涵养型国家重点生态功能区2011年和2019年水源涵养功能、生态系统面积、生态系统质量状况及其变化情况。研究结果表明，自2011年转移支付政策实施以来：1)全国水源涵养型重点生态功能区内的水源涵养能力呈现从西北部到东南部逐渐增加的空间分布趋势，2019年全国水源涵养型重点生态功能区水源涵养能力较2011年显著增加。2)全国水源涵养型重点生态功能区森林面积有所增加，湿地得到有效恢复。3)全国水源涵养重点生态功能区内生态系统质量提高，平均植被覆盖度有所增加，呈现东北部及中南部高，西北部低的分布趋势。总体来看，转移支付政策的实施对全国水源涵养重点生态功能区森林、草地生态系统水源涵养功能的提升发挥了积极作用，基本上达到了转移支付政策预期的阶段性目标。     

雄安新区白洋淀生态属性辨析及生态修复保护研究

湿地是自然界生物多样性最丰富的生态系统之一,与社会发展和人类福祉息息相关。近年来,由于全球气候变化和人类活动的过度干扰,湿地正面临着面积萎缩、功能减弱、多样性降低等诸多问题,湿地退化已经成为制约区域可持续性发展的重大阻碍。伴随着生态文明建设逐渐成为中国特色社会主义建设的重要支柱,湿地生态修复工作得到前所未有的制度保障。深入剖析湿地属性,结合政策保障,有针对性的提出湿地保护与修复的治理措施,对区域的生态环境建设和可持续性发展具有重要意义。选择国家级新区-雄安新区的水命脉-白洋淀湿地为研究对象,在深入剖析其生态属性和已存在的生态问题的基础上,结合生态修复的原则、方法和步骤,提出生态修复与保护的可行性策略。研究结果表明,白洋淀本质是典型的湖泊湿地,同时兼具沼泽湿地特征,由于人类活动的剧烈干扰,白洋淀有向沼泽湿地逆向演替的变化趋势。湿地内存在面积萎缩、水资源量短缺、水环境污染问题突出及生物多样性减少等生态问题。本研究建议:为顺利建设雄安新区,首先,白洋淀湿地在算清"水账"、"污账"和"生态账"的前提下,进一步加强流域水资源调配,科学确定白洋淀湿地最佳水位,恢复淀区水量;其次,通过使用清洁生产技术和限制高排污企业建设等措施,加强污染防治,恢复湿地水质;最后,依据生态承载力理论,划分白洋淀流域的生态功能红线、环境质量红线和资源利用红线等国家生态保护红线体系,为尽快恢复湿地结构与功能提供制度保障。     

Conservation strategies for coastal wetlands in the Gulf of California,Mexico

Wetlands worldwide, the fisheries they support, and the communities that depend on them are threatened by habitat modification. We describe strategies being used for wetland conservation in the Gulf of California, Mexico, their effectiveness, and challenges for implementation. We base our analysis on the authors’ experience working for local environmental non-governmental organizations and available literature. The strategies discussed include public and private policy instruments such as Environmental Impact Evaluations, environmental land easements, concessions and transfer agreements, Natural Protected Areas, and international agreements such as the Ramsar convention and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. We present examples from the Gulf of California that highlight some of the challenges to wetland conservation. These challenges range from governmental failure to enforce existing environmental legislation, lack of verification of requirements for development projects, to low economic penalties for wetland modification or destruction. We found that in the Gulf of California successful conservation of coastal wetlands required a combination of policy instruments and relied on integrating science, management, and public participation through partnerships between non-governmental institutions, academic institutions, community stakeholders, and government agencies.     

Development of a multimetric plant-based index of biotic integrity for assessing the ecological state of forested,urban and agricultural natural wetlands of Jimma Highlands,Ethiopia

Wetlands are vital natural resources thereby providing ecological and socio-economic benefits to the people. However, anthropogenic activities have seriously changed the ecological conditions of wetlands worldwide, especially in developing nations like Ethiopia. Predominantly, the absence of biomonitoring tool greatly hampers the protection and management of wetlands. Therefore, the objective of this research is to develop a plant-based index of biological integrity for facilitating the management of wetlands. Accordingly, 122 plant species belonging to 37 families were collected and identified from forested, urban and agricultural wetland types and included in the analysis of the plant metrics. Initially, we reviewed and screened 35 potential metrics. Then, we selected four core metrics (% cover of native species, sensitive plant species richness, tolerant plant species richness and% of shrub species richness) using the decrease or increase responses to human disturbances, Mann-Whitney U test and redundant metric test. A trisect-quartile range system using box plots of the reference or impaired sites of wetlands was established to provide values for each core metrics. Then after, we combined the core metrics to develop the plant-based index of biological integrity. Finally, we validated the index by comparing the index response to different wetland types. Additionally, the index was validated based on the measured environmental variables that characterize the human disturbance gradient of wetlands. We found that the plant-based index is robust to discriminate the reference wetlands from impaired wetlands and can also be used as an effective tool for evaluating the long term natural wetland conditions of the Eastern African wetlands in the future.     

Wetlands and global climate change: the role of wetland restoration in a changing world

Global climate change is recognized as a threat to species survival and the health of natural systems. Scientists worldwide are looking at the ecological and hydrological impacts resulting from climate change. Climate change will make future efforts to restore and manage wetlands more complex. Wetland systems are vulnerable to changes in quantity and quality of their water supply, and it is expected that climate change will have a pronounced effect on wetlands through alterations in hydrological regimes with great global variability. Wetland habitat responses to climate change and the implications for restoration will be realized differently on a regional and mega-watershed level, making it important to recognize that specific restoration and management plans will require examination by habitat. Floodplains, mangroves, seagrasses, saltmarshes, arctic wetlands, peatlands, freshwater marshes and forests are very diverse habitats, with different stressors and hence different management and restoration techniques are needed. The Sundarban (Bangladesh and India), Mekong river delta (Vietnam), and southern Ontario (Canada) are examples of major wetland complexes where the effects of climate change are evolving in different ways. Thus, successful long term restoration and management of these systems will hinge on how we choose to respond to the effects of climate change. How will we choose priorities for restoration and research? Will enough water be available to rehabilitate currently damaged, water-starved wetland ecosystems? This is a policy paper originally produced at the request of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and incorporates opinion, interpretation and scientific-based arguments.     

Machine learning-based spatial-temporal assessment and change transition analysis of wetlands: An application of Google Earth Engine in Sylhet,Bangladesh (1985–2022)

Wetlands are crucial ecosystems as they enhance the quality of groundwater, protect from natural hazards, control erosion, and provide habitat to rare species of flora and fauna. Despite being valuable ecosystems, wetlands worldwide are decreasing in many regions, making mapping and monitoring of wetlands crucial. Large-scale wetlands mapping is challenging but recent advancements in machine learning, time series earth observation data, and cloud computing have opened doors to new techniques to overcome such limitations. Through evaluating the effectiveness of different classification methods, this study provides a brief analysis of wetlands dynamics in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The analysis is carried out between 1985 and 2022 using Google Earth Engine, Landsat imagery, and several spectral indices. To obtain reliable results, four classification algorithms (Random Forest, Minimum Distance, Classification and Regression Trees, and Support Vector Machine) are evaluated. As a result, Random Forest proved to be the most efficient and accurate for wetlands mapping by producing 99% accuracy across all periods. Change detection shows a rapid decrease in the wetlands in Sylhet, which could have serious consequences to the aquatic and terrestrial species, water and soil quality, and wildlife population, if not addressed. Between 1985 and 2022, nearly 45% of the wetlands have been lost in the region due to shifting land-use patterns, especially the conversion of wetlands into vegetative land (∼82,000 km²) as a result of increased agricultural practices in the region. Four critical regions (i.e., Derai, Sulla, Jamalganj, and Ajmiriganj) have undergone ∼80% reduction in wetlands, requiring prompt interventions for conservation and restoration of wetlands given their diverse services.     

生态系统修复国内外研究进展与展望

气候变化和人类活动的增加不仅导致生态系统退化、生物多样性丧失、生物圈资源供给能力降低, 而且极大地制约了社会经济的可持续发展。尽管在全世界范围内已实施了大量的保护工作, 但全球生态系统退化仍在继续, 逐渐成为备受关注的全球性问题。文章首先厘清生态系统修复的发展历程、相关概念与理论。其次, 归纳生态系统修复的全球议题, 涉及生态系统服务及其价值评估、生物多样性保护、应对气候变化与碳储存、自然保护地、监测体系与适应性管理、公平性与多主体参与等方面。然后, 总结我国森林、草原、河流与湿地、海洋与海岸带的生态系统退化问题与修复进展, 梳理生态保护红线、自然保护地生态系统修复和国土空间生态保护修复3种措施的进展与不足。最后, 对山水林田湖草沙一体化保护与系统治理、生态系统修复的多元融资政策与渠道、荒野生态保护修复的探索与实践、城镇生态系统修复的研究与应用以及生态系统修复对生物多样性的保护与维持等五个方面进行展望, 以期为我国进一步开展生态系统保护修复的相关研究与实践提供指导。     

Impacts of human‐induced environmental change in wetlands on aquatic animals

Many wetlands harbour highly diverse biological communities and provide extensive ecosystem services; however, these important ecological features are being altered, degraded and destroyed around the world. Despite a wealth of research on how animals respond to anthropogenic changes to natural wetlands and how they use created wetlands, we lack a broad synthesis of these data. While some altered wetlands may provide vital habitat, others could pose a considerable risk to wildlife. This risk will be heightened if such wetlands are ecological traps – preferred habitats that confer lower fitness than another available habitat. Wetlands functioning as ecological traps could decrease both local and regional population persistence, and ultimately lead to extinctions. Most studies have examined how animals respond to changes in environmental conditions by measuring responses at the community and population levels, but studying ecological traps requires information on fitness and habitat preferences. Our current lack of knowledge of individual‐level responses may therefore limit our capacity to manage wetland ecosystems effectively since ecological traps require different management practices to mitigate potential consequences. We conducted a global meta‐analysis to characterise how animals respond to four key drivers of wetland alteration: agriculture, mining, restoration and urbanisation. Our overarching goal was to evaluate the ecological impacts of human alterations to wetland ecosystems, as well as identify current knowledge gaps that limit both the current understanding of these responses and effective wetland management. We extracted 1799 taxon‐specific response ratios from 271 studies across 29 countries. Community‐ (e.g. richness) and population‐level (e.g. density) measures within altered wetlands were largely comparable to those within reference wetlands. By contrast, individual fitness measures (e.g. survival) were often lower, highlighting the potential limitations of using only community‐ and population‐level measures to assess habitat quality. Only four studies provided habitat‐preference data, preventing investigation of the potential for altered wetlands to function as ecological traps. This is concerning because attempts to identify ecological traps may detect previously unidentified conservation risks. Although there was considerable variability amongst taxa, amphibians were typically the most sensitive taxon, and thus, may be a valuable bio‐indicator of wetland quality. Despite suffering reduced survival and reproduction, measures such as time to and mass at metamorphosis were similar between altered and reference wetlands, suggesting that quantifying metamorphosis‐related measures in isolation may not provide accurate information on habitat quality. Our review provides the most detailed evaluation to date of the ecological impacts of human alterations to wetland ecosystems. We emphasise that the role of wetlands in human‐altered ecosystems can be complex, as they may represent important habitat but also pose potential risks to animals. Reduced availability of natural wetlands is increasing the importance of altered wetlands for aquatic animals. Consequently, we need to define what represents habitat quality from the perspective of animals, and gain a greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms of habitat selection and how these factors could be manipulated. Furthermore, strategies to enhance the quality of these wetlands should be implemented to maximise their conservation potential.     

Waterbird and wetland research and conservation in Ghana: a ten year perspective

Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y. & Gordon, C. 2000. Waterbird & wetland research and conservationin Ghana: a ten year perspective. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 95.

The study outlines the evolution of ecological research on waterbirds and wetland conservation initiatives in Ghana over a ten year period, 1986–1996. A survey of waterbird populations was initiated in the country in October 1985, through a collaborative effort between the Ghana Government, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) UK and BirdLife International. These studies identified key wetland sites on the Ghana coast which have been regularly monitored up to today, thus providing the most comprehensive long-term data on waterbird populations within the West African sub-region. Over the ten year period the simple waterbird counting has led to comprehensive ecological research on waterbirds, the establishment of a national Bird Ringing Scheme and the development of a core of trained ornithologists in Ghana. In terms of conservation action, the data provided the justification for designation of the five most important coastal wetland sites as Ramsar sites and the establishment of the Ghana Coastal Wetlands Management Project (CWMP) to manage the sites. The management strategy adopted seeks not only to maintain the ecological integrity of the wetlands, but more importantly, to enhance the benefits derived from wetlands by local communities and improve the quality of life for the coastal people. Management actions are guided by a multi-disciplinary research on the coastal wetland ecosystem, which incorporates biological, physico-chemical and socio-economic dimensions. The large body of environmental data accumulated during the initial stages of the CWMP provide a solid base for the monitoring of the ecological character of the wetlands and the evaluation of management activities. The events in Ghana clearly demonstrate the value of a strong scientific data-base in our efforts to promote conservation of Africa's wetlands and wetland resources.     

The role of wetland policies in the conservation of waterbirds: the case of Uganda

Mafabi, P. 2000. The role of wetland policies in the conservation of waterbirds: the case of Uganda. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 96–98.

Wetlands in Uganda provide important habitats for birds including several endemic species. With the ever increasing pressure to convert wetlands to agricultural lands, several species have lost their habitats, while others have become pests due to their opportunistic behaviour in modified habitats. The causes of wetland drainage and conversion in Uganda include population growth, economic reforms and a severe lack of information, legislation and inter-sectoral co-ordination. Community uses of wetlands have clear impacts on waterbirds. At Busolwe (case study 1) there is competition for land-use between Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum and man. Priority community uses of wetlands include fish-farming, agro-forestry and bee-keeping. There is a need for integrating bird conservation into overall wetland conservation objectives, especially with the aim of maintaining conditions suitable for waterbird survival during critical stages of the life-cycle. National wetland policies can play an important role in the conservation of waterbirds, as learned from Uganda's experiences. Recommendations for integrating bird conservation into the national wetland policy framework (as well as into national, district and local level planning processes) are made, which point to close co-operation between stakeholders for better management and on improved appreciation of wetlands values.     

长江流域生态系统格局演变及驱动力

长江流域生态系统格局复杂,多种社会经济、政策和自然因素对土地利用变化的影响使得生态环境发生变化。分析了2000年至2015年长江流域生态系统格局和演变特征,及主要驱动力对生态系统变化的贡献。15年间,共有约6.4万km~2的生态系统类型发生变化,城镇增长67.5%,农田缩减7.5%,森林增加2.1%,剧烈的生态系统变化集中于下游,以及中上游的大城市,城镇聚集区以及退耕还林区。生态系统景观破碎化程度和景观多样性提高。上、中、下游生态系统格局、构成差异较大,15年间,上游和下游森林显著增加,下游城镇显著扩张、农田和湿地显著缩减,上游湿地增加最为显著。城镇化是生态系统格局演变的首要驱动力,对生态系统变化的贡献率达48.0%,长江下游城镇化的贡献率高达64.5%。生态保护与恢复工程是第二驱动力,对生态系统变化的贡献率为32.8%,在上游高达47.8%。水资源开发和农业开发贡献率分别为8.5%和9.9%,此外,气候变化促使高原湖泊面积增大。为保护长江流域生态系统的可持续发展,需划定生态保护红线,合理规划城市化进程中的土地利用,保护优质耕地,禁止重要湿地的开发。