Fish fauna as an indicator of environmental quality in an urbanised region of the Amazon estuary

This study describes the biological importance of Guajará Bay (Belém, Pará, Brazil) for fish fauna and presents a diagnosis of water quality in the main channel and creeks, using the icthyofauna as an ecological indicator. A total of 567 individuals from 40 species were identified. About 58% of these use Guajará Bay as a nursery ground, 49 and 81% use the bay as a breeding and feeding ground, respectively. There were no significant differences between environments as measured by the diversity index; however, fish relative abundance (catch per unit of effort) was greater in the creeks than in the main channel. A significant difference was detected in the fish fauna inhabiting the main channel compared with the creeks. In the main channel, icthyofauna significantly differed during December relative to other months.     

Changes in distribution of an archaic moth, Micropterix calthella, in St Petersburg, Russia, between 1989 and 2005

Aim  This work aimed to assess changes in the number of suitable habitats and habitat occupancy by Micropterix calthella (L.) moths (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae) in the city of St Petersburg between 1989 and 2005.
Location  The city of St Petersburg, Russia.
Methods  The study compares results of the survey conducted on 9–12 June 2005 with data collected in 1989 and is based on the assessment of the quality and occupancy of 103 habitats that were found potentially suitable for M. calthella in 1989. If habitats contained wet microsites with undisturbed litter and dense field layer vegetation with a high abundance of flowering Ranunculus sp., they were considered potentially suitable for M. calthella ; in these habitats, moths were searched for on flowers of Ranunculus – visually and/or by extensive sweep-netting.
Results  Both the number of habitats suitable for M. calthella and the number of habitats occupied by this species decreased since 1986 from 103 to 72 and from 58 to 34, respectively. The disappearance of habitats was primarily due to the building of residential blocks within the city (16 sites) and railway renovation (10 sites), while changes in habitat management, primarily in parks and recreation zones (five sites), were less important. The average distance from the city centre to the nearest population of M. calthella increased from 8.7 ± 1.5 to 12.9 ± 3.0 km (mean ± SE).
Main conclusion  The data for 2005 fit the prediction that M. calthella moths, which are unable to re-colonize potentially suitable habitats due to their low migratory ability, will disappear from the city. At the present rate of extinction, this process may take some 20–30 years to complete (or nearly complete).     

Mycorrhizal Limonium Sinuatum (l.) Mill. Enhances Accumulation of Lead and Cadmium

Heavy metals accumulation in soils poses a potential threat to ecosystems, which, in turn, threat human health through food chains. Therefore, remediating polluted sites is important to environment and humanity. In this investigation, statice (L. sinuatum) was exposed to Cd (0, 15, 30, 60 mg kg^?1 soil) or Pb (0, 100, 150, 300 mg kg^?1 soil) in a pot experiment to assess its tolerance to each metal and study its phytoaccumulation capability. The benefits of mycorrhization (mixture of Glomus mosseae and G. intraradices) were also studied simultaneously. Single exposure to Cd or Pb reduced the plant growth, but statice was still relatively tolerant to both metals. The plants accumulated both metals in their roots; little was translocated to the shoots. Total Pb and total Cd accumulated by the roots was approximately 2 and 3 times higher in mycorrhizal than non-mycorrhizal plants (49 versus 147 and 595 versus 956 μg plant^?1) respectively; however, mycorrhization alleviated metal phytotoxicity. The results suggest that statice is a potential candidate to be used as an ornamental plant in lead and cadmium polluted sites, mainly inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizae. Besides that, it would be useful as a Pb or Cd controlling agent by means of phytostabilization.     

Potential local adaptation in populations of invasive reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) across an urbanization gradient

Urban stressors represent strong selective gradients that can elicit evolutionary change, especially in non‐native species that may harbor substantial within‐population variability. To test whether urban stressors drive phenotypic differentiation and influence local adaptation, we compared stress responses of populations of a ubiquitous invader, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Specifically, we quantified responses to salt, copper, and zinc additions by reed canary grass collected from four populations spanning an urbanization gradient (natural, rural, moderate urban, and intense urban). We measured ten phenotypic traits and trait plasticities, because reed canary grass is known to be highly plastic and because plasticity may enhance invasion success. We tested the following hypotheses: (a) Source populations vary systematically in their stress response, with the intense urban population least sensitive and the natural population most sensitive, and (b) plastic responses are adaptive under stressful conditions. We found clear trait variation among populations, with the greatest divergence in traits and trait plasticities between the natural and intense urban populations. The intense urban population showed stress tolerator characteristics for resource acquisition traits including leaf dry matter content and specific root length. Trait plasticity varied among populations for over half the traits measured, highlighting that plasticity differences were as common as trait differences. Plasticity in root mass ratio and specific root length were adaptive in some contexts, suggesting that natural selection by anthropogenic stressors may have contributed to root trait differences. Reed canary grass populations in highly urbanized wetlands may therefore be evolving enhanced tolerance to urban stressors, suggesting a mechanism by which invasive species may proliferate across urban wetland systems generally.     

Resource use efficiency in urban and peri-urban sheep, goat and cattle enterprises

Urban livestock husbandry receives growing attention given the increasing urban demand for livestock products. At the same time, little is known about the resource use efficiency in urban livestock enterprises and eventual negative externalities. In livestock production, feeds are an important resource whose nutrients are transformed into products (meat and milk) to generate financial return to the producer. The lack of knowledge on nutrient supply through feed might lead to oversupply with severe environmental impacts. In Niamey, a typical West African city and capital of the Republic of Niger, urban livestock production is constrained by feed scarcity, especially during the dry season. Here, the issue of resource use efficiency was studied in 13 representative and differently managed sheep/goat and cattle enterprises characterized by high and low feed inputs, respectively, during a period of 28 months. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inflows into each farm through livestock feeds and outflows through manure were determined using a semi-structured questionnaire; interviews were accompanied by regular weighing of feed supplied and dung produced. Live weight gain (LWG) and efficiency of conversion of total feed dry matter offered (kg TDMO/kg LWG) were computed along with nutrient balances (NBs) per metabolic body mass (kg0.75). NBs (per kg0.75/day) in the high-input (HI) sheep/goat enterprises were +1762.4 mg N, +127.2 mg P and +1363.5 mg K and were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those in low-input (LI) units (+69.1 mg N, -98.3 mg P and +16.5 mg K). In HI cattle enterprises, daily balances averaged +454.1 mg N, +40.1 mg P and +341.8 mg K compared to +34.4 mg N, -9.0 mg P and +68.3 mg K (P > 0.05) in LI cattle systems. All systems were characterized by poor conversion efficiencies of offered feed, which ranged from 13.5 to 46.1 kg TDMO/kg LWG in cattle and from 15.7 to 43.4 kg TDMO/kg LWG in sheep/goats. LWG in HI sheep/goats was 53 g/day in the rainy season, 86 g/day in the hot dry season and 104 g/day in the cool dry season, while HI cattle lost 79 g/day in the hot dry season and gained 121 g/day and 92 g/day in the cool dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The data indicate that there is nutrient wasting and scope for improvement of feeding strategies in Niamey's livestock enterprises, which might also decrease nutrient losses to the urban environment.     

上海城市森林群落结构对固碳能力的影响

基于上海市区航片数字化、代表性样地群落调查、优势树种生理参数测定和CITYgreen模型软件,对上海城市森林固碳能力进行评估,并探讨群落结构对固碳能力的影响。结果表明:上海城市森林总碳贮量为478472t,年碳固定量为6256t.a-1,平均碳密度为47.80t.hm-2,平均固碳率为0.625t.hm-2.a-1;城市森林的固碳率与郁闭度及群落密度均呈极显著正相关,而与平均胸径负相关;碳密度与郁闭度及平均胸径均呈极显著正相关,而与群落密度无显著相关;低密度高胸径群落比中、高密度群落具有更高的碳密度;混交林碳密度高于纯林,复层林碳密度和固碳率都高于单层林,且固碳能力的差异在一定程度上受平均胸径、群落密度等因子影响。     

基于RAGA的PPC模型在城市公园绿地景观生态美学评价中的应用

基于公众对生态环境的日益重视,以生态美学思想为指导,提出城市公园绿地景观生态美学评价的指标体系;同时利用基于RAGA的PPC模型,将高维数据转换到低维子空间,通过寻求最优投影方向及投影函数值来实现对城市公园绿地景观的生态美学评价。选取大庆市10个具有代表性的公园绿地为研究对象,运用该评价指标体系及模型进行景观生态美学评价。结果表明:总体景观空间多样性、植被色彩多样性、建筑与小品分布合理性、树种多样性、水体可亲近性、植被长势自然性、地形自然度、建筑与小品体量适宜度指标对大庆市公园绿地景观生态美学效果的影响较大,是今后大庆市公园绿地景观生态建设、改造与管理上应作为重点考虑的因素;在10个公园绿地中,油田乐园、城市森林公园最具生态美,而乘风广场、世纪大道(高新技术开发区段)附属带状绿地的生态美较差。应用该模型可以避免传统方法存在的一些不足,也为处理景观评价中具有模糊性、不确定性的高维数据的综合评判、排序、寻优等方面研究提供了新的思路与方法。     

Kinetics of protein agglomeration. A nephelometric method for the determination of total protein in biological samples

The kinetics of agglomeration of proteins precipitating in a viscous solution was measured by light scattering. The resulting transitory maximum was linearly proportional to the mass of protein over three orders of magnitude. The change in scattering intensity is described as a change in scattering symmetry due to a continuous in particle size.This method is both fast (minutes) and sensitive (30 ng protein) and is independent of the chemical composition of the different protein species and is barely influenced by size and shape of the proteins.By solubilising the protein in an alkaline dedecyl sulfate solution this method can be applied to all types of biological samples (e.g. tissue homogenates proteins) and also to all types of biological preparations containing detergents as well as urea, sucrose, salts and lipids.     

Habitat Use of Fox Squirrels in an Urban Environment

Abstract: Tree squirrels are one of the most familiar mammals found in urban areas and are considered both desirable around homes and, conversely, a pest. We examined fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) habitat use in inner city and suburban areas using radiotelemetry. We estimated habitat selection ratios at differing scales by season and fox squirrel activity. Telemetry data suggests that during periods of inactivity radiocollared fox squirrels (n = 82) selected 1) areas with greater tree canopy, 2) live oaks (Quercus fusiromis and Q. virginiana), and 3) trees with larger diameters and canopies. When inactive during the winter and spring, fox squirrels also preferred, within their core areas, to use the inside of buildings, and during periods of activity in the autumn and spring, fox squirrels preferred grassy areas. During periods of activity, fox squirrels avoided using pavement but did not exclude it from their core-area movements. Fox squirrels' ability to use buildings and to tolerate pavement in core-area movements make vast areas of the urban environment available to fox squirrels. In evaluating habitat variables that increased fox squirrel activity in urban areas, we found the number of large and medium trees, amount of pavement and grassy areas, canopy cover, number of oaks, and the area covered by buildings were all important factors in predicting fox squirrel activity in an urban environment. Our data suggests urban planners, animal damage control officials, wildlife managers, and landscapers who want to control urban fox squirrel populations through habitat manipulation should consider the reduction of oaks trees, a reduction of the canopy cover, and restricting the access of fox squirrels to buildings. Alternatively, home owners and squirrel enthusiasts hoping to bolster fox squirrel populations in urban areas should consider increasing the number of large mast—bearing trees and canopy cover and providing nest boxes.     

城市湿地概念和功能及中国城市湿地保护

随着城市化进程加快,城市湿地保护问题日益突出。城市湿地是存在于城市区域之内的湿地,其生态服务功能与乡野湿地有着明显不同。受人为活动干扰强烈,中国城市湿地存在面积缩小、功能退化、污染严重,特别是富营养化现象突出。而由于长期对城市湿地研究薄弱,对湿地功能与价值认识存在偏差,以及城市湿地保护较高的机会成本,使得中国城市湿地保护面临诸多困难。本文在分析中国城市湿地存在的问题基础上,提出中国城市湿地保护对策,并就当前中国城市湿地研究与保护问题进行探讨。