The ecology of European ponds: defining the characteristics of a neglected freshwater habitat

There is growing awareness in Europe of the importance of ponds, and increasing understanding of the contribution they make to aquatic biodiversity and catchment functions. Collectively, they support considerably more species, and specifically more scarce species, than other freshwater waterbody types. Ponds create links (or stepping stones) between existing aquatic habitats, but also provide ecosystem services such as nutrient interception, hydrological regulation, etc. In addition, ponds are powerful model systems for studies in ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology, and can be used as sentinel systems in the monitoring of global change. Ponds have begun to receive greater protection, particularly in the Mediterranean regions of Europe, as a result of the identification of Mediterranean temporary ponds as a priority in the EU Habitats Directive. Despite this, they remain excluded from the provisions of the Water Framework Directive, even though this is intended to ensure the good status of all waters. There is now a need to strengthen, develop and coordinate existing initiatives, and to build a common framework in order to establish a sound scientific and practical basis for pond conservation in Europe. The articles presented in this issue are intended to explore scientific problems to be solved in order to increase the understanding and the protection of ponds, to highlight those aspects of pond ecology that are relevant to freshwater science, and to bring out research areas which are likely to prove fruitful for further investigation. Guest editors: R. Céréghino, J. Biggs, B. Oertli and S. Declerck The ecology of European ponds: defining the characteristics of a neglected freshwater habitat     

IPBES土地退化和恢复专题评估报告及其潜在影响

随着国际社会对生物多样性保护和人类福祉关注度的提升, 土地退化作为全球面临的重要问题逐渐成为国际公约和进程关注的热点问题。生物多样性和生态系统服务政府间科学政策平台(Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IPBES)将“土地退化和恢复”列入2014-2018年工作方案, 开展评估。2018年3月, 该评估报告在IPBES第六次全体会议上获得通过。本文概述了评估报告的主要内容和结论, 探讨了对其他国际进程的可能影响。评估报告在IPBES概念框架的基础上, 厘清了土地退化的概念与内涵, 全面梳理了土地退化对人类生活质量的影响, 阐明了土地退化的现状和进程, 分析了直接和间接驱动因素与土地退化的作用, 揭示了土地退化与人类福祉的关系, 提出了土地退化和恢复的对策建议。该项评估将为各国决策者制定政策工具提供最有效的技术支撑, 为相关国际进程谈判提供重要的科学参考。中国作为生物多样性大国, 应重视IPBES的评估机制并积极参与, 加强促进生物多样性和生态系统服务领域的科学成果转化, 适时针对国内关键问题启动相关评估, 促进我国生态文明建设和山水林田湖草系统治理, 实现美丽中国的建设目标。     

An inventory of continental U.S. terrestrial candidate ecological restoration areas based on landscape context

Landscape context is an important factor in restoration ecology, but the use of landscape context for site prioritization has not been as fully developed. We used morphological image processing to identify candidate ecological restoration areas based on their proximity to existing natural vegetation. We identified 1,102,720 candidate ecological restoration areas across the continental United States. Candidate ecological restoration areas were concentrated in the Great Plains and eastern United States. We populated the database of candidate ecological restoration areas with 17 attributes related to site content and context, including factors such as soil fertility and roads (site content), and number and area of potentially conjoined vegetated regions (site context) to facilitate its use for site prioritization. We demonstrate the utility of the database in the state of North Carolina, U.S.A. for a restoration objective related to restoration of water quality (mandated by the U.S. Clean Water Act), wetlands, and forest. The database will be made publicly available on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's EnviroAtlas website ( http://enviroatlas.epa.gov ) for stakeholders interested in ecological restoration.     

Does restored plant diversity play a role in the reproductive functionality of Banksia populations?

Vegetation structure and plant species diversity of restoration sites are predicted to directly affect pollinator attraction, with potential impacts on gene flow, reproduction, genetic diversity of future generations, and ultimately restoration success. We compared Banksia attenuata R.Br. (Proteaceae) in a low species diversity restoration site and an adjacent natural remnant. We assessed fecundity genetic diversity in adult plants and their offspring, mating system parameters and pollen dispersal using paternity assignment. Results were compared to an earlier study of reproductive functionality within a high species diversity restoration site that was restored in a similar manner, enabling us to investigate any association between plant species diversity and fecundity. Seed set data indicated no significant differences between restored and adjacent natural sites; however, seed set data between restoration sites was significantly different (2.08 ± 0.39 and 6.89 ± 1.12, respectively). The mean number of fruits (follicles) per inflorescence was not significantly different between restoration sites. Genetic diversity of adult plants and their offspring were comparable in all sites. Higher allelic richness and genetic differentiation in one restored site reflected sourcing beyond local provenance. Low correlated paternity indicated high levels of multiple siring of seeds and paternity assignment demonstrated strong genetic connectivity between sites. Reproductive functionality, as measured by fecundity and genetic diversity in the offspring of B. attenuata, is resilient to low species diversity within a restored plant community. We consider our results in the context of establishing seed production areas (SPAs) that maximize the quantity and genetic quality of Banksia seeds for restoration.     

Local and landscape drivers of arthropod diversity and decomposition processes in oil palm leaf axils

相似文献   

水利工程对河流生态系统服务功能的影响评价方法初探

通过分析水利工程对河流生态系统服务功能的影响,建立了评价指标体系和定量化的评价方法．评价指标体系包括建立评价指标的原则、对河流生态系统服务功能的分类和指标确定等．本文将河流生态系统的服务功能分为四类即供水及与供水量相关的航运和水电功能、生态支持功能、调节控制功能和文化美学功能．依据不同的功能类型,应用以前的研究成果,针对水利工程产生的生态效应如生物多样性的变化和河流净化功能的变化,确定了不同的调度指标,并建立了相应的数量化评价方法,主要包括指效法和BOD-DO模型方法,这些方法特有助于对水利工程的生态环境效应进行深入的分析与评价。     

青藏高原草地生态系统服务功能的季节动态变化

根据生态系统服务功能理论,利用RS和GIS技术,以生长季为时间单元,对青藏高原研究区草地生态系统服务功能的动态过程进行有效分析和评价.结果表明:提供生物量功能呈现上升—下降—上升的过程,在5月和9月分别出现两个高峰值,其中5月为最高峰值.影响该功能的主要因子为光合有效辐射值、水分状况和地下生物量的季节变化;碳蓄积和氧释放功能呈现上升—下降—上升的弱“N”型趋势;土壤养分保持功能也呈弱“N”型趋势,并在5月份出现最高值;草地保持土壤水分的功能在生长季内呈较强的阶段性变化,这主要与草地植物生长的季节性耗水变化规律有关.     

基于多尺度秦巴山区生态系统服务权衡协同关系的表达

秦巴山区是中国南北过渡带,具有明显的多维地带性结构和复杂的地貌特征,从大、中、小不同的空间尺度上研究生态系统服务权衡协同关系,为区域间的山水林田湖草生态保护提供基础性参考。从全域、综合分区、典型样区、样点间隔4个尺度分析秦巴山区2005—2015年植被净初级生产力(NPP)、粮食生产、土壤保持、生境质量、水资源供给5种生态系统服务之间权衡协同关系。结果表明:①从全域尺度:水资源供给分别与生境质量、土壤保持、NPP、粮食生产呈现协同关系;NPP分别与生境质量、土壤保持同呈现协同关系;生境质量与土壤保持是协同的关系;粮食生产分别与生境质量、土壤保持呈现权衡的关系。②从综合分区尺度:依据地貌和气候类型划分的综合分区,会出现特定的区域内生态系统服务关系的异同,加上影响生态系统服务的机制不同,促使生态系统服务间的关系在综合分区的体现也有所差别。③典型样区尺度:山地的南北坡在气候类型、植被类型、地貌特征等方面存在明显的差异性,随着时间的推移生态系统服务之间会发生相互转变。④样点间隔尺度:成对服务间的权衡/协同关系与样点间隔尺度存在一定的关联性,不同的间隔尺度权衡/协同关系的发展趋势存在差异性。该研究可以协助决策者在适当的空间尺度制定相应生态管理策略,促进生态-经济协同发展。     

Mapping ecosystem functions to the valuation of ecosystem services: implications of species–habitat associations for coastal land-use decisions

Habitats and the ecosystem services they provide are part of the world’s portfolio of natural capital assets. Like many components of this portfolio, it is difficult to assess the full economic value of these services, which tends to over-emphasize the value of extractive activities such as coastal development. Building on recent ecological studies of species–habitat linkages, we use a bioeconomic model to value multiple types of habitats as natural capital, using mangroves, sea grass, and coral reefs as our model system. We show how key ecological variables and processes, including obligate and facultative behaviors map into habitat values and how the valuation of these ecological processes can inform decisions regarding coastal development (habitat clearing). Our stylized modeling framework also provides a clear and concise road map for researchers interested in understanding how to make the link between ecosystem function, ecosystem service, and conservation policy decisions. Our findings also highlight the importance of additional ecological research into how species utilize habitats and that this research is not just important for ecological science, but it can and will influence ecosystem service values that, in turn, will impact coastal land-use decisions. While refining valuation methods is not necessarily going to lead to more rational coastal land-use decisions, it will improve our understanding on the ecological–economic mechanisms that contribute to the value of our natural capital assets. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Making family planning accessible in resource-poor settings

It is imperative to make family planning more accessible in low resource settings. The poorest couples have the highest fertility, the lowest contraceptive use and the highest unmet need for contraception. It is also in the low resource settings where maternal and child mortality is the highest. Family planning can contribute to improvements in maternal and child health, especially in low resource settings where overall access to health services is limited. Four critical steps should be taken to increase access to family planning in resource-poor settings: (i) increase knowledge about the safety of family planning methods; (ii) ensure contraception is genuinely affordable to the poorest families; (iii) ensure supply of contraceptives by making family planning a permanent line item in healthcare system''s budgets and (iv) take immediate action to remove barriers hindering access to family planning methods. In Africa, there are more women with an unmet need for family planning than women currently using modern methods. Making family planning accessible in low resource settings will help decrease the existing inequities in achieving desired fertility at individual and country level. In addition, it could help slow population growth within a human rights framework. The United Nations Population Division projections for the year 2050 vary between a high of 10.6 and a low of 7.4 billion. Given that most of the growth is expected to come from today''s resource-poor settings, easy access to family planning could make a difference of billions in the world in 2050.