Declining Body Condition of Northern Pintails Wintering in the Playa Lakes Region

Abstract: Overwinter body condition (e.g., fat) provides an index to the health of northern pintail (Anas acuta) populations and may be a factor in the decline of the continental pintail population that has been previously overlooked or understated. We compared body condition between 1984–1985 and 2002–2003, and found that body condition of pintails arriving during early winter in the Playa Lakes Region (PLR) of Texas, USA, has declined by an average of 32%. Body fat levels declined at varying levels with juvenile males showing the largest decline of 41%, followed by adult females with 39%, juvenile females with 30%, and adult males with an overall 18% decline. Declines are likely related to declines in migration and wintering habitat quantity and quality within the PLR and potentially across the Central Flyway. We recommend further acquisition and management of play as to ensure that these valuable habitats remain available to provide critical habitats for migrating and wintering pintails and other waterfowl in the Central Flyway.     

Stable Isotopes (δD, δ13C, δ15N) Reveal Associations Among Geographic Location and Condition of Alaskan Northern Pintails

Abstract: Information on spring migration routes, geographic linkages among winter, spring, and breeding locations, and potential geographic effects on arrival body condition of northern pintails (Anas acuta) are currently unknown. Through a combination of stable-isotope measurements of tissues representing different periods of dietary integration and body composition analyses, we examined these linkages for pintails breeding in Alaska, USA. We collected 77 females at 4 locations upon spring arrival. We performed carbon (δ¹³C), nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), and hydrogen (δD) isotope measurements on flight feathers, breast feathers, and whole blood, and we conducted body composition analyses. Inference based on stable-isotope values in pintail tissues suggests that philopatry to Alaska was strong, as most of the collected females had stable-isotope values consistent with the boreal forest of Canada or western Alaska and most spring migrating females had whole-blood values indicating use of a food web in the boreal forest before collection. These patterns highlight the importance of the boreal forest for production and staging of pintails. Breast feather isotope values grown during prealternate molt were variable and covered the currently documented distribution of wintering pintails. Our results indicate associations among specific geographic areas, habitat use, and arrival condition of female pintails settling in Alaska. Females that wintered or staged in coastal habitat (as indicated by elevated δ¹³C values) arrived with less body fat compared to those that we inferred to have wintered or staged on inland freshwater habitat. Those females we inferred to use coastal areas appeared to rely more heavily on agricultural fields for nutrient acquisition (as indicated by elevated δ¹⁵N but low δ¹³C values). Our results provide the first link between low-condition females and inferred use of specific geographic areas before arrival. Conservation on wintering grounds should focus on restoration and protection of wetland complexes that provide adequate natural food resources in proximity to coastal systems that are heavily used by wintering pintails. Conservation efforts should also focus on the boreal forest, not only for pintail, but for other boreal-dependent species such as lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):715–725; 2008)     

Satellite‐tracking of Northern Pintail Anas acuta during outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in Japan: implications for virus spread

We fitted Northern Pintail Anas acuta in Japan with satellite transmitters and monitored their spring migration movements relative to locations where the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus was detected in Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus in 2008. Pintails were assumed not to be infected with the H5N1 virus at the time they were marked because capture occurred between 2 and 5 months before reported outbreaks of the virus in Japan. We assessed spatial and temporal overlap between marked birds and occurrence of the virus and tracked Pintails after they departed outbreak locations. Eight of 66 (12.1%) Northern Pintails marked with satellite transmitters used wetlands in Japan where the H5N1 virus was detected in Whooper Swans. Apparent survival did not differ between Pintails that used H5N1 sites and those that did not. However, the proportion of Pintails that migrated from Japan was significantly lower among birds that used H5N1 sites compared with those that did not (0.50 vs. 0.79). Northern Pintails were present at the H5N1 sites from 1 to 88 days, with five birds present at the sites from 0 to 7 days prior to detection of the virus in Swans. The six Pintails observed to depart H5N1 sites did so within 2–77 days of the reported outbreaks and moved between 6 and 1200 km within 4 days of departure. Four Pintails migrated to eastern Russia. After their departure from outbreak sites, Northern Pintails made long‐distance migrations within the period when newly infected ducks would shed the H5N1 virus. This supports a hypothesized mechanism by which a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus could be spread by migratory birds.     

The global distribution of cultivable lands: current patterns and sensitivity to possible climate change

Aim This study makes quantitative global estimates of land suitability for cultivation based on climate and soil constraints. It evaluates further the sensitivity of croplands to any possible changes in climate and atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. Location The location is global, geographically explicit. Methods The methods used are spatial data synthesis and analysis and numerical modelling. Results There is a cropland ‘reserve’ of 120%, mainly in tropical South America and Africa. Our climate sensitivity analysis indicates that the southern provinces of Canada, north‐western and north‐central states of the United States, northern Europe, southern Former Soviet Union and the Manchurian plains of China are most sensitive to changes in temperature. The Great Plains region of the United States and north‐eastern China are most sensitive to changes in precipitation. The regions that are sensitive to precipitation change are also sensitive to changes in CO₂, but the magnitude is small compared to the influence of direct climate change. We estimate that climate change, as simulated by global climate models, will expand cropland suitability by an additional 16%, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes. However, the tropics (mainly Africa, northern South America, Mexico and Central America and Oceania) will experience a small decrease in suitability due to climate change. Main conclusions There is a large reserve of cultivable croplands, mainly in tropical South America and Africa. However, much of this land is under valuable forests or in protected areas. Furthermore, the tropical soils could potentially lose fertility very rapidly once the forest cover is removed. Regions that lie at the margins of temperature or precipitation limitation to cultivation are most sensitive to changes in climate and atmospheric CO₂ concentration. It is anticipated that climate change will result in an increase in cropland suitability in the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes (mainly in developed nations), while the tropics will lose suitability (mainly in developing nations).     

Habitat loss in the restricted range of the endemic Ghanaian cichlid Limbochromis robertsi

Remote sensing has become an integral and invaluable tool to inform biodiversity conservation and monitoring of habitat degradation and restoration over time. Despite the disproportionately high levels of biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems worldwide, ichthyofauna are commonly overlooked in favor of other keystone species. Freshwater fish, as indicators of overall aquatic ecosystem health, can also be indicators of larger scale problems within an ecosystem. As a case study with multi-temporal, multi-resolution satellite imagery, we examined deforestation and forest fragmentation around the Atewa Forest Reserve, Ghana. Within small creeks, Limbochromis robertsi, a unique freshwater cichlid with an extremely limited distribution range, can be found. Historically, the land cover in the area has undergone substantial deforestation for agriculture and artisanal small-scale mining. In the 1389-km² study area, we found deforestation accelerated along with increased forest fragmentation in the 2014–2017 period (167.4 km² of deforestation) with the majority of the forest loss along the river and creek banks due to small-scale mining operations and increased agriculture. Field visits indicated a decrease in the total L. robertsi population by approximately 90% from the early 1990s to 2018. Its distribution has been reduced to higher elevations by anthropogenic habitat barriers at low elevations and the presence of predatory species. Loss of riparian forest through land use and cover change to mining and agriculture contributes to the habitat degradation for this endemic species. Fine spatial- and temporal-scale studies are required to assess habitat characteristics are not captured by global- or continental-scale datasets.     

我国三大城市群地区城市和农业用地地表热环境效应对比研究

以大中小城市协同发展为特征的城市群已成为我国城市化发展的主要形式,城市化和农业作为城市群地区最主要的土地利用活动,其气候效应是国际研究的热点。然而过去研究多关注大城市的热岛效应,对更为普遍的农业活动以及中小城市城市化的气候效应认识十分薄弱。基于MODIS地表温度数据,以自然林地为参照,提出了一种可逐像元估算土地利用地表热环境效应的新方法,进而对比分析了我国三大城市群地区（京津冀、长三角和珠三角）城市和农业用地地表热环境效应及其驱动因子差异。结果表明各城市群白天城市热岛效应明显,地级以上城市年平均热岛强度达3.2℃以上,但最强热岛均未发生在核心城市。夜晚热岛效应明显减弱,京津冀和长三角部分城市甚至出现冷岛效应。农业用地在白天亦表现出明显的增温效应,特别是在京津冀地区,而在夜晚除珠三角城市群外,降温效应明显,京津冀和长三角地区平均降温2.3℃和0.7℃。虽然城市用地平均增温强度大于农业用地,但农业用地因面积优势对区域温度变化起控制作用。白天城市和农业用地整体导致各城市群温度明显增加,京津冀增温最高（4.0℃）,夜晚二者导致长三角和京津冀地区平均温度降低。研究还发现各城市群城市和农业用地地表热环境效应时空异质性极大,主要受植被、地表反照率、气候背景和人口密度控制。本文对制定缓解气候变化的土地利用策略具有重要的指导意义。     

Agricultural intensification in Brazil and its effects on land‐use patterns: an analysis of the 1975–2006 period

Does agricultural intensification reduce the area used for agricultural production in Brazil? Census and other data for time periods 1975–1996 and 1996–2006 were processed and analyzed using Geographic Information System and statistical tools to investigate whether and if so, how, changes in yield and stocking rate coincide with changes in cropland and pasture area. Complementary medium‐resolution data on total farmland area changes were used in a spatially explicit assessment of the land‐use transitions that occurred in Brazil during 1960–2006. The analyses show that in agriculturally consolidated areas (mainly southern and southeastern Brazil), land‐use intensification (both on cropland and pastures) coincided with either contraction of both cropland and pasture areas, or cropland expansion at the expense of pastures, both cases resulting in farmland stability or contraction. In contrast, in agricultural frontier areas (i.e., the deforestation zones in central and northern Brazil), land‐use intensification coincided with expansion of agricultural lands. These observations provide support for the thesis that (i) technological improvements create incentives for expansion in agricultural frontier areas; and (ii) farmers are likely to reduce their managed acreage only if land becomes a scarce resource. The spatially explicit examination of land‐use transitions since 1960 reveals an expansion and gradual movement of the agricultural frontier toward the interior (center‐western Cerrado) of Brazil. It also indicates a possible initiation of a reversed trend in line with the forest transition theory, i.e., agricultural contraction and recurring forests in marginally suitable areas in southeastern Brazil, mainly within the Atlantic Forest biome. The significant reduction in deforestation that has taken place in recent years, despite rising food commodity prices, indicates that policies put in place to curb conversion of native vegetation to agriculture land might be effective. This can improve the prospects for protecting native vegetation by investing in agricultural intensification.     

陕北小流域退耕农户剖面特征的土地利用决策响应

采用基于GIS的空间分析、数理统计(Mathematical Statistics)与Multi-logistic回归模型相结合的方法(GMM),探讨退耕前后陕北燕沟流域土地利用及其关键的社会经济驱动因素的变化,揭示农村劳动力转移在土地利用决策中的重要性,了解农村土地利用变化的驱动机制。结果表明:(1)1990—2013年,流域土地利用变化特征总体上与延安市的土地利用变化趋势一致,即坡耕地减少和林草地增加显著;(2)1990—2001年,农业劳动力转移对农户土地利用决策的影响不明显,农户家庭基本特征与资源禀赋等对农户土地利用决策的影响显著。2001—2013年,劳动力转移和交通条件对农户土地利用决策有显著影响,退耕还林政策对农村劳动力的再分配产生了较大影响。     

北方常见农业土地利用方式对土壤螨群落结构的影响

土壤螨群落与土壤健康状况密切相关,农业土地利用方式会影响土壤螨的生存环境,进而影响螨的群落分布。在北方传统农业区研究了小麦玉米常规轮作农田,1年温室蔬菜大棚、4年温室蔬菜大棚和4年露天菜地下土壤主要理化指标和螨群落结构。研究结果表明露天菜地和温室大棚的利用方式均会提高土壤碱解氮和有机质含量,同时温室大棚的长期利用会增加土壤有效磷含量。螨群落分析显示常规农田中甲螨亚目为优势类群;常规农田转变为温室大棚后,由于施肥造成土壤营养物质含量增加,以及人类对土壤扰动程度的提高,无气门亚目取代甲螨亚目成为温室内螨优势类群。但随着温室年限的延长,螨多样性和粉螨科丰度都要有所下降,这可能是磷累积和强扰动效应的共同后果。常规农田转变为露天菜地后,加强的人类扰动也会降低甲螨亚目丰度,但与温室螨群落相比,4个亚目分布要相对均匀。温室在3种土地利用类型中对土壤螨的负面影响最为明显,从土壤功能的自我维持和修复方面来讲是十分不利的,温室内土壤生物多样性的保护尤其值得人们关注和重视。     

Soil organic carbon changes as influenced by agricultural land use and management: a case study in Yanhuai Basin, Beijing, China

The effects of agricultural land use and management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) are of great concern. In this study, SOC changes were investigated in sandy loam soils (Ustochrepts, USDA Soil Taxonomy) under orchard, vegetable, corn (Zea maize L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivation in northern China. The corn fields were further classified into three categories based on their inputs, i.e. high-input, mid-input, and low-input corn fields. In April 2005, a total of 197 soil samples were collected from 42 soil sites within 100 cm soil depth in Yanhuai Basin, Beijing, China. SOC contents were determined using rapid dichromate oxidation, and ANOVA statistical analysis was used to test the significances between land use and management practices at p<0.05. The results showed that: (1) the effects of land use and management practices on SOC primarily occurred within the topsoil (0–25 cm), and the SOC contents sharply decreased with the increase in soil depth. (2) SOC content and density values of orchard, vegetable, and high-input corn fields were higher than those of soybean, mid- and low-input corn fields.     

Wetland use by brood‐rearing female ducks in a boreal forest landscape: the importance of food and habitat

Habitat use by birds may be related to single or interacting effects of habitat characteristics, food resources and predators, but little is known about factors affecting habitat use by wetland species in boreal ecosystems. We surveyed brood‐rearing females and ducklings of four common boreal duck species to assess the effects of habitat structure and food resources on the use of wetlands by brood‐rearing ducks. Although wetland use by duck broods was related to habitat structure and food abundance, their relative importance varied among duck species. For the Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula, a diving duck, aquatic invertebrates and large emerging insects were the most important factors associated with wetland use. Common Teal Anas crecca broods were observed more often on wetlands with greater Dipteran emergence, whereas in Mallard Anas platyrhynchos both habitat structure and large emerging insects were important. The occurrence of Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope broods was related to emerging Diptera and habitat structure but the associations were not strong. The varying habitat and food requirements of common duck species could influence the success of wetland management programmes, and consideration of these factors may be particularly important for initiatives aimed at harvested species or species of conservation concern.     

Soil organic carbon changes as influenced by agricultural land use and management: a case study in Yanhuai Basin, Beijing, China

The effects of agricultural land use and management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) are of great concern. In this study, SOC changes were investigated in sandy loam soils (Ustochrepts, USDA Soil Taxonomy) under orchard, vegetable, corn (Zea maize L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivation in northern China. The corn fields were further classified into three categories based on their inputs, i.e. high-input, mid-input, and low-input corn fields. In April 2005, a total of 197 soil samples were collected from 42 soil sites within 100 cm soil depth in Yanhuai Basin, Beijing, China. SOC contents were determined using rapid dichromate oxidation, and ANOVA statistical analysis was used to test the significances between land use and management practices at p<0.05. The results showed that: (1) the effects of land use and management practices on SOC primarily occurred within the topsoil (0–25 cm), and the SOC contents sharply decreased with the increase in soil depth. (2) SOC content and density values of orchard, vegetable, and high-input corn fields were higher than those of soybean, mid- and low-input corn fields.     

Exclusion of agricultural lands in spatial conservation prioritization strategies: consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem service representation

Agroecosystems have traditionally been considered incompatible with biological conservation goals, and often been excluded from spatial conservation prioritization strategies. The consequences for the representativeness of identified priority areas have been little explored. Here, we evaluate these for biodiversity and carbon storage representation when agricultural land areas are excluded from a spatial prioritization strategy for South America. Comparing different prioritization approaches, we also assess how the spatial overlap of priority areas changes. The exclusion of agricultural lands was detrimental to biodiversity representation, indicating that priority areas for agricultural production overlap with areas of relatively high occurrence of species. By contrast, exclusion of agricultural lands benefits representation of carbon storage within priority areas, as lands of high value for agriculture and carbon storage overlap little. When agricultural lands were included and equally weighted with biodiversity and carbon storage, a balanced representation resulted. Our findings suggest that with appropriate management, South American agroecosystems can significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation.     

呼和浩特市不同土地利用/覆盖类型对杨树春季物候的影响

城市化引起土地利用方式的变化,在局地、区域以及全球尺度上对环境造成了极为深刻的影响。局地尺度上,大面积的不透水地面以及较少的植被覆盖格局已经导致城郊物候的差异。在内蒙古呼和浩特城区选取新疆杨、青杨和毛白杨作为观测树种,通过定点定株的春季物候及温度的观测,探讨城市土地利用/覆盖对植物物候的影响。结果表明:1)各物候期发生当月(即4月)的平均气温、≥5℃积温、最低气温与各物候期之间呈显著负相关,而日平均最高气温与各物候期之间呈显著正相关。2)在4种不同的土地利用/覆盖类型中,绿地及裸土壤面积与4—6月的月平均气温、平均最低气温及≥5℃积温之间呈显著负相关,不透水面面积与各温度之间呈显著正相关。3)绿地及水体面积与展叶始期呈现显著负相关,而不透水面面积与展叶始期之间呈现显著正相关。研究表明,不同的土地利用/覆盖格局下,其温度之间存在差异,土地利用/覆盖显著地影响着温度的变化,进而影响了植物的春季物候。     

Uncertainty in estimating land use and management impacts on soil organic carbon storage for US agricultural lands between 1982 and 1997

Uncertainty was quantified for an inventory estimating change in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage resulting from modifications in land use and management across US agricultural lands between 1982 and 1997. This inventory was conducted using a modified version of a carbon (C) accounting method developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Probability density functions (PDFs) were derived for each input to the IPCC model, including reference SOC stocks, land use/management activity data, and management factors. Change in C storage was estimated using a Monte‐Carlo approach with 50 000 iterations, by randomly selecting values from the PDFs after accounting for dependencies in the model inputs. Over the inventory period, mineral soils had a net gain of 10.8 Tg C yr^?1, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 6.5 to 15.3 Tg C yr^?1. Most of this gain was due to setting‐aside lands in the Conservation Reserve Program. In contrast, managed organic soils lost 9.4 Tg C yr^?1, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 6.4 to 13.3 Tg C yr^?1. Combining these gains and losses in SOC, US agricultural soils accrued 1.3 Tg C yr^?1 due to land use and management change, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from a loss of 4.4 Tg C yr^?1 to a gain of 6.9 Tg C yr^?1. Most of the uncertainty was attributed to management factors for tillage, land use change between cultivated and uncultivated conditions, and C loss rates from managed organic soils. Based on the uncertainty, we are not able to conclude with 95% confidence that change in US agricultural land use and management between 1982 and 1997 created a net C sink for atmospheric CO₂.     

1980-2010年北京市农用地碳储量对土地利用变化的响应

分析北京市农用地碳储量对土地利用变化的响应,对快速城市化和工业化区域及全国农用地低碳利用调控具有重要意义。利用1980年第二次土壤普查数据与2010年测土配方施肥项目成果土壤数据核算北京市农用地表层土壤碳储量,利用生物量遥感信息（NDVI）模型反演林地、草地植被碳储量,对北京市土地利用变化造成的农用地碳储量变化进行研究,结果表明：1）1980-2010年,北京市农用地碳储量由75.29 Tg-C增至81.13Tg-C,增加5.83 Tg-C,其中,土壤碳储量减少7.51 Tg-C,植被碳储量增加13.34 Tg-C;2）30年间,北京市农用地面积减少14.11×10⁴ hm²,其中,耕地流失最为显著,主要去向为建设用地和林地,林地面积略有增加;3）北京市用地类型保持不变的农用地土壤碳储量减少297.63×10⁴ t,植被碳储量增加1095.21×10⁴ t,共计增加797.58×10⁴ t,其中,用地类型保持不变的耕地、林地碳储量增加,草地碳储量减少;4）30年间,土地利用类型转化使北京市农用地土壤碳储量减少75.71×10⁴ t,植被碳储量增加212.49×10⁴ t,共计增加136.78×10⁴ t,其他用地类型转为林地使碳储量增加,有利于碳汇的形成,林地转出为其他用地类型均会造成一定碳排放;5）平原造林、退耕还林等工程有利于增加北京市农用地固碳量。未来北京市可通过控制农用地面积减少量,优化农用地内部结构,降低用地类型间的转换频率以提高农用地碳储量。研究可为其他区域及全国在快速城市化工业化过程中提升农用地碳储量提供一定参考。