Development process of tidal-flat type mangrove habitats and their zonation in the Pacific Ocean

Using the sites of Pagbilao, the Philippines and Pohnpei Island, the Federated States of Micronesia, zonation and development process of mangrove habitats on tidal flats situated in the geomorphic environment excluding estuary, delta, and lagoon or backmarsh behind barrier or beach ridge were discussed from the viewpoint of geomorphology.Zonations of the mangrove forests were observed from seaward to landward in both areas. Most of the zones correspond with the variations of the ground level or deposit. Mangrove peat which has a thickness of about 2 meters was deposited in the main part of the mangrove habitats in both areas. On the other hand, some large Sonneratia alba were observed in the Rhizophora apiculata habitat on Pohnpei Island. The authors presumed that some of the large S. alba have survived by regeneration from fallen stems since the mangrove forest developed on the present site.The maximum depth of the mangrove peat layer reaches 1.7 meter below the present sea level in Pagbilao and over 2.5 meters at Pohnpei Island. The bottom of the mangrove peat was dated at about 2,000 y.B.P. in both areas by the radiocarbon method. The mangrove peat depositional areas have not been moved during the last 2,000 years. Therefore, the mangrove forests seem to have grown in the present sites since 2,000 y.B.P. and accumulated peat in connection with the subsequent sea-level rise. xx]Nomenclature: Scientific names for mangroves follow Tomlinson (1986). xx]Papers presented at the Vth INTECOL Congress at Yokohama 1990.     

中国履行《生物多样性公约》二十年: 行动、进展与展望

1992年6月联合国环境与发展大会(UNCED)通过了具有里程碑意义的《生物多样性公约》, 至今已经20年。在此期间, 中国1993年建立了履行《公约》的国家协调机制, 1995-1997年实施了“中国生物多样性国情研究”, 2007-2010年编制了《中国生物多样性保护国家战略与行动计划》, 2011年建立了“中国生物多样性保护国家委员会”, 并针对《生物多样性公约》的目标, 实施了多项生物多样性研究和保护行动, 包括森林、草原、荒漠、湿地、海洋等自然生态系统保护; 物种资源调查、编目、数据库建设以及珍稀濒危物种保护; 外来入侵种防治与转基因生物生态风险评估等。同时, 在生物多样性本底查明、监测体系建立、就地保护、遗传资源获取与惠益分享、传统知识的保护与应用等方面还存在很多挑战, 为此, 本文有针对性地提出了区域生物多样性本底查明、就地保护和遗传资源及相关传统知识获取与惠益分享等未来重点研究方向。     

Mangroves found in Dominica (West Indies)

Mangroves has been described for the whole Caribbean are in their different habitats. The island of Dominica (West Indies) has always been excluded from the distribution area due to supposed inadequated conditions for mangrove growth. However, there are small areas with proper edaphic conditions for mangal in which black mangrove (Avicennia germinans L.) and white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa L.) has been found. Even the occurrence of an additional Avicennia species is under discussion.     

Challenges of a transition to a sustainably managed shrimp culture agro-ecosystem in the Mahakam delta,East Kalimantan,Indonesia

Around 1990, when in other countries mangrove protection took off, massive conversion of mangrove forest into shrimp ponds started in the Mahakam delta. To identify constraints to and options for sustainable management we analysed institutions and constraints with stakeholders. In 3 sites we used participatory tools and a complementary survey to assess the livelihood framework. Since 1970, ponds for shrimp farming gradually replaced 75% of mangrove forested area. After 2004, recovery of mangrove took off, as, mainly due to low shrimp yields, ponds were abandoned. In 2008, 54% of the delta was dedicated to ponds for shrimp production. Around 80% of livelihood activities of pond-farmers, pond caretakers, and fishermen was related to mangroves. The involvement of men and women in these activities varied between sites and types. Poor households depended more on mangroves. Most activities resulted in seasonal income peaks; only a few activities resulted in a full daily livelihood. Ponds, on the other hand, provide 50% of households’ livelihood, but this remains vulnerable in the context of the risky shrimp production. Skewed land holding, unequal sharing of benefits, competing claims and vested interests of stakeholders pose a great challenge to a transition to a more sustainable use of the mangrove area. In particular, ponds located on peat soils are non-sustainable and would require full restoration into mangrove; ponds on other soils could best be transformed into a mixed mangrove-pond system using a ‘green-water’ technology.     

对生物多样性研究的几个观点

生物多样性保护与持续利用已为各国政府和大众所重视,现仅就国际和国内关注的生物多样性研究的热点加以介绍。对DIVERSITAS这一生物多样性科学的国际项目进行评价,对生物多样性起源、维持、编目、监测等方面提出补充意见。生物多样性恢复研究是以生态系统动态演替为理论基础的,此方面工作亟待加强。生物多样性信息系统是生物多样性科学的重要组成部分。农田生物多样性研究把生物多样性与农业生产紧密结合。生物安全是当前国际上极为关注的问题。文中对其主要研究内容提出作者的观点。     

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL COMPARISON OF ALGAL BIODIVERSITY AND BENTHIC COVER AT GARDNER PINNACLES,NORTHWESTERN HAWAI`IAN ISLANDS1

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawai`ian Islands is the second largest marine protected area in the world, providing an opportunity for scientists to understand natural ecosystem fluctuations in subtropical marine communities with little anthropogenic impact. Gardner Pinnacles is composed of two emergent basaltic rocks and has the smallest land area of any island in the Northwestern Hawai`ian Island chain but has among the largest submerged reef area. Gardner Pinnacles is also among the least anthropogenically impacted island in the Hawai`ian Archipelago, although a thriving lobster and bottomfish industry existed in the area for many years. This study assesses nearshore algal biodiversity and percent cover at Gardner Pinnacles to examine interannual differences in community dynamics and places them in an ecosystem context by also examining associated invertebrate and fish communities. Biodiversity surveys increased the number of known eukaryotic algal species occurring in marine environments immediately adjacent to the emergent portion of Gardner Pinnacles from 31 to 77. Algal percent cover, specifically populations of the green alga Microdictyon setchellianum M. Howe, varied dramatically between sampling years, possibly in response to seasonal differences. Towed‐diver surveys revealed that macroalgae covered >90% of the substrate during the 2003 sampling period but returned to 2000 levels (1%–35% cover) by 2004 without any detectable damage to other reef organisms. Fish communities remained statistically similar between sampling years, and percent cover of live coral around the island did not exceed 7%.     

Transitions in ancient inland freshwater resource management in Sri Lanka affect biota and human populations in and around coastal lagoons

The increasing anthropogenic pressure on natural environments results in impacts that affect tropical forest areas and their biodiversity. Adverse impacts on terrestrial and oceanic environments often compound in the intertidal area, where mangrove forest ecosystems thrive. In tropical coastal areas of many developing countries where people depend on wood and other mangrove forest products and services, forest degradation leads to socioeconomic problems. At the same time, increasing freshwater needs in these areas are expected to cause additional problems. On the basis of remote sensing and ground truthing complemented by colonial archival material from the Dutch East India Company (1602-1800), we report that changes to the historic system of inland freshwater management have increased dramatically in recent times. Hydrological changes, such as interbasin transfers, have resulted in a qualitative ecological and socioeconomic degradation in three coastal lagoons in southern Sri Lanka. Variations in river hydrology have caused changes in the areas suitable as mangrove habitat and, thus, have resulted in an altered distribution. However, increases in mangrove area can mask the degradation of the site in terms of floristic composition, significance of the species, and biodiversity (this effect is termed "cryptic ecological degradation"). It is important that such changes be carefully monitored to ensure biological and socioeconomic sustainability.     

Forest vegetation across the tropical Pacific: A biogeographically complex region with many analogous environments

The tropical realm of the Pacific contains many islands with closely similar (analogous) environmental settings. Due to the `filter effect' of the ocean, these are occupied by historically different species assemblages. This results in a unique biogeographic complexity not found in any of the continental tropical regions. The paper presents a hierarchical approach to the study of vegetation in analogous environments with data illustrated by a series of diagrams. It begins with differentiating island types and climatic zones. Then it focuses on Pacific-wide biomes, thereafter on island landscape profiles, and finally, on stand-level profiles as a method to compare forest structure and composition among islands in analogous environments at the scale of relevés. The conclusions emphasize the urgent need for intensifying conservation-oriented research and capacity building in all island countries of the Pacific (not only Hawaii) to protect their indigenous biodiversities for sustainable uses and the health of their ecosystems. Attention is also drawn to the scientific advantage of using the Pacific-Asia Biodiversity Transect (PABITRA) Network, since it connects the island areas across biogeographic boundaries in form of an experimental design. This design refers to analogous island environments filled with different sets of biodiversities, which follow a trend of impoverishment with indigenous founder species from west to east.     

Books on biodiversity and conservation

Reviews are provided for 24 books published over the years 2006–2011 which have been received by Biodiversity and Conservation. These are in the general areas of ecology and the environment, mammals, birds, plants, evolution, and the human dimension of biodiversity, plus a miscellaneous work. Such batches of synoptic reviews are a new feature for Biodiversity and Conservation, and it is envisaged that 3–4 such groups of reviews will now be issued each year.     

The role of trade-offs in biodiversity conservation planning: Linking local management, regional planning and global conservation efforts

Biodiversity conservation planning requires trade-offs, given the realities of limited resources and the competing demands of society. If net benefits for society are important, biodiversity assessment cannot occur without other sectoral factors “on the table”. In trade-offs approaches, the biodiversity value of a given area is expressed in terms of the species or other components of biodiversity that it has that are additional to the components protected elsewhere. That “marginal gain” is called thecomplementarity value of the area. A recent whole-country planning study for Papua New Guinea illustrates the importance of complementarity-based tradeoffs in determining priority areas for biodiversity conservation, and for designing economic instruments such as biodiversity levies and offsets. Two international biodiversity programs provide important new opportunities for biodiversity trade-offs taking complementarity into account. Both the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Critical Ecosystems or “hotspots” programs can benefit from an explicit framework that incorporates tradeoffs, in which a balance is achieved not only by land-use allocation among areas, but also by the crediting of partial protection of biodiversity provided by sympathetic management within areas. For both international programs, our trade-offs framework can provide a natural linkage between local, regional and global planning levels.     

Fungi and international biodiversity initiatives

The origin of the term biodiversity, its various meanings, and current usage are explored. Renewed interest in the subject has spawned a variety of international initiatives at both the political and scientific levels, many of which are relevant to mycologists. The political initiatives include the Convention on Biological Diversity and Biodiversity Action Plans, and the scientific a broad spectrum: the Global Biodiversity Assessment, Species 2000, Systematics Agenda 2000 International, BioNET INTERNATIONAL, DIVERSITAS, All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, and Biodiversity Methods Manuals. Mycologists need to be aware of, and contribute to, such programmes, maintain an enhanced profile, and remain flexible to respond to new challenges.     

Collection of the clam Anodontia edentula in mangrove habitats in Panay and Guimaras,central Philippines

The mangrove clam Anodontia edentula is highly prized in thePhilippines for its flavor and large size. Because this infaunal species isfound down to one meter deep in mangrove areas, harvesting the clam reportedlydamages mangrove stands. To evaluate such reports, a survey of collectionmethods was undertaken in Panay and Guimaras, central Philippines in August1997–December 1999. Host to chemosynthetic bacterial symbionts thatutilize sulfide as energy source, A. edentula are strategically situated insulfide-rich anoxic substrates but also gain access to oxygenated seawaterthrough a ventilation burrow or tube. By locating the opening of this burrow,collectors can detect the presence of a buried clam and harvest itnondestructively with a blade or bare hands. In contrast, the indiscriminatetilling of wide mangrove areas can damage mangrove plants. Most collectors were40–45 years old with 22–30 years collection experience, married with5–7 children, and had low educational attainment. They sold clams directlyin the local markets or through middlemen (to restaurants and beach resorts);sales provided from 10% to 100% of daily family income. Collectors complained ofdecreasing clam sizes and numbers and the physically strenuous work ofcollecting.     

Local Mangrove Planting in the Philippines: Are Fisherfolk and Fishpond Owners Effective Restorationists?

Local fisherfolk and fishpond owners have been practicing “restoration” of mangrove forests in some parts of the Philippines for decades, well before governments and non‐government organizations began to promote the activity as a conservation tool. This paper examines ecological characteristics of these mangrove plantations and compares them to natural mangroves in the same areas. Mangrove planters were interviewed and plantation and natural mangrove forests were surveyed to measure forest structure, composition and regeneration. Compared with natural forests, mangrove plantations were characterized by high densities of small stems, shorter and narrower canopies, and fewer species. For both economic and ecological reasons, the vast majority of people dispersed and planted only Rhizophora mucronata/stylosa and, furthermore, they often thinned other species out of planted areas. There was remarkably little subsequent recruitment of other, nonplanted mangrove species into plantations up to 50 and 60 years of age. This pattern held across a diversity of sites, including plantations that had not been selectively cut or weeded. Important ecological and economic benefits result from local mangrove planting, but catalyzing diverse forest regeneration—at least in the short to medium term—is not one of them. The lesson: if you want to restore diverse mangrove forests, you have to plant diverse mangrove forests.     

Biodiversity amongst microorganisms and its relevance

Concluding remarks from the joint IUBS/IUMS workshop on Biodiversity amongst microorganisms and its relevance held in Amsterdam on 7–8 September 1991. An international microbial ecology programme can be justified in its own right now that appropriate investigative tools have been developed. Microorganisms influence global change, and indicate global health and environmental quality. At the same time, an inventory of the world's microbial species and their properties is required, together with associated culture collections and genomes. Sampling methods need to be standardized, both for species and functions. Extreme environments are a particularly rich source of microbial genomes, and endangered habitats should be sampled as a matter of priority. Cataloguing and conserving the world's microbial biodiversity is justifiable and scientifically important.     

Groundwater quality in karst regions in the Philippines

Groundwater in karst regions in the Philippines is inhabited by a diverse yet unique aquatic fauna. While this habitat is threatened by anthropogenic disturbances, basic physicochemical information is lacking. Here, we provide the first report of karst groundwater quality based on the characterization and assessment of samples collected from caves. Water samples from seven islands (Bohol, Calicoan, Luzon, Mindanao, Negros Oriental, Panglao, and Samar) were analyzed in order to obtain baseline information about and assess the environmental status of groundwater in karst areas. Although most of the sites showed no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance, excessive amounts of NO₂ ^?, NO₃ ^?, and Cl^? were detected in the samples from a few areas, particularly Panglao Island, Bohol. These pollutants likely originate from human-related activities such as the use of water treatment chemicals, detergents, and bleach, as well as the leakage of septic tanks. Further investigations and in-depth studies aimed at clearly understanding the dynamics of the karst groundwater, thus preventing the aggravation of problems with the groundwater in the future, are highly recommended.     

生物多样性监测指标体系构建研究进展

生物多样性监测是为确定与预期标准相一致或相背离的程度,而对生物多样性进行定期或不定期的监视,目前已成为生物多样性研究和保护的热点问题。生物多样性监测指标则是一些简化的生物或环境特征参数,说明生物多样性现状和变化趋势,以及人类活动压力对生物多样性的影响,以促进科学界、政府和公众间的沟通,提高生物多样性管理水平。近10年来,国际组织、政府机构和各国学者对生物多样性指标体系的构建进行了大量的探索工作,取得了很多进展,其中有些指标已经应用于实际监测项目。本文综述了生物多样性监测指标筛选的一般标准和指标体系构建的主要理论,梳理目前已提出或应用的主要生物多样性监测指标,以期为我国构建国家或区域尺度生物多样性监测指标体系提供参考。在此基础上分析提出：生物多样性概念的泛化、指标含义模糊以及知识和数据的缺乏是构建生物多样性监测指标的主要困难。我国未来的生物多样性监测指标体系构建需要关注以下两个方面：（1）紧密联系实际,构建适应性的监测指标体系,加强对典型生态系统区域的监测;（2）发展经济社会发展方面的指标,分析生物多样性变化的驱动力,为生物多样性保护和区域可持续发展提供科学依据。     

Practical techniques for mapping small patches of mangroves

Practical mapping methods employing GPS field surveys and manual image analyses with affordable software were used to assess two mangrove sites in Aklan Province, NE Panay Island, central Philippines. The Jawili mangroves, absent from current maps, actually included 21.5 ha with 24 true mangrove species. On the other hand, the Batan Estuary mangroves, shown to be 4244 ha in available topographic maps, revealed only 406 ha of scattered patches. Actual mangrove data on specific areas worldwide is limited, especially in the Philippines where available maps show discrepancies from actual mangrove distribution. Remote sensing (RS) techniques provide promising results but require expensive setup, particularly for small areas. Therefore, financially limited users need affordable and rapid mapping alternatives. The practical techniques presented here can be immediately implemented at minimal cost and can produce useful estimates of actual mangrove area, fundamental for coastal management. Basic principles used here also have potential applications in other systems and locations. When resources are available though, additional confirmation and precise mapping are also further recommended.     

中国红树林生态系统保护空缺分析

红树林作为海岸带重要的生态系统类型,具有维持海岸生物多样性、防风固岸、促淤造陆等重要的生态功能,在气候变化和快速城市化背景下认识红树林受保护状况具有重要意义。以基于遥感解译的红树林分类数据为基础,通过空缺分析,分析了我国红树林的就地保护状况,结果显示我国分布的红树林总面积为264 km~2(尚不含我国港、澳、台的统计数据),其中61.4%在自然保护区内受到保护。从红树林分布的主要省份来看,在海南省分布的红树林面积较少但保护比例高,广西和广东省分布的红树林面积大但受保护面积比例相对较低。在3种红树林类型中,红树-木果楝林和红海榄-木榄林分布面积较小,但受保护的面积都在90%以上,秋茄-桐花树-白骨壤林分布的面积最大,但受保护的面积为52.6%。研究提出自然保护区外红树林分布的关键区域,并建议通过划定生态保护红线等方式来进行保护。     

继往开来,积极推动中国生物多样性科学发展——《生物多样性》创刊二十年回顾

《生物多样性》自1993年由中国科学院生物多样性委员会创办以来,一直秉承首任主编钱迎倩先生确定的刊物定位:紧跟国际热点和趋势,反映中国生物多样性科学研究进展;及时报道保护、管理和持续利用生物多样性的经验,包括法律法规和国际履约。时逢《生物多样性》创办20周年,我们总结了刊物的发展历程,分析了创刊以来策划的研究热点、报道对象、作者队伍及产生的影响,以期更好为推动中国生物多样性科学发展服务。这些年,生物多样性科学领域的热点问题,如生物入侵、全球变化下的生物多样性、DNA条形码、生物多样性监测与变化机制、谱系多样性、生物多样性信息学等,以及《生物多样性公约》及其履行进展在本刊上都得到了及时报道,2000年以后出版的13个专刊(专栏)更是热点问题的集中体现。在发表的1,189篇(不包括增刊)文章中物种多样性方面文章最多,遗传多样性方面的文章次之;从研究类群上看,植物和动物方面的文章明显多于微生物方面的文章。研究对象的地理分布则与所属地区的多样性丰富程度或受关注程度有一定的相关性。刊物目前已形成较为稳定的作者群,发表文章最多的前10位作者分别来自中国科学院(6人)、北京大学(2人)和复旦大学(2人);文章的平均作者数从1993年的约1.5人/篇增加到2011年的约4人/篇,一定程度上反映了团队合作的态势;每篇文章的平均页码数也从创刊时的平均5页左右逐渐增加到目前的10页左右,文章的信息量大大增加。发表的论文主要受国家自然科学基金、科技部项目和中国科学院项目资助,表明作者群的层次是比较高的。发表的论文中被引次数大于40的文章超过200篇,最高达970次(中国知网,2012年8月10日检索);被SCI刊物的引用次数也呈逐年递增趋势。《生物多样性》是目前我国发表生物多样性研究成果最多、影响最大、生物多样性科学领域最重要的刊物。但毋庸讳言,《生物多样性》如国内其他中文科技期刊一样,正面临巨大挑战,如优秀稿源匮乏、刊物国际化和国内评价体系的压力、如何协调基础性和应用性、如何兼顾作者和读者的需求等。针对上述问题,我们提出了对策建议,指出《生物多样性》在"立足本土的国际化"和前沿创新与基础支撑兼顾的定位下,继续提高学术质量,并通过数字化平台和新闻媒体宣传发表的重要成果等方式,提高科技信息传播效率,扎实推动中国生物多样性科学的发展。     

Restoration of Shorebird‐Roosting Mudflats by Partial Removal of Estuarine Mangroves in Northern Taiwan

Expansion of the monospecific mangrove, Kandelia obovata, has converted intertidal mudflats and other habitats into mangrove forests, thus reducing estuarine biodiversity in the Danshuei River estuary, northern Taiwan. Dense mangrove vegetation was removed to create a small patchwork of mudflats and a tidal creek in February 2007. Subsequent changes in sediment properties and biodiversity of the macrobenthos and avian communities were examined. The results showed that the creation of different habitats led to changes in sediment properties and biodiversity. The water content and sorting degree of the sediments differed significantly among the restored mudflat, the tidal creek, and the mangrove control site. Silt/clay, organic carbon content, and chlorophyll a concentrations varied seasonally, but not among sites. The abundance of polychaetes in the creek was greater than that in the mudflat or the mangrove (12.5 vs. 5.3 and 2.2 individuals/m², respectively), suggesting preferential colonization of infaunal polychaetes in habitats with prolonged submersion. Crabs showed seasonal changes in density, with higher densities in summer than in autumn and winter. The species richness of wintering shorebirds on the created mudflat increased dramatically from 2002 to 2007. The transformation of a vegetated area into an open mudflat appeared to benefit shorebirds by providing roosting habitat. Our study demonstrated that controlling the spread of estuarine mangrove forests could increase biodiversity, and could particularly benefit the migratory shorebird community.