Understanding eco-complexity and promoting ecology of sustainability: Beijing EcoSummit 2007 Review

EcoSummit 2007 was successfully held in Beijing in May 22–27 with a theme of “Ecological complexity and sustainability: the opportunities and challenges of ecology faced by 21st century”. More than 1,400 delegates from over 70 countries and regions and 28 international/regional ecology-related organizations initiated or co-sponsored the summit. 13 plenary keynote speeches, 49 symposiums and 20 organized oral sessions were arranged. A Beijing Ecological Declaration has been adopted and disseminated world-wide with an accompanied title of “A World Role for Ecology: The Key to Life”. The summit shows that global ecological security, regional ecosystem service, and local human ecological health are becoming the three priority issues in the frontiers of world ecology. Ecology, a kind of natural philosophy, system science, engineering instrument and natural aesthetics in dealing with the relationship between Man and Nature, should be and must become the scientific basis for institutional reform, industrial transition, social/economic management and overall decision making. The ultimate goal of understanding, simplification and transformation of complexity is to regulate, conserve and construct a sustainable “Earth Village”.     

基于网络分析的城市生态空间结构优化——以常州市为例

经济社会的高速发展带来城市的快速扩张,造成城市生态空间的萎缩和生态功能的下降,城市生态安全受到严重威胁。系统研究城市生态空间结构,提出针对性保护和优化措施,对于城市的可持续发展具有重大意义。本研究以常州市为研究区,考虑城市生态空间的自然生态功能和社会服务功能两方面,构建基于自然生态的“源地-廊道”与基于人文生态的“供给-需求”两类生态网络,对于源地廊道生态网络,主要从节点重要性、网络连通性与稳定性进行定量分析,对于供给需求生态网络,主要从节点重要性、供需均衡与稳定性进行定量分析。结果表明: 常州市主城区源地廊道生态网络的连通性与稳定性水平不高,供给需求生态网络的稳定性水平一般且存在服务供给与需求的空间错位。从连通性与稳定性提升角度,提出新增12个源地节点与57条廊道的源地廊道生态网络优化方案;从供需均衡与稳定性提升角度,提出新增22个供给节点的供给需求生态网络优化方案。对比初始源地廊道生态网络,优化网络连通性水平提升10%,稳定性提升0.05;对比初始供给需求生态网络,优化网络的服务水平提升4%,网络稳定性提升0.10。最后,综合两类生态网络,分别针对现状保护斑块与新增节点两类对象,提出了保护与管理实施方案。     

土地整治的生态环境效应:作用机制及应用路径

随着生态文明理念的不断落实和土地多功能管理的转型,土地整治的生态化发展开始进入全面创新与实践探索的关键时期.系统梳理土地整治的生态环境效应理论研究与实践探索的发展过程,明确“新时代”下学科研究的服务方向和实施路径,对于实施“生态化”土地整治战略非常重要.本文以2000年以来国内外有关土地整治生态环境效应的文献为分析对象,采用Citespace 1.0软件的文献计量分析及文献归纳方法,对土地整治的生态环境效应研究热点进行识别,并从生态环境要素、生态景观、生态系统服务3个方面总结并提炼了土地整治生态环境影响的作用机制.在此基础上,从区域生态系统服务水平测度及障碍因子诊断、土地整治对区域生态系统服务的影响效应及其机制、基于生态系统服务提升的生态化土地整治模式构建等方面提出未来“生态化”土地整治的应用路径,旨在为我国“山水林田湖草”生命共同体的修复与建设提供科学依据.     

生态系统综合评价的内容与方法

生态系统综合评价是系统分析生态系统的生产及服务能力,对生态系统进行健康诊断,做出综合的生态分析和经济分析,评价其当前状态,并预测生态系统今后的发展趋势,为生态系统管理提供科学依据。从总体上讲,综合评价更强调生态系统一系列产品与服务功能之间的权衡,具有很强的实践意义。许多学者对不同的生态系统服务功能进行了经济价值评估,但缺乏对生态系统的产品、服务、健康与管理之间关系的进一步探讨。对生态系统服务功能评价、健康评价的生态管理与预测进行了系统论述,目的是提出生态系统综合评价的框架,指导生态系统评价行动及生态系统管理。     

Considerations for the development of a terrestrial index of ecological integrity

Ecological systems are composed of complex biological and physical components that are difficult to understand and to measure. However, effective management actions and policy decisions require information on the status, condition, and trends of ecosystems. Multiple levels of information are needed to make effective decisions and the ideal indicators for measuring ecosystem integrity will incorporate information from multiple dimensions of the ecosystem. A terrestrial index of ecological integrity would be a useful tool for ecosystem managers and decision makers. The ideal requirements of the terrestrial index of ecosystem integrity (TIEI) are that it be comprehensive and multi-scale, grounded in natural history, relevant and helpful, able to integrate concerns from aquatic and terrestrial ecology, and that it be flexible and measurable.The objective of this research is to investigate if an index, or indices, could be developed that would summarize the condition of ecosystems so that changes can be tracked over time and this information utilized as a tool to support environmental decision making.     

Policy Language in Restoration Ecology

Relating restoration ecology to policy is one of the aims of the Society for Ecological Restoration and its journal Restoration Ecology. As an interdisciplinary team of researchers in both ecological science and political science, we have struggled with how policy‐relevant language is and could be deployed in restoration ecology. Using language in scientific publications that resonates with overarching policy questions may facilitate linkages between researcher investigations and decision‐makers' concerns on all levels. Climate change is the most important environmental problem of our time and to provide policymakers with new relevant knowledge on this problem is of outmost importance. To determine whether or not policy‐specific language was being included in restoration ecology science, we surveyed the field of restoration ecology from 2008 to 2010, identifying 1,029 articles, which we further examined for the inclusion of climate change as a key element of the research. We found that of the 58 articles with “climate change” or “global warming” in the abstract, only 3 identified specific policies relevant to the research results. We believe that restoration ecologists are failing to include themselves in policy formation and implementation of issues such as climate change within journals focused on restoration ecology. We suggest that more explicit reference to policies and terminology recognizable to policymakers might enhance the impact of restoration ecology on decision‐making processes.     

宏观生态系统科学整合研究的多学科知识融合及其技术途径

综合认识大尺度的宏观生态系统结构功能、空间变异和动态演变的过程机理和模式机制,实现对生态系统变化及其对人类福祉影响的定量模拟、科学评估和预测预警,服务生态系统的利用保护及调控管理,是当代宏观生态系统科学的重要发展方向,正在孕育并形成大尺度的宏观生态系统科学整合生态学(IEMES)研究新领域。本研究通过对宏观生态系统科学整合生态学研究的基础理论、多学科知识融合途径及其关键技术问题的系统分析,形成以下几个基本认识: 1)宏观生态系统科学整合生态学研究是以区域、大陆和全球尺度的宏观生态系统为研究对象,采用多学科知识融合方法和技术,致力于解决人类社会发展的食物安全、资源安全、生态安全、环境安全等重大资源环境问题。2)宏观生态系统科学整合生态学研究的基本科技任务是: 理解宏观生态系统的结构功能基本属性,监测生态系统状态变化,解释生态系统时空演变规律,认知生态系统运维过程机理,定量评估生态系统功能状态及服务能力,预测生态系统动态演变及地理格局,预警生态系统变化及生态环境灾害。3)宏观生态系统科学整合生态学研究需要重新构造“多源数据分析-多模型模拟-多学科知识融合”的理论和方法学体系,发展“多尺度观测、多方法印证、多过程融合、跨尺度模拟”的多学科知识融合关键技术。4)大陆尺度的地基-空基-天基多时空尺度生态系统观测试验网络是承载多学科知识深度融合研究的基础科技设施,需要围绕区域、大陆和全球尺度的宏观生态系统科学问题,发展多要素-多过程-多界面-多介质-多尺度-多方法的多学科维度生态学知识融合关键技术。     

To Model or not to Model,That is no Longer the Question for Ecologists

Here, I argue that we should abandon the division between “field ecologists” and “modelers,” and embrace modeling and empirical research as two powerful and often complementary approaches in the toolbox of 21st century ecologists, to be deployed alone or in combination depending on the task at hand. As empirical research has the longer tradition in ecology, and modeling is the more recent addition to the methodological arsenal, I provide both practical and theoretical reasons for integrating modeling more deeply into ecosystem research. Empirical research has epistemological priority over modeling; however, that is, for models to realize their full potential, and for modelers to wield this power wisely, empirical research is of fundamental importance. Combining both methodological approaches or forming “super ties” with colleagues using different methods are promising pathways to creatively exploit the methodological possibilities resulting from increasing computing power. To improve the proficiency of the growing group of model users and ensure future innovation in model development, we need to increase the modeling literacy among ecology students. However, an improved training in modeling must not curtail education in basic ecological principles and field methods, as these skills form the foundation for building and applying models in ecology.     

产业生态系统新型定量研究方法综述

产业生态系统研究已成为当今学术界、产业界的研究重点和热点,对于充分利用资源、减轻环境压力、改造升级传统产业都具有不可估量的科学指导意义。目前,国内外对产业生态系统的研究定性较多,包括概念,特点,建设原则和经营理念的描述,而定量较少。然而,产业生态系统在发展当中也出现了大量的实际问题,急需加强对其定量研究,从而发现、提高和改进产业生态系统的结构及效率,增强可持续性。从近些年生态学的先进理论成果入手探讨了定量研究产业生态系统的一些方法——能值、(火用)、生态足迹和生态信息的方法。对这些方法的理论基础、发展历程、实践应用和适用特点依次进行了详细的梳理和归纳,并基于3个基本原则(生态维度和经济维度的整合,系统长期的恢复力,系统的广度和强度性质)对各个方法进行了综合比较分析,旨在为产业生态系统研究提供方向和理论指导。     

基于复合生态系统理论的海洋生态监控区区划指标框架研究

海岸带是海陆生态系统的交错带,其生态系统对社会经济发展和全球变化敏感、脆弱。随着沿海各省市新一轮开发规划的实施,近岸海域生态环境面临巨大压力,海洋生态管理面临着新的经济、环境问题,海洋生态监控区需要进行适应性调整。海洋生态监控区,指依据海洋生态特征和问题冲突特点而确定的、通过生态监测和评价而提出的用于保护管理和开发利用调控的海洋区域。海洋生态监控区是基于生态系统的海洋管理的重要手段,是海洋生态系统管理的重要基础。基于复合生态系统理论,从自然视角、经济视角和社会视角3个方面深入分析了海洋生态重要性区域的内涵,并结合生态社会与生态系统服务描述了海洋生态监控区内涵;结合沿海社会经济发展新趋势和海洋生态系统管理需要,从管理学、生态学、管理对象及管理实施等方面探讨了海洋生态监控区区划的原则;分析了影响海洋生态监控区的主要因素,结合近岸海域生态系统主要服务功能,构建了区划指标体系,包括自然环境、生态系统和社会经济和三大方面14个指标。     

The Challenge to Restore Processes in Face of Nonlinear Dynamics—On the Crucial Role of Disturbance Regimes

Increasingly, restoration ecologists and managers are challenged to restore ecological processes that lead to self‐sustaining ecosystem dynamics. Due to changing environmental conditions, however, restoration goals need to include novel regimes beyond prior reference conditions or reference dynamics. In face of these fundamental challenges in process‐based restoration ecology, disturbance ecology can offer useful insights. Here, I discuss the contribution of disturbance ecology to understanding assembly rules, ecosystem dynamics, regime shifts, and nonlinear dynamics. Using the patch and multipatch concept, all insights are organized according to two spatial and two temporal categories: “patch–event,”“patch–multievent,”“multipatch–event,” and “multipatch–multievent.” This concept implies the consideration of both spatial patterns and temporal rhythms inside and outside of a restoration site. Emerging issues, such as uncoupling of internal and external dynamics, are considered.     

People as Ecological Participants in Ecological Restoration

In 1987, Bradshaw proposed that ecological restoration is the ultimate “acid test” of our understanding the functioning of ecosystems ( Bradshaw 1987 ). Although this concept is widely supported academically, how it can be applied by restoration practitioners is still unclear. This is an issue not limited to Bradshaw’s acid test, but moreover, reflects a general difficulty associated with the polarization between conceptual restoration (restoration ecology) and practical restoration (ecological restoration), where each has functioned to certain degree in isolation of the other. Outside of the more obvious pragmatic reasons for the relative independence between ecological restoration and restoration ecology, we propose that a more contentious explanation is that the approach taken toward understanding ecosystem development in restoration ecology is tangential to what actually takes place in ecological restoration. Current paradigms assume that the process of ecosystem development in restoration should follow the developmental trajectories suggested by classical ecological succession models. However, unlike these models, ecosystem development in restoration is, at least initially, largely manipulated by people, rather than by abiotic and biotic forces alone. There has been little research undertaken to explore how restoration activities impact upon or add to the extant ecological processes operating within a restoration site. Consequently, ecological restoration may not be so much an acid test of our understanding the functioning of ecosystems, but rather, an acid test of our understanding mutually beneficial interactions between humans and ecosystems.     

A framework for assessing ecological quality based on ecosystem services

Existing environmental legislation and ecological quality definitions such as ecosystem integrity tend to rely on measures that, either implicitly or explicitly, utilize naturalness as a key criterion. There are marked practical difficulties with employing the concept of naturalness in human dominated landscapes, and the management of such ecosystems is inevitably going to need to take account of human needs and expectations. We propose that ecological quality could be assessed by its ecosystem service profile (ESP): the overlap between societal expectations for, and the sustainable provision of, suites of ecosystem services. The status for each individual ecosystem service is defined by the ratio of its sustained provision to the expected level of provision for the service. The ESP measure is a multi-criterion, context-specific assessment of the match between expectation for and sustainable supply of ecosystem services. It provides a flexible measure of quality which takes into account that the “ideal” ecosystem state is largely dependent on the specific management context. The implementation of ESPs challenges us to develop indicators for the sustained provision of individual ecosystem services, much better understanding of the trade-offs among services, and practical tools for gauging societal demands. All of which are challenging problems. The proposed framework can help to strategically address research needs and monitoring requirements and foster a more integrative approach to ecosystem assessment and management in the future. The need for this follows from the fact that the undisturbed reference state represents only one aspect of an ecosystem and that ecological quality in human dominated landscapes will, ultimately, be determined by the value society places on the sustainable provision of multiple ecosystem services.     

Renewal ecology: conservation for the Anthropocene

The global scale and rapidity of environmental change is challenging ecologists to reimagine their theoretical principles and management practices. Increasingly, historical ecological conditions are inadequate targets for restoration ecology, geographically circumscribed nature reserves are incapable of protecting all biodiversity, and the precautionary principle applied to management interventions no longer ensures avoidance of ecological harm. In addition, human responses to global environmental changes, such as migration, building of protective infrastructures, and land use change, are having their own negative environmental impacts. We use examples from wildlands, urban, and degraded environments, as well as marine and freshwater ecosystems, to show that human adaptation responses to rapid ecological change can be explicitly designed to benefit biodiversity. This approach, which we call “renewal ecology,” is based on acceptance that environmental change will have transformative effects on coupled human and natural systems and recognizes the need to harmonize biodiversity with human infrastructure, for the benefit of both.     

旅游生态学研究进展

作为生态学和旅游学相交叉的一门新兴分支学科,旅游生态学关注旅游发展中的生态环境问题,以生态学原理指导旅游生态系统管理,是促进旅游业可持续发展的重要理论支撑。论文采用引文可视化分析软件CiteSpace5.3和文献阅读相结合的方法分析旅游生态学研究的国际进展。分析发现,文献数量在进入21世纪后快速增长,文献来源地集中在北美和欧洲国家,研究方法呈现多学科综合性和最新科学技术成果应用及时等特点,研究内容主要集中在旅游活动的生态环境影响、旅游生态系统管理和旅游可持续发展的测度及实现途径3个方面。基于国际进展的分析,论文最后提出我国旅游生态学研究应在学科的基础理论、旅游影响的系统性和持续性、旅游生态修复、旅游开发活动的生态环境影响、生态环境变化对旅游业发展的影响和本土性旅游生态系统管理方法等方面加强。     

生态系统服务供给和需求研究评述及框架体系构建

生态系统服务供给和需求联系着自然生态系统与社会经济系统,对生态系统服务供给和需求的研究有助于加强生态系统管理和实现资源优化配置,从而保障区域生态安全与社会经济可持续发展。本文在系统梳理国内外相关研究的基础上,对生态系统服务供给和需求的概念内涵、评估方法和实践应用等方面进行全面综述。从理论发展的角度看,虽然目前已取得较为丰富的研究成果,但是现有研究仍较为分散,缺乏统一的生态系统服务供需研究框架体系。鉴于此,本文在对生态系统服务供给和需求的研究范畴进行拓展的基础上,按照“理论-方法-实践”相统一的研究脉络,构建了“定性-定位-定量-定策”的生态系统服务供给和需求研究框架体系,最后提出未来研究应围绕“重点关注生态系统服务供给和需求的空间转移规律、加强生态系统服务供给和需求的定量方法研究、深化生态系统服务供给和需求应用管理实践和建立生态系统服务供给和需求应用评价机制”等方面展开,以期促进生态系统服务供给和需求的理论与实践研究。     

Challenges in integrating the concept of ecosystem services and values in landscape planning,management and decision making

Despite the growing body of literature on ecosystem services, still many challenges remain to structurally integrate ecosystem services in landscape planning, management and design. This paper therefore aims to provide an overview of the challenges involved in applying ecosystem service assessment and valuation to environmental management and discuss some solutions to come to a comprehensive and practical framework.First the issue of defining and classifying ecosystem services is discussed followed by approaches to quantify and value ecosystem services. The main part of the paper is focussed on the question how to analyze trade-offs involved in land cover and land use change, including spatial analysis and dynamic modelling tools. Issues of scale are addressed, as well as the question how to determine the total economic value of different management states.Finally, developments and challenges regarding the inclusion of ecosystem services in integrative landscape planning and decision-making tools are discussed.It is concluded that the ecosystem service approach and ecosystem service valuation efforts have changed the terms of discussion on nature conservation, natural resource management, and other areas of public policy. It is now widely recognized that nature conservation and conservation management strategies do not necessarily pose a trade-off between the “environment” and “development”. Investments in conservation, restoration and sustainable ecosystem use are increasingly seen as a “win-win situation” which generates substantial ecological, social and economic benefits.     

Ecological engineering: A rationale for standardized curriculum and professional certification in the United States

The demand for engineering solutions to ecosystem–level problems has increased as the impact of human activities has expanded to global proportions. While the science of restoration ecology has been developed to address many critical ecosystem management issues, the high degree of complexity and uncertainty associated with these issues demands a more quantitative approach. Ecological engineering uses science-based quantification of ecological processes to develop and apply engineering-based design criteria for sustainable systems. We suggest that in the United States ecological engineering curricula should be offered at the graduate level and should require rigorous Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology-accredited (or equivalent) undergraduate preparation in engineering fundamentals. In addition to strengthening students’ mastery of engineering theory and application, the graduate curriculum should provide core courses in ecosystem theory including quantitative ecology, systems ecology, restoration ecology, ecological engineering, ecological modeling, and ecological engineering economics. Advanced courses in limnology, environmental plant physiology, ecological economics, and specific ecosystem design should be provided to address students’ specific professional objectives. Finally, professional engineering certification must be developed to insure the credibility of this new engineering specialization.     

科尔沁沙地“山水林田湖草沙”一体化治理原理及实施重点

“山水林田湖草沙”一体化治理现已成为干旱区生态环境建设的重要理念,目前虽已有部分重大工程项目在沙区实施,但一体化治理的科学与技术原理尚不清晰,仍未在这些工程中充分体现。鉴于此,本文就科尔沁沙地一体化治理的挑战、科学原理、技术原理与实施重点进行了论述。在科尔沁沙地,林-田、林-林、林-水、田-水、林-草、沙-水、田-草等要素关系尚不很协调,导致资源失衡、服务功能低下。进行一体化治理应遵循风沙运动规律、草地界面理论、水资源平衡理论、生物多样性维持理论、景观生态学理论和生态系统服务功能等科学原理与规律。一体化治理技术层面应突出体现水-沙关系协调、景观设计优化、防治技术与模式多方位并重、自然与人为景观兼顾、“三生”空间布局均衡等原理。一体化治理的重点应置于沙丘和防护林功能提升、农田和草地增效、湖泊生态保育、人居环境绿化美化、工程项目生态修复上。本文可为科尔沁沙地以及整个三北地区的沙区一体化生态环境建设提供参考。     

Plant phenological research enhances ecological restoration

While phenology data (the timing of recurring biological events) has been used to explain and predict patterns related to global change, and to address applied environmental issues, it has not been clearly identified as pertinent for restoration. This opinion article thus aims to raise awareness of the potential of phenology to enhance the quality of restoration projects and ecological restoration theory. We based our analysis on a systematic literature survey carried out in February 2014, searching the words “phenology” or “phenological” in books dealing with restoration, the term “phenolog*” in the journal Restoration Ecology, and the terms “restoration” and “phenolog*” in the database Web of Science until February 2014. We finally selected 149 studies relevant to our goals, and first classified them according to the context in which phenology was addressed. We then analyzed them within the framework of the five key steps of restoration projects: (1) the reference ecosystem; (2) biotic resources; (3) restoration methods; (4) monitoring; and (5) adaptive management. The literature survey showed that phenological information improved decision‐making in the few restoration projects in which it was incorporated. We thus advocate taking phenological data into account at all stages of restoration when appropriate: from the acquisition of baseline data on the reference ecosystem to treatment design, and from restoration action planning and timing to monitoring. Phenological data should at minimum be collected for sown, keystone, dominant, and/or rare species to improve restoration quality. Phenology studies and monitoring should be promoted in future restoration guidelines.