Enhancing river vegetation: conservation, development and restoration

The welcome increase in projects increasing river vegetation prompts theoretical consideration. To restore is to bring back what was there before — but at what period? 1860 to 1940 is suggested, as ‘traditional’. Traditional rivers differ greatly between river types and between rivers: in water, structural and biotic characters, and Sense of Place. Aiming at these, holistically, is aiming at restoration. Aiming at part, or trying to convert rivers to a Standard Recommended river is, at best, enhancement. The latter development lessens the unique variety and special features of rivers that are the heritage of each country.     

Recent progresses in mangrove conservation,restoration and research in China

Aims In this paper, we highlighted some key progresses in mangrove conservation, restoration and research in China during last two decades.Methods Based on intensive literature review, we compared the distribution and areas of existing mangroves among selected provinces of China, discussed the issues associated with mangrove conservation and restoration and highlighted major progresses on mangrove research conducted by key institutions or universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.Important findings The population boom and rapid economic developments have greatly reduced mangrove areas in China since 1980s, leaving only 22?700 ha mangroves in mainland China in 2001. Chinese government has launched a series of programs to protect mangroves since 1980s and has established mangrove ecosystems as high-priority areas for improving environmental and living resource management. During last three decades, a total of 34 natural mangrove conservation areas have been established, which accounts for 80% of the total existing mangroves areas in China. Mangrove restoration areas in Mainland China accounted for <7% of the total mangroves areas in 2002. A great deal of research papers on Chinese mangroves has been published in international journals. However, more systematic protection strategies and active restoration measurements are still urgently needed in order to preserve these valuable resources in China.     

海洋生境修复和生物资源养护原理与技术研究进展及展望

由于人类活动导致的海洋生境、生态系统以及生物资源的衰退已经引起了全球的高度重视。以生态修复的原理为基础,综述了海洋生境修复和生物资源养护的关键设施、关键技术、监测与效果评价以及综合管理的国内外研究进展,并对海洋生境修复与生物资源养护的研究热点和重点进行了展望,以期为我国海洋生境修复和生物资源养护提供参考。     

Macroinvertebrate conservation in river ecosystems: Challenges,restoration strategies,and integrated management approaches

River ecosystems face growing threats from human-induced stressors, resulting in habitat degradation and biodiversity loss. Crucial to these ecosystems, macroinvertebrates maintain river health and functioning. In this review, we examine the challenges confronting macroinvertebrates, explore restoration strategies and management approaches, and shed light on knowledge gaps and future research directions. Habitat degradation, water pollution, climate change, and invasive species are discussed as key challenges. Various restoration strategies, such as in-stream habitat restoration, flow regime restoration, riparian zone restoration, and connectivity restoration, are evaluated for macroinvertebrate conservation. Integrated catchment management, adaptive management, community-based management, monitoring, and policy integration are highlighted as essential management approaches, and knowledge gaps in long-term monitoring, innovative restoration techniques, climate change resilience, and policy incorporation are identified as areas calling for further research. Ultimately, a proactive, adaptable, and cooperative approach to river management will ensure macroinvertebrate conservation and sustainable river ecosystems.     

Translocations of digging mammals and their potential for ecosystem restoration: a review of goals and monitoring programmes

1. Globally, translocations are commonly used to improve the conservation status of threatened species. There is increasing recognition that translocations of ecosystem engineers also have the potential to restore ecological processes. Digging mammals are often considered to be ecosystem engineers, as their diggings provide shelter for other species and can significantly alter soil properties, with subsequent changes to vegetation.
2. Using Australian species as a case study, we reviewed published and grey literature on digging mammal translocations to determine how often these translocations are conducted to restore ecosystem processes. We documented ecosystem-level monitoring and research efforts, and assessed whether restoration was perceived to be occurring post-release.
3. At least 208 translocations of 24 digging mammal species have been conducted in Australia, with a further 38 planned for the near future. Prior to 2019, only 3% of translocations included a goal relating to the restoration of ecosystem processes associated with digging activities. Nearly a quarter of pre-2019 translocations have been the subject of some form of ecosystem-level monitoring or research, but long-term ecosystem-level monitoring was very rare. In contrast, 74% of the translocations planned for post-2018 include a goal relating to the restoration of ecological processes and most also include plans to conduct ecosystem-level monitoring.
4. Ecosystem restoration was perceived to be occurring for 26% of the pre-2019 translocations. None of the documents we reviewed indicated that ecological degradation had occurred post-translocation, even when declines in other taxa were recorded.
5. The restoration of ecosystem processes is increasingly being identified as a goal for translocation programmes. Where this is the case, we suggest that translocation practitioners include success criteria for the restoration of ecosystem processes, and commit to long-term monitoring designed to detect ecosystem-level effects of translocations.

     

气候变化对野生植物的影响及保护对策

以温室气体浓度持续上升、全球气候变暖为主要特征的全球气候变化对野生植物及生物多样性造成的潜在影响, 已经引起了国际学者的高度关注。本文总结了全球气候变化的现状与未来趋势, 概述了中国野生植物的保护及管理现状, 从不同侧面综述了国内外关于全球气候变暖对野生植物影响的研究进展和动态, 包括气候带北移、两极冰山退缩、高海拔山地变暖、海平面上升、早春温度提前升高、荒漠草原土壤增温、旱涝急转弯等对野生植物造成的影响以及气候变暖对种间关系和敏感植物类群的影响, 并从气候变化背景下全球生态系统敏感度、植物多样性、物种迁移与气候槽(sink areas)、物种适应与灭绝以及物候节律5个方面分析了未来全球变暖影响野生植物的总体趋势。在以后的野生植物保护与管理中, 应确定全球气候变化的植物多样性敏感区, 重点关注对气候变化敏感的植物类群以及气候要素改变植物-动物互作关系中的野生植物, 自然保护区的建设要重点考虑全球气候变化的影响, 通过在全球范围内对野生植物分布和种群变化进行长期、系统的追踪监测, 建立有效的数据库, 发展野生植物迁地保护的保育技术及信息网络, 发展有关野生植物对全球气候变化响应的量化指标及相应的模型。最后提出应将全球气候变化下野生植物保护与管理列入相关基金会的研究重点。     

基于“目标-成本-效益”协同优化的山水林田湖草沙一体化生态保护与修复格局

当前以“山水林田湖草沙一体化保护与修复”为代表的国土空间生态修复工程已在全国范围内陆续开展,但相关规划的理论和方法支撑仍较为薄弱,如何确定合理的保护修复目标,并对生态保护与修复格局进行整合优化,是实现山水林田湖草沙一体化保护与修复规划需要解决的关键问题。基于系统保护规划理论和方法,初步构建了基于“目标-成本-效益”协同优化的一体化保护修复规划构架,以大兴安岭中段嫩江-哈拉哈河源头区为例,依托空间优化模型(Marxan)对一体化保护修复格局进行了优化模拟,结果表明：(1)绰尔河流域的生态系统保护优先级最高,其次是哈拉哈河流域和洮儿河流域,最后是霍林河流域。当预算不足时,优先保护绰尔河流域可以最大限度的提升研究区内的生态系统服务功能;(2)当优化目标低于50%,优化格局中以林地保护和草地保护为主,需要修复格局规模较小,当优化目标比例超过50%,需要采取生态修复的面积明显增加。随着优化目标比例的提升,优化格局所需面积越来越大,优化后区域中各类生态系统服务功能均有所提高;(3)依据目标-成本-效益曲线,60%的保护修复水平(即1980—2020年退化损失的生态系统服务的60%)为最高效的保护修...     

The integration of biodiversity and climate change: A contextual assessment of the carbon farming initiative

Summary The Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) allows the creation of tradable Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) derived from across the ecosystem sector via project‐level baseline and credit activities: it is the first national offset scheme in the world to broadly include farming and forestry projects. Because these activities have the potential to produce both biodiversity and climate change benefits, a crucial outcome is for widespread uptake of the policy. However, the design, complexity and cost of the CFI project development process, and low prices as a result of ACCUs trading in the voluntary market, will all likely militate against this. This article shows how international politics and policy surrounding the Kyoto Protocol have influenced the design of the CFI, with its potential to proliferate complex and narrow methodologies and counter‐productive approaches to integrity standards such as permanence. The article shows that despite the pressing need to integrate biodiversity and climate change considerations as equally important challenges, their global integration remains poorly articulated. Biodiversity considerations are also not integrated into the CFI but, rather, are dealt with indirectly through safeguard measures that avoid perverse incentives and unintended harm, and as an optional co‐benefit via the development of an index. This article suggests that we need to move past the shackles of Kyoto towards streamlined and standardized approaches such as risk‐based assessments and the use of regional baselines. Using regionally specific baselines such as for avoided deforestation would allow landholders to opt‐in to regional‐scale mitigation opportunities. Activities that Australia accounts for, such as reforestation and deforestation, should also be able to opt‐in for coverage under the Clean Energy Act (and out of the voluntary carbon market) to obtain a secure price.     

Behavior change and sustainability of ecological restoration projects

Addressing socio‐economic factors in ecological restoration projects is critical for the effectiveness of restoration practices and scaling of restoration efforts. To achieve sustainability of restoration projects, the drivers of human activity leading to the degradation need to be addressed. An under‐researched concept in ecological restoration is the impact of behavior change of stakeholders and communities involved, despite the strong link prior research has shown to exist between environmental quality and human behavior. This article explores the importance of addressing the behavioral change of stakeholders engaged in restoration to achieve sustainability of efforts; it investigates how behavior change models are linked and represented in global environmental governance documents, and it discusses how behavioral intervention and policy instruments could be included in ecological restoration projects. For future work, the article proposes the integration of behavior change interventions in the design of restoration projects and policies.     

Photography: conservation and restoration problems of archives

Summary The more and more numerous photographs witnessing the past are often kept, or better, forgotten and confined to the attics and cellars and are thus running the risk of an irreparable deterioration or worse, of an impending and probable destruction. The study of photograph production systems, the analysis of components and thus the chemico-physical investigations are of extreme importance. Nonetheless the aerobiological research is essential for the daily management of archives.     

国土空间生态修复与保护空间识别——以北京市为例

构建国土空间修复与保护识别体系可以有效实现区域生态系统修复与保护,然而,当前国土空间生态修复与保护研究和规划缺乏从系统性和完整性的角度识别关键生态修复与保护区。因此构建了系统的生态修复与保护空间识别方法,以实现区域协调发展、保障区域生态安全。基于该方法,以北京市为例,通过评估生态系统服务、生态系统质量和生态问题,构建生态修复与保护空间格局。研究结果表明：(1) 2000—2015年生态系统服务和质量退化区主要集中在平原区和密云水库北部,面积为760.4 km~2;生态系统质量低下区主要分布在西南部山区和东北部山区,面积为4925 km~2;水土流失问题区零星分布在山区,面积为130.1 km~2;基于以上三者的北京生态修复建议区总面积5606 km~2。(2)建议北京生态保护区6391 km~2,主要分布在北部山区和西南部山区,保护了79.63%的水源涵养功能,74.97%的土壤保持功能,58.79%的洪水调蓄功能和60.3%的自然栖息地。本研究构建的生态修复与保护空间识别方法体系,为北京生态修复和保护规划与生态安全格局构建提供科学依据,还可以为其他地区的生态修复与保护规划提供参考。     

Balance between climate change mitigation benefits and land use impacts of bioenergy: conservation implications for European birds

Both climate change and habitat modification exert serious pressure on biodiversity. Although climate change mitigation has been identified as an important strategy for biodiversity conservation, bioenergy remains a controversial mitigation action due to its potential negative ecological and socio-economic impacts which arise through habitat modification by land use change. While the debate continues, the separate or simultaneous impacts of both climate change and bioenergy on biodiversity have not yet been compared. We assess projected range shifts of 156 European bird species by 2050 under two alternative climate change trajectories: a baseline scenario, where the global mean temperature increases by 4 °C by the end of the century, and a 2 degrees scenario, where global concerted effort limits the temperature increase to below 2 °C. For the latter scenario, we also quantify the pressure exerted by increased cultivation of energy biomass as modelled by IMAGE2.4, an integrated land use model. The global bioenergy use in this scenario is in the lower end of the range of previously estimated sustainable potential. Under the assumptions of these scenarios, we find that the magnitude of range shifts due to climate change is far greater than the impact of land conversion to woody bioenergy plantations within the European Union, and that mitigation of climate change reduces the exposure experienced by species. However, we identified potential for local conservation conflict between priority areas for conservation and bioenergy production. These conflicts must be addressed by strict bioenergy sustainability criteria that acknowledge biodiversity conservation needs beyond existing protected areas and apply also to biomass imported from outside the European Union.     

片断森林植物多样性及其保护和恢复价值

森林片断化是导致生物多样性丧失最严重的单一因素。在片断森林中植物多样性除与片断面积有关外,还受边缘效应、瞬时取样效应、驰豫效应、远距离扩散的挽救效应以及背景生态系统的性质等影响。本文阐述了在这些综合因素影响下,片断森林中植物种类、丰富、性质的变化。由于这些综合因素的影响,不少片断森林尚有较高的保护价值,但需建立合适的评价体系和标准。片断森林在确定生态恢复目标、为恢复实践提供种源等方面也有重要价值。提出了对片断森林的保护措施。     

Applying climate change refugia to forest management and old-growth restoration

Recent studies highlight the potential of climate change refugia (CCR) to support the persistence of biodiversity in regions that may otherwise become unsuitable with climate change. However, a key challenge in using CCR for climate resilient management lies in how CCR may intersect with existing forest management strategies, and subsequently influence how landscapes buffer species from negative impacts of warming climate. We address this challenge in temperate coastal forests of the Pacific Northwestern United States, where declines in the extent of late-successional forests have prompted efforts to restore old-growth forest structure. One common approach for doing so involves selectively thinning forest stands to enhance structural complexity. However, dense canopy is a key forest feature moderating understory microclimate and potentially buffering organisms from climate change impacts, raising the possibility that approaches for managing forests for old-growth structure may reduce the extent and number of CCR. We used remotely sensed vegetation indices to identify CCR in an experimental forest with control and thinned (restoration) treatments, and explored the influence of biophysical variables on buffering capacity. We found that remotely sensed vegetation indices commonly used to identify CCR were associated with understory temperature and plant community composition, and thus captured aspects of landscape buffering that might instill climate resilience and be of interest to management. We then examined the interaction between current restoration strategies and CCR, and found that selective thinning for promoting old-growth structure had only very minor, if any, effects on climatic buffering. In all, our study demonstrates that forest management approaches aimed at restoring old-growth structure through targeted thinning do not greatly decrease buffering capacity, despite a known link between dense canopy and CCR. More broadly, this study illustrates the value of using remote sensing approaches to identify CCR, facilitating the integration of climate change adaptation with other forest management approaches.     

Mapping tree species vulnerability to multiple threats as a guide to restoration and conservation of tropical dry forests

Understanding the vulnerability of tree species to anthropogenic threats is important for the efficient planning of restoration and conservation efforts. We quantified and compared the effects of future climate change and four current threats (fire, habitat conversion, overgrazing and overexploitation) on the 50 most common tree species of the tropical dry forests of northwestern Peru and southern Ecuador. We used an ensemble modelling approach to predict species distribution ranges, employed freely accessible spatial datasets to map threat exposures, and developed a trait‐based scoring approach to estimate species‐specific sensitivities, using differentiated trait weights in accordance with their expected importance in determining species sensitivities to specific threats. Species‐specific vulnerability maps were constructed from the product of the exposure maps and the sensitivity estimates. We found that all 50 species face considerable threats, with an average of 46% of species’ distribution ranges displaying high or very high vulnerability to at least one of the five threats. Our results suggest that current levels of habitat conversion, overexploitation and overgrazing pose larger threats to most of the studied species than climate change. We present a spatially explicit planning strategy for species‐specific restoration and conservation actions, proposing management interventions to focus on (a) in situ conservation of tree populations and seed collection for tree planting activities in areas with low vulnerability to climate change and current threats; (b) ex situ conservation or translocation of populations in areas with high climate change vulnerability; and (c) active planting or assisted regeneration in areas under high current threat vulnerability but low climate change vulnerability, provided that interventions are in place to lower threat pressure. We provide an online, user‐friendly tool to visualize both the vulnerability maps and the maps indicating priority restoration and conservation actions.     

中国大陆沿海水鸟栖息地保护优先区及空缺分析

中国大陆沿海湿地是东亚-澳大利西亚候鸟迁徙的重要停歇地,自然湿地丧失与退化已经严重威胁到水鸟生物多样性的稳定性,急需开展物种及其栖息地的保护工作。识别中国大陆沿海水鸟保护优先区,针对保护优先区进行保护优先等级划分,确定目前尚存的保护空缺,是针对性开展水鸟栖息地保护的前提。以中国大陆沿海11省、自治区、直辖市沿岸湿地为研究区,整合鸟类网站、水鸟调查报告和文献中的水鸟调查数据,采用热点分析方法,确定水鸟保护优先区,将每个地块上满足水鸟保护优先区识别标准的物种数量占所有地块中满足标准的物种数量最大值的比例划分成0.5≤P_i≤1、 0.25≤P_i<0.5、0i<0.25三个区间,确定对应的I类、II类和III类水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级;结合国家自然保护地名录,确定水鸟保护优先区保护空缺。结果显示:共有65块中国大陆沿海水鸟保护优先区,记录到满足热点分析标准的水鸟物种共76种,其中受胁物种18种。水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级属于I、II、III类的分别有8块、10块、47块,且水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级属于I...     

Velocity of climate change algorithms for guiding conservation and management

The velocity of climate change is an elegant analytical concept that can be used to evaluate the exposure of organisms to climate change. In essence, one divides the rate of climate change by the rate of spatial climate variability to obtain a speed at which species must migrate over the surface of the earth to maintain constant climate conditions. However, to apply the algorithm for conservation and management purposes, additional information is needed to improve realism at local scales. For example, destination information is needed to ensure that vectors describing speed and direction of required migration do not point toward a climatic cul‐de‐sac by pointing beyond mountain tops. Here, we present an analytical approach that conforms to standard velocity algorithms if climate equivalents are nearby. Otherwise, the algorithm extends the search for climate refugia, which can be expanded to search for multivariate climate matches. With source and destination information available, forward and backward velocities can be calculated allowing useful inferences about conservation of species (present‐to‐future velocities) and management of species populations (future‐to‐present velocities).     

World historical mapping and potential distribution of Cinchona spp. in Peru as a contribution for its restoration and conservation

Peru is a megadiverse country in neotropical flora and is home to an important genus of plants called Cinchona and commonly all its individual species are called Cinchona Tree (Cinchona spp.), which represents the national tree for this nation. This country has 18 species, a group of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, and their population trend is currently unknown. This genus is at risk of extinction due to overexploitation for its medicinal, constructive and food uses. The IUCN also mentions that increased species assessments and records will help make the IUCN Red List a “barometer of life”. Based on the fact that understanding the effects of environmental change on ecosystems requires the identification of historical and current baselines, which can act as reference conditions, this research generated georeferenced global historical maps of Cinchona spp. and then determined the appropriate sites based on environmental variables using the MaxEnt software and established the probabilities of occurrence of this genus in Peru to establish priority areas for its conservation and restoration. Four maps were obtained, one for each centennial, from 1737 to the present, with 10 860 occurrences of Cinchona. In the MaxEnt modeling, 10.30 % (13 3172.56 km²) and 19.20 % (24 7371.32 km²) of Peru's surface area had high ( > 0.6) and moderate (0.4–0.6) probabilities, respectively, of hosting Cinchona. Only 7.6 % (17 305.32 km²) and 22.0 % (50 153.73 km²) of the areas with high and moderate distribution potential, respectively, were covered by natural protected areas. Likewise, 11.90 % (21 738.75 km²) and 33.20 % (60 789.17 km²) of the high and moderate probability lands, respectively, correspond to degraded areas (DAs) and, therefore, are considered a priority for restoration with Cinchona spp. The results may stimulate the rethinking of decision making for the National Action Plan for Reforestation with Species of the Genus Cinchona and other plans or tools for Cinchona conservation in Peru.     

Towards more effective integration of tropical forest restoration and conservation

Conservation and restoration interventions can be mutually reinforcing and are converging through an increased focus on social dimensions. This paper examines how to more effectively integrate the complementary goals of conservation and restoration of tropical forests. Forest conservation and restoration interventions are integral components of a broad approach to forest ecosystem and landscape management that aims to maintain and restore key ecological processes and enhance human well‐being, while minimizing biodiversity loss. The forest transition model provides a useful framework for understanding the relative importance of forest conservation and restoration interventions in different regions. Harmonizing conservation and restoration presents serious challenges for forest policy in tropical countries, particularly regarding the use and management of secondary forests, fallow vegetation, and forests degraded by logging and fire. Research to implement restoration more effectively in tropical regions can be stimulated by transforming questions that initially focused on conservation issues. Examination of papers published in Biotropica from 2000–2018 shows that most studies relevant to tropical forest conservation do not address forest restoration issues. Forest restoration studies, on the other hand, show a consistent association with conservation issues. There is much scope for further integration of conservation and restoration in research, practice, and policy. Securing a sustainable future for tropical forests requires developing and applying integrated approaches to landscape management that effectively combine knowledge and tools from multiple disciplines with practical experience and engagement of local stakeholders. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.