The Applicability of Habitat Evaluation Methodologies in Ecological Risk Assessment

Traditionally, ecological risk assessments (ERAs) have emphasized risks to individual organisms or populations of species. Although habitats may be a potential target for chemical stressors, and are considered in the framework for ERAs, the actual use of habitat evaluation methods in this process is limited. Habitats obviously represent an important entity to protect since damaged aquatic and wildlife habitats may be totally irretrievable over a human life span compared to deleterious biochemical and physiological changes which may be reversible within the life cycle of an organism, if exposure is terminated. Habitat methods have been largely used as management tools to evaluate impacts of planned water and land development projects. Habitat evaluation methods represent a structured, systematic and logical approach to determine changes to habitats because they consider important life requisites and environmental variables limiting to species. Their use in the ERA process will provide a means to differentiate habitat changes resulting from physical, chemical and/or biological factors or a combination of such factors. In addition, minimal and optimum habitat suitability can be determined for different habitat variables under different chemical exposure scenarios. The objectives of this paper are to review several available habitat evaluation methods and discuss their use in risk assessment. Particular emphasis is given to USFWS's Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEPs) and the Instream Flow Incremental Method (IFIM).     

Long-term ecological dynamics: reciprocal insights from natural and anthropogenic gradients

Many ecological dynamics occur over time-scales that are well beyond the duration of conventional experiments or observations. One useful approach to overcome this problem is extrapolation of temporal dynamics from spatial variation. We review two complementary variants of this approach that have been of late increasingly employed: the use of natural gradients to infer anthropogenic effects and the use of anthropogenic gradients to infer natural dynamics. Recent studies have considered a variety of naturally occurring gradients associated with climate, CO2, disturbance and biodiversity gradients, as well as anthropogenic gradients such as those created by biological invasions, habitat fragmentation and land abandonment. These studies show that natural gradients are useful in predicting long-term consequences of human-induced environmental changes, whereas anthropogenic gradients are helpful in inferring the mechanisms behind natural dynamics because covarying factors are often more clearly understood in anthropogenic gradients than in natural gradients. We classify these studies into several categories, each with different strengths and weaknesses, and outline how the limitations can be overcome by combining the gradient-based approach with other approaches. Overall, studies reviewed here demonstrate that the development of basic ecological concepts and the application of these concepts to environmental problems can be more effective when conducted complementarily than when pursued separately.     

城市综合生态风险评价——以淮北市城区为例

城市面临复杂的生态风险,为了保障城市安全,需要对单一灾害或污染源的生态风险评估结果进行整合。基于城市复合生态系统特性,将当前城市地域常见的生态风险区分为自然灾害、环境污染及生态退化等3种主要类型,以土地利用单元作为风险受体,整合自然、人文、景观及环境因子,在现有生态风险评价研究方法基础上,构建了城市综合生态风险评价的空间分析框架。研究中选择淮北市城区作为研究区,针对研究区内存在的洪涝、干旱、水污染、大气污染、采煤塌陷及生态服务降低等生态风险类型,定量评价其空间差异,并提出相应的风险防范措施。案例分析结果表明,研究区综合生态风险较高的区域包括龙河、岱河、龙岱河与闸河等过境河流流经塌陷密集带的河段,北湖、东湖、中湖及南湖等人工湖泊沿岸,化家湖湖岸,及土型、新蔡、北杨新杨煤矿及其外围地区。由降低生态风险保障城市生态安全角度,在未来城市的整体规划中,建议结合城市外围绿地与城市内部的高风险区域,划设禁建或限建区域,共同构建淮北城市生态风险防范的空间结构。     

Environmental influence on ovulation and embryonic development in Rana pipiens.

Environmental effects on ovulation and embryogenesis in Rana pipiens were assessed using both freshly-captured fall animals and laboratory-conditioned females which had undergone vitellogenesis in the laboratory. Frogs in both categories were divided into two groups. Ovulation was hormonally induced in one group of females prior to cold exposure and in the second group of animals following an 8-week-period at 4 degrees C with an 8L 16D photoperiod. The incidence of both ovulation and normal embryonic development was increased following exposure of the animals to low temperatures and short daylength. Those animals which only partially ovulated prior to cold treatment did not respond to hormone injections following the period of cold exposure. Examination of the ovaries of these females revealed a much greater degree of oocyte resorption than was found in frogs whose initial ovulation was induced only after exposure to cold temperatures. The administration of ovulation-inducing hormones prior to artificial hibernation may thus have initiated a phase of oocyte resorption which progressed even at 4 degrees C. The incidence of ovulation was similar in wild-caught and laboratory-conditioned females, but eggs from the latter showed a much lower percentage of development to Shumway stage 20. This effect may have been related to differences in the environmental factors to whcih the two groups were exposed during oogenesis.     

Ecological engineering: A field whose time has come

Ecological engineering is defined as “the design of sustainable ecosystems that integrate human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both.” It involves the restoration of ecosystems that have been substantially disturbed by human activities such as environmental pollution or land disturbance; and the development of new sustainable ecosystems that have both human and ecological value. While there was some early discussion of ecological engineering in the 1960s, its development was spawned later by several factors, including loss of confidence in the view that all pollution problems can be solved through technological means and the realization that with technological means, pollutants are just being moved from one form to another. Conventional approaches require massive amounts of resources to solve these problems, and that in turn perpetuates carbon and nitrogen cycle problems, for example. The development of ecological engineering was given strong impetus in the last decade with a textbook, the journal Ecological Engineering and two professional ecological engineering societies. Five principles about ecological engineering are: (1) It is based on the self-designing capacity of ecosystems; (2) It can be the acid test of ecological theories; (3) It relies on system approaches; (4) It conserves non-renewable energy sources; and (5) It supports biological conservation. Ecology as a science is not routinely integrated into engineering curricula, even in environmental engineering programs, while shortcoming, ecologists, environmental scientists, and managers miss important training in their profession—problem solving. These two problems could be solved in the integrated field of ecological engineering.     

The method of response functions in ecology

This article describes the further development and new applications of the already well-known method of response functions. This method is used to present the quantitative evaluation of the reactions of various ecological and biological systems to environmental impacts. Two ecological problems were chosen as examples: the model of growth and development of cereal crops and the model of pollutant dynamics in the elementary ecosystem. In each case the results are given of the evaluation of parameters and the testing of models. It is shown that the method of response functions allows resolution of the wide range of ecological problems with sufficient accuracy, and some new theoretical results are presented. For example, based on the existing hypotheses of higher plant development, a biological time scale has been worked out. The method was elaborated to determine the minimum time of development, which is a genetically stipulated characteristic of a species and is realized when all environmental factors are optimal.     

黄土高原区主导生态风险识别及分异性研究——以黄河流域中游为例

黄河流域作为典型的生态脆弱区,其生态问题复杂多样,亟待全面的生态治理和修复。同时,黄河流域生态保护和高质量发展是当前我国发展战略之一。明确黄河流域存在的生态问题,做好区域生态修复,开展综合治理是黄河流域可持续发展的重点。因此把握黄河流域的自然条件的区域差异,开展综合性的生态风险识别与评价,明确区域风险空间异质性分布与特点,是服务于区域生态修复、促进黄河流域高质量发展的重点。结合黄河流域中游气候、地形、植被等多自然本底情况识别风险源,建立服务于研究区生态保护和修复的区域生态风险评价体系,并通过GEE和GIS平台,可视化和量化了各类生态风险,并采用空间相关分析明确了生态风险的主要成因。结果表明：1）研究区的生态风险空间分布具有显著的区域特征,各个要素的生态风险呈现明显的东南和西北的差异、不同土地覆被情况的差异、人类活动带与非人类活动带的差异以及河流沿河与非沿岸的差异;2）植被净生态系统生产力呈现东南高西北低的特征,温度植被干旱指数显示西北部、山西、陕西南部存在较高的干旱风险,土壤侵蚀风险主要存在于黄河沿岸、其他河谷地带以及西北部,防风固沙服务能力在山西省山区以及植被生长较好的地区较高;3）综合生态风险评价显示宁夏以及陕西北部多数地区属于高风险区,低风险区主要分布在研究区西南部以及山西省西部沿线地区;4）双变量的Moran''s I指数显示地表温度、植被覆盖和汛期降水是导致综合生态风险西北和东南差异的主要原因,坡度是导致局部风险差异的主要原因。     

Biological in situ characterization of polymeric microbubble contrast agents

Polymeric microbubbles (MBs) are gas filled particles composed of a thin stabilized polymer shell that have been recently developed as valid contrast agents for the combined use of ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) imaging. Due to their buoyancy, the commonly available approaches to study their behaviour in complex media are not easily applicable and their use in modern medicine requires such behaviour to be fully elucidated. Here we have used for the first time flow cytometry as a new high throughput approach that allows characterisation of the MB dispersion, prior to and after exposure in different biological media and we have additionally developed a method that allows characterisation of the strongly bound proteins adsorbed on the MBs, to fully predict their biological behaviour in biological milieu.     

Ecological suitability evaluation for mountainous area development based on conceptual model of landscape structure,function, and dynamics

Minimizing the ecological impact of land development is a fundamental principle of sustainable development. Ecological suitability assessment is the key to realizing sustainability and is also significant for optimizing spatial patterns of territorial development. Especially in mountainous areas where the ecosystem is both vulnerable and important, quantitative evaluation of ecological suitability for land development is particularly important and urgent given current development strategy of urban construction in mountainous areas in China. Taking Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, a representative urban construction zone in a mountainous area in Yunnan Province, China, as a study area, and based on the fundamental theory of structural and functional dynamics from landscape ecology, this study has explored the integrated ecological resistance (IER) conceptual model and constructed an index system with aspects of ecological elements, ecological importance, and ecological resilience. The results showed that: (1) the ecological suitability level was higher in the north than in the south and higher in the east than in the west, as well as higher in the Bazi region than in mountainous areas. Dali City, Binchuan County, and Xiangyun County had large ecological suitable zones for development and construction. Foci of ecological resistance having strong ecological constraints were mainly concentrated in Heqing County and in various other places; (2) by combining the integrated ecological resistance and arable land distributions, the study area was zoned into five regions: prior development zone, moderate development zone, potential development zone, restricted development zone, and forbidden development zone. Moderate, potential, and restricted development zones occupied most of the area, accounting for 28.89%, 24.69%, and 21.40%, respectively, whereas prior development zones accounted for only 8.91%; (3) based on the areal proportions of ecological suitability zoning, the 12 counties of Dali Prefecture can be grouped into three categories: prior areas for conservation, comprehensive development areas, and prior areas for development. Xiangyun County and Binchuan County should be regarded as key areas of Dali Prefecture for urban construction in mountainous areas. This research has explored an ecological suitability evaluation system from the perspective of landscape ecology and made fully understanding of ecological suitability factors in the study area, which provided a good reference to ecological suitability evaluation for mountainous area development in the worldwide.     

Individual factors and musculoskeletal disorders: a framework for their consideration.

Individual factors have been variously defined as non-work, demographic, physiological or psychological factors. They may represent a variety of important constructs at different relevant levels that may not be initially evident in their measurement. These include: work-related factors e.g., job assignment, duration of exposure, work style, anthropometric mismatches, and differential responses to job demands; concomitant external or internal exposures e.g., sports, smoking, and endogenous hormones; and physical, psychological and social vulnerabilities e.g., prior injury, depression, socio-economic status. Such factors operate in different ways in the development, course and response to interventions of musculoskeletal disorders. Newer framings of their contribution to musculoskeletal disorders are providing new insights into the role of such factors as some among many which contribute to the burden of MSK disorders in working age populations. As researchers, practitioners and policy makers, we need to consider them in order to reduce burden, to protect the vulnerable and to match interventions to different groups of people most appropriately.     

基于遥感技术的全国生态系统分类体系

随着遥感技术的发展,以遥感数据作为生态系统监测与评价的基础已成为宏观生态学研究的重要手段。遥感数据要求每一数据集都要有相应的地物分类体系与之匹配,这也造成不同遥感数据及分类体系之间相互独立。虽然体系间多有联系和相似之处,但不同数据集的分类体系难以直接使用或替换,制约了多元数据在生态系统评价中的使用效果。为尝试解决这一问题,提高多源遥感数据的使用效率,提出了一套基于中分辨率遥感数据的生态系统分类体系。这套体系共有9个一级类、21个二级类、46个三级类,该体系主要依据类别内生态系统特征的相似性,并考虑了气候、地形等因素。最后以海南岛、内蒙古和甘肃3个省为例,探讨了以遥感数据为基础的区域生态系统构成分析方法与应用效果。研究表明,该分类体系有较好的生态学依据,可以支持更加深入的生态系统评估。但分类体系中还存在遥感数据与生态因子数据尺度不匹配、不能满足小尺度研究中对三级类进一步细分的要求以及当前数据质量和模拟技术不足以完全支持植被覆盖率反演精度要求等问题。     

Engineering microbial systems to explore ecological and evolutionary dynamics

A major goal of biological research is to provide a mechanistic understanding of diverse biological processes. To this end, synthetic biology offers a powerful approach, whereby biological questions can be addressed in a well-defined framework. By constructing simple gene circuits, such studies have generated new insights into the design principles of gene regulatory networks. Recently, this strategy has been applied to analyze ecological and evolutionary questions, where population-level interactions are critical. Here, we highlight recent development of such systems and discuss how they were used to address problems in ecology and evolutionary biology. As illustrated by these examples, synthetic ecosystems provide a unique platform to study ecological and evolutionary phenomena that are challenging to study in their natural contexts.     

基于遥感的光合有效辐射吸收比率(FPAR) 估算方法综述

光合有效辐射吸收比率(FPAR)是反映植被生长过程的重要生理参数,是陆地生态系统模型的关键参数,是反映全球气候变化的重要因子。基于遥感的FPAR估算方法是获取区域乃至全球尺度FPAR的有效方法。目前,主要形成了植被指数法和机理法两类方法,植被指数法是建立FPAR与植被指数的经验统计模型,简单、计算效率高;机理法则从物理模型上进行FPAR的求解与反演,机理明晰、可行性强。然而,由于FPAR本身的复杂性以及环境因素、遥感数据质量的影响,导致了估算方法面临诸多不确定性问题。为了解决这些不确定性问题以及满足生态过程深入研究的需求,将进一步注重FPAR的机理研究、先验知识的获取与积累,构建长时间序列FPAR以及高时空的FPAR算法研究。     

长江中下游四大淡水湖生态系统完整性评价

长江中下游地区是我国淡水湖泊集中分布区域,研究该区域湖泊生态系统完整性对于湖泊生态系统保护和恢复具有重要意义。物理、化学和生物完整性指标已经广泛应用于河湖生态系统健康评价,但是缺少物理、化学和生物完整性的综合评价方法。以历史调查状况为主要参照系统,构建了基于物理、化学和生物完整性的多参数湖泊完整性综合评价指标体系,结合近年来长江中下游四大淡水湖(洞庭湖、鄱阳湖、巢湖、太湖)生态系统调查数据,对四大淡水湖生态系统完整性进行了评价。结果表明,洞庭湖、鄱阳湖、巢湖和太湖的综合得分分别为66、71、57和57。根据评价等级划分标准,洞庭湖和鄱阳湖生态系统完整性状况都达到"好"的等级,而巢湖和太湖则处于"一般"等级;结果显示,该指标能够表征人类活动对于湖泊生态系统完整性不同方面的干扰,且能够反映四大淡水湖生态系统完整性历史变化状况。因此,该方法可以作为长江中下游淡水湖泊生态系统完整性综合评价的工具并能够为湖泊生态系统的保护和恢复提供科学支撑。     

根系分泌物介导的根际效应及在水体生态修复中的应用潜力

文章主要以根系分泌物为核心,综述了根系分泌物的分类、发生机理及影响因素;围绕着植物-土壤-微生物三者的关系,阐述了根系分泌物介导的植物与植物之间的化感作用、植物与根际微生物之间的协同作用以及植物微生物相互作用对土壤物质循环的影响。水生植物以其生境的特殊性和功能的不可替代性,对沉积物污染物去除和水体生态修复产生显著的影响。在水体生态问题较为严峻的今天,充分认识水生植物根系分泌物介导的根际过程将为水生植物生态学和水体生态修复领域的发展提供基础,并为学科应用潜力的开发提供依据。     

鄂西北武当山区野生植物资源调查及开发对策

新阶段推进农业结构战略性调整 ,增加农民收入 ,山区的亮点在于发挥比较优势 ,开发特色资源。本文运用市场经济价值法则 ,对武当山区的野生资源进行了初步调查和分类 ,并提出了科学开发的对策     

Effect of habitat quality and phenotypic variation on abundance- and trait-based early warning signals of population collapses

Loss of resilience in population numbers in response to environmental perturbations may be predicted with statistical metrics called early warning signals (EWS) that are derived from abundance time series. These signals, however, have been shown to have limited success, leading to the development of trait-based EWS that are based on information collected from phenotypic traits such as body size. Experimental work assessing the efficacy of EWS under varying ecological and environmental factors are rare. In addition, disentangling how such warning signals are affected under varying ecological and environmental factors is key to their application in biological conservation. Here, we experimentally test how different rates of environmental forcing (i.e. warming) and varying ecological factors (i.e. habitat quality and phenotypic diversity) affected population stability and predictive power of early warning signals of population collapse. We analyzed population density and body size time series data from three phenotypically different populations of a protozoan ciliate Askenasia volvox in two levels of habitat quality subjected to three different treatments of warming (i.e. no warming, fast warming and slow warming). We then evaluated how well abundance- and trait-based EWS predicted population collapses under different levels of phenotypic diversity, habitat quality and warming treatments. Our results suggest that habitat quality and warming treatments had more profound effects than phenotypic diversity had on both population stability and on the performance of abundance-based signals of population collapse. In addition, trait-based EWS generally performed well, were reliable and more robust in forecasting population collapse than abundance-based EWS, regardless of variation in environmental and ecological factors. Our study points towards the development of a predictive framework that includes information from phenotypic traits such as body size as an indicator of loss of resilience of ecological systems in response to environmental perturbations.     

影响根瘤菌竞争结瘤的生态学因素分析

根瘤菌的发现并确证其共生固氮作用已逾100年,根瘤菌剂的制备和应用也已超过半个世纪,实践效果有目共睹。如美国对豌豆根瘤菌、三叶草根瘤菌和大豆根瘤菌的应用以及澳大利亚对三叶草根瘤菌的应用都取得显著成绩。我国在豆科作物和豆科绿肥上应用根瘤菌接种措施已有30余年历史,采用筛选的优良菌     

Fine-scale parallel patterns in diversity of small benthic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in relation to the ecology of lava/groundwater habitats

It is critical to study factors that are important for origin and maintenance of biological diversity. A comparative approach involving a large number of populations is particularly useful. We use this approach to study the relationship between ecological factors and phenotypic diversity in Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Numerous populations of small benthic charr have evolved in lava springs in Iceland. These charr appear morphologically similar, but differ in important morphological features related to feeding. We found a clear relationship between diversity in morphology, diet, and ecological factors among populations. In particular, there were clear differences in morphology and diet between fish coming from habitats where the lava spring flowed on as a stream compared to habitats where the lava spring flowed into a pond. Our study shows that ecological factors are important for the origin and maintenance of biological diversity. The relationship between phenotype and ecological factors are observed on a fine scale, when comparing numerous populations that are phenotypically similar. This strongly suggests that for understanding, managing, and conserving biological diversity important ecological variables have to be taken into the account.