森林与人类休戚相关,需要我们更多呵护

1992年6月3-14日,联合国环境与发展大会于巴西里约热内卢召开,大会通过了5个重要文件,其中包括<生物多样性公约>,该公约于1993年12月29日生效.为了纪念公约生效,联合国大会于1994年12月19日通过49/119号决议,将每年的12月29日确定为国际生物多样性日(International Day of Biodiversity).由于12月29日离西方的圣诞节很近,很多国家都很难组织庆祝活动.     

The urgent need for robust coral disease diagnostics

Coral disease has emerged over recent decades as a significant threat to coral reef ecosystems, with declines in coral cover and diversity of Caribbean reefs providing an example of the potential impacts of disease at regional scales. If similar trends are to be mitigated or avoided on reefs worldwide, a deeper understanding of the factors underlying the origin and spread of coral diseases and the steps that can be taken to prevent, control, or reduce their impacts is required. In recent years, an increased focus on coral microbiology and the application of classic culture techniques and emerging molecular technologies has revealed several coral pathogens that could serve as targets for novel coral disease diagnostic tools. The ability to detect and quantify microbial agents identified as indicators of coral disease will aid in the elucidation of disease causation and facilitate coral disease detection and diagnosis, pathogen monitoring in individuals and ecosystems, and identification of pathogen sources, vectors, and reservoirs. This information will advance the field of coral disease research and contribute knowledge necessary for effective coral reef management. This paper establishes the need for sensitive and specific molecular-based coral pathogen detection, outlines the emerging technologies that could serve as the basis of a new generation of coral disease diagnostic assays, and addresses the unique challenges inherent to the application of these techniques to environmentally derived coral samples.     

Oil palm research in context: identifying the need for biodiversity assessment

Oil palm cultivation is frequently cited as a major threat to tropical biodiversity as it is centered on some of the world's most biodiverse regions. In this report, Web of Science was used to find papers on oil palm published since 1970, which were assigned to different subject categories to visualize their research focus. Recent years have seen a broadening in the scope of research, with a slight growth in publications on the environment and a dramatic increase in those on biofuel. Despite this, less than 1% of publications are related to biodiversity and species conservation. In the context of global vegetable oil markets, palm oil and soyabean account for over 60% of production but are the subject of less than 10% of research. Much more work must be done to establish the impacts of habitat conversion to oil palm plantation on biodiversity. Results from such studies are crucial for informing conservation strategies and ensuring sustainable management of plantations.     

The need for local-adjusted Participatory Forest Management in biodiversity hotspots

Biodiversity and Conservation - Numerous conservation activities in Africa have been of little effect. In this study, we investigate socio-economic trade-offs that might have been overlooked, yet...     

The potential for computer-aided identification in biodiversity research

Species identification lies at the heart of most ecological studies, but it is recognized as a difficult and often frustrating task. Taxonomists have sought to overcome the difficulties of species identification by developing a range of tools and techniques that have increasingly involved the use of computers. We describe recent developments in computer-aided species identification, which have been in four main areas; multi-access keys; hypertext keys; expert systems; and neural networks. We also suggest which technique might be appropriate for a particular taxonomic group.     

Birth defects in India: Hidden truth,need for urgent attention

Birth defects (structural, functional and metabolic disorder present from birth, may be diagnosed later) rising up as an important cause of infant mortality even in developing countries where infant mortality has been reduced to much extent. Seventy percent of birth defects are preventable through the application of various cost effective community genetic services.Indian people are living in the midst of risk factors for birth defects, e.g., universality of marriage, high fertility, large number of unplanned pregnancies, poor coverage of antenatal care, poor maternal nutritional status, high consanguineous marriages rate, and high carrier rate for hemoglobinopathies. India being the second most populous country with a large number infant born annually with birth defects should focus its attention on strategies for control of birth defects. Many population based strategies such as iodization, double fortification of salt, flour fortification with multivitamins, folic acid supplementation, periconceptional care, carrier screening and prenatal screening are some of proven strategies for control of birth defects. Strategies such as iodization of salt in spite of being initiated for a long time in the past do have a very little impact on its consumption (only 50% were using iodized salt). Community genetic services for control of birth defects can be easily flourished and integrated with primary health care in India because of its well established infrastructure and personnel in the field of maternal and child health care. As there is wide variation for infant mortality rate (IMR) in different states in India, so there is a need of deferential approach to implement community genetic services in states those had already achieved national goal of IMR. On the other hand, states those have not achieved the national goal on IMR priority should be given to management of other causes of infant mortality.     

Advancing realism in biodiversity research

Numerous experimental studies suggest that biodiversity loss is detrimental to ecosystem functions such as production and nutrient cycling. These experiments, however, have been criticized as unrealistic because they use combinations of species that do not resemble what is observed in nature. Bracken et al. take a novel approach, using species combinations observed in the field and computer simulations to explore many other combinations. Their approach represents a significant advance in making biodiversity research more realistic.     

Taxonomy and systematics in biodiversity research

A new species of freshwater kamptozoan (Entoprocta) is described from the Mae Klong and Prachin Buri Rivers in central Thailand. This brings to two the number of known entoproct species occurring in fresh water. The new species, Loxosomatoides sirindhornae, grows as stolonate colonies; each diminutive zooid has a muscular, unsegmented stalk, and an obliquely oriented calyx. A well-formed hibernaculum originates from a short, lateral stolon at the base of certain zooids. The calyx bears a rigid shield with a conspicuous aboral carina extending along the entire length. Colonies have been found only in fully freshwater habitats and appear not to tolerate salinities higher than 1.0 ppt.