Conservation of Red Colobus and Their Habitats

A review of the conservation status of red colobus indicates that ≥38.9% of the taxa are threatened with extinction in the near future. Although no taxon of red colobus appears to have gone extinct, many of their populations have. The major threats are hunting and habitat loss and degradation, but in some cases intrinsic biotic factors, such as predator-prey imbalance, are leading to serious declines in populations. I propose a general framework for evaluating conservation problems and possible solutions, with an emphasis on distinguishing between proximate and ultimate variables and the time scales involved. In general, most viable populations of red colobus occur in well-protected forests; usually national parks. I proffer recommendations to improve the conservation status of the parks, which will benefit red colobus and most other tropical forest species.     

Conservation of fragmented small populations: endemic species persistence on California's smallest channel island

We examined resilience to extreme reduction of habitat, and long-term and long-distance isolation for an endemic species using California's Santa Barbara Island as a natural model. The island is smaller than 260ha, has been isolated by 40km of ocean from the nearest other island for more than 10,000 years and was severely impacted by human activities and feral browsers during at least the past 90 years. Less than 0.2km² of native plant cover remains, yet seven apparently endemic plants and animals persist, including a moth, Argyrotaenia isolatissima (Tortricidae). Using mitochondrial DNA sequence we examined the levels of genetic divergence between the moth and its closest relatives on the other Channel Islands and the California mainland. A. isolatissima has 15bp differences, including one non-synonymous substitution, from the most closely related taxon, on San Nicolas Island. Both parsimony and likelihood-based molecular systematic analyses confirm the evolutionary independence of A. isolatissima and indicate that portions of an endemic flora and fauna may persist in small fragments, despite long-term isolation and disturbance. Habitat conservation planning may underestimate the value of very small, temporally and spatially isolated fragments of native habitat not only to maintain, but also to generate endemic biodiversity.     

Reassembling island ecosystems: the case of Lord Howe Island

Exotic species that invade remote islands, usually following human settlement, have had catastrophic effects on native biota. However, on islands it is increasingly feasible to eradicate key exotic species allowing extant native species to recover in situ or to return naturally. The practice of marooning threatened species on islands where the threat is absent, irrespective of whether the threatened species once occurred on the island, is well established. However, less focus has been given to the 'island' as the management unit on which to return extirpated species or related surrogates for extinct species. We use the example of Lord Howe Island as a case study to explore options for island restoration should the remaining critical exotic pests (rodents and perhaps owls in this case) be eradicated as planned. Lord Howe Island, in the south-west Pacific Ocean, is remote, biologically diverse, has a high degree of endemism, and was only discovered by humans in 1778. Consequently, the original and exotic biota and their interactions are all better known than for many islands with a more ancient human history. Two species of plants, nine terrestrial birds, one bat and at least four invertebrates have been lost from the island since 1778. One plant and two invertebrates could be returned as conspecifics. One plant and all the terrestrial birds that are extinct could be replaced by closely related species from elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Decisions on replacing extinct species with surrogates should be based on the taxonomic relatedness of the candidates for reintroduction: the same species before subspecies before genera, with functional replacement being a further filter on candidates that are not the same species. In our opinion, taxa with functional equivalence but without taxonomic relatedness would not be acceptable candidates for reintroduction.     

国家公园最严格保护的实现路径

国家公园是我国自然保护地最重要的类型之一, 属于全国主体功能区规划中的禁止开发区域, 纳入全国生态保护红线区域管控范围, 实行最严格保护。对国家公园实行最严格保护具有重要意义, 但在国家公园理论研究和具体管理实践中, 严格保护并未被准确理解。作为一种新型自然保护地类型的国家公园, 其功能定位、保护管理理念和方式区别于其他自然保护地, 对国家公园实行严格保护也要与国家公园这些特殊的功能定位和特别的保护管理理念、管理方式相结合。本文系统分析了国家公园最严格保护的提出背景和过程, 探讨了如何全面准确理解最严格保护及其重要意义, 在此基础上, 提出对国家公园实行最严格保护的实现路径, 包括理顺管理体制、健全法制保障、强化监督管理、强化协同管理、规范特许经营、完善社会参与、加强教育培训等七个方面, 包含实行中央直管、明确央地事权、落实资金保障、完善法律法规、实行综合执法等23项具体策略。     

Grasshopper assemblage response to a restored national park (Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa)

Twelve grassland sites were sampled inside and outside the Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP), South Africa to assess changes in grasshopper assemblages to grazing by indigenous mammals inside the park compared to grazing by domestic cattle outside. The MZNP has been restored from cattle-grazed farmland to indigenous mammal parkland for 62 years. The number of grasshopper species and families inside the park was not significantly different from outside the park, but the number of individuals inside the park was significantly higher. Multivariate statistics did not reveal any strong site groupings based on simple inside/outside comparisons, but there were clear groupings of sites based on vegetation characteristics and other environmental variables. The park boundary, therefore, does not significantly determine grasshopper assemblages, although intensity of grazing does. The indigenous mammals inside the park had the same effect on grasshoppers as the domestic cattle outside, and it was the level of defoliation and trampling that was important rather than the type of mammal. Intensive livestock grazing and trampling leads to bush encroachment and reduction in grass cover and/or disappearance of several grass species. In response to this pressure, grasshopper populations dropped, with localized extirpation of some species. Vegetation composition and structure, particularly grass height and percentage cover, had a significant effect on grasshopper assemblages. The MZNP is thus an area of localized, elevated grasshopper abundance in comparison with the surrounding farms, and presumably represents a situation prior to the current, intensive farming activities. Such elevated grasshopper abundances are important for maintaining soil quality and hence ecological integrity of this landscape which is poor in organics and nitrogen. The MZNP could be viewed as a centre where species with high mobility may seek refuge from anthropogenic pressures. The MZNP also serves as a reference illustrating the differences between restored-through-natural-succession and anthropogenically disturbed habitats, and compares desirable with undesirable ecosystem changes for herbivorous invertebrates such as grasshoppers.     

Greta's Garbo: stranded seeds and fruits from Greta Beach, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

Aim To describe the species composition of stranded seeds and fruits drifted by ocean currents to Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Location Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Methods Frequent visual searches along the strand line of the island's few accessible beaches over a 4-year period 1988–92, with most effort concentrated on Greta Beach, on the east coast. Results The collection contained not fewer than sixty-three species in forty-nine genera and twenty-nine families. Leguminous seeds were by far the most common (especially Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb., Dioclea spp., Entada spp., Erythrina spp. and Mucunagigantea (Willd.) DC.), but Calophyllum inophyllum L., Guettarda speciosa L., Hernandia ovigera L., Heritiera littoralis Aiton and Terminalia catappa L. were also common. Main conclusions Only about one-third of species recorded in the drift flora are native to the island, and most disseminules stranded on the island are probably not locally derived. The most likely distant sources of drift disseminules are probably the southern Indonesian islands and Sumatra, with most disseminules probably arriving via the Timor and Arafura Seas between Indonesia and Australia. However, some disseminules may originate from as far east as the Moluccas and the east coast of Kalimantan. The majority of species recorded in the drift flora are not native to the island, and yet some of these were encountered frequently and displayed a high degree of viability on arrival (e.g. Dioclea hexandra (Ralph) Mabb., Erythrina fusca Loureiro and Mucuna gigantea (Willd.) DC.). Several possible reasons for the failure of many drift species to establish on the island are discussed.     

Dynamics of a stand of Scalesia pedunculata Hooker fil., Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

A seven-year study of a stand of the endemic Scalesia pedunculata (Asteraceae), which is the dominant tier ill the humid forest on the island oS Santa Cruz, Galápagos, reveals a characteristic pattern of growth and survival. The Scalesia trees initially show a rapid increase in both height and girth. After approximately 34–56 years the trees may reach 7–8 m in height and start producing flowers; the relative increase in girth then becomes more pronounced. The mortality rate is very high during the first 4–5 years, decreasing thereafter as the individuals age. It is suggested that the growth and survival pattern of S. pedunculata is an expression of an adaptive strategy fitted for a pioneer or early-successional tree. This tree is simultaneously able to persist in the community by the means of a large reproductive effort and a rapid population turnover. The method of seed-dispersal in the genus discussed in relation to the growth pattern.     

生态系统修复国内外研究进展与展望

气候变化和人类活动的增加不仅导致生态系统退化、生物多样性丧失、生物圈资源供给能力降低, 而且极大地制约了社会经济的可持续发展。尽管在全世界范围内已实施了大量的保护工作, 但全球生态系统退化仍在继续, 逐渐成为备受关注的全球性问题。文章首先厘清生态系统修复的发展历程、相关概念与理论。其次, 归纳生态系统修复的全球议题, 涉及生态系统服务及其价值评估、生物多样性保护、应对气候变化与碳储存、自然保护地、监测体系与适应性管理、公平性与多主体参与等方面。然后, 总结我国森林、草原、河流与湿地、海洋与海岸带的生态系统退化问题与修复进展, 梳理生态保护红线、自然保护地生态系统修复和国土空间生态保护修复3种措施的进展与不足。最后, 对山水林田湖草沙一体化保护与系统治理、生态系统修复的多元融资政策与渠道、荒野生态保护修复的探索与实践、城镇生态系统修复的研究与应用以及生态系统修复对生物多样性的保护与维持等五个方面进行展望, 以期为我国进一步开展生态系统保护修复的相关研究与实践提供指导。     

Pervasive threats within a protected area: conserving the endemic birds of São Tomé, West Africa

The importance of the rainforests on the island of São Tomé for biodiversity is well known. However, the area only recently received full legal protection as a National Park and currently few resources are available to enforce that legislation. With rapid economic development forecast for the island, active conservation efforts are essential. Here we study the distribution and density of the island's endemic bird species, including nine that are Globally Threatened, within the National Park. Sites, covering the full range of primary forest types, were surveyed using distance sampling methods. No introduced species were observed. The highest number of species, including eight Globally Threatened species, were found in lowland rainforest, although many were infrequently encountered. Higher altitude sites were less diverse, but supported some of the common endemic species at extremely high densities. The least diverse assemblage, with generally lower species population densities, occurred at the most accessible mid-altitude forest site. Distance from settlements was a key explanatory variable for the presence of all Globally Threatened species, indicating that human habitation has negative effects on the suitability of nearby forest habitats. This suggests that, as infrastructure improvements proceed, populations of endangered species will come under growing pressure. Integrating the needs of biodiversity conservation and development represents a major challenge for many biodiverse countries and on São Tomé, as elsewhere, may best be achieved by preserving the still intact functioning forest ecosystem.     

社区为主体的保护: 对三江源国家公园生态管护公益岗位的思考

社区参与是实现生物多样性保护目标的重要途径, 也是我国国家公园建设的重要组成部分。青海省三江源国家公园在前期试点中设置了16621个生态管理公益岗位, 当地牧民因此成为三江源保护的主要力量。本文通过对三江源地区已进行的生态管理公益岗位的调研发现, 由于传统文化和环保宣传的影响, 三江源当地藏族牧民具有较高的保护环境意识和参与保护行动的强烈愿望, 生态公益岗位是对这种愿望的良好回应。但在实践中, 因为需要兼顾提升生态保护成效、提升牧民收入、扶贫等多重目标, 生态管护员的选拔、管理、考核等并未按照最大化保护成效的方式进行。国家公园试点村中, 生态管护员全部由贫困户担任的方式, 实质上是将完成扶贫目标摆在了完成自然保护目标之前。这样的选择方式有着深刻的制度根源。为了进一步提升国家公园内生态公益岗位的保护成效, 我们认为应当明确生态管理公益岗位的定位, 明确提升保护成效是第一位的任务; 应当改进现有体制, 使基层政府有更多资源和空间组织管护工作, 并增加社区的参与程度。在这一过程中, 有民间机构参与的广阔空间。     

融于自然、展现风景——美国国家公园道路系统建设历程与经验启示

在中国国家公园体制试点工作不断推进的当下,探讨国家公园内基础设施的建设显得敏感而有必要。在梳理美国国家公园道路系统发展建设历程的基础上,总结提炼出其在前期论证、建设理念以及多部门合作等方面的经验。同时就如何统筹交通游赏需求与资源保护之间的关系也做了有益的探讨,对中国未来国家公园的发展建设乃至自然资源的保护和利用都具有较为重要的参考和借鉴意义。     

Perturbation,Restoration and Seeking Ecological Sustainability in Australian Flowing Waters

It is now accepted that most of the rivers and streams of Australia have been degraded to varying extents by European settlement. The scale and level of this degradation have been documented by State and Federal government authorities. To halt and reverse the degradation in the next two decades, it is crucial that the conservation and restoration of streams, rivers, riparian zones, and catchments become paramount in land and water management. Effective stream restoration requires a coordinated effort at the catchment level rather than at the level of many individual local sites. Monitoring, including the gathering of before-restoration data, and the setting of feasibly-attainable goals are key components of effective restoration. In planning projects and setting goals, it needs to be recognized that some goals may only be attained in the long-term. Large-scale restoration projects will require partnerships to be formed between resource managers and scientists, with other stakeholders possibly involved. Selected projects could be adaptively managed with the emphasis on gaining scientific knowledge on the effects of management interventions.