EMAP-Wetlands: A sampling design with global application

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) in 1988. The wetland component (EMAP-Wetlands) is designed to provide quantitative assessments of the current status and long-term trends in the ecological condition of wetland resources. EMAP-Wetlands will develop a wetland monitoring network and will identify and evaluate indicators that describe and quantify wetland condition. The EMAP-Wetlands network will represent a probability sample of the total wetland resource. The EMAP sample is based on a triangular grid of approximately 12,600 sample points in the conterminous U.S. The triangular grid adequately samples wetland resources that are common and uniformly distributed in a region, such as the prairie pothole wetlands of the Midwest. However, the design is flexible and allows the base grid density to be increased to adequately sample wetland resources, such as the coastal wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico, which are distributed linearly along the coast. The Gulf sample network required a 49-fold increase in base grid density. EMAP-Wetlands aggregates the 56 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) National Wetland Inventory (NWI) categories (Cowardin et al. 1979) into 12 functionally similar groups (Leibowitz et al. 1991). Both the EMAP sample design and aggregated wetland classes are suitable for global inventory and assessment of wetlands.The research described in this report has been funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This document has been prepared at the EPA Environmental Research Laboratory in Corvallis, OR, through contract No. 68-C8-0006 to Man Tech Environmental Technology, Inc. This paper has been subjected to the Agency's peer and administrative review and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.     

Restoration of Botshol (The Netherlands) by reduction of external nutrient load: Botshol and the Dutch governmental program of nutrient reduction

In the nature reserve Botshol, the process of eutrophication is very successfully stopped and reversed by hydrological separation of the agricultural area from the nature reserve and by dephosphorizing the inlet-water. The external phosphate loading of about 0.6 g Pm^–2y^–1 decreased 80% to about 0.12 g Pm^–2y^–1. The Dutch governmental program in relation to eutrophication is focussed on the introduction of detergents without phosphates, dephosphorizing the water at sewage purification plants, reduction of fertilization of farming lands and international measures in relation to the discharge of phosphates in the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt. The effects of the governmental program on the external phosphate loading of Botshol will be a reduction of only 4%.For the average Dutch fresh waters the effect of the governmental program is a decrease of the external loading of about 6 g Pm^–2y^–1 to about 3 g Pm^–2y^–1, a phosphate loading still much to high to push back eutrophication noticeably.As an example also for a number of Dutch fresh waters, sensitive to eutrophication, the effects of the governmental program are calculated. For none of these waters the program will lead to an external phosphate loading that even comes close to the recent phosphate loading of Botshol.     

石家庄市滨河湿地公园秋季增湿效应

滨河湿地公园拥有良好的生态环境和多样化的景观资源。作为城市绿地系统的重要组成部分,它在调节气候、美化环境、维护区域生态平衡等方面具有不可替代的作用。于2012年10月10—12日和2013年9月27—29日、10月2、3、6日晴朗无风(或风速小于0.2 m/s)的天气条件下,在石家庄市太平河滨河湿地公园,选择不同结构的下垫面——水泥路面(宽约14 m)、乔-草绿地(宽约58 m)、灌木林(宽约22 m),对距地面1.5 m高度内的大气湿度变化情况进行了系统监测,并选择了面积相近、无植被和水体等环境因素影响的裸地进行了比测,研究了不同植被类型在秋季白天各时段增湿效应的垂向和横向变化规律,分析了各类下垫面增湿效应的差异性。结果表明:1植被覆盖区的增湿效应随环境温度升高而增强,其相关系数可达0.8以上。白天以10:00—14:00气温较高时段增湿效应最明显,平均较8:00高4%左右,较18:00高8%左右;2植被的增湿效应在近地面处较强,而自0.2 m高度向上各监测高度段以公差为1%—2%的数列递减;3秋季白天,不同下垫面的增湿效应由强到弱依次为灌木林、乔-草林、河流、水泥路面,其中灌木林较乔-草林的增湿效应强约5%—7%;4同一绿地,当结构和郁闭度无明显变化时,其增湿效应在相同季节基本稳定;5虽然秋季绿地增湿效应与夏季相比明显减弱,但绿地增湿效应与环境温度的关系、增湿效应的垂向变化特征以及不同结构绿地的增湿效应差异等在不同季节仍具有一致的规律。滨河湿地公园不同结构类型区域的合理配置,可以更有效地改善大气环境。     

An Upwelling Event at Onondaga Lake, NY: Characterization, Impact and Recurrence*

The occurrence, features and impacts on oxygen resources of an upwelling event in culturally eutrophic Onondaga Lake, NY, are documented, and recurrence is investigated, based on data collected as part of long-term, robotic, and event monitoring programs. The upwelling event occurred on September 11, 2002, in response to a wind event of average wind speed of ～10 m s^?1 that extended over an interval of 11 hours along the main axis of the lake. Longitudinal differences in temperature (T) and dissolved oxygen (DO) documented for the lake's surface waters during the upwelling event were 5.7?°C and 10 mg l^?1. DO concentrations <1 mg l^?1 were observed in surface waters at the windward end of the lake. Oxidation of reduced oxygen-demanding by-products of anaerobic metabolism supplied to the upper waters from stratified layers during the event contributed to a loss of DO from the lake. Review of historic lake stratification, water quality related to oxygen resources, and long-term wind data indicate upwelling events with coupled deleterious impacts on DO resources have not been rare; at least 14 such events are estimated to have occurred over the 1990–2002 interval. The documented event probably represents a worst case for oxygen impacts for this period. An underway rehabilitation program, that will reduce anthropogenic phosphorus loading and implement hypolimnetic oxygenation, may ameliorate the impacts of upwelling events on the DO resources of the lake.     

西藏生态足迹与承载力动态分析

利用生态足迹模型,对2005—2010年西藏的生态足迹和生态承载力以及生态盈余进行了测算。研究发现,西藏2005—2010年人均生态足迹呈现出振荡式上升趋势,从2005年的0.34 hm2/人波动上升到2010年的0.83 hm2/人,其中人均林地消费所占比重最大,多年平均值占总消费的39.8%;人均耕地消费基本稳定在0.18—0.2 hm2/人之间,其他类型土地消费所占比重相对较少;人均生态承载力呈现平滑下降趋势,从2005年的14.78 hm2/人下降到了2010年的13.77 hm2/人,其中林地和牧草地及其转换的化石能源地人均生态承载力所占比重达到了95%,可耕地、牧草地、林地的人均生态承载力在2005—2010年之间呈现缓慢下降趋势,水域人均生态承载力变化不大;人均生态盈余较大,但呈现出递减趋势,2005年为14.44 hm2/人,而2010年下降到12.94 hm2/人;生态盈余中比重最大的是林地,但其足迹波动较大,介于1%—30%之间;草地人均生态足迹仅占生态承载力的5%左右,水域人均生态足迹占生态承载力的比例可忽略不计。     

平顶山新区生态用地的识别与安全格局构建

生态用地对城市生态安全具有重要意义,关键性生态用地的识别与安全格局的构建是实现城市精明增长和生态保护的重要途径。以河南省平顶山新区为例,结合GIS(Geographic Information System)空间技术,分析得到基于水资源安全、地质灾害规避、生物多样性保护三种单一过程的生态用地,进而综合叠加并重分类为理想型、缓冲型和底线型三类生态用地,并以底线型生态用地为源,现状土地覆被为阻力因子,应用最小累积阻力模型构建了平顶山新区生态用地的安全格局。结果表明:新区内最小生态用地,即底线型生态用地的面积为88.44 km2,占研究区总面积的29.35%;缓冲型和理想型生态用地的面积分别为22.28 km2和43.87 km2。确定了三种安全水平的生态用地范围、"源"与外部联系的辐射道、"源"间连接的生态廊道、关键的生态节点等。关键性生态用地综合安全格局的构建,旨在为研究区城市生态规划和城镇空间布局规划等提供科学参考。     

A new program for biomonitoring status and trends in the environment

Environmental contaminants threaten the biological integrity of aquatic and semi-aquatic communities both inside and outside of U.S. National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. National Biological Survey are developing a new biomonitoring program, the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program. The BEST Program is being designed to respond to the effects of contemporary environmental contaminant problems associated with fish and wildlife and their habitats. When fully operational, BEST will evaluate the effects of contaminants on fish and wildlife resources; identify and prioritize national, regional, and local contaminant issues for decision makers; monitor national trends of the presence and effects of contaminants; and provide baseline information to support various contaminant investigation activities. The BEST Program will use an integrated network to evaluate contaminant impacts at the tissue, organism, population, community, and ecosystem levels. The sampling approach will be designed around two major components, trust resources on FWS lands (primarily Refuges) and trust species and their habitats outside of FWS lands. The BEST Program is adopting bioassessment techniques from four broad categories including ecological surveys, biomarkers, bioassays and toxicity tests, and residue analysis. Pilot and demonstration projects will be conducted through fiscal year 1997.     

东部草原区煤电基地开发生态修复技术研究

本项目为"十三五"国家重点研发计划批复项目(2016YFC0501100)。针对我国东部草原区大型煤电基地开发生态修复技术需求和工程实施难题,聚焦煤炭开发对草原生态(水、土壤、植被)的影响机理及累积效应、区域生态稳定性与生态安全协调机制两大科学问题,运用生态学、采矿学、环境科学、草叶科学等多学科方法,采用理论分析、调查监测、试验研究相结合的综合手段,厘清煤炭开发对地下水和植被种群的影响边界、程度及累计效应,研发生态效应评价、区域水资源动态监测、水资源保护利用、煤矿土地整治、微生物联合修复、景观生态恢复等15项关键技术,形成基础理论、关键技术和工程示范一体化体系,创立东部草原区生态修复模式,在呼盟和锡盟煤炭开发基地进行集中工程示范,为我国东部草原区煤炭开发与生态修复提供理论和技术支撑。     

区域生态合作机制下的可持续农户生计研究——以"稻改旱"项目为例

世界各国在协调生态保护和经济发展的过程中,常常面临着制度和管理问题,区域合作机制为解决这些难题提供了长效思路.京冀两地的“稻改旱”项目是区域合作机制下的一项有益尝试,农户生计的提升则是此项目成功的关键.基于可持续生计分析框架,对密云水库上游的农户生计进行了详细调查,对参加“稻改旱”项目的农户和未参加该项目的农户生计进行了比较分析.结果表明,“稻改旱”项目显著改变了当地农户的生计资本、生计行为和生计后果.参加“稻改旱”项目的农户拥有较多的生产性物质资本和社会资本,减少了种植业和养殖业种类,减少了碳酸氢铵使用量;增加了工资性劳动供给,“稻改旱”项目对农户的总体收入水平有着显著的正向作用.调查显示,农户普遍支持“稻改旱”项目和区域合作的长期继续进行.研究也为提升区域合作和构建可持续生计提出了建议.     

基于生态绿当量的城市土地利用结构优化——以宁国市为例

基于生态绿当量的概念,探讨了城市生态用地合理性的生态标准,构建了土地利用结构优化模型。并在此基础上,以安徽省宁国市为例对该研究区不同空间范围下生态用地的结构及其优化方法进行实例分析。分析结果表明:宁国市域和城乡结合部均达到最佳绿地覆盖率的要求,而城区综合绿当量仅为0.66,需要进行用地调整。市域、城乡结合部和城区3个空间范围下的绿容率(GPR)分别为:4.89、4.22和2.77,可见城区绿化结构简单,树种单一,乔木和水体景观缺乏。同时,城区人口密集,但绿地生态系统服务功能较低,人均绿地率(ELP)仅为41.7 hm²/人。由此提出宁国市城区土地利用结构的优化调整方案,通过整个城市中心增绿、外围拓展;路林结合,蓝、绿交融,城乡一体,构筑内外环抱的多功能、多效益、完整的城市发展生态网架,保障城市长远的生态安全,促进良好的城市生态环境的形成。     

围填海区渔业生态损害的补偿标准定量研究——以舟山近岸海域为例

围绕海洋工程项目建设中渔业资源损害补偿这一关键要素至今尚缺乏一致认可的统一标准这一核心问题,根据2015年11月、2016年5月在舟山近岸海域(29°20′—31°00′N、121°40′—123°00′E)开展80个站位的渔业资源拖网调查数据,结合历史资料和渔民访谈交流等,分别以是否为生产渔场、是否为鱼卵仔稚鱼聚集区以及渔业资源量数量分布状况,赋予不同海域的权重系数,将直接经济损害补偿与渔业生态服务价值补偿结合起来,提出渔业生态损害补偿标准核算思路,建立了围填海工程项目渔业生态损害的补偿补偿模型,并计算得出不同县(区)、乡镇的渔业生态损害补偿金标准。可在舟山近岸不同海域的渔业生态损害补偿金收缴实践中推广应用,也为建立我国海洋生态损害补偿机制提供技术支撑。     

东北森林区生态保护及生物资源开发利用技术及示范

由中央财政专项资助的项目(2016YFC0500300),面向东北林区天然林保护与经济绿色转型发展等重大需求,针对关键技术瓶颈开展技术研发和集成,建立森林生态系统与生物资源监测平台,突破重要生物资源允收量控制、关键种保护和群落定向分类等天然林保护关键技术,基于品种创新、原生境生态培育和高附加值产品工艺研发,建立全产业链技术体系与标准,支持东北林区天然林有效保护和林区经济的可持续发展。本项目预期建立天然林保护与生物资源利用全产业链技术体系与规程29套以上,育成新品种15个以上,开发生态产品16项以上,申请发明专利25项以上,生态产品全部产业转化,项目形成的技术体系将在龙江森工的伊春林区、牡丹江林区和吉林森工的长白山林区建立三大规模化示范基地,结合周边生态脆弱地区示范推广,总面积达10万hm2以上,示范区非林经济总量提高50%、人均收入平均增长1.5倍。     

基于生态系统受扰动程度评价的白洋淀生态需水研究

水是湿地生态系统最重要的影响因子,生态需水核算是对湿地进行生态保护,恢复重建的前提与基础.提出一种基于生态系统受扰动程度评价的适宜生态需水量计算方法.首先根据湿地水面面积变化率最大时对应的关键水位构建初始生态水位方案并将其离散得到一系列离散值;然后应用Mann-Kendall(M-K)法分析历史水位时间序列,找出水位发生突变前自然条件下的水位状态;最后对不同情景水位方案与自然水位状态的差异程度进行修正水文指数(APPFD)评价,确定生态系统受扰动程度在可接受范围之内的多个生态水位方案,进而确定相对应的生态需水量方案.将该方法应用于白洋淀湿地得出了7种可接受的生态水位方案,其中汛期的适宜生态水位在8.31-10.62 m之间,非汛期的适宜生态水位在7.51-9.60 m之间,全年的适宜生态需水量在3.10×108-6.47×l08m3之间.该方法能够为实际的水资源管理和分配提供多种备选方案,有较强的实用性和可操作性.     

基于ARIMA模型的生态足迹动态模拟和预测——以甘肃省为例

生态足迹(EF)是一种定量测量人类对自然利用程度的方法。然而目前对其发展趋势准确的定量分析尚不多见。可采用自回归综合移动平均模型(ARIMA)来模拟并预测区域生态足迹。综合运用生态足迹方法和ARIMA模型对甘肃省1949-2009年的生态足迹和生态承载力进行了动态模拟和分析,在此基础上预测了2010-2015年的生态足迹变化趋势。结果表明:1949-2009年,人均生态足迹呈现上升趋势,预计2010-2015年上升趋势明显加快,2015年会增加到2.6051 hm²/人,是2009年的1.67倍;1997-2004年人均生态承载力逐年减少,2005年之后逐年增加,预计2010-2015年仍会增加;预计2010-2015年所有人均生态足迹组成类型均呈现上升趋势,尤以人均化石能源生态足迹增长显著;1997-2009年人均生态承载力均小于人均生态足迹,导致生态赤字,甘肃省生态环境处于不可持续状态,预计2010-2015年人均生态承载力略有增长,但仍小于人均生态足迹,生态赤字不断增大,预计2015年增长到-2.0468 hm²/人,约为2009年(-1.0262 hm²/人)的两倍,甘肃省生态环境不断恶化;经济的发展依赖于化石能源的消耗而造成对自然资源的过度利用,大量耕地转换为建设用地,草地荒漠化是引起甘肃省生态赤字的主要原因;改变经济发展和资源消费模式,控制人口规模,减少人均生态足迹消耗,优化配置和集约节约利用自然资源,提高生态承载力是促进社会经济和资源环境可持续发展的有效途经。     

1H, 13C, and 15N chemical shifts assignments for human endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide EMAP II

Endothelial and monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAP II) is a cytokine that plays an important role in inflammation, apoptosis and angiogenesis processes in tumour tissues. Structurally, the EMAP II is a 169 amino acid residues long C-terminal domain (residues 147–312) of auxiliary tRNA binding protein p43. In spite of existence in pdb databank of two X-ray structures there are some important aspects of EMAP II cytokine function which are still not fully understood in detail. To obtain information about 3D structure and backbone dynamic processes in solution we perform structure evaluation of human EMAP II cytokine by NMR spectroscopy. The standard approach to sequence-specific backbone assignment using 3D NMR data sets was not successful in our studies and was supplemented by recently developed 4D NMR experiments with random sampling of evolution time space. Here we report the backbone and side chain ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁵N chemical shifts in solution for recombinant EMAP II cytokine together with secondary structure provided by TALOS + software.     

基于生态安全格局的国土空间生态修复关键区域识别——以贺州市为例

国土空间生态修复是落实生态文明建设战略的重要举措。科学识别国土空间生态修复关键区域,合理布局全域生态修复空间是当前国土空间规划面临的难点之一。以广西壮族自治区贺州市为例,从生态保护重要性、景观连通性、生态功能重要区域和自然保护区四个方面识别生态源地,运用电路理论提取生态廊道,构建生态安全格局。通过电流密度诊断生态廊道中的生态"夹点"和生态障碍点,判定生态廊道宽度,识别国土空间生态保护修复关键区域,制定生态修复的空间布局策略。研究结果表明：（1）市域生态源地面积3656.89 km²,呈"东西重,中部轻"的空间分布特征;生态廊道总长度639.50 km,以中部分布为主,关键生态廊道133.96 km。（2）市域生态"夹点"共16处,面积124.24 km²,主要分布在钟山县,亟待保护修复的生态"夹点"8处,面积45.02 km²,零散分布于市域;生态障碍点共32处,面积426.56 km²,主要分布在市域东部和南部,需优先保护修复的生态障碍点6处,面积166.05 km²,集中在平桂区。通过综合分析国土生态修复关键区域土地利用现状和空间分布特征,制定了分级分类的生态修复措施,以期进一步优化生态安全格局,为国土空间生态修复区域识别和国土空间生态修复规划编制提供参考。     

Interaction of the C-terminal domain of p43 and the alpha subunit of ATP synthase. Its functional implication in endothelial cell proliferation.

Human p43 is associated with macromolecular tRNA synthase complex and known as a precursor of endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAP II). Interestingly, p43 is also secreted to induce proinflammatory genes. Although p43 itself seems to be a cytokine working at physiological conditions, most of the functional studies have been obtained with its C-terminal equivalent, EMAP II. To gain an insight into the working mechanism of p43/EMAP II, we used EMAP II and searched for an interacting cell surface molecule. The level of EMAP II-binding molecule(s) was significantly increased in serum-starved tumor cells. Thus, the EMAP II-binding molecule was isolated from the membrane of the serum-starved CEM cell. The isolated protein was determined to be the alpha subunit of ATP synthase. The interaction of EMAP II and alpha-ATP synthase was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and in vitro pull down assays and blocked with the antibodies raised against EMAP II and alpha-ATP synthase. The binding of EMAP II to the surface of serum-starved cells was inhibited in the presence of soluble alpha-ATP synthase. EMAP II inhibited the growth of endothelial cells, and this effect was relieved by soluble alpha-ATP synthase. Anti-alpha-ATP synthase antibody also showed an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of endothelial cells mimicking the activity of EMAP II. These results suggest the potential interaction of p43/EMAP II with alpha-ATP synthase and its role in the proliferation of endothelial cells.     

Developing and applying a benthic index of estuarine condition for the Virginian Biogeographic Province

A benthic index of estuarine condition was constructed for the Virginian Biogeographic Province (from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia) with data collected during summers of 1990 through 1993 by the US EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). Forty-eight metrics, based on attributes of the macrobenthos, were considered for the index, including measures of biodiversity, community condition, individual health, functional organization, and taxonomic composition. Salinity was correlated significantly with some of the metrics. Therefore, some metrics were normalized for salinity. The data used to develop the index (the calibration data) included equal numbers of reference and degraded sites, distributed equally across three salinity zones (<5, 5–18, >18‰). An independent set of data was used for validation. Linear discriminant analysis identified combinations of metrics that could best discriminate reference from degraded sites. The targets for correct classification were 90% of the sites for the calibration data and 80% for the validation data. Six combinations of metrics were identified. The final index was based on the ecological interpretation and relevance of the individual metrics and the ability to meet the calibration and validation targets. The final index consisted of three metrics: a positive contribution from salinity-normalized Gleason’s D (a biodiversity metric), and negative contributions from two taxonomic composition metrics, abundances of spionid polychaetes and of salinity-normalized tubificid oligochaetes. The index correctly classified 87% of reference and 90% of degraded sites in the calibration data and 88% of reference and 81% of degraded sites in the validation data. The index correctly classified sites over the full range of salinity (tidal-fresh to marine waters) and across grain sizes (silt–clay to sand).     

Using new electrofishing technology to amp‐up fish sampling in estuarine habitats

A prototype, boat‐mounted electrofisher capable of operation in estuarine waters (where electrical conductivities often exceed 20 000 µS cm^?1) was assessed. Electrofishing was compared to fyke and mesh netting in four riverine estuaries and to seining in a lagoonal estuary (consisting of a series of brackish coastal lakes separated from the sea by a barrier system of sand dunes). Fish assemblage composition, length distributions and the probability of detecting ecological fish guilds (relating to estuary use, position in the water column and body size) were compared among gears. The assemblage composition of electrofishing samples differed from those of fyke nets in all riverine estuaries and from mesh netting in two. The assemblage composition of electrofishing samples differed from those of seining in structured seagrass habitats of the lagoonal estuary. When all species were pooled, the electrofisher sampled a broader range of lengths than either fyke or mesh netting in riverine estuaries or seining in lagoonal estuaries. The bias of electrofishing and netting towards particular species and size classes affected the probability of detecting some ecological guilds, highlighting the potential implications of gear choice on understanding estuarine ecological function. The detection of guilds varied with gear type and environmental conditions, including stratification, water depth and surface electrical conductivity. Assessments with the aim to characterize the structure of fish assemblages will benefit from the use of multiple gears. Electrofishing shows immense promise for discretely sampling highly structured habitats to test hypotheses about their use.     

The use of systems analysis methods in the sustainable management of wetlands

The management of the utilisation of natural resources from wetland ecosystems is a multiobjective and complex task. The creation of innovative decision making tools for sustainable wetland resource utilisation is an important challenge for the future. This is particularly crucial in the light of the growing shortages for high quality freshwater and the vanishing habitat for a large number of wetland fauna and flora species. Because wetlands combine attributes of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wetlands are often at the crossroads of a number of disciplines with no specific discipline of its own. Therefore, management programmes require a multidisciplinary approach founded on a systematic monitoring of key biological and physical parameters. A European Commission DG XII research project dedicated to the development of management tools for wetland resources in Latin America is being developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from eight universities, located in four EU member states, Argentina and Brazil. The study sites that will be utilised for this analysis are two shallow lakes in Northeast Argentina within the large (13000 km²) wetland `Esteros del Ibera'. Continuous and periodic in-situ monitoring instrumentation has been installed in a long term monitoring programme of hydrological and meteorological factors, coupled with monthly biological and ecological data gathering. Potential future scenarios for wetland resource use are being discussed in a series of public meetings with key provincial and local actors (teachers, university professors, clergymen, local business persons and politicians). These meetings address both the small scale modifications of wetland use (water extraction for agriculture, tourism, controlled hunting) as well as regional projects related to the creation of large scale economic development (forestation, modification of nearby waterways for hydroelectric production and increased river transportation). Models are developed relating the chemical, physical, biological and ecological parameters monitored. These models will be dedicated to analysing the effects of development on wetland functions and resource quality. An economic model will be created to evaluate potential modifications in wetland functions in the local and regional socio-economic context. Evaluation instruments are developed and tested which include; qualitative models using loop analysis, goal functions based on the aquatic trophic web and the overall energy flux in the lagoon, and a geographical information system utilising satellite images. The purpose of these instruments is to examine the overall impacts of development alternatives on resource quality and ecosystem integrity, as well as demonstrating key parameters that should be more closely monitored. The final package will include an evaluation of the potential impacts of the development scenarios proposed by the key actors, recommendations to reduce specific impacts through alternative technologies, together with a monitoring programme and analysis tools for improved decision making in wetland resource management.