Spatial distribution and environmental risk assessment of heavy metals identified in soil of a decommissioned uranium mining area

Abstract

The spatial distribution of six heavy metals (Cd, As, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cu) in the soil of a decommissioned uranium mining area was investigated and their potential environmental risk was assessed. Soil samples were collected along the main riversides enclosing the mining area. The heavy metal distribution was determined by geospatial interpolation. Pearson correlation coefficient and principal component analysis were used to locate the sources of pollution which are the mine ore as natural source, and dressing plants and tailing area from human activity. The results indicate that the average concentrations of As and Cd strongly exceed the recommended EQSS (Environmental Quality Standard for Soils of China) limits at all sampling sites, whereas Zn concentrations were found to be slightly over the limit only at sampling sites close to the mining area. The concentrations of Cr, Cu and Pb were all within the recommended limits. Environmental risk was assessed using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure defining the degree to which extend the metal is released into the solution. High leaching rates were found only for Zn and Cd, suggesting that together with its high concentrations Cd is the most toxic metal around the mining area, followed by As.     

Protected areas and prime hoverfly areas: Safe haven for hoverflies or not?

The efficiency of protected areas (PAs) has often been questioned due to global decline of biodiversity. Invertebrates, especially insects, have been historically underrepresented in conservation studies. Our study focuses on hoverflies, an important group of insect pollinators and proven to be good bioindicators. Research was focused in Serbia, one of Europe's hotspots of hoverfly diversity, with a long tradition of hoverfly research, which provided sufficient information for achieving our aims: identifying areas of high hoverfly diversity, evaluating the efficiency of PAs and prime hoverfly areas (PHAs) in the conservation of hoverflies, determining how well they cover the distribution of hoverfly species, especially those of conservation concern, and testing the importance of the size of the area for conservation of hoverfly diversity. We applied weighting of the species to help stress the importance of species of conservation concern. The results indicated that PHAs cover the areas with high hoverfly diversity better than PA networks, especially when it comes to species of conservation concern. Generalized linear model results showed that the area size was a significant predictor of number of species in both PA and PHA. This indicates that area size is key when designating new areas important for conservation, but there are also other factors that need to be taken into account, such as habitat quality or suitability. Studies like this are useful in aiding designation of new areas important for conservation of certain species and in identifying sampling gaps, which could potentially aim future research in that direction.     

Interface processes between protected and unprotected areas: A global review and ways forward

Land‐use changes and the expansion of protected areas (PAs) have amplified the interaction between protected and unprotected areas worldwide. In this context, ‘interface processes' (human–nature and cross‐boundary interactions inside and around PAs) have become central to issues around the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. This scientific literature review aimed to explore current knowledge and research gaps on interface processes regarding terrestrial PAs. At first, 3,515 references related to the topic were extracted through a standardized search on the Web of Science and analyzed with scientometric techniques. Next, a full‐text analysis was conducted on a sample of 240 research papers. A keyword analysis revealed a wide diversity of research topics, from ‘pure' ecology to sociopolitical research. We found a bias in the geographical distribution of research, with half the papers focusing on eight countries. Additionally, we found that the spatial extent of cross‐boundary interactions was rarely assessed, preventing any clear delimitation of PA interactive zones. In the 240 research papers we scanned, we identified 403 processes that were studied. The ecological effects of PAs were well documented and appeared to be positive overall. In contrast, the effects of PAs on local communities were understudied and, according to the literature focusing on these, were very variable according to local contexts. Our findings highlight key research advances on interface processes, especially regarding the ecological outcomes of PAs, the influence of human activities on biodiversity, and PA governance issues. In contrast, main knowledge gaps concern the spatial extent of interactive zones, as well as the interactions between local people and conservation actions and how to promote synergies between them. While the review was limited to terrestrial PAs, its findings allow us to propose research priorities for tackling environmental and socioeconomic challenges in the face of a rapidly changing world.     

Linking variability of tree water use and growth with species resilience to environmental changes

Tree growth is an indicator of tree vitality and its temporal variability is linked to species resilience to environmental changes. Second-order statistics that quantify the cross-scale temporal variability of ecophysiological time series (statistical memory) could provide novel insights into species resilience. Species with high statistical memory in their tree growth may be more affected by disturbances, resulting in lower overall resilience and higher vulnerability to environmental changes. Here, we assessed the statistical memory, as quantified with the decay in standard deviation with increasing time scale, in tree water use and growth of co-occurring European larch Larix decidua and Norway spruce Picea abies along an elevational gradient in the Swiss Alps using measurements of stem radius changes, sap flow and tree-ring widths. Local-scale interspecific differences between the two conifers were further explored at the European scale using data from the International Tree-Ring Data Bank. Across the analysed elevational gradient, tree water use showed steeper variability decay with increasing time scale than tree growth, with no significant interspecific differences, highlighting stronger statistical memory in tree growth processes. Moreover, Norway spruce displayed slower decay in growth variability with increasing time scale (higher statistical memory) than European larch; a pattern that was also consistent at the European scale. The higher statistical memory in tree growth of Norway spruce in comparison to European larch is indicative of lower resilience of the former in comparison to the latter, and could potentially explain the occurrence of European larch at higher elevations at the Alpine treeline. Single metrics of resilience cannot often summarize the multifaceted aspects of ecosystem functioning, thus, second-order statistics that quantify the strength of statistical memory in ecophysiological time series could complement existing resilience indicators, facilitating the assessment of how environmental changes impact forest growth trajectories and ecosystem services.     

Colonization history of Galapagos giant tortoises: Insights from mitogenomes support the progression rule

Galapagos giant tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.) are a group of large, long-lived reptiles that includes 14 species, 11 of which are extant and threatened by human activities and introductions of non-native species. Here, we evaluated the phylogenetic relationships of all extant and two extinct species (Chelonoidis abingdonii from the island of Pinta and Chelonoidis niger from the island of Floreana) using Bayesian and maximum likelihood analysis of complete or nearly complete mitochondrial genomes. We also provide an updated phylogeographic scenario of their colonization of the Galapagos Islands using chrono-phylogenetic and biogeographic approaches. The resulting phylogenetic trees show three major groups of species: one from the southern, central, and western Galapagos Islands; the second from the northwestern islands; and the third group from the northern, central, and eastern Galapagos Islands. The time-calibrated phylogenetic and ancestral area reconstructions generally align with the geologic ages of the islands. The divergence of the Galapagos giant tortoises from their South American ancestor likely occurred in the upper Miocene. Their diversification on the Galapagos adheres to the island progression rule, starting in the Pleistocene with the dispersal of the ancestral form from the two oldest islands (San Cristóbal and Española) to Santa Cruz, Santiago, and Pinta, followed by multiple colonizations from different sources within the archipelago. Our work provides an example of how to reconstruct the history of endangered taxa in spite of extinctions and human-mediated dispersal events and provides a framework for evaluating the contribution of colonization and in situ speciation to the diversity of other Galapagos lineages.     

广西乐业大石围天坑群种子植物区系研究

广西乐业大石围天坑群(以下简称大石围天坑群)是最典型的塌陷型天坑群。该研究采用样线法和样方法对大石围天坑群的种子植物进行了实地调查,并结合已有资料综合分析了大石围天坑群种子植物区系特征。结果表明:大石围天坑群野生种子植物丰富,有137科445属863种;在科级和属级水平上,地理成分以热带成分为主,中国特有成分相对贫乏;与热带区系的联系主要以泛热带成分为主,与温带区系的联系主要以北温带成分为主;大石围天坑群的热带科和温带科之比以及热带属和温带属之比,均小于中国乐业-凤山世界地质公园,其种子植物区系更能反映该地区过去植物组成的"原貌",即温带成分比例过去的比现代的高,是全球气候变暖的有力证据:天坑群保育了82种珍稀濒危植物,包括30属67种野生兰科植物,是现存珍稀濒危植物的"避难所"。     

未来气候变化对四种木姜子地理分布的影响

该文利用最大墒模型(Maxent)和地理信息系统(ArcGIS 10.3)软件对中国木姜子属(Litsea)四种资源植物在我国当代、未来(2061年—2080年)气候条件下的潜在分布区进行预测,并对其适宜区进行分析和划分。结果表明:山鸡椒(Litsea cubeba)适宜区广泛分布在长江以南区域,在未来时段2061年—2080年两种(RCP2.6、RCP8.5)二氧化碳浓度情景下适宜区面积分别减少4.9%和0.5%; 毛豹皮樟(L. coreana)适宜区主要分布在中亚热带及北亚热带区域,分布相对偏北,其在未来2061年—2080年两种二氧化碳浓度情景下适宜区面积分别增加5.6%和4.5%; 华南木姜子(L. greenmaniana)适宜区主要分布在我国南亚热带区域; 毛叶木姜子(L. mollis)适宜区广泛分布在亚热带区域。这两种树种在未来气候RCP2.6情景下适生面积减少1.0%和3.3%,在RCP8.5情景下减少5.6%和8.3%。上述结果说明木姜子属不同种由于生态习性差异对未来的气候变化的响应不尽相同,对这些植物引种栽培须考虑气候变化的影响。     

长江三角洲核心区绿地系统时空演变特征及生态服务价值评估

在经济建设与环境保护矛盾突出的背景下,研究区域绿地系统时空演化特征,探讨人为因素对绿地系统生态服务的影响,对于改善绿地资源管理、促进区域永续协调发展具有重要意义。本研究基于景观生态学研究方法和生态服务价值当量因子评估法,运用ArcGIS 10.2软件的空间分析功能,对1990-2015年长江三角洲核心区绿地系统时空演化特征及生态服务价值进行了分析。结果表明:(1)长三角核心区绿地景观规模随时间的变化具有阶段性特征,呈现先扩大后缩减的态势;绿地景观与其他土地利用类型的转移存在阶段性与指向性特征;绿地景观格局总体上表现为初期集聚同质化、后期破碎异质化。(2)长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务价值随时间变化明显,不同绿地景观类型有不同的阶段性特征;长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务类型中,调节服务对于绿地系统整体生态服务价值贡献最大。(3)长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务价值在空间上呈现南北不均衡的特征,总体上呈南高北低态势,其中杭州市绿地系统生态服务价值在不同阶段均最高。区域地形地貌是影响区域生态服务价值的一个重要因素。     

国家公园规划制度功能定位与空间属性

我国将构建统一的国土空间规划体系, 整体谋划国土空间开发保护格局, 强化对各类专项规划的指导约束, 这必将对国家公园保护制度产生重大影响。本文分析了国土空间规划视角下国家公园规划制度的定位, 阐述了国家公园规划承载空间规划与发展规划两大体系的基本属性, 应在国土空间规划体系中具有优先权和前置权; 重点分析了各国家公园总体规划在国家规划体系中的功能与属性特征, 作为空间规划应承接好上位空间规划对国家公园的控制指标和管控要求, 作为建设规划应承接好上位或同域国民经济发展规划等对国家公园的目标任务要求, 作为管理规划要明确国家公园顺畅运行的要求。国家公园应在分区规划、控制性详细规划等专项规划方面寻求创新, 探索国家公园用途管制的实现模式。     

我国自然保护地历史遗留问题的系统解决方案

近年来, 我国自然保护地内存在的大量的人口密集区域、民生设施、矿业活动、开发建设项目、农牧业生产活动等历史遗留问题在中央环保督察中集中暴露出来。为采取针对性政策措施解决这些遗留问题, 本研究首先将其分为三大类: (1)保护越位与保护空缺并存; (2)生态保护和大量原住居民生计改善间的矛盾突出; (3)保护地内存在大量生产经营活动。在此基础上, 深入剖析了各类遗留问题产生的体制机制原因。为合理化解历史遗留问题导致的一系列矛盾, 提高保护地建设和管理质量, 本文从加强保护地体系的顶层设计、推动相关法律法规的制修订、采取多元化手段解决保护地内土地权属和矿业权问题、建立健全平衡保护与发展关系的体制机制等4个方面提出了历史遗留问题的系统性解决方案。