The method matters: A guide for indicator aggregation in ecological assessments

Ecological assessment requires the integration of many physical, chemical, and/or biological quality elements. The choice of the aggregation method of such partial assessments into an overall assessment can considerably affect the assessment outcome – an issue that has been controversially discussed within the scientific community for the last decade. Current practice often considers only two different aggregation methods, the weighted arithmetic mean (additive aggregation) and the one-out, all-out method (minimum aggregation). However, both have important drawbacks. Additive aggregation compensates a bad status of one quality element by a number of elements featuring good status. Minimum aggregation can lead to overly pessimistic assessment results, since only the quality element in the worst status is considered. Here, we introduce a toolbox containing current and new aggregation methods, demonstrate and discuss their properties with simple, didactical examples, and suggest in which situations best to use them. Then, we illustrate the consequences of selected aggregation schemes for ecological river assessment with the case study of the Swiss Modular Concept of stream assessment (SMC), which we apply to ten river reaches in the Mönchaltdorfer Aa catchment in Switzerland. To be able to do so, we used multi-criteria decision analysis, i.e., multi-attribute value theory, to arrange the SMC quality elements into an objectives hierarchy, and to translate their individual assessments into value functions. Our case study revealed that choosing the most appropriate aggregation method particularly matters, if objectives with significantly different qualities are aggregated. We argue that redundant objectives (i.e., quality elements), often found at the lower levels of the objectives hierarchy, should best be aggregated additively allowing for compensation to increase the statistical significance of the results. Further, we suggest that complementary sub-objectives that often occur at higher levels may be optimally aggregated with a mixture of additive and minimum aggregation. Such a mixed method will allow some compensation, but nevertheless penalize for very bad states. Since here we compare commonly used aggregation methods with some which we believe have never been discussed in an assessment context before, our study concurrently informs ecological assessment in theory and in practice.     

Stream hierarchy defines riverscape genetics of a North American desert fish

Global climate change is apparent within the Arctic and the south‐western deserts of North America, with record drought in the latter reflected within 640 000 km² of the Colorado River Basin. To discern the manner by which natural and anthropogenic drivers have compressed Basin‐wide fish biodiversity, and to establish a baseline for future climate effects, the Stream Hierarchy Model (SHM) was employed to juxtapose fluvial topography against molecular diversities of 1092 Bluehead Sucker (Catostomus discobolus). MtDNA revealed three geomorphically defined evolutionarily significant units (ESUs): Bonneville Basin, upper Little Colorado River and the remaining Colorado River Basin. Microsatellite analyses (16 loci) reinforced distinctiveness of the Bonneville Basin and upper Little Colorado River, but subdivided the Colorado River Basin into seven management units (MUs). One represents a cline of three admixed gene pools comprising the mainstem and its lower‐gradient tributaries. Six others are not only distinct genetically but also demographically (i.e. migrants/generation <9.7%). Two of these (i.e. Grand Canyon and Canyon de Chelly) are defined by geomorphology, two others (i.e. Fremont‐Muddy and San Raphael rivers) are isolated by sharp declivities as they drop precipitously from the west slope into the mainstem Colorado/Green rivers, another represents an isolated impoundment (i.e. Ringdahl Reservoir), while the last corresponds to a recognized subspecies (i.e. Zuni River, NM). Historical legacies of endemic fishes (ESUs) and their evolutionary potential (MUs) are clearly represented in our data, yet their arbiter will be the unrelenting natural and anthropogenic water depletions that will precipitate yet another conservation conflict within this unique but arid region.     

Taxonomic and functional homogenization of an endemic desert fish fauna

Aim The highly endemic fishes of the arid Southwest USA have been heavily impacted by human activities resulting in one of the most threatened fish faunas in the world. The aim of this study was to examine the patterns and drivers of taxonomic and functional beta diversity of freshwater fish in the Lower Colorado River Basin across the 20th century. Location Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB). Methods The taxonomic and functional similarities of watersheds were quantified to identify patterns of biotic homogenization or differentiation over the period 1900–1999. Path analysis was used to identify the relative influence of dam density, urban land use, precipitation regimes and non‐native species richness on observed changes in fish faunal composition. Results The fish fauna of the LCRB has become increasingly homogenized, both taxonomically (1.1% based on β_sim index) and functionally (6.2% based on Bray–Curtis index), over the 20th century. The rate of homogenization varied substantially; range declines of native species initially caused taxonomic differentiation (?7.9% in the 1960s), followed by marginal homogenization (observed in the 1990s) in response to an influx of non‐native species introductions. By contrast, functional homogenization of the basin was evident considerably earlier (in the 1950s) because of the widespread introduction of non‐native species sharing similar suites of biological traits. Path analysis revealed that both taxonomic and functional homogenization were positively related to the direct and indirect (facilitation by dams and urbanization) effects of non‐native species richness. Main conclusions Our study simultaneously examines rates of change in multiple dimensions of the homogenization process. For the endemic fish fauna of the LCRB, we found that the processes of taxonomic and functional homogenization are highly dynamic over time, varying both in terms of the magnitude and rate of change over the 20th century.     

基于景观地形的小流域单元减灾调控评价研究

近年来,中国诸多大中城市内涝灾害频发。武汉市作为城市内涝频发的典型城市,其建成区地表高度（20.0~24.0 m）大多低于外江常年所处的洪水位高度（23.9 m）,在区域性暴雨条件下,极易引发内涝灾害。武汉由于其内涝典型性,2013年被列为全国31个重点防洪城市之一,2015年被列入首批海绵城市试点城市之一。从城市内涝发生机理出发,以水文角度的小流域单元作为内涝风险区划的基本单元,利用小流域单元分析武汉市景观地形要素（地表高程、地表起伏度、地表粗糙度）与城市内涝积水密度的相关性及其影响程度,量算统计出小流域单元的内涝风险等级。基于此,提出武汉市小流域单元减灾地形调控评价。以武汉市作为城市内涝问题的研究案例,以期为武汉市内涝缓解提供新的思考路径,具有典型性和必要性。     

Disentangling the potential effects of land‐use and climate change on stream conditions

Land‐use and climate change are significantly affecting stream ecosystems, yet understanding of their long‐term impacts is hindered by the few studies that have simultaneously investigated their interaction and high variability among future projections. We modeled possible effects of a suite of 2030, 2060, and 2090 land‐use and climate scenarios on the condition of 70,772 small streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, United States. The Chesapeake Basin‐wide Index of Biotic Integrity, a benthic macroinvertebrate multimetric index, was used to represent stream condition. Land‐use scenarios included four Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (A1B, A2, B1, and B2) representing a range of potential landscape futures. Future climate scenarios included quartiles of future climate changes from downscaled Coupled Model Intercomparison Project ‐ Phase 5 (CMIP5) and a watershed‐wide uniform scenario (Lynch2016). We employed random forests analysis to model individual and combined effects of land‐use and climate change on stream conditions. Individual scenarios suggest that by 2090, watershed‐wide conditions may exhibit anywhere from large degradations (e.g., scenarios A1B, A2, and the CMIP5 25th percentile) to small degradations (e.g., scenarios B1, B2, and Lynch2016). Combined land‐use and climate change scenarios highlighted their interaction and predicted, by 2090, watershed‐wide degradation in 16.2% (A2 CMIP5 25th percentile) to 1.0% (B2 Lynch2016) of stream kilometers. A goal for the Chesapeake Bay watershed is to restore 10% of stream kilometers over a 2008 baseline; our results suggest meeting and sustaining this goal until 2090 may require improvement in 11.0%–26.2% of stream kilometers, dependent on land‐use and climate scenario. These results highlight inherent variability among scenarios and the resultant uncertainty of predicted conditions, which reinforces the need to incorporate multiple scenarios of both land‐use (e.g., development, agriculture, etc.) and climate change in future studies to encapsulate the range of potential future conditions.     

Fluorescence characterization and microbial degradation of dissolved organic matter leached from salt marsh plants in the Yellow River Delta

盐沼植被是沿海水体中溶解有机物(Dissolved Organic Matter, DOM)的重要贡献者。然而,不同盐沼植物释放DOM的动力学特征尚缺乏系统研究和比较。黄河三角洲湿地是中国东海岸面积最大,保护最完善的沿海生态系统之一。本论文研究了2016年10月从黄河三角洲(Yellow River Delta, YRD)盐沼中采集的三种常见沼泽植物(芦苇(Phragmites australis),碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)和獐茅(Aeluropus littoralis)的DOM释放过程。通过测定溶解有机碳(Dissolved Organic Carbon, DOC)和溶解氮(Dissolved Nitrogen, DN)发现,植物叶片释放的DOM浓度远高于其根和茎。在27天的培养期内,平均有15%的生物碳和30%的生物氮以DOC和DN的形式通过植物叶片释放。从植物中释放的DOM非常不稳定,在27天的培养期内,细菌共消耗了92.4%–98.1%的DOC和88.0%–94.6%的DN。植物释放DOM的荧光特性表明,发色溶解的有机物(Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter, CDOM)是DOM的主要组分,而类蛋白组分是植物释放CDOM的主要组分。细菌的降解作用改变了DOM的荧光性质和化学组成。上述的室内研究结果得到了实地调查的充分支撑,表明在深秋时期黄河口湿地有大量DOM溢出。本研究结果表明,盐沼植物释放的DOM是沼泽和沿海水域DOC和DN的重要来源,而且易降解DOC和DN为黄河口湿地和邻近沿海水域中的微生物群落提供了重要的食物来源。     

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。     

大渡河中游干暖河谷区生境对植物群落分布格局和多样性的影响

大渡河中游干暖河谷区滑坡和泥石流灾害频发, 对该区域坡面植物群落的研究有助于揭示植被演替的方向, 为坡面植被生态恢复提供基本依据。本研究沿大渡河中游河谷区每隔约5 km设置典型样地, 调查了植被的物种组成和分布以及样地的地形、土壤等10个生境因子, 探讨河谷区植被的连续性变化, 并通过多元回归树(multivariate regression trees, MRT)、多样性指数和典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis, CCA)等方法对植物群落进行分类、比较和排序。结果表明: 大渡河中游干暖河谷植被以土壤碳含量、pH值和C : N等3个因子为节点, 可划分为多花胡枝子(Lespedeza floribunda)-荩草(Arthraxon hispidus)-香薷(Elsholtzia ciliate)(群落A)、地果(Ficus tikoua)-车桑子(Dodonaea viscosa)-川滇薹草(Carex schneideri)(群落B)、云南松(Pinus yunnanensis)-栓皮栎(Quercus variabilis)(群落C)和荩草-扭黄茅(Heteropogon contortus)(群落D)等4种群落。该区域以灌木和草本为主要植被类型(群落A、B、C), 间或有裸地分布, 易成为泥石流灾害产生的物源区; 以多花胡枝子为主的灌草群落A的物种丰富度、优势度与多样性表现一致, 均高于以乔木和草本为主的群落C和D, 但物种多样性优势并不显著, 灌草群落分布广而结构单一, 外来物种占比为8.33%, 是生态系统脆弱和不稳定的表现。多元回归树和典范对应分析结果表明, pH值、C : N、坡向和土壤容重等4个因子对植物群落组成和分布影响最大, 且土壤因子的影响大于地形因子。