Colonization and extinction of land planarians (Platyhelminthes,Tricladida) in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest regrowth remnant

Long-term assessments of species assemblages are valuable tools for detecting species ecological preferences and their dispersal tracks, as well as for assessing the possible effects of alien species on native communities. Here we report a 50-year-long study on population dynamics of the four species of land flatworms (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Terricola) that have colonized or become extinct in a 70-year-old Atlantic Forest regrowth remnant through the period 1955–2006. On the one hand, the two initially most abundant species, which are native to the study site, Notogynaphallia ernesti and Geoplana multicolor have declined over decades and at present do not exist in the forest remnant. The extinction of these species is most likely related with their preference for open vegetation areas, which presently do not exist in the forest remnant. On the other hand, the neotropical Geoplaninae 1 and the exotic Endeavouria septemlineata were detected in the forest only very recently. The long-term study allowed us to conclude that Geoplaninae 1 was introduced into the study area, although it is only known from the study site. Endeavouria septemlineata, an active predator of the exotic giant African snail, is originally known from Hawaii. This land flatworm species was observed repeatedly in Brazilian anthropogenic areas, and this is the first report of the species in relatively well preserved native forest, which may be evidence of an ongoing adaptive process. Monitoring of its geographic spread and its ecological role would be a good practice for preventing potential damaging effects, since it also feeds on native mollusk fauna, as we observed in lab conditions. Júlio Pedroni: Granted by CNPQ–Brazil.     

Palynological and palaeobotanical investigations in the area of the post-medieval Helsinki Old Town

Pollen, phytolith, and plant macrofossil analyses were carried out on the cultural layers of Helsinki Old Town excavated by the Helsinki City Museum and dated to the 15–17th centuries. Cultural mineral soil layers, a former ditch, a well, one waste pit, one waste heap and three house areas were investigated. The results show that-within certain limits-pollen in the mineral soil reflects the cultural changes of the local settlement from rural to urban. Among the main anthropogenic indicators, the high NAP (non-arboreal pollen) frequencies, the low pollen concentration values, and especially the high frequencies of Cichoriaceae (Liguliflorae) pollen should be emphasized. The macrofossil data were used to determine the species list of the herb pollen and to make a more detailed reconstruction of the local vegetation at Helsinki Old Town.     

The Trophic Diatom Index: a new index for monitoring eutrophication in rivers

A index for monitoring the trophic status of rivers based on diatom composition (‚trophic diatom index’, TDI) has been developed, in response to the National Rivers Authority (England & Wales)'s needs under the terms of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive of the European Community. The index is based on a suite of 86 taxa selected both for their indicator value and ease of identification. When tested on a dataset from 70 sites free of significant organic pollution, this index was more highly correlated with aqueous P concentrations than previous diatom indices. However, where there was heavy organic pollution, it was difficult to separate the effects of eutrophication from other effects. For this reason, the value of TDI is supplemented by an indication of the proportion of the sample that is composed of taxa tolerant to organic pollution. The index was tested on the R. Browney, N-E. England, above and below a major sewage discharge. TDI values indicated that the effect of inorganic nutrients on the river downstream of the discharge was slight as the river was already nutrient-rich, but there was a large increase in the proportion of organic pollution-tolerant taxa. This indicates that the river was already so eutrophic upstream of the discharge that tertiary treatment to remove P would not be effective unless other aspects of the discharge were also improved.     

Growth of rural and urban children in the Valley of Oaxaca,Mexico

Weight, stature, arm circumference, and the triceps skinfold were measured in 1,410 school children, 6 through 14 years of age, from two urban colonias in the city of Oaxaca de Juarez (n = 479), and from two rural Ladino (n = 467) and two rural Zapotec (n = 464) communities in the Valley of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. Children from rural Ladino communities and urban colonias are significantly taller, heavier, and more muscular than children in rural Zapotec communities. The differences between rural Ladino and urban colonia children favor the former, particularly for weight and stature. These observations thus suggest (1) that children in the rural, indigenous communities in the Valley of Oaxaca are relatively undernourished compared to children in Ladinoized and urban communities, and (2) that rural-to-urban migration does not necessarily result in improved growth status.     

Growth of rural and urban children in the valley of Oaxaca,Mexico

Weight, stature, arm circumference, and the triceps skinfold were measured in 1,410 school children, 6 through 14 years of age, from two urban colonias in the city of Oaxaca de Juarez (n = 479), and from two rural Ladino (n = 467) and two rural Zapotec (n = 464) communities in the Valley of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. Children from rural Ladino communities and urban colonias are significantly taller, heavier, and more muscular than children in rural Zapotec communities. The differences between rural Ladino and urban colonia children favor the former, particularly for weight and stature. These observations thus suggest (1) that children in the rural, indigenous communities in the Valley of Oaxaca are relatively undernourished compared to children in Ladinoized and urban communities, and (2) that rural-to-urban migration does not necessarily result in improved growth status.     

哈尔滨城市和乡村青年居民肠道菌群多样性研究

【目的】分析居住于哈尔滨城市和乡村的青年居民肠道菌群多样性的异同。【方法】采用PCR和DGGE技术相结合的方法对生活于哈尔滨城市和乡村的青年志愿者肠道菌群多样性进行研究。基于DGGE指纹图谱,分别使用聚类和PCA分析对志愿者肠道微生物相似性进行分析,使用Shannon-Weine多样性指数(H′)、丰度(S)和均匀度(EH)对志愿者肠道微生物多样性进行分析,对图谱中具有代表性的共性和特异性条带进行胶回收和克隆测序以分析志愿者肠道微生物组成。基于PCR技术在种水平上对城乡志愿者肠道内乳杆菌属和双歧杆菌属多样性进行定性分析。【结果】相似性分析显示,城乡青年居民间肠道微生物群落结构存在分开趋势,相似性小于城市或乡村青年居民内部;多样性分析显示,城乡青年居民肠道微生物多样性差异不显著;测序结果表明,城乡居民肠道微生物组成在门水平上相同,但是在种属水平上存在差异。PCR定性分析显示Lactobacillus plantarum、L.casei和L.salivarius在哈尔滨城乡青年居民肠道内检出率接近100%,Bifidobacterium longum和B.breve的检测率约90%,在哈尔滨城乡青年居民肠道内普遍存在;乳杆菌属和双歧杆菌属各细菌种在城乡居民肠道中的检出频率差异不显著。【结论】哈尔滨城市和乡村青年居民肠道微生物多样性差异不显著。     

京津唐城市群土地利用变化的区域增温效应模拟

土地利用变化与大气相互作用,影响区域气候,而城市及其周边地区受人类活动影响很大,成为土地利用变化最为强烈的区域。利用耦合了城市冠层模型的中尺度大气模式(WRF/UCM),在2008年的初始大气条件和边界条件下,用20世纪70年代后期和2008年两期京津唐地区土地利用资料替换WRF/UCM模式推荐的地表覆盖数据,模拟分析不同土地利用类型及其变化对应的气候差异情况。在此过程中,利用插值方法(ANUSPLIN)得到京津唐及其周边26个气象站点观测气温的插值数据,并以此在时空尺度上对比验证了模式的模拟结果。结果表明:WRF/UCM较好地模拟出了近地表2 m的气温,无论在空间上还是在时间上都表现良好;由城市扩展主导的土地利用变化导致研究区大部分区域的增温幅度大于0.05℃,且最大的增温区域出现在城市扩展区,可达1.31℃。此外本研究初步探讨了土地利用变化的增温贡献率,结果显示研究区土地利用变化导致增温0.08℃,整体贡献率为9.88%,城市扩展区增温0.29℃,表示出了城市扩展导致的增温贡献率达到32.75%。     

交通通达度对生态系统健康的影响——以长江中游城市群为例

完善的交通基础设施网络是形成高度同城化和高度一体化城市群的前提和基础,科学探测城市群地区交通通达度对生态系统健康状况的影响机理对城市群地区生态系统保护以及区域可持续发展具有重要实践意义和价值。基于多源数据分别测度了1995—2015年长江中游城市群交通通达度以及生态系统健康水平,并借助双变量空间自相关与空间回归模型从全局和局部的角度揭示了交通通达度对生态系统健康的影响机理。研究结果显示：(1)研究期间长江中游城市群生态系统健康状况总体呈现降低态势,山区生态系统健康水平显著高于平原地区;(2)双变量空间自相关分析结果显示交通通达度和生态系统健康水平之间存在显著的空间依赖性,二者之间主要的关系类型包括低交通通达度水平-低生态系统健康水平、高交通通达度水平-低生态系统健康水平和低交通通达度水平-高生态系统健康水平三种类型;(3)空间回归结果显示交通通达度的增加会导致生态系统健康状况的恶化,而且交通通达度对生态系统健康的影响具有显著的空间异质性。研究发现可以为长江中游城市群地区生态系统健康保护宏观调控政策制定以及差异化管控政策制定提供科学依据。     

城市群新冠疫情时空分布格局与分异机制的地理探测

自从2019年12月湖北武汉爆发新型冠状病毒（COVID-19）以来,疫情在全国范围内迅速传播并蔓延。城市群既是我国新型城镇化主体特定的空间组织形态,也是相互连接的城市网,集合了相当数量不同性质、类型和等级规模的城市,城市群经济发展程度较高、人口密度大,交通发达,是疫情传染扩散-关联的重点区域,因而跨区域感染风险高,联防联控难度大。以疫情集中地区城市群为研究对象,通过核密度分析聚焦重点研究的城市群,从多层空间尺度对疫情在数量、人口迁移和空间分布上进行测度,利用空间自相关分析疫情分布特征,运用地理探测器方法客观地测度城市群疫情发展的差异性主导因素,从景观格局中挖掘相关主导因子,为生态、安全的空间规划和治理提供科学依据和思路。结果显示：①全国范围感染人数核密度高值区的空间分布与长江中游城市群和三大沿海城市群范围耦合,首位核心城市确诊感染数在城市群中占比均较高,城市群疫情扩散分布呈现典型的由核心城市向外辐射的特征,湖北地区迁出的人数对迁往地区的疫情形势构成一定程度的影响;②全国范围的COVID-19感染人数和感染增长率分布存在显著空间集聚特征,城市群范围感染人数的空间聚集性从长江中游城市群向其他城市群依次减弱;③地理探测器识别出人口密度、城乡建设、交通、卫生、科技、生态绿地为疫情的主导因素,并且交互后所产生的共同作用增加了对疫情的解释力;④生态与建设用地景观格局对疫情的解释能力较强,其中建设用地的聚集性和生态用地的蔓延性为主要因子。     

城市雨洪管控需要生态智慧的引领

针对频繁发生的城市洪涝,我国提出了建设海绵城市的策略,然而海绵城市建设能否解决当今城市面临的困境仍然存在许多不确定性。本文从城市雨洪的两面性、城市洪涝灾害形成之根源、城市规划者的责任、生态智慧在城市雨洪管控中的重要性和海绵城市建设等方面做了深入阐述,希望在海绵城市建设中运用生态智慧去实现管控城市洪涝和雨洪资源开发利用的目的。