Biology, fisheries, and conservation of sturgeons and paddlefish in China

This paper reviews five of the eight species of acipenseriforms that occur in China, chiefly those of the Amur and Yangtze rivers. Kaluga Huso dauricus and Amur sturgeon Acipenser schrenckii are endemic to the Amur River. Both species still support fisheries, but stocks are declining due to overfishing. Acipenseriformes of the Yangtze River are primarily threatened by hydroelectric dams that block free passage to spawning and feeding areas. The Chinese paddlefish Psephurus gladius now is rare in the Yangtze River system, and its spawning activities were severely limited by completion of the Gezhouba Dam in 1981. Since 1988, only 3–10 adult paddlefishes per year have been found below the dam. Limited spawning still exists above the dam, but when the new Three Gorges Dam is complete, it will further threaten the paddlefish. Artificial propagation appears to be the only hope for preventing extinction of P. gladius, but it has yet to be successfully bred in captivity. Dabry's sturgeon A. dabryanus is a small, exclusively freshwater sturgeon found only in the Yangtze River system. It is concentrated today in reaches of the main stream above Gezhouba Dam. The fishery has been closed since 1983, but populations continue to decline. Acipenser dabryanus has been cultured since the 1970s, and holds promise for commercial aquaculture; availability of aquacultural methods offers hope for enhancing natural populations. The Chinese sturgeon A. sinensis occurs in the Yangtze and Pearl rivers and seas of east Asia. There is still disagreement about the taxonomy of the Pearl and Yangtze River populations. The Yangtze River population is anadromous. Adults begin spawning at about age 14 years (males) and 21 years (females), and adults spend over 15 months in the river for reproduction. Spawning sites of A. sinensis were found every year since 1982 below the Gezhouba Dam, but it seems that insufficient suitable ground is available for spawning. Since 1983, commercial fishing has been prohibited but more measures need to be taken such as establishing protected areas and characterizing critical spawning, summering and wintering habitats.     

长江三峡库区玉溪遗址的环境与人类活动的孢粉记录

对玉溪遗址剖面53个地层样品和附近山地的9个现代表土样品进行了孢粉分析,结果表明:玉溪文化时期(6 000a.BP—7 200a.BP)孢粉组合以乔灌木为主,草本次之,蕨类孢子含量较少。乔灌木中以松属、桦木属、栎属占绝对优势;草本中藜科、蒿属含量较高;蕨类孢子以凤尾蕨为主。孢粉谱反映了较为湿润的气候特征。表土孢粉以超代表性的松属占绝对优势,可能是植被群落演替过程中松属植物作为先锋种类表现在演替初级阶段具有明显生长优势的结果,表土孢粉组合基本与当地植被状况相吻合。本研究在14 C测年基础上结合其它代用指标发现在剖面上部第4—8层和下部淤泥层中Rb/Sr值较高且乔灌木花粉百分含量明显增加,可以解释为该段淤泥层为古洪水遗迹,洪水可能有利于对孢粉的富集。地层剖面中文化层与淤泥层呈现交互沉积,表明周期性的洪水事件影响到了人类活动的连续性。     

AGE, GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTION OF THE FINLESS PORPOISE, NEOPHOCAENA PHOCAENOIDES, IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF WESTERN KYUSHU, JAPAN

Abstract: In the coastal waters of western Kyushu, Japan, a total of 97 incidentally taken or stranded finless porpoises, Neophocaena phocaenoides , was collected for studying age, growth and reproduction. An additional 17 specimens from the Inland Sea were used for a comparison of life history. Mean neonatal body length was 78.2 cm. Both males and females grew to around 140 cm by 5 yr of age. The maximum body lengths of males and females in western Kyushu were 174.5 cm and 165.0 cm, respectively, which were smaller than those recorded in other Japanese waters. Females probably attain sexual maturity at ages of 6–9 yr and at body lengths of 135–145 cm. Males probably mature sexually at ages of 4–6 yr, at body lengths of 135–140 cm and at weight of testis of 40–150 g. The lack of females aged 5–6 yr and males aged 4–5 yr precluded firm conclusions on ages at sexual maturity. Parturition in western Kyushu was estimated to be prolonged from autumn to spring, whereas in the Inland Sea and Pacific waters it was restricted from spring to summer with a peak in April. These geographical differences and available information on distribution implies that the finless porpoises in western Kyushu constitute a local population.     

基于生态系统服务供求评价的空间分异特征与生态格局划分——以长三角城市群为例

生态系统服务供给与需求能力存在显著的空间异质性与空间失衡,对区域经济发展与环境保护产生巨大影响。以长三角城市群区县为研究单元,分别核算其生态系统服务供给与需求值,引入梯度分析,分析生态系统服务供给与需求的空间特征,并基于供求分析提出长三角城市群生态格局分区方案,且针对性地提出相应片区的发展策略,为长三角城市群土地利用规划、区域协调发展提供科学依据。研究结果表明:(1)长三角城市群生态系统服务供给能力与土地利用类型密切相关,呈现从北到南逐渐升高趋势;(2)长三角城市群生态系统服务需求能力与社会经济发展联系紧密,在长江入海口附近形成生态系统服务需求高值区,然后向外围递减;(3)沪宁杭庐发展梯度带上,生态系统服务供需大致呈现负相关趋势;(4)基于生态系统服务供需关系构建,得到长三角城市群生态格局四大分区:生态保育区(高供给-高需求),生态修复区(低供给-高需求),生态重塑区(低供给-低需求),生态开发区(高供给-低需求)。     

Landward changes of soil enzyme activities in a tidal flat wetland of the Yangtze River Estuary and correlations with physico-chemical factors

The landward changes of soil enzyme activities and physico-chemical properties of the surface sediment in Chongming Dongtan of the Yangtze River Estuary, were studied. Along the elevation gradient or succession series, the contents of total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN) and organic matter (OM) in the sediment increased, but the average grain size (AGS) of the sediment and the content of the dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) decreased. The activity of alkaline phosphatase increased gradually along the elevation gradient, and was positively correlated with the values of TP, TN and OM (P<0.05), but negatively to AGS and DIP (P<0.05). It was correlated with a mechanism of substrate inductivity and product inhibition. Catalase activity had the similar trend of gradual increase along the elevation gradient, enhancing the fertility of the soil and the oxidative process of OM in the sediment. Along the succession series, from the tidal flat to the bulrush (Scirpus mariqueter) zone, and then to the reed (Phragmites australis) zone, the activity of sucrase only changed insignificantly, but there was a higher activity in the bulrush zone than in other zones. The activity of proteinase decreased from the tidal flat to the reed zone, and the activity was negatively correlated with OM and TN (P<0.05), but positively with DIP (P<0.05). Through the succession zones a decrease in the number of diatoms resulted in a decline in the concentration of protein, which influenced the proteinase activity, suggesting that the proteinase in the sediment was produced by diatoms.     

Total mercury in stranded marine mammals from the Oregon and southern Washington coasts

Muscle samples from 105 marine mammals stranded along the Oregon and Washington coasts (2002–2009) were tested for levels of total mercury (THg) by Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. The THg present is in the form of the highly toxic methylmercury. After normalizing tissue to 75% water weight, Steller sea lions and northern elephant seals exhibited the highest mean concentrations of THg followed by harbor seals, harbor porpoises, and California sea lions, 0.34 ± 0.278, 0.34 ± 0.485, 0.21 ± 0.216, 0.17 ± 0.169, and 0.15 ± 0.126 mg/kg normalized wet weight (ww), respectively. The mean normalized values demonstrate limited muscle methylmercury accumulation in these species in the Pacific Northwest. However, actual ww concentrations in some of the stranded carcasses may pose a risk to scavengers. Normalizing muscle mercury concentrations eliminated the variability from desiccation, and allowed for a clearer indication of the amount of mercury the animal accumulated before stranding.     

航道整治期间长江江豚临时庇护所建设及效果评估

航道整治期间为受扰动江豚提供临时庇护所,是在就地保护和迁地保护之外的一种尝试。2020年1月至2021年12月,在长江干线武汉至安庆段6 m水深航道整治过程中,选取马当圆水道建设长江江豚临时庇护所,通过禁止渔业捕捞,增殖放流和通航引导等措施来提升庇护所质量。监测结果表明,庇护所设立后其作为长江江豚栖息地的质量得到提高:夏季鱼类密度从(3361.2±1991.7)条/hm²上升到(12439.1±10734.5)条/hm²,冬季鱼类密度从(501.3±381.8)条/hm²上升至(1684.4±3770.9)条/hm²。通航船舶显著减少,水下噪声低于长江干流的平均水平。长江江豚临时庇护所建立后,枯水期庇护所水域内长江江豚的平均目击次数(4.3±0.6)、观察头次(6)和群体大小(1.4±0.5)都要显著高于庇护所建设前(P<0.05),丰水期则无显著性差异(P>0.05),说明庇护所在枯水期发挥了对长江江豚的保护作用。但长江江豚对庇护所的利用主要集中在进出水道两端,可能是枯水期部分水域过浅限制了江豚对庇护所的利用。分析认为,航道整治等涉水工程施工期间为江豚提供临时庇护所是一项可行措施,但要充分发挥庇护所对江豚的保护作用,必须全面考虑江豚对各项生态因子的需求,防止因关键因子带来的"木桶效应"制约庇护所的整体适合度。     

长三角地区城市生态旅游发展水平时空演变及其影响因素

城市生态旅游作为旅游可持续发展的一种理想模式,是对城市环境问题和旅游发展方式的一种回应。基于城市生态旅游核心要义,构建城市生态旅游发展水平评价指标体系,运用熵权TOPSIS法对2010-2019年长三角地区41个城市的城市生态旅游发展水平进行测度,通过标准差椭圆和马尔科夫链分析其时空演变特征,并利用地理探测器探析城市生态旅游发展的影响因素。结果表明:(1)长三角地区城市生态旅游各维度发展水平增速各异,供给和保障是影响综合发展水平的主要因素,各维度空间格局差异显著;(2)城市生态旅游综合发展水平呈波动上升态势,增速较缓;空间分布较不均衡,已初步形成"东南高-西北低"的分布格局;(3)城市生态旅游发展水平重心呈现"西北-东南-西北"的偏移规律,向东南部集聚程度逐渐增强,水平等级转移仅发生在相邻等级之间;(4)交通发展水平和城镇化水平对城市生态旅游发展的影响较为显著,经济发展水平和居民收入水平的影响逐渐增强,产业结构水平和环保重视程度的促进效果不显著;两因子的交互作用大于单因子的作用力,表现出双因子增强或非线性增强的交互关系。研究结果可为长三角地区提高城市生态旅游发展水平与全面推进旅游可持续发展提供一定的理论依据与科学参考。     

长三角城市群城市洪涝韧性与生态系统服务的耦合协调关系

厘清城市洪涝韧性与生态系统服务之间耦合协调关系,可为城市防洪减灾和生态文明建设提供重要决策参考。综合运用基于麻雀算法的投影寻踪模型、InVEST模型和耦合协调度模型,在分析2000-2020年长三角城市群的城市洪涝韧性与水源涵养、水质净化、土壤保持和气候调节四种生态系统服务时空格局基础上,尝试探索两者耦合协调关系及其时空演变特征。研究发现:(1)长三角城市群的城市洪涝韧性水平呈现"N"型增加趋势,并呈现"上海>江苏>浙江>安徽"的空间格局,表明经济水平越高的城市展现出更强的洪涝韧性,经济是影响城市洪涝韧性波动的主要因素,而自然韧性成为城市洪涝韧性提升的关键短板;(2)生态系统服务存在显著的空间异质性,高植被覆盖的南部地区提供了更高的生态系统服务,从时间维度看其空间分布是稳定的,水源涵养和水质净化服务总体呈向好趋势,土壤保持服务整体呈现倒"N"型增加,气候调节服务呈现微弱的下降趋势;(3)城市洪涝韧性与生态系统服务的耦合协调度在研究期内较为稳定,且与生态系统服务的时空变化趋于一致,呈现"南高北低、由西南向东北逐渐减弱"的趋势,生态系统服务较高的城市,表现出更好的耦合协调性,且随着生态系统服务的增加而改善。因此,长三角城市群有必要从提高生态系统服务功能的角度出发,因地制宜、分类施策,促进城市洪涝韧性与生态系统服务的协调发展。     

长江中游地区农业生态效率空间关联网络演化及驱动因素

厘清农业生态效率空间关联的网络特征及驱动因素对践行绿色发展理念、实现区域协同治理具有重要意义。基于2001-2019年长江中游地区38个地级市的面板数据,采用超效率至强有效前沿最近距离(MINDS)模型测度各地级市的农业生态效率,运用引力模型对长江中游地区农业生态效率的空间关联关系进行识别,进而利用社会网络分析方法和二次指派程序(QAP)方法揭示其网络结构演化特征和驱动因素。研究表明:(1)长江中游地区农业生态效率的空间关联关系表现出复杂的网络结构形态,空间关联网络具有高通达性且等级结构趋于松散,但网络稳定性却趋于下降;(2)武汉市和长沙市在空间关联网络中居核心地位,既扮演中心行动者角色又兼具"中介"和"桥梁"功能;岳阳市、黄石市等省际边界地级市在网络中则扮演边缘行动者角色;(3)空间关联网络核心-边缘结构由"十五"时期的"大聚集、小分散"演变为"十三五"时期的"大分散、小聚集",核心区由中部聚集转变为向四周发散;(4)地理空间的邻接、地区农业产业地位、财政支出、经济发展水平的相近以及交通运输水平的差异均有助于空间关联网络的形成。