Long-Term Changes of a Coastal Bird Breeding Community on a Small Island – Does Natural Succession Compromise Conservation Values?

Limited spatial resources available for conservation lead to controversy about whether to apply single-species management or ecosystemary approaches in order to maintain biodiversity. In this study I analyse changes in a community of breeding coastal birds over a 90-year period, in order to examine whether natural processes on an unmanaged island are in accordance with requirements to save endangered species. Both diversity and species richness of the community increased significantly over time, and evenness increased after having been severely reduced by human impact. Diversity, evenness and species richness seemed to approach an equilibrium in the past decade, but number of breeding pairs declined as a consequence of altered natural disturbance regime. Species identity changed over time, with two initially very common species recently becoming locally extinct. These species are of high conservation concern, and their disappearance causes a problem for the concept of naturalness on islands. I conclude that natural processes need to be applied to the entire landscape in order to maintain dynamic processes that are essential for the survival of these species. The natural changes on the island should not be interrupted, but rather demonstrated to the public in order to increase conservation mindedness and gain support for changes in anthropogenic influences on a larger spatial scale.     

Risk of parasite transmission influences perceived vulnerability to disease and perceived danger of disease-relevant animals

Adaptationist view proposes that emotions were shaped by natural selection and their primary function is to protect humans against predators and/or disease threat. This study examined cross-cultural and inter-personal differences in behavioural immune system measured by disgust, fear and perceived danger in participants from high (Turkey) and low (Slovakia) pathogen prevalence areas. We found that behavioural immune system in Turkish participants was activated more than those of Slovakian participants when exposed to photographs depicting disease-relevant cues, but not when exposed to disease-irrelevant cues. However, participants from Slovakia, where human to human disease transmission is expected to be more prevalent than in Turkey, showed lower aversion in Germ Aversion subscale supporting hypersensitiveness of the behavioural immune system. Having animals at home was less frequent both in Turkey and in participants who perceived higher danger about disease relevant animals. Participants more vulnerable to diseases reported higher incidence of illness last year and considered perceived disease-relevant animals more dangerous than others. Females showed greater fear, disgust and danger about disease-relevant animals than males. Our results further support the finding that cultural and inter-personal differences in human personality are influenced by parasite threat.     

Marine ecosystem dynamics: Comparison of scales

When marine and terrestrial ecological systems are compared at the same time scales, there are very great differences in their relations with their physical environments. Similarities arise when comparisons are made at different time scales. There are significant consequences for management.     

省域乡村旅游扶贫重点村生态脆弱性评价——以福建省为例

贫困与生态环境问题呈现强烈的相关性,为避免旅游扶贫重点村发展落入\"贫困陷阱\",有效地评价其生态脆弱性成为开展旅游扶贫和精准脱贫的重要前提。然而,当前鲜有将旅游扶贫与生态环境问题置于同一分析框架内,开展乡村旅游扶贫重点村生态脆弱性及其驱动因子研究的成果。以福建省472个全国乡村旅游扶贫重点村为样本,基于\"成因-结果\"模型构建生态脆弱性评价指标体系,采用空间主成分分析法测算样本生态脆弱性指数,并深入分析其空间分异与驱动因子。结果显示:重点村生态脆弱性指数平均值为4.84,总体处于轻度脆弱;30 m×30 m栅格单元生态脆弱性呈零散分布格局,空间分异不显著;极度和重度生态脆弱村主要分布在三明市、宁德市、南平市和龙岩市,并在宁德市和三明市形成3处高度脆弱核心区;餐饮和床位数、旅游基础设施状况、土壤侵蚀强度、人口密度、多年平均降水量、坡度、休闲农业园面积等为生态脆弱性主要驱动因子。