Promoting regional sustainability by eco-province construction in China: A critical assessment

The regional level has been recognized as a good scale for implementing actions towards sustainable development (SD). An important pathway to improve regional sustainability is to locally carry out long-term ecological planning. In order to reduce environmental impacts from fast economic growth, several eastern provinces of China began Ecological Province Construction (EPC) at the end of 1990s. This paper presented a case for analyzing the progress of EPC in China via both qualitative and quantitative methods. We studied Shandong Eco-province Construction (SEPC) and evaluated its outcomes with its pre-set indicators in 2003–2010. A further evaluation with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices was conducted. The results indicated the pre-set indicators could not effectively reflect of the ecological province construction. It was recommended to introduce an evaluated framework combined with eco-efficiency and de-linking indices to indicate ecological planning at the regional scale.     

Nitrogen and energy losses and methane emissions from beef cattle fed diets with gradual replacement of maize silage and concentrate with grass silage and corn-cob mix

Diets based on large proportions of grassland-based feed are uncommon in forage-based intensive beef production, thus contradicting governmental or commercial strategies to promote the use of grassland-based feed in ruminant production systems. Compared with typical maize silage/concentrate diets, grassland-based diets are associated with impaired nitrogen (N) and energy utilisation because of the comparably lower energy and higher CP content of these feeds. However, quantitative studies concerning the effects of increased dietary proportions of grassland-derived feeds on N and energy losses and utilisation and on methane emissions are missing and the compensation potential of using a limited proportion of an energy-rich forage is unknown. Therefore, we tested five diets with varying types and proportions of forage and concentrate. Three diets consisted of grass silage, maize silage, and concentrate in ratios of, g/kg DM, 100:600:300 (G100; control), 300:500:200 (G300), and 500:300:200 (G500), respectively. Two diets were composed of grass silage, corn-cob mix (CCM), and concentrate in ratios of, g/kg DM, 500:300:200 (G500_CCM), and 750:150:100 (G750_CCM), respectively. A high-protein concentrate (270 g CP/kg DM) was fed to G100, whereas a low-protein concentrate (140 g CP/kg DM) was used in the remaining diets. Diets were fed throughout the entire fattening period to groups of six Limousin-crossbred bulls each. When weighing 246 ± 18 kg, each animal underwent a 7-day total daily faeces and urine collection, which was followed by measuring methane emissions in respiration chambers for 48 h. Total DM intake was similar across all diets, whereas the N intake varied (P < 0.05). Urinary N loss (g/day) was the highest for G750_CCM (28.2) and G100 (26.6) and lowest for G500_CCM (15.2) and G300 (16.9) (P < 0.001). Energy utilisation was comparable among all groups. Metabolisable energy intake decreased numerically only with increasing proportions of grass silage in the diet. Substituting maize silage with CCM counteracted the loss in metabolisable energy intake. Absolute methane emissions were not different across the groups, but methane emission intensity (mg/g body protein retention) varied (P < 0.05), being numerically lower for G100 (349) and G500_CCM (401) compared with the other groups (488 on average). In conclusion, the results show that the grass silage proportion in beef cattle diets can be substantially increased when strategically combined with energy-dense forages, such as CCM. This also limits the need for concentrate and additional protein sources; in addition, the associated urinary N emissions, which are potentially noxious to the environment, are avoided.     

The persistence and conservation of Borneo’s mammals in lowland rain forests managed for timber: observations, overviews and opportunities

Lowland rainforests on Borneo are being degraded and lost at an alarming rate. Studies on mammals report species responding in various ways to habitat changes that occur in commercial forestry concessions. Here we draw together information on the relationship between the ecological, evolutionary, and biogeographic characteristics of selected Bornean non-volant mammals, and their response to timber harvesting and related impacts. Only a minority of species show markedly reduced densities after timber harvesting. Nonetheless there are many grounds for concern as various processes can, and often do, reduce the viability of wildlife populations. Our review of what we know, and of current understanding, helps predict mammalian dynamics and subsequent mammal-induced ecosystem changes in logged forests. We identify groups of mammal species that, although largely unstudied, are unlikely to tolerate the impacts associated with timber harvesting. On a positive note we find and suggest many relatively simple and low-cost ways in which concession management practices might be modified so as to improve the value of managed forests for wildlife conservation. Improving forest management can play a vital role in maintaining the rich biodiversity of Borneo’s tropical rain forests.     

Mimosa pigra in eastern and southern Africa: Distribution and socio‐ecological impacts

The semiaquatic weed Mimosa pigra has negative impacts on biodiversity, fishing, crop and livestock production, and tourism in most places where it has been introduced, established and proliferated. Many of the ecological impacts are well known, but its impacts on rural livelihoods are less well documented, especially in Africa. We mapped the distribution of M. pigra in eastern and southern Africa, and then compared that with its potential distribution based on an ecoclimatic niche model. Household interviews were conducted to assess the impacts of this weed on local livelihoods. Mimosa pigra was found to be invasive in western Ethiopia, around the shores of Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, and along the Tanzanian coastline, northern Malawi, parts of Mozambique and along the Kafue River and in the Barotse floodplain on the Zambezi River in Zambia. According to respondents living along the Kafue River floodplains in Zambia, it has a negative impact on biodiversity, wildlife, livestock, crop production, fishing and mobility. Dense stands prevented the movement of people and livestock, limiting access to croplands, grazing lands and fishing areas. Fish catches have been reduced and fishing equipment damaged. All respondents agreed that their livelihood options would be considerably enhanced if M. pigra was removed from the landscape. Based on its current and potential impact, we therefore recommend that an integrated management plan be developed and implemented, including the appropriate use of biological control agents to reduce the negative impacts of the weed.     

基于多源数据的“安全公正空间”在大通湖流域环境管理中的应用

如何在确保生态系统安全的同时有效地开发和利用资源、保障人类福祉是当前面临的挑战。近年来兴起的“安全公正空间”(Safe and Just Operating Space, SJOS)理论框架为人类可持续发展提供了有效的评估方法, 即充分利用自然资源来提高人类社会福祉的同时确保环境生态安全。研究以长江中下游地区大通湖流域为例, 根据流域内的社会经济数据、环境监测数据和湖泊沉积记录, 从社会基础和环境系统两个方面构建该流域的SJOS框架, 并利用环境库兹涅兹曲线来揭示总体环境变化特征。结果表明: 流域内淡水利用、空气质量、水质均突破环境上限, 处于危险的状态, 此外流域内无贫困和产业创新两个社会基础维度的完成度相对较低。环境库兹涅兹曲线揭示了大通湖流域内社会-生态系统大致分为初始阶段(1950s—1980s)、严重退化阶段(1980s—2000s)和逐步改善(2000s后)三个阶段。研究为维持区域可持续发展提供了重要的参考信息, 同时也为区域SJOS框架的构建提供了一种有效的方法。     

Testing indicators of biodiversity for plantation forests

In many parts of the world, plantations make up a considerable proportion of the total forest area. In such regions, the identification of high biodiversity value stands and of management practices to enhance biodiversity is essential if the goals of Sustainable Forest Management are to be achieved. Since complete biodiversity assessments are rarely possible, efforts have been increasingly focussed on the use of indicators. Of particular interest are indicators applicable to individual stands that require no specialist taxonomic or technical knowledge to assess. Candidate biodiversity indicators had been identified in a previous study using data from Irish Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) plantations but had yet to be tested on independent data. In the present study, the provisional indicators for vascular plant, bryophyte, spider and bird diversity were tested on data from Irish Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), oak (Quercus petraea/Quercus robur), Sitka spruce and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) plantations. Conifer canopy cover was confirmed as an important biodiversity indicator, due to its influence on below-canopy microclimatic and structural conditions. Bryophyte species richness was higher in relatively high canopy cover plantations on poorly drained soils, while bird species richness was higher in more open plantations with high shrub cover. Coarse woody debris was an important substrate for forest-associated bryophytes, with higher species richness at higher volumes of deadwood. Both proximity to old woodland and stand age were confirmed as positive indicators for forest-associated vascular plants. This is related to dispersal limitation in these species, with nearby woodlands acting as important seed sources and colonisation increasing with time. Stand age was also confirmed as a positive indicator for forest-associated spiders and is related to the development of suitable habitat as the plantation matures. All of the confirmed indicators can be assessed without need for specialist knowledge, are ecologically meaningful and applicable to a range of forests managed under a clearfelling system. They can be used to assess the potential value of stands for the taxonomic groups to which they apply, as well as giving insights into management practices to enhance diversity in these groups.     

An interactive method to select a set of sustainable urban development indicators

The paper proposes a method for selecting a set of sustainable development indicators which can be used for various sustainability-related tasks, such as assessment of current condition, measure of progress toward specific goals of sustainable development, in general, and sustainable urban development, in particular. The method is based on variable clustering, selecting cluster representative, and multivariate linear regression in combination with experts and stakeholders’ input in an interactive process. The small set of indicators derived from the proposed method was able to account for a significant amount of information from the initial indicator set while effectively assisting stakeholders in making informed decision based on objective quantitative information and meeting their preference simultaneously.     

Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient

An increasing number of international initiatives aim to reconcile development with conservation. Crucial to successful implementation of these initiatives is a comprehensive understanding of the current ecological condition of landscapes and their spatial distributions. Here, we provide a cumulative measure of human modification of terrestrial lands based on modeling the physical extents of 13 anthropogenic stressors and their estimated impacts using spatially explicit global datasets with a median year of 2016. We quantified the degree of land modification and the amount and spatial configuration of low modified lands (i.e., natural areas relatively free from human alteration) across all ecoregions and biomes. We identified that fewer unmodified lands remain than previously reported and that most of the world is in a state of intermediate modification, with 52% of ecoregions classified as moderately modified. Given that these moderately modified ecoregions fall within critical land use thresholds, we propose that they warrant elevated attention and require proactive spatial planning to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem function before important environmental values are lost.     

土著知识在生物多样性保护和利用中的研究进展

土著知识作为一种特定的知识形态,在保护生物多样性、促进资源可持续利用和社会协调发展等方面具有重要的作用,越来越受到社会各界尤其是学术界的重视。为了让大家更好地了解土著知识研究的状况,结合我们开展的工作,从国内外土著知识研究简史、土著知识研究代表性项目和单位及资助机构、土著知识项目实施产生的效果、土著知识研究利用的展望4个方面进行了综述。     

The value of flagship and umbrella species for restoration and sustainable development: Bale monkeys and bamboo forest in Ethiopia

Forest loss and degradation are the most significant threats to terrestrial biodiversity in the tropics. Promoting flagship or umbrella species is a strategy that can be used to conserve intact forests and restore degraded ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and achieve sustainable development goals. The Bale monkey (Chlorocebus djamdjamensis) is an arboreal, forest-dwelling, threatened primate restricted to a small range in the southern Ethiopian Highlands, which relies mostly on a single species of bamboo (Arundinaria alpina) and prefers bamboo forest habitat. Most of the Bale monkey’s range lies outside protected areas and most of its historical bamboo forest habitat is degraded or destroyed. The conservation of Bale monkeys and bamboo is highly inter-dependent; however, the value of using the Bale monkey as a flagship or umbrella species for forest restoration has not been evaluated. Here we use geographic range overlap and geospatial modeling to evaluate Bale monkeys as a flagship and/or umbrella species. We also assess if conservation intervention on behalf of Bale monkeys can help restore bamboo forest, while simultaneously providing a wide range of socioeconomic and environmental benefits. We found that Bale monkeys share their range with 52 endemic and/or threatened vertebrate species and at least 9 endemic and/or threatened plant species. Our results show that Bale monkeys meet both the flagship and umbrella species criteria to restore bamboo forest and conserve threatened co-occurring species. Since bamboo is fast-growing and can be harvested every year, we suggest that a science-based sustainable harvest and management regime for bamboo would help to improve the livelihood of both the local community and Ethiopians in general without significantly affecting the long-term survival of Bale monkeys and regional biodiversity. Further, a conservation management strategy protecting and restoring bamboo forest has the potential to achieve at least six of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.