Optimizing hotspot areas for ecological planning and management based on biodiversity and ecosystem services

The significance of biodiversity and ecosystem services are gradually recognized by human as an approach towards sustainability, so it is important to understand relationships and congruence between them to support conservation planning, especially in the hotspot areas with a prominent role in conservation. However, the management of most conservation hotspots mainly focused on biodiversity, and rarely concerned with ecosystem services. With the aim of proposing criteria for conservation strategies that contribute to the optimization of biodiversity and ecosystem services, in this study, a Geographic Information System(GIS)-based approach was designed to estimate and map the biodiversity and ecosystem services in Chongqing Municipality of China. Furthermore, the distributions of hotspot areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services were mapped based on the relationship between cumulative ecosystem services and areas. Finally the statistical analysis was processed focused on specific conservation objectives. The results showed that hotspot areas can conserve the most biodiversity but with the least ecosystem services under the conservation plans target to biodiversity conservation. In contrast, depending on the ecosystem services of interest, hotspot areas can conserve the largest ecosystem services but with the least biodiversity. By integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into conservation plan, we found that the conservation and regeneration of these small areas, would contribute to a conservation of 44% of the biodiversity hotspot and 14%–42% of the ecosystem services hotspot. Moreover, the current nature reserve selection was not maximize the biodiversity and ecosystem services compared to integration strategy, indicating that hotspot areas conservation and selection is vital for optimization protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and has practical significance for natural resources and ecosystem management.     

Main Features and Problems of Modern Evolution Process of Coastal Wetlands in North Jiangsu,China

Based on field monitoring and remote sensing extraction, this paper analyzed the landscape evolution, reclamation process and transformation characteristics in north Jiangsu coastal region since 1980 through landscape transfer analysis, landscape spatial conversion model, and landscape dynamicity model. Results indicated that natural wetland decreased while in contrast the artificial wetland increased. Natural wetland was mostly converted into mudflats, and large proportion of mudflats were subsequently exploited into aquaculture waters, and other man-made construction projects. Significant transformation ranking ahead were mudflat to aquaculture waters, Suaeda glauca to dry land, Suaeda glauca to aquaculture waters, Couch grass to aquaculture waters, respectively. The proportion of transformation caused by anthropogenic activities was up to 82%, much higher than natural succession. Coastal ecological systems were severely disturbed and destroyed largely due to wetland reclamation and resources exploitation. The results suggest that the impact of human activity on wetland ecology needs more attention.     

Long‐term variability in the water budget and its controls in an oak‐dominated temperate forest

Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that control ecosystem functions in temperate forests. Changing climate is likely to alter the ecohydrology and other ecosystem processes, which affect forest structures and functions. We constructed a multi‐year water budget (2004–2010) and quantified environmental controls on an evapotranspiration (ET) in a 70‐year‐old mixed‐oak woodland forest in northwest Ohio, USA. ET was measured using the eddy‐covariance technique along with precipitation (P), soil volumetric water content (VWC), and shallow groundwater table fluctuation. Three biophysical models were constructed and validated to calculate potential ET (PET) for developing predictive monthly ET models. We found that the annual variability in ET was relatively stable and ranged from 578 mm in 2009 to 670 mm in 2010. In contrast, ET/P was more variable and ranged from 0.60 in 2006 to 0.96 in 2010. Mean annual ET/PET_FAO was 0.64, whereas the mean annual PET_FAO/P was 1.15. Annual ET/PET_FAO was relatively stable and ranged from 0.60 in 2005 to 0.72 in 2004. Soil water storage and shallow groundwater recharge during the non‐growing season were essential in supplying ET during the growing season when ET exceeded P. Spring leaf area index (LAI), summer photosynthetically active radiation, and autumn and winter air temperatures (T_a) were the most significant controls of monthly ET. Moreover, LAI regulated ET during the whole growing season and higher temperatures increased ET even during dry periods. Our empirical modelling showed that the interaction of LAI and PET explained >90% of the variability in measured ET. Altogether, we found that increases in T_a and shifts in P distribution are likely to impact forest hydrology by altering shallow groundwater fluctuations, soil water storage, and ET and, consequently, alter the ecosystem functions of temperate forests. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial–temporal variations of methane emissions from the Ertan hydroelectric reservoir in southwest China

Methane emissions from hydroelectric reservoirs can comprise a considerable portion of anthropogenic methane. However, lack of data on CH₄ emissions in different geographical regions and high spatial‐temporal variability in the emission rates of reservoirs has led to uncertainties regarding regional emission estimates of CH₄. In the subtropical plateau climate region, we used the Ertan hydroelectric reservoir as a study area. The CH₄ flux at the air‐water interface was assessed by floating chambers and factors influencing emissions, including the distance from the dam, water depth, seasonal variation in wet and dry season, air‐water temperature gradient and wind speed, and was also studied through a year‐long systematic sampling and monitoring experiment. The results showed that the surface of the reservoir was a source of CH₄ during the sampling period and the annual average CH₄ flux was 2·80 ± 1·52 mg m^?2 d^?1. CH₄ flux (and its variation) was higher in the shallow water areas than in the deep‐water areas. CH₄ flux near the dam was significantly higher than that of other locations farther from the dam in the dry season. The seasonal variations of CH₄ emission in wet and dry seasons were minor and significant diurnal variations were observed in wet and dry seasons. Exponential relationships between the CH₄ flux and air‐water temperature gradient were found. Air‐water temperature gradient was an important factor influencing diurnal variations of CH₄ flux in the Ertan hydroelectric reservoir. These results indicate that systematic sampling is needed to better estimate CH₄ flux through coverage of the spatial variation of different water depths, measuring‐point distance from the dam, seasonal variation in wet and dry seasons and changes in climate factors (such as air‐water temperature gradient). Our results also provide a fundamental parameter for CH₄ emission estimation of global reservoirs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

江苏宜兴骆驼墩遗址地层全新世沉积环境研究

主要通过对骆驼墩遗址地层样品的粒度和重砂矿物的鉴定、样品中锆石形态的对比研究,铷锶值的测定与分析,了解该区域全新世以来的沉积环境及其气候变化,探索气候变化与人类文明和文化发展的关系。对骆驼墩遗址文化层下的自然淤积层的粒度分析和锆石形态研究发现该区域在人类出现之前可能经历过浅水泻湖环境;  结合重矿物及铷锶研究发现,该区域在全新世早期降水量较大,气候较为湿热,之后气候逐渐变得温暖湿润,为人类文明的出现和文化的发展提供了一个优越的气候条件;  通过对地层中文化层样品的重矿物鉴定及百分含量分析、ZTR稳定系数及Rb/Sr分析发现,全新世的气候是不断变化的。尤其在马家浜文化时期、良渚文化时期和广富林文化时期气候经历过温湿与干凉的交替变化过程。同时良渚文化时期的中晚期稳定系数出现了该地层的最高值,说明当时气候较为湿热,降水量偏多,这与良渚文化的消失与洪水有关的结论相一致。     

地表湿度导致土壤电参数变化对雷电电磁场传播的影响

基于Scott提出的土壤电参数等效模型和二维分形布朗运动粗糙地表模型,利用Cooray和Wait近似算法,研究了地表湿度引起的土壤电参数变化对雷电回击电磁场传播的影响.结果表明:土壤湿度的增加引起垂直电场和水平磁场的上升随时间减小,对峰值影响不太明显;土壤湿度对水平电场的影响很大,水平电场的峰值与湿度成反比.实际上,雷暴天气往往伴随降水,因此对雷电电磁辐射环境的研究应该考虑土壤湿度的影响.     

田阳气温的气候变化特征及农业生产对策

通过对田阳县1960—2009年气温的统计,引用气候倾向率、气候趋势系数作分析。结果表明,田阳50a来年平均气温有明显变暖趋势,其增温变暖趋势值持平于全区、略低于全国的平均值。为了应对气候变暖提出了相应的农业生产对策。     

1999-2007年中国耕地利用变化——政策演进视角(英文)

Cultivated land protection (CLP) entered the new era of macro administration in 1999 in China. This paper presents a holistic analysis of cultivated land use change concerning the three goals of the CLP, i.e., grain security, ecological security and harmonizing regional development. Farmers’ willingness to grow grain has been the key factor in safeguarding grain security. Grain-for-green policy has contributed to improving ecological state especially in the western provinces. Effects of the land macro-control of the CLP on harmonizing regional development were significant. Moreover, cultivated land use change in 1999-2007 points out the way of the evolving policy in the future. From the viewpoint of normative concept of multifunctionality, we discuss development of the three land functions, i.e., production function, environmental function and carrier function. Finally, we propose to emphasize multifunctional land management based on regional differences to promote transition of the CLP.     

黄河游荡河段河床形态调整对洪水过程的响应

以黄河流域1950～1985年200余场洪水资料为基础，并增加了最近的实验资料，分析了黄河下游游荡河段不同含沙量沙水过程中河床形态的调整过程，结果表明，由洪水过程所导致的河床形态变化是相当剧烈的。且与含沙量密切相关，表现出非线性的变化规律，当含沙量较小时，随含沙量的增大，洪水后河床宽深比增大，当含沙量增大到一定程度后再增大时，宽深比随含沙量的增大而减小，这一结果为修正Schumm关于河床形态变化的定性预测关系提供了新的依据。