Cretaceous amber inclusions of Spain and Myanmar demonstrate early diversification and wide dispersal of Cephenniitae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

The taxonomic status of previously misplaced species of an ant-like stone beetle from Spanish amber (Albian) is clarified. Specimens of Kachinus magnificus (originally placed as incertae sedis within Scydmaenitae) were re-examined and their characters were found different from those of the type species of Kachinus from Myanmar amber. Consequently, Archeutheia gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the Spanish species, resulting in Archeutheia magnifica comb. nov. Moreover, in a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis Archeutheia was placed as a sister group to extant Eutheia, within the tribe Eutheiini of Cephenniitae. A specimen of an undetermined genus from Myanmar amber clearly belonging in Cephenniini is also recorded. Both taxa represent the first definite Cretaceous Cephenniitae, a supertribe whose recent members are distributed on all continents but are especially diverse in the Oriental and East Palaearctic regions. This finding demonstrates a diversification of two presently most species-rich tribes of Cephenniitae already in Early Cretaceous. Archeutheia is strikingly similar to the extant species of Eutheia and Veraphis, showing male dimorphic characters (modified protrochanters) and antennal cavities characteristic of Palaearctic Eutheiini. This fact suggests a long morphological stability in the supertribe. A previously proposed hypothesis of an early presence of the Cephenniitae in the Northern Hemisphere is for the first time supported by the fossil record, and the palaeolocalities (western Europe and Southeast Asia) demonstrate a wide distribution of Cephenniitae in the Cretaceous and an early split of its ancestral lineage.     

A densely feathered ornithomimid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation,Alberta, Canada

A recently discovered articulated partial skeleton of Ornithomimus from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada is remarkable in the extent and quality of preservation of integumentary structures including feathers. It is the first ornithomimid to preserve a tail bearing extensive plumaceous feathers that are slightly more elongate in comparison to those present on the remainder of the body. However, the underside of the tail and the hind limb distal to the middle of the femur appear devoid of plumage. Overall, the plumage pattern in Ornithomimus is similar to that of Struthio camelus (ostrich) and other large palaeognaths, indicating a probable function in thermoregulation. The specimen also preserves the body outline around the legs, including a skin contour anterior to the femur, analogous to skin webs in extant birds. Whereas the knee web of birds bridges the knee to the abdomen, in Ornithomimus it spans from the mid-femoral shaft to the abdomen, and is herein referred to as an anterior femoral web. This is the first report of such soft tissue structures in non-avian theropods. It may indicate that the resting position of the femur was positioned more anteroventrally in ornithomimids than in most theropods, and in that sense may have been transitional to the situation in modern birds.     

How deep is your love – Of nature? A psychological and spatial analysis of the depth of feelings towards Dutch nature areas

The most binding nature protection policy in the Netherlands and the EU primarily designates areas based on ecological value, ensuring their sustained protection. Of less concern to these policies are the current and future needs of the average citizen, who is experiencing increases in education, income, and health. This paper argues that although existing policies protect biodiversity needs, the spatialemotional needs of the public are of similarly high importance. We analyze the spatial and emotional characteristics of favorite natural places in the Netherlands selected on the Hotspotsmonitor survey. Content analysis of the open question, "Why is this place important to you?" identified three categories: peace & quiet, explore, and peak. These were mapped using GIS to identify predominant hotspots and compared against the most binding nature protection policy - Natura 2000. The important societal benefits of augmenting ecologically based nature protection policies with emotional valuation are discussed.     

莱州湾三山岛产卵场调查与设定《资源保护区》的建议

本文以笔者调查资料为基础，扼要阐明了三山岛产卵场的鱼类种类、水域生物学与地理学条件及形成该产卵场的机理，并根据当前渔业资源状况，提出了建立《资源保护区》的建议，以为黄渤海渔业资源的可持续利用奠定基础。     

塔里木胡杨自然保护区湿地景观季相分析

湿地景观变化是区域生态环境的一个重要指示器，其扩张和萎缩对区域生态环境将产生重要影响。为了准确评估新疆塔里木胡杨国家自然保护区湿地景观在枯水季与丰水季的变化规律，研究采用遥感手段，通过分析同一年份枯水期与丰水期二期遥感数据，对保护区湿地景观格局进行分析。研究得出：（1）保护区湿地面积约为13万ha，沼泽湿地是研究区湿地的主要类型，约占湿地总面积的74%，河流湿地与人工湿地占比约为13%。（2）丰水期与枯水期相比，湿地各类型面积（除人工湿地外）均呈现增加趋势。河流湿地变动最为剧烈，其中永久性河流变动幅度最大，达84.37%；沼泽湿地面积变化幅度较小，人工湿地面积基本没有变化。造成湿地面积年内变动主要是由于塔里木河中游来水量季节分配不均，洪、枯悬殊以及农业用水时段的差异造成的。（3）丰水期与枯水期相比，共有7791.25 ha发生了类型转化，其中其它类型转化为湿地占50.55%，草本沼泽面积发生转化占26.24%。季节性或间歇性河流变动最为激烈，有94.2%的面积发生转化。研究得到了保护区湿地景观格局在同一年内不同时间和空间上的变化，揭示了湿地景观季相变化动因，为保护区湿地保护政策的提出提供科学依据。     

Hierarchical classification with subsequent aggregation of heathland habitats using an intra-annual RapidEye time-series

Mapping heathland habitats is generally challenging due to fine-scale habitats as well as spectral ambiguities between different classes. A multi-seasonal time-series of multispectral RapidEye data from several phenological stages was analysed towards the classification of different vegetation communities.A 3-level hierarchical dependent classification using Import Vector Machines was tested, based on the assumption that a probabilistic output per class would help the mapping. The first level of the hierarchical classification was related to the moisture gradient, which was derived from Ellenberg’s moisture indicative value. The second level aimed to separate plant alliances; the third level differentiated individual plant associations.For the final integration of the three classification levels, two approaches were implemented: (i) the F1-score and (ii) the maximum classification probability. The overall classification accuracies of both methods were found to be similar, around 0.7.Nevertheless, based on our expert knowledge we found the probabilistic approach to provide a more realistic picture and to be more practical compared to the result using the F1-score from the management point of view. In addition, the overall performance of the maximum probabilistic approach is better in the sense that the same accuracy of 0.7 was achieved with a differentiation of 33 classes instead of only 13 classes for the F1-score, meaning that the method is able to separate more spectral classes at a more detailed level providing the same accuracy.     

On the attribution of changing pan evaporation in a nature reserve in SW China

Negative trends of measured pan evaporation are widely reported. Studies of the factors that underlie this reduction in pan evaporation have not reached a consensus about the controlling factors. Most studies employ statistical analysis (correlation analysis or stepwise regression) to identify the controlling climatic variables; in contrast, few studies have employed physical‐based theories. In addition, observations of pan evaporation and related climatic variables are reported to be influenced by anthropogenic activities. Consequently, the observed trends of climatic variables in a nature reserve would be useful for understanding regional climate change. The present study site is located in Ailaoshan National Nature Reserve, SW China, which is free of anthropogenic activity. In this study, we firstly applied the adjusted PenPan model to estimate the pan evaporation. Then, using this physical‐based model, we identified a positive trend in pan evaporation, with a much larger increase in the dry season than in the wet season. The model results indicate that the change in the aerodynamic component is larger than that in the radiative component. In contrast to the reduction in wind speed and sunshine hours that has been reported in previous studies at various sites, we found that wind speed and sunshine hours have increased in recent decades, thereby explaining the increase of the pan evaporation rate. Wind speed made the greatest contribution to the change in pan evaporation, followed by sunshine duration. This study indicates that the potential evaporation has increased at this site despite the widely reported reduction in measured pan evaporation. During the dry season, the availability of water for agriculture and agroforestry could be threatened. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Artificial Marine Micro‐Reserves Networks (AMMRNs): an innovative approach to conserve marine littoral biodiversity and protect endangered species

Coastal engineering works, especially the outer breakwaters of ports where environmental conditions are usually good, often constitute new habitats for marine littoral species. Their potential indirect contribution to the regeneration and conservation of protected species opens up a new perspective in protection of marine biodiversity. This is particularly true when these works harbour, as we show here, important reproductive populations of species that are threatened or even in danger of extinction. We provide integrated data on protected marine species in Southern Iberia established on different substrata (quarried dolomitic rocks, concrete cubic blocks, concrete tetrapods and vertical concrete walls) that are used in the construction of artificial levees that could potentially be Artificial Marine Micro‐Reserves (AMMRs). We also present the first evidence of the ‘reserve effect’ in potential AMMRs and we discuss the need for the creation of AMMRs including their effective networking (AMMRNs), supporting data for which has been observed by studying coastal facilities subjected to strict access restrictions (for security reasons, not conservation). These facilities have acted as valuable proxies and, in reality, potentially act as AMMRs, as well as having a role in helping to detect and control invasive species. We discuss the ecological engineering aspects related to the design and type of materials used in coastal constructions with a view to aiding the integration of these into existing coastal ecosystems as well as promoting greater settlement of species and therefore increases in biodiversity. Finally, the environmental implications of AMMRNs within the future implementation strategy of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60 EC are also discussed.     

Minneapolis and Its Environs

Abstract

University students participated in a research project on communities and conservation on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Students contributed by gathering data with various methods that will be compiled in a GIS. Living in three villages at different elevations on the mountain, students facilitated GPS mapping, a random survey of over 90 households, and recording of observations and interviews with the people of these villages. While the inclusion of students in the research project brought greater logistical demands, their participation allowed quick collection of data on a broad scale, more intimate knowledge of the three villages and the communities in them, and provided a valuable learning experience for the students with opportunities to develop and carry-out a research project in an international setting.     

The interpretation of culture in nature: Landscape transformation and vegetation change during two centuries at Hystad,SW Norway

In Norway, on-site biological surveys precede the designation of nature reserves. Although many nature conservation areas have been affected by past human use (e.g. cattle grazing, timber harvesting), a typical biological survey may fail to portray the extent of human influence on biodiversity and vegetation dynamics. In 1984, Hystad forest (western Norway) was made a nature reserve after botanists interpreted the ecosystem 'close to untouched'. It was thought best to leave the forest alone, so no management plan was developed. It was later realized that the vegetation was changing, but the reason was not obvious. I gathered and analyzed further biological data plus information on land-use history from varied sources (e.g. cadastral maps, archive material and oral histories). The area has undergone a series of transformations since the 17th century. The present forest is no more than 100 years old, and extensive parts are much younger. The initial survey underestimated the extent of cultural impact and failed to predict vegetation change subsequent to reserve establishment, whereas a historical-geographical approach reveals that the vegetation is in a state of transition, driven primarily by a change from active farming to farm abandonment. Planning for conservation must recognize past as well as present human use of the landscape to anticipate consequent land cover responses.