Social and ecological effectiveness of large marine protected areas

Large marine protected areas are increasingly being established to meet global conservation targets and promote sustainable use of resources. Although the factors affecting the performance of small-scale marine protected areas are relatively well studied, there is no such body of knowledge for large marine protected areas. We conducted a global meta-analysis to systematically investigate social, ecological, and governance characteristics of successful large marine protected areas with respect to several social and ecological outcomes. We included all large (>10,000 km²), implemented (>5 years of active management) marine protected areas that had sufficient data for analysis, for a total of twelve cases. We used the Social-Ecological Systems Meta-Analysis Database, and a consistent protocol for using secondary data and key informant interviews, to code proxies for fisheries, ecosystem health, and the wellbeing of user groups (mainly fishers). We tested four sets of hypotheses derived from the literature on small-scale marine protected areas and common-pool resources: (i) the attributes of species and ecosystems to be managed in the marine protected area, (ii) adherence to principles for designing small-scale marine protected areas, (iii) adherence to the design principles for common-pool resource management, and (iv) stakeholder participation. We found varying levels of support for these hypotheses. Improved fisheries were associated with older marine protected areas, and higher levels of enforcement. Declining fisheries were associated with several ecological and economic factors, including low productivity, high mobility, and high market value. High levels of participation were correlated with improvements in wellbeing and ecosystem health trends. Overall, this study constitutes an important first step in identifying factors affecting social wellbeing and ecological performance of large marine protected areas.     

Analyzing the (mis)fit between the institutional and ecological networks of the Indo-West Pacific

Critical to improving environmental governance is understanding the fit (alignment) between institutional arrangements and key ecological processes. This is particularly true for biodiversity hotpots and ecologically sensitive areas that are subject to significant impacts from human activities. Here, we have developed an innovative approach to quantify ecological-institutional alignment across an environmentally and politically complex large-scale marine social-ecological system. We mapped the trans-boundary networks of marine population dispersal corridors, and intersected these with estimates of cross-country institutional linkages related to marine management and conservation. In integrating large-scale ecological-institutional networks, we identify geopolitical fit and misfit between a region's ecological processes and its governance. We have demonstrated this approach in the Indo-West Pacific region, a global marine biodiversity hotpot in the Indo-West Pacific. We present region-specific institutional and ecological networks, highlight current challenges, and suggest future directions to refine the proposed approach to quantify alignment between ecological processes and governance arrangements. Ultimately, our method has the potential to assist management efforts in prioritizing and strengthening governance to effectively safeguard ecological processes across multiple jurisdictions.     

Modelling the impact of climate change on Pacific skipjack tuna population and fisheries

IPCC-type climate models have produced simulations of the oceanic environment that can be used to drive models of upper trophic levels to explore the impact of climate change on marine resources. We use the Spatial Ecosystem And Population Dynamics Model (SEAPODYM) to investigate the potential impact of Climate change under IPCC A2 scenario on Pacific skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). IPCC-type models are still coarse in resolution and can produce significant anomalies, e.g., in water temperature. These limitations have direct and strong effects when modeling the dynamics of marine species. Therefore, parameter estimation experiments based on assimilation of historical fishing data are necessary to calibrate the model to these conditions before exploring the future scenarios. A new simulation based on corrected temperature fields of the A2 simulation from one climate model (IPSL-CM4) is presented. The corrected fields led to a new parameterization close to the one achieved with more realistic environment from an ocean reanalysis and satellite-derived primary production. Projected changes in skipjack population under simple fishing effort scenarios are presented. The skipjack catch and biomass is predicted to slightly increase in the Western Central Pacific Ocean until 2050 then the biomass stabilizes and starts to decrease after 2060 while the catch reaches a plateau. Both feeding and spawning habitat become progressively more favourable in the eastern Pacific Ocean and also extend to higher latitudes, while the western equatorial warm pool is predicted to become less favorable for skipjack spawning.     

Public concern about,and desire for research into,the human health effects of marine plastic pollution: Results from a 15-country survey across Europe and Australia

Marine plastic pollution is caused by humans and has become ubiquitous in the marine environment. Despite the widely acknowledged ecological consequences, the scientific evidence regarding detrimental human health impacts is currently debated, and there is no substantive evidence surrounding public opinion with respect to marine plastic pollution and human health. Results from a 15-country survey (n = 15,179) found that both the European and Australian public were highly concerned about the potential human health impacts of marine plastic pollution, and strongly supported the funding of research which aims to better understand its health/wellbeing implications. Multi-level modelling revealed that these perceptions varied across socio-demographic factors (e.g. gender), political orientation, marine contact factors (e.g. marine occupation and engagement in coastal recreation activities) and personality traits (e.g. openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness). Quantifying attitudes, as well as understanding how individual-level differences shape risk perception will enable policy makers and communicators to develop more targeted communications and initiatives that target a reduction in marine plastic pollution.     

Biophysical indicators and Indigenous and Local Knowledge reveal climatic and ecological shifts with implications for Arctic Char fisheries

Managing Arctic marine resources to be resilient to environmental changes requires knowledge of how climate change is affecting marine food webs and fisheries. Changes to fishery resources will have major implications for coastal Indigenous communities whose livelihoods, health, and cultures are strongly connected to fisheries. Understanding these broad social-ecological changes requires a transdisciplinary approach bringing together contrasting and complementary disciplines and ways of knowing. Here, we examine climatic proxies, ecological, and fishery indicators (stable isotopes, fish condition, and lipid content), and interviews with Inuit fishers to assess how marine ecosystem changes have influenced Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) ecology and fisheries over a 30-year time period (1987–2016) in the Kitikmeot region of the Canadian Arctic. Inuit fishers reported several observations of environmental changes, including longer ice-free seasons, warmer ocean temperatures, and the arrival of new marine species. Biophysical data revealed important changes toward earlier dates of ice breakup (>12 days in some areas) and a shift in isotopic niche reflecting a changing Arctic Char diet, with increased contribution of pelagic carbon and higher trophic level prey. Fish condition was improved in years with earlier ice breakup, as observed by both Inuit fishers and biophysical indicators, while lipid content increased through time, suggesting that longer ice-free seasons may have a positive effect on Arctic Char quality as reflected by both fish condition and lipid content. Long-term impacts of continuing climate change, however, such as the northward expansion of boreal species and increasing ocean temperatures, could have negative effects on fisheries (e.g., physiological impairment in fish if temperatures exceed their thermal range). Continuous community-based monitoring that directly informs fisheries management could help communities and managers adaptively, and sustainably, manage in the face of multiple interacting changes in Arctic marine systems.     

车尔臣河下游生态恢复的成因初步分析

利用且末1958--2005年的降水、气温、径流量、卫星遥感等资料,分析了车尔臣河下游生态环境变化的成因。指出全球气候变暖使得山区冰川融解加快,车尔臣河径流量增加有利于车尔臣河下游生态恢复;人类活动的增加如修防渗渠、人工造林、人工增雨、围湖育苇、人工输水等活动改变了小气候,改善了绿洲生态环境,是车尔臣河下游生态环境恢复的主要原因。     

基于Geodatabase的生态质量气象评价系统

利用Geodatabase构建了一套全新的且较为全面的生态环境质量评价系统,实现了生态质量评价中数据库的空间数据与非空间数据一体化的无缝集成,便于生态质量气象评价数据的统一管理。     

基于Geodatabase的生态质量气象评价系统

利用Geodatabase构建了一套全新的且较为全面的生态环境质量评价系统,实现了生态质量评价中数据库的空间数据与非空间数据一体化的无缝集成,便于生态质量气象评价数据的统一管理。     

尉犁县胡杨林区生态环境评价方法及应用

结合新疆尉犁县胡杨林区实际情况,通过数据采集、确定评价因子、建立评价模型,提出了一种基于3S技术,利用气象资料、EOS/MODIS卫星资料以及基础地理信息数据计算胡杨林区生态环境质量综合评价指数的方法,同时提出利用生态环境综合指数反映区域生态环境状况的思路。将此方法应用于新疆尉犁县胡杨林区2005—2007年7、8月份生态环境监测与综合评价,获得了近3a同期生态环境质量综合评价及动态对比结果。     

Equilibria of the marine multiphase ammonia system

A lack of empirical data has made it difficult to ascertain whether ammonia is in equilibrium between the oceanic, atmospheric gas and atmospheric particle phases in the remote marine environment. Reported here are simultaneous measurements of the saturation concentration of ammonia relative to ammonia concentrations in ocean surface waters; total seawater ammonia; atmospheric gas phase ammonia; and atmospheric particulate-phase ammonium, non-seasalt sulfate, methanesulfonate, and nitrate. Sampling was performed in May of 1987 in the northeast Pacific Ocean environment and in April and May of 1988 in the central Pacific Ocean environment.These measurements were used to determine the degree to which ammonia approached equilibrium between the oceanic and atmospheric gas and aerosol particle phases. The experimental atmospheric gas phase ammonia concentrations were compared with calculated equilibrium concentrations assuming a Henry's law type of partitioning between the gas and condensed phases. Characteristic times of the processes controlling the fate of ammonia in the marine environment also were compared.The measured atmospheric gas phase and oceanic concentrations of ammonia indicate that ammonia is not in a Henry's law equilibrium across the air/sea interface. This disequilibrium is a result of the long air/sea exchange equilibration time relative to the lifetime of ammonia in the atmosphere. Comparison of the calculated equilibrium gas phase ammonia concentrations with the measured gas phase ammonia concentrations shows that attainment of equilibrium between the atmospheric gas and particle phases is a strong function of the chemical composition of the aerosol particles. The data suggest that fully neutralized aerosol particles are not in Henry's law equilibrium with the gas phase while equilibrium is observed for particles with an average ammonium to non-seasalt sulfate molar ratio less than 1.8.     

四川大雪山生态红线区生态环境评价与气候变化分析

基于卫星产品和地面气象观测数据,构建遥感生态指数（Remote Sensing Ecological Environment Index,RSEI）和生物多样性维护功能指数（Biodiversity Maintenance Function Index,BMI）,对 2000~2019年大雪山生态红线区的生态环境状况和生物多样性维护功能进行评价,并分析了红线区气候变化特征。结果表明:（1）2000~2019年红线区生态环境状况总体呈变好趋势,RSEI一般及以上等级所占的面积比例达90%。红线区内生态环境状况区域差异明显,北部和中部生态环境较好,东南部生态环境较差。（2）2000~2019年红线区生物多样性功能持续改善,BMI一般及以上等级所占的面积比例达84.912%。红线区内BMI一般及以上等级主要位于北部、中部和西部部分地区,差和较差等级主要分布于东南部地区。（3）1990年以来,大雪山红线区显著增暖,降水充足,日照略增,风速略减。暖湿气候条件有利于红线区生态的恢复,使生态环境状况和生态功能趋于好转。      

区域生态环境质量评价方法研究

以江西省贵溪市为研究区域，从生态学和环境科学观点出发，在3S技术支持下，应用20m分辨率的中巴资源卫星遥感资料、1：100000数字化地理数据和GPS抽样调查数据，结合常规调查统计法，选择与区域生态环境有关的因子(如气候、水资源、土地利用、植被、水土流失)以及部分人类活动和经济因素(污染物排放、人均耕地面积、单位面积粮食产量、人均国内生产总值等)，构建了评价指标体系，空间尺度以研究区域平均水平取值，时间尺度截止到2000年。该体系通过专家定权法和中间截取求平均值方法进行权值估计，应用生态环境评价模型对2000年研究区域的生态环境质量进行评价。结果表明，该研究区域2000年生态环境质量达Ⅱ级标准，生态环境质量总体处较好水平，主要表现在森林覆盖率高于全省平均水平，达61．0％；人均耕地面积及产量水平分别为0．06hm^2／人和8025kg／hm^2，处全省中上水平；水土流失面积达61974hm^2，且治理效果好；生物多样性受到一定保护；GDP居全省前列，为该区域生态环境保护和治理提供了一定的经济基础。目前该区域存在的主要问题是：水质为国家Ⅲ级标准，应通过综合治理进一步提高标准；为较多气象灾害发生区；由于特殊的地理条件，导致土壤侵蚀的隐患较大。     

我国北方沙尘暴变化趋势的分析

通过对气象资料、生态环境、典型沙尘暴天气过程的沙尘气溶胶物理化学特征、沙尘暴移动的空气质点轨迹及其它有关因素的分析,讨论了我国北方沙尘暴多发地区张掖、永昌、民勤、中卫和北京的沙尘暴发生趋势,初步得出自50年代至1992年,上述地区沙尘暴发生次数呈减少、强度呈减弱趋势,这可能与下垫面生态环境的改善有关。     

Heavy metals in the atmospheric precipitation on the Barents Sea coast

The results of heavy metal measurements in monthly precipitation samples are analyzed at biological station Dal’nie Zelentsy to define the role of the atmospheric precipitation in the marine environment pollution in the Barents Sea coastal region. Peculiarities of the atmospheric processes and the genesis of air masses bringing the precipitation and the extent of their effect on the precipitation pollution with heavy metals are considered based on the data obtained in 2001–2002. Of the air masses brining the precipitation to the Kola Peninsula coast the air masses of a marine origin have significant advantage. It is shown that weight average heavy metal (except copper) concentrations in the precipitation from the marine air masses on the Kola coast are higher than in the precipitation from the continental air masses. The emissions from local metallurgic enterprises influence the extent of the precipitation pollution with copper.     

东北区域水体密度指数估算方法

水体密度指数是生态质量气象评价的一个重要指标。该文提出了一种利用MODIS遥感数据估算水体密度指数的方法,首先利用水体与地物遥感光谱特性的差异,对指示性水体的面积进行精确识别和提取;通过选择不同时相MODIS数据与地而水文观测资料建立统计关系模型,实现对区域水环境面积的估算;最后计算归一化权重系数,实现东北地区水体密度指数的估算。     

A street thermal environment study in summer by the mobile transect technique

To estimate the impact of street characteristics on the thermal environment in an urban street canyon in a hot and humid region, transect data were used to analyze the relation between three factors (urban green ratio, building ratio, and height-to-width ratio) and air temperature in two streets in Taichung City, Taiwan. In this study, air temperature data were collected by transects at four different level heights (1, 2, 3, and 4?m height) in two streets; meanwhile, the use of three street characteristics data calculated by geographic information system (GIS) data which can represent the environment conditions of 34 measured locations. The analysis results shows that the air temperature significantly correlated with height-to-width ratio (r?=?0.481), green ratio (r?=?0.729), and building ratio (r?=?0.654), respectively, at night. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that increasing the green ratio and decreasing the building density are important strategies to mitigate urban warming and to create a comfortable thermal environment.     

Fixing marine governance in Fiji? The new scalar narrative of ecosystem-based management

Although there is widespread concern over degrading marine environments, there is debate within the global marine conservation agenda about the nature of the problem and appropriate solutions. At the center of this debate lie questions about the appropriate scale at which to plan and implement marine resource management. In the late 1990s, Fiji became recognized as one of the most successful examples of community-based marine resource management in the world. Recently, there has been a move to manage human–environment interactions at larger “natural” scales. We draw from the political ecology and “politics of scale” literatures, and a critical realist understanding of nature and politics, to explain the emergence of large-scale management and conservation in Fiji. We contribute to a “political ecology of scale” by developing the concept of a scalar narrative to show how social and ecological scales are reworked in the development of an ecosystem-based approach to marine management in Fiji. In doing so, we consider implications of the struggle to define the appropriate scale of marine management, which is closely bound to debates about the role of science and local participation. Our findings suggest that the struggle to define the scale at which marine management should be planned and implemented is inseparable from the struggle over who should define, inform, and conduct the governance process. We aim to clarify marine policy debates as policy actors worldwide move forward to implement ecosystem-based management, increase marine protected area coverage, and pursue sustainable development.     

Potential impact of climate change on ecosystems of the Barents Sea Region

The EU project BALANCE (Global Change Vulnerabilities in the Barents region: Linking Arctic Natural Resources, Climate Change and Economies) aims to assess vulnerability to climate change in the Barents Sea Region. As a prerequisite the potential impact of climate change on selected ecosystems of the study area has to be quantified, which is the subject of the present paper. A set of ecosystem models was run to generate baseline and future scenarios for 1990, 2020, 2050 and 2080. The models are based on data from the Regional Climate Model (REMO), driven by a GCM which in turn is forced by the IPCC-B2 scenario. The climate change is documented by means of the Köppen climate classification. Since the multitude of models requires the effect of climate change on individual terrestrial and marine systems to be integrated, the paper concentrates on a standardised visualisation of potential impacts by use of a Geographical Information System for the timeslices 2050 and 2080. The resulting maps show that both terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Barents region will undergo significant changes until both 2050 and 2080.     

焦作气候生态环境对四大怀药生长的影响

在对自然地理和生态环境进行考察的基础上,利用生产山药、地黄、牛膝、菊花等药材的不同地域气象台站1971-2000年气候整编资料,对怀药种植区光、热、水等农业气候资源进行了分析评价,并与周边地市及周边省份生产药材的代表气象台站的气候统计资料、自然生态环境条件进行对比分析。结果表明,焦作得天独厚的自然生态环境和气候条件,为“四大怀药”名贵药材独特品质的形成提供了绝佳的生长环境,造就了“四大怀药”独特的药效和滋补作用。最后对怀药生产可持续发展提出应对措施。     

我国近海和邻近海的海洋环境对最近全球气候变化的响应

鉴于全球气候变暖对海洋环境和海洋生态及对经济和社会可持续发展影响的严重性,作者首先利用ERA-40再分析的风场资料以及HadISST 和SODA等海洋高分辨率再分析资料,分析了近50年来全球气候变化对中国近海(包括渤海、黄海、东海和南海)和邻近海(主要是热带和副热带西太平洋)海面附近的风力、海表纬向和经向风应力和海表温度的影响.分析结果表明: 由于受全球气候变暖的影响,1976年之后中国近海和邻近海上空的冬、夏季风变弱,从而引起中国近海冬、夏季海表风应力减弱(尤其是经向风应力),而海表水温明显上升; 并且,冬、夏季海表风应力的减弱和海水温度的上升在中国东海反映尤其明显,这些为中国近海赤潮的频繁发生提供了有利的海洋环境.此外,从中国近海上空环流散度分布的变化可见,中国近海上空从1976年之后大气环流辐散增强,这不利于中国近海上升流的形成,从而会对沿岸水域营养盐的输送产生影响.