Managing tourist harbors: Are managers aware of the real environmental risks?

The management of tourist harbors has traditionally been analyzed with little attention to managers’ awareness of the effects of their decisions on the environment. The aims of this paper were to assess managers’ perceptions of the main environmental risks in their regions and to identify common behaviors among the managers involved in eight tourist harbors in southern Italy, where the same tourist harbor is often managed by different managers. A questionnaire was administered and statistical analyses were performed to test differences between managers of big and small harbors. Managers showed a low perception of environmental risks and, surprisingly, in certain harbors, some meaningful cases were highlighted: the most homogeneous case, where all managers showed a reasonable level of environmental awareness, and cases with strong mismatches among managers. In this paper, we propose that an assessment of managers’ perceptions of risk be included as a new form of analysis when environmental risk assessments are carried out.     

Distribution and seasonal fluctuations in the aquatic biodiversity of the southern Altiplano

We compared the distribution and seasonal fluctuations in the aquatic biota in relation to chemical and physical water variables in the Altiplano watersheds of the Ascotán, Carcote and Huasco salars; Chungará and Cotacotani lakes; Isluga and Lauca Rivers and the Parinacota wetland. We sampled during the austral autumn–winter of 2006 and in the spring–summer of 2006–2007, using three sampling stations for each system. We used canonical correspondence analysis to establish relations between frequency of taxa and environmental variables.We demonstrate that the structure and composition of the aquatic biota in humid areas of the Altiplano is determined by physical and chemical variables of the water. The most relevant one is total nitrogen, which is also the limiting nutrient for phytoplankton production in tropical systems.Benthos and zooplankton showed significant associations with the set of environmental variables (Monte Carlo test, p<0.05); however, the association was not significant for phytoplankton. Lake Chungará showed the greatest variation in composition and abundance of zooplankton between autumn-winter and spring-summer, while in the Huasco salar the physical and chemical characteristics were related to the composition and abundance of the benthonic fauna. Thus, changes in the water volume of these systems would have repercussions in chemical and physical variables, altering the species assemblage and possibly the efficiency and stability of ecosystem functions.     

粤东柘林湾中肋骨条藻与环境因子的灰关联分析及其计算机实现

在数据库技术的支持下,应用灰关联分析方法对2001年10月至2002年7月粤东柘林湾海域9个调查站点海水样品的理化、生物实测数据进行数据分析,从磷酸盐(PO4-P)和硅酸盐(SiO3-Si)等12项理化、生物因子中找出影响中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum）细胞密度的关键因子。结果表明,浮游动物的个体数、铁(Fe)、水温和浊度是影响柘林湾中肋骨条藻细胞密度的关键因子。     

孜孜不倦为地理学发展而思考的人——祝黄秉维先生八十寿辰

本文从50年代自然区划、黄秉维先生提出自然地理学研究三个新方向、中国自然地理的编写及对北京大学地理教育的关心等几个方面回顾了黄先生为地理学发展而孜孜不倦的思考。     

Use of multimetric indices to classify estuaries with different hydromorphological characteristics and different levels of human pressure

The assessment of estuaries based on benthic communities is widely used to determine impacts caused by human pressure and is one of the required tools for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Our study compared multimetric approaches (B-IBI and TICOR) to assess the benthic condition of three Portuguese estuaries (Mondego, Tejo, and Mira rivers) with different levels of natural and human induced stress. Benthic community condition was classified into quality status categories of the WFD and compared for consistency with a priori status categories based upon physical-chemical criteria. Both multimetric indices discriminated equally well between locations classified above or below the good status category but were unable to provide good separation between other quality classes (high/good, moderate, poor/bad). Metrics included in these indices are greatly affected by natural stress and we recommend the development of habitat-specific thresholds to increase the discriminatory ability of any benthic condition index.     

The toxic benthic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis ovata: quantification of proliferation along the coastline of Genoa, Italy

Toxic harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurrence is becoming more frequent and problematic in highly urbanized coastal zones. In summer 2005 along the urbanized Genoa coastline (Ligurian Sea, North western Mediterranean Sea), local first aid stations treated about 200 people, who all showed similar symptoms following exposure to marine aerosols. The link with proliferation of Ostreopsis ovata was made, and it highlighted for the first time, the risks that benthic HABs may represent in highly urbanised temperate areas. Subsequently, a specific monitoring plan was designed and implemented in the same area in July 2006, before the first signs of Ostreopsis proliferation were detected. Here we report on this quantification of an Ostreopsis ovata bloom in the Ligurian Sea. Cells were quantified both in the water column and in the epiphytic community on macrophytes. Our results suggest a role of sea water temperature and weather conditions in favouring bloom development.     

Economic valuation for the conservation of marine biodiversity

Policy makers are increasingly recognising the role of environmental valuation to guide and support the management and conservation of biodiversity. This paper presents a goods and services approach to determine the economic value of marine biodiversity in the UK, with the aim of clarifying the role of valuation in the management of marine biodiversity. The goods and services resulting from UK marine biodiversity are detailed, and 8 of the 13 services are valued in monetary terms. It is found that a decline in UK marine biodiversity could result in a varying, and at present unpredictable, change in the provision of goods and services, including reduced resilience and resistance to change, declining marine environmental health, reduced fisheries potential, and loss of recreational opportunities. The results suggest that this approach can facilitate biodiversity management by enabling the optimal allocation of limited management resources and through raising awareness of the importance of marine biodiversity.     

Effects of fish farm waste on Posidonia oceanica meadows: synthesis and provision of monitoring and management tools

This paper provides a synthesis of the EU project MedVeg addressing the fate of nutrients released from fish farming in the Mediterranean with particular focus on the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica habitat. The objectives were to identify the main drivers of seagrass decline linked to fish farming and to provide sensitive indicators of environmental change, which can be used for monitoring purposes. The sedimentation of waste particles in the farm vicinities emerges as the main driver of benthic deterioration, such as accumulation of organic matter, sediment anoxia as well as seagrass decline. The effects of fish farming on P. oceanica meadows are diverse and complex and detected through various metrics and indicators. A safety distance of 400 m is suggested for management of P. oceanica near fish farms followed by establishment of permanent seagrass plots revisited annually for monitoring the health of the meadows.     

Wave Energy from the North Sea: Experiences from the Lysekil Research Site

This paper provides a status update on the development of the Swedish wave energy research area located close to Lysekil on the Swedish West coast. The Lysekil project is run by the Centre for Renewable Electric Energy Conversion at Uppsala University. The project was started in 2004 and currently has permission to run until the end of 2013. During this time period 10 grid-connected wave energy converters, 30 buoys for studies on environmental impact, and a surveillance tower for monitoring the interaction between waves and converters will be installed and studied. To date the research area holds one complete wave energy converter connected to a measuring station on shore via a sea cable, a Wave Rider? buoy for wave measurements, 25 buoys for studies on environmental impact, and a surveillance tower. The wave energy converter is based on a linear synchronous generator which is placed on the sea bed and driven by a heaving point absorber at the ocean surface. The converter is directly driven, i.e. it has no gearbox or other mechanical or hydraulic conversion system. This results in a simple and robust mechanical system, but also in a somewhat more complicated electrical system.     

大鹏湾赤潮多发区的叶绿素a分布与环境关系初探

根据１９９０－１９９１年大鹏湾盐海田域４个测站的观测资料分析结果表明，大鹏湾赤潮我发区海水中叶绿素α含量的测值范围为０．０６－８．２８ｍｇ／ｍ＾３，平均为１．３３ｍｇ／ｍ＾３。季切平均值以春，秋季较高，夏，冬季较低；表层的叶绿素α含量稍高于底层。采用多元逐步回归分析得知，影响叶绿素α含量变化的主要因子是Ｆｅ，ＣＯＤ，ｓ，其次是ＤＯ，ｔ，Ｔｂ；此，Ｍｎ，Ｓｉ（ＯＨ）４，ＰＯ４，ＮＯ２与叶绿素α的分布