Can existing institutions protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction? Experiences from two on-going processes

United Nations discussions on the governance of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction have questioned, but not yet reached a decision, on whether existing institutional agreements and structures are sufficient to meet global commitments to protect marine biodiversity, or if additional mechanisms may be required. This paper considers two very different efforts to protect marine biodiversity in these areas: (1) in the North-East Atlantic through the efforts of OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic; and (2) in the central Atlantic, through the efforts of the Sargasso Sea Alliance led by the Bermuda government. In each case, action has been strongly supported by non-governmental organisations and subsequent progress has hinged upon on-going dedicated efforts of “champion” governments to bring other States on board. This paper outlines the difficulties that they have faced, and consequently why they have been time-consuming, and are not yet completed. The paper then considers 10 common recommendations that can be drawn from the experiences of these two distinct initiatives, and their relevance to on-going UN deliberations.     

基于多源数据的山东省围填海造地特点及发展趋势研究

文章基于文献资料分析、官方数据汇总、国产高分辨率资源卫星遥感影像信息提取以及发展趋势研判等方法,对改革开放以来山东省全海域范围内围填海造地的历史发展、现状特征、发展趋势及其对生态环境的影响进行了分析和总结,并提出相关的政策建议。研究表明:改革开放以来,山东省围填海造地累计已超过4.58万hm~2。21世纪以来围填海造地进入快速增长时期,尤其是2010年以来,全省围填海造地又掀起了一次新的热潮,其面积和速度都远远超过了历史水平。鉴于围填海造地对环境和生态的巨大影响,文章提出了加强管理、严格环境影响评价、引入生态环境补偿机制以及建立分级填海评估制度和年度监测机制等建议。     

Climate driven changes in subtidal kelp forest communities in NW Spain

Reconstructions suggest a massive decline of nearly 1400 ha of kelp forest in North Western Spain in 2007. In line with global rising temperatures, we hypothesized that Sea Surface Temperature (SST) surpassed a lethal threshold for kelp. We examined whether changes in SST correlated to the proposed decline in kelp forest. All investigated SST characteristics suggested to affect kelp abundance increased significantly during the past thirty years, reaching extreme values during the last decade. In addition over the past two decades, the landscape formerly dominated by both cold and warm temperate canopy forming and understory species changed to one dominated by warm temperate understory species, resulting in a loss of vertical community structure. Fisheries landing data of kelp associated species was used to support the suggested change in kelp abundance. Subsequent recovery of the kelp appears to be occurring in deeper waters.     

A mass mortality of subtropical intertidal populations of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus: analysis of potential links with environmental conditions

An outbreak of bald sea urchin disease was detected affecting intertidal populations of the edible temperate species Paracentrotus lividus at its southernmost geographical limit. The mortality event was detected in three sites (Güímar, Palmar and Alcalá) off Tenerife, Canary Islands (Northeastern Atlantic), in October 2003, coinciding with the highest sea surface temperatures (SST) and the lowest wave heights of the year. The prevalence of infection reached 100% but did not affect equally all studied sites or the different size classes. The disease was more prevalent in large sea urchins (>40 mm). The prevalence appeared to be positively correlated with the environmental variable SST and negatively correlated with wave height. In October 2004, only two infected urchins were found (prevalence 1%) at one of the studied sites. However, during 2004 no such extreme values of temperature and wave height were observed. We conclude that high SSTs and low wave heights such as those observed during 2003 are conditions that may trigger outbreaks of urchin disease.     

围隔实验中水柱颗粒物色素的动态研究

用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)研究了围隔实验过程中水柱颗粒物主要色素的组成及动态变化,并就滤食性鱼类鲢对水体主要色素代谢的影响进行了讨论。结果表明:水柱中的主要色素有叶绿素a、异黄素、岩藻黄素、黄体素、玉米黄素和蓝藻叶黄素等,未放鱼的围隔中实验后期各种色素含量均降低到最低水平,有鱼的围隔中鱼类密度越高则色素含量降低越多。未放鱼的围隔中叶绿素a代谢产物———脱植基叶绿素a、脱镁叶绿素a、脱镁叶绿酸a与叶绿素a的比值均大于其它围隔,有鱼的围隔中鱼类密度大的这几个比值也比较大。     

Larval life span of the echinoid evechinus chloroticus (val.)

Newly metamorphosed Evechinus chloroticus (Val.) were observed in three larval cultures 36, 30, and 28 days after fertilisation, indicating that the free swimming larval life may last about 1 month.     

Role of mean circulation,tides, and waves in the transport of bottom sediment on the New Zealand continental shelf

Evaluation of velocity data on water movements over the New Zealand continental shelf has revealed that the mean circulation by itself is too slow to induce transport of bottom sediments. Tides generally have higher velocities, but are still not the main transporting agent except in the tide‐dominated Cook and Foveaux. Straits. Waves have the potential to stir sediments on the inner and middle shelf (less than about 70 m deep) during annual storms, and probably down to 130 m depth during the maximum 25‐y storm.

For sediment transport to take place, energies of at least two of the major water movements would have to complement one another. Optimum conditions for transport probably occur during storm periods when wave‐suspended sediment is readily moved by tides and the mean circulation.

The direction of transport is mainly along the continental shelf and is largely in response to prevailing weather patterns coincident with the direction of the mean circulation and strongly reinforced by the appropriate phase of the tide.     

Reproductive cues in Panulirus ornatus

Two experiments were performed to assess the effect of photoperiod and temperature on spawning of Panulirus ornatus. In experiment 1, sexually mature lobsters taken from the wild during summer were held at one of two photoperiods, winter (13 Light: 11 Dark) and summer (14.5 Light:9.5 Dark). Additionally, lobsters were also exposed to either summer (29°C) or winter (24°C) average water temperatures. Spawning was significantly greater when animals were exposed to summer photoperiod than to winter photoperiod, irrespective of temperature. Although a higher percentage of lobsters spawned when placed under a higher temperature, this trend was not statistically significant. In experiment 2, sexually mature lobsters were taken from the wild during winter and exposed to the same two photoperiods as in experiment 1, at a summer equivalent temperature of 29°C. Breeding started earlier and was more successful at the summer photoperiod. Time to first breeding was 17 weeks after exposure to summer photoperiod, compared with less than 1 week in experiment 1, and did not occur until individuals had moulted. Moulting occurred in 81% of lobsters, primarily after an increase in temperature to 29°C. The time between moulting and mating was varied and there was no significant difference in moult frequency between the two experimental photoperiods. After the lobsters had moulted, breeding success was reached earlier if photoperiod was lengthened. Results suggest photoperiod is the primary cue for the onset of gonad maturity and mating activity, with temperature playing a less important role. Physiological rest and possibly a moult may be required between breeding seasons before spawning can occur. Furthermore, temperature may be an important cue for pre‐reproduction moulting.     

日本周边海域温跃层特性研究及温度剖面模型构建

使用"中国ARGO实时资料中心"提供的2005—2009年连续5 a日本南部海域的ARGO浮标资料,通过建立标准层,统计并提取各标准层的剖面温度,采用AKIMA插值方法计算各层的温度梯度。较详细分析了该海域温度垂直剖面特征及温跃层的分布规律。在此基础上,使用分段三次多项式拟合方法建立了适用于该海区的温度垂直剖面模型,并利用2010年ARGO数据对模型进行了验证,研究表明,经过模型模拟的剖面温度与实测温度之间的相关系数可达到0.99以上。