Vertical zonation and aggregated distribution of the Manila clam on subtidal sand flats in a coastal brackish lagoon along the Sea of Japan

The Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, has maintained small‐sized populations in a semi‐enclosed brackish lake along the Sea of Japan, the Honjo area of Lake Nakaumi, although the environment and biota of this area have changed dramatically due to a large‐scale reclamation project. There should be underlying processes that enable the restoration of this species from small‐sized populations, such as the existence of source (i.e. reproductive) populations in other areas and depth zones of the lake. However, there has been no robust, properly designed evaluation of the distribution of the Manila clam in the subtidal sand flats. In order to elucidate the possible mechanisms that allow for the persistence of populations of the Manila clam, we examined the spatiotemporal and vertical variation in distributions of 0‐age clams in the subtidal zone of sand flats. Seasonal effects on population variations showed erratic changes among depth zones without a decreasing trend along the depth gradient. Further, many local populations became extinct even in the shallower zones due to seasonal (summer) hypoxia at deeper zones and hypoxia by the accumulation of key benthic species (Asian mussel and decaying macroalgae) in mats at shallower zones. A few surviving local populations were stable with a spatial‐fragmental (patchy) distribution, associated with fragmented accumulations of Asian mussels and macroalgae. Efforts to maintain stable populations and to restore this species in the subtidal area may depend on these small, restricted, patchy local populations. These findings suggest that high fertility and productivity of the Manila clam as well as patchy distribution of small populations may contribute to the maintenance of the population and the avoidance of extinction (by spatially diffusing the risk of extinction) in harsh environments resulting from the reclamation project.     

中国北部黄海近岸水体周丛硅藻的群落群集动态特征的研究

The colonization features of periphytic diatoms were studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from May to June 2010, using glass slides as an artificial substratum. Samples were collected at a time interval of 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 d from two depths of 1 and 3 m. The dynamics of diatom colonization process had a similar pattern in community structure and fitted the logistic model in growth curve at both depths. The maximum abundance and the time for reaching 50% maximum abundance （10 d） showed no significant differences （P〉0.05） between two depths 1 and 3 m. Although the diatom communities repre- sented similar taxonomic composition, they differed in the temporal pattern of structural parameters and in succession dynamics of dominant species between the two layers. The species richness showed significantly higher values during the colonization period more than 14 d, while the species diversity and evenness rep- resented a higher variability with significantly different values （P〈0.05） at a depth of 1 m than at a deeper layer. The results suggest that the diatom colonization follows the logistic model growth curve and differs in colonization features between different depths in the coastal waters, and that the sampling strategy at i m is more effective to detect the ecological features for bioassessment in marine ecosystems.     

Performance of a northwestern Mediterranean bottom trawl fleet: How the integration of landings and VMS data can contribute to the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management

The European Union has established a framework to achieve or maintain good environmental status in the marine environment by 2020. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires the application of the ecosystem approach to the management of human activities, covering all sectors having an impact on the marine environment. However, fisheries in the Mediterranean are far from a systematic implementation of an ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). Aiming to address this issue, this study explores the potential of the relationship between daily yield by vessel (landings and income by species) and vessel position (known via vessel monitoring system) as a tool for fleet management. This approach is possible due to the current dynamics of Mediterranean fleets, with vessels returning daily to the harbour where landings are registered as weight and income by vessel. Moreover, vessels of >15 m total length have been compulsory monitored by VMS since 2005. A bottom trawl fleet that operates in the northwestern Mediterranean was chosen to develop this approach. Different groups of trawlers were identified, which could be linked to the strategies displayed by the fishermen that were mainly driven by the target species dynamics. Accurate knowledge of the fishing targets driving the fleet dynamics and of the fishing strategies at the vessel level (i.e. fishing ground habitat where the fishing pressure is exerted and corresponding landings) are shown to be a feasible tool for fleet management.     

Outstanding challenges for urban conservation research and action

Researchers, advocates and policymakers have proposed urban conservation as an emerging, integrative discipline that can contribute to sustainable cities by delivering co-benefits to human and non-human components of biodiversity. Given the recent growth in biodiversity-friendly designs and management schemes, there is an urgent need for a synthesis of this fragmented research base to inform planners and decision-makers. We conducted a systematic multidisciplinary literature review (787 papers) and found that the importance of urban areas for general conservation is not convincingly supported by empirical research. Only few studies demonstrated that cities can directly contribute to conservation efforts, by hosting viable populations of rare or endangered species, or by providing green corridors for the passage of natural populations. From a social perspective, while several studies demonstrated that green infrastructure could provide services for people (notably cultural services), only few studies explored the role of species diversity per se. Our review also shows strong geographical, location and taxonomic biases in urban biodiversity conservation research that make generalisations difficult. It is a disturbing paradox that while research in urban biodiversity conservation is rising exponentially, the main motivations for conserving urban biodiversity remain largely untested and unproven. We thus propose a framework for promoting integrative urban conservation research to bridge those gaps. Together, these findings warn against expanding cities under green planning and call for enhancing biodiversity experience by improving the quality of existing green spaces throughout the entire urban matrix. We provide a set of recommendations for practitioners and decision-makers to continue action.     

Mapping and modelling trade-offs and synergies between grazing intensity and ecosystem services in rangelands using global-scale datasets and models

Vast areas of rangelands across the world are grazed with increasing intensity, but interactions between livestock production, biodiversity and other ecosystem services are poorly studied. This study explicitly determines trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services and livestock grazing intensity on rangelands. Grazing intensity and its effects on forage utilization by livestock, carbon sequestration, erosion prevention and biodiversity are quantified and mapped, using global datasets and models. Results show that on average 4% of the biomass produced annually is consumed by livestock. On average, erosion prevention is 10% lower in areas with a high grazing intensity compared to areas with a low grazing intensity, whereas carbon emissions are more than four times higher under high grazing intensity compared to low grazing intensity. Rangelands with the highest grazing intensity are located in the Sahel, Pakistan, West India, Middle East, North Africa and parts of Brazil. These high grazing intensities result in carbon emissions, low biodiversity values, low capacity for erosion prevention and unsustainable forage utilization. Although the applied models simplify the processes of ecosystem service supply, our study provides a global overview of the consequences of grazing for biodiversity and ecosystem services. The expected increasing future demand for livestock products likely increase pressures on rangelands. Global-scale models can help to identify targets and target areas for international policies aiming at sustainable future use of these rangelands.     

南海北部神狐区域 SH2 站位甲烷水合物成藏动力学模拟研究

南海北部神狐区域海底的高丰度水合物储层与生物成因为主的甲烷气源表明该区域很可能是一种特殊的复合型海洋水合物系统,其成藏动力学机制有待进一步的研究和澄清。建立了一个耦合沉积层地质属性-流体流动过程-水合物反应动力学的传输-反应模型,区别了两种不同类型的水合物形成(分解)动力学过程:(1)在通常情况下溶解甲烷和游离气共同形成水合物,(2)特殊情况下游离气直接生成水合物,结果表明在神狐海域热力学环境下游离气形成水合物速度比溶解甲烷快约4倍,气体含量和动力学常数比值越大生成水合物越快,而对比水合物分布的模拟结果与实测数据表明该区域水合物储层聚集和产状很可能受到了其他地质活动的影响。     

Stratigraphy and facies development of the marine Late Devonian near the Boulongour Reservoir,northwest Xinjiang,China

Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous stratigraphic units within the ‘Zhulumute’ Formation, Hongguleleng Formation (stratotype), ‘Hebukehe’ Formation and the Heishantou Formation near the Boulongour Reservoir in northwestern Xinjiang are fossil-rich. The Hongguleleng and ‘Hebukehe’ formations are biostratigraphically well constrained by microfossils from the latest Frasnian linguiformis to mid-Famennian trachytera conodont biozones. The Hongguleleng Formation (96.8 m) is characterized by bioclastic argillaceous limestones and marls (the dominant facies) intercalated with green spiculitic calcareous shales. It yields abundant and highly diverse faunas of bryozoans, brachiopods and crinoids with subordinate solitary rugose corals, ostracods, trilobites, conodonts and other fish teeth. The succeeding ‘Hebukehe’ Formation (95.7 m) consists of siltstones, mudstones, arenites and intervals of bioclastic limestone (e.g. ‘Blastoid Hill’) and cherts with radiolarians. A diverse ichnofauna, phacopid trilobites, echinoderms (crinoids and blastoids) together with brachiopods, ostracods, bryozoans and rare cephalopods have been collected from this interval. Analysis of geochemical data, microfacies and especially the distribution of marine organisms, which are not described in detail here, but used for facies analysis, indicate a deepening of the depositional environment at the Boulongour Reservoir section. Results presented here concern mainly the sedimentological and stratigraphical context of the investigated section. Additionally, one Late Devonian palaeo-oceanic and biotic event, the Upper Kellwasser Event is recognized near the section base.     

Promoting geodiversity: learning lessons from biodiversity

Progress made in promoting geodiversity in recent times is reviewed, concluding that it is now an established component of the Earth Sciences. However, it still lacks the status and standing of biodiversity in governmental, political and public forums. The paper assesses what can be learnt from the experience of the development and promotion of biodiversity. Based on this experience, eight suggestions for increasing the understanding and ownership of geodiversity beyond the Earth science community are provided as a basis for discussion.     

青藏高原东北缘柳坪新生代苦橄玄武岩地球化学及其大陆动力学意义

柳坪苦橄玄武岩出露在青藏高原东北缘特殊的构造部位,位于青藏、华北和扬子三大构造域的交接转换区域。岩石形成年龄在23~7.1Ma之间,属于新近纪火山岩。岩石SiO2介于41.72%~42.82%之间,Na2OK2O,K2O/Na2O平均0.51,为一套典型的幔源钠质碱性玄武岩类。岩石微量及稀土元素具板内火山岩特征,Th、Rb等元素呈较明显的富集状态,而岩石显著的低K2O特征(0.48%~0.90%)明显不同于青藏高原北缘新生代钾质-超钾质火山岩系列。岩石87Sr/86Sr(0.704158~0.704668)、143Nd/144Nd(0.512831~0.513352)、206Pb/204Pb(18.729871~18.779184)、207Pb/204Pb(15.591395~15.602454)和208Pb/204Pb(39.097372~39.181458)等同位素变化特征具有显著的混源属性,投影点位于EMI、EMII、BSE及PREMA等典型地幔储库的过渡部位,并可能存在HIUM地幔源的部分参与,明显不同于单一地幔源局部熔融形成的玄武岩的同位素组成特征。表明新生代期间青藏东缘西秦岭-松潘地区受青藏、扬子及华北三大构造体系域的控制,西秦岭-松潘构造结处于从下部地幔到上部陆壳物质的总体汇聚拼贴阶段,地幔具有显著的混合特征。柳坪苦橄玄武岩正是在这种特定的构造背景下,由于新生代青藏高原软流圈地幔物质向东的流动,诱发西秦岭-松潘构造结多源混合的地幔橄榄岩局部熔融而形成。     

Mapping collective human activity in an urban environment based on mobile phone data

Identifying and characterizing variations of human activity – specifically changes in intensity and similarity – in urban environments provide insights into the social component of those eminently complex systems. Using large volumes of user-generated mobile phone data, we derive mobile communication profiles that we use as a proxy for the collective human activity. In this article, geocomputational methods and geovisual analytics such as self-organizing maps (SOM) are used to explore the variations of these profiles, and its implications for collective human activity. We evaluate the merits of SOM as a cross-dimensional clustering technique and derived temporal trajectories of variations within the mobile communication profiles. The trajectories’ characteristics such as length are discussed, suggesting spatial variations in intensity and similarity in collective human activity. Trajectories are linked back to the geographic space to map the spatial and temporal variation of trajectory characteristics. Different trajectory lengths suggest that mobile phone activity is correlated with the spatial configuration of the city, and so at different times of the day. Our approach contributes to the understanding of the space-time social dynamics within urban environments.