First international payment for marine ecosystem services: The case of the Banc d’Arguin National Park,Mauritania

This article investigates whether the European Union-Mauritania fisheries agreement, which allocates part of the Europe's financial contribution to the conservation of marine ecosystems located within the Banc d’Arguin National Park, can be regarded as a payment for ecosystem service. A framework for qualification as such payment scheme was established based on an extensive literature review. The criteria identified for the qualification as a payment to ecosystem service pertain to: (1) the definition of the ecosystem service(s) involved; (2) the mechanism involved by the payment; and (3) the nature of the transaction. Interviews with local beneficiaries and subsequent data analysis led to the conclusion that this mechanism could be regarded as a payment to ecosystem service and so, through the European Union-Mauritania Fisheries agreement, the European Union were investing to protect local fish resources that could be exploited by its fishing fleet. This agreement, involving the first International Payment to Ecosystem Service of this kind, marks an important step towards better consideration of marine conservation in international public policy and foreign fishing policy in particular. However, this payment is small when compared to revenues generated through the exploitation of developing countries’ fishing grounds by fishing countries. Nevertheless it opens the door for more detailed applications of payment to ecosystem service schemes to other ecosystems contexts, and can provide a useful alternative source of financing of marine biodiversity conservation.     

A Linked Physical and Biological Framework to Assess Biogeochemical Dynamics in a Shallow Estuarine Ecosystem

The littoral zone of Chesapeake Bay contains a mosaic of shallow vegetated and nonvegetated habitats with biotic components that are sensitive to changes in biological and physical driving factors. Static and dynamic modelling frameworks provide an integrative way to study complex hydrodynamic and biogeochemical processes in linked estuarine habitats. In this study we describe a spatial simulation model developed and calibrated relative to a specific littoral zone, estuarine ecosystem. The model consisted of four distinct habitats that contained phytoplankton, sediment microalgae, Zostera marina (eelgrass), and Spartina alterniflora. There was tidal exchange of phytoplankton, particulate and dissolved organic carbon and dissolved inorganic nitrogen between the littoral zone ecosystem and the offshore channel. Physical exchange and biogeochemical transformations within the habitats determined water column concentrations in each habitat. Predicted subtidal water column concentrations and Z. marina and S. alterniflora biomass were within the variability of validation data and the predicted annual rates of net primary production were similar to measured rates. Phytoplankton accounted for 17%, sediment microalgae 46%, the Z. marina community 24% and S. alterniflora 13% of the annual littoral zone primary production. The linked habitat model provided insights into producer, habitat and ecosystem carbon and nitrogen properties that might not have been evident with stand-alone models. Although it was an intra-ecosystem sink for particulate carbon, the seagrass habitat was a DOC source and responsible for over 30% of the littoral zone carbon and nitrogen primary production. The model predicted that the Goodwin Islands littoral zone was a sink of channel derived POC, but a source of DOC to the surrounding estuary. The framework created in this study of estuarine ecosystem dynamics is applicable to many different aquatic systems over a range of spatial and temporal scales.     

Regional oceans governance mechanisms: A review

The development of regional governance for the protection of the environment, sustainable use of natural resources and conservation of its biodiversity is unquestionably a cornerstone of international environmental law and policy. With regard to marine and coastal issues, it has mainly been taking place through Regional Seas programmes, Regional Fishery Bodies and Large Marine Ecosystems mechanisms. Based on a similar geographical approach, however, these regional mechanisms raise concerns relating to their coordination and efficiency, and possibly overlap in what they aim to achieve. This paper provides a review of existing regional oceans governance mechanisms, assessing their individual and collective capacities to move towards ecosystem-based management, and highlighting options to make the regional landscape more coherent and effective.     

Ballast water management in Canada: A historical perspective and implications for the future

Non-indigenous species (NIS) can create significant risks when introduced to foreign ecosystems. One of the many vectors facilitating the global transport of NIS is ballast water, and as commercial shipping increases so does the threat of ballast water-mediated introductions. Despite Canadian regulations, consistent with international guidelines put forth by the International Maritime Organization in the early 1990s, ballast water remains a potential vector for the introduction of many NIS to Canadian marine ecosystems: there have been no new introductions in the Laurentian Great Lakes Region since 2006, yet marine ecosystems continue to see the introduction and establishment of NIS. This paper details and analyzes the development of Canadian ballast water management (BWM), in the context of marine ecosystems, and identifies issues therein. BWM in Canada has a number of management gaps that have persisted since large-scale BWM began in the late 1980s. These include BWM exemptions for vessels not exiting the North American continental shelf, and limitations of effectiveness of mid-ocean exchange as the predominant management method in marine ecosystems. In addition, ballast water regulations for the Canadian Arctic may require additional consideration as the Arctic will likely continue to see an increase in both warming and commercial shipping in the future, thereby increasing the potential risk of NIS. In order to adequately protect all Canadian marine ecosystems, it is recommended that the current BWM regime: fill gaps in management to help prevent further introduction and spread of NIS; focus equally on both marine and freshwater regions, and; look to other aggressive BWM strategies such as those being developed by the state of California.     

河流生态系统结构功能整体性概念模型

在完善与整合现有河流生态系统结构功能概念及模型的基础上,提出河流生态系统结构功能整体性概念模型。水文情势、水力条件和地貌景观格局是对河流生态系统结构与功能具有关键影响的3大生境要素,结构功能模型的核心是建立以3大生境要素为构架的生命支持系统与河流生命系统之间的相互作用和相互制约关系,同时考虑由于人类活动引起生境要素变化对于河流生态系统的影响。河流生态系统结构功能整体性概念模型由以下4种模型组成:河流四维连续体模型、水文情势-河流生态过程耦合模型、水力条件-生物生活史特征适宜模型以及地貌景观空间异质性-生物群落多样性关联模型,这4种模型的一体化整合,基本概括了河流生态系统结构功能的整体特征。     

地下水-陆生植被系统研究评述

依赖于地下水的生态系统广泛分布,潜水含水层本身是个生态系统,地下水不仅维持许多水生生态系统,而且是干旱-半干旱地区陆生植被生存的重要水源。研究地下水与植被的相互联系是生态水文地质学的主要组成部分,重点介绍地下水-植被系统的研究方法。植被吸收的地下水量占总蒸腾量的比例是评价植被依赖地下水程度的一个定量指标,蒸腾量比例呈季节性与区域性变化,取决于植被类型、地下水位埋深与动态变化、土壤岩性与气候条件。植被总蒸腾量可以用涡流相关系统测量。地下水的蒸腾量可以用植物茎流计测量,或者用地下水位昼夜变化估算。用同位素混合模型也能估算地下水占总蒸腾量的比例。植被对地下水位下降的响应可能有两种形式,一种是线性比例响应,另一种是临界突变响应,只有通过长期系统观测植被长势与地下水位的变化才能利用统计分析建立两者响应关系。目前,植被-水文模型只能模拟植被冠层截流与蒸腾对土壤水与地下水的影响,或者模拟土壤水-地下水对植被生长的影响,地下水与植被相互作用与反馈的耦合模型还是个空白。     

Fighting Fire with Fire: Does a Policy of Broad-Scale Prescribed Burning Improve Community Safety?

Wildfires cause enormous damage worldwide, particularly in Victoria, Australia, with growing populations in fire-prone ecosystems. Broad-scale prescribed burning is an established, yet controversial, wildfire management policy in Victoria and Australia. But does broad-scale prescribed burning reduce fire damage? The answer depends on how damage is measured. We propose that different perceptions about the efficacy of broad-scale prescribed burning derive from different disciplinary measures of damage (e.g., biodiversity, area burned, or fatalities). Although broad-scale prescribed burning reduces subsequent wildfire size, there is little evidence that it saves human lives and homes. Evidence suggests that small-scale fuel reduction may be more effective at saving lives. The prescribed burning debate might be better focused on what damage we wish to limit, and which measures are most effective at limiting this damage. In this context, the current policy focus on broad-scale prescribed burning targets may distract efforts from more effective lifesaving strategies.     

自然恢复和人工促进恢复对侵蚀退化生态系统碳贮量的影响比较

本研究以严重侵蚀退化马尾松林为研究对象,采取自然恢复和人工促进恢复2种措施对退化地进行修复,监测恢复前后生态系统碳贮量变化。结果表明:自然恢复和人工促进恢复后生态系统总碳贮量分别是恢复前的2.78和4.87倍,其中,植被层碳贮量分别是恢复前的14.30和30.87倍,土壤层碳贮量分别是恢复前的1.85和2.78倍。生态系统内土壤碳的恢复速率落后于植被。2种不同恢复措施相比,人工促进恢复的生态系统碳吸存速率显著快于自然恢复(P0.01),人工促进恢复后生态系统碳吸存速率是自然恢复的2.17倍,其中植被和土壤的吸存速率也分别是自然恢复的2.26倍和2.09倍。而且人工促进恢复后的退化系统,碳库在乔木层各器官的分配方式更符合健康生态系统的分配方式,系统功能和结构更加稳定,有利于系统后期恢复。因此,从退化生态系统恢复的紧迫性和长期性考虑,采取积极的人工促进恢复措施能维持退化系统快速、持续恢复。     

The maintenance costs of marine natural capital: A case study from the initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in France

There are two ways of assessing the costs of environmental degradation: as the costs associated with the loss of benefits resulting from the degradation of natural capital, and as the maintenance costs required to compensate for the actual or potential degradation of natural capital. The first of these methods is based on the Total Economic Value (TEV) of benefits forgone because of the depletion of ecosystem services delivered by marine biodiversity. The second method is based on the costs required to maintain a good state of marine biodiversity, one which makes it possible to deliver ecosystem services.This paper gives an illustration of this second approach. It details how these maintenance costs have been calculated in the initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in France. It addresses nine problem areas – corresponding to nine sources of environmental degradation – from non-native invasive species to oil spills. It gives a total figure for these degradation costs (around 2 billion Euros). The results are compared with those of other Member States who have taken similar approaches in the context of the MSFD. One key conclusion is that it is not really possible to make meaningful comparisons at this stage, since the methods of data collection and the nature of the costs are very different. The need to develop such assessments in a standardised way is noted.     

荒漠生态系统C、N、P生态化学计量研究进展

生态化学计量学是通过研究生物有机体主要元素含量及其比值的变化关系,揭示生态系统各组分间元素循环规律的一门学科,生态化学计量也是荒漠生态系统研究的重要内容。因此,综合掌握水分和养分限制环境下C、N、P生态化学计量的关系对揭示荒漠生态系统植物的限制性元素、土壤营养的供给能力、养分的有效性等都具有重要的意义。基于此,回顾和分析了国内外荒漠生态系统C、N、P生态化学计量最新研究和动态,分别从植物、凋落物、土壤、土壤微生物、土壤酶进行较为系统的评述,讨论了植物-土壤-微生物-酶四者的关系,提出了荒漠生态系统C、N、P生态化学计量的未来研究方向,期望为全面理解固沙植被的演变过程、稳定性维持机制及其科学管理提供理论指导。