Spatial–temporal variability in water quality and macro-invertebrate assemblages in the Upper Mara River basin,Kenya

Tropical rivers display profound temporal and spatial heterogeneity in terms of environmental conditions. This aspect needs to be considered when designing a monitoring program for water quality in rivers. Therefore, the physico-chemical composition and the nutrient loading of the Upper Mara River and its two main tributaries, the Amala and Nyangores were monitored. Initial daily, and later a weekly monitoring schedule for 4 months spanning through the wet and dry seasons was adopted. Benthic macro-invertebrates were also collected during the initial sampling to be used as indicators of water quality. The aim of the current study was to investigate the physico-chemical status and biological integrity of the Upper Mara River basin. This was achieved by examining trends in nutrient concentrations and analyzing the structure, diversity and abundance of benthic macro-invertebrates in relation to varying land use patterns. Sampling sites were selected based on catchment land use and the level of human disturbance, and using historical records of previous water quality studies. River water pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity (EC), temperature, and turbidity were determined in situ. All investigated parameters except iron and manganese had concentration values within allowable limits according to Kenyan and international standards for drinking water. The Amala tributary is more mineralized and also shows higher levels of pH and EC than water from the Nyangores tributary. The latter, however, has a higher variability in both the total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations. The variability in TP and TN concentrations increases downstream for both tributaries and is more pronounced for TN than for TP. Macro-invertebrate assemblages responded to the changes in land use and water quality in terms of community composition and diversity. The study recommends detailed continuous monitoring of the water quality at shorter time intervals and to identify key macro-invertebrate taxa that can be used to monitor changes of the water quality in rivers of the Mara basin as a result of anthropogenic changes.     

Construction of ecological environment of oasis in Qingtongxia Irrigation District

Oasis is the core area of social and economic development in the arid western regions, and is also a territory with prominent ecological environmental problems. Because of the unreasonable development and utilization of soil and water resources, the ecological environment of oasis in Qingtongxia Irrigation District is threatened by soil salinization, shrinkage of lakes and wetlands, and deterioration of water environment. As for these environmental problems, the direct cause is the loss of regulation of groundwater depth or serious pollution of water caused by man-made irrational exploitation, and the root cause lies in shortage of water resources and unreasonable allocation of water resources. In this regard, it is believed that the primary task for the construction ecological environment of oasis in Qingtongxia Irrigation District is to adjust the allocation structure of water resources and to ease the contradiction between supply and demand of water resources, for which the direct means is to carry out dynamic control of water and salt based on the ecological landscape structure and land type in the Irrigation District in accordance with local conditions.     

近年来生态学研究热点透视——基于“中国生态大讲堂”100期主题演讲的总结

“中国生态大讲堂”(China Ecological Forum, CEF)是一个中国生态学领域的综合学术论坛;它以“传播新知识,交流新思想,展示新成果”为宗旨,举办系列学术讲座、春冬季专题研讨会、高级研讨班以及焦点论坛等学术交流活动。自2005年创办以来,“中国生态大讲堂”已经组织了100期主题演讲和12次大型学术研讨会、6次专题研讨会、2次高级研讨班,成为广大科研人员进行学术交流的重要平台。迄今,已有300人次的知名科学家、中青年学者在大讲堂作了学术讲演,其中150人次是来自国外研究机构的知名学者。从近年来演讲的主题来看,“气候变化与生态系统适应性”、“生态系统评估和管理”和“生态系统服务”等是生态学研究的热点问题。自2009年以来,根据“中国生态大讲堂”研讨会整理出版的《中国生态大讲堂系列丛书》已经出版了5本,涵盖了当前生态学研究的主要领域及其关键科学问题,反映了当代生态学研究的科学前沿。本文通过对“中国生态大讲堂”讲座和研讨会主题的梳理,探讨了近年来生态学研究前沿领域和热点问题,希望能为中国生态系统研究者提供参考。     

中国西北地区经济与生态环境协调发展现状研究

中国西北地区(陕、甘、宁、青、新),深居中国内陆,生态环境恶劣,经济发展落后,其町持续发展状况受人关注。而可持续发展状况主要是区域经济发展与生态环境的协调问题,在西北地区环境——经济复合系统指标体系构建的基础上,利用科学、客观的因子分析方法确定出指标体系中各项经济、环境指标因素的权重：然后,利用模糊隶属度函数对西北地区各经济、环境指标的原始数据进行无量纲量化处理,得到各评价指标的隶属度值;最后,引入经济、环境协调度和协调发展度模型,对西北五省区的经济发展与生态环境协调状况进行定量模拟．分析,得出：新疆维吾尔自治区与青海省均属于中级协调发展类环境滞后型区域,陕西省属于勉强协调发展类环境滞后型区域,甘肃省属于濒临失调衰退类环境损益型区域,宁夏回族自治区属于严重失调衰退类环境损益型区域。     

Comparing long term sediment records to current biological quality element data - Implications for bioassessment and management of a eutrophic lake

Defining reference conditions for lakes situated in areas of human settlement and agriculture is rarely straightforward, and is especially difficult within easily eroding and nutrient rich watersheds. We used diatoms, cyanobaterial akinetes, remains of green algae and chironomid head capsules from sediment samples of Lake Kirmanjärvi, Finland, to assess its deviation from the initial ecological status. These site-specific records of change were compared to current type-specific ecological status assessment. All paleolimnological data indicated deviation from natural conditions and mirrored the current, monitoring-based assessment of “moderate” ecological lake status. However, the sediment data showed that the lake should be re-typified as a naturally eutrophic lake. Sediment records as well as current monitoring data indicated temporary improvement in water quality in response to extensive fish manipulation. Our results suggest that paleolimnological records can be used to derive site-specific reference conditions and that extensive restoration efforts can result in gradual, observable improvements of water quality and ecological status.     

Compensatory mitigation in marine ecosystems: Which indicators for assessing the “no net loss” goal of ecosystem services and ecological functions?

Recent years have seen increasing interest in the concepts of compensation and ecosystem services. Regulation systems in the United States dealing with environmental protection (Superfund Act, Oil Pollution Act, National Environment Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, etc.) require those responsible for damage to ecosystem services to compensate for it “physically” and restore these services for the benefit of the entire population. This article, using simple indicators of compensation identified in the literature, attempts to analyze what types of ecological compensation are adopted, how performance is assessed, how standards on ecological equivalencies are adopted, and what are the costs of this compensation. To perform this analysis, compensatory measures carried out during the last ten years in the case of coastal and marine ecosystems in Florida have been addressed. The results show that: analysis criteria for the equivalencies between ecosystem services lost due to damage and ecosystem services gained due to compensatory measures are questionable; most compensation monitoring is for a relatively brief period of time and the data obtained during this period may be insufficient for assessing the net effect of the compensatory measure; the weaknesses regarding criteria for the equivalencies and the uncertainty about the relevant time-scale can be counter-balanced by increasing the area of compensation, a problematic solution at best.     

基于资源等价分析法的海洋溢油生态损害评估模型及应用

采用资源等价分析法构建溢油海洋生态损害评估的模型,重新对2002年渤海塔斯曼溢油事件的潮间带生物损害进行定量评估,得出补偿修复工程的规模从而估算出针对潮间带受损资源的赔偿额度。资源等价分析法的研究与应用填补了国内在该类方法研究领域的空白,进一步完善了中国溢油生态损害评估方面的研究,为各类溢油损害计算提供参考和补偿依据。     

祁连山东段山地景观格局变化及其生态脆弱性分析

以RS和GIS技术为主要手段,分析了祁连山东段地区1994-2008年的景观格局变化及其生态脆弱性。结果表明：（1）与1994年相比,森林、草地、冰雪带、水域4种景观要素的面积分别减少了5.0%、2.0%、2.2%、2.0%,而灌木和裸地的面积则分别增加了6.8%、5.0%;灌木、草地、冰雪带和裸地景观要素的平均斑块面积分别增加了49.0%、19.0%、1.1%、436.6%,森林和水域平均斑块面积分别减小了9.6%和4.1%。（2）森林、草地、冰雪带、水域4种景观要素的平均最邻近距离增加,聚集度降低,各景观要素内部斑块之间聚集度减小。灌木与森林景观要素之间的空间邻接长度增加了3 867 km,裸地与其他景观要素之间的空间邻接长度增加了5 589 km,嵌缀在其他各种景观要素中的裸地小斑块逐渐融合成大斑块。（3）景观类型脆弱度指数与破碎度指数之间显著正相关,分维数倒数、分离度指数和沙化敏感性指数与景观类型脆弱度指数呈弱度正相关。祁连山东段地区森林和草地退化,面积萎缩、水域干涸,裸地面积增加,各景观要素的空间关系趋于简单,景观破碎化增加。人类活动所引起的景观破碎化是祁连山东段地区景观格局和景观脆弱性变化的决定性因素。     

南京长江新济洲群湿地保护与恢复规划设计

以南京长江新济洲群湿地为例,分析了在长江中下游开展洲滩湿地生态恢复的重要意义和必要性,在分析了南京长江新济洲群湿地退化现状及其驱动因素的基础上,对其保护和恢复规划设计进行了探讨,希望为长江中下游洲滩湿地的保护和生态恢复提供思路和借鉴。