Communicating research on the economic valuation of coastal and marine ecosystem services

Quantifying the monetary value of ecosystem services (ES) provided by coastal and marine resources can help policy makers assess the trade-offs and synergies inherent in ecosystem-based management of marine and coastal environments, thus increasing the social efficiency of decision-making processes. As shown by the valuation literature, the number of coastal and marine management settings where valuation researchers have attempted to make a contribution is rising fast. However, this rise in research activity has not been matched by the increase in the use of economic valuation (EV) in the actual management of coastal and marine resources. This raises an interesting question: is EV responding to the needs of policy makers? This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the knowledge base regarding the economic values for coastal and marine ecosystems. It then discusses how to improve the uptake of ES valuation research by focussing on two core issues which are thought to be essential for more effective communication with the policy community.     

Effect of Silica Fume on Compressive Strength of Oil-Polluted Concrete in Different Marine Environments

In the present research, effect of silica fume as an additive and oil polluted sands as aggregates on compressive strength of concrete were investigated experimentally. The amount of oil in the designed mixtures was assumed to be constant and equal to 2% of the sand weight. Silica fume accounting for 10%, 15% and 20% of the weight is added to the designed mixture. After preparation and curing, concrete specimens were placed into the three different conditions: fresh, brackish and saltwater environments (submerged in fresh water, alternation of exposed in air & submerged in sea water and submerged in sea water). The result of compressive strength tests shows that the compressive strength of the specimens consisting of silica fume increases significantly in comparison with the control specimens in all three environments. The compressive strength of the concrete with 15% silica fume content was about 30% to 50% higher than that of control specimens in all tested environments under the condition of using polluted aggregates in the designed mixture.     

Laboratory study on cement admixed marine silt bricks

For the purpose of efficient utilization of sediments dredged from harbor, a new method was proposed in this study. Marine silt bricks were made by mixing sediments with cement and gypsum, placing it in a cubic mold with 240 mm in length, 115 mm in width, and 53 mm in height, and curing for certain days. To investigate the effects of cement and initial water content of soil on the mechanical behavior of marine silt bricks, unconfined compressive and flexural strength tests were carried out. Given the same curing time and cement content, the higher the initial water content, the lower the compressive and flexural strength. After 60 days of curing, the compressive strength of marine silt bricks with cement content = 20% and water content = LL (liquid limit) reached approximately 5 MPa. The flexural strength was relatively low. The flexural strength of marine silt bricks with 20% cement and water content = LL was around 1.5 MPa. The compressive and flexural strength decreased with the increase of water/cement ratio. As for the curing time, longer curing time had a positive impact on the compressive strength. The ratio of flexural to compressive strength varied slightly in the range of 0.4–0.5.     

Experimental and theoretical methods on determination of stress-dependent natural frequency of marine sedimentary clay

Excited by the vibration sources in dynamic engineering, the natural frequency and damping factor of the saturated marine sedimentary clay are key dynamic parameters that influence the responses under cyclic loads. Experimental and theoretical methods are proposed in this paper to analyze the natural frequency and the stress-dependent nonlinearity. The experimental method shows that the natural frequency of soils with specific stress state subjected to large cyclic shear strain can be estimated from the data of dynamic triaxial tests based on the amplitude–frequency response curve. Trial and error by the criterion from the half-power bandwidth method is used to determine the optimal fitting. The results of a theoretical study on the free vibration of soil layers are then presented to derive the analytic solution of natural frequency. In addition to the two frequency-independent elements (a lumped mass matrix and a stiffness matrix), the system’s equivalent damping coefficient matrix is iteratively determined based upon the forced vibration experimentally. Finally, the impacts of the resonance phenomenon on the dynamic shear modulus and hysteretic loop are discussed.     

九龙江河口区微生物多样性及群落结构的时空分布

河口区由于其独特的地理环境和理化条件,拥有丰富的微生物资源,在生物地球化学循环中起着重要作用.然而,由于人类活动带来的河口区环境因素改变,引起的微生物群落结构的时空变化目前还知之甚少.本研究选取九龙江河口区7个近年来遭受较为严重人类活动干扰的采样点,分别在丰水期和枯水期采集表层水体,采用流动注射法测定了水体的三氮、电导率、pH值和溶解性磷酸盐等环境参数,采用海水和淡水培养基,基于纯培养技术分析了可培养细菌的总数和分布特征,并通过构建16S rRNA基因克隆文库的方法研究细菌的多样性和群落结构变化.研究表明,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)是各克隆文库中最优势的类群.在河口下游海水区,变形菌门微生物与放线菌门微生物的比例约为2∶1~3∶1,而在河口上游淡水区,变形菌门和放线菌门的比例约为1∶1.在河口下游海水区,α变形菌纲(Alphaproteobacteria)为变形菌门中的优势类群,而在河口上游淡水区,β变形菌纲(Betaproteobacteria)为优势类群.厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)是克隆文库中丰度占第四的类群,说明水体可能遭受畜牧养殖粪便污染.本研究表明,九龙江河口区微生物群落结构受水体盐度、温度、水文情况等时空因子及人类活动造成的营养物浓度上升、动物粪便污染等共同影响,呈现出独特的时空分布特点.     

无居民海岛植被恢复过程中物种多样性及土壤特征初步研究

2016年4月对厦门无居民海岛猴屿开展了植被和土壤调查,采用全岛调查的方法查清全岛植物种类及生长状况,采用样方调查的方法分析比较人工恢复林和次生林物种多样性和土壤肥力特征,以期为无居民海岛生态修复提供借鉴.结果表明,全岛共有乔木5科5属6种,灌木有10科12属13种,草本植物有21科39属40种.由于被海包围、面积狭小、地形简单,物种传播速度慢,猴屿生物多样性较低,猴屿人工恢复林物种多样性与次生林差异不显著.人工恢复林土壤肥力显著低于次生林,植物生长及其产生的凋落物可以促进土壤肥力的改善.海岛普遍风大、缺水,植被恢复应选用适应海岛环境能力强的物种.猴屿植被破坏导致生态位缺失,进而造成马缨丹生物入侵,影响海岛生态系统稳定性.     

1991～2013年发生在西沙永兴岛的台风风暴潮统计特征分析

利用1991～2013年西沙海洋站实测的潮位、气压、风资料,统计分析发生在西沙永兴岛的台风风暴潮特征.统计结果为以后的台风风暴潮增水预报工作提供一定借鉴.统计分析发现：发生在永兴岛的台风风暴潮过程年最大增水值基本在34cm处上下波动,最高预警级别仅为蓝色;最大增水有明显的年际变化特征,预计接下来10a左右发生在永兴岛的台风风暴增水值大体逐年递减;最大增水若与极大天文潮相叠加,在永兴岛可能出现灾害性高潮位;年最大增水有明显的季节特征,在夏季最强,其次为秋季,冬季和春季最弱;台风中心经过时由负压引起的增水较为明显,单峰型、双峰型和振荡型的增水曲线形态均有出现;影响西沙永兴岛的热带气旋的年最大风速年际与季节性变化是导致永兴岛台风风暴潮特征的主要成因之一.     

基于生态足迹的近海坛紫菜养殖可持续发展评估——以福建晋江为例

紫菜养殖业是福建传统近海渔业养殖类型,具有很高的经济收益.采用生态足迹成分法对晋江近海紫菜养殖生态足迹和生态足迹指数进行了估算,以评估其可持续发展程度.结果表明,2015年该海区紫菜养殖生态足迹为197.313 ghm2,其中人工、能源、基建是对生态足迹贡献的主要因素,相比于鱼和虾的精养、半精养的水产养殖模式,紫菜养殖无需投入饲料,对环境的压力较小.紫菜养殖人均生态足迹为0.009 ghm2/人,生态足迹指数为76.76%,是一种"绿色化"的强可持续发展养殖模式.依据受损和未受损两种情况对生态补偿政策提出建议,需要市场、政府两种转移支付手段配合使用,通过具体措施鼓励和促进紫菜可持续发展模式的发展和优化.     

海蜇幼体环介导等温扩增快速检测方法的建立和应用

针对海蜇早期生活史阶段幼体种类鉴定困难的问题,建立一种快速、灵敏、操作简便的环介导等温扩增(LAMP)快速检测方法.根据海蜇的线粒体细胞色素C氧化酶Ⅰ基因(COⅠ)编码序列,设计LAMP引物,建立了海蜇幼体LAMP快速检测方法,并对LAMP反应体系、反应温度和反应时间进行了优化.结果表明,LAMP方法对海蜇目的基因的最小检测限为0.1 ng DNA.该检测方法特异性较强,与黄渤海其他常见钵水母种类海月水母、白色霞水母、沙海蜇均无交叉反应.利用本研究建立的海蜇LAMP检测方法对不同海域采集的成体海蜇样品和海蜇螅状幼体进行检测,结果显示,成体海蜇和海蜇幼体均呈现阳性结果,表明海蜇LAMP检测方法可以对海蜇幼体进行快速有效的检测.海蜇LAMP检测方法简单快速、灵敏且特异性强,可使其运用于沿海渔业部门海蜇资源的调查工作.     

pH值对单环刺螠呼吸排泄的影响

为研究pH值对单环刺螠(Urechis unicinctus)呼吸排泄的影响,采用静水密封法,研究了不同pH值(5、6、7、8、9)对体质量5.65±1.06g单环刺螠耗氧率、排氨率、能量代谢率、O/N值的影响.结果表明,pH值对单环刺螠耗氧率、排氨率、能量代谢率、O/N值均有显著影响(p0.05).单环刺螠耗氧率随pH值的升高而增大,pH值为8时达到最大值,之后随pH值的升高而减小.单环刺螠耗氧率与pH值之间的拟合方程为:OR=-2.977X2+55.188X-176.380,R2=0.937.单环刺螠排氨率的变化与耗氧率相似,在pH值为7时排氨率达到最大值;pH值为9时排氨率最小,与pH值为8的组差异不显著(p0.05).排氨率与pH值之间的拟合方程为:NR=-0.350X2+4.442X-6.822,R2=0.724.单环刺螠能量代谢率、O/N值均随pH值的升高呈先增大后减小的趋势,拟合方程分别为:M=-0.040X2+0.424X-0.044,R2=0.937;A=0.053X2+1.879X-7.470,R2=0.901.pH值为8的环境中,单环刺螠体内蛋白质代谢水平最低,有利于蛋白质的积累.研究表明,单环刺螠在一定pH值范围内可以通过调整生理代谢水平适应水体pH值,其适宜生活在弱碱性水中,生存最适pH值为8.