Structure and dynamics of demersal fish assemblages over three decades (1985–2012) of increasing fishing pressure in Guinea

In a context of growing fishing pressures and recommendations for an ecosystem approach to fisheries, there is a need to monitor changes in fish communities over time. In this study, we analysed data from scientific trawl surveys carried out on the continental shelf off Guinea between 1985 and 2012. We performed factorial analyses and calculated biodiversity indices to characterise the changes in the structure and composition of fish communities that occurred over the 28-year period in this area, particularly given intensive fishing activities. We show that, over the study period, fish communities on the Guinean shelf were structured primarily according to spatial factors, with temporal changes being less pronounced than expected. However, a temporal analysis of biodiversity indices and species dominance showed that the intensification of fishing had significant effects on the general ecological features of the fish assemblages under study. There was a decrease in fish density and in mean trophic level. In addition, there were changes in species dominance, whereby large, slow-growing species with high commercial value were gradually replaced by smaller, fast-growing species of lesser commercial interest. These results from field observations are in line with some conclusions from previous modelling studies in the same geographical area, and provide further support for the hypothesis of a progressive ‘ecosystem effect of fishing’ occurring in Guinean waters.     

A system-level modelling perspective of the KwaZulu-Natal Bight ecosystem,eastern South Africa

The KwaZulu-Natal Bight comprises the only sizeable shelf region on the eastern coast of South Africa, and is influenced by both the Agulhas Current on its seaward side and rivers and estuaries on its landward side. Established knowledge of the effect of the Agulhas Current includes the influence on nutrient concentrations in the bight of a semi-permanent upwelling cell at its northern border (St Lucia) and, to a much lesser extent, of a semi-permanent eddy feature at its southern extremity. Current modelling efforts, however, point to a very important role of land-derived nutrients, which supplement the productivity of food webs of the bight. This connectivity of the bight to its adjacent ecosystems has various implications. First, its productivity has traditionally been viewed via phytoplankton growth, whereas ecosystem modelling efforts point to a very high reliance on imported detritus (mainly land-derived) in order to sustain especially the rich benthic food web. The benthos in the bight dominates the food web, and is in marked contrast to the upwelling system of the west coast of South Africa (Atlantic Ocean) where water-column productivity dominates. Second, the importance of the connectivity of the Thukela Bank prawn-trawling ground to estuarine nursery areas, which has been modelled quantitatively, highlights the significance of this particular ecosystem connectivity for fisheries and also for the Thukela Bank food web. Heterogeneity across the bight is apparent for nutrient turnover rates (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus), CNP content and stoichiometry, whereas nitrogen is a limiting nutrient across the entire bight. The food web near the Thukela River is richer in nutrient content and more active (higher turnover rates) compared to the northern and southern parts of the bight. This environmental heterogeneity was also apparent from the CNP content and stoichiometry of the various species and species groups in the bight. Requirements to take the hydrodynamic, biogeochemical and first ecosystem modelling efforts towards a meaningful predictive capability are discussed. The importance of adopting a system-level view of the bight and its connected systems for realistic exploration of global change scenarios is highlighted.     

城市生态——生产——生活空间功能定量识别与分析

土地利用多功能性识别是城市用地组织,协调与配置的基础信息源,是判定城市用地内在功能形态,功能组合模式和功能之间动态权衡的关键,具有重要的理论和实践意义,但长期以来并未构建一套可行的识别方法体系.本文从土地功能,生态系统服务和景观功能综合的视角构建城市生态--生产--生活空间功能分类体系,并以生态系统服务价值评估为基础系统整合空间功能价值量核算函数群,通过纵横对比的方法确定空间功能主导类型.研究区实证分析表明,城市生态--生产--生活功能分类体系较好反映了不同地类的功能类型;空间主导功能的识别也与不同地类的功能匹配;同时也发现三生空间的整体毗邻性较低,空间功能的互补和融合性较差的问题;三生空间功能存在一定的空间集聚性.     

三江源生态保护和建设一期工程生态成效评估

基于生态系统结构--服务动态过程趋势分析,针对生态保护与建设工程预期目标,构建了由生态系统结构,质量,服务及其变化因素构成的生态成效评估指标体系,研究发展野外观测,遥感监测和生态过程定量模拟一体化的监测评估技术体系,评估了三江源生态保护和建设一期工程的生态成效.结果表明:工程实施8年以来,三江源区宏观生态状况趋好但尚未达到1970s比较好的生态状况,草地持续退化趋势得到初步遏制但难以达到预期"草地植被盖度提高平均20%~40%"的目标,水体与湿地生态系统整体有所恢复,生态系统水源涵养和流域水供给能力提高,区域水源涵养量达到了增加13.20亿m³目标;重点工程区内生态恢复程度好于非工程区,除了气候影响以外,工程的实施对促进植被恢复具有明显而积极的作用;然而,草地退化局面没有获得根本性扭转,工程实施尚未遏制土壤水蚀增加趋势,一期工程局部性和初步性特点突显出三江源区生态保护任务的长期性和艰巨性.     

Estimation of daily average net radiation and its variation over West Bengal,India using MODIS products

A simple and exclusively satellite-based instantaneous net radiation (INR) and its components have been estimated and it is based on the method proposed. The method has been used to check its suitability over West Bengal, India on clear sky days which is eliminating the need for ground-based observations. The method explicitly recognizes the need for spatially varied input parameters to estimate net radiation using remote sensing information and provides a distributed daily average net radiation map with finer spatial resolution. The satellite-derived radiative flux components were compared with the Eddy Flux Tower measurements located at Bonnie camp within mangrove forest. The bias, root-mean square error and R² between modelled and measured INR are 52.07, 49.5 W m^?2 and 0.74, respectively which are within the acceptable limit. The errors in the downward short wave and long wave as well as upward short-wave and long-wave radiative flux are 13.78, 3.54, 12.41 and 3.54%, respectively. Further, variations of all the radiative flux components were analysed over different eco-systems.     

Past and future carbon sequestration benefits of China’s grain for green program

Carbon sequestration through ecological restoration programs is an increasingly important option to reduce the rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. China’s Grain for Green Program (GGP) is likely the largest centrally organized land-use change program in human history and yet its carbon sequestration benefit has yet to be systematically assessed. Here we used seven empirical/statistical equations of forest biomass carbon sequestration and five soil carbon change models to estimate the total and decadal carbon sequestration potentials of the GGP during 1999–2050, including changes in four carbon pools: aboveground biomass, roots, forest floor and soil organic carbon. The results showed that the total carbon stock in the GGP-affected areas was 682 Tg C in 2010 and the accumulative carbon sink estimates induced by the GGP would be 1697, 2635, 3438 and 4115 Tg C for 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050, respectively. Overall, the carbon sequestration capacity of the GGP can offset about 3%–5% of China’s annual carbon emissions (calculated using 2010 emissions) and about 1% of the global carbon emissions. Afforestation by the GGP contributed about 25% of biomass carbon sinks in global carbon sequestration in 2000–2010. The results suggest that large-scale ecological restoration programs such as afforestation and reforestation could help to enhance global carbon sinks, which may shed new light on the carbon sequestration benefits of such programs in China and also in other regions.     

山东省农业干旱脆弱性区划研究

选取山东省17个地级市为研究对象,根据影响山东农业旱灾的自然环境、经济环境、社会环境3方面因素确定了指标体系,构建了山东省农业干旱脆弱性区划层次分析模型,建立了判断矩阵,对山东省农业干旱脆弱性情况作了评估研究,并绘制出山东省17地市农业干旱脆弱性区划图。结果表明:在2000—2013年的14年间,山东省农业干旱脆弱性评价为不脆弱的城市有5个,轻微脆弱的城市有4个,脆弱的城市有4个,强脆弱的城市有3个,极端脆弱的城市有1个。山东省农业干旱脆弱性空间分布格局,全省大致是东南与西北方向低,中部与西南方向高,脆弱性区划的结果反映出山东省农业干旱风险程度的地域性差异,脆弱性较高的地市应作为农业干旱灾害防御的重点区域。