Changes of nutrient concentrations and N: P: Si ratios and their possible impacts on the Huanghai Sea ecosystem

To investigate the impacts of nutrient concentrations and N:P:Si ratios on the ecosystem of the Huanghai Sea (Yellow Sea), the current status and long-term variation of nutrients concentrations and ratios as well as phytoplankton community structure in the Huanghai Sea were collected and analyzed. The results reveal great annual and seasonal fluctuations in the nutrient concentrations and N:P:Si ratios during 1998-2008 with no clear pattern observed in the whole region. Yet on a seasonal scale of spring and in the coastal regions such as the Jiaozhou Bay and Sanggou Bay, the increase of DIN concentration and N:P ratio as well as the decrease of phosphate and silicate concentrations and Si:N ratios were relatively significant. Many pelagic ecosystem changes have occurred concurrent with these changes of the nutrient regime, such as the recent increase of primary production, changes of phytoplankton chlorophyll a biomass and abundance, an increase of eutrophication, and occurrence of HABs. In addition, new trends in the variation of nutrients seem to be developing in some particular transect such as 36°N, which suggests that long-term and systematic ecosystem monitoring in the Huanghai Sea is necessary.     

地球生态系统的气温和水温补充机制

首次提出了地球生态系统的气温和水温补充机制,并用框图模型说明了补充机制在运行过程中的每个流程,阐明了人类对生态环境的影响过程、生态环境变化对地球生态系统的影响过程以及地球生态系统对环境变化的响应过程,解释了气温和水温的补充起因。研究结果表明,人类是引起环境变化的起源以及其变化后的结果又作用于人类,即人类排放二氧化碳引起气温和水温的上升,地球生态系统又借助其补充机制使得气温和水温下降恢复到正常的动态平衡。尽管这个补充机制带来了沙尘暴、洪水和风暴潮,但由人类引起水温和气温上升造成的灾害要比自然界中这3种灾害要深重得多。自然界的这3种灾害是局部的、短期的,而人类引起水温和气温上升的灾害却是全球的、长期的。     

基于河口潮间带底栖微藻群落水平的环境质量状态评价

The feasibility of community-based bioassessment of environmental quality status was studied using microphytobenthos(MPB) in estuarine intertidal ecosystems.The sediment samples of MPB were collected monthly during a 1-year cycle(September 2006–August 2007) at four sampling stations in the Nakdong River Estuary,Korea.Environmental variables,such as salinity,radiation,grain size of sediment,Si(OH)_4(Si),nitrate(NO_3~–),nitrite(NO_2~–),ammonium(NH_4~+) and phosphates(PO_4~(3–)),were measured synchronously for comparison with biotic parameters.The statistical analyses were carried out for assessment the relationship between biotic and environmental parameters.The results showed that:(1) the MPB community structures were significant differences among four sampling stations;(2) spatial variation in the MPB communities were significantly correlated with environmental variables,especially the nutrient NH_4+ in combination with salinity and grain size;(3) three species(Navicula lacustris,Pleurosigma anglulatum and Fragilaria sp.1) were significantly correlated with nutrients and/or Si;and(4) the species richness and diversity were significantly correlated with the grain size.It is suggested that MPB communities may be used as a potentially robust bioindicator for assessing environmental quality status in estuarine intertidal ecosystems.     

Use of particle-size data to predict potential pelagic-fish yields of some southern African areas

A particle-size spectrum model is used to estimate standing stocks of some pelagic fish from measurements of phytoplankton chlorophyll in two exploited regions in southern Africa (southern Benguela and off South West Africa/Namibia) and in two unexploited regions (the Agulhas Bank and off the eastern Cape Province). The model is based on the assumption that equal biomasses occur in logarithmically equal size classes in the pelagic marine environment. Phytoplankton, with an equivalent spherical diameter ranging from 1 to 128 μm, occupy 21 size classes on the logarithmic scale. Two different size ranges are assumed for some commercial, pelagic fish species, equivalent to exploitation with two different purse-seine mesh sizes. A mesh of 12,7 mm would catch 8 size classes of pilchard, horse mackerel and anchovy whereas a mesh of 32 mm would catch only 3,3 size classes of pilchard and horse mackerel. From the model, the potential biomass of these commercial pelagic fish is estimated, after allowing for the presence of other commercial and non-commercial fish and other taxa in the exploited size range. Total pelagic fish production is estimated by assuming constant turnover rates of 1·y^?1 and 1,5·y^?1 when exploited with 32 and 12,7 mm mesh nets respectively. Consideration of the maximum and mean reported catches in the exploited areas indicates that only some 25 per cent of pelagic fish production is exploitable by man. On this basis, the unexploited Agulhas Bank region may yield some 400 000 metric tons (wet) of pelagic fish of the species considered, and the East Coast region some 90 000 tons. Exploitation in these regions cannot be recommended, because the Agulhas Bank is an important spawning ground for many pelagic species, and the fish in both regions probably act as a reserve buffer for the heavily exploited pelagic resource of the Western Cape.     

生态化学计量学在陆地生态系统碳-氮-水耦合循环理论体系中作用初探

生态化学计量学（Ecological stoichiometry）是利用元素比率来研究生态过程和生态作用的学科,它通过化学计量关系将从分子至生态系统的各个层次有机联系起来,已成为联系微观与宏观生态学研究的有力工具。生态化学计量学的两个非常重要的假设是内稳性假说（Homeostatic hypothesis）和生长率假说（Growth rate hypothesis）,已在不同的研究层次上得到了验证或应用。前者是指在生活环境（或资源）的化学元素组成发生变化的情况下,生物体具有的保持自身化学元素组成相对稳定的能力;后者是指生物体的C：N：P比率对其生长速率具有较强的调控作用,通常生长速率较高的组分会具有高的N：C和P：C比以及较低的N：P比值。经过近20年的发展,生态化学计量学的研究已从化学计量内稳性较高的水生生态系统扩展到化学计量特征变化范围较大的陆地生态系统,研究对象已涉及酶、微生物、动物、植物、食物链和食物网等多个层次,并逐渐被应用于解决或预测区域甚至全球的生态环境问题。生态系统不同组分的C：N：P计量关系的内稳性以及其生长率与异速分配相适应的调节机理,是维持生态系统结构和功能的重要机制之一。然而,目前学术界还未对生态化学计量学在陆地生态系统碳-氮-水耦合循环理论体系中的作用给予关注,更缺乏相关的理论研究和系统性的论述。本文回顾了生态化学计量学研究的发展历程及其在不同领域的进展与应用;在此基础上,探讨了生态化学计量学在陆地生态系统碳-氮-水耦合循环理论体系中的潜在作用,并展望了生态化学计量学与生态系统碳-氮-水耦合循环理论整合研究的理论基础和重点发展方向,期望能推动相关研究领域的快速发展。     

基于德尔菲法的江西省“三农”气象服务效益评估

利用江西省2012年统计年鉴和20个农业气象服务体系和农村气象灾害防御体系（简称＂两个体系＂）建设实施县的专家测评调查结果（针对农业、林业、牧业、渔业4大重点行业和电力、水利、交通3个高相关行业的调查结果）,采用德尔菲法（专家评估法）,对2010—2013年江西省＂三农＂气象服务效益进行分析评估。结果表明,2010—2012年江西省农业总产值气象服务贡献率稳定在4.00%—4.90%,2012年＂三农＂气象服务对农业总产值效益的新增贡献率为2.6%。2010—2013年＂三农＂气象服务效益评估值分别为76.04、108.14、104.36和116.07亿元,投入产出比为1：3.3—1：7.8,2013年3个高相关行业的产值贡献率为4.0%—5.0%。     

中国农业气候年景的评估及预测

采用历年逐旬降水量距平绝对值累积值、负距平累积值、正距平累积值为指标 ,分别表示旱涝、干旱、洪涝程度 ,以此分别建立旱涝受 (成 )灾面积、干旱受 (成 )灾面积、洪涝受 (成 )灾面积与逐旬降水量距平绝对值累积值、负距平累积值、正距平累积值之间的回归评估模型。然后 ,利用百分位数方法 ,将受 (成 )灾面积分为 5级 ,进行农业气候年景旱涝评价。经历史回代检验和预报检验 ,效果较好。     

Effects of grazing and climate change on sandy grassland ecosystems in Inner Mongolia

To understand the effects of grazing activities and climate change on sandy grassland ecosystems in northern China, a livestock field grazing and enclosure experiment was conducted from 1992 to 2006 in Horqin Sand Land, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that sustained heavy grazing resulted in serious degradation of the vegetation; moderate grazing can maintain vegetation stabilization; and light grazing can promote rapid restoration of degraded vegetation. The livestock productivity was the highest in the moderate grazing grassland, and sustained heavy grazing resulted in rapid decrease of the livestock productivity. Heavy grazing can cause a retrogressive succession of grassland vegetation, whereas moderate and light grazing may promote progressive succession of plant species. The effects of changing climate on succession processes were not significant in the short term; a warm-humid climate is favorable to restoration of degraded vegetation, whereas a sustained warm-drought climate may result in degradation of grassland vegetation. Heavy livestock grazing should be stopped for the sustainable use of grassland; the proper grazing intensity for sandy grassland is two to three sheep or sheep equivalents per hectare in Inner Mongolia.     

海平面上升的生态损失评估——以深圳市蛇口半岛为例

受全球变暖和人类活动的影响,全球海平面上升威胁海岸带社会经济的可持续发展,已成为各国政府和科学研究关注的焦点。在总结前人研究成果的基础上,本文对区域海平面上升的生态损失评估进行了初步探索。以深圳市蛇口半岛为研究区,预测研究区2100年相对海平面上升幅度,评估海平面上升对风暴潮、土地淹没的影响以及造成的生态价值损失。研究结果表明:(1)风暴潮加剧。2100年相对海平面上升1m,100年一遇最高潮位重现期减为小于10年一遇。海平面上升后50年一遇和100年一遇最高潮位分别为3m和3.3m,威胁沿岸工程设施安全;(2)淹没沿岸土地。研究区内4816.2ha土地受到淹没威胁,占研究区面积的16.6%,其中以建设用地和养殖水域为主,分别占淹没区面积的近60%和30%,面临巨额经济损失;(3)生态价值损失在不同重现期潮位下分别达到1966.55万元/a、4472.92万元/a和5052.83万元/a,地均价值损失分别占深圳市地均GDP(2000年计价)的0.8%,1.1%和1.2%,使深圳市地均GDP(2000年计价)存在约一个百分点的潜在损失。     

Foraging across ecosystems: diet diversity and social foraging spanning aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by an invertebrate

Ecosystems are fundamentally connected to one another, although empirical documentation of the links between them, especially the links between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, has been limited. This study examined the foraging behavior and ecology of an understudied invertebrate, the hermit crab Coenobita compressus, which is remarkably abundant at the nexus of marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems. Data collected between 2008 and 2011 in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica revealed that C. compressus plays a generalist scavenger role across ecosystems. Beach almond fruits (Terminalia catappa) were a staple of the crabs’ diet, but the crabs also commonly consumed a variety of other fruit species and various parts of plants (nuts, seeds, flowers, husk, stems, buds) as well as algae, fungus, animal feces, and the carcasses of insects, jellyfish, conspecifics, other crustacean species, freshwater and saltwater fish, sea turtles (eggs and adults), and mammals. The crabs fed on these resources in prominent social aggregations, also forming such aggregations as they exchanged the aquatically derived gastropod shells that they use as homes while roaming the land. The size of the crabs’ aggregations around plant versus animal resources and around terrestrial versus aquatic resources did not differ, underscoring the species’ generalist foraging behavior. Broadly, these results suggest that C. compressus has one of the most diverse diets of any crustacean and plays a critical role in recycling organic matter and nutrients. This species might also mediate the passage of resources across different ecosystems, although further research is needed to explore this possibility.