Proximate environmental drivers of coral communities at Palmyra Atoll: establishing baselines prior to removing a WWII military causeway

A management proposal aims to partly remove a WWII military causeway at Palmyra Atoll to improve lagoon water circulation and alleviate sedimentation stress on the southeast backreef, an area of high coral cover and diversity. This action could result in a shift in sedimentation across reef sites. To provide management advice, we quantified the proximate environmental factors driving scleractinian coral cover and community patterns at Palmyra. The proportion of fine sedimentation was the optimal predictor of coral cover and changes in community structure, explaining 23.7% and 24.7% of the variation between sites, respectively. Scleractinian coral cover was negatively correlated with increases in fine sedimentation. Removing the causeway could negatively affect the Montipora corals that dominate the western reef terrace, as this genus was negatively correlated with levels of fine sedimentation. The tolerance limits of corals, and sediment re-distribution patterns, should be determined prior to complete removal of the causeway.     

西藏灌木林种群分布格局

以西藏地区370个灌木林标准地调查数据为基础,计算了包括负二项式K值、方差/均值比率t值、丛生指标、平均拥挤指数、聚块性指标、扩散指标、格林指数和Cassic指标,定量测度了各标准地内种群的分布格局类型及集聚强度,分析了西藏灌木种群分布格局随海拔和坡度的变化特征。研究结果表明,1.西藏优势灌木种群分布格局包括集群分布和随机分布两种,其中,随机分布占60%;2.随着海拔及坡度的增加,西藏灌木种群均呈现由集群分布向随机分布变化的趋势,且大部分地区的灌木种群呈随机分布。     

西部乡村民族社区景区化的内涵及表征——以云南典型乡村民族社区为例

从旅游活动要素及其空间效应着眼,对"景区化"与"乡村民族社区景区化"的内涵进行了界定,把社区事象的景观化、经济功能的旅游化、组织管理的业缘化等视为"乡村民族社区景区化"的具体表征;认为乡村民族社区景区化的结果,必将导致乡村民族社区向旅游社区的演变,并对乡村民族旅游社区的内涵及其类型特征作了初步探讨,进而细分出名义在场型、从业参与型、景观资产型、混合平衡型4种类型。对云南曼听五寨、雨崩村、泸沽湖落水村和里格村进行实证研究的结果表明,除了曼听五寨属于名义在场型外,其余为从业参与型旅游社区。     

Advanced studies on adaptation of desert shrubs to environmental stress

The combined stress of drought, high temperature and excessive light characterizes the desert area. In order to survive the desert habitat, desert shrubs have evolved a number of special eco-physiological mechanisms to resist environmental stress during long-term evolution. In this paper, adaptation mechanisms of desert shrubs to environmental stress are reviewed in terms of morphological structure, water potential, photosynthesis and water use efficiency, transpiration and stomatal conductance, osmotic adjustment and anti-oxidation protection. In addition, some suggestions for future research are proposed.     

Assessment of the ecological quality status of soft-bottoms in Reunion Island (tropical Southwest Indian Ocean) using AZTI marine biotic indices

The ability of the two synthetic marine biotic indices, AMBI and M-AMBI, to account for changes in the ecological quality of coastal soft bottoms of Reunion Island according to disturbances was assessed from macrobenthic samples collected in five sectors between 1994 and 2004. Samples were collected under non-perturbed conditions and at two sites subjected to heavy organic enrichment. Both indices are based on a classification of macrofauna into ecological groups (EG), and their transfer to tropical waters required some adaptations. These indices proved efficient in detecting a degradation of habitat quality. Their use resulted in the classification of all sites sampled between 1996 and 1998 as "good" or "high". M-AMBI nevertheless tended to result in the attribution of a slightly worse ecological quality status than AMBI. Together with an update of the EG species list for the Indian Ocean area, our results support the extension of both indices for the assessment of tropical soft bottoms.     

Seasonal and spatial distribution of the microbenthic communities of the Rio de la Plata estuary (Argentina) and possible environmental controls

The relationship between microbenthic communities, the habitat characteristics, and physical and chemical gradients was studied in the Rio de la Plata estuary. Five replicates of the surface layer were collected seasonally, in 10 sampling sites influenced by different land uses. The distribution of microbenthic communities was governed by two gradients, the first one determined by anthropic factors, related to pollution, and the second one to conductivity and turbidity. The higher densities of producers were observed in sites characterized by fine sediments. During winter, spring, and summer cyanophytes were abundant, while in autumn the diatoms, particularly birraphideans, dominated. The ciliates were the most abundant group among consumers, particularly in winter, and their spatial distribution was influenced by the turbidity. The whole study area has an eutrophic condition. Turbidity and the enrichment with nutrients and organic matter explained 50% of the variability in the species’ distribution.