Ecological Restoration Strategies Research Articles

Urban flood resilience, a discursive-institutional analysis of planning practices in the Metropolitan City of Milan

Flood risk is increasing all over the globe due to urbanization and the effects of climate change. Water managers and urban planners try to cope with flood risk by enhancing urban flood resilience. Three main discourses of resilience are engineering, ecological, and socio-ecological resilience. Whereas the discourse of engineering resilience emphasizes the use of flood protection infrastructures, the discourses of ecological and socio-ecological resilience advocate river restoration and spatial strategies to reduce flood risk. In this paper, we investigate which resilience discourse is dominant in the Lambro river basin (Metropolitan City of Milan), and how this discourse has been translated into institutions (rules-in-use) and outcomes, such as flood protection infrastructures or building regulations. Our discursive-institutional analysis is informed by the (politicized) Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework, which highlights the role of discursive, institutional, and contextual factors in explaining the outcomes of strategic interactions within action arenas. It is shown that whereas bottom-up initiatives try to foster socio-ecological resilience, the engineering resilience discourse still dominates within the Lambro river basin because national policies and funds are geared towards hard infrastructure measures.

Identification of climate variables dominating streamflow generation and quantification of streamflow decline in the Loess Plateau, China

Precipitation-extremes-driven floods, which compose an important proportion of streamflow but cause severe adverse impacts in the Loess Plateau of China, urged the progressive implementation of ecological restoration (ER) strategies in the Loess Plateau (LP) of China. Knowledge of the linkage between climate variables (especially precipitation extremes) and streamflow generation become more essential for advanced catchment management as ER and climate variability have resulted in reduced streamflow and freshwater stress. Here, a partial least squares regression (PLSR) approach was used to investigate this issue at 16 main catchments of the LP over a reference period (1961–1979). Then, we quantified streamflow decline during the “Integrated Soil and Water Conservation” (1980–1999) and the “Grain for Grain” (2000–2015) strategies by PLSR modeling. We found that the dominant climatic variables controlling annual streamflow include heavy precipitation amount and heavy precipitation days, maximum precipitation event amount, number of consecutive wet days, annual total precipitation (daily precipitation ≥1 mm), and effective precipitation amount (daily precipitation ≥5 mm). Further, the effect of precipitation extremes on streamflow generation is stronger in drier catchments. The impacts of precipitation extremes on streamflow generation can be strengthened by agricultural cultivation and weakened by revegetation (especially reforestation). Overall, we found that climate-driven annual streamflow decreased by 7.5 mm during 1980–1999 and by 5.6 mm during 2000–2015, in comparison to 1961–1979. The dominant cause of streamflow reduction was ER, with the contribution increasing from 59% in 1980–1999 to 82% in 2000–2015. The PLSR approach enables the identification of linkages between climate variables and streamflow generation, and the prediction of climate-driven streamflow. This study yields a greater understanding of the influences of climate variability and ER on streamflow change, and is helpful to identify hydroclimatological trends and projections.

Estimation of potential ecological carrying capacity in China

It is urgent to explore the potential ecological carrying capacity (PECC) of regions where the study of ecological carrying capacity (ECC) is difficult to meet the real-world requirements of building an ecological civilization. In this study, classification and regression tree models were applied for estimating potential normalized difference vegetation index (PNDVI) based on climate variables and training data of actual NDVI. Then, potential net primary productivity (PNPP) was simulated by using Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model and PNDVI. On this basis, PECC of 31 provinces in China was estimated using the improved ecological footprint model and compared results with actual condition in 2015. The results showed the following: per capita PECC presented immense spatial differences, with high values in the northwest and low values in the southeast. The total PECCs of eight provinces were far greater than their actual total ECCs in 2015. Human activities in five provinces had the greatest negative impact on the ecological environment and the greatest pressure on ecological restoration. This study provided a new way to estimate the spatial distribution of potential ecological carrying capacity and found that spatial simulations of PNDVI, PNPP, and PECC can better quantify the difference between actual and potential ecological conditions under external pressures and can provide a trustworthy scientific basis for formulating differentiated ecological restoration strategies.

Passive and active ecological restoration strategies for abandoned farmland leads to shifts in potential soil nitrogen loss by denitrification and soil denitrifying microbes

AbstractEcological restorations of abandoned farmland have been performed in degraded ecosystems with the goal of increasing ecosystem sustainability. The environmental benefits of ecological restoration can at least be partially neutralized by enhanced nitrogen (N) loss and potential nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions via denitrification. However, few studies have focussed on comparative analysis of the contributions of ecological restoration strategies to soil denitrifying microbes, particularly in arid and semiarid degraded ecosystems, where N is often the limiting nutrient. In this study, artificial afforestation (artificial forest sites) and natural revegetation (grassland sites) of abandoned farmland have an enhanced effect on reducing potential denitrification rates (PDR) compared with farmland sites and orchard sites, leading to lower N losses and potential N2O emissions. Combined analyses indicated that the greatest differences in microbial abundance, species richness, and diversity were observed among different ecological restoration strategies. The abundance, richness, and diversities of denitrifying microbes (nirS, nirK, and nosZ genes) were decreased by natural revegetation and artificial afforestation, leading to attenuated denitrifying activity responsible for the reduced PDR. Notably, the abundance and diversity of denitrifying microbes were dominant variables that explained the changes in PDR (up to 0.96). Overall, our results contribute to a better understanding of the feedback of denitrifying microorganisms to ecological restoration strategies and how these microorganisms collaboratively contribute to N loss and potential N2O emissions in arid and semiarid degraded ecosystems.

Foraging behavior of the Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) and its implications for ecological restoration and sustainable boreal forest management

Several studies have shown that the Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) is strongly favored by large-scale disturbances, including forest fires. However, natural disturbances have largely disappeared from European boreal forests because of modern forestry practices and fire suppression. We currently lack knowledge on the foraging activity and resource use of the Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, especially in burned forests, and this restricts our ability to develop strategies for sustainable forest management and ecological restoration aiming at improving the situation of this woodpecker and associated species. In order to fill this knowledge gap, we studied the characteristics of selected foraging substrates and the foraging behavior of the Three-toed Woodpecker during the breeding season in unburned forests and forests that have been subjected to prescribed burning. We used instantaneous sampling duringtwo consecutive springs (2016-2017), where we observed the woodpeckers’ foraging behavior during a total of 977 minutes in burned forest and 962 minutes in unburned forests. The preferred foraging substrate for Three-toed Woodpeckers in both burned and unburned forests can be characterized as freshly dead trees with a DBH > 15 cm. However, data on time spent foraging on different substrates suggest that also substrates in the 5-15 DBH range and living trees are important. Additionally, prescribed burnings led to less pronounced selection of tree species, which suggest that fire may reduce differences in abundance of saproxylic insect prey between tree species. This information on substrate selection and foraging time provide complementary knowledge and thus should be used simultaneously when management strategies for improved woodpecker habitat are developed. Our results suggest that both prescribed burning and protecting forests with high density and diversity of dead wood provides habitat opportunities for Three-toed Woodpeckers and using both in management may maximize conservation outcome

Distribution and environmental characteristics of the spawning grounds of Scomberomorus niphonius in the coastal waters of Yellow Sea, China

Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) is one of the main economic fish species in the Yellow Sea. To understand its spawning habitat and population dynamics in the early stage, we examined the distribution and environmental characteristics of spawning ground of Japanese Spanish mackerel using their egg survey data collecting in 2015 (late May) and 2017 (late May) in the coastal waters of Yellow Sea. The generalized additive model (GAM) with the Tweedie distribution was used to analyze the distribution and environmental characteristics of its spawning ground. The results showed that egg distribution was significantly related to the location (i.e., latitude and longitude), water depth, and sea surface temperature (SST), but not related to sea surface salinity (SSS). The optimal range of depth and SST were 15-30 m and 16-20 ℃, respectively. The mackerel spawning ground mainly distributed in the region Shidao fishing ground (area near 36°30' N,121°48' E) and Haizhou Bay (33°30'-36° N,119°30'-121°30' E). There were some clear inter-annual differences in the distribution of mackerel spawning ground, with the spawning ground tending to northward in the year with higher sea temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to manage and protect the above spawning ground (especially the Haizhou Bay), establishing the corresponding ecological protection and restoration strategy, to realize sustainable exploitation of mackerel fisheries resources in the Yellow Sea.

Study on soil ecological environment restoration strategy of abandoned mining area

Mine ecological restoration is the current necessary step in the process of resources exploitation, so for the study of the mining area ecological restoration, ecological restoration of phosphate rock mountain lands after the ecological benefit evaluation, using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and frequency analysis method to select the phosphate rock mountain land ecological benefit evaluation index, evaluated by calculation results shows that the calculation by using the underground runoff water conservation quantity is 11832.036 m3/a with water and soil conservation quantity of 14976.4 m3/a. If the area of vegetation broad-leaved forest that can be formed after ecological restoration in the mining area is 50.0 h m2 and the area of coniferous forest is 10.0 h m2, the blocking dust capacity can be obtained to be 832.11 t/a. The indirect economic value of water conservation, water and soil conservation, and environmental purification calculated by shadow engineering method is respectively 8791.6 yuan/a, 166.6 yuan/a, and 141458.7 yuan/a, and the environmental value of water purification is 13121.784 yuan/a, and the overall indirect economic benefit value is 1.64 105 yuan/a. The practice shows that the research index of ecological restoration strategy is more comprehensive and scientific, which provides another method for ecological environment restoration strategy of mining areas in China and promotes the sustainable development of ecological environment.

A watershed scale assessment of phosphorus remediation strategies for achieving water quality restoration targets in the western Everglades

Watershed scale models have become important tools to assess the effectiveness of regional and farm level remediation strategies for ecological restoration. The Everglades is an ecologically unique and complex system posing numerous challenges to water managers in South Florida. The Feeder Canal Basin (FCB) in Hendry County, Florida, drains 277 km2 of land into the central Everglades. During 2008–2017, the average annual total phosphorus (TP) concentration at the FCB outflow was approximately 89 μg/L, almost an order of magnitude higher than the restoration target for the Everglades marshes. This study aimed at evaluating remediation strategies - Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) to achieve TP targets for ecosystem restoration using an integrated modeling framework with a top-down approach. The baseline regime was modeled using the Watershed Assessment Model with multi-gage calibration (2000−2003) and validation (2004–2010). With the model performing satisfactory to very good for all gage locations, results indicated that row crops, groves & orchards, and improved pastures were largely responsible for TP concentrations and/or loads. BMP scenario results showed that TP loads could be reduced by 8% to 24% at the FCB outlet under minimal or very aggressive BMPs, respectively, indicating the need for additional water quality improvement projects to meet restoration targets. A preliminary design of two STAs, using the Dynamic Model for Stormwater Treatment Areas, estimated that a total of 52 km2 and 11.3 km2 of STAs will be required to achieve the TP concentration targets. The analysis framework employed in this study can be replicated in other watersheds to provide a holistic picture of remediation measures required to achieve water quality targets.

Formulating an Elasticity Approach to Quantify the Effects of Climate Variability and Ecological Restoration on Sediment Discharge Change in the Loess Plateau, China

AbstractSuspended sediment yields (SSY) respond strongly to ecological restoration (ER) efforts, and significant improvements in SSY control have been achieved in the Loess Plateau of China. However, it remains challenging to quantify the net impacts of ER on SSY. Here, we formulate the notion of elasticity of sediment discharge, by associating SSY change to climate variability and ER over the period 1950s to 2014. All ten of the subcatchments studied experienced significant decreases in annual SSY, streamflow, and suspended sediment concentration. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that changes to both streamflow volumes and to the suspended sediment concentration versus water discharge (C‐Q) relationships result in reduced SSY, so that streamflow is reduced but runs clearer. We find that two of the ER strategies resulted in weaker relative impacts of climate variability, largely by reducing streamflow (by 55% to 75%). Meanwhile, ER predominantly decreased SSY (by 63% to 81%). Regarding ER practices, (i) the predominant measure acting to reduce SSY changed, over time, from engineering to reforestation; (ii) check dams preferentially act to regulate the C‐Q relationships, whereas reforestation preferentially acts to moderate streamflow. Overall, our results suggest that a combination of engineering and vegetation measures is critical to achieving high‐efficiency ER. While change to the ER strategy increased the efficiency of streamflow for SSY control, the lost water discharge per unit SSY reduction increased from 5.2 to 6.4 m3·t−1. Conflicting demands for water necessitate that further ER should target precision management by revegetation of targeted areas in the Loess Plateau.

Regional water-energy cycle response to land use/cover change in the agro-pastoral ecotone, Northwest China

A better understanding of responses of the regional water-energy cycle to land use/cover change (LUCC) is important for ecological restoration in the agro-pastoral ecotone, Northwest China (APENWC). In this study, we examined the responses to various types of LUCC in the APENWC during the implementation of the Grain-for-Green project between 1993 and 2010 using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model. The performance of the WRF model was validated by multiple types of observations. Results show that the WRF can accurately simulate regional water and energy processes in the APENWC, and that the water-energy cycles in the region are strongly affected by vegetation dynamics. During the period of 1993 and 2010, the most obviously increased land cover types were the grassland and barren land, and the decreased land cover types were shrublands and croplands in the study region. A significantly negative correlation (R2 = 0.78) between land surface temperature (LST) and albedo was found, associated with a 0.5 °C reduction in the annual mean surface temperature in the APENWC between 1993 and 2010. Negative correlations between changes in evapotranspiration (ET) and albedo during the period in all seasons were also detected, except summer, when the correlation was positive (R2 = 0.49). This is attributed to transpiration from plants being the main contributor to ET in summer and, hence total ET. The changes resulted in an increase of ET by 19.79 mm in summer, and decreases of ET by 1.15 mm, 13.22 mm, and 0.96 mm, respectively, in spring, fall, and winter. The LUCC also resulted in reductions in precipitation (of 2.3, 7.31, and 7.8 mm in spring, summer, and fall, respectively) by altering local ET and vapor flux cycles in the APENWC, and the study region contributed additional moisture from the local ET into the north of the region. The findings show that the grassland expansion reduces mean land surface temperature, which will delay germination of seeds and initiation of vegetation growth in spring. Increases in seasonal ET and reductions in seasonal precipitation will lead to soil drying, exacerbating risks of summer drought in the APENWC. The findings provide important information in facilitating formulation of effective strategies for sustainable development and ecological restoration in the APENWC and similar regions.

Changes in soil properties rather than functional gene abundance control carbon and nitrogen mineralization rates during long-term natural revegetation

Agricultural abandonment has been taken as one of the most widely used strategies for ecological restoration. Abandoned croplands expanded worldwide since the middle of the twentieth century and will increase considerably in the future. Whether agricultural abandonment alters the abundances of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization genes, and whether these functional genes are linked to alterations in C and N mineralization rates remain unknown. We took advantage of a well-established chronosequence of nature restoration sites on abandoned croplands which represent a century of vegetation succession in China’s Qinling Mountains, to determine soil C and N mineralization rates, and their relationships with vegetation succession, edaphic characteristics, soil microbial communities, and functional genes based on GeoChip 5.0. We found that soil C and N mineralization rates, microbial biomass and composition, and the number and abundances of functional genes were significantly affected by vegetation succession following agricultural abandonment. Soil C and N mineralization rates increased by sixfold and threefold, respectively, along the cropland to forest successional gradient. The NO3-N, NH4-N and soil available phosphorus (P) concentrations were important factors associated with the C and N mineralization genes. The shifts in edaphic environments (i.e., soil moisture, cation exchange capacity, and C/P ratio), vegetation-derived substrates (i.e., soil organic C and N), and soil microbial composition (i.e., Fungi/Bacteria ratio, amounts of Gram-negative bacteria, Actinomycetes, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi), rather than the abundances of functional genes involved in mineralization processes, controlled soil C and N mineralization rates along the long-term vegetation successional gradient. Abandoning cropland for natural succession could facilitate the recuperation of soil C and N processes and alter soil microbial composition and functional genes. The abundances of microbial functional genes are less important than previously expected in regulating soil C and N mineralization rates.

Ecological restoration for biodiversity conservation improves habitat quality for an insectivorous passerine in boreal forest

It is increasingly recognized that successful biodiversity conservation will necessitate active ecological restoration measures. In boreal forests, emulating natural disturbances is commonly used as a restoration tool for improving habitat quality for a range of sensitive species. We assessed the consequences of prescribed burning and artificial gap creation on the demographic parameters of an insectivorous bird, the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). This to improve our ability to develop strategies for successful ecological restoration aiming at improving the conservation status of boreal forest birds. Pied flycatchers reproduced equally well in nature reserves, forests subjected to ecological restoration and untreated control stands. Nestling body weight was found to be higher in stands restored through prescribed burning. Considering that nestling condition at the time of fledging is known to be positively related to survival rates after fledging, our results suggest a positive effect of prescribed burning on population dynamics and on local habitat quality. Our findings should encourage forest managers to actively use prescribed burning as a management tool in boreal forests to complement other conservation measures. However, one should be careful with generalizing these results to other bird species as they only are directly applicable to pied flycatchers. Still, they may potentially apply also to other insectivorous bird species with similar habitat requirements. In addition, it should be stressed that to maintain diverse boreal forest bird assemblages, heterogeneous landscapes are needed including both burned and unburned forest of different successional stages.

Soil Reclamation of Abandoned Mine Lands by Revegetation in Northwestern Part of Transylvania: A 40-Year Retrospective Study

Mining activities for mineral resources over the years have resulted in major soil damage. Due the removal process of desired mineral materials, soil textures have been destroyed, various nutrient cycles have been disturbed, and microbial communities have been altered, affecting vegetation and leading to the destruction of wide areas of land in many countries. Therefore, soil restoration of abandoned mining lands became a very important part of sustainable development strategies and also prescribed by law in several countries. The main aims of this study were to develop an ecological land restoration strategy to the degraded lands due former kaolin, quartz sand, and iron mining located in Aghireșu and Căpușu Mare in Cluj County, in the Northwestern part of Transylvania from Romania and monitor soil quality changes over 40 years. To assess the effectiveness of soil reclamation of mine lands, 30 soil profiles were examined and 450 soil samples were collected from three depths (0–20 cm, 20–50 cm, and 50–80 cm) and subjected to physical and chemical analyses, and compared for their sustainable and beneficial use. All the proposed plant covers (natural grassland, pasture cover, black locust, Norway spruce, and scots pine) significantly improved the overall soil quality with the increasing years of reclamation following various patterns. Pasture cover most significantly enhanced the soil’s microbial activity, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content followed by natural grassland. The results of this study show that considerable changes in soil quality was reached by revegetation of these abandoned mine lands restoring their ecological integrity and self-sustainability.

Vegetation patterns on a landslide after five years of natural restoration in the Loess Plateau mining area in China

Landslides represent the most intense type of geological disaster in the gully region of the Loess Plateau and have caused great damage to surface vegetation. Natural restoration is considered as an effective method for revegetation, however, vegetation patterns on landslides after natural restoration and its related factors remain poorly understood. The present study investigated vegetation patterns on a landslide after 5 years of natural restoration, which located in Hezhai coal mining area, Shanxi Province, China, to understand the natural restoration of vegetation after landslides. The species composition on the bottom, middle and top of the landslide, as well as the species importance value, plant diversity and similarity were ascertained and compared with the that on undisturbed site. Furthermore, the soil seed bank in another landslide which just experienced 0.5-year natural restoration was also investigated, and a seed bank germination experiment was performed based on the collected seed samples from the landslide to test their vitalities. Results showed that 20 species of vegetation were found on all three parts of the landslide, which all belonged to herbaceous plants and shrubs. Eleusine indica was dominant in both the bottom and middle of the landslide, while the top was dominated by Potentilla sischanensis. From the bottom to the top of landslide, the Margalef Index was 3.26, 3.91, and 2.17 respectively; the Shannon–Wiener Index was 2.56, 2.60, and 2.13 respectively; the Pielou Index was 0.55, 0.56, and 0.46, respectively. Species similarity revealed a close relationship between species compositions on restored landslide and undisturbed area. A total of 13 species of seeds were found in the soil seed bank, which were also similar to the aboveground plants on disturbed site and the landslide after 5-year natural restoration, and the seed was also proved vital in the seed bank experiment. These results indicated that vegetation on landslides could recovery naturally, and natural restoration was more effective on the bottom and middle of the landslide, which revealed that changes in topography could affect revegetation. The seed bank in the soil was considered as a main factor affecting natural restoration. This research provides useful insight into the natural restoration of vegetation after landslides, and provides a reference for the selection of ecological restoration strategies.

A numerical model for river habitat restoration: a case study of the Chin-sha River in China

<p>Currently, the ecosystem is being damaged in many rivers and subsequently the fish species living there are also facing decline or even extinction. This situation urges to model the habitat and to design suitable restoration strategies in order to increase the capabilities of ecological modeling. In this paper, we proposed a numerical model to assess the ecosystem habitat situation and investigated the impacts of two ecological restorations strategies for the target fish species. The model includes a hydrodynamic model, a habitat model and habitat restoration schemes. The hydrodynamic model simulated the flow properties while sediments in the riverbed were also surveyed. Based on these parameters and fish preference curves, the habitat suitability indices were calculated. In order to analyze the river habitat quality, the weighted usable areas and overall suitability index were also calculated and the effects of the restoration strategies on selected fish species (Freshwater Reeves shad - Tenualosa reevesii) in the Chin-sha River were evaluated. The two ecological restoration strategies: addition of side-channel (scheme I) and river bank reconstruction (scheme II) enhanced the Freshwater Reeves shad habitat suitability level, with the high suitability index proportion increasing from 19.5% to 33.1% for scheme I and to 36.1% for scheme II. Based on the modelling results, we concluded that our numerical model could potentially provide suitable scenarios for successful fish habitat restoration.</p>

The Marceño Agroecosystem: Traditional Maize Production and Wetland Management in Tabasco, Mexico

The marceño agroecosystem is based on traditional agriculture in the flooded areas of the alluvial plains of Tabasco, Mexico. In the marceño system, the native maize, called “mején”, is cultivated during the dry season using residual soil moisture. At physiological maturity, mején is tolerant to flooding. To estimate the potential area where marceño may be implemented, we characterized and defined the areas where it is practiced, using geographic information systems (GIS), and determined the bioclimatic variables of the sites where 16 species of wild plants associated with the management of the marceño grow. We also analysed areas of agriculture and livestock in relation to the cyclical floods. This information was used to generate a probability model of marceño occurrence through MaxEnt, which was superimposed on an elevation model (LiDAR) geoprocessed with GIS. The marceño was observed in 203 localities across eight municipalities of Tabasco (~2% of the state area), at elevations of 1–7 m. The calculated area with potential for implementation of the marceño is about 18.4% of the state area. The implementation of this agroecosystem on a wider area might be an alternative for local agriculture development and a strategy for ecological conservation and restoration of wetlands.

Biocontrol in Australia: Can a carp herpesvirus (CyHV-3) deliver safe and effective ecological restoration?

The Australian Government is considering Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) for biocontrol of invasive common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). We review the evidence-base for its potential ecological risks, benefits and effectiveness. Lower carp abundance may boost native fish biomass and improve water clarity, but there is little evidence available to suggest that the virus, alone or used in combination with other methods, can deliver effective or safe biocontrol. Further, the virus may already be present in Australia. Overseas, the virus has caused sporadic and localized mortalities of carp in lakes and rivers, but has generally had no long-term measurable effect on wild carp or native fish populations. The temperature range of disease (18–28 °C), unknown co-factors causing outbreaks, and predictable re-colonization and recruitment boom of immune and virus-resistant carp, following a biocontrol release, remain formidable and unmitigated barriers to success. CyHV-3 infection trials on Australian biota have unexplained high mortality rates of recreationally-important and threatened fishes, and the role of asymptomatic carriers remains uncertain. Finally, Australia has national and international obligations to ensure that there are no perverse outcomes from biocontrol actions. Despite political pressure, there is no environmental justification to rush the release of this virus. To achieve the Government goals of restoring native biodiversity we advocate that key uncertainties, risks and efficacy barriers first need to be addressed. It is only then that viral biocontrol could be considered a viable tool to complement broader ecological restoration strategies for Australia’s waterways.

Integrated assessment of ecosystem health using multiple indicator species

Healthy river ecosystems can provide fundamental ecological services for human survival and social development. However, previous studies that have sought to assess river ecosystem health have primarily focused on individual biological communities rather than on all aquatic communities and have been based on a single-index assessment method, thereby leading to large uncertainties in the results. In this study, we developed a new framework for the integrated assessment of aquatic ecosystem health based on the principal communities of fish, zoobenthos, phytoplankton, and zooplankton in rivers. An index of biotic integrity was used to evaluate the health of fish and zoobenthos communities, and a diversity index was used to evaluate the health of zooplankton and phytoplankton communities. To integrate the health assessment results from these four communities, a quantile normalization method was developed, where uncertainties in assessments obtained using the diversity index were well compensated for by the assessments obtained using the biotic integrity index. The framework was then applied to a pilot city, which is being constructed as a civilized freshwater ecological city in China. The results were then compared with those previously obtained based on the single-community method. Using this new framework, we found that the aquatic ecosystem health changed regularly in space and over time. Large differences were detected among the assessments of the four individual communities based on the single-community method, with the health score determined using phytoplankton being the highest, followed by that of zoobenthos, zooplankton, and fish, which made it difficult to reach a definitive conclusion regarding aquatic health status. The integrated assessment framework presented in this study successfully overcame the narrow perspective of the single-community method, thereby reducing uncertainties in the assessments based only on a single diversity index, and instead provides a comprehensive view of the status of aquatic ecosystem health. Thus, this integrated framework could assist river managers and stakeholders in developing comprehensive strategies for ecological restoration and water resource management and could become a key research tool for the health assessment and rehabilitation of aquatic ecosystems globally.

基于生态安全格局的山水林田湖草生态保护修复优先区识别——以四川省华蓥山区为例

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 基于生态安全格局的山水林田湖草生态保护修复优先区识别——以四川省华蓥山区为例 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201906111229 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 研究阐释党的十九大精神国家社科基金专项课题（18VSJ041） Identifying priority areas for ecological protection and restoration of mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands based on ecological security patterns: a case study in Huaying Mountain, Sichuan Province Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:优先区识别，是科学有序推进山水林田湖草生态保护修复工作的重要基础。以山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程之一的四川华蓥山区为例，基于生态系统服务重要性提取生态源地共1392.63 km2，占华蓥山区总面积的35.60%；结合土地覆被类型与地质灾害敏感性构建生态阻力面，并利用最小累积阻力模型与电路模型提取生态廊道共84条，夹点区域0.1 km2，含夹点廊道10条；生态保护优先区主要分布在景观破碎化较为严重的广安区境内，以及华蓥山西南端的夹点廊道。以生态修复模拟方法识别障碍点，确定生态修复优先区93.86 km2，大致分两片。其中，广安区境内受到人类活动干扰的破碎化生态空间，主要生态修复策略为植被恢复与退耕还林；华蓥山、铜锣山、明月山等滑坡、泥石流地质灾害频发区，主要生态修复策略是矿山地质修复与植被恢复。本研究提出生态安全格局构建与生态修复模拟的思路，为山水林田湖草生态保护修复工作提供了可行的定量方法。 Abstract:Identifying priority areas is an important basis for the scientifically ordered ecological protection and conservation of mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands. Taking Huaying Mountain as the case study area, we extracted 1392.63 km2 ecological source areas accounting for 35.60% of the total area based on the importance of ecosystem services. Based on the sensitivity of geological hazards and land-use types, the ecological resistance surface was constructed, and 84 ecological corridors were extracted by the minimum cumulative resistance and circuit models. Based on the circuit model, a 0.1 km2 pinch point area and 10 corridors with pinch points were identified, which were mainly distributed in Guang'an District with severe landscape fragmentation, and the southern end of Huaying Mountain. The effect of ecological restoration was simulated using the method of barriers analysis, and thus, 93.86 km2 priority areas of ecological restoration were identified. They were mainly located in fragmented ecological areas frequently disturbed by human activities in Guang'an District, where corresponding ecological restoration strategies included vegetation restoration and the transformation of farmland to forest. It also covered areas with frequent geological disasters in Huaying Mountain, Tongluo Mountain, and Mingyue Mountain, with mine ecological restoration and vegetation restoration as the main ecological restoration strategies. This study proposed an approach to construct ecological security patterns, and to simulate the impact of ecological restoration, in order to quantitatively conduct the ecological protection and restoration of mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Material suplementario Artículo 71275. Diagnóstico ecológico, formulación e implementación de estrategias para la restauración de un bosque seco tropical interandino (Huila, Colombia)

Anexo 1. Área de estudio y escenarios de restauración donde se implementaron las estrategias de restauración ecológica (RE).Anexo 2. Metodología de evaluación rápida de barreras y facilitadores de la restauración ecológica.Anexo 3. Trayectorias ecológicas esperadas para cada escenario de regeneración.Anexo 4. Especies priorizadas y propagadas para las estrategias de restauración ecológica del bosque seco tropical (bs-T).Anexo 5. Esquemas de las estrategias de restauración y fotografías de su implementación, por escenario de restauración.