Potential Ecological Benefits Research Articles

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affect early phenological stages of three secondary vegetation species in a temperate forest

AbstractThe relationship between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and secondary vegetation (SV) species at early phenological stages is critical for the successful establishment of these plants on disturbance sites in temperate forests. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the effect of AMF colonization on the early phenological stages (germination and early growth) of three shrub species present in the SV of a temperate forest in central Mexico. We collected soil from different sites in the Abies religiosa forest in central Mexico. We collected seeds of Acaena elongata, Ageratina glabrata, and Solanum pubigerum. We used a controlled experimental design with pasteurized soil (-AMF treatments) and unpasteurized soil (+ AMF treatments). We monitored germination percentage, growth (shoot and root weight and total biomass), AMF root colonization, and the mycorrhizal response index (MRI) for each plant species. All three species tested benefited by AMF, showing higher germination rates. Shoot and root weight and total biomass were significantly higher in the + AMF treatment. Solanum pubigerum showed greater stem length and Ageratina glabrata showed greater root development due to AMF. Ageratina glabrata and Acaena elongata were the most responsive to AMF as indicated by MRI. This research underscores the critical role of AMF in the early phenological stages of SV and highlights the potential ecological benefits of AMF in supporting plant germination and plant growth. These results suggest that AMF enhance germination and early growth of secondary vegetation species, which can be considered in management plans for forest ecosystems.

Importance of including Key Biodiversity Areas in China's conservation area-based network

Identifying optimal areas for future conservation is crucial to halting biodiversity loss. Unfortunately, China's current conservation initiatives neglect the significance of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in biodiversity conservation decision-making, and focusing only on fulfilling the quantitative targets without assessing the potential benefits and challenges for each target area may jeopardize the effectiveness of national programs. Therefore, this study identified KBAs through the distribution range and threat status of 3061 species and defined priority areas for protecting 30 % and 50 % of China's land (30 % and 50 % targets), assessing their potential ecological benefits in terms of ecosystem services and carbon stocks, and identifying risks from climate change and human pressures. The results showed that the KBAs were spatially heterogeneous among different taxonomic groups, with areas for birds and mammals widely distributed but for reptiles, amphibians, and plants mainly distributed in the south. Priority conservation areas identified for achieving the 30 % and 50 % targets were predominantly located in southern China. Protecting these areas can significantly increase the representativeness of benefits for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, nutrient regulation, landscape aesthetics and carbon storage, thereby achieving a win–win for biodiversity conservation and ecological benefits. However, population density, climate risks, and land-use conversion risks will also increase significantly in priority conservation areas. Western Sichuan Province and northern Yunnan Province have the highest conservation priority due to their relatively high conservation value and low threat risk. The KBAs we identified will hopefully help inform the selection of sites for expansion of China's conservation area-based network.

Investigating Potential Ecological Benefits From Mariculture

AbstractMariculture has been gradually regarded as an important solution to the global food production crisis. Increasing scientific evidence reveals that mariculture can provide a large number of ecologic benefits, in accordance with several United Nations sustainable development goals. However, previous studies mostly focused on the negative impacts of mariculture, which may impede its increased production. Here, based on Emergy Accounting (EMA), we propose a comprehensive “Multiple Inputs‐Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality‐Multiple Environmental Impacts” (MI‐ESM‐MEI) evaluation framework, trying to describe mariculture's overall environmental performances beyond just limiting to the production of seafoods. As the world's largest mariculture producer, China is taken as an example for evaluation. Our results show that both cultured species and cultivation patterns determine the environmental performance of mariculture: seaweed‐raft, shellfish‐raft, shellfish‐hanging cage, shellfish‐bottom sowing and others‐bottom sowing mariculture could be more influential in environmental support. By identifying priority areas for offshore mariculture development, ecological benefits can be significantly improved using about 27% of China's territorial sea area. At present, mariculture in Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang performs better than that in other regions. Under the condition of recognizing nonnegligible ecological benefits of mariculture, additional improvements for more sustainable development are urgently needed. In addition, mariculture activities especially seaweed mariculture can help solve water contamination problem and alleviate the effects of eutrophication on coastal ecosystems. For most China coastal regions, if integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture (IMTA) mode can be promoted, the ecological burden of mariculture can be reduced and even converted into ecological benefit.

Mixed farmers' perception of the ecological-economic performance of diversified farming

Diversified Farming (DF) practices are strategies to support biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Despite the potential ecological benefits of DF practices, their acceptance among farmers remains limited. Therefore, understanding farmer's perceptions is essential for effective policy decision-making and applicable agri-environmental policies. We conducted structured face-to-face interviews with 145 farmers in Lower Saxony to estimate the ecological-economic performance of DF practices based on farmers' perceived changes in yield, variable costs, and gross margin of cereal production. Farmers expected diversified crop rotation to increase gross margin (20%), while reduced tillage, direct seeding and flower strips would decrease it (58%, 61% and 13%). Cover crops were expected to provide ecological benefits with only slightly reduced profit (1%). Farm soil fertility was positively related to the perceived gross margin, while farmers' risk attitude and the number of DF practices applied showed no significant influence. Farmers working on mixed farms, i.e., integrating livestock and crops, expected lower variable costs than farmers working on arable farms. Our findings highlight that DF practices can be valued differently, with the greatest benefits seen in improved crop rotation. The acceptance of DF practices that farmers perceive as negative, such as reduced tillage and direct seeding, would require adapted agri-environmental incentives.

Eco-Genomic Alchemy: The Crucial Intersections of Brachypodium, Agriculture, and Climate Dynamics

Brachypodium species, particularly B. distachyon, B. hybridum, and B. stacei, have rapidly become valuable models in plant research, providing important insights into the genetics, physiology, and ecology of grasses. This review examines the multifaceted importance of these species, highlighting their central role in understanding cereal crop relatives and delving into their adaptability to a range of abiotic stresses, particularly in the context of climate change mitigation. Given the increasing threat of unpredictable weather patterns and global food security, the genetic reservoir and adaptability of Brachypodium species offer promising opportunities for sustainable agricultural innovation. Moreover, it is emphasized that maintaining their genetic diversity is critical, not only for continuity of research, but also for the potential ecological and economic benefits they offer. As we move through the complexities of the Anthropocene, Brachypodium is a testament to the complex interplay of genetics, environment, and human endeavor, and calls for a collaborative approach to harness its full potential for future agricultural resilience and sustainability.

Current extent and future opportunities for living shorelines in Australia

Living shorelines aim to enhance the resilience of coastlines to hazards while simultaneously delivering co-benefits such as carbon sequestration. Despite the potential ecological and socio-economic benefits of living shorelines over conventional engineered coastal protection structures, application is limited globally. Australia has a long and diverse coastline that provides prime opportunities for living shorelines using beaches and dunes, vegetation, and biogenic reefs, which may be either natural (‘soft’ approach) or with an engineered structural component (‘hybrid’ approach). Published scientific studies, however, have indicated limited use of living shorelines for coastal protection in Australia. In response, we combined a national survey and interviews of coastal practitioners and a grey and peer-reviewed literature search to (1) identify barriers to living shoreline implementation; and (2) create a database of living shoreline projects in Australia based on sources other than scientific literature. Projects included were those that had either a primary or secondary goal of protection of coastal assets from erosion and/or flooding. We identified 138 living shoreline projects in Australia through the means sampled starting in 1970; with the number of projects increasing through time particularly since 2000. Over half of the total projects (59 %) were considered to be successful according to their initial stated objective (i.e., reducing hazard risk) and 18 % of projects could not be assessed for their success based on the information available. Seventy percent of projects received formal or informal monitoring. Even in the absence of peer-reviewed support for living shoreline construction in Australia, we discovered local and regional increases in their use. This suggests that coastal practitioners are learning on-the-ground, however more generally it was stated that few examples of living shorelines are being made available, suggesting a barrier in information sharing among agencies at a broader scale. A database of living shoreline projects can increase knowledge among practitioners globally to develop best practice that informs technical guidelines for different approaches and helps focus attention on areas for further research.

An appropriate amount of straw replaced chemical fertilizers returning reduced net greenhouse gas emissions and improved net ecological economic benefits

With the increasing application of crop straw, the greenhouse gas emissions caused due to crop straw have received increasing attention. However, the current studies have not explored the greenhouse gas emissions from on-farmland consumption of returned straw. Based on a long-term positioning experiment, three treatments were set up in double-cropping rice fields: chemical fertilizer (CF), straw replacing 1/3 nitrogen fertilizer (MS), and straw replacing 2/3 nitrogen fertilizer (HS). We measured the biomass, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions of double-cropping rice and then comprehensively evaluated the global warming potential, carbon footprint, and net ecological and economic benefits. The straw treatments (MS and HS) increased the cumulative annual emissions of CH4 (98.44% and 261.23%), CO2 (30.85% and 122.29%), and N2O (7.37% and 52.50%), the cumulative annual global warming potential (74.15% and 206.12%), average GHG intensity (43.26% and 138.07%), and the annual cumulative net ecosystem carbon budget (52.96% and 100.97%) in the early and late rice growing seasons, respectively. We observed that the real-time greenhouse gas emissions were significantly correlated to the soil microbial functional genes and total carbon, NH4+-N, and NO3−-N. The results of the random forest model showed that total carbon (13.87%) and nirK abundance (9.80%) were the highest predictors of global warming potential at the booting and maturity stages, respectively during rice growing season. Combining the resource inputs for agricultural production and the greenhouse gas emission potential of the returned straw on its own, MS showed the lowest net greenhouse gas emission, and MS and HS showed significantly increased annual cumulative net ecological economic benefits (38.08% and 34.30%). Overall, MS showed the lowest net greenhouse gas emission and the highest net ecological economic benefits, which is a straw-returning measure with low environmental impact and high economic returns.

Nutritional, ecological and livelihood significance of Moringa oleifera: A review

The potential ecological and livelihood benefits of Moringa plants are often overlooked. There is a need to raise awareness and encourage farmers and decision makers to adopt Moringa on marginal and degraded lands with changing climate risks. Previous studies have focused mainly on the pharmacological uses and oil content from a commercial point of view and failed to explore its ecological benefits and economic potential to address the growing problems of global food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate risks. Planting Moringa on unused and marginal land can improve soil fertility, food production, and resilience to climate change, offering a significant opportunity for diversification of livelihoods and economic development in the changing climate. Henceforth, this study compiles scientific evidence through a systematic literature search to highlight the ecological benefits and livelihood opportunities associated with the use of Moringa. Initially, we retrieved 206 pieces of global literature and, through the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted information from 22 articles. Various studies have consistently shown that Moringa leaves are highly nutritious and that their consumption can combat food and nutrition insecurity in low-income countries. Its seeds offer the potential for the commercial production of oils with heart-healthy properties. The oil is stable and suitable for cooking and its quality varies depending on location and environmental factors. When included in the diet, Moringa leaves improve the quality and quantity of goat milk and support the growth of fish in aquaculture. The extract of Moringa provides versatile uses in water purification, offering sustainable solutions to water pollution. We thus conclude that Moringa's diverse applications can contribute to the livelihood enhancement and economic well-being of poor and marginalized farmers in low-income countries. Planting Moringa trees in abandoned croplands and other degraded areas can have positive ecological and socioeconomic outcomes for rural communities. However, to support smallholders in low-income countries, favorable policies, field-based research evidences, and products development are crucial.

An Ecological Assessment of Tree Species Diversity, Richness and Status in Faculty of Agriculture Shabu-Lafia, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nasarawa State Nigeria

Trees are very important to mankind in different capacity. This study was carried out to assess the diversity, richness and status of tree species in Faculty of Agriculture Shabu-Lafia Campus Nasarawa State Keffi, Northern Nigeria. The study area was divided in four independent site. A line transect of 1000M were established at each site by passing through the center of the site along which 10 sample plots of 50 m × 50 m in size were established in alternate position along each transect at 80m interval. Species diversity richness were measured using Shannon-Weiner index (H) and Margalef species richness index (D), respectively, percentage relative density was used to measure trees status. Thirty six (36) tree species belonging to twenty one (21) families were recorded. Family Fabaceae had the highest number of species. From the results of the study invasive tree species are the most dominat. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H) were 2.74 for total site, 2.18 for site A, 2.10 for site B, 2.24 for site C and 2.29 for site D. The Margalef species richness index (D) values for the species were; total site = 4.89, site A = 2.66, Site B = 2.60, Site C = 2.28 and Site D = 2.50. The result of the status showed that 19.44% of tree species were abundant, 5.55% of the species were occasional, 27.77% of the trees species were rare, and 47.22% were threaten or endanger. In conclusion tree species diversity ranging 1.5-3.5 is in line with standard. The tree species richness is low. Majority of the species were either rare or endanger. The study recommended that, there should be legislation against felling or cutting down of any tree that is ≥ 10cm in diameter be it local or invasive species in the study area. Annual enrichment planting of trees species should be adopted. Awareness on the potential ecological benefits of tree stands on farmlands to the people within and surrounding the study area will play a vital role in conserving the tree species.

Land System Simulation of Ruoergai Plateau by Integrating MaxEnt and Boltzmann Entropy into CLUMondo

In the context of global change, land cover change is significantly influenced by human activities. However, there is limited knowledge about the potential economic and ecological benefits that land cover change on the Ruoergai Plateau will bring by 2035, considering the existing development plans. In our study, the CLUMondo model was improved by integrating the MaxEnt model and Boltzmann entropy and used to predict the structure and intensity of land change in China’s Ruoergai Plateau. The results show that the model integrated with MaxEnt and Boltzmann entropy is the most accurate in four contrasting experiments that have a Kappa of 0.773. The predicted results show that with the increase in the demand for ecological benefits, the total area of the water area shows a clear increasing trend. With 0.25% GDP growth, the water area is about 178 km2. With 2.5% GEP growth, the water area is about 202 km2. The latter is 24 km2 more than the former, an increase of about 13.6%. With the increase in the demand for economic benefits, the total area of construction land shows a clear increasing trend. Grassland, forest, and cropland are partly converted into construction land, because of the higher economic benefits of construction land. At the same time, the density of construction land will increase. With 12.6% GDP growth, the high-density construction area is about 399 km2. With 126.1% GEP growth, the water area is about 761 km2. High-density construction land increased by 90.7% (about 362 km2). In the low elevation area near the mountains of Ruoergai County, a new concentration of construction land will appear. The simulation results are of great significance for guiding ecological protection and urban construction in Ruoergai.

An Information System for Comprehensive Evaluation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services Value: Design and Case Application

The study of natural resources and ecosystem service value assessments is crucial for understanding the direct economic benefits and potential ecological, environmental, and social benefits of these resources. Existing research lacks a comprehensive information management framework design and application exploration for the practice process, and a unified and standardized technical framework has not been established, which makes it difficult to expand the functions in the future. This study uses data from various aspects such as statistical yearbooks, remote sensing satellites, and field studies, and adopts the market value method and alternative cost method to construct a natural resources and ecosystem service value indicator system and a comprehensive evaluation information system, taking Shaanxi Province as an example. The total value of natural resources and ecosystem services in Shaanxi Province is CNY 107.67 trillion, of which the value of natural resources is CNY 105.11 trillion and the value of ecosystem services is CNY 2.56 trillion. This study makes up for the deficiencies in the realization path of the existing natural resources and ecosystem service value accounting studies, solves the problems of a large number of data collection sources, integration of accession criteria, integrated assessment methods, and synchronized assessment updates in natural resources management in Shaanxi Province, and realizes the visualization and information management of natural resources and ecosystem service value accounting.

Quantifying the potential impact of reducing recreational harvest limits on the catch of a key marine species using off-site angler survey data

Abstract Recreational fishing can have substantial ecological impacts, which must be managed against a background of critical socio-economic factors. However, it is often difficult to assess the effect of altered management arrangements on this sector’s harvest. Recreational fishing surveys can assist in quantifying the impact of changes to harvest limits. Here, we use survey data collected in 2013/2014 and 2017/2018 to estimate the total catch of Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus), a key Australian marine species, under a daily harvest limit of 10 fish per angler and simulated scenarios where the limit is reduced to 5, 3, or 1 fish per angler. We then test the significance of these changes in harvest limit on catch and also model the potential effects of year and region using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMz). For both sampled time periods, the GLMMz found that only the most stringent harvest limit reduction to 1 fish per angler would lower retained harvest significantly. None of the reductions in harvest limit increased the number of released Dusky Flathead significantly. We discuss how this novel quantitative approach can be used to inform alternative output management regulations by taking into account their potential ecological and socio-economic benefits for a recreational fishery.

Effect of thinning on growth and allometry of Eucalyptus diversicolor

Karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor F. Muell.) forest is an endemic forest type of southwest Western Australia (SWWA), noted for having the tallest trees in the region, and providing commercial, ecological and conservation value. To inform management aimed at optimising these values, a thinning trial was commenced in 1992. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of thinning on individual tree growth, stand level growth and allometry of karri trees in even-aged stands. Mixed effect models were used to compare the effect of different levels of thinning on individual tree growth and stand level growth of karri. We developed allometric equations modelling the relationship between diameter at breast height (DBH) and height, and tested whether thinning affected this allometric relationship. Thinning enhanced DBH, height and crown width (CW) growth of individual trees by up to 149%, 56% and 108% respectively in heavily thinned stands, with stand basal area growth optimised at retained basal areas of 13 m2 ha−1. Thinning had a significant effect on allometry of DBH with height, height-DBH ratio (HDR) and CW. Reduction in stand density through thinning from below increased diameter growth of individual trees. Stand level basal area growth is optimised at an intermediate level of thinning. Thinning can be a good management tool for even-aged karri forest because it may promote the diameter and thereby basal area growth, good health of individual trees, and potential ecological benefits including accelerated development of larger tree crowns typical of mature forest.

Changes in land use of temperate forests associated to avocado production in Mexico: Impacts on soil properties, plant traits and insect-plant interactions

CONTEXTTemperate forest ecosystems harbor great biodiversity and provide key ecosystem services. However, in Mexico they have been deforested for use in avocado orchards, which represents a major threat to ecosystems functioning and the conservation of biodiversity. OBJECTIVEWe evaluated the changes in soil chemical properties in a fragmented landscape of avocado agrosystems and forests in Mexico and the effects on plant quantity and quality (leaf area, canopy cover, DBH and chlorophyll content), leaf morphology, herbivory and fluctuating asymmetry in Quercus castanea and Q. obtusata. METHODSEight study sites were selected: i) areas with a more proportion of forest and less of avocado orchards, ii) areas with equal proportion of both forest and orchards, iii) areas with more proportion of orchards. In all sites, 15 adult trees at the edge and 15 trees in the interior of each fragment were selected for each oak species. Soil samples were also collected in all study sites to analyze their chemical properties. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSWe found higher concentration of Mg2+, NO3− and SO42− in soils of sites with more proportion of orchards. Total leaf area, canopy cover and DBH, as well the herbivory and FA levels were higher in these sites and in the edges of fragments for both oak species. Chlorophyll content was higher at forest edges than in the interior of fragments for all sites analyzed. Leaves of both oak species were more elongated and wider in sites with more proportion of orchards, as well in forest edges. Plant traits, herbivory and FA were related to chemical soil properties according to the proportion of forest and orchards, indicating that the mechanisms driving this interaction are scale-dependent and vary among habitat types according to proportion of forest. Herbivory was positively correlated with leaf area, DBH, chlorophyll content and FA for both oak species, indicating that herbivory increase as resource availability and quality increased along mosaic of avocado agrosystems. Our results showed that land use change of forest to avocado orchards, creates fragments with intense edge effects changing chemical soil properties, which in turn affect quantity and quality of resources to insect herbivores, as well as leaf morphology and FA levels of Q. castanea and Q. obtusata individuals. SIGNIFICANCEOur study is the first to denote the importance of the maintenance and conservation of temperate forest ecosystems and their potential functional and ecological benefits to avocado cultivation.

An interrupted time series approach to assess Marine Protected Area impacts on recreational fishing licence sales

Abstract Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are increasingly used as a management and conservation strategy. However, the effects of MPA implementation (i.e. restrictions on extractive use) on recreational fishers' spatial behaviour are often not considered. Spatial shifts in fishing pressure and which port fishers choose to fish from can have ecological and economic impacts. Therefore, it is critical that MPA impacts on recreational fishers are adequately investigated and weighed against potential conservation benefits from MPA designation. The State of Oregon, USA, has a system of five no‐take marine reserves (MRs) with adjacent limited‐take MPAs. This study used an interrupted time series approach to investigate how fishing licence sales were impacted by MR implementation. This study found that recreational fishers near only one MR were potentially adversely impacted by MR implementation. The proportion of coastal licence sales near Redfish Rocks MR displayed an immediate sustained 47.1% proportional decrease following reserve implementation. Conversely, there was a 0.5% proportional increase in monthly demand for licence sales near Otter Rock and Cascade Head MRs. This study suggests that most MRs in Oregon were designated in a manner that limited significant adverse impacts to some ocean users, a specified MR objective. The process of MR planning in Oregon, which involved considerable public input, could be used as an example for MR designation in other similar settings. However, when a potential MR site and adjacent town's conditions match those at Redfish Rocks MR, there may be adverse socio‐economic impacts that should be weighed against potential ecological benefits. This study also demonstrates the application of an interrupted time series approach. When sufficient data are available, this is a robust approach that addresses numerous shortfalls of traditional MPA impact evaluations.

Usage of Converter Gas as a Substitute Fuel for a Tunnel Furnace in Steelworks.

Converter gas (BOFG) is a by-product of the steel manufacturing process in steelworks. Its usage as a substitute fuel instead of natural gas for fueling a metallurgical furnace seems to be reasonable due to potential benefits as follows: CO2 emission reduction into the ambient air and savings in purchasing costs of natural gas. Results of theoretical analysis focused on implementing converter gas as a fuel for feeding a tunnel furnace for either steel plate rolling, steel sheet hardening in its real working condition or both, are discussed. The analysis was focused on the combustion chemistry of the converter gas and its potential ecological and economic benefits obtained from converter gas usage to heat up steel in a tunnel furnace. Simulations of combustion were conducted using a skeletal chemical kinetic mechanism by Konnov. The directed relation graph with error propagation aided sensitivity analysis (DRGEPSA) method was used to obtain this skeletal kinetic mechanism. Finally, the model was validated on a real tunnel furnace fueled by natural gas. Regarding exhaust emissions, it was found that nitric oxide (NO) dropped down from 275 to 80 ppm when natural gas was replaced by converter gas. However, carbon dioxide emissions increased more than three times in this case, but there is no possibility of eliminating carbon dioxide from steel manufacturing processes at all. Economic analysis showed savings of 44% in fuel purchase costs when natural gas was replaced by converter gas. Summing up, the potential benefits resulting from substituting natural gas with converter gas led to the conclusion that converter gas is strongly recommended as fuel for a tunnel furnace in the steel manufacturing process. Practical application requires testing gas burners in terms of their efficiency, which should provide the same amount of energy supplied to the furnace when fed with converter gas.

Increased Biodiversity Associated With Abandoned Benthic Oyster Farms Highlight Ecosystem Benefits of Both Oyster Reefs and Traditional Aquaculture

Oyster reefs are structurally complex habitats which are increasingly recognized for their importance in estuarine systems. With over 85% of oyster reefs lost to human activities globally, there is increasing interest in aquaculture to not only meet the growing need for food worldwide, but also enhance ecological functions and services. Prime among these services is the provision of habitat for marine biodiversity. We assessed the biodiversity associated with an abandoned benthic oyster farm to investigate the potential ecological benefits of benthic farming techniques used in traditional oyster farms. In addition, we made note of any invasive species which may use these abandoned structures as habitat. The macrobenthic assemblage in the oyster habitat formed by the farm was different from the surrounding mudflats, containing 61 and 26 species, respectively. Density of invertebrates was similar in both habitats (~ 5,777 ± 981 indiv·m−2), but biomass in the oyster farm over ten times greater than the mudflat substrate, which had a fauna dominated by small polychaetes (<5 mm long). Molluscs and crustaceans were especially abundant in the oyster habitat and contributed to 90% of the enhanced biomass associated with oyster habitat (excluding oyster biomass). Only one invasive species was documented, the musselXenostrobus secures, but at densities lower than nearby artificial substrates (e.g., concrete shorelines). Oyster development on this abandoned farm appears to be self-sustaining, provide habitat and trophic support for associated benthic macrofauna. In addition to supporting higher biodiversity and biomass of associated species, traditional oyster aquaculture could improve the restoration potential of oyster reefs by supporting broodstock of native oysters, thus maintaining larval supply.

Opportunities for seasonal forecasting to support water management outside the tropics

Abstract. Advance warning of seasonal conditions has the potential to assist water management in planning and risk mitigation, with large potential social, economic, and ecological benefits. In this study, we explore the value of seasonal forecasting for decision-making at five case study sites located in extratropical regions. The forecasting tools used integrate seasonal climate model forecasts with freshwater impact models of catchment hydrology, lake conditions (temperature, water level, chemistry, and ecology), and fish migration timing and were co-developed together with water managers. To explore the decision-making value of forecasts, we carried out a qualitative assessment of (1) how useful forecasts would have been for a problematic past season and (2) the relevance of any windows of opportunity (seasons and variables where forecasts are thought to perform well) for management. Overall, water managers were optimistic about the potential for improved decision-making and identified actions that could be taken based on forecasts. However, there was often a mismatch between those variables that could best be predicted and those which would be most useful for management. Reductions in forecast uncertainty and a need to develop practical, hands-on experience were identified as key requirements before forecasts would be used in operational decision-making. Seasonal climate forecasts provided little added value to freshwater forecasts in these extratropical study sites, and we discuss the conditions under which seasonal climate forecasts with only limited skill are most likely to be worth incorporating into freshwater forecasting workflows.

Performance Analysis of Dairy Farms Transitioning to Environmentally Friendly Grazing Practices: The Case Study of Santa Catarina, Brazil

The conflict between food production and environmental conservation demands alternative agriculture practices to maintain or increase food production, protect and restore critical ecosystem processes, and reduce dependence on non-renewable agricultural inputs. Deforestation in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, for which agriculture has been a primary driver, already threatens the biome’s impressive biodiversity and the ecosystem services it helps sustain. Many small family farmers in Santa Catarina—located in the South of Brazil—have adopted the Voisin Rational Grazing System (VRG) as an alternative to conventional and environmentally detrimental dairy activities. This article presents the results of a research project designed to analyze the economic, social, and ecological VRG impacts based on farmers’ perceptions and economic accounts. We compare farmer profitability and critical social and environmental aspects of both systems using detailed interviews and monthly accounting of revenues and expenditures on VRG and conventional farms. We found that VRG is more profitable than the conventional dairy system in Santa Rosa de Lima. However, most farmers combine VRG with some conventional practices, affecting profitability and potential ecological benefits. The adoption of VRG in Santa Rosa de Lima nonetheless correlates with reduced use of environmentally harmful inputs, compatible with a gradual transition to a more ecologically-friendly and sustainable system.

城市低效用地更新为绿色基础设施优先度评价

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 城市低效用地更新为绿色基础设施优先度评价 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202108182283 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目（51478217） Priority evaluation of urban inefficient land renewal to green infrastructure Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: The National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program) 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:在以存量更新促进城市可持续发展的时代，将城市低效用地有序更新为绿色基础设施（Green Infrastructure，GI）是实现城市建成区生态空间再造和生态格局优化的可操作路径。现有低效用地的更新优先度评价多将经济效益作为发展潜力的判断依据，未能很好地考虑地块的潜在生态效益。以广西桂林市中心城区为例，采用层次分析法、熵权法和TOPSIS方法，从经济和社会效益角度构建综合指标体系定量评价城市低效用地的更新潜力，在此基础上，基于最小费用路径和电路理论方法，采用标准化最小费用廊道值与中心性值，评价低效用地对提升研究区景观连通性的重要性，最后利用二维判别矩阵方法，综合更新潜力与重要性分析结果，对低效用地更新为GI的优先度进行了评判。结果表明：（1）研究区更新潜力等级较高的低效用地面积占比达38%，集中分布在研究区西部和北部。（2）低效用地更新后充当廊道和踏脚石的潜力存在显著差异，对提升景观连通性重要性较高的低效用地面积占比达40%，主要分布在研究区北部、西部和南部。（3）低效用地更新潜力评价结果和基于景观连通性提升的重要性评价结果在部分区域差异明显，更新为GI优先度较高的低效用地主要分布在研究区北部和西南部，应根据其不同优先度等级采取差异化的更新规划措施。研究结果可为城市低效用地再开发的规划实践和绿色基础设施网络格局优化提供新框架和决策参考。 Abstract:In the period of promoting urban sustainable development by stock renewal, orderly renewal of urban inefficient land to green infrastructure (GI) is an operational path to realize the reconstruction of ecological space and the optimization of ecological pattern in urban built-up area. In the existing researches, the evaluation of renewal priority of urban inefficient land mostly takes economic benefits as a basis of judging the development potential, and fails to consider the potential ecological benefits of the land parcels. Taking the downtown area of Guilin city as an example, this paper constructed a comprehensive index system to quantitatively evaluate the renewal potential of urban inefficient land from the perspective of economic and social benefits by using analytic hierarchy process, entropy weight method and TOPSIS method. Then, using the Least-Cost Path and the Circuit Theory method, we adopted the normalized least cost corridor value and the centrality value to evaluate the relative importance of urban inefficient land for the improvement of landscape connectivity in the study area. Finally, using two-dimensional discriminant matrix method, the priority of urban inefficient land renewal to GI was evaluated by integrating the results of renewal potential evaluation and importance analysis. The results showed that:(1) the area of inefficient land parcels with high renewal potential accounted for 38%, which were relatively concentrated in the west and north of the study area. (2) The renewal of inefficient land to GI could significantly improve the overall landscape connectivity of the study area, and for these inefficient land parcels, there were significant differences in their potential of serving as corridors and stepping stones after renewal. The area of inefficient land parcels which were highly important for improving landscape connectivity accounted for 40%, and they were mainly distributed in the north, west and south of the study area. (3) There were obvious differences between the results of inefficient land renewal potential evaluation and the results of importance analysis based on the improvement of landscape connectivity in some regions. The area of inefficient land parcels with high priority for renewal accounted for 21%, and they were mainly distributed in the north and southwest of the study area. For these inefficient land parcels, different renewal planning measures should be taken according to their different renewal priority grades. The research results can provide a new method framework and decision-making reference for the planning practice of urban inefficient land redevelopment and the optimization of green infrastructure network patterns. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献