Background: Citizen science has tremendous potential in advancing scientific knowledge and improving natural resource management.To detect the wintering distribution of the endangered species Scaly-sided Merganser(Mer...Background: Citizen science has tremendous potential in advancing scientific knowledge and improving natural resource management.To detect the wintering distribution of the endangered species Scaly-sided Merganser(Mergus squamatus), national wintering surveys were organized by China Birdwatching Association.Methods: The surveys of M.squamatus were conducted in three successive winters from 2014 to 2016.A total of 2019 people from 102 organizations participated in the surveys.With three groups of 13 environmental variables, species distribution model for its wintering distribution of each year was developed using random forest.Schoener's D index was used to compare the distribution of M.squamatus in 3 years.Results: Totally, 441, 634 and 1138 individuals of M.squamatus were recorded in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.Two main sites in Dabie Mountain and East Qinling mountains were verified and the wintering range of M.squamatus was defined.The wintering range was found to be highly identical for the 3 years.Conclusions: The highly overlapped distribution range among years suggested that the wintering range of M.squamatus was relatively stable.Well organized and coordinated citizen science can be used to define distribution range and improve species conservation.展开更多
By combining satellite tracking,land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images,and the traditional stable isotope analysis,we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird,the Whit...By combining satellite tracking,land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images,and the traditional stable isotope analysis,we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird,the Whitenaped Crane(Grus vipio),in one of its key stagging sites,the Shandian River Basin in the semi-arid northern China,to provide knowledge that is critical for its conservation in the Anthropocene.Our results showed that the White-naped Cranes used both uplands and natural wetlands in the stopover site.While the cranes used farmland and natural land cover equally as night-time roosting grounds,they spent most daytime foraging at farmlands.Despite the extensive usage of croplands as their foraging ground,the Bayesian mixing models based on stable isotopic analysis revealed that crop residues after harvesting,such as Maize(Zea mays)and Naked Oat(Avena chinensis),were only a small fraction of the White-naped Cranes’diet(~19%),and their diet composited mainly natural plants,such as Allium ledebourianum,Potentilla anserina,and P.tanacetifoli.Moreover,more than 20%of the total wetlands in the region were modelled as home range of the cranes.On contrast,less than 10%of croplands and about 1%of the unused uplands were identified as home range.In addition,the entire core habitats were located in natural wetlands.Our findings demonstrated the importance of natural wetlands for the survival of the threatened crane.However,the satellite-derived land cover data showed that croplands increased rapidly in the last decade in this area,at the expense of natural wetlands.With the sharp decrease of White-naped Crane population in China,the conservation of stopover sites becomes imperative.Based on our analysis,we recommend the following management actions:conserving adequate natural wetland area,regulating anthropogenic pressures such as the use of herbicides,expanding the duration and extent of current conservation regulations,establishing a comprehensive monitoring program,and initiating basin-scale ecological restoration,for effective conservation of this threatened species.These integrated conservation strategies for migratory waterbirds are necessary,considering the rapid land-cover changes and agricultural expansion that have been occurring in East Asian-Australasian Flyway,especially in the semi-arid temperate zone.展开更多
Nordmann's Greenshank(Tringa guttifer)is a globally endangered species that has received little research attention.It is threatened by rapid habitat loss,an incomplete network of protected sites,and lack of long-t...Nordmann's Greenshank(Tringa guttifer)is a globally endangered species that has received little research attention.It is threatened by rapid habitat loss,an incomplete network of protected sites,and lack of long-term data on population dynamics.Citizen science data can be combined with survey data to support population estimation and conservation gap analysis.From 2020 to 2021,Nordmann's Greenshank was surveyed in Tiaozini,Xiaoyangkou,and Dongling on the southern coast of Jiangsu Province,China,and the global population of the species was re-evaluated using the data obtained.We integrated citizen science data from eBird and the China Bird Report from 2000 to 2020 with the survey results to identify important habitats harboring over 1%of its total population,and compared this data with existing protected areas to identify gaps in its global conservation.Our survey found that Tiaozini supported at least 1194 individuals.Consequently,its global population was reestimated to be 1500-2000.Moreover,45 important habitats were identified based on citizen data and survey results.Although 44.4%and 50.0%of the priority sites in the world and China,respectively,are located outside protected areas,the Conservation Effectiveness Index(C)is 68.4%and 71.1%,respectively,showing that the current coverage of protected areas for this part of its range is reasonable.This study presents the most complete and recent population data to date.Tiaozini is the most important migration stopover site for Nordmann's Greenshanks.The species is under threat in terms of breeding,wintering,and stopover sites.Therefore,we suggest improving monitoring,establishing new protected sites to complete the habitat protection network,and improving the effectiveness of existing habitat protection strategies,including further developing high tide roosting sites.展开更多
Throughout evolutionary history,animals are finely tuned to adjust their behaviors corresponding to environmental variations.Behavioral flexibility represents an important component of a species'adaptive capacity ...Throughout evolutionary history,animals are finely tuned to adjust their behaviors corresponding to environmental variations.Behavioral flexibility represents an important component of a species'adaptive capacity in the face of rapid anthropogenetic environmental change,and knowledge of animal behaviors is increasingly recognized in conservation biology.In aquatic ecosystem,variation of water depth is a key factor affecting the availability of food;thus,the foraging behaviors of many waterbirds,especially piscivores.In this study,we compared the foraging behaviors of the Scaly-sided Merganser(Mergus squamatus),an endangered migratory diving duck endemic to East Asia,in habitats with different water depths(Shallow waters:0–40 cm;Deep waters:40–300 cm),using video camera records obtained from the known wintering sites during three winters from 2018 to 2020.Further,the energy expenditure of foraging behavior profile and energy intake based on fish sizes were calculated to study the foraging energetics.In total,200 effective video footages that contained 1086 min with 17,995 behaviors and 163 events of catching fish were recorded.Results showed that:1)time length for fishing(including eye-submerging,head-dipping,diving and food handling)of M.squamatus in shallow waters was significantly more than in deep waters;2)M.squamatuss spent significantly more time for preparing(including vigilance,preening and swimming)in deep waters than in shallow waters;3)the mean catch rate was 0.28 fish/min in shallow waters,which is significantly higher than the value of 0.13 fish/min in deep waters;4)despite the distinct foraging behavior profiles and energy intakes,M.squamatus showed similar energetics in shallow and deep waters.We concluded that M.squamatus is a good example of behavioral flexibility that aligns with expectations of optimal foraging theory,in that it behaves in accordance to resource availability in different environments,resulting in high foraging efficiency.展开更多
Zonation of land or water areas is a tool frequently used to clarify management objectives, assist with monitoring of the effectiveness of those objectives and reconcile user conflicts. The Ramsar Convention has promo...Zonation of land or water areas is a tool frequently used to clarify management objectives, assist with monitoring of the effectiveness of those objectives and reconcile user conflicts. The Ramsar Convention has promoted zonation for wetlands as a management tool, but in a rather unstructured way, in contrast to the highly structured three-zone system of UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves. At the same time, over the last 40 years IUCN has been developing a categorisation system for protected areas, currently based on management and monitoring objectives. Research undertaken primarily on wetlands in China, but with desk-top study in other regions has shown that by using these management and monitoring objectives as guiding principles, and building on the Biosphere Reserve zonation system, a new approach is possible for wetland protected or conserved areas. Developing from the three-zone system of Biosphere Reserves this new approach proposes four zones, offering more utility and flexibility for managing, monitoring and comparing wetland conservation sites, both spatially and temporally.展开更多
Herbaceous marsh is the most widely distributed type of marsh wetland ecosystem,and has important ecological functions such as water conservation,climate regulation,carbon storage and fixation,and sheltering rare spec...Herbaceous marsh is the most widely distributed type of marsh wetland ecosystem,and has important ecological functions such as water conservation,climate regulation,carbon storage and fixation,and sheltering rare species.The carbon sequestration function of herbaceous marsh plays a key role in slowing climate warming and maintaining regional environmental stability.Vegetation biomass is an important index reflecting the carbon sequestration capacity of wetlands.Investigating the biomass of marsh vegetation can provide a scientific basis for estimating the carbon storage and carbon sequestration capacity of marshes.Based on field survey data of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation and the distribution data set of marsh in China,we analyzed the aboveground biomass and its spatial distribution pattern of herbaceous marsh on a national scale for the first time.The results showed that in China the total area of herbaceous marsh was 9.7×10^(4) km^(2),the average density of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation was 227.5±23.0 g C m-2(95%confidence interval,the same below),and the total aboveground biomass was 22.2±2.2 Tg C(1 Tg=1012 g).The aboveground biomass density of herbaceous marsh vegetation is generally low in Northeast China and the Tibetan Plateau,and high in central North China and coastal regions in China.In different marsh distribution regions of China,the average biomass density of herbaceous marsh vegetation from small to large was as follows:temperate humid and semi-humid marsh region(182.3±49.3 g C m^(-2))<Tibetan Plateau marsh region(243.9±26.6 g C m-2)<temperate arid and semi-arid marsh region(300.5±73.2 g C m-2)<subtropical humid marsh region(348.4±59.0 g C m-2)<coastal marsh region(675.4±73.8 g C m-2). Due to the different area of herbaceous marsh, the total aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in different marsh distribution regions was the largest in the temperate humid and semi-humid marsh region(9.6±2.6 Tg C), and was the smallest in the coastal marsh region(1.1±0.1 Tg C). The spatial distribution of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in China has obvious non-zonality characteristics, but also presents certain zonality in some regions. The aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in the Tibetan Plateau decreased with the increase of altitude. With the aggravation of drought, the aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in temperate humid and semi-humid regions and temperate arid and semi-arid regions decreased first and then did not obviously change. The aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in temperate humid and semi-humid regions was relatively larger in the regions with higher average annual temperature. The results can provide scientific basis for accurately evaluating the adjustment action of wetland ecosystems on climate, and provide decision support for adaptive management of wetland ecosystems.展开更多
Dams and reservoirs,regulating water levels for irrigation,hydropower and flood control,are sometimes considered as artificial managed wetlands.Recent research has shown that increased water surface of reservoirs have...Dams and reservoirs,regulating water levels for irrigation,hydropower and flood control,are sometimes considered as artificial managed wetlands.Recent research has shown that increased water surface of reservoirs have become habitats for some species of migratory waterbird.However,hydraulic engineering can be a Sword of Damocles for birds.展开更多
基金financed by National Key R&D Program of China(Award Number:2017YFC0405303)SEE FoundationNational Geographic
文摘Background: Citizen science has tremendous potential in advancing scientific knowledge and improving natural resource management.To detect the wintering distribution of the endangered species Scaly-sided Merganser(Mergus squamatus), national wintering surveys were organized by China Birdwatching Association.Methods: The surveys of M.squamatus were conducted in three successive winters from 2014 to 2016.A total of 2019 people from 102 organizations participated in the surveys.With three groups of 13 environmental variables, species distribution model for its wintering distribution of each year was developed using random forest.Schoener's D index was used to compare the distribution of M.squamatus in 3 years.Results: Totally, 441, 634 and 1138 individuals of M.squamatus were recorded in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.Two main sites in Dabie Mountain and East Qinling mountains were verified and the wintering range of M.squamatus was defined.The wintering range was found to be highly identical for the 3 years.Conclusions: The highly overlapped distribution range among years suggested that the wintering range of M.squamatus was relatively stable.Well organized and coordinated citizen science can be used to define distribution range and improve species conservation.
基金This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971400)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.BLX202144).
文摘By combining satellite tracking,land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images,and the traditional stable isotope analysis,we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird,the Whitenaped Crane(Grus vipio),in one of its key stagging sites,the Shandian River Basin in the semi-arid northern China,to provide knowledge that is critical for its conservation in the Anthropocene.Our results showed that the White-naped Cranes used both uplands and natural wetlands in the stopover site.While the cranes used farmland and natural land cover equally as night-time roosting grounds,they spent most daytime foraging at farmlands.Despite the extensive usage of croplands as their foraging ground,the Bayesian mixing models based on stable isotopic analysis revealed that crop residues after harvesting,such as Maize(Zea mays)and Naked Oat(Avena chinensis),were only a small fraction of the White-naped Cranes’diet(~19%),and their diet composited mainly natural plants,such as Allium ledebourianum,Potentilla anserina,and P.tanacetifoli.Moreover,more than 20%of the total wetlands in the region were modelled as home range of the cranes.On contrast,less than 10%of croplands and about 1%of the unused uplands were identified as home range.In addition,the entire core habitats were located in natural wetlands.Our findings demonstrated the importance of natural wetlands for the survival of the threatened crane.However,the satellite-derived land cover data showed that croplands increased rapidly in the last decade in this area,at the expense of natural wetlands.With the sharp decrease of White-naped Crane population in China,the conservation of stopover sites becomes imperative.Based on our analysis,we recommend the following management actions:conserving adequate natural wetland area,regulating anthropogenic pressures such as the use of herbicides,expanding the duration and extent of current conservation regulations,establishing a comprehensive monitoring program,and initiating basin-scale ecological restoration,for effective conservation of this threatened species.These integrated conservation strategies for migratory waterbirds are necessary,considering the rapid land-cover changes and agricultural expansion that have been occurring in East Asian-Australasian Flyway,especially in the semi-arid temperate zone.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971400)the"Saving Spoon-billed Sandpiper"of Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation(MCF)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.BLX202144)。
文摘Nordmann's Greenshank(Tringa guttifer)is a globally endangered species that has received little research attention.It is threatened by rapid habitat loss,an incomplete network of protected sites,and lack of long-term data on population dynamics.Citizen science data can be combined with survey data to support population estimation and conservation gap analysis.From 2020 to 2021,Nordmann's Greenshank was surveyed in Tiaozini,Xiaoyangkou,and Dongling on the southern coast of Jiangsu Province,China,and the global population of the species was re-evaluated using the data obtained.We integrated citizen science data from eBird and the China Bird Report from 2000 to 2020 with the survey results to identify important habitats harboring over 1%of its total population,and compared this data with existing protected areas to identify gaps in its global conservation.Our survey found that Tiaozini supported at least 1194 individuals.Consequently,its global population was reestimated to be 1500-2000.Moreover,45 important habitats were identified based on citizen data and survey results.Although 44.4%and 50.0%of the priority sites in the world and China,respectively,are located outside protected areas,the Conservation Effectiveness Index(C)is 68.4%and 71.1%,respectively,showing that the current coverage of protected areas for this part of its range is reasonable.This study presents the most complete and recent population data to date.Tiaozini is the most important migration stopover site for Nordmann's Greenshanks.The species is under threat in terms of breeding,wintering,and stopover sites.Therefore,we suggest improving monitoring,establishing new protected sites to complete the habitat protection network,and improving the effectiveness of existing habitat protection strategies,including further developing high tide roosting sites.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(BLX202147)the Joint Fund for Regional Innovation and Development of NSFC(U22A20563).
文摘Throughout evolutionary history,animals are finely tuned to adjust their behaviors corresponding to environmental variations.Behavioral flexibility represents an important component of a species'adaptive capacity in the face of rapid anthropogenetic environmental change,and knowledge of animal behaviors is increasingly recognized in conservation biology.In aquatic ecosystem,variation of water depth is a key factor affecting the availability of food;thus,the foraging behaviors of many waterbirds,especially piscivores.In this study,we compared the foraging behaviors of the Scaly-sided Merganser(Mergus squamatus),an endangered migratory diving duck endemic to East Asia,in habitats with different water depths(Shallow waters:0–40 cm;Deep waters:40–300 cm),using video camera records obtained from the known wintering sites during three winters from 2018 to 2020.Further,the energy expenditure of foraging behavior profile and energy intake based on fish sizes were calculated to study the foraging energetics.In total,200 effective video footages that contained 1086 min with 17,995 behaviors and 163 events of catching fish were recorded.Results showed that:1)time length for fishing(including eye-submerging,head-dipping,diving and food handling)of M.squamatus in shallow waters was significantly more than in deep waters;2)M.squamatuss spent significantly more time for preparing(including vigilance,preening and swimming)in deep waters than in shallow waters;3)the mean catch rate was 0.28 fish/min in shallow waters,which is significantly higher than the value of 0.13 fish/min in deep waters;4)despite the distinct foraging behavior profiles and energy intakes,M.squamatus showed similar energetics in shallow and deep waters.We concluded that M.squamatus is a good example of behavioral flexibility that aligns with expectations of optimal foraging theory,in that it behaves in accordance to resource availability in different environments,resulting in high foraging efficiency.
文摘Zonation of land or water areas is a tool frequently used to clarify management objectives, assist with monitoring of the effectiveness of those objectives and reconcile user conflicts. The Ramsar Convention has promoted zonation for wetlands as a management tool, but in a rather unstructured way, in contrast to the highly structured three-zone system of UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserves. At the same time, over the last 40 years IUCN has been developing a categorisation system for protected areas, currently based on management and monitoring objectives. Research undertaken primarily on wetlands in China, but with desk-top study in other regions has shown that by using these management and monitoring objectives as guiding principles, and building on the Biosphere Reserve zonation system, a new approach is possible for wetland protected or conserved areas. Developing from the three-zone system of Biosphere Reserves this new approach proposes four zones, offering more utility and flexibility for managing, monitoring and comparing wetland conservation sites, both spatially and temporally.
基金supported by the National Science&Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Program of China(Grant No.2013FY111800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41971065 and U19A2042)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.ZDBS-LY7019),the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2019235)。
文摘Herbaceous marsh is the most widely distributed type of marsh wetland ecosystem,and has important ecological functions such as water conservation,climate regulation,carbon storage and fixation,and sheltering rare species.The carbon sequestration function of herbaceous marsh plays a key role in slowing climate warming and maintaining regional environmental stability.Vegetation biomass is an important index reflecting the carbon sequestration capacity of wetlands.Investigating the biomass of marsh vegetation can provide a scientific basis for estimating the carbon storage and carbon sequestration capacity of marshes.Based on field survey data of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation and the distribution data set of marsh in China,we analyzed the aboveground biomass and its spatial distribution pattern of herbaceous marsh on a national scale for the first time.The results showed that in China the total area of herbaceous marsh was 9.7×10^(4) km^(2),the average density of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation was 227.5±23.0 g C m-2(95%confidence interval,the same below),and the total aboveground biomass was 22.2±2.2 Tg C(1 Tg=1012 g).The aboveground biomass density of herbaceous marsh vegetation is generally low in Northeast China and the Tibetan Plateau,and high in central North China and coastal regions in China.In different marsh distribution regions of China,the average biomass density of herbaceous marsh vegetation from small to large was as follows:temperate humid and semi-humid marsh region(182.3±49.3 g C m^(-2))<Tibetan Plateau marsh region(243.9±26.6 g C m-2)<temperate arid and semi-arid marsh region(300.5±73.2 g C m-2)<subtropical humid marsh region(348.4±59.0 g C m-2)<coastal marsh region(675.4±73.8 g C m-2). Due to the different area of herbaceous marsh, the total aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in different marsh distribution regions was the largest in the temperate humid and semi-humid marsh region(9.6±2.6 Tg C), and was the smallest in the coastal marsh region(1.1±0.1 Tg C). The spatial distribution of aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in China has obvious non-zonality characteristics, but also presents certain zonality in some regions. The aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in the Tibetan Plateau decreased with the increase of altitude. With the aggravation of drought, the aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in temperate humid and semi-humid regions and temperate arid and semi-arid regions decreased first and then did not obviously change. The aboveground biomass of herbaceous marsh vegetation in temperate humid and semi-humid regions was relatively larger in the regions with higher average annual temperature. The results can provide scientific basis for accurately evaluating the adjustment action of wetland ecosystems on climate, and provide decision support for adaptive management of wetland ecosystems.
文摘Dams and reservoirs,regulating water levels for irrigation,hydropower and flood control,are sometimes considered as artificial managed wetlands.Recent research has shown that increased water surface of reservoirs have become habitats for some species of migratory waterbird.However,hydraulic engineering can be a Sword of Damocles for birds.
