Eco-sensitivity evaluation is the basis for land development and has practical significance to the establishment of environmentally-friendly economic and social development models. Compared to simple geomorphic region...Eco-sensitivity evaluation is the basis for land development and has practical significance to the establishment of environmentally-friendly economic and social development models. Compared to simple geomorphic regions, complex geomorphic regions are limited by a higher number of eco-sensitivity factors under a land exploitation context. Further still, these factors have complicated spatial characteristics and affect each other. Based on published data, we focused on the city of Qinzhou in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China and developed an eco-sensitivity assessment system spanning land ecology, water ecology and plant ecology. A systematic comprehensive assessment of all watersheds was done using qualitative classification, spatial quantitative modeling, remote sensing and GIS technology. We were able to group Qinzhou’s 273 watersheds into three types: high sensitivity areas, medium sensitivity areas and low sensitivity areas. We propose a limit on land exploitation activities in high sensitivity areas and an ecological security network. The methods utilized here can help determine eco-sensitivity characteristics in complex geomorphic regions and with this knowledge governments wil be able to develop robust scientiifc policy to protect regional ecological security.展开更多
Freshwater habitats and organisms are among the most threatened on Earth, and freshwater ecosystems have been subject to large biodiversity losses. We developed a Climate Change Sensitivity (CCS) indicator based on ...Freshwater habitats and organisms are among the most threatened on Earth, and freshwater ecosystems have been subject to large biodiversity losses. We developed a Climate Change Sensitivity (CCS) indicator based on trait information for a selection of stream- and lake-dwelling Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera taxa. We calculated the CCS scores based on ten species traits identified as sensitive to global climate change. We then assessed climate change sensitivity between the six main ecoregions of Sweden as well as the three Swedish regions based on lilies. This was done using biological data from 1,382 stream and lake sites where we compared large-scale (ecoregional) patterns in climate change sensitivity with potential future exposure of these ecosystems to increased temperatures using ensemble-modelled future changes in air temperature. Current (1961-1990) measured temperature and ensemble-modelled future (2100) temperature showed an increase from the northernmost towards the southern ecoregions, whereas the predicted temperature change increased from south to north. The CCS indicator scores were highest in the two northernmost boreal ecoregions where we also can expect the largest global climate change-induced increase in temperature, indicating an unfortunate congruence of exposure and sensitivity to climate change. These results are of vital importance when planning and implementing management and conservation strategies in freshwater ecosystems, e.g., to mitigate increased temperatures using riparian buffer strips. We conclude that traits information on taxa specialization, e.g., in terms of feeding specialism or taxa having a preference for high altitudes as well as sensitivity to changes in temperature are important when assessing the risk from future global climate change to freshwater ecosystems [Current Zoology 60 (2): 221-232, 2014].展开更多
基金the National Water Special Project(2012ZX07101)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41071085)
文摘Eco-sensitivity evaluation is the basis for land development and has practical significance to the establishment of environmentally-friendly economic and social development models. Compared to simple geomorphic regions, complex geomorphic regions are limited by a higher number of eco-sensitivity factors under a land exploitation context. Further still, these factors have complicated spatial characteristics and affect each other. Based on published data, we focused on the city of Qinzhou in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China and developed an eco-sensitivity assessment system spanning land ecology, water ecology and plant ecology. A systematic comprehensive assessment of all watersheds was done using qualitative classification, spatial quantitative modeling, remote sensing and GIS technology. We were able to group Qinzhou’s 273 watersheds into three types: high sensitivity areas, medium sensitivity areas and low sensitivity areas. We propose a limit on land exploitation activities in high sensitivity areas and an ecological security network. The methods utilized here can help determine eco-sensitivity characteristics in complex geomorphic regions and with this knowledge governments wil be able to develop robust scientiifc policy to protect regional ecological security.
文摘Freshwater habitats and organisms are among the most threatened on Earth, and freshwater ecosystems have been subject to large biodiversity losses. We developed a Climate Change Sensitivity (CCS) indicator based on trait information for a selection of stream- and lake-dwelling Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera taxa. We calculated the CCS scores based on ten species traits identified as sensitive to global climate change. We then assessed climate change sensitivity between the six main ecoregions of Sweden as well as the three Swedish regions based on lilies. This was done using biological data from 1,382 stream and lake sites where we compared large-scale (ecoregional) patterns in climate change sensitivity with potential future exposure of these ecosystems to increased temperatures using ensemble-modelled future changes in air temperature. Current (1961-1990) measured temperature and ensemble-modelled future (2100) temperature showed an increase from the northernmost towards the southern ecoregions, whereas the predicted temperature change increased from south to north. The CCS indicator scores were highest in the two northernmost boreal ecoregions where we also can expect the largest global climate change-induced increase in temperature, indicating an unfortunate congruence of exposure and sensitivity to climate change. These results are of vital importance when planning and implementing management and conservation strategies in freshwater ecosystems, e.g., to mitigate increased temperatures using riparian buffer strips. We conclude that traits information on taxa specialization, e.g., in terms of feeding specialism or taxa having a preference for high altitudes as well as sensitivity to changes in temperature are important when assessing the risk from future global climate change to freshwater ecosystems [Current Zoology 60 (2): 221-232, 2014].