Modeling Potential Impacts of Beach Replenishment on Horseshoe Crab Nesting Habitat Suitability

Beach replenishment has been proposed to increase nesting habitat for horseshoe crabs, but its environmental consequences may compromise the egg development and viability of this declining species. Horseshoe crab habitat requirements were used to build a habitat suitability model in STELLA to predict the potential impacts of beach replenishment on horseshoe crab eggs. A habitat suitability index (H.S.I.) comprised of six variables (dissolved oxygen, sediment grain size, sand temperature, sand moisture, wave energy, and salinity) was developed and compared between replenished and natural beaches. Sediment grain size and dissolved oxygen were higher in the natural beach, whereas sand temperature and moisture were higher in the replenished beach, resulting in significantly higher suitability of the natural beach (p = 5.39 × 10^?15, df = 30). The model was most sensitive to air temperature, rainfall, tide, and sediment grain size. This model is useful for understanding the processes affecting horseshoe crabs and predicting impacts of coastal management activities on habitat suitability. Based on the results of this model, beach replenishment is not recommended for increasing or improving horseshoe crab habitat, unless care is taken to match fill sediment to natural grain size and color.     

It's a Wonderful Coast or,Every Time a Bell Rings,Long Island Sound is Protected

In Frank Capra's classic film It's a Wonderful Life, a despondent man takes a journey to see what life would have been like without him: the journey paints a bleak picture. In true Hollywood form, he is ultimately reassured of his impact even though his accomplishments were immeasurable. The film's protagonist, George Bailey, is the perfect metaphor for Connecticut's Coastal Management Program. The Program can measure quantifiable elements: the number of site plans reviewed, number of permits issued, acres of tidal wetlands restored. But coastal managers often lose sight of the accomplishments and ripple effects of management, possibly because accomplishments are taken for granted. Perhaps the true value of coastal management programs lies in that intangible, immeasurable idea of what coasts would be like without them.

This article takes readers on a George Bailey–esque journey by identifying the Connecticut Coastal Management Program's accomplishments since its adoption in 1980, reviewed in the context of several questions: What if the Program had never been adopted? What would public access look like? How many acres of tidal wetlands would be lost to development or Phragmites invasion? Hopefully, the results of the exercise will put coastal management into better context and highlight the successes.     

基于可持续发展理念的道路建设

21世纪世界各国的道路政策所面临的重要课题是如何在道路建设中保护生态环境，实现可持续发展的目标。本文分析了道路建设对生态环境产生的影响，结合德国、荷兰等国家道路建设中自然生态环境保护、生物生息环境的创造以及生态系统保全的技术和方法，提出了基于环境可持续发展理念的道路建设策略。     

Advancing Coastal Habitat Resiliency Through Landscape-Scale Assessment

Coastal areas are among the most biologically rich regions in the world. They provide tremendous benefit to people through ecological services like pollution filtration, carbon sequestration, and storm protection. However, human activity has decreased the ability of ecosystems to provide these services, and in many coastal areas, restoration is not as effective as it could be. Limited success is largely attributed to vague goals and a lack of holistic, science-informed planning. Quantifying coastal habitat health can aid in setting better restoration goals and lead to greater restoration success. The Long Island Sound Study National Estuary Program conducted the first comprehensive look at coastal habitat health for the Long Island Sound Estuary. In this study we also reviewed landscape-scale habitat assessment progress within other coastal programs. Results can be applied to establish ecosystem health-oriented goals that improve habitat function and resilience across coastal areas.     

思小高速公路野象谷段路域亚洲象活动规律

为了有效保障思小高速公路野象谷段运营安全及路域亚洲象种群生态完整性，于2018年4月10日至2019年10月18日对该路段亚洲象（Elephas maximus）经常活动的4个区域布设20台红外相机进行监测，研究该路域亚洲象的活动规律。结果显示，亚洲象对高速公路桥梁和隧道周边的生境均有利用，日活动节律最频繁的时间段是夜间和黄昏，季节活动节律高峰是1月至7月，其中3月份的活动程度最高。研究表明，亚洲象对高速公路没有明显的回避行为，但监测区内人为干扰对亚洲象的日活动节律影响比较严重；季节活动节律与雨季和旱季的气候特征相关。目前中国境内发生的车辆与亚洲象直接相撞事故较少，考虑未来交通网络发展对亚洲象生境的间接影响，建议在该地区开展交通基础设施规划时，将亚洲象及其生境作为专项内容进行评价，评价结果纳入规划的参考因素。     

Using the Ecopath with Ecosim Modeling Approach to Understand the Effects of Watershed-based Management Actions in Coastal Ecosystems

Resource managers are often tasked with identifying and assessing the potential impacts of management actions on the biotic communities under their care. When the management activities directly influence a single species of interest, managers can turn to a variety of models to aid in their understanding of potential changes to that population. However, as ecosystem-based management becomes more widely accepted, managers will have to understand how proposed actions will impact entire biotic communities, through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Thus, there is a need for ecosystem models that account for both trophic and non-trophic interactions, and that can be relatively easily used to assess a variety of management scenarios. We reviewed the available literature regarding incorporation of eutrophication and other anthropogenic impacts into Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE), one of the more widely used trophic ecosystem modeling frameworks. We found that a number of mechanisms of varying complexity have been used to include these stressors in models, providing managers with a suite of options that can be used to complement their existing management options as they seek to understand the impacts of human interactions on the natural environment.     

丁坝对整治河段生态影响及对策研究

丁坝是常用的航道整治建筑物,在发挥整治功能的同时,也会影响所在河段的生态质量。丁坝对河段生态的影响机理比较复杂,通过改变流场、流速、水深和河床冲淤情况,影响河段生境质量,其中坝田间的回流区是控制生态影响有利或有害的关键水域。文章以西江底栖动物和鱼类对栖息地流速、水深和底质的要求为依据,分析西江广东段的虎跳门口门浅滩和界首滩浅段,以及北江洪奇门水道玉米地段航道整治工程中丁坝对河段生态的影响。最后从合理选择丁坝坝址和构建生态保护型丁坝两个方面提出生态保护对策。     

Theme Issue 30(2): "Economics of Marine Protected Areas"

Most Florida manatees depend on localized warm-water refuges in the southern two-thirds of Florida to survive winter; about 60% use outfalls from 10 power plants, whereas 15% use 4 natural warm-water springs. Future availability of these refuges is in doubt; most of these power plants may be retired within the next 20 years and groundwater withdrawals for human use threaten natural springs. This article examines possible effects on manatees from losing major warm-water refuges and alternative management actions. Because of manatee site-fidelity patterns, plant retirements may increase cold-stress-related deaths and significantly decrease manatee abundance. A forward-looking management strategy is urgently needed before decisions are made to retire plants now used by large numbers of manatees. Possible management alternatives include: gradually weaning manatees off plant outfalls, maintaining the flow of springs now used by manatees, enhancing access to suitable warm-water springs now little used or unused by manatees, constructing new non-industry dependent warm-water refuges, and creating new thermal basins to retain warm-water pockets able to support overwintering manatees.     

大熊猫生境评估系统的设计与实现

"5·12"汶川地震导致川西高原生态环境严重破坏,为了科学、快速、实时地对川西高原大熊猫柄息地进行评估,以景观生态学和空间分析为理论基础,利用VB.NET平台和ArcEngine工具设计、实现了大熊猫生境评估系统,并提出了基于栅格数据提取适宜面积核心斑块和潜在廊道的方法.该系统良好的交互性可方便用户实现生境评估与保护区景观格局设计,为保护大熊猫生态环境提供决策支持.