The article discusses the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in marine conservation, specifically in relation to the protection of marine ecosystems and the definition of marine protected areas...The article discusses the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in marine conservation, specifically in relation to the protection of marine ecosystems and the definition of marine protected areas (MPAs). It highlights the threats that marine ecosystems face due to human activities and emphasizes the importance of effective management and conservation efforts. By improving data gathering, processing, monitoring, and analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation, they can revolutionize marine research. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of AI and automation in marine conservation responsibly and ethically. In order to integrate these technologies into decision-making processes, stakeholders and marine conservation professionals must collaborate. Through the use of artificial intelligence and automation, marine conservation efforts can be transformed by establishing new methods of collecting and analyzing data, making informed decisions, and managing marine ecosystems.展开更多
Wetland is one of the richest biodiversity areas in the earth. The main purpose of establishing wetland protected area is to protect biodiversity, and the protection of ecosystem diversity and landscape diversity is t...Wetland is one of the richest biodiversity areas in the earth. The main purpose of establishing wetland protected area is to protect biodiversity, and the protection of ecosystem diversity and landscape diversity is the key to protect biodiversity. In order to protect regional ecosystem and landscape, it is a good way to establish wetland comprehensive protected area which connected wetland nature reserves by habitat corridors. The Sanjiang Plain as a study area, its landscape evaluation index system on wetland protected area was studied, and some problems on landscape planning and ecology construction were further approached in this paper.It showed that establishing wetland comprehensive protected area is very important to protect regional wetlands, to maintain ecological balance, and to improve the sustainable development of agriculture and industry in this region.展开更多
Development of appropriate tourism infrastructure is important for protected areas that allow public access for tourism use.This is meant to avoid or minimize unfavourable impacts on natural resources through guiding ...Development of appropriate tourism infrastructure is important for protected areas that allow public access for tourism use.This is meant to avoid or minimize unfavourable impacts on natural resources through guiding tourists for proper use.In this paper,a GIS-based method,the least-cost path(LCP) modelling,is explored for planning tourist tracks in a World Heritage site in Northwest Yunnan(China),where tourism is increasing rapidly while appropriate infrastructure is almost absent.The modelling process contains three steps:1) selection of evaluation criteria(physical,biological and landscape scenic) that are relevant to track decision; 2) translation of evluation criteria into spatially explicit cost surfaces with GIS,and 3) use of Dijkstra's algorithm to determine the least-cost tracks.Four tracks that link main entrances and scenic spots of the study area are proposed after optimizing all evaluation criteria.These tracks feature lowenvironmental impacts and high landscape qualities,which represent a reasonable solution to balance tourist use and nature conservation in the study area.In addtion,the study proves that the LCP modelling can not only offer a structured framwork for track planning but also allow for different stakeholders to participate in the planning process.It therefore enhances the effectivenss of tourism planning and managemnt in protected areas.展开更多
Against a background of continuing loss of biodiversity, it is argued that for the successful conservation of threatened plant species we need to ensure the more effective integration of the various conservation actio...Against a background of continuing loss of biodiversity, it is argued that for the successful conservation of threatened plant species we need to ensure the more effective integration of the various conservation actions employed, clarify the wording of the CBD targets and provide clearer operational guidance as to how they are to be implemented and their implementation monitored. The role and effectiveness of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and in particular plant species in situ are discussed as are recent proposals for a massive increase of their extent. The need for much greater effort and investment in the conservation or protection of threatened species outside protected areas where most plant diversity occurs is highlighted. The difficulties involved in implementing effective in situ conservation of plant diversity both at an area-and species/population-based level are discussed. The widespread neglect of species recovery for plants is noted and the desirability of making a clearer distinction between species recovery and reintroduction is emphasized. Key messages from a global overview of species recovery are outlined and recommendations made, including the desirability of each country preparing a national species recovery strategy. The projected impacts of global change on protected areas and on species conservation and recovery, and ways of addressing them are discussed.展开更多
Global climate change poses a new challenge for species and can even push some species toward an extinction vortex. The most affected organisms are those with narrow tolerance to the climatic factors but many large ma...Global climate change poses a new challenge for species and can even push some species toward an extinction vortex. The most affected organisms are those with narrow tolerance to the climatic factors but many large mammals such as ungulates with a wider ecological niche are also being affected indirectly. Our research mainly used wild sheep in central Iran as a model species to explore how the suitable habitats will change under different climatic scenarios and to determine if current borders of protected areas will adequately protect habitat requirements. To create habitat models we used animal-vehicle collision points as an input for species presence data. We ran habitat models using Max Ent modeling approach under different climatic scenarios of the past, present and future(under the climatic scenarios for minimum(RCP2.6) and maximum(RCP8.5) CO2 concentration trajectories). We tried to estimate the overlap and the width of the ecological niche using relevant metrics. In order to analyze the effectiveness of the protected areas, suitable maps were concerted to binary maps using True Skill Statistic(TSS) threshold and measured the similarity of the binary maps for each scenario using Kappa index. In order to assess the competence of the present protected areas boundary in covering the distribution of species, two different scenarios were employed, which are ensemble scenario 1: an ensemble of the binary maps of the species distribution in Mid-Holocene, present, and RCP2.6;and ensemble scenario 2: an ensemble of binary suitability maps in Mid-Holocene, present, and RCP8.5. Then, the borders of modeled habitats with the boundaries of 23 existing protected areas in two central provinces in Iran were compared. The predicted species distribution under scenario 1(RCP2.6) was mostly similar to its current distribution(Kappa = 0.53) while the output model under scenario 2(RCP8.5) indicated a decline in the species distribution range. Under the first ensemble scenario, current borders of the protected areas in Hamedan province showed better efficiency to cover the model species distribution range. Analyzing Max Ent spatial models under the second climatic scenario suggested that protected areas in both Markazi and Hamedan provinces will not cover "high suitability" areas in the future. Modeling the efficiency of the current protected areas under predicted future climatic scenarios can help the related authorities to plan conservation activities more efficiently.展开更多
In the recent 20 years, it is a trend that forest will be distributed to villagers to manage in the world.Also in China, "forestry three determinations" has been carried out since 1980, and many new forestry...In the recent 20 years, it is a trend that forest will be distributed to villagers to manage in the world.Also in China, "forestry three determinations" has been carried out since 1980, and many new forestry devolutionshave been put fotward to and come into being. To face the fact of overusing up natural forest to result in the deterioration of ecology environment, the strategy of naturaf forest protection project (NFPP) is raised after the heavyflood in 1998. Now, it i s paid close attention to systematically study to carry Out the strategies of NFPP in collective forest area, especially in the community of minority nationalities. Based on the case of forest resource management in Datu Miao Village, the experience of its forest management in the past is analyzed and the strategies of NFPP in collective forest area are put forward.展开更多
Marine protected areas(MPAs) in the Southern Ocean are receiving more and more global attention. The Southern Ocean is one of the world's last regions not yet seriously impacted by human activities, signifying its...Marine protected areas(MPAs) in the Southern Ocean are receiving more and more global attention. The Southern Ocean is one of the world's last regions not yet seriously impacted by human activities, signifying its ecological importance and unique value for scientific research. In response to climate change and growing commercial fishing interests in the Southern Ocean and their impacts on the marine ecosystem, the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) is reacting to growing international pressure to establish a system of MPAs in the Southern Ocean to manage fisheries and conserve vital species—such as the keystone resource Antarctic krill and the dominant fish predator Antarctic toothfish—as well as to protect whole ecosystems. This review summarizes progress in the establishment of MPAs in the Southern Ocean by focusing on several major topics:(1) the current status of MPAs in the Southern Ocean;(2) the purpose and objective of MPAs in the Southern Ocean;(3) a short description of the largest high-sea MPA(the Ross Sea MPA);(4) ecological observation and monitoring for the planned MPAs in the Southern Ocean; and(5) the importance of international cooperation in the design, establishment and future management of MPAs in the Southern Ocean.展开更多
The research reported in this paper investigated the role of identity construction in the emergence and escalation of conflict in the participatory management of protected areas in Benin. The study shows that social i...The research reported in this paper investigated the role of identity construction in the emergence and escalation of conflict in the participatory management of protected areas in Benin. The study shows that social identity salience was dynamic and played an important role in the emergence and escalation of conflict in the studied cases. Conflicts emerged when identities became salient as a result of the stake-holders’ framing of contextual factors as a threat to their identity. The conflicts escalated when decisions and actions undertaken in the management process were framed as top-down and as posing a threat to the identities of the stakeholders. We conclude that, although the government in the management of the protected areas introduced participation, unilateral decisions taken about the way the conflicts should be managed caused disappointment and distrust, and thus led to a greater distance between the parties involved and to conflict escalation.展开更多
Understanding regional environmental heterogeneity(EH)and biodiversity relationships(heterogeneity-diversity relationships:HDRs)is the first step toward coupling environmental variables with biodiversity surrogates in...Understanding regional environmental heterogeneity(EH)and biodiversity relationships(heterogeneity-diversity relationships:HDRs)is the first step toward coupling environmental variables with biodiversity surrogates into regional systematic conservation planning.However,there is no universal method for determining regional HDRs that considers various environmental variables and biodiversity in different regions.This study selected 32 nature reserves as natural areas in Yunnan,China,to examine regional HDRs in Yunnan.We calculated 17 EH parameters(of soil,topography,and climate)and three(ecosystem,plant,and animal)biodiversity indices in the nature reserves.By examining the explanatory power of each EH parameter and area of the nature reserve,we identified the primary parameters and constructed an optimal model for each biodiversity index.The explanatory powers of these parameters varied for each biodiversity index,and those of climatic parameters were generally higher than soil and topographic heterogeneity ones.Heterogeneity of the temperature annual range,followed by area and heterogeneity of soil type,were important parameters for ecosystem diversity of Yunnan and the optimal model explained 56.9%.Plant diversity was explained 54.5%by its optimal model,consisting of heterogeneity of precipitation of the coldest quarter and annual precipitation.Heterogeneity of temperature annual range was important for animal diversity in Yunnan and explained 29.6%of its optimal model.This study suggests that EH parameters can be an effective surrogate for biodiversity,therefore,we suggested that the significance and role of climatically heterogeneous regions for the conservation of biodiversity in Yunnan should be further studied in the future.展开更多
To tackle environmental challenges and in particular,the problems associated with the high demand for forests and resources,the consequence of which is the degradation of ecological systems,Russia has developed the bi...To tackle environmental challenges and in particular,the problems associated with the high demand for forests and resources,the consequence of which is the degradation of ecological systems,Russia has developed the biggest network of specially protected natural areas in the world.Although the scale of SPNA may look impressive,a recent comprehensive study of the period from 2001 to 2018 brought the spotlight on protected areas in Russia experiencing significant tree loss annually.Since Russia is confronting unprecedented fires that break records every year,the problem of preserving rare animal and plant species,their habitats,and natural ecosystems is acute.This paper is intended to assess the extent and effectiveness of SPNAs with regard to wilderness conservation in the Russian Federation based on the latest data;the main focus being on the period of 2014—2019,before and after the launch of the environmental safety strategies,along with additional analysis of available data for the following year of 2020.With due consideration of unique geographical,economic,and socio-cultural circumstances,as well as historical background and legislative reality of SPNAs in Russia,we have conducted a statistical analysis of data from the official annual reports from the Federal State Statistics Service on SPNAs by territories and significance,expenditures on maintenance and ecotourism,followed by RGB analysis of satellite imagery via means of GIS software for visualization of obtained data and further analytics.Despite the growth of the SPNA network in Russia,resulting in an astonishing 2402 Mha in 2020,an estimated 4 Mha of tree loss accounted for SPNAs over the period of 2014—2019,and 134 Mha in 2020 alone.Our findings indicate a need for the application of a comprehensive GIS approach for further development and effective management of the SPNA network in Russia.Furthermore,the results include recommendations on legislative changes,engagement of locals in SPNA protection,and popularization of ecotourism,all of which can be valuable for policymakers and SPNA development.展开更多
Marine Protected Areas are increasingly becoming a tool of choice for conservation and management of marine resources and ecosystems. Data on biodiversity are necessary to assist in establishing protected areas for co...Marine Protected Areas are increasingly becoming a tool of choice for conservation and management of marine resources and ecosystems. Data on biodiversity are necessary to assist in establishing protected areas for conservation objectives to be met. Toward that effect, we investigated reef biodiversity patterns in three large-scale coastal regions of Brazil. The study areas comprised of an upwelling region, an adjacent high impacted region, and a more distant marine park. We surveyed four reef sites in each study region. Species counts of sessile benthic organisms, substrate relief, and average monthly water temperatures were recorded during the surveys. Benthic organisms were identified to the lowest taxa possible using still photos. Biodiversity was estimated using Shannon’s index on richness of organism taxa. Diversity was highest at the upwelling and high-impacted areas. No substrate relief patterns were found. Temperature readings showed lower average values at the upwelling and high impacted regions. Our results favor the upwelling region for establishment of a Marine Protected Area. Moreover, the similar diversity between the upwelling and the high impacted regions showed evidence of spillover effects from the former into the latter region, further demonstrating the importance of the former region for conservation.展开更多
To obtain the characteristics of the gas hydrate reservoirs at GMGS3-W19,extensive geophysical logging data and cores were analyzed to assess the reservoir properties.Sediment porosities were estimated from density,ne...To obtain the characteristics of the gas hydrate reservoirs at GMGS3-W19,extensive geophysical logging data and cores were analyzed to assess the reservoir properties.Sediment porosities were estimated from density,neutron,and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)logs.Both the resistivity and NMR logs were used to calculate gas hydrate saturations,the Simandoux model was employed to eliminate the effects of high clay content determined based on the ECS and core data.The density porosity was closely in agreement with the core-derived porosity,and the neutron porosity was higher while the NMR porosity was lower than the density porosity of sediments without hydrates.The resistivity log has higher vertical resolution than the NMR log and thus is more favorable for assessing gas hydrate saturation with strong heterogeneity.For the gas hydrate reservoirs at GMGS3-W19,the porosity,gas hydrate saturation and free gas saturation was 52.7%,42.7%and 10%,on average,respectively.The various logs provide different methods for the comprehensive evaluation of hydrate reservoir,which supports the selection of candidate site for gas hydrate production testing.展开更多
Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangla...Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangladesh has gained a degree of prominence in the world for its successful social forestry programs, the concept of collaborative protected area management is rather new in the country, initiated in 2004 by the Bangladesh Forest Department in five PAs with financial assistance from USAID. Based on empirical evidence from three of the pilot PAs, we examined the achievements and associated challenges and prospects for co-management. Our fieldwork revealed a number of challenges faced by co-management institutions: (1) institutions were dominated by the elite group, overshadowing the voice of the community people; (2) mutual trust and collective performance are key to good governance but had not taken root in the PAs; (3) encroachment onto forest land and subsequent conversion to agriculture remained a serious problem that discouraged forest-dependent people from participating actively in co-management initiatives; (4) legal provisions (including acts, rules and policies) were not clearly and adequately disseminated and understood at the community level; (5) there remained a degree of ambiguity regarding the roles and responsibilities of forest department (FD) and co-management committees (CMC) in field operations, and this was not enhancing transparency and accountability of the overall initiative; (6) the long-term sustainability of co-management institutions was another major concern, as the local intuitional structure was still in a nascent stage, and provisioning of resources (either internally or externally) remained somewhat uncertain. We offer recommendations for improvement.展开更多
The article presents research findings related to recreational use of forests located in protected mountainous areas with forestage of over 80%. The study was designed to identify recreational potential of the Carpath...The article presents research findings related to recreational use of forests located in protected mountainous areas with forestage of over 80%. The study was designed to identify recreational potential of the Carpathian national parks(Bieszczady National Park, Babia Góra National Park, Gorce National Park and Magura National Park; southern Poland) and to compare these findings with the actual number of visitors. The information received on the recreational potential of parks is important from the point of view of protection of natural resources and the financial situation of the parks. The calculated ratio may be an effective tool of management for park administration, that allows to reconcile statutory social and protective functions of national parks. The study determined the recreational potential of the forests with the use of recreational valorisation method designed for areas with varied terrain, and the evaluated factors included the stands of trees with their habitat and land relief. The permissible number of national park visitors, expressed as manhour/ha/year ranges from 19.31 in Bieszczady National Park(BG: 19o 35' E, 49o 35' N) to 32.06 in in Bieszczady National Park(B: 22o 40' E, 49o 10' N). In 3 out of 4 investigated parks, Magura National Park(M: 21°25' E, 49o 30' N), Gorce National Park(G: 20o10' E, 49o 35' N), B) recreation carrying capacity was not exceeded, whether or not the strictly protected area is taken into account. Only in BG was the recreation carrying capacity exceeded by nearly 24%,or by 85% if the strictly protected area isexcluded from tourism-related exploitation. The presented procedure for monitoring access to mountain forests in national parks, from the viewpoint of natural resources conservation, can be applied in other mountainous areas covered with forests and exposed to tourist and recreational traffic,and in forests facing particular risk of recreational damage, e.g. in urban and suburban forests growing in areas with varied orography.展开更多
Commitment of local communities to protected areas is essential for conserving biodiversity.In Benin,various conservation models have been implemented for National Park management.This study,carried out around the Pen...Commitment of local communities to protected areas is essential for conserving biodiversity.In Benin,various conservation models have been implemented for National Park management.This study,carried out around the Pendjari National Park (PNP),analyzed local people’s views on ongoing participatory management activities and assessed their perceptions towards biodiversity conservation within the park.We interviewed 164 residents living in展开更多
Remote-sensing data for protected areas in northern Togo, obtained in three different years(2007, 2000, and 1987), were used to assess and map changes in land cover and land use for this drought prone zone. The normal...Remote-sensing data for protected areas in northern Togo, obtained in three different years(2007, 2000, and 1987), were used to assess and map changes in land cover and land use for this drought prone zone. The normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI) was applied to the images to map changes in vegetation. An unsupervised classification, followed by classes recoding, filtering, identifications, area computing and post-classification process were applied to the composite of the three years of NDVI images. Maximum likelihood classification was applied to the 2007 image(ETM+2007) using a supervised classification process. Seven vegetation classes were defined from training data sets. The seven classes included the following biomes: riparian forest, dry forest, flooded vegetation, wooded savanna, fallows, parkland, and water. For these classes, the overall accuracy and the overall kappa statistic for the classified map were 72.5% and 0.67, respectively. Data analyses indicated a great change in land resources; especially between 1987 and 2000 probably due to the impact of democratization process social, economic, and political disorder from 1990. Wide-scale loss of vegetation occurred during this period. However, areas of vegetation clearing and regrowth were more visible between 2000 and 2007. The main source of confusion in the contingency matrix was due to heterogeneity within certain classes. It could also be due to spectral homogeneity among the classes. This research provides a baseline for future ecological landscape research and for the next management program in the area.展开更多
The frontal uplift of the Kuqa depression is an important oil and gas producing area. In this study, the distribution and origin of natural gas were discussed based on natural gas components and isotope data. The main...The frontal uplift of the Kuqa depression is an important oil and gas producing area. In this study, the distribution and origin of natural gas were discussed based on natural gas components and isotope data. The main components of natural gas were hydrocarbons with relatively high contents of C2+ component. Most gases were derived from terrestrial source rocks, and some came from marine rocks. The contents of non-hydrocarbon gases were high in the central part of the frontal uplift area and low in the two terminals. The distribution of oil composition was similar to that of natural gas, which was mainly controlled by the types of source rocks. Dry coefficient and maturity of natural gas in the frontal uplift were lower than those of gas in the Kelasu tectonic belt of the Kuqa depression, which was mainly affected by the difference of tectonic movements in both areas. In the frontal uplift, the traps were formed in the early stage and could capture the early formed oil and gas, and structural adjustment was slight in later stages, so the oil and gas could be effectively preserved. Multiperiodic oil and gas filling led to the complex distribution of natural gas.展开更多
In the context of renewed interest in collaboration in natural resource management,the collaborative governance approach has lately been introduced to the forest Protected Areas(PAs)in Bangladesh.The adoption of this ...In the context of renewed interest in collaboration in natural resource management,the collaborative governance approach has lately been introduced to the forest Protected Areas(PAs)in Bangladesh.The adoption of this co-management approach is seen as an attempt to influence the governance process towards a transformation from the conventional custodian system to a more participatory management regime.Recognition of rights and responsibilities,effective participation,and equitable distribution of benefits amongst the key stakeholders working under a facilitative policy and legal framework are believed to address the broader goals of sustainable development Notwithstanding the resurgence of interest in governance of forest PAs through the co-management approach,academic research on the subject remains limited.This article attempts to review selected key information and milestones on the forest PAs governance with special reference to the major policies and legal documents.With a brief introductory section,this article focuses on the genesis and selected major features of the Forest PAs in the country.The discussion then dwells on the policy and legal framework and provides a critique on its relevance for promoting community participation.The existing institutional arrangements for community engagement in protected area governance are also analyzed in light of the national and international commitment and policy obligations on the part of the country.The salient observations and key findings of the study include the following:(1)despite its limitations,comanagement as concept and practice has gradually taken roots in Bangladesh;(2)the degree and level of active community participation remain low and limited,and there is also clear weakness in conscientizing and orientating the local community on the key legal and policy issues related to PA governance in the country;and(3)policy makers,practitioners,and other local stakeholders related to PA governance need to be oriented on international commitment and national development strategies.The study calls for systematic focus on regular research on the performance of co-management in the country,and efforts towards improving the implementation mechanisms in the field.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
Protected areas(PAs) have experienced explosive growth in Northwest China over the last three decades, but their effectiveness in representing regional ecological system diversity has not attracted considerable attent...Protected areas(PAs) have experienced explosive growth in Northwest China over the last three decades, but their effectiveness in representing regional ecological system diversity has not attracted considerable attention. Low effectiveness would exacerbate the conservation-development conflicts, particularly those that arise as a result of the Great Western Development Strategy(GWDS). Thus, an assessment of the effectiveness of the PA network has become quite important. We proposed natural vegetation communities to represent regional ecological system diversities, and proposed Global 200 Priority Ecoregions, Important Bird Areas, and ecosystem function regions to represent important conservation areas. To determine their effectiveness, we studied the extent to which ecological system diversities and important conservation areas are represented by the existing 96 PAs. Our results indicated that the total coverage of vegetation communities in PAs in Northwest China is not sufficiently comprehensive. As the PA system has expanded, the growth in the total area of the PAs has been greater than that of their vegetation community richness. While most of the important conservation areas are covered by PAs, some regions have not yet reached the 10% threshold; further, PAs are distributed unevenly and conservation gaps remain in the region. Therefore, these regions should receive more attention when planning new PAs. It is vital that more biodiversity datasets and assessment of ecosystem function regions are integrated in order to provide a basis for the government to formulate appropriate protection and development strategies.展开更多
文摘The article discusses the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in marine conservation, specifically in relation to the protection of marine ecosystems and the definition of marine protected areas (MPAs). It highlights the threats that marine ecosystems face due to human activities and emphasizes the importance of effective management and conservation efforts. By improving data gathering, processing, monitoring, and analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation, they can revolutionize marine research. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of AI and automation in marine conservation responsibly and ethically. In order to integrate these technologies into decision-making processes, stakeholders and marine conservation professionals must collaborate. Through the use of artificial intelligence and automation, marine conservation efforts can be transformed by establishing new methods of collecting and analyzing data, making informed decisions, and managing marine ecosystems.
文摘Wetland is one of the richest biodiversity areas in the earth. The main purpose of establishing wetland protected area is to protect biodiversity, and the protection of ecosystem diversity and landscape diversity is the key to protect biodiversity. In order to protect regional ecosystem and landscape, it is a good way to establish wetland comprehensive protected area which connected wetland nature reserves by habitat corridors. The Sanjiang Plain as a study area, its landscape evaluation index system on wetland protected area was studied, and some problems on landscape planning and ecology construction were further approached in this paper.It showed that establishing wetland comprehensive protected area is very important to protect regional wetlands, to maintain ecological balance, and to improve the sustainable development of agriculture and industry in this region.
基金funded by the CEMSIT project from the Flemish Inter-university Council of Belgiumthe grant(No.31160101)from National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Development of appropriate tourism infrastructure is important for protected areas that allow public access for tourism use.This is meant to avoid or minimize unfavourable impacts on natural resources through guiding tourists for proper use.In this paper,a GIS-based method,the least-cost path(LCP) modelling,is explored for planning tourist tracks in a World Heritage site in Northwest Yunnan(China),where tourism is increasing rapidly while appropriate infrastructure is almost absent.The modelling process contains three steps:1) selection of evaluation criteria(physical,biological and landscape scenic) that are relevant to track decision; 2) translation of evluation criteria into spatially explicit cost surfaces with GIS,and 3) use of Dijkstra's algorithm to determine the least-cost tracks.Four tracks that link main entrances and scenic spots of the study area are proposed after optimizing all evaluation criteria.These tracks feature lowenvironmental impacts and high landscape qualities,which represent a reasonable solution to balance tourist use and nature conservation in the study area.In addtion,the study proves that the LCP modelling can not only offer a structured framwork for track planning but also allow for different stakeholders to participate in the planning process.It therefore enhances the effectivenss of tourism planning and managemnt in protected areas.
文摘Against a background of continuing loss of biodiversity, it is argued that for the successful conservation of threatened plant species we need to ensure the more effective integration of the various conservation actions employed, clarify the wording of the CBD targets and provide clearer operational guidance as to how they are to be implemented and their implementation monitored. The role and effectiveness of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and in particular plant species in situ are discussed as are recent proposals for a massive increase of their extent. The need for much greater effort and investment in the conservation or protection of threatened species outside protected areas where most plant diversity occurs is highlighted. The difficulties involved in implementing effective in situ conservation of plant diversity both at an area-and species/population-based level are discussed. The widespread neglect of species recovery for plants is noted and the desirability of making a clearer distinction between species recovery and reintroduction is emphasized. Key messages from a global overview of species recovery are outlined and recommendations made, including the desirability of each country preparing a national species recovery strategy. The projected impacts of global change on protected areas and on species conservation and recovery, and ways of addressing them are discussed.
文摘Global climate change poses a new challenge for species and can even push some species toward an extinction vortex. The most affected organisms are those with narrow tolerance to the climatic factors but many large mammals such as ungulates with a wider ecological niche are also being affected indirectly. Our research mainly used wild sheep in central Iran as a model species to explore how the suitable habitats will change under different climatic scenarios and to determine if current borders of protected areas will adequately protect habitat requirements. To create habitat models we used animal-vehicle collision points as an input for species presence data. We ran habitat models using Max Ent modeling approach under different climatic scenarios of the past, present and future(under the climatic scenarios for minimum(RCP2.6) and maximum(RCP8.5) CO2 concentration trajectories). We tried to estimate the overlap and the width of the ecological niche using relevant metrics. In order to analyze the effectiveness of the protected areas, suitable maps were concerted to binary maps using True Skill Statistic(TSS) threshold and measured the similarity of the binary maps for each scenario using Kappa index. In order to assess the competence of the present protected areas boundary in covering the distribution of species, two different scenarios were employed, which are ensemble scenario 1: an ensemble of the binary maps of the species distribution in Mid-Holocene, present, and RCP2.6;and ensemble scenario 2: an ensemble of binary suitability maps in Mid-Holocene, present, and RCP8.5. Then, the borders of modeled habitats with the boundaries of 23 existing protected areas in two central provinces in Iran were compared. The predicted species distribution under scenario 1(RCP2.6) was mostly similar to its current distribution(Kappa = 0.53) while the output model under scenario 2(RCP8.5) indicated a decline in the species distribution range. Under the first ensemble scenario, current borders of the protected areas in Hamedan province showed better efficiency to cover the model species distribution range. Analyzing Max Ent spatial models under the second climatic scenario suggested that protected areas in both Markazi and Hamedan provinces will not cover "high suitability" areas in the future. Modeling the efficiency of the current protected areas under predicted future climatic scenarios can help the related authorities to plan conservation activities more efficiently.
文摘In the recent 20 years, it is a trend that forest will be distributed to villagers to manage in the world.Also in China, "forestry three determinations" has been carried out since 1980, and many new forestry devolutionshave been put fotward to and come into being. To face the fact of overusing up natural forest to result in the deterioration of ecology environment, the strategy of naturaf forest protection project (NFPP) is raised after the heavyflood in 1998. Now, it i s paid close attention to systematically study to carry Out the strategies of NFPP in collective forest area, especially in the community of minority nationalities. Based on the case of forest resource management in Datu Miao Village, the experience of its forest management in the past is analyzed and the strategies of NFPP in collective forest area are put forward.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Plan of China(Grant no.2018YFC1406801)the National Science Foundation of China(Grant no.41876217)+1 种基金the Chinese Polar Environmental Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Programs(Grant no.CHINARE 2017-03)the Aoshan Science and Technology Innovation Plan of China(Grant no.2015ASKJ02-02)
文摘Marine protected areas(MPAs) in the Southern Ocean are receiving more and more global attention. The Southern Ocean is one of the world's last regions not yet seriously impacted by human activities, signifying its ecological importance and unique value for scientific research. In response to climate change and growing commercial fishing interests in the Southern Ocean and their impacts on the marine ecosystem, the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) is reacting to growing international pressure to establish a system of MPAs in the Southern Ocean to manage fisheries and conserve vital species—such as the keystone resource Antarctic krill and the dominant fish predator Antarctic toothfish—as well as to protect whole ecosystems. This review summarizes progress in the establishment of MPAs in the Southern Ocean by focusing on several major topics:(1) the current status of MPAs in the Southern Ocean;(2) the purpose and objective of MPAs in the Southern Ocean;(3) a short description of the largest high-sea MPA(the Ross Sea MPA);(4) ecological observation and monitoring for the planned MPAs in the Southern Ocean; and(5) the importance of international cooperation in the design, establishment and future management of MPAs in the Southern Ocean.
文摘The research reported in this paper investigated the role of identity construction in the emergence and escalation of conflict in the participatory management of protected areas in Benin. The study shows that social identity salience was dynamic and played an important role in the emergence and escalation of conflict in the studied cases. Conflicts emerged when identities became salient as a result of the stake-holders’ framing of contextual factors as a threat to their identity. The conflicts escalated when decisions and actions undertaken in the management process were framed as top-down and as posing a threat to the identities of the stakeholders. We conclude that, although the government in the management of the protected areas introduced participation, unilateral decisions taken about the way the conflicts should be managed caused disappointment and distrust, and thus led to a greater distance between the parties involved and to conflict escalation.
基金Under the auspices of National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFC0505200)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(No.2019QZKK0502)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41461018)Youth Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41701110)the Applied Basic Research Foundation of Yunnan Province(No.2015FA011)Yunnan University's Research Innovation Fund for Graduate Students(No.2019z058)。
文摘Understanding regional environmental heterogeneity(EH)and biodiversity relationships(heterogeneity-diversity relationships:HDRs)is the first step toward coupling environmental variables with biodiversity surrogates into regional systematic conservation planning.However,there is no universal method for determining regional HDRs that considers various environmental variables and biodiversity in different regions.This study selected 32 nature reserves as natural areas in Yunnan,China,to examine regional HDRs in Yunnan.We calculated 17 EH parameters(of soil,topography,and climate)and three(ecosystem,plant,and animal)biodiversity indices in the nature reserves.By examining the explanatory power of each EH parameter and area of the nature reserve,we identified the primary parameters and constructed an optimal model for each biodiversity index.The explanatory powers of these parameters varied for each biodiversity index,and those of climatic parameters were generally higher than soil and topographic heterogeneity ones.Heterogeneity of the temperature annual range,followed by area and heterogeneity of soil type,were important parameters for ecosystem diversity of Yunnan and the optimal model explained 56.9%.Plant diversity was explained 54.5%by its optimal model,consisting of heterogeneity of precipitation of the coldest quarter and annual precipitation.Heterogeneity of temperature annual range was important for animal diversity in Yunnan and explained 29.6%of its optimal model.This study suggests that EH parameters can be an effective surrogate for biodiversity,therefore,we suggested that the significance and role of climatically heterogeneous regions for the conservation of biodiversity in Yunnan should be further studied in the future.
基金The Second Comprehensive Scientific Investigation and Research on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau(No.2019QZKK0308)。
文摘To tackle environmental challenges and in particular,the problems associated with the high demand for forests and resources,the consequence of which is the degradation of ecological systems,Russia has developed the biggest network of specially protected natural areas in the world.Although the scale of SPNA may look impressive,a recent comprehensive study of the period from 2001 to 2018 brought the spotlight on protected areas in Russia experiencing significant tree loss annually.Since Russia is confronting unprecedented fires that break records every year,the problem of preserving rare animal and plant species,their habitats,and natural ecosystems is acute.This paper is intended to assess the extent and effectiveness of SPNAs with regard to wilderness conservation in the Russian Federation based on the latest data;the main focus being on the period of 2014—2019,before and after the launch of the environmental safety strategies,along with additional analysis of available data for the following year of 2020.With due consideration of unique geographical,economic,and socio-cultural circumstances,as well as historical background and legislative reality of SPNAs in Russia,we have conducted a statistical analysis of data from the official annual reports from the Federal State Statistics Service on SPNAs by territories and significance,expenditures on maintenance and ecotourism,followed by RGB analysis of satellite imagery via means of GIS software for visualization of obtained data and further analytics.Despite the growth of the SPNA network in Russia,resulting in an astonishing 2402 Mha in 2020,an estimated 4 Mha of tree loss accounted for SPNAs over the period of 2014—2019,and 134 Mha in 2020 alone.Our findings indicate a need for the application of a comprehensive GIS approach for further development and effective management of the SPNA network in Russia.Furthermore,the results include recommendations on legislative changes,engagement of locals in SPNA protection,and popularization of ecotourism,all of which can be valuable for policymakers and SPNA development.
文摘Marine Protected Areas are increasingly becoming a tool of choice for conservation and management of marine resources and ecosystems. Data on biodiversity are necessary to assist in establishing protected areas for conservation objectives to be met. Toward that effect, we investigated reef biodiversity patterns in three large-scale coastal regions of Brazil. The study areas comprised of an upwelling region, an adjacent high impacted region, and a more distant marine park. We surveyed four reef sites in each study region. Species counts of sessile benthic organisms, substrate relief, and average monthly water temperatures were recorded during the surveys. Benthic organisms were identified to the lowest taxa possible using still photos. Biodiversity was estimated using Shannon’s index on richness of organism taxa. Diversity was highest at the upwelling and high-impacted areas. No substrate relief patterns were found. Temperature readings showed lower average values at the upwelling and high impacted regions. Our results favor the upwelling region for establishment of a Marine Protected Area. Moreover, the similar diversity between the upwelling and the high impacted regions showed evidence of spillover effects from the former into the latter region, further demonstrating the importance of the former region for conservation.
基金jointly supported by the Key Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province(2020B1111030003)the Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)(GML2019ZD0102)the Project of China Geological Survey (DD20221700).
文摘To obtain the characteristics of the gas hydrate reservoirs at GMGS3-W19,extensive geophysical logging data and cores were analyzed to assess the reservoir properties.Sediment porosities were estimated from density,neutron,and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)logs.Both the resistivity and NMR logs were used to calculate gas hydrate saturations,the Simandoux model was employed to eliminate the effects of high clay content determined based on the ECS and core data.The density porosity was closely in agreement with the core-derived porosity,and the neutron porosity was higher while the NMR porosity was lower than the density porosity of sediments without hydrates.The resistivity log has higher vertical resolution than the NMR log and thus is more favorable for assessing gas hydrate saturation with strong heterogeneity.For the gas hydrate reservoirs at GMGS3-W19,the porosity,gas hydrate saturation and free gas saturation was 52.7%,42.7%and 10%,on average,respectively.The various logs provide different methods for the comprehensive evaluation of hydrate reservoir,which supports the selection of candidate site for gas hydrate production testing.
文摘Establishment of Protected Areas (PAs), in the face of rapid deforestation, forest degradation and climate change has been one of the key efforts in conservation of biodiversity worldwide in recent times. While Bangladesh has gained a degree of prominence in the world for its successful social forestry programs, the concept of collaborative protected area management is rather new in the country, initiated in 2004 by the Bangladesh Forest Department in five PAs with financial assistance from USAID. Based on empirical evidence from three of the pilot PAs, we examined the achievements and associated challenges and prospects for co-management. Our fieldwork revealed a number of challenges faced by co-management institutions: (1) institutions were dominated by the elite group, overshadowing the voice of the community people; (2) mutual trust and collective performance are key to good governance but had not taken root in the PAs; (3) encroachment onto forest land and subsequent conversion to agriculture remained a serious problem that discouraged forest-dependent people from participating actively in co-management initiatives; (4) legal provisions (including acts, rules and policies) were not clearly and adequately disseminated and understood at the community level; (5) there remained a degree of ambiguity regarding the roles and responsibilities of forest department (FD) and co-management committees (CMC) in field operations, and this was not enhancing transparency and accountability of the overall initiative; (6) the long-term sustainability of co-management institutions was another major concern, as the local intuitional structure was still in a nascent stage, and provisioning of resources (either internally or externally) remained somewhat uncertain. We offer recommendations for improvement.
文摘The article presents research findings related to recreational use of forests located in protected mountainous areas with forestage of over 80%. The study was designed to identify recreational potential of the Carpathian national parks(Bieszczady National Park, Babia Góra National Park, Gorce National Park and Magura National Park; southern Poland) and to compare these findings with the actual number of visitors. The information received on the recreational potential of parks is important from the point of view of protection of natural resources and the financial situation of the parks. The calculated ratio may be an effective tool of management for park administration, that allows to reconcile statutory social and protective functions of national parks. The study determined the recreational potential of the forests with the use of recreational valorisation method designed for areas with varied terrain, and the evaluated factors included the stands of trees with their habitat and land relief. The permissible number of national park visitors, expressed as manhour/ha/year ranges from 19.31 in Bieszczady National Park(BG: 19o 35' E, 49o 35' N) to 32.06 in in Bieszczady National Park(B: 22o 40' E, 49o 10' N). In 3 out of 4 investigated parks, Magura National Park(M: 21°25' E, 49o 30' N), Gorce National Park(G: 20o10' E, 49o 35' N), B) recreation carrying capacity was not exceeded, whether or not the strictly protected area is taken into account. Only in BG was the recreation carrying capacity exceeded by nearly 24%,or by 85% if the strictly protected area isexcluded from tourism-related exploitation. The presented procedure for monitoring access to mountain forests in national parks, from the viewpoint of natural resources conservation, can be applied in other mountainous areas covered with forests and exposed to tourist and recreational traffic,and in forests facing particular risk of recreational damage, e.g. in urban and suburban forests growing in areas with varied orography.
文摘Commitment of local communities to protected areas is essential for conserving biodiversity.In Benin,various conservation models have been implemented for National Park management.This study,carried out around the Pendjari National Park (PNP),analyzed local people’s views on ongoing participatory management activities and assessed their perceptions towards biodiversity conservation within the park.We interviewed 164 residents living in
基金supported by the Chinese Ministry of Sciences and Technology--the host of China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership Program(CASTEP)the National Special Research Program for Forestry Welfare of China(201104009)
文摘Remote-sensing data for protected areas in northern Togo, obtained in three different years(2007, 2000, and 1987), were used to assess and map changes in land cover and land use for this drought prone zone. The normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI) was applied to the images to map changes in vegetation. An unsupervised classification, followed by classes recoding, filtering, identifications, area computing and post-classification process were applied to the composite of the three years of NDVI images. Maximum likelihood classification was applied to the 2007 image(ETM+2007) using a supervised classification process. Seven vegetation classes were defined from training data sets. The seven classes included the following biomes: riparian forest, dry forest, flooded vegetation, wooded savanna, fallows, parkland, and water. For these classes, the overall accuracy and the overall kappa statistic for the classified map were 72.5% and 0.67, respectively. Data analyses indicated a great change in land resources; especially between 1987 and 2000 probably due to the impact of democratization process social, economic, and political disorder from 1990. Wide-scale loss of vegetation occurred during this period. However, areas of vegetation clearing and regrowth were more visible between 2000 and 2007. The main source of confusion in the contingency matrix was due to heterogeneity within certain classes. It could also be due to spectral homogeneity among the classes. This research provides a baseline for future ecological landscape research and for the next management program in the area.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.40602016 40773032)
文摘The frontal uplift of the Kuqa depression is an important oil and gas producing area. In this study, the distribution and origin of natural gas were discussed based on natural gas components and isotope data. The main components of natural gas were hydrocarbons with relatively high contents of C2+ component. Most gases were derived from terrestrial source rocks, and some came from marine rocks. The contents of non-hydrocarbon gases were high in the central part of the frontal uplift area and low in the two terminals. The distribution of oil composition was similar to that of natural gas, which was mainly controlled by the types of source rocks. Dry coefficient and maturity of natural gas in the frontal uplift were lower than those of gas in the Kelasu tectonic belt of the Kuqa depression, which was mainly affected by the difference of tectonic movements in both areas. In the frontal uplift, the traps were formed in the early stage and could capture the early formed oil and gas, and structural adjustment was slight in later stages, so the oil and gas could be effectively preserved. Multiperiodic oil and gas filling led to the complex distribution of natural gas.
文摘In the context of renewed interest in collaboration in natural resource management,the collaborative governance approach has lately been introduced to the forest Protected Areas(PAs)in Bangladesh.The adoption of this co-management approach is seen as an attempt to influence the governance process towards a transformation from the conventional custodian system to a more participatory management regime.Recognition of rights and responsibilities,effective participation,and equitable distribution of benefits amongst the key stakeholders working under a facilitative policy and legal framework are believed to address the broader goals of sustainable development Notwithstanding the resurgence of interest in governance of forest PAs through the co-management approach,academic research on the subject remains limited.This article attempts to review selected key information and milestones on the forest PAs governance with special reference to the major policies and legal documents.With a brief introductory section,this article focuses on the genesis and selected major features of the Forest PAs in the country.The discussion then dwells on the policy and legal framework and provides a critique on its relevance for promoting community participation.The existing institutional arrangements for community engagement in protected area governance are also analyzed in light of the national and international commitment and policy obligations on the part of the country.The salient observations and key findings of the study include the following:(1)despite its limitations,comanagement as concept and practice has gradually taken roots in Bangladesh;(2)the degree and level of active community participation remain low and limited,and there is also clear weakness in conscientizing and orientating the local community on the key legal and policy issues related to PA governance in the country;and(3)policy makers,practitioners,and other local stakeholders related to PA governance need to be oriented on international commitment and national development strategies.The study calls for systematic focus on regular research on the performance of co-management in the country,and efforts towards improving the implementation mechanisms in the field.
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Under the auspices of National Science&Technology Pillar Program During the Twelfth Five-year Plan Period(No.2011BAC09B08)
文摘Protected areas(PAs) have experienced explosive growth in Northwest China over the last three decades, but their effectiveness in representing regional ecological system diversity has not attracted considerable attention. Low effectiveness would exacerbate the conservation-development conflicts, particularly those that arise as a result of the Great Western Development Strategy(GWDS). Thus, an assessment of the effectiveness of the PA network has become quite important. We proposed natural vegetation communities to represent regional ecological system diversities, and proposed Global 200 Priority Ecoregions, Important Bird Areas, and ecosystem function regions to represent important conservation areas. To determine their effectiveness, we studied the extent to which ecological system diversities and important conservation areas are represented by the existing 96 PAs. Our results indicated that the total coverage of vegetation communities in PAs in Northwest China is not sufficiently comprehensive. As the PA system has expanded, the growth in the total area of the PAs has been greater than that of their vegetation community richness. While most of the important conservation areas are covered by PAs, some regions have not yet reached the 10% threshold; further, PAs are distributed unevenly and conservation gaps remain in the region. Therefore, these regions should receive more attention when planning new PAs. It is vital that more biodiversity datasets and assessment of ecosystem function regions are integrated in order to provide a basis for the government to formulate appropriate protection and development strategies.
