Spatial-temporal shifting patterns and in situ conservation of spotted seal (Phoca largha) populations in the Yellow Sea ecoregion.

Understanding the habitat shifting pattern is a prerequisite for implementing in situ conservation of migratory species. Spotted seals (Phoca largha) inhabiting the Yellow Sea ecoregion (YSE) comprise a small population with independent genes and represent a charismatic flagship species in this region. However, this population has declined by 80% since the 1940s, and increased support from the countries around the YSE is urgently needed to address the potential local extinction risk. A time-series niche model and life-history weighted systematic conservation planning were designed on the basis of a satellite beacon tracking survey (2010-2020) of the YSE population. The results showed clustering and spreading shifting patterns during the breeding and migratory seasons, respectively. The closed-loop migration route formed in the YSE indicated that this population might be geographically isolated from populations in other breeding areas around the world. The conservation priority area (CPA), with an area of 19 632 km2 (3.58% of the total YSE area), was the most effective response to the potential in situ risk. However, nearly 80% of the CPA was exposed outside the existing marine protected areas (MPAs). Future establishment of MPAs in China should strategically consider the conservation gap identified herein, and it is recommended for Korea's closed fishing season to be spatially set in the western Korean Peninsula from May to August. This study also exemplified that the lack of temporal information would lead to the dislocation of niche modeling for migratory species represented by spotted seals. Attention should be paid to protecting small and migratory populations in marine biodiversity conservation planning.

Identification of priority areas for ecological restoration based on ecological security and landscape elements.

Accurate identification of priority areas for ecological restoration is an important prerequisite for ecological protection and restoration, but it is a current challenge in landscape planning. Northern Shaanxi, which is located in the middle of the Loess Plateau in China, was selected as a study area in this paper. A three-dimensional framework including natural potential, human disturbance, and landscape pattern factors was used to construct an ecological security evaluation index system, and spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) was used to quantitatively evaluate the ecological security levels of the study area. The ecological security assessment result was used as a resistance surface, and landscape elements were identified by morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA), minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and the gravity model. On this basis, priority areas for ecological restoration were identified by considering ecosystem security and the matching degree of landscape elements. The resulting area with low and moderately low security levels was 27,574.87 km2 in size, accounting for 34.48% of the total study area, and the ecological security situation was not ideal. We identified seventeen ecological sources with an area of 5789.36 km2, and the important ecological sources were mainly distributed in the south of the study area. We identified one hundred and thirty-six potential ecological corridors with a total length of 7431.12 km, including 16 important ecological corridors with a length of 1279.43 km. We also identified 83 ecological nodes, including 17 important ecological nodes. We found that the high matching degree of landscape elements included four watersheds with an area of 7571.17 km2, mainly distributed in the southern part of the study area. Fifty-one basins with a low matching degree of landscape elements were identified, covering an area of 50,399.44 km2 and mainly distributed in the west and north of the study area. We identified three levels of areas to be restored, of which the level I ecological restoration priority area was the smallest, at 7047.61 km2. The areas of the level II ecological restoration priority area and the level III ecological restoration priority area were 20,379.35 km2 and 27,866.35 km2, respectively. The two areas were large and mainly distributed in the west and north of the study area. We discussed ecological restoration strategies for different levels of ecological restoration priority areas and provided new methods for identifying priority ecological restoration areas in the future.

Non-linear effects of natural and anthropogenic drivers on ecosystem services: Integrating thresholds into conservation planning.

Ecosystem services (ESs) have been widely used for ecological protection and land spatial planning. Natural and anthropogenic drivers exhibit a strong dynamic coupling relationship with ESs. However, current ESs-related research focused on mapping the ESs spatially or investing the trade-offs and synergies relationship between ES, ignoring the nonlinear response of ESs to natural and anthropogenic drivers. Here we aimed to investigate the nonlinear effect of 14 potential drivers (8 natural and 6 anthropogenic) on the total value of six typical ESs (ESV). Taking Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration (BTH) in China as an example, we established 14 constrain lines and identified critical thresholds through the restricted cubic splines (RCS) regression. We found strong non-linear impacts of natural and anthropogenic drivers on ESV and critical thresholds existed among all the 14 constrain lines. The RCS plots showed that the overall ESV was kept at a high level before or after certain thresholds (e.g., altitude >687 m, slope >13.4°, NDVI >0.7, distance from water <31.2 km, etc.). We categorized these threshold combinations and found the potentially high ES delivery areas were mainly distributed in the Yanshan Mountian, accounting for approximately 5% of the total BTH region. These critical thresholds offer a new method to delineate conservation and restoration priority areas.

Distribution and diversity of primates and threats to their survival in the Awi Zone, northwestern Ethiopia.

Habitat loss and fragmentation affect the diversity and distribution of primates in a human-modified landscape. Ethiopia has a high diversity of primates, but increasing human pressure has negatively impacted their distribution and abundance across the country, primarily due to deforestation. To date, the diversity and distribution of primate species are poorly known in northwestern Ethiopia. From October 2020 until September 2021, we assessed the diversity and distribution of primate species in 26 forest patches in the Awi Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia using line transect surveys, and we examined the potential conservation threats to the survival of these taxa. Across transects, we encountered 459 groups of four primate taxa: olive baboons (Papio anubis), grivet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops), Boutourlini's blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii), and black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza spp. guereza). The latter two are endemic to Ethiopia. We observed black-and-white colobus monkeys in all surveyed forest patches, while we observed Boutourlini's blue monkeys in 18 patches. Black-and-white colobus monkeys were the most frequently observed (n = 325 sighting; relative encounter frequency = 70.8%), while grivet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) were the least (n = 34 sighting; relative encounter frequency = 7.4%) in the region. Similarly, the relative encounter frequency of olive baboons was 9.2% (n = 42 sighting). The overall mean group size for each species was: Boutourlini's blue monkeys (26.1 individuals), black-and-white colobus monkeys (8.8 individuals), grivet monkeys (34.1 individuals), and olive baboons (41.4 individuals). We identified agricultural expansions, exotic tree plantations, deforestations, firewood collections, livestock grazing, and killings over their crop-feeding behaviors as the main threats to primates and their habitats in the region. This study provides crucial information on an area likely to support primate species that we know very little about. Assigning protected connecting forest patches should be an urgent priority for the conservation of the primates in this region.

The scale identification associated with priority zone management of the Yangtze River Estuary.

Watershed and catchment area-based water quality management are important methods for comprehensive management of rivers and lakes. The impacts of land use/land cover (LULC) on river water quality vary with spatial scales, such as watersheds, catchments, and riparian zones. Achieving an effective spatial scale relationship between LULC and water quality, determining priority management areas, and reaching sustainable development of large estuarine deltas remain problematic. In this study, buffering analysis on the water quality data of the Yangtze River Estuary from 2009 to 2018 was conducted based on LULC, and the priority management areas of the basin were identified. Also, we infer that future river restoration or management efforts should focus on priority management area construction of a 1500 m riparian zone and a 150 km reach zone. Conclusively, establishing a priority management area within the effective buffer zone is key to watershed water quality management.

Identification of air pollution hotspots in urban areas - An innovative approach using monitored concentrations data.

Critical assessment of spatio-temporal variations in pollution levels is a crucial step for identifying and prioritizing air pollution hotspots (APH) in urban areas. There is no universally accepted methodology for defining and delineating air pollution hotspot which can be source-specific, pollutant-specific and time-specific. The present research article is an attempt to develop a protocol for identifying APH for any pollutant within a city where-in three criteria-based innovative methodology has been derived. The three criteria are frequency of exceedance (% of days), scale of exceedance and consistency in exceedance (consecutive number of days) to the specified standards that need to be met continuously for at least three years. The suggested methodology has been applied on a three-year database (2018-2021) of 37 continuous ambient air quality stations to identify PM2.5 specific APH. The analysis indicates 11 APH in April, 9 in May, 2 in June and almost the entire city during the October-February months. Given prioritization of implementation of control actions, the identified APH during summer has been further physically examined to map source activity types and their suitability for ambient air quality monitoring stations as per the guidelines. The APH can be the priority areas for the implementation of control actions by urban local bodies. The management of air pollution at these priority areas would be more effective instead of city-scale management practice, which is difficult to implement and monitor.

[Recognition of priority area of biodiversity conservation in Liaoning Province, Northeast China]. / è¾½å®çœç”Ÿç‰©å¤šæ ·æ€§ä¿æŠ¤ä¼˜å ˆåŒºè¯†åˆ«.

Priority areas of biodiversity conservation (PABC) were classified to strengthen biodiversity conservation in China. As there are no such priority areas in Liaoning Province, China, it is important to make up this gap. After calculation of seven indices at three composition levels (ecosystem conservation, human interference, and regionalization for biodiversity conservation), index values, composition values, and comprehensive recognition value for PABCs in Liaoning Province were obtained successively. Suggested territorial scopes of Western Liaoning Priority Area (WPA) and Eastern Liaoning Priority Area (EPA) were then determined in terms of administrative boundaries of towns, counties, and nature reserves. Among them, WPA covers an area of 12951 km2, with 53.6% of forest coverage and nine national or provincial nature reserves. The main ecological function of WPA is soil and water conservation. EPA is 20057 km2 in area, with 78.9% of forest cove-rage and eight national or provincial nature reserves. Water resource conservation is the main ecological function of EPA. Key protected species at national or provincial level and the important ecosystems are densely distributed in those priority areas. It is urgent to carry out biodiversity conservation in these PABCs.

The total suitability of water yield and carbon sequestration under multi-scenario simulations in the Weihe watershed, China.

Global climate change and national policies play an important role in regional ecosystem services, both of which should be fully considered when exploring their effective use and management. Bayesian belief network (BBN) is often used in complicated system modelling. Using a BBN to construct a network framework of ecosystem services under climate and policy scenarios for exploring the total suitability distribution of ecosystem services is of great significance. In this study, we develop BBN for the total suitability of water yield and carbon sequestration based on hydro-biogeochemical process. And then we predict the probabilities of the total suitability in 2050 through the BBN under multi-scenario simulations accounting for climate change, birth control and carbon tax policies. Finally, total suitability priority regions are mapped, which are synergy development, water yield suitability, carbon sequestration suitability and non-suitability, respectively. Our results indicate forest, cropland, urban area, and grassland have the largest areas under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0 and RCP 8.5, respectively. The abolition of the one-child policy has led to a significant expansion of urban areas, and the implementation of the carbon tax policy has greatly increased forest areas. Additionally, temperature, Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), precipitation and land use are the key driving factors that influence suitability. The suitable priority regions of different alternatives help policy makers consider ecological protection priorities while addressing management options.

Representation of biodiversity and ecosystem services in East Africa's protected area network.

The dramatic increase in anthropogenic activity severely threatens the biodiversity and life-support services that underpin human well-being. The broadened focus of protecting ecosystem services (ESs) better aligns the interests of people and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we used species richness as a surrogate for biodiversity and mapped the key ESs in East Africa with the goal to assess the spatial congruence between biodiversity and ESs, and evaluate the representation of current protected areas (PAs) network for biodiversity and ESs. The results showed that PAs well represented for species richness and regulating services but underrepresented for provisioning services. The PAs network occupies 10.96% of East Africa's land surface, and captures 20.62-26.37% of conservation priorities for vertebrate and plant species. It encompasses more than 16.23% of priority areas for three regulating services, but only 6.17% and 5.22% for crop and livestock production, respectively. Strong correlations and high overlaps exist between species richness and regulating services, particularly for carbon storage, water yield and plants. Thus, we believe that actions taken to conserve biodiversity also will protect certain ESs, which in turn will create new incentives and funding sources for the conservation of biodiversity. Overall, our results have wide-ranging policy implications and can be used to optimize conservation strategies for both biodiversity and multiple ESs in East Africa.

Radon survey in Montenegro - A base to set national radon reference and "urgent action" level.

The first nationwide indoor radon survey in Montenegro started in 2002 and year-long radon measurements with CR-39 track-etch detectors, within the national grid of 5 km × 5 km and local grids in urban areas of 0.5 km × 0.5 km, were performed in homes in half of the country's territory. The survey continued in 2014 and measurements in the rest of the country were completed at the end of 2015. The 953 valid results, obtained in the national radon survey, give an average radon activity concentration in Montenegrin homes of 110 Bq/m3. Assuming a log-normal distribution of the experimental results, geometric mean GM = 58.3 Bq/m3 and geometric standard deviation GSD = 2.91 are calculated. However, normality tests show that the experimental data are not log-normal, and that they become closest to a log-normal distribution after subtracting from them radon concentration in the outdoor air of 7 Bq/m3, which is theoretically calculated. Such a transformed distribution has GMtr = 46.7 Bq/m3 and GSDtr = 3.54. The estimations derived from positing a priory that the experimental results conform to a log-normal distribution underestimate the percentage of homes with radon concentrations at the thresholds of 300 Bq/m3 and above, which is better estimated by using GMtr and GSDtr. Based on the results of radon survey, a new national radon reference level of 300 Bq/m3 and an "urgent action level" of 1000 Bq/m3 are suggested, with estimated fractions of the national dwelling stock above these levels of 7.4% and 0.8% respectively. Fractions of homes with radon concentrations above the suggested levels are also estimated for each of the 23 municipalities in Montenegro, using appropriate GMtr and GSDtr. The six municipalities which have more than 10% of homes with radon concentration above 300 Bq/m3 are recommended as radon priority areas.

[Key points of poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry and classification of recommended Chinese herbal medicines].

To build a well-off society in an all-round way, eliminate poverty, improve people's livelihood and improve the level of social and economic development in poverty-stricken areas is the frontier issues of the government and science and technology workers at all levels. Chinese herbal medicine is the strategic resource of the people's livelihood, Chinese herbal medicine cultivation is an important part of China's rural poor population income. As most of the production of Chinese herbal medicine by the biological characteristics of their own and the interaction of natural ecological environment factors, showing a strong regional character.the Ministry of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office and other five departments jointly issued the "China Herbal Industry Poverty Alleviation Action Plan (2017-2020)", according to local conditions of guidance and planning of Chinese herbal medicine production practice, promote Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation related work In this paper, based on the relevant data of poverty-stricken areas, this paper divides the areas with priority to the poverty alleviation conditions of Chinese herbal medicine industry, and analyzes and catalogs the list of Chinese herbal medicines grown in poverty-stricken areas at the macro level. The results show that there are at least 10% of the poor counties in the counties where the poverty-stricken counties and the concentrated areas are concentrated in the poverty-stricken areas. There is already a good base of Chinese herbal medicine industry, which is the key priority area for poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry. Poverty-stricken counties, with a certain degree of development of Chinese medicine industry poverty alleviation conditions, the need to strengthen the relevant work to expand the foundation and capacity of Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation; 37% of poor counties to develop Chinese medicine industry, the basic conditions of poverty alleviation. It is suggested that: prioritized priorities, counties that have a good foundation for Chinese herbal medicine industry will implement the "Poverty Alleviation Action Plan for Chinese Herbal Medicine Industry" through nearly 100 counties with priority development.

Key points of poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry and classification of recommended Chinese herbal medicines / 中国中药杂志

To build a well-off society in an all-round way, eliminate poverty, improve people's livelihood and improve the level of social and economic development in poverty-stricken areas is the frontier issues of the government and science and technology workers at all levels. Chinese herbal medicine is the strategic resource of the people's livelihood, Chinese herbal medicine cultivation is an important part of China's rural poor population income. As most of the production of Chinese herbal medicine by the biological characteristics of their own and the interaction of natural ecological environment factors, showing a strong regional character.the Ministry of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office and other five departments jointly issued the "China Herbal Industry Poverty Alleviation Action Plan (2017-2020)", according to local conditions of guidance and planning of Chinese herbal medicine production practice, promote Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation related work In this paper, based on the relevant data of poverty-stricken areas, this paper divides the areas with priority to the poverty alleviation conditions of Chinese herbal medicine industry, and analyzes and catalogs the list of Chinese herbal medicines grown in poverty-stricken areas at the macro level. The results show that there are at least 10% of the poor counties in the counties where the poverty-stricken counties and the concentrated areas are concentrated in the poverty-stricken areas. There is already a good base of Chinese herbal medicine industry, which is the key priority area for poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry. Poverty-stricken counties, with a certain degree of development of Chinese medicine industry poverty alleviation conditions, the need to strengthen the relevant work to expand the foundation and capacity of Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation; 37% of poor counties to develop Chinese medicine industry, the basic conditions of poverty alleviation. It is suggested that: prioritized priorities, counties that have a good foundation for Chinese herbal medicine industry will implement the "Poverty Alleviation Action Plan for Chinese Herbal Medicine Industry" through nearly 100 counties with priority development.