Seagrass ecosystems support high biodiversity and productivity and constitute critical links to adjacent ecosystems. However, there is a growing concern that increasing recreational navigation may affect its ecologica...Seagrass ecosystems support high biodiversity and productivity and constitute critical links to adjacent ecosystems. However, there is a growing concern that increasing recreational navigation may affect its ecological processes and functions, which may affect its recreational and tourism values, compromising local economies and livelihoods. The long-term impacts (1996-2011) of recreational navigation on seagrass benthic community structure were assessed by addressing the question of whether long-term effects of recreational navigation had a significant impact on seagrass community structure and on its benthic faunal assemblages. Findings evidenced: 1) a consistent spatio-temporal gradient in the ecological conditions of seagrasses across the scoured areas, with increased percent seagrass cover, density and canopy height, and seagrass benthic biodiversity with increasing distance from disturbed areas;2) a decline in percent seagrass cover, and an increased macroalgal and cyanobacterial percent cover through time around the disturbed areas;3) a significant shift in seagrass assemblage biodiversity as a response to boating that followed the intermediate disturbance hypothesis;4) an adverse effect on the spatial distribution and survival of multiple benthic invertebrate taxa;and 5) a significant decline in cnidarians, echinoids, ophiuroids, holothurians, and gastropods, and an increase in polychaetes, platyhelminths, and hermit crabs, particularly in areas exposed to boating. Spatio-temporal variation in seagrass community structure explained the observed variation in benthic faunal assemblages. The long-term consequences on ecosystem functions and management needs are discussed to foster the conservation of seagrasses.展开更多
Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways,including changes in behaviors,avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success.St...Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways,including changes in behaviors,avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success.Studies on the anti-disturbance mechanism of wild animals to human disturbance can provide valuable knowledge to the management of wild animals and the evolutionary mechanisms of behavioral adaptation to their habitats.To evaluate how blue sheep(Pseudois nayaur) would react to nonlethal human recreational disturbance,we studied their anti-disturbance strategy towards human disturbance in Suyukou National Forest Park(SNFP),Helan Mountains,Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.Using multinomial logistic regression models(MLRMs),we sought to answer two questions:(1) which kind of human recreational behavior would evoke the most serious anti-disturbance behaviors in blue sheep;and(2) how would various ecological factors influence the anti-disturbance strategy of blue sheep to human recreational disturbance? We collected 10 habitat and population variables and evaluated three kinds of reaction of blue sheep-no response,vigilance and flight.A total of 921 observations qualified to enter MLRMs.We found that habitat type(HT),gender(GEN),head direction(HD),visibility index(VI),and disturbance source(DS) were the five variables that significantly influenced the intensity of reactions of blue sheep.Blue sheep were more alert to tourists than to vehicles,and roads were the habitat type that caused the most intensive reaction of alertness where human disturbance was the highest.Females were more vigilant than males.Blue sheep might feel safer when staying in open habitat,and taking a front head direction provided them with the highest vigilance.Based on these results,we present suggestions to SNFP for the management of ecotourism and blue sheep conservation.展开更多
文摘Seagrass ecosystems support high biodiversity and productivity and constitute critical links to adjacent ecosystems. However, there is a growing concern that increasing recreational navigation may affect its ecological processes and functions, which may affect its recreational and tourism values, compromising local economies and livelihoods. The long-term impacts (1996-2011) of recreational navigation on seagrass benthic community structure were assessed by addressing the question of whether long-term effects of recreational navigation had a significant impact on seagrass community structure and on its benthic faunal assemblages. Findings evidenced: 1) a consistent spatio-temporal gradient in the ecological conditions of seagrasses across the scoured areas, with increased percent seagrass cover, density and canopy height, and seagrass benthic biodiversity with increasing distance from disturbed areas;2) a decline in percent seagrass cover, and an increased macroalgal and cyanobacterial percent cover through time around the disturbed areas;3) a significant shift in seagrass assemblage biodiversity as a response to boating that followed the intermediate disturbance hypothesis;4) an adverse effect on the spatial distribution and survival of multiple benthic invertebrate taxa;and 5) a significant decline in cnidarians, echinoids, ophiuroids, holothurians, and gastropods, and an increase in polychaetes, platyhelminths, and hermit crabs, particularly in areas exposed to boating. Spatio-temporal variation in seagrass community structure explained the observed variation in benthic faunal assemblages. The long-term consequences on ecosystem functions and management needs are discussed to foster the conservation of seagrasses.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30970371 and 31071944)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-08-0753)the Optional Project of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (2011-017)
文摘Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways,including changes in behaviors,avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success.Studies on the anti-disturbance mechanism of wild animals to human disturbance can provide valuable knowledge to the management of wild animals and the evolutionary mechanisms of behavioral adaptation to their habitats.To evaluate how blue sheep(Pseudois nayaur) would react to nonlethal human recreational disturbance,we studied their anti-disturbance strategy towards human disturbance in Suyukou National Forest Park(SNFP),Helan Mountains,Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.Using multinomial logistic regression models(MLRMs),we sought to answer two questions:(1) which kind of human recreational behavior would evoke the most serious anti-disturbance behaviors in blue sheep;and(2) how would various ecological factors influence the anti-disturbance strategy of blue sheep to human recreational disturbance? We collected 10 habitat and population variables and evaluated three kinds of reaction of blue sheep-no response,vigilance and flight.A total of 921 observations qualified to enter MLRMs.We found that habitat type(HT),gender(GEN),head direction(HD),visibility index(VI),and disturbance source(DS) were the five variables that significantly influenced the intensity of reactions of blue sheep.Blue sheep were more alert to tourists than to vehicles,and roads were the habitat type that caused the most intensive reaction of alertness where human disturbance was the highest.Females were more vigilant than males.Blue sheep might feel safer when staying in open habitat,and taking a front head direction provided them with the highest vigilance.Based on these results,we present suggestions to SNFP for the management of ecotourism and blue sheep conservation.
