The power of national acoustic tracking networks to assess the impacts of human activity on marine organisms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Galaxiid fishes from South America are represented by three genera (Aplochiton, Brachygalaxias and Galaxias) and eight species. Their genetic patterns have been studied over the last two decades to disentangle how historical and contemporary processes influenced their biogeographic distribution and phylogeographic patterns. Here we review and synthesize this body of work. Phylogeographic approaches reveal the important role played by orogeny and the expansion/melting of glacial ice during the Quaternary. Populations retreated to glacial refugia during glacial times and some systems experienced drainage reversals from the Atlantic to the Pacific following deglaciation. Although most species expanded their populations and increased their genetic diversity during the Holocene, the introduction of salmonids and the construction of dams are likely to lead to a decline in genetic diversity for at least some species. An improvement in our understanding of the processes that influenced historical and contemporary diversity patterns among galaxiid and other native fishes in South America is necessary for addressing the cumulative and synergistic impacts of human activity on this unique freshwater fauna.

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Evaluators in the Anthropocene

Evaluation ◽

10.1177/1356389020911060 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 190-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Astrid Brousselle ◽

Jim McDavid

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impacts ◽

Human Activity ◽

Human Being ◽

Natural Systems ◽

New Approaches ◽

International Commitments ◽

Social Betterment ◽

Living Species ◽

Impacts Of Human Activity ◽

Environmental Challenge

In the last century, human-led activities have drastically altered natural systems. The environmental impacts of human activity are so deleterious to living species and our biosphere that geologists have named this new geological era the Anthropocene, from anthropos, human being. Responses to the Anthropocene era call for drastic changes in all domains of activity. As evaluators, we claim to work for social betterment. We have a responsibility to adapt our approaches and practices to respond to this environmental challenge. The aim of this article is to raise awareness on the need to develop new approaches for evaluators in the Anthropocene. We first describe what this state of urgency represents for humans, the international commitments to take action, the solutions that exist, and what responding to this environmental challenge means for our profession.

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The Runoff Evolution and the Differences Analysis of the Causes of Runoff Change in Different Regions: A Case of the Weihe River Basin, Northern China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11195295 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (19) ◽

pp. 5295 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shuoyang Li ◽

Guiyu Yang ◽

Hao Wang

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Water Resources ◽

River Basin ◽

Human Activity ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Runoff Reduction ◽

Runoff Change ◽

Weihe River ◽

Weihe River Basin ◽

Impacts Of Human Activity

The runoff levels of the major hydrological stations in the Weihe river basin (WRB) have been found to present decreasing trends. However, the conspicuous spatial differences in the hydro-meteorological conditions have led to variations in the rainfall–runoff pattern in each of the sub-basin areas. The aims of this research study were to reveal the main factors contributing to the runoff changes in the different regions—and it has significance in the water resources rational allocation and protection in the different regions. Three statistical methods were used to analyze the law of precipitation and runoffs of five hydrological stations. The SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was used to reconstruct the runoff in the impact period. The effects of climate change and human activity on runoff were separated by comparing measured runoff and reconstructed runoff. The results show that the closer the proximity to the downstream hydrological station, the more the runoff decreased. In the tributaries and upstream hydrological stations (Zhuanhtou (ZT), Zhangjiashan (ZJS), and Linjiacun (LJC)), from 1970 to 2016, the dominant factor of the runoff reduction was determined to be climate change, and accounted for 148.2%, 98.9%, and 90.5%, respectively. In the hydrological stations of middle and lower reaches (Xianyang (XY) and Huaxian (HX)), the contributions of the climate change to the runoff reduction were 49.7% and 44.3%, respectively, and the impacts of human activity accounted for 50.3% and 55.7%. The impacts of human activity on the runoff reduction were slightly greater than that of the climate change. Due to the different leading factors affecting runoff change in the basin, in response to future climate change, for tributaries and upstream areas, land use should be rationally planned to achieve the optimal balance of water volume in each part of the basin, which is of great significance to the protection and utilization of water resources. As for the middle and downstream regions, reasonable planning should also be focused on the amount of water withdraw, water resource allocations, and water conservancy project construction. According to the factors affecting runoff, corresponding strategies are proposed for different regions, which have important research significance for the protection and sustainable development of watershed water resources.

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