scholarly journals Modeling Alternative Approaches to the Biodiversity Offsetting of Urban Expansion in the Grenoble Area (France): What Is the Role of Spatial Scales in ‘No Net Loss’ of Wetland Area and Function?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5951
Author(s):  
Anne-Charlotte Vaissière ◽  
Fabien Quétier ◽  
Adeline Bierry ◽  
Clémence Vannier ◽  
Florence Baptist ◽  
...  

It is increasingly common for developers to be asked to manage the impacts of their projects on biodiversity by restoring other degraded habitats that are ecologically equivalent to those that are impacted. These measures, called biodiversity offsets, generally aim to achieve ‘no net loss’ (NNL) of biodiversity. Using spatially-explicit modeling, different options were compared in terms of their performance in offsetting the impacts on wetlands of the planned urban expansion around Grenoble (France). Two implementation models for offsetting were tested: (a) the widespread bespoke permittee-led restoration project model, resulting in a patchwork of restored wetlands, and (b) recently-established aggregated and anticipated “banking” approaches whereby larger sets of adjacent parcels offset the impacts of several projects. Two ecological equivalence methods for sizing offsets were simulated: (a) the historically-prevalent area-based approach and (b) recently introduced approaches whereby offsets are sized to ensure NNL of wetland functions. Simulations showed that a mix of functional methods with minimum area requirements was more likely to achieve NNL of wetland area and function across the study area and within each subwatershed. Our methodology can be used to test the carrying capacity of a landscape to support urban expansion and its associated offsetting in order to formulate more sustainable development plans.

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Griffin ◽  
Joshua G. Harrison ◽  
Melissa K. McCormick ◽  
Karin T. Burghardt ◽  
John D. Parker

Although decades of research have typically demonstrated a positive correlation between biodiversity of primary producers and associated trophic levels, the ecological drivers of this association are poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that the plant microbiome, or the fungi and bacteria found on and inside plant hosts, may be cryptic yet important drivers of important processes, including primary production and trophic interactions. Here, using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized foliar fungal community diversity, composition, and function from 15 broadleaved tree species (N = 545) in a recently established, large-scale temperate tree diversity experiment using over 17,000 seedlings. Specifically, we tested whether increases in tree richness and phylogenetic diversity would increase fungal endophyte diversity (the “Diversity Begets Diversity” hypothesis), as well as alter community composition (the “Tree Diversity–Endophyte Community” hypothesis) and function (the “Tree Diversity–Endophyte Function” hypothesis) at different spatial scales. We demonstrated that increasing tree richness and phylogenetic diversity decreased fungal species and functional guild richness and diversity, including pathogens, saprotrophs, and parasites, within the first three years of a forest diversity experiment. These patterns were consistent at the neighborhood and tree plot scale. Our results suggest that fungal endophytes, unlike other trophic levels (e.g., herbivores as well as epiphytic bacteria), respond negatively to increasing plant diversity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 6903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Grimm ◽  
Johann Köppel

Biodiversity offsets are applied in many countries to compensate for impacts on the environment, but research on regulatory frameworks and implementation enabling effective offsets is lacking. This paper reviews research on biodiversity offsets, providing a framework for the analysis of program design (no net loss goal, uncertainty and ratios, equivalence and accounting, site selection, landscape-scale mitigation planning, timing) and implementation (compliance, adherence to the mitigation hierarchy, leakage and trade-offs, oversight, transparency and monitoring). Some more challenging aspects concern the proper metrics and accounting allowing for program evaluation, as well as the consideration of trade-offs when regulations focus only on the biodiversity aspect of ecosystems. Results can be used to assess offsets anywhere and support the creation of programs that balance development and conservation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 236 ◽  
pp. 162-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria F. Griffiths ◽  
Oleg Sheremet ◽  
Nick Hanley ◽  
Julia Baker ◽  
Joseph W. Bull ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Miller ◽  
Mark D'Esposito ◽  
Kevin S. Weiner

Stuss considered the human prefrontal cortex (pFC) as a “cognitive globe” [Stuss, D. T., & Benson, D. F. Neuropsychological studies of the frontal lobes. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 3–28, 1984] on which functions of the frontal lobe could be mapped. Here, we discuss classic and recent findings regarding the evolution, development, function, and cognitive role of shallow indentations or tertiary sulci in pFC, with the goal of using tertiary sulci to map the “cognitive globe” of pFC. First, we discuss lateral pFC (LPFC) tertiary sulci in classical anatomy and modern neuroimaging, as well as their development, with a focus on those within the middle frontal gyrus. Second, we discuss tertiary sulci in comparative neuroanatomy, focusing on primates. Third, we summarize recent findings showing the utility of tertiary sulci for understanding structural–functional relationships with functional network insights in ventromedial pFC and LPFC. Fourth, we revisit and update unresolved theoretical perspectives considered by C. Vogt and O. Vogt (Allgemeinere ergebnisse unserer hirnforschung. Journal für Psychologie und Neurologie, 25, 279–462, 1919) and F. Sanides (Structure and function of the human frontal lobe. Neuropsychologia, 2, 209–219, 1964) that tertiary sulci serve as landmarks for cortical gradients. Together, the consideration of these classic and recent findings indicate that tertiary sulci are situated in a unique position within the complexity of the “cognitive globe” of pFC: They are the smallest and shallowest of sulci in pFC, yet can offer insights that bridge spatial scales (microns to networks), modalities (functional connectivity to behavior), and species. As such, the map of tertiary sulci within each individual participant serves as a coordinate system specific to that individual on which functions may be further mapped. We conclude with new theoretical and methodological questions that, if answered in future research, will likely lead to mechanistic insight regarding the structure and function of human LPFC.


2012 ◽  
Vol 616-618 ◽  
pp. 1335-1342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Hui Ding ◽  
Shuo Xin Zhang ◽  
Wei Zhou Zhong ◽  
Yu Jiang

The geographical dimension of urbanization is of major importance in depicting the influences of urbanization on the development of a city, since complex social-ecological systems interact in a multitude of ways at many spatial scales across time. This research introduced an indicator for assessing the spatial sustainability of a city from the perspective of landscape ecology, to provide a reasonable way for quantifying the spatial dynamic of the urban area of a city and how close the pattern of urban expansion close to a ‘compact’ way. A case study has been done in Xi’an. With the application of remote sensing technology, landscape ecology and other necessary software, the spacial sustainability of Xi’an from 1988 to 2010 were calculated, the rapid urbanization in Xi’an has significantly promoted the spatial sustainability of city from 1988 to 2000 and 2006 to 2010, whereas exerted negative effects on the spatial sustainability of the city from 2000 to 2006.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Rasim B. Aslanov ◽  
Leman M. Dashdemirova ◽  
Oktay Z. Alekperov ◽  
Azad R. Abdurahimov ◽  
Oktay K. Gasymov

The relationship between structure, dynamics, and function of biomolecules is a fundamental interest of biophysics. Protein dynamics drastically vary in temporal and spatial scales. The function of a particular protein determines the significance of a distinct type of dynamics. Here, we investigate the influence of hydration water on the dynamics of a protein called silk fibroin. Particular interest is to investigate the protein dynamics using thermal decay of the free radicals induced by ultraviolet irradiation. The full decay of the free radicals occurs at very wide temperature region (120 K–340 K). Three distinct regions with transition points of ∼135 K, 205 K, and 279 K are apparent in the thermal decay curves of hydrated fibroin samples. The first transition (∼135 K) that leads 2–6% increase of total spins was observed only in the decay curves of fibroin submerged in 40% and 50% glycerol. The second transition (∼205 K) was invariant for all samples, hydrated and dry fibroins. The third transition of 279 K common for all hydrated fibroin samples was shifted about 84 K to a higher temperature of 363 K in dry fibroin. The thermal transitions at 205 K and 279 K are weakly and strongly, respectively, coupled to water molecules. Nature of the free radicals participated in these transitions was identified. The significance of the findings for protein dynamics is discussed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 2204-2227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles K. Minns ◽  
Robert G. Randall ◽  
Karen E. Smokorowski ◽  
Keith D. Clarke ◽  
Antonio Vélez-Espino ◽  
...  

No net loss of productive capacity (PC) of fish habitat has been the central concept guiding Canadian fish habitat management policy since 1986. The purpose of this paper is to describe the concept of PC, to review the history and application of the fish habitat management policy in Canada, and to provide a critical review of the range of potential approaches to estimating PC. The approaches were grouped by their central focus: habitat, individual, population, and community–ecosystem. A set of case studies is used to illustrate the use of some approaches drawn from freshwater and marine contexts. Ten components to assessing no net loss of PC were developed and used in the review of approaches for evaluating potential limitations. The review also highlighted the likely future direction of method development, with increasing emphasis on dynamic models integrating population responses to habitat supply characteristics. More work needs to be done to turn research-based metrics of PC into practical operational management assessment tools and to better quantify the link between habitat structure and function and fisheries productivity. The evolving approaches to measure PC reinforce the ties that fish habitat management has to the emerging practices in ecosystem-based management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 146-154
Author(s):  
N. Yu. Shaposhnikova

The aim of the article is to show the ways of the UK students’ personal development as one of the higher school answers to the challenges of the complex world of today, whose only certainty is constant change. The programme of personal development is aimed at preparing students for their future life and profession, ensuring their adaptation to the constantly changing conditions. On the basis of the analysis and comparison of the experience of three different British universities, three main implementation models of students’ personal development plans are defined. They are characterized by the type of the dominant orientation: professional, employment or academic. The professional model type was strongly influenced by the requirements of professional bodies such as health care professional bodies, and statutory bodies. The second model type, which is focused on employment, included a general orientation to graduate employment as well as specific work placement during the process of study. This model was associated with such areas as: management and business, sport and leisure, as well as those areas of applied science and engineering where the course focus was mainly towards employment rather than the discipline itself. The third – academic – model was focused on the student’s academic development. Its realization facilitated the development of metacognitive skills and the skills related to the specific subject discipline. The models presented in the article may serve as an instrument for the analysis of higher education individualization practices, and for the designing of flexible learning programmes, which take into account students’ individual abilities and learning needs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Miller ◽  
Mark D'Esposito ◽  
kevin weiner

Stuss (1984) considered the human prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a “cognitive globe” on which functions of the frontal lobe could be mapped. Here, we discuss classic and recent findings regarding the evolution, development, function, and cognitive role of shallow indentations, or tertiary sulci, in PFC with the goal of using tertiary sulci to map the “cognitive globe” of PFC. First, we discuss lateral PFC (LPFC) tertiary sulci in classical anatomy and modern neuroimaging, as well as their development, with a focus on those within the middle frontal gyrus (MFG). Second, we discuss tertiary sulci in comparative neuroanatomy, focusing on primates. Third, we summarize recent findings showing the utility of tertiary sulci for understanding structural-functional relationships with functional network insights in ventromedial and LPFC. Fourth, we revisit and update unresolved theoretical perspectives considered by Vogt and Vogt (1919) and Sanides (1964) that tertiary sulci serve as landmarks for cortical gradients. Together, the consideration of these classic and recent findings indicate that tertiary sulci are situated in a unique position within the complexity of the “cognitive globe” of PFC: they are the smallest and shallowest of sulci in PFC, yet can offer insights that bridge spatial scales (microns to networks), modalities (functional connectivity to behavior), and species. As such, the map of tertiary sulci within each individual participant serves as a coordinate system specific to that individual on which functions may be further mapped. We conclude with new theoretical and methodological questions that if answered in future research, will likely lead to mechanistic insight regarding the structure and function of human LPFC.


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