Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by flow regulation,sedimentation,habitat degradation,non-native species,and water pollution.These disturbances have led to global losses of biodiversity and habitats.Therefore,it i...Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by flow regulation,sedimentation,habitat degradation,non-native species,and water pollution.These disturbances have led to global losses of biodiversity and habitats.Therefore,it is essential to evaluate the ecological condition of freshwater ecosystems to promote effective management practices.Quantitative predictive models based on multivariate analyses of taxa richness are recognized ecological tools that can facilitate the monitoring and managing of freshwater ecosystems worldwide.However,few studies have used this approach to assess tropical rivers and streams.By evaluating predictive models,we can assess their usefulness for determining water-body taxonomic richness.We built a RIVPACS-type model based on macroinvertebrate assemblages(MINASPACS),for spatially extensive taxa richness assessments of Minas Gerais state streams,southeast Brazil.As a second objective,we assessed the sensitivity of the MINASPACS to human-induced disturbances affecting Minas Gerais streams through the relative risk(RR)approach.The MINASPACS model was trained with biological and environmental data from 78 reference sites and showed good accuracy(R^(2)>0.6,SD O/E=0.16).We found that percent of urban infrastructure,percent of catchment anthropogenic land use,Turbidity,Total Nitrogen,and Total Phosphorus represented significant risks to the taxa richness of Minas Gerais streams.Because of its accuracy,sensitivity,and use of map-level predictor variables,our model provides a clear,simple,and defensible measure of stream macroinvertebrate taxa richness across diverse biomes.展开更多
Increasingly,scientists and non-scientists,especially employees of government agencies,tend to use weak or equivocal language when making statements related to science policy and governmental regulation.We use recent ...Increasingly,scientists and non-scientists,especially employees of government agencies,tend to use weak or equivocal language when making statements related to science policy and governmental regulation.We use recent publications to provide examples of vague language versus examples of strong language when authors write about regulating anthropogenic pressures on natural resources.Lifeless language is common in agency reports,policy documents,and even scientific papers published by academics.Such language limits success in regulating anthropogenic pressures on natural resources.This challenge must be recognized and countered as a driver of the condition of water and associated resources.We also list sources of vague wording,provide global examples of how ambiguous language and political influences have contributed to water resource degradation,discuss the recent history of science censorship,and offer possible solutions for more direct scientific discourse.We found that:(1)equivocal language was especially common in concluding statements and not only by government employees;(2)authors discussed confusing language concerns in an agency publication;and(3)agency employees sometimes used active,strong language.Key drivers of weak language include:(1)holding on to old paradigms and resisting new knowledge;(2)scientific uncertainty;(3)institutional manuscript review policies;(4)employment and funding insecurity;and(5)avoiding the appearance of advocacy.Examples associated with euphemistic language included climate change,flow and physical habitat alteration,dams,agriculture,mining,forestry,and fisheries,as well as resistance towards monitoring,assessing,and reporting ecological conditions.Suggestions for mitigating equivocal language involve employment protections and greater focus on scientific ethics.We conclude that natural resource scientists should resist calls to employ imprecise language.Instead,they should be strong advocates for prescriptive and protective natural resource actions—based on their science—to halt and reverse the systemic degradation of those resources.展开更多
基金supported by Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais(CEMIG)through Programa Cemig-Peixe Vivo,Programa de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Aneel(Cemig GT-479,GT-487,GT-550,GT-599)Cemig/Fapemig(APQ-01961-15,APQ-00261-22,and CRA 3147)+5 种基金Fundação de Amparo á Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais–FAPEMIG(APQ-01432-17 and APQ-261-22)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPq 311002/2023-4 to DRM,and 304060/2020-8 to MC)MC is a Resident Professor at the Institute of Advanced Transdisciplinary Studies(IEAT/UFMG)Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through MARE strategic project(UIDB/04292/2020)Associate Laboratory ARNET Project(LA/P/0069/2020)CEEC principal investigator to MJF,Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior(CAPES)Finance Code 001,Fulbright-Brazil to RMH,and Projeto Manuelzão/UFMG.
文摘Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by flow regulation,sedimentation,habitat degradation,non-native species,and water pollution.These disturbances have led to global losses of biodiversity and habitats.Therefore,it is essential to evaluate the ecological condition of freshwater ecosystems to promote effective management practices.Quantitative predictive models based on multivariate analyses of taxa richness are recognized ecological tools that can facilitate the monitoring and managing of freshwater ecosystems worldwide.However,few studies have used this approach to assess tropical rivers and streams.By evaluating predictive models,we can assess their usefulness for determining water-body taxonomic richness.We built a RIVPACS-type model based on macroinvertebrate assemblages(MINASPACS),for spatially extensive taxa richness assessments of Minas Gerais state streams,southeast Brazil.As a second objective,we assessed the sensitivity of the MINASPACS to human-induced disturbances affecting Minas Gerais streams through the relative risk(RR)approach.The MINASPACS model was trained with biological and environmental data from 78 reference sites and showed good accuracy(R^(2)>0.6,SD O/E=0.16).We found that percent of urban infrastructure,percent of catchment anthropogenic land use,Turbidity,Total Nitrogen,and Total Phosphorus represented significant risks to the taxa richness of Minas Gerais streams.Because of its accuracy,sensitivity,and use of map-level predictor variables,our model provides a clear,simple,and defensible measure of stream macroinvertebrate taxa richness across diverse biomes.
文摘Increasingly,scientists and non-scientists,especially employees of government agencies,tend to use weak or equivocal language when making statements related to science policy and governmental regulation.We use recent publications to provide examples of vague language versus examples of strong language when authors write about regulating anthropogenic pressures on natural resources.Lifeless language is common in agency reports,policy documents,and even scientific papers published by academics.Such language limits success in regulating anthropogenic pressures on natural resources.This challenge must be recognized and countered as a driver of the condition of water and associated resources.We also list sources of vague wording,provide global examples of how ambiguous language and political influences have contributed to water resource degradation,discuss the recent history of science censorship,and offer possible solutions for more direct scientific discourse.We found that:(1)equivocal language was especially common in concluding statements and not only by government employees;(2)authors discussed confusing language concerns in an agency publication;and(3)agency employees sometimes used active,strong language.Key drivers of weak language include:(1)holding on to old paradigms and resisting new knowledge;(2)scientific uncertainty;(3)institutional manuscript review policies;(4)employment and funding insecurity;and(5)avoiding the appearance of advocacy.Examples associated with euphemistic language included climate change,flow and physical habitat alteration,dams,agriculture,mining,forestry,and fisheries,as well as resistance towards monitoring,assessing,and reporting ecological conditions.Suggestions for mitigating equivocal language involve employment protections and greater focus on scientific ethics.We conclude that natural resource scientists should resist calls to employ imprecise language.Instead,they should be strong advocates for prescriptive and protective natural resource actions—based on their science—to halt and reverse the systemic degradation of those resources.
