In four separate studies undertaken in the northern highlands of Ethiopia, changes in regulating ecosystem services, economic viability, and the perception of local communities following establishing exclosures on communal grazing lands were investigated. Replicated <svg style="vertical-align:-2.3205pt;width:48px;" id="M1" height="15.0875" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 48 15.0875" width="48" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg> 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year-old exclosures were selected and paired each exclosure with an adjacent grazing land. All exclosures displayed higher ecosystem services than communal grazing lands. Differences between exclosures and grazing lands varied between 29 (&#xb1;4.9) and 61 (&#xb1;6.7)&#x2009;Mg&#x2009;C&#x2009;ha&#x2212;1 for ecosystem carbon stock (ECS), 2.4 (&#xb1;0.6) and 6.9 (&#xb1;1.8)&#x2009;Mg&#x2009;ha&#x2212;1 for total soil N stock, and 17 (&#xb1;3) to 39 (&#xb1;7)&#x2009;Kg&#x2009;ha&#x2212;1 for the available P stock, and all differences increased with exclosure duration. Differences in plant species richness and biomass between an exclosure age and communal grazing land were higher in oldest than in youngest exclosures. Over a period of 30 years, sequestered carbon dioxide was 246&#x2009;Mg&#x2009;ha&#x2212;1, total soil nitrogen increased by 7.9&#x2009;Mg&#x2009;ha&#x2212;1, and additional available phosphorous stocks amounted to 40&#x2009;kg&#x2009;ha&#x2212;1. The Net Present Value of exclosures ecosystem services under consideration was about 28&#x25; (837&#x2009;US&#x24;) higher than alternative wheat production indicating that exclosures are competitive to alternative land uses. There are substantial opportunities to mobilize the local communities in efforts to establish exclosures, given that more than 75&#x25; had a positive view on exclosures effectiveness to restore degraded ecosystems. Establishing exclosures on communal grazing lands can be effective for restoring degraded ecosystems and the services that they provide.

Wolde Mekuria

Changes in Regulating Ecosystem Services following Establishing Exclosures on Communal Grazing Lands in Ethiopia: A Synthesis

A harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurred along the southeast Arabian Sea, bordering Western India, during September to November 2004. This bloom was unique in the region in terms of its large spatial extent, and the trend was weakened towards November. Mass mortality of fish, emanation of noxious odour, and respiratory problems among the children on the coastal stretch were noticed. The phytoplankton species Gymnodiniium, class Dinophyceae bloom accounted for 98&#x25; of the standing crop. The bloom Karenia mikimotoi showed a maximum density of <svg style="vertical-align:-0.20474pt;width:76.824997px;" id="M1" height="16.0625" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 76.824997 16.0625" width="76.824997" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>&#x2009;cells&#x2009;L&#x2212;1 and <svg style="vertical-align:-0.20474pt;width:76.824997px;" id="M2" height="16.0625" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 76.824997 16.0625" width="76.824997" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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			<g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,70.425,7.587)"><use xlink:href="#x34"/></g>

		
	
</svg>&#x2009;cells&#x2009;L&#x2212;1 at nearshore and offshore, respectively. The remotely sensed chlorophyll a (Chl a) data from seaWiFS, sea surface temperature (SST) from advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR), rainfall from tropical rainfall measuring Mission (TRMM), and Sea winds from QuickSCAT reflected the bloom due to Karenia mikimotoi, suggesting the advection process at the coastal waters. The release of toxins specifically the neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP) and azaspiracid shellfish poisoning (AZP) from the bloom was assessed by chemical and mouse bioassay of the extract from mussel Perna indica, showing negative results. These indicate that asphyxiation and abnormal mucus secreted by the K. mikimotoi led to clogging of gills that accentuated the mass fish kills.

R. S. Robin

Vishnu Vardhan Kanuri

Pradipta R. Muduli

Rajani K. Mishra

M. Jaikumar

P. Karthikeyan

C. Suresh Kumar

C. Saravana Kumar

Dinoflagellate Bloom of Karenia mikimotoi along the Southeast Arabian Sea, Bordering Western India

Upland heath is an extensive habitat in the UK and is currently managed for a range of objectives: agricultural grazing, sporting interests, and biodiversity conservation. Increasingly land management will also have to address the provision of the ecosystem service of carbon sequestration (transfer of CO2 from the atmosphere into long-lived pools for storage). This study investigates carbon sequestration in Calluna- and Nardus-dominated upland heath vegetation communities in NE Scotland, which typically occurs as a result of low and high intensity management (grazing and burning) regimes, respectively. A 13CO2 tracer experiment compared the rate of carbon assimilation and the retention of assimilated carbon over six weeks during the growing season between these two communities. There was no difference in 13CO2 uptake between Calluna- or Nardus-dominated vegetation communities and they both retained over 40&#x25; of the assimilated 13C after six weeks. The 13C retained was mostly held in Calluna leaf and stem tissue in the Calluna-dominated community and in graminoid leaves in the Nardus-dominated community. Consideration of the strategies of the dominant species and the attributes of the tissues in which 13C was retained suggests that Calluna-dominated vegetation may be of greater benefit to carbon sequestration in the longer term.

Samuel L. O. Quin

Tara R. A. Conolly

Rebekka R. E. Artz

Andrew Coupar

Sarah J. Woodin

The Assimilation and Retention of Carbon in Upland Heath Plant Communities Typical of Contrasting Management Regimes: A 13C Tracer Study

The paper provides an insight into the chronological extinction of the Indo-Malayan mangroves along the South and Southeast Asian coast and categorizes several area-specific anthropogenic and climatic factors that triggered the annihilation of 1.9 million ha of diverse mangroves. On a regional scale, coastal agricultural land development and shrimp farming were identified as major factors accounting for 90&#x25; of the reported loss. The paper also focuses on the existing mangrove management framework of nine developing countries of this region and conducts a comparative analysis of the prevailing legislative arrangement for mangrove management. In general, weak enforcements of legal measures and improper monitoring have been identified as major drawbacks in conservation and restoration initiatives. On the other hand, this paper strongly encourages the prospects of community-based mangrove management (CBMM) and provides good examples from the ecoregion through comparative case studies. Finally, it concludes with recommendations that outline a suitable mangrove management strategy involving more community empowerment, legalization and mainstreaming of comanagement initiatives, inclusive benefit sharing, and regional cooperation for transboundary ecosystem management.

Rajarshi DasGupta

Rajib Shaw

Cumulative Impacts of Human Interventions and Climate Change on Mangrove Ecosystems of South and Southeast Asia: An Overview

The present study was carried out to determine the monthly variations of physico-chemical parameters in water samples from Chiffa river at Blida, North West of Algeria from April to August 2006. Water samples were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters and the results showed their monthly variations as follows: pH 7.5-7.6, electrical conductivity 0.87&#x2013;1.06&#x2009;mS&#x000B7;cm&#x2212;1, nitrate 0&#x2013;7.00&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, nitrite 0&#x2013;0.28&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, ammonia 0&#x2013;0.03&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, phosphate 0&#x2013;0.94&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, sodium 19.3&#x2013;47.0&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, chloride 35.7&#x2013;52.0&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, calcium 90.3&#x2013;104.7&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, magnesium 27.3&#x2013;37.7&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, organic matter 0.4&#x2013;3.9&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, chlorophyll a 0.7&#x2013;132.3&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1, and bicarbonate 219.3&#x2013;248.7&#x2009;mg&#x000B7;L&#x2212;1. The analyzed physico-chemical parameters were almost not exceeded the maximum permissible limit of WHO and Algerian Water Quality Guidelines. A total of 53 taxa belonging to 4 divisions have been identified, including Chlorophyta (52.83&#x25; of taxa), Bacillariophyta (28.30&#x25;), Cyanophyceae (16.98&#x25;), and Charophyta (1.89&#x25;).

Fella Hamaidi-Chergui

Mohamed Brahim Errahmani


							Fatouma Benouaklil

Mohand Said Hamaidi

Preliminary Study on Physico-Chemical Parameters and Phytoplankton of Chiffa River (Blida, Algeria)

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Journal of Ecosystems