<h2>Environmental quality is good or bad The flowers that will fly tell you</h2>
The picture shows the experts explaining the "GPS Toolbox" to the reporter on the spot and demonstrating the usage. Courtesy of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection
The picture shows the silver and white butterflies parked on the Purple Mountain Road. Courtesy of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection
One afternoon after the rainstorm, the reporter and the experts of the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the observation team led by Professor Li Zhaohui, director of the Institute of Applied Ecology of Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, personally experienced a butterfly observation in Nanjing Purple Mountain.
This is a national butterfly diversity observation project launched by the Department of Natural Ecology and Conservation of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, nanjing institute of environmental science of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and relevant scientific research institutes, universities and nature reserves.
This year is the start of the project, the national background data is still being improved, the observation sample line is also gradually adjusting, but the experts involved in the project are very confident, with such a vast territory of Our country, such a rich biogeographic area, for the first time in the country with a unified standard method of observation, long-term monitoring data can not only be compared from different diversity indicators, but also can be compared horizontally and vertically and multi-dimensionally. It is understood that by observing and grasping the current status and annual changes of butterfly diversity and its habitats in the country, based on observations, this project can assess the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation measures and policies, and monitor and warn of major environmental changes.
Why Butterflies?
Internationally recognized monitoring indicator species
When it comes to why the butterfly was chosen, Dr. Ma Fangzhou, an assistant researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, opened the conversation box: "Butterflies are not only 'flying flowers', but also internationally recognized biodiversity monitoring indicator species. Butterflies have high requirements for habitat environmental quality and are sensitive to environmental changes, which is very suitable for observing environmental change trends, ecosystem health, and the degree of interference of human activities on ecosystems. Relevant monitoring data are widely used in many countries for biodiversity conservation, land use planning, policy formulation, education, scientific research and public environmental education. ”
"The United Kingdom first began butterfly observation in 1976, and now a set of more standardized observation standard methods has been formed internationally. Many European countries have focused on analyzing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and the ecological environment through butterfly observations. However, from the observations in Nanjing in recent years, the influencing factors of biodiversity are superimposed, especially the human factors are more influential than the climatic factors. Li Zhaohui told reporters.
Since 2010, Li Zhaohui and his students have been conducting butterfly observations in Nanjing. Six years of observations have accumulated background data on butterfly biodiversity in Nanjing. Most of the observation teams selected from all over the country in this national butterfly diversity observation project have similar foundations and experiences.
According to Xu Haigen, deputy director and researcher of the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the project has set up nearly 120 standardized observation sample areas across the country, nearly 600 observation lines all adopt international common standards, 53 units participate in observation, and the annual number of observers can reach 2500 person-times, initially forming a butterfly diversity observation network covering various biogeographic regions. The observation method is unified, and the "Butterfly Guidelines for Biodiversity Observation Technology" issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection shall prevail.
How to observe with butterflies?
Uniform use of the butterfly sample line survey method
How exactly is the so-called butterfly observation carried out? First of all, to determine the observation sample line, taking the observation witnessed by the reporter as an example, the observation sample line is a trail up the Purple Mountain. The trail winds with the mountain, lined with trees, dotted with wildflowers, and sometimes with babbling water.
"Generally, there is an observation group of 3 to 4 people, one person is responsible for observation, and the eyes should focus on 5 meters away and the surrounding environment; one person holds a net, some butterflies that are difficult to distinguish at a glance, and after the net catches, the on-site observation confirms the species, the common species are immediately released, and a very small number of species need to be brought back to the laboratory for further research and identification; there is also a person responsible for field records, recordings, photographs, etc." Li Zhaohui introduced.
Each observer's mobile phone is also installed with a software "GPS toolbox" to accurately locate the longitude, latitude and length of the sample line, and "dot" every 200 meters to mark different segments. "For each observation, we were required to submit data forms, photographs of local habitats, and to record and compare changes in the ecological environment. In the future, we will encode each sample line in the country, and the uniqueness of the coding is convenient for data tracking. Ma Fangzhou told reporters.
Xu Haigen showed the reporter a very professional butterfly sample line method questionnaire, a total of 4 pages, namely the sample line method observation data record table, the sample section of the habitat and human disturbance activity records, habitat type table, human interference activity classification table. Taking the sample line method observation data record table as an example, it includes 23 items, including observation location, sample line number, sample line length, date, weather, temperature, humidity, wind speed, starting point latitude and longitude, end point latitude and longitude, and altitude.
Because the butterflies appeared in the morning, this afternoon the reporter only saw 5 kinds of butterflies, most of which were seen before but did not know the scientific name, of which the park beak butterfly was the most, as well as the black striped pink butterfly, the black veined butterfly, the eye butterfly, and the glass gray butterfly. "It's not that the more a certain butterfly is, the better, the more species the better. We are most concerned with two types, one is the dominant species, to see how many of them are; the other is the rare species, to see if it exists locally. Li Zhaohui said.
What is the special significance of butterfly observation?
Provide a basis for assessing environmental quality
Although Purple Mountain is already one of the most biodiverse areas in Nanjing. But along the way, the reporter felt the most deeply was Li Zhaohui's concern, "Compared with before, both the type and number of butterflies are now significantly less." ”
In Li Zhaohui's view, human disturbance activities have the greatest impact on butterfly biodiversity. Observing interferences such as people's cycling and walking on the sample line, as long as the intensity is not large, generally will not have much impact. In addition, the destruction of vegetation will also have some impact. Relatively speaking, some engineering projects, such as real estate development, have a greater impact on butterflies. "The weight of biodiversity conservation in our project planning is not enough." Li Zhaohui said bluntly.
The National Butterfly Diversity Observation Project launched by the Ministry of Environmental Protection plans to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental management through the monitoring data of biodiversity changes, and the relevant data and information will provide an important scientific basis for formulating environmental management policies and assessing environmental quality improvement. It is a positive signal for the conservation of biodiversity in the whole country.