Xu Liqiang, Liu Xiaodong, Wu Libin, Sun Liguang, Zhao Jinjun, Chen Lin
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230009, China.
Institute of Polar Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Sci Rep. 2016 Oct 17;6:35191. doi: 10.1038/srep35191.
Based on three ornithogenic sediment profiles and seabird subfossils therein from the Xisha Islands, South China Sea, the relative population size of seabirds over the past 1000 years was reconstructed using reflectance spectrum. Here we present an apparent increase and subsequent decline of seabirds on these islands in the South China Sea. Seabird populations peaked during the Little Ice Age (LIA, 1400-1850 AD), implying that the cool climate during the LIA appears to have been more favorable to seabirds on the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea. Climate change partly explains the recent decrease in seabird populations over the past 150 years, but the significant decline and almost complete disappearance thereof on most of the Xisha Islands is probably attributable to human disturbance. Our study reveals the increasing impact of anthropogenic activities on seabird population in recent times.
基于南海西沙群岛的三个鸟类源沉积剖面及其所含的海鸟亚化石，利用反射光谱重建了过去1000年海鸟的相对种群规模。在此，我们呈现了南海这些岛屿上的海鸟数量先增加后减少的情况。海鸟种群数量在小冰期（公元1400 - 1850年）达到峰值，这意味着小冰期的凉爽气候似乎对南海西沙群岛的海鸟更为有利。气候变化部分解释了过去150年海鸟种群数量最近的减少，但西沙群岛大部分岛屿上其数量的显著下降及几乎完全消失可能归因于人为干扰。我们的研究揭示了近期人为活动对海鸟种群影响的不断增加。
