中文摘要：

长江中下游湿地是中国东部最为重要的水鸟越冬地。由于长江中下游湿地面积与质量都发生了变化,迫切需要监测其越冬水鸟数量与分布的变化趋势,为有效开展保护计划奠定科学基础,以确保该区域水鸟的生存以及未来的种群恢复。然而,因统计质量受诸多因素影响,如何获得水鸟数量与分布的准确数据,同时确保这些数据可以在年度间和位点间进行比较,是非常复杂的。因此,建立一套有效的调查方法,最大程度地保证水鸟统计的精确性和准确性,并将统计产生的偏差最小化,是十分必要的。否则,调查结果准确性将受到影响,也无法用来进行比较分析。最近,我们探索建立了一套系统的水鸟调查方法,并于2008/2009年和2009/2010年冬在长江中下游的重要湿地升金湖开展了越冬水鸟调查,检验了该方法,取得了很好的结果。具体方法包括将湖泊划分为若干调查区域,每个调查区域又细分为若干亚区,区和亚区之间均有明确的分界线,最后分区域进行调查和记录。记录的数据包括物种数量、分布、环境和干扰情况等,记录的格式是统一的,以确保数据的准确性及尽可能地减少偏差。本文以这两年的冬季调查结果为例说明如何利用这些数据,获得水鸟数量、分布以及栖息地利用等详细信息。最后,讨论了在长江中下游湿地推广该方法、建立全流域水鸟监测项目的重要性。

英文摘要：

Changes in the areas and quality of wetland habitat makes it imperative to monitor trends in the number of wintering waterbirds and their distribution in the Yangtze River floodplain, the most important waterbird region in eastern China, so that effective science-based action can be taken to ensure the survival and future recovery of the waterbirds of the region. However, obtaining accurate data on the number of waterbirds and distribution, which can be confidently compared across years and sites, is complicated by a number of factors which can affect count quality. It is essential to employ a survey methodology which maximizes count accuracy and precision and minimizes the bias inherent in counting waterbirds;failure to achieve these goals will lead to incorrect results and analytical problems. Recently we developed a systematic waterbird survey methodology which was tested, with promising results, in the winters of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 at Shengjin Lake, an important wetland in the Yangtze River floodplain. The methodology involves dividing the lake into discrete survey areas, each containing a number of subareas, with clear boundaries, which were surveyed separately. Data, which included information on counts, distributions, the environment and disturbance, were collected in a standardized manner to maximize precision and minimize bias. We use the results from the surveys of the first two winters to provide examples of how the data can be employed to provide detailed information on the number of waterbirds, their distributions and habitat usage. Finally, we discuss the importance of wider application of the methodology throughout the Yangtze River floodplain to underpin a much needed floodplain-wide waterbird monitoring program.