🦉Intro to Ecology Unit 14 – Applications of Ecology in Resource Management

Key Ecological Concepts

• Ecosystems are complex networks of interactions between living organisms and their physical environment
  • Includes biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (non-living components like temperature, water, and soil)
• Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms within an ecosystem, including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity
  • Higher biodiversity generally leads to more resilient and stable ecosystems
• Ecological succession is the gradual process of change in an ecosystem's species composition and community structure over time
  • Primary succession occurs in areas with no prior soil (bare rock) while secondary succession occurs in areas with existing soil (after a disturbance)
• Trophic levels describe the position an organism occupies in a food chain, such as producers (plants), primary consumers (herbivores), and secondary consumers (carnivores)
• Nutrient cycling is the movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter through an ecosystem, including carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles
• Ecological resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to absorb disturbances and still maintain its basic structure and function
• Carrying capacity is the maximum population size an ecosystem can sustain given the available resources and environmental conditions

Resource Management Basics

• Resource management involves the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources to meet human needs while maintaining ecological integrity
• Renewable resources can regenerate over time (forests, fisheries) while non-renewable resources are finite (fossil fuels, minerals)
• Sustainable yield is the maximum rate at which a resource can be harvested without depleting it over time
  • Overharvesting can lead to resource depletion and ecosystem degradation
• Adaptive management is a flexible approach that involves monitoring, learning, and adjusting management strategies based on new information and changing conditions
• Precautionary principle states that when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established
• Tragedy of the commons occurs when individuals acting in their own self-interest deplete a shared resource, contrary to the common good
• Integrated resource management considers the interactions and trade-offs between different resources and stakeholders to optimize overall benefits

Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital

• Ecosystem services are the benefits humans derive from ecosystems, including provisioning (food, water), regulating (climate, flood control), cultural (recreation, spiritual), and supporting (nutrient cycling, soil formation) services
• Natural capital refers to the stock of natural resources and ecosystems that provide ecosystem services and support human well-being
  • Includes renewable (forests, fisheries) and non-renewable (fossil fuels, minerals) resources
• Valuation of ecosystem services attempts to assign monetary values to the benefits provided by ecosystems to inform decision-making and incentivize conservation
• Payment for ecosystem services (PES) is a market-based approach where beneficiaries pay landowners or managers to maintain or enhance ecosystem services
• Green infrastructure incorporates natural systems (wetlands, green roofs) into urban planning to provide ecosystem services and improve resilience
• Biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) relationship suggests that higher biodiversity leads to enhanced ecosystem functioning and services
• Natural capital accounting integrates the value of ecosystem services into national economic accounts to better inform policy and decision-making

Sustainable Resource Use

• Sustainable resource use aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• Ecological footprint measures the amount of biologically productive land and water area required to produce the resources an individual, population, or activity consumes and to absorb its waste
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal
• Circular economy aims to minimize waste and pollution by designing products for reuse, recycling, and regeneration
  • Contrasts with the linear "take-make-dispose" model of production and consumption
• Sustainable forestry practices (selective logging, reforestation) aim to maintain forest ecosystem services while providing timber and other forest products
• Sustainable fisheries management (catch limits, marine protected areas) seeks to maintain fish populations and ecosystem health while supporting livelihoods
• Agroecology applies ecological principles to agricultural systems to enhance sustainability, biodiversity, and resilience
  • Practices include crop rotation, intercropping, and integrated pest management

Conservation Strategies

• Conservation aims to protect and preserve ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity for current and future generations
• In-situ conservation protects species and habitats in their natural environment through protected areas (national parks, wildlife reserves)
  • Allows for natural ecological processes and evolution to continue
• Ex-situ conservation preserves species outside their natural habitat in zoos, botanical gardens, and seed banks
  • Provides a backup in case of extinction in the wild
• Habitat restoration involves the active recovery of degraded or destroyed ecosystems to restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
  • Examples include wetland restoration and reforestation
• Corridors and connectivity conservation aim to link fragmented habitats to facilitate species movement, gene flow, and adaptation to climate change
• Community-based conservation engages local communities in the management and conservation of their natural resources
  • Recognizes traditional ecological knowledge and promotes sustainable livelihoods
• Ecosystem-based management considers the entire ecosystem, including humans, in conservation planning and decision-making
• Adaptive conservation management involves monitoring, learning, and adjusting conservation strategies based on new information and changing conditions

Human Impact on Ecosystems

• Habitat loss and fragmentation due to land-use change (urbanization, agriculture) is a major driver of biodiversity loss
  • Reduces available habitat and isolates populations, leading to decreased genetic diversity and increased extinction risk
• Overexploitation of resources (overfishing, deforestation) can lead to species declines and ecosystem degradation
• Pollution (air, water, soil) can have detrimental effects on ecosystem health and biodiversity
  • Examples include eutrophication from nutrient runoff and bioaccumulation of toxins in food webs
• Invasive species, often introduced by human activities, can outcompete native species and disrupt ecosystem balance
  • Costly to control and eradicate once established
• Climate change, driven by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, is altering temperature, precipitation, and sea level, with cascading effects on ecosystems and biodiversity
• Ecological footprint of human activities (resource consumption, waste generation) is exceeding the Earth's biocapacity, leading to ecological overshoot
• Human-wildlife conflict arises when human activities and wildlife needs overlap, often resulting in negative impacts for both

Case Studies in Ecological Resource Management

• Yellowstone wolf reintroduction (1995) demonstrated the importance of top predators in regulating ecosystems and promoting biodiversity through trophic cascades
• Costa Rica's payment for ecosystem services (PES) program has successfully reduced deforestation and promoted reforestation by compensating landowners for conservation
• Marine protected areas (MPAs) like the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia have been effective in conserving biodiversity and supporting sustainable fisheries
• Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in Namibia has empowered local communities to manage wildlife and benefit from ecotourism, leading to increased wildlife populations and improved livelihoods
• Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in the Netherlands has balanced the needs of coastal protection, economic development, and ecosystem conservation through a participatory and adaptive approach
• Agroforestry in the Sahel region of Africa has combined trees with crops and livestock to improve soil fertility, water retention, and livelihoods in a drought-prone environment
• Urban green infrastructure in cities like Singapore and New York has incorporated nature-based solutions to provide ecosystem services, enhance resilience, and improve quality of life

Future Challenges and Innovations

• Climate change adaptation and mitigation will require innovative strategies to build ecosystem resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Nature-based solutions (ecosystem restoration, green infrastructure) can provide co-benefits for biodiversity and human well-being
• Sustainable intensification of agriculture aims to increase food production while minimizing environmental impacts through precision farming, agroecology, and biotechnology
• Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) considers the interactions between fished species, their habitats, and the broader ecosystem to promote sustainable and resilient fisheries
• Circular economy approaches (biomimicry, industrial symbiosis) can reduce waste and resource consumption by designing products and processes inspired by natural systems
• Biodiversity mainstreaming involves integrating biodiversity considerations into policies, plans, and practices across sectors (agriculture, forestry, energy) to promote sustainable development
• Participatory and inclusive conservation approaches (citizen science, indigenous-led conservation) can engage diverse stakeholders in conservation efforts and incorporate local knowledge and values
• Ecological restoration at a landscape scale (rewilding, connectivity conservation) can help restore degraded ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and provide ecosystem services in the face of global change