Beyond preservation:the challenge of ecological restoration – can you live with ambiguity or do you want to be in charge? A practitioner turned researcher’s tale
Holistic Management is an adaptive decision-making framework that focuses on managing whole systems for more effective natural resource management. It involves understanding ecosystem processes and partnering with nature to improve soil health, water infiltration, habitat, and carbon sequestration. Key principles include planned grazing to simulate natural herbivore impacts which increases plant and animal diversity, soil carbon, water retention, and profitability, while decreasing labor needs and bare ground.
The document describes a prairie restoration project at the Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab property located on the campus of Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana. The project aims to restore 4.36 acres of recreational turf grass to native prairie plants to increase biodiversity and provide educational opportunities. The restoration will involve removing the existing turf, seeding the site with a diverse mix of 40% grasses and 60% flowering forbs, and ongoing management including invasive species removal and controlled burns. The restored prairie will benefit pollinators and other wildlife while enhancing the EcoLab's natural areas.
This document summarizes the work of Cameron and Moira Thomson in establishing the SEER Centre Trust to advocate for the use of rockdust to regenerate soils and stabilize the climate. They transformed an infertile site in Scotland into fertile soil through the application of rockdust and compost. Rockdust replenishes deficient minerals in soils and increases crop yields. The authors believe spreading rockdust globally could boost soil fertility and allow soils to absorb excess carbon, mitigating climate change. Their experiments demonstrate rockdust's ability to rapidly improve soil quality and productivity.
This presentation was presented during the 2 Parallel session on Theme 2, Maintaining and/or increasing SOC stocks for climate change mitigation and adaptation and Land Degradation Neutrality, of the Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon that took place in Rome 21-23 March 2017. The presentation was made by Ms. Kristine Nichols, from Rodale Institute - USA, in FAO Hq, Rome
Remineralize the Earth promotes the regeneration of soils and forests worldwide with finely ground rock dust as an economically and ecologically sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, creating fertile soils much as the earth does.
The document discusses efforts to restore species-rich floodplain meadows along the River Ouse in Sussex, England. Historical research and ecological surveys were used to inform restoration decisions. Such meadows were once common but 97% have been lost since 1930 due to agricultural improvement. A case study describes restoring the flower diversity of the Iron Gates meadow through plant plugs and seeding after the site's vegetation became degraded. The restoration aims to provide ecosystem services like flood alleviation and support for pollinators, while achieving biodiversity targets.
Holistic Management is an adaptive decision-making framework that focuses on managing whole systems for more effective natural resource management. It involves understanding ecosystem processes and partnering with nature to improve soil health, water infiltration, habitat, and carbon sequestration. Key principles include planned grazing to simulate natural herbivore impacts which increases plant and animal diversity, soil carbon, water retention, and profitability, while decreasing labor needs and bare ground.
The document describes a prairie restoration project at the Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab property located on the campus of Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana. The project aims to restore 4.36 acres of recreational turf grass to native prairie plants to increase biodiversity and provide educational opportunities. The restoration will involve removing the existing turf, seeding the site with a diverse mix of 40% grasses and 60% flowering forbs, and ongoing management including invasive species removal and controlled burns. The restored prairie will benefit pollinators and other wildlife while enhancing the EcoLab's natural areas.
This document summarizes the work of Cameron and Moira Thomson in establishing the SEER Centre Trust to advocate for the use of rockdust to regenerate soils and stabilize the climate. They transformed an infertile site in Scotland into fertile soil through the application of rockdust and compost. Rockdust replenishes deficient minerals in soils and increases crop yields. The authors believe spreading rockdust globally could boost soil fertility and allow soils to absorb excess carbon, mitigating climate change. Their experiments demonstrate rockdust's ability to rapidly improve soil quality and productivity.
This presentation was presented during the 2 Parallel session on Theme 2, Maintaining and/or increasing SOC stocks for climate change mitigation and adaptation and Land Degradation Neutrality, of the Global Symposium on Soil Organic Carbon that took place in Rome 21-23 March 2017. The presentation was made by Ms. Kristine Nichols, from Rodale Institute - USA, in FAO Hq, Rome
Remineralize the Earth promotes the regeneration of soils and forests worldwide with finely ground rock dust as an economically and ecologically sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, creating fertile soils much as the earth does.
The document discusses efforts to restore species-rich floodplain meadows along the River Ouse in Sussex, England. Historical research and ecological surveys were used to inform restoration decisions. Such meadows were once common but 97% have been lost since 1930 due to agricultural improvement. A case study describes restoring the flower diversity of the Iron Gates meadow through plant plugs and seeding after the site's vegetation became degraded. The restoration aims to provide ecosystem services like flood alleviation and support for pollinators, while achieving biodiversity targets.
The invention of the plow increased soil erosion, which archaeological studies show contributed to the decline of ancient civilizations. Soil erosion causes on-site issues like reduced fertility and off-site issues like water pollution. The estimated annual global cost of soil erosion from water is $33 billion. Conservation agriculture practices like no-till, cover crops, and crop rotations can help reverse soil degradation, increase soil carbon storage, and provide economic and climate benefits. Rattan Lal estimates that conservation agriculture practices could offset 5-15% of global fossil fuel emissions through increased soil carbon sequestration.
Stewardship of Natural Resources 8.10.09guestcf72b2
The document discusses carbon sequestration in soils and its importance. It notes that carbon dioxide can be stored in soils through certain agricultural practices, but that rising temperatures threaten to release stored carbon. Adopting practices that build up carbon in soils over 40-50 years could help mitigate climate change. The document outlines how carbon is essential to soil health, plant growth, and all life, and explains the potential of different agricultural practices to sequester carbon in kilograms per hectare per year.
This document summarizes research on managing grasslands to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration. It finds that:
1) Grasslands store large amounts of carbon in soils, and practices like applying livestock manure or compost can significantly increase soil carbon storage for decades or more, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Managing half of California's grasslands to increase soil carbon by 0.5 metric tons per hectare per year could offset 21 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually.
3) Projects demonstrating increased soil carbon through compost and manure in California grasslands show the potential for agriculture and soil management to meaningfully contribute to climate change mitigation.
This document provides an overview of Tucson Audubon Society's riparian habitat restoration work along the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona. It discusses three restoration sites - North Simpson Farm, Martin Farm, and Esperanza Ranch - outlining the goals, strategies, challenges, and lessons learned at each location. The primary challenges have included invasive plant species outcompeting native plantings and low success rates with hand seeding. Monitoring of plant survival and growth, as well as avian surveys, help assess progress and inform adjustments to restoration approaches over time. The overall goal is to reestablish native plant communities and improve habitat connectivity in degraded riparian areas along the Santa Cruz River watershed.
Carbon Cycles In Western Forests Saf 5 1 2009Mike Ryan
The document discusses carbon cycling in western forests. It finds that forests play a large role in offsetting carbon emissions through sequestration. Disturbances like fires and outbreaks do not necessarily cause long-term carbon loss if the forest regenerates. The timing and landscape perspective of forest carbon storage is important to consider. Tropical deforestation is currently a large source of carbon emissions comparable to US fossil fuel emissions each year.
The Costa Rica Agroforestry Project aims to demonstrate sustainable food, fuel and income production through soil remineralization using volcanic rock dust. The project restored degraded cattle land through planting over 1,600 native and agricultural trees per hectare. Testing shows the plot receiving rock dust exhibited stronger tree and crop growth. The project aims to prove Jatropha grown with rock dust can rebuild soils while producing a biodiesel fuel and food, providing an innovative model for sustainable land use.
Brazil ppt 10 18 16 presentation version.pptxremineralize
Remineralization involves applying finely ground rock dust and minerals to restore depleted soils and increase crop yields and nutrition. It can store carbon in soils to stabilize the climate. Studies show corn grown with glacial rock dust produced 65 bushels per acre, significantly more than nearby farms using chemical fertilizers, and with higher nutrient levels. The organization Remineralize the Earth facilitates a global movement to create more nutrient-dense food through better soil health.
1. Mining depletes soil nutrients and disrupts soil structure, inhibiting plant growth. Reclamation aims to replenish nutrients, reduce compaction, and establish vegetation to sequester carbon.
2. A study found that pastures sequestered the most carbon in soil over time, while forests stored more carbon in biomass. Different vegetation types suit different reclamation goals.
3. Proper reclamation techniques like deep ripping, manure addition, and selecting nutrient-rich plant species can help mining soils regain or surpass the carbon sequestration potential of undisturbed lands. However, mining still reduces soil quality for many years.
"The ecological cost of doing agricultural business:
Tradeoffs in the Amazon between agricultural production and ecosystem functioning"
Presented at the University of Minnesota, 2 Oct 2013, as a pre-thesis public seminar and as a portion of my preliminary oral PhD exam.
Cuba conference presentation2 (short version)remineralize
The document summarizes information from a conference on agroecology and cooperatives in Cuba focused on soil remineralization. It discusses using finely ground rock dust and sea minerals to return essential nutrients to soils. Remineralizing soils can increase crop yields and nutrition, build soil health, enhance carbon sequestration, and help stabilize the climate. Examples from Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Cuba show benefits of soil remineralization through increased food production and reforestation.
Surface mining increased during World War 2 to meet energy demands, while underground mining also increased in speed. After the war, laws were passed requiring miners to reclaim mined land to protect the environment. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 set nationwide standards for reclamation, including restoring the land to its previous use and wildlife habitats. Successful reclamation requires filling and compacting mined areas, reshaping the land, adding topsoil, and planting grasses, trees, and other vegetation to restore the land's productivity.
Tropical forests in a changing world: Investigating global change impacts in ...Christine O'Connell
The document summarizes a presentation on the impacts of land use change and climate change on tropical forests in Amazonia and Puerto Rico. In Amazonia, the presentation examines how agricultural expansion and intensification impact carbon storage, energy balance, and habitat. It finds that the location of future agricultural expansion will largely determine impacts on ecosystem services. In Puerto Rico, it analyzes the effects of a severe drought on soil biogeochemistry and greenhouse gas emissions, finding complex impacts varying by topography. The presentation concludes that land use change likely has larger biogeochemical effects than agricultural intensification, and climate impacts on tropical forests will involve nutrient cycle feedbacks.
A2 CAMBRIDGE GEOGRAPHY: HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS - SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS. It contain the case study about Bioengineering in Malaysia.
Jamaica bay task force -Ecological Restoration around the bayecowatchers
The document provides information about various ecological restoration projects in Jamaica Bay, New York. It discusses projects like the Healy Avenue Marsh and Dune restoration from 1999-2001 that restored 2.25 acres, and the Four Sparrow Marsh restoration from 2002-2004 that restored 4.5 acres and removed debris. It also describes the Yellow Bar Hassock restoration project that created about 40 acres of marsh habitat using dredged materials. The document emphasizes how restoration projects can improve habitat for wildlife and plant species in the Jamaica Bay area.
Transforming ecological, economic and social challenges on a regional and global scale.
Presentation by Remineralize the Earth
Advancing Renewable Energy in Latin America and Integrated Farm Energy Systems, RELACCx, Puerto Rico, November 19, 2014
Agroforestry: Addressing Climate Challenges and Improving Social Conditions remineralize
V. Miranda Chase, Research Associate, Remineralize the Earth
Advancing Renewable Energy in Latin America and Integrated Farm Energy Systems, RELACCx, Puerto Rico, November 19, 2014
This proposal requests funding from the Bureau of Land Management to support forest management efforts on both public and private lands. The objectives are to provide training for foresters, address issues like wildfires and endangered species, and support regional forestry cooperation. The technical approach involves collaborating with BLM, USDA, and others to advance stewardship. The applicant has experience with forestry programs and resolving land disputes. Forests are important for mitigating climate change and the proposal aims to prepare a campground for a forestry convention.
This document discusses developing a mixed silviculture system in Scotland using aspen and spruce trees. It notes that aspen is a resilient, nutrient-cycling species that could benefit soils depleted from past land use. Introducing aspen into commercial spruce plantations could increase soil quality, biodiversity, and landscape benefits. The document examines the natural spruce-aspen cycle and various silvicultural systems used in North America that integrate aspen and spruce, including underplanting aspen under mature spruce or planting aspen as a nurse crop before underplanting spruce. It argues this mixedwood approach could increase productivity over single-species stands in Scotland.
Growing Natural Capital to Develop Resilient Dryland Farm Landscapes - New Ze...Fujita64g
Farmers in the Starborough Flaxbourne region of New Zealand are developing more resilient farm landscapes through sustainable management practices. The Starborough Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group was formed when farmers realized current practices were unsustainable due to drought and erosion. The group worked with farmers to develop new strategies including matching livestock and feed production to climate and soils, establishing shelterbelts and native vegetation, reducing grazing pressure, and creating farm reserves. These practices aim to grow natural capital through increased plant and tree cover while maintaining viable farming operations.
Moors make up approximately 6% of Ecuador's territory. They have a cold, foggy, and rainy climate and support a diverse array of adapted plants and animals. The moors' soil structure retains water and distributes it to lower lands, helping reduce the effects of global warming. However, converting moorlands to agriculture is degrading these areas by destroying the soil structure through overgrazing and unsustainable farming, leading to erosion and desertification. Conservation groups are working to restore the moors' natural characteristics through traditional and alternative land management practices.
The document discusses the concepts and goals of ecological restoration. It provides examples of restoration projects including restoring forests, prairies, wetlands, and bodies of water like the Everglades and Chesapeake Bay. Restoration aims to reverse degradation and reestablish ecosystems by removing stressors, controlling invasives, and replanting native species.
The document discusses various topics related to ecological restoration including:
1) Ecological restoration aims to reverse degradation and reestablish ecosystems, though returning to the original condition is rarely possible. Common restoration methods include reintroduction of species, remediation of pollution, and reclamation of degraded sites.
2) Examples of restoration projects include restoring forests in Vermont, prairies in Wisconsin and Oklahoma, and wetlands in Colorado and the Everglades. The Bermuda cahow bird was reestablished through protection programs.
3) Factors like fire and grazing by animals like bison are important for maintaining certain ecosystems like oak savannas and prairies but require restoration efforts to reestablish.
The invention of the plow increased soil erosion, which archaeological studies show contributed to the decline of ancient civilizations. Soil erosion causes on-site issues like reduced fertility and off-site issues like water pollution. The estimated annual global cost of soil erosion from water is $33 billion. Conservation agriculture practices like no-till, cover crops, and crop rotations can help reverse soil degradation, increase soil carbon storage, and provide economic and climate benefits. Rattan Lal estimates that conservation agriculture practices could offset 5-15% of global fossil fuel emissions through increased soil carbon sequestration.
Stewardship of Natural Resources 8.10.09guestcf72b2
The document discusses carbon sequestration in soils and its importance. It notes that carbon dioxide can be stored in soils through certain agricultural practices, but that rising temperatures threaten to release stored carbon. Adopting practices that build up carbon in soils over 40-50 years could help mitigate climate change. The document outlines how carbon is essential to soil health, plant growth, and all life, and explains the potential of different agricultural practices to sequester carbon in kilograms per hectare per year.
This document summarizes research on managing grasslands to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration. It finds that:
1) Grasslands store large amounts of carbon in soils, and practices like applying livestock manure or compost can significantly increase soil carbon storage for decades or more, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Managing half of California's grasslands to increase soil carbon by 0.5 metric tons per hectare per year could offset 21 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually.
3) Projects demonstrating increased soil carbon through compost and manure in California grasslands show the potential for agriculture and soil management to meaningfully contribute to climate change mitigation.
This document provides an overview of Tucson Audubon Society's riparian habitat restoration work along the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona. It discusses three restoration sites - North Simpson Farm, Martin Farm, and Esperanza Ranch - outlining the goals, strategies, challenges, and lessons learned at each location. The primary challenges have included invasive plant species outcompeting native plantings and low success rates with hand seeding. Monitoring of plant survival and growth, as well as avian surveys, help assess progress and inform adjustments to restoration approaches over time. The overall goal is to reestablish native plant communities and improve habitat connectivity in degraded riparian areas along the Santa Cruz River watershed.
Carbon Cycles In Western Forests Saf 5 1 2009Mike Ryan
The document discusses carbon cycling in western forests. It finds that forests play a large role in offsetting carbon emissions through sequestration. Disturbances like fires and outbreaks do not necessarily cause long-term carbon loss if the forest regenerates. The timing and landscape perspective of forest carbon storage is important to consider. Tropical deforestation is currently a large source of carbon emissions comparable to US fossil fuel emissions each year.
The Costa Rica Agroforestry Project aims to demonstrate sustainable food, fuel and income production through soil remineralization using volcanic rock dust. The project restored degraded cattle land through planting over 1,600 native and agricultural trees per hectare. Testing shows the plot receiving rock dust exhibited stronger tree and crop growth. The project aims to prove Jatropha grown with rock dust can rebuild soils while producing a biodiesel fuel and food, providing an innovative model for sustainable land use.
Brazil ppt 10 18 16 presentation version.pptxremineralize
Remineralization involves applying finely ground rock dust and minerals to restore depleted soils and increase crop yields and nutrition. It can store carbon in soils to stabilize the climate. Studies show corn grown with glacial rock dust produced 65 bushels per acre, significantly more than nearby farms using chemical fertilizers, and with higher nutrient levels. The organization Remineralize the Earth facilitates a global movement to create more nutrient-dense food through better soil health.
1. Mining depletes soil nutrients and disrupts soil structure, inhibiting plant growth. Reclamation aims to replenish nutrients, reduce compaction, and establish vegetation to sequester carbon.
2. A study found that pastures sequestered the most carbon in soil over time, while forests stored more carbon in biomass. Different vegetation types suit different reclamation goals.
3. Proper reclamation techniques like deep ripping, manure addition, and selecting nutrient-rich plant species can help mining soils regain or surpass the carbon sequestration potential of undisturbed lands. However, mining still reduces soil quality for many years.
"The ecological cost of doing agricultural business:
Tradeoffs in the Amazon between agricultural production and ecosystem functioning"
Presented at the University of Minnesota, 2 Oct 2013, as a pre-thesis public seminar and as a portion of my preliminary oral PhD exam.
Cuba conference presentation2 (short version)remineralize
The document summarizes information from a conference on agroecology and cooperatives in Cuba focused on soil remineralization. It discusses using finely ground rock dust and sea minerals to return essential nutrients to soils. Remineralizing soils can increase crop yields and nutrition, build soil health, enhance carbon sequestration, and help stabilize the climate. Examples from Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Cuba show benefits of soil remineralization through increased food production and reforestation.
Surface mining increased during World War 2 to meet energy demands, while underground mining also increased in speed. After the war, laws were passed requiring miners to reclaim mined land to protect the environment. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 set nationwide standards for reclamation, including restoring the land to its previous use and wildlife habitats. Successful reclamation requires filling and compacting mined areas, reshaping the land, adding topsoil, and planting grasses, trees, and other vegetation to restore the land's productivity.
Tropical forests in a changing world: Investigating global change impacts in ...Christine O'Connell
The document summarizes a presentation on the impacts of land use change and climate change on tropical forests in Amazonia and Puerto Rico. In Amazonia, the presentation examines how agricultural expansion and intensification impact carbon storage, energy balance, and habitat. It finds that the location of future agricultural expansion will largely determine impacts on ecosystem services. In Puerto Rico, it analyzes the effects of a severe drought on soil biogeochemistry and greenhouse gas emissions, finding complex impacts varying by topography. The presentation concludes that land use change likely has larger biogeochemical effects than agricultural intensification, and climate impacts on tropical forests will involve nutrient cycle feedbacks.
A2 CAMBRIDGE GEOGRAPHY: HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS - SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS. It contain the case study about Bioengineering in Malaysia.
Jamaica bay task force -Ecological Restoration around the bayecowatchers
The document provides information about various ecological restoration projects in Jamaica Bay, New York. It discusses projects like the Healy Avenue Marsh and Dune restoration from 1999-2001 that restored 2.25 acres, and the Four Sparrow Marsh restoration from 2002-2004 that restored 4.5 acres and removed debris. It also describes the Yellow Bar Hassock restoration project that created about 40 acres of marsh habitat using dredged materials. The document emphasizes how restoration projects can improve habitat for wildlife and plant species in the Jamaica Bay area.
Transforming ecological, economic and social challenges on a regional and global scale.
Presentation by Remineralize the Earth
Advancing Renewable Energy in Latin America and Integrated Farm Energy Systems, RELACCx, Puerto Rico, November 19, 2014
Agroforestry: Addressing Climate Challenges and Improving Social Conditions remineralize
V. Miranda Chase, Research Associate, Remineralize the Earth
Advancing Renewable Energy in Latin America and Integrated Farm Energy Systems, RELACCx, Puerto Rico, November 19, 2014
This proposal requests funding from the Bureau of Land Management to support forest management efforts on both public and private lands. The objectives are to provide training for foresters, address issues like wildfires and endangered species, and support regional forestry cooperation. The technical approach involves collaborating with BLM, USDA, and others to advance stewardship. The applicant has experience with forestry programs and resolving land disputes. Forests are important for mitigating climate change and the proposal aims to prepare a campground for a forestry convention.
This document discusses developing a mixed silviculture system in Scotland using aspen and spruce trees. It notes that aspen is a resilient, nutrient-cycling species that could benefit soils depleted from past land use. Introducing aspen into commercial spruce plantations could increase soil quality, biodiversity, and landscape benefits. The document examines the natural spruce-aspen cycle and various silvicultural systems used in North America that integrate aspen and spruce, including underplanting aspen under mature spruce or planting aspen as a nurse crop before underplanting spruce. It argues this mixedwood approach could increase productivity over single-species stands in Scotland.
Growing Natural Capital to Develop Resilient Dryland Farm Landscapes - New Ze...Fujita64g
Farmers in the Starborough Flaxbourne region of New Zealand are developing more resilient farm landscapes through sustainable management practices. The Starborough Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group was formed when farmers realized current practices were unsustainable due to drought and erosion. The group worked with farmers to develop new strategies including matching livestock and feed production to climate and soils, establishing shelterbelts and native vegetation, reducing grazing pressure, and creating farm reserves. These practices aim to grow natural capital through increased plant and tree cover while maintaining viable farming operations.
Moors make up approximately 6% of Ecuador's territory. They have a cold, foggy, and rainy climate and support a diverse array of adapted plants and animals. The moors' soil structure retains water and distributes it to lower lands, helping reduce the effects of global warming. However, converting moorlands to agriculture is degrading these areas by destroying the soil structure through overgrazing and unsustainable farming, leading to erosion and desertification. Conservation groups are working to restore the moors' natural characteristics through traditional and alternative land management practices.
The document discusses the concepts and goals of ecological restoration. It provides examples of restoration projects including restoring forests, prairies, wetlands, and bodies of water like the Everglades and Chesapeake Bay. Restoration aims to reverse degradation and reestablish ecosystems by removing stressors, controlling invasives, and replanting native species.
The document discusses various topics related to ecological restoration including:
1) Ecological restoration aims to reverse degradation and reestablish ecosystems, though returning to the original condition is rarely possible. Common restoration methods include reintroduction of species, remediation of pollution, and reclamation of degraded sites.
2) Examples of restoration projects include restoring forests in Vermont, prairies in Wisconsin and Oklahoma, and wetlands in Colorado and the Everglades. The Bermuda cahow bird was reestablished through protection programs.
3) Factors like fire and grazing by animals like bison are important for maintaining certain ecosystems like oak savannas and prairies but require restoration efforts to reestablish.
Llynclys quarry in Shropshire is restoring 65 hectares of land after limestone extraction. Habitats created include grassland, fen, ponds and hedgerows. Restoration uses natural regeneration and grazing to develop biodiversity, with over 250 plant species recorded including rare species. Monitoring shows success of restoration for wildlife. The site provides public access and education opportunities. Nearby Llanymynech Rocks quarry abandoned in 1940s provides comparison of natural regeneration habitats.
This document discusses the evolution of landscapes in Great Britain from 10,000 BC to present day. It describes how the landscape changed from a barren rocky surface after the ice age to temperate rainforests as temperatures rose. Modern humans arrived around 5,000 BC and started farming, which was a major driver of landscape change as forests were cleared for agriculture. Rural landscapes then developed, including woodlands, grasslands, moorlands and farmlands. Urban areas also transformed the landscape over time as villages and towns grew into cities.
natural resources- water, air , food , organic and inorganicNaveen Prabhu
This document discusses natural resources including renewable resources like soil, water and air and non-renewable resources like minerals and fossil fuels. It then focuses on forest resources, highlighting that forests cover about 1/3 of the world's land area and provide commercial and environmental benefits. The document also discusses overexploitation of forests through activities like shifting cultivation, fuel collection and infrastructure development. It notes the effects of deforestation and describes forest conservation methods.
11/2/2014
1
Community Ecology I
Stability, Resilience
WFC 10 – D. A. Kelt
A biological community is defined by the species that occupy a
particular locality and the interactions among those species.
A Primer of Conservation Biology, 3rd ed. R. B. Primack 2004
Community Ecology is the study of biological communities.
In what ways are communities organized, structured, predictable?
In what ways are they not?
Note the difference between “habitat” and “community.”
The former refers to a physical location,
whereas the latter refers to constituent species.
Many communities may appear very similar.
Coniferous Forest
near Mt. Rainier
central Oregon
King’s Canyon National Park
Sandy Desert
Sahara Desert
Simpson Desert (Australia)
Death Valley, California
Thus, there may be great variation
from point to point in these
communities
One major way in which they differ is
in composition – the particular species
that occur at a site.
Example: Burrowing
mammals
N. Amer. - Gopher
Asia - Zokor
Australia – Marsupial mole
S. Amer. – Tuco tuco
Africa – Mole rat
Ecologically similar species in different
regions with different evolutionary origins.
N. Amer. - Gopher
Asia - Zokor
Australia – Marsupial mole
S. Amer. – Tuco tuco
Africa – Mole rat
11/2/2014
2
Often true at smaller spatial scales as well . . .
Geomys
Eastern Pocket Gophers
Cratogeomys
Yellow-faced Pocket Gophers
Pappogeomys
Southern Pocket Gophers
Thomomys
Western Pocket Gophers
4 genera of North American
pocket gophers
From a conservation perspective we are interested in how
stable a community is in the face of anthropogenic abuses.
Stability – often portrayed in simple cartoon fashion as follows:
So, given all this variation, how are communities structured,
and how do they respond to disturbance?
Global Stability Local Stability
Stability may be measured by a community’s fluctuation over time.
Communities often remain stable over time.
However, they may be perturbed by some external force.
What happens then?
The American chestnut (Castanea dentata)
made up >40% of trees in mature eastern
deciduous forest.
Chestnut blight – introduced to New York City in ca. 1900
By 1950 only 1 remaining large tree in North America
What impact did this enormous loss have on
the biota of eastern North America?
Perhaps surprisingly, essentially no impact.
Eastern deciduous forests are very diverse – maples, oaks, hickories, catalpa, etc. Loss of American chestnut led to NO major changes in animal or plant communities.
Black bears may have suffered from loss of mast.
Thus, this was a relatively minor perturbation
from the perspective of the community – it
evidently shifted to a different local stable point.
Seven butterfly/moth species were specialists on
American chestnut, and have gone extinct.
Another 49 Lepidopterans simply shifted their hosts.
11/2/2014
3
Pollution – another
perturbation that can
result in ecological
deteriorat.
This document provides an overview of the impact of climate change on biodiversity. It discusses how plants and animals have evolved and adapted to changing climates over hundreds of millions of years by migrating to new areas. However, current climate change is occurring too rapidly for many species to adapt. The document highlights several species and ecosystems that are threatened by climate change, such as coral reefs and Arctic species. It emphasizes that biodiversity is important to human economies and well-being.
Limestone pavements are areas of exposed limestone that have been eroded into flat blocks and crevices. They are found primarily in parts of the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Limestone pavements were formed during the last ice age by water erosion. They support a unique biodiversity due to the rocky habitat providing shelter with little soil. However, limestone pavements face threats from activities like stone removal, grazing, and invasive species. Conservation efforts include limestone pavement orders that restrict disturbance and management of grazing and vegetation.
This document discusses ecosystem services related to carbon storage and sequestration provided by upland landscapes in England. It notes that upland soils store a large amount of carbon, especially peatlands, but many peat bogs are losing carbon due to drainage and burning. Maps show the location of peat soils and their condition, with many currently in an "unfavorable recovering" state. The document also discusses the importance of uplands for water supply and quality, noting that activities like grip blocking and peatland restoration can help stabilize water color issues.
New National Park at Nilpena, Flinders Ranges, South AustraliaLeisure Solutions®
As an exemplar of geodiversity in the Earth’s geological record, the Ediacaran fossil assemblage of the Flinders Ranges also celebrates the very birth of the Earth’s biodiversity.
As one of Australia’s most significant National Landscapes, the Flinders Ranges has the making of being also declared as another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife (FNPW) with the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation and the SA Government aims to create a new national park as a key core component of this vision - truly and outstanding geotourism destination for Australia.
Landscapes can be natural or man-made. Natural landscapes are formed by nature and include elements like relief, flora and fauna. Man-made landscapes are altered by humans through activities like agriculture and construction. Landscapes change over time through both natural processes like erosion and weathering, as well as human impacts such as building infrastructure. Governments establish national parks and protected areas to conserve landscapes and the plants and animals within them from harmful human changes.
This presentation was given by Professor Alastair Driver, Catchment restoration specialist and ecologist, at the EPA's October 2017 Catchment Science and Management Course. You can find more information about catchment management at www.catchments.ie
Needingworth Quarry is the location for an exciting wetland restoration project arising from a collaboration between Hanson and the RSPB. As gravel extraction is completed in sections of Needingworth these areas are being restored into wetland habitats, including large areas of reedbed and associated rough grassland, which has been named Ouse Fen Nature Reserve. Reedbed restoration sites, typified by Needingworth also include areas of wet or dry rough grassland, with varying degrees of management through grazing, mowing and fencing. These grasslands in themselves potentially provide a valuable habitat for biodiversity, especially given the context of the considerable intensification of agricultural and other grasslands that has taken place over recent decades.
In this project we propose to investigate the insect biodiversity of grasslands surrounding the reedbed restoration units at Needingworth/Ouse Fen. The focus of our work will be the leafhoppers (Auchenorrhyncha), which are common in grassland and have been found to be useful indicators of management intensity effects. In particular we are interested in how leafhoppper communities are affected by the level of grazing by cattle and how they vary with distance from the reedbeds and open water. The principal objective is to increase our knowledge of insect communities in these habitats at Needingworth/Ouse Fen and to inform management practice decisions in relation to these grasslands, which it is hoped will help to further enhance the biodiversity value of the restoration.
The project won the 1st Prize in National Quarry Life Award in 2014 in the United Kingdom.
Read more: http://www.quarrylifeaward.com/project/investigation-insect-biodiversity-grasslands-surrounding-reedbed-restoration-needingworth
Habitat loss and fragmentation have significantly impacted ecosystems in Southern Ontario. Originally containing extensive forests, the landscape is now dominated by human settlements, farmland, and transportation routes as natural areas have been cleared and divided into smaller parcels. This reduces biodiversity as some species require large intact habitats. Examples of threatened species include the loggerhead shrike whose grassland habitat has declined. Wetlands have also been extensively drained for agriculture, diminishing these important aquatic ecosystems. Conservation efforts now aim to protect remaining areas and restore degraded habitats.
Pablo Neruda's poem describes water as having no direction but its own grace, taking on the colors around it and lessons from stone as it flows. The document then discusses wetlands in Sussex, England. It provides statistics on wetland loss and outlines the current wetland habitats in Sussex, which total around 8,089 hectares. The document argues that Sussex has significant potential to restore more of its historically large wetland areas, given its floodplains and wet soils cover over 198,000 hectares.
Pablo Neruda's poem describes water as having no direction but its own grace, running through colors and taking lessons from stone. The document then discusses wetlands, describing their global coverage and importance while also noting the large losses of wetlands over time. It provides information on the current extent and types of wetlands remaining in Sussex, England, noting both their biodiversity value and restoration potential given the area's natural wet features.
8. CaBA Conference 2017 Eurasian Beaver - Alan PuttockCaBASupport
Beaver reintroduction projects in the UK are quantifying the multiple environmental benefits of beavers. Data from the Devon Beaver Project shows that beaver dams increase water storage, attenuate peak flows, and may filter diffuse pollutants. Over 100 tons of sediment and 15 tons of carbon have been stored in ponds on the site. The Cornwall Beaver Project is monitoring the impacts of beavers on a larger second order tributary catchment. The River Otter Beaver Trial is assessing beaver impacts at the full catchment scale of 250 square kilometers. Research demonstrates that restoring landscape structure through beaver reintroduction can improve water storage and flow regulation while reducing flooding and pollution risks.
Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forested land. It occurs for various reasons like timber, agriculture, infrastructure development, and fuel needs. Deforestation has negative environmental consequences such as increased carbon emissions, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and disrupted water cycles. Some solutions to deforestation include sustainable logging, reforestation, afforestation, and increasing awareness about environmental protection. Pakistan has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world primarily due to fuel wood consumption and population growth.
Evolving Lifecycles with High Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC) and 3-D...Joshua Orris
The incorporation of a 3DCSM and completion of HRSC provided a tool for enhanced, data-driven, decisions to support a change in remediation closure strategies. Currently, an approved pilot study has been obtained to shut-down the remediation systems (ISCO, P&T) and conduct a hydraulic study under non-pumping conditions. A separate micro-biological bench scale treatability study was competed that yielded positive results for an emerging innovative technology. As a result, a field pilot study has commenced with results expected in nine-twelve months. With the results of the hydraulic study, field pilot studies and an updated risk assessment leading site monitoring optimization cost lifecycle savings upwards of $15MM towards an alternatively evolved best available technology remediation closure strategy.
Improving the viability of probiotics by encapsulation methods for developmen...Open Access Research Paper
The popularity of functional foods among scientists and common people has been increasing day by day. Awareness and modernization make the consumer think better regarding food and nutrition. Now a day’s individual knows very well about the relation between food consumption and disease prevalence. Humans have a diversity of microbes in the gut that together form the gut microflora. Probiotics are the health-promoting live microbial cells improve host health through gut and brain connection and fighting against harmful bacteria. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are the two bacterial genera which are considered to be probiotic. These good bacteria are facing challenges of viability. There are so many factors such as sensitivity to heat, pH, acidity, osmotic effect, mechanical shear, chemical components, freezing and storage time as well which affects the viability of probiotics in the dairy food matrix as well as in the gut. Multiple efforts have been done in the past and ongoing in present for these beneficial microbial population stability until their destination in the gut. One of a useful technique known as microencapsulation makes the probiotic effective in the diversified conditions and maintain these microbe’s community to the optimum level for achieving targeted benefits. Dairy products are found to be an ideal vehicle for probiotic incorporation. It has been seen that the encapsulated microbial cells show higher viability than the free cells in different processing and storage conditions as well as against bile salts in the gut. They make the food functional when incorporated, without affecting the product sensory characteristics.
Optimizing Post Remediation Groundwater Performance with Enhanced Microbiolog...Joshua Orris
Results of geophysics and pneumatic injection pilot tests during 2003 – 2007 yielded significant positive results for injection delivery design and contaminant mass treatment, resulting in permanent shut-down of an existing groundwater Pump & Treat system.
Accessible source areas were subsequently removed (2011) by soil excavation and treated with the placement of Emulsified Vegetable Oil EVO and zero-valent iron ZVI to accelerate treatment of impacted groundwater in overburden and weathered fractured bedrock. Post pilot test and post remediation groundwater monitoring has included analyses of CVOCs, organic fatty acids, dissolved gases and QuantArray® -Chlor to quantify key microorganisms (e.g., Dehalococcoides, Dehalobacter, etc.) and functional genes (e.g., vinyl chloride reductase, methane monooxygenase, etc.) to assess potential for reductive dechlorination and aerobic cometabolism of CVOCs.
In 2022, the first commercial application of MetaArray™ was performed at the site. MetaArray™ utilizes statistical analysis, such as principal component analysis and multivariate analysis to provide evidence that reductive dechlorination is active or even that it is slowing. This creates actionable data allowing users to save money by making important site management decisions earlier.
The results of the MetaArray™ analysis’ support vector machine (SVM) identified groundwater monitoring wells with a 80% confidence that were characterized as either Limited for Reductive Decholorination or had a High Reductive Reduction Dechlorination potential. The results of MetaArray™ will be used to further optimize the site’s post remediation monitoring program for monitored natural attenuation.
RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances, which is also known as t...vijaykumar292010
RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances, which is also known as the Directive 2002/95/EC. It includes the restrictions for the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. RoHS is a WEEE (Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment).
Kinetic studies on malachite green dye adsorption from aqueous solutions by A...Open Access Research Paper
Water polluted by dyestuffs compounds is a global threat to health and the environment; accordingly, we prepared a green novel sorbent chemical and Physical system from an algae, chitosan and chitosan nanoparticle and impregnated with algae with chitosan nanocomposite for the sorption of Malachite green dye from water. The algae with chitosan nanocomposite by a simple method and used as a recyclable and effective adsorbent for the removal of malachite green dye from aqueous solutions. Algae, chitosan, chitosan nanoparticle and algae with chitosan nanocomposite were characterized using different physicochemical methods. The functional groups and chemical compounds found in algae, chitosan, chitosan algae, chitosan nanoparticle, and chitosan nanoparticle with algae were identified using FTIR, SEM, and TGADTA/DTG techniques. The optimal adsorption conditions, different dosages, pH and Temperature the amount of algae with chitosan nanocomposite were determined. At optimized conditions and the batch equilibrium studies more than 99% of the dye was removed. The adsorption process data matched well kinetics showed that the reaction order for dye varied with pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order. Furthermore, the maximum adsorption capacity of the algae with chitosan nanocomposite toward malachite green dye reached as high as 15.5mg/g, respectively. Finally, multiple times reusing of algae with chitosan nanocomposite and removing dye from a real wastewater has made it a promising and attractive option for further practical applications.
1. Beyond preservation:
the challenge of ecological restoration –
can you live with ambiguity or do you want to be in charge?
A practitioner turned researcher’s tale
Adrian Colston
A Dartmoor Blog https://adriancolston.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Dartmoor_AC
Email: ac766@exeter.ac.uk
2. Putting Cambridgeshire in a national wildlife context
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45
Hectares
Cambridgeshire 10k ha
Area of nationally important wildlife
habitat (SSSI) per English county
Northamptonshire 2.5k ha
Cumbria 160k ha
Devon 70k ha
3. Protected areas in Cambridgeshire by size
7
27
50
16
10
24
14
2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
< 1 ha 1-10 ha 10-100 ha >100 ha
Size
Numberbyareaclass
SSSIs
Wildlife
Trust
Reserves
SSSI - average size = 89.5 ha. WT Reserve - average size = 16.4 ha.
Protected areas in Cambridgeshire are very small
4. ‘Nature conservation has
been forced into tiny sites
and many species only
survive as a result of
intensive and expensive
management regimes.’
AC 1997
This is
unsustainable?.
5. • Counties with less than 1/2
the average of nationally
important wildlife habitat
• National conservation
policies and funding have
largely ignored the Black Hole
• No National Parks,
Environmentally Sensitive
Areas, Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty, Heritage
Coasts etc.
The Black Hole
BUT lots of people live in the Black Hole and deserve access to a
countryside rich in wildlife
The Black Hole
Colston A (1997) Conserving wildlife in a
black hole Ecos 18: 61-67
6. The original proposition
• The ‘Planned Countryside’ – few areas of high biodiversity
remain so large scale habitat creation is required -> ‘The
Big Idea’
• The ‘Ancient Countryside’ – much of interest remains but it
is fragmented – so here sites should be linked by habitat
creation
• The ‘Highland Zones’ extensive areas of quality exist but
are not always managed well – improve the management
7.
8. Conserving wildlife in a black hole
• Of the 2450 ha of SSSI in Northamptonshire 23%
(560 ha) have been created by humans for
industrial purposes
• Such as quarries, gravel pits, railway cuttings and
reservoirs
• Over 50% of County Wildlife Sites in
Northamptonshire have been created
9. Macgregor N.A., Adams W.M., Hill C.T., Eigenbrod
F. & Osborne P.E. (2012) Large-scale conservation
in Great Britain: taking stock. Ecos 33: 13-23
Progress since 1997
e.g.
Designation of a Special
Protection Area (following
gravel extraction)
Nature Improvement Area
Wildlife Trusts
Futurescapes
‘Putting Wildlife Back on
the Map’
10. Post war Nature Conservation policy in the UK (see NCC 1984, for example) is based upon conserving
pre-modern agricultural landscapes using scientifically researched un-intensive management
prescriptions (Lorimer 2015).
Adams (1997) describes this approach as ‘equilibrium ecology and conservation’, that is, a process
which holds habitats at a single and stable point in their succession.
Such an approach is almost unique to the UK and whilst it has evidently been successful at conserving
many species and habitats, it does make such ecosystems vulnerable when environmental conditions
change as the management prescriptions do not allow them to adapt to the changes (Adams 2003).
Hinchliffe (2006) has described this approach as ‘rendering the present eternal’.
Adams W.M. (1997) Rationalization and conservation: ecology and management of nature in the United Kingdom. Transactions of the Institute of British
Geographers 22: 277-291.
Adams W. M. (2003) When nature won’t stay still: Conservation, equilibrium and control. In Adams and Mulligan (2003 pp220-246)
Adams W.M. & Mulligan M. (2003) Decolonising Nature: strategies for conservation in a post-colonial era. Earth scan. London.
Hinchliffe (2006) Reconstituting nature conservation: towards a carefully political ecology. Geoforum 39: 88-97.
NCC (1984) Nature Conservation in Great Britain. Nature Conservancy Council. Shrewsbury.
12. The Pleistocene Park?
Koniks as Tarpan and Heck Cattle as Aurochsen
Process driven and not target based
Non equilibrium conservation and ecology
13. The ‘Big Idea’ The Great Fen Project A landscape scale aspiration
Buy grade 1 agricultural land so that Woodwalton
Fen and be joined up to Holme Fen
Not process driven - equilibrium conservation
and ecology
Lawton – pre Lawton
14. This is the famous Holne Fen post (photo taken back in 2002). In 1848 a post was driven into the peat
and the top of it was at ground level. The peat has shrunk by around 4 metres over the past 150 years!
15. The RSPB have created new reedbeds from carrot
fields near Lakenheath in Suffolk
Equilibrium conservation and ecology
All the reeds were planted by hand
16. The Future Fen VisionThe National Trust’s Wicken Fen Vision from 800 acres to 15,000 in 100 years
Colston A. (2003) Beyond preservation: the challenge
of ecological restoration. In Adams and Mulligan
(2003).
Hughes F.M.R, Colston A. & Mountford J.O (2005)
Restoring Riparian Ecosystems: The Challenge of
Accommodating Variability and Designing Restoration
Trajectories. Ecology and Society 10(1)
The Wicken Fen Vision (Colston 2003)
is a prominent example of non
equilibrium conservation and ecology
delivering exciting and unexpected
biodiversity outcomes in short periods
of time
An attempt to accommodate variability
via the design of the restoration
trajectories, i.e. it is a non-
deterministic approaches to goal
setting (Hughes et al 2005).
17. Managing water levels
A nature reserve in a plastic bag
The Fen suffers from summer water
shortages. A 2km membrane has been
installed to keep the water in.
Water levels are monitored on a monthly
basis.
The Ancient Fen – 400 acres: equilibrium conservation and ecology
18. Before scrub
removal
After scrub
removal
A better balance
between open
habitats and scrub
Scrub: black
Open habitats: grey
The failure of
equilibrium
conservation and
ecology
When Nature
won’t stay still
19. Managing the Fen for wildlife
The sedge harvest has been carried
out continuously at Wicken since the
1400
Sedge cutting in Wicken
Fen: early morning. Robert
Walker MacBeth 1880s
The harvest in the 1990s
Getting it right: making nature stand still
20. This is a river (called a Lode) which drains the chalk uplands of Cambridgeshire to the south of the
Fens. To the left and right of the river you can see that the ground is much lower.
21. As the ground lowered man-made ditches were required to drain this shrunken landscape
– these ditches were much lower now than the surrounding rivers so the water had to be
pumped into the higher level rivers. This shows one of these drainage ditches – this is
the main one which drains the whole catchment – it is known as the interline.
22. As we saw from the post at Holne Fen the peat was over 4 metres deep. In places now so much
peat has shrunk and been eroded away that the underlying geology is becoming visible. The right
hand side of this field is deep brown and consists of peat – you can however see a patch of
lighter soil running diagonally up the field – this is the underlying chalk now becoming exposed.
23. The report contains this map which shows the current
state of the Fens peat. All the areas that are hatched are
intensively farmed – the Fens are some of our most
productive agricultural soils. However their current
management is clearly not sustainable. The green areas
show where the peat has been seriously degraded and is
becoming incorporated with the underlying soil and the
brown areas show where deep peat soils are still
occurring (but still degrading).
24. The East Anglian Fens – areas in red show where the
peat is still degrading and the areas in green are
where it is not. All the green areas are nature reserves
/ Sites of Special Scientific Interest! The two long
straight green areas are the Ouse and Nene Washes.
This map shows the greenhouse gas emissions that
are occurring today from the peat as a result of the
degradation.
Orange = 4-10 tonnes of CO2 / ha / year
Red = 10-17 tonnes of CO2 / ha / year.
25. Burwell Fen Farm is the area in the middle right of the picture starting at the triangular
pond – this was in 2002 and you can see it is under a crop rotation. You can also see
Adventurer’s Fen, Baker’s Fen and Guinea Hall. These areas were all drained and
ploughed during World War Two as part of the ‘dig for victory’ campaign. They have
subsequently been restored back to wetlands by the National Trust. At the top left of the
picture is the Sedge Fen the 400 acre fragment of the original Fen which escaped
drainage.
26. This is Burwell Fen now – several hundred acres of wetlands created over the past 10 years.
Full of surprises
Blacked-necked grebes, marsh harriers, bittern, stonechat, Cetti’s warbler, short-eared owls, great
white egrets, cranes
The Vision land: non equilibrium conservation and ecology
2,500 acres down 12,500 to go!
Nothing planted – all
natural processes
27. Non equilibrium
conservation and
ecology
Technical advice from
Frans Vera
Nightingales
Turtle doves
Purple emperors
Meat sales
More employment
Designation?
Non equilibrium ->
Equilibrium?
Knepp Wildlands Project
Marren P. (2016) The great rewilding experiment
at Knepp Castle. British Wildlife 27: 333-339.
28.
29. By contrast – Avalon Marshes – equilibrium conservation and ecology
Also full of surprises: from grey heron and bittern to grey heron, bittern, little bittern, little egret, great white
egret, cattle egret, purple heron, night heron and glossy ibis
More
habitat
creation
30. Soft re-wilding (after Kelly 2016) a hybrid between equilibrium and non equilibrium
Encouraging the ‘ineligible features’ – natural flood management and perches for cuckoos!
Kelly M. (2016) Quartz and Feldspar.
Revised edition. Vintage. London.
31. Equilibrium conservation and ecology
does work BUT it does make ecosystems
vulnerable when environmental conditions
change as the management prescriptions
do not allow them to adapt to the changes
32. Atmospheric pollution and the problem with Molinia
Nitrogen, Sulphur, Carbon dioxide , Ozone
When Nature won’t stay still
Equilibrium conservation and ecology – really struggling with this
34. When Nature won’t stay still 2 – wildlife’s problem with climate change
Potential changes in a selection of Dartmoor’s breeding birds
(after Huntley et al 2007)
Current Dartmoor moorland breeding species which the Atlas predicts will find the late
21st century climate envelope unsuitable
Peregrine, Red Grouse, Dunlin, Curlew, Golden Plover, Whinchat, Ring Ouzel, Raven
Current Dartmoor moorland breeding species which the Atlas predicts will find the late
21st century climate envelope still suitable or more suitable
Kestrel, Lapwing, Snipe, Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Skylark, Meadow Pipit*, Stonechat, Nightjar,
Dartford Warbler, Wheatear*, Linnet, Cirl Bunting, Reed Bunting
Species currently not present which may be able to colonise the moors of Dartmoor due
to the changed climate envelope (doesn’t imply that the habitat is suitable though)
Montagu’s Harrier, Hobby, Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Wryneck, Bluethroat, Cetti’s Warbler,
Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Chough
Huntley et al (2007) A Climatic Atlas of
European Breeding Birds. Lynx Edicions
35. In the face of climate change and atmospheric pollution,
the impacts of which are uncertain and unknown, should
we instead experiment with non-equilibrium ecology and
conservation thereby giving habitats and wildlife an
opportunity to adapt to the changes?
36. But it is not just about wildlife and habitats
It is also about people’s livelihoods and culture
It is also about ecosystem services and in Dartmoor’s case that means peat,
water supply and flood management for example
In the case of the Fenland peat the solutions seem obvious if unpalatable?
But what of Dartmoor’s peat?
Will the current management regime for the moor be the right one in 50 years
time?
Will they conserve the carbon stores and will they encourage carbon
sequestration from the atmosphere?
Short term solutions v long term solutions
Public money for public goods but via what management mechanism?
37. 1. Continuation of the ‘status quo’ (equilibrium
ecology and conservation)
2. Variations of the ‘status quo’ (equilibrium
ecology and conservation)
3. Soft re-wilding - a hybrid equilibrium / non
equilibrium ecology and conservation)
4. Non-deterministic approach to goal setting
which I call constrained re-wilding (non
equilibrium ecology and conservation)
5. Re-wilding (non equilibrium ecology and
conservation) – apex predators and keystone
species
1-3: in control
4-5: ambiguity
The options for ecological restoration
The case for
the defence
Case for the
prosecution