Sustaining Biodiversity:

The Ecosystem Approach

Chapter 9
SUSTAINABILITY
• Ability of the earth’s various
systems, including human cultural
systems and economies, to survive
and adapt to changing environmental
conditions indefinitely.
BIODIVERSITY
• Species diversity
• Genetic diversity
• Ecological diversity
• Functional diversity
ECOSYSTEM

Community of different species

interacting with one another and with
the chemical and physical factors
making up its non-living environment
Succession
• Highest diversity occurs when
there is enough disturbance to
prevent the dominant competitors
from taking over, but not so much
that the community is unable to
develop.
Importance of Biodiversity
• Intrinsic value – right to exist, to have
evolved means they have important
roles
• Instrumental value – because of their
use to us
• Existence value – knowing it exists
• Aesthetic value – wildlife viewing
• Bequest value – willing to pay for its
existence
Human Activities and Biodiversity
Habitat Loss and Degradation

Greatest threat to species

diversity
“HIPPO”
Habitat destruction
Invasive species
Population (humans) growth
Pollution
Over-harvesting
 Rate = 80 million new people/year
+ New York City every month
+ Germany every year
+ United States every 3.7 years

Biodiversity is
affected by human
population size
and resource
use
Agriculture Industry

Economic production
and consumption Recreation
Global Biodiversity Status
Forests Grassland Everything

Rainforests Desert
5% of our virgin forests remain uncu
2% of our native grasslands are
left in their native state
15% of our redwood forests are old grow
Less than 50% of our wetlands remain
Their existence being deemed less
important than others…

Open Season On Wetlands Destruction

Begins
In Puget Sound, we have lost 70% of ou
estuaries to farms and development
Solutions for Protecting Biodiversity
 Trade-Offs
Logging in U.S. National Forests
and other publicly owned lands
Advantages Disadvantages

Provides only 4% of
Helps meet
country’s timber
needs
timber needs
*
Ample private forest
land to meet timber
needs
Cut areas grow
back Has little effect on
timber and paper
prices
Keeps lumber
and paper prices
down Damages nearby
rivers and fisheries

Provides jobs in Recreation in national

nearby forests provides more
communities local jobs and income
for local communities
than logging
Promotes
economic Decreases
growth in nearby recreational
communities opportunities
ar cutting our forests: Advantages and Disadvantage
 Trade-Offs

Advantages
Clear-Cutting Forests

Higher timber yields

Maximum economic return in shortest time

Can reforest with genetically improved fast-

growing trees

Short time to establish new stand of trees

Needs less skill and planning

Best way to harvest tree plantations

Good for tree species needing full or moderate

sunlight for growth
 Disadvantages

Reduces biodiversity

Disrupts ecosystem processes

Destroys and fragments some wildlife habitats

Leaves moderate to large openings

Increases soil erosion

Increases sediment water pollution and flooding

when done on steep slopes

Eliminates most recreational value for several

decades
Sustainable Forestry

• Several methods can be used to

sustain harvests and maintain
biodiversity
Longer rotations will provide a more
stable ecosystem and greater biodiversity
Selective logging leaves habita
minimizing disturbance and
fragmentation
Recent efforts by the forest industry, the
tribes and government agency scientists
have worked to lessen the
impacts of logging roads.
Rainforests harbor the greatest gene pool in the
world. The rainforest has nurtured this "pool" to
become home for 170,000 of the world's 250,000
known plant species.
Tropical Deforestation: Consequences

• Rapid and
increasing
• Loss of
biodiversity
• Loss of
resources (e.g.,
medicines)
• Contributes to
global warming
Tropical Deforestation: Causes

• Population growth
• Poverty
• Environmentally harmful
government subsidies (encourage
poor to colonize tropical forests)
• Debts owed to developed countries
• Low value of ecological services
Managing and Sustaining National
Parks
• Inadequate protection
• Often too small to sustain
biodiversity
• Invasions by nonnative species
• Too many human visitors
• Traffic jams and air pollution
• Better pay for park staff
Establishing, Designing, and
Managing Nature Reserves
• Include moderate to large tracts of
land
• Involve government, private sector
and citizens
• Biosphere reserves
• Adaptive ecosystem management
• Protect most important areas (“hot
spots”)
• Wilderness areas
Ecological Restoration: Basic Principles

• Mimic nature
• Recreate lost niches
• Rely on pioneer species
• Control nonnative species
• Reconnect small patches