Freshwater Ecosystem Services
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Network of Conservation Educators & Practitioners Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity Author(s): Nathaniel P. Hitt, Lisa K. Bonneau, Kunjuraman V. Jayachandran, and Michael P. Marchetti Source: Lessons in Conservation, Vol. 5, pp. 5-16 Published by: Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History Stable URL: ncep.amnh.org/linc/ This article is featured in Lessons in Conservation, the official journal of the Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners (NCEP). NCEP is a collaborative project of the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC) and a number of institutions and individuals around the world. Lessons in Conservation is designed to introduce NCEP teaching and learning resources (or “modules”) to a broad audience. NCEP modules are designed for undergraduate and professional level education. These modules—and many more on a variety of conservation topics—are available for free download at our website, ncep.amnh.org. To learn more about NCEP, visit our website: ncep.amnh.org. All reproduction or distribution must provide full citation of the original work and provide a copyright notice as follows: “Copyright 2015, by the authors of the material and the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation of the American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.” Illustrations obtained from the American Museum of Natural History’s library: images.library.amnh.org/digital/ SYNTHESIS 5 Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity Nathaniel P. Hitt1, Lisa K. Bonneau2, Kunjuraman V. Jayachandran3, and Michael P. Marchetti4 1U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, USA, 2Metropolitan Community College-Blue River, USA, 3Kerala Agricultural University, India, 4School of Science, St. -
BIG RIVER ECOSYSTEM: Program 2
BIG RIVER ECOSYSTEM: A Question of Net Worth PURPOSE To explore biodiversity at the ecosystem level. KERA CONNECTIONS to Life Science Program 2 Core Content: Structure and Function in Living Systems Academic Expectations: 2.2 Patterns, 2.3 Systems, 2.4 Models & Scale ANSWERS TO Process Skills: Observation, Modeling aFIELD NOTES OBJECTIVES 1. In a hot and hostile environment, Students should be able to: the evaporated water cannot be 1.identify five “big river” organisms incorporated into living cells (as 2.construct a diagram showing interactions between living and we know them). nonliving parts of an ecosystem 2. An extremely cold environment, 3. discuss factors that affect the level of biodiversity in their river basin. or frozen desert, does not allow cells to utilize water. VOCABULARY 3. Answers will vary but should Teachers may wish to discuss the following terms: display logical flow of water and aquatic, commercial, ecosystem, water cycle and watershed. allow for recirculation in a loop. 4. Arteries and veins. aFIELD NOTEBOOK 5. A pumping heart. Ideas for Teachers 6. Diagram A shows many different A. Develop a concept map for the water cycle. Include these items in types of ecosystems in close the concept map: clouds, groundwater, apple tree, stream, precipita- proximity. tion, condensation, evaporation, harvest mouse, snowflakes, sun and 7. Add a watering hole, plant a humans. What other cycles are needed to maintain an ecosystem? miniature forest, create a B. Biospheres, containing algae, brine shrimp and water, are often meadow of wildflowers. Most shown in advertisements. Analyze how the biosphere is self-main- importantly, break up a monocul- taining. -
Effects of Eutrophication on Stream Ecosystems
EFFECTS OF EUTROPHICATION ON STREAM ECOSYSTEMS Lei Zheng, PhD and Michael J. Paul, PhD Tetra Tech, Inc. Abstract This paper describes the effects of nutrient enrichment on the structure and function of stream ecosystems. It starts with the currently well documented direct effects of nutrient enrichment on algal biomass and the resulting impacts on stream chemistry. The paper continues with an explanation of the less well documented indirect ecological effects of nutrient enrichment on stream structure and function, including effects of excess growth on physical habitat, and alterations to aquatic life community structure from the microbial assemblage to fish and mammals. The paper also dicusses effects on the ecosystem level including changes to productivity, respiration, decomposition, carbon and other geochemical cycles. The paper ends by discussing the significance of these direct and indirect effects of nutrient enrichment on designated uses - especially recreational, aquatic life, and drinking water. 2 1. Introduction 1.1 Stream processes Streams are all flowing natural waters, regardless of size. To understand the processes that influence the pattern and character of streams and reduce natural variation of different streams, several stream classification systems (including ecoregional, fluvial geomorphological, and stream order classification) have been adopted by state and national programs. Ecoregional classification is based on geology, soils, geomorphology, dominant land uses, and natural vegetation (Omernik 1987). Fluvial geomorphological classification explains stream and slope processes through the application of physical principles. Rosgen (1994) classified stream channels in the United States into seven major stream types based on morphological characteristics, including entrenchment, gradient, width/depth ratio, and sinuosity in various land forms. -
Ecosystem Services Generated by Fish Populations
AR-211 Ecological Economics 29 (1999) 253 –268 ANALYSIS Ecosystem services generated by fish populations Cecilia M. Holmlund *, Monica Hammer Natural Resources Management, Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden Abstract In this paper, we review the role of fish populations in generating ecosystem services based on documented ecological functions and human demands of fish. The ongoing overexploitation of global fish resources concerns our societies, not only in terms of decreasing fish populations important for consumption and recreational activities. Rather, a number of ecosystem services generated by fish populations are also at risk, with consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and ultimately human welfare. Examples are provided from marine and freshwater ecosystems, in various parts of the world, and include all life-stages of fish. Ecosystem services are here defined as fundamental services for maintaining ecosystem functioning and resilience, or demand-derived services based on human values. To secure the generation of ecosystem services from fish populations, management approaches need to address the fact that fish are embedded in ecosystems and that substitutions for declining populations and habitat losses, such as fish stocking and nature reserves, rarely replace losses of all services. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Ecosystem services; Fish populations; Fisheries management; Biodiversity 1. Introduction 15 000 are marine and nearly 10 000 are freshwa ter (Nelson, 1994). Global capture fisheries har Fish constitute one of the major protein sources vested 101 million tonnes of fish including 27 for humans around the world. There are to date million tonnes of bycatch in 1995, and 11 million some 25 000 different known fish species of which tonnes were produced in aquaculture the same year (FAO, 1997). -
Fact Sheet on Health and Biodiversity
Living in harmony with nature Health and Biodiversity We rely on biodiversity to stay healthy. Biodiversity sustains our food supply, is a source of medicines, and supports the provision of clean air and fresh water while also contributing to economic development, cultural and spiritual enrichment. It is now also widely recognized that biodiversity is affected by climate change, with negative consequences for human well-being, but biodiversity, through the ecosystem services it supports, also makes an important contribution to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. As all people require freedom from illness as well as social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cultural well-being, we cannot have healthy societies without biodiversity. Changes to biodiversity can have severe and unpredictable effects on the health of all living things, including people. Clearing new land, for example, can bring people into closer contact with wildlife that may transmit their diseases to humans and also promote the spread of disease from humans to animals. It may also reduce populations of predators that hold disease-carrying organisms in check. In addition, clearing of land may bring about the loss of plants and other organisms useful in medical research or that may contain substances used as medicines. People in developing countries face particularly heavy health burdens from a loss of biodiversity, with impacts on food supply and quality, medicines, and cultural and religious values. It has been estimated that approximately 80% of the world’s population from developing countries rely mainly on traditional medicines derived from plants and that 25% of prescriptions dispensed in United States pharmacies contained plant extracts or active ingredients derived from plants. -
Assessing Ecosystem Health D.J
REVIEWS Assessing ecosystem health D.J. Rapport, R. Costanza and A.J. McMichael here is now abundant evi- Evaluating ecosystem health in relation to health in terms of ‘system organiz- dence that many human- the ecological, economic and human ation, resilience and vigor, as well dominated ecosystems, in- health spheres requires integrating human as the absence of signs of ecosys- Tcluding various biophysical values with biophysical processes, an tem distress24. The definition also systems at regional and global lev- integration that has been explicitly includes the presence of essential els, have become highly stressed avoided by conventional science. The field functions and key attributes that and dysfunctional1. The ‘services’ is advancing with the articulation of the sustain life systems (Box 1). provided by these ecosystems are linkages between human activity, regional A healthy ecosystem is defined extremely important to human wel- and global environmental change, as being ‘stable and sustainable’; fare2–5. As stressed ecosystems reduction in ecological services and the maintaining its organization and have become highly degraded1,6–9, consequences for human health, autonomy over time and its re- they have also become incapable economic opportunity and human silience to stress24. Assessment of of supplying services to the same communities. Increasing our these properties in large-scale sys- level as in the past5,10. The ca- understanding of these interactions will tems through specific indicators pacity of the environment to sus- involve more active collaboration between of resilience, organization and tain economic activity4,10 and hu- the ecological, social and health vigor has been attempted for the man health11–15 is, therefore, being sciences. -
The Conservation and Sustainable Use of Freshwater Resources in West Asia, Central Asia and North Africa
IUCN-WESCANA Water Publication The Conservation and Sustainable Use of Freshwater Resources in West Asia, Central Asia and North Africa The 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand, November 17-25, 2004 IUCN Regional Office for West/Central Asia and North Africa Kuwait Foundation For The Advancement of Sciences The World Conservation Union 1 2 3 The Conservation and Sustainable Use of Freshwater Resources in West Asia, Central Asia and North Africa The 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand, November 17-25, 2004 IUCN Regional Office for West/Central Asia and North Africa Kuwait Foundation 2 For The Advancement of Sciences The World Conservation Union 3 4 5 Table of Contents The demand for freshwater resources and the role of indigenous people in the conservation of wetland biodiversity Mehran Niazi.................................................................................. 8 Managing water ecosystems for sustainability and productivity in North Africa Chedly Rais................................................................................... 17 Market role in the conservation of freshwater biodiversity in West Asia Abdul Majeed..................................................................... 20 Water-ecological problems of the Syrdarya river delta V.A. Dukhovny, N.K. Kipshakbaev,I.B. Ruziev, T.I. Budnikova, and V.G. Prikhodko............................................... 26 Fresh water biodiversity conservation: The case of the Aral Sea E. Kreuzberg-Mukhina, N. Gorelkin, A. Kreuzberg V. Talskykh, E. Bykova, V. Aparin, I. Mirabdullaev, and R. Toryannikova............................................. 32 Water scarcity in the WESCANA Region: Threat or prospect for peace? Odeh Al-Jayyousi ......................................................................... 48 4 5 6 7 Summary The IUCN-WESCANA Water Publication – The Conservation and Sustainable Use Of Freshwater Resources in West Asia, Central Asia and North Africa - is the first publication of the IUCN-WESCANA Office, Amman-Jordan. -
Long-Term Water Conservation and Management Strategies
Long‐Term Water Conservation and Management Strategies April 2016 As the state’s focus begins to transition from the State Water Resources Control Board’s 2015 emergency regulation to a long‐term water management vision for California’s future, the Squaw Valley Public Service District strongly believes that any long‐term policy should recognize investments in drought‐resilience, emphasize ongoing water‐use efficiency, and leave local management discretion to local water agencies. With the public’s support, local water agencies have invested nearly $20 billion in the past 20 years to build and prudently manage diverse water supply portfolios to meet their customers’ needs and provide reliable supplies during times of drought. Local water supply investments since the 1990s include everything from water recycling to local and regional water storage to desalination of brackish groundwater and ocean water. These types of investments have added nearly 5 million acre‐feet of local and regional water supply across the state. Local water supply investments are widely credited with keeping California’s economy intact throughout the current multiyear drought. The emergency drought regulation adopted in May 2015 and extended in February 2016 by the State Water Resources Control Board largely overlooked local water supply investments and required local urban water suppliers to impose mandatory water use restrictions even where local water supply conditions did not warrant such stringent restrictions. As the state’s focus transitions from the emergency regulation to a potential long‐term policy on conservation, the state’s policy should emphasize local investments in drought resiliency and ongoing water use efficiency and leave discretion with local water agencies to choose appropriate management strategies. -
Lake Superior Phototrophic Picoplankton: Nitrate Assimilation
LAKE SUPERIOR PHOTOTROPHIC PICOPLANKTON: NITRATE ASSIMILATION MEASURED WITH A CYANOBACTERIAL NITRATE-RESPONSIVE BIOREPORTER AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF THE NATURAL COMMUNITY Natalia Valeryevna Ivanikova A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2006 Committee: George S. Bullerjahn, Advisor Robert M. McKay Scott O. Rogers Paul F. Morris Robert K. Vincent Graduate College representative ii ABSTRACT George S. Bullerjahn, Advisor Cyanobacteria of the picoplankton size range (picocyanobacteria) Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus contribute significantly to total phytoplankton biomass and primary production in marine and freshwater oligotrophic environments. Despite their importance, little is known about the biodiversity and physiology of freshwater picocyanobacteria. Lake Superior is an ultra- oligotrophic system with light and temperature conditions unfavorable for photosynthesis. Synechococcus-like picocyanobacteria are an important component of phytoplankton in Lake Superior. The concentration of nitrate, the major form of combined nitrogen in the lake, has been increasing continuously in these waters over the last 100 years, while other nutrients remained largely unchanged. Decreased biological demand for nitrate caused by low availabilities of phosphorus and iron, as well as low light and temperature was hypothesized to be one of the reasons for the nitrate build-up. One way to get insight into the microbiological processes that contribute to the accumulation of nitrate in this ecosystem is to employ a cyanobacterial bioreporter capable of assessing the nitrate assimilation capacity of phytoplankton. In this study, a nitrate-responsive biorepoter AND100 was constructed by fusing the promoter of the Synechocystis PCC 6803 nitrate responsive gene nirA, encoding nitrite reductase to the Vibrio fischeri luxAB genes, which encode the bacterial luciferase, and genetically transforming the resulting construct into Synechocystis. -
For-75: an Ecosystem Approach to Natural Resources Management
FOR-75 An Ecosystems Approach to Natural Resources Management Thomas G. Barnes, Extension Wildlife Specialist ur nation—and especially Kentucky—has an The glade cress Oabundance of renewable natural resources, including timber, wildlife, and water. These re- sources have allowed us to build a strong nation and economy, creating one of the highest stan- dards of living in the world. As our nation grew and prospered during the past 200 years, we ex- tracted those natural resources through agricul- ture, forestry, mining, urban or industrial expansion, and other developments. Ultimately, we affected the amount of wild lands that native plants and animals need for survival. In the past, natural resources agencies have ral- The glade cress grows in Jefferson and Bullitt counties lied public support for declining wildlife popula- and nowhere else in the world. tions. In the 1930s, Congress passed the Federal Aid to Wildlife Resto- Table 1. Selected Ecosystem Declines in the ration Act, also called including the bald eagle, brown pelican, peregrine United States the Pittman-Robertson falcon, and American alligator, have recovered % Decline (loss) or Act, and state wildlife from the brink of extinction. However, numerous Ecosystem or Community Degradation agencies received fund- other species and unique habitats are declining, Pacific Northwest Old Growth Forest 90 ing to restore numerous and the list of endangered and threatened organ- Northeastern Pine Barrens 48 wildlife species that isms continues to grow every year. Why are these Tall Grass Prairie 961 were in trouble, includ- additional species in trouble, while other species Palouse Prairie 98 ing white-tailed deer, are increasing their populations and ranges? Where did we go wrong? Why, almost immedi- Blackbelt Prairies 98 wild turkeys, wood ducks, elk, and prong- ately after passage of the Endangered Species Act, Midwestern Oak Savanna 981 horn antelope. -
Ecosystem Health Demystified: an Ecological Concept Determined By
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Lincoln University Research Archive Ecosystem health demystified © An ecological concept determined by economic means By E. J. S. Hearnshaw1, R. Cullen1 and K. F. D. Hughey2 1Commerce Division, Lincoln University, 2Environment, Society and Design Division, Lincoln University Abstract This paper addresses “ecosystem health”, a concept recently popularised as the way forward in evaluating nature. The concept is often defined in vague expressions and is being seen more as a broad societal aspiration rather than a specific performance measure of ecosystem management. As such, the paper aims to demystify ecosystem health, that is, to demarcate an accurate and feasible characterisation of the concept. To achieve this aim an examination of the various viewpoints of nature is undertaken. Models of ecosystem health, such as the notions of naturalness, genetic fitness, climax, diversity, stability and keystone species are each considered and subsequently deemed inappropriate, especially when viewing ecosystems as “complex self-organising systems”. Complex self-organising systems are non-linear dynamic systems that have multiple steady states and have emergent and chaotic properties. One model that captures this self- organisation process is Holling’s adaptive cycle. However, when investigating this model it was concluded that there is no means to determining which phase within a system state, or state within a system is ecologically “better”. Therefore, ecosystem health cannot be considered in a positive manner established by scientific objectivity. Rather, the concept must be determined in a normative fashion through it is suggested the elicitation of subjective societal values, so to define an optimal management strategy. -
Natural Resources, Spring 1999
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION TASK FORCE REPORT PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The views expressed in this report are those of the Task Force members and were not the subject of endorsement by the full Council. Many of the federal officials who serve on the Council also serve on the Council’s Task Forces and participated actively in developing the Task Force’s recommendations, but those recommendations do not necessarily reflect Administration policy. PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TASK-FORCE-REPORT-ON-NATURAL RESOURCES To obtain copies of this Report, please contact: President’s Council on Sustainable Development 730 Jackson Place, NW Washington, D.C. 20503 1-800-363-3732 (202) 408-5296 Website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/PCSD TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIRS Richard Barth, Chairman, President, and CEO, Ciba-Geigy Corporation James R. Lyons, Undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture Theodore Strong, Executive Director, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission MEMBERS Bruce Babbitt, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior James Baker, Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce Carol Browner, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency A.D. Correll, Chairman and CEO, Georgia-Pacific Corporation Fred D. Krupp, Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund Michele Perrault, International Vice President, Sierra Club John C. Sawhill, President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TASK-FORCE-REPORT-ON-NATURAL RESOURCES TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE. i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ii INTRODUCTION. 1 CHAPTER 1:TASK FORCE APPROACH. 5 The Role of the Watershed.