DOCSLIB.ORG

Instructor's Guide

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Films for the Humanities & Sciences® i A Wealth of Information. A World of Ideas. Instructor’s Guide Biomes of the Earth: Core Concepts Video Clip Library Introduction This comprehensive video clip library of 50 two-to-three-minute segments—breathtakingly filmed in locales around the world—will open viewers’ eyes as they learn key biological, environmental, and geological concepts associated with the ecological communities forming the biosphere. Whether using a single biome clip to support a discussion or an entire five-clip biome module to give students a quick introduction, Biomes of the Earth is an indispensable educational tool. Video segments include… • Taiga (page 2) • Tundra (page 6) • Deserts (page 11) • Grasslands (page 15) • Farms and Cities (page 20) • Temperate Forests (page 25) • Tropical Forests (page 30) • Wetlands (page 35) • Lakes and Rivers (page 40) • Oceans (page 45) Films for the Humanities & Sciences® Copyright © 2010 Films for the Humanities & Sciences® • www.films.com • 1-800-257-5126 1 Biomes of the Earth: TAIGA Core Concepts Video Clip Library INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE Taiga: Quiz Q1: The taiga biome is the _____ terrestrial biome on the planet. (a) largest (b) smallest (c) wettest (d) driest Q2: Parts of _____ are included in the taiga biome. (a) South America (b) Scotland and North America (c) Australia and New Zealand (d) northern Alaska Q3: The taiga _____. (Choose all that apply.) (a) is the northernmost biome, located above the tundra (b) is located along the top of the continents of the northern hemisphere (c) is extremely cold for most of the year, and moderately cold in the summer months (d) has long, harsh winters, and short, moist summers Q4: The two types of taiga are _____. (a) eastern and western (b) grassland and woodland (c) dark and light (d) arctic and boreal Q5: The climate of the taiga is _____. (a) warm and rainy (b) about the same as the climate of the temperate zone (c) extremely cold for most of the year, and moderately cold in the summer months (d) extremely cold in winter, and hot in summer Films for the Humanities & Sciences® Copyright © 2010 Films for the Humanities & Sciences® • www.films.com • 1-800-257-5126 2 Biomes of the Earth: TAIGA Core Concepts Video Clip Library INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE Q6: The taiga’s climate is due in part to _____. (a) the sun’s rays hitting it directly for most of the year (b) the polar jet stream, and frigid water currents (c) the sun’s heat being absorbed back into the land for most of the year (d) dry air masses that collect above the landscape Q7: Conifers (pines, spruces, and firs) are common to the taiga, while _____ play an important role by passing nutrients on to the trees and producing antibiotics that hamper harmful soil bacteria. (a) fungi (b) mosses and lichens (c) shrubs (d) berry plants Q8: True or False? Summer temperatures in the taiga can be so variable that animals that would normally lay eggs on the ground instead give birth to live young, because the eggs could freeze. Q9: True or False? Because summer temperatures in the taiga can be so variable, insect populations (mosquitoes, gnats, and black flies) are kept low. Q10: Which of these are most characteristic of the taiga? (Choose all that apply.) (a) amphibians (b) reptiles (c) salmon (d) bald eagles (e) bears and wolves (f) burrowing animals (g) lynx and bobcats Q11: Many of the species that originally inhabited the taiga can no longer be found because _____. (a) climate change has altered their habitats (b) hunting in the taiga is not regulated (c) European colonists began the practice of hunting animals that native peoples had not (d) the taiga has a long history of human hunting, starting with the humans who crossed the land bridge from Asia to North America Q12: Damming, lumber harvesting, and _____ account for a great deal of pollution and destruction in the taiga. (a) weather patterns (b) agriculture (c) mining (d) new shopping centers and housing developments Films for the Humanities & Sciences® Copyright © 2010 Films for the Humanities & Sciences® • www.films.com • 1-800-257-5126 3 Biomes of the Earth: TAIGA Core Concepts Video Clip Library INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE Taiga: Answers Q1: The taiga biome is the _____ terrestrial biome on the planet. A: (a) largest Q2: Parts of _____ are included in the taiga biome. A: (b) Scotland and North America Q3: The taiga _____. (Choose all that apply.) A: (b) is located along the top of the continents of the northern hemisphere (d) has long, harsh winters, and short, moist summers Q4: The two types of taiga are _____. A: (c) dark and light Q5: The climate of the taiga is _____. A: (d) extremely cold in winter, and hot in summer Q6: The taiga’s climate is due in part to _____. A: (b) the polar jet stream, and frigid water currents Q7: Conifers (pines, spruces, and firs) are common to the taiga, while _____ play an important role by passing nutrients on to the trees and producing antibiotics that hamper harmful soil bacteria. A: (a) fungi Q8: True or False? Summer temperatures in the taiga can be so variable that animals that would normally lay eggs on the ground instead give birth to live young, because the eggs could freeze. A: True. Films for the Humanities & Sciences® Copyright © 2010 Films for the Humanities & Sciences® • www.films.com • 1-800-257-5126 4 Biomes of the Earth: TAIGA Core Concepts Video Clip Library INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE Q9: True or False? Because summer temperatures in the taiga can be so variable, insect populations (mosquitoes, gnats, and black flies) are kept low. A: False. Q10: Which of these are most characteristic of the taiga? (Choose all that apply.) A: (c) salmon; (d) bald eagles; (e) bears and wolves; (g) lynx and bobcats Q11: Many of the species that originally inhabited the taiga can no longer be found because _____. A: (d) the taiga has a long history of human hunting, starting with the humans who crossed the land bridge from Asia to North America Q12: Damming, lumber harvesting, and _____ account for a great deal of pollution and destruction in the taiga. A: (c) mining Films for the Humanities & Sciences® Copyright © 2010 Films for the Humanities & Sciences® • www.films.com • 1-800-257-5126 5 Biomes of the Earth: TUNDRA Core Concepts Video Clip Library INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE Tundra: Quiz Q1: The two types of tundra are _____. (a) high arctic and low arctic (b) polar (or arctic) and alpine (c) grassy and frozen (or arctic) (d) arctic and meadow Q2: The tundra is found _____. (a) mainly in northernmost regions, stretching from Canada to the North Pole and to Siberia (b) mainly in northernmost regions, but also at the South Pole (c) in a ring of regions surrounding both poles, but also on very cold mountaintops worldwide (d) in many places worldwide, but predominantly in Alaska and the Northwest Territories Q3: In general, both types of tundra _____. (Choose all that apply.) (a) have low average temperatures below 25° F (b) are dominated by lichens, shrubs, and coniferous trees (c) can become extremely hot during their short summers (d) are found on every continent except Antarctica Q4: The Earth has been through at least five ice ages, interspersed by long periods of warm tempera- tures. These cycles take millions of years; the global warming we are experiencing today _____. (a) is occurring at approximately the same rate as previous warming periods (b) may be a sign that another ice age is beginning (c) is actually occurring at a slower rate of speed than previous warming periods (d) is taking place hundreds of times faster than previous warming periods Q5: The climate of the tundra consists of _____. (a) long, cold winters, and short, hot summers (b) long, cold winters and short, cool summers (c) summers and winters of equal length (temperatures vary according to tundra type) (d) winters and summers of extreme temperatures, separated by relatively mild spring and fall seasons Films for the Humanities & Sciences® Copyright © 2010 Films for the Humanities & Sciences® • www.films.com • 1-800-257-5126 6 Biomes of the Earth: TUNDRA Core Concepts Video Clip Library INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE Q6: Just beyond the edge of the arctic tundra, a timberline usually forms, and the region then becomes classified as the taiga biome. Because the line of demarcation between them connects points all having the same average temperature, it is called a(n) _____. (a) isotherm (b) thermocline (c) isobar (d) inversion Q7: Which of these characteristics help wildlife survive in the tundra? (Choose all that apply.) (a) The ptarmigan has feathered feet that prevent heat loss. (b) Falcons and owls have large fat reserves to survive winter, and long migrations. (c) Polar bear fur consists of specialized hairs that collect UV light and direct it back to their skin, where it is converted into heat. (d) Lemmings and marmots have thick fur to insulate them during the cold winter months. Q8: Which of these characteristics help plants survive in the tundra? (Choose all that apply.) (a) Some species of dwarf shrubs go dormant over the winter months. (b) Some grow thick, waxy leaves that store moisture. (c) Some have small hairs growing on their leaves and stems to trap warm air. (d) Some grow multi-branched structures that help to block the impact of wind and snow. Q9: True or False? Small shrubs often blanket the tundra landscape, making it nearly impossible for any insect species to thrive.
Recommended publications
  • Arachnozoogeographical Analysis of the Boundary Between Eastern Palearctic and Indomalayan Region

    Arachnozoogeographical Analysis of the Boundary Between Eastern Palearctic and Indomalayan Region

    Historia naturalis bulgarica, 23: 5-36, 2016 Arachnozoogeographical analysis of the boundary between Eastern Palearctic and Indomalayan Region Petar Beron Abstract: This study aims to test how the distribution of various orders of Arachnida follows the classical subdivision of Asia and where the transitional zone between the Eastern Palearctic (Holarctic Kingdom) and the Indomalayan Region (Paleotropic) is situated. This boundary includes Thar Desert, Karakorum, Himalaya, a band in Central China, the line north of Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands. The conclusion is that most families of Arachnida (90), excluding most of the representatives of Acari, are common for the Palearctic and Indomalayan Regions. There are no endemic orders or suborders in any of them. Regarding Arach- nida, their distribution does not justify the sharp difference between the two Kingdoms (Paleotropical and Holarctic) in Eastern Eurasia. The transitional zone (Sino-Japanese Realm) of Holt et al. (2013) also does not satisfy the criteria for outlining an area on the same footing as the Palearctic and Indomalayan Realms. Key words: Palearctic, Indomalayan, Arachnozoogeography, Arachnida According to the classical subdivision the region’s high mountains and plateaus. In southern Indomalayan Region is formed from the regions in Asia the boundary of the Palearctic is largely alti- Asia that are south of the Himalaya, and a zone in tudinal. The foothills of the Himalaya with average China. North of this “line” is the Palearctic (consist- altitude between about 2000 – 2500 m a.s.l. form the ing og different subregions). This “line” (transitional boundary between the Palearctic and Indomalaya zone) is separating two kingdoms, therefore the dif- Ecoregions.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME in the AMAZON BASIN: a Typology for Research, Policy and Action

    ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME in the AMAZON BASIN: a Typology for Research, Policy and Action

    IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE a think and do tank SP 47 STRATEGIC PAPER 47 PAPER STRATEGIC 2020 AUGUST ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME IN THE AMAZON BASIN: A Typology for Research, Policy and Action Adriana Abdenur, Brodie Ferguson, Ilona Szabo de Carvalho, Melina Risso and Robert Muggah IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 47 | AUGUST 2020 Index Abstract ���������������������������������������������������������� 1 Introduction ������������������������������������������������������ 2 Threats to the Amazon Basin ���������������������������� 3 Typology of environmental crime ����������������������� 9 Conclusions ���������������������������������������������������� 16 References ����������������������������������������������������� 17 Annex 1: Dimensions of Illegality ��������������������� 17 Cover photo: Wilson Dias/Agência Brasil IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 47 | AUGUST 2020 ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME IN THE AMAZON BASIN: A Typology for Research, Policy and Action Igarape Institute1 Abstract There is considerable conceptual and practical ambiguity around the dimensions and drivers of environmental crime in the Amazon Basin� Some issues, such as deforestation, have featured prominently in the news media as well as in academic and policy research� Yet, the literature is less developed in relation to other environmental crimes such as land invasion, small-scale clearance for agriculture and ranching, illegal mining, illegal wildlife trafficking, and the construction of informal roads and infrastructure that support these and other unlawful activities� Drawing on
  • Sustainable Landscapes in the Amazon and Congo Basin

    Sustainable Landscapes in the Amazon and Congo Basin

    Sustainable Landscapes in the Amazon and Congo Basin ISSUE The Amazon and the Congo Basin are the world’s two largest remaining areas of tropical rainforests, covering 1.1 billion hectares. These forests have high levels of endemism and they harbor more than 200,000 million tons of carbon. Because they represent a large expanse of continuous forest, the Amazon and the Congo Basin exert a regional and global influence on climatic and rainfall patterns. Both ecosystems are also home to forest-dependent people (local communities and Indigenous People) with significant traditional knowledge of forests management. Sustainably managing the Amazon and the Congo Basin forests therefore remains a considerable challenge for humanity. Population growth, the extension of agriculture, energy development, mining and oil extraction, and the associated infrastructure to support this expansion are all placing increased pressures on ecosystems. Fragile governance and the absence of adequate institutions, policies, incentives, and land- use planning undermine the development of effective responses by Government and the private sector. More than 40% of the rainforest remaining on Earth Equally important, the Amazon plays a critical regional is found in the Amazon and it is home to at least 10% and global role in climate regulation. Amazon forests of the world’s known species. The Amazon River help regulate temperature and humidity, and are linked accounts for roughly 16% of the world’s total river to regional climate patterns through hydrological discharge into the oceans. The Amazon River flows cycles that depend on the forests. The Amazon for more than 6,600 km and, with its hundreds of contains 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon, the tributaries and streams, contains the largest number of release of even a portion of which could accelerate freshwater fish species in the world.
  • Russia's Boreal Forests

    Russia's Boreal Forests

    Forest Area Key Facts & Carbon Emissions Russia’s Boreal Forests from Deforestation Forest location and brief description Russia is home to more than one-fifth of the world’s forest areas (approximately 763.5 million hectares). The Russian landscape is highly diverse, including polar deserts, arctic and sub-arctic tundra, boreal and semi-tundra larch forests, boreal and temperate coniferous forests, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, forest-steppe and steppe (temperate grasslands, savannahs, and shrub-lands), semi-deserts and deserts. Russian boreal forests (known in Russia as the taiga) represent the largest forested region on Earth (approximately 12 million km2), larger than the Amazon. These forests have relatively few tree species, and are composed mainly of birch, pine, spruce, fir, with some deciduous species. Mixed in among the forests are bogs, fens, marshes, shallow lakes, rivers and wetlands, which hold vast amounts of water. They contain more than 55 per cent of the world’s conifers, and 11 per cent of the world’s biomass. Unique qualities of forest area Russia’s boreal region includes several important Global 200 ecoregions - a science-based global ranking of the Earth’s most biologically outstanding habitats. Among these is the Eastern-Siberian Taiga, which contains the largest expanse of untouched boreal forest in the world. Russia’s largest populations of brown bear, moose, wolf, red fox, reindeer, and wolverine can be found in this region. Bird species include: the Golden eagle, Black- billed capercaillie, Siberian Spruce grouse, Siberian accentor, Great gray owl, and Naumann’s thrush. Russia’s forests are also home to the Siberian tiger and Far Eastern leopard.
  • Sanderson Et Al., the Human Footprint and the Last of the Wild

    Sanderson Et Al., the Human Footprint and the Last of the Wild

    Articles The Human Footprint and the Last of the Wild ERICW. SANDERSON,MALANDING JAITEH, MARC A. LEVY,KENT H. REDFORD, ANTOINETTEV. WANNEBO,AND GILLIANWOOLMER n Genesis,God blesses humanbeings and bids us to take dominion over the fish in the sea,the birdsin the air, THE HUMANFOOTPRINT IS A GLOBAL and other We are entreatedto be fruitful every living thing. MAPOF HUMANINFLUENCE ON THE and multiply,to fill the earth,and subdueit (Gen. 1:28).The bad news, and the good news, is that we have almost suc- LANDSURFACE, WHICH SUGGESTSTHAT ceeded. Thereis little debatein scientificcircles about the impor- HUMANBEINGS ARE STEWARDS OF tance of human influenceon ecosystems.According to sci- WE LIKEIT OR NOT entists'reports, we appropriateover 40%of the net primary NATURE,WHETHER productivity(the greenmaterial) produced on Eartheach year (Vitouseket al. 1986,Rojstaczer et al.2001). We consume 35% thislack of appreciationmay be dueto scientists'propensity of the productivityof the oceanicshelf (Pauly and Christensen to expressthemselves in termslike "appropriation of net pri- 1995), and we use 60% of freshwaterrun-off (Postel et al. maryproductivity" or "exponentialpopulation growth," ab- 1996). The unprecedentedescalation in both human popu- stractionsthat require some training to understand.It may lation and consumption in the 20th centuryhas resultedin be dueto historicalassumptions about and habits inherited environmentalcrises never before encountered in the history fromtimes when human beings, as a group,had dramatically of humankindand the world (McNeill2000). E. O. Wilson less influenceon the biosphere.Now the individualdeci- (2002) claims it would now take four Earthsto meet the consumptiondemands of the currenthuman population,if Eric Sanderson(e-mail: [email protected])is associatedirector, and every human consumed at the level of the averageUS in- W.
  • North Yukon Planning Region Biophysical Landscape Classification

    North Yukon Planning Region Biophysical Landscape Classification

    North Yukon Planning Region Biophysical Landscape Classification (Landscape Types): Overview, Methods and Reference Images T F DRA Updated October 20, 2005 Project Team • John Meikle, Yukon Environment • Marcus Waterreus, Yukon Environment • Shawn Francis, NYPC • Jeff Hamm, YLUPC • Nancy Steffen, GLL • Biophysical working group – initial terrain and bioclimate concepts STUDY AREA • North Yukon Planning Region (55,000 km2) • Taiga Cordillera Ecozone • 6 Ecoregions: Eagle Plains, Old Crow Flats, Old Crow Basin, North Ogilvie Mountains, Davidson Mountains, Richardson Mountains • Basin, Plateau and Mountain Landscapes STUDY AREA Physiographic Basin Units and Ecodistricts Mountain Basin Plateau Old Crow Plateau Mountain Mountain MAPPING CONCEPTS • Mountain landscapes organized by elevation (Bioclimate Zone); Plateau landscapes organized by relative moisture gradient (Ecosite) • Beyond major Basin landscapes, surficial materials not controlling factor (unglaciated) • Mapping has regional applications (1:100K- 1:250K) • Available data sources are major determinant of potential methods DATA INPUTS • EOSD (25m LANDSAT Extent of 250K Regional Terrain supervised classification) Map (raster) • 90m DEM (raster) • 250K regional terrain map North Yukon Planning Region (vector) Peel Watershed …..due to importance of Planning Region EOSD and DEM, raster mapping approach was chosen METHODS • Field reconnaissance; develop concepts • Create regional terrain and Bioclimate Zone map through manual interpretation (refine Ecoregions and Ecodistricts to 250K)
  • Responses of Plant Communities to Grazing in the Southwestern United States Department of Agriculture United States Forest Service

    Responses of Plant Communities to Grazing in the Southwestern United States Department of Agriculture United States Forest Service

    Responses of Plant Communities to Grazing in the Southwestern United States Department of Agriculture United States Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Daniel G. Milchunas General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-169 April 2006 Milchunas, Daniel G. 2006. Responses of plant communities to grazing in the southwestern United States. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-169. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 126 p. Abstract Grazing by wild and domestic mammals can have small to large effects on plant communities, depend- ing on characteristics of the particular community and of the type and intensity of grazing. The broad objective of this report was to extensively review literature on the effects of grazing on 25 plant commu- nities of the southwestern U.S. in terms of plant species composition, aboveground primary productiv- ity, and root and soil attributes. Livestock grazing management and grazing systems are assessed, as are effects of small and large native mammals and feral species, when data are available. Emphasis is placed on the evolutionary history of grazing and productivity of the particular communities as deter- minants of response. After reviewing available studies for each community type, we compare changes in species composition with grazing among community types. Comparisons are also made between southwestern communities with a relatively short history of grazing and communities of the adjacent Great Plains with a long evolutionary history of grazing. Evidence for grazing as a factor in shifts from grasslands to shrublands is considered. An appendix outlines a new community classification system, which is followed in describing grazing impacts in prior sections.
  • Taiga Plains

    Taiga Plains

    ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Taiga Plains Ecosystem Classification Group Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Revised 2009 ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TAIGA PLAINS This report may be cited as: Ecosystem Classification Group. 2007 (rev. 2009). Ecological Regions of the Northwest Territories – Taiga Plains. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT, Canada. viii + 173 pp. + folded insert map. ISBN 0-7708-0161-7 Web Site: http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/index.html For more information contact: Department of Environment and Natural Resources P.O. Box 1320 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9 Phone: (867) 920-8064 Fax: (867) 873-0293 About the cover: The small photographs in the inset boxes are enlarged with captions on pages 22 (Taiga Plains High Subarctic (HS) Ecoregion), 52 (Taiga Plains Low Subarctic (LS) Ecoregion), 82 (Taiga Plains High Boreal (HB) Ecoregion), and 96 (Taiga Plains Mid-Boreal (MB) Ecoregion). Aerial photographs: Dave Downing (Timberline Natural Resource Group). Ground photographs and photograph of cloudberry: Bob Decker (Government of the Northwest Territories). Other plant photographs: Christian Bucher. Members of the Ecosystem Classification Group Dave Downing Ecologist, Timberline Natural Resource Group, Edmonton, Alberta. Bob Decker Forest Ecologist, Forest Management Division, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Hay River, Northwest Territories. Bas Oosenbrug Habitat Conservation Biologist, Wildlife Division, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Charles Tarnocai Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Tom Chowns Environmental Consultant, Powassan, Ontario. Chris Hampel Geographic Information System Specialist/Resource Analyst, Timberline Natural Resource Group, Edmonton, Alberta.
  • Atlantic South America Section 1 MAIN IDEAS 1

    Atlantic South America Section 1 MAIN IDEAS 1

    Name _____________________________ Class __________________ Date ___________________ Atlantic South America Section 1 MAIN IDEAS 1. Physical features of Atlantic South America include large rivers, plateaus, and plains. 2. Climate and vegetation in the region range from cool, dry plains to warm, humid forests. 3. The rain forest is a major source of natural resources. Key Terms and Places Amazon River 4,000-mile-long river that flows eastward across northern Brazil Río de la Plata an estuary that connects the Paraná River and the Atlantic Ocean estuary a partially enclosed body of water where freshwater mixes with salty seawater Pampas wide, grassy plains in central Argentina deforestation the clearing of trees soil exhaustion soil that has become infertile because it has lost nutrients needed by plants Section Summary PHYSICAL FEATURES The region of Atlantic South America includes four What four countries make countries: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and up Atlantic South America? Paraguay. A major river system in the region is the _______________________ Amazon. The Amazon River extends from the _______________________ Andes Mountains in Peru to the Atlantic Ocean. The _______________________ Amazon carries more water than any other river in _______________________ the world. The Paraná River, which drains much of the central part of South America, flows into an estuary called the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean. The region’s landforms mainly consist of plains and plateaus. The Amazon Basin in northern Brazil What is the Amazon Basin? is a huge, flat floodplain. Farther south are the _______________________ Brazilian Highlands and an area of high plains _______________________ called the Mato Grosso Plateau.
  • Land Use Planning in the Amazon Basin: Challenges from Resilience Thinking

    Land Use Planning in the Amazon Basin: Challenges from Resilience Thinking

    Copyright © 2020 by the author(s). Published here under license by the Resilience Alliance. Ruiz Agudelo, C. A., N. Mazzeo, I. Díaz, M. P. Barral, G. Piñeiro, I. Gadino, I. Roche, and R. Acuña. 2020. Land use planning in the Amazon basin: challenges from resilience thinking. Ecology and Society 25(1):8. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11352-250108 Insight, part of a Special Feature on Seeking sustainable pathways for land use in Latin America Land use planning in the Amazon basin: challenges from resilience thinking Cesar A. Ruiz Agudelo 1, Nestor Mazzeo 2,3, Ismael Díaz 3, Maria P. Barral 4,5, Gervasio Piñeiro 6, Isabel Gadino 3, Ingid Roche 3 and Rocio Juliana Acuña-Posada 7 ABSTRACT. Amazonia is under threat. Biodiversity and redundancy loss in the Amazon biome severely limits the long-term provision of key ecosystem services in diverse spatial scales (local, regional, and global). Resilience thinking attempts to understand the mechanisms that ensure a system’s capacity to recover in the face of external pressures, trauma, or disturbances, as well as changes in its internal dynamics. Resilience thinking also promotes relevant transformations of system configurations considered adverse or nonsustainable, and therefore proposes the simultaneous analysis of the adaptive capacity and the transformation of a system. In this context, seven principles have been proposed, which are considered crucial for social-ecological systems to become resilient. These seven principles of resilience thinking are analyzed in terms of the land use planning and land management of the Amazonian biome. To comprehend its main conflicts, challenges, and opportunities, we reveal the key aspects of the historical process of Latin America’s land management and the Amazon basin’s past and current land use changes.
  • The Influence of Historical and Potential Future Deforestation on The

    The Influence of Historical and Potential Future Deforestation on The

    Journal of Hydrology 369 (2009) 165–174 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Hydrology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhydrol The influence of historical and potential future deforestation on the stream flow of the Amazon River – Land surface processes and atmospheric feedbacks Michael T. Coe a,*, Marcos H. Costa b, Britaldo S. Soares-Filho c a The Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Rd., Falmouth, MA 02540, USA b The Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil c The Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil article info summary Article history: In this study, results from two sets of numerical simulations are evaluated and presented; one with the Received 18 June 2008 land surface model IBIS forced with prescribed climate and another with the fully coupled atmospheric Received in revised form 27 October 2008 general circulation and land surface model CCM3-IBIS. The results illustrate the influence of historical and Accepted 15 February 2009 potential future deforestation on local evapotranspiration and discharge of the Amazon River system with and without atmospheric feedbacks and clarify a few important points about the impact of defor- This manuscript was handled by K. estation on the Amazon River. In the absence of a continental scale precipitation change, large-scale Georgakakos, Editor-in-Chief, with the deforestation can have a significant impact on large river systems and appears to have already done so assistance of Phillip Arkin, Associate Editor in the Tocantins and Araguaia Rivers, where discharge has increased 25% with little change in precipita- tion. However, with extensive deforestation (e.g.
  • The Ecology of Large Herbivores Native to the Coastal Lowlands of the Fynbos Biome in the Western Cape, South Africa

    The Ecology of Large Herbivores Native to the Coastal Lowlands of the Fynbos Biome in the Western Cape, South Africa

    The ecology of large herbivores native to the coastal lowlands of the Fynbos Biome in the Western Cape, South Africa by Frans Gustav Theodor Radloff Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Science (Botany) at Stellenbosh University Promoter: Prof. L. Mucina Co-Promoter: Prof. W. J. Bond December 2008 DECLARATION By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: 24 November 2008 Copyright © 2008 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii ABSTRACT The south-western Cape is a unique region of southern Africa with regards to generally low soil nutrient status, winter rainfall and unusually species-rich temperate vegetation. This region supported a diverse large herbivore (> 20 kg) assemblage at the time of permanent European settlement (1652). The lowlands to the west and east of the Kogelberg supported populations of African elephant, black rhino, hippopotamus, eland, Cape mountain and plain zebra, ostrich, red hartebeest, and grey rhebuck. The eastern lowlands also supported three additional ruminant grazer species - the African buffalo, bontebok, and blue antelope. The fate of these herbivores changed rapidly after European settlement. Today the few remaining species are restricted to a few reserves scattered across the lowlands. This is, however, changing with a rapid growth in the wildlife industry that is accompanied by the reintroduction of wild animals into endangered and fragmented lowland areas.