Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach

1
Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity The
Ecosystem Approach
G. Tyler Millers Living in the Environment 13th
Edition Chapter 23
Dr. Richard Clements Chattanooga State Technical
Community College
2
Key Concepts

• Human land use

• Types and uses of US public lands

• Forests and forest management

• Implications of deforestation

• Management of parks

• Establishment and management of nature preserves

• Importance of ecological restoration

3
Land Use in the World
Fig. 23-2 p. 595
4
Land Use in the United States
Fig. 23-3 p. 595
5
Types of US Public Lands

• Multiple-use lands National Forests National
  Resource Lands

• Moderately-restricted use lands National
  Wildlife Refuges

• Restricted-use lands National Park System
  National Wilderness Preservation System

6
US Public Lands
Fig. 23-4 p. 596
7
Managing US Public Land

• Biodiversity and ecological function

• No subsidies or tax breaks for use

• Public should get fair compensation

• Users held responsible for actions

• Takings and property rights

8
Managing and Sustaining Forests
Ecological Importance of Forests

• Food webs and energy flow

• Water regulation

• Local and regional climate

• Numerous habitats and niches

• Air purification

9
Managing and Sustaining Forests
Economic Importance of Forests

• Fuelwood (50 of global forest use)

• Industrial timber and lumber

• Pulp and paper

• Medicines

• Mineral extraction and recreation

10
Forest Structure
Fig. 23-9 p. 601
11
Types of Forests

• Old-growth (frontier) forests

• Second-growth forests

• Tree farms/plantation

Fig. 23-18 p. 609
12
Forest Management

• Rotation cycle

• Even-aged management

• Industrial forestry

• Uneven-aged management

• Improved diversity

• Sustainable production

• Multiple-use

13
Management Strategies
Fig. 23-11 p. 601
Fig. 23-12 p. 602
14
Logging Roads

• Increased erosion and runoff

• Habitat fragmentation

• Pathways for exotic species

• Accessibility to humans

Fig. 23-13 p. 602
15
Harvesting Trees

• Selective cutting

• High-grading

• Shelterwood cutting

• Seed-tree cutting

• Clearcutting

• Strip cutting

Fig. 23-14 p. 603
16
Sustainable Forestry

• Longer rotations

• Selective or strip cutting

• Minimize fragmentation

• Improved road building techniques

• Certified sustainable grown(See Solutions p. 598)

17
Pathogens
Fungal Diseases

• Chestnut blight

• Dutch elm disease

Insect Pests

• Bark beetles

• Gypsy moth

18
Fire

• Surface fires

• Crown fires

19
Forest Resources and Management in the United
States

• Habitat for threatened and endangered species

• Water purification services

• Recreation

• 3 of timber harvest

• Sustainable yield and multiple use

• Substitutes for tree products

20
Tropical Deforestation

• Rapid and increasing

• Loss of biodiversity

• Cultural extinction

• Unsustainable agriculture and ranching

• Clearing for cash crop plantations

• Commercial logging

• Fuelwood

21
Degradation of Tropical Forests
Fig. 23-22 p. 615
22
Reducing Tropical Deforestation

• Identification of critical ecosystems

• Reducing poverty and population growth

• Sustainable tropical agriculture

• Encourage protection of large tracts

• Debt-for-nature swaps

• Less destructive harvesting methods

23
The Fuelwood Crisis

• Planting fast-growing fuelwood plants

• Burning wood more efficiently

• Switching to other fuels

Fig. 23-25 p. 618
24
Managing and Sustaining National Parks

• Most parks are too small to maintain biodiversity

• Invasion by exotic species

• Popularity a major problem

• Traffic jams and air pollution

• Visitor impact (noise)

• Natural regulation

• Better pay for park staff

25
Establishing, Designing, and Managing Nature
Reserves

• Include some moderate disturbance

• Sustain natural ecological processes

• Protect most important areas

• Buffer zones

• Gap analysis

See Solutions p. 625

• Wilderness areas

26
Ecological Restoration

• Ecological restoration

• Restoration ecology

• Rehabilitation

See Individuals Matter p. 630

• Replacement

• Creating artificial ecosystems

• Natural restoration