10.3 Ecosystem management

Ecosystem management is a holistic approach to maintaining the health and productivity of natural systems while meeting human needs. It recognizes the complex interactions between living organisms and their environment, aiming to balance ecological, social, and economic objectives.

This approach involves various strategies like adaptive management, ecosystem-based management, and landscape-scale management. It faces challenges in balancing human needs with ecosystem health, dealing with uncertainty, and integrating science with policy. Tools and techniques include ecological monitoring, habitat restoration, and sustainable resource use.

Defining ecosystem management

• Ecosystem management is a holistic approach to managing natural resources that considers the complex interactions between living organisms and their physical environment
• It aims to maintain the health, productivity, and resilience of ecosystems while meeting human needs and values
• Ecosystem management recognizes that humans are an integral part of ecosystems and seeks to balance ecological, social, and economic objectives

Goals of ecosystem management

Maintaining ecological integrity

Top images from around the web for Maintaining ecological integrity

• 

  Frontiers | Soil Organic Matter Research and Climate Change: Merely Re-storing Carbon Versus ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | How to Improve the Predictions of Plant Functional Traits on Ecosystem Functioning? View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Ecosystem antifragility: beyond integrity and resilience [PeerJ] View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Soil Organic Matter Research and Climate Change: Merely Re-storing Carbon Versus ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | How to Improve the Predictions of Plant Functional Traits on Ecosystem Functioning? View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Maintaining ecological integrity

• 

  Frontiers | Soil Organic Matter Research and Climate Change: Merely Re-storing Carbon Versus ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | How to Improve the Predictions of Plant Functional Traits on Ecosystem Functioning? View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Ecosystem antifragility: beyond integrity and resilience [PeerJ] View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Soil Organic Matter Research and Climate Change: Merely Re-storing Carbon Versus ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | How to Improve the Predictions of Plant Functional Traits on Ecosystem Functioning? View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Preserving the structure, function, and composition of ecosystems
• Ensuring that ecosystems can withstand disturbances and recover from them
• Maintaining the natural processes and interactions that sustain ecosystem health (nutrient cycling, water purification)

Sustaining biodiversity

• Protecting the variety of life at all levels (genetic, species, ecosystem)
• Recognizing the intrinsic value of biodiversity and its importance for ecosystem functioning
• Conserving habitats and species to prevent extinctions and maintain ecological resilience

Ensuring ecosystem services

• Maintaining the benefits that ecosystems provide to human well-being (food, water, climate regulation)
• Recognizing the economic value of ecosystem services and incorporating them into decision-making
• Balancing the provision of ecosystem services with the conservation of biodiversity and ecological integrity

Ecosystem management approaches

Adaptive management

• A flexible approach that involves learning from management actions and adjusting strategies based on new information
• Recognizes the uncertainty and complexity of ecosystems and the need for continuous monitoring and evaluation
• Allows for experimentation and innovation in management practices (pilot projects, targeted interventions)

Ecosystem-based management

• An approach that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans, rather than focusing on individual species or resources
• Recognizes the interconnectedness of ecological, social, and economic systems and seeks to manage them in an integrated way
• Involves collaboration among different stakeholders and sectors (fisheries, forestry, agriculture)

Landscape-scale management

• An approach that considers the spatial and temporal scales at which ecological processes operate
• Recognizes the importance of connectivity and heterogeneity in landscapes for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functions
• Involves managing ecosystems across jurisdictional boundaries and integrating conservation and development objectives (corridors, buffer zones)

Challenges in ecosystem management

Balancing human needs vs ecosystem health

• Reconciling the often-competing demands for resource use and conservation
• Addressing the impacts of human activities on ecosystems (habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation)
• Finding ways to meet human needs while maintaining the integrity and resilience of ecosystems

Dealing with uncertainty and complexity

• Acknowledging the inherent uncertainty in our understanding of ecosystem dynamics and responses to management actions
• Embracing the complexity of ecosystems and the multiple factors that influence their functioning (climate, land use, species interactions)
• Developing management strategies that are robust to uncertainty and adaptable to change

Integrating science and policy

• Ensuring that management decisions are informed by the best available scientific knowledge
• Communicating scientific findings to policymakers and stakeholders in a clear and accessible way
• Bridging the gap between the timescales of scientific research and policy-making (long-term studies vs short-term decisions)

Ecosystem management tools and techniques

Ecological monitoring and assessment

• Collecting data on the status and trends of ecosystems and their components (species, habitats, processes)
• Using indicators and metrics to assess ecosystem health and detect changes over time
• Informing management decisions and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions (adaptive management)

Habitat restoration and conservation

• Restoring degraded or damaged ecosystems to their natural state or a desired condition
• Protecting critical habitats and ecological processes through land use planning and management (protected areas, zoning)
• Enhancing connectivity and reducing fragmentation to support biodiversity and ecosystem functions

Invasive species management

• Preventing the introduction and spread of non-native species that can harm ecosystems and native biodiversity
• Detecting and eradicating invasive species through early detection and rapid response
• Controlling established invasive species through mechanical, chemical, or biological methods (herbicides, biocontrol agents)

Sustainable resource use

• Managing the extraction and use of natural resources in a way that maintains ecosystem health and productivity over the long term
• Implementing best management practices and regulations to minimize the impacts of resource use on ecosystems (forestry, fishing, grazing)
• Promoting the sustainable use of ecosystem services and the equitable sharing of benefits among stakeholders

Stakeholder involvement in ecosystem management

Collaborative decision-making

• Engaging diverse stakeholders in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of ecosystem management strategies
• Building trust and fostering dialogue among stakeholders with different interests and perspectives (resource users, conservationists, policymakers)
• Using participatory processes and tools to integrate stakeholder knowledge and values into decision-making (workshops, surveys, mapping)

Incorporating traditional ecological knowledge

• Recognizing the value of indigenous and local knowledge systems in understanding and managing ecosystems
• Integrating traditional ecological knowledge with scientific knowledge to inform management decisions and practices
• Respecting the rights and roles of indigenous peoples in the stewardship of their traditional lands and resources

Resolving conflicts and trade-offs

• Identifying and addressing conflicts among stakeholders over the use and management of ecosystem resources
• Facilitating negotiation and mediation processes to find mutually acceptable solutions and compromises
• Using decision support tools and frameworks to analyze trade-offs and optimize outcomes for multiple objectives (multi-criteria analysis, scenario planning)

Ecosystem management case studies

Terrestrial ecosystem management examples

• Managing forests for multiple uses (timber production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation) through sustainable forestry practices and certification schemes (Forest Stewardship Council)
• Restoring grassland ecosystems through prescribed burning, grazing management, and invasive species control (tallgrass prairie restoration)
• Conserving wildlife populations and their habitats through landscape-scale planning and management (Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative)

Aquatic ecosystem management examples

• Managing freshwater ecosystems for water quality, fisheries, and biodiversity through integrated watershed management and riparian buffer zones (Chesapeake Bay Program)
• Restoring coastal wetlands and estuaries through hydrological restoration, sediment management, and habitat creation (Louisiana Coastal Master Plan)
• Implementing ecosystem-based fisheries management to sustain fish stocks and marine biodiversity (California Marine Life Management Act)

Urban ecosystem management examples

• Managing urban green spaces for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being through urban forestry, green infrastructure, and community engagement (MillionTreesNYC)
• Restoring urban streams and wetlands through daylighting, floodplain reconnection, and stormwater management (Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration Project)
• Integrating ecosystem management principles into urban planning and design to create resilient and sustainable cities (Biophilic Cities Network)

Evaluating ecosystem management success

Measuring ecological outcomes

• Assessing changes in ecosystem structure, function, and composition over time using ecological indicators and monitoring data
• Comparing ecological outcomes to baseline conditions or reference sites to determine the effectiveness of management interventions
• Using ecological models and simulations to predict the long-term impacts of management actions on ecosystems

Assessing socio-economic impacts

• Evaluating the social and economic benefits and costs of ecosystem management strategies for different stakeholder groups
• Measuring changes in ecosystem services and their value to human well-being using economic valuation methods (contingent valuation, benefit transfer)
• Assessing the distributional impacts of ecosystem management on different communities and sectors (equity, environmental justice)

Adaptive management feedback loops

• Using monitoring and evaluation results to adjust management strategies and actions based on new information and changing conditions
• Incorporating stakeholder feedback and lessons learned into the adaptive management cycle to improve outcomes over time
• Documenting and sharing successes and failures in ecosystem management to promote learning and innovation across different contexts

Future directions in ecosystem management

Integrating climate change adaptation

• Incorporating climate change projections and impacts into ecosystem management planning and decision-making
• Developing management strategies that enhance the resilience and adaptive capacity of ecosystems to climate change (assisted migration, genetic diversity)
• Promoting ecosystem-based adaptation measures that use natural systems to reduce the vulnerability of human communities to climate risks (coastal protection, flood control)

Embracing novel ecosystems

• Recognizing the emergence of new ecosystem types and assemblages as a result of human activities and environmental change
• Developing management approaches that work with, rather than against, novel ecosystems to maintain their functionality and services
• Exploring the potential of novel ecosystems to support biodiversity and provide ecosystem services in altered landscapes (urban ecosystems, abandoned agricultural lands)

Fostering ecosystem resilience

• Enhancing the capacity of ecosystems to absorb and recover from disturbances and stressors (climate change, invasive species, land use change)
• Promoting diversity, redundancy, and connectivity in ecosystems to increase their resilience to environmental change
• Implementing management strategies that maintain critical ecosystem functions and services in the face of uncertainty and surprise (portfolio approach, safe-to-fail interventions)