A course for Planners & Decision-Makers
Prepared by Micael Junkov 2008/09EPU/Danida’s Environmental Programme – The Biodiversity Component
Biodiversity
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?
Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II (Species & ecological processes)
M2L3S1© NRE
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
Context for landscape matrix management Loss of biodiversity threatens the availability of ecosystem services across the landscape
It is predominantly driven by: Loss of habitat Fragmentation Increased isolation of patches Change in habitat quality
Measures to take: Reduce – to the extent possible – further loss of habitat
Device ways of maximising BioD across the full range of spatial scales
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Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
Principles & management interventions
Our response options are to manage:
1. Landscape patterns in a way that will benefit many species simultaneously
2. Important species and ecological processes
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Since we cannot manage every individual species and ecological process:
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
Managing species/processes
Steps which may be required to safeguard important species and ecological processes are:1
1. Maintain key species interactions and functions
2. Maintain or apply appropriate disturbance regimes
3. Maintain species and habitats of particular concern
4. Control aggressive, overabundant, and invasive species
5. Minimise ecosystem‐specific threatening processes
M2L3S41 Lindenmayer & Fischer, 2006
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
1) Maintain key species interactions& functions
What are they?
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Habitat loss, fragmentation and isolation changes species interactions
Some interactions are particularly important for ecosystem functioning
Species involved in such interactions are sometimes called “keystone species”
Removal of keystone species => cascading landscape change => ecosystem services
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
1) Maintain key species interactions& functions
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If keystone species – such as predators, pollinators, and many others – are the most important why bother about the rest?
Because, maintaining a diversity of species within different functional groups provides: Safeguard for continued effective ecosystem functioning
Supports ecosystem recovery in response to disturbance
In other words, maintaining diversity provides: insurance policy and supports ecosystem resilience (we need redundancy)
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
2) Maintain / apply appropriate disturbance regimes
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Extensive landscape‐scale disturbances can substantially alter vegetation structure and may trigger cascading effects of landscape change
Some of these may cause fundamental changes to ecosystems and their ability to provide ecosystem services
Ecosystem and landscape resilience refers to a system‘s capacity to absorb disturbances while still retaining essential processes and services
The more species redundancy we can maintain the more resilient the matrix and/or ecosystem
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
3) Maintain species / habitats of particular concern
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Managing the landscape for conservation of biodiversity will effectively protect the habitat of many species
However, habitat is a species‐specific concept since different species perceive the same landscape pattern in different ways
Assessments of threatened species (animals and plants) and habitat are needed to identify concerns that are insufficiently addressed by managing landscape patterns alone
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
3) Maintain species / habitats of particular concern
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Suitable actions include:
Updated lists of threatened species/habitats Key critical areas for breeding and survival of threatened species
Captive breeding, reintroduction and translocation
Control of predators of highly competitive (introduced) species
Control of diseases and parasites.
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
4) Control aggressive, overabundant, & invasive species
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Land use changes tend to result in habitat loss for many species. However, it also often provides favourable conditions for a small number of native or introduced species
Introduced species may become overly abundant (invasive) and can negatively affect other species by their aggressive behaviour, competition, or predation.
It is therefore important to control and monitor invasive or overabundant plant and animal species to ensure well functioning and diverse ecosystems.
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
5) Minimise ecosystem-specific threatening processes
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Drivers of change affecting biodiversity include more than change in land use
To protect species and ecosystems in modified landscapes it is important to identify and control additional potential threats
Examples include:
Uncontrolled hunting
Chemicals allowed into the food web
Pollution such as plastic bags and styrofoamwhich end up in rivers and oceans
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
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How to do it all?
Does a mechanism exist?
National Biodiversity Planning Framework
Managing landscapes/species/processes
1. Status of BioD2. Direction taken3. Milestone
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
Conclusions
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In addition to managing landscape patterns, we also have to address particular species and ecological processes which are insufficiently safeguarded
Suitable steps to take include: Maintain key species interactions/functions Maintain/apply appropriate disturbance regimes Maintain species/habitats of particular concern Control aggressive, overabundant, and invasive species
Minimise ecosystem‐specific threatening processes Information synthesised & disseminated through National Biodiversity Planning Framework
Module 2: How to manage landscapes?Lesson 3: Principles & management interventions II: Managing species/processes
References Lindenmayer DB & Fischer J. 2006. Habitat fragmentation and landscape change. An ecological and conservation synthesis. Island Press.
Lindenmayer DB, Franklin JF & Fischer J. 2006. General management principles and a checklist of strategies to guide forest biodiversity conservation. Biological Conservation 131:433‐445.
Miller KR &Lanou SM. 1995. National biodiversity planning: guidelines based on early experiences around the world. World Resources Institute, United Nations Environment Programme and The World Conservation Union. Washington D. C; Nairobi; Gland, Switzerland.
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Thank you!
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