An introduction to the biological and ecological structures and An introduction to the biological and ecological structures and the functions of biodiversity in different parts of the Baltic S the functions of biodiversity in different parts of the Baltic S ea ea Biology and ecology of coastal Biology and ecology of coastal biotopes and structure and function of biotopes and structure and function of biodiversity biodiversity (1 st lecture: landscape level) Sergej Olenin [email protected]Coastal Research and Planning Institute Klaipeda University, Lithuania PREHAB PhD course - a multidisciplinary introductory course on ecological mapping and economic valuation of coastal areas 22.02.-03.03.2011 Husö Biological station, Åland islands, Finland
Transcript
An introduction to the biological and ecological structures and An introduction to the biological and ecological structures and the functions of biodiversity in different parts of the Baltic Sthe functions of biodiversity in different parts of the Baltic Seaea
Biology and ecology of coastal Biology and ecology of coastal biotopes and structure and function of biotopes and structure and function of
Coastal Research and Planning Institute Klaipeda University, Lithuania
PREHAB PhD course- a multidisciplinary introductory course on ecological mapping and economic valuation of coastal areas22.02.-03.03.2011 Husö Biological station, Åland islands, Finland
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PREHAB PhD course - a multidisciplinary introductory course on ecological mapping
and economic valuation of coastal areas
What species are there? What are they doing?Why they are there?
Basic knowledge on:
•
What is our course about?•
…mapping and modeling of biotopes •
…threats to biotopes and biodiversity due to human activities •
…economic valuation of ecosystem goods and services provided by biotopes•
used originally by artists to denote rural scenery (Dutch, Landschap; German,
Landschaft), now a general term for the sum total of the aspect of any area, rural or urban.
–
Monkhouse
FJ, 1974. A Dictionary of Geography
•
Cultural landscapes, natural landscapes…
•
Landscape ecology traditionally has been limited to the study of terrestrial systems
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Terrestrial vs Marine Landscape ecology
•
Terrestrail landscape ecology–
(tens of books, including university texbooks,
hundreds of resarch papers every year, regular conferences and symposia)
•
Marine landscape ecology –
(«
...in its cradle
»)–
no conventional terminology
•
Controversy in the use of terrestrial terminology for marine landscape ecology
–
geographers vs biologists, –
terrestrial vs marine scientists »
no justification –
marine scientists should develop their own definitions and concepts,
»
or, terrestrial ecology notions may be, in some extent, applied to the marine environment
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A new, rapidly developing science discipline
•
The flagship journal “Landscape ecology”–
focuses on highly inter-
and
transdisciplinary
studies,–
aggregating expertise from biological, geophysical, and social sciences …
–
to explore the formation, dynamics and consequences of spatial heterogeneity in natural and human-
dominated landscapes
www.springerlink.com
Landscape ecology, Vol.23, Suppl.1 / Jan. 2008
Marine and coastal applications in landscape
ecology
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What is a landscape?•
A basic structural and territorial unit of the geographic environment
»
Gudelis
V. 1993. A glossary of coastal research terms. Vilnius, Akademia. 408 pp.
•
A defined territory, characterised by common origin and development history, uniform geological structure and type of relief, climate, composition of soils and communities of living organisms
»
Four-language encyclopedic dictionary of terms in physical geography. 1980. I.S. Schukin
(compiler). Moscow, Sov. Enciklopedia. 703 pp.
•
Landscape is a geosystem (Greek: γη, ge, "earth“
and σύστημα, systēma) –
a set of interacting and interdependent entities, forming an integrated whole.
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Landscape terminology: Semantic field of related concepts
Landscape Geosystem
benthem
Level of a landscape
sea floor landscape
benthic landscape
benthoscape
seascape
•
Zajac, R.N., 1999, Understanding the seafloor landscape in relation to assessing and managing impacts on coastal environments. In: J.S. Gray; W. Ambrose Jr., and A. Szaniawska
(eds.) Biogeochemical Cycling and Sediment Ecology: Dordrecht: Kluwer
Publishing, p. 211-227•
Arzamascev
I.S., Preobrazhensky
B.V, 1990. Atlas of underwater landscapes of the Sea of Japan. Moscow. Nauka: 223 pp.
•
Preobrazhensky
B.V., Zharikov
V.V., Dubeikovsky
L.V., 2000. Fundamentals of the underwater landscape studies (Marine ecosystems management). Vladivostok, Dalnauka: 360 pp.
Thorsnes
et al. 2009
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Landscape as a geosystem a set of interacting and interdependent geographical entities (elements),
forming an integrated whole.
A Lithuanian seaside landscape and its elements (components)
A dune
A beach
A cape
The Sea
A shoreline
A coastal forest
The slope
A patch of mosses
BushwoodThe top
Rooted grass
A patch
of bare sand
The foot
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Level of a higher geosystem (e.g. the SE Baltic coastal zone)
Level of a landscape
Level of landscape’s elements (components)
Next geosystem level(s) (the entire Baltic Sea)
The highest geosystem (geosystem of Earth)
The hierarchy of geosystems
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Hierarchy of geosystems: take-away note
• Each landscape consists of a set of elements (components) and, in turn, is a part of a higher geosystem(s).
• In order to understand the landscape we should consider at least three levels:
1. the level of landscape,2. the lower level – landscape components,3. the higher level – the level of higher geosystems.
a measure of the amount of energy falling on a flat surface.
The depth of the photic
zone: 1% of the surface irradiance is available for photosynthesis.
>1%: primary production is possible (occurs)
<1%: primary production (photosynthesis) physically is not possible.
Light climate
Primary importance for biology (submerged aquatic vegetation)
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Benthic landscapes of the Baltic Sea based on the primary environmental
data layers
•Bathymetry•Seabed sediments
•Light climate •Salinity
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“Secondary” physio-chemical factors
•
Min-max and average bottom temperature •
Bottom current velocity
•
Oxygen depletion (presence of H2
S)
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Water masses: drivers of benthic life
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Pathway of saline water inflows
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Stratification of the Baltic Sea water
“Old” stagnant saline water (Anoxia, presence of H2 S)
Active deep water layerUpwelling
Permanent halocline
Diluted surface waterDanish Straits
Gotland Basin
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Stratification of the Baltic Sea water
Active deep water layerT,°C (1-3)S, PSU (9-12)O2 (hypoxic)
Diluted surface water
Permanent halocline T,°C (3 –
5)S, PSU (8-10)O2 (normoxic-hypoxic)
Stagnant deep water layerT,°C (<3)S, PSU (10-13)O2 (hypoxic-anoxic, H2
S)
Upper warm layerT,°C
(-0.5 –
25)S, PSU (5-8)O2
(normoxic)
Intermediate cold waterT,°C
(3 –
8)S, PSU (7-8)O2
(normoxic)
Summer termoclineT,°C
(7 –
12)S, PSU (7-8)O2
(normoxic)
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Water masses: drivers of benthic life
3D picture: V. Jurkin
SE Baltic bathymetry map showing the contact zones of
seabed and the main water masses
Upper warm water layer
Summer termocline
Intermediate cold water layer
Halocline
Active deep water layer
Stagnant deep water layer
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Hierarchy of landscape shaping factors: take-away notes
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Bathymetry and seabed sediments are the primary factors shaping marine landscapes.
•
The secondary (modifying) factors are: salinity, temperature regime, oxygen content, bottom current velocity.
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Water masses are “the drivers” of benthic life! •
Both primary and secondary physio-chemical factors vary spatially and temporarily. Their significance may be different at different spatial scales and in different regions
»
E.g.: exposure to wave action, average ice cover (important in the coastal zone).
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Biology is not considered at the level of the marine landscapes »
