Showing papers on "Aquatic biodiversity research published in 2003"

Pond biodiversity and habitat loss in the UK

Abstract: Ponds are common landscape features but have been poorly studied compared to other freshwater habitats in the UK, despite their high frequency of occurrence. In the last century, many ponds have been lost and those that remain face increasing pressure due to agricultural land drainage, pollution and urban development. However, ponds provide important habitats for diverse floral and faunal communities including a number of rare taxa of conservation interest. This paper examines the biodiversity and wider environmental value of ponds with particular reference to the aquatic invertebrate and amphibian communities they support, and the adverse impact of anthropogenic activity on their aquatic habitats.

Can Conservation Assessment Criteria Developed for Terrestrial Systems be Applied to Riverine Systems

Abstract: Australia's aquatic ecosystems are of outstanding diversity and interest on a world scale. As one of the world's driest continents, its water resources are under growing pressure, yet there are no systematic conservation efforts. Any moves towards aquatic biodiversity conservation must be pursued within appropriate scientific, policy, and management contexts. A key starting point is the articulation of aquatic conservation values. Concepts and criteria for biodiversity conservation are well established in the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems in Australia. They are often framed within legislation or derived through policy and practice. If freshwater biodiversity is to be conserved, then conservation criteria and methods of assessment need be integrated with possible mechanisms for protection. So it is useful to examine whether the criteria and thresholds applied to terrestrial systems are valid and appropriate for freshwater ecosystems. Two key questions are discussed: are commonly applied conservati...

The importance of sacred natural sites for biodiversity conservation

Abstract: This paper addresses how Warlpiri people in Central Australia exercise control over their vast inventory of sacred sites in the context of gold exploration and mining where they are in a position, due to their ownership of land, to decide if and where such developments take place. I wish to highlight how the knowledge and ownership of these sites is articulated in the face of mineral development. In particular, I would like to indicate how intimate Aboriginal knowledge of plants and animals and water sources must first be understood as rooted within long-held cosmological beliefs and social practices. It is only from this basis that the significance of several hundred non-conventional protected areas that exist in the Tanami Desert can be put into context.

Marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: A perspective

Abstract: Seshagiri Raghukumar * and A. C. Anil Biodiversity and community structure are now recognized to be important determinants of eco-system functioning. In this regard the marine ecosystem has been studied to a much lesser extent compared to the terrestrial. This article discusses the various aspects of biodiversity in marine hab itats, as determined by competition, nutrients, heterogeneity, keystone predation and climate and anthropogenic effects, keeping in mind the peculiarities of the mobile and dynamic nature of pelagic waters. Some hypothetical examples from the Arabian Sea are considered. It is an esta-blished fact that nutrient availability largely determines the diversity of primary producers. Com-petitive dominance is rare in p elagic phytoplankton communities and various hypotheses have been put forward to explain this. However, single species algal blooms are not uncommon in coastal waters. Top-down control mechanisms, such as keystone predation can often be a major deter-m inant in maintaining diversity. Heterogeneity is considered an important factor in promoting deep -sea benthic diversity. For the pelagic zone, water column stratification in terms of density, nutrients and light may lead to diverse assemblages. Increasing climate and anthrop ogenic effects on the marine ecosystem, particularly of the coastal waters have lent a sense of urgency in unde r-standing the role of biodiversity in ecosystem dynamics, so that appropriate predictive mode ls can be developed to facilitate wise management of our waters. Many of these issues have not been suff i-ciently studied for Indian waters. Some of the important questions that need to be addressed in this context are the effects of biodiversity on the environment and, therefore, successional patterns of communities, the relationship between biodiversity at different trophic levels, and their overall importance in community stability and pr oductivity. .

Textbook of Biodiversity

Abstract: Biodiversity Science: Definition, Scope, and Constraints Genetic Diversity Species Diversity: Wild Taxa Agrobiodiversity and Cultivated Taxa Ecosystem Diversity Values and Uses of Biodiversity Loss of Biodiversity Conservation of Biodiversity Management of Plant Biodiversity Biodiversity and Biotechnology Biodiversity Prospecting and Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Loss of biodiversity

Abstract: Part 1 Preface Part 2 Introduction Chapter 3 1. Life Lines: A Geoscience Perspective on Historical Losses of Biodiversity Chapter 4 2. A Changing Balance: An Ecological Perspective on the Loss of Biodiversity Chapter 5 3.Diminishing Songbirds: A Conservation Biology Case Study of Eastern Songbirds Chapter 6 4. Valuing Nature: Ethical Perspectives on the Loss of Biodiversity Chapter 7 5. Pricing Protection: Understanding the Environmental Economics of Biodiversity Protection Chapter 8 6. The Politics of Biodiversity: A Political Case Study of the Endangered Species Act Chapter 9 7. The Global Challenge: Concluding Thoughts on the Loss of Biodiversity Part 10 Glossary

Marine biodiversity in french guiana: estuarine, coastal, and shelf ecosystems under the influence of amazonian waters la biodiversidad marina en guyana francesa: los ecosistemas de estuarios, las costas y plataformas bajo la influencia de las aguas amazonicas

Abstract: Marine biodiversity in French Guiana is strongly influenced by the amagon River waters of the river Amazon, which constitute a major structuring factor for the estuarine, coastal, and shelf marine ecosystems. Moreover, the marked seasonal and interannual variabilities play important roles in the stability or fluctuations in the environmental parameters that influence biodiversity at the ecological, population, and genetic levels. Previous and ongoing studies of the marine and littoral biota relate mostly to comm ercial marine species, protected species in danger of extinction and, specially, to the biodiversity and functioning of local coastal and littoral ecosystems such as estuaries, mudflats, sandy beaches and, particularly, littoral mangroves. A more integrated approac h involving local, regional, and international scientific collaboration is needed for a better assessment and understanding of ma rine biodiversity. Such studies would benefit from international cooperation that would allow the gathering of new information and t he comparison of previous data, the organization of common oceanographic surveys, the homogenisation of analytical protocols, and also favour the exchange of scientists and postgraduate students for a real transfer of ideas, techniques, and know-how. Moreov er, research on the comparative biodiversity of analogous littoral and marine ecosystems in different parts of South America would allow a more accurate estimate of marine biodiversity on a continental scale.

Assessing the importance of costal habitats for fisheries, biodiversity and marine reserves: a new approach taking into account habitat mosaics

Abstract: Effective management of estuarine and coastal fisheries resources requires detailed information on the relationships between the habitats being protected and the fisheries dependent on them. Past research of nekton has focused on comparisons of abundance and species composition between single habitats (e.g. mangroves versus seagrass or vegetated versus unvegetated habitats). These studies have provided valuable insights into the role of coastal habitats for sustaining fisheries and biodiversity but have not considered the importance of adjacent habitats to the overall value of an area. For example, fish are only able to occupy mangrove forests for a restricted amount of any high tide period. The nature of the habitats lower down the shore may be crucial to the overall value of any patch of mangrove for supporting fisheries. We are taking a new approach to assessing the value of estuarine habitats for fisheries and biodiversity that considers the spatial arrangement of different habitats within an area – or the “mosaic” of habitats within the area. The scale of the area for study is defined by the life history and biology of the species of interest. In addition to estimating the abundance, biomass and community structure of nekton (e.g. fish, crustaceans, molluscs), the functioning of mosaics will be studied by estimating growth rates and describing the food webs in different mosaics and the characteristics of the mosaics will be measured. This approach has the potential to be extended to allow much better criteria to be developed for the selection of marine reserves by managers. Importance of estuarine habitats Estuarine systems comprise a large number of different types of shallow-water habitats, including seagrasses, mangroves, saltmarshes, sand and mudflats and rubble banks, that support diverse communities of plants and animals (e.g. Hatcher et al.

Ecology of Aquatic Management

Abstract: PART ONE: WATER AS A RESOURCE PART TWO: AQUATIC BIOTA AS RESOURCES PART THREE: AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS AS RESOURCES PART FOUR: AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Challenges to the conservation of Australian freshwater biodiversity: An epilogue

Abstract: The conservation of biodiversity is a major area of public concern internationally, and there has been considerable activity to protect biodiversity in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Australia. There has been a more limited effort with regard to freshwater conservation (Cullen and Lake, 1995). Despite a major public interest in native fish, water-birds and unique aquatic animals like platypus, there is much less understanding that the maintenance of these icon species requires aquatic systems that have adequate flow regimes, adequate water quality and appropriate stream and connecting floodplain habitat. There is limited appreciation of the fact that we can not manage and maintain icon species without maintaining the ecological communities of which they are part. Similar principles could apply to the widespread concern in Australia about the impacts of invasive species like carp and some of the pest water plants.

On the current debate about soil biodiversity

Abstract: Extreme exploitation and maltreatment of land in a number of countries had devastating impacts on terrestrial ecosystems (i.e., loss of biodiversity of flora and fauna). Biodiversity became a political topic (UNEP, and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of the United Nations) decades ago and was recently linked to agricultural practices in general (OECD, FAO). A survey of reports on “sustainable land use”, “soil fertility”, and “soil biodiversity” which are published by such organizations leave the impression that soil fertility is controlled by soil biodiversity. In essence this would mean that a low soil fertility occurs together with a decrease in soil biodiversity. Here is the point where assumptions and scientific evidence are far apart with respect to below-ground biodiversity. Because the current discussion propagates soil biodiversity as a soil quality indicator, it seems necessary to question this approach with respect to microbial biodiversity of soils. Biological soil functions such as the maintenance of soil fertility are based on the concerted action of soil organisms such as soil microflora and soil fauna. For both biological entities no specific soil functions can be assigned to species diversity per se. Since organic matter turnover and nutrient turnover are mainly dependent on the activity of the soil microbial biomass (bacteria and fungi), the present paper concentrates on this biological soil fraction. An attempt will be made to give an overview of the scientific background of soil microbial biodiversity. Interdependencies between the abiotic and biotic components will be described, together with the relationship between above-ground and below-ground biodiversity.

What Structures Marine Biodiversity and why does it vary

Abstract: Marine ecological biodiversity research is a scientific field with few observational data to support a weak theory largely borrowed from terrestrial ecology and lacking in experimental verification. The relative lack of scientific interest and effort until recently was a consequence of the general feeling that marine biodiversity is far less threatened than terrestrial biodiversity. This view is not sustainable. There is now ample evidence of widespread changes in most coastal habitats in populated areas around the world (coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass fields, intertidal rocky shores and subtidal sediments on the continental shelf and margin) due to exploitation of marine resources, introduction of exotic species and the increased pressure from mariculture and fisheries. The sustainable exploitation of the seas requires development of a sound theoretical framework for marine biodiversity, including genetic, species and habitat diversity and especially the relationships between them. At the present state of knowledge such a general theory is still far from being reality. In this paper an overview is given of the main elements that an ecological theory of species diversity should include and what aspects of human pressure on the biodiversity of marine ecosystems should be given priority attention.

Assessing Forest-Management Strategies Through the Lens of Biodiversity: A Practical Case from Central-West Alberta

Abstract: We recently assessed biodiversity values as part of the strategic forest planning of a publicly owned forest managed by Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. in Alberta, Canada. Our approach was to create and apply a set of models to predict the responses of indicators related to landscape patterns, ecosystem diversity, and wildlife habitat quality. The analysis took place in three rounds, starting with a suite of four forest-management scenarios differing on silvicultural intensity and cutting spatial layout. Insight into determining favourable behaviour for the biodiversity indicators came from our use of a natural disturbance simulator (LANDIS). We used it to calculate limits of natural variability which define a realm of acceptable behaviour for the biodiversity indicators. Interpretation of the biodiversity assessment results allowed us to identify alternative practices that improve the performance of identified critical indicators and to design a final management-plan option. The paper provides details on our analyses and presents selected results. We conclude by arguing that landscape ecology will have its strongest influence on forest management only if landscape-ecological analysis is embedded directly within a real forest-management planning process.