Great Ecology的动态

Restoring landscapes. Forging new ecological communities ?? Over the past few weeks, I have been talking to interesting people and thinking about habitat restoration, particularly Rob Wreglesworth Tom Butterworth, Sebastian Dunnett, Nikita Worthington, Joe Huddart, PhD. ?? In the UK, we are experiencing a significant shift in how we view our landscapes as we roll out Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and undertake restoration of habitats across different areas of our country. From Scottish Highlands to English arable fields; from chalk streams to brownfield sites things are changing. Our landscapes will change and this is enormously exciting. ?? But here's the thing: what *is* success? I have a bold opinion: I think we now struggle to imagine what a biodiverse and rich ecosystem is. In the UK, we live in a post-industrial, highly agricultural and nature-depleted environment. As we plant mixed forests and restore wetlands, we struggle to imagine what restored communities will look like because our predictions are built upon the (nature-depleted) landscapes we already see and know well. ?? ?? ?? So when someone asks: "What species can I expect to see return?" I struggle. I can be confident that when a landscape is restored, that biodiversity will return and that our nature tech will measure it, but I can't know precisely *who* will form that returning biodiversity. Imagine this: If we took the same landscape and implemented the same restoration plan 3000 times, you could expect a different community every time (sometimes very different) because the assembly of each community depends on many chance events, and the order in which species arrive. ?? But here's the thing: this is massively exciting. We need to break away from a conservative/conservationist view of biodiversity net gain (and I use these words carefully and respectfully). Why? Because we will create the space for entirely new ecological communities that will be part of the long history of ecological succession. Will we make new southern chalk streams? No. We will forge something new, valuable and positive. #ecology #naturetech #BNG #LandscapeRestoration

Perspectives and Values in Restoration/Conservation Invariably, people place different meanings on forest depending on their motivation for restoration or conservation. There is no single definition of a #forest that everyone must use. ?? For timber producers, they view forest as a source of wood. Their focus then is on tree area, size and density, with a strong utilitarian value driven by wood harvesting potential. ?? For conservationist, forests are seen as natural ecosystems rich in biodiversity. Conservation/Restoration efforts hinges on ecological properties, native species and ecosystem distribution. Forest is valued here for its intrinsic qualities. ?? For Climate Change Advocates, forests are vital carbon sink and providers of Ecosystem services. They focus on carbon sequestration, Land use history and carbon credits as a protection strategy. Here, forest has a utilitarian value. ?? For Earth stewards, forest is a complex adaptive system. It balances multiple needs like livelihoods, ecosystem services, biodiversity, etc through landscape-scale management for multifunctionality and resiliency. Forest here has mixed values. ??It is also worthy of note that all of these definitions co-exist today. Understanding the different perspectives will help us appreciate the significance of forests and the diverse motivations driving conservation and restoration efforts. Yale School of the Environment #geccinitiative #conservationEducation #ForestEducation #EcosystemRestoration Chart credit: Alicia Calle PH.D. lectures

Today marks the final stage of our tour of the Living Labs in the GOVAQUA project! In the GOVAQUA project, Living Labs are taking place to collaboratively develop and test innovative water governance and management solutions in real-world settings. ?? Spotlight on the Dunav??, Danube Delta Living Lab ?? - A #GOVAQUA project Living Lab ?? The Danube Delta, Europe’s largest natural delta, supports over 300 bird species, 139 fish species, and around 10,000 residents, providing vital ecosystem services like clean water, flood protection, and carbon sequestration. However, historical land-use changes during the communist regime drained natural wetlands for farmland, causing biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, and social inequities. Traditional livelihoods, especially fishing, have suffered, and areas like Dunav??u de Sus have seen sharp declines in local income and increased deserted houses. ?? Restoring these wetlands is crucial for biodiversity and local quality of life. Benefits include improved water quality, flood protection, and revived traditional economies like fishing and tourism. A WWF-Romania survey shows over 97% of Murighiol-Dunav?? residents support wetland restoration. ?? The Dunav?? Living Lab, part of the GOVAQUA project, fosters local stakeholder collaboration to develop innovative water governance strategies. By promoting open dialogue and equitable participation, it aims to create sustainable water governance benefiting both people and nature. ?? Discussion and co-creation will enhance collaboration, bringing together river stakeholders to envision a sustainable future for the Danube Delta. Working together: Office International de l'Eau ?? WWF-Romania ??Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) ??Ecologic Institute ??Cetaqua - Water Technology Centre ??Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) - Suomen ymp?rist?keskus (Syke) ??INRAE ??The Rivers Trust?? University of Twente ?? Universidad de Córdoba??UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)

New preprint alert ??: We examined the spatial synergies and trade-offs between bird functional diversity and carbon storage in ten Canadian cities using bivariate mapping and modelled relationships between vegetation attributes and bird diversity and carbon. Our maps highlight areas within our target cities where greenspaces could be managed, restored, or protected to maximize carbon storage and conserve biodiversity. Nationwide, forest management strategies promoting increases in canopy and conifer trees in urban greenspaces are potential win-win strategies for biodiversity and carbon, BUT these NbS strategies are not always generalizable across regions. With the greatest collaborators Carly Ziter and Barbara Frei. https://lnkd.in/eHg99dm2

Urban areas are not always recognized for their biodiversity, however recent work has shown that many cities host a critical array of plant and animal life. With over half of the global human population living in urban areas, communities must find tools and strategies to promote coexistence with urban biodiversity in order to support sustainable development efforts. In this webinar recording, panelists from Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Toluca, Mexico highlighted how they are working to conserve biodiversity in each of their cities, including using tools such as the Singapore Biodiversity Index. https://lnkd.in/dXMM-vMJ

Ecosystem diversity encompasses the broad differences between ecosystem types, and the diversity of habitats and ecological processes occurring within each ecosystem type. #EnvironmentalManagement

We have in hand Paul Boon’s excellent report on ‘Widths of Riparian Corridors’ Watch out for the final designed and edited and illustrated publication to come. In the meantime I intend to publish some tidbits to stimulate the discussion and socialize the content. Waterways are the key to landscape health, a climate refuge, a biodiversity sink at all times and especially in dry times. We need to look after these corridors that connect through cities and farmlands. Here is the science of what they do (then there is the culture and spirit of what they do): Eight ecological functions are often attributed to riparian zones: 1 Provision of vegetated ecotonal habitats along the sides of rivers and streams, resulting in improved biodiversity values (aquatic, riparian and terrestrial ) 2 Ecological connectivity and as wildlife corridors 3 Shading of the parent river or stream, with reductions in stream temperature and the provision of in-stream shady areas where biota can shelter 4 Provision of organic matter, in form of fine material (e.g. leaves) that fuels aquatic food webs and coarse material (e.g. wood) that provides in-stream habitat for aquatic biota 5 Sequestration of carbon in soils and plant biomass 6 Interception and transformation of nutrients and other contaminants (e.g. suspended solids), resulting in improvements in water quality in the parent river or stream 7 Stabilisation of riverbanks and reduction of erosion 8 Interception and storage of overland flow from the catchment. The MMBW as long ago as 1925 identified the waterways as Melbourne’s great parklands. Melbourne Water its successor has continued to protect and nurture our riparian corridors. We need to keep those corridors as wide as can be. They link the mountains to the sea via estuaries and often through cities. (This shot is from SE Queensland.)

?? Embracing Urban Ecology: Enhancing Sustainability in Our Cities ??? As urban populations grow, so does our impact on the environment. Urban ecology offers crucial insights into how we can create sustainable cities that thrive harmoniously with nature. ?? Urban Forests: Trees aren’t just ornaments; they’re vital for urban ecosystems. They improve air quality, reduce heat island effects, and provide havens for biodiversity. ??? Green Infrastructure: From rooftop gardens to permeable pavements, integrating green spaces into city planning enhances water management, reduces urban heat, and boosts community well-being. ?? Biodiversity Conservation: Urban areas can support diverse wildlife through habitat preservation and restoration efforts, promoting resilience against climate change impacts. ?? Sustainable Practices: Embracing renewable energy, efficient waste management, and eco-friendly transportation options are crucial for reducing urban ecological footprints. ?? Community Engagement: Educating and involving residents in sustainable practices fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, driving positive environmental outcomes. Let’s work together to build cities where ecology and urban living coexist harmoniously. Join the movement towards sustainable urban futures! ???? #UrbanEcology #Sustainability #GreenCities #Biodiversity #CommunityEngagement #ClimateAction #EcologicalUrbanism

?? “We need to think about conservation differently. It’s not just about preserving what we have, but also about managing ecosystems in a way that they can withstand future changes and continue to thrive.” - Dan Carpenter CEnv This week we had the incredible opportunity to showcase the #SPAIA platform and delve into the future of ecological management with Dan Carpenter, the Chartered Environmentalist who founded Digital Ecology an environmental management company working at the interface of ecology and digital technologies. In a candid discussion about the evolving concept of conservation, Dan advocates for a shift in perspective – one that embraces change rather than merely preserving the status quo. He explains, “Conservation is almost synonymous with preservation; there’s a strong desire to hermetically seal things so they remain unchanged. However, we may have largely missed that opportunity now.” Dan suggests that the future holds inevitable changes, bringing about new systems and complexities that necessitate new measurement approaches. “We may lose a few things on the way, but what we want is to try and maintain function, maintain the same kind of richness, though it might look a bit different” Dan notes, emphasizing a pragmatic approach focused on adaptation and resilience to environmental and systemic shifts. He outlines critical shifts we need to make: ?? Data-Driven Ecology: Leveraging digital technology to manage and analyze ecological data more efficiently, ensuring that conservation efforts are guided by reliable insights. ?? Beyond the Status Quo: Advancing past traditional conservation methods to strategies that enhance ecosystem resilience and adaptability. ?? Holistic Biodiversity Monitoring: Moving from isolated species counts to comprehensive biodiversity assessments to better understand ecosystem functions and interactions. ?? Innovative Monitoring Techniques: Pioneering the use of advanced techniques, from EDNA analysis to digital tracking systems, to capture the dynamics of ecosystems. ?? Collaborative and Open-Source Approaches: Dan is a strong advocate for open-source solutions that allow for greater collaboration and innovation in the field. By empowering more stakeholders to engage with and evolve these tools, conservation efforts can become more inclusive and effective. Do you agree with Dan that we need to be flexible and adapt to changes brought by global warming, or should we focus on preserving what currently exists, even if it might be a losing battle? #Conservation #Ecology #Biodiversity #Sustainability #DigitalTransformation #ClimateChange

An excellent Mongabay podcast where Rachel Donald discusses ecological restoration with Laura Martin and unpacks why human rights are intertwined with any form of successful conservation or restoration. "The very idea that nature is something outside of society often hampers practical solutions, and is an impediment to restoring ecosystems, Laura Martin, associate professor of environmental studies at Williams College, argues in this episode of the Mongabay Newscast." This really speaks to how the 30x30 Target cannot be seen as a land grab for fortress conservation, but rather inspiration for living landscapes of functioning ecosystems where biodiversity is able to recover and that humans should not be divorced from playing an active role in this recovery or excluded from living within these regenerating landscapes. A great challenge in the Global South is of course colonialism and how people have been divorced from their former relationships with land or in fact forcibly removed. As Robin Wall Kimmerer quotes from the Indigenous Environmental Network: "Cultural survival depends on healthy land and a healthy, responsible relationship between humans and the land. The traditional care-giving responsibilities which maintained healthy land need to be expanded to include restoration. Ecological restoration is inseparable from cultural and spiritual restoration." Corridors and connectivity also play a crucial role in moving away from fortress conservation and reestablishing the natural flow and movement of diverse life. Humans form an integral part of this connectivity. Listen to the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/dgjAGccq Thank you Rachel Donald and Mike DiGirolamo, keep them coming! #ecologicalrestoration #socialjustice #biodiversity #naturecorridors