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Understanding ecosystem dynamics for conservation of biota
Article first published online: 1 FEB 2006
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01036.x
Additional Information
How to Cite
SINCLAIR, A. R. E. and BYROM, A. E. (2006), Understanding ecosystem dynamics for conservation of biota. Journal of Animal Ecology, 75: 64–79. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01036.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 1 FEB 2006
- Article first published online: 1 FEB 2006
- Received 04 September 2004; accepted 13 July 2005
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- disturbance;
- ecosystem conservation;
- keystones;
- multiple states;
- restoration
Summary
- 1Ecosystems have higher-order emerging properties that can affect the conservation of species. We identify some of these properties in order to facilitate a better understanding of them.
- 2Nonlinear, indirect effects of food web interactions among species can produce counterintuitive changes in populations.
- 3Species differ in their roles and linkages with other species in the system. These roles are a property of the system. Such differences in roles influence how we conserve individual species.
- 4Ecosystems operate at a multitude of interacting spatial and temporal scales, which together structure the system and affect the dynamics of individual populations.
- 5Disturbance also structures an ecosystem, producing both long-term slow changes and sudden shifts in ecosystem dynamics.
- 6Ecosystems therefore can have multiple states, determined both by disturbance regimes and biotic interactions. Conservation should recognize a possible multiplicity of natural states while avoiding aberrant (human-induced) states.
- 7Ecosystem processes are influenced by the composition of the biota they contain. Disturbances to the biota can distort processes and functions, which in turn can endanger individual species.
- 8The goal of ecosystem conservation is the long-term persistence of the biota in the system. There are two paradigms: community-based conservation (CBC) and protected area conservation. Both have their advantages but neither is sufficient to protect the biota on its own.
- 9CBC is required to conserve the majority of the world's biota not included in protected areas. However, current CBC methods favour a few idiosyncratic species, distort the species complex, and ignore the majority. More comprehensive methods are required for this approach to meet the goal of ecosystem conservation.
- 10Protected areas are essential to conserve species unable to coexist with humans. They also function as ecological baselines to monitor the effects of humans on their own ecosystems.
- 11However, protected areas suffer from loss of habitat through attrition of critical areas. Thus, renewal (addition) of habitat is required in order to achieve the long-term persistence of biota in functioning ecosystems. Identification of minimum habitat areas and restoration of ecosystems become two major priorities for future research.